The Making of a Pearl: Grit and Grace in Every Layer
by Amy Boland Hauser
🌊 The Story Behind the Pearl
Have you ever thought about how a pearl comes to be? It doesn’t start in comfort. A pearl is formed when something painful — a grain of sand, a parasite, an unwelcome irritant — slips inside the shell of an oyster. It disrupts, causes discomfort, even pain.
But instead of rejecting it, the oyster responds by covering it with layer upon layer of nacre, a healing, luminous substance. Over time, what once hurt becomes something breathtaking and deeply valuable — a pearl.
“Even one pearl is of incredible worth. Your story, your process, your becoming — it is priceless to Him.”
💪 Grit: The Quiet Strength
Grit isn’t just a personality type; it’s a spiritual posture. It’s the choice to keep showing up, to keep trusting, to keep believing even when life feels impossibly hard.
Grit is the whisper of “yes, Lord” through trembling lips. It’s found in tears behind a bathroom door, in mustard-seed prayers, in the quiet determination to hold on.
Think about Ruth.
She lost her husband, her home, her future. Still, she clung to Naomi and declared, “Your God will be my God.” That’s grit. And God honored it — leading her to Boaz, to restoration, and into the very lineage of Jesus.
“Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
(Galatians 6:9)
✨ Grace: God’s Gentle Covering
Grace isn’t the absence of hardship; it’s God’s nearness right in the middle of it.
Grace lifts us when we’re too weary to stand. It doesn’t demand perfection — only surrender. It’s God’s power showing up in our weakest places.
Esther didn’t feel equipped to save a nation, but grace covered her.
She entered the palace not just with beauty, but with divine favor.
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
(2 Corinthians 12:9)
🤍 Grit + Grace: A Holy Partnership
We need both.
Grit without grace becomes striving.
Grace without grit becomes passivity.
Together, they forge a holy resilience.
James 1:2-4 says the testing of our faith produces perseverance — grit. But perseverance must finish its work so we’re complete. God doesn’t just want you to survive; He’s forming something radiant in you.
Think of the woman with the issue of blood. Her grit pushed her through the crowd to reach Jesus. And what did she find? Grace. He turned, called her “Daughter,” and made her whole.
💎 The Hidden Beauty: God’s Pearl
Pearls take time. They’re shaped in darkness, in places no one sees.
Friend, maybe that’s where you are right now. But Philippians 1:6 promises:
“He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion.”
Jesus even likened the Kingdom to a merchant searching for fine pearls (Matthew 13:45-46). That’s how He sees you — worth everything, even if you’re just one single pearl.
“What feels like hidden pressure is forming heaven’s treasure.”
🌱 How to Walk in Grit & Grace Every Day
Be honest about the hard.
God doesn’t need your polished story; He wants your heart.
Stay rooted in the Word.
Let truth anchor you when feelings waver.
Ask for help.
Grit doesn’t mean going it alone. Grace flows through community.
Pray bold prayers.
Grit says, “I’ll believe anyway.” Grace says, “I trust You with the outcome.”
Remember who you are.
You’re not just surviving — you’re a daughter of the King.
⸻
Paul and I are so excited to share something deeply meaningful to our hearts - a celebration of friendship, creativity, and a mission so much bigger than ourselves.
Amy Boland Hauser x Cotton Gunter Studio
Together, we’ve partnered to highlight Cotton Gunter Studio’s newest jewelry line — The Freedom Collection. Each piece features a pearl, reminding us that beauty is often born through pressure, grit, and time.
So it is with every child we fight to rescue from human trafficking and exploitation. Each one is uniquely created, infinitely valuable, and worthy of freedom and restoration.
Proceeds from The Freedom Collection go directly toward rescuing children trapped in human trafficking and exploitation. Your support isn’t just a purchase — it’s a lifeline.
We’d be honored if you would wear these pieces, share them, and help us raise awareness. When you post, please tag us so we can celebrate this mission together:
📸 @amybolandhauser | @cottongunterstudio
#TheFreedomCollection
Thank you for helping us turn stories of pain into testimonies of hope. Here’s to living loved & walking free.
❤️ A Final Word for You
To the woman who feels weary: you are not weak — you’re walking in gritty grace.
To the woman facing the unknown: God goes before you with grace for every gap.
To the woman who keeps showing up: He sees you. He delights in you.
One day, when Jesus comes to take us home, we’ll stand together like a strand of pearls — each life telling a story of grit and grace.
🙏 A Prayer for You
Father, thank You for every woman reading these words. Thank You for the grit You’ve formed in her through the fires, the heartbreak, the healing. Thank You for the grace that’s carried her and continues to. Remind her that Your power is made perfect in her weakness. May she rise today with fresh fire and holy confidence, ready to run her race with grit and grace.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
🌸 Share Your Story
If this encouraged you, I’d love for you to share it with a friend or leave a comment below. Let’s keep cheering each other on as we become the beautiful pearls He’s creating us to be.