Sep. 21, 2008 - Hear the Stories in the Footsteps
I had a picture in my head one time last summer. I was seeing a busy city sidewalk, lots of people. It wasn't New York, it wasn't LA, it wasn't any really big city, just a normal one. Where different people walked back and forth, bumping into each other occasionally, avoiding eye contact, some on their phones, some talking to each other, some being extremely quiet. There were people who walked really fast like they knew exactly where they were going, and there were people who walked really fast because they were trying to get away. They felt unsafe. There were people walking slowly who were enjoying the scenery, and others walking slowly like they didn't really want to go where they were going. They all had their own worlds, some intertwined with others. But they weren't aware. I saw one lady stop by a trashcan near a bench along the sidewalk. She was reading a note, which she ripped up and threw away. I saw a man pass by her and refuse to notice. I saw stories walking by, I heard them as they made the sound of footsteps. It was so very much like a dance. And in that picture, I wrote a song. One of the lines was "Hear the stories in the footsteps as they carry on." That has always been something that I've noticed. Just an idea...next time you go out somewhere...take some time to listen and watch how people walk. Notice their smiles and how they do things. I think sometimes we don't realize that their stories might have an affect on ours, somehow, someway.
Now that we've gotten our deep, thought-provoking, different view of things out of the way...haha. So I've editted and added to my playlist. I love my playlist. Each song means something to me, each song has a story behind it. It's amazing how different songs can tell the story of my life. haha. Right about now the song Keep Holding On by Avril Laveign is my favorite. It came up in my life two years ago and has meant a lot to me. I think sometimes we just all need that encouragement. Keep holding on, cause you know we'll make it through.
I've been really thankful for my friends lately. I have the best. But what makes them the best is not how much they make me laugh (cause they do), or how they're ready to defend me if something goes wrong (cause they will), or how they encourage me when I'm this close to quitting (cause that happens)...it's because when I'm going through something, their response is not to let me simmer on my depression or anger. They pull me back up, turn me around and say, "I'm praying for you, and you need to get this right with God. He's the One Who's gonna get you through." That's why. I pray all of you find friends who are willing to call you out and point you back up. :)
This week has been quite interesting for me. Different things have happened, new things have come up. I'm being pushed and pulled in different directions. But it's all ok. I've come to the conclusion that I'm going to do what God is calling me to do no matter what. No one can touch me if I'm standing on the Rock. So that's where I'm standing. No matter what happens, I'm HIS, and that settles all accounts. That decides what I do.
Thank you guys so much for all your prayers! I'm not going to be blogging on here as often, as some of you have noticed, because I'm so busy, but I am trying! I will when I can. So leave me comments and keep in touch if you can. Don't get mad if I don't respond as quickly as normally. I'm trying, once again. Love to all.
Danya <><
start.a.fire.
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Sep. 3, 2008 - Oohhh...Big Words
It has come to my attention that since I have been thrust into a study of subjects that shall further my knowledge of the world around me, I have, in an unexpected and completely subconscious attitude, begun to use big words again. It's actually somewhat enjoyable, in a sense, and quite annoying in another. I sound as if my intelligence has been lifted up to new heights, but yet sometimes I don't exactly know the weight of the statements I use. In reading books such as The Scarlet Letter and documents such as The Declaration of Independence I have also found that I have barely kept from speaking in King James. Which, if you didn't understand, is not really a language, but simply a difference dialect of the language we commonly know as English.
Ok I'm becoming irritating now.
HELLO! How are all of you lovely people today? I hope you're enjoying you're Wednesday. I have officially started ALL of my schoolwork today. No, I did not finish it. When you have to learn 13 difference concepts of Math in one lesson, speaking in Spanish seems somewhat inferior. And considering I didn't finish Math either...yeah. haha. Hey, first day, come on now. ;)
Anyway, I thought I'd write a quick blog before my people arrive at my house. Church tonight. Always fun. But really, I just wanted to share with you my newfound knowledge of big words and deep sentences. ...yep. :) haha.
Danya <><
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Aug. 30, 2008 - We Still Haven't Played Parcheesi
It's August 30th. ...Did I tell all of you Happy August yet? I did not. I shall now. Happy August! Now that we've gotten that settled, can you believe August ends in 2 days??? I feel like I did nothing this summer. Ok that's a lie, I feel like I did so much this summer I hardly got a summer at all! But that's ok. I really don't mind. I wouldn't trade my life for anything. I'm going where God wants me to, and lemme tell ya, that's the most amazing place to be. :)
I figured I'd share with you peoples what I did this summer. You know, like one of those reports poor public school children have to do. Except I won't make it a report and you can't give me a demerit for bad grammer. so HA!
