Staying In His Word
"Jesus answered and said unto her,
Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall
never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life."
(John 4:13-14 NIV)
The water here is the Word of the Lord. I love many songs by the Brooklyn Tabernacle
Choir, the song "Take up Your Cross" has such encouraging lyrics. The song, as it is played
becomes a prayer to the Lord. It gives you things to think about, like in our lives, what are we doing for Christ?
Do we live each day in our own way, do we take each moment of our life never giving a thought to what our purpose, our mission,
our goals should be?
Then I started thinking, my life sometimes gets full of me instead of full of Jesus. I try to
do a lot of things to grow myself spiritually, but what do I do for Jesus? We all think it is about what Jesus can do
for us. We think if I just do this, my life will be better or if I volunteer here I will be rewarded. But serving
the Lord is not about what we can get -- or at least it should not be. God will Bless us for serving Him, if our intentions
are right. But it is about serving the Lord for His Glory and leading others to Christ. Showing them that Jesus
is the answer. He is all we need. Really. It is that simple. We try lots of "things" before
we get it. Yes, I'd love to be a millionaire, but money doesn't solve problems, it just adds more. Yes,
I'd love to have a perfect life -- but then if it was perfect I would believe that I didn't need the Lord - then
I would be separated from Him forever!
Our trials or our crosses in this life are a stepping stone. They take us on journey's.
Some are a period of growth and some we just shake our heads saying, "well, I am not sure why I had to travel down that
road ..." But through much prayer the Lord will reveal it to you. Through my own experiences, those shake
your head days, are to help you at another time with another trial, or to help someone else through their valley. The
valley's may seem deep, but the mountaintops are high. So many times when I come out of a valley - I am shouting
THANK YOU JESUS! Because A) He brought me through it and B) He showed me where He strengthened my Faith.
Not I, but He!
I hope you all have a great day today and a wonderful weekend. Invite someone to church with you this
Sunday. If you do not go to church, ask the Lord to show you where you need to be. I pray you all find yourself
in a house of worship! Always remember that Jesus knows what your future holds, turn to Him for guidance and
He will direct your ways. I pray His Word has touched your heart in a special way today that you will realize you just
need to Take Up Your Cross and follow Him! God's Peace be upon you. Love, Tracy
Take Up Your Cross
Brooklyn Tabernacle
Choir
Chorus:
Take up your cross and follow Jesus
Take up your cross every day
Don't
be ashamed to say that you know Him
Count the cost, take up your cross and follow Him
What are you
doing for the King
Have you really given everything
For the One who gave His all for you
Don't be satisfied
just to know
That the Lord has saved your soul
Have you forgotten what you need to do
Take up
your cross and follow Jesus
Take up your cross every day
Don't be ashamed to say that you know Him
Count
the cost, take up your cross and follow Him
Don't be ashamed to say that you know Him
Count the
cost, take up your cross and follow Him
I know sometimes the road is long
And I know sometimes you
feel like you can't go on
But you can make it, you just
Take up your cross and follow Jesus
Take up your cross every day
Don't be ashamed to say that you know Him
Count the cost, take up your cross
and follow Him
Don't be ashamed to say that you know Him
Count the cost, take up your cross
Follow Him
Answering The Cries Of His Children
"The LORD
shall increase you more and more, you and your children. Ye are blessed of the LORD which made heaven and earth."
(Psalm 115:14-15 NIV)
Did you ever feel discouraged
and have no idea why you feel this way? As I sat down at my computer this morning, I was thinking about how
much encouragement people need. We let life's worries and woes hover over us sometimes instead of letting God just
carry us through.
I was reading some notes I had written, "How do you face discouragement?" "What
do you go into battle with when you face discouragement?" Discouragement is a natural part of life. Encouragement
is brought on by having God in our lives. Some reasons of discouragement: fatigue, worry - tired people get discouraged. Sometimes I
don't even realize how busy I am! No wonder I am so tired all the time. I don't want to be this busy,
but when you work full time and have kids you just stay busy. I have had a busy week and all morning have been
thinking why didn't I go to be earlier last night. Frustration causes discouragement. Last night I went home after
work, all intentions of going to bed early, but housework kept me up until my regular time.
God wants honest prayers. We need to be open and honest
with Him. He knows our sin anyway, we can't be cleansed of sin when we don't confess it. If we are discouraged --
we need to reorganize three things in our life - our prayer life (do we make adequate time for the Lord), our personal life
(we may be too busy, we need to cut back) and our devotion time (do we have that?).
Surrender it all to the
Lord. Don't quit - He will answer your cries, He will hear your call for help. Remember that the redeemer you serve lives
within you! You are not alone - the Lord is always here.
I love you all have a great day today. I pray the
Lord has touched your heart and encouraged you today with His word. His desire is for us to stay encouraged in Him! Encourage
someone in His name today. Count your blessings! We are so blessed! Tracy
Thinking About the Season
"In this world you will have trouble. But take heart!
I have over come the world."
(John 16:33 NIV)
These are times of difficult days for many people. Especially around the Holidays, so
many of us have difficult times, for one reason or another. The most joyous time of the year, can also be a difficult
time for someone who has lost a loved one, lost a job, are going through marital trouble. Some are just spending -
spending - spending to get that perfect gift, some are spending money that they really don't have to spend just because
they think they will feel better with things. That is not going to heal the pain and the hurt though. We
have to deal with that.
