GWAP Teacher/Director: Traci Danker
TRACI IN A NUTSHELL
I grew up a little here and a little there until 8th
grade. Mostly in Oklahoma, but I did
have about 3 years in Salt Lake City, Utah.
In 8th grade I moved to Wellston and began growing
roots. My parents had divorced when I
was 1, and my mother (whom I lived with) was remarried. My maiden name was Traci Francis, but in
school I used my stepfather’s name (a long story that I won’t bore you with)…Higginbotham. I so often am remembered by this very looong
name!
My mother was abusive.
During my senior year at Wellston the DHS was notified and took me out
of her home. My dad lived in Florida at
the time and I was sent there! I was
devastated because what upheld me during the abuse I lived with was the love of
my classmates and boyfriend (who is now my husband). I didn’t know my dad very well. As I got to know him, I realized that not
having him in my life was another abuse of my mother. He is a very sweet man that was told he would
be acting in my best interest by not disrupting the family life I had with my
mother, stepdad and brother. My dad and I grew
close very quickly. And I was very happy
to have someone that was kind to me.
However, my heart was still in Wellston.
So when I turned 18 (February 1989) I came back to graduate with my
class. I lived with my best friend’s parents (very
sweet and caring people) and started college as soon as we graduated just like
everyone else. But I was experiencing
some freedom that I’d never had before, so I decided to see what all was out
there.
In December of 1990, my dad made a trip from Florida to see
me. He brought me the good news of Jesus
Christ! I was not raised in church. I knew NOTHING of the bible. I had visited a couple of churches with
friends, Jeff or my dad. But I was so
intimidated because I didn’t know anything about what they were talking about I
couldn’t wait to get out of them! So
when my dad came to talk to me about salvation I can’t even remember a word
that was spoken. I just remember being
in a car with him in the parking lot of a Braum’s and feeling like the car was
being picked up and twirled around and sat back down. I remember crying and my dad crying and a
squeezing of my heart that was like nothing I’ve ever felt. Again I don’t know what he said, I don’t know
what I said, but I DO know that God was there.
And I knew that He was good and I wasn't and I needed Him.
As I walked away from that experience and my dad went back
to Florida, I didn’t know anything about living for Jesus. I returned to my life desiring to be a good
person, but really having no idea what that meant. I based my “good” on being honest and
responsible. So I explored, played, and dabbled
with all kinds of sin. I thought it was ok as long as I wasn’t hurting anyone (I only considered people in this thought,
not the Lord) and I was paying my own bills.
Hence, I looked like everyone else around me. I was even honest enough many thought well of
me. I lived this disgraceful life for
more than 20 years. As I look back I can
see why I did it, I can see how God is using it, but only thru God’s grace can
I look back and forgive myself for all the pain I caused the God that saved me
from hell. The God that saves
me each day from my own self. The God I
finally allowed to teach me what true love is. The God that has healed my heart. The
God that has delivered me from so many bad choices and the God that has saved
my kids from living thru the hell I did.
It was only after I had been divorced twice and seeking
another marriage, that I finally realized that Traci couldn’t do this
anymore. I needed something bigger than
me, something wiser than me and something stronger than me. Somehow I knew what I needed was God (He was drawing me thru my salvation). I fell
on my knees every day and read the bible every day for a year begging for Him
to fix the messes I’d made. I begged Him
to heal the wounds and show me how to be “good.” It took about 6 months into that year before
I started seeing Him really work, but I saw it!
And I craved more of Him! I
finally knew where goodness came from…lasting goodness and I wasn’t about to
turn it loose. I devoured the
bible. I studied it, read it, fell
asleep with it, sang it, and started trying to preach it (typical baby christian mistake). I wanted everyone to know what I had found
out. I quickly learned that everyone
didn’t want to know what I found
out. So I withdrew and buried myself in
God’s Word, prayer, time with the Master, church and my daughter. As I did God started answering all my
prayers. He was mending me. He was teaching me. He was loving me.
This all took time…about 10 years and counting. I am still being mended, still being taught,
and PRAISE GOD still being
loved. He’s shown me how to love and
others. He’s given me the grace to forgive those that have hurt me. He’s
broken much pride and sinfulness in me. He’s
blessed me beyond measure and He’s saved both of my daughters for
eternity.
