by Tracy | Inspirational, Tuesdays With Tracy
“The Lord make His face to shine upon you and enlighten you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace and they shall put My Name upon them, and I will bless them.” Numbers 6:25-27
*Mid-summer I found myself singing the familiar lyrics to one of the Go-Go songs from the mid 80’s: “vacation all I ever wanted, vacation have to get away…” After singing this song consecutively for a few weeks, my husband came downstairs from his office one night and suggested we get away the following weekend. We began looking on line at last minute deals and stumbled on an unbelievable package for Bermuda. We booked our flight and hotel and literally left four days later!
Prior to leaving, I heard a minister preach about the favor of God and how we need to proclaim God’s favor over our lives each day. He stated that when we see the favor of God, we should proclaim it OUT LOUD. So, while packing our clothes and necessities for our trip, my husband and I also began spiritually packing by praying for God’s favor. We prayed for the littlest things – such as favor with the flight attendants and beautiful weather. We also prayed about the big things, such as, an upgraded room upon arrival and safe travel to and from the Atlanta airport. As we headed for the airport the morning of our flight, we were amazed that there was no traffic and we immediately proclaimed “that is the favor of God.”
We landed on the beautiful island of Bermuda right on time and found our transportation to the hotel with no trouble and we proclaimed our new mantra – “that is the favor of God.” When we arrived at our hotel and gave our name to the clerk, she gave a troubled look and stated she would get the manger to assist us. My husband and I looked at each other and both wondered what God was up to. The manager apologetically told us that the hotel had been overbooked and therefore we would need to stay at their sister hotel. At this point I would normally be gravely disappointed and upset, but because we had covered the entire trip with prayer, I decided to go with the flow and see what God had in store for us. The hotel agreed to pay for our moped rental and the manager personally took us to the sister hotel. We felt as if we were on an adventure just waiting to see what the favor of God was about to do.
As the manager showed us our room, our mouths dropped! It wasn’t just a typical hotel room, it was an executive suite with an ocean view! After we received our keys and calmly stated “the room would be fine,” we literally closed the door and jumped up and down proclaiming, “This is the favor of God!” There isn’t enough room to tell you about all the favor we had on our trip, but let me just add that even upon arriving back on a Friday afternoon during typical Atlanta rush hour traffic, we sailed home in amazement (all of you who live in Atlanta know this was the greatest miracle of all) and as we pulled into our driveway we thanked God for His abundant favor on our trip from the beginning to the end!
I encourage you to pray for the favor of God upon your life today. As you begin proclaiming God’s favor upon your life – wait expectantly – you never know what God might have in store for you!
Prayer:
“Lord, I declare the favor of God over my life. Open my eyes to see Your favor everyday! Once I see it, I will proclaim, “This is the favor of God!” Thank you for all that You have done in my life. Thank you in advance for all that is yet ahead! I give you my life Lord and I know that your favor and grace will follow me wherever I go.” Amen.
*Revised Article, “The Favor of God,” by Tracy Hurst, Christian Chronicle/2004
Photo Above is from: www.freefoto.com
by Tracy | Inspirational, Tuesdays With Tracy
“To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: A time to weep, and a time to laugh; A time to mourn and a time to dance; A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing, A time to keep silence, and a time to speak…” Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4, 5, 7, NKJV
I don’t know about you, but I am eagerly anticipating fall and all that comes along with it! I am just about ready to put away my summer clothes and dust off my fall boots! Yee-haw! I cannot wait for cooler temperatures, jean jackets, roasting marshmallows by the fire and much more! I also believe that just as the leaves are changing in the natural realm, things are also changing in the Spirit Realm. God is up to something and it is good.
I have sensed God has been taking His people through a season of refinement. He is asking us to give Him total control of our lives. He longs for us to go deeper in Him. It’s time to re-prioritize and re-shift our ways of thinking and doing things. It is time to SLOW DOWN and LISTEN for God’s voice.
Lately, I have been hearing God say the following to me: “I want my people’s thoughts and mouths to line up with My Word, but this can only happen if they spend time in My Presence.” As I began to ponder this, I began to think about the Culinary Art of “The Marinade” When someone chooses to “marinate” something, they often put some type of meat in a sauce and they let it sit for a few hours. Usually, the longer it sits, the better it tastes:) And before long that meat begins to smell, taste and look like the sauce it was marinated in. This is what God is longing for us to do! He wants us to sit (marinate if you will) in His Presence. And the longer we sit, the more we will smell, taste and become like Him! Selah (pause and think about that for a moment).