When we are in a valley, it may be difficult to understand this verse. We are
all human, because we love Christ does not mean we aren't going to have "down days." That is why it is so important
to develop relationships with Christians that are strong in their Faith in Jesus. We can lift each other up and build each
other up. Reminding one another that Jesus was born in this celebrated season, so that we may have life. He was
created to live and then to die just for you and me. So that we could live, one day, in His timing, with Him forever
and ever.
This
time of year is about the birth of our risen Savior. It is about giving yes, but giving of ourselves to the Glory of
Christ. I was thinking this morning about what I have taught my children about Christmas? Yes, I always make sure that if the conversation gets to
be too much of gimme gimme gimme,
that I remind them that Christmas
is not about Santa Claus. It is about celebrating the birth of Jesus. But I know that I am just as bad as the
next person saying at least once a day "what do you want for Christmas?" Perhaps teaching them that Christmas is about what we want or get instead of what we have.
Just some food for thought.
I hope you all have a blessed day. Tell someone you love them today and lift them up to Jesus in prayer. Have
a blessed day ... count your blessings - for you are so blessed!!! Love, Tracy
Jesus Is Near
"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared
for
those who love him." (1 Corinthians 2:9 NIV)
I love that verse. We
can't, even in our most fantastic dream, imagine what God has in store for us in Heaven! We spend so much time dwelling
on our have nots - instead of our haves. We find ourselves dwelling on "why me"?
Instead of, OK Lord, I don't understand why - but only through You I can handle this.
The things, people, jobs etc., lost in
this world are temporary. Heaven is for eternity, forever. The people, family, friends, loved ones may be gone
from our lives here, but when we get to Heaven, they will be with us forever, never separated from us again. When
you look towards the Lord and not towards your circumstance you have so much Hope. I have a devotional called, God
Always Has a Plan B, perhaps the title is not exactly correct, God does not need a plan B.
If we are following His plan for our lives (plan A), that is the only plan we need. Anything else is our own back up
plan which may not be the direction the Lord had us in.
Whatever you are facing today, no matter what it is, it comes as no surprise to God that you are facing
it. Yes, He could have prevented it, but are we praying like we should each day? Are we submitting everything
to the Lord in prayer each day? Do we only seek the Lords direction when our lives are in a deep valley, because of
our own plan? His desire is for us to make things personal with Jesus,
not just an occasional visitor to His Word.
Isaiah 41:10 says, "Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." In Proverbs 16:9 "In
his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps."
Always follow God's plan for your life. Seek His Word
daily, look at these verses of scripture, the Lord is constantly showing us the way to Him. He is our comforter.
People are human and they will disappoint us, but the Lord will never leave us, we will have disappointments in life, but
the Lord is walking through those valleys with us, sometimes carrying us through. Psalm 46:1 ... "God is our refuge
and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear." Do not fear because Jesus is
near!
I
hope you have a great day! Lift your family, friends, and coworkers up to the Lord in prayer today. You might
not know someone's need but the Lord does. I pray that the Lord touches your hearts today and your desire is a closer
walk with Jesus. Love, Tracy
Seeking His Way
"Then I heard a voice of
the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here I am Lord, send me! He said,
Go and tell this people; be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving." (Isaiah
6 8-9 NIV)
"…If you do not stand firm in your
faith, you will not stand." Isaiah 7:9 (paraphrased NIV)
Good morning, I hope you all
had a Blessed Thanksgiving.
Our trip was wonderful. This is one of my favorite verses of scripture to start off my day with today. Yet,
I wonder how often I pray and ask the Lord to use me in a delicate situation? Isn't it something when He places
us in a situation where we can lift someone up and give the glory and honor to God are we always obedient? Do we
take advantage of that or do we run the other way?
In verse 7 it says-stand firm in your faith. If we just trust Him, He will do the rest
and work through us to comfort others and to be an encouragement to others. I have had many people in my life these past 2
years encouraging me -- some I knew and some I did not. I am so grateful that God sent them my way -- each one
saying just what I needed for that moment.
I don't think, we can ever be prepared enough for the curves that will come our way in this
life. It is so important to stay grounded in God’s Word - His plan may be to use us that day and if we're not obedient
to Him, we’ve robbed ourselves of the Blessing He had for us. Yes, encouraging others is a gift -- if we miss that mark,
we are missing something BIG God has for us. So, stand firm in your faith and pray to the Lord to keep you grounded and to
send you where you need to go to be an encouragement to others.
I pray you all have a blessed Monday. Encourage someone in the name of Jesus today.
Love, Tracy
I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your
wonders.
I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing
praise to your name, O Most High.
(Psalm 9:1-2 NIV)
I did not
sleep much last night, we have a very busy week ahead and my mind would not shut off. As we get ready for our Thanksgiving
Holiday I was thinking about all the things I have to be thankful for. Oh, so so many. Yes, trials and tribulations
have come in my life, but oh praise God my friends for the victories! I am another year older today. It is so
funny how the time is just flying by, as I lay awake into the night I thought about my life from highschool graduation until
yesterday. WOW. That was a lot of thinking. I am sure that there were many many more memories that did not
come to mind. But I just have to thank and praise Jesus today for who I am because of Him and ask Him to guide and direct
me each and every day because of who I am not - because of me. He is my ROCK my friends and if you are not depending
on Him each and every day you are missing out. I pray that the Lord will touch your heart and convict your soul to make
a change and start today only depending on Him to see you through whatever valley you are facing.
