by Tracy | Bad Day Blues, Tuesdays With Tracy
My Precious One,
I formed you in your mother’s womb. You are fearfully and wonderfully made. My thoughts of you Precious One are wonderful and the sum of them is so great they are more in number than the sand. I will establish the work of your hands. Goodness and mercy shall follow you all the days of your life. With long life I will satisfy you and show you of My salvation. The plans I have for you are good, to give you a future and a hope in Me. Dwell in My secret place Precious One, abide under the shadow of My wings and no evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling. I will send My angels concerning you all the days of your life.
I have so loved you Precious One, that I came to earth that you may have everlasting life. Seek first My kingdom and all your hearts desires shall be added to you. You are My chosen One, I have called you to go into the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
Do not be afraid, Precious One, for I will be with you wherever you go. My rod and staff shall comfort you. Hope in Me and tell of My righteousness and salvation to all who have ears. Declare My strength to this generation and My power to everyone who is to come. Trust in Me with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Me, and I will direct your paths.
Love Me above all else Precious One, obey My commandments and all of My blessings shall come upon you and overtake you because you obey My voice. I am deeply in love with you! Welcome my love for you this day. I want to show you how wide and deep my love is for you. Precious One, let’s talk again tomorrow. I have much more to tell you. Simply open The Word of God and I will daily unfold a love note to you. Bask in My love. Relish in My Truth. Everything will be all right when you stay close to me.
Love,
Your Heavenly Father
(This love letter to you originates from: Psalm 139:13,14,17,18, Psalm 91:16, Jeremiah 29:11, Psalm 91:1,10, John 3:16, Matthew 6:33, Mark 16:15, Joshua 1:9, Psalm 23, Psalm 71:15, Proverbs 3:5,6, Deuteronomy 28:2)
by Tracy | Inspirational, Tuesdays With Tracy
“So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.” Colossians 3: 12-14, The Message Translation
Ask any woman and she will tell you that a simple black dress can take her just about anywhere in life. For example, she can add a pair of high heel shoes to her black dress and ‘hi-ho-hi-ho’ off to work she goes. She can run errands around town by sliding into her favorite pair of flip-flops. And she can enjoy a formal evening out by placing a strand of pearls around her neck. Not to mention that as she dashes around town in this all-purpose garment, she will look gorgeous!
What many of you may not know is that God is also interested in what we wear, spiritually speaking that is. He has picked out some articles of clothing that He believes are essential for every believer’s closet. So, let’s do some inventory shall we? Would I find the following items within your spiritual closet: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline, even tempered, content with second place and quick to forgive?
I will admit to having most of these, yet I seem to wear the same things over and over again! For example, I regularly wear a shirt of compassion, slacks of forgiveness and shoes of kindness, but I often pass by the jacket of discipline! If we are all honest, there are probably a few of the mentioned garments listed above that we have a hard time putting on…which one is it for you?
But, there is one all-purpose garment, which God states we are NEVER to be without. Love is the one piece of clothing we need to be wearing at all times – no matter the season, predicted weather forecast or agenda of our day. The garment of love is to be extended to others, ourselves and to God. It is the garment that will bring success our way no matter what. So go ahead and wear your black dress (or black pants for you men), but don’t forget to put on some love to go with it! I promise you that with that combination – you will look fabulous!
Prayer:
Lord, I want to wear what you have picked out for me today. I choose to place upon myself this day: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline, I desire to be even tempered, content with second place and quick to forgive, but importantly I choose to walk in love. By choosing to wear the articles of clothing listed above – I am dressed for success. Thank you for loving me this day. Amen
by Tracy | Inspirational, Practical, Tuesdays With Tracy
“So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you; take your everyday ordinary life – your sleeping, eating, going to work, and walking around life – and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for Him. Don’t become so well adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God – you’ll be changed from the inside out.” Romans 12:1-2, Message Translation
There are days when all I feel like I do is get up, read the Word, change diapers, pick up the house, make dinner and go to bed. Maybe your days are filled with driving to work, making business calls or picking up take-out for dinner. But, no matter what stage of life we are in – we can become bored with our daily routines and forget to embrace each day as a gift from God.
What stood out to me in the scripture above is the challenge Paul gives us to embrace our everyday, ordinary life as worship to God. I have found that if we choose to worship God everyday (no matter how mundane our tasks may seem) an overflowing joy will fill our hearts. God will help us see that what we do each day is not ordinary – but extraordinary! While, the world may perceive what we do as meaningless, God knows our hearts and He sees our acts of everyday life as worship to Him.
Did you know that as you go about your everyday, ordinary life, that you are changing eternal souls? You are influencing someone’s life today, whether you realize it or not. Your encouragement and heartfelt concern for a co-worker, fellow mom or a grocery store clerk can literally alter their destiny!
Maybe you are a businessperson, minister or teacher. You need to know that every client you encourage, sermon that you preach or child that you impact is shaping an eternal destiny. The truth is, there are thousands of people who need what you do mindlessly each day. It may be your smile, uplifting word or a mastery skill that you perform at your job. But someone, somewhere, is in need of what you do in your everyday, ordinary life. Choosing to worship God through your everyday life will not only change you, but everyone around you as well!
Prayer:
“Lord, I give you my everyday, ordinary life: my sleeping, eating, going to work and walking around life as worship to You. I choose to fix my eyes on Jesus and what He thinks about me as I go about my daily tasks. Father, open my eyes to see how my life can be a blessing to those around me. Help me to see those who are hurting and need the gift that is within me. Someone, somewhere is in need of what I do in my everyday, ordinary life. May You use my life to glorify You. Take my ordinary and turn it into extraordinary this day.” Amen.
Photo Above is from: www.freefoto.com
by Tracy | Practical, Tuesdays With Tracy
“For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty.” 1 Corinthians 1:26-27, NKJ
Can you imagine how those in the New Testament felt when God called Saul, the killer of Christians to salvation? Saul repented, turned from his wicked ways and became Paul – one of the most dynamic leaders for Christ in his time. Who are we to judge whom God will use in such a time as this?
The truth is, God does not need our opinion. He will use whomever He chooses. There has been a lot of media discussion lately about certain people claiming to “find Jesus” or “falling away due to sin.” But, I have come to this conclusion: I am not the judge and God will use whomever He chooses.
The only difference between those in the media spotlight and me is that my past sin was never plastered on the front page of a newspaper. And my public declaration of faith and repentance was never reported on prime-time news. I am truly a sinner saved by grace. I once was lost, but now I am found. I was the least likely to be used by God, but God saved me, healed me and transformed my life. My greatest prayer is that He will choose to use my life for His glory.
We must be careful to not judge, lest we be judged. We must in turn, pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ. When Adam and Eve sinned in the garden, God responded by covering them. We too need not forsake our brothers in Christ, but COVER them in prayer. How would our world be impacted if we as the body of Christ COVERED our brothers and sisters in prayer rather than slaughtering them with our words of criticism? God is a God of forgiveness, healing and restoration. And God will use whomever He chooses. Who knows, maybe today that “whomever” will be you…
Prayer:
“Lord, forgive me for judging and criticizing my brother and sister in Christ. You are God and I am not. Your opinion is the only one that matters. I choose this day to cover the body of Christ and those in need of prayer rather than pick them apart with my words. I choose to use my energy to build up rather than tear down. I choose to bless rather than curse. I choose to love rather than hate. I bless the body of Christ. I bless those whom YOU have called for such a time as this.” Amen.