Showing posts with label christian mom. Show all posts
Showing posts with label christian mom. Show all posts

Thursday, February 25, 2021

Be a cheerleader for others





As a parent we want the best for our kids. We want them to succeed, reach for their dreams and be the encouragement they need. I want to root on the side line for them and be the loudest voice. What about you?  


Personally, I can remember my mom driving me to all my childhood events as a teen. She did it after work and on weekends. She would drive me to buy the necessary gear and clothes and I realize now all these years later how tired she must of been some days but she was my cheerleader. Did you have a your cheerleader rooting for you planting hope in you? 


My husband often talks about his football coaches being the voice of encouragement to him in high school. His parents were divorced and not always present for the games or practices growing up. He says there were many times the coaches would be that voice in his life to keep moving forward and to do his best. 


Our stories of growing up whether coming from broken homes, blended families or glass houses in ministry can all shape us toward God’s plan for our lives. He knows the outcome and we must learn to surrender ourselves to trust Him. It’s not easy learning this discipline but oh when we do friend God truly gives us peace in our decisions and our personal stories become the testimonies of God’s goodness in our lives. His story brings hope to others. 


God continues to use voices in our lives even as adults to speak encouragement and wisdom to us. I was blessed by this message my sweet husband wrote and I will tell you that it had me weeping.  


“The story isn’t always what we want it to be. 

It’s usually difficult. 

It’s usually uncomfortable. 

It usually forces you to trust God. 

It always produces Godly character. 

It puts your focus on Him instead of you.”


Lots of biblical stories are your story. God makes great men out of all those stories and used them to change the world.”


What is God doing through you? 

What is your story going to be? 

How do you honor God through this? 


Wednesday, March 11, 2020

What Keeps You From Attending Bible Study?





Hey there friends! 

This question I am asking myself and maybe you can relate too. 

๐˜ž๐˜ฉ๐˜ข๐˜ต ๐˜ฌ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฑ๐˜ด ๐˜บ๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ ๐˜ง๐˜ณ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฎ ๐˜ข๐˜ต๐˜ต๐˜ฆ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฅ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜จ ๐˜ข ๐˜ฃ๐˜ช๐˜ฃ๐˜ญ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ด๐˜ต๐˜ถ๐˜ฅ๐˜บ ๐˜ธ๐˜ช๐˜ต๐˜ฉ ๐˜ฐ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ ๐˜ธ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฎ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฏ? ⁣
So much of my life I was so afraid to speak up and say too much in bible study. The fear of being “found out” made me so shy. The anxious thoughts in my head said, “you don’t know enough”, “you don’t have the right answers” and “you will never know the Bible as well as they do.” All these thoughts made me shrink back into myself for so many years. It wasn’t until God took circumstances out my control in my life and showed me my relationship with Him was more important than fear of the unknown and sharing how Gods faithfulness, grace, power and mercy is greater than my heart feels. ⁣

God is who leads us into understanding. He leads us out of sin. He leads us into a greater faith and greater trust of Him when we come with a humble heart groaning to know Him more not just what He can give us. We reach closer to Him like a knitted blanket and you just want to stay there, safe in the arms of our Father. ⁣ ⁣

As my relationship grows deeper with Jesus Christ, I have realized Christ confidence is boldly proclaiming His promises and praising Him for all He has done in my life not fearing what I don’t know or keeping what I do know to myself about my Savior Jesus Christ. ⁣

-blessings 
tracy 






Tuesday, February 25, 2020

Delighting in the Lord Instead of Self




Prayers through Psalms Series 
Day 1 

Definition of the word delight means to please or take pleasure in. 


Delighting in God was far from my mind when thinking about when I was living in sin although there was delight. It was in self gratification and what made me feel good. It was in hearing words that tickled my ears or put a smile on my face. There was part of my life that was hidden. It wasnt hidden from God though.  I had let myself be given over to my temptations. I was living a life for self satisfaction. I use to seek love in the wrong places and long to be noticed. I sank to be bottom of the pit slowly and I needed rescuing.  In my soul I heard the Spirit leading me out and I finally  followed. It was painful and a sad time but nothing lost compares to the gain of confidence, forgiveness and love that I will never earn but receive in abundance from Jesus Christ.  

All this to say, God made a way for me and He will do jt for you too. Find your delight in the Lord not in self, in love from others, money, or your kids.  Our heart will deceive you and people will disappoint you at some point BUT Jesus will never fail. 



To delight in God is to meditate on His instruction.

but his delight is in the law[a] of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. Psalm 1:2
When we are living in sin and turned away from God then we cannot take delight in Him. We are not hearing His instruction.  I was that person before I turned away from sin and toward God.  God wants His children back. He is waiting for you always. 

Read: Psalm 18:16-19 
16  He sent from on highhe took me;
he drew me out of many waters.
17  He rescued me from my strong enemy
and from those who hated me,
for they were too mighty for me.
18  They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
but the LORD was my support.
19  He brought me out into a broad place;
he rescued mebecause he  delighted in me.



