"Daughters Arise Ministries"

"Farther Along" Key Text "For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." 1 Corinthians 13:12 (KJV) Sharon Campbell-Danvers  There are some hymns that become associated with particular occasions. For many of us in the Caribbean, "Farther Along" is one of those hymns. Growing up, I usually heard it being sung only at funerals. Its familiar words often echoed through church buildings as families gathered to say farewell to loved ones. As I sat through one such service, I found myself reflecting on the words of the hymn. As I listened carefully, I came to the conclusion that this hymn deserves to be sung not only at funerals, but throughout our Christian journey. Its message is not just for those who are grieving. It is for every believer who has ever wrestled with life's unanswered questions. The hymn, widely attributed to Rev. W. B. Stevens, expresses what many of us hav...

Heaven Is Real Scripture: Revelation 21:1-4 (KJV) "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." Recently, I have found myself thinking a great deal about travelling to new places. The thought of experiencing different cultures, seeing breathtaking scenery, and creating lasting memories is exciting. Yet, every trip requires careful planning. I think about the cost, whether my passport ...

  The Heart the King Will See Scripture: 1 John 3:2–3 (KJV) "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure." Sharon Campbell-Danvers  There is something special about preparing to meet someone important. We take extra care with our appearance, making sure everything is clean, neat, and in order. We want to present ourselves well because the occasion matters. As children, my siblings and I knew that if we were going to meet someone special or attend an important event, Mother would remind us to wash up, comb our hair, put on clean clothes, and make sure we looked presentable. She wasn't concerned only with how we looked; she was teaching us that respect is shown by preparation. The same principle follows us into adulthood. As working professionals, whenever we know we...

The Sound of the Trumpet Sharon Campbell-Danvers  Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:52 (KJV) "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." Years ago, when our family worshipped some distance from home, Sabbath mornings followed a familiar pattern. We all knew the signs that it was almost time to leave. Once my husband started putting on his socks, we knew what would happen next. Soon, we would hear the sound of the vehicle's horn. That horn was the last signal. Whether we were ready or not, it meant it was time to go. The moment we heard it, everyone sprang into action. There would be a frantic rush through the house—someone searching for shoes, another grabbing a comb, someone else trying to finish breakfast with food in one hand and a Bible in the other. Many times, we finished dressing, combing our hair, or eating while travelling to church. Once we were in the ...

Sharon Campbell-Danvers  Encouraging One Another About His Coming Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:16–18 (KJV) "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words." As a young mother, my children would often become restless whenever their father left home for work or preaching engagements. Sometimes he would be away for extended periods, and before long they would begin asking, "Mommy, when is Daddy coming home?" I would gently reassure them of his love and remind them that he would be returning soon. If one of them fell and got hurt, I would comfort them with hugs and say, "Daddy will soon be home, and he'll make it all better." Those simple word...

by Tamelia Barriffe Key Text “And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint.” Luke 18:1 (KJV) Let’s be honest, waiting is hard. We don’t like waiting in traffic, waiting in long lines, or waiting for our food. But the hardest kind of waiting is waiting on God. Waiting for an answer. Waiting for healing. Waiting for a breakthrough. Sometimes we think that because God hasn’t answered yet, He isn’t working. But what if the waiting season is actually where God does His finest work? While we’re waiting for God to change our situation, He is often changing us. Waiting isn’t God’s way of ignoring us. It is often His way of preparing us. Jesus begins this parable by telling us why He is sharing it: ”...that men ought always to pray, and not to faint.” Why? Because waiting has a way of making us weary. It tempts us to give up, stop praying, or think God has forgotten us. But prayer keeps our hearts connected to God while we wait. Waiting doesn’t m...

by T. C. Apple Creek SDA Church  Canada  It’s a grace that says that God doesn’t care how you live, what you watch, how you conduct your business, or what you do in secret as long as you pray the sinner’s prayer or walk the aisle when the preacher makes the altar call. It’s the belief that Jesus is a Saviour from the penalty of sin, but not the power of it. He’s the Redeemer of your soul, but not the Ruler of your life. In Genesis 3, Adam and Eve have just violated God‘s explicit prohibition. They sinned and the immediate result was a terrifying internal void, a deep shame and a realization of their nakedness. So, what did they do? They went to work. They sewed fig leaves together to make aprons for themselves. Many are still doing this today. Some of us try to cover our exposure through religious performance. We stitch together our church attendance, our self discipline, our giving and our moral superiority to cover the parts of ourselves we are terrified for God to see. We n...

Rising After Disappointment Key Text:  “Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me.”   Micah 7:8 (KJV) Have you ever observed a baby or a small child falling to the ground? They often look around to see who saw them fall. If they do not see anyone, they usually get up and move on, seemingly unbothered. However, the moment they realise someone is watching, that is often when they begin to cry and become more aware of the fall. This experience aligns with my own life. There have been moments when I have fallen into disappointment, failure, or discouragement. At times, I was able to rise quietly and keep moving. Yet, there have also been moments when I became aware of others watching, judging, or even waiting for me to fail. In those moments, the weight of the fall felt heavier, and the disappointment felt deeper. However, Micah 7:8 reminds me that my fall is not my end. The verse declares, “when I f...

Standing on His Promises Key Text : "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee" (Hebrews 13:5, KJV). Usually, when I am asked how I am doing, I often respond, "God is good." Truth be told, there are times when we are not really doing as well as we appear. There are days when we are tired, discouraged, overwhelmed, or uncertain. Yet, in those moments, we are standing on the promises of God. When I face trials and difficulties, I am assured that I can overcome because God has promised: "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee" (Hebrews 13:5, KJV). I do ponder about the future at times. I wonder how things will work out and what lies ahead. But God has assured me: "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end" (Jeremiah 29:11, KJV). I find myself around various personalities, situations, and different vibes that can sometimes be draining or unsettling. But God'...

  Have I Missed the Welcome? Sharon Campbell-Danvers  Educator and Motivational Speaker Key Text: "I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord" (Psalm 122:1, KJV). Speaking truth this morning - I make it to church late most times. I often think about it and genuinely want to make a change. Sometimes I comfort myself by saying, "God understands. He sees how tired I am." Yet, when I finally arrive at church, I already feel weary and as though I have missed something important. When I first became an Adventist, I remember an elderly lady saying, "The angels are at the church doors waiting for us each Sabbath." I have never forgotten those words. As I reflected on them recently, I thought about taking a flight. The flight attendants stand at the door, warmly welcoming each passenger aboard. But there comes a moment when the doors are closed, and the plane takes off. I wondered, Could it be that by the time I turn up to church, I hav...

The Tree Was Never the Problem Sharon Campbell-Danvers  Educator and Motivational Speaker Key Text: "Every branch in me that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit" (John 15:2, KJV). Years ago, I planted a cherry tree. It grew beautifully and reached full maturity, but there was one problem - every season the cherries were filled with worms. I tried everything I knew to do. I gave the tree more water, but that did not help. I trimmed back the branches, hoping it would make a difference, but year after year the same problem remained. Eventually, I made up my mind to cut down the tree. I thought perhaps I should remove it and plant another tree in its place. One day, while talking about the matter, someone suggested that I spray the tree because it might have a fungus or disease causing the issue. I decided to try one last time. To my surprise, the tree produced a bountiful harvest of beautiful cherries. We ate cherries to our heart's desire! God t...