by Tracy | Inspirational, Tuesdays With Tracy
“He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” Romans 8:32
Our culture today tells us to: “Look out for #1, don’t trust anyone and I’ll scratch your back, if you scratch mine.“ What people don’t realize is that this type of living is fear-based. 1 Timothy 1:7 tells us thatGod has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. Fear encourages us to horde, withhold and to only give with strings attached. But as children of God, we are able to freely give because our Father in heaven freely gave His son, Jesus on the cross for us.
Giving with no strings attached is freedom not only for you, but also for the person to whom you are giving the gift, because there is no form of control or manipulation involved. Giving freely is under the covenant of grace, but giving with strings attached is under the law. Nothing can hold us captive if we can freely give with no strings attached. No position, amount of money, title, or status symbol can have control over us if we are able to freely give.
I want to encourage you to bless someone today and when you give to him or her, do it freely, expecting nothing in return. Maybe you can help someone pay a bill, pray for someone in a time of need or drop off some groceries to a person in need – just because!
The truth is, we can give with no stings attached because we can trust that our Father in heaven will always provide for us. He will always take care of us in abundance. Psalm 37:25-26 states, “I have been young, and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendant begging bread. He is ever merciful, and lends; and His descendants are blessed.” You are not forgotten. Trust in God and keep your eyes on Him. He will bring whatever you need to pass as you freely give to others.
Prayer:”Lord, thank you for loving me with no strings attached. I am secure in the fact that You love me and have good plans for my life. Help me to not give into fear, but allow Your power, love and a sound mind to change the way I think. Show me someone who is in need today. I choose to give freely because You gave freely to me. I love you Jesus. Amen.”
by Tracy | Inspirational, Tuesdays With Tracy
“For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome. Then you will call upon Me, and you will come and pray to Me, and I will hear and heed you. Then you will seek Me, inquire for, and require Me (as a vital necessity) and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:11-13, AMP
There was a time when my husband and I were asking God to bless us with TWINS…okay, I know what some of you are thinking, but it was our hearts desire at that time. We diligently prayed for a double blessing, but our ultrasound made it clear that there was only one heartbeat within my womb. And although we were thankful for one healthy heartbeat, I will admit that for forty-eight hours, my husband and I moped around our home in disappointment due to what we considered “unanswered prayer.” Another time that comes to mind is with a past boyfriend. I remember praying that he would fall in love with me and choose me to be his wife – all the while – my prayers were lovingly answered with a “no” because God had my best in mind.
You see, my husband is the perfect one for me and the same is true concerning my daughter, although twins are a huge blessing, God knew what we could handle and once again we thank God for His way of answering our prayers. God knew the desire of my heart to marry and have a family and He answered our prayers with His plans for welfare and peace, to give us hope in our final outcome.
The scripture above tells us that God always hears our prayers and heeds each one.With some of our prayers requests He answers us with a “yes” (and boy do we love it when this happens!!), there are also times as in my examples above when God lovingly answers us with a “no” in order that our future outcome will be good, and other times He answers us with “wait.” Just recently I thought God answered “no” to a request of mine, only to find out a few months later that I needed to “wait” so that He could make a good situation even better! Bottom, line, we can rest in the fact that God knows about our personal situation and He has good plans for our life.
How many times have we pouted and complained to God for not answering our prayers, when He was simply answering it with a “no” or “wait?” God knows ALL things and He is the One who knows what we can handle. It comes down to knowing God’s will for our life and trusting that He has good plans for us. Our amazing God longs to bless us, heal us, restore us and prosper us. We are promised in Isaiah 5:11 that when we pray God’s Word it will never return back void.
