faith

I Am Second {Propeller Review}

August 23, 2013 by Dana

Have you heard the word? There’s a new movement called I Am Second. I Am Second is an inspirational revolution, teaching others to live for God and for others.

Through I Am Second, you will be inspired. You will learn about the miracles of God through each video testimony shared helping you to find your Faith. People with lives who have been at their worst share their inspiring journeys and how only their Faith has pulled them through to become better, do better, be better.

I Am Second offers support with their helpline, listening and giving a much needed shoulder to cry on. Help spread the revolution by sharing I Am Second with those in your life. Bring them inspiration in the testimonies shared throughout the website. Be their own shoulder to cry upon, if needed.

I Am Second provides help with abuse, anger, identity, molestation, racism and so much more! You are not alone and you can find support through I Am Second. I Am Second works to help with all of these things, giving you what you need when you need it.

Register with I Am Second to join the movement. Share it with others. Use the discussion guide to discuss the inspirational films on the website. Take the 22 day challenge to grow a stronger relationship with God and help build your own faith.

Put God first. Be I Am Second! This website will support you on every step to make that happen.

I Am Second, are you?

*Disclaimer – I was asked to join I Am Second through FlyBy Promotions – Propeller Reviews. I received a free shirt and bracelet by joining in on this movement but was not compensated in any way. I chose to join in with I Am Second because I believe in the movement but not in relation to my request to review this website by FlyBy Promotions – Propeller Reviews. I’m including this disclaimer in accordance with FTC regulations.

To Blog, or Not to Blog {Thoughts from Me}

June 27, 2011 by Dana

I’ve been sitting here the last few hours thinking about whether I wanted to write tonight or not. I have been questioning a great many things, even though I know I should just keep moving forward. It is hard to overcome self and let Jesus work in our life. As humans, we have a need to remain in control. As you can tell, writing has won this night.

My weekend has been unusually wonderful. I must thank my blog “hater” for their post because it really made me take a look into my life and my heart to realize that yes, I’m really at a point in my life that I am happy. Truly and amazingly, simply HAPPY. And my weekend has been filled with nothing BUT happiness.

Saturday, the kids were thrilled to be able to wake up and play together. They played outside for a long time. They even picniced outside, eating pizza for dinner. Saturday is pizza night at our house Then they came inside, got a nice bath and watched a movie before bed.

Sunday mornings are often slow for us and today was no different. After a quick breakfast, they donned their swimsuits and with a quick text we were out the door to visit a good friend for a day of swimming. After eating a snack (ok, more like a meal) of various junk foods, they were ready to jump in for some water fun! I spent my afternoon chilling with two of my best friends. It was a great day away from the house. The kids didn’t want to leave but were excited at the idea of going to swim and visit again one day soon!

We made it home, cooked a quick dinner of Sloppy Joes and Chili Cheese Fries.. Laycie got to go for a ride. Then kids watched a movie while I got caught up online.

It was a wonderful weekend, despite efforts to discourage our faith and relationship made online. Tonight I feel like a kid hyped up on the best kind of candy: I call it the candy of LIFE. God has taken the bad and shown me the BEST and I could not be more thankful for His blessings, for His willpower to overcome that sent by the Devil to destroy. God is the Ultimate Warrior, defending what is made right by Him and leading those who follow in His steps, shining light on the right path, like a beaming beacon in the night. I feel blessed to have found this path, with even my Mustard Seed of Faith to guide me. My Mustard Seed has been planted and allowed to grow into a gently blossoming tree with the guidance of His love. For that, I could not be more thankful. For ALL of His blessings, I could not be more thankful.

God bless and good night!

My Mornings {Thoughts from Me}

April 21, 2011 by Dana

A hundred different thoughts have run through my head this morning. A hundred different blog post topics. None of which I have turned into a post. As one idea flew into my brain another was pushed out. None sticking so that it can be turned into a piece of inspirational wording.

My days lately have been starting with migraines thanks to this lovely bipolar weather. The rain brings pressure and the sunny days bring pollen. My regular allergy medicine is not helping and 6 out of 7 days of the week I’m waking to my head feeling like someone has hit it with a hammer, hard. The migraines weigh heavy in my head, affecting my ability to function and see, and causing me to have dizzy spells galore. Needless to say I will be thankful when this season is past, though it’s blooming beauty is one of my favorites.

