~Broken & Crushed~

Psalms 34:18-22

18 The LORD is near to the brokenheartedand saves the crushed in spirit. 19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,but the LORD delivers him out of them all. 20 He keeps all his bones;not one of them is broken. 21 Affliction will slay the wicked,and those who hate the righteous will be condemned. 22 The LORD redeems the life of his servants;none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned."

There are seasons in our lives when we become crushed in spirit..But there isn't anything to fear because God is there to restore and heal us when this happens!

At those times in our lives when we are in darkness..God will be our light! It may feel hopeless at times but we need to find hope in God that we will smile again and we will have joy again! It's alright to be weak..because God is the strength that we need to rise up! It's alright to have fear..because God is full of wisdom to help you to overcome anything in your path!

Life isn't perfect and we are going to mess up sometimes, we aren't going to have all the answers to our every question but we can be confident in knowing that God knows it all..He sees our pain, knows our struggles, understands our heart, he knows the answer to our every question that we have.. He knows everything that we go through in our lives so we can have faith in him that he's going to take care of us and he will forgive us when we make mistakes because he loves us!

Psalms 40:1-3

"1 I waited patiently for the LORD;he inclined to me and heard my cry. 2 He drew me up from the pit of destruction,out of the miry bog,and set my feet upon a rock,making my steps secure. 3 He put a new song in my mouth,a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear,and put their trust in the LORD."

God is more than enough to get us through our struggles and he is going to give us the strength we need to continue! We serve a mighty God, awesome in power..what shall we fear? Who shall we fear? Nothing.. No one..because he is with us at all times, in the good times and in the bad times..God is there and we are going to make it through it all!

~Dani

~Where do I go, Where do I turn?~

There are many times in our lives when we ask ourselves.."where can I go?" "What do I do?" Or even.."Who will accept me?" Whatever your question may be..God is the one who will give your mind peace! When you've sinned and you have failed someone dear to you..Jesus still loves you and welcomes you home, just as the story of the prodigal son when his Father welcomed him with open arms! Jesus welcomes us back even when we have really messed up and we feel like we don't deserve forgiveness or another chance! I want you to know that he loves you and he will forgive you because he is a God of mercy, grace and compassion! As you read this story I hope that you'll realize just how much he really loves you and how far his love reaches!

Luke 15:11-24

"11 And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. 14 And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. 17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ 20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate."

~Dani

~The lost get found~

Matthew 18:10-14

"10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven. 12 What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? 13 And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. 14 So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish."

Isn't it an incredible thought to imagine that even if it was only one person that was on the earth that needed grace..Jesus still would've came down to earth just to die for that one person and set them free of their sin? He loved us that much and he still would've sacrificed so that we could spend eternity with him in heaven!

Just as the shepherd went after the one sheep..Jesus loved us so much that he would've done the same when he died for our sins, that's the kind of merciful God that he is, that's why everyone should serve him because of the love, mercy and grace that he has offered to us when he really didn't have to do it..he did it anyway just as the shepherd did when he went after the one sheep..even though he had ninety nine sheep that were perfect he still chose to go after the sheep that strayed away, in many ways that's the way that Christ chose to die for us..there is not greater love than that of a Savior that chose to die for us, not because we deserved it but because he knew that it was the only way to free us from the chains that sin had upon us..now we can be free indeed through Jesus! Oh what a Savior that we serve!

~Dani

~What has your devotion?~

I've seen too many times of young people and adults that are going to church and worshipping but then returning home to live a sinful life! They are going about their week without giving it to Jesus to do a work in them or to change their hearts completely..the problem is that they only give God half of their heart and half of their lives! They are sitting on a fence in their relationship with God and refusing to commit to change in their lifestyle!

There is a big problem with our society these days because of the ideals of the people in it, if only they could realize that there's more for them..if they could realize if only they would allow God to change their hearts completely and go home truly changed then blessings would come into their lives like it never has before! If you think life seems good without Jesus and you're going at it solo at the moment..realize this, if you enjoy looking at the beauty of creation all around you and you have a good life but you can't help but to feel as though something is missing..let me tell you that it's God that is missing from your life! Imagine looking up at the stars and knowing that the God that you serve is the one who made those stars! The same God that made those stars is the God that loved you so much that he sent his only son to die for your sins as he did for all of our sins! John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him shall have everlasting life."

