by Tracy | Bad Day Blues, Practical, Tuesdays With Tracy
(A Girls Night Out with my friend, Angela)
“My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.” James 1:19, New International Version
Three simple words can change a person’s entire day. Three simple words can communicate that you care. I think we all have been guilty of talking “on and on” about ourselves and failing to ask the person on the other end, “How are you?” Truthfully, we can become all consumed with “self” and forget that a living, breathing person is on the other end of our conversation. Who knows, maybe they are hurting or in need of encouragement. If we do get past our self-focus and actually ask the question, we then face another dilemma of getting the “AUTOMATIC RESPONSE.” I can’t tell you how many times I have asked, “How are you?” only to here the quick response, “Oh, I’m fine.” Yet, if we were honest that “automatic response” is not always the truth! Why do we insist on pretending that we have it all together when God knows that we are about to fall apart?
So let me be the first one to ask you today:
“How are you?”
“No REALLY, How are you?”
“How can I pray for you?”
“How can I minister to your needs?”
Take just a minute and answer these questions – Go ahead, I’ll wait right here until you are finished. Okay, now that you have shared you heart with me: “How do you feel?” Some of you may have tears in your eyes and others of you may be smiling. But, no matter the response – know that I genuinely care. I want to know how you are doing today. If you need a listening hear, please feel free to click on my contact page and send me an email. I would love to hear from you and I will agree with you in prayer.
My genuine care is my gift to you this day. Now it is up to you to pass it on!
Prayer:
Lord, please forgive me for being self-centered and failing to see the needs of others around me. Help me to pour into someone’s life today. I commit to tell You everything I am feeling and thinking deep within my heart. Thank you for always being available to me. And by the way Jesus, How are you today? How can I pray for the concerns on your heart and mind? Jesus, You are always there for me and I want to be here for You today. I give you permission to use my life to be a blessing.” Amen.
by Tracy | Bad Day Blues, Inspirational, Tuesdays With Tracy
“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:28-31, New International Version
I have reached the point of exhaustion, my friends. I don’t know if it is because of the cold that has lingered for weeks or Alyssa continually getting up in the middle of the night due to teething, but today I am in desperate need of God’s strength. You may not currently be at this point, but I know that all of us deal with extreme physical or mental fatigue at various times in our lives.
I am so thankful today that although I am faint hearted, my God NEVER grows tired or weary! No matter how we feel, we must choose to put our hope in God. When we do this, we can expect a renewed strength to enter our mind, body and spirit, as we trust in Him. We serve an awesome God who loves to bless us! Psalm 127:2 in the Message Bible states, “Don’t you know He (God) enjoys giving rest to those He loves?” So let me ask you: Are you also in need of God’s strength and power today? If so, meditate on the scripture above and wait expectantly to soar on God’s strength this very day.
Prayer:
Lord, I am desperate for you today. I place my hope in You and ask that You fill my mind, body and spirit with Your supernatural strength and power. I am so thankful that You never grow tired or weary and that You understand all things. Jesus, You are awesome! I give you my life, my dreams, my past, my future and all that I am. Thank you for renewing me today. I will run and not grow weary. I will walk and not faint. I give praise to Your Holy Name! Amen.
From me to you: 
I would like to send some flowers to a few blogger friends who are going through difficult situations at this time. I got this idea from my Canadian blogger friend, Susanne,at www.susannesspace.blogspot.com. Please join me in lifting these beautiful women below in prayer at this time. I know that God will be faithful concerning them, Psalm 38:8 promises that “He will perfect thost things which concern us.” We serve a faithful God who is willing and able to heal, comfort and restore us. Please check out their web pages and keep them in your thoughts and prayers.
These flowers go to Angel Cope, from www.1smartmom.com. She and her sister, JoAnna recently lost their grandmother. Although, we celebrate that she is dancing in heaven and having a grand time, please lift up their family during this time of loss.
These flowers go to Keli, from www.living-in-grace.net, whom I have never met, but she is struggling with some serious health issues. She is walking out her healing and you will be encouraged to read how God is moving in her life during this time. Please pray for God’s total restoration power over her body at this time.
