Author: Jackie Smith Bell

A Chat with Tracy Steel (Uncovering God’s Purpose When Life Doesn’t Go As Planned)

A Chat with Tracy Steel (Uncovering God’s Purpose When Life Doesn’t Go As Planned)

Posted on by Jackie Smith Bell

What happens when you find you are not living the life you designed? That’s the question today’s guest, my friend, Tracy Steel will be answering as we talk about finding peace in the pandemic, and her book A Redesigned Life: Uncovering God’s Purpose When Life Doesn’t Go as Planned.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL HEAR:

  • What Tracy learned from redefined lines in motherhood
  • What we can learn about spiritual life through the principles of interior design
  • Encouragement for when life doesn’t go as planned


KEY POINTS:

  • God is the master designer and has a plan that does not rest on our shoulders. 
  • Our identity in Christ allows us to balance our wise choices and unexpected circumstances. 
  • You are not alone. Others feel disappointed by life not going as planned. We can support one another in friendship, community and our faith. 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

WHERE YOU CAN FIND OUR GUEST:

The Eternal Dance

The Eternal Dance

Posted on by Jackie Smith Bell

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away. And He who sits on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’” Revelation 21:4-5 (ESV)

I could feel the softness of her voice that no longer spoke with clarity, as I laid my head on her chest.  I knew she was in pain. Tears began to stream down my face, as if a water valve had broken inside my heart.

Closing my eyes, my thoughts traveled down memory lane. It was summertime, and I was a seven-year-old little girl– bored out my mind. I had read two bookmobile books, played solitary, and ate several bowls of cereal. 

My mother took one look at me and said, ” Dede, let’s dance.” She turned on the music, placed my hand in hers and with each rhythmic step, our laughter sent my boredom blues packing. Such sweet memories. And, yet, as I laid there, I sensed my mother was slipping away.

I opened my eyes, took one look at her, grabbed my phone, turned on the music, and whispered, “Mother, let’s dance.” 

As I placed her hand in mine, I moved our hands back and forth, and watched my mother’s eyes dance with joy. Suddenly, I felt like that 7-year-old little girl, and this sweet moment, sent my blues packing.

The unrhythmic steps. The memories that lingered. The uncomfortable dance with time.

Let’s dance.

Today is the one-year hallmark of my mother’s transition to Heaven. Not one day goes by that I don’t think of her. I miss her deeply. I long to hear the melody of her voice and the cadence of her laughter.

But even amid this awkward place of her needing her, there’s a peaceful assurance inside my heart. An invitation. A knowing that I will see her face and dance with her again.

As I wake to another day of her absence, I anchor my thoughts on John 14:2,  

“In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you” (ESV).

When the memories play back, and the tears stream down my face, I find comfort in knowing there’s an eternal home, created by God, where my mother lives without pain.

Our key verse says, there’s no mourning, crying, or pain. All things are new. 

Y’all, I truly believe my mom is without pain and that she has implemented NEW rules for spontaneous dance breaks in Heaven.

If you’re like me, and you’re missing your loved one, today. Longing to see their face, or hear the laughter of their voice…

Can I encourage you with this truth? If your loved one accepted Christ, … you’ll see them again. Right now, there experiencing the joy of Heaven. A place where pain and tears are unpermitted.

Dear Lord, thank you for my beautiful mother and thank you for creating Heaven. Even though my heart aches, because I deeply miss her, I know she’s enjoying her eternal dance with You. Help me to reflect your kindness and share Your love with others so that I’ll have the opportunity to meet You and embrace my sweet mama and catch on to her new dance. In Jesus Name, Amen.

A Girl Boss Chat With Kia Stephens

A Girl Boss Chat With Kia Stephens

Posted on by Jackie Smith Bell

Dreams and goals seem to be a common topic in many of our conversations today. But if God were grading our dream and goal performance, what grade would you receive?

When it comes to being a good steward over your dreams and goals, have you nourished them responsibly– to ensure growth? Or, are your dreams malnourished, because of your tendency to shrink back — due to fear? 

If you’ve ever asked yourself any of these questions, and at this point, you’re still searching for answers, this podcast will surely enlighten you and help you cultivate good habits to pursue the dreams and goals entrusted to your hands.

In this episode, Kia Stephens and I discuss how we often pursue our dreams without seeking clarity from God. Thus, becoming disappointed when things don’t go as planned.

Kia is the founder of Entrusted Women.

With her faith and experience, she shares many of the practical lessons she’s learned as a faith base writer, speaker, and business owner.

Highlights from Today’s Episode:

  • maintaining a relationship with God.
  • managing your home.
  • marketing information that cultivates business growth.
  • creating vital space for women of color to pursue their dreams in writing, speaking, and their devotion to Christ.