Maybe you're feeling ashamed of the way you've been living your life and you want to feel freedom from that? All it takes is for you to accept forgiveness and accept the sacrifice that Jesus made so that you could become free from the weight of sin! Jesus loves us all so much that we should dedicate our lives to him, the world didn't die for us..so why would we want to live our lives to please this world? 

The choice is clear, choose Jesus and you'll also choose a much more abundant life that will feel complete for the first time and as are the many blessings that you will receive when you surrender your whole life to him! It truly is worth it to serve him and I can tell you from serving him in my life that nothing compares to the greatness of God and nothing has made me happier than serving him!

Matthew 6:24-27

"24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. Do Not Be Anxious 25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?"

~Dani

~Visions & Dreams~

Joel 2:28

“And it shall come to pass afterward,that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh;your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,your old men shall dream dreams,and your young men shall see visions."

It's already happening, young men are seeing visions of the things of God..and of his kingdom! Old men are dreaming again..their passion is growing inside of them once again as if they were young men! 

Youth and adults are discovering their spiritual gifts and the calling that God has over their lives!

People's hunger is growing for the Holy Spirit and they are choosing the Godly things instead of the things of the flesh! People are beginning to come back to The Lord and they are starting to help in the church again! The fire inside of God's people is beginning to ignite like never before! The thirst for God is intensifying so much that nothing else satisfies!

Jesus is coming soon! Don't ignore the signs, there are wars all around the world happening right now! Christians are being murdered for their faith in God..children are even being threatened to be killed or to convert to other beliefs! The world is growing colder and more corrupt than it has ever been before! 

Not to mention the way the government is passing bills that aren't good for anyone! 

Legalizing ridiculous laws and even supporting homosexual lifestyles and ignoring the abuse of children stuck in the middle of it all..But nothing is done for them! 

There is the blood of aborted babies that no one listens to or cares to speak up about! Need I say more? 

If you haven't realized these things have been happening..I hope that this will open your eyes to the last days that are before us now and that we should be praying for Israel and the Christians that are being murdered in the midst of it all! 

The time to get right with God is now, the time to witness to your friends and family is now! Jesus is coming soon to take us away from this cruel and corrupt world..are you ready? 

I am ready to be swept away in the clouds to meet my Savior face to face! What a day that will be! 

No more pain or struggles, no more tears or sorrow, no more of the terrible things of this world to endure! Imagine for a moment how wonderful that day will be! I don't know about you but that day cannot come soon enough..what a day that shall be when our Jesus takes us away from this place into glory land and we get to see the loved ones once again who have gone before us!

Revelation 22:20

"He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!"

~Dani

~It's your will~

In a world that we are living in nowadays it's some times hard to comprehend a God that is full of love and mercy toward us..even though we have sinned, one thing remains true..God has a divine purpose for our lives that will far surpass our own will! 

In our minds we think so logically instead of thinking Godgically (as I like to call it) when we see something unusual we suddenly think that it must be "a sign from God" but we make the mistake of looking with our eyes instead of looking with our heart..Though the heart can also be deceiving, it's our eyes that perceive things in the wrong form! 

If we would not look with our own eyes but instead look with spiritual eyes then it would be God's heart leading us instead of our own hearts leading us toward something!

What if we could close our eyes and shut the world out..wouldn't we be able to see things even more clearer than when we had our eyes on the world?

When we shut out the things of this world..we begin to discover things of God and the Holy Spirit is able to lead us past the things that we don't understand, leading us out of confusion, out of things of the flesh into a much fuller world..a world that is framed by God's kingdom and God's purpose for our lives! 

Shut out the world, take it away! Give me Jesus! This world has nothing for me..there's nothing that can fill up the void other than God's will for your life! There's no feeling greater than that of God's purpose for your life! It's moving toward God's will that fulfills every missing puzzle piece in our lives! God's purpose will fill up that space in your heart and God's love will heal the brokenness within your heart..I've found that there isn't a safer place for my heart than to place it in God's hands to protect!

Job 10:11-13

"11 You clothed me with skin and flesh,and knit me together with bones and sinews. 12 You have granted me life and steadfast love,and your care has preserved my spirit. 13 Yet these things you hid in your heart;I know that this was your purpose."

