traceymetzger

Ordinary Courage

March 25, 2013 / in Courage, Depression, Encouragement, Faith, Leadership, Perseverance, Uncategorized / by traceymetzger

Yesterday in church my pastor read a verse that I’ve probably read a thousand times before. I have read it before without any particular revelation. But this time it really spoke to me.

Acts 4:13 ~ When they saw the COURAGE of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.

This is my year to BE BRAVE and to encourage other to BE BRAVE, so every time I hear the word courage I pay attention. But “courage” was not what jumped out at me the most. What really captured my heart were the words “unschooled” and “ordinary.”

When I was melting down at the end of last year I spent some time journaling one morning trying to get to the bottom of all of the things that were bothering me. (There were quite a few!)

One of the things I was dealing with was a disconnection between my true authentic self and who I thought I needed to be in order to be worthy of my position as leader of FTGI.

So I made a list. I listed all the things I thought a leader of a faith-based women’s organization should be and I rated myself. I quickly realized that I didn’t measure up.

I won’t go into all of the items, but I listed that she (the leader) should have credentials. An education or some kind of schooling that qualified her to teach. Or maybe a master’s degree in social work, psychology or counseling…something. I went to college for a year and a half and quit.

I listed that she should have unwavering faith. I question and I doubt and I have to pray that God will help me in my unbelief…a lot. More than I think a leader should.

The list went on and although I met some of my made-up requirements overall, I fell short. As I stared at the list I heard God whisper to me that the list was mine not His. In fact He doesn’t even have a list.

He called me and that is enough.

He called Peter and John…two ordinary, unschooled men. He gave them COURAGE and that was enough to become history makers. It was enough for them to change the world and do things that astonished people!!

What has God called you to do that you feel under-qualified for? Throw your list away, have COURAGE and go change your world!

Embracing Imperfection

March 21, 2013 / in Depression, Faith, Relationships, Stress / by traceymetzger

While we’re on the subject of things that don’t define you let’s talk about failure. I am not good at this. Well, actually I’m pretty good at failing I’m just not good at handling it.

I’m sure nobody likes it, but there is a certain sector of the population that has been stricken with perfectionism and they have a particular aversion to failing. When they fail it makes their skin crawl and their insides shake, causing them to wish that the earth would open up and swallow them. That kind of aversion.

Apparently I belong to that sector.

Several years ago I made a bad judgment call. It led to a misunderstanding and the result was an upset in a relationship that I valued greatly. I wasn’t the only one at fault, I felt wronged also and the whole thing made me mad at everyone involved. But mostly with myself. I should have known better. If only I had made a different decision. If only I had listened to my first instinct. If only, if only, if only. But I didn’t. I had failed.

I apologized for my lack of good judgment. The others apologized for theirs and I forgave everyone involved. Except myself.

This gets really psycho- babble-ish but stay with me here…

I was angry with myself. I didn’t even realize I was doing this but I projected my own disappointment with myself to God. If I was disappointed in me…then He must be disappointed too. Letting that fester for too long ended up with me feeling very disconnected from Him. That is not a good place to be.

It was all over a really small incident but that’s what perfectionism does. It exaggerates and accuses.

Here is how Wikepedia describes it:

Perfectionism, in psychology, is a personality trait characterized by a person’s striving for flawlessness and setting excessively high performance standards, accompanied by overly critical self-evaluations and concerns regarding others’ evaluations.

As I grew through this process I redefined perfectionism for myself as it pertains to me.

Perfectionism – a personality trait caused by pride in which I think that I am above failing which is not realistic so when I fail as I inevitably do I decide that I will take the place of God and judge myself for my shortcomings therefore negating the redemptive work of the cross.

That definitely doesn’t sound as noble as the first definition. Yet, that is ultimately what I am saying when I don’t extend grace to myself for failure. If God is forgiving and graceful who am I to not extend that same grace to myself? (This works when we judge others too but that’s another blog for another day)

Ironically the one who is Perfect does not expect us to be perfect. He came to redeem our imperfection!

Failure does not define you.

Just because you fail it does not mean that you are a failure. It means that you are human. Bring your imperfections to the cross and let the redemptive blood of Jesus do it’s work.

Be kind to yourself and embrace your imperfection.

Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. ~ Romans 3:24 NLT

BTW – If you’d like to receive my blogs to your email you can go to the top right and put your email address in the box that says FOLLOW MY BLOG VIA EMAIL.

What doesn’t kill you makes you STRONGER!

March 20, 2013 / in Uncategorized / by traceymetzger

What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.

We’ve all heard that saying but I’d like to add to that and say… it also doesn’t define you.

We all have “what”s in our lives. Those things that have been so hard to endure that they have threatened to kill us. Maybe not kill us physically but emotionally.

