There is something about this time of year.

I know for some people though it can be quite stressful and difficult. There are so many changes that can happen in this season.

For some people it is not a happy time and I want to acknowledge you. Yes, we are here for you. We really are.

Whatever you are going through, please know that you are not alone.

I want to reflect on this time of year. I love this time of year, I love the whole Christmas story. Whatever is going on in my life I hold on to the miracle of the Christmas story. Yes, I have been through some difficult times but I choose time and time again to hold on to the hope.

Hope, it is my foundation.

It is about new beginnings.  Whatever is going on read about the birth of Jesus.

I love reading the story about the birth of Jesus. I love the story of Mary and Joseph and their complete trust in God.

I love the Christmas story about new beginnings about new possibilities.

I don’t know what you have been through this year, but I know that the Christmas story is one of hope.

Hold onto it, embrace it, believe in it, read it and share it.

If you need anything, please let me know.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How are you?

I have been reading Rachel Hollis’s book Girl wash your face and it is really speaking to me at the moment. I haven’t finished it yet, but any chance that I have, I will read a few pages.

I love the way that each chapter is about a lie that we believe. The lies of I’m not good enough and I should be further along by now.

The lie I should be further along by now really resonated with me. You see I have just celebrated a big something _0 birthday and at first, I was in denial of being this age.

I didn’t really want to celebrate it and I was wondering why. Then I read the chapter of -I should be further along by now and realised I didn’t want to be this age. The reason was I thought that I would have achieved a lot more before reaching this age.

But that is a lie.

Sure, there is a time and season for everything in our

lives. I believe this.

Why is it that we gravitate to what is not happening in our lives instead of celebrating all that we have achieved?

Why is it that we focus on the negative?

I have a lot to be grateful for and especially reaching this age the _0.

Why are we not celebrating every day?

A friend of mine and mentor challenged me one year to say yes. To say yes to things that normally I would go oh no I couldn’t possible to that. It was a really great year with lots of opportunity and adventures.

I feel that November and December will be the months of saying yes.

Yes!

This will be my challenge.

I will not let entertain the lie of -I should be further along by now anymore.

I will not let the lie influence my life.

What are you going to say yes to in November?

Will share more soon.

 

This weekend I spent sometime at home, which I must say I have loved.

The last few weeks and weekends have just been full and I love it I really do.

I also have to admit that I love just spending time at home slowing down.

So, this weekend I decided to give myself a little staycation, a little time just resting, a little time just being at home.

This weekend I have-

• watched movies
• read books
• listened to podcasts
• slept in
• gone shopping
• cleaned my home
• cooked meals for the week
• wrote about my dreams and goals.

I have decided that I want to blog and I want to continue writing, I also have decided that I want to say yes to things, to be a bit more spontaneous.

I have been asking myself where to now?

Where to now?

This is such an empowering question, I want to leave a legacy.

How do I do this?

Have you asked yourself this?

Have you asked yourself, what do I want to do?

How do I achieve this?

Have you asked yourself where to now?

This is what I want to explore in the next few weeks and I would love you to journey with me.

Will you join me in this adventure?

Let’s explore where to now together.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tonight I find myself reflecting on this scripture.

Really wanted to share it with you tonight.

 

I spoke last night at the new Perth Children’s Hospital for Body Awareness and Eating Disorder Awareness Week.

I wanted to share with you my talk for the night.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Hi my name is Tracey and I am going to talk tonight about what recovery is actually like for me now.

I had an eating disorder for a long time and have now I have been recovered for over 10 years now. I am never going back.

I have this saying that today is a gift, it was a day that I didn’t think that I would have and I embrace every moment.

I am passionate about giving back and sharing my journey.

Tonight, I wanted to share what recovery for me is like. This is my journey and what I have learnt along the way.

 

Recovery for me was about finding my purpose, it is about rediscovering who I am- Tracey without the control and thoughts of the eating disorder consuming me and keeping my world small.

I have great support of amazing friends who were there for me.

 

It is about embracing the new, I had to learn to explore new ways of doing things.  It was doing things totally different then what I was used to. I had to step out of my comfort zone.

I had one year where I would just say yes to new experiences. A friend of mine challenged me. Just to say yes and to see what happened.

Which was a little bit aaagh but it was so important in expanding my world and experiences.

Recovery for me was -discovering my creativity and that was such an important part in my recovery.

Journaling helped me so much, I love to journal.

Being creative helped me so much. I love writing.  I can now call myself a blogger, I have a blog,I write about my journey, I write about encouraging women.  I have written for some publications in America, I just submitted an article and it was accepted, I am a singer/songwriter and I am passionate about making a difference.

I work as a primary school chaplain for nearly 7 years and I love what I get to do. Every day is an adventure. My days are so varied and my life now is so completely different to the woman I was who was stuck in an eating disorder.

I laugh, I have a very distinct laugh and I make no apology, there was a time where the eating disorder stole my joy. I laugh and I have learnt to laugh at myself.

My role as a primary school Chaplain has seen me-

• Speak at assemblies
• I run a girls’ group for years 4 to 6 where we look at friendships, identity, self-esteem.
• I have run a Disco, never run a disco before.
• I have a Drumbeat group.
• I have gone on camps where I have gone abseiling, rock climbing and orienteering.
• I am there for the whole school community. Love community.

I am still learning that my life has meaning, my life has purpose.

I am a work in progress, I love that cause it just allows us to rest in it.

She designed a life that she loved.

I want to leave you with these words tonight you are worthy, valued and loved. Yes, you are.

Thank you

 

Do you ever have those days, you know those days when you do those things that you know, that you just know that you shouldn’t do?

Those days that when you reflect on them, they just seem messy.

Those days when you may have felt shame closing in on you for what you have done.

Those days when all you want to do is stay in bed and pull the doona cover over you.

You know those days like-

• You may have been caught up in a gossip session, yes it does happen.
• You may have spoken in an angry manner to someone and said something that you know would hurt the other person.
• You may have indulged to much in something that you know is not good for you.
• You may have avoided someone because you know that they just want to be heard.

I could go on.

Yes, those days are hard, those days are difficult, those days can consume us.

We need to be kind to ourselves, this is not who we are, we are humans and we make mistakes. Yes, we do.

Do you notice how things happen when we are tired, when we have not looked after ourselves? When we are tired things seem magnified, things seem at lot more difficult.

Don’t let these days define you they are just a little bump on the road. You are on your journey and these things are going to happen.

But it is how we embrace the messy days that will help us, move forward.

Acknowledge the messy days and learn from them.

How are you embracing the messy days?

 

Lately I have been thinking about what God is wanting me to do.

Have you had that thought this?

There is so much that I want to do for God?

I want to say to him, yes thank you so much for what you have done for me and I want to encourage others.

God, did not leave me he saved me for a purpose.

There was a time when I didn’t want to be here, there was a time when I just didn’t want to go on.

 

But I am still here, I am still here and I know that it is because of Him.

I know that I am still here because of Him.

 

I struggle with this, why God did you save me?

I struggle with this, God what is it that you want me to do?

 

I know that I want to serve you. I know that I want to make a difference. I know that I am saved for a purpose on purpose.

I know that I am trusting you. Lead me and guide me.

I will share more soon.