Everything rides on HOPE!

Hope is my favorite subject because it is what gives us life and sustains our joy. It is what keeps me going!

In 1991 when I was 26 years old a young mother of two little boys my mother was in a car accident that left her severely brain injured. So many expectations and hopes for the future died the day of that accident. I knew my mom would never play the role that I had expected her to play in my life or the lives of my children again. In the months following her accident while we waited for my mother to emerge from a coma, I found myself slipping deeper and deeper into a dark place. I remember watching my beautiful little boys playing at the park and thinking to myself, "Will I ever be able to enjoy anything again?"

One day in the midst of my disappointment and anger I pleaded with God to give me something to hold onto. I opened my Bible and went to Psalms because I knew that to be an encouraging book. Here is what the author had written:

I would have despaired had I not known that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. (Psalm 27:13)

The whole idea of eternal perspective began to become clear to me and I have been clinging to it ever since. We will one day see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. My mom will be healed in the land of the living. I will be reunited with my loved ones in the land of the living. This lifetime is a dying flame but the land of the living is eternal!

2 Corinthians 5:17 says
For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen but what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

That is where my hope lies. But not only has He given us hope for the eternal future but He has given us hope for today. We can have joy in the journey.... His mercies are new every morning! The answer to my question "Will I ever be able to enjoy anything again?" was and is a resounding "YES!"

Hope was not given to us just for our own satisfaction. It was given to us to give away. And what happens when you give hope to someone else is amazing! You will find that your own healing comes when you share the hope that you have.

The principle is clearly stated in Isaiah 58:6-9

Share your food with the hungry and provide the poor wanderer with shelter - when you see the naked clothe him, and do not turn away from your own flesh and blood.
Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.

The holiday season can be a difficult time for many people. Maybe it is a painful reminder of unmet expectations. There are so many people in need of hope. Those of us that have hope must reach out to those struggling to find it. We can't solve all of the world's problems but we can make a difference in the lives of those around us one person at a time.

I wish I could say that the period of my mom's accident was the only time I have struggled with dark days but unfortunately that is not the case. But hope is what has brought me through every season of my life and it is the basis of For the Girls International.

My pastor asked me to share my story last week with our church and here is the video of our conversation.




Click here to watch video.

Wishing you all the beauty of this Christmas season as we celebrate the birth of Jesus the reason for this hope we have!

Lots of Love,
Tracey

Seasons Of Change Part II - Overcoming Fear

Maybe that is not the right title for this post. Maybe it should be Facing Fear Head On because I don’t know if I’ve ever actually overcome fear.

I’d like to talk about what happens when we feel that God is leading us in a new direction but we are afraid to take the next step. Or maybe we are afraid to even believe that He really wants to use us in that way. This is a powerful tool that the devil will use to stop our forward progress.

Many times as I begin a new adventure with God, I immediately begin to have thoughts that I am not qualified to do whatever it is God is calling me to do. I think to myself…there must be a braver candidate out there that would do a much better job. If we read the stories of men and women that God used in huge ways to accomplish great things for Him we will notice that courage is not something that necessarily came naturally to them either.

Think about Joshua for example; God gave him a big job to do. He was to lead millions of people into the Promised Land. Take a minute to read Joshua chapter 1 when you have a chance. It is the moment when God gives Joshua his marching orders. In verses 6-9 God tells Joshua THREE times to be strong and courageous. He goes even further and tells him, “…do not be terrified; do not be discouraged….” I imagine Joshua was pretty overwhelmed with the thought of trying to step into Moses’ shoes and tackle this major undertaking! In verse 9 God promises him, “…the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” I LOVE that!!!

2 Chronicles 20 tells the story of King Jehosophat as he was wrestling with a task God had given him. He admits in verse 12 that he doesn’t know what to do, but he tells God that his eyes are on Him. God’s response in verse 15 is the same as it was to Joshua: “…Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army, for the battle is not yours, but God’s….” I LOVE that too!!!

Joyce Meyer sent out a newsletter recently and something that she wrote just screamed off the page to me and I couldn’t say it better myself so here it is:

“When we look at the courageous people in our lives, we think they’re so strong, and we tell ourselves we could never be like them. But the truth is courageous people fear. They just go for it ANYWAY!

"After facing these fears over and over in my life, I’ve learned that sometimes in order to find the courage to receive a new thing from God, I just have to do it afraid!”

If you are entering a new season of your life and what lies ahead looks challenging I want to encourage you not to wait around until you feel ready but to step out and DO IT AFRAID!

Seasons of Change - Part 1

I enjoyed our Autumn Girls Night Out so much and I hope everyone that came did too. After I spoke I still felt that there were some things that I wanted to share but didn't get to cover. I've divided them into 3 parts and will share them over the next few weeks here on my blog.

Last Monday night I talked a little bit about embracing change. That always means letting go of the old. Whether "the old" was a good season or a not-so-good season we still need to let it go in order to set the stage for "the new".

