Saturday SHINE....

Weekend Reading:

• Saturday 3/9: Numbers 1-2
• Sunday 3/10: Numbers 3-4

Happy Saturday, SHINE girls! Just a reminder that we are moving on to the book of Numbers this weekend! Goodbye Hebrews, Hello Numbers. ;)

My friend, Danielle Copeland, is posting today. She is a long time friend. She inspires me, encourages me, and she just radiates with God's love! 

She has the amazing gift of organizing and planning. Danielle wants to use her gift to help SHINE spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to as many women as possible. She has a heart for women's ministry, just like yours truly here. ;)

Danielle's sweet little family! Lee, Eli, Danielle, and Molly

Be encouraged and inspired today! I love you, sweet friends! Happy Weekend!

Are you ready to SHINE?

By: Danielle Copeland

Good Morning sweet SHINE girls!

I am so excited about sharing some pretty fun news here on the SHINE blog today!! Jill and I have talked about this for almost a year and feel like the time is right for SHINE to venture outside the blog world.  Yikes! It’s scary but we are READY!!

In my professional life and ok, my personal life – I am an event planner. Always wanting to throw a get together, always jumping at the chance to plan a birthday party or plan THE wedding of the year!  I get fulfillment in this but for the last year, I have felt like God was calling me to do something more.

Be more to others.

Love others more.

What once was a small burning flicker has turned into a GIANT raging flame!  I will talk to anyone about it and get as excited as if Prince Harry called me personally to say that he had found his princess and wanted me to plan the fairy tale wedding. (a girl can dream, right??)

I want to do more for women.  Women just like you and me.

Last year was a difficult year for me. I was at my lowest point. My husband was frustrated that he couldn’t fix it.  My parents were trying their best to help.  I could not take care of my kids. My work was failing.  My home was not a sanctuary.  Everything was spiraling out of control. I felt like a failure.

BUT God blessed me with AMAZING and when I say amazing I mean…A-M-A-Z-I-N-G girlfriends. They took care of my kids. They drove me to doctor’s appointments. They held me as I cried and begged God to fix me. They cooked dinner.  They stood in for me at work.  They prayed fervently for me and my family.  They pushed me to grow my faith in God.

These women were and are my rocks.  They got me.  They poured God’s love into me.

I am so lucky.  I know this.  Not everyone feels that love or has those connections.  That is where I want to help.

My faith is still growing. I still struggle. But the one thing I do know how to do is plan events.  I can use that gift to pour God’s love, compassion, grace and kindness into other women.  How great is that?? J

Jill and I talked about what would be some great SHINE events to start with.  I think I might have slightly overwhelmed her at my initial list! Ha!  We do not want anyone to feel pressure that you have to be involved or at every event to be a true member of SHINE.  These will be fun and inspiring – bringing together women who love God and want to support one another in this incredible journey of being a wife, mother, sister, daughter and friend.

Here are the events and dates that we are going to be doing in the next couple of months. If something speaks to you personally and you want to get involved in planning the event – please email me at Danielle@simplycharmingsocials.com – would love to hear from you!!

April 6^th – Color Run at Atlanta Motor Speedway (this will be a family fun event which means run/walk/crawl with just us girls or bring your hubby and kids)

May 2^nd – National Day of Prayer (we want to have places all over the city where women can go to pray – nothing crazy – just coffee at the Starbucks in Conyers, lunch at Chickfila in Madison, morning walk in downtown Decatur, etc where women can go for 30 minutes or so with other women to pray) More information on ideas for this to come. 

May 11^th – Madison in May 5k (another family fun event) Jill has already started getting a team together for this one. So much fun! You do NOT have to be a runner. Just walk, crawl, stroll--just COME and let's all do this together! :)

We are also planning some things for later on in the year and some things in between. Hopefully you can participate in some of them! We want to see  you and meet you and love on you!

See why I am excited?? All FUN stuff!  

Let’s live for Him in all we do! Let's SHINE in every aspect of our lives! Encouraging each other and spurring each other on!

SHINING His light all the way.

Love you all to pieces –

Danielle