by Tracy | Practical, Tuesdays With Tracy
Show and Tell…
Hearing the voice of God and putting a contract on our land was just one of the many miracles God has done on our behalf. Just as God parted the Red Sea for the Israelites, He also fed them manna from Heaven. He quenched their thirst by causing water to flow from a rock and their feet did not swell for forty years. And yet He did so much more! God loves to show up and show off on behalf of His people!
He is a God of miracles and it is time that we SHOW and TELL of His wonderful works. I am tired of staying silent of God’s goodness in my life for fear of what others may think. Recently, I heard an evangelist state, “It is our responsibility as God’s children to “show and tell” of God’s goodness and He will deal with those who judge us as boastful or prideful.” The truth is: it gives God great pleasure to hear His children brag about His goodness.
As I shared with you last week, God Himself led us to our new home and when the Spirit spoke, we knew to obey. We put a contract on our new home with an agreement to close in 19 days and we needed the miracle power of God to sell our town home fast! And did I mention that fact that we did not even have our town home on the market yet? Ha! Also our agent informed us that over 800 town homes were for sale and that it would take up to 3 1/2 years to sell all the inventory of town homes in our area! Ha-Ha! Plus, there was a town home across the street from us that had been on the market for 10 months! Ha-Ha-Ha! I remember walking around my neighborhood and fear would try and torment me by saying, “You didn’t hear the voice of God,” “Your town home will never sell – just look around you – seven other town homes are also on the market,” “You are a fool to believe that God will sell your home.” When these thoughts filled my mind, I would declare out loud, “Jesus, you did not give me the spirit of fear. We know that we heard Your voice to buy that property and therefore I trust that You to lead the buyer to my town home and tell them that this is their home!”
The Listing: We placed our home on the market on a Sunday afternoon and we (our realtor- Leigh Mitchell, Mike & I) prayed that our home would sell within 14 days. We had done everything our agent encouraged us to do: priced it to sell, cleared out the clutter, put new mulch in the front yard, flowers by the front door, etc. The following Sunday we had our open house. I anointed our front door with anointing oil and prayed that the buyer of our home would hear the SPIRIT speak and bring them to buy our home that day.
NOW IT’S TIME TO SHOW AND TELL:
The buyer not only came to the open house, but they placed a contract on our home that very afternoon. Our town home sold in 7 days! Glory to God! Believe it or not, there are still more miracles to share with you next week…Part III is coming up next week…Stay tuned!
So, Let me ask you friend: When was the last time you told someone of God’s goodness to you? I encourage you today to “Show and Tell” of God’s miracles in your life! Do not be concerned about what others think – God will take care of it and He loves it when you brag on Him!
Prayer:
Lord, I will “show and tell” of your goodness today. Please give me the opportunity everyday to share a testimony of what you have done in my life. I will not let what others think hinder my praise! May the goodness of God be so apparent in my life that it brings many to salvation! My relationship with You is priceless God. I will no longer be a closet Christian. No matter the persecution, judgment or consequence – I will “show and tell” of Your Greatness this day! Amen
by Tracy | Practical, Tuesdays With Tracy
When The SPIRIT Speaks…
As many of you know, we recently moved onto 2 acres of land. Words cannot describe the breathtaking views from our property and to find land in the Atlanta area is truly a miracle! But, what you don’t know is the amazing story of how God brought us to our promise land. Mike and I have searched and prayed for YEARS that God would bless us with a piece of land. But, it was one Tuesday morning while driving down a new road that I heard the Holy Spirit say, “Turn right.” I have learned over the years to always do what the Spirit says – even if it sounds bizarre – I would rather be a fool for Jesus than to miss out on His perfect will for my life. As I rounded the corner, I saw our property. The lush trees swayed in the wind. I heard the sound of a creek nearby trickling in the distance and there sat our home on a hill. It was love at first sight. Immediately, (which is unlike me) I called the number on the “For Sale” sign and got all the details. Then I called my husband and declared over the phone, “Honey, I have found our property.”
Within minutes of hanging up with my husband, I called our awesome realtor (Leigh Mitchell – you are the best:) and we walked the land that very afternoon. The home had a lot of work that needed to be done: the smell of mold and mildew was present throughout the home, dirt and filth was everywhere, the home was begging for new paint, carpet and lots of TLC, BUT God spoke to us that “This was to be our land.” No matter the state of the home or the obstacles we had to face to get the land (like the selling of our town home) WHEN THE SPIRIT SPEAKS – WE KNEW TO OBEY.
We had a signed contract within 24 hours, but the miracles of God were just beginning to unfold. I will share more with you next week on the miracle power of God and all that He did to get us into our new home (a.k.a. our Promise Land). God gets ALL the glory!
