FROM CHAIN LINKS TO ETERNAL CONNECTIONS

K-Mac, D-Barr, and K-Shar

And now for the final installment of the Spiritual Babes for Buffs Trilogy. This week we feature Danielle Barragree as our Gravel Road senior staffer of the week. Danielle, pictured in the center, completed her new staff training this semester. In the process she won her team the Gravel Road Senior Staff getaway to Hawaii for Campus with the most people completing their new staff training. That last statement is as genuinely real as the flowers in Danielle's lei.

It is somewhat fitting that on a day we celebrate our Savior's death and the resulting victory over the death penalty of sin we feature Miss Barragree. You might say that Danielle got a start in prison ministry long before she was involved in campus ministry. She was born and raised in Canon City, Colorado, on November 1, 1983. Canon City is home to the Colorado state penitentiary. At a young age she learned you wanted to avoid bondage physically and spiritually. In fact Danielle and her siblings called the discipline of a time out "going to the slammer".

It sounds like living around maximum security forges tight family bonds. Says Danielle, "I’m really close to my family. They are very important to me and I enjoy spending time with them. I have an older sister and younger brother. Something that makes my family unique is that my siblings are adopted." Danielle's Mom sent me a picture of the Barragree children's outdoor play set. I guess this was before they came out with the plastic slides. Cool fort tower though.

Danielle came to Christ at a young age. "My parents always talked about Christ and who He is and how I could have a personal relationship with Him. I remember praying with my dad when I was probably 6 years old. I understood who Christ is and what he had done for me but it wasn’t until college when I actually started consistently walking with Him. I got involved with Crusade my freshman year which really helped me grow in my faith. I grew a lot in my relationship with God during my four years of college."

Under the tutelage of Emily Brink, Danielle pursued her faith while majoring in Kinesiology and Integrative Physiology at the University of Colorado. By the time she graduated in 2006 she wanted to multiply her experience to others. "The thing I enjoy most about being on staff is investing in women and seeing God transform their lives. I love seeing God work in and through college students. I also have a heart for the world. I love the opportunities we get to help make a lasting impact for Christ around the world."

Danielle models this summer's line of missionary fashion for South Africa

Danielle stinted overseas before joining the CU team and has never gotten over the potential for global impact. "I absolutely love traveling overseas and experiencing new places and cultures. I’m passionate about helping developing countries and making a lasting impact for Christ around the world. My best ministry memory came during the South Africa Summer Project in 2008. It was my first Summer Project on staff. I loved serving at BEAM Africa and working on the college campus in Pretoria. I also really enjoyed working with the students we took with us. I know that it was life changing for me and the girls I worked with. My first trip to South Africa gave me a passion and desire to go back. I recently had the opportunity to go back to South Africa on a vision trip and absolutely loved my time there. I’m excited to be returning to South Africa again this summer."

From humble beginnings in the shadow of the "big house" to blessing the rains down in Africa. Congratulations on completing your new staff training, Danielle. You are now venturing into that cosmic and nebulous senior staff status known here as The Gravel Road. May you continue to win, build, and send in abundance.