Yep, I am a BEARDO!

Check out my interview with Post Bad Beards! 

http://www.postbadbeards.com/2014/06/im-beardo-danielle-stipe.html

My Current Hair Care Regimen!

 

Don't forget to like and subscribe to my channel! :)

My Humbling Season-Deuteronomy 8

 

"Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. 5 Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you." 

Bible study at my church last night was for me was a flash back. I just have to give God glory because for a year and a half after graduating from college I couldn't find a job. I would apply for everything and had interviews but nothing was happening for me. I was so depressed but didn't show it. I would be in my room all day long and some would say that I wasn't doing anything, that I was lazy, and saying that I didn't want to work however I remained quiet. 3 He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. But little did they know, when I would be in my room all day I would be in my word all day. In prayer all day. Crying all day. Fighting against the enemy and his tactics to make me curse God and die. Oh boy it was a struggle, but God! I wasn't understanding why God wouldn't give me a job, I really thought He didn't like me and didn't want the best for me but even though I FELT that way I kept going to His word. During this season, although nothing in the natural was looking up, God was building me up in the spiritual. I was just too busy worrying about the desires of my heart and that feeling that God was out to get me which He actually was, He was out to get my heart to teach me that indeed man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. And every time I didn't get that, I kept getting knocked down .  At those times I would say, "you know what I give up!" "God I don't deserve anything from you, you're too good for me, my heart is just not right to do your will" and "I can't handle this".  But the funny part about this is that I knew God was sitting there waiting like, "when you finish throwing this little temper tantrum go on a fast, go pray, go read my word, get yourself together it's time for church" and I'm like -__-. As I type this I'm still laughing because He's just like a parent on some, after this whipping you still gotta wash those dishes type stuff.

4 "Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years."

God's grace  was definitely on me, I couldn't afford to buy anything! I was soooo uncomfortable because I was definitely out of my comfort zone when it came to my appearance I couldn't buy clothes nor shoes. And me, not being able to buy shoes was like a thorn in my side (Lol). I had to try putting different outfits together to make it look like it was new and act like nobody saw me in that top last week (Lol). Not to mention I gained weight and had to figure out what to do when I did get a little money, spend it on buying something new or buy work out stuff?  Which I choose the workout stuff and lost about 15 pounds "woot" "woot"! And as far as the shoes go, I had like two pairs of shoes that I wore a lot. There was a significant moment with one of the pairs of shoes I had that really made Deuteronomy 8:4 stand out to me. It was not until I was able to afford to buy new shoes did the bottom and the side of my shoes get holes and tear apart. When I finally threw the shoes away I had a praise break at the garbage can outside (lbvs). I couldn't do anything but praise God for keeping my shoes together until it was time to change (let this sink in your spirit) Lol. God is sooooo AWESOME and He really does get all the glory, honor, and praise out of my life because it was nobody but Him that got me to where I am now. It was nobody but Him that got me my job and I got the job because of my testimony of how He got me through one of the toughest times of my life.  I can honestly say that if God had given me a job a year and a half ago I wouldn't be as obedient to His word as I am now. And I thank Him for that season of humbling me, of disciplining me, of testing and making me starve to find fullness in Him. Man God is so good! Just remain quiet, stay in your word even when you feel like giving up. God is there even when you feel like He's not, He will be there even when you throw your temper tantrum. I know that He will see you through, you may not because you're in a humbling season because I struggled too but God got you just fight your way through.

 

 Love Danni <3

Long Hair I DO Care!

A word of advice to new naturals and those who are getting frustrated with their hair, it takes PATIENCE and low manipulation to get to your hair goal! Oh and don't try to hold on to that little length you finally got and not get your ends clipped because it will not last long. Healthy hair over lengthy hair is my motto. And as of right now my hair is under my bra clasp although I didn't set a length goal I'm sure its soon because I'm somewhat getting overwhelmed (Lol). 