The third marriage I was seeking was to my now husband, Jeff
Danker, in 2005. We are living proof of
God’s goodness and grace. My girls and
their love for the Lord overwhelm me with joy!!
And also encourage me to keep fighting… keep fighting for all those
girls like I was…lost and confused. My
girls have also taught me so much from their pure minds and hearts and have led
me to this ministry of GWAP. Thru
Jaylee’s prayers and obedience GWAP was started 5 years ago as home bible study
for a few of their friends. Now it is a
growing group of awesome girls that I am blessed to serve. I don’t know all of God’s plans for us, but
what I do know is this. I love Him! I love these girls! And I will beckon Him for every step we need
to take, and will wear my knees out so that He will be the love of these girls
lives. I want them to know where true
goodness and love comes from and I want to serve the God that has been so good
to me.
There you have it…me in a nutshell. I hope this gives you insight into this
ministry and into this teacher. And I
hope it gives you peace that my motives are pure and bathed in prayer and
biblical teaching. I am an open book…so
if you have any questions I will be happy to talk to you. I will give the answers I have and seek
the ones I don’t.
May God continue to bless us and lead us where we don’t even
know we can go!!
GWAP Teacher: Jaylee Danker
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Jaylee
Jaylee is a bright, kind, old soul. She enjoys horses, basketball, hunting, running outside barefoot and babies. She is my (Traci) daughter and from a very young age she had a desire to do the will of God, by His mercy. She is the actual founder of GWAP. When she was 6 she wanted to start having a bible study with some of her friends and I first was unsure (as we adults are) because we were busy and I didn't know if that was something we could manage. Plus we should never serve until we know God is leading it.
I told her to pray about it.
Two weeks later she was tugging on my leg telling me that God said, 'Yes!'
So we began picking up 3 little friends each Friday, and 1 or 2 for her sister, Gracie. They began reading the bible together. Nothing fancy (my OCD hadn't taken hold of it yet) just the pure word of God. And they loved it. They asked to invite others and I reluctantly said yes, wondering how crazy things would get with that many 6 and unders running around my house. But it was wonderful.
Soon those were asking to invite more and so it went until God built us a honest to goodness ministry. And here we are.
I had to take the lead at one point because we had several unsaved girls. I couldn't leave that to my young daughter to be responsible for and held accountable for.
Now I'm happy to say that at age 11 she is back in a leadership role as a teacher to her aged girls. She is a good teacher and by the grace of God one day she will take my job and I will step into the new role God has planned for me.
She is so theologically minded that sometimes I think she is teaching me. I know sometimes she puts things into perspective for me. God has given her the gift of teaching, I believe, and I am so blessed that He has formed her training ground right under our roof.
She aspires one day to be a mother and a wife. I couldn't ask for a better goal for her to set for herself!
GWAP Teacher: Gracie Danker
Gracie
My dear sparkly Gracie. This one is my (Traci) decisive, blingy, bold and rash daughter. But I wouldn't have her any other way. She has been a more difficult child but only because she takes a very firm hold of what she believes and runs with it. She has a very sweet heart, but it's sometimes lost behind an organized desire to control life (yes I know where that comes from). Add to her that she deals with emotions from a passive aggressive angle (dad owns that one) and you have yourself a complicated little lady. But you also have a little lady that loves with a veracity that is sometimes overwhelming.
She is so disciplined that she began reading almost all by herself. And she has read her entire (children's) bible all the way through.
The day I knew I better hold my feet to the fire in my walk with the Lord, was the day I heard John MacArthur coming from her bathroom as she showered. And it hasn't stopped. She comes and tells me things that Mr. John has explained to her, like "a little leaven, leavens the whole lump."
She enjoys reading, organizing, basketball, taking control, cuddling and playing games with the family. She will probably keep books and manage the affairs of GWAP, God willing, when I am done...something her sister will struggle with.
After many years of sitting under her sister and I, I am proud to say she has now, prayerfully, taken a role of teacher. She has a John MacArthur book for children and has done a great job preparing and teaching it.