It all started in June. The first week of June was CRAZY! I loved it. Band practice and voice lessons and TWO SHOWS. We headlined The Muse and played at the Raise the Praise festival. Those shows were hot. Literally. The Muse had no air conditioning and the festival was outside. :):):) The next week I had some meetings with people and took my ACT. That was...fun. The 19-21 my mom and I helped lead at the Proverbs 31 Ministries She Speaks conference in NC. That trip was one to remember! The girls were amazing and the conference really challenged all of us. There's an important date - June 20th. That would be the lovely day my back decided to stop working. It caught, it twisted, the muscles said OW and knotted up, and the next thing I know I'm lying flat on my floor with Randi freaking out and going all doctor on me over the phone. We had VBS the next week and that really helped my back (insert sarcasm), but it was fun! I love VBS. :) Band practices and sleepovers. They rock. On the 29th I was on the radio! Asa and I went down to the station and played on a show for about 2 hours. I heard a rumor that when my little brother was trying to get the am station to come through on our radio, he had to hold the stereo all different ways and when he finally did get it, my mom screamed so loudly he dropped the radio and the signal was once again lost. :) haha.
July started the same way June did. SHOW!!! We headlined at Rocketown on the 3rd and had the tightest show we've ever had. I played special music at a church on the 6th, and then on the 7th half my family and a church group headed out to Camp Agape in Benton, TN for a mission trip. I love going out to Camp Agape and not just for the view! God moves there. Probably because you're so far away from any other distractions you actually take time to listen and go. The STARS are alive. They'll blow your mind. :) After we got back from the mission trip my back was seriously hurting, but I managed. Rested for about two days and then back out we went to Chattanooga for a homeschool book convention. After I got back from Chattanooga I got a week break and finally got time to let my back heal. I also got to put up pictures in my room in the new picture frames I got in January. haha. That was fun. :) Then band practices started again for the beginning of the next month...which, as the trend has shown, started out with shows...and at the end of July my youth group went on a weekend summer camp. That camp just brought July out with a bang.
August 3rd I played at the Mayor's First Day Festival at the Sommet Center in Nashville, the 5th I met up with my producer, did some stuff at school, then headed out to make an appearance and play at the Fed Up Rally - a march against violence in Antioch, the 6th I had two band rehearsals, which were amazing, the 7th I opened for Me In Motion at a Word Records/Driven Artist Agency Showcase, and then on the 9th I played at a Health Fair in Antioch. So it was a fairly busy week. hahaha. On the 16th, we opened for Denver and The Mile High Orchestra at a festival that Powerhouse was doing. We started half of our schoolwork that week, so I've been trying to get ahead. :):):) I'm homeschooled, it's amazing. :) The last two weeks I've been getting school done, playing at my church and doing stuff with my youth group, writing and preparing for recording!!! and just hanging out with my friends. :) It's a fun experience for sure.
So there was my summer. In a nutshell. Kudos to all of you who actually read the whole things. Yes, also, if some of you noticed, the layout of my blog is smaller than it was. haha.
I still haven't played Parcheesi though. Working on that. haha. ;)
Danya <><
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Aug. 18, 2008 - Guess I'm Still Learning
God and I have those moments sometimes. You know, the ones where I think I've got everything figured out to perfection so I try to take it into my own hands - and He lets me - and then it all blows up just brilliantly, and I go give it back to Him...apologizing yet again. I wonder sometimes why it takes me so long to get it. I mean, why can't I just trust Him? I go through so many times where I say I do, but then I get all worked up over something or I feel overwhelmed and I dramatize what is really very simple.
God says, "Trust Me."
Every question I've asked Him lately, every situation I've been in, when I've gone to God, that's all I've been getting. And my reply was always, I am! ...but if I was, then why did He keep saying that??? Because I wasn't. I was just being my prideful self and wanting to take things into my own hands. Why do we like to hurt? Why do we like drama so much? I really don't understand it. No drama is much better.
And God's been so sweet to me lately. You'll never in a million years guess who was at my concert Saturday night. So I'll tell you.
JESSIE DANIELS. No seriously. THE Jessie Daniels. Don't know who she is? Look her up here. One of my heroes. I opened for her when I was 12, and now, 4 years later, here I am opening for Denver and The Mile High Orchestra and she just happens to be dating one of the guys in the band. How crazy is that? We talked for awhile, and then after the show, she came over and encouraged me SO MUCH. I couldn't believe it. God is amazing. I'll post a picture soon. :):):):):)
Tomorrow is going to be a big day for The Five Project. Tutorials are starting back soon, and we're coming in with a bang! I'm so excited! The Five is really stepping it up. We've got over 10 people so far ready to be the difference. We're gonna take the school by storm. God's moving so incredibly! It's amazing, it really is.
