HE was with me

         The salty air surrounded me. My eyes drank in the oranges and red of the sunrise. A calming rhythmic sound of the waves crashing into the surf filled my ears. Soft sand tickled my toes.

         Every morning of that vacation, I would take a solo hour-long beach walk at the crack of dawn to drink in the sights, be with God, and take photos. As I stood in the surf taking a video of the sunrise and waves, I suddenly felt a hand touch me on my shoulder. When I looked around, there was no one there.

         It was one of those should of – could of moments in life. I should have yelled, “Yes, God. What do you need?” I could have gotten down on my knee in that damp sand and prayed to him. Except I did neither because I didn’t realize the significance of the moment until it had passed.

         You see 10 months prior to that moment I had lost my sister suddenly and tragically. I struggled to breath in the months to follow after her death. It was during that mourning period I had felt as though God had forsaken and forgotten me. Why had he taken my only sibling to be with him? I often asked myself that question.

         On that barrier island, I was compelled to go to a special church the Sunday prior to feeling God on that lonely beach. During the service, the pastor pulled out a guitar and began to belt out “Who am I” by the Casting Crowns. That song had become my theme song on those solo walks on the beach. I downloaded the song and played it on repeat.

         God wanted me to know that “I am Yours.” He had not forsaken or forgotten me after Tanya had died. He needed me to go through those trials and feelings of lost, so that I could find myself on that beach alone. It was then he would make his presence known to me.

         I wasn’t really alone on that beach. I had a companion – God. He was with me the whole time.

Joshua 1:9 Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

Blessings,

Traci

The Penny

Perhaps you have heard about pennies being sent from Heaven.

I have heard about this phenomenon but never knew it truly happened or not.

That's when it happened to me when I cleaned my house. Pennies would suddenly be in my dirt pile when I swept the hall or the kitchen.

When I told Hubby, he told me it was because of the hole in the pocket of his jeans.

I knew it was more than a hole in his jeans when the pennies would appear on the driver's seat of my car or when I found the penny by the kitchen sink after I had cleaned it up and there was no penny beforehand.

Another day I found a penny in the hallway at work.

Then I found one at Hot Head Burritos.

So what is the significance of the penny?

I believe it's a sign from my mom. She used to buy me lunches when we were out and about. Her love language was buying me things when she had little to give.

Have you heard of the parable of the widow's offering?

In Luke 21:1-4, Luke talks about people giving their offering. Jesus says" . . . but she . . . has given everything she has." (NLT)

Mom is giving me a sign that I'm still here and giving you all I can.

Even though I'm missing her, I know she and God will take care of me.

Thank you, God.

You are awesome

It's a snow day. I could be doing school work, but that can be done later this weekend. LOL! So I decided to take advantage of the time by doing some writing.

When I looked at Mama Kat's writing prompts, I could have chosen several to write about this week. However, I chose to write about a time my heart melted.

After my bereavement leave from work, one of my co-workers asked me if I had a church. My family and I have been attending our church for almost 10 years, so I told her yes. She told me about her church. I put its name in the back of my mind. God was speaking to me through her, but I didn't know why.

During the Christmas season, I started to become depressed because of my mom's death and the anniversaries of various family member's death. Four family members died in December. It's a difficult month for me.

I looked up the church my co-worker told me about because there was something God wanted to find there. It was then I found Celebrate Recovery. I've been trying to figure out how to describe it until someone finally put the words into my mouth. It's a Christian-based support group. I'm finding Godly people who may not have gone through what I have gone through but are willing to support me as I maneuver myself through this season of life that I wasn't expecting to go through right now.

I've started helping in the kitchen now. Mom would have been proud of me because she loved helping people. She made hats for my students and knitted knockers for women who had breast cancer and had to have mastectomies. 

I'm giving back in a way that I enjoy. It's a blessing to me.

Wednesday was their one-year anniversary, so there were a lot of people expected to be there. I helped make a salad and then served food. One of the regulars came through,,, looked at me,,, and said, "You are awesome! I'm thankful you are here." 

I have a feeling that it was God speaking through him. You see, I had an overwhelming day on Wednesday. There was a constant stream of students in and out of my room. I had to ask someone to take over my room so I could go to the bathroom, which only happens sometimes.

It was not until the next morning that those words really sunk in. I cried joyful tears because even though I'm going through this season of life, I know God has not forsaken me. He faithfully walks along with me as I maneuver through this season of life. 

This was the most recent time that my heart melted. I'm thankful for those words, and I'm thankful God used this young man to say them to me.

Have a magical day,
Traci

Learn to pronounce

Alive in Christ

4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved. Ephesians 2:4-5

Before we begin, we need to look at the word transgressions. What does the word mean? It’s an act that goes against a law, rule, or code of conduct otherwise known as an offense.

As humans, we are sinners. No one is perfect. The only human that was perfect was Jesus Christ. He saved us through his death on the Cross. Our transgressions were taken away by the shedding of his blood.

When Jesus’s blood was shed, we were saved by grace. 

Again, we are at a crossroads. What is grace? Simply said, it’s a gift from God. This grace aids us in our everyday life. 

Simply said, God is constantly forgiving us daily. It’s up to us to accept this gift from him. He sent us his one and only son to remind us of this gift. It’s up to us to accept this gift.

This gift allows us to be alive in Christ. 

If we are alive in Christ, we form a father-child relationship with him. This relationship makes us whole and holy.

We are invited into his holy family/. Instead of wishing we were in Heaven, Heaven is on Earth in your heart and soul.

Dear God,

Thank you for sending your only son to Earth so that he could die on the Cross to save ME. I, a lowly sinner, was called to be your special daughter. You want me to be part of the Holy family. What an honor! Thank you once again for making me alive in you.

In Jesus’s name, Amen!