I love
the old Gospel song, "Thanks to Calvary." When I look at my life ... I just think, Thank you Lord, that I
don't have to go down that road again! The song is about a man (a father, husband, friend, brother), that got saved.
He discovered the love of Jesus. He discovered that he doesn't need things to make him happy. He didn't
need alcohol to make him happy. He didn't need money to make him happy. He didn't need to rely on another
person to make him happy. He doesn't have to keep up with the Jones' to be happy. He discovered, that to
fulfill his life - all he needed was Jesus! So many people are not there yet. We are searching and searching.
Always feel like something is missing. Yet, like Dorothy, it is right there in your own backyard!
God has a plan for our lives.
His plan is that we will fully rely and depend on Jesus for all our needs. That we will live each day with the
intentions of pleasing the Lord - not ourselves. As we do this, gradually we will be drawn closer to Jesus and desire
a closer walk with Him. Desire to read His Word more. Desire to help others and not live a selfish life of seeking
for ways to be pleased. In the book of John it says, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God
unless he is born again. (John 3:3) and ... no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of the water and the
spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to the spirit." (John 3:5).
It is so important, that the
old life disappears and we change to glorify our Heavenly Father - not doing things that will lift ourselves up. And
yes, most days we slip, but Thank the Lord for His Mercy and for His Grace, the next day it is a new slate with brand new
opportunities. TODAY is a new day and Now is the time for Salvation through Christ Jesus. He loves you.
What are you waiting for? Stop carrying the burden alone.
I pray you all have a Blessed Thanksgiving! We have much to be thankful for. Remember to pray a word of thanks to the Lord
for all you have in Him. I am thankful for each of you in my life! Please pray for my family, as we will be flying
out early in the morning to my sister's house in California to spend Thanksgiving
with all of my family (2 brothers and 6 sisters, their spouses and children) and one of my nieces will be getting married.
Please pray for safe travel for all of us. Have a great week. I will not have my computer with me so today will
be the last devotion until next Monday, Lord willing. Love, Tracy
Thanks to Calvary lyrics
Today I went back to the place where I used to go,
Today I saw the same old crowd I knew
before.
When they asked me what had happened, I tried to tell them,
"Thanks to Calv'ry I don't come
here anymore."
CHORUS:
Thanks to Calv'ry I am not the man (dad) I used to be,
Thanks to Calv'ry things are different
than before.
While the tears ran down my face, I tried to tell them (him)(her),
"Thanks to Calv'ry I(we)
don't come(live) here anymore."
And then we went back
to the house where we used to live,
My little boy(girl) ran and hid behind the door;
I said, "Son(Honey), never
fear you've got a new Daddy,
Thanks to Calv'ry we don't live here anymore."
The Deeper The Valley ... The Harder We Should Turn
"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving
let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and
minds through Christ Jesus."
(Phillipians 4:5-7 NIV)
I was just talking to someone yesterday and she was telling me about the life of her daughter
and how she is faced with different obstacles every day because of an accident she had a few years ago. She said, "you
know, we just handle it one day at a time, one minute at a time, because the Lord doesn't give us any more than we can
handle." I said, "you what, I don't believe that, I have a different perspective on that. I think
the Lord does give us more than we can handle. Because if He only gave us what we could handle, we would never turn
to Him in time of need. We would live life never growing in Him and always trying to make our own way. I think
the Lord allows challenging situations to come into our lives so we can realize how much we need Him, how much He loves us
and so we can grow as a Christian. Sometimes our spirit may "feel" defeated, but the Lord is always there
comforting us and showing us the way."
I read this quote in a devotional book I have ... "Father,
I stand before you now with empty hands. Whatever you put into my hands, I will welcome and whatever you take away, I will
gladly let it go."
Don't we find ourselves at the
end of that verse ... always asking the Lord to take something away? What do we do with the opportunities that God places
into our hands? As I thought about this quote, I thought about that conversation yesterday and I thought about our
children. When you are a Mom or when you are a Dad, that is a huge responsibility. I'd have to say most of
us are not ready for it. It is full of unknown events. Starts with joy, has some heartbreaks, goes back to joy,
goes back to heartaches ... etc ... it is a cycle! When we first hear the news that we are expecting - we are filled
with joy, what a blessing ... but the minute our children disappoint us - heartache comes, followed with a "where
did I go wrong?"
Those are the things that God places in our hands. To help us grow, to help us -
help our children and to help us - help others who may experience the same thing. Once again, all a part of our testimony
of what the Lord does in our lives to help us grow spiritually - it is all connected. In all circumstances, we need
to seek the Lord and learn to be still and listen for His guidance. There is a lesson to be learned in all circumstances.
Don't ever throw in the towel ... search for Jesus to guide and direct your ability to handle what is placed in your hands
each day.
