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Traci Stanton Little

@traci_michele

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Child of God 💌Writer 💌Graphic Designer 💌Mama 💌Wife 💌Home Decor 💌Photographer 💌Certified Health Coach 💌 Encourager

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The Gift of a 20-Minute Walk
No screens. No music. Just being present.
The warmth of the sun.
A cool breeze.
Hawks circling overhead.
Creamy, fluffy clouds against a perfect blue sky.
A chorus of birds singing.
Leaves beginning to turn their beautiful autumn colors.
Amish buggies parked in the grass.
Horses grazing in the field.
The rhythmic sound of hammers in the distance.
A mother enjoying time with her little one on a porch beautifully decorated with mums and pumpkins.
A black Lab pup walking faithfully beside me.
Young sisters bouncing a basketball, their cheerful voices mixing with the familiar echo of the ball against the pavement.
Memories flooding back of my own childhood and the years spent raising three little ones outdoors—bringing that familiar lump to my throat and tears to my eyes.
The comforting smell of wood burning somewhere nearby.
And with every step, something beautiful happening within me.
My anxiety slowly subsiding.
My breathing settling.
My heart pumping.
My mind quieting.
Peace filling the spaces where life’s cares had been.
And the best part—a heart praising God.
Twenty minutes. No distractions. No agenda. Just the simple gifts of an ordinary October day.
Sometimes we get so caught up in the noise of life that we forget how much beauty God has placed all around us.
So, this is your reminder to find a short pocket of time to get outside. Notice what you see. What you smell. What you hear. What you touch. And what you feel. What a gift 20 minutes can be. by @traci_michele

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12 days ago

Things I noticed this week.
God Moments.
Little reminders this week that He is present in the ordinary.

Slide 1 - Even when my view is blurred, God still allows the light in. I don’t have to see everything clearly to know He is there.
Slide 2 - Sometimes I find God when I choose to get still. God’s Word is a mirror.
Slide 3 - If He cares for the sparrow, He cares for me. God’s care and provision for even the smallest parts of His creation.
Slide 4 - God leaves beauty in the places I almost overlook. Look for God’s beauty in the ordinary.
Slide 5 - I am never lost in the crowd to God. I am known individually by an amazing God.
Slide 6 - God can grow something beautiful in unexpected places. Sometimes God is doing something beautiful in seasons that don’t look particularly orderly.
Slide 7 - Sometimes God is simply inviting me to rest. God is a place of shelter surrounded by still water.
Slide 8 - I don’t need to see what is ahead to trust Who is leading me. Many times God only gives us enough clarity for the place where we’re standing. We don’t need to see the entire road ahead to trust the One leading us.
Slide 9 - The light still finds a way through and there is hope.
Slide 10 - His mercies really are new every morning. God’s mercies arriving quietly with another morning. The fog doesn’t mean the light is gone. God’s presence is there even before circumstances have changed.
Slide 11 - Sometimes God’s glory looks like an ordinary morning I stopped long enough to notice. by @traci_michele

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12 days ago

Some flowers bloom boldly.
Some fade quietly.
Some grow wild and unnoticed.
But each one has its season
to remind us—
there is beauty in every season.

Wild. Imperfect. Golden.
And beautiful, just as it is. taken in Ashland, Ohio by @traci_michele

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a month ago

Time flies by way too quickly 😭 by @traci_michele

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2 months ago

I’m having trouble letting go of vacation…☀️🚤☕️ by @traci_michele

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3 months ago

Life is better together. #laketripactivated by @traci_michele

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3 months ago

Don’t sacrifice long-term fruit for short-term comfort.

The greatest growth often requires a season of discomfort.

The workout.

The hard conversation.

The disciplined choice.

The step of faith.

The sacrifice no one sees.

A seed must disappear into the ground before anyone sees the harvest.

Instead of asking, “What feels best right now?” ask, “What choice will I be thankful I made a year from now?”

Keep sowing.

Keep showing up.

Keep being faithful in the small things.

God often does His deepest work beneath the surface long before anyone sees the fruit.

