I started work on this book about 1985, when I was in my young twenties and helping to pastor a new church in Southern California. God was teaching me so much about His grace, and my life was deeply touched. I looked around to see if there were any good books about grace at the local Christian bookstore and didn't find much there - so I wrote one. It was the first time I felt that God might give me a ministry in writing.

I finished the book and shopped it around to several publishers, but there was no interest. I filed the book away, but some six or seven years later decided to try again. Again, there were no takers - some very encouraging feedback, but no interest. Over those six or seven years several good books on the subject of grace had been published, by some very prominent authors - men like Charles Swindoll and Jerry Bridges wrote some good books on the topic.

In those years also, Pastor Chuck Smith's classic book Why Grace Changes Everything was published. I felt that the need for some good books about grace was satisfied - and so did the publishing community.

In the years after, I polished up a chapter of this book every once in a while, but God gave me an unexpected ministry - writing Bible commentary. I put my writing focus into commentary instead of other books.

Yet my friend and colleague Pastor Lance Ralston - as well as my wife Inga-Lill - were kind enough to periodically remind me of Standing in Grace, and over time I got it ready enough to publish. So here it is.

The message of grace changes lives forever. I really believe that this message can change your life and the lives of those you love.