Month: July 2016

Love in Action

Love in Action

by Tracey Buckley ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

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Daily Reading

1 Corinthians 13:1-7

Daily Devotional

I was driving to work this morning and I had a thought about Love in Action.

What does Love in Action look like?

What does Love in Action look like to you?

I went to visit a church on Sunday and the message was about the scripture 1 Corinthians 13:1-7.

The message was about loving people and how it is easy to love people who are like minded, who we get along with.

The Pastor spoke about seeing people with the eyes of Jesus.

To be honest that can be challenging, but I have been thinking about it today. What if we saw someone, looked past their challenging ways and saw their potential, saw what they could become?

What if we chose to journey with that person, what if we saw their value when they couldn’t even see their value.

What if we took the time to listen to them, to encourage them to just be there for them?

What would that look like, how would that person feel?

Who know what a difference you could make to that one person.

I know that God is the God of second chances and I have definitely been given a second chance.

I would probably not be where I am today if it hadn’t been for friends who had journeyed with me. Who saw me stuck in an illness but still chose to look beyond that, they chose to invest in a person who was lost, who was wounded and who thought that she had no value.

I would also not be here if it was not for a Doctor who saw me and not a girl with and eating disorder. He saw someone with value, with purpose and with potential. He chose to invest and show Love in Action. He embraced the whole meaning of Love in Action.

We may not see the end result but we can be part of a team that invests, that shows someone Love in Action.

Is there someone that comes to your mind that you can show Love in Action?

Pray for wisdom, pray for guidance and ask God who he would like you to show Love in Action too. It could be one random act of kindness that changes someone’s day.

We may never know how we have impacted on someone’s lives, but they will remember.

You can make a difference.

traceybuckley

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What Stops Us?

What Stops Us?

by Tracey Buckley ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

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I have been thinking for a while now about a few things that I what to do.

There are two ideas that I will share with you.

One thing that has I am very passionate about is speaking and sharing my journey. I have spoken about it a few times. The last time that I spoke in church was Mother’s Day last year.

I was at a small church then and I was asked by the Pastor to speak about celebrating women. I thought it was interesting being that I am single and have no children. I was grateful for the opportunity and the message was called Arise and Shine Beautiful One. I loved speaking.

I have my speaking bio all ready to go, I just need to send it out.

I feel that this is the right time for me now.

So what is stopping me?

My second thing that I have been wanting to do is to start a support group for women going through an eating disorder.  This has been on my heart for a while now. Yesterday I was researching what other states in Australia are doing. I have also been looking at what other countries are doing. Then my thought went to how can I support women financially is there something that we could set up to here in Perth. I am still looking at this idea.

So again I ask what is stopping me?

Do you have a list of projects, ideas that you want to do?

So what is stopping you-

  • Is it fear?
  • Is it taking that first step?
  • Is it being brave and making that phone call?

Do you need a mentor?

Do you need someone to encourage you?

Beautiful one let me encourage you.

I am making a decision today to step out and to do one thing to help me to get closer to my goal.

What is something that you can do today to take a step closer to something that you want to achieve.

Let’s begin this journey together.

What stops us, today nothing stops us.

Be Brave.

traceybuckley

 

Let It Go

Let It Go

by Tracey Buckley ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

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Yesterday I went to visit a friend and I haven’t been to her house before. Now if you know me I am not very good at following directions or reading a map. I also don’t have a GPS. I know it is something that I need to look at getting.

I picked up my niece on the way and we made it to my friend’s house with only two stops to look at the road map.

Now the issue for me is that I concentrate so well on getting to the place, that I am not thinking about how to get home.

So it was raining and we had the soundtrack of Frozen playing in the car.

My niece is in the back of the car singing and not worrying about anything much at all. I hear the occasionally Aunty Tracey can you put that song on again, can you turn it up.

I turn down a wrong street and I am saying to her does this look like the way we came.

She said no and still singing Let It Go. I think that she is busy being in the production of Frozen.

So I turn back and I can feel the frustration and anxiety rising up in me.

I stop and then I look at the road map again and the streets aren’t very well signed. (Looking for a ooh poor thing here).

So I turn the car around and I am thinking that this girl my beautiful niece in the back is trusting me she is not worried at all that I am having a little freak out moment (quietly in my head) about trying to get us home.

She is completely trusting me and singing very loudly now to Do You Want to Build A Snowman.

It is getting darker and the rain is coming down heavier now.

So I have to trust myself that this road I have decided to drive down will lead up to the main road.

I am looking at buildings, at paddocks trying to see if anything looks familiar. I have a little moment that I am thinking I am on the right road.