Resources From Today’s Show:

Stay The Course, Mama

Stay The Course, Mama

Posted on by Jackie Smith Bell
Being a mom is an amazing gift. But the responsibility of shepherding your child’s heart through the confusion of this world can be hard.
 
In today’s cultural environment, it’s easy for motherhood to be reduced to a label, or a natural lifestyle. But if you asked five moms to tell you one attribute about motherhood, at least three of them would say, “motherhood is hard.” For most moms, motherhood is a (daily) look at love through exhausted eyes.
 
On this episode, my friend Keli Reese and I are discussing the importance of connecting with the Word of God, and staying the course through the hard seasons of motherhood.
 

Highlights from Today’s Episode:

  • Parenting is God’s unfinished work
  •  How to forgive yourself and your children.
  • The difference between Godly sorrow and guilt.
  • Creating time and space to commune with the Word of God in parenting, and the importance of a good support system on your journey of motherhood.

Quotes:

  • “The best way to point your children to God is to follow Him, and as your children watch you, they see God.” ~ Keli Reese
  • “When your purpose meets your passion, that’s the place where God wants you to be.”~ Keli Reese
  • ” Hard seasons of parenting may seem to overtake  you, but God never stops His rescue attempts to guide you with His everlasting love.” ~ Jackie Smith-Bell
  • “Faith is unseen, but we’re saying I need to hold on to it while you move it, and God is saying, I need you to let go of it, so I can expose it to you.”~ Jackie Smith-Bell

Resources From Today’s Show:

A Self Care Chat With Brittany Turner

A Self Care Chat With Brittany Turner

Posted on by Jackie Smith Bell

Do you ever find yourself providing care for others, before you make provisions for yourself?

If you are a wife, mom, sister, leader, or a girl who’s single,  I’d venture to say that your answer was “yes, ” because the role of caretaker is a natural attribute that a woman is given. It’s part of the way you were wired…right?

However, contrary to your normal tendencies to, first, take care of others , it’s important that you realize the value of taking care of yourself.

In today’s podcast, I talk to my friend Brittany Turner, wife, mommy, and follower of “all things Jesus,” about the value of self-care, and how we must intentionally make the investment– in order to be well in our mind, body, and spirit.

Friends, let’s face it,  none of us are immune to burn out!  When we don’t rest, and service the needs of our physical, and mental health, we don’t serve God well, or service the people that He has placed in our lives.

So, please join us, as we engage in a “well needed” conversation about  self-care!

Highlights from Today’s Episode:

  • Understanding God’s plan of rest.
  • Creating space to find your happiness.
  • Setting realistic expectations.
  • Remembering… “you aren’t God.”

Quotes:

  • ”The word can’t come out of you, if it isn’t planted inside of you.”  ~Brittany Turner
  • “The higher we go in Christ, the more our knees should bend in surrendering to Him”~ Brittany Turner
  • “God is not in this for our independence, He’s in this for our dependence… we have to trust Him.”~Brittany Turner
  • Selfcare reflects our willingness to serve God.” ~ Jackie Bell
  • “Anytime we don’t rest, we become cranky, and when we become cranky, we become vulnerable to loosing victories.”~Jackie Smith-Bell

Resources From Today’s Show

Holy Hustle

Holy Hustle

Posted on by Jackie Smith Bell

Have you ever wondered how you can hustle after your dreams and maintain a holy life? 

Have you become exhausted (desperately) trying to balance your faith, family, and your career? 
 
If you answered  “YES” to either of  those questions, then this podcast is for you!
 
In this episode with Crystal Stine, the author of Holy Hustle,  we chat about rest, achieving your dreams, honoring God with your gifts, and so much more!

Highlights from Today’s Episode:

  • Carving out space to commune with God.
  • How to rest and recharge.
  • The difference between striving and thriving.
  • The importance of boundaries in your personal and work life.

Quotes:

  • ” We can celebrate a job well done in the middle of doing a job well done.” ~Crystal Stine
  • “There’s worth in the work that you do, because God has assigned it to you.” ~ Crystal Stine
  • “Your dreams are never lost , you just have to seek God for direction.”~ Jackie Smith-Bell

Resources From Today’s Show 

God Has The Capacity To Show Up when you can’t

God Has The Capacity To Show Up when you can’t

Posted on by Jackie Smith Bell

How comforting it is to know that my limitations, don’t limit God. 

As a wife, mother, sister, and friend, I’d like to show up and be present in everyone’s life, but I can’t.

Stretching myself beyond my limits, brings barriers between my joy and my peace.

At 51, I realize, I am not a stranger to myself… I know when I’ve reached my end.

  • I know when my body craves rest.
  • I know when my mind is mentally worn out.
  • I know when my sanity “deliberately” presses     pause.