Prayer:
“Lord, thank you for always hearing my prayers. I declare that You have good plans for me. Your plans are full of hope for my final outcome and I align myself up with Your Word today. I give you everything heavy on my heart and I ask that Your perfect will be done. As I seek and inquire of You this day, I will rest in that fact that You gave your life to heal, restore and bless me. I grab onto the Word of God and declare that it will not return back void, but will prosper in the thing for which You sent it (Isaiah 55:11). Amen.”
by Tracy | Bad Day Blues, Inspirational, Tuesdays With Tracy, Warfare
Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track. Don’t assume you know it all. Run to God! Run from evil! Your body will glow with health, your very bones will vibrate with life!” Proverbs 3:5-8, The Message
One morning last week while driving down I-285, I was pondering the difficulties in my life and those around me. Needless to say, my heart was extremely heavy, as I could not figure out “why” these challenges were going on or “what” to do about them. These thoughts led me to feelings of hopelessness, but then the Holy Spirit whispered ever so quietly to me, “Tracy, you may never know why these situations are going on but you know “Who” God is.” Within an instant I began to feel better. I got my eyes off the problem and onto God – The Solution.
The truth is:
- When my body is sick – He is my Healer.
- When I cannot pay my bills – He is my Provider.
- When my mind is filled with worry – He is my Peace.
- When my family forsakes me – He is my Father, Mother, Sister and Brother.
- When my heart is filled with anger – He is my Forgiving Father.
- When strife is all around me – He is my Protector.
- When my friend betrays me – He is my Loyal Companion.
- When I am rejected – He is my Acceptance.
- When I don’t know what to do – He is my Wisdom.
- When I do or say the wrong thing – He is my Grace.
- When I can barely get out of bed – He is the Lifter of my head.
- When I am afraid – He is my Perfect Love that casts out all fear.
I look forward to being with Cumberland Community Church on Mother’s Day! God has put a message on my heart and I am confident that He will show Himself faithful. Be encouraged today that no matter what you are going through, God is everything you need. Run to Him and as the scripture states, “your body will glow with health and your bones will vibrate with life” (Proverbs 3:8)!
Got Faith? Promo from Cumberland Community Church on Vimeo.
See you Sunday!
by Tracy | Inspirational, Tuesdays With Tracy
“You have allowed me to suffer much hardship, but you will restore me to life again and lift me up from the depths of the earth.” Psalm 71:20, NLT
Let me share with you what God has done in my own life:
- I know what its like to be abused, but I also know its like to forgive my abuser and be set free.
- I know what its like to have thoughts of killing yourself, but I also know what it’s like to carry life inside my womb.
- I know what its like to be full of fear to the point of rocking back and forth with my Bible just to make it through the night, but I also know what it’s like to see God’s angels moving on my behalf.
- I know what its like to feel all alone in this world, but I also know to have the honor of Jesus as my EVERYTHING.
- I know what its like to live in depression and despair, but I also know what it’s like to be pulled out of the pit for God’s Gory.
- I know what its like to worry to the point of almost losing my mind, but I also know what it’s like to be renewed in my mind with God’s Word.
- I know what its like to have fame within my grasp only to have it taken away, but I also know what it’s like to have perfect peace in that Nothing or No one can rob my destiny in Christ.
- I know what its like to put my hope in man and be disappointed every single time, but I also know it’s like to put my hope in God and watch Him make streams in the desert for me.
- I know what its like to barely get out of bed, but I also know what it’s like to experience God’s joy that comes in the morning.
- I know what its like to wonder if my dreams will every come to pass, but I also know what it’s like to have faith in Jesus and know that He never withholds anything good from me, He only sets me up to be blessed.
- I know what its like to be diagnosed with liver-failure, but I also know what it’s like to have Jesus miraculously heal me.
- I know what its like to only have oatmeal in my pantry to eat, but I also know what it’s like to have all of my needs met.
- I know what its like 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 that my best days are yet ahead.
- I know what its like to be told that I am stupid and invaluable, but I also know what it’s like to read that Jesus died on the Cross-for me and I am the apple of His eye.
- I know what its like to lose something precious, but I also know what it is like to have it restored back to me 20 years later!
I believe 2012 is our year to flourish. I have a great anticipation for 2012! Let us declare and believe that our mighty God is not only willing BUT ABLE to restore us to life again and lift us up from the depths of the earth and may this restoration bring great glory and honor to God Almighty!!
Happy New Year!
