The here and now

Here and now...I am working at the CLC and the Missions Office at HFBC ;)

After college, I now lead a very different life than before. Houston, not Dallas. A few friends, not an entire university. Two roommates, not five. The Lord, well He is still working just as much as He ever has before.

Houston, after summer, started out not so great. I had big expectations for my "after college" life, obviously I didn't think through it very well. But I knew without a doubt this is where the Lord wanted me. But for a while I was miserable.

Now, after much prayer, and much time taken aside to see what I really have here. I am enjoying it a lot more. The Lord has a plan, I don't know what it is. But I know He wants me here, ready to go where He leads, to give His name glory in all I do.

I am here to encourage you, don't give up on where you are in life. God is faithful. He loves you more than you can fathom and has your best interest at heart.


There are many things to come this year....it's going to be yet another adventure!

Where the journey begins

The interns have arrived. The guys condo always smells like delicious homemade food. Lots of fun. Lots of conversation. And it's weird to think a year ago I was in their same position. They have no idea what's about to happen...

This summer looks a little different from my perspective though. I am living in an unfurnished condo with Charlotte and Becky. We have beds and that's all. No complaining though, it's fun and a safe roof over our heads. Every morning I wake up and work out with Charlotte and Becky and then we go into the office. We have a lot more freedom this summer and I find myself not knowing what to do with the passing time. We've drank a lot of Starbucks and caught up a lot on the past year. 

My desire for this summer is to be used by God in whatever way He wants me. I think I know what this summer is going to look like but in all honesty I am sure I have no idea. And I still do not know what's coming in August. This has been my prayer today for me as well as the rest of the interns here as we start our journey together: 

Psalm 34:1-4

That we will bless the Lord at all times; and his praise will continually be in our mouths. That our souls make their boasts in the Lord. Also that we would magnify the Lord and exalt his name together. We would seek the Lord and that he would deliver us from all our fears. 

I am praying for my community back in Dallas and hope that the Lord does some mighty things all over the country as they serve this summer. The Lord is faithful and good. 

Too Long...

It's been way too long since my last post...you know I've never been very good at this! 

Well, I graduated a week and a half a go! Yay for being a grown up I guess. I am in Houston at the moment, interning for the summer at HFBC. I am so excited to see what the Lord has in store this summer, it's going to be amazing! 

Moving back was weird...I left a community of awesome families and friends that the Lord has graciously blessed my life with. I hope and pray that we all cross paths again. It was a definite answer to prayer and so hard to part from even though I know this is where the Lord wants me at least for this summer. From where I sit, I am excited about the adventure ahead...who knows where He will take me? It's going to be fabulous. 

After graduation plans...

my answer...good question! I have no idea what I am doing August 1. I'm looking at sports marketing/photography or culinary school. We'll see what happens and I'll keep you posted this summer...hopefully. ;)

Recent Photoshoots

So I have had the privilege to do family pictures for the Andres' fam whom I absolutely adore and had so much fun with...I thought I would share some with you...

I also got to take some photos of my old roommate, Kathleen, and her sister, Courtney, while she was in town from Colorado...so here ya go...

My roommate, Kat, and her lovely family!

such models! :)

She really like to model! love her!

I haven't been able to edit anymore of Kathleen and her sister (there will probably be more to come soon! )

I'll update life again soon! Love you all!

God Bless, grace and peace!

-Dani

Leaves Falling...But I'm Still Standing

Well I wish the leaves were falling here. Texas = two seasons...hot or cold. I'm okay with the that though, I'm here and having a great time. I can't believe it is already November!!! That means six and a half months until me and most of my roommates graduate. So the main question is Danielle, what are you doing with the rest of your life, or at least when you graduate? I HAVE NO IDEA! I want to open a coffee shop somewhere soon, but not as soon as I graduate probably, it takes planning, which is hard to do while in school. So that takes me back to the beginning, which is....well, I don't know...let's get to graduation first. Maybe....just maybe I'll end up back in Houston.

But life now, senior year, has been a great time, definitely a learning time and joyous time with great friends, which I talk about in every post, but that's just because I love them so much!

Life around 1D(that's my townhome) is crazy, for all tenants. On this particular Saturday night, two of us finally get a rest, and it's glorious!

This past week as I was reading another Brennan Manning book, I read this, "It is the ego-dominated self that keeps us locked in a series of competitive moves and counter-moves, that induces us to manipulate people and control situations, that for most of us destroys inner peace and serenity in our lives. Trapped in the quest for security, pleasure and power, our moment-to-moment thoughts are concentrated on the dark pursuit of illusory happiness, and we are this in attentive to the Lord of Light. Our eyes are not fixed on Christ Jesus but on ourselves. We settle for a roller-coaster ride of exhilarating peaks and vertiginous valleys, interspersed with long periods of driving, pushing, and suffering in various degrees."

wow! a little long winded i know.