So, Let me ask you: Have you ever heard a still small voice telling you what you should do? Maybe you have heard this voice in the grocery store, while reading your Bible or like me while driving you car. No matter where you hear His voice or what He tells you to do – I encourage you to step out in faith and do what the Holy Spirit is leading you. I used to be afraid and confused that the voice I was hearing was “just me and my thoughts.” But I have come to this conclusion – “Even if I am ‘off’ in hearing God’s voice, He knows my heart and I long to be obedient to Him. Therefore, I choose to do obey His voice and even do it afraid because God knows my heart.” So go ahead and ask God to speak to you. And when the Spirit does speak- follow His instructions and know that your greatest days are yet ahead!
Prayer:
“Lord, when You speak I want to be obedient. Please help me to hear your voice and step out in faith no matter how silly it may seem. I choose to let go of my pride and follow You no matter the cost. I am so grateful that You know my heart and when I step out in faith, I will not be ashamed. I would rather be a fool for You than miss out on Your perfect will. Thank you for your grace (unmerited favor). Thank you for leading me to my next Promise Land. I earnestly seek Your will for my life and I thank You in advance for leading and guiding me according to Your will. When You speak Lord, I will obey.” Amen
by Tracy | Inspirational, Practical, Tuesdays With Tracy
“And the whole congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness…..This shall be seen when the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening and in the morning bread to the full; for the Lord hears your complaints which you make against Him. And what are we? Your complaints are not against us, but against the Lord.” Exodus 16:2,8
Recently, I have been under a lot of stress. God is truly blessing my family, but “good stress” – is still stress! My days have been filled with to-do lists, phone calls and never-ending appointments. I realized that I had reached my limit when I broke down crying to my friend, Angel over the phone. I was exhausted and needed rest. The next morning during my quiet time with God, I felt the Lord speak the following to me: “Tracy, I have parted the Red Sea (done a miracle) for you and your husband. I am taking you to your next promise land, but you must stop grumbling and complaining or I will have to take my hand off of you.” Immediately, I repented and asked for God’s grace and strength in order to endure the journey to reach my promise land. He was right – I was being just like the Israelites who praised God when He parted the Red Sea on their behalf, but only a few days later they began to grumble and complain about various obstacles they had to conquer to get to their Promise Land. I had fallen for an old, but familiar trap of grumbling and complaining and I needed to HALT!
You see, because I was overly tired – I let down my spiritual guard and allowed my mouth (through grumbling and complaining) to get me into trouble. As a counselor, I am aware that negative thoughts and speech cause extreme fatigue and frustration! I once heard Pastor Charles Stanley share a powerful acronym with his congregation. He stated the need to H-A-L-T whenever we are:
H-Hungry
A-Angry
L-Lonely
T-Tired.
Pastor Stanley explained that when we are experiencing any of these physical or emotional deficits, the devil will try to pull us into fleshly temptations (i.e. – fear, over-eating, addictions, worry, doubt, negativity, grumbling, etc).
No matter what you are going through at this time: H-A-L-T and take care of you! God is continually taking us from glory to glory! He is leading us each day to greater things. So go ahead, take a nap, eat a big steak, forgive the one who has offended you and ask for God to fill you with His awesome love this day. Trust me, I did all of the above, and I am in a much better place! God can meet whatever need you have today. He promises that He will never leave you or forsake you. Rest in the simple fact that His mighty hand is upon you:)
Prayer:
“Lord, thank You for Your mercy and grace. I ask that You give me wisdom on how to take care of myself. I give You my hunger and ask that You feed me. I give You my anger and ask that You replace it with a heart of forgiveness and love. I give You my loneliness and ask that You pour out Your love upon me this day. I give You my tiredness and ask that You give strength to my mind, body and spirit. Jesus, I want to reach my next promise land and with Your grace and strength, I can even enjoy the journey! I love you Heavenly Father ask that You fill me to over-flowing.” Amen.
Picture above is from: www.freefoto.com
by Tracy | Inspirational, Practical, Tuesdays With Tracy
A picture of Michael & me celebrating 8 years of marriage!
“Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, and He shall hear my voice. He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me, for there were many against me.” Psalm 55:17-18, New King James Version
Is there a place everyday where God knows He can find you? Maybe it’s in your living room as the sunrises or in the evening just before bed. But where can God find you? I know that our lives are hectic and having a dedicated time to spend with God each day can be difficult. But, if we do not have a designated time to spend with God, life circumstances often get in the way. Personally, I love to wake up each morning before my daughter gets up (around 6:30 am). God can find me sitting on my sofa with a cup of coffee in my hand. I usually begin my time just talking and thanking God for His goodness. I lift up the various tasks of my day and I read my Bible and pray. This is my FAVORITE part of the day! There are mornings when Alyssa wakes up early and I have to re-arrange my quiet time. But just having this set time each day helps keep me on track and full of faith.
