The Lights, The Lights, The Lights...

Most of the time when I get ready to write a blog, I have some alone time with God (usually while doing dishes or going somewhere because I am a multi-tasker to a fault), and that inspires me to pour some of the overflow of my heart through my keyboard and onto... the internet? Yes. Onto this blog. Why? Because it helps me to process and remember things better. Also because many times I have read someone's blog and been inspired, moved, or motivated, just by their everyday life. So I pay it forward.
Also to help keep me inspired. I often have some dessert and a glass of milk next to me. I'll grab that in a sec. Sugar keeps me going. Haha.
So yesterday marked the nine year anniversary of when my husband and I got married. Many people go on a romantic date on their anniversary. We didn't. Instead we packed the kids up and drove 2 hours to the other side of the island and spent the day in Hilo! The free zoo there was fun and after lunch we went to a little place called Coconut Island. You walk over on a foot bridge and there is a very small island with areas to swim. Afterwords we walked around in a beautiful garden that had MANY mosquitoes. It was over all a very good day. My favorite part though was on the way back. The road that goes across the island is called Saddle Road and reaches an elevation of 6,600 feet. You go up, up, up... and then come back down. On this road is where  you can access the visitors center and the observatory on the dormant volcano; Mauna Kea. (The Tallest mountain in the world).
Let me paint the picture for you.
All three kids are asleep in the back seat, We see the last of the sun go down behind the mountains and it's light disappears. We are out in the middle of nowhere on this road that has no street lights, and we have Coldplay playing softly.
The stars were AMAZING. If we thought our little wind up car could have climbed the hill we would have gone to the observatory, but even from our car we could see the stars so well. Beautiful.
I could have looked at them forever. It just blows your mind to see the heavens and how amazing they are. Two feelings went through me. First I felt so small and insignificant, and He felt SO BIG.
How excellent is Your name in all the earth, Who have set Your glory above the heavens! When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained, What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him? PSALM 8:1,3-4

Then I felt... so loved. Who am I that He is mindful of me? But He IS. Who am I that He would speak to me? But He DOES. Because of Him, I am significant. This meme that  you see popping up all over Facebook, just became so real for me. Sometimes we desperately need to go somewhere new and gain fresh perspective on life. I had become so stuck in my little world that I lost sight of the big picture. I am so grateful for the beauty of creation that is always testifying to the greatness of it's Creator. 
'

Salt and Light

Seasons change, life changes, people change... We have gone through so many changes this last year, and as 2016 starts, we find ourselves rolling with the tides of change once again. On March 8^th we will be hopping another plane, headed back to the University of the Nations in Kona Hawaii! I prayed for favor when looking for our plane tickets, and God did even better than just giving us a good price for tickets (we found a great price!), but we also found out that our miles covered two tickets! So blessed and thankful. Last time when we flew to HI it was with two little kids in tow. This time, we have three!

In September of 2015 Nathaniel finished the film school and internship at the U of N, and when we return we will both be staff with this school. I have no experience working with film but I can help in the areas of mentoring or administration. As we have described the vision of being in the film industry, and working with people who are in that field and do not yet know who Jesus is, the word that we are called to be Salt to the Earth and Light to the World is brought up over and over. This is what the School of Digital Film making is all about. Teaching people how to be good at what they do, but also how to be in that industry, making a positive influence on those they work with. Also how to make good quality films that reflect Godly values. Being staff, Nathaniel will get the chance to gain even more experience working in film and of course help the students as well. Our plan is to be there a year and from there, who knows!? Psalms 119:105 'Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.' If you think about it, a lamp doesn't shine very far ahead, but it shows you your next steps, and that is just what we need. Because when we know God is guiding our steps, then we know we will end up in the right place. Our journey is never boring and sometimes challenging, but it's exciting to be traveling in the will of God.

Here is where I ask for prayer. Please pray for our trip back. This is about 18 hours of traveling and will be Alinah's first time flying so... lots of prayer is needed! Also prayer for grace as we transition once again. We will miss being with my mom and dad and closer to family. The kids especially will have to adjust again to the different time zone and living quarters and that can be rough. Nathaniel will need to find a job on top of everything, and we will be looking for a car and eventually an apartment off campus. Another prayer request we have is for more monthly supporters. The more financial support we have, the more Nathaniel will be able to focus full time on the ministry and developing new projects.

