By Daneen James 

When you put a new garbage bag in the can, sometimes it has air bubbles. So even though the bag is new and empty, whatever you put in just sits at the top. And unless you let the air out, the bag won’t expand to its full capacity. 

The air in the bag can be like the filler in our lives. Over time hurts and hang-ups can prevent us from experiencing life with the richness and fullness God intended. We stifle what we want because of what we hold on to.

Enjoy this Facebook live video for a more interactive experience. Don't do facebook? No problem, click here to watch the video: ​ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_xEZytMmrQ&feature=youtu.be

Here are a few questions to help you to explore and go deeper: 
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1. What’s the hole? What wasn’t done, but should have been. 
2. Where’s the hurt? What was done, but should not have been. 
3. What’s the hope? Who or what are you hoping will change, so your life can change?  Doesn’t mean that you don’t want better, but you’ve made the person or situation being different, the condition for you being better. 

Reflect: 

Ask God to lead and be with you as you look at your life. Here are a few scriptures to ground and strengthen you in your daily decisions. 

• The Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 2 Corinthians 3:17
• God gives us the desire and power to do what pleases Him – Philippians 2:13
• We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps us from knowing God – 2 Corinthians 10:5​

Thank you for reading, I hope this post encouraged you! If what you read or saw added value to your life, please take a moment to share this website with family and friends. They may need encouragement more than you know.

Daneen James is an inspirational author, speaker and develops uplifting products and media. ​

Want more? 
Book Daneen as a speaker:
https://www.daneenjames.com/contact.html

Watch a video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RFNfg-fuOM
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You might also enjoy:
https://www.daneenjames.com/blog/daily-dose-nope-not-today
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By Daneen James 

​“Love is not jealous”, another translation reads, “Love does not want what it doesn’t have.” You’ve probably seen this before, part of the infamous bible passage on love, it's found in I Corinthians 13:4-7. Although, I’ve read this verse more times than I can count, I never saw it the way I see now. When we want to be something other than who we are, want someone else’s relationship and experiences more than our own, we are not living in love. We fail to love ourselves and God by dishonoring who He made us and discounting what He gave us.  

​You don’t have to be carried away by your thoughts and feelings. A bad mood doesn’t have to dictate your day...

By Daneen James 

Years ago, Nike introduced a marketing campaign, that became a motivational rally cry. Even today it evokes a spirit of drive and determination. “Just Do It.” It sounds so simple. But, if we’re honest, we can admit that every day is a battle. A fight to become better than we’ve been. We wrestle within ourselves to prevent past habits and hang ups from sabotaging our path forward. It’s more than physical, this is a spiritual war. Our enemy is formidable and focused. He aims to capture your heart and mind.

Here a some strategies to help you fight to win.  
 
Know your enemy
There is nothing made up or mythical about Satan. He’s very real. You won’t find him walking around in a red suit, carrying a pitch fork. He doesn’t typically advertise his presence. Instead he operates more covertly. He can’t make you do anything, so he floods your heart and mind with suggestions about what to believe and how to behave. Satan’s suggestions always seem to satisfy a desire, fulfill a need or settle a perceived injustice. He works to convince you that acting on his suggestions, though contrary to Christ, is reasonable and right because you “deserve” it and have a “right” to… 
 
Check your blind spot
Satan studies us and finds our vulnerabilities. The areas where we’ve been hurt or wounded. He looks for the places where we are the most accessible. His attacks are specific and uniquely designed to make it difficult for you to resist. He only needs to infiltrate enough for you to ask, what if…, maybe… or, I wonder.  That’s why it’s crucial for you to know the condition of your heart. What are you insecure or unsure about?  Where have you been hurt?  What worries you?  What do you want, crave or covet?  Where do you feel unfulfilled or unsatisfied?  It’s different for each us. Satan is savvy and patient. He’ll wait for the right condition, the right time to set his scene. So, learn your habits, what triggers you? With what and when do you struggle most?  Are there certain times of the day or year that pose particular challenges for you? Do you find it hard to be alone or feel easily overwhelmed by the pressure of other people? Satan watches and waits; his whole goal is to see you fall and be less than you’re capable of being. Don’t let him get away with it. Actively survey your thoughts, emotions and actions. Learn to recognize and sidestep his traps. 
 
Choose the right weapons
Reinforce your life with the only power greater than Satan, the sovereign God. God’s word is true and eats up Satan’s lies. Commit to learning scriptures that speak directly to your life. So, however Satan comes to challenge, you have a response. You can’t do this on your own and you don’t have to. God knew you’d need help. Use God’s word to invoke the same Spirit that resurrected our Savior from the dead.  Don’t wait to feel weak, act now to stay fueled up for the fight. Apply God’s word to every area and situation in your life. Personalize God's word, He's talking to you. So when Satan talks, talk back and not just in your head. Say God's word aloud to force Satan's lies to the light, he can't live in the light.

Hold your ground
Satan doesn't stop, but the fight gets easier. The more you let God in, the more God gets into you and the more your win.  These are a few of my favorite scriptures, they are a source of strength for me. I believe they would be the same for you. 

