Finally, a chance to blog :)

I finally have a day off, but only because I'm feeling a sicky... So you take the good with the bad! :)

This past week has been so crazy and the Lord has put me into so many situations that I have really had to wrestle with... for so long I have just adapted the views of everyone around me, but I have rarely ever thought for myself. For example:

Last week I worked in a severely low functioning special education class for three days. I have worked with special education for a very long time, and it's something I am not uncomfortable with. But this population was different from all the others I have experience with. They are teenagers, in junior high, and all bound by wheelchairs. They could barely move, unable to speak, were fed through feeding tubes, and had to wear diapers. I mean take my heart out of my chest and rip it into a million pieces here!! Some days its very hard for me to work in this environment because it does hurt my heart so bad. Two of the teens would occasionally lift up their delicate heads and muster up a smile at me, and that makes everything worth it. However, this third boy would never open open his eyes, and never ever move on his own. He slept all day at school and frequently would make this little noise like he was agonizing in pain. So as I sit in the classroom and just look at him, I can't help but wonder, "why, Lord?". I mean truly the only thing this 14 year old does is breathe, he doesn't know when someone is talking to him, he can't see, is he even aware of anything? And if not... what then is the point of life if he is merely breathing? I don't have an answer... just something I've been wrestling with. Modern medicine is amazing and has enabled some amazing miracles, but what if this boy was supposed to be with sweet Jesus and modern medicine is prolonged his life here just to exist? I don't know... and please don't think badly of me... It's just when you witness a day in their life, it makes you wonder....

On a POSITIVE note... I had something awesome happen at the public High School here last week. After I got done taking roll for my class this sweet girl raised her hand and asked if she could say something... she went on to say two of her guy friends got in a bad car accident the night before and they were in severe condition and asked if we would pray for them. Well obviously I wanted to jump all over that and pray right then and there, but as a teacher I am not allowed. So as she started to sob, I stood there with a heavy heart and clueless how to handle this and keep my job. The whole class was silent except for her little cry, and then this 11th grade boy stood up and said "come on guys! She means this! We need to pray right now!!" So everyone bowed their heads and he prayed for these two boys in front of the whole class, unashamedly... wow. I was blown away! Praise the Lord!!

The Second Positive note! Travis' love for the Lord is growing daily, and I have to give the glory of that to the Lord! The ladies who took the prayer challenge are now on day 16 and I can first hand say I have seen the Lord working in his life. He is blessed to have today off too, and he's running around doing things around here with his ipod in his ears singing sweet worship songs to Jesus. There is no time that makes him more attractive then when he's loving our Lord. If you aren't actively and intentionally praying for your husband, I encourage you to! It's the best marriage revolution you will ever experience!!

Be Blessed ya'll!
D

If there was one thing I wanted YOUTH to BELIEVE...

(This has been on my heart for some time now... and it's time to get it off my chest!! It's not one of my "cheery" make you feel good blogs, but its real and its raw :) )

As I sit here and think about the sweet teenagers that I sub for, and other young teens that I just know from moving around so much, I can’t help but be heartbroken when I think about the way they believe that their actions do not have long-term effects on them… Specifically their actions regarding impurity.

 As I sit here and think about the sweet teens that I sub for, and other young teens that I just know from moving around so much, I can’t help but be heartbroken when I think about the way they believe that their actions do not have long-term effects on them… Specifically their actions regarding impurity.

If I could give one message to the youth, one message that they would actually believe, take hold of and APPLY to their lives it would be this…

No matter HOW appealing it is to mess around with the opposite sex, there is absolutely no positive outcome from it. Not one, not even half of one. That is the absolute truth, because believe me I have been there! I desperately want them to realize that they do not need boyfriends or girlfriends in Junior High and High School, save it for college! Those are the best times of your lives that you never get back… they should be spent hanging out with your girls or your guys enjoying life with no responsibility of work and money.

Perhaps you think I am a hypocrite because I did indeed have a boyfriend throughout High School, and I did indeed make poor choices. But, now that I can look back on it, I can honestly share that it was utterly destructive on my life. It wasn’t worth it to lose my girlfriends, it wasn’t worth it to have a boyfriend and all the drama that comes with that, it wasn’t worth it to slowly give myself away, and it wasn’t worth it to have to carry the pain and memories with me into my marriage.

If youth could only see how devastating immorality really is, if the temporary “high” could no longer blind and seduce them they would be so much better off! Even too, that “high” does not last very long, especially if you are a believer, because the Spirit inside of you will rid you with guilt. Not only do you walk around with a guilty conscience from the Lord, but you worry about your parents catching you, you worry about what your friends might say, and you worry if that boy/girl will even like you tomorrow! It’s truly is the best way to waste your precious teenage years…

And after that, after you realize that “fun” is no longer appealing to you, you finally want to settle down with that amazing man/woman who loves the Lord and who is capable of having a great marriage…. You have to share with him or her all your dirty laundry, every person you have fooled around with and given a piece of yourself to. As you tell them, you feel humiliated and full of regret. Oh how you wish you could go back in time and choose to do the right thing. How you wish you have saved ALL of yourself for that special man or woman who you have finally met!! And then, you get to wait for their response… will they forgive you and give you a clean slate? Or will they choose to wait for someone who has “not even a hint” of sexual sin in their past? You won’t know until you get there… but believe me that is the most painful conversation you will ever have to have with your future spouse.

