She Stands

Zechariah 9:12 Return to the stronghold, you prisoners of hope. Even today I declare that I will restore double to you.  Hope...... A feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen.  A feeling of trust.  Sounds good, doesn't it?  Believing for something. A change, an action that will restore all that has been lost, to trust for an outcome in a discouraging circumstance. And yet, the hope of the flesh shows no signs of change.  Holding on to hope can be wearisome. Hope itself is not, but holding on by the skin of our fingernails can be. At least for me it can be.  Can you relate?   Since the year 2020 when all that I knew to be the norm erupted with such a great intensity it was hope that held me in a cocoon of safety.  But it wasn't just any hope. It was and still is the hope of Jesus.  I dare not pretend to say I have been comfortable or even most knowledgeable in the midst of this great shifting. ...

Photo by Boba Jovanovic on Unsplash T his unfiltered silence of the unknown has taken on a bellowing cry of its own. The unanswered questions in my mind have become a kaleidoscope.   And with each turn, the different shades of gray have no answers.  My flesh, in its uncomfortable state of the untold, seeps tears of its own.  A ll the while my heart and soul is trusting the Lord on a whole new level  in this new normal we are living. I must admit, when this plague surfaced its ghastly head, I started this journey strong. The unknown had no hold on me.  Porch sitting became my place of solace.  No fear.  No tears.  My sword raised high, the battle began. I dove head first into the word of my Jesus. I soaked in sermon after sermon. I sang my songs of worship from the noiseless perch of my porch: off key.  And I listened for the voice, the only voice, who could give me solid peace.   Jesus. Day after day,...

  Photo by Allef Vinicius on Unsplash     "You seek assurance from others when you should be seeking it from me."   Those are the words the Lord spoke to me in the midnight hour on December 11th, 2016. I was dealing with a deeply embedded wound causing my heart to grieve from someone I love dearly. I do not believe there is not a person alive that does not seek assurance from a loved one, friend, employer or pastor. It's human nature to want an accolade, an acknowledgment of merit from those who are important in our lives. But when the desire for assurance and self-confidence from others becomes more than assurance from God, the merit we long for cannot be be found. Almost a year later, I am finding myself struggling with decisions that will impact my future greatly, and once again seeking assurance however this time.....from God and God alone. Assurance from God is a self confidence that cannot be measured.  It is one ...

        Expectations in life are a huge platform for hope. I hope for the best and give God the rest. Well , I do have my times when I think I have given my daddy God the rest but truth is, I still hold tight to the things I should release.   Sheeeshh..... My life's expectations do not seem unrealistic to me. My expectations in life are truth, honesty, loyalty, respect and unconditional love.   I want  what my heart gives in return.  I hope through my expectations that others will see my heart  and see me for who I truly am from the inside out.  I expect my kindness not be taken for granted nor my love for others taken advantage of. I  expect (want) to be treated as I treat others.  Doesn't seem like much, but  sadly it is. My down fall, I have to come to recognize, it is me putting so much hope in others and their actions or lack of, is when my expectaions fall flat. My feelings ...

Well after several years of going back and forth, it's completed!!  The Lord put on my heart to write this book and invite a few other ladies to share their stories. I was uncertain how this project would turn out, after all I have never written a book.  It took some time and a lot of trust in my daddy God to complete, and  I am so glad it is!!  Each story is a story of hope and shows how our daddy God is forever working in our lives!!  I invite you all to order your copy and be encouraged that no matter what trials you are going through .... you too can stand!! Many thanks to all who have contributed in way form or another in the publication " She Stands" I call you all blessed!!! Click this link to purchase your paper back copy. https://www.createspace.com/7276085 Or if you rather a digital download for your Kindle, click this link. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073D9M8KD Forever His Daughter, Stacey

Photo Credit: Amy Treasure   If I only had more money in my bank account….   If my house was bigger…… If I had a new car I just know I’d be happy….. If only I could buy that new furniture…….   How many times have we all desired for something more than what we already have?   Our bills are paid, but yet desire more extras than our bank accounts allow. We have a home to lay our heads and somehow find fault in its size. The car is paid off but the smell of a new one entertains our thoughts on a daily bases. And the furniture is a tad old but yet not the latest fashion statement we want to make. There is no wrong in wanting more in life; to be able to upgrade from time to time, take that long awaited vacation or make a brand new purchase for something we have always dreamed of.   The downfall comes when the desires of our flesh become more than the contentment of our hearts; when materials things take presence over our spiritual desires. ...

 Leaving for work I  snapped this picture from my front porch. The brilliance of the sun coming up and breaking through had glimmers of gold dancing across my front yard; such beauty to behold in the few moments I had before scrambling off to begin my work day. Perfection would have been for me to be able to stay and enjoy my morning coffee sitting in the rays of sunlight, however the brief moments I had were enough for me to be thankful for witnessing another one of God's beautiful moments of His divine artistry in the morning sky. I began to think of the times when my life has been covered with "shade"; when it appeared to have no sunlight breaking through. And, on a larger scale, I began to reflect how the world has had its own shade of darkness covering its every corner ringing its cries for just a little light to shine.Creeping slowly down my driveway I realized had I kept my head down, hustled down the porch all I would...

I was blessed with the "gift of gab". My mom says I started speaking at a very early age and have never stopped. I could talk to a brick wall regardless if it answers me back or not....literally, I kid you not. The times I do get quiet I find it amusing when others question me as to what is wrong. Silence is not one of my better qualities.  But I am finding  the older I get the more I enjoy my quiet time.( For those who know me, you may continue with your laughter.) Several years ago when my daddy God led me to start blogging, He told me there will be those He wanted to reach through my life stories.  My gift of gab became a gift  of written words for many all over the world to read and realize they are not alone in the struggles of life. Blogging became a ministry of my heart; a platform of God for all to see  His victories in  my downfalls.  A place of transparency, honesty and a unconditional love filled with encouragement, grace and mercy. ...

Proverbs 13:12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life. Hope is a feeling of expectancy with the belief of grand things to come. It is a corner stone in order to stay grounded in times of struggle, knowing that this too shall pass. It is a map with directions to reach breakthroughs. This is my definition of hope. I literally cling to hope  just as a small child clings to his mothers leg. To give you a visual close your eyes and picture a child with their arms and legs wrapped around their mothers leg as she attempts to walk across the floor. Can you see her dragging her leg with her child basically sitting on her foot?  That is me and hope. I cling to her and sit on her foot with all my limbs clutching around her. However there have been  times I did not do such a good job of holding on to hope.  Times when I haven fallen and have had to crawl my way back to her digging in with all that...

We were notified last week that the power  at work would shut off for a couple of hours today for some new power poles and lines to be erected in the area.   When I left work last night I cut the air down  lower than normal  in the hopes once power was shut off, the office would not become a sweltering hot box.   During lunch time today I sat in the the office thankful for the bit of  sun rays shining into the lobby allowing me to see to eat my lunch. Even though it had become a little warm inside, it was bearable and not suffocating.  With our phone system down , the guys in the back  piddling for things to do to keep them occupied, I was happy for the peace and quiet that surrounded me.  No noise..... Just me and my thoughts. Normally I would be counting the seconds until power came back on.  Living in the deep south summer time is brutal. It's not just the heat that can be unbearable but the high humid...