She Stands

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...

I always try to do my best to write from a place of encouragement; a place of my own struggles and His victory over my life. In the smallest of life's daily mundane trials, on my biggest 'blah" moments and even when the state of my heart is not where it needs to be, I want to encourage. The last few months is seems I  have been trying to encourage myself a little more than the norm? Reminding myself to push to keep going, to not give up, to stand and not lay down. The struggle has been real on all accounts with my emotions all over the place. My internal mood swings have caused me to give myself emotional whiplash. I feel like I have been thrown into a lions den of emotions. Through much prayer and seeking my daddy God for direction I am brought to the book of Daniel. Now I realize my circumstances are different from those of Daniel when he was thrown into the lions den. I have not been falsely accused of wrong doing, nor breaking any law...

I traveled to my home church in Texas over the weekend. It was our yearly ladies retreat.  A time to come together and share as only we ladies know how when we are together.  Our gathering to let our hair down, be silly, share our hearts, our struggles, our victories and our love. A time of refreshing, renewal and restoring.  I love my highway driving time, when it's just me, my music and my sweet Jesus headed to my destination.  It is my special place when I can talk to him, share my whole heart above the noise of the world and hear his loving voice deep inside my soul.  Heading west, I pour my heart out to my daddy God. I tell him of the changes and struggles I have faced the last two months. ( like he didn't already know)  I thanked him for the love of so many he has placed in my life. I praised him for the trials I have walked through and the strength he has given me to continue. Making my way down the ...

This morning I woke up anticipating to hear from my daddy God.  I wanted direction and guidance in the worst kind of way. I had no words to speak only a heart that cried out for peace and assurance that all will be well.  I opened the book of Daniel and my eyes locked in on the story of Shadrach, Meshack and Abednego.  God's word describes how the three of them refused to abide by the law King Nebuchadnezzar had passed that all would have to  bow and worship the gold imagine he had constructed.  Scripture goes on to say how they were bound and tied by the strongest of soldiers.  In the Kings fury he had  the furnace turned up seven times hotter than normal and thrown them in to be burned alive.  To the Kings amazement , he saw 4 not 3 men in the blazing furnace. Not one was bound nor tied, not one was singed or scorched and neither did any of the three come out smelling of smoke.  The  King began to sing his praises to...

" He will give beauty for ashes"  I adore those words.  I love that in the midst of my trials his promise is "beauty for my ashes" To have the knowledge , the promise, no matter how ugly life can get, there will be beauty emerging from the ashes. God wants to take my (your) trials and messiness and give me (you) joy and healing.  However, to receive my beauty, I must let go of my ashes. When I heard Joyce Meyer say those words, I began to think about what, if any, ashes have I hoarded away or did I have any that I presently was holding on to. As I pondered on any ashes in my life, I continued to listen to Joyce and then next words she spoke hit me like a arrow to a bulls-eye..... "First step forgive everyone who hast hurt you." A ash is now revealed....un- forgiveness I tell God, I do forgive, how can this be an ash I am holding? In his grace,  He shows me.... Even though I have spoken forgiveness out of obedience, the ...

There have been  many times when all I wanted to do was speak the first words that came to my mind, Never giving any thought to what those words were or what damage they would do. As my inner voice pleaded with me, yelled at me and shouted  from within...... " Stacey this is not a good idea" .... I did it anyway.    ~sigh~ Sadly I had reacted to my emotions. My hurt feelings.... My anger........... And my frustrations. In doing so, regardless of what the individual had done to me, I had now damaged their heart, hurt more feelings and tore their self worth in two just has mine had been. Now my inner voice is softly saying to me... " Two wrongs do not make a right Stacey" And within minutes I feel horrible for reacting and not responding. The damage has been done and I can not take back my words. Having those emotions are a normal part of life. We all get hurt, angry and frustrated. No one is ever excluded from ...

 I went and saw the movie War Room. It was amazing. If you get a chance to see it, I suggest you do. Once again I was reminded of the power of prayer, the blessings in grace and the peace in forgiveness. To witness each character's  own turmoil as they struggled through the issues at hand  was more than inspiring. It was hope on a whole new level. It showed me that God's grace is truly a gift , one he extends without reserve. It showed me the times spent on my knees in prayer are not in vain, for they are my battle weapons. I may not see the outcome instantly, but there is always a victory in the making. It gave me a new insight on how forgiveness heals and instills peace. Daddy God will speak to us in many different ways. Yesterday He spoke to my heart as I sat munching on my popcorn and having girl time with a precious friend. And speak He did. " I know your heart daughter and I know your needs. Trust in me for you and those you love. I...