But it was kind of a kick in the face for me...

I've realized I am that person . Always wanting to control situations, even to the point of manipulating people, although most of the time it's subtle manipulation and unconscious. I don't even realize that I am trying to control it until...well, honestly, until I realize the Lord is trying to do something beyond my control. I have realized a lot of things I have done in the past were not genuinely from my heart but were manipulation, and I continually struggle with it...Praise Him for forgiveness, grace, mercy and love.

"Love is patient and kind...Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." 1 Corinthians 13:4,7

"But as it is written, 'What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him'" 1 Corinthians 2:9

Amen! I can rest in that!

Keep your eyes on the one who loves and ALWAYS will love, Jesus Christ!

And here is LIFE!

Just an update and some thoughts about life.

Well, I just got off of Fall Break last week. It was fabulous, Brittani and I drove to Bolivar to visit some great friends, James, Ryan and Alex. We had the sweetest time spent with them. Loved every minute we were there. There is something about a small town and close friends that make me feel more in the presence of the Lord. Maybe it was just the quietness or the true community we have with our friends. Don't get me wrong, I love the city too but it is so nice to get away and be still. Miss y'all in Missouri! :)
*horrible picture, but it's the only one i have! :(

Also Jill got engaged Saturday night!!!! That really shows the Lord's faithfulness, she has held on with all she has to Him. She is amazing and has an unbreakable strength and love for Jesus! I am truly blessed by her! Praise Jesus for amazing friends!

Then Sunday night...THE TEXAS STATE FAIR....with Mel and Kathleen. We got in free so we spent a lot of money on food, such as, corn dogs, roasted corn, fried oreos (delicious!), fried latte (don't ask...not as cool as it sounds...disappointment), drinks, some kind of potato chip thing, and funnel cake, of course! :)

Crazies!

Now, I am back at school...and still loving it! Missing people but loving it here! My roommates and I have an amazing community that has become a safe place for all of us. It's awesome to see the way the Lord has worked through us the past couple years to bring us to this place together. Through good times and bad, when things looked like they would never get better, God brought through and now brought us together, and it is better than ever. We still have hard times but they don't seem hopeless anymore, we know that the Lord has already gone before us. There is always an encouraging word to come home to, a shoulder to cry on, an ear to just listen, someone to pray with and a joke to make you laugh (even in the hardest times). We are truly blessed, without the Lord and His grace and mercy we are undeserving. Praise the Lord for His greatness!

"And Jesus came and said to them, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.'"
Matthew 28: 18-20

Love God. Love People.

Make the most of the whatever opportunity the Lord has opened for you!

Good night, my friends! Sweet dreams!

D

oh the books...this ones for the woman

"It's impossible for a woman to be everything she is called to be without radical, powerful, out-on-a-limb kind of belief in the promises and the person of Jesus Christ."

"Unless we have a consistent, intimate walk with the Lord, we will never really know who we are, because we were made in His image. Unless we learn to love His presence, we will never really know what we possess in Him...Unless our hearts beat in sync with Jesus, we will never know what kind of impact we can make in this world."

"Though we have trials, His promises are true. Though we may not feel Him at times, He is still there. And though the enemy would love for us to settle for less, God gets absolutely giddy when we reach for more...Don't put more faith in your obstacles than you do the promises of God. Don't give more credence to your limitations than you do to God's unlimited capacity to intervene."

"He longs for us to hear His whisper, I know you and how transient you are. I know what makes you weak and I know what makes you smile. Trust Me in this. I've fashioned for you a life assignment that fits you perfectly. It's not too heavy for you but it's weighty enough to strengthen you. Develop your gifts, care for the least and the lost, and love Me first. This is the powerful life."

"You must always remember that you are a woman of extreme worth. You are royalty."


Women...I hope and pray that we desire and are passionate about living an uncommon life. One that is out of the ordinary, NOT normal. That we desire to know God more each and every moment of every day He allows us to wake up in the midst His beautiful creation. That we live with holy confidence and humble dependence on Him. That we will love radically and serve powerfully because we live by the Spirit.

You are loved.

You are cherished.

You are wanted.

You are beautiful.

You are the beloved of an all-powerful, merciful, grace-lavishing God.

Praise the Lord.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all
we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,
to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus
throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Ephesians 3:20-21

Stay strong women of God.

The enemy is already defeated.




-all quotes are from The Uncommon Woman by Susie Larson (great book!)