In The Morning When I Rise

 

“So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.”

‭‭John‬ ‭10:7‬ ‭ESV‬‬

The Lord is the Great Shepherd. We are his sheep. As a working mom of three I didn’t often think about having a guide as I guided my children in this life but I do. 

Jesus. 

God is with his children everywhere and guides us if we will follow him. When we listen to His voice He will move us toward Himself everyday. The Word and truth is waiting. My children didn’t always listen to my voice as I too have ignored Jesus many times. It doesn’t usually go well when we have to learn the hard way in life but our loving father and shepherd is always there waiting at the door when we come. 

Will we rise and meet our shepherd? 

“In the morning as I rise

I see Your beauty shining down on me from the sky

In the morning as I rise 

I hear Your voice singing over me outside my window 

In the morning as I rise

I can feel the Spirit gently moving in me 

In the morning as I rise 

You are always with me. 

In the morning Lord guide my steps to thee.”

~Tracy Lane 

What Does Worship Mean To You?

 

Worship

It is something I do on Sunday morning attending church. I believed this was all worship was for a long time. It was the whole service of good music and atmosphere that we received while attending. And boy if I didn’t like it then well I stayed. My husband is the pastor so I couldn’t leave for another church. Ha! But this mentality of leaving one church seeking better music I have seen it happen. Again, do we think worship is just the music and atmosphere? 

This week as I sat in church like many Sundays I sang hymns and praise songs thinking,”is this all there is to my worship of God?” All week do I just wait for Sunday at my church to sing a song to worship the holy God? I have been in churches where the people sang with hands lifted high and loud voices and were it was the opposite atmosphere. It was quiet and calm. The message was presented along with other usual Sunday liturgy. Yet I still wondered how we as believers worship God. Obviously there is more to church attendance than this element yet it is a big part of why I see people leave a church. The music or worship. For me as God revealed more and more of himself to me through His Word and as I have received His mercy it became clearer to me that God was so much bigger than what music was played on Sunday morning, or how I felt about the order of service was presented. I attended a corporate worship service to honor my Lord. 

Jesus wants my response to be here I am Lord! Use me for your glory. I am suppose to respond to His Spirit in all things in my life. Praise hands or not but with open hands and heart to share His love with others at my local church. Worship to me is being faithful to respond to God everyday. If we believe in a holy God then we will want to bow down and serve Him. Let our worship not just be about observing on Sundays for what we can receive. Let our worship be a response to the faithfulness, mercy and love God shows us daily!

God reveals himself and presents himself everyday to us and we have everyday to respond. 

Are we actually living our life in intentional and corporate worship of God? 

Tell me what God has taught you about worship?

Blessings 

Tracy 

Social Media And My Mental Health

“So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭4:16‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Social media depletes me. 

Every time I open an app or turn on the tv I hear stats, facts, and all the opinions on matters at hand in the world. Right now I have mental fatigue from it all. It makes me sad that our conversations navigate to defending which side you land on healthcare, masks or how we raise our children. There is so much lack of grace in our actions and words toward others when faced with these decisions. I think we are doing the best we can with the information given. Everyday is something new and devastating news seems to be the norm. The media really hasn’t changed over the years. It continues to censor, sensationalize or only highlight the worst. It creates reactions from us when we watch or listen. The posts liked or followed the most these days are the ones focused on the negative or debunking the opposite party. It’s madness out there. One is focused on helping the cause by causing righteous anger yet pride is dripping off their tongues. 

I have to shut it all off. My mind can get flipped upside down and become filled with complacency about everything. I have to come to God with my prayers and seek Him for guidance. The mind is the first place that gets attacked and I need more Jesus than what others are saying to me right now. 

I am saddened that we feel the need to shame others for their choices over health related matters today. It’s something I am seeing more and more but do we do that when we share the gospel? Do we shame our friends who never come to church and expect them to join you on Sunday? Or do we invite them for dinner with a genuine heart to get to know them? It’s relationship that Jesus speaks to us and He speaks to others through our words. 

Jesus drew people to himself by his words. Jesus spoke with authority yet never shamed anyone for their lack or sin. 

Jesus had mercy on others through his words. He healed with his words not condemning anyone. Jesus wanted to share hope by his words and not fear. 

I had these thoughts running in my head today and they were convicting me. No matter how much I believe my decision is the right one I never want to condemn or shame you for yours. Our voice matters yet I myself always want to speak with humility and grace filled words in order to draw you toward Jesus in all things. 

