~Learn to relax, God's got this!~

The worries of this world sure do weigh heavy on us at times, sometimes it's hard to know what to do when you see something out there that you don't understand or agree with that makes you panic at times..You don't have to panic though! God can help you with that and give you peace of mind instead of worrying about the things that you cannot change and you don't have to feel responsible for the decisions the world has made for themselves, there's only so much you can do and it takes a little bit at a time to reach the world, in other words you don't have to feel like you have to be some kind of a superhero and sweep in to save everyone around you! Jesus already came into the world and saved them..all they need to do now is accept the hero that has already provided a way for them to go to Heaven!

It's true that we need to help lead people into the kingdom of God but once we get them into church..the ball goes back into their court again, meaning that it's their decision to take the next step to accept the Savior who has already come!

All we can do is follow where God leads us and listen to the voice of God that he would give us the opportunities to witness to people!

Don't be worried or ashamed when you speak to someone and they turn you and your message of Christ away, you were obedient to God's leading and God will send someone else to witness to them eventually!

God knows what he's doing and God works in mysterious ways that we cannot understand or explain at times but that's who God is and the way that he works, it's not our job to understand, however it is our job to obey him and we need to place everything we are and will become in his hands to use us for his glory!

Relax and take it easy, knowing that you did what God told you to do and trust that somehow that person will find salvation through Jesus Christ! It all starts with a seed that is sown and think about it this way..when we plant a seed and others come along and water it..what happens? It grows! That's what happens when we are obedient to God by witnessing to someone and then later on, more people witness to them until that person gets to the point where they must put their roots someplace! They become aware that they do need Jesus to save them!

So trust in Jesus and have confidence in him, that God will watch over that person and they will be reached!

~Dani

~Give Me Understanding~

There comes a point in all of our lives when we just don't understand why certain things are happening in our lives all at once, and it seems as though when it rains.. it storms, in other words, when one bad thing happens..more bad things follow the first thing that has happened in our lives! Which makes sense because the Bible says Satan comes in like a flood, so that gives us an understanding of why bad things follow each other in our lives!

God doesn't send terrible situations into our lives, instead he allows us to learn while we're in the middle of the storms of life, God wants us to grow while we are making our way out of hard times so we will be able to gain knowledge and an understanding in life, so we may not have to go through that again in our lives and perhaps we will also be able to warn someone and prevent them from making the same mistakes as we did! God sets us up into great things even when we're right in the middle of a mess in our lives! There isn't a single thing we can go through that God doesn't know about and he always knows how to help us to get out of those hard situations we're all facing in some way!

It's so hard to look ahead into the future when your past is consuming your present life but through God we can keep our eyes on the great things that he has for us and have an understanding and peace that God is more powerful than all we are currently facing in our lives, And God will give us the peace of mind knowing that he sees our pain and he will come through for us and we will make it out of the situation that we're in!

God sees it all, he sees your tears, he sees your fears, he sees your pain, and most of all he sees your hopes and your dreams! God sees everything in your life and he loves you..just because of the person that he created you to be and he wants you to succeed in everything he has for you in your life! God loves you because God is love!

God wants to bless you and he wants to give you the knowledge and understanding that you are searching for!

Pray this prayer with me now,

"Lord, I don't understand why I'm in this situation in my life and I don't know what the purpose is for me to be where I am now in my life, but you know, Lord, help me to have the peace and understanding that I will make it out of this in my life and I will be stronger when this storm has passed over, Be Lord of my life and help me to praise you even after the storm has passed, Amen!"

If you prayed that prayer, guess what? You have put your current situation in God's hands and you aren't alone anymore! God will help you to get through this hard time and you're going to come out of the struggle and become a happier person, whose closer to God than you were before! God bless you in Favor and may you gain understanding and peace of mind through the knowledge of The Lord in your life!

~Dani

~To Speak life, You must speak Truth~

You may think this seems like an odd subject to talk about, especially since I'm talking about Christians as well as people in general, First of all I need to say this..just because we follow Jesus and we strive to speak the truth at all times we are all still human and sometimes we find ourselves "over exaggerating" or "stretching the truth" and let's face it..no one likes to hang out with a liar..It's just the honest truth! No one wants to be around someone who constantly lies, it makes you wonder.. what else would they lie about? Normally if a person lies often they are also the ones who "Gossip" as well!
Lying is something that you shouldn't allow in a friendship or in a relationship!
To be honest lying is also immature and shameful, It's a hard habit to break once you begin lying, When you lie to someone it only grows bigger and bigger, Lying also causes stress in the body! Not only that but it also prevents you from growing in your relationship with God! God is truth so how could you lie and continue to get to know God if you are constantly lying to others, While that is going on, you are also destroying yourself inside by lying!
If you continue to lie you will eventually lose friends because they will find you out and they will lose respect for you because of the lies you have told! Don't allow yourself to destroy your whole life by the lies you are telling, Stand up and speak the truth and deny your flesh and instead begin to speak the truth into your life and begin to build others up by the truth of God's Love!
God is all about truth, honesty, hope, respect and love! God is made up of too many wonderful things to list them all but these are just a few of the many things that comes to mind!
This is a touchy subject I'm getting ready to go into but here it goes.. There are even liars in the church nowadays, Ouch! That hurts I know! But it's the honest truth..especially in these last days! The reason there are so many in the church is because Satan is working overtime by whispering lies into people's ears and people are listening to his lies and when they begin to listen to those lies..they begin to live a life made up of lies and corruption! Satan has their number once he gets into their ears and they begin to think thoughts of "Envy" about another brother or sister in Christ! Jealousy and envy are a terrible mix..especially in the church but sadly it does exist and it always has! If you look in the bible there are many stories about people lying to the point where they lose everything that they have!
Look at Adam and Eve, They both hid and hoped that God wouldn't find out that they had taken a bite from the forbidden fruit and God asked them why they were hiding and they replied "we are hiding because we are naked!" And God said "How did you know that you were naked? did you eat the fruit from the forbidden tree?" and Adam replied "The woman you gave to me gave me the fruit and I ate it." Adam and Eve hid from God and they thought that they could hide the truth from God but God sees everything that goes on and in return for trying to hide what they had done from God, God made them leave the beautiful home of Eden that he had made for them and they would now have to suffer for everything in their lives!
See, Lying and covering up the sins that you've committed causes you to lose sight of God's plan for your life and it pushes you away from the blessings of God!
Also another story in the bible that we can look into is the story of Cain and Abel, Cain was the older brother and Abel was the younger brother, Cain was a keeper of the ground and Abel was a keeper of Sheep, Cain decided to bring God some of the Fruit from his garden as an offering and Abel decided to bring the firstborn of his sheep as an offering to God, God accepted Abel's offering and found it honorable but he turned away Cain's offering because it wasn't honorable to be an offering to God, That made Cain very angry and bitter toward his little brother and so one day Cain plotted to kill his brother Abel and he did so in the field! God asked Cain "what have you done?" "where is your brother?" And Cain replied "I do not know, am I my brother's keeper?" And God said "what have you done? the voice of your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground!" "Now you are cursed from the ground that received your brother's blood from your hand!"
Cain lied to God and murdered his own brother because of the anger and jealousy in his heart, in return Cain was cursed the rest of his days and not only that but Cain had a mark placed on him that all man could see and know of what he had done! Cain was cursed all because of his lies and his sins, It really makes a person think now doesn't it? The lies we tell can and will change the way people see you and it will cause us to fall from God's grace..You cannot lie and make it into Heaven! Is it really worth it to lie to others and to God? No, it's not worth it because you will eventually lose everything that you have and you will also lose your "trust-worthy friends" so before you choose to lie to someone no matter what it is you lie about..Ask yourself this, would I give up everything just to tell a lie that will cost me eternity in Heaven?
I hope this makes you think..Because it's no laughing matter at all! Lying is hurtful to others and to yourself but more importantly it's hurtful to God and it makes him sad in his sight!
 Please think about what you say this day and everyday because the words you say is what's in your heart and God looks upon the heart which means that we cannot hide our lies or anything else from God!
Speak life today into yourself and into other people's lives and speak the truth at all times!
Remember this..Truthful lips are blessed lips and God will bless you by surrounding you with friends who also speak the truth! Choose your words carefully today and speak the truth!
~Dani

