The tradition of saying grace...carving out quiet moments before or after a meal to express gratitude for one's blessings...is often done in many creative ways, depending upon our cultural and religious beliefs. But almost all of us share the same noble mission:

I. To humbly thank God for His many blessings including food, shelter, family and health
II. To remind ourselves that others may not be as fortunate as we are...and to pray for them
III. To acknowledge how hard others have toiled to bring us the sustenance we enjoy...including farmers and field laborers who often have so little themselves

Inside you'll find timeless graces I hope you, your children and your grandchildren will welcome into your home and your heart. May they earn the same cherished place in your family's traditions as they have in ours.



Saying grace is a time-honored tradition where we show appreciation for the blessings God has bestowed on each of us. It is our intention that this book of graces will bolster your family's spiritual growth and togetherness around the table. Today, more than ever, the simple act of saying grace shows our precious children our sincere thanks for the generosity of the Lord.

We pray that This Little Grace of Mine will help establish traditions in your families and make your meals more meaningful!

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.




Our family dining table was a place where we came together, not just to eat, but to experience fellowship, share with each other as only loving family members can, just how we were doing in our lives. Those mealtime experiences were not only great for fellowship, but were opportunities where we ministered to each other, this all began by giving thanks to God for our health, well-being, our family relationship and for another day of life itself.

Today, mealtime is often cut short or taken on the run due to each of our busy schedules, but we believe that you and your family will reap untold blessings if you dedicate yourselves to prayer, both individually and together as a family. One of the easiest ways to build your prayer life is to share grace before each meal. In this meaningful time, everyone should have their plates fixed and be seated, awaiting each family member to be seated likewise. Then, focus for a moment on God's blessings and provision and ask Him to bless your family, this time together, the meal being served and the loving hands that sacrificed to prepare it.

We offer these "52 little graces," one for each week, as a suggested way to begin your prayer time together, not as a primer for perfect prayers, or to be used as a repetitive substitute for your own prayers of thanks to God. So, feel free to use these prayers as a foundation and seek HIS help on offering your own graces. Then, as different family members are comfortable in doing so, let each in turn offer their thanks likewise.

Chris Loux Henning
Connie Loux Murray

This title is available from Baker & Taylor Books.