I shared a little bit about one of those changing seasons in my life. It was the year that my oldest son graduated high school and I was beginning to feel the first effects of my season of raising children transitioning into the season of letting them go. At the same time my grandparents' health was failing and I was beginning to realize that I didn't have very much longer with them here on earth. Those things combined with some health issues made for a pretty emotionally miserable me.

On one particular afternoon, during the week that we were packing my son's things up to move him away to college, I was driving home from work and heard the Stevie Nicks song "Landslide". It goes like this...

Well I've been afraid of changing, 'cos I built my life around you
But time makes you bolder children get older
I'm getting older too

So, you can imagine the scene...I could hardly see the road for the tears pouring out of my eyes and down my cheeks. I was bawling my eyes out. It wasn't bad enough my son was leaving but to add insult to injury...I'M GETTING OLDER TOO!!!

I know it's just a song but it touched a nerve. Up until that point, to some degree, I had "built my life around" being a mom. A mom with all of her kids at home with her in the same house, sleeping under the same roof every night. Now that was changing.

Later in the song it asks the question:

Can I sail through the changing ocean tides
Can I handle the seasons of my life?

Those questions cut right to the core of what I was feeling. Have you ever felt that way? Have you ever been in a season where you find yourself asking..."can I handle this?"

Let me help you out with that one. The answer is an unequivocal YES! You can handle this and any season when you know who is writing your story and who is holding the plan for your life in His hands.

This was God's promise to the Israelites when they were living in exile, removed from their comfort zone, out in no-man's land without a clear picture of what the future would bring:

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."


I believe the promises recorded in the Bible are there for us to grab onto to carry us through the seasons of our lives.

It was during that stormy season of my life that God began to give me ideas and visions of what has evolved into For the Girls International. It's amazing how even in the darkest of times God will whisper to you plans that He has for your future.

I encourage you to take the time to press your ear in close to Him to hear those whispers. Even if it seems like a crazy idea or something so far off or out of the box...write it down. Tuck it away so that when He asks you to begin to step out you are ready.

Part of embracing change is allowing yourself to "feel" it. There's a difference between allowing yourself to feel it and dwelling on it to the point that is pulls you down to a place of hopelessness. It's unrealistic to think we can "sail through the changing ocean tides" without getting doused with a little saltwater so don't beat yourself up if you find yourself shedding a salty tear or two. On the other hand, we don't need to drown in our sorrows either.

When you find yourself in that place of emotional "landslide" start talking to yourself. Grab hold of the promises that God has clearly given you and embrace your changing season as an essential element of your destiny.

Check back in the coming weeks for Parts 2 and 3!

Seasons of Change

There's an old proverb that says, "Change is the only constant."

I've been thinking about this subject a lot over the past month as I have been preparing a message about the "Seasons of Change" for FTGI's Girls Night Out in October.

Of course it is Fall and so the topic seemed appropriate, but more than just picking a topic that would go with the decorations I always pray that I will share something that will touch the hearts of the women I speak to right where they are. Lately I have had so many conversations with people that are in a season of change in their lives. I can relate.

Although change can be uncomfortable and a bit difficult to navigate at times it is what brings out the colors in our lives. As God moves us into new seasons we discover colors that we didn't even know were there!

When I think of the "Fall" season of life I think of the stripping off of the old to make room for the new. Even though the letting go part can be so hard it is often necessary for growth and that is exciting!! If we don't embrace change we could miss out on a beautiful arrangement of color to add to the landscape of our lives.

I hope to see all of you at our Autumn Girls Night Out. I'll be speaking in more depth about navigating the seasons of change. Whether you come or not I hope this verse speaks life into your heart about your future...with God writing your story this is what you have to look forward to:

Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Lots of Love,

Tracey

P.S.

I love the fact that the God we serve is unchanging. What a comfort to know that through every season of our life He is the same yesterday, today and forever! (Hebrews 13:8)

Good News

As a post script to my last blog I'd like to report that the peace that God gave me regarding the news of the suspicious lump, lasted all week long. So much so that I forgot at times that it was looming in the back of my mind - a matter to be dealt with. I did my best throughout the week to keep my mind stayed on Him but I also had a LOT of prayers for which I am very grateful.

Today was the day. They decided to aspirate the cyst. It was a complex cyst which meant that it had shading on the ultrasound that indicated that it may not be completely fluid. That shading is what they needed to investigate. They explained how they would do that. They would take a needle and guided by ultrasound they would puncture the cyst. Then they would suction it. If it all drained out, the cyst would collapse and it would be all good. If not, they would switch the needle to a bigger one, get a sample of what was left and send it for a biopsy. I liked the first scenario best. I pick door #1 please.

As I laid there being prepped, here's how my thought process went...

Gosh, I can't believe how very calm I am...

I can't believe how much peace I have laying here waiting for them to stick me with a large needle...

Why do I have so much peace??? (Here's where the downward spiral began...)

I wonder if God is preparing me for something???

I wonder if He's giving me this peace in advance to cushion the bad news I may get???

How quickly I digressed! I let the if's come creeping in.