We have been so grateful for the support and love we have received during this time we have spent back on the mainland. It has been such a good time for us to adjust to being a family of five and for our kids to get to know my parents better. It was also really special to be able to have our baby here, with my mom delivering. As hard as it is to leave, we are really excited about getting back into the ministry, and settling into our new routine. It's always a new adventure and we love to take you guys with us though the journey. It's always amazing to see what God is going to do next and such a privilege to be able to be a part of it! I pray that in this new year you will see God's blessings each day. Each day is a new start and His mercies are new every morning!

Blessings from the Tracy Family!

Nathaniel, Elizabeth, Kaleigh, Gideon, and Alinah

Send offerings and support to:

Good News Christian Center, 2293 Prairie Ave. Beloit, WI 53511.

Make checks payable to: GNCC with the memo saying 'support for Nathaniel and Elizabeth Tracy'.

Or go to www.paypal.com, press: 'Send Money' and enter: soccer_g_p@yahoo.com

Dimly Lit City

I'm sitting here and it is quiet.

No big deal you say? Ohhhh but if only I had a sound recording of the constant chatter, laughing, screaming, yelling, crying and scolding that goes on in this house. Sometimes I wish I could wear ear plugs around the house and live in ignorant bliss! But now that would be irresponsible. So thankful for a moment of silence while baby sleeps and Hubby is out with the kids. I am wondering if he could see me slowly going insane? Nah.

This last month I have been thinking about the name we chose for baby A. Her name means 'Shining Light of Life'. We don't just chose our names on a whim, we pray about it and talk about it together. This will be their name all of their life and God will call them by this name! It is a big deal to us. I kept coming back to the name meaning 'Shining Light'. We picked the variation of that name that we liked the best and then started the search for her middle name. My husband found it, and I was excited. It was perfect! In so many ways I feel her name is a prophesy in itself. I imagine her shining God's light to every one. Of course I was more imagining that this would happen as she got older and grew to love God. But even now she brings such joy to so many people!

Maybe people in North Carolina like babies more than people in Wisconsin... no I don't think that's it. Maybe it's been so long since I carried a tiny baby around that I forgot what it's like. That's possible. But everywhere I go it seems that someone stops me to comment on how beautiful A is, how small she is, "I thought you were carrying a doll!", how sweet, how precious, such a gift...
It's amazing! I really feel as though I am stopped twice as often with this baby than I ever was with the other two. Of course my other two kids were super cute and adorable and I love them to death. But I really do feel as though there is something about little A that just shines. She brings joy to people. Unless she has gas. Then she is REALLY grumpy.

Babies naturally draw attention. They remind people of new life, that life goes on, that God still does miracles (if babies aren't miracles, I don't know what is!), and they make people remember. For some people they are painful memories but for most I believe it brings joyful memories. I hope so. I see joy on people's faces as they look at Little A. I think babies naturally shine God's light. If we were to truly surrender to God and let his light pierce through our darkness and pour out of us, then people would be drawn to that light. I know people who just seem to shine with the love of God! And people are drawn to that. I want to to shine! Not so people see me, but so they see God's light, hope and love. If I am always thinking of myself. (Which I am ashamed to admit that I am often doing just that), then God's light in my will be very dim. 

"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden." Matthew 5:14 NASB

Imagine someone  tired and weary, they have been driving for hundreds of miles and know if they don't get some gas soon they will be out and then they will be stuck. They keep praying for help and for a town and then they see, up on a hill, the dimmest of lights. Could that be it? Is that really a town? It doesn't look like anyone really lives there. Feeling helpless, they drive on. 

Sure, it was a town, it was a city on a hill. But that city was so focused inward that the shining light of hope was but a dim flicker. How often is our light just a flicker. How easily can Satan just "phh" it out? 

'This little light of mine,

I'm gonna let it shine. 

This little light of mine,

I'm gonna let it shine. 

This little light of mine,

I'm gonna let it shine. 

Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine!'

Lord let your light so shine in my life, and the lives of my family that people see rays of hope! Pierce through the darkness in this world and bring life!