Keep the band and me in your prayers as well. We're really trying to figure out what we're doing and who we wanna be. Details and things. I'm still working on vocal technique, but I've been feeling kinda weak lately, I need to start working out again. So yeah, thanks!
Oh...here's a picture to make you laugh:
Danya <><
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Aug. 9, 2008 - Well, if you must know, running is just like walking, except when you step, you kinda jump a little, and you move your legs quicker...it's just putting one foot in front of the other really really fast.
Just wanted to again thank you guys for your prayers. God's answering them. We're about to fly. My God can do big things. So expect the impossible - He seems to enjoy doing that. :)
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Aug. 6, 2008 - Don't Forget
You know...I realized today that I haven't changed the title of my blog in about two years. That's a really long time. I remember that when I first got this thing, the title would change on a weekly basis...ok sometimes a daily basis. Kudos to all of you who actually remember that too. But I was thinking about it today because one of my friends mentioned that with everything that's going on in my life I better start bracing myself. And I was brought back to the title of my blog. Bracing For Impact. I don't know why I really put it up there in the first place, and I'm sure that I have no idea why my creative mind didn't get sick of it and change it...but I like it. It's followed me around and it's meant different things to me in different seasons of my life. Right now, with how crazy everything is getting...it's a reminder.
See, I know God's doing some really big things, I mean after all, He is an extremely big God. The universe (which is immeasurable, btw), yeah the Bible says that God hold the universe in His HAND. The HAND of God is bigger than our IMMEASUREABLE universe.His hand.
I've noticed lately that sometimes I make God smaller than He is. For instance, when I feel stressed... when I feel like I can't do something...when I feel overwhelmed...when I feel like everything's right...when I feel like everything's wrong...when I feel like nothing can change the way I feel...when I feel like I've got it all under control...and I don't. God is bigger than the way I feel.
Just because I feel stressed doesn't mean God can't give me peace. Just because I feel like I can't do something doesn't mean that God doesn't want me to do it. Just because I feel overwhelmed doesn't mean God can't give me strength. Just because I feel like everything's right doesn't mean God's gonna leave me in my comfort zone. Just because I feel like everything's wrong doesn't mean God's plan isn't bigger than I can see.
I have a feeling that a LOT is going to happen in the next few weeks. I know God's moving. I've been talking with some different people about new things happening with my music. I've seen God open doors I never thought possible. Things are happening in my school and with my friends. I would ask you guys for prayer because a lot of us are under attack. See, when your a threat, the enemy doesn't like it. Well, he can deal. Because His best shot is nothing compared to MY GOD.
Because My God is bigger than how I feel. My God is bigger than what the enemy wants to throw at me. My God is bigger than opposition, He's bigger than stress, He's bigger than confusion, He's bigger than difficulty, He's bigger than hurt, He's bigger than loss, He's bigger than me.
So I brace for impact...but not in my strength. Because My God is bigger.
Danya <><
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Jul. 28, 2008 - I'll Let You Know
Well I'm still smiling. It's actually hurting my face at the moment, but I'm sure I'll get over it. You know you use more muscles when you frown than when you smile. ...but if that's true why do we frown so much more than we smile? It's ridiculous really. I don't think that saying is very true and if it is true than we must use the muscles we can't feel. hahaha. There are muscles you can't feel you know. For instance, I didn't know how many muscles were in my back until I pulled them out of order and couldn't lift anything for a month. o_O. It's quite annoying actually. But I'm happy because I got to hold my little cousin for a brief moment last night at church and I hadn't gotten to do that in awhile because of my back. Yay!
OH MY GOODNESS! Sooooooo much has happened since I left on mission trip. I feel somewhat terrible for making you guys wait so long to hear about it all, but hey, what can ya do? As one of my friends would say, I'm a rockstar. It happens. :) I like being a rockstar...except for those annoying moments where you go so much when you finally stop you can't even think straight anymore. LIKE WHOA! Which is a very fun song actually. Aly and AJ. Yes, I am familiar with their work. I know. But hey, when you watch disney channel you kinda have to be. DUDE. Hannah Montana AND Miley Cyrus were in concert on Disney last night. I didn't really watch a significant amount of it, so I totally missed Hannah and only saw Miley. SPEAKING OF MILEY, IF YOU HAVEN'T, YOU SHOULD TOTALLY READ MY PREVIOUS POST. But anyway, yes, she did ok for the three songs I saw but dude I loved it a whole lot better when she was sitting playing her guitar instead of dancing across the stage. That's Miley.