•  I John 4:4  - Greater is He that’s in me than he that’s in the world

• I Corinthians 10:13 – God will not let my temptations overtake me, He’ll show me a way out

• Matthew 12:29 – Who’s strong enough to tie up Satan, only God

 
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For more inspiring messages:
Book Daneen as a speaker:
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Daneen James is an inspirational author, speaker and develops uplifting
​products and media through her company, SPARKSAFLAME. 

You might also enjoy:
https://www.daneenjames.com/blog/keep-it-fresh

By Daneen James 

When Dreams Don't Come True 
You can be whatever you want. If you believe it you can achieve it. Dreams come true. If it’s to be, then it’s up to me. If at first you don’t succeed, then try, try again. The race is not given to the swift, but to the one who endures to the end. I’m sure you’ve heard some, if not all of these phrases. Motivational marvels meant to encourage and propel us forward. As time passes, however, they can become piercing reminders of what wasn’t done and the dreams that weren’t realized.  We may still repeat the words, even say them to others. But we secretly think, that ship has sailed.
 
Making Space
Now that I’ve sufficiently sucked all the air out of the room and created such a positive and upbeat mood…let me explain. Life has a way of beating you up. We start off hopeful, blooming with potential. Brimming with the beauty of possibility. Then little by little we lose our luster. Disappointment and disillusion can replace our optimistic outlook. We can become frustrated and resentful that the life we wanted, even deserved, may be out of reach. We’d could never stand to admit it and instead camouflage our feelings in pretense and indifference. Resigning ourselves to a routine existence that never allows us to want or expect more. 
 
My Life, But Not For Me
I can relate. Life seems cruel and limited unless we understand that our life is not for us, but for the one who made us. We’ll stumble around flustered and angry until we’re willing to forgo what we had in mind and accept His plan for our lives. I tried to do it my way.  Never really considered or recognized the importance of asking what God wanted from me. But after continually coming up short, I was just tired of fighting. There had to be another way. Open and willing to try life differently, I was ready to say yes to God.
 
Yes, Means Progress
Saying yes to God means He has the final say in everything I do. Whether I want to, feel like it or disagree, I follow Him. It means trusting that He loves me, without exception. No matter what it seems like, I know He always acts to make me better, stronger and bring me closer to Him. Because the closer, I am to him, the more fulfilling my life will be. When I let Him lead my life, I experience His promises, which far exceed anything I’ve read or heard.  They sustain and elevate me in ways I could never imagine or create on my own.
 
Many of us are frustrated because of what our life is not. But if we’re willing to shift our perspective and open ourselves to ask, God what do you want from me and my life?  We’ll find our way to the significance we crave and the fulfillment we seek. 

Reflect 

• All things exist and were created by your will God. Worthy are you to receive glory and honor and power. Revelation 4:11
• If you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want and it will be granted. This brings great glory to my Father. John 15:7-8
• God owns the spiritual and physical part of you. What a high price He paid. So let people see God in and through your body. I Corinthians 6: 19-20

​
For more inspiring messages:
Book Daneen as a speaker:
https://www.daneenjames.com/contact.html 

Watch a video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RFNfg-fuOM

Connect and sign up to receive updates about Daneen's upcoming book:
https://www.daneenjames.com/contact.html 

Shop the SPARKSAFLAME Store:
https://www.daneenjames.com/shop.html


Daneen James is an inspirational author, speaker and develops uplifting
products and media through her company, SPARKSAFLAME. 

You might also enjoy:
​https://www.daneenjames.com/blog/live-your-light

By Daneen James 

 When I think of all the ways my mom has influenced my life, I am overwhelmed. Evidence of her character and courage is abundant. The strength and integrity I so admire in her is alive in me.  She gave me an incredible foundation. Yet, I look back at my childhood and wish some things were different. My mom does too. But one indisputable fact remains. My mother loves me and I know it. 

Parents Are People
After becoming a mother, I came to better understand that parents are people. We have needs and wants and pain that can color the relationships we have with our children. For example, I didn't have the relationship a daughter should have with her father. So, I was determined to ensure my daughter experience everything that I didn’t. While a healthy father-daughter relationship is critical. My feelings were more about me than my daughter. I was projecting my pain on to her. I needed to accept that my daughter was not me. Living vicariously through her wouldn’t fix my broken places. 

Let Love Lead 
As women, we've likely had experiences that have hardened or calloused our hearts. Disappointments that make us more distant than we care to be. But once we become a mother, our responsibility is to become the best version of ourselves. We’re called to deal with our stuff and not project it on to our kids. It's our job to give them a better starting position than we had. Ironically, releasing our kids to become who they are activates the power of love to heal the splintered places within us. 
 
To every mother, caretaker and woman who answers the call to give a child her best.
We CELEBRATE you! 
 
 
For more inspiring messages:
Book Daneen as a speaker:
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Connect, subscribe and receive updates about Daneen's upcoming book: https://www.daneenjames.com/contact.html 

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Daneen James is an inspirational author, speaker and develops uplifting
products and media through her company, SPARKSAFLAME. 