However, when I can’t proceed any further, I’m grateful that God has the capacity to continue.

Ephesians 3:14-16 declares that God’s  resources are unlimited: “When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in Heaven and on earth. I pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources He will empower you with inner strength through His Spirit.

Friends, God shows up where we can’t. He goes where we’ve stopped. He leads us when we’ve  lost our way. He loves us without looking, and He provides for us when our resources have run out.

God’s resources are unlimited. His strength is perfectly suited– for our (repetitive) moments of weakness. 

Dear Sister, where have you bumped into your door of “I can’t go any further?” Where do you need God to continue? Do you need Him to reset your peace, or reignite your joy?

Whatever your needs are, God longs to lavish you with your desires, you just have to invite Him into the cramped space of your struggles, and allow Him to enlarge His control.

Today, if you’ve reached the point of your end, I pray that you open your heart to God’s unlimited resources, and rest in the capacity of His strength.

Grow well

Overwhelmed And Over It

Overwhelmed And Over It

Posted on by Jackie Smith Bell

Overwhelmed. We are either there now, or running smack into it!  

Friends, our lives can become overwhelmed by all sorts of things, and I don’t know about you, but when I become overwhelmed, I can’t think straight. My thoughts become entangled, and I just want to run somewhere and hide!
 
Sometimes, the only thing that grabs my attention is a friends perspective about God’s good intentions.  
 
Psalm 61:2 declares, “From the ends of the earth, I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety,”
 
Today’s podcast, is a candid conversation with my friend, Quantrilla ” Quanny” Ard.
In our conversation, Quanny shares ways that we should slow down, breathe, and practice being in the presence of God.
 
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, this episode will reward your soul with peace, and help you live a life that exalts God.
 
I hope you’ll join us (today) as we chat about breaking up with our bad behaviors of becoming overwhelmed.
 
Highlights from today’s podcast:
 
• Tend to your soul.
• Slow down and take inventory of things    that are important.
• Practice being in the presence of God.
• Rest and reclaim your joy.
 
Resources from today’s show:
Let’s Chat!
 
After you’ve listened to today’s podcast, I’d love to continue our conversation. Be sure to leave a comment about ways you block the emotions of becoming overwhelmed.
 
Do you feel like running away? Or, do you run into the safe arms of God?
 
Why do you think people become overwhelmed? Is it because they don’t trust God? 
 
What can you do to slow down and give God permission to lead your life?
 
Connect with me…  
When Pigs Fly

When Pigs Fly

Posted on by Jackie Smith Bell

When Pigs Fly… We’ve all heard the phrase, “When pigs fly.” It’s the response that you give when something unlikely, or impossible is said.

Yesterday, I purchased this pig with wings, and placed it on my desk. I did this, to remind myself to continue in prayer for my impossible things. Also, I wanted to remind myself that my faith doesn’t function on beliefs (alone) my faith partners with the diligence of my work.

When was the last time you worked side by side with your faith and believed God for the impossible?

Faith is our unseen possibilities and it shows up for work– even when the evidence calls in sick. 

James 2:26 says, “Faith, without the outward workings of tangible evidence, is just as dead as a body without a spirit.” 

What impossible prayers of faith are you praying and hoping that God will move on ? 

Faith does more than moves mountains… Faith moves God (Hebrews 11:6). 

Friends, when our faith connects with God’s power, impossible things are made possible.

Today, I pray that you activate your faith by working hand and hand with God and believe that He will answer your unlikely and impossible prayers.

Work while you pray.

Grow well

ALWAYS, Mother

ALWAYS, Mother

Posted on by Jackie Smith Bell

Here we are just days away from Mother’s Day, and my emotions are wrecked! This is my “first” Mother’s Day without my mom and my soul feels fragmented, heavy, and excluded, because my mother is no longer here.

On March 27, 2019, my mother transitioned to her Heavenly home. And every since that day, I’ve avoided Mother’s Day— as if it were the plague! 

For weeks, now, I’ve excluded my interaction with florist, shopping malls, and jewelry stores. At grocery stores, I detour through cereal aisles, because I want to steer clear of the dred that comes with ,being near, the greeting card section! My mother loved cards —- and the mere glance at all of those expressions of love and devotion, seems to sabotage my happy and causes my tears to race down my face!

Y’all, I so miss my sweet mother! She was the epitome of everything I could ever hope to be. One of her best character references was her ability to adapt and overcome. She protected the framework of her sanity by relying on God’s strength during her moments of weakness. So after dwelling in all of my messy emotions, I’ve decided to take back the happy part of Mother’s Day… and honor the “always” part that Mother’s Day embodies. 

Mothers are the fabric of our lives. They are a intricate source of our existence and should “always” be honored and loved; whether they reside on earth or abide in Heaven.