Thanksgiving Challenge

We’re preparing to enter the season of Thanksgiving...and the season of CRAZY!! When the holidays begin, if I'm not intentional, I can sometimes allow the "crazy" to take over and forget all about the "thanksgiving."

 Last year, I tried something new...to seek the Thanksgiving daily. I’m going to share my VERY SIMPLE plan to keep the attitude of my heart focused on Thanksgiving, not the crazy.

I would love to hear from you! What’s your strategy to have an attitude of thanksgiving instead of crazy during November?

3 Steps to Avoiding Sin

I don’t know about you, but unfortunately there are times that it seems like I suddenly realize that I’m in the middle of a pit of sin. I didn’t mean to end up in the pit of sin but somehow that’s where I find myself.

I think Proverbs 7 is an illustration of how we end up there. It shows us how we are seduced into sin.

So how do we not lose ourselves to sin.  The answer…is also in Proverbs 7.

I would love to hear from you. In the comments below, what boundaries, what protection from sin, have you placed in your life that could encourage others?

How to have an Affair…with your Husband!

I get that sometimes life can fall into a routine, a rut, and actually be kinda boring. But why not take a break and escape with your husband!!

I’m going to share with you four ways to have an affair with your husband. I’ll give you some ideas, but be creative – go for it!

This is an affair that can have a happily ever after.

In the comments below, share your ideas on how to have an affair with your husband. 

All my best to you,

Tracy

Where is Jesus In the Storms of Life?

Matthew 14:22 says, “Jesus INSISTED that the disciples get in the boat.” God already knows the storms we will face, all the storms of your life - past, present and future. Sometimes He will direct you away from a storm, or around a storm. Sometimes…He’ll send you into the storm.

We want Jesus to hurry up and calm the storms of our lives. But, have you ever considered that maybe He wants to hold your hand, have contact with you, carry you through the storms of life?

Peter was the only one in the storm that called out to Jesus for instructions. Are you asking God for instructions? Are you reaching out to hold His hand?  The thing is, God is more committed to developing our character than to our comfort. Are you in the middle of a storm right now? I would love to hear from you. In the comments below, tell me what you're learning about yourself. What is God showing you about Him?

All my best to you,

Tracy

3 Reasons You Need a Friend

This sounds like a strong statement, but I am terrible at making friends! Don't get me wrong...I love women. I want friends but anytime I think about finding a friend, every insecurity I have comes boiling up, screaming ugly things about myself to myself. Insecurity is awful – we’ll talk about that in another episode.

Despite the fear I have about making friends, today I want to share with you three reasons why I (and why YOU) need friends. Studies show that many women don’t have any close friends, but I think most of us would agree that is important. So why are so many of us going it alone?

“Friendship," wrote CS Lewis, “is born at that moment when one person says to another: ‘What! You, too? I thought I was the only one.’”

In the comments below, share how you push past the fear to make a friend. What's a good way to make friends?

All my best to you,

Tracy

P.S. Does anyone else feel like singing out, "You've got a friend in me!" ?? ;)

Becoming Courageous, Ordinary Women - Acts 4:13

Hi friends,

Today I'm going to share a favorite verse of mine that offers me encouragement as an ordinary woman. Acts 4:13 says, "When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus."

If you sometimes feel like an ordinary woman like me, take note: if you choose to spend time with Jesus, He will give you the courage to be bold. You will be anything but ordinary. Check out the podcast below to hear more. In it, I talk about how we can spend time with Jesus and grow in His love.

Once you've listened to the podcast, I'd love to talk with you further in the comments. What have you done lately that took courage? What's your favorite way to read the Bible?

All my best to you,

Tracy

The Garden of Your Life, Part 3: Jesus & the Word

In the third and final segment of our Garden of Your Life series, we’ll talk about the two most important things that our garden needs.