~Dani

~Why do we judge?~

Something I've opened up my eyes to realize in the past year alone is just amazing..I've learned about how judge mental I used to be, I've learned that I don't have the right to judge others..nor does anyone else have the right to judge!

There is a big difference in judging someone for their actions when you know that they've done wrong and judging someone that you don't know..

When you know someone before they were brought to grace and you see the person they are after they've been saved..you begin to appreciate them.. instead of pointing out their failures, you feel proud of their new life! I have many friends who have been out of church for some time and I know that they've struggled with finding their way back to Jesus..but I've seen them get back up again and move out of their sinful ways! I cannot tell you how honored I am to know them even in their past because I saw the potential in them even then and I always knew that I'd see them again inside our church doors! I see them smiling and filled with such joy every Sunday..I can't tell you how good it feels to hug someone that you haven't seen in so long..knowing that they have a new start because of Jesus' grace!

God's going to bless you for coming back to him and turning away from the life that you were living..it's not easy at first but it does get easier because you are receiving all these blessings that you weren't receiving when you were living by the standards of this world! It's so worth it in the end..you will see! You'll be so happy you can't contain it! Living your life for Jesus is the best feeling in the world and being dedicated to him is where the blessings come from! We serve a faithful God who gives many blessings to those who dare to live their lives for him!

Don't worry about your past mistakes! Commit your life to Jesus and ask him for forgiveness and change into someone better! It's not about who you were yesterday..it's about who you choose to serve today! Choose Jesus and never look back because he is worth it all! And he will fill up that empty space in your heart!

Romans 14:8-13

"8 For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. 9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. 10 Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; 11 for it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me,and every tongue shall confess to God.” 12 So then each of us will give an account of himself to God. Do Not Cause Another to Stumble13 Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother."

~Dani

~Need Encouragement?~

Sometimes we just need a little bit of encouragement but when our friends are away..what do we do? The answer is..We dig deep within God's word and find what we are needing! Words of hope and promise to take as our own and run with! Words to reestablish what we already know, that God has promised to us!

Sometimes we are at a point where we need help to realize God's purpose for us and that the pain or confusion that we are enduring will soon pass! Sometimes we need to remember the faithfulness of God is still there and remember nothing we will face in this life is going to defeat us or hinder God's plan for our lives! God's promises are going to happen..we just have to believe in that plan and never lose faith in all that God is!

Romans 15:4-7

"4 For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. 5 May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, 6 that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7 Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God."

~Dani

~Seeking Knowledge~

It seems as though people living in these times just don't have any sense of value of how precious life really is! It seems like when mistakes are made and people are hurt..the person doing the hurting will not take responsibility for their actions or even realize that they have even hurt someone in the first place! But then again, the person that is hurting others may also be hurting and the person who was hurt by them may need to stop and realize that "the first cut is the deepest"..in other words they need to realize that they need help and they need a friend they can count on to give them a chance to change for the better! Sometimes we need to focus not so much on the fact that we were hurt..but instead ask the question "why did they hurt me in that way?" The reason may be a deeper issue that they are working on, when we come to realize that..it's at that very moment that we begin to change the world around us and the people in that world!

 If only we could see the bigger picture of this life..maybe then we could begin to understand and have the knowledge we need to stop asking "why me?" And start saying "why not me?" We can be the ones that seek a better understanding of things and have the knowledge to keep our mouths shut and see how things play out instead of trying to sort other people's problems out and in the process end up hurting them..perhaps we need to just sit back and try to see the whole picture before we critique..there is always something deeper there than we can first see if we'll just stop for a moment before we speak up then maybe we can be the person that ends up ending conflicts, misunderstandings, issues, problems..maybe we can be the ones that can solve these things..instead of being like a tornado and destroying everything in people's path..wouldn't you like to instead be a peace speaker? The peace speaker calms the storm and makes the sun come out in people's lives! 

Lets be peace speakers and seek the knowledge that we need from The Lord! And if you mess up..give it to Jesus, after all..the ship floats much more smoothly when you have captain Jesus aboard!

We might not know everything but we do however serve a God who does in fact know everything and we can rest in knowing that he's there to give us the guidance that we need!