~Trapped:The battle of depression~

It seems like so many people suffer from the same thing nowadays, that thing is called "depression"

Depression is best described as being trapped or in a dark place emotionally day to day, depression often presents itself in it's first stages as "constantly being tired" and "losing the desire to be around others anymore" depression is a battle that is hard to overcome even medication cannot cure this emotional disease fully,

There is truly only one cure for depression and that cure is Jesus! He can break the chains of depression off of you! He can give you joy and an enjoyment of life again! God can give you the push that you need to go about your day and he will help you to stay in the light and leave behind the darkness that depression constantly forces upon you! God will give you a spice for life again and you'll be able to get up and enjoy the sunshine of the beautiful day that God has made! You'll remember how much you love being around people and you'll have the desire to go after you're dreams again! God is the sunshine that allows the flowers to bloom and new life to begin anew, He will give you a new life and a new start that you can do the things that you've always wanted to do that depression has held you back from doing!

God will get you through this and you can be free from depression!

Here's what I want you to start saying everyday, "depression, you have held me back for too long and I will not let you steal my joy anymore! In the name of Jesus I command you to leave! I will not let you control my life anymore! Jesus is now the master of my life and depression will no longer be the master of my life in Jesus name, Amen!"

If you continue to pray that prayer everyday, I know that you'll notice in a short time that you're smiling again! God will bring you joy and peace! depression will no longer rule over your life because Jesus will fill up that void that you're missing in your life and freedom will be yours for the taking! Grab a hold of it, it's yours for the taking!! Rejoice in The Lord now and know that God will help you to become free from depression!

~Dani

~Though I'm weak, He's Strong!~

We all have weaknesses, even though we struggle with different things.

Whether your struggle is something big or small we all face them in our lives! Some people struggle with a battle within themselves and find it difficult to face each day because we simply cannot see the value in ourselves that others see in us!

Or maybe the thing you struggle with is an addiction of some kind, it could be an addiction to alcohol or perhaps even pain killers..there are so many different things that you could be struggling with!

But one thing remains true..God sees the struggles that we go through, even the secret addictions that no one else knows about!

You don't have to worry about feeling alone in this because we all have struggles But God still loves us and he's stronger than anything that we're facing! 

We sometimes get caught up while we're struggling and we often forget of God's strength! But when we become weak and we cave in to our temptations and addictions God is the one that we can fall back on! God is the mighty, courageous, powerful one that gives us mercy, though we are weak and we give in to our sinful flesh at times, God will be there to give you another chance and he will forgive you because he loves you and he knows that you're not perfect but he still reminds us that he is indeed "perfect!" He is also merciful, forgiving, caring and faithful! He gives us blessings because of his love for us as well!

If you are really struggling in your life, no matter what it is..God is the mighty one that will help you to make it pass this! 

Through him alone can we find the strength to make it through the day, and God alone deserves all of our praise! You're going to make it, don't give up and trust in God! 

When we are weak, HE IS STRONG! And with the help of God's strength you will make it through this!

~Dani

~At a standstill~

We are go through some very difficult times in our lives that causes us to question God at times and it sometimes causes us to feel confused, hopeless and weary.

When bad things happen to us the last thing we want to do is "be still" instead we sometimes run in panic because we just cannot wrap our minds around what's happened in our lives in that very moment! We often cry out to God and say "why me Lord?" Or "what did that have to happen now?" Whatever it may be that you've prayed, you know what I'm talking about.. I'm talking about being at a standstill in your life, when nothing is going right and Satan has attacked you with all he has to try to strip you from your purpose, the purpose that God has for you that Satan doesn't want you do succeed in! Satan only wants bad things for us and he wants to kill us in the process if he can! 

When bad things happen to good people Satan tries his hardest to put lies in our ear saying that "God must not be watching over you..if he loved you he would've stopped these bad things from happening!" Don't listen to Satan! He is a liar! God loves you very much and he is the one who comforts us when those bad things do happen to us and God reassures us that it's all going to work out!

This will pass from you and you will have joy again, you will have peace again, you will come out of this with God's help! God has not abandon you! Reach up to God and call upon his name and he will come to your aid! When you're at a standstill..know that God is still standing up for you and he will bring you into better times ahead in the future, and God will help you to get through the bad times!

You're going to make it! God loves you! God is watching over you and he is waiting for you to call out his name so he can comfort you!

~Dani

~God will bring you comfort!~

We all have times in our lives when we start to feel like we just aren't special and we feel at times like we are all alone in this world, Satan always seems to come in around the times that we are feeling lonely and he will even lead us at times to the very person that tries to make us feel like we are "special" to them when in reality they are really thinking to themselves "what can they give me?" Satan knows when we are vulnerable and we are searching for answers of why we are feeling this way! When we begin to feel alone the last thing we need to do is allow ourselves to be "alone" we need to surround ourselves with other Christians that have been through the same season in their own life and being around them may help you to get through "The Motions" a lot quicker or it may be that they need a friend just like you need one!
When Satan begins to speak negative words in your ear..Speak the name of Jesus! Declare to Satan of God's everlasting love for you! Tell Satan that you are a child of the most high God! Satan will back off for a while and realize that you will not back down and you are going to make it through this season in your life!
Before you know it, you will rarely hear Satan's voice trying to discourage you because you have told him where his place is and the voice you will begin to hear more clearly will be God's voice!
You are so very special to God and his love can heal even the deepest of scars within your heart, all it takes is for you to say to him " God, I'm lonely and I'm having a hard time here, please come close to me and bring me comfort right now, I am yours, help me to see myself as you see me!"
God will show up and comfort you! God sees the good and bad in every single person out there and he still loves every one of his children just the same! He sees a value in you like no one else will ever see and he wants us to love ourselves as the beautiful creation that he has made us to be!
(John 1:12) "But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God."
Rest in God's peace today knowing that you are his child and he loves you no matter what you've done, what you've said, or who you've been with! God's love is never-changing and he loves you for you!
He will bring you comfort..draw near to him and he will also draw near to you!
~Dani

~It's only words..Or is it?~

The words we say are very powerful so we must always be careful how we use them! We even need to be careful about the tone of the words we use toward people, Words give us the power to build someone up or they can bring people down, In fact this is one of the most important subjects we should all learn in life! I would even say that it could very well be "the most important lesson" when it comes to people skills!
Please be careful what you say, Because those words could make or break a person that could be going through something hard in their life and you could say something negative that could cause them to panic in their situation! You could use an opportunity to speak positively in their time of need if you would allow God to lead you in what to say to them, that could very well be just what they need and it could be a timely word in their life! Let God use you to build up others, life is too short and you only have one chance to speak into someone else' life! If you're not sure what to say to someone in their time of need..don't force the words! God will send someone along that will have the right word  for them in that hard time in their life!
And here's the most important thing..When God gives you a word to speak to someone, obey him and do not be afraid because that word is from God and that will be the word that they need at that moment and that could be the very thing that could save their life! Let's take the words that come out of our mouths very seriously, the bible says our words could bring life or death! Remember that!
So the next time someone is going through something tough don't ask them to bring it up..after all, we've all dealt with issues in our own lives and buried our skeletons that we never want to speak of again! Don't make them relive those bad times! Be wise in your words and be respectful not to bring up issues in other people's lives that they've already moved beyond! If they bring it up it's better to move on to another subject as quickly as possible so they can talk about better things in their life and focus on the wonderful things in the future! Look forward and bring the ones around you with you into better things of God!
Speak life into yourself, your family and into your friends! Laugh and have Joy, Love and be loved, Live the abundant life that God gave you to live!
(Proverbs 18:21) "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat it's fruits."
~Dani

~More discerning, than trustful~

Why is it that we somehow have a constant battle going on inside our own self, that we struggle to accept and love ourselves? Yet we can somehow convince ourselves that others of whom we have never met beforehand are in fact better than we are or we can see potential in a person that ends up later on being just as they tried to tell you that they really were!

