Answered Prayers and New Beginnings

Goodness where do I even begin? 

So much has transpired for my family and some days have been a blur. As I sit on the couch typing this post on my phone we are living with my daughter. Pretty much everything I own including my computer and ipad are packed and stored away.  Let me just start with why I am living out of bags right now. 

At the end of last year my husband and I felt God leading us to sell our Diamond Grove home. It wasn’t a decision we made lightly because we knew it would put us in a position of debt free living. It was a desire and prayer for my husband and I. We had some debt that had been lingering over us still and we have tried to follow Dave Ramsey over the years with some success but still had not cleared every debt from our budget except our home. This would required some sacrifice and like most people giving up things we really enjoy or love it is hard. I had grown to love the homestead we had built at Diamond Grove. Seven years of hard work in marriage, ministry, parenting and many hours of sweat equity put into building a homestead. I grieved many days yet I surrendered to God’s plan and we left Diamond Grove behind. 

I know that God moves us from one season to another all the time and I needed to move forward. I needed to see where God would take us. So we did for the interim. We moved to town in a beautiful suburban home where I immediately built a garden with 2 huge raised beds and containers with all the things. My heart was full of grief for a few months but also bursting to plant a garden. I prayed, painted and journaled everyday for God to guide me through those months of grief. I need to add that during this time we began fostering my 2 beautiful grand girls. A sacrifice for the family but we know God is answering prayers and guiding even still. So through any heartaches of grief for a farm again I have so much to be thankful for. 

I know it may sound insignificant for me to grieve such loss when there are much more significant things in life to grieve but this was my grief at the time. I was heart sick but grateful for being debt free except for our home and we actually put down a nice down payment. 

God answered my prayer and has blessed our family through much sacrifice. 

After 6 months, I had surrendered to this season of busyness with young children again and living in town amongst the hustle and bustle. Until this property was sent to us (by text not literally) and we knew it was from God. A fixer upper home and 4 acres of land. Our friend thought we might like to look at it. Prior to this happening we had resolved to stay put for a few years and just wait but God had another plan. My husband saw the property and said, “Tracy I know this property is suppose to be ours.” I was shocked that in 6 months we could be moving again. We weren’t settled to stay forever in town anyway so we immediately looked at the property. We knew God could do anything. We were just waiting. I was so excited. I knew this fixer upper on 4 acres was my answered prayer. We made the offer and out bid 2 other offers. Crazy stuff. As of this post the housing market is crazy and selling fast! God is good my friends. He was taking me back to a good land. A place where my heart was longing for. 

So the story is yet to be told of this fixer upper homestead we hope and pray God uses to bless as much as the last. There is endless possibilities with God and I know He hears the desires of our hearts because if He puts them there He will follow through.

Thank you guys for following along and stay tuned for more updates on my fixer upper and farm soon! 

Here are a few pictures of the kitchen. Are you ready for the avocado appliances? More to share soon! 

 

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 

Lessons Learned In My Kitchen

Happy Saturday! 

Sourdough baking was intimidating to me for years. I use to think it was too hard for me to figure out but I tried it one day and then again and again. That was the trick was to keep trying out the recipe. I like a challenge and this year has been that for me but the joy it has brought to me has far out weighed the do overs. Sometimes the kitchen is where I find creativity and see God bring joy to me. There are many things we don’t get do overs in life but I like that in the kitchen if I keep going back to the recipe and trying I can get something created like these bagels:) 

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

‭‭John‬ ‭10:7‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Following God will always bring us to goodness if we keep following His Words. It may take us awhile to get there because of our own selfish paths we follow before we realize Gods recipe is far better and will produce something good. 

Thank God for do overs and His mercy. Lessons learned in creativity are great if we keep following the One who created everything.

*If you are interested in a easy beginner sourdough bread book. This is one I enjoy using Artisan Sourdough Made Simple 

Happy Baking friends! 

Tracy 

Nothing Is As Good As The Good Shepherd

 

I keep putting off writing. I have this overwhelming desire to write each day but never do anything. I desire to write yet I still procrastinate because nothing is good enough. I put it off because I don't have the perfectly formulated plan or good enough words at the moment. Honestly maybe it is fear that holds me back but mostly I keep thinking I don't have a good enough blog site, enough readers or the perfect words. You get the idea, don't you?

The end of December 2021 I moved into the city limits of my small community. No more country scenery with animals or 1/2 acre garden beds to tend to. I have mourned the loss of living in the county but in the last three months I have seen the abundance of good in moving to my new home. It has allowed my husband and I to become debt free, we are in a beautiful home that has a lot of character that actually reminds me of a English Cottage and I will still have a raised bed garden to tend to. The scale of my new garden will be much better for my aging back and still satisfy my longing to grow food. It has been a journey these past few months and God is reminding me that following His calling doesn't keep us in our comfort zones. When my husband and I decided we were to move it was not comfortable. If you have moved ever moved your family you know what I mean. So all this leads me to my feelings of not good enough. He moves us to walk by faith and that is never easy. It is uncomfortable and writing is taking me out of my comfort zone.  

Why do I feel this way if I know God moved me from a good place to an even better place? 

 He moved me from a good and comfortable place to use me. I am not saying where I am now is not good or comfortable but God knew what I needed. There are things I think I lack when I compare my writing or blog to others but God uses us where we are to grow us like the garden grows. Seeds breaking through the ground towards the light. Little by little the outer shell is broken and then we grow. We need practice doing anything. I need to practice writing and do it whether or not anyone reads, comments or gives a thumbs up or a heart. LOL. 

My goal is to keep my focus on the goodness of Jesus not focus on what isn't perfect or good enough. I believe in the confidence of Jesus, I call it Christ confidence.  Things change and God has shown me over the last few years as the world around us has drastically changed but He never does. The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy. (John 10:10) My mind is where satan can easily find a way to sabatoge my confidence. I don't want to allow Him to snatch my joy. Staying in The Word keeps me able to hear Jesus speak to my spirit. I need that to stay this course. I am thankful for His security and abundant love everyday. (John 10:28) I saw this quote from Phylicia Masonheimers blog this week and it really spoke to how I feel. "May His abundance never scare you" Yes and Amen! I am not ever going to feel good enough but Jesus is! He is the reason I am here writing now. 

This has encouraged me just getting these thoughts onto the screen. I want to continue to encourage you that our eyes can be blind to the work of God around us if we are too focused on ourselves. This self centered view I have had for months has paralyzed me from doing anything. I said at the beginning I have been putting off writing because nothing felt good enough. Well, I stopped seeing myself and started seeing that God is good enough. Jesus came to earth as the Good Shepherd to share the gospel with people who saw Him and some who did not. I am grateful He has given my heart eyes to see Him and ears to hear Him and His Word to share with you. 

Share with me what is holding you back from doing something God is calling you to?

Bless you friend

tracy