These flowers go to Heather, from www.especiallyheather.com, who leaves for Mayo Clinic next week seeking treatment and possible brain surgery. Let’s agree in prayer for this tumor to dry up at the root and that no surgery will be needed. Check out her blog and you will be amazed at her faith! Keep her in your prayers and call forth her healing!
Photos above is from: www.freefoto.com
by Tracy | Bad Day Blues, Inspirational, Tuesdays With Tracy
“What I am trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving.” -Matthew 6:32, Message Translation
Have you ever received a gift so beautifully wrapped that you hated to open it? While it may have been tempting to sit the package on a shelf and just stare at it, I think most of us have too much curiosity to not open it and see what is inside! After all, someone took time out of his or her day just to buy you a gift and it would be rude to not open it – right? Yet, so many of us have unopened gifts from God each and everyday. When life gets busy we often fail to respond to God’s gift giving. We can become all consumed with going to work, running errands, paying our bills and taking care of the tyranny of the urgent that we never open the gifts God has placed before us.
According to the scripture above, we have to stop being preoccupied with getting in order to receive something. Do you mean that God wants me to relax and receive a gift from Him everyday? Yes! Let me ask you a question: What are you in need of today? Whatever you maybe facing, God has the right gift to help you overcome every test and trial. So, I encourage you to unwrap and receive what God is longing to give you. Be expectant for a gift from heaven to fall upon you today!
Prayer:
Lord, help me to stop and receive the gift you are longing to give me this day. You know exactly what I need. Forgive me for being so preoccupied with life that I fail to spend time with You. Thank you for the gift of salvation and all that it contains. I choose to receive Your joy, peace, protection, healing, favor, provision, forgiveness, wisdom and anything else You see that I am in need of today. Thank you Lord for lavishing me with more gifts than I know what to do with. You are the greatest gift I have ever received in my life and I praise you! Amen.
It’s time to rest and receive gifts from Heaven! God has impressed upon me that this is a week of Holy gift giving. Watch out for unexpected gifts to fall into your lap. There are gifts that have been stored up, gifts that are just because He loves you, gifts so beautifully wrapped – but you are to open them – not just stare at their beauty. Happy unwrapping! Love, Tracy
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”
James 1:17 NKJ
Image above is from: www.freefoto.com
by Tracy | Bad Day Blues, Inspirational, Tuesdays With Tracy
(Above: My mom, Alyssa & me)
“A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy habitation. God sets the solitary in families; He brings out those who are bound into prosperity; but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.” – Psalm 68:5-6
I grew up feeling as if I never fit in. Probably because my parents divorced before I was one year old. I had a stepbrother here and a stepsister there. A stepmother in one home and a stepfather in the other home. I moved from this state to that state. Attended four different elementary schools and three high schools. With that kind of a track record, I think it would be hard for anyone to feel as if they had a “place to call home”. During my college years I remember a woman praying over me and stating, “You have felt like a misfit all your life – with your mom you didn’t fit in, with your father you didn’t fit in, but you fit into God’s plans.” She went on to declare an awesome future for me in Christ. I left her presence with my head a little higher. I began meditating on what she said, “I fit in to God’s Plans” and that thought revolutionized my life!
So I declare over you today – You fit into God’s plans! Do not worry about your past, present, or future. God has good plans for your life. What the enemy used in your past to destroy you, God will turn it around and use it to propel you forward into your destiny! No weapon formed against you shall prosper. Every idle word spoken against you, the Lord will condemn! You are His precious child and He is your Father and Defender!
God even shows us in the above scripture that He sets the solitude in families for His purpose. While it was hard growing up feeling like the “misfit,” I am now thankful because Jesus became my ALL THAT! Does anyone know what I’m talking about? When people fail you, when you don’t have enough money to pay your bills, when sickness affects your body, when your husband leaves you, when your best friend betrays you, when your own family rejects you – JESUS BECOMES YOUR ALL THAT! If you haven’t been through difficult times, then you won’t understand, but if you have, then I trust Jesus has become your ALL THAT!