It’s okay to shut it all off. 

Let us keep fighting in prayer and listen to God today friends. 

Lessons In Serving My Local Church

  

  Grace and Truth Hand Knit And Stamped Bracelet 

I had to keep the church nursery again this week. My heart was already weary from a busy week of work and taking care of my own kids. Now I was asked to do one more hour of service at church. Our church was small and the volunteers were even smaller in number. 

I can remember as a mom of littles being absolutely tired of chasing my kids at home much less taking them to church and do it in front of everyone. I saw it as one more place to find myself struggling to keep up. I was struggling to see the importance of serving in the midst of my own struggles at home. I didn’t think I had it me but I would go and you know what I leaned? 

God met me there and equipped me every time. It never failed that someone would always show up to help ease my weary heart and rally my own kids. I would then be encouraged to keep the nursery and later on teach for that one hour in our church. 

I eventually saw that time every week as holy ground that God used me to serve. I learned so many lessons for my own heart. I learned serving God isn’t easy but when I show up He always does too. 

Serving has shown me what the heart of Jesus looks like. Jesus was a servant and if I want to reflect my Savior then my heart had to learn how to reflect His. As I looked around at those serving my family they were showing me how to be selfless because they weren’t exempt from bad days and struggles either. They loved me and my family well. Kindness and grace filled their words. They reminded me that I was doing the best I could as a mom. Not to mention the countless prayer warriors God sent my way. So no mater the size of the church it needs more servants for the kingdom. 

Today I want you as a mom to be encouraged you are doing your best. The days can be long and tiring but the Lord refreshes the soul. (Psalm23:3) Jesus will equip you to serve not only your family but in your church body. 

“His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,”

1 Peter 1:3 

Surrendering Control to God

 

I surrendered to God’s call to save my soul when I was a teenager. I believed Jesus could send me to heaven but I ran from His amazing grace for a long time. I had not surrendered every part of my life to Him. Crazy to say that out loud yet how many of us can say this as well? I still wanted to live by the worlds standards. 

I needed to learn how to surrender my will to Gods will. I had to learn my belief in Christ meant that I was to walk in His Spirit, trust His ways and those ways are better than my ways.  

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5:16-17‬ ‭ESV‬‬

I was taught growing up to be in control of my life. You can do whatever you set your mind to but you must work hard to do it all of which rely on me. Hard work was natural for me. What I wasn’t natural was to rely totally on Jesus. I believed He had my eternity covered BUT the here and now I wasn’t so sure about. I wasn’t surrendering every area of my life. My knowledge of God at this point in my life was what others had told me not my own first hand knowledge of the Word of God. 

I wasn’t living like I believed God. My marriage after many hurtful fights felt hopeless and my parenting felt like I failed my children in many ways. 

My total trust wasn’t in Jesus Christ for reassurance a d healing. 

It was in what I had trusted and clung to for a very long time, control. I would continue for a long time believe in what I could control around me or if I worked harder everything would work out. ⁣

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It was such a turning point in my life when I totally surrendered control to God. I was at the end of myself. I broke down in tears of exhaustion. I prayed to God for help. I felt the weakest I have ever felt yet the strongest I have ever felt in my life. God answered in His time and He healed what felt broken beyond repair in my marriage. He told me I was the parent for these children no matter what choices they make you did the best you knew how. He still loved me and wanted fellowship with me. 

Not having control over situations is a terrible feeling for someone like me who thrived off control. In my prayers I heard God whispering come to me, “I have always been here.” Give it all to me.” ⁣

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When I finally surrendered to Gods authority on my life I received His sweet gift of grace. I listened to the Spirit, I couldn’t get enough of God, His Word and His transforming power. I saw the strongholds fall in my life fall one by one and finally felt freedom standing in the middle of His amazing grace.⁣ You see I was saved at a young age but I ran from surrendering everything to my Savior. As I leaned from reading and learning who God is the people of Israel in the OT I could see myself. I saw my strongholds and heart sickness I lived with for so long. God never gave up on His people then and He doesn’t today.  Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8)

Today is has been a daily surrender and dying to self and I hope you will join me in this. I would love to hear your stories of surrender and listening to the Spirit. -𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘺 

Tag me in your testimony  #knitthegospelintoyourheart 

Finding Security

As I think about my security, I admit by nature I fall into feeling secure when my health is not in jeopardy, money is coming in to pay my bills, and all my children are doing okay.  I think a lot of us can relate to this. Right? ⁣

But when any of these things change which for most of us it has or it will at some point, my security seems lost.  It’s not.  I have seen God’s faithfulness in my own family and God always provided. Our human comfort levels are challenged but we grow closer to God through these times of trials. 