You might also enjoy:
​https://www.daneenjames.com/blog/bridge-to-breakthrough

​
​

By Daneen James 

“Live by grace, not perfection”, the words of the sign posted on the back wall of my office. I have a tendency toward overthinking and perfectionism. The sign reminds me not to take myself too seriously and to extend myself grace.  Whenever I obsess over something being less than "perfect" or I'm paralyzed by the fear of making a mistake. I look at the sign and literally breathe a sigh of relief.

The Good News
Though it's taken me some time to understand. No matter how hard we try, our talent and effort aren't enough. They were never intended to be. Our role is contribution. We can choose how to focus our energy, effort and attention. But God controls the outcome, He's responsible for the results. When we try to operate in God’s territory, we get frustrated, feel stressed and become overwhelmed. Anytime I feel myself drifting into God’s realm, I laugh. It helps me release and reset. In fact, I’ve found humor to be a wonderful tool for maintaining balance in my life.  

When did you last laugh?
Do you remember the last time you laughed? I don’t mean a giggle or a smile. But the kind of laughter that erupts from a place deep within. Forces you on to your side. Tears come down your face. Your stomach muscles hurt and your cheeks ache, but afterwards you feel lighter, like a weight has been lifted. Everything seems just a little better, a little brighter. Do you remember, was it recent?

The research is clear, laughter offers a host of mental and physical benefits (https://www.helpguide.org/articles/mental-health/laughter-is-the-best-medicine.htm):

• Fosters efficiency and innovation. Laughter reduces stress. Less stress equals more energy. We can focus longer, get more done in less time and are likely to respond to challenges with more creativity and effectiveness.  
• Stimulates perspective. Humor disarms our defenses. Helps creates psychological distance. So, we don't feel threatened and difficult situations are less likely to escalate or overwhelm us.  
• Promotes heart health. Laughter improves the function of blood vessels and increases blood flow, which can help protect you against a heart attack and other cardiovascular problems.
• Burns calories. One study found that laughing for 10 to 15 minutes a day can burn approximately 40 calories—which could be enough to lose three or four pounds over the course of a year. Not quite the same as a trip to the gym, but definitely could be more fun.
• Extends your life. A study in Norway found that people with a strong sense of humor outlived those who don’t laugh as much. The difference was particularly notable for those battling cancer.

 
Here's a little encouragement...

1. Before you react, try to see the humor a situation. Not saying to make everything a joke. But generally speaking, most things just aren’t that serious.
2. Watch funny videos on YouTube. Have a favorite comedian? Look for comedy specials on cable.
3. Do something silly and playful. Just because you’ve grown up, doesn’t mean you have outgrown fun. Try a water gun or pillow fight, wrestle, frisbee, jump rope, dance (who cares what it looks like.) 

Explore and experiment.  Do something every day that lightens your mood, then repeat. 
 

For more inspiring messages:
Book Daneen as a speaker:
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Sign up for Daneen's newsletter and receive updates about her upcoming book:
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Shop the SPARKSAFLAME Store:
https://www.daneenjames.com/shop.html


Daneen James is an inspirational author, speaker and develops uplifting
products and media through her company, SPARKSAFLAME.
​
You might also enjoy:
https://www.daneenjames.com/blog/live-your-light

By Daneen James 

God sees you.

He knows the adversity you have overcome. He understands that you’ve endured things you didn’t deserve. That you’ve had many reasons to give up, but you found the courage to keep going. Despite the heart break, challenges, and disappointments that threatened to overtake you. You are still standing.

But sometimes what we use to survive in one season can create patterns that keep us stuck, restrict our heart and stifle our spirit in another season. Nothing makes God happier than to see you living the life that He created you to live. He wants to help you reach your full potential, in every area of your life. He wants to help you. He’s extending His hand. Will you take it?  
 
Begin by answering these 3 questions (inspired by Dharius Daniels):

Where’s the hurt?
What was done that shouldn’t have been (feelings of grief, loss and unmet expectations offer clues)?

Where’s the hole?
What wasn’t done but should have been?

Where’s the hazard?
What thought or memory keeps tripping you up? What video plays in your mind that you find it difficult to escape?
 
Will you allow God into these areas?  Will you choose to accept Christ as the answer to bring you wholeness and peace?
 
Here’s a prayer:
Father, there are places where I am stuck. Regrets and resentments cloud my perspective. I have done things for which I'm ashamed. Made areas of my heart unavailable to you.  But I want to know your freedom. I invite you into my life, nothing is off limits. Help me give you my broken pieces. Strengthen me to expose my wounds. Give me the courage to be honest, withholding nothing. Then God do what only you can do.  Let your love wash over me and lead me to healing. Father, when it gets hard, help me look to and lean on you.
 

For more inspiring messages:
Book Daneen as a speaker:
https://www.daneenjames.com/contact.html 

Sign up for Daneen's newsletter and receive updates about her upcoming book:
https://www.daneenjames.com/contact.html 

Shop the SPARKSAFLAME Store:
https://www.daneenjames.com/shop.html


Daneen James is an inspirational author, speaker and develops uplifting
products and media through her company, SPARKSAFLAME. 

You might also enjoy:
​https://www.daneenjames.com/blog/live-your-light
​