The ones who are caring, devoted, understanding and valuable are often the ones who are easily hurt and taken advantage of because the ones who "use people" to get what they want are able to identify the pure of heart and they know that we will become "victims" of theirs because we are too easily "trustful" and we will give them more than one chance to justify their actions and their words, they see us coming from a mile away! We must learn to protect ourselves from becoming "victims" and start defending ourselves more! We don't have to constantly be betrayed by others! We need to be friendly but that doesn't mean we have to give them our cars, money, food or shelter! Some people are trained to " beg" meaning that they never allowed themselves to learn to take care of their own things! I'm talking about someone who "preys" on others who are hardworking and family oriented as well! They prey on someone who is faithful and over trusting of people just because the person they prey on is "nice" and easily a "target"

I speak from experience here, we must learn to be more discerning and less trustful of strangers and start watching out for ourselves and also for our friends and family out there!

I know it's hard to believe that someone out there would purposefully and deliberately seek to find people to "love and leave" kind of a thing, but they are out there! And they know just how to play their game! They know what to look for and they know how to lead you on..and most of all they know all too well how to deceive you!

Be careful Christians and ask God to help you to see people as they really are before they deceive you and hurt you!

~Dani

~Pick up God's dream for your life~

We are all in search of something in our lives and once we think that we've found it we often surrender to it but what we don't realize is that we are surrendering to the wrong things in life!
We shouldn't have to give up who we dream of becoming and settle for the "content" things in life! We should indeed follow a road to the right path in our life but that doesn't mean that just because we have a certain "talent" we suddenly feel called to something in life just because it's the easy road to success or so we think! Life is about doing the right things that makes us feel like we are not only making a difference in our lives but that we're also making a difference in the world.
If what you're doing in your life is only benefitting "you" and is making everyone else around you miserable..maybe you need to have a reality check and ask yourself that difficult question of " am I going to change the world or am I going to just live to please myself?"
Here's an example for you, I love to cook and it was always in my plans that I would someday own a restaurant and cook for people, but then I started singing on the praise team and became passionate about singing and worshipping God, that made me realize something, I can't change the world by only staying in the back of a kitchen all my life! But I can change the world by singing for God and leading people into worship every week! That's where I can make a huge difference in our little town and maybe someday God will bring me to higher places in the ministry and perhaps someday I'll stand on a million stages and lead people into higher place of worship!
So if you surrender to anything at all in this life, take my word and surrender to what God has for you to do! If you want to be happy and to change the world and have purpose, do like I did and serve Jesus! With Jesus they'll never be any disappointments, they'll never be discouragement like you would receive from a career in the business world! With Jesus you'll always have a friend and someone to build you up! And with Jesus YOU CAN CHANGE THE WORLD! I'm not saying it's a bad thing to be successful, I'm simply saying that you should work for Jesus by witnessing to others, if you have a career in the business world witness where you are working and let God use you there as well! I believe that we can reach the world with the message of Jesus and our dreams can become what Jesus has for us to do and we will be happy because of it! Pray that God will lead you to the right areas in life that he'll give you opportunities to witness to others out there that are lost and are in need of a Savior!
~Dani

~Are you who you want to be?~

Do you ever wonder if the person you've become is the person you're supposed to be? It's one thing to show kindness to your neighbor and to donate to the needy, Those are wonderful things every person should do at least once in their life and we should truly care for people! But I'm talking about the person you were yesterday, verses the person you are today! We all need to better ourselves in our daily lives and commit to working on a few things in our lives.
Think about who you were yesterday and work on who you are today, it could be anything really!
For example it could be to listen more and let others lead the conversation for a while, It could be something for yourself, perhaps cutting back on sweets or carbs in your diet, It could be filling in for a Sunday School class, It could even be to laugh more and worry less in your life! There are so many things that we can work on that can really make a noticeable difference in our lives and it can make us into who we're really meant to be!
It shouldn't take a tragedy to realize that we could've changed a few things to benefit others, Instead, we need to realize the here and now, Today is a gift so why not use it to not only change who you are, but to change the atmosphere around us so we may be able to spread that change to others around us!
Have you ever met someone that could simply walk into a room and suddenly everyone stops and looks at them? The reason for that is because they've taken an effort to make something of themselves and the people around them notice them because of the effort they have put out there!
Now, we are all different but we all share this common thing..None of us are perfect and we could all stand to work on a few things in our lives!
We need to always remember to be Relatable to others, Especially if we are Christians who wish to spread the love of Jesus Christ to others and if we are planning on "changing the world" then first and foremost we must learn first how to change ourselves before we go on to trying to change the world!
People need Jesus but people need to see Christians who admit that they also have problems and the world needs to know that we too are working on things in our lives as well as they are, They want and need to know that they are not alone out there and we are not perfect But Jesus Is indeed "Perfect!"
Let's reach out to those in need, Let's listen more and talk less, Let's say "I Love You" more often, Let's spread Jesus' love to others and let them see that the only difference between "the saved" and "the un-saved" is that we have Jesus and they need him in their lives..other than that, there really isn't any difference between the two, We all need to make changes in our lives to become better individuals and then we can go in and change the world with Jesus!
~Dani