 The security Jesus Christ provides is wisdom, guidance in this life and an 𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 in His 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘴.(Deuteronomy 33:27)  I know I love to sink right into those arms when my “feelings” have a hold of me.  God wants us to 𝘥𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭 in Him not in our circumstances. ⁣

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If you need to find that security again or if you like me have found yourself finding security in the wrong things at times. ⁣

⁣

𝘚𝘦𝘦𝘬 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘵𝘰𝘥𝘢𝘺 ⁣

⁣

•𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 (John 10 is a great chapter) ⁣

•𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐭, 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐬𝐚𝐲? ⁣

•𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐲⁣

•𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 ⁣

⁣

Bless you today friends

💛 Tracy 

P.S. You can find me on Instagram and say hi! 

Are you in Awe of God?

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” Psalms 110:10

As I pulled out my old journal, I read an entry from 2014.  I read these words. “God is more visible to me when I am in awe of God.” 

So many years of searching who I was suppose to be and how I fit into this place God had set me in. 

All I saw then was my hard circumstances and evil seeping in and I let it. 

I see now the evidence of the “letting.”  Letting myself be scared and stuck by strongholds. So many things blinding me from seeing God at work.  I wanted to people please and trust in myself.  I was and still fight pride pride. Pride wants to hear the messages in the world like these we hear, you can do what you set your mind to, hustle hard! 

That will only get you so far but leave you empty. There will still be a God sized hole.  I have done my fair share of hustling but if God isn’t at the center it won’t last.  The joy and fulfillment will fade. 

I fit into this place God had put me in because He said so not because I was good enough. For so long I didn’t “feel” good enough, qualified or likable. LOL! 

Wisdom came when I began to love God more than anything else.  God showed me that there is No room for Him in me when I let pride, anger, self love be bigger than Him. 

His Spirit can’t lead and I wanted to not be blind any longer.  God can use anyone He wants to lead others to Him. I didn’t think so for so long.  I began to see the fear and awe Abraham and Moses had for God.  I began to see God as a Father who said you go and share the good news too. This is why I placed you here and stop being pleasing to the world and please me!  

I tear up reading old entries and seeing the hand of God even then stirring in me what I couldn’t see then. I am grateful for who God is and showing me who I am to be. 

~tracy

September Positivity Challenge Day 9

Good Morning friends! 

How is the scripture challenge going? Are you able to write each verse out everyday?

There is something about doing the writing and saying the verse out load that helps so much to understand and retain the words. 

It is day 9 of the Positivity Scripture Challenge

Today’s verse is 

“Rash language cuts and maims, but there is healing in the words of the wise.”

Proverbs 12:18 MSG

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Wow! This verse is powerful for me because how many times have I used my speech to hurt someone.  You know the person that said something to you and hurt your feelings or maybe they said something about your child.  Yes we Moms can be very protective of our children.  The one thing I have learned is that speaking without thinking and pausing can be dangerous.  We say things that hurt others and never brings honor. 

Lord, help me to pause before I speak. Let my speech be filled with love today.  Your Word can heal and I want to point others to You God for help and wisdom.  

Thank you Jesus for giving us wisdom to pause and pray!  Amen 

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Blessings -
tracy
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September Positivity Challenge Day 8

Today’s Positivity Scripture day 8 

“For I will restore you to health And I will heal you of your wounds,’ declares the LORD, ‘Because they have called you an outcast, saying: “It is Zion; no one cares for her.” ’”

‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭30:17‬ ‭NASB‬‬

Have you left God behind?   I have before. There was a time I thought I can do life without Him.  I believed lies and thought my sin wouldn’t affect anyone else.  

When we turn to God from sin, He is there!  He never left you.  He can forgive and heal the wounds of your own sins or the sins you have endured from others.  

We only have to call on Jesus! 

Pray today for healing in your heart if you have believed lies of the enemy.  Thank you Jesus for your amazing grace and loving us with an unending love! 

Blessings friends- 

Tracy 

The Bible reads us back like a mirror

We can read the Bible and the Bible reads us back like a mirror seeing into my heart. I am asking myself am I seeking the right thing when I come to the Word of God? 