My favorite part of my morning: my children entering at various times to say “Good Morning Mommy”, usually within minutes of each other. They don’t care if I get up, they just want to feel secure in the knowledge that I’m here and that I love them and that I know they love me. Which, oh boy, do I ever know they love me! No better feeling than that in life!!!

I am learning that the best things in life are these three and that there is nothing better than having them with me everyday, just as God intended. I feel a bit sorry for those Mom’s who send their kids off to someone else everyday because they often do not realize what goodness they are missing in their lives. It’s my honest feeling that society is not right on the send your kids away issue. That’s an enjoyment that cannot be replaced with a made for tv movie or any good book. And surely this is how God feels every time we connect with him. All his children, listening and loving him daily, never missing a smile from each of us. There could be nothing better than that!!

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning. . .- Lamentations 3:22-23

Change, Change, Change…. Again

April 17, 2011 by Dana

Change is blowing in the wind, for me anyways! So many changes that I’m often unsure of what I should begin with or what I should do next. My life is blossoming in ways I can only imagine and some I have not thought of yet. God knows the paths He leads me upon and so I allow His wise guidance to lead the way.

I’m adventuring into territory I’ve never before touched. Gardening. Who would ever have thought I’d be anxious and willing to get my hands deep into dirt before?! Willing to watch plants grow in places that contain (eek!) spiders and that snakes could crawl into. I’m even amazing myself with this one! But I’m ready to reap my sown rewards in dirt planted with the seeds of life and ready to watch it spring forth into beautiful and nutrious food for my family.

I am setting forth plans. Plans for my present, plans for our future. I’m feeling out job ideas, thinking of ways to create extra money, even if only a little at a time. Things I enjoy doing, not just “work”. I’m planning for Life, Love and all that comes with it.

I’m also planning a major overhaul of my life and our home. There is so much I want different in my life. Simple changes that can easily be made: like pray more, eat better, drink healthier, exercise, read and watch things that are meaningful, and strengthen my connection to God. And not only my connection but my children’s as well. Build with them a relationship with God like none other we have, except between ourselves.

As for our home plans: We have the dishwasher in and it has been such a MAJOR help at home. My next goal is a new washing machine but what we have definitely works for now and I will continue to use it until it’s very last wash. Lord willing it will be a longggg time before it’s last wash comes!

We also have new mattresses and oh boy I am sleeping sooo much better!!! I feel rested now when I wake up, something I haven’t truly felt in years. It’s an awesome feeling to wake feeling restored, instead of beat down and tired like I used to feel daily.

So next for home is a major spring cleaning overhaul. Fact is we have too much stuff! WAYYYY too much for a family of six, two dogs and one outdoor cat. There is CLUTTER EVERYWHERE!! Some days I cannot seem to find my way out of it and it seems the harder I clean the worse it is. Why? Because you CANNOT organize clutter!!! That’s right, I said it: Clutter cannot be organized. It must be gone through, gutted, sent out to trash or donation and gotten RID OF!!! (Yea I’m saying all this now, but I’m thinking “Oh my gosh, how to do it all!!”)

I have to tighten the belt and just get to it. Get rid of the junk in our house we do not need, do not use and do not LOVE. (Cuz love is what it’s all about right? Luv’N Life? Luv’N each other? And most of all Luv’N God!) I want a clean, peaceful, happy home and I’m so anxious to enjoy the benefits of that life choice.

In the next few months, I will be posting about my journey through the clutter. Our triumphs and trials. Things that work for us and things that don’t (there are a LOT of those!). I have “aids” that I will be reviewing: books, cleaners, organizing methods and more. (Let’s just hope I can stay on track.)

It is my hope that in the end of this journey, my children and I will be able to truly enjoy Life. That we will find a home that just “falls” into place most days and we find Happiness, Joy and Love along the way, as well as strengthening our relationship with the Heavenly Father. It is time that I stop just talking about it all and actually start “doing” to give us this Life we need and we deserve to have.

Stay tuned as we journey through on our way to Change, Change, Change.

Fear {Thoughts From Me}

April 5, 2011 by Dana

Fear is a horendous thing. There are days when it runs through me like a train barreling down an extensive track. There are times when I feel ready to run and hide just to avoid it. It’s controling and disabling and creates unnecessary drama in lives when you least expect it.