Her goal is to be a mother and wife like Elsie Dinsmore...her all time favorite character in her all time favorite book series! And if Jesus comes back before she gets there...she hopes to take care of all the aborted babies in heaven.
Enough said.
She seeks to do good for others
She works hard, cheerfully
She is generous
She makes choices on purpose
She takes care of her soul
She takes care of her body in a way that pleases the Lord
Others respect her
She trusts God for her future; therefore, He provides all she needs
She is wise and kind in thoughts, words and actions
She seeks peace in her home by obedience to God
She is praised by other Christians
Her fear of the Lord gives her eternal beauty
She brings forth fruit of the Lord
Jaylee is a bright, kind, old soul. She enjoys horses, basketball, hunting, running outside barefoot and babies. She is my (Traci) daughter and from a very young age she had a desire to do the will of God, by His mercy. She is the actual founder of GWAP. When she was 6 she wanted to start having a bible study with some of her friends and I first was unsure (as we adults are) because we were busy and I didn't know if that was something we could manage. Plus we should never serve until we know God is leading it.
I told her to pray about it.
Two weeks later she was tugging on my leg telling me that God said, 'Yes!'
So we began picking up 3 little friends each Friday, and 1 or 2 for her sister, Gracie. They began reading the bible together. Nothing fancy (my OCD hadn't taken hold of it yet) just the pure word of God. And they loved it. They asked to invite others and I reluctantly said yes, wondering how crazy things would get with that many 6 and unders running around my house. But it was wonderful.
Soon those were asking to invite more and so it went until God built us a honest to goodness ministry. And here we are.
I had to take the lead at one point because we had several unsaved girls. I couldn't leave that to my young daughter to be responsible for and held accountable for.
Now I'm happy to say that at age 11 she is back in a leadership role as a teacher to her aged girls. She is a good teacher and by the grace of God one day she will take my job and I will step into the new role God has planned for me.
She is so theologically minded that sometimes I think she is teaching me. I know sometimes she puts things into perspective for me. God has given her the gift of teaching, I believe, and I am so blessed that He has formed her training ground right under our roof.
She aspires one day to be a mother and a wife. I couldn't ask for a better goal for her to set for herself!
GWAP Teacher: Gracie Danker
.jpg) |
My dear sparkly Gracie. This one is my (Traci) decisive, blingy, bold and rash daughter. But I wouldn't have her any other way. She has been a more difficult child but only because she takes a very firm hold of what she believes and runs with it. She has a very sweet heart, but it's sometimes lost behind an organized desire to control life (yes I know where that comes from). Add to her that she deals with emotions from a passive aggressive angle (dad owns that one) and you have yourself a complicated little lady. But you also have a little lady that loves with a veracity that is sometimes overwhelming.
She is so disciplined that she began reading almost all by herself. And she has read her entire (children's) bible all the way through.
The day I knew I better hold my feet to the fire in my walk with the Lord, was the day I heard John MacArthur coming from her bathroom as she showered. And it hasn't stopped. She comes and tells me things that Mr. John has explained to her, like "a little leaven, leavens the whole lump."
She enjoys reading, organizing, basketball, taking control, cuddling and playing games with the family. She will probably keep books and manage the affairs of GWAP, God willing, when I am done...something her sister will struggle with.
After many years of sitting under her sister and I, I am proud to say she has now, prayerfully, taken a role of teacher. She has a John MacArthur book for children and has done a great job preparing and teaching it.
Her goal is to be a mother and wife like Elsie Dinsmore...her all time favorite character in her all time favorite book series! And if Jesus comes back before she gets there...she hopes to take care of all the aborted babies in heaven.
Enough said.
14 Points of Growth for a GWAP
Her heart is trustworthyShe seeks to do good for others
She works hard, cheerfully
She is generous
She makes choices on purpose
She takes care of her soul
She takes care of her body in a way that pleases the Lord
Others respect her
She trusts God for her future; therefore, He provides all she needs
She is wise and kind in thoughts, words and actions
She seeks peace in her home by obedience to God
She is praised by other Christians
Her fear of the Lord gives her eternal beauty
She brings forth fruit of the Lord
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