Russian novelist and philosopher, Fyodor Dostoevsky, wrote: "Love in action is a harsh and dreadful thing." Life was going precisely as planned when Jim and Karol Holmes began praying, "We are your servants, Lord. Use us to make a difference in the lives of others." In response, God brought something they didn't expect. All it took was one phone call to set their lives on a path entirely different from the one they had imagined. Suddenly, they were faced with an agonizing decision when God asked them to love one very special child. In Grace According To Gifts, Karol Glueck Holmes is unflinchingly honest as she takes the reader on an incredible journey of love in action. She and Jim discover that, together, they have a gift that they didn't know they had and, frankly, didn't even want. As they answer God's call for their life, they are thrust into a world of heartache, tragedy, and extraordinary testing of their faith. They asked God to use them to make a difference for others. They never imagined that three little children would lead them and, ultimately, make a radical difference in them. Wherever you are in your journey through life, Karol's story will bring hope and cause you to stop and ask, "What does God want for my life?" Karol Glueck Holmes and her husband, Jim, live in a small rural community in the Midwest. Together they have seven beautiful children, six on earth and one in heaven. They own and operate a residential contracting business. Karol also works part-time in the special education department at a local elementary school. Karol is passionate about coming alongside new parents whose lives have been touched by the challenges of special needs and those who carry the heavy burden of child loss.