Proverbs 1:1-7

"2 To know wisdom and instruction,to understand words of insight, 3 to receive instruction in wise dealing,in righteousness, justice, and equity; 4 to give prudence to the simple,knowledge and discretion to the youth— 5 Let the wise hear and increase in learning,and the one who understands obtain guidance, 6 to understand a proverb and a saying,the words of the wise and their riddles. 7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;fools despise wisdom and instruction."

~Dani

~For the first time~

I can't help but to think about the kids at youth camp right now and what's happening in the altars, I know that lives are being changed and the youth are being filled with the Holy Ghost every night! How could I not be excited about that? How could I not be thinking about them when I've witnessed it all before? God is doing amazing things there..just as he's done before when I was there to see it happening to them! Youth are being healed, mended, restored..they are even discovering what their calling is and what to do next in their lives! Many are coming to know Jesus for the first time! This is an important time in their lives..and this may be THE defining moment for them!

We have to pray for them and believe that they will come to know Jesus as their Savior!

They need to know that they are truly loved and valuable! They need to know that their life has meaning! They need the love and peace that only Jesus can offer to them!

For many of these youth this will be the only opportunity for them to come to know Jesus or feel as though they have purpose in their lives! We need to pray that these youth will discover that this week and that their lives will be truly changed forever!

John 14:25-28

"25 “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. 28 You heard me say to you, I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I."

These young adults will never feel more love, peace, purpose, comfort or joy than when they come to know the wonderful love of the Savior "Jesus Christ"

..Lives will be saved, purpose will be made!

~Dani

~I can trust you with this~

In the world these days it's hard to know who to put your trust in, people will always fail you but one thing remains true..God will never fail you! He is always the same..yesterday, today and forever! He is never changing so we can always count on him! He will never leave us hanging..he will always help us find a way of escape!

Our God is constant and strong, our God is faithful and always true!

We can rely on him in everything, for our every need..he is the one we can trust in to see it through and meet our need!

Psalms 9:9-10

"9 The LORD is a stronghold for the oppressed,a stronghold in times of trouble. 10 And those who know your name put their trust in you,for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you."

Your friends and even your family will fail you at times, that is something that we all do at times but we need to understand that God is the only one who will never fail us..no matter what, he is never going to fail us..we can depend on him in all areas of our lives! He is the one that we can always count on to pull us through! Put your trust in him and you will never be disappointed in him..he will always be the one that you can always trust!

Living in such a corrupt world nowadays..it's good to know that we have God that we can depend on!

~Dani

~Your Testimony~

Mark 6:7-12

"7 And he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. 8 He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in their belts— 9 but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics. 10 And he said to them, “Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from there. 11 And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” 12 So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent."

Just as the twelve apostles traveled around and spoke of Jesus by giving their testimony, we should also share with others of our testimony.

For the longest time I thought that a persons testimony was built on how God changed them but I later came to realize that a testimony can also be what God protected you from doing! I realized that can also be a testimony, for instance..I've never smoked, drank alcohol or broken the law so that is part of my testimony..God protected me from doing those things by taking away my desire of wanting to try them, I thank God that I never tried those things or wanted to try those things, that is part of my testimony! What is your testimony? Did God pull you out of a wrecked vehicle? Did God set you free from an addiction? If God helped you out of something in your life and you are different now because of his grace then you should share to others around you of all he's done for you! You should tell them about the good things that he's done in your life!

God has done so much..lets share of all he's done with others so perhaps others may also make the choice to change because of the good things that he has done in your life!

~Dani

~Temper..Temper..~

We are going to talk a little about a touchy subject to some people..that's right..it's about anger.

Quite a few people nowadays have problems controlling their temper and it causes many problems in their lives because of it..mainly because they will not go the lengths of making the changes that need to take place in order to control their temper, many times it can cause them to struggle in their family life and even in their career just because they consider that it's someone else's problems..instead of their own problem..they ignore their own problems so they can disregard changing for the benefit of others..including themselves!