“Let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” — Galatians 6:9

What is one thing you’ve been putting off that you need to do today? by @traci_michele

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4 months ago

One day, you’ll look through old photos and the flood of tears comes. Those days of being overstimulated, toys covering the living room floor, the endless requests for snacks, trips to the zoo, playground, and flying kites are some of my sweetest memories. It’s easy to wish away the stage of life we’re in, but they each are beautiful puzzle pieces into shaping who we are becoming. by @traci_michele

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5 months ago

One thing that’s been stirring my heart lately is how deeply the enemy attacks our minds as believers. We were talking about this during our teen mentorship night at church Sunday evening (thanks Pastor @jcehulik for jumping in and answering some of our “live” questions — I especially loved your insight into Jesus’s prayer book of the Psalms).
Jesus guarded His mind against the testing of the enemy in the wilderness and modeled for us how to respond to our own testing and temptations. Satan quoted Scripture — even the Psalms — but twisted them to tempt Jesus to take shortcuts and avoid obedience. Jesus responded with God’s Word, standing firm in truth.
But when the weight of suffering came… when He was facing the Cross… Jesus prayed the Psalms.
“My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Psalm 22:1)
Those weren’t just verses to Him — they were His prayer language.
Lament. Trust. Worship. Surrender.
The Psalms shaped His inner life. Scripture was stored deep within Him, just as Psalm 119:11 reminds us:
“I have hid thy word in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”
That’s such a powerful reminder for us. The enemy doesn’t always attack with complete lies — most often he uses sprinkled truth mixed with blatant lies. That’s why guarding our minds matters so much.
When temptation, fear, or discouragement comes:
• Pray the Psalms
• Speak God’s Word out loud
• Worship fiercely
Psalm 143:10 captures that posture so beautifully:
“Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.”
Temptation often follows obedience. The enemy doesn’t show up to those going nowhere; he shows up when God is doing something significant. In the wilderness, Jesus was hungry, alone, and physically weakened — yet He was spiritually anchored. When temptation came, Jesus did not argue with Satan, negotiate, or rely on emotion. He responded with the Word of God.
Jesus shows us that prayer and worship shouldn’t be our last resort — they are our VERY defense. Prepare ahead of temptation so His Word becomes a natural overflow of your heart’s response! by @traci_michele

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9 months ago

Word for 2026: BEHOLD

This year, I want to behold Christ—to gaze on Him, rest in His presence, and let His beauty shape every part of my life.

2026 Goals:
💧 Drink more water
🙏 Have the mind of Christ
🧘‍♀️ Move softer, with more intention
💖 Keep a continual heart of prayer and worship
🚶‍♀️ Move more, sit less
💰 Save more money
🧹 Declutter every day
📖 Study God’s Word
✍️ Write more, share personal stories
📸 Take my photography business to the next level

Verse to carry me:
“One thing I have desired of the Lord, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord, And to inquire in His temple.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭27‬:‭4‬ ‭

2026 is about slowing down, gazing upward, and letting Him fill every moment.

What’s your Word? by @traci_michele

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10 months ago

Happy 21st anniversary to my best friend. With faith at the center, you have been my safe place through every season—the one who makes me feel at home no matter where life takes us. I’m so grateful for the grace that has carried us, the growth we’ve shared, and the love we continue to choose every day. by @traci_michele

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10 months ago

25 Things I Learned in 2025
1. Faithful steps matter more than fickle motivation.
2. God ordained rest is obedience, not laziness.
3. My body responds best when I speak to it with grace.
4. Small, faithful habits lead to lasting change.
5. Quiet progress is still holy work.
6. Healthy boundaries honor what God has entrusted to me.
7. Not everyone is meant to carry my heart or my energy.
8. Healing unfolds in seasons—and God is patient with me.
9. Discipline becomes freedom when it’s anchored in purpose.
10. God’s timing is always intentional, even when I don’t understand it.
11. Comparison robs joy and clouds calling.
12. When I show up imperfectly, God still shows up powerfully.
13. Strength looks different depending on the season God has me in.
14. Caring for myself is part of stewarding what God gave me.
15. My unfinished story can still point others to hope.
16. Gratitude realigns my heart faster than changed circumstances.
17. Food is fuel and provision—not a master.
18. Saying no creates space for God’s better yes.
19. Obedience often comes before clarity.
20. Aging is a gift to steward, not a process to fear.
21. Growth sometimes means choosing differently than before.
22. Hard seasons reveal who God has placed as safe people in my life.
23. Faith deepens when I trust God with the “how.”
24. God’s strength meets me most clearly in my weakness.
25. This version of me reflects growth—and is worth celebrating. by @traci_michele

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10 months ago