What is God currently speaking to you about? I encourage you to spend time talking to Him about your life and where you are headed. Marinate yourself in Him. You may be on perfect track or God may want you to reorder some things, but either way He will give you the wisdom you need in order to fulfill your destiny in Christ! Man can give you his or her opinion, but God can give you His Wisdom.
The seasons are changing – are you ready?
Prayer:
Lord, I need your wisdom for such a time as this. I want to be ready for the next season of my life. I give you permission to reorder my life, my mind and my mouth. May everything I say and do line up with The Word of God. Help me to find time to sit in Your Presence. I long to be like you Jesus. Forgive me of my sin and create in me a clean heart. Renew a right spirit within me. Do not cast Your Presence away from me, but renew a right spirit within me God.” Amen.
by Tracy | Practical, Tuesdays With Tracy
My husband and his toy – LOL 🙂
“God will show me the path of life; In His Presence is the fullness of joy; At His right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalm 16:11 NKJV
*Lately, I have been on an all out quest to add more fun into my life. I realized that I needed additional fun when my husband and I went to see a romantic comedy at a local movie theater and after the movie I could not control the tears that ran down my face. My husband looked at me totally perplexed, because one would assume that after viewing a comedy, I would feel encouraged and uplifted, but instead a deep sense of sadness filled my heart. I recognized that I had not been living life to the fullest and I was lacking some serious fun!
So with this discovery, my husband and I sat down and made a list of the things we considered, “fun.” Of course, our lists were completely different! My husband, who is a ex-paratrooper and Golden Knight for the Army, listed various adventures, such as: jumping from planes again, mountain biking, watching Brave Heart and Blackhawk Down with the guys, etc. My list consisted of things such as: more girlfriend time, dinner parties, buying new shoes and travel. Since then my husband began watching his war movies and I bought a few new pair of shoes (sorry honey). And together we hosted a dinner party, but even these activities did not satisfy our desire within.
Finally, one morning during my quiet time with God, I asked Him why we were having such difficultly implementing fun into our lives? He led me to Psalm 16:11, which states, “God will show me the path of life; In His Presence is the fullness of joy; At His right hand are pleasures forevermore.” The truth is, nothing here on earth would bring us the joy we were after. Don’t get me wrong, mountain biking and new shoes are great, but both will eventually end up in the trash! We were looking for fun in all the wrong places! Only the Lord can provide “fun” that can satisfy your soul.
As Psalm 16 sank into my spirit, a smile spread across my face. I found what I had been longing for in the Word of God. My quest had been fulfilled! That following weekend, my husband and I hosted a Bible study and I sensed God’s Presence in our home. As I looked around the room I thought to myself, “NOW THIS IS FUN!”
A Ladies Morning Out – LOL 🙂
Prayer:
Lord, forgive me for looking to the world to bring joy and satisfaction into my life. Nothing this world offers can bring me eternal peace. It is only in Your Presence that I am filled with supernatural joy. And this joy is not dependent on my circumstances. I choose to no longer look for fun in all the wrong places, for it is only in Your Presence that I am filled to overflowing! Amen.
*A Published Article by Tracy Hurst, Atlanta Christian Chronicle, June, 2004″
by Tracy | Bad Day Blues, Tuesdays With Tracy
My Precious One,
I formed you in your mother’s womb. You are fearfully and wonderfully made. My thoughts of you Precious One are wonderful and the sum of them is so great they are more in number than the sand. I will establish the work of your hands. Goodness and mercy shall follow you all the days of your life. With long life I will satisfy you and show you of My salvation. The plans I have for you are good, to give you a future and a hope in Me. Dwell in My secret place Precious One, abide under the shadow of My wings and no evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling. I will send My angels concerning you all the days of your life.
I have so loved you Precious One, that I came to earth that you may have everlasting life. Seek first My kingdom and all your hearts desires shall be added to you. You are My chosen One, I have called you to go into the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
Do not be afraid, Precious One, for I will be with you wherever you go. My rod and staff shall comfort you. Hope in Me and tell of My righteousness and salvation to all who have ears. Declare My strength to this generation and My power to everyone who is to come. Trust in Me with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Me, and I will direct your paths.
Love Me above all else Precious One, obey My commandments and all of My blessings shall come upon you and overtake you because you obey My voice. I am deeply in love with you! Welcome my love for you this day. I want to show you how wide and deep my love is for you. Precious One, let’s talk again tomorrow. I have much more to tell you. Simply open The Word of God and I will daily unfold a love note to you. Bask in My love. Relish in My Truth. Everything will be all right when you stay close to me.