ANYWAY. Two paragraphs later and Danya still hasn't filled anyone in on anything. Lovely. OK so....ROCKETOWN was amazing. Please take a moment to enjoy the pictures below. ....
It's always fun when something goes wrong right before you start. haha. But hey, we pulled through it. God had it all under control. :)
Meet the frontline.
I adjust the mic after pretty much every song. It's a habit I think.
We had our jumpy screamy crown there. It was great! :)
This is the "so what's next" Asa face. haha.
Ryan and I have mastered the thumbs in pockets cool look pose. :)
Oh and my friend Hannah was there taking some promo pics...like these: (I put more up cuz someone mentioned I didn't look happy in any of my pictures. haha.)
Asa
Ryan
Tyler
Ben
I am very excited about what's coming up next. For all you Nashvillians, we are playing at THE SOMMET CENTER for the NASHVILLE MAYOR'S FIRST DAY FESTIVAL on SUNDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's a really cool opportunity. :) I'm pretty stoked! We had band practice today and it was awesome. We got a few new people playing with us, but it's all good. :) Thursday, August 7th, we are playing an acoustic set to open up for a band Word just signed called ME IN MOTION. It is another door God has opened, and I'm just pretty much amazed at what He's doing. :) He's good like that.
Seems my life has gotten pretty crazy since I got back from the mission trip. Oh, man, speaking of the mission trip, the stars up there aren't flat! OK so you know how sometimes in the city you can look up at the stars but it pretty much just looks like someone painted the sky black and then dotted stars on it? Not there. When you look up you see into space. The stars aren't flat. I felt so small out there. Wondering how in the world God cared so much for me, one out of billions of people on an insignificant little peice of rock floating in space...I had one moment where I realized that there was nothing holding our little rock in space except the thought of God. The thought. If God wanted to, He could simply stop thinking of us and we would be nothing! There's no reason we shouldn't just drop out of space, hitting nothing because space has no ground and just eventually exploding. It's crazy! It made me feel so small...but it made God SO BIG. He is so much bigger than we could possibly even imagine. I felt so loved. :)
We got back and big things started happening. We recorded a new song last week called...Hey Miley. (Again, read my last post.) If you guys wanna hear it, which you know you do, then go here. I had the opportunity to play at a festival in Ohio called Fire Fest, and a lot of doors were opened there. I've been talking to producers and different people in the music business who have big connections and do big things because they do it for Jesus. The next two weeks could be life-changing for me. But I'm ready. I've been going through a little bit of a breaking time where I've had to give everything, and I mean EVERYTHING over to God. I've had to realize that He's taking me somewhere, but He's also taking me away from where I've been. It's hard sometimes, but with God, I'll get through it. He's worth it.
He's also given me some amazing friends to help me through it. And an awesome family. They are my encouragers and they love me. They know that I'm a little different and God's doing some different things with me, and they have helped me through so much. God's amazing, and I'm so thankful for everything that He's doing.
Wow...that was quite a long post I think. Are you happy now Randi? (Randi was pretty much threatening my life if I didn't post...) Hahaha...I feel like a foreign sandwich. That sounds yummy. That could be because I haven't really had lunch yet though and I'm hungry. *shrugs* whatever. ;)
Anyway...prayers are appreciated so much! You guys are awesome. :) And if anything happens....I'll let you know.
Danya <><
start.a.fire.
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Jul. 24, 2008 - Let Me Tell You A Story...
It's only when we're high enough to feel like we're flying that we realize how far we have to fall should we stumble. We try to make it to that point where we feel unbreakable, untouchable, invincible - high enough to make it past gravity's pull to that place where we couldn't fall even if we tried. But who tries? ...You'd think that when someone gets almost there we'd be gathering around them to encourage and strengthen them. Reminding them that God is bigger and that He will be their strength, encouraging them to never lose faith and always reach for more. You'd think that when someone slips and falls, we would consider it a tragedy. You'd think that as the body of Christ we would run to our fallen brother or sister and pick them up and dust them off and say, "Don't give up."
Let me tell you a story.
Once upon a time God created...In His great and wonderful plan for His creation He had a place where He wanted to put one of His daughters. As He fashioned her and created her, He was constantly whispering to her. "I am going to put you in a position where you can be a light for Me. I am going to let you be a role model, an example, someone people look up to. You will be a leader in your generation. A household name. So many will see you as their hero. So many will want to be like you. When they look at you, I want them to see Me. Just hold tight to Me."