I pray that the Lord has touched your heart today and given you strength to endure what He has placed in
your hands. Have a great weekend! I hope you find yourself in Church this Sunday, invite someone to go with you.
Love, Tracy
Walk In A Way That Will Honor Christ
I am the vine; you
are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit;
apart from me you can do nothing.
(John 15:5 NIV)
I often
think about my daily attitude ... what do others see when they see me? One question we need to ask ourselves is - when
others see us, is this the real us or do we mask who we really are? Jesus can always see the real us. There is
no mask that can hide who we really are. Jesus knows the pain we hide inside ourselves.
I often think about my daily attitude ... what do others see when they see me?
One question we need to ask ourselves is - when others see us, is this the real us or do we mask who we really
are? Jesus can always see the real us. There is no mask that can hide who we really are. Jesus knows the
pain we hide inside ourselves.
Let the words and the actions that come
from our mouths and our bodies be acceptable to Jesus Christ, our Lord, our Savior! May our desire each day be to be
a living testimony that our Lord will be proud of, that not only tells others that because Jesus lives, we can face tomorrow
- it shows them why we can face tomorrow. Let the fruits of your life be shared with others around you for the glory
and the honor of Jesus!
Last night my family attended a dedication ceremony at the High School that our cousin Parrish went to.
It was in his memory. Again, we witnessed an amazing testimony of who Parrish was. In his short 15 years of life,
this week this boy has touched many hearts. The testimony of the witness of how he lived has challenged people not just
to be better human beings, but has challenged us to be more loving and caring. To trust in the Lord and to be a witness
to others about his love. Listening to his peers talk about him made me so proud ... l can only imagine how proud his
mother and father were. Not in a boastful way. But in a way that every parent feels ... that their child
made a difference. And Parrish has.
Surround yourself with other Christians that can encourage you and lift you up! Listen
to music that will encourage your heart and mind. Remember this ...the valley you face today ~ will
be tomorrow's testimony! I hope you all have a blessed day. Love, Tracy
Seeking God In Times Of Struggle
"For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you; The Lord Jesus, in the night
He was betrayed took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, this is my body which is for you, do this
in remembrance of me. In the same way, after the supper He took the cup, saying, this cup is the new covenant in my blood;
do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me. For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the
Lord's death until He comes. Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will
be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself (his heart) before he eats of
the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment
on himself."
(1
Corinthians 11:23-29 NIV)
The partaking of the Lord's supper is different for churches, for some it is a daily
occurrence, for some weekly and some quarterly. I wonder if we think about the meaning of this when we partake.
Do we really examine our lives before the Lord, before we receive the Lord's
supper? Are our hearts clean before Christ? Have we confessed to Him all the sin and strife in our lives? You may
say, the Lord know my heart. Yes, He does, but in His Word it is clear that we must still come to Him and acknowledge our
sin and repent of it in order for Jesus to hear our prayers. Are we sincere or are our words just repetition in a service?
Sometimes
we just get used to the ritual or act of something and it loses its true meaning. After a while it just becomes something
we do. I love this Hymn ... When He was on the Cross ... Do we ever really think about what the Cross means to
us? It has always amazed me when people where a cross around their neck. I wonder sometimes is that just another
piece of jewelry or does it actually have a special meaning in their life as a reminder of what Jesus did for them?
He Was On The Cross
I'm not on an ego trip, I'm nothing on my own;
I make
mistakes and often slip, just common flesh and bone.
But I'll prove someday just why I say I'm of a special kind.
For when He was on the cross, I was on His mind.
He knew me, yet He loved me.
He whose glory makes the heavens shine.
So unworthy of such mercy,
Yet
when He was on the cross, I was on His mind.
A look of love was on His face, the thorns on His head,
The blood was on His scarlet robe, and stained it crimson
red.
Though His eyes were on the crowd that day, He looked ahead in time, For when He was on the cross, I was on His
mind.
He
knew me, yet He loved me.
He whose glory makes the heavens shine.
So unworthy of such mercy,
Yet when He was
on the cross, I was on His mind.
Yes, He knows us! Yet, He loves us!
Make every day special, don't get into a routine so that your daily walk just becomes a routine! Pour out your heart
to Jesus.
I pray that He will touch your heart today and that you will start a new day in prayer and worship
to Jesus, laying everything at His feet.
Have a great Wednesday. Please
continue to pray for Parrish's family. His school will be planting a tree on their grounds tonight at 5:30
in his memory. I hope you all have a blessed day ... count your blessings not your sorrows. Love, Tracy
You Are Blessed ... Turn To Jesus
"Now therefore harken unto me, O ye
children: for blessed are they that keep my ways. Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not. Blessed is the man that
heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain
favor of the Lord. But, he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death." (Proverbs 8:32-35KJV)
The Living Bible words it like this: "And so young men, listen
to me, for how happy are all who follow my instructions. Listen to my counsel - oh, don't refuse it-- and be wise. Happy
is the man who is so anxious to be with me that he watches for me daily at my gates, or waits for me outside my home! For
whoever finds me finds life and wins approval from the Lord. But the one who missed me has injured himself irreparably. Those
who refuse me show that they love death."
