Traci Rhoades: Abiding in Christ, Even on Shaky Ground

Stories of Hope in Hard Times

Tracy Rhoades is an outspoken Christian woman who encourages unity among all Christian sects. We talk about the importance of loving and ministering to each other as we abide in Jesus Christ.

Episode Discussion Points

• As a Christian neighbor sometimes you have no idea how to help others (like when their cows get out) but you go and help anyway.
• How Traci grew up in a small town attending church and participating with friends in other churches & kept meeting different people from many religions which broadened her perspective of the body of Christ.
• The importance of having a spiritual toolbox of habits and practices for following Jesus at all times—but especially when life gets a little shaky
• A personal story of looking for a home for six years with a lot of “why God” moments and finally standing on what would soon be her property in rural Michigan and hearing a quiet voice in her soul whisper, “You’ll heal here.”
• How prayer, scripture and silence played a part in her healing
• Healing has layers
• No one likes to have the bottom drop out of life, but we always seem to appreciate the lessons learned through and after hard times happen
• Having "rhythms of spiritual practices" helps not only us but helps us know how to minister to other in their moments of need.
• Sometimes the best ministry for those who are struggling is simply the ministry of your presence—just be there
• Good prayers/phrases to say in shaky ground moments, “Oh Lord have mercy,” or “Oh Lord draw near.”
• What it means to “abide” with Jesus and how we do it on a daily basis
• What makes hard situations easier? "As we abide with Christ, He abides with us. And then you don’t ever go through shaky times alone.”
• Levels of relationships we can have with Jesus—and how Tracy wants ALL of Jesus she can receive in abundance.
• You can share all your emotions with God—and there is usually a Psalm that corresponds to the emotions you are feeling
• It is okay to write about the hard things you are experiencing and the emotions you feel
• The importance of unity among Christians
• “Christ is big enough for all of us."

Favorite Bible Verse

Proverbs 3:5-6—There are so many life truths packed in these two verses.

• Trust in the Lord—most of the anxiety and fear in the world come from a lack of trust in God (and in His timing)

Ministering Ideas

• if someone loses a loved one—mark the date in your calendar a year out and be sure to pray for, call, text or visit on that day
• Turn people to Jesus (not to you or the latest self-help book). We need His presence in those times more than anything else
• Be sensitive to how a grieving person is feeling “today” because grief ebbs and flows
• Be there to hug them—sometimes no other words are needed

Connect with Tracy

• Buy her new book, Shaky Ground, at any of the major bookstores or online or at bookshop.org (they give a proceed of the book to a local bookstore)
• Website: tracesoffaith.com
• check out her section on “All the Churches”
• She is also on Facebook, Instagram and her favorite—Twitter

#tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #shakyground #christian #jesuschrist #abideinChrist #unity #ministering

Transcription

You can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/traci-rhoades-abiding-in-christ-even-on-shaky-ground