Our Guest: Stacy McDonald
Stacy McDonald is an entrepreneur who started a thriving jewelry business as well as a nonprofit. When everything shut down during COVID, Stacy was led to start homeschooling her kids. As a wife and mother of three young children, she has her hands full, but always has time to look for the blessings of God in her life. and share them with their family as well as with others. When a tornado ripped through their neighborhood, damaging her home in March of this year, she did not lose faith. In fact, her faith has grown.
Key Thoughts and Scriptures from Stacy’s story:
Ephesians 4:21-25 NLT Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy. So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body.
- Stacy came to know Jesus at a young age and through all the ups and downs she has filtered things through the lens of faith, through the lens of what Scripture says, and what Jesus says.
- We can mistake familiarity for intimacy.
- “I know Jesus loves the sinners, but does He really love me?”
- “I just was missing the fact that I was also a daughter of the King.”
- Stacy grew up believing that “we can’t hurt. We have to be here for the people who are hurting.”
The good thing about God is when we ask questions, the Holy Spirit will ask us questions too.
- “Is your worth and value of your life placed in that of a child or is it placed in me?”
- God challenged Stacy in a gentle tender way that only a father can.
Jeremiah 29:11 NIV For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Psalm 139:14 NIV I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
Romans 12:2 NIV Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
God gives us more than we ask for.
Psalm 40:1-2 NKJV I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps.
- Through mining for the quartz, God showed Stacy that she was worth the dig.
1 John 4:1 NKJV Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
- God takes us out of where we are and He cleans us.
- His goodness becomes our testimony.
- “God, I thought you told me to do this. I don’t understand.”
- Where is your worth and where is your value? What are you placing your hope in? Is it in your ability to do something?
- Our worth isn’t measured in our accomplishments.
- My identity is simply that I am a child of the King.
- Just do what’s right in front of you.
Proverbs 16:9 ESV The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.
There is wisdom in making plans, but there is foolishness in clinging to those plans as if that’s what’s going to happen.
- We have to be willing to make plans and trust that God’s going to be the one that establishes those footsteps.
2 Corinthians 12:9 NKJV And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
- “We had to cling to a Father that’s good.”
- “I didn’t hold it together, but Jesus did. He held it together for us.”
Luke 8:22-25 NKJV Jesus in the boat
Stacy has realized that we don’t have to put on a facade and act like everything is rainbows and sunshine when it’s not. Because we know that God’s with us even when it’s not.
- It’s easy to not talk about the hard things. But it takes a lot of trust to open up about the hard things.
- We know that it’s okay to cry, because even Jesus wept. (John 11:35 NKJV)
- When we ask God, could this not be any different? That’s okay because Jesus asked, can this cup pass from me? (Matthew 26:39 NKJV)
- But Jesus submitted to the will of the Father and trusted Abba Father. And so that’s what our pattern is to be.
- When times are hard, we experience a different flavor of His favor.
- We don’t have to know or understand why things happen the way they do. We’re just asked to abide in Him.
- Stacy taught her kids that they can take the big, heavy, hard questions to God because He’s big enough for them.
Jesus is here for the broken whether you’re a Christian or not and Christians are broken too.
Daniel 3:19-25 NKJV The Fourth Man in the Fire
- God knows our every need, but He also knows our desires.
- He shows us Himself and His goodness and His care and His attention to detail, like only an Abba father could.
- God’s not the one you want to give up on. He doesn’t give up on you, don’t give up on Him.
- Be honest with people about what you’re struggling with. The enemy thrives in secrecy.
Isaiah 9:6 NKJV …And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
- He’s always available to us. He doesn’t ever double book us.
- God, what do you want to teach me through this? How do you want to show me more of you? How can you be glorified through my situation? Because He has you in it for a reason.
Stories of Women who Struggled in the Bible:
Esther’s Story Esther NKJV
- What Stacy loves about Esther is that Mordecai challenged her, “Hey, you can step up and stand in for the Jews, but if you don’t, God will send someone else.” and she chose to participate in what God was doing.
The Women in Jesus’ Genealogy Matthew 1:1-17 NKJV
- Tamar (Genesis 38 NKJV)
- Rahab (Joshua 2,6 NKJV)
- Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11-12 NKJV)
- Ruth (Ruth NKJV)
- Mary (Matthew 1-2 NKJV)
- These are women who struggled.
- Some were not even a part of the chosen country. God’s grace grafted them in, like He has with us.
- These women’s stories, some were very sordid, but that was not glossed over and didn’t disqualify them from being used by God.
- God knows where we’ve been, He knows what we’ve been through, He loves us.
Matthew 26:6-13 NKJV The Woman with the Alabaster Jar
John 8:32 NKJV And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
- We’re set free to live truth in front of others. And that is the truth of God’s goodness and love and faithfulness.
Psalm 144:2 NKJV My lovingkindness and my fortress, My high tower and my deliverer, My shield and the One in whom I take refuge…
Psalm 63:7 NKJV Because You have been my help, therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice.
Psalm 40:4-5, 8 NKJV Blessed is that man who makes the Lord his trust…Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works which You have done; and Your thoughts toward us cannot be recounted to You in order; if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered…I delight to do Your will, O my God, and Your law is within my heart.”
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