Beulah Acres …and the Lord God planted a garden.

Hello all!

We’ve had some beautiful refreshing rain here last night and all day today! I noticed when I went out into the garden to take pictures that all of the colors are more vibrant and rich when they are saturated with the rain. It is just as when we are saturated in God’s anointing oil and glory; we are more vibrant and rich in countenance! The verse I found that stuck with me today is Isaiah 55:10-11

10“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
    and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
    giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
¹¹ so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
    it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
    and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

Every word He speaks into the atmosphere has a purpose, and none go unfulfilled. If He has said it, it will be! Take heart in this and let Him increase your faith. If you know and believe His word, then no lie from the enemy can shake your promises loose. This verse doesn’t say “it might accomplish,” or “it might succeed,” it declares that it SHALL be. No maybes or mights or doubts. So stand firm in your faith and promises and rejoice that His word is just as the rain – it will always come, and it will always satisfy the thirsty.

Please enjoy this little video and the photos! The music is called “Tamarack Pines” by George Winston.

Blessings!

Tracey

Hello all!

Last week we went to visit Chayil the camel and a new baby goat at the Davidson’s property in Sanger, TX. Pam had been asked a few times where Chayil was staying, so we decided to show you! Here’s a video and some photos of Chayil, Jack (the donkey) and all their goat friends (including the precious new addition, Gracie). Enjoy, and thank God for ALL of His wonderful creatures of the earth!

Blessings,

Tracey

Hello all!

This is just another batch of photos of my first outings with the macro lens. As you might be able to tell, I’ve been a little fixated on how the water looks close up. So cool! Enjoy!

Blessings,

Tracey

Shabbat Shalom all!

We acquired a macro lens for the camera this week, and today I got to play with it. I’ve been wanting one for a long time to shoot extreme close ups of things in the garden. Super close up (macro) photography might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I wanted to share with you the photos I took, and I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed taking them!

Blessings,

Tracey

Shabbat Shalom, All!

It has been pretty nippy here in Texas this week – though I’m sure those of you who live in colder climates would scoff at what we southerners call nippy. I gathered some pictures and videos Wednesday and today and wanted to share my walks with you. There was ice on the water features today and the sun came out long enough for me to get some beautiful footage! God never fails to direct me where to look for pretty shots, even when everything is brown and faded. I can walk out on the darkest and dreariest days and still come away with photos and videos worthy of sharing with all of you! All I have to do is walk out with my camera and ask God what He wants to share with all of you today.

It was overcast all morning, but as soon as I walked outside the sun came out and stayed out until I was finished. I walked back out a little later and it was overcast again! I feel that He was telling me that as long as you have an open heart and submit your will, He will always make a way for you. It is bitterly cold and spending time outside isn’t high on my “things I’d like to do” list, but I went out anyways and He made my time worth it. When we submit to His will and simply say, “Here I am Lord, send me!” He will always pour out His favor on you. So as you rest in His presence this shabbat, be still and know that He is there. Know that He is in every situation and every circumstance, and He is bursting at the seams to shower you with His favor and glory; all you have to do is open your heart and receive it.

Blessings!

Tracey

Happy New Year All!

I spent some time in the garden this morning waiting to catch snapshots of some of the birds and squirrels and such we have here. Please enjoy these photos of a few of God’s wonderful creatures!

Blessings,

Tracey

Hello all!

Yesterday I walked around and took some new photos of the garden, which is pretty bare right now as you can imagine. The weather was beautiful however, and I knew that I would be able to find beautiful pictures if I simply walked around and gave God the opportunity to show me things. This is so important as we enter in to the New Year and new season – even when it looks like you have nothing or can give nothing, if you just open your heart and give God the opportunity to show you the beauty in what you’re walking through, He will always show you where to look. I hope you all are able to join us on site or on the web for our Starting the Year Off Right conference, beginning tomorrow night with our evening of international worship. Bless you all, and rejoice that you are alive and well and ready to enter in to 2015!

Blessings,

Tracey

Merry Christmas All!

I hope each and every one of you has had an abundantly blessed holiday! Here is a video of the lights in the garden for you to enjoy as Christmas comes to a close. I hope your hearts are overflowing with joy and thanksgiving that God sent His only Son to be the brightest light in the darkness. I love you all!

Many blessings,

Tracey

Hello all!

This morning there was heavy fog around here and I had a field day taking photos of the garden and new land in it. I played around with some black and white editing as well, so you’ll see a lot of those. I hope you enjoy these photos as much as I enjoyed taking them! Fog really makes for some interesting and creative photos – you have to really zoom out and look at things from a wider perspective to see the beauty and contrast in what you’re looking at. If you’re looking too closely at one facet of your surroundings, everything just looks dreary and washed out. It made me think about how sometimes we focus too much on the small things, and how if we would just look at things from God’s perspective, we’d see that there is beauty in the bigger picture. I have to remind myself sometimes that God sees where we are from a much greater perspective, and where we are is part of His plan for the bigger picture of each of our lives and destinies. So thank God that even if we can’t see it, He sees everything and has a plan and a purpose for each of us.

Blessings,

Tracey

Shabbat Shalom All!

This Robert Frost poem, “Nothing Gold Can Stay,” came to mind this morning as I took photos outside my office –

Nature’s first green is gold
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf’s a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.

It reminded me of Isaiah 40:6-8 –

“All people are like grass,
and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field.
The grass withers and the flowers fall,
because the breath of the LORD blows on them.
Surely the people are grass.
The grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of our God endures forever.”

Watching the season set in and drain the color from nature really puts into perspective the stark contrast between God and His creation. Earthly things come and go so quickly, and time can taunt you sometimes. But I truly believe that this quiet, desaturated season is simply an opportunity to shift your eyes to the Creator and revel in His everlasting beauty. It reminds us that nothing in the earth outshines our God. Everything we see around us is temporary – but He is eternal. This season emphasizes this contrast, and makes it easier to focus our eyes where they should be focused.

As you look through these photos, take notice of what catches your eye immediately. It’s these splashes of remaining color and beautiful lingering rain drops that hold your focus and make you forget about the withering flowers and grass in the background. This is what God’s glory does for us! So declare Isaiah 40:6-8 and thank God that He NEVER fades!

Blessings,

Tracey