by Tracy | Inspirational, Tuesdays With Tracy
“Have the roots (of your being) firmly and deeply planted in Him, fixed and founded (in Him), being continually built up in Him, becoming increasingly more confirmed and established in the faith, just as you were taught, and abounding and overflowing in it with thanksgiving.” Colossians 2:7, AMP
It is officially summer my friends – school is out, the weather is hot, pools are open and life as we knew it, is no more (I know all the mom’s are shaking their heads in agreement with me right now:)! But, I have an important message for you today: It is important that you seize the summer and not let the summer just pass you by.
Summer is often a time of activity, rest and relaxation, but it can also be a season where the days feel like they are never-ending! I made the decision several months ago to enjoy my summer, but hadn’t yet grabbed a hold of what my summer would entail. The problem was that I had no vision for what the days of summer would hold for me. I was quickly becoming either overwhelmed with activity or feeling the dread of a new day with nothing to do! You see, I was letting the summer seize me, instead of me seizing my summer!
Just this morning, I sought God about the next few months. I heard the Holy Spirit clearly state, “Tracy, how you spend your summer will determine how you spend your fall.” I felt within my spirit that the summer (for me), is a time of enjoyment and rest this year and I desire to spend my time : (1) Reading God’s Word (Spending time with Jesus and reading my Bible), (2) Enjoying my daughter & family (Spending quality time with those that I love), and (3) Writing (Spending time on my next book and writing bi-weekly devotionals that I pray will encourage women). Proverbs 29:18 states, “Where there is no vision (no redemptive revelation of God), the people perish…” With these three goals in mind, I now have a vision for my summer. I can already see myself refreshed by spending time in God’s Word. I can see my family and I laughing and discovering new things in our City. And I can imagine seeing the cover of my new book! 🙂 With these goals before me, I know that I am going to have an awesome summer!
What is your vision for your summer? If you are not sure, then ask God. He will give you some guidance on how you can enjoy your summer and be prepared for your fall, which is also known as harvest time! What you sow in the summer, you will reap in the fall. I pray that God speaks to you today. Remember to seize your summer and do not let summer seize you! Be encouraged because no matter what your summer holds, God will use these months to prepare and propel you into your promise land!
Prayer:
“Lord, please speak to me today. I want my summer to be filled with purpose and destiny. Show me the areas of my life you want to strengthen. As You give me a vision for this summer Lord, I can see goodness and mercy following me. I see days of laughter, revelation and enjoyment! In Christ I seize my summer. These next few months will prepare me for Harvest – get me ready Lord, for my greatest days in You are yet ahead! Amen.”
*This devotional is an oldie but a goodie. It was published 2 years ago on my site, “Seizing Your Summer” but there is no better time to publish it again! Thanks for your continued encouragement of “Tuesdays With Tracy!”
by Tracy | General
“I run for dear life to God, I’ll never live to regret it. Do what you do so well: get me out of this mess and up on my feet. Put your ear to the ground and listen, give me space for salvation. Be a guest room where I can retreat; you said your door was always open!
You’re my salvation—my vast, granite fortress.” Psalm 71:1-3, Message
Did you know that God could be your “guest room?” God and His Word can be our place in which we can retreat and get some needed R&R. Psalm 16 tells us that in His Presence is fullness of joy and at His right hand are pleasures forevermore. He even promises in our scripture above that His door is always open for us. As one Hotel has marketed itself, “He’ll even leave the light on for ya!”
When we are overwhelmed, our earthly bodies long for a place of tranquility and today I am here to tell you that it is in God’s presence that you can truly unwind and rest from the difficulties of life. He is a refreshing drink to our thirsty spirits, He is the healer of our mind, body and spirit, and He wants us to lay in green pastures with total confidence that He loves us and will fight every battle before us.
Just as you are able to rest and receive while staying in a guest room of a close friend or family member, when you run to God for dear life, He is our guest room – our fluffy bed, luxurious sheets and soft pillows. He is our “calgon take me away” bath salts and He is everything we need.
I want you to know that God loves you and He has amazing plans for you. Hold on because your BEST days are yet ahead. No eye has seen and no ear has heard the plans that He has for you! And when things get difficult remember to run to the true “guest room” of Jesus.
Prayer:
“Lord, I run to you for dear life today and I declare that I will never regret it! You are my salvation and everything I need in my life. I give you every situation on my heart today and choose to find my retreat in You and Your Word. Thank you for always loving me. Amen.”
by Tracy | Inspirational, Practical, Tuesdays With Tracy
“So since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts of Christ’s body, let’s just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pride-fully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren’t’.” Romans 12:4-5, The Message
In the past I have dreaded shopping for a new bathing suit…can I please get some sisterly love on this one? I have literally walked into a dressing room with 20+ swimsuits in hand and left the room empty handed and feeling as if none of them looked nice, but this may have been because I was under a faulty delusion that somehow my size-12 body would magically turn into a size-8 body whenever I went shopping – of which I thought I could experience a “Tadah” moment. However this “Tadah” never happened and I was quickly snapped back into reality that simply putting on a new article of clothing does not cause immediate weight loss! LOL!
However, somewhere along the journey of life, I have come to the place of simply longing to be the best me. I don’t know if this revelation has come with age or by consciously choosing to love myself, but I no longer walk in trepidation at the thought of shopping nor do I compare myself to others because I just want to be the best me.