First: the Son, Jesus. We need Jesus. Second: the Word of God, the Bible. This doesn’t mean a Bible sitting on the shelf in your home. This means a Bible that you are reading and engaging with daily.

The Bible is our SOP - our Standing Operating Procedure for life. You must spend time daily reading the Bible to have the healthiest, most productive garden (the healthiest, most productive life). Sometimes we act so surprised by what’s coming up in our lives but we’re not paying attention to the seeds we’ve thrown into our garden of life.

The Garden of Your Life, Part 2: Fences & Stakes

Today we continue with the second part of The Garden of Life series. The next thing we’ll add to our garden are fences. Fences place boundaries in our lives and keep out the small things, the things that look so innocent but can cause significant damage if we aren’t paying attention.

Got any issues in your life? If so, maybe you need to reset your boundaries. It’s okay to set boundaries. In fact, it’s critical to keep our garden protected and our life healthy.

The second thing we’ll add to our Garden of Life are stakes. Stakes help us to hold up, to remain firm during the storms and the challenges of life. We need to intentionally seek out other women to stake ourselves to so they can help us, and we can help them, during difficult times. When we stake ourselves to one another it allows us both to bear more fruit!

The Garden of Your Life, Part 1: Weeding & Pruning

Today, I want to talk to you about your life. Let’s look at life like a garden. Does your garden - your life - need some attention? Specifically, do we need to do some weeding and pruning?

We should treat sins like weeds. We all have weeds!! The thing is, we want to quickly snap off our weeds at the surface before anyone can see them. But that’s like playing whack-a-mole. They keep popping up. We need to get to the root, to dig deep, and take care of it once and for all.

What about pruning? Are there things you need to just cut out of your life? They’re not necessarily a sin but they’re keeping you from living the life that God intended for you to live.

Stay tuned for Part 2 next week as we continue to explore The Garden of Your Life!

Why Your New Year’s Resolutions Died and How to Revive Them

There’s something about January 1st that excites us, giving us a feeling of hope for a fresh start, a new beginning. Well, now we’re deep into 2017. How are those goals you set on January first coming along? Going well? You’ve lost the weight, your house is more organized, you’re saving more money, you’ve quit smoking?

Unfortunately, according to U.S. News, approximately 80% of resolutions fail by the second week of February, so the odds are against you. But don’t lose hope, it’s not too late! It’s time to get back on track.

The end of 2017 is about six months from now. Imagine what it would LOOK like, what it would FEEL like, to live your priorities for the rest of the year. Don’t wait until January 1st. You don’t even have to wait for Monday. Start today!!

3 Things Every Woman Wants

Today I want to talk about what every woman wants and what every woman has the power to give.

Our lives have become so crowded that many of us feel invisible. My friend Kristen, who has a huge heart for women, taught me the power of helping every woman to be seen, valued and known. You don’t have to have a special talent. It starts with a simple smile and hello.

I would love to hear from you! In the comments below tell me what’s your favorite way to “see” someone or to make someone feel valued.

All my best to you,

Tracy

Get Out of Your Comfort Zone: 3 Things That Keep Us From Answering God’s Call

We want so much to respond with a loud “YES!” when we feel that God has called us to move, to do something different. But many of us are afraid to get away from our comfort zone and step out in faith.
Today I’m going to share with you 3 common things that make us hesitate - or even say no - when we feel the call of God.
My hope is that after listening to this podcast you’ll be encouraged to step out in faith. Trust God’s call on your life. You’ll be so glad you did!
 

5 Ways to Connect with Teenagers

Teenagers. Just that one word can send us moms and dads running for the hills. Over the years, though, I've become a huge fan of young adults. I LOVE teenagers and am a strong advocate for how awesome they are! I’m not cool - never have been, as a teen myself or as an adult.  So what is the SECRET to becoming a magnet for teenagers?

In this podcast, I’m sharing with you five ways to connect with teenagers. Numbers four and five are important, but points one, two, and three are critical! And it's best to start as early as possible with your children.