Dictionaries define fear as being a distressing emotion brought on by impending danger, pain, evil, etc. whether or not the fear is imagined or real; it is the condition or the feeling of being afraid. To be afraid of someone or some thing.

There are many things to fear daily in our lives. This world has become an inexplicable mess and is growing more dangerous everyday. Evil has taken control of a large part of life and strives daily to grow fear and pestilence throughout the world. Even the smallest child is not exempt from the terrors Evil’s fear provides.

What can we do to protect ourselves from fear? How can we change our daily lives to prevent fear from controling us? What changes should we make to keep ourselves safe from Evil’s control?

The bible tells us that God should be our only fear. As Dueteronomy 10:12, 20-21 tells, “And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Fear the LORD your God and serve him. Hold fast to him and take your oaths in his name. He is your praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes.” This tells us that we, as Christians, should fear and praise the Lord in his mighty works.

Our first step to overcoming fear should be prayer. When the feeling of fear comes upon us, we should immediately go to the Lord in prayer, sharing with him our feelings, asking forgiveness, shelter, peace and protection from our fears. Then we should listen openly to find the answers we seek in return, which do not always come right away.

We should seek peaceful ways to overcome our fears, sometimes simply by facing them head on. Other times by placing them into God’s hands to handle in His time and way. Prayer is the best way to control Evil’s grasp upon us and only God can handle a battle such as this one.

To prevent fear, we should make prayer time an essential part of our daily lives. We should also take the time to re-evaluate our lives to find why fear suddenly has taken control. We should then work towards changing any reasonings we find in the re-evaluation process, once again laying these doubts into God’s hands to handle for us.

Overcoming fear takes great Courage. Courage comes from having a strong faith in the Lord, even if it’s only faith the size of a mustard seed. The bible tells us to “be strong and courageous” and also tells us many times that “God will not foresake you“. We must believe in these words in order to survive this crazy life and overcome any fears we may have daily.

Isaiah 41:13

For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.

Do not fear, the Lord has our hands and will never foresake those who believe in Him. Have strong Courage and Faith and use them to overcome any fears cast upon you each day. May God bless each of you and keep you safe from the trials fear creates in each of our lives.

God’s Truth {Thoughts From Me}

March 31, 2011 by Dana

Lately, this one thing has been weighing on my heart. I have noticed both online and off, that many people profess to be Christians. Yet these same people still go around talking and thinking about things like many Non-Christians do. This truly saddens my heart.

Please, note that I am not saying I don’t do these things at times. I do. I also do my best not to. No one is perfect and if we were I’m sure our name would definitely be Jesus.

I have noticed many professed Christians talking in negative language about others who have ticked them off. I have noticed others speaking of situations that are possibly negative, yet never shedding a Christian light into the “what if it wasn’t like that” aspect of thinking. I have seen in my own family, members telling other members “sometime life is better without that person in your life”, speaking of what’s considered to be unwanted drama in their lives. I have even seen sisters turn against sisters and brothers against brothers over such things.

My question is: is this what God really wants? Is this thought process of negativity, of turning against one another, of NOT supporting decisions, thoughts, love and caring relationships through thick and thin, truly what God wishes of us as Christian beings? Does God want us supporting each of these negative thoughts with a “yes I see it your way”? OR Does He wish for us to see life and love through His eyes?

My answer is to take a step back and truly view the situation. Truly attempt to see Life and Love through the eyes of the Father. View things as He wishes us to see and don’t take the first response as your answer. Some things are better left to prayer.

God doesn’t wish us to turn our backs on one another. He doesn’t wish us to JUDGE one another or to LET GO of one another. He wishes for us to see each minute thing, each burden through with love and support and caring of one another. By all means, He KNOWS we are NONE perfect but He asks us to STRIVE to be our best. Yet HOW can we be our BEST when we are busy being our worst?

Stop what you are doing today and really let these thoughts, these statements I have made, sink in. Let the TRUTH of God’s LOVE sink in. He loves EACH OF US REGARDLESS! Why do we NOT LOVE each other in the same way??? Why do we allow the DEVIL to work in our lives, instead of allowing God to do His work instead? Today, I am making the conscience decision to LET God WORK in my life, as it should be in all our lives. God Bless!