Depending on your personality type- you are either a morning person (like me) or a night owl. It is never a good idea for a morning person to try and read the Bible just before bed (trust me on this one – you will just find drool marks on your pages) and a night owls should never try and get up at 5:00 am (I have heard that this will put you in a very bad mood)! It is important to find the right time and place for YOU. You do not need to feel that you have to spend your time with God just like “Sister-Suzie-Q!” You may need to try out a few different times and places to discover what works best for you. Ask the Holy Spirit to help show you the best time and place to spend time with Him. Trust me, He will show you – He LOVES spending time with you!
Prayer:
“Lord, I want to spend time with each today. Help me to not let life circumstances get in the way. I need You desperately each day and ask that You fill me with Your grace and mercy. Holy Spirit, show me the best time and place to fellowship with You. Open my heart to the Word of God and teach me how to pray and enjoy getting to know You more. I am so thankful that You love spending time with me! You are an amazing God!” Amen.
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 | Inspirational, Practical, Tuesdays With Tracy
I found this in the archives and I thought it was fitting to share this once again with you as we celebrate the gift of Motherhood this Sunday! Blessings to all the Moms!!
In honor of Mother’s Day, I have asked “My Moms” to share some words of wisdom with us. Their messages are timeless and great reminders to us all. Whether you are single, married, divorced, with or without children – these pearls shared below are priceless! So sit back and enjoy hearing from these Godly women.
A Message from my Mom, Penny Kenton:
As funny as it may sound, my daughter, son and I all have fond memories of a vacation-on-a shoestring we shared when they were young. I was a single mother at the time and did not have extra money for a vacation, but as my mother had taught me, you can have fun on a shoestring budget!
Instead of eating meals out, we went to the grocery store and bought food. For breakfast we would eat cereal out of little boxes. For lunch we ate peanut butter, bananas and honey on pitas. As we munched our lunch on the beach, a sandstorm came along and our gourmet delights now included a crunch of sand with
every bite. In the evening as we watched movies on TV and ate snacks in our motel room, we laughed and talked and just shared time being together.
It’s hard to believe but that was 16 years ago. Even though in subsequent years the three of us shared more extravagant vacations, I think we all agree, the shoestring trip holds precious memories.
My message to mothers is this – don’t be afraid to be creative and adventurous. It’s not about how much you spend or how luxurious things are when you do things with your child or children, it’s all about creating precious memories. You may be surprised how some of them can be created on a shoestring budget.
A Message from my Mother-in-Law, Linda Hurst:
When I was a young mother with three small children I asked the Lord, “What special things do I need to do in raising my children?” The answer came softly in my mind – “Just be.”
“Just be” – That seems so simple, I thought. Looking back I realize that to “just be” is not as simple as it sounded. The world we live in does not encourage one to “just be.” The world is constantly telling us we need to do this, we must have that and we should never be satisfied with the status quo – whatever that means. Many voices call us to get involved in various activities that take our time away from our families. Being involved in activities is important and beneficial, but should not be a priority over our family. As a mother, I feel that it is very important that we are there for our children and to always be in prayer for every aspect of their lives.
A Message from one of my Spiritual Moms, Ann Platz:
I am glad that I’m now sixty years old. So much of life is trial and error. Rearing two daughters alone for seven years taught me a lot. That I needed
the Lord in my life! I also learned that His love is stronger than anything else. That in time God will restore everything that you allow Him to.
My ambition as a child was to be a wife and mother. That was it! When my first marriage ended it was catastrophic for me. What I did not see at that
time was that God was unfolding a plan for me that would supercede my wildest imagination! What He did was bring my husband John into my life.
Along with John came a new stability in the home. I was able to come back to my early desire to be a mother and a wife. A miracle? Yes!
Celebrate being a mother! And to every single mother, I pray for hope, grace and love.
A Message from my Step-Mother, Rosemary Randell:
“TRAIN UP A CHILD IN THE WAY HE SHOULD GO; AND WHEN HE IS OLD, HE WILL NOT DEPART FROM IT” – PROVERBS 22:6
As I was watching my young adult child walk away from the Lord, this verse was going through my mind often. I felt guilt as only a mother can.
What could I have done differently? This was a child that had loved Jesus so much when she was a young, but now she was saying that she didn’t think God’s Word was true.
After a couple years of tearful prayers and continuous feelings of false guilt, the Lord gave me peace. One morning as I was making breakfast, not really thinking about anything in particular, the Lord said to me, “ Rosie, you take care of others and I will take care of her.” I just sat down and cried a peaceful and grateful cry. I didn’t understand what the Lord completely meant, but I knew that He was in charge, not me, and that she would eventually be alright. One year later, as I looked over and watched her singing to the Lord on a Sunday morning, my heart was full of love for my Lord. Thank you Jesus!
Happy Mother’s Day and may the blessings of the Lord chase you and overtake you this day!
Love,
Tracy