In my worst times of depression I felt like I was fighting for my life. Not my physical life. But I was fighting for the life I want to live. The life that I know I can have. A life filled with joy and hope and purpose.

Knowing that depression doesn’t define me has been critical in helping me to rise above it.

I don’t like the idea that I am even associated with depression because it goes against everything I know I am. Depression is associated with hopelessness and lack of interest and lack of joy. But I am a joyful, hopeful and purposeful person. So even though I am experiencing those other emotions I constantly remind myself of the joy and the hope I know I have even if I can’t access them at that time. And I remind myself that I will get through it and I will be even stronger than I was before.

Your “what” may be different from mine. You may be dealing with a difficult marriage or financial problems. Maybe you suffer from anxiety or issues from a haunting past that you are working through. These are all “what”s. They are things that you go through ~ they are not who you are.

I am not a depressed person. I am a person who, at times, suffers from depression. Separating the two has been very important to me.

Romans 8:28 brings it all into perspective.

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger…and it doesn’t define you…and God will work it into His plan for you and in the end…it will be good!

About

March 18, 2013 / in About / by traceymetzger

Through various avenues, Tracey spends her days connecting with women of all ages and walks of life and inviting them into a sisterhood of love, support, and encouragement. She loves meeting women and hearing their stories. Whether you’re attending an FTGI event, reading her blog, or sitting across the table from her at Starbucks, you will find yourself utterly engaged in what Tracey has to say. You will also feel loved and understood. Her willingness to share her personal experiences and thoughts allows for any woman of any background to receive a message that is relatable, relevant, and motivational.

I’d like to thank…

February 25, 2013 / in Uncategorized / by traceymetzger

I love to watch the Academy Awards but I am so thankful for DVR technology and the ability to fast forward through the boring parts! There are highlights though, like the amazing performance of “One Day More” by the cast of the movie Les Miserables! Goose bumps!

Jennifer Lawrence accepting Oscar for Best Actress

One thing that jumped out to me this year was a recurring theme in the acceptance speeches. It’s something I’ve always known, of course, but it really stood out to me this year. They almost always begin with…”I’d like to thank…” Then they go on to list all the people that contributed to their success or supported them in some way. We cannot accomplish great things without the support and help of the people around us.

This morning I spent some time being thankful for those people in my life that have supported me and cheered me on through good and bad times and have inspired me to reach high and not settle.

Practicing thankfulness is such an important ingredient in the recipe for joy and contentment. Even on my darkest days I could always find something or more importantly someone to be thankful for.

Who are you thankful for today? Who has supported you along your journey?

Sometimes it’s good to say it out loud.

Roadblocks

February 18, 2013 / in Uncategorized / by traceymetzger

Since my last post on January 31st I have been experiencing a bout of writer’s block. (I know – I haven’t even gotten started yet and I have writer’s block- yikes!) Right after I “put it out there” that I would be sharing my story I got stuck. I have tried to analyze what has been going on inside my head and I have realized that it boils down to these two things:

#1) I really don’t know where to begin
and
#2) I am afraid.

Then I had a revelation. It occurred to me that these two roadblocks are common to many of us who are embarking on a new leg of our journey. So in the spirit of transparency I thought I’d share how I am dealing with these obstacles.

As for #1 ~ It is very difficult to embark on a journey when you aren’t sure exactly where you are going. Yet, when we are living a life of faith this is often what is required. God plants a dream inside of our heart and calls us out but the path is frequently unclear. That is why He tells us over and over to “Be strong and courageous!” That command comes with a comforting promise that He will be with us wherever we go! (Joshua 1:9) He will actually whisper directions to us along the way.

To combat the first issue I had to embrace the fact that every journey begins with one step. One step leads to another and before you know it, you have momentum. So, my one step is writing this piece today and in doing so I am no longer standing still but moving forward.

As for #2 ~ Fear is a strong emotion and an opponent to every dreamer. It causes us to want to run back to our comfort zone and play it safe.

In order to overcome the second obstacle I had to consider the stakes. If I don’t follow through and share what I believe is a story of hope then there may be someone out there who will remain hopeless. By keeping my story to myself, I could retain my pride and exercise my right to privacy, but I would do it at the risk of someone else having to navigate the dark hallways of depression without some glimmer of light. It is a risk I am not willing to take and that helps me move beyond the fear.

What is at stake if you do not embark on your journey? What is it that holds you back? What one step could you take today to get moving? I’d love to hear your thoughts and how you deal with the roadblocks!

My journey to BRAVE.

January 31, 2013 / in Courage, Depression, Encouragement, Faith, Fear / by traceymetzger

A journal given to me by my sweet friend who is one brave chick!

