by Tracy | Inspirational, Tuesdays With Tracy
“He (Jesus) was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed.” Isaiah 53:5, New International Bible
Let me introduce you to the woman in the picture above. She is a woman on a mission and her name is Emma Jean Hurst – whom many of us lovingly call, “Jeanie”. She is the fun-loving Aunt of my husband, Michael. Jeanie is the kind of person who makes you feel at home the moment you meet her. She embraces life with her whole heart and is a joy to be around. Her love for Jesus pours out from her very being whether His name is mentioned or not.
A little over a year ago, Jeanie was diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme (a rare brain tumor). However, Jeanie and her family decided to believe God for a miracle. Mike and I made a special trip to Maryland to spend Thanksgiving with his family that year in Jeanie’s beautiful new home. While the food was wonderful and visiting with relatives was a delight, spending time alone with Jeanie was the highlight of our trip. The three of us sat down at a local restaurant and enjoyed a bowl of Maryland she-crab soup and Jeanie gave us a tour of the town. But, before we went home, Jeanie requested that we drive to her church. As we approached this historic Episcopal Church, Jeanie marched ahead of us and disappeared through the sanctuary doors. She was a woman on a mission and we knew better than to get in her way. She knelt down at the altar and began to sing praises to God. She exalted His name through song and lifted her hands in praise to her Lord and Savior. Mike and I both began to cry as we saw this precious sight.
It wasn’t but a few months later that she was given a clean bill of health! However, she is now battling once again. Jeanie and our family believe God will heal her. It will take a miracle. It will take our Jesus.
Jesus was wounded so that anyone sick in body would be healed. The truth is that Jeanie’s future is secure and a heavenly one. Let me ask you a question. It is a question that is burning in Jeanie’s heart. Do you know Jesus? Is your future secure? Jesus is willing and able to meet you right where you are today.
Prayer:
“Lord, I come into agreement with all those who are sick in body this day. Touch each one with Your healing power. Most of all Lord, I want to know you as Lord and Savior. I want to spend all of eternity with You in Heaven. I give you my life and ask that you forgive me of all my sins. I am now yours Lord – use my life to bring people to You!” Amen.
Would you do something to encourage Jeanie today? Click on the “comments” button below and share a word of encouragement with Jeanie. Let her know that you are standing in faith with her today.
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.
by Tracy | Bad Day Blues, Inspirational, Life With Alyssa, Tuesdays With Tracy
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28, New International Version
Yesterday was one of “those days” – you know the kind of day when you feel discouraged, overwhelmed and alone all at the same time. The most amazing thing was that I did all the “right things” – I spent time in God’s Word, worked out, went to the grocery store, picked up the house, checked my email, took care of Alyssa, made dinner, yet at the end of the day I felt depleted and empty. Anyone else been there? To my dismay all of these “right things” did not fill my soul with peace. I needed to hear from God, I needed His tranquility. So, I found a quiet spot and poured out my heart to God. I simply sat in His Presence. Then suddenly I heard Jesus say, “Let’s exchange – you give me your day that has been burdensome and full of stress and in exchange I will give you my life that is full of peace.” He continued, “Tracy, there is a place of rest I have provided for you. Just come to me every day and we will exchange: My peace for your stress, My joy for your sorrow, My forgiveness for your sin, My healing for your sickness, My wisdom for your confusion, My love for your fear, My grace for your wrong choices, My strength for your tiredness. Just come to me and I will give you rest.”
Needless to say my day changed within an instant! My question for you is what do you need to exchange? What is heavy on your heart? Take these concerns and run to God with them. Sit in the lap of your heavenly Father and exchange your needs for His provision this day. Trust me, you’ll be glad you did!
Prayer:
Lord, I take a moment to exchange my pain, my past, and every issue that is heavy on my heart this day. As I hand these things over to you I receive your strength, hope, power, truth, healing, wisdom and every spiritual blessing you have for me this day. I place my eyes on You Lord Jesus and not my circumstances. Keep me close to you Jesus and open my ears to hear your voice each and every day.” Amen.
I know that I usually just publish on Tuesday’s, but after hearing from several of you, I decided that we all needed a little encouragment to conquer the “post-holiday blues.” I pray this word has encouraged you today. I love you!
P.S. Is anyone else cleaning your house from top to bottom? I am noticing that every woman I speak with (including myself) is cleaning out closets, cabinets, painting, getting rid of things. I believe this is symbolic of what God is doing in our lives to prepare us for the new year. So clean on!!
by Tracy | Bad Day Blues, Inspirational, Tuesdays With Tracy
“One day in one of the villages there was a man covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus he fell down before him in prayer and said, “If you want to, you can cleanse me.” Jesus put out his hand, touched him, and said, “I want to. Be clean.” Then and there his skin was smooth, the leprosy gone.” Luke 5:12-13, Message Translation
Jesus is willing and able to heal us everywhere we hurt. He longs to touch our mind, body and spirit with His healing power. I will never forget when He touched my life on a cold winter night in Oklahoma City. I was a sophomore in high school and looking at a prospective college with my youth group. It was at a college chapel service where my life was completely changed. As a student preached, I felt a strong pull from God to give my life over to Him. I remember kneeling at the altar and praying, “God, I have tried everything else, but you. I am willing to give you a try.” I am happy to say that not only was Jesus willing, but He was ready and able to touch my life that night. He healed me, saved me, delivered me and set me free. I left that altar changed in His Presence. Maybe you need God to touch your life today. Let’s start the New Year off right: Let’s kneel our hearts before Jesus and ask Him to heal us everywhere we hurt. After all He is willing and He is able!
Prayer:
Lord, I want to start 2007 off right. I come before you today knowing that You are willing to touch me. I ask for your healing power to flow through my life and those lives around me that need you so desperately. I expect 2007 to be the best year of my life. I choose to renew my mind with Your Word and embrace that the best is yet to come! Thank you for being a willing Father who longs to encourage and touch me this day.” Amen.
