One a Day Every Day...Just like Your Vitamin

Recently, my sister Dalayna (she blogs here) and I had a conversation about witnessing.  She told me of a challenge that she and some of her friends were participating in.  It's to witness to one person a day every day for a month.  I started to think about that challenge and I decided to take her on.

Witnessing and sharing our faith is such an important part of spiritual growth.  It's like a vitamin.  The more you take the stronger you grow.  The stronger you grow the more weight you can carry.

Here are the rules.

1.  Sharing your faith can be with a believer, but it needs to be done in a way that is encouraging to their faith.
2.  The ultimate goal is to see spiritually lost people come to find Christ.  Obviously, this works best if you have some type of relationship with the individual to begin with.
3.  Inviting a person to church counts...mostly because that this the door that has been flung open for me. :)
4.  If you're going to share your faith, you better make sure your actions back up your testimony otherwise you're hurting the message.  (I know that no one is perfect...just a word of caution.)

That's it.  That's all you have to do.

Here's the thing...Jesus came to seek and to save the lost.  He came to bind up the broken hearted and to give freedom to people in bondage.  We, as followers of Christ, have taken on His purpose.  He's given us the power of the Holy Spirit.  It is His great commission for us.  We've just got to do it.

I hope you are willing to take this challenge.  If you are just leave a comment below.  We can encourage each other and hold each other accountable.

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Worship Band of the Week #6--Christ for the Nations

There is something truly inspiring when young adults worship God with complete abandonment.   Christ for the Nations is a ministry school that has trained and developed many of this generations most prominent worship leaders.  Currently, Gabriel Allred (twitter) is the head of the worship department.  He works with a team of other worship leaders to disciple young men and women to follow Christ and to lead others into the presence of God.  Take a minute and listen to some of their songs on their youtube channel.

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Mentor Me, Please 2

Thursday night was a great night.  God moved and inspired me in so many ways.  I just thought I would share with you some of the thoughts that I spoke on Thursday.  The following is part of the transcript.  If you get the chance, you need to hear Linda Goldner and Dana Olson share on mentoring.  It was so very powerful.

Hope you are challenged.

**************TRANSCRIPT**************

Thank you so much for being here tonight at for this special night of inspiration.  I’ve been so excited for this event to happen.   Originally, the idea for a night or day of mentoring was conceived from just a general observation about the lack of the Biblical mandate for mentoring and training. 

We all recognize our need to go into the world and preach the Gospel to every creature baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  It’s the great commission given to the church.  We must be His witness. 

We also understand that God gave us the power of the Holy Spirit for the empowerment to fulfill this great commission.  In Acts 1:8 Jesus himself says, “And you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you will be my witnesses.” 

Unfortunately, the modern church has forgotten about a few important principles outlined in the Acts and in the epistles.  That is a mandate for discipleship and mentoring.  So why tonight?  Why is this the avenue that we are using to begin this change?

In my own personal life I’ve had many opportunities and examples to follow that have pointed me to Christ, that have helped me be a better pastor, that have kept me hungry for more of God’s presence and helped me in my journey to become more like Him.    Some have helped me through their example to me in my own home and others have challenged me from a distance.  But whatever the relationship they have helped me to become more of the woman of God I’m called to be. 

There’s a lie that the enemy likes to use on us.  It’s the law of isolation…that we don’t need people…that we don’t need help…that we don’t need friendship…that we suffer in silence.  And the lie of the modern day church is that everything is ok…no, my kids aren’t driving me crazy…my marriage is fine…I completely understand what this verse means…who do you think you are?  I’m absolutely fine…I know how to juggle a personally life and ministry…I’m fine.  But, as I said, that is a lie of the enemy.  We do need each other.  We do need help.  We all need to be mentored and discipled.  Further, we all need to mentor and disciple.  That is part of the work of the Church.  I love the way the Message paraphrase says this.  From Galatians 6:2, “Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed.  Share their burdens, and so complete Christ’s law.”

Ultimately, that is the birthplace of night…a journey to grow in our pursuit of Christ…to become more like Christ and to be His light…a carrier of His presence and power…an example and a witness to His everlasting love.

