Mexico Missions Trip

We ask that you pray and trust with us. The Lord has put it on my heart to go on my first missions trip. It is a short but sweet one just down to Mexico. But from the moment I heard about the trip the Lord has kept it on my heart. Financially we are in no way able to afford for me to go, but I am trusting that if He wants me there as His hands and feet He will provide a way. Jason has offered to stay home with the kids this time so that I can go and make the most of the experience. I am thoroughly looking forward to how the Lord will make a way. I have a willing heart and I know He will provide as He has time and time again! Please pray with us for the financial provisions for myself and any others who are willing but can not afford to go. Also for the safety of everyone. I have heard nothing positive about the area and the government, but we are in Gods territory! If you have any questions or are even interested in going yourself send me an email I will get you all the info I can. Thank you for being in prayer with us on this exciting opportunity to share Gods love.
Love Traci

SOME of the baptism photos

These are a few that Jason was able to take on Sunday. The church was kind enough to take photos and a video too so I will have those eventually too. But for now here what Jason was able to snap!

Traci Leann

When God fearfully and wonderfully made me in my mothers womb he chose the name Traci Leann.
Traci means courageous. Courageous happens to be one of my favorite words.
Courageous:
1. to defy; challenge; dare.
2. the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear; bravery.
3. permits one to face extreme dangers and difficulties without fear.
I am moving forward with a courageous heart mind and spirit, since God is with me, NO man may be against me!

Leann means lioness. Lions are by far one of my favorite animals and the lioness is just as unique and beautiful.
Lioness:
fearless, protective, motherly and caring, respected, courageous just to name a few.

Today I became

Today I became Traci. Today I gave my life over to the Lord, in full surrender. Today I became one with Christ. It was a great experience, a bit overwhelming though. The support from family and friends both near and far was a true blessing. It was a bit much having so many people around though... I am looking forward to having time to really digest it all. Each day it will get more and more personal as I draw closer to my Heavenly father!
Now that a few hours have passed and I have had SOME time to reflect on how I feel, I feel a sense of freedom and peace. A peace that is indescribable. I feel complete. My heart is not missing or lacking any longer. I can see God everywhere, in the trees and flowers His presence is everywhere, and now I have eyes to see it all. I feel like each night will be like the night before Christmas, I am filled with anticipation of being used by the Lord to bless others. I am anticipating helping others and loving on them like I could have never done on my own. I feel organized and focused for the first time in my life. The love that my heart feels brings me to tears, because I am worthy. I can not say that I have felt that before. My confidence and courage are not in my own abilities any more, they are in the Lord. So my tank of confidence and courage are over flowing. I can focus out ward on my family, friends and complete strangers because He is taking care of me, so that I can better take care of those around me in His name. The freedom I feel comes from knowing that nothing will have to be done in my strength but now I am accompanied by the Holy Spirit and all of heaven, so I will be unstoppable. Even though it has been hours since my baptism, I have felt life slow down. I do not feel anxiety or rushed. As long as I can remember, I was always a doer always having to be busy. But I am comfortable now to just slow down. Be more meticulous and sincere.
This is just a little bit of what I am feeling most of the feelings are just indescribable. But the main thing is that I have stepped into being TRACI. This whole blog was started a few years ago, I felt a void and I was trying to fill it. BUT that was just the problem I was trying to fill it instead of asking and letting the Lord fill me. He is the only one who can truely fill my heart with joy and love. I will not change the name of the blog, but instead I will change the direction of it. I AM TRACI, the Traci that I was looking for for so many years now. My new direction and goal is to touch as many lives here on earth before I am taken to live eternally with my Heavenly Father. Two separate times in two years he has spared my life here on earth, so I am going to make the most of however much time I have left here. God is in control of my life now and and I am thankful for that. I am at peace and filled with the Holy Spirit! It doesn't get any better than that.
Love TRACI

