Follow our journey.

One life, one story, one conversation at a time.

Earle’s Special Lasagna (Serves 12-16) Oven: 375° Meat Sauce: 2 Lbs. Lean Ground Beef 2 Tbsp. Onion Powder 1 Tbsp. Garlic Powder ½ Cup Red or Vidalia Onion, Chopped fine 2, 8 Oz. Cans Tomato Sauce 2, 6 Oz. Cans Tomato Paste 4 Tsp. Sweet Basil 2 Tsp. Marjoram 2 Tsp. Oregano 2 Tsp. Fennel Seed 2 Tsp. Rosemary 2 Tsp. Thyme 1 Cup Water 1 Tsp. Salt ½ Tsp. Coarse Ground Black Pepper Brown meat, garlic powder, onion powder & chopped onion. Drain fat thoroughly. Stir in tomato sauce, tomato paste, basil, marjoram, oregano, fennel seed, thyme, water, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cheese Filling: 2 Beaten Eggs 2 Cups Ricotta Cheese 2 Cups Cottage Cheese (Small Curd) 2 Tbsp. Parsley Flakes ¼ Tsp. Nutmeg ½ Cup Fresh Grated Parmesan Cheese For filling, combine the eggs, ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, ½ cup Parmesan cheese, parsley and nutmeg. Blend well. Layering Ingredients: 1, 16-Oz. Pkg. Lasagna Noodles (cooked according to package directions.) ½ Cup Fresh Grated Parmesan Cheese 32 Oz. Mozzarella Cheese, Thinly Sliced 2, 10-Oz. Pkg. Fresh Baby Bella Mushrooms, Sliced In two (2) ungreased 13”x9”x2” oblong pans layer half the noodles, spread with half the cheese filling, cover with half the meat sauce, lay on half the mushrooms, top with half the mozzarella cheese. Repeat the layers. Sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup Parmesan cheese. Bake at 375° for 30 - 35 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes. Serve & Enjoy! Personal confession: I don’t like mushrooms and certain spices so I leave them out! I subbed regular sausage for half the meat and used oven bake noodles, wrapped the pan tight with aluminum foil and baked it for 45 minutes. It was amazing! But day two was 🔥 sooooo good 👍
Mmmmmmmm 😋 @earle.l.bailey shared one of his infamous recipes with us when we were in Connecticut. I was not skeptical about it being good. I was trying to figure out how come I had never thought of it! @erocket01 made it. I ate it. It was good! 👍 Frozen burritos Red enchilada sauce Shredded cheese Bake at 350 until hot. You know because the cheese should be melted and the red sauce should be bubbling. #longlostfamilyrecipes #nevertoolate Lemme know if you’re going to try it too!
Some of my zinnias fell while we were in Connecticut. Came back home to some of the biggest and prettiest blooms yet…but the stems were too wonky for a jar. Coffee cups filled with water worked perfect 🌺 We have a showing tomorrow. 🏠 Hopefu
Some of my zinnias fell while we were in Connecticut. Came back home to some of the biggest and prettiest blooms yet…but the stems were too wonky for a jar. Coffee cups filled with water worked perfect 🌺 We have a showing tomorrow. 🏠 Hopefully it will sell this time.
Woke up this morning with this song in my head 🎵 My Lighthouse 🎵 my lighthouse, shining in the darkness…I will follow you 🎵 ❤️ #relentlessandundignifiedmercy #missiontosharejesus #peoplearethemission #roadtripfaith Lyrics - My Lighthouse by @rendcollective

Just Released!

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Just Released! 〰️

The cover of the book. The background is purple and the title in typewriter type of font says Relentless & Undignified Mercy. The word mercy is in big purple caps. There is a door below similar to the door in pilgrim's progress but not quite.

Everything I have ever tried to build ended up being a monument to my own anxiety. I spent fifty-some years convinced that if I didn’t work myself to the bone, God would eventually notice the clerical error and take it all back.

I was wrong.

