A FUNK

So this week already has been vey difficult. I have been in a really bad funk. I feel like I am fighting depression or something. I have tried to handle this on my own but I am really week and I need help. I am asking all of you to stand with me in this battle that I am facing. Please pray that God will restore to me the joy that I had last week, he would help me to find within myself the determination to fight, and would remind me that he has already won this battle. .... Last night Matt and I went to Monday Night Prayer at E-Life. The theme for the night was that our stuggle is not agaist flesh and blood. That it is against the enemy. I have been feeling the attacks of the enemy really strong this last week. You know from my last post that I was really pumped up about how God had helped me and Matt overcome our addiction to pornography and that the Lord was going to use that for his glory. So dont you know that that is the very thing that satan threw back in my face. And so for several days now I have been struggling with this temptaion. I dont want to do this. I want to have God's best for my life and I know that his best is not an addiction to pornography. No only have I been struggling with that sin I have also been falling back into all the same habbits that I used to have. I have had soda's and lots of processed food. Again, I know that this is not God's best for me. Monday we had the weigh in for our weight competition at work. I didnt even weigh in because I knew that I had gained weight. I am seriously discourage right now. Last night I felt God telling me that my weight is Satan's victory. If he can keep me knocked down by this, then I will not be effective for God's kingdom. I dont want him to have that victory in my life. I want to serve God with the best of me. And right now I am not at my best.

I have been encouraged though by the book that I am reading. Made to Crave talks about how your sucess in your weightloss journey comes when you are craving God. And honestly I fee like that is where I am getting to. I dont know that I am totally there yet, but it feels so good to have even a small portion of the relationship with God that I used to have. It has been so good in the last few weeks to feel so close to him. I pray that it would not stop. I know that he will never let go of me. I just have to trust him. To seek his best.

In other news dad seems to be doing ok. He did not sleep well last night. So he slept most of the afternoon. But he was able to come to Lubbock and get some paper work taken care of for me. I am glad that he and I got to spend the afternoon togethor. My aunt and uncle are comming in this weekend. Bailey is so excited to see her cousins. Mom took her home with them tonight. We will be going out there on Sat morning. So glad that they are coming back. I love it when they are here and hate it when they leave. They are so much comfort for me.

This last week I also got a bonus at work. Matt and I decided to get Bailey a new bed and finish decorating her room. It was really fun. She is loving it and it makes me glad. We are not done yet. Still waiting on part of her bed but it is mostly done.

Well work in the morning. Better get some rest.

Re: Bag of Love for the Homeless

Well friends,

Our friends and I had great intentions of making this happen. But with some prayer and counsel from a ministry involved with the homeless we have decided not to do this. We were sad at first but now we are going to help out a different ministry that needs some help but can not be discussed. Thank you to anyone who was bathing this in prayer. Matt and I personally are wanting to help another family from my work. All in all I still feel like we are showing Crazy Love this Christmas. I pray that we are honoring God in the things that we are choosing to do.

Bags of Love for the Homeless

Dear Family and Friends,

My friends and I are heading up something that God put before us after we read the book, CRAZY LOVE. After much prayer with our families, we feel led and so excited to do what God is asking us to do! Our project, Bag of Love for the Homeless, will take place on Christmas Morning at Sunrise . We will go out with our families and find the homeless in Lubbock and give them a bag of goodies as well as share the Love of Christ with them. We personally are so excited to greet Christmas morning with the excitement of what God is going to do rather than the excitement of the gifts under the tree!!

If you would like to be a part of this, please join us! We already have a couple of other families and an extra teenager or two that are coming along to help out! If you are not able to attend but would like to donate any item listed below, I would be more than happy to get it from you. If you know of a business who would like to donate items, please let me know, also. We have contacted Wal-Mart as well as United, and are waiting for a response. We are making breakfast burritos to deliver that morning (they can easily be individually wrapped) and are trying to figure out how to transport coffee/hot chocolate downtown!?! (any ideas?!?) We will also have juice boxes for any children we locate.

However, the most important thing we ask for is your prayers! Pray for God to show us where to go and for the hearts of the homeless to be receptive to hearing the Good News of our Lord and Savior!!! Ironically, there was an article in our local paper not long ago that stated that at any given time, there are easily 600+ people on the streets in our city. That is just heartbreaking.

We can’t wait to see what God does this Christmas Morning!!


MERRY CHRISTMAS ~

Matt, Francis & Bailey



PS..If you would like to make a donation, if I could make sure to have it before December 15th, that would be great! Thanks again!!

List of items needed for Bag of Love for the Homeless

Blankets

Sleeping Bags

Socks

Beanies (hats)

Gloves

Thermal Underwear

Baby Wipes

Hand Sanitizer

Lotion

Chap Stick

Travel Mug

Deodorant

Toothbrush

Toothpaste

Towel

Bottle Water

Cereal Bars

Animal Crackers

Gold Fish

Peanut Butter Crackers

Cheese Crackers

Trail Mix

Bibles

Inspirational Books

Playing Cards

Puzzle Books

Pens

Notepads

Juice Boxes

Bags for all the items (Reusable bags from United or Wal-Mart)

Our project will take place on Christmas Morning at Sunrise . This will be a time of sharing our love and most importantly Christ!


Matt and Francis Daniels

549.2444 or 559.5669

Kim and Ray Don Wideman

632.7964 or 214-608-1406

Kara and Jason Marshall

392.0179 or 773.3735

Austin Wideman

632-7964

Landry Allen

544-8413

Bailey at the park.

OUR FAMILY VACATION WENT WELL. WE HAD A GREAT TIME TAKING BAILEY TO THE ZOO. SHE LOVED IT AND IS VERRY MUCH CONVINCED THAT WE WENT TO BARNEY'S ZOO. THEN WE WENT TO MY AUNT AND UNCLE'S HOUSE IN STEPHENVILLE. HAD A BLAST WITH THEM. WE TRIED TO GO TO A WATER PARK ON sUNDAY BUT WE GOT RAINED OUT. SAD DAY. BUT THE KIDS HAD FUN WHILE IT LASTED.