PRAYER

Pray that God would weaken what is holding you or your loved one in sin. Pray that God would draw you or your loved one out of the many waters that billow over them. Praise God you delight in us even we are not delighting in you, Lord.


blessings -
tracy










Monday, September 16, 2019

September Positivity Scripture Challenge Day 12




Hello friends!





Today is Day 12 of the Positivity Scripture Challenge 

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.”
‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭4:16‬ ‭NIV‬‬


This world fades alway as well as this body we have been given.  As much as we try to use the anti aging creams and etc, the fact is we can’t stay the same as we once were. 

Unlike this body, God is unchanging and never fades away.  God promises to renew us. He gives us a mind like Him when we follow Him. He promises a new body when die.  
No matter the discouragement we face today we can be assured God is our joy. 
So don’t lose heart today friend! Jesus is giving us a new perspective. 


Have a great day! 

Blessings-
tracy 

Friday, September 6, 2019

September Positivity Challenge Day 5


Hello friends! 

It’s day 4 of the positive scripture challenge. 

Today’s verse is Proverbs 17:22

“A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”
‭‭

Doesn’t being around someone upbeat and happy always make you feel better when maybe you are having a bad day?  
I think the key is as a Christian we have joy. It’s that hope that we have in Jesus.  

Our spirit can be weak and sometimes dried up from our life circumstance but drawing upon Jesus to fill us and watered with living water is exactly how we can find joy. 

Truths about God today

•God’s Word is living and active ( Hebrews 4:12)

•God is joy (Galatians 4:22) 


Write this scripture out today meditate on it and I hope you find it soothing to your soul. 


Blessings -
tracy 


Monday, January 21, 2019

How do we love God more?



Hello there friend-

Have you wanted to love God more?

I have asked this question because I have said I love God but really didn’t have that desire for Him that I longed for.  I saw other women write about God and heard other women talk about God in a way that I had not felt before.  I too wanted that deeper love that I saw in other women walking with God but how?

Sometimes we ask ourselves why we don’t have a deeper desire for God than we do right now because we can often think of loving God as a feeling but it isn’t an emotional feeling.   I first had to learn what is true about God before I could truly say that I love Him and this love and character of God I had discovered in His Word then turned into a desire to know Him more.  I started to realize I had a lot to learn about God and that desire grew for inside me and then my relationship with God grew deeper and more intimate.

Often my first response is to my feelings and in that we have a faulty view of love.  I believed it was conditional feeling that you earned from others.  God tells us the Truth about love. 

We know that God loved us so much that He gave His only son Jesus Christ to die for us so that we could have eternal life. (see John 3:16)  The Bible also tells us, He loved us first and commands us to love others as ourselves (see Luke 10:27) which by the way is something we have to do first before we can even begin to share the love of Christ.

I know this because I have struggled with loving myself through the years.  I don’t think I am alone in that I had lived with guilt and shame of my past sins even though I had repented.  It is the enemy who wants to hold us back from receiving God’s love and sharing it. So begin today and pray for God to break the bondage the enemy might have you in.  Begin loving yourself as the woman God made you to be.  Loved by Him and set apart! (see 1 Thess 1:4)

If you need help beginning a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ…

Start with prayer and repent of any sins in your life or baggage you might be holding onto. He has already forgiven you Sister if you have asked Him.  Then begin by asking God to give you a heart to love and forgive others in your life.  He is a good God and only has good intentions for us. 

Next, begin a daily walk with God by reading your Bible and learning about who God is and His character. As you are spending time in His Word ask these questions, What does this tell me about God? and How should this change me? Simple questions to start learning about God and as He deepens your love and desire for Him. 
I use to think it was difficult to understand and how could I understand the Bible. You can do it! It is not hard just start reading and God will guide you to understanding I promise. He wants to illuminate His Word and open your eyes so you as a woman of God can hide His Word in your heart.  
From here your desire to love God will start. It takes time to grow anything like a plant but little by little we see growth.  That is the same for our spiritual growth, our love for God grows deep roots the more we feed on the Word of God and spend time in prayer with Him. 


"Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man." ~ Proverbs 3:3-4

The love of God is what begins our journey with Him and our faith will grow from there into a hope of a bright future with Him.  God never changes and neither does His love.  His love is unconditional, steadfast, and eternal.  We can never be separated from his love as a believer.  That is amazing and something we can take comfort in. 



What characteristics of God are encouraging you right now?  Have you started getting intimate with your Savior by reading His Word and learning more about Him? 




Blessings my friends!

trAcy

Friday, December 28, 2018

How I read my Bible in a Year


Handmade Knits by Tracy




Hello there friends!

Last year I decided to read my Bible in a whole year. Yes one year. You see I had decided to do this many times in the past. I just had not gotten very far when I got behind a day or so. Then months went by and my daily reading the Bible was a thing of the past.  I would just resolve to try again next year.  I easily gave up but I realize now that I was giving up on God. I was giving up on something like spending time in the Word for the World even if I was "behind" according to these expectations I had set up for myself.