~You are who you say you are~

It's so hard these days to find someone who is honestly who they say they are, I'm not sure why that is but I do have a theory, I believe the reason why there are so many "pretenders" these days is simply because that person will not admit their problems and correct their flaws, Instead they simply "create a front" they create this image and become whoever you say that you are because they try to form a "bond" with you,
It's so hard nowadays, especially if you are a sincere person and see the better qualities in someone, That can be a downfall on our part, I know that happened to me only a few months ago!
We live in a world full of people, some are really good, truthful people, others are cruel and dishonest, And then there are the ones that are simply "a wolf in sheep's clothing" Meaning that they are so sweet and kind to you at first and will even do helpful things at times to make it seem like they are everything that you'll need in a friend or as a boyfriend/girlfriend whatever the case!
 It's hard to admit this simple truth for the pure of heart and those who trust people too quickly, I fell for this trick and am determined to never fall for such trickery in my life again!
When you meet someone and begin the process to get to know who that person is, going into it you have no reason not to trust them at their word because they have never lied to you..yet! As much as I hate to admit it, there really are a lot of people out there in the world that are this way! And dare I say even in the church..the person I met was in the church and turned out to be my worst nightmare and broke my heart for the first and I pray the only time I will ever have my heart broken! God is still mending my broken heart and bringing healing into my life, It's going to take some time to mend from such a painful experience in my life but God has brought me through much harder things in my life and I have a strong will to fight for the right things in life and I decided not to let this guy bring me down!
Ladies and Gentlemen..be careful out there and pray that God will show you who the person you are attracted to really is! We see a person who has a smile on their face and knows how to say "please and thank you" and we think "Oh, look they're a good person!" Nope! Not always the case..Be careful, the eyes see only a small part of a person and the most important part is "what's in their heart?" And we know how deceiving the heart can be! Samson was deceived by Delilah and she supposedly loved Samson! But Delilah sold her beloved out because she had a weakness for money and power as well..she even took part in cutting Samson's hair! And look at Judas, he betrayed Jesus Christ and even kissed him on the face but still he sold Jesus, his Master out because he had a thing for silver!
Even Eve deceived Adam by offering him a bite from the forbidden fruit and it caused him to sin!
People are known for being cruel in many ways if they allow Satan to hinder them and if they refuse to change to better themselves for God! We must protect ourselves by praying and seeking God's will at all times..Especially when it's issues of the heart! God wants us to be happy and to have joy in our lives! He doesn't want us to become broken and crushed by another person..EVER! God has better plans for all of us and wants us desire his will for our lives! That is how it will be right and in God's will we will find THE RIGHT ONE FOR US! God's will is perfect for us and it's far better than our own plans could ever make up! I don't know about you but that sounds pretty good to me..God sign me up! I know the right man is out there searching for me while I'm searching for him and God has the plans in place of how we will come to meet someday soon! God show me which road leads me where I'm meant to be and whom I am meant to marry, It's in your hands God! God I know you are who you say you are and I can always trust in you and in your plan for my life..And so can you out there folks!
~Dani

~At a loss for words~

We've all lost someone in our lifetime that was an important and an influential person in our lives, whether it may be that the person moved away or sadly because they passed away, These are the hardest things to experience in life and no matter what you've faced in your life before, nothing hurts more than losing someone who meant the world to you, no matter how strong you may be!
Sometimes when we go through a tragedy of losing someone we will ask God why or how he could allow this horrible thing to happen? But God never wants us to lose someone dear to us, even though in life it's inevitable, However, God does want to be there for us when they do happen and he wants to bring us comfort in our time of need! God will draw near to us in times of tragedy though at times it seems like no one or nothing could bring you comfort in the grieving process.
Sometimes there isn't a word that can bring healing more than a hug and the love from family and friends in your time of need, nothing brings true comfort more than love does, Love reaches into the darkest part of our hearts and whispers "It's not over!" when it hurts too much and the words just won't come remember this, God made shadows as well as sunshine, there will be beauty that comes rising up out of you from the ashes and you will be able to smile again, You will be able to laugh again, You will find joy in life again!
God sees the pain that you're going through and he can feel your sorrow as if it was his own, He knows how you're feeling because he had to watch his own son die on a cross and he felt the pain from that loss, God grieved when his son died and he knows just how painful it feels to lose a loved one, You are not alone!
Even when you don't know what to say or pray, God knows your heart and he knows what you desire to say even when the words won't come! God will comfort you!
A few months ago in September my Grandma (my mom's mother) passed away and I had to watch my Mom as she said goodbye to her Mom, I didn't know what to say or to do for my Mom to bring her comfort! I had never experienced such a personal kind of loss in my whole life, I was trying to hide my tears from my family because I didn't want to see them cry again, I didn't know what to say or to do to help my Mom so I just hugged her and didn't say anything with words, Instead I let my heart speak to her heart and reassure her that she's not alone! Sometimes the most beautiful and poetic of words cannot compare to the warmth of someones Love for you..that is what gets us through is when we feel loved and that love sweeps over us and helps to heal our wounds!
So when the words won't come, don't try to force them, Instead let the tears flow freely and be silent for a little while and know that God sees those tears falling down and he catches every single tear while he is bringing healing to your heart! The pain doesn't go away completely but God gives us the opportunity to tell others how much that person touched your life and made you the good person you are today!
The very best compliment I've ever received from anyone was when my Grandma on my dad's side told me that my Grandma Beck lived on through me because I have the same spirit as she did, I couldn't have heard a better compliment than that because I've never known anyone that had more love for people than my Grandma Beck had! I cannot wait to see her again in Heaven..Heaven is an even better place with my Grandma Beck there, I truly believe that and I long for the day that I will see her again!
~Dani

~I Once Was Lost~

We have all come to the conclusion in one point in our lives when we realize that we're lost and we cannot find our way back, Some of us need a friend to pull us back up to where we need to be, Others are different and can only find their way back by themselves, But there's no mistaking it..We all get lost at some point and it's hard to make a comeback at times,You're not alone out there! there are so many others that feel like it's hopeless and they're so lost that they wonder if they'll ever make it back home where they need to return! God has so many plans for our lives..but his plans are the good parts of our lives, Sometimes we go through a valley or two But that isn't where God put you and if you are in a valley right now, know that you do not walk alone where you are! You're going to make it pass this and God will be beside you the whole way, even when you feel like you're alone..Believe me, God is with you and you're going to be a comeback kid when this is all over! I know that sometimes we can't see getting pass the Valley's in our lives because we cannot hear God's voice at times but he just wants you to talk to him and tell him how painful the struggle is that you're going through, "Pray" God won't be silent forever, so seek him until you hear from him and God will answer your cry!
I remember when I was about 9 years old and me, my dad and my sister, along with some of the church kids and adults went camping as a church group, Me and my friend wanted so badly to go into a cave but all of the adults were busy doing other things and none of them could take us, so me and my friend went by ourselves into the cave..Let me just tell you now..Bad Idea! We got lost and couldn't find our way because our flashlights were growing dim and it was getting dark outside and on top of it all..we were inside this very dark and cold cave! When we had finally stopped walking and decided to stand in one spot until someone found us, we were both thinking.."what if we are lost forever?" and "what if we don't ever get to see our families again?" Finally we heard voices at the end of the cave and we started walking toward the voices..I remember when we finally made it out of there and how bright the rest of the sun from the late afternoon seemed But a few minutes later me and my friend thought "Oh no, now we have to face our father's and find out how long we're grounded for!"
The moral of the story is this, Sometimes when we get lost we make mistakes along the way but in the last seconds when we think that it's too late for God to come in and rescue us "He comes in as our Hero and saves the day!" God loves us even after we make bad choices or stupid mistakes the world pulls us into making! God sees all of our mistakes and yet "He loves us as though we've never made a mistake!" It's all because of a little thing called "Grace" And with each morning comes "New Mercy"
So no matter what mistakes you've made along the way God is still the same and he still forgives and he forgets our mistakes after we ask him to forgive us of our sin! Now that is amazing..isn't it! God is awesome and so forgiving! Ask him for forgiveness now and he will forgive you..no matter what it is! God truly loves you and he's proud to call you his child, even though we've all made mistakes he loves us all just the same and his love is forever and will never fail! I'm so glad, aren't you?
~Dani