Just A Thought

I have been trying to get sound approval from God for a while now, wanting to know if I'm on the right track with things and wanting to know the steps I need to take to get to where He is trying to take me. But all this time I haven't heard a thing. So I began to get frustrated I felt as though everyone around me was hearing God and are getting supernatural confirmation but me. And I started to doubt that the direction I'm going in wasn't the right one, that I am doing something wrong or that am not anointed enough for God to speak (crazy right?! The devil is a lie!). And because of my concerns I begin to research, " how to hear from God". I had some teachings on how to do it but I came across an article written by Andrew Wommack in-titled, "How to hear God's Voice". So I skimmed through the article and got down to the bottom and this part gave me my answer, "All of us seem to be busier than ever, and that's one of the BIG reasons we don't hear the voice of the Lord better. We're just too busy. " I immediately felt like I needed to repent because I'm like wait, I'm not busy! First off,  I don't have a job, I don't have a husband, and I don't have any kids. But don't get me wrong I make time to read and pray but after I do I sometimes go to sleep. There have been many times where I would hear from God but I don't make as much time as I should to actually be still and hear from Him on a regular basis. Therefore after reading the article the Holy Spirit made me realize that if I won't give all my time to Jesus when I'm not busy, then why would God bless me with work? Listen, God will withhold your blessing if you withhold what rightfully belongs to Him. If He can't trust us with the little we have, how can we expect him to bless us with increase? Just a thought I wanted to share.

 "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much- Luke 16:10

Article here: http://www.awmi.net/extra/article/gods_voice 

My Testimony 2013- Jehovah Rapha

Since 2013 has come to a close, I wanted to start 2014 off by sharing my story of God healed me in 2013. I shared this story with my Facebook friends back in October but I don't know why I never posted on my blog. But hey, its never a wrong time to share a testimony! I hope you all enjoy!

Okay so my best friend brought it to my attention that I can't keep what God has done for me to myself because one, it’s not about me and two, my struggles are meant help others and encouraging others to hold on to their faith in Christ. I would tell myself that I was going to wait to share my testimony until the "right" time but there is no such thing as the right time. The enemy wanted me not to share out of fear that people would have something to say about me but like I said before, it's not about me it’s about God getting the glory out of my life. Freedom is what I seek and in order for me to get that freedom I must nail my past to that cross so that all will see that. So my prayer is that my testimony will save souls and help you or someone out there who needs encouragement.

In the summer of 2009 was when I got saved and remained celibate for 3 ½ years after. I didn't date in college until the summer before my last year of college. I dated someone that I knew God was not pleased with. And every time I talked to this person, spent time with this person and slept with this person I felt so much conviction that I would cry terribly. I never felt conviction like this ever before and even with the conviction I would still fall into sin. After many nights of tears, frustration, and hurt, I got up enough courage to say you know what my relationship with God is way more important than this. I cannot continue to live like this, and pretty much giving myself away when you're not my husband I rather be pleasing to God and have my peace. I was putting this person in a position that belonged to Christ and it could not happen any longer! So I called it quits, I cut the cord. Fast forward to October 2011 I just wasn't feeling right so I decided to schedule a doctor's appointment I actually self-diagnosed myself a couple of days before so I was sort of prepared to hear what the doctor’s judgment was. So the verdict was that I contacted HPV. It was very confusing because I hadn't been sexually active for 4 1/2 months and now this comes out of nowhere. I cried. I even said to the doctor that I was a Christian and that I should have never let this happen to me. And that this was not a good representation of Christ. She (the doctor) explained to me my options and then I asked her was there a cure she flat out said no. I thought my life ended at that point. I didn't have my car that year so I rode my bike home saying to myself that I was damaged goods, that no one would ever want me anymore. I was hurt, angry, broken, and confused. I knew that I wouldn't be able to go into work so I called off and that whole day I just sat in my apartment in a depressed state. How could I have let this happen to me? The one time I date someone out of all my college years I get hit with this? I was too ashamed to even call on God. I couldn't even work up enough nerve to cry out to Him because I knew I let Him down. He warned me. He consoled me when I messed up but turned around and messed up again, I deserved what happened to me. I felt that it was no one’s fault but mine, I knew better. I decided after that, that I was going to build a wall in front of me I wasn't going to let no one in. I sat in my apartment and told myself that I was just going to let myself go so that no one would even be attracted to me. I was so afraid of a man to even like me because I did not want to face the fact that I had to one day tell him my situation I was afraid of being rejected. My friends and family would try to console me and tell me that I can't speak these things over myself, that someone would love me and that God is a healer but I wasn't trying to hear it. And for a year and two months I had to deal with the unbearable pain which caused sudden chills that at times I could not do anything but sit or lay down.