Relentless & Undignified Mercy isn't a guide on how to fix your life. It is the story of what happens when you finally stop trying to save yourself. It is about the brutal, quiet, and terrifyingly beautiful mercy that finds you in the middle of your own wreckage—the graveyard, the divorce, the broken back, and the empty bank account—and refuses to let you stay there.

I’m tired of the act. I’m tired of the "devotional" talk that hides the dirt under the rug. This book is for the person who is ready for a new skit to the act too. It’s for the one who has spent their life trying to earn a love that was never for sale.

We are going to pick up the shovel, move the rug, and look at the real, ugly, wonderful truth: God’s mercy is not a polite buffer for your mistakes. It is the thing that finally kills the version of you that was never meant to exist, so you can actually start living.

Why you might actually want to read this:

  • No religious performance: This is hand-crafted, human-written truth, not some AI-generated fluff or theological lecture.

  • The shovel work: You'll find tools to help you stop the exhausting, daily grind of trying to justify your own existence.

  • A different kind of "reset": We aren't looking for a quick fix or a "get out of jail free" card; we're looking at why mercy is actually a dangerous and disruptive force in a life that's been built on sand.

  • Hard-won honesty: These pages aren't full of shiny, Instagram-ready wisdom; they are full of the scars, the doubts, and the reality of living in the narrow way.

It’s not safe. It’s not cheap. It’s just mercy.

Relentless & Undignified Mercy

"This book has already captivated me!! I can't wait to get home and read more. May God bless you for having the courage to follow His prompting." -J. Hartz

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"I'm so moved and I understand now why we got along in our quirky ways." - K. Buck

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"I just finished reading your book. Parts of it were hard to imagine you having to live through." -C. Peterson

✳︎

"It's one of those reads that keeps me wanting more. It's well written." -F. Taylor

✳︎

"I need more!! I could not put it down!" -S. Willis

✳︎

"This book has already captivated me!! I can't wait to get home and read more. May God bless you for having the courage to follow His prompting." -J. Hartz ✳︎ "I'm so moved and I understand now why we got along in our quirky ways." - K. Buck ✳︎ "I just finished reading your book. Parts of it were hard to imagine you having to live through." -C. Peterson ✳︎ "It's one of those reads that keeps me wanting more. It's well written." -F. Taylor ✳︎ "I need more!! I could not put it down!" -S. Willis ✳︎

couple at route 66 winslow arizona

Invite us to speak at your next event!

We bring a shared heart for Jesus and a unique blend of messages that meet people right where they are. Eric teaches on abiding in the Vine and living a life rooted in Christ, along with other messages that call people deeper into relationship with God. Chris speaks on hope, grace, and restoration — and also ministers through music.

We travel together and serve together, and depending on your event, we can speak individually or as a team. Whether it’s a men’s gathering, women’s conference, church service, retreat, or community event, our desire is the same: to point people to Jesus through real stories, honest faith, and the transforming power of grace.

We’d love to come alongside what God is doing in your community.

Email Us
Logo featuring green olives with leaves and the text "The Grace Collective".

The Grace Collective is a small, intentional publishing family dedicated to voices that value heart and honesty. We believe the most powerful stories are the ones that haven’t been polished to hide the rough edges, because that is where the most profound grace is found.

We are highly selective, choosing to partner with authors who share our heart for restoration and the truth of a life transformed. We view each book as a curated testimony—a raw look at how grace works in the messy middle of real life. While we may not publish every story we read, we are always looking for the next one that needs to be told.

Submit Your Manuscript
Hand-drawn illustration with the text 'Show Them Through Me' and 'Unfiltered Grace' by Chris Smith, depicting a girl sitting with her hands crossed in front of her, and a floating lantern.

One Life at a Time

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One Life at a Time ~

The Mission = Sharing Jesus

Something simple and steady happens when you take Jesus off the stage and bring Him in to real life.

It isn’t about numbers or noise or programs.

It’s about pulling up a chair, sharing a story and letting grace meet real life where real life is happening.

Whether at home in our local community or out on the open road, our mission is sharing Jesus on an individual, personal level. One life at a time.

Hope grows when we carry it together.

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