“For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror.” James 1:23

My desire is to never walk away from the Word without it changing me. I want to be a reflection of Christ for others to see more of Him. As I desire to know Jesus I must draw near to Him and in the book Ruth I see instructions given to Ruth by Naomi that shows me how I can have intimacy with my Redeemer. 

“Wash therefore and anoint yourself, and put on your cloak and go down to the threshing floor, but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. But when he lies down, observe the place where he lies. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down, and he will tell you what to do.” And she replied, “All that you say I will do.”

‭‭Ruth‬ ‭3:3-5‬ ‭ESV‬‬ 

5 things to being intimate with God? 

•Be cleansed (1 Cori 7:1, James 4:8) 

•Be fragrantly set apart (1 John2:27) 

•Be clothed with the best (Isaiah 61:1-3,10)

•Be committed (Ruth 3:4)

•Be faithfully obedient (Eph 1:3)

All of these things are preparing my heart for a closer relationship with Christ to be a reflection of Him. Let us prepare ourselves like Ruth to meet the Redeemer of our souls today. 

Have a wonderful week and share what you are creating this weekend? 

-Tracy 

Grow in grace

“She selects wool and flax and works with WILLING hands.” Proverbs 31:13 

Gardening has begun here in my part of West TN.  

Our hands are how we can delight in God by serving our people, working where God has us, and giving of our gifts and talents God has given us to others.  We can share His love, kindness, and forgiveness to others through planting our hearts in Jesus! 

The proverbs 31 woman is a daughter of God who finds her satisfaction and joy in Jesus Christ alone.  Don’t think we can’t “be that woman” because you are if you are a daughter of the King🙌🏻 

Are you feeling unsatisfied or unnoticed?

God sees!  

Who needs to hear this today?

Have a great day friends!

Tracy 

knitter & maker 

Love Letters from God

Hello friends! 

This weekend I was inspired to let you know about this love letter that I have grown to love. I read it all the time and keep coming back to it.  

Have you read this love letter written to YOU?  

If you have felt lost, inadequate, unloved, alone, and hopeless. Go read this love letter.  We will find hope in this life, your worth through Jesus Christ and faith to live with the One who is writing to you. 

Have you read this letter yet? 

Let me share a few things the Author(God) says about you.  

I knew you before you were you knew yourself. I love you more than anyone will ever love you. I will never make you feel less than, unloved, or shamed. I will forgive you when you ask me. I will never leave you alone even if you have left me behind. I will still pursue you even if you haven’t found me yet. I am always here waiting for you. I want to direct your steps in this life. I only want good for you even through the trials and sufferings you will go through.

I am here.  

Will you follow me?  

~God’s love letter is written for you! 

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, [2 Timothy 3:16]

Much love friends! 

Tracy 

Is my behavior reflecting my beliefs?

Knit the Gospel into your Heart
 wearing a Custom Knit and Stamped Bracelet

Hello there friends! 

If my behavior doesn’t reflect my beliefs, How much value do I hold in them? I read this in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People  by Stephen Covey, "We are shaped by what we love."

My status was that I love Jesus and He saved me but my behavior did not always reflect my belief in God. In a God who saved me, who has forgiven me of my sins and lavishly loves me.

My actions were a reflection of what I was still believing about myself not of what God says about me. 

I had walked for years in shame and guilt of my past that in my own strength I tried to forgive myself of.  I had repented to God but why didn't I immediately act like it?

Shame is a painful feeling of humiliation. I felt others would reject me if they got close and knew me.  

I was locked in chains because I wasn’t living out what I claimed to believe about God. I had repented years ago and God had forgiven me from my past sins. I was also living with a lot of fear in several areas of my life. I had some legalistic thinking going on that kept me following man made rules and never finding God's grace and truly nurturing an intimate relationship with God. So I could lead my heart from listening to feelings toward Gods Truth. I had not thought at this time reading my Bible was that important but that’s further from the truth.
How else are we to know that the "feelings" and our hearts we listen to can lead us astray.

Genesis 6:5 says," The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually."

My relationship with Jesus went from a “Jesus is my God and saved me"  to  “Jesus is my everything."

My thoughts changed because I was replacing those lies with biblical Truths. I stopped listening to the world. The enemy wants us as believers to be inactive and to listen to him  more than God's Word.  I had not taken the discipline of reading my Bible and hiding God’s Word in my heart seriously but when I did my actions started changing once I started taking God at His Word. Believing Him. Trusting Him. Praying to Him. Loving Him more than anything else. I learned the hard way like most of us I am sure but I am grateful God never gives up on us.  