The struggle is real when it comes to your temper! Don't allow Satan to steal your joy or opportunity for a good future! If you choose to feed your anger with things such as gossip, lying and cheating..then you are also cheating yourself out of a chance for a good future and quite simply.. someone to share that future with! Lets be honest..no one wants to be alone in this life so lets stop pretending that anger issues and a bad temper doesn't exist and let's correct those problems by giving them to God to change our hearts into something that God can use for his glory! The decision is clear..give it all to God and have a happier, much fuller life..where you'll be at a place in your life where you can help people out there who are also struggling with the same problems! Anger has an appropriate time to happen but we need to learn to control our temper so that we can stop and think about whether or not our anger is at an appropriate time! The bible says in Ephesians 4:25-29

"25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil. 28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. 29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear."

We should be patient and slow to anger in our lives because it's anger that steals things in our lives and is a tool that Satan likes to use against us to destroy us! Don't allow him to steal anything from you! You are a child of the king and you are mighty! Ask God to help you with your temper and trust me..you'll have a much better life when you have peace in it!

Proverbs 14:29-30

"29 Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding,but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly. 30 A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh,but envy makes the bones rot."

~Dani

~Verse of the service~

Psalms 36:5-9

"5 Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens,your faithfulness to the clouds. 6 Your righteousness is like the mountains of God;your judgments are like the great deep;man and beast you save, O LORD. 7 How precious is your steadfast love, O God!The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings. 8 They feast on the abundance of your house,and you give them drink from the river of your delights. 9 For with you is the fountain of life;in your light do we see light."

~Dani

~God knows~

Tonight was the last night of kids camp, we were praying for the kids to come to realize God's plan for their lives..

last night I was praying for this sweet little girl and God really touched her as she had her hands raised, tears flowed down her face as she felt God's love and purpose in the altar! If there's nothing else that came out of this experience that little girl named "Megan" was worth the whole week just to see her touched by God! That's what it's all about! Little Megan now knows how much Jesus loves her and how he has a plan for her life!

Jeremiah 29:11-14

"11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile."

~Dani

~The fruit of the spirit~

I wanted to share a little praise report about what all is going on here at kids camp..First of all, The children are smiling and enjoying the games during the day! 

All of the kids are getting along with each other and making new friends..which makes me feel happy to see! But most importantly every single kid has been entering in on the praise and worship..And many of them can be found on their faces at the altar at the end of the services each night! That makes me so happy and very proud of them..In many ways I feel like they are my kids because of how proud I feel to see them succeeding in the kingdom! God is good! 

Here is something that the kids have been learning about during this week..

Galatians 5:22-25

"22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit."

~Dani

~The Word~

While I'm away at kids camp as a counselor I need you to pray that God would have his way in these kids lives! Please join me in prayer during the next couple of days left of camp.

John 1:1-14

"​1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. 9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."

~Dani

~Let them come..~

Mark 10:13-16

"Let the Children Come to Me

13 And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. 14 But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 15 Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” 16 And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them."

Pray for us while we are away at kids camp that we will reach these kids this week with the truth of Jesus' love!

~Dani

~Meant for so much more~

Ever since I was a child I knew that God had a plan, not only for other people but also for me as well!

When I was younger I used to beat myself up or think to myself that I just wasn't as good as my friends were, it took me a while before I realized that it was Satan that was putting these thoughts inside my head..he kept telling me that I wasn't good enough and I found myself believing him for a long time, once Satan got to me in that way, it became hard to enjoy my life..I stopped smiling, I closed myself up..hiding myself from others from getting to know me, I felt so broken and lonely..I just wanted to be quiet all the time in fear that someone might question who I was and that they would laugh at me.

One day I woke up and I said.."that's enough!" I decided that I refused to remain silent and closed up! I knew that God had a plan for me..something so big that Satan was trying to stop me from succeeding in! I knew that it was my choice alone to refuse Satan's plan of destruction over my life and I wasn't going to stand for it one more second!

I was convinced that I had to escape from the chains that had me bound and I wasn't going to not stop until I was free from all doubt and fear that Satan had instilled in me! I wanted more and I wanted to do God's will! God helped me to come out of my shell and he gave me the courage to speak up when I need to, he helped me to have joy unlike I've ever had before! I'm so happy today in my life..all because I put my life in his hands to help me and mold me into all that I needed to be for him!

If you are also struggling with Satan's schemes over you.. I just want you to know that you can get out of this and escape like I did, Satan only plans destruction over our lives and wants us to fail..but you don't have to accept it! Start thinking positive about yourself and your life! It won't be long until you will begin to discover God's plan for your life!