Many of us start each day on our own, we have no quiet time with the Lord, we start and end
our days wondering why so many things are not going right for us in our lives. I wonder what would happen if we
would just set aside time for God? If we really, sinceely prayed and that we thought about, I mean really thought about
the purpose of life. Because, what really happens in most of our lives is this, we make time for everything
else except God. Why is that? Sometime when I get that way and then I realize it I think, OK, what if the Lord
said, "today, I have no time for Tracy. I will try to give her 5 minutes tonight in between commercials or in between
practice. Oh I am so tired, she can wait until tomorrow - then tomorrow comes and something "more important"
happens. We have so many excuses don't we? I was tired, I've been on the go with the kids I need some
"me time", I am just too busy. But we make time for things we want to have time for! Shopping, sports,
friends, TV, the computer, etc...
Do we search
and search and never get the answers because we are looking in the wrong places! I've done that many times. I will talk
to a number of people about something that is troubling me but, I haven't even prayed and asked God what to do! So
I am stuck with no resolution. Until I turn to God and place all my cares in His hands the worry and the doubt will
still be there troubling me. Make time for Jesus in your life! Just think about it ... where would you be without
Him. Think about your life, think about life without Jesus, your Redeemer, your comforter, your Salvation ... meaningless.
Your life has meaning and you mean something to the Lord. He loves you and He wants all of us to study
and read the Bible to grow closer to Him.
I hope you all have a great Tuesday! Please continue to pray for the Beach family.
Thank you so much. Count your blessings and hug someone you love today!
Love, Tracy
Look On High and Be Lifted Up
"Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us, for we have endured much contempt.
We have endured much ridicule from the proud, much contempt from the arrogant."
(Psalm 123:3-4 NIV)
I know that all of us at one time or another have felt down or discouraged. We feel like we're
being attacked from every direction. What a great reminder for us in this verse of scripture, to lean on the Lord. There may
be no logical answer for us as to "WHY" something happened. Or why we are experiencing certain health issue, but
we have to remember that the Lord tells us in His Word that there will be valley's in our lives. He doesn't
say if there are valley's - but when there are valley's.
In those times we need to ask the Lord to reveal himself to us, comfort us and to get us through each and every circumstance
according to His will for our lives. We need to learn to listen for His guidance so we can be an encouragement
to each other. Lift each other up in good times and bad. Then we can look back and see the growth in our lives. We never forget
those hard times, but we just thank God for His healing power.
I love the song Though It All, as I was searching for the lyrics
I came across a song I had not heard in a while. It used to be one of my favorites, it is called I Bless Your
Name. As I was reading the lyrics, I became encouraged to share them with you. I have certain friends
circumstances in my mind as I read these lyrics. Break the prisoners chains! I pray that your heart is blessed
through Christian music. What encouragement it can bring to your soul!
Have a great Monday. I pray that the Lord will touch each
of your hearts in a mighty way today as only He can! Please continue to pray for our cousins (Janet and Parrish Beach).
Thank you all and Bless His name above all others. Love, Tracy
I
Bless Your Name
Words and Music by Elizabeth Goodine In prisoners' chains
With
bleeding stripes
Paul and Silas prayed that night
And in their pain began to sing
Their chains were loosed
And they were free
I bless Your Name
I bless Your Name
I give You honor, give You praise
You are the Life, the Truth, the Way
I bless Your Name
I bless Your Name
Some midnight
hour
If you should find
You're in a prison in your mind
Reach out and praise
Defy those chains
And they will fall
In Jesus' Name
We bless Your Name
We bless Your Name
We
give You honor, give You praise
You are the Life, the Truth, the Way
We bless Your Name
We bless Your Name
You are the Life, the Truth, the Way
We bless Your Name
We bless Your Name
©
2003 Wayne Goodine Music (ASCAP) (Adm. by ICG) All rights reserved. Used by permission. International copyright secured.
An Amazing Testimony
All
you have made will praise you, O LORD; your saints will extol you. They will tell of the glory of your kingdom and
speak of your might, so that all men may know of your mighty acts and
the glorious
splendor of your kingdom.
(Psalm 145:10-12 NIV)
I just wanted to share an amazing testimony from Parrish's funeral yesterday. His funeral was a little
different from others I had been to. The Word of God was shared, mostly by people, adults and teenagers, giving a testimony
of how Parrish lived his life and what Parrish meant to them. During the first eulogy, the couple that spoke were telling
us how they had talked to some of his friends over this past week and they shared a few stories of what a few of his teachers had
said. At the end, they introduced Parrish's biology partner. I don't remember word for word
of what she said, but this was basically her testimony of Parrish.
This young lady shared with us that about a month ago Parrish was on
her heart, she prayed for him and thought about him. She kept asking God why she had a burden for him. Then a
few days later she had a dream about him. Her dream was about how God was going to shake the youth in her school.
One day she was talking to Parrish and she said Parrish I have to ask you something. She said, Parrish, if God was going
to shake the youth of our school and He wanted to use you to do it ... would you die? Would you give your life to shake
the youth? She said, without hesitation, he answered ... in a heartbeat. Wow. It was like
that for the next 45 minutes. Testimony after testimony. Kids and adults stood from where they sat and gave a
testimony of this wonderful young man.
Honestly, as a Mom and Dad we can teach our kids to be respectful to others and we can teach our children manners.