God doesn't care about a reading plan! This is a lesson I learned this year while doing this discipline which by the way is what it is. The spiritual discipline of reading our Bible daily.  We have to learn to do things in our Christian faith that doesn't come naturally like reading the Bible.  How else will we know what it says.  For some of us reading is not our favorite thing to do.  I actually enjoy reading when I actually stop doing other things and sit down and read.

So for me to dedicate time to read this year this is what it looked like :

1.  Set a time to read/spend time with God, set an alarm if you need to.  I would write this down in my planner so I would schedule the time and not forget.

2.  Gather your supplies for your reading time such as Bible, journal, planner, notebook and pens and place them where you can easily have them together.

3.  Prayer time before and after reading my Bible. This is so important and should come naturally while reading your Bible. Ask the Holy Spirit to illuminate the time spent in the Word because to be honest we wont understand everything or always know what is going on sometimes while reading. This is the beauty of the Bible. We can live a lifetime and never know everything in the Bible.


The last lesson is that you dont have to read the entire Bible in a year.  I do think we should at some point do it but do it at your own pace.  I also study slowly other books of the Bible if you follow along, you know that we have studied this past year 3 books of the Bible in   KNIT THE GOSPEL INTO YOUR HEART GROUP
Reading through the Bible this year has grown my intimacy with God so much this year.  The more you are with Gods Word the more of a desire He places in you to share Him with others.  I had not had that desire before and this year God has shown me He equips us for the work of ministry even when we doubt and have insecurities.

I will be doing this another year. In 2019 I will be reading through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation in the THE DAILY WALK  You can find all kinds of reading plans but I like using a Bible with dates and a guide for me to read as I go.  Last year I read through the Everyday with Jesus Bible
It was a really great one to read through because it read some from the OT, NT, Psalms and Proverbs everyday.

Here is my challenge to YOU!

Just start!

Just begin with me and so many others January 1st reading your Bible. It will change your life.   I wont tell you it will be easy to start something new if you have never done it before but I will tell you that God will show up in your life if you show for Him.

Let me know if you will be joining me again this year and we can encourage each other! I really enjoyed all the encouragement I received this year and I believe you will too once you join the community.  Share pics on social with the tag #bibleinayear so we can cheer each other on in 2019!

Blessings
tracy























Sunday, July 29, 2018

What does a follower of Christ look like ?






Hello friends! 

This life as a Christ Follower is more than just speaking words out loud to Him or asking things of Him. It is a constant seeking of Jesus Christ to learn more about Him so I can fear, honor and praise Him more than man. (See Psalm 86:11-12) 
Proverbs 18:15 says “the mind of the discerning acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks it.” I want to know God more everyday. So that my sin never looks desirable again. In Hosea, as I have studied so far, Israel had no knowledge of God so their sin was still okay to them. It’s sad that I have been in a cycle of sin in my past too. You know, I made excuses about how busy mom life was with work, kids, and sports but the truth is I hurt myself and my family because I wasn’t as close to the Lord. I fell right into a pit! That even as a believer our eyes can be blinded by sin if we aren’t armoring ourselves with God’s Word everyday. Thankfully God never stopped pursuing me and He wrangled this messy momma back into His arms ๐Ÿ™Œ๐Ÿป and He will do the same for you! ๐Ÿ˜˜

 So bless you guys this week and I am praying that if you read this far you #knitthegospelintoyourheart everyday๐Ÿ’— 


Your Sister in Christ, 
tracy









.

Monday, April 9, 2018

Am I Trusting God?





Hello friends!

Today was to start of the study of book James for me. I began the study in  Knit the Gospel into Your Heart Group this morning. This is a group just for those who want to grow in God's Word and study together. I would love for you to join too!
Take a look at the video if interested in the group this month? Of course there is incentives because I am a knitter who creates Custom Bracelets





I am amazed at the work God is doing. He has "knit" almost 50 women together from all over the United States and Jamaica to study the Word of God together.  It is certainly not me it is All God's work.  I am just excited that I am walking beside Him and following His lead in this study of James this month.


As I have been studying James the word of God has stirred up in me a desire to better understand this question, "Do I trust God?" I have been tested and recently we as a family have been hit with some sad news about a family members diagnosis of cancer. It was unexpected but really when are you expecting a test from God?

The verse that I have been praying this week is and drawing comfort from is ...

"Do not be anxious about anything but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known to God." Philippians 4:6-7

I hope that through the testing and trials you may face right now or in the next few weeks you claim the promise of God's grace and love during the time.  He is always asking us "Do you trust me?" Will we lean into Him or run away from God.  (HERE is a post about running if interested)

I will leave you with this my friends!

"Man doesn't not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God"
  Matthew 4:4


In Christ,
trAcy