Love,
Your Heavenly Father
(This love letter to you originates from: Psalm 139:13,14,17,18, Psalm 91:16, Jeremiah 29:11, Psalm 91:1,10, John 3:16, Matthew 6:33, Mark 16:15, Joshua 1:9, Psalm 23, Psalm 71:15, Proverbs 3:5,6, Deuteronomy 28:2)
by Tracy | Inspirational, Tuesdays With Tracy
“So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.” Colossians 3: 12-14, The Message Translation
Ask any woman and she will tell you that a simple black dress can take her just about anywhere in life. For example, she can add a pair of high heel shoes to her black dress and ‘hi-ho-hi-ho’ off to work she goes. She can run errands around town by sliding into her favorite pair of flip-flops. And she can enjoy a formal evening out by placing a strand of pearls around her neck. Not to mention that as she dashes around town in this all-purpose garment, she will look gorgeous!
What many of you may not know is that God is also interested in what we wear, spiritually speaking that is. He has picked out some articles of clothing that He believes are essential for every believer’s closet. So, let’s do some inventory shall we? Would I find the following items within your spiritual closet: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline, even tempered, content with second place and quick to forgive?
I will admit to having most of these, yet I seem to wear the same things over and over again! For example, I regularly wear a shirt of compassion, slacks of forgiveness and shoes of kindness, but I often pass by the jacket of discipline! If we are all honest, there are probably a few of the mentioned garments listed above that we have a hard time putting on…which one is it for you?
But, there is one all-purpose garment, which God states we are NEVER to be without. Love is the one piece of clothing we need to be wearing at all times – no matter the season, predicted weather forecast or agenda of our day. The garment of love is to be extended to others, ourselves and to God. It is the garment that will bring success our way no matter what. So go ahead and wear your black dress (or black pants for you men), but don’t forget to put on some love to go with it! I promise you that with that combination – you will look fabulous!
Prayer:
Lord, I want to wear what you have picked out for me today. I choose to place upon myself this day: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline, I desire to be even tempered, content with second place and quick to forgive, but importantly I choose to walk in love. By choosing to wear the articles of clothing listed above – I am dressed for success. Thank you for loving me this day. Amen
by Tracy | Inspirational, Practical, Tuesdays With Tracy
“So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you; take your everyday ordinary life – your sleeping, eating, going to work, and walking around life – and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for Him. Don’t become so well adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God – you’ll be changed from the inside out.” Romans 12:1-2, Message Translation
There are days when all I feel like I do is get up, read the Word, change diapers, pick up the house, make dinner and go to bed. Maybe your days are filled with driving to work, making business calls or picking up take-out for dinner. But, no matter what stage of life we are in – we can become bored with our daily routines and forget to embrace each day as a gift from God.
What stood out to me in the scripture above is the challenge Paul gives us to embrace our everyday, ordinary life as worship to God. I have found that if we choose to worship God everyday (no matter how mundane our tasks may seem) an overflowing joy will fill our hearts. God will help us see that what we do each day is not ordinary – but extraordinary! While, the world may perceive what we do as meaningless, God knows our hearts and He sees our acts of everyday life as worship to Him.
Did you know that as you go about your everyday, ordinary life, that you are changing eternal souls? You are influencing someone’s life today, whether you realize it or not. Your encouragement and heartfelt concern for a co-worker, fellow mom or a grocery store clerk can literally alter their destiny!
Maybe you are a businessperson, minister or teacher. You need to know that every client you encourage, sermon that you preach or child that you impact is shaping an eternal destiny. The truth is, there are thousands of people who need what you do mindlessly each day. It may be your smile, uplifting word or a mastery skill that you perform at your job. But someone, somewhere, is in need of what you do in your everyday, ordinary life. Choosing to worship God through your everyday life will not only change you, but everyone around you as well!
Prayer:
“Lord, I give you my everyday, ordinary life: my sleeping, eating, going to work and walking around life as worship to You. I choose to fix my eyes on Jesus and what He thinks about me as I go about my daily tasks. Father, open my eyes to see how my life can be a blessing to those around me. Help me to see those who are hurting and need the gift that is within me. Someone, somewhere is in need of what I do in my everyday, ordinary life. May You use my life to glorify You. Take my ordinary and turn it into extraordinary this day.” Amen.
Photo Above is from: www.freefoto.com