But we cannot take credit for a testimony like this. This is the Lord working in and through this young man's life.
To God be the Glory!
I
spoke to my children after the service and I said what did you think of what people were saying about Parrish in there?
I could see their little minds working. They gave me typical 9 and 12 year old answers, but I pray that what they heard
has left a lasting impression on them and that as they grow, they think about their cousin Parrish and that his life and how
he lived it for Christ will give them a desire to walk that testimony. By sharing her story
of a moment with Parrish, that young lady touched a lot of hearts yesterday. I pray that she gave a lot of teenagers
something to think about. I am praying that our cousins become advocates for helmet safety in their community.
Whether it be a bicycle, a four wheeler, a dirt bike or a motorcycle. In South Carolina a helmet is an option not a law (if you can believe it)!
Please continue to pray for them, if
you are not living your life as a walking testimony for Jesus, I pray that Jesus places that burden in your heart starting
right now! Get things right, confess to the Lord that you are a sinner and need Him to guide your heart
in each and every decision you make ~ and give God the Glory.
Have a great weekend, invite someone to church with you this Sunday, if you do not go to church,
I am praying that the Lord will lead you to a fellowship that stands on His Word. Don't take it lightly, you need
that Christian encouragement to grow as a "Christ Follower" ~ anyone can say they are a Christian. Don't
be ashamed. Have a blessed day. Love, Tracy
November 8, 2007
The Voice of Truth
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding"
(Proverbs 3:5)
I took the day off today since we will be going
to a funeral this afternoon. After I drove my children to their schools this morning I decided to go to DMV to renew
my drivers license, I was amazed because there was no line and it only took 15 minutes! I am so happy
I don't have to do that again until 2017! As I was driving home, I could not help but notice what a beautiful
day it was. The tree's look so beautiful as the leaves are starting to change color now. The sky is a beautiful
powder blue and the air is crisp. I just took a few minutes to thank God for another day. As thoughts
came to me from conversations from yesterday and memories of our cousins greeting people at their sons wake/visitation/viewing
(whatever you want to call it). How exhausting it must have been to stand there
for 3+ hours greeting people, but on the other hand, perhaps they did not want the night to end because today would come.
A
song came on the radio that give us such reassurance of Christ and His love for us. Are we willing to step
out on Faith and trust that we are held in the palm of the Lords hand?
I love the words. Are we listening for the voice of truth?
Are we willing to step out on faith, trust God in all circumstances that this is His will for our lives even if it is not
what we want to do? Jesus will meet our needs ... if we only believe. We have to have faith like a child.
As adults we try to control things in our life and that is how things get out of control. Trust the Lord today with
all circumstances. Trust in Him, ask Him to be Lord of your life. Ask Him to take over today.
Voice of Truth
Oh what I would do to have
The kind of faith it takes
To climb out of this boat I'm in
on to the crashing waves
To step out of my comfort zone
Into the realm of the unknown where Jesus
is
And He's holding out His hand
But the waves are calling out my name
And they laugh at me
Reminding me of all the times
I've tried before and failed
The waves they keep on telling me
Time and
time again. "Boy, you'll never win!"
"You'll never win!"
Chorus:
But
the Voice of Truth tells me a different story
The Voice of Truth says, "Do not be afraid!"
And the Voice
of Truth says, "This is for My glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen
and believe the Voice of Truth
Oh what I would do to have
The kind of strength it takes
to stand
before a giant
With just a sling and a stone
Surrounded by the sound of a thousand warriors
Shaking
in their armor
Wishing they'd have had the strength to stand
But the giant's calling out my
name
And he laughs at me
Reminding me of all the times
I've tried before and failed
The giant keeps
on telling me
Time and time again. "Boy you'll never win!"
"You'll never win!"
Chorus:
But the Voice of Truth tells me a different story
The Voice of Truth says, "Do not be afraid!"
And the Voice of Truth says, "This is for My glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose
to listen and believe the Voice of Truth
But the stone was just the right size
To put the giant on the
ground
And the waves they don't seem so high
On top of them lookin' down
I will soar with the wings
of eagles
When I stop and listen to the sound of Jesus
Singing over me
Chorus:
But the Voice
of Truth tells me a different story
The Voice of Truth says, "Do not be afraid!"
And the Voice of Truth
says, "This is for My glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me (calling out to me)
I will choose
to listen and believe-
I will choose to listen and believe the Voice of Truth
I will listen
and believe
I will listen and believe the Voice of truth
I will listen and believe
Cause Jesus you are the
voice of truth
And I will listen to you, you are-
Do
you ever feel like the waves are calling out your name? I have. Our circumstances just can over come us sometimes
and if we don't take a step back and seek God they come crashing down on us. I love the chorus of that song ...
BUT don't not be afraid, for this is for my Glory ... because Jesus you are the voice of truth. Every circumstance,
Good or Bad - can turn out to be for the Glory of God. We have to trust and lean on His Word for guidance and direction.
Jesus will never fail you or leave you. Don't follow man's way .. follow Jesus - because He is the Voice
of Truth!