I can just imagine God looking down and saying..."What is it with this girl? She prays for peace, I give it to her and then she questions why she has so much peace!"

I caught myself and turned my attention to the doctor who was saying, "OK, here we go" and I watched the monitor as the fluid completely drained out and the cyst collapsed. YAY!!

The three lovely ladies in the room were all so genuinely happy for me.

I mentioned to one of the ladies that my heart ached a little to think of the women that have gone before me and those who will come after me whose news would not be as good. She assured me that there is so much that can be done now that even bad news still comes with a lot of hope. I know I will have even more compassion now for the causes bearing the pink ribbons.

Thanks to my family and friends for all the prayers and thank you Lord for the peace that surpasses all understanding.

Love,

Tracey

Philippians 4:6-7

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything , by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your mind in Christ Jesus.

To fear or not to fear?

When I was younger I battled with fear. I have worked hard to overcome it because nothing good comes of it. For the most part I feel like I have a handle on it now, but every so often it tries to rears its ugly head.

Last week I went to see my doctor for a “yearly” exam (that I haven’t had in 7 years). I know, I know, I’m not proud of that I’m just letting you know - it’s been a while. (If you are a guy and you’re reading this you may want to click out now and go read the paper or something.)

During the routine visit the doctor performed a breast exam. She stopped mid-exam and with a concerned look on her face ask me, “Have you ever felt this before?” She was referring to a small lump that she was fingering. I hadn’t. I don’t know how I missed it but I did.

She immediately set-me up for a mammogram and an ultrasound to investigate. Right about then is when my fearful nature would have kicked into overdrive. The “what if____” questions were beginning to circle, taunting me to fill in the blanks. I didn’t want the “what if’s” to prevail so I reached for a promise. This verse was the first one that popped into my head:

You will keep her in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You.
(I changed the pronouns to suit myself :))

That’s the part of the verse that I remembered. So that’s what I did. I started to think about the fact that no one loves me more than God does and He’s the one in control of everything in my life.

I went about my day in peace. Peace throughout the mammogram. Peace throughout the ultrasound. I’m telling you, I had an overwhelming sense of PEACE. His word is true, His promises are for TODAY.

When I got home I looked it up the verse and found it in Isaiah. But there was more to it than just the part I had remembered. Here it is in its entirety.

Isaiah 26:3 (New King James Version)
You will keep her in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because she trusts in You.

In that simple verse there is a promise, a condition and a reason.

The promise – He will keep you in perfect peace
The condition – If you keep your mind STAYED on Him.
The reason - Because we trust Him

Don’t waste a single moment today worrying or fearing for tomorrow. Don’t let what only may be rob you of what is today.

Lord, help me today and everyday to keep my mind stayed on you and help me to trust you with everything I am.

Love,
Tracey

P.S. Turned out to be a complex cyst that they will biopsy. I’ll keep you posted – prayers appreciated!!

Alone TIme

Yesterday God gave me an unexpected opportunity for some ALONE TIME and I grabbed it and ran!

In a spontaneous moment on Tuesday night at 9:30pm I decided to go with my husband to Orlando on Wednesday, to lounge around the pool at the Marriot World Center while he attended a Chick-fil-A seminar. We had to drive up to Tallahassee on Wednesday night for Zac's orientation so Danny would have had to drive back to New Port Richey just to have to get back in the car and drive up to Tallahassee the same night. So I, self-sacrificing wife that I am, offered to go to Orlando with him so that we could leave from there for Tallahassee. The decision set in motion a flurry of arrangements that had to be made.

I had to figure out where my daughter would stay, who would walk the dog and water the plants. We have house-guests arriving on Friday about the same time we will be getting home so I needed to do a quick cleanup of the upstairs and the bathrooms, throw a load of towels in the wash and I still needed to pack. It seemed like an awful lot to do to get ready to go on such short notice but all the while in the back of my mind was the payoff...ALONE TIME.

The past month has been very busy. I have caught myself several times saying to either my husband or friends, "I feel like I'm so busy I don't have time to think". I have been on the go and was craving a little rest.

Rest and time to think. I sometimes feel guilty even saying that I need those things. They sounds like luxuries for most of us that run at a normal pace of 100 miles an hour but they are not luxuries. They are necessary.

After a particularly busy series of events Jesus himself instructed his disciples to rest. They had been running at a crazy pace. Mark 6:30-31 tells us they didn't even have time to eat. (I always manage to make time to eat!!) Here's what the passage says:

And the apostles gathered together with Jesus; and they reported to Him all that they had done and taught. And He said to them, "Come away, by yourselves to a lonely place and rest a while." (For many people had been coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.)

It is in that time alone that we have time to think. Ideas and dreams take shape when we take time to reflect. It is also in those "alone times" that God has the opportunity to speak to us. It doesn't have to be a huge amount of time either.

Maybe someone reading this is saying to themselves...I need some rest and some time to think. Sometimes we actually need to schedule that time in and sometimes we just need to grab it when we can.

Either way I pray that if you need that alone time that you will get it!

It did wonders for me yesterday :)