From the Introduction:

  Oh, to be perfect! Wouldn't that be wonderful? Wouldn't it be great to always do the right things and say the right things and make the right choices and never need any help? Wouldn't it be great if your past was missing even the tiniest indiscretion and your future was immune to even the slightest mistake? It probably would be great -- too bad it's also impossible. That kind of perfection never has happened, never will.

  But like a settler panning for gold, we keep hoping for it anyway. How often have you cried over your failures and mistakes that you can't change? How many times have you wished that you could be free of all your flaws and insecurities, your painful past and recurring trespasses? How many times have you looked at yourself in the mirror and seen a wicked, weak and worthless face staring back at you? Well, you'll have to get in line. I'm in the very front.

  What makes it so hard for us to accept and deal with our imperfections, setbacks and mistakes? And why do we so often refuse the one thing that could comfort us? Every time we tend the wounds of our lives alone and isolate ourselves from the Lord instead of turning to Him for help, He cries with us and wonders why we can't understand and accept the gift only He can give.

  The Lord stands ready to help us with our imperfections because He understands them so well. He created us imperfect. (He got a little carried away with some of us, but I'll trust that He has a plan . . . .) He knows that we'll fail Him and ourselves from time to time. But He's prepared. Our imperfections don't have to stop us from enjoying the amazing life He's given us and from doing what we were born to do. He's got them covered.

  There is much work for all of us to do, and we can begin when we believe and accept that God can use us no matter what. Because our human nature tends to think in terms of what we earn and deserve, we sometimes just run from God when we've failed, feeling unworthy and too far from His grasp. But He's still there, saying, "Woe, hold on a minute, let's talk about it . . . ." He provides the only way that we can deal with our imperfections: His indescribable grace. Perhaps it would be wonderful to be perfect, to never fail again, to never need God's grace. Then again, perhaps not . . . .

  In these pages, we'll look at how we can overcome this need for perfection, deal with the past, live the present, and embrace the future. We can handle our unending mortal imperfection with attention to our attitude, application and appreciation of God's immortal grace. Nothing else will ever work.

  What a blessed relief it is to just accept that we can't be perfect or do everything perfectly -- and that God never meant for us to! He has a way around our human weaknesses, a way to clean up the messes we make and find some use in us anyway.

  There is always life after lapses, no matter how much they hurt. Do you want the Lord to sweep up your imperfections and help you get your life on track? Do you want to be more useful than perfect? Please join me here and we'll do it together.

  Sure, God could have made us independent and stoic, but instead He made us imperfect and needy. With the entire universe at His disposal, He made us a frame of dust. Yet this feeble frame can house His very soul and spirit. That makes us better than perfect. That makes us loved.

Contents

• Part 1:
  "Why'd You Give Me This Rickety Ole Frame in the First Place?"
  The Attitude of God's Grace

  Chapter 1 ~ He's Not Surprised!
  Chapter 2 ~ Why We're This Way
  Chapter 3 ~ How To Be Dust When You Want to Be Rock
  Chapter 4 ~ Preparing for Clean-up

• Part 2:
  "Maybe a Vacuum Cleaner Would Be Better?"
  The Application of God's Grace

  Chapter 5 ~ Overcoming an Unchangeable Past
  Chapter 6 ~ Transforming Failure into Trust
  Chapter 7 ~ Transforming Sorrow into Hope
  Chapter 8 ~ Transforming Regret into Purpose

• Part 3:
  "Hey, Wanna See My Grout?!"
  The Appreciation of God's Grace

  Chapter 9 ~ We're All Dust
  Chapter 10 ~ The Foundation of Grout
  Chapter 11 ~ The Loaves and Fishes of Grace
  Chapter 12 ~ All Swept Up and Places to Go!