Day three

I have to start by saying how much I love this. I have set time aside each and everyday for quality time with the Lord most days a couple times throughout the day because, I just can't get enough! I will continue this, not just this week in preparation and obedience but as a daily thing. Like eating, I wouldn't go a couple days with out eating, well the same goes for digesting the gospel and spending time with my heavenly father. It is official :)
So much has happened since Sunday. I decided officially that I would get baptized this coming Sunday. So in preparation to that I have been in the word, on my knees in prayer and making time to worship and listen to the Lord. He of course has answered. While praying a few nights ago, I prayed this and I am asking others to trust with me. So that when He delivers we can all rejoice together.
A quick background... there is a family that I am friends with back in OR. They had their first child about 2.5 months ago after trying for 7 years...(for details check out the blog I am working on for them at calledtoapurpose.blogspot.com it is still in the works but you can read their testimony, very touching and this will all make more sense)
I very specifically am trusting that, as quickly and unexplainable as Claire's seizsures came on they would leave. That they would leave her body and never return, EVER. We are trusting that just as no Dr can figure out how to manage them or tame them, that the Lord would remove them from her body so sudden and unexplainable that only God will get the glory. Then on the topic of their medical bills, I am trusting that the Lord will provide the means to cover every dollar of medical bills that has and will get racked up. Then once He has faithfully provided every dollar so that they are left with not a single penny of debt, he would give them $7000 in excess. Just because. I know that money will not give them back the months and memories they have missed out on as a family, but once again, by covering all of the debt and providing extra forthem to be blessed by, we can only say that is was given from God. So be trusting with me and others who are calling out in His authority and with child like faith, that the Lord WILL deliver this to the Hales family, in His time!

There is so much more to write that the Lord is doing in me and through me, but a migraine has taken over and I can't stare at anything with out wanting to puke. Be back soon...

Day two

Day TWO of preparing for my baptism...
Last night the Lord brought me to a passage. At first I was not sure that it was very applicable, but I should have known better. When I ask in faith He never fails me. So I faithfully read on.
Joshua 7:13 stood out to me and this is what spoke to me.
The NIV version says this: "Go, consecrate the people. Tell them, 'Consecrate yourselves in preparation for tomorrow; for this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: That which is devoted is among you, O Israel. You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove it.

Consecrate: to devote, declare scared, set apart or dedicate to the service of a deity
Deity: God, Supreme being
Devoted: loyalty or affection, ardent in attachment, intensely devoted.
Ardent: passionate

The new living translation says this: "Get up! Command the people to purify themselves in preparation for tomorrow. For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Hidden among you, O Israel, are things set apart for the LORD. You will never defeat your enemies until you remove these things from among you.

I like the use of the word "purify... in preparation for tomorrow." Things that were set apart for God are being used or taken in vain and before God can use me I must change and or remove these things... Now I am just trusting the Lord to show me what these specific THINGS are that I need to remove from my life. Only then can I give myself completely to him. Our pastor has been talking about building your foundation upon the solid rock. Removing every last particle of sand between us and the foundation so that we will not be rocked when test and trials come our way. They are very similar and very true.

Dear Jesus,
Thank you for being the same yesterday, today and forever. Thank you for being faithful even when I am faithless. Lord I call upon you asking for ears to hear and eyes to see. I want to hear you. Make your word come alive to me. I want to be your friend, you said that if I do what you command I will "no longer be your servant but your friend" (in John 13:13-17) I want to walk side by side with you and have a more intimate relationship with you. The better I understand you the better I know and love you. That is my prayer. Continue each day to reveal something new to me. Keep it fresh each day. I will not let a single day go by with out drawing near to you. Seeking your will for my life. May you be in everything I do and everything that I am. I love you Jesus, thank you Jesus.
Amen

Water Baptism

Water baptism, we have all heard the phrase before, maybe even been baptized as a child. But I am being challenged to take it to another level. The level where God intended it to be. Today I am journaling about water baptism. It is something the Lord has been stirring up inside of me for about 8 months now. Well the opportunity has come to act on it. With what I have been through in the last 8 months I know for a fact that my time is now. Sunday June 13, 2010 I am getting baptized. This journaling is a reminder for myself and a way to put into words what I am feeling and experiencing the week leading up to my baptism. I want to share what it means to me. Before I do something so special I want to fully understand what I am in for and what is expected of me. This week I will go deeper with the intent of fully understanding what baptism is and what Gods true intentions are when he asks us to give ourselves completely to Him. So I am starting with what baptism really means to me personally.
BAPTISM: ceremony of union, the beginning.
BAPTIZO: completely changed by what it is immersed in, a permanent change.
BAPTO: dip into something
(from a sermon by Justin Rupple)
For me it is time. I am going to completely let go. I am going to let go of my self centered life. Completely break from a life of sin. I am going to place Christ as the head of my life. I am going to celebrate becoming one with Christ. I am celebrating my passionate love for my heavenly father and stepping in to a union with Him. Just like a marriage where two become one. In return, I am expecting God to change my mindset, completely consume me. I am trusting that He will use me to be His hands and feet, shining a light for others to follow to Christ. I am expecting to be transformed like the caterpillar that turns into a butterfly and will never be the same.