I said to my niece does this look familiar?

She looks around but keeps singing.

We finally make it to the main road where I know exactly how to get home.

It made me think that how many times in our lives when we say we place our trust in God and then we are having our own little lost moments. We are having our own little anxious moments.

I sometimes am thinking am I on the right road that would lead me to what he wants me to do?

How beautiful would it be just to sing and know that He has everything in control?

To totally trust Him and go where He wants to lead us.

To fully surrender.

I think for me this is a journey that I am discovering myself.

I need to trust and just like my niece sing-

LET IT GO…

And yes we did make it home maybe a bit later, all good.

traceybuckley

 

Be Encouraged Brave Warrior

Be Encouraged Brave Warrior

by Tracey Buckley ♥ 2 Comments

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Today as I was home cooking I really felt that I wanted to encourage women (and men) who are walking through recovery.

I wanted to encourage you that deciding to overcome an eating disorder it not an easy decision.

I really wanted to encourage you and say that you are brave.

You are probably thinking no I’m not, I am nowhere near being brave.

You are probably thinking she is not talking about me?

But yes I am?

I am talking to you beautiful brave warrior.

You have made a decision to recover and that is being brave.

You are brave warrior because maybe you chose to-

  • Get out of bed this morning
  • Followed your meal plan
  • Asked for help
  • Kept your appointment with your counsellor, therapist
  • Let someone know that you are struggling
  • Decided to be real with someone about how you are feeling
  • Had breakfast
  • Laughed
  • May have cried
  • Went out for a coffee with a friend
  • Chose to ignore the negative thoughts
  • Wrote in your journal
  • Prayed
  • Read
  • Went food shopping
  • Listened to music that inspired you
  • Stopped and just breathed

Maybe you have been brave in your own way.

Maybe you even thought about doing something on the list above and that is okay.

Sometimes even thinking about doing something is a step towards recovery.

Every day is a step forward to recovery.

Be kind to yourself.

Beautiful Brave Warrior

traceybuckley

A Weekend Away

A Weekend Away

by Tracey Buckley ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

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I was asked if I wanted to go on a retreat last week, I wasn’t too sure at first. Then I had thought about just saying yes to new adventures so I went. At first I was only going to stay one night then I ended up staying the whole weekend.

I only knew one person going there was 7 of us all together.

I was so grateful that my friend drove.

So I met 5 new amazing women and I loved the weekend.

The weekend was full of walking to the beach, eating, drinking coffee, chatting and laughing.

I also had the most amazing coffee. As you may know I love coffee and the place we went to was Spill the Beans.

I kept on raving about my coffee.

The place where we stayed was right across the road from the beach, the view from the house was amazing.

I love the sound of the beach, there is something so soothing to me.

I was so determined on Saturday that I wanted to go for a work in the afternoon and to just sit on the beach and think.

Well the weather on Saturday was quite stormy, but I remained hopeful.

We did end up going for a walk on Saturday late afternoon. The weather was still windy and it looked like it would rain.

It was freezing but in a way exhilarating. We did go to the beach and the roaring of the waves was quite loud.

Then it poured, the rain was stinging my face.

We did it though the walk was achieved.

We spent Saturday night playing board games, I loved laughing and just being in the moment.

We do need time to take time to get away from our everyday life.

We need time to just be and enjoy being in the moment.

I loved the whole weekend.

traceybuckley

 

 

Be Still

Be Still

by Tracey Buckley ♥ 2 Comments
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Weekend Away -Picture by Kylie 

Daily Reading

Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted

among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!

Psalm 46:10

Daily Devotional

I don’t know about you but I find it really difficult to be still. I find it really difficult to still my thoughts some days.

I think that I am a lot better when I am consumed with helping others.

I am discovering on this journey that when I am busy, my focus is on others. Which is okay.

Now I am on holidays and It is just me.

Aaahh!

I don’t know if you have ever felt like this?

Anxiety can sometimes overtake our thoughts; it can stop us from walking into the good things that God has for us.

It makes us want to stay in bed with the covers pulled over our head (some days).

Anxiety overwhelms us, it can overtake us it can paralyse us with fear.

Anxiety can feel likes electricity running through your body.

Anxiety brings fear and then you can spiral into those catastrophizing thoughts.

What if…………?

But stop!!

I am speaking to myself here as well.

Do you want to be still and have peace?

Do you want to be still and know that whatever you are going through that there is help?

Do you want to be still and be okay with that?

We are not meant to live a life full of worry.

Replace those worries, concerns with what God’s word says about you. Speak these over your life.