Tracy
by Tracy | Inspirational, Tuesdays With Tracy
“Reliable friends who do what they say are like cool drinks in sweltering heat – refreshing!” Proverbs 25:13, The Message
Many of us are longing for so many things in life – money, healing, recognition, a clean house or maybe your like me and would just love an occasional nap! But no matter who you are or where you come from, I think we can all agree that reliable friendships are priceless and a gift from Heaven above!
The truth is, if we have just one reliable friend – we are truly blessed. When the trails of life come knocking at our door, it is important for us to know whom to call upon for prayer and support. I often think about when Jesus himself asked three of his closest disciples to come and pray with him at the Garden of Gethsemane. Isn’t that amazing? I mean, just think about this for a moment…even Jesus needed his most dependable friends near him during the darkest hours of his life. This fact has given me a new freedom. When the storms of life begin to blow, I immediately run to the shelter of God’s Word and I also know it is okay for me to call upon a few reliable friends to stand with me in prayer. We don’t have to fight the battles of life alone. We can call upon God and His people to stand by our side.
My prayer for you today is for God to shine a light on your reliable friends – those He has called to stand with you. And do not forget that YOU can be a reliable friend to those in your life! In Christ you have the power to offer a cool drink to a person in need today – now that’s refreshing!
Prayer:
Lord, thank you for always being with me. You are with me at every mountaintop and valley throughout my life. Please help me to be a reliable friend to those in need today. Shine Your light on the individuals You have called to stand with me for such a time as this. Thank you God for always being my most dependable friend. Amen.
by Tracy | Inspirational, Tuesdays With Tracy
“Oh, give thanks to the Lord! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples! Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him; Talk of all His wondrous works!”
Psalm 105, 1-2,
NKJ Version
I don’t know about you, but the past few weeks have been extremely difficult for me and my family. I cannot recount how many phone calls I have received of late from family members, friends and clients that are experiencing tremendous pain at this time. As a Christian Counselor, I am well aware that although many of us are “decking the halls” and preparing for Thanksgiving, others are struggling to simply make it through another day. The Holiday’s can be a time of great sadness, anxiety and fear and that is why today’s message is so vital. It is imperative in the dark times to remember to give thanks. You may be thinking to yourself, “I don’t have anything to be thankful for today,” but let me just state that if you are reading this blog then you can be thankful for God’s breathe that is flowing through your lungs. To those of you who are struggling, hold on and know that God is moving on your behalf. God loves you and has not forgotten you.
Please join me in a message I wrote many years ago but still rings true to this day:
I am thankful:
For the baby that wakes up
In the middle of the night,
Because it means I am
Blessed to be a parent.
For all the unanswered prayers
Which were never fulfilled,
Because it means that God had something better.
For the wife who serves leftover
Meatloaf for the third time this week,
Because it means she is feeding me and
Not someone else.
For the lonely times
When God feels far away,
Because it sharpens my ears
To hear God’s voice.
For the floors that need vacuuming,
The tables that need dusting and the
Bathrooms that need cleaning,
Because it means I have a home.
For the car that continually breaks down
And the rising gas prices,
Because it means I have transportation.
For all the angry and bitter
People in my life,
Because it gives me
A chance to love them unconditionally.
For the sink of dirty dishes,
Because it means I have two hands
And I was able to prepare a meal.
For the husband who constantly
Watches sports in the living room,
Because it means that he is
At home and not out with another woman.
For the list of phone calls to return,
Emails to be read and thank you notes to be mailed,
Because it means I have friends.
For the children who fuss
Over doing their homework,
Because it means they are safe
And at home with me.
For the boss and co-workers
That drive me crazy,
Because it means I have a job.
For the disagreement between
myself and another person,
Because it means we are
Working through an issue.
For the times when my prayers
Seem to go nowhere,
Because the prayer offered by a friend
Was exactly what I needed.
For the clothes that no longer fit,
Because it means I have plenty to eat.
For the wrinkles around my mouth,
Because it means I have had a reason to smile.
To live in America
Because it means that I can
Own a Bible and read it in public.
For the difficult days
Because it makes my good days
Even better!
In all things…Give thanks!
Pass it on!
Blessings,
Tracy Hurst
www.tracyhurst.com