Jeremiah 29:11-12

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you."

~Dani

~His Love Is Constant~

Psalms 73:23-26

"Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand.

You guide me with your counsel,

and afterward you will receive me to glory.

Whom have I in heaven but you?

And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.

My flesh and my heart may fail,

but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."

When we grow tired of the way the world is and the people that are of this world, it's always a good thing to be reminded that God is always there even to the end of time! when we feel lost in this world or we feel confused..God is there to meet our every need..It's not always easy in this life but it's easy to know who to turn to when things begin to fall in around us! God is always going to help us and offer to us as a way of escape..sometimes he offers us a door to exit but sometimes he offers us a window of opportunity to reveal something to us that is going on in someone else's life.

God always has something planned for us..often he offers us a time to learn something that we never knew that we needed to learn in our lives!

There are so many wonderful things that God has set before us to equip us in this life and the tools to make a skilled life for ourselves! It is up to us to decide whether or not to use those tools and gifts for his glory..if we decide to use those tools and gifts to NOT honor God then it's a waste of a great talent that he has given us..he has given us many of the talents we have so we can help others in need..some of the talents we have are just extras..I think he gives us those because God has a good sense of humor and he wanted to make us unique in that way! For instance, I am talented in being witty, I can think on my feet and make others laugh because of it..I'm not sure why I'm that way but it seems to make others smile a lot so I'm glad that he made me that way! He also gave you a unique personality and character! I believe that we should allow God to mold us into whatever area that he decides to use us in! Be proud of who you are and the personality he gave you..and ask him to mold you into whatever he has planned for your life that you'll be able to succeed in his will for your life and that you won't hinder yourself from going into God's will! Whatever he has equipped you with in your life..give it to him and give the glory to him and he will use you in even bigger ways than you could've done on your own! God wants you to use your hands to help shape others and encourage them to also use their abilities to help others! He wants us to use our gifts to bring him glory and he wants us to use those gifts to encourage and build others up as well..whether they're saved or unsaved he wants us to build them up and share the kindness that Jesus had shown us by dying for us all! We must always remember why we're here and what our mission is according to "His purpose" God will always drive us to accomplish our goals in this life and he sees the best in us when we cannot see the best in ourselves anymore..he always sees the potential that is there when we cannot see it with our own eyes! I'm so glad that he saw us for who we really are and still he loved us so much that he died for us..we wouldn't have a chance of grace without the love that he offered us when he sacrificed himself for our sins!

~Dani

~Great is your faithfulness, oh God!~

To follow after God isn't anyone else's choice but your own, as we all have to choose him on our own because we have been given "free will" God loved us so much that he gave us a choice to serve him!

To help you to understand better let me explain it to you this way..

When God gave us free will I believe he was looking at it this way..if a person were to fall in love with someone else who didn't in return love them back there couldn't be a relationship built on respect or honor and you wouldn't have plans that you would want to make with them..in many ways that's how it could've been if we weren't given free will to serve or not to serve God! God wanted us to serve him, love him, respect him and honor him in all areas of our lives, he didn't want to "force us" to serve him..he gave us free will out of his love for us!

We should desire to please him in all that we do! God deserves the glory for every single blessing that we are so fortunate to receive in our lives!

We have so much to be greatful for!

I want to please God and follow his commands so that I may live a long and blessed life! It's not a life worth living without God in my life..why would I desert him when he's blessed me with good health, a loving family, a wonderful church and a purpose that he has planned custom to fit me perfectly! How could I ever leave him when he's been nothing but faithful to me! I want to do my best to follow after him in all that I do!

Lamentations 3:22-27

"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end;

they are new every morning;

 great is your faithfulness.

 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,

 “therefore I will hope in him.”

The Lord is good to those who wait for him,

to the soul who seeks him.

It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.

It is good for a man that he bear

the yoke in his youth."

He's done so much for us even when we've turned away from him at a point in our lives..yet he still remains faithful and still he chooses to call us "his" children! He loves you and he has a wonderful plan for you!

~Dani

~Salt and light~

As Christians it's very important for us to continue to build our relationship with God and to always grow further away from the things of this world. We must do our best to continue to grow in The Lord..no matter how much we are continually pulled by the world!