I no longer give my energy or thoughts over to what the world would say about me, (my accomplishments or lack of, my weight, my values, etc) because as our scripture states above, God excellently and marvelously formed me. This truth has become a line in the sand for me. I no longer expend precious time comparing myself to others – I just need to be the best me…whether size 12 or 8…I am fashioned and formed by God, I am created to be a blessing to the body of Christ.
So let’s all make the choice to go ahead and be who God made us to be and lets choose to let others be who God made them to be. Bottom line: I am free to be me and you are free to be you!
You see, God fashioned and formed you and you are vital to the body of Christ. There is no other “you” on the face of the earth. The gifts and talents God put into your life are greatly needed by those around you. It is my prayer that today you will make the choice to no longer compare yourself to others and that you will simply be the best you!
Prayer:
“Lord, I choose from this day forward to love myself. You tell me in Your Word to love my neighbor as I love myself. Help me to embrace the fact that you fashioned and formed me and that You have good plans for me. I will no longer give my time and energy to what others may say or think of me but I will honor You with my thoughts. Help me to be who You created me to be – the best me! Amen.”
by Tracy | Bad Day Blues, Inspirational, Tuesdays With Tracy
“I’ve tried everything and nothing helps. I’m at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn’t that the real question? The answer, thank God is that Jesus can and does.” Romans 7:24, The Message
A few weeks ago and I had the honor of seeing our God show up and show off for His precious daughters. As our scripture states above, “The answer, thank God is that Jesus can and does.” The weekend was full of worship and digging into God’s Word. Needless to say, it was amazing and the testimonies from our time together keep coming.
I prayed for one woman who was diagnosed with colon cancer. The doctors informed her that the cancer was also spreading into her bladder and ovaries. We prayed together and asked that God would remove all cancer from her body and replace it with His love. We declared that she would live and not die and declare the works of the Lord for His glory. She and I have been communicating through email and I want to share with you how God has showed up and showed off in her life.
Last week this young woman went in for her scheduled surgery. Although she was scared, she held onto God’s Word and believed that all things were possible with God. When the surgeons opened her up – they could not find any trace of cancer! God truly showed up and showed off for this precious woman. The doctors were baffled but she knew exactly who removed the cancer from her body – Jesus!
Friend, whatever needs be removed from your life – God can remove it! If you need the removal of debt, sinful behavior, fear, depression, sickness, bitterness, shame or anything you want rid from your mind, body and spirit, God can remove it and He will replace it with His love.
Beloved, whatever needs to be brought into your life – God can bring it! Whenever God removes something, He always replaces it with something. When fear is eradicated, God replaces it with His perfect love. When sickness is confiscated, God replaces it with wholeness and health. When God plucks out bitterness from your heart, God replaces it with joy. When God lifts the label of shame off of your life, God gives you a new label – the Righteousness of God. Whenever God eliminates poverty from your life, He replaces it with prosperity for your mind, body and spirit. We serve a God who loves to show up and show off for His people simply because He loves us.
The truth is that God loves you – period! And He is longing to show up and show off on your behalf.
If you have a prayer request today, please click on the “Need Prayer” button found on my website and I would be honored to pray for you.
by Tracy | Inspirational, Tuesdays With Tracy
To grant [consolation and joy] to those who mourn in Zion–to give them an ornament (a garland or diadem) of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, the garment [expressive] of praise instead of a heavy, burdened, and failing spirit–that they may be called oaks of righteousness [lofty, strong, and magnificent, distinguished for uprightness, justice, and right standing with God], the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified. Isaiah 61:3, AMP
In Isaiah 61:3 a great exchange occurs. God gives us His beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of morning, the garment of praise instead of a heavy, burdened and failing spirit. Friend, I don’t know what you have been through in your life, but I do know that Jesus gave His life for you on the Cross. He exchanged your sin, sickness, and every curse and nailed it to the Cross in exchange for His mercy, healing, grace and salvation. One day while reading Isaiah 61, I was led to write down all that God had exchanged in my life and I pray that it will bring encouragement to you today.
I know what it’s like:
To be abused, but I also know what it’s like to forgive my abuser and to be set free
To have thoughts of killing myself, but I also know what it’s like to carry the life of my daughter inside my womb.
To be full of fear to the point of rocking back and forth with my Bible in hand just to make it through the night, but I also know what its like to see God’s angels moving on my behalf.
To feel alone in this world, but I also know what it’s like to have the honor of Jesus being my EVERYTHING
To live in depression and despair, but I also know what it’s like to be pulled out of the pit for God’s glory.
To worry to the point of almost losing my mind, but I also know what it’s like to be renewed in my mind through God’s Word.
To barely get out of bed, but I also know what it’s like to experience God’s joy that comes in the morning.
To wonder if my dreams will ever come to pass, but I also know what it’s like to have faith that God never withholds anything good for me but He only sets me up to be blessed.
To be diagnosed with liver-failure and need a liver transplant, but I also know what its like to have Jesus miraculously heal me.
To only have oatmeal in my pantry to eat for dinner, but I also know what it’s like to see God provide all of my needs through the body of Christ.
To run for my life to an abuse shelter, but I also know what it’s like to have God make purpose out of my pain and know that my best days are ahead of me.
To be told that I am stupid and invaluable, but I also know what to read in the Bible that Jesus died on the Cross-for me and that I am the apple of His eye.
My question for you today is: What do you need to exchange?
It is my prayer that we will embrace the Great Exchange this Easter Season.
Easter Blessings,
Tracy
