found this quote by amber haynes and i love it...

"Our stories aren't as neat and canned as sometimes we would like for them to be, but Oh, how beautiful Christ is every time in them, when our stories become His - how His grace becomes the Solid Rock of our foundation, no matter the background, no matter our previous shaky standing."

i am in love with my God. i trust Him. my story is ALL His.

LONG TIME NO BLOG!

you haven't heard from me for awhile here, but i hope you have been following me on my world race blog. well....A LOT has gone on since my last post. i actually went to race training at the beginning of august. words cannot even begin to describe what went on in the short time i was there. i can say that God was there. you could smell him, touch him, hear him and taste him. he was there. i was able to let go of so much i was carrying around. i let go of people, problems, shame and my past. i felt SO much lighter!

i was uncertain of whether or not God was really calling me to go anymore though. i went to training camp with this feeling...the incredible staff was aware of how i was feeling a why. i had people constantly praying for me. the day came for me to decide what i was going to do. i was given some time by myself. i was already physically, emotionally, spiritually and everything kind of tired, but i took this time to just ask, "God, i don't know anymore. where am i supposed to be? am i supposed to do this thing?" He spoke to me just like he was sitting next to me. he said, "let your yes be yes and your no be no, lacey. you aren't supposed to go. you are supposed to stay with me. you are all mine now. we will do great things." I WAS HEARTBROKEN. for almost an entire year, i had identified myself with the race. i was a world racer. i had written letters, blogs, raised money, etc. what now? i didn't have a job waiting for me at home. i had sold tons of stuff, including my home. to me, it took greater faith to go home than to go on the race. so, i made the tough decision and told them just what God was leading me to. so here i am....i have an incredible support group including 50 world racers from MY squad, my family and awesome friends. i have a purpose and God is still using me, but just in a different way than i originally thought. He likes to keep me on my toes that way, ya know?

God is still stretching me. i am still shedding old friendships, past problems and guilt. but I AM NEW!!!! i am ready for the new road He has me on. i am claiming the blessings He has for me. i applied for 2 jobs. i just recently found out that i got the first job i applied for. the only way to explain it, it GOD. i have prayed for a really long time for Godly women friends who would really lift me up, pray with me, edify me and be real. he has given me 34 of them!!!!!!!!!!!!!! that's above and beyond what i could have ever imagined! but that's what He does. that's who He is.

that's just a little of what God is bringing to me right now. i am the BEST I HAVE EVER BEEN. my faith is growing in leaps and bounds. the Spirit is speaking to me and leading me. i just can't get enough. so, if you thought the ride was over, keep on reading....the best is still to come....i'm in for the ride of my life right now!

you can be cool too!

buy a shirt for only $18 and send me around the world on THE WORLD RACE! the shirt will be printed on a black, fitted, soft/vintage shirt. all sizes available. order your shirt now before you see it on the runways! if you would like to order one just send me an email at laceycortez@gmail.com.

i have had a lot on my mind and in my heart lately. i guess mostly it comes down to this: we all miss being needed. it's so easy in this life to feel like you are disposable and definitely replaceable - people no longer see that your work is valuable, so they let you go; your love is no longer strong enough or just enough...period, so you are chosen over something else or someone else.

i understand that not all struggles are a bad thing. a jewel is only a rock put under enormous pressure. so the more trials or the more hurt i can endure will only make me better. i just wish that sometimes people could see the value i find in myself.

i'm blogging more now at http://laceycortez.theworldrace.org/. hope you will follow me there too...

I haven't really felt like anything going on in my life has been quite as blog worthy or life changing as my last post. How can I top the World Race? I know without a doubt that I can't at this point in time, so I will resort to blogging about less important things I guess.

I'm excited about Christmas, but the holidays have been somewhat bittersweet for me this year. Let's just say they have been very different for me since a big part of my what used to be my life is missing. I love how God can bring somethings into your life that make even the worst things beautiful though. Through the hurt and sadness I have realized that my divorce can be turned into something beautiful because it's a new start. There isn't anything about me now that even remotely resembles the Lacey I once was. I am new. I am not perfect, but forgiven. How else would I have ever realized what an ugly person I had become unless all of this had happened. When something like divorce occurs in your life, it forces you to take a good long look in the mirror and really critique and hopefully change the bad stuff.