For God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and of love and of sound mind. 2Timothy 1:7

I love 2Timothy 1:7 it is comforting and it is encouraging.

Be kind to yourself.

This is a journey and we are a work in progress.

I am still working at being in the moment, just focusing on what is happening now.

He will give us the grace to help us.

Be still beautiful one and know that you are not alone.

Be still beautiful one I am praying for you.

Be still beautiful one for you are worth it.

Be Still.

traceybuckley

 

When Your Thoughts Are Ruining Your Life

When Your Thoughts Are Ruining Your Life

by Tracey Buckley ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

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Daily Reading

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

Daily Devotional

So I have been thinking about when you have those negative thoughts that bombard you.

You know the ones that say-

  • You are not good enough
  • You cannot do anything right
  • You will never be any good
  • You are a fraud
  • You are useless
  • You don’t deserve to have a good life
  • You don’t deserve…………….

And then there are the what ifs……….

Worry, worry and more worry.

I know them well.

Those are the thoughts of condemnation and shame.

This is not what God thinks about you.

He wants you to be made whole and well.

Yes you might have made mistakes, yes you might have upset someone, yes you are still on the journey.

Yes you might be regretting things that you have said and done.

What do we do when the thoughts are consuming us?

Pray give them over to God and let him heal you.

Read His word and see what He says about you.

Let His peace be over your mind today.

Be anxious for nothing.

Read that again.

You will get through this.

I love that we are a work in progress.

Today make yourself a nice cup of tea or coffee and just breathe.

Just breathe.

traceybuckley

 

Psalm 23

Psalm 23

by Tracey Buckley ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

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Daily Reading

Psalm 23

Daily Devotional

Today I woke up feeling somehow different, I think that I have parked for a little too long in valley of sorrow, shame, loss and grief.

Instead of walking through the valley of the shadow of death I have been camping there.

I am not really a camping girl so that is why it was feeling uneasy, that is why it was feeling uncomfortable and wrong.

Maybe it had a bit to do with being tired and exhausted.

Maybe it had to do with it being the end of a very busy school term.

Maybe it had to do with being vulnerable.

Maybe it had to do with me losing a bit of myself.

Maybe it had to do with me thinking about and longing for the desires of my heart.

Maybe I had to spend a bit of time there trying to restore my heart and get it right.

Maybe it had to do with me thinking about shame.

I have been reading Psalm 23 and it says He restores my soul and leads me in the paths of righteousness.

This morning I woke up with that belief that what the enemy meant to destroy me, I have decided to fight back.

The word Warrior has been just coming up in my thinking. It has been coming up in my conversation with others.

A Warrior a strong confident Godly woman.

In Psalm 23 it says I will fear no evil.

I am declaring this over my life.

How are you going Warrior Woman, how are you travelling?

Is there something that you need prayer for?

Is there something that you would like a breakthrough in?

God has an amazing purpose for your life, step into it.

Let’s begin on the journey together today.

traceybuckley

 

 

The Joy of the Lord

The Joy of the Lord

by Tracey Buckley ♥ 2 Comments

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Daily Reading

The joy of the Lord is your strength. Nehemiah 8:10

Daily Devotional

I love the scripture the joy of the Lord is my strength.

I have been sorting through my journals of when I was going through having an eating disorder and I came across a sentence that I had written.

The sentence was- “You know I haven’t had a good laugh in ages.”

At that time in my life there wasn’t anything to laugh about there wasn’t anything that brought me joy.

I wrote this in 2006 which was a really difficult year.

I had returned from going to Melbourne where I had attended a program for 3 weeks. I had to get a medical certificate from my GP to actually fly there. That was how unwell I was. Although I couldn’t see it myself.

I was blessed to be able to stay in a beautiful unit at no cost at all. Three whole weeks and the unit had everything even heated floors. I don’t know who the person was but I was grateful as I didn’t have to worry about the cost of my accommodation.

The program was amazing but coming back to Perth I didn’t have the same support and of course I relapsed.

Even though my weight was low I really should have been in hospital, I felt so heavy.

I wanted to be happy, I wanted to be that confident girl who could just be at peace with herself.

I wanted to laugh and not worry what other people thought of me.

Joy took a while to come back into my life.

Now I laugh every day, sometimes at myself.

My laugh is loud and I make no apology about it.

I am discovering the joy in the little things.

There was a long time in my life where I didn’t laugh and now I am making up for it.

Let me encourage you, your joy will come back.

You will laugh again, you will find that life is amazing.

Look for joy in the little things.

Joy will find you.

traceybuckley