It took me a while to realize that this was my punishment. God was punishing me for my sin because I knew better so I accepted that. It hurt me so much more that although I was not connected with this person that I fell into sin with anymore, my pain and my hurt was always a reminder of my past. I would plead with God to heal me and to have mercy on me but it didn't come. But the craziest thing about this whole situation was that in all my pain, anger, and uncomfortable condition, I still praised God. I still had the strength to seek Him, to go to church, and to be obedient to His word. During this time I really connected with Job, especially after graduating college. I didn't have the things I once had before and after college I felt that the pain increased, my spiritual warfare increased, stress just increased. But I continued to call on the name of the Lord. Right before the end of 2012 I started to get more encouraged in my belief that God was and is a healer and even if He did not heal me from my physical pain, He would heal my emotional pain and allow His grace to be sufficient in my weakness. On New Year’s Eve I went to my church and the sermon was on closing a book and starting a new one in 2013. That everything that happened in 2012 would be in the past and that 2013 would be a "Supernatural Year". Depression, sickness, bad relationships, financial issues, etc. would be left in 2012. And I believed in my heart that things would get better from there on out, 2013 would be my supernatural year! So fast forward two weeks into January I finally was able to schedule a doctor's appointment. I was nervous because I figured my condition was worse because I haven't gone to the doctor in a long time. So I talked with the doctor, she asked have I had any pain lately I said no not for a while then she examined me, took some test and was told that I did not have HPV. She told me that she did not see anything in any of my test or in my pap. So I told her to look again because she was wrong. She laughed but I didn't (-__-) so she stopped and then told me that I was alright. I was still in doubt so I wanted another opinion and then God sent me one by saying "believe in me". I didn't question it but I was in shock. My mama asked what happened and I told her I didn't have it anymore, she was happy and said see now you can stop worrying.

Facebook Status January 15, 2013

"Still in awe right now, it’s so crazy how God works. He allows you to go through because of your lack of obedience to Him. And once you’re in the fire you may go through depression, shame, guilt, low self-esteem, hurt, pain, and self-rejection. Sometimes you feel as though God shouldn't even keep you because of your disobedience because you know that He requires so much more from us but not realizing that it was a test to see if giving up on Him was the easiest route. But because of His everlasting love and His forgiveness He equipped me even though I sinned against Him, with enough strength to not give up on Him and enough strength to raise my hands to give Him glory, when I didn't want to, and for this I owe Him even more glory and more honor and all the praise! It is definitely a Supernatural year for me!"

I do thank God for the experience I had with this particular person because I learned so much about myself. I've learned that I love hard, and that I was afraid of being rejected by someone I loved. I also realized that I was seeking someone to fill the void that my father left open. My dad died when I was really young so I never had that love that comes from a father. I was never a promiscuous person but I realized that instead of giving my body to just anyone, I would give my heart which caused way more problems in the end. I noticed that at times I was afraid to speak my mind out of fear that a guy would walk away from me. In a vision I saw myself as a little girl waiting for her dad to give her that attention she's been missing and to remind her that she is beautiful and deserves the world. But not only did this chapter teach me about myself, it made me realize the things I need in the man who will be my husband. So I can't say that I regret this chapter of my life because everything happens for a reason and I wouldn't know what I deserved when it came if this did not happen. And I wouldn't of gotten where I am now in my relationship with God if I didn't experience the pain and the hurt so hey, it is what it is.

But If you are suffering from an alignment, please don’t give up on God. I know you’re in pain. I know you’re heart broken. I know you feel unworthy but God’s grace is sufficient in our weaknesses. He is our Jehovah Rapha, he is a healer! When you are in pain and it seems as if you can’t continue to believe think about Job and all he went through. He struggled just like you and I but in the end all things plus more was restored to him. I may not be where I want to be just yet but I am glad to be where I am because I thought it was the end for me too but it’s not. So will you accept your punishment? Will you continue to praise God through your struggles? We as Christians think that once God has forgiven us of our sin that everything will be okay, NO! We have to pay for our sin. God is a loving God but he is also a jealous God and his wrath will come on those who sin against him. But in all of our sufferings and our test God allows them to happen to show his love for us just as a father would do. So do not give up, do not allow the enemy to have your self-esteem, your mind, nor your time. God has equipped you to with stand this test continue to press on towards the goal because if God is for you, than who can be against you? We are more than conquerors, you are more than a conqueror, believe it!

It is now the time for God's true followers to stand up and testify about His works and wonders. We are in the end times and saving souls should be our only concern. The four walls of the church house is not going to save any of us so it's time for the army of God to rise up and speak! I will no longer be a slave to fear because for God I live and for God I will die! Step out of those four walls and be real, shout outside of the church house, save souls through your testimony. Show God better than you can tell Him before it is too late, the time to move is NOW!

God bless,

Danni