Soon my actions started to follow my beliefs. I began the discipline of scripture reading and studying God’s Word for myself. Then I realized, if I believed God then His scripture commands me to be a doer of the Word not just a hearer.
"But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves." James 1:22

God wants me to claim His promises and proclaim the Gospel to others and bear fruits of our faith. So others will see that Jesus heals the broken sinner, takes our shame, and gives us right thinking.  God never leaves with shame or guilt and no rules will ever make us good enough. God’s grace and power in our lives is real when we pray fervently.

Friend, I pray you find that change of heart by changing your relationship status with Jesus and listening to His Word more than anything else.  Our hearts are continually thirsty and Jesus is the living water to fill it.

2 Corinthians 12:9  “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me."


I pray this encourages you today my friend!  You can always leave me a comment because I love hearing your stories walking with the Lord.

knit the Gospel into your heart❤
trAcy

Knitting the Gospel into Our Hearts

Encouraging Knit Cuff Bracelets

Hello friends!

This is has been crazy for me to imagine that I would still be writing on this blog consistently these past few weeks. I never dreamed it or thought I could do it. Now mind you I started this blog "handmade knits by tracy" out of just wanting to keep you up to date on what I was knitting and shop news but now I feel God telling me its more than that. Knitting has so much more meaning to me now. God has shown me that with each stitch I knit, He is showing me how to "knit the gospel into your hearts and mine". Its what He is called me to do.

I can see through my life that Jesus has a plan and order for my life even when I didn't see it or couldn't see it then.  Even through all the terrible choices I have made I didn't mess up God's plan.  I see that now.  My story of redemption and the strongholds He has broken in my life, all of that wasn't just because He wanted me to be ashamed or live in fear. God was preparing me and making me stronger to tell you His story through me.

He has released me of the performance to others and approval of others. I never use to understand the freedom we have in Christ until I let go of the striving, the shame and accepted His grace and the promises He has for me.  It is then we can truly know that this life is about making Jesus famous!


Another lesson learned is that when we will be attacked we must be strong enough to hold onto the promises what God has given us. Every promise and truth He gives and we receive can be destroyed by the enemy if we aren't meditating on God's Word. The spoken word out loud kills the enemy. He doesn't want us telling him Truth. These are tactics I try to use any time I feel attacked. That is why God tells a mighty soldier Joshua in the Old Testament that even had fears to be strong and courageous, God would be with Him and in Ephesians we are like soldiers. We are to equip ourselves with the armor of God to fight the battles everyday.
So I don't know what your struggle is or circumstances are right now. God's Word says Ephesians 6:10 "be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might." It is not of ourselves we can withstand anything my friend. It is through the power of Jesus Christ in us!

Today I was reading in Colossians 2 and here is a great reminder in verse 6-7 to walk in Christ, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith... How do we do this? We keep feeding our minds and heart with what we know is true. God's Word.

Love you guys and thanks for taking time to read my ramblings on the blog! I always pray it encourages you and points you to Jesus for answers.

Have a great week!

trAcy






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Are you Praying BIG!

Hello Friends!

Gods word always changes my worry into worship. Hebrews 4:16 says come confidently to God and He will give us mercy and find grace in our time of need.

Are you praying in confidence to our Heavenly Father? He wants all of our heart, mind, and body and our Big Prayers to Him that if He isn't in that thing your praying for or about it will not work, be healed, or happen in our lives.  We have to give it all to Him in confident prayers.

PRAY BIG BRACELET
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My WHY 

I started creating bracelets that encourage women began about a year and a half ago when I needed to be encouraged during a season of life that felt like I was suffocating and drowning in the pit of parenting struggles with teenager. Have you felt that way before? Or maybe you are there now? I can tell you you are not alone friends. Prayer and God's Truth is where you can find an ever present help, always 💞 

His Word fed my soul and words just seemed to leap off the page and I wanted them to wear daily. So I began this dream to create bracelets using my God given talent, knitting and the need for scripture to be in front of me and you guys have blessed supporting me and more importantly God has used you guys to encourage me when I doubted in myself. 

So today I pray for the mother, sister, wife, friend and woman who needs to feed her faith and not the lies, pray big to our Heavenly Father. 

Grace to you friends!
trAcy