~Mercy that we didn't deserve~

(Titus 3:4-7) "But "when the kindness of God our Savior and his love for mankind appeared,
He saved us not by works of righteousness that we have done but on the basis of his mercy, through the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the Holy Spirit, Whom he poured out on us in full measure through Jesus Christ our Savior. And so, since we have been justified by his grace, we become heirs with the confident expectation of eternal life."
Mercy is such a powerful thing, Imagine for a moment where you would be if it wasn't for the fact of Jesus' love and sacrifice for us! It's simply amazing how far Jesus went to set us free from the chains of sin by offering us Grace through the cross, It seems like we need to remind ourselves of the miles that Jesus went to ensure our freedom and allow us to have another chance to an eternity with him in heaven!
Let's thank him for that now! "Thank You Jesus for becoming flesh and dying for us on the cross even though you were a man without sin or failure and you came willingly to be beaten for my salvation, so now I can walk in the freedom from your sacrifice and be in heaven someday to worship you for an eternity!"
We should honor him in all we do in our lives because he gave it all so we could remain free!
Mercy and Grace is such a wonderful thing! Where would we be tonight if not for Grace? Some of us may be homeless or unhappy, afraid or depressed, worried or confused, broken or bitter..That's where we would be if not for His Grace! He loves you and me so much!
He offers Mercy that is new each morning, as the sun comes up it's a new beginning and a new start if we will claim it as ours! God offers blessings unto us, not because we deserve it but because "He Paid It All For Us! Reach out and claim it..It is yours because God wants good things to happen in your life! He loves you and desires for you to be happy and healthy, He never wishes for us to carry our guilt and burden..Instead, God wants to take that load off of you and see you walk in freedom and Joy!
Being a Christian is having the Joy of the Lord! Having Jesus as your Savior means that you will always feel loved and with true value..Because God considers you to be a Gem to him! You are a diamond to him, a priceless ruby, a beautiful stone! God sees value inside of you even if you don't see it, God sees it shining inside of you! God wants to wipe the dirt off of you that the world has thrown at you and he wants to re-purpose you for his kingdom! So that you may shine brightly for his glory that others may see Jesus in you and that they will be able to see the value that they also have, just as Jesus has revealed to you, the value that you have inside of you! He sees the sparkle inside and he wants you to let that light burn brightly, that all may see his glory shining upon your face!
Mercy and Grace has a name it's Jesus! And Jesus Paid it all in full and you can be free if you choose to live your life for him! He loves you like no one else can ever love you and he has a great purpose for your life!
~Dani

~Wanting Perfect Love only a Savior can give~

Naturally being Valentines day I'm going to talk about Love but not the kind of love that one finds from a person but the kind of love that is perfect and unfailing..I'm talking about the love from a Savior!! I'm a very romantic person and that can be a very good thing but it can also be a bad thing because the heart is so deceiving to us humans! I'm the kind of person who is only watching and waiting for the right man to come into my life and it's harder these days to imagine finding a "good man" living in this world in these times! I know that there are Godly, good men somewhere out there, and I only want to be in God's will for my life, whether I meet someone sooner or later is up to God because I'm leaving it up to him and surrendering the power to him because God knows my heart and he knows me far better than I know myself! I'm trusting him and placing my future plans in his hands because he is never failing and the love that I truly need is found in him..I don't need to find that love within a man because I know that kind of love doesn't exist in a man..True Love that never fails can only come from God! I want to encourage the singles out there to be as patient as you can be, I know it's not easy and I know you're lonely but God has the perfect person waiting for you out there and it will be worth it and it will feel right because guess what? IT WILL BE RIGHT! God's choice is the best choice as a mate! Trust in God!
~Dani

~Having Hope while living in a hopeless world~

We all know how hard it can feel holding onto hope while living in a world full of people who are hopeless and lost! It can be very challenging at times to keep your mind focused on the positive things of God!
This is something we all face at some point and we must fight to hang on to our faith and hope in our God!
I'm here to reassure you that it's going to be alright, God is mighty and he is the giver of the hope that we have inside! God will never bring you to something in your life that you cannot get through!
(Hebrews 10:22-23) "Let us draw near with a sincere heart in the assurance that faith brings, because we have had our hearts sprinkled clean from evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water.
And let us hold unwaveringly to the hope that we confess, for the one who made the promise is trustworthy."
As this verse says..Hold unwaveringly to the hope that we confess!
So, Say it and declare this today! Say this.."Lord, I put my hope in you! for I know that you will never fail me and I know your promises are true!"
It's amazing to me how God brings us out of so many hard times in our lives, No matter what happens in this world and no matter how hard times may get, One thing remains true, God gives us hope!
Now let me tell you something about "hope" You cannot have "hope" without having "faith" It just simply cannot exist! Hope comes from a higher power that whispers that everything will be alright and that you're not alone, Faith is a knowledge that even though you may not have an understanding you still believe Faith in God will pull you through whatever you're facing! You cannot see Faith with the naked eye but when you close your eyes you can certainly feel it!
God sees you and what you're facing in your life and even though sometimes Satan tries to refocus your attention onto him by saying "if God can see you..where is he in your time of need?" Faith steps in and declares to us.."God never left you, He is walking with you and leading you out of this safely!"
He knows your pain and he feels for you! He is on your side when everyone else has left you! God is beside you at all times and he never left you alone..Not even once! He loves you and He calls you his because he is proud of the steps you are taking in your walk with him! He can handle even the hardest, most painful, hopeless situations in your life! All you must do is trust him by letting him carry some of that weight and lighten that load you are trying to carry on your own! Let God help you through this! I promise you it will be worth it and you'll be happier and your faith will grow as you continue to put your hope in God!
~Dani

~Lord, I give you thanks!~

(Psalm 105:1-3) "Give thanks to the Lord! Call upon his name! Make known his accomplishments among the nations! Sing to him! Make music to him! Tell about all his miraculous deeds! Boast about his holy name! Let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!"
I think it's very important to constantly thank the Lord for the many blessings he bestows upon us daily and throughout our lives! I wonder sometimes how sad God feels when we forget to tell him "thank you" at times, I know we sometimes wish that people would remember to say "thank you" more often than they do at times, After all it's such a simple word and so much easier to say than "I'm sorry" is to say.
I know that God doesn't "give" blessings just so we will say "thank you" But it does make you really think.."did this really mean that much to them?" I'm sure God wonders if we appreciate the gifts he has given us in our every-day lives, The least we can do is tell him "thanks" because he really deserves to hear it from us..more often than we say.
When we wake up in the morning, even though we are tired and busy making breakfast, still we should stop for a second and tell him that we are thankful to him for waking us up today.
When we sit down to a wonderful Home Cooked meal we should thank him for allowing us to have food on the table and to have another meal surrounded by family and loved ones, when others out there aren't so fortunate! LET'S BE THANKFUL TO HIM!
I remember an old song that my friend and former piano player used to sing often..She is with the Lord now and I miss her everyday, But I remember her singing this song.."Thanks, Thanks, I give you Thanks for all you've done, I am so blessed, my soul has found rest, O Lord I give you Thanks!"
We really do have many, many reason's to give thanks unto God, He's our provider and shelter in time of need! He is a shoulder to cry on when we are in deep pain! He is our strength and song! He brings Joy to the widow's heart and causes her to sing! He is our everything and all that we will ever need!
So today, Be Thankful! If you wake up today say "thank you God!" If you have food in your pantry tell him "thank you!" Even if you are going through a hard time and are in need of a miracle, Declare It! Tell him your need and Have Faith that God will provide just in time! tell him "thank you for sending you that blessing and miracle!" He will provide for your need, Just worship him and believe that it's all going to work out, In the name of Jesus! He is worthy of all praise and he deserves our thanks everyday! Say it now.."Thank You God for blessing me!" That blessing is just around the corner..Praise him until that blessing arrives in your life, God's got it all under control in your life! HE WILL NOT FAIL YOU, FOR HIS PROMISES ARE TRUE! If you are worried because a door in your life has been closed, don't try to force it open and try to reclaim it! God's got his hand over that door and he has something better waiting for you at another door and he will open that door when the right time comes! Praise him outside that closed door in the hallway until he opens it up for you to claim! God is never too early, never too late, He is always right on time! I'm so glad he is! Praise the Lord!
~Dani