Matthew 5:13-16

“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."

We need to focus our main attention to getting closer to God and learn how to listening to his voice! When we learn the voice of God things in our lives feel a lot more simple and the decisions we make always work out when we obey his commands!

John 10:27-28

"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand."

When we listen to God's voice..he will lead us where we need to go, he will lead us to the places where we can reach the people who really need the most help! In order to be able to reach others out there..we need to first work on getting closer to God..we must never lose sight of what's important and we need to seek God in all areas of our lives, most importantly we must keep our focus and keep our relationship with God as first priority in our lives so we can always be prepared for God to use us!

~Dani

~Show love & kindness~

Some of the things I've learned through the years is this..If you're in need of a friend..show kindness toward someone..be there for them and they will be there for you!

Another thing is when you're feeling depressed in your life..make someone else's day, even forcing yourself to smile can help someone and at the same time it can also be helping you!

If you're needing love..show others the love of Christ that you hold deep inside of yourself!

If you're looking for forgiveness..show mercy to others when they've wronged you!

If you have low self-esteem..encourage someone and treat someone special!

Whatever it may be..give, love, be merciful, show kindness, be a friend, have faith in other people's abilities and they will have faith in you too!

Reach out to someone and pick them up out of the pit that they are in! Someday when you are beat down and feeling defeated..someone will return the favor and help you back on your feet again!

Even when others are hurting you or have hurt you in the past..keep the faith and hold on to that smile of yours..because that's going to be the thing that will help you rise up out of that situation you're in..if somehow you can keep that smile when someone else is about to give up..that's going to be enough to help them to realize that they have a reason to live! That smile can bring life and hope to them again!

1 Peter 4:6-11

"For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does.

The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self- controlled and sober- minded for the sake of your prayers. Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen."

~Dani

~Fear Not..for I am with you~

Countless times in the word of God he tells us "fear not..for I am with you" it seems as though we find ourselves struggling with that very thing in our lives..Mostly, we all fear one thing in common with each other and that's being left alone to fight our battles on our own with no help.

We all get scared at times and it's alright because we don't have to worry about being left on our own..God is going to be the one who's there for us at all times! Especially when we're afraid.. he is quick to comfort us!

Isaiah 41:1-13

"Listen to me in silence, O coastlands;

let the peoples renew their strength;

let them approach, then let them speak;

let us together draw near for judgment.

Who stirred up one from the east

whom victory meets at every step?

 He gives up nations before him,

so that he tramples kings underfoot;

he makes them like dust with his sword,

 like driven stubble with his bow.

He pursues them and passes on safely,

by paths his feet have not trod.

Who has performed and done this,

calling the generations from the beginning?

 I, the Lord, the first,

and with the last; I am he.

The coastlands have seen and are afraid;

the ends of the earth tremble;

they have drawn near and come.

Everyone helps his neighbor

and says to his brother, “Be strong!”

The craftsman strengthens the goldsmith,

and he who smooths with the hammer him who strikes the anvil,

saying of the soldering, “It is good”;

and they strengthen it with nails so that it cannot be moved.

But you, Israel, my servant,

Jacob, whom I have chosen,

the offspring of Abraham, my friend;

you whom I took from the ends of the earth,

and called from its farthest corners,

saying to you, “You are my servant,

 I have chosen you and not cast you off”;

fear not, for I am with you;

be not dismayed, for I am your God;

I will strengthen you, I will help you,

I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Behold, all who are incensed against you

shall be put to shame and confounded;

those who strive against you

shall be as nothing and shall perish.

You shall seek those who contend with you,

but you shall not find them;

 those who war against you

shall be as nothing at all.

For I, the Lord your God,

hold your right hand;

it is I who say to you, “Fear not,

I am the one who helps you.”

What are you afraid of in your life that God can't comfort you through? The answer.. There is nothing in this world that you could fear that God cannot get you through! He will always be stronger than what is coming against you, wiser than those who speak words against you, more mighty than any powers of darkness that the devil uses against you! There is nothing that God can't help you to overcome in your life..even fear cannot hold you back because God is with you and God isn't afraid of anything! Don't be afraid..for God is with you..so whom should you fear? No one!

~Dani