Thank you so much for joining us.  More than anything we are praying that tonight sparks a desire in you to become for like Christ…to be nothing less than who God’s called YOU to be.  If you’re a mother than be a mother for the glory of God.  If you are a worship leader than lead people into the presence of God with integrity and honesty.  If you are a business woman than in everything you do bring glory to God.  If you are a teacher than be a godly example to the students that you add.  If you are a pastor than pastor with loving compassion with the eyes of Jesus.  May we all become more of who God’s created us to be.

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Mentor Me, Please.

Hey all you ladies,

I would just like to invite you to this very special night of inspiration at Vision.  Vision is a unique ministry that gives room to the prophetic and provides a safe place to develop God's gifts in your life.  If you are looking for more information check out their Facebook page here.

I know that this night is going to be super exciting and hopefully it will be the start of many mentoring relationships.

I would just like to leave you with a quote that Ashley LeMieux from The Shine Project tweeted yesterday.  It totally challenged me and I think it will you too.  "If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader." ~John Quincy Adams

I know that most of us want to leave a lasting impression on people's lives. We want to help them find significance.  What better way to do that than to point them to Christ and His love?

Find a way to do that today.  I know that you will be blessed and inspired to do more tomorrow.

All my love for all my days,
Danette

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Spring into Change

Daylight savings brought a lot of changes to me.  First, there is the reemergence of allergies.  Second, there's the lack of sleep that I will suffer until my body adjust to the time change.  But most importantly, it's brought a change of mind and heart.

I'm a self proclaimed dreamer and this spring I'm going to start seeing some of those dreams come into my life.  I've already decided.  It must happen.

My greatest dream has always been to see a move of God that would change my generation.  Now, I would love to be a part of that move of God.  I would love to be on the "front lines" seeing people's faces get rocked off as God hits them, shaking them to core.  (I guess I've always been a bit volent too.)  But I would be so happy to see it happen.  I personally don't care if I have to go somewhere else on this planet to see that happen.  I'm willing to do that.  I'm willing to give up this American life to see the power of God change this generation.  I'm willing to give up my time to seek the face of God.  I'm willing to listen to other older, wiser women and men of God that can help me become the woman of God I'm created to be.

My next greatest dream is really vital to seeing the first happen.  I want to live a completely debt free life.  In the past I've made some financial mistakes.  I was young.  I was stupid.  I was in college.  And while I've always been blessed because of tithing and giving I know there is more.  There is more to God's blessing than where I live.  I want to live in the land of promise so this spring I'm going to make the changes I have to make to live debt free.

The last dream I'm determined to capitalize on is my desire to live a fuller life.  I'm just going to write it.  Compared to the life I thought I would have at 29, my life is BORING!  And I hate it.  I look at myself and think, "Wow, you're boring."  Well, no more.  I'm seizing life and capitalizing on the youth and energy God has given me.  I'm going to use relationship to lead others to Christ.  I'm going to love God, love people, and live life to the full.  Oh, and I'm going to Hawaii again and Ethiopia and England and Israel and Rome...at some point.

It's time to SPARKLE.  I'm Springing into Change.

Are you making any Spring Resolutions?

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Worship Band of the Week: Week #5

So...this weekly addition has turned into a monthly thing.  Very bad of me.  Sorry.  But I do have a band that I'm loving right now.  They're not new but they have changed up their vocalist and I'm telling you...I like the additions and changes very much.

So...without further ado...I give you.........THE NEWSBOYS!

Now, don't get me wrong.  The old Newsboys will always had a dearly loved place in my heart and mind, but I have to say...the new addition of the former DC Talker, Michael Tate, gives the new Newsboys a competitive edge.  When I listen to the new project it sounds contemporary...not Christian music contemporary...but Bruno Mars contemporary.  And let's face it, that's an edge that the Christian music world has been missing for a long time.

Besides that (and really most importantly), this project is powerful.  I'm meaning, Holy-Ghost-anointed-bring-tears-to-your-eyes-while-jumping-up-and-down anointing.  Not very many groups that I've heard lately confront the social issues and false doctrines that fly around this Christian scene like this group.  (Honestly, I mostly listen to worship music, but that's really a different point entirely.)

All of that to say this, the new NEWSBOYS...buy it NOW.

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