~Great Is He!~

Tonight Let me tell you about my God!
My God is rich in mercy and slow to anger, He is a just God who offers us justice on a daily basis! He sees me when I sin and yet somehow he still loves me the same way, I cannot escape his love no matter how many times I may fail him! His promises are true, when he promises to do something he is true to his word! He will never fail me or abandon me, He offers me safety and comfort in his arms! God is clothed in splendor and mighty to save! He is a royal and worthy to be praised! His grace can wipe away even the filthiest of stains that sin can leave on mankind! He is full of hope and compassion, He cares for us all so deeply, far beyond our minds understanding! My God offers blessings out of his love for me and he never ceases to amaze me! He has a plan for me full of purpose and those plans are plans to prosper me and not harm me! My God is clothed in majesty! He is on the throne and has prepared a place for us to be with him someday! God is truthful at all times, he cannot lie because he alone is truth! God is a way of escape of the sin and death that Satan wishes upon us But God offered another way through Christ his son! God is my friend and he is always there, he never changes his mind, or decides one day that he's tired of me, instead he stays with me and holds me when I'm feeling lonely or afraid, He is my comforter and my shelter! He alone knows my every dream and wants to help me live those dreams, He is my greatest fan, He wants me to succeed in my life! God wants only the best for his children and he cries when one of his children dies before their time. God is constant and he will never change, He will always stay the same, yesterday, today, and forever he will remain.."constant" My God is faithful and forgiving, He offers new mercy each new day! when the sun comes up he loves me, when the sun goes down..though I've failed He still loves me and forgives me when I ask him to! My God is loving and he will always be my first love, though people will fail me and some will leave, my God never will! He has a plan for me, even when my own plans fall-through he is proud of me and smiles because he knows that I tried my best, He knows the depths of my heart..the good things and the bad things, and yet he calls me by my name! I could go on and on about my God and how loving and merciful and gracious he is but It would take me an eternity to tell you everything that my God is and how he loves you and me!
So I will post a verse to close this out, in hopes that you will also come to know my God and you'll be able to see what wonderful things he has in store for all of us! THERE IS NO ONE LIKE OUR GOD!
(Revelation 21:4-7) "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death will not exist anymore, or mourning, or crying, or pain, for the former things have ceased to exist."
And the one seated on the throne said "Look! I am making all things new!" Then he said to me, "write it down, because these words are reliable and true." He also said to me, "it is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the one who is thirsty I will give water free of charge from the spring of the water of life. The one who conquers will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be my son."
~Dani

~Kindness: Actions and Words~

(Ephesians 4:31-32) "You must put away every kind of bitterness, anger, wrath, quarreling, and evil, slanderous talk. Instead, be kind to one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you."
Kindness seems so simple, And yet the very word is so complex! Kindness has many layers and opportunities to represent itself, Kindness of the heart is the most beautiful and pure act left in this world, the most simple acts of kindness are often the ones that stick with us for the rest of our week, and often the simple things remain in our hearts for years, lest we forget.
In fact, if you look up the word kindness it says "the quality of being friendly, Generous, and Considerate."
it also says "a kind act..it is a kindness that I shall never forget."
Showing someone kindness is very important in a person's life, if you aren't encouraging people around you during the week..How are you acting Christ-like? Jesus always showed that he cared for others and showed compassion toward everyone that he met! We should really all be doing our jobs by remembering to simply be kind to others because of the kindness that Jesus always showed, And he showed us the ultimate act of kindness by dying of the cross for us!
We must always try to be kind, even when we've been hurt by someone that day or that week, You will find out in life that sometimes all it takes is to "give a smile, to receive a smile!" It will change your life for the better and you'll have a better week by doing so, I know I have a better life because of doing so in my life!
Encourage your friends to have a good week and take on an extra effort by "doing" and raising your hand to help your neighbor, they may not need any labor but it never hurts to ask and who knows..maybe they need someone to come by once a week to visit and have coffee out on the porch with on a lovely afternoon? That could be you reaching out to them and showing true kindness and give them a real sense of a kind heart and sweet spirit for follow.
Will Rogers said this "a stranger is just a friend you haven't met yet." so be kind to new-comers as well!
And I also love this quote "True friends are those who lift you up when your heart's wings forget how to fly."
So let it be your goal this week to lift up others as Jesus did daily! It doesn't have to be actions but it could very well be a simple smile and a gracious "God bless your day!" because you never know who may need to hear those healing words of kindness from a stranger or from a dear friend!
God bless your week.. every one of you out there! I send you a big smile even though you cannot see it upon my face, I hope that you'll feel the smile coming from my heart to you through my words!
~Dani

~It's a new day, with new beginnings~

I just returned from a worship conference that was in San Antonio and it's amazing how refreshing it can be when you are surrounded by other worship leaders that have had the same struggles and have had trials that were similar as you've had, which allows me to breath easier knowing that I'm not alone at all and that we can worship in the storms as well as in the happy times, The simple truth that we often forget while leading is this..Worship even when you're not really feeling anything because it's not about you, it's about praising God and being faithful, As a worship leader we are meant to lead the congregation into the atmosphere of worship and you are standing up on stage so you can be a good example to people and we really are making a difference! Because God rewards our faithfulness and we will lead God's people to new places as long as we never give up even though times become tough but God is going to show up where he is welcome! We welcome him into the house of God and he will show up because he is welcome to "steal the show" so to speak!

You have a blessed day in the house of The Lord! Remember his faithfulness and that it's about worshipping him through it all because he's worthy of the praise!

~Dani

~ Chocolate peanut butter protein shake recipe~

While we are in San Antonio I wanted to post something else, even though I don't have much time to post much. Here's another recipe of mine for you!

1 cup whole milk or Almond milk
dash of cinnamon
1 tsp. peanut butter
1 T. Unsweetened cocoa
1 scoop whey protein powder or what kind you prefer to use.
Blend in a blender and serve over ice or serve chilled. Enjoy! Sometimes I add a banana if I need extra energy that day. Be sure to drink within 30 minutes after a workout. :-)

~Recipe for Spiced Pear Cobbler~

Since I'm so passionate about cooking I'm going to do something a little different and Share a new recipe of mine that I made up tonight! I will be leaving for a trip to San Antonio to a worship conference tomorrow morning and will resume the regular blog Saturday night when I return from my trip.

*Recipe for Spiced Pear Cobbler By: Danielle Stoker*
1 cup whole wheat flour (all purpose)
3 T. Ground flax seeds or whole flax seeds
2 tsp. Baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1 cup sugar or 3/4 cup of Raw Agave Nectar
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1/2 stick of unsalted butter
2 T. extra virgin coconut oil
4 T. rolled oats
1 cup whole milk or Almond milk
 1 tsp. pure vanilla
1 Large can Pear Halves in light syrup or sliced pears.
Preheat oven to 375`
 In a medium bowl mix together Flour, flax seeds, baking powder, salt, sugar, cinnamon.
Pour in Milk and vanilla with all the other ingredients mix together using a whisk until combined, Set aside.
In a 13/9 inch pan put the half stick of butter and 2 T. Coconut oil place in oven until melted, in the bottom of pan sprinkle 2 T. rolled oats, Take your cake mixture and pour over hot butter and coconut mixture, break up the pears into slices and arrange them on top of the cake mixture making sure they're covering most of the cake mixture, Lastly pour half of the light syrup from the Pears evenly on top and 2 T. rolled oats and I Sprinkled a dash of Cinnamon on top but that's optional. Bake at 375` for 30-40 minutes until it's brown on the edges. Enjoy! You could also do this with apples or peaches if you'd like to but the Pears work the best in this Recipe and the flavors blend very well with the Cinnamon!
~Dani