Prayer:
“Lord, I am grateful to have an awesome future in You. You have great plans for my life. Thank you for allowing me to be the one who didn’t fit in to everyone else’s plans, because through it You became my ALL THAT! Lord, restore double what the enemy has stolen in my life. I come out of agreement that I am a misfit and declare that I fit into God’s plans and I will fulfill my destiny in Christ.” Amen.
by Tracy | Bad Day Blues, Inspirational, Tuesdays With Tracy
He (God) will validate your life in the clear light of day and stamp you with approval at high noon.” Psalm 37:6, Message Translation
Rejection is an issue that touches all of humanity. No matter our age, culture, race, or social economic status, we have all encountered rejection at one time or another. I have come to define rejection as not receiving love or acceptance from someone we deem as “important.” The problem is that when we have experienced tramatic circumstances of any kind, we often deem everyone as “important” from whom to receive love and approval. I am all too familiar with rejection and how it affects our identity, self-esteem and relationships. While many things have helped me overcome rejection in my life, the remedy that continually soothes my soul is the Word of God. One Word from God can transform my entire day. Jesus can take me to a higher place than my thoughts and emotions and comfort me like no one else can. Recently I was battling feelings of rejection and I turned to my trusted medicine of God’s Word. I found Psalm 37:6 which states that God will validate my life in the light of day and stamp me with approval at high noon. As I read this verse, tears filled my eyes, my feelings of rejection were quickly pushed away and faith in God’s Word arose within my heart. This verse was just what the doctor ordered to calm my roaring emotions and bring tranquility to my wounded soul.
What’s even better is that God not only shows His approval of us, but He shows it at the brightest part of the day for everyone to see! He doesn’t stamp His approval on us in the dark of the night, but at the noon hour – which is the brightest point of the day! We can walk in confidence knowing that we are loved and approved by God in the clear light of day for even our enemies to see! We are the favored one of the Most High God and His approval is better than any humans being!
Prayer:
“Lord, I forgive those who have wounded me. I bless those who have cursed me. I extend mercy to them, because I need mercy extended to me in my own life. I thank You for Your love and approval this day. I hold my head high knowing that the King of Kings is my Father and that You validate me today! I thank You that rejection will not be apart of my life anymore because I deem You the most important person to receive approval from in my life.” Amen.
by Tracy | Bad Day Blues, Inspirational, Tuesdays With Tracy
“God has had it with the proud, but takes delight in just plain people. So be content with who you are and don’t put on airs. God’s strong hand is on you; He’ll promote you at the right time. Live a carefree life before God, He is most careful with you.” 1 Peter 5:6-7, Message Translation
I was always the kid in gym class that was overlooked by my peers when selecting a team for softball. I will admit that if they were looking to win, it was in their best interest to not choose me. Thankfully whenever a friend was team captain she would save me the embarrassment of being last and select me simply because she liked me. Have you ever noticed in the Bible that God also chose the least likely to do great things for Him because He loved them? Peter the stinky fisherman, Paul the Jew who persecuted and killed Christians, Zacchaeus the tax collector and Mary the simple virgin girl. While man may be quick to overlook you, God sees you! He sees your potential when no one else can. He looks down from heaven and declares, “That’s my girl and I am going to use her to bring people to Me.” Once God makes His mind up – it’s settled. God loves using the foolish to confound the wise. He hates the proud, but takes delight in the simple (that’s me alright). This scripture tells us to just be ourselves and to live carefree before God. You mean I can be free to just be me? That’s right! We don’t have to put on the airs of this world, but be who God calls us to be! You don’t have to look a certain way, have a particular degree, or come from a prestigious background. While God may use these things, you can trust that God will promote you and provide all the gifting you need to fulfill your destiny in Him. He has chosen you, knowing your past, present and future. You don’t have to do a thing, except live a carefree life before God. He will do all the rest.
Prayer:
“Lord, thank you for seeing my potential when no one else does. I now realize that You have chosen me because You love me! Help me to be content with who I am. You created me and You only create good things. I choose to accept and love myself even with all my faults. I trust you to promote me at the right time and protect me from potential harm. Thank you for loving me just as I am. Take me to the next level in You. I want to fulfill my destiny.” Amen.
