A Grace Filled Heart Changes Us

 Grace never looks for a reason; it only looks for an opportunity. ~W. Wiersbe 

Happy Monday friends, It’s cool here and I am taking in slow breathes of grace today. I am wrapped in a sweater and socks but also intentionally sitting in the sun in any other season this would be crazy. LOL 

Today’s opportunity is to listen to God and wrap my mind around what He wants of me. As much as I look forward to new seasons, I also seem to dread change sometimes? Isn’t that’s an interesting thing about people?  

God is who and what will never change in our life. We are dependent on an unchanging and all sufficient Savior. This revelation of God brings about thanksgiving and a heart for giving. A grace filled heart will desire the things of God and will be a grace giver with everything given to her. 

Hope In Every Season

 “Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭6:18‬ ‭NLT

Everything feels so heavy. The prayer requests for the sick and hurting. The natural disasters and civil disruption around the world we see happening. It’s too much. It’s all too much for my heart most days. My heart aches and feels helpless yet I know there is hope. I hear the prayer requests and pray. My prayers can seem so small but I don’t want to underestimate the power of prayer. I believe our prayers bring down the power of God upon our lives. In my flesh I want to do more than pray because it seems too small. Yet this simple act of obedience makes a huge impact in the kingdom. God wants His children to pray and be alert.‬‬ 

“But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.”

‭‭Micah‬ ‭7:7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

There is hope in every occasion even if we are blinded by those circumstances. I know His goodness is here. I want to feel it. Don’t you? I don’t want to stop praying in the highs of life to only be found one day at the lowest searching for God.

“I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭15:13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Today my prayer is that I will rise to the occasion fighting in prayer for others. 

Pray without ceasing. 

Pray with a trusting heart. 

Pray with my sisters in Christ. 

Pray for those needs and requests around me daily! 

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.