In July of 2012 a friend and I took our girls to see the newest Disney movie. We sat chatting through the previews and then without much notice the movie started. The movie had already been playing for a few minutes when the one-word title exploded onto the screen and as it did something inside of me leapt. I know that sounds strange. It seemed strange to me also but I knew immediately that there was something significant about the word…BRAVE.

Part of my role at For the Girls International is to cast vision and lay out themes our conferences and events. When we went to see the movie we were smack dab in the middle of the planning for our 2012 conference but in that instant I knew the theme for 2013 just had to be – BE BRAVE!

What I didn’t know was that a few months from then I would experience a life event that would begin an unraveling that I could not stop no matter how hard I tried. I have been through episodes of depression in my life before but despite every effort to pull it together on my own in October of 2012, I came undone.

I didn’t realize back in July that God was about to require me to embark on a brave journey. That in order to inspire others to be brave with their lives I would first have to be brave with mine.

I have always believed that our stories are not for us to keep to ourselves but to share. We are all connected on this journey of life. I know very well that it takes time to work up the courage to share parts that may make us feel vulnerable and exposed. But it is there, in that place of transparency and vulnerability that real connection occurs. It is there that hearts heal together.

There is a time and a place for everything and I believe it is time for me to share more of my story. And my hope is that it can help someone else heal. So here’s to being brave together!

Inscription inside my journal

A little heart to heart

October 29, 2012 / in Depression, Encouragement, Faith, Grief, Rest, Uncategorized / by traceymetzger

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters.
He restores my soul. Psalm 23: 1-3

Can we have a little heart to heart?

It has been a crazy six weeks for me. Within that time I lost my mom and then headed straight into FTGI’s biggest event of the year, our Awaken Conference. Both events had their own brand of stress. Losing my mom was an emotional roller coaster. I was happy for her, sad for me and lots of other emotions in between. The conference (which was amazing by the way) was an emotional and spiritual high – a good kind of stress, the kind I love and crave, but stress nonetheless.

And now…

I am in need of rest. In need of renewed strength…body, soul and spirit.

So I’m waving the white flag and retreating for a little bit. I just wanted to let you know where I went. I’ll be taking a short break from blogging and other things in order to recharge. You understand, right?

We all get weary. We all lose strength at times. Thankfully we have promises to hold onto and therefore we have HOPE. You may be weary too, for your own reasons. Take heart and know that renewed strength is promised but sometimes you need to slow down long enough to grasp it. Allow Him to lead you by the quiet waters and restore your soul. That is where I will be.

He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40: 28-30

I’ll be back soon…

Lots of Love,

Tracey

Good ideas vs. God ideas

October 16, 2012 / in Faith, Leadership / by traceymetzger

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. Isaiah 55:8

There have been several times in my life when I have pursued a “good thing” but for one reason or another the plan has fallen apart. This can be bitterly disappointing.

Here’s the thing:

Not every good idea is a God idea.

Oftentimes we are presented with a good thing and we pursue it because, well, it’s a good thing!! But it is important to make sure it is actually God’s plan for us.

As our team planned for this year’s FTGI Awaken conference we were presented with the opportunity to bring in a well-known Christian singer. It sounded like a good idea. Actually, is was a great idea. When the contract fell through we started looking for big name speakers to fill the spot, because that sounded like a good idea. Eventually when all those avenues were cut off we realized that maybe, just maybe God didn’t want us to bring in anybody.

And as Marilyn Monroe once said, “Sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together.” We didn’t have any big name speakers or well known singers but we had an intimate gathering of beautiful women and girls from across Tampa Bay and beyond, hungry for a touch from God and ready to be set free.

What happened in Clearwater this weekend was so beautiful. Friendships were forged, lives were touched and I was reminded once again that His ways are not our ways but they are always better in the end.

Do you need to let go of some “good thing” in your life. Rest assured, if that is the case, something better is just around the corner.

Priceless!

God has got you covered!

September 28, 2012 / in Encouragement, Faith / by traceymetzger

When life throws you a curveball it is helpful to remember that God is not surprised. He is not up in heaven observing your life, pacing heaven and wringing His hands. I had a moment a couple weeks ago when I found myself bringing the timing of my crisis to God’s attention as if He didn’t know. As if it was off His radar. And then I remembered.

The Creator of the Universe, the God that hung the stars and the moon knows every intimate detail of my life and He is right there hemming me in. I love the picture that conjures up. He surrounds me on every side and His hand is there to guide me.

Wherever you are today, take comfort in the fact that regardless of what you may be facing, He is right there with you and His right hand will guide you and hold you! Lean into Him today.

You have searched me, Lord,
and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue
you, Lord, know it completely.
You hem me in behind and before,
and you lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.

Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.

Psalm 139:1-10 (read the whole chapter here)

Prev 1…7 8910 11…16 Next

Posts by traceymetzger