~Blessings from God~

(Psalm 68:18-19) "Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; Yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them. blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah."
Today we are talking about the many blessings that God gives us! I can't tell you how many times in my life God has surprised me by a huge blessing of some kind!
I remember when I was little we were on vacation and we were packing up and getting ready to leave the hotel and as I checked under the bed to make sure I didn't leave anything behind, like socks etc. when to my amazement there was a 14K gold ring with a red sapphire in it just laying under the bed! I was shocked!
 I asked my dad what I should do and he told me to keep it because there were so many travelers coming through that time of year and it would most likely be kept in the lost and found at the hotel for years!
And I smiled really big and slipped the heart-shaped ring on my finger and amazingly It fit perfectly as though it was sized just for me! I was only about 7 or 8 at the time but I still recognized that as a surprising blessing from God even though I was young! I knew that I hadn't done anything that would cause me to deserve such a gift but sometimes God blesses us not because we deserve to be blessed because of anything we've done, But he blesses us because of who he is and because of his Love for us his children!
I think he wants to give us "gifts" because we are his children and like our parents sometimes bring us some candy or something special on an ordinary day, God wants to do the same thing!
So next time you come across something, let's say you're walking down a gravel road or in a cotton field and you come across a $5.00 bill? There's no mistaking it folks..That was from God! Remember that!
Now if you find a bag full of money or a billfold in a ditch then naturally you need to go to the police dept. and turn it in to see if anyone claims it and if you get to keep it maybe you could donate half of that to a local church? Perhaps Hi-way tabernacle in Cleveland Texas? obviously you may laugh here, I did after all!
But here's the thing folks..God really does want to bless you in unexpected ways and you need to allow him to do so, Not because you deserve it but because you want to walk in the blessings of God and think about it this way, if you're blessed then you can be a blessing to someone else and your church will be blessed because of your faithfulness as well!
(Deuteronomy 28:2) "All these blessings will come to you in abundance if you obey the Lord your God."
~Dani

~God..The Great Romancer~

Okay, So being the hopeless romantic that I am, it was only a matter of time before I would write something of the heart! And since valentines day is coming up soon I thought I'd write something for the ones who won't have anyone as their "date" on valentines day..Like myself! Now before you start feeling like I'm throwing a pity party I'm not, I'm used to being single on valentines day because I've never really had a "valentine" before, So this blog is going to those of you who are single or your valentine couldn't be with you on the special day coming up before we know it!
First of all..when we think about Valentines day we think about one thing..Chocolate! even if you're not a big fan of chocolate I bet you eat at least one piece of chocolate on your special day, if you're like me! I always make a fancy meal at home for myself and watch old black&white movies! I really spoil myself on Valentines day! A few years ago I made Fillet Mignon with creamy mashed sweet potatoes and grilled asparagus for my Valentine's day dinner and I had a very nice date night even though I was alone..I wasn't lonely at all!
Now let's move on to the important things tonight, Let's talk about the most romantic person ever! It's God! That's right, I said God! We are made in his image which is why most of us are very romantic by nature, some of us are more passionate than cheezy romantic but If you're like me I am what you call a hopeless romantic by nature! When we think about a romantic place to go to in the bible we either talk about the story of Esther or better yet Song of Solomon, Tonight we're going to go to Song of Solomon and become reminded of God's love for us! Now we all know how in love King Solomon was with the queen of Sheba, God desires to romance us in the same way and give us the truest kind of love there is!
(Song of Solomon 8:6-7) "Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm; for love is a strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame.
Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it out: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be condemned."
I love to read these romantic words from the Bible! It's so uncommon to read from any other book these days! But who would've ever thought these poetic words could ever be from God's word! God loves you more than anyone ever will! That's what I feel when I read these beautiful words and I am suddenly reminded of God's unending, unfailing Love! (Song of Solomon 6: 3) "I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine: he feedeth among the lilies."
God is proud to call us "HIS" He loves us beyond our understanding! He wants to sweep us off our feet and carry us into his kingdom and he wants to make us feel special! He Loves you and longs for your attention and affection! In the words of Chris Tomlin " You and I were made to worship, You and I were called by love, you and I are forgiven and free, you and I embrace surrender, you and I choose to believe, you and I will see that we were meant to be."
So when you're lonely just remember how much your heavenly father loves you and I promise you that he will give you a song to sing and you will always feel his unending love sweeping over you! Because God's love is the most real thing that you could ever feel and his affection is unlike any other! He cares for you and don't worry about Mr. Right not being in your life yet! Mr. Right's name is God and he will never fail you and he will never leave you if you fail him either! I Love him so much and I find comfort in his arms when I'm lonely! I know that you can also feel comfort from God..The great romancer!
~Dani

~As for comforters, but I found none~

(Psalm 69:16-17) "Answer me, O Lord, for your steadfast love is good; according to your abundant mercy, turn to me. Hide not your face from your servant; for I am in distress; make haste to answer me."
How many times in our lives do we all seem to pray this prayer? I know I have gone to this verse many, many times in my life when I was feeling low in my life and I wasn't sure where to turn to next!
Sometimes in our lives we just cannot seem to find the answers or the direction we need to turn to go in our lives. There are always struggles in life and we can choose to get up and face those struggles head on or we can coward and run away from them and they will remain as they are instead of overcoming them!
We need to face these problems as quickly as we can so we can move on to good times again in our lives, Though it's hard right now in your life, think of how much harder it would become if you didn't turn to resolve your situation now! The best way to go about it is to cry out to God and allow him to hear from your own mouth of the problem you are dealing with! God wants us to feel like we can always run to him and take comfort in his arms! God is stronger and mightier than what we are going through, He can handle you telling him what you're dealing with and he WILL COME TO HELP YOU! Cry out to Jesus he will hear your cry for help every time! Sometimes it's right away and sometimes it may take a little while but God is always good with his timing, Never too early, Never too late, He's right on time!
Sometimes when we are hurting, there isn't anyone around to help us or tell us it's going to be alright and that we're going to make it through it, That is why we have the word of God to bring us the comfort and reassurance that what we are facing is temporary and it won't last forever, only for a season in our lives!
I remember when I went through a very hard time in my life and I was in such despair! It was when I was a teenager around 14 or 15 and I was struggling with depression because some other teenagers that I thought were my friends were talking badly about me and gossiping about things that weren't true about me! I didn't understand why they were being that way toward me because I had been a true friend to all of them and I remember feeling such betrayal and overwhelming depression come over me, All of a sudden my whole world was turned upside down and I looked for comforters but there were none! I thought I had friends but they suddenly had turned themselves into enemies, I didn't choose for that to happen to me but I was faced with it and I didn't know what else to do besides reading my bible and praying about it! I finally came across a verse that really touched me back then and I turn to this verse when I feel alone and when I feel like the walls are beginning to cave in on me! (Psalm 69:18-20) "Draw near to my soul, redeem me; ransom me because of my enemies! You know my reproach, and my shame and dishonor; my foes are all known to you. Reproaches have broken my heart, so that I am in despair. I looked for pity, but there was none, and for comforters, but I found none."
When I read this verse I knew I wasn't alone in my despair, someone else had cried out to God before just like I was doing! I found comfort in those words, and I knew that they lived to write that verse so that someone like me would find comfort and hope from those words! It's amazing how the word of God is still able to minister after all this time! Those words of hope will always be there for us to read and know that God is with us, even though we may not have anyone around us to give us comfort! God will be our comfort! Cry out to him and read his word! GOD WILL SHOW UP AND HELP YOU IN YOUR NEED!!
Don't lose hope! God is with you and he loves you! Take a deep breath now because it's in God's hands and he's taking care of it now, wait upon the Lord..God is fixing it for you and it will be worth the wait!
~Dani