The whole World Race thing is still surreal to me but is slowly becoming more of a reality. I turned in my first round of paperwork and made my first deposit to my "account" for the trip. I am definitely doing this thing. I am exploding with joy and excitement and would be on my way tomorrow if things worked that way. God still has a lot to teach me before I am ready to leave. I got some great new boots for Christmas that I'm working on breaking in. I also got a webcame and awesome headset so I can look like one of the operators on an infomercial...you know who I'm talking about :) Now I just need a computer to use them on. I'm praying for that and a couple of languages from Rosetta Stone. I know they both will be put to great use on the race.

For now, I need addresses people! If you have a second, email me your address if you don't mind. I promise I won't be selling your information or sending you crazy chain letters in the mail. Just email your address to laceycortez@gmail.com. Once you have a chance to send that to me, keep your eyes peeled for a good ole' fashioned letter from moi via snail mail!

I hope you all have a MERRY CHRISTMAS and extremely, can hardly stand it HAPPY NEW YEAR!

my name is Lacey and i'm a WORLD RACER!

I have asked for a lot of prayer in the last 3 months. God has been working on my heart and in my life tremendously in such a short time. For all of the uncertainty my life has recently encountered, the one thing I knew for sure - without a doubt - was that I was supposed to go on the World Race.

I will give a brief overview of what the World Race is for those that may not have a clue what it is. One thing it is not is the Amazing Race on CBS. I hate to disappoint, but you won't be seeing me on prime time TV every week. The World Race is the adventure of a lifetime - 11 countries in 11 months of mission work with about 50 other 20-somethings. This is a chance for God to bring me out in order to bring me in. I am losing it all in order to find God.

I feel like our world view is so distorted at times. The things that were once so important to me hold little value at all anymore. I am called to something greater than my mind can even begin to fathom.

"Be astonished! Wonder! Because I am doing something in your days - you would not believe if you were told." Habakkuk 1:5b

I know that you are asking yourself, "Lacey! What about your job? your house? your dogs? How will you pay for this thing??" Well, God hasn't shed any light on those steps yet. I am waiting patiently for Him to give me direction and to open some doors and make some opportunities available. He will. I have faith that He will. My boss and I have discussed this at length and we are hoping to arrange my job situation where I will be considered on sabaticcal but will be back in a year. Maybe my job will still be there when I get back. I just don't have all the answers yet. I'm trying with all my might to wait on God.

"Do not worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:34

I am in the beginning stages of raising support for the trip. There will definitely be more posts to come on that end. I will still post on this blog, but I will be posting a lot more on my new World Race blog - http://laceycortez.theworldrace.org/. This is the blog I will be updating even when I am gone, so you will be able to follow me on my journey.

I won't be leaving until October 2009, but the journey starts now. I have a lot to do to prepare to leave. Please continue to lift me up in prayer. I will need so much prayer and support through all of this! I will tell you this though...I don't think I have ever been more excited about anything in my entire life.

one tuckered out turkey

About a week ago I started coming down with what I thought was the crud. I spent Thanksgiving trying to recooperate. It seemed like everytime I say down I fell asleep. I guess my body was trying to tell me something. None of the Thanksgiving food tasted quite the same with a stuffy nose. That didn't stop me from eating though! Now back at home, at least 5 lbs heavier (courtesy of pecan pie and buckeye bars), I am sick with bronchitis and not just the crud as originally thought. I got a shot yesterday at the doctor and some meds. I'm actually feeling so much better today. I am so thankful for prescription cough medicine. I got some really good rest last night since I wasn't coughing my head off. I'm sure at least some of you can relate.

I spent a lot of time with my family over the break. We did a lot of shopping and eating. Me, my mom, my aunt and my sister were a few of the crazy people that got to the mall way before the rooster crowed. We were able to get in and out before the crowds got too bad though. We were pooped by the afternoon though!

We watched the pitiful Iron Bowl on Saturday. Auburn looked horrible but I will never be able to cheer for Alabama. I just can't do it. I support 2 teams: MSU and Auburn. Any other teams just don't make the cut.

Me, Tonya (and her ugly shirt) and Mom on game day

Here is Jacob really enjoying his french toast. He took a literal approach to shoveling it in.

I had such a great Thanksgiving break and now can't wait to be with my family again at Christmas. So how was your Turkey day? What were you most thankful for?

I was most thankful for my family this year.