As this little girl grew up, the plan God had for her life started to unfold. Different situations and circumstances suddenly shot her to the top of billboard charts, her name was written on t-shirts and her face appeared on the magazines. God gave her a stage where she stood and thousands of precious hands reached out to try and touch her - she was their hero. She said she believed she was where she was to be a light. And she was. ...Not everyone liked her though. Actually, there were those who hated her without reason. There was pressure from her peers to mess up. They just wanted her to mess up. Even her Christian brothers and sisters were waiting for her to mess up. ...And she did.
At that, we shook our heads and said, well, there goes another one. But that's NOT what God said. All this time, He's still there. He's still whispering gently, "Don't give up. Just hold on to Me. I know there's pressure, I know there's temptations, but just hold onto Me. Don't give up on Me, I'm not giving up on you. I'm putting you here for a reason - don't take your eyes off Me. I'm your Strength. I love you, and I want to love others through you. Be a light for Me. Look to Me. Just hold on to Me. I'm holding on to you."
But this world is trying so hard to drown out that whisper. And her brothers and sisters are still turning away from her. She needs us the most right now. God doesn't give up on people. How are we going to show God's love to those who don't know Him if we can't show His love to those who do? Jesus said "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
It's time we realized that loving people includes everyone. Even those that you would have never even considered loving or praying for. This little girl is struggling, and if her brothers and sisters don't step up and be the encouragement and the support and the love that she needs, she could fall. There are so many temptations. It's time we stopped just letting people fall into them. I'm praying for her, and I believe in the power of prayer. We can do more than we think. God's bigger. If you would like to join me in prayer for her, if you would step up and be the encouragement and the family she needs...then I guess you need to know her name. It's Miley.
Check out my new song.
Danya <><
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Jul. 7, 2008 - On The Road Again...
Well, for three hours at least. haha. We're about to head off for a mission trip, and I'm completely stoked! God's been doing some pretty big things, and I can't wait to see what He's gonna do this week! I really want to see the stars again...for those of you who are familiar with my songs, I wrote "thank you for the sky" last time I went to this place. :)
ROCKETOWN went amazingly fabulous! The band was the tightest it's ever been and the crowd was totally into it. We had the jumping and the screaming going on. And it was awesome! God totally moved. People were crying and laughing and worshiping. I felt like I was flying! It was sweet!
We've got a couple of other big things coming up...I'll fill you in on all that when I get back. Until then...I'm in the middle of nowhere with God and the stars. :)
Danya <><
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Jul. 2, 2008 - "Everybody with your fists raised high - Let me hear your battlecry tonight"
Have you guys heard the song "Frontline" by Pillar???? I just discovered it. It's like 4 years old or something. But it's amazing. It's on my playlist. At the bottom. (Hey, just saving the best for last.) You should really listen to it. I liked it so much I went to Lifeway the day after i heard it and bought the CD it was on. Yeah. That doesn't usually happen. But I figured, hey why not? It's the album Where Do We Go From Here. It's pretty sweet.
So I've been working on a lot of new songs lately. :) I'm thinking pretty soon we're gonna start working on recording a new CD. It won't be any kind of fast process, because I'm not exactly sure all of the songs that are suppose to be on it. I write constantly, and with the last CD "The Speed of Dark" almost didn't make it onto the list. Funny story. I was actually in the car on the way to the studio and I looked at my Daddy and said, "I think I want to record 'Speed of Dark' instead of the other one." What I should have said was, God's doing something big with this song and if we don't record it, we could be in trouble. hahaha. But seriously, that song took me into a whole new season of my life. I think this next album is going to do the same thing. I'm hoping for a complete full-band, 10 to 12 tracks album. Don't know how long it's gonna take, but we'll get there. :)
I'm very excited about the new songs. The lyrics are definitely a step up. See I wrote most of the songs on the last CD when I was 14 years old. Actually...I wrote all of them when I was 14...except I wrote Set Me On Fire at 13 and Speed of Dark at 15. Weird huh? haha. So you could say I've grown up a little bit and my writing has grown with me. The music's gonna be a little fuller and deeper as well, I think. Anyway...
So thank you to all of you who sent up prayers for my back. It's been doing better. I've been having to take it a little slower than usual, which doesn't fit very well with my schedule. But I'm managing. It's not convenient to be a musician without roadies. But thankfully, God's providing that too! I let the guys do most of the lifting and actually one of my friends who's coming to the concert needs a ride with us, so he'll be drafted into the moving/lifting department as well. :) I'm very stoked to play at Rocketown. I know how perfect God's timing is, and I know we're not there by accident. He's gonna do some awesome things!
Anyway...I smell something yummy in the kitchen, so I think I'll go check that out now. Have a great day, and don't forget to check out that song!!!
Danya <><
start.a.fire.
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