I hope you all have a great today. I hope the words to this song spoke to your heart and encouraged you
today in whatever you are facing! Jesus is here and is His all you need. Please continue to pray for Janet and
Parrish and the Beach family in the days ahead. I appreciate it so much. Also please say a prayer for my
sister in law's Dad, Gerry Ryan. Thank you all. Love, Tracy
Lord, Comfort The Weary
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside
the still waters.
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths
of righteousness for his name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through
the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:
thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
(Psalm 23 KJV)
What
a heavy heart I have today. I am sitting here in front of a blank screen with no words. The Lord is my Shepherd.
Scott and I visited with our cousins last night. How empty and drained emotionally we were when we left there.
We had no words for one another, we just drove in silence. The conversations recited over and over in my mind.
What could I have said, how could I have been an encourager? It is hard to face the simple truth, that sometimes there
just are no words. What could you possibly say? Life is sweet and in a split decision the life of a 15 year old
is gone. Leaving his Mom and Dad saying I wish I would have known this, if only I had done this ... What do you say.
In my mind I was thinking, you can't blame yourself, this is not your fault ~ it was an accident. But honestly we
have no right to tell anyone HOW to feel. I wanted to say life is not over for Parrish, He as a new body in Heaven.
But that is not what they want to hear. They want their son back, I can respect that. I'd want to rewind
that clock too. So we just sit, we listen, we let the grieving grieve, we let the grieving talk.
So
as I sat this morning looking to the Lord for words of wisdom, what other verse could come ... He
restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea,
though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff
they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:
thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell
in the house of the LORD for ever.
You know what, I am so thankful for Jesus. He is right
beside us through everything we go through. Yes, sometimes the grief is so HUGE that we cannot feel His presence, but
know He is there. "Little" Parrish was a well rounded good kid, an athlete and an honor student and we
don't understand why his work on this earth was done, but Jesus is our comforter. He is our Rock and He is
our Refuge. Please pray for Janet and Parrish and the whole Beach family for the next couple of days. There will
be a lot of teenagers at the visitation today and they will need comforting as well. Thank you all. Count your
blessings! Hug your Children and know your are blessed! Love, Tracy
When Can You Go ... But To The Lord
"Then
Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from inside the fish. He said, 'I cried out to the Lord in my great trouble, and
He answered me. I called to you from the world of the dead, and Lord you heard me!" (Jonah 2:1-2 NIV)
So
many promises that God had for Jonah are just as real for us today. Jonah was disobeying God and
God got his attention. Then Jonah repented and turned to God for help and God saved Him. Can anyone relate to
this? Can we look at our lives today, look at the times (even now) when God was trying to get our attention and we are
turning away and going down our own road to meet our wants and desires. Why aren't we following God's desires
for us-which are way better than the greatest thing we can imagine?
Listen ... God is trying
to get your attention. He doesn't cause bad things in our lives. He may allow things to happen, because only
He knows the full plan of our lives. He says trials and temptations will come-but turn to Him and He will lead you down
the path of righteousness. If we are not following Him......we are following someone else and rejecting Christ.
With each passing day we comes closer and closer to seeing Jesus. When we stand before Him, will the reflection of our
lives here on this earth make us ashamed? Look for ways to share His love, peace and comfort today.
Have a blessed Tuesday, please continue to pray for "Little" Parrish's Family Parrish, Janet, Tiffeni and
Pearce. The days ahead will be difficult one's. As well as his grandparents, Sandy and Bobby Beach, his Uncle,
Troy Beach, Aunt, Kathy Beach and his cousins, Josh and Caleb. Life is a gift! Cherish it. Pray
for those around you. Love, Tracy
Be Thankful and Content In All Things
"Godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world,
and it is certain we can carry nothing out."
(1 Timothy
6:6-7 KJV)
I love this verse, I have it underlined, highlighted and have notes around it in my Bible. Sometimes
when I am writing these devotions each day as I turn the pages of my Bible I can see just where and when I have used these
verses of scripture before. Those of you who have been reading this devotion for the last seven plus years
may remember these verse because I have used it a number of times. I have the following quote written next
to this scripture in my Bible, I am not sure who said it, probably a Pastor. It says, "the secret of contentment
is the realization that life is a gift, not a right." Each day we have breath, is a gift.
When I think about life as a young adult, or even some years as a grown adult,
I think about how I can take life for granted. We live each day selfishly. Just thinking about what we need,
what we want, things we have to do. Always on the go always trying to keep up with this fast pace. What is
it going to take to slow us down? I can't even believe that it is November already. Where does the time
go? Before we know it Christmas
will be here and gone and we will be looking at Spring
Break.
We had 3 or 4 newborn babies in church yesterday.
When you see these little "angels" you realize just how precious life is. We look at a someone in our family who
is suffering and we realize how precious life is. We attend a funeral and we realize how precious life is.
I've heard the phrase "they died before their time," in our eyes -- maybe. But the everything happens
in the Lords time. Only He knows the number of days we are here on this earth. When we are called home it is because
His plan for our mission here is over -- so what have we done with that time? When the phrase is said "live life to the
fullest" what does that mean to you? Does it mean, go out, party, don't think about anyone but yourself and live
worldly? Or, does it mean, enjoy your family, spend as much time with them as you can? Does it mean love your spouse &
your children unconditionally? Does it mean each day learn new lessons that Christ has for you and use them to increase your
knowledge and joy? Do you share that with others or do you keep it to yourself? Do we get so caught up in things
that we forget? Do we forget what is really important? Spend time with your children and teaching them valuable
lessons, as I have said before, my children don't have to like me all the time, but they are going to know how important
Jesus should be in their life. They are going to know that our lives here are to please God - not ourselves.