Instead of completely disregarding what I wrote… think about it, soak it in. If it seems like a feat that is too big for you then I encourage you to take it one situation at a time, and “DO THE NEXT RIGHT THING”! I promise you it will make your life much more enjoyable and in the end, you will thank me and believe me!!

 

Love ya’ll!

D

Product of the WEEK!

Happy Monday ya'll!!

So the weather is starting to get a bit cooler (well not so much here in ol' Texas, but for all you northern folks I know it is... and I am oh so jealous!!) and the cooless has inspired me to do a "product of the week"!!

This week I am zoning in on Satin Hands & Lips, because that skin during these seasons needs a bit of extra attention. I'm a northern girl and I KNOW the uncomfortableness that dry/cracking hands and lips brings. LUCKILY, Mary Kay has designed this fabulous product that fights this irritation and leaves your hands more "satin-y" than ever!! Believe me, it's AWESOME! They offer it in non-frangrance, peach, and my favorite, VANILLA!!

This week I'll run a special for this SET (Satin Hands & Satin Lips) $5 off AND free shipping!! If you refer a friend, I'll give you $10 off AND free shipping!!

Check it out ladies! If by chance you don't love it, which I have no doubt you will, MK backs all their product with 100% satisfaction guarentee! They are THAT confident in their product!!

email me at dbellanti@liberty.edu or check out my website: www.marykay.com/dnbaggett ((You can place your order here or via email and I will alter the price for the deal of the week!))



Be Blessed!!
Danielle

Have your way

I think one of the most difficult aspects of Christianity for me to accept is the idea that God desires to be fully in control of my life. Its not that I don't want him to be!! I want Him to more than anything else in life. I just struggle sometimes to find the balance between trusting the Lords good and perfect will and trying to plan things out anticipating the Lord to help you see it through. I guess that's where His peace comes in and if the Holy Spirit in me grants me that overwhelming peace, then I walk in that direction.

"You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you." Isaiah 26:3

And that's my prayer for yall today!! That you can find the peace of God to navigate you through this crazy and unexpected journey we like to call LIFE

Be Blessed!
Danielle

At what AGE does your skin begin to age? You'll never believe it...

Some guessed in their twenties...


Wrong.


I was SHOCKED to find out that your skin on your face begins to age at the ripe young age of SEVENTEEN!! Oh my word! That is so young! Therefore, my face has already begun creating those oh so lovely fine lines and wrinkles for a whopping SIX years...


the sad part. I have done NOTHING about it, up until 4 days ago that is!


But, with this newfound knowledge I am now choosing to combat it... not necessarily to never have wrinkles, but rather to have my skin in the best possible condition I can. I mean lets be honest, your face is the first thing people see on you... not your outfit or jewelry. Anyways, I just began my journey using Mary Kay Time Wise Miracle Set.. and I absolutely love it!! (I had Travis try it last night and we woke up this morning and told me his face felt amazing ;))

The TimeWise® Miracle Set™ provides incredible age-fighting results to help you maintain younger-looking skin. The set offers 11 age-defying benefits in one skin care regimen: cleanse, exfoliate, freshen, energize, hydrate, smooth, firm, soften, protect, rebuild and reduce fine lines and wrinkles

That's enough information today... soak that all in and I'll give you some statistics about Time Wise Tomorrow!! You will be amazed!! (Oh and did I mention, all MK products have a 100% satisfaction guaranteed!!)

If interested... check out this line on my website: 

www.marykay.com/dnbaggett

Be Blessed!!

Danielle

ps- ladies don't forget what truly matters... 

Proverbs 31:30 - "Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; 

but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

Website!!

I now have my own website you can look through all our fabulous products & order from me!

Check it out!!

My Mary Kay!

Be Blessed!
Danielle

By FAITH alone

Ever since I started "31 Days of Praying for my Husband" (I will blog more about this later!!) I have finally gotten myself into a wonderful morning routine that begins with time with the Lord. To be honest, it's hard having a consistent quiet time, I mean it's hard finding quiet time PERIOD in this crazy, jam packed schedule society... go go go!! So anyways, I have finally found this routine, and it truly has revolutionized my days. I believe in the power of James 4:8 "Draw near to the Lord, and He will draw near to you". The peace that comes along with walking closely to the Lord is indescribable... and it's right where I want to be. 


I usually read from "My Utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers and a week ago I began reading Jerry Falwells book, Building Dynamic Faith. Some call it irony that I chose this book before the Mary Kay opportunity even came about, but I believe it was all apart of the Lords divine plan. He was equipping me and encouraging me to step out in faith, and believe! This morning as I was reading from this book I came across two quotes that absolutely fit me right now, and I want to share them with YOU!

"God continually pushes us out of our comfort zones and into a new challenge. And when a challenge is bigger than our ability to handle it, we grow our faith we we attempt to do this new task."


"New steps of faith are not about the things you do, but they're about God working in you."

"it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure" Phil. 2:3


So here goes the journey of faith!! Who wants to jump on board?

Be Blessed,
Danielle