~Where would we be if not for Grace?~

Here's a good question for you tonight..Where would you be right now if it hadn't been for the Grace of God? Do you ever think about how far you've come since finding Jesus? Thinking back over all the things God has brought us through helps us appreciate where we are in our lives in the present! It's very good to remember what you've overcome in your life! And you can use that as a testimony to others so that they may know about the goodness of our God and about his Grace that is available for anyone! Jesus died for everyone, He loved us all so much that he died on the cross to pave the way for all sinners and offer Grace to all so we may be able to spend eternity with him someday! That is awesome to me!
I would love to hear what God has brought you through and hear your testimony But first let me share with you something that he has brought me through!
When I was younger I was so shy that I was fearful to speak to people and make friends, And when I got into my teenage years I became very self-conscience and I had a low self-esteem, I had an anxiety disorder that caused me to become very nervous around new people and even new places, I remember one year a few years after we had moved here I went to youth camp and I was excited to go but Satan kept trying his hardest, whispering to me that I couldn't have fun and make friends, He told me they were laughing at me when I heard the other kids laughing and Satan tried his very best to break me down and destroy me!
That year at camp I remember praying in the altar and weeping before God because I was in such pain from all of this, I knew it wouldn't be easy to overcome this and I knew that it would take a lot of prayer and learning to lift myself up But I knew that I could make it through this and that somehow God would make something out of my brokenness and mend my heart! While I was in the middle of trying to change and allow God to transform me Satan had other plans of course! Satan sent others to question me and tell me that something was wrong with me and telling me that maybe I needed to go on some medication, some even thought it was all in my head and that I was somehow making myself that way! Sometimes I would listen to them and think maybe they were right But God spoke to me and told me that he has plans for my life! I knew that God would bring me through it and I knew he had a promise for me! Until recently I had struggles with low self-esteem But I'm here to tell you today that God brought me through that and now I'm free! I see how valuable I am in God's eyes and I know that the right people who should be in my life will also be able to see how valuable I am in the kingdom and that's more than good enough for me!
God brought me through it and I know whatever it may be that you're struggling with God can give you freedom from that too! You may feel defeated and broken now But if you'll praise God anyway and seek his will above your own will, God will bring you to the place he wants you to be and he'll surround you with the right people who will lift you up and God will help you to tell Satan where to go! He needs to go back to hell where he came from because you're a child of the most high God! Don't mess with The King's Kids Satan! Satan tried his best to silence an already quiet person..But now he has to worry about a quiet person who can now speak her mind about Jesus! They say it's the quiet ones that you should worry about and Satan has a lot to worry about with me because I'm not going to shut my mouth or be silent about Jesus!
~Dani

~Let that be enough~

Today I wanted to say something else about God's Love, after all..we've been going back and forth talking about this theme all week long and I wanted to add to that.
I was thinking about how God's love is reckless for us and how his love is everlasting and no one could ever compare to his kind of Love! I love a song by group1crew that's called "his kind of love" I've been listening to that song often because since I'm single..being an unmarried woman and I haven't met my other half (so to speak) I do get lonely for companionship at times..mainly it's the feeling of not having anyone to ask you how your day was or being there to keep you company when you go home, that's the best way I could describe being lonely at times. I know that God is all we need to get by, After all in the beginning it was just Adam and God on earth, God only created Eve because he Loved Adam so much that he wanted to bless him with a Wife, A companion to go through life with and build a family with, That is why we all long to find "the one" God has made for each of us, God intended us to feel this way!
As Christians we always need to remember that God is really all we need..God just gave us an extra blessing by creating someone for each and every one of us, In fact I'm convinced that I am going to seek God to find the Man that God has for me Because One heartache was one too many for me and I won't allow that to happen again in my life, Instead I'm going to simply wait and I'm not going to do anything at all that would compromise God's plan for my life! I won't let this plan go through my hands unless it's gone through God's hands first! Right now I'm simply allowing God to mend my heart and get me ready for better things in my life, God has other plans for me now..I don't know if that means with or without someone in my life currently or not But I'm preparing myself to walk alone if that would be God's will right now in my life!
 It's the hardest to give God the very thing that you most dream of in life, mine is finding someone to spend my life with and be in a full ministry with and build a Godly family with, And though it's hard I've given that dream to God to keep it safe for me and lead me to the right person!
Right now one of my favorite songs of comfort is "one thing that remains" by Passion, The lyric's read "Your love never fails, it never gives up, it never runs out on me!" And I've found comfort in those words Because God will never fail us! God will never lie to us or break our hearts because his love can never be shaken from! We cannot escape the love of God! Here's a wonderful verse for you to read to lift up your spirit!
(Colossians 3:12-16) "Put then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
And above all these put on Love, which binds together in perfect harmony.
And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God."

~Forgiveness..letting go of the guilt~

"Forgiveness" Ouch..that's such a hard thing to do sometimes! It's difficult for all of us to truly forgive someone..But it's hard for us to forgive ourselves too, In fact some of us cannot believe that we deserve happiness because of the wrong we have done to someone in our life, even after they've forgiven you and are friends with you again! I've seen so many people in my lifetime that cannot move on and be happy in their life not because they didn't forgive others, But because they simply couldn't forgive themselves and kept the guilt of their wrongdoings inside of them! That can really eat away at a person when they cannot move on to something else in their life, Rather it be that they lied to someone they cared about, became angry and said hurtful things to a family member, or even gossiped about someone in your church.
It could be many reasons but one things remains, You must learn to forgive others and in return forgive yourself because you deserve to be happy!
Sometimes you need to step away from the crowd and think to yourself to be able to sort your mind and begin to forgive yourself, You must allow yourself to heal and let your heart begin to mend.
In order to truly live and appreciate the life that we've been given we need to learn to accept the things that we cannot change, even though it hurts now in your life you must remind yourself of all the hard times you have overcome before in your life and also remind yourself that this pain won't last forever it's a temporary thing, you will move on to better times in your life! They say the grass is much greener on the other side but what we won't think about is hard times our neighbor has gone through to get to that point, I'm sure there must've been storms in your neighbor's life because the grass on the other side wouldn't be that green if they hadn't gone through the rain! We need to let that be a reminder that there is always someone out there that has it worse than we do in life and thank God that we only have a few issues to deal with at a time, Not only will that help us to heal in our lives but it will also allow you to remain humble and to care for others before yourself! I know it's hard sometimes in your life, It may seem like you deal with the same emotions on a daily basis but you can make it through this, I promise you that you will get through this! Instead of thinking about the issues you think you'll deal with tomorrow focus on what you can do to make yourself smile "today" give yourself a little chance for some new sunshine in your life!
Here's one of my favorite things to do, I love to walk around outside and sing along to my ipod music and look around at every flower, every cloud, every tree and I thank God for giving me this beautiful site to behold! And I thank him for giving me a new day to give the day back to him! And you know what?..God helps me to have Joy with every single day, even if my day has a few "mishaps" I just take a deep breath and take a step away for a minute and realize that, It's not about what you go through, It's about what you come out of and how you decide to respond to all of these things! Don't allow these things to steal your Joy! You do have a say in the matter and you can choose to be happy even in the middle of all the pain! God is with you and he Love's you more than you could ever understand or know! GOD IS BIGGER THAN ANYTHING YOU COULD EVER GO THROUGH! He wants to bring you out of this pain and into something great in your life!
 (Ephesians 1:7-9) "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ."