~Even in the pain..give God praise!~

Life has many challenges that we sometimes allow ourselves to forget what our biggest purpose is..it is to give God praise in the good times and in the bad, it is to realize that though you don't understand his plan..you hold on because you know what kind of God he is!

So whatever you're facing today..God is with you in the midst of the struggle and the pain..He is with you to get you through it! 

Don't give up just because the world has given up on God..hold on to the faith and with it you will be brave enough to leave behind that which is of this world!

Don't ever lose sight of His purpose for your life because of temporary setbacks..because let me tell you..God is setting you up for a major comeback!

~Dani

~How to be Strong~

Where does strength come from? 

More importantly..how do you draw strength in the middle of a situation you've never experienced before?

We all face many difficulties during our lives and we've all given up on something in our lives in a time that we should've stood strong instead, but in the end..we failed to do so.

But what about the moments when we are facing a hard time and we don't have the strength but somehow we find that strength from somewhere inside of ourselves..we find a strength that we never knew was there! Where did it suddenly come from? How did it manage to come at such a time as this..the time when we needed it the most?

The answer is..God saw you at your weakness point, He heard the cry of your heart, He knew that you needed help finding the strength and He helped you to find that strength within yourself, He helped you to cope with the pain or the defeat that you were struggling with and He lightened the burden of that for you! It's because of God that we are able to draw strength even when we don't always give him the praise for it..still He is there for us in that very hour of need! He searches out heart's and knows what we are capable of, therefore He knows when we need His strength inside of us to be able to make it out of the struggle that we are currently facing!

We are only capable of a few things on our own without any help and God just sits back and enjoys watching us use those strengths but He also watches out for the moments when we are faced with challenges that we cannot overcome according to our own strength and that's when God intervenes in our lives and in those certain situations that we need Him in the most!

I want to encourage you today by telling you to not give up, God is with you at all times and even when it seems hopeless..God is going to give you the strength that you need to get through it, just trust in Him..that He is on His way and that He is going to give you the strength to make it out of that situation successfully! 

God will give you the strength..I promise you that He will get you through even the most difficult things..even tragedy and give you the strength to get through it! 

Trust in Him..trust in His plan..don't lose hope and always keep the faith because that's where you will always draw your strength from!

Proverbs 3:5-6

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart,

and do not lean on your own understanding.

In all your ways acknowledge him,

and he will make straight your paths."

~Dani

~Don't waste your time..~

Have you ever stopped and wondered what your purpose was?

The fact is that if you have to stop and wonder about it..you probably haven't discovered what that is yet. 

First of all, We were made to worship.. so if we aren't worshipping our very creator..then what are we doing? 

The answer is..we are wasting our time, precious time.

Second, We have a wonderful imagination..but we are filling it up with things like porn and things that we see with our eyes instead of seeing with our hearts! 

We try to satisfy ourselves with temporary pleasures that only feel good or look good for a season but when they fade away we wonder what we are missing in our lives..But what do we do? We go back to the porn and all the temporary fills that brought us to that place more than once in our lives and instead of changing..we remain the same and we refuse to admit that it's us that's the problem and that our hearts need to change!

What is wrong with us? We are starting to waste away, we no longer apply the bible to how our lives should be, but instead we go on reading the verses that we are "okay" with and refuse to apply the whole word of God toward changing our lives for the better simply because we are afraid to be different and to be separated from the ideals and temporary fills of this world!

What would happen if we gave God our all? How many more people would we help! If only we'd admit that we want to change into something better..we would also understand that we can do anything with God and we could benefit others around us by walking in His truth! We could shake this world and wake it up to realize that they need Jesus!

Our vision would be clearer and we would start to dream beautiful dreams again, if only we would surrender our minds and our eyes to God again!

Let's surrender our everything to God! Our every thought and dream so we can strive to be something better for the world to see and along the way we will bring others to salvation just from seeing our faith turned into actions!

Don't waste today, choose today to make a difference in the world by showing them the love of Christ and by showing them the difference that He's made in your life!

~Dani

~Closing Doors~

How many times do we ask God "why" whenever a door closes in our lives that we didn't expect to see closing?

Have you ever thought that maybe the reason for it closing wasn't because of you but because God thought that you deserved something better in your life or even someone that would challenge you a little more than that person did.

It doesn't have to be horrible for it to not work out, it could even be good and still not work out with that person but you have to come to a point in your life where you finally stop asking questions and find a way to move on with your life, you have to trust that whatever the reason behind it not working out..you are going to not look back but to move forward to better things in your life.

Maybe the reason why some good relationships don't work out is because God was preparing you for the right person that you are going to meet sometime soon down the road!

Whatever happens in your life..know that there is a purpose because God created you and he only creates where there is a purpose, he doesn't make mistakes, he only makes good things..therefore you have a purpose that far surpasses your own ideals and hopes!

Though it's not always easy to say the dreaded "goodbye" God wants us to say it without fear of moving forward, without a fear of it leaving behind you, without a fear of what's to come, 

He wants us to say goodbye with the attitude of "thank you for your lessons" and "I am ready" that's our happy medium and where our focus should be shifted to. 

We should never have the attitude of "I'm not good enough" or "My best isn't even good enough" 

Don't ever allow anyone or any situation to cause you to feel inferior! Because if You are a child of God..you don't ever have to feel that way because he is the strength and hope that will always drive you past the hardest times of your life! Don't give up and don't ever forget whom you belong to..You are a king kid and you are going to make it past this coming out of it better than you ever imagined you would!

~Dani

~Moving Forward..~

Well..it's Wednesday again and for most of you it's time for you to go back to work, for some of you it's time to drop the kids off at school and return home to work on the housework.

But for some it may be a tough day because you're planning to attend a funeral of a loved one or perhaps you received some not so good news from the doctor this morning.

If any of these sound like you, then this is for you today!

I'm here to tell you that you're going to make it through whatever you're facing today, Because God has greater moments ahead of you, you may be feeling like it's never going to feel good again or that you're not going to make it through this struggle but I assure you that you serve a mighty God who has the ability to show up even in the midst of confusion..when you just don't know anymore, when you don't know who your friends are, when you feel broken and alone..God can come in the very midst of those times and pull you through them all! Don't give up, give it to God and trust in His plan again!

It may seem like it's over..but the best times of your life aren't behind but instead they are before you! Keep your eyes looking ahead and continue to move forward into God's greatness!

You're not alone..God is with you and He loves you, don't give up, because the best is yet to come!

Haggai 2:9

“The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts. And in this place I will give peace, declares the Lord of hosts.”

~Dani

~If God is with me..~

Today as you're waking up to face reality, no matter what the circumstances may be or the worry on your mind of all the issues that you are finding yourself face to face with, 

I want you to start today by praying this..I'm sure you've tried it every way there is but why not ask God for help this time? Pray this with me..

"I am a child of God, He is with me as I wake up and as I lay my head down to sleep, there's no place that I can go where God cannot find me, therefore there isn't anything that this world could throw at me that God cannot get me through! I trust in you God and I know that though life seems harder at times..you are never changing and you are always with me! Help me to have the strength to face whatever this day may hold..because I know as long as I hold on to you, everything that I need is going to be provided into my hands just as you hold me in your hands..in Jesus name, Amen!

I felt led to share this verse to go along with this prayer today, I hope it speaks into your life or your situation today whatever it may be that you're facing..

Romans 8:31-35

"What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?"

~Dani

~Odds Against You~

There are times that come in our lives where it seems to only be trial after trial but we can't seem to get up that hill and get to the place where we can move on and get past them!

Maybe the reason why we aren't moving past those things is because we haven't learned what we needed to? Maybe we haven't gotten past those things because we allow those hard things to alter our attitudes instead of trusting in the Lord to get us through it?

Or maybe we aren't making the right choices in our life and it causes us to continually step backwards time after time?

Whatever it is, I know one thing..The answer is, We should be trusting in God and asking less questions as to why we are in that trial.

We need to realize that God has helped us through many other hard times as well and know that He will do it again but it's our job to trust in Him and let go of the negative thoughts running through our minds!

When things aren't changing..we aren't improving! 

When our attitude wins..we lose!

When we worry..we aren't trusting fully in God!

We need to change, we need to adjust our attitude and most of all..we need to trust in what God says that He will do!

God is a miracle working God and so it's our job to remain as calm as possible and allow Him to WORK in us so He can continue to work THROUGH us! 

It's time to worry less and trust in God more because He knows us and He sees everything that's ahead far better than we do, the only thing we can control is our attitude and allowing God to be God!

Proverbs 3:5-8

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart,

and do not lean on your own understanding.

In all your ways acknowledge him,

and he will make straight your paths.

Be not wise in your own eyes;

fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.

It will be healing to your flesh

and refreshment to your bones.”

~Dani

~Live to inspire~

There are many things in this life that we find important but sometimes we forget that there's more to life than doing things that only make us happy,

Oftentimes we don't realize one of the most important things that we need to be doing in our lives..

By making others smile..

Now, I'm not just talking about making them laugh on just a regular day..I'm talking about having the compassion and seeing that your neighbor needs to smile because they aren't having a good day or they might be down because of something personal that they cannot forgive themselves for and they need to have some kind soul to help them to get their mind on something positive again!

That could be you..you could be the very person that could turn it all around for them!

Even though we may not always have the best attitude because of how our day went at times..we do however always have a reason to smile! 

Even if you have to force a smile at times..they don't know that, they only see the goodness of your heart because of you smiling at them! 

You may underestimate what a smile can do..but that smile of yours could be the very thing that gives someone who was planning their suicide the hope that they needed just in the nick of time! 

That smile of yours is needed in the world right now! 

Besides..doesn't everything seem to move by more efficiently when you have a positive attitude?

You may not be able to change the government, the weather, or take all of the wickedness out of the world but you can help the world out one person at a time and that makes a bigger difference than you may think it does!

Smile! Show them Jesus by being the positive person that they really need in such a negative world! Shine your light brightly and share the light of the world to those around you by being an instrument of Jesus' love! Start today and it could be the very thing that saves someone's life!

~Dani

~Digging Deep!~

Have you ever been at a point where you couldn't find the words,

you couldn't find the strength to move, you couldn't even find any comfort from anyone because there wasn't a comforting word for the place that you are currently facing in your life!

It reminds me of the verse in the bible that says in Psalms 69:20

“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.”

Although sometimes we feel as though our precious world is crashing down around us, and we feel like no one truly understands the pain that we are suddenly feeling, 

we can fully trust that God has us in the palm of his hand and even though our logical part is still in doubt or is simply afraid..we can depend on our faith and seek his comfort in prayer,

When we feel like everything is at an end..we have to look to God at that difficult time because he alone has the comfort that we are needing and even though the storms of this life are crazy..God is the peace that we need to walk out of the storms that this life is putting in our path!

Sometimes when something bad is happened or happening in our lives..we cannot think logically..we have to think Godically because the way we think is from only one angle but the way God thinks is from every angle and around every single curve, he sees what we need, what we don't need, he sees into the far future, he sees our past, he knows our every dream and even our secret fears, when bad things happen..the things that he doesn't allow to happen..it's his promise to us that he will be there for us whenever they do..He Knows everything And He is always there! He loves us and hurts when we hurt! 

So when all else fails and you feel hopeless and in the most lost feeling that you've ever felt before..Reach out to God and allow him to comfort you because God has a way that heals our brokenness of heart and even the brokenness of a crushed spirit!

~Dani

~Listen, Trust, Love & Obey~

I understand now what Jesus meant when he was saying.."they know not what they do"

It's starting to become very hard to watch as people are so disillusioned by what lies they have come to believe and what they are doing to promote them.

They cannot think with a clear conscience because they know not what they do and that what they are doing is sinful.

It's painful to see people turning against each other but more than that..it's painful to see how they are mocking God and mocking anyone who mentions His name in a manner of praise!

It's beyond shameful to see people living a "double standard" way of life where they are comfortable living in sin and only create riots to promote what's best to accommodate their lifestyle in America..yet they criticize those who try to pave a way in this country for justice and benefiting a positive future for the children but that legacy won't be able to exist once people only change the laws that benefit their "peace of mind" instead of thinking about how it's going to affect those who are on this earth long after we're gone!

What about their future? 

What about their dreams? 

Don't the children of America deserve their own hopes and dreams to come to pass? I think so!

Since when did we become a country who doesn't think about others?

When did we become so spiteful and bitter when someone speaks for freedom, liberty and the pursuit of happiness?

America has turned their back on God and have come to hate those who dare to say the pledge of allegiance or to even say "God Bless America!"

When that's how this country came to be great in the first place!

People have turned their backs on law enforcement officers, firefighters, Veterans and anyone who is trying to fight for our freedom at all costs and to give this country a good foundation to stand on!

I shatter at the thought of the danger we would be in without them standing up to fight for such a cause even though many have turned away or slandered our good veterans names and the cause that they so proudly stand up for..still they fight because they are fighting to make America what she once was!

They believe so strongly in America that they would give up an arm or leg and even their very lives if a citizen was in harms way..And yet no one reaches out to say "Thank You" to them!

And no one gives them a feeling of pride or satisfaction to come home to, they are overshadowed by riots and controversies where we used to stop everything to welcome them home with group hugs and big smiles on our faces!

Among many other things..this is one of the Big problems that has happened in America and it needs to stop!

Let's speak life into America again!

let's believe with those who believe in how great she is! 

Let's reach out to the community like we used to! 

Let's dream of something great happening again!

Let's keep putting out the good in this world..why? Because that's what Jesus did and we are called to be a reflection of him so others might see Jesus in us! Even though people will mock you or mock God..show them the love of Christ and listen to what God speaks into your heart to say to them..even when it's something that's hard for you to say..

it's not heartlessly judging when you feel led to say something and it's in a loving way to someone else..that's the way Jesus did and that's the way we should approach witnessing to those who are lost! The ones who often accuse Christians of harshly judging are usually those who are hurting the most and if you truly have a heart for the lost..God will give you the opportunity to talk to them and he will give you the very words that will reach them!

~Dani

~Don't remind me!~

I don't know if you've noticed this but just when you think that you've escaped your past and everything is going so well in your life..it suddenly sneaks it's way back in, totally unexpected and unwelcome! It happens to the best of us and the fact that we all have an ugly past that sneaks up from time to time only reminds us of two things..1 we're human and 2 we are weak and in need of God. 

Although we work hard to rewrite our story, we still have to remember that we aren't perfect and we do have a past that we sometimes reflect on but that doesn't mean that we walk backwards toward it..we're not going that way anyway!

The thing that Satan often uses to hit us by surprise is sending the person that once caused us to stumble back into our lives to shock us and cause us to dwell on the ugly face of our past, I'm not talking about the person but the temptation that came from trusting in their word and by following their lead as they blindly lead you into danger that you never saw coming yourself, although we may have our eyes looking ahead of us..it's who's holding our hand leading us that can become an issue, that's why we have to be careful and to choose to spend our time around people that aren't going to lead us down a dark and dangerous path!

Now let's get back to what I was talking about earlier..

Just because you are going on the straight and narrow now, that doesn't mean that your past will keep quiet while you move on with your life, oftentimes what happens is you'll hear a song that reminds you of your past or something else that has etched itself upon your mind that causes you to put your thoughts on repeat of your painful past! That's something that isn't ever welcome..no matter how strong you are or how you think that you might handle your past coming back to say "hello" you never want it to happen! The only thing that any of us want to say to our past is "goodbye" and no more!

I can't promise you that it's going to be that simple every time but as long as you always know that the answer will always be "no" then you won't have major problems revisiting your past when it comes by to "catch up" in sorts.

It's important to dig your hills in and declare that you are a child of God and you are forgiven of your ugly past!

Move forward! Take a deep breath and let it out! Make your future something great and stop being mediocre and strive to become much more! God has BIG PLANS for your life so start walking in that divine purpose and leave your past behind!

~Dani

~Family under attack~

"Family" when we hear the word, the meaning that comes to mind to us is one thing..A warm home filled with people who love each other, value each other and protect each other at all cost..

It sounds nice right? 

The only flaw in this arrangement is something is missing from this idea and that thing is involving your family in church.

You see, if you totally remove going to church and building a relationship with God as well as other Christians..something is lost and even stolen from your family's life and when that happens..Satan finds his way into your family's life!

All Satan wants to do is steal, deceive, lie, He will make things seem as though everything is fine without church and you will develop the mentality that you are a higher power.. the one that holds it all together..that's how families get torn apart is when one person has all the strain on themselves and they don't have a higher power to relieve that strain, when that happens and the strongest person in the family falls apart..so does the family and that's why it's so important to take your family to church so they can put their faith in God and build a close relationship with him!

We all need someone but when the one that you always run to for help..your mom or dad or sister or an aunt or uncle can no longer be that refuge for you..to whom will you run to? Run to Jesus..He is always strong and the right Man for the job!

Take your family to church, build up your faith together, learn to trust in God together, You won't be sorry about it and when Satan comes a knocking on your door..You'll all be prepared and see him for the deceiver that he really is and you won't allow him to come in to cause confusion in your family's life! Kick Satan out of your house and take your family to church this Sunday and the following Sunday's from that point on! It's time to take our families back again and the only way we can fully do that is to get involved in church again!

~Dani

~Unanswered Prayers~

Have you ever prayed to God about something only to find out that your prayer had not been answered and down the road you thought..

"Thank God that He didn't answer that prayer!"

I think about it all of the time, I'm so happy that God knows what I need and He knows my heart's desire, even when at times I don't fully understand why some things don't work out ideally as I would have figured in my mind..

thinking back now, I am so glad that God took care of me and guarded me from walking don't a certain path, 

even when we stray off course at times..God knows what we are called to do and what purpose we have over us!

Rest easy today and when you find out that your prayers weren't answered..don't fret because God has a much better plan, job, person or whatever it may be..He has that special thing in mind for you and it will be so right for you that you'll also be left saying "Thank You" to Him!

Proverbs 19:21

"Many are the plans in the mind of a man,

but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand."

~Dani

~Surrounded~

"Negativity" it's the very thing that we try so hard to escape from or we try to avoid those who radiate it.

It's the killer of dreams, the deepest form of doubt, once you begin to think in this frame of mind..it's hard to be optimistic or to have hope and faith that God will get you through it all. 

Negative words or thinking can be dangerous and deadly..especially in the church in the leaders or in a business of any kind! It can destroy a person or make things that are "possible" to seem "impossible" with a single word or thought it can hold you back from ever succeeding and can even stop you in your tracks, because with negativity comes doubt and with doubt comes shattered faith!

As Christians it is our responsibility to declare a positive environment surrounding us but if you have to be around people who are constantly negative and dried up in spirit..it can be tough, it can be really tough!

Perhaps if we would start praying more in the house instead of just at church..maybe our world would change, maybe if we started speaking to the negative people around us by declaring the hope that God gives you..they may also begin to see it in their own lives!

This world can be such a cruel place to live in if we don't ever try to make a difference, the only reason why so many people are so scared of being in the world is because they have allowed their doubt that they'll become someone better to die and they are afraid to hope for something more in their world!

We have to resurrect these people who have allowed their optimism to die!

We have to reach out to those who have become blind to the good things left in this world! We have to speak life to them and hope that they will begin to speak life back into their own environment!

There are a few things that a person should never give in to..

#1. Don't ever let someone else tell you who you are, those dreams belong to you and God has a purpose for those dreams..don't ever let someone speak over what hopes you have for yourself!

#2. Don't ever start something that your passionate about and stop in the middle of it, if you are passionate about something either do it or don't do it but make a decision and stick with it so you won't complicate things in your life or allow for more stress in your life, pick one thing you're passionate about and be successful in that area! 

#3. Don't hang out with people you know are negative if you can be easily brought down, no one is forcing you to be around them and I'm sure that there are plenty of other people that they can talk about their problems with instead of you and it's best to learn to appreciate time with yourself to achieve your goals until there is someone positive for you to hang around. 

#4. When you start to doubt..PRAY! Don't allow doubt to set in, that's when problems begin to happen..no one needs more problems to deal with, so why not pray about it and ask God to take this burden off of you or to help put things in perspective for you to better understand why someone is so negative! God can always put things in perspective for us when it comes to people and when it comes to our personal lives, so ALWAYS PRAY for answers and pray that God will protect you from anyone that doesn't belong in your life..There are people that are sent by God but there are also people that are sent by Satan to distract us long enough so Satan can destroy us..remember that!

Talking about all of this reminds me of this verse, I hope this blesses you..

Job 11:17-20

"And your life will be brighter than the noonday;

its darkness will be like the morning.

And you will feel secure, because there is hope;

you will look around and take your rest in security.

You will lie down, and none will make you afraid;

many will court your favor.

But the eyes of the wicked will fail;

all way of escape will be lost to them,

and their hope is to breathe their last.”

~Dani