I pray the Lord touches your heart today and that He reveals to you the important plan He has just for your
life. Have a great Monday. Love,
Tracy
Finding The Only Hope You Have, Christ
"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what
we do not see. This is what the
ancients were commended for.
verses 4-11 ... By faith, we understand that the universe was formed by God ... By faith
Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain ... by faith Enoch was taken from this life so that he did not experience death
... by faith Noah (when warned about things not yet seen), built an ark ... by faith Abraham went into the city-even though
he did not know where he was going - by faith he made his home there ... by faith even though he was past the age and his
wife was barren - he became a father. All these people were still living by faith when they died."
(Hebrews
11:1-2, 4-11 paraphrased NIV)
I have read this verse
of scripture many times, one reason is because it hit me one time and I highlighted it, so now it stands out each time I am
reading the book of Hebrews. Many times I am reminded of Thomas when the Lord says ... oh, Thomas, ye of little
faith. Sometimes we all have a little Thomas in us, we have hopes and we have dreams and we pray that they come true
and hope that the Lord will answer our prayers. We say we trust and have faith and yet we worry
about circumstances? Where have we set our faith today? Do we place our faith just in a faith or do we fully really
on God and place our faith and trust in our Savior, Jesus?
I believe many people are like that today, our worship almost
becomes like a ritual, never changing. Even our mealtime prayers become the same stale words with no desire to praise
Him for all He has provided. Something as simple as a meal. There are some that don't have money
for food. We are blessed - even for that peanut butter sandwich!
Jesus says I am the way and the truth
and life - believe in me and put all your faith and trust in me. He will guide us and protect us and by His Grace will
see us through this earthly life. Trust in Him today - for today is the day of Salvation! Thank Him for your
valleys ... today's valleys will be tomorrow's testimony to others.
I pray that the Word of the
Lord has spoken to your heart this week and that you desire a closer walk with Jesus. Place all your Faith in Jesus
- not in people or things of this world. This world will someday pass away - Jesus is eternal ... forever.
Please continue to pray for Parrish - that today will be the day he wakes up. Please pray for a friend of mine from
work, her name is Nancy, she will be going for test results this morning and our mail carrier at work, Louis who has cancer
and has be on my heart. I hope you all have a great weekend, invite someone to church with you this Sunday ... I hope you go! Love, Tracy
Teaching and Learning ... Learning and Teaching
"Train a child in the way he should go, and when
he is old he will not turn from it."
(Proverbs 22:6
NIV)
I was thinking about my family this morning. Thinking about how my parents raised all 9 of us. Lessons
I learned, good and bad from childhood to adulthood. Some I remember, they really stick with me and stand out, others
I don't. One thing that stands out to me about my Mother was patience. If she were still living today, she
may say "I had little patience. But, through prayer and the Lord I was able to endure."
My Father did not have as
much patience as my Mom. I think at times we drove him nuts. He loved us, but at times his fuse was short.
I was reflecting on my own life, my
husband and children. At times my fuse is short. Unfortunately, it is not until afterwards when I realize that
had I just taken a minute and sought God - I could have handled a situation differently.
The young minds of our children follow our lead. When we have a short fuse, we are teaching them to have a short fuse.
When we show love and affection, they show love and affection. When we talk about people, that is teaching them to do
the same. When we criticize - they will do the same. Teach them to be different. Teach them to pray when
a circumstance had control over them. It is never to late to change. Even for us adults. Our society is
different today or maybe I just never noticed, but today people do as they please. Children's respect for authority
(any authority) is not like it was when I was a kid. Children showed respect for all adults - because that is what they
were taught at home. At 5 or 6:00 dinner was on the table and we sat down together, now it is run to this program, run
to that program. Grabbing fast food on the way. What changed? Nighttime should be for family, but it has
become about activities. A revelation ... we don't have to do it all! Sometimes we may just have to say no.
It really is not a problem to tell our children no. They need to learn that just because someone else is doing it or
getting it, doesn't mean that we are. What lesson is learned when we give them everything or let them doing everything
they ask? What does it tell them? One lesson I learned from that is that when I finally do say no, there is bitterness
and a short fuse! I've learned, my child doesn't have to always like me ... that is OK. It may hurt my
feelings, but he or she will eventually get over it and maybe when they are adults they will remember the lesson learned.
I hope you all have a great
day today. I hope that it is your desire to lead your family in the way that the Lord leads and that would be pleasing
to God. Don't feel defeated if you have lost control. Take a seat, close your eyes and give it all to the
Lord. Ask Him to guide your steps. He loves you and wants your children to be trained up in Him. Please
continue to pray for Parrish, and please also pray for my sister in laws Father, his name is Jerry Ryan. Her Mother
passed away not to long ago and Mr. Ryan just found out he has lung cancer (and it has possibly spread to other organs).
Thank you. Have a blessed day. Love, Tracy
