Believing before seeing...

 
"The land which I do give them, even the children of Israel" (Joshua 1:2).

God here speaks in the immediate present. It is not something He is going to do, but something He does do, this moment. So faith ever speaks. So God ever gives. So He is meeting you today, in the present moment. This is the test of faith. So long as you are waiting for a thing, hoping for it, looking for it, you are not believing. It may be hope, it may be earnest desire, but it is not faith; for "faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." The command in regard to believing prayer is the present tense. "When ye pray, believe that ye receive the things that ye desire, and ye shall have them." Have we come to that moment? Have we met God in His everlasting NOW? --Joshua, by Simpson

True faith counts on God, and believes before it sees. Naturally, we want some evidence that our petition is granted before we believe; but when we walk by faith we need no other evidence than God's Word. He has spoken, and according to our faith it shall be done unto us. We shall see because we have believed, and this faith sustains us in the most trying places, when everything around us seems to contradict God's Word.

The Psalmist says, "I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of living" (Ps. 27:13). He did not see as yet the Lord's answer to his prayers, but he believed to see; and this kept him from fainting.

If we have the faith that believes to see, it will keep us from growing discouraged. We shall "laugh at impossibilities," we shall watch with delight to see how God is going to open up a path through the Red Sea when there is no human way out of our difficulty. It is just in such places of severe testing that our faith grows and strengthens.

Have you been waiting upon God, dear troubled one, during long nights and weary days, and have feared that you were forgotten? Nay, lift up your head, and begin to praise Him even now for the deliverance which is on its way to you.

~Streams in the Desert


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Homemade Junior Mints!

These looked tasty. :) I thought some of you may be movie goers and would like to make your own Junior Mints. Or maybe just to have when watching a movie at home. ;)






Homemade Junior Mints
makes about 94 candies
3 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon mint extract
3 – 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate

Beat the cream cheese until smooth and creamy.  Beat in the mint extract.  Add in the powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, until the mixture is stiff.  It may look crumbly, but you should be able to push it together with your hands.  Roll mixture into small balls and flatten slightly.
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler, or at 50% in the microwave.  Once melted and smooth, dip each mint center in the chocolate.  Once covered, place on a piece of waxed paper.  Once all the centers have been dipped, refrigerate until the chocolate has hardened.
Store in the refrigerator.

You can find the original posters recipe here

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Enter the facebook giveaway here!

We reached 1000 likes on the facebook page! So it's GIVEAWAY time! This is open to US residents only please. Entry time ends Sunday 2/19 at 8pm and a winner will be chosen then.

You have a chance to enter a total for FOUR entries each!

Here's how to enter...

One entry for liking the facebook page or telling me you already have
One entry for subscribing to the blog by email
One entry for a comment on what your favorite recipe is
One entry for sharing the facebook page 

Leave each response in a separate comment and each one will be counted. I will choose a winner using Random.org. I will need a first name and last initial so I can announce the winner. I will announce the winner on the Homemakers and Homesteaders page so be looking for that. If the winner doesn't respond after two days, another winner will be drawn. Good luck! :)

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LOVED this idea!

For those of you who like to make your own breakfast sandwiches, I found an easy way to get your eggs done fast and have a perfectly circular shape....

Spray your muffin tin and crack an egg into each spot...

Well that was easy.

Stick these in a 350 degree oven for about 15-20 minutes or until done.

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Hearts at Home conference

I am going to the above conference next month and I can't wait. :)  One of the speakers I am really looking forward to hearing is Michelle Dugger.  One of the things she will be speaking about is purposefully talking in a soft voice. No yelling, no raising her voice to her children, etc. I lack in that area. I am hoping to get some tips in the area of having a meek and quiet spirit. I tend to overreact to things at times and it comes out in frustration in my words. I want to know if she is naturally like this or did she have to train herself to speak with this soft voice. I am hoping it's trained. I am not naturally meek and quiet and seem to struggle with this so much. I hope I can learn this and do it.  Last night on their show, she said she "chooses" to speak with a soft voice. That gave me hope. Because if it is a choice and doesn't come naturally for everyone, I can make that choice. I just need some practical tips. :)

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Happy Valentine's Day

Today is bittersweet. One  year ago today, I lost a great father/daughter relationship. I miss that man tremendously. Even though it's been a year with no contact, for some reason it hasn't gotten easier. (well maybe a tiny bit) I hope he is doing well and his life is better/easier/more peaceful now. I think about him often and hope he knows some things never change.

Today also marks 18 years of my husband and I being together. 18 years ago, my husband presented me with a rose at my locker at school and asked me to be his girl. :) We have been together ever since. Together in sickness and health, good times and bad, richer or poorer. :) God has bound us together with His love. 

I hope you all have a great day today and hug and kiss someone you love. This life doesn't last forever...



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Valentine's Day Cake Pops

This post comes from Elana's Pantry
I hope you enjoy these! :)


All of you regular readers know that I have an obsession with making healthy (ok, "healthier") gluten free cake pops.  Well, this obsession continues for Valentine's Day.

I spent an afternoon in my kitchen last week in total chocolate chaos.  I even tweeted about it (if you're not involved in the party that's over on twitter you may want to join, I'm there several times daily, tweeting away).  On twitter I stated, or shall I say, tweeted,  "my kitchen is covered in chocolate and I can't say why."

Well, now I'm saying why.  My kitchen was covered in chocolate because I was making gluten free Valentine's Day cake pops two ways.  First, pictured above, they are coated in white chocolate.  Next, below, the cake pops are coated in dark chocolate.  While they have very different flavor profiles, they're equally tasty and decadent in their own ways.  Of course, the dark chocolate covered cake pops are far healthier, so if that's a consideration, I would recommend going with them.

For these cake pops, I've omitted the jam or frosting on the inside, in order to create a more simply flavored confection.  The cake I use below is moist enough to hold together without any jam or frosting to "bind" it, so frankly it's not necessary for construction, it would just add another yummy flavor.
I hope you enjoy these Valentine's cake pops as much as we do, they are a huge hit in my household, and I feel happy just looking at them (though trust me, I ate my share as well!)

Valentine's Day Cake Popsprinter friendly

1 Chocolate Cake, from The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook, page 84 (view PDF)
2 cups dark chocolate chips or white chocolate chips
1 package gluten free organic sprinkles

Special Equipment:
1 heart muffin pan
22 paper lollipop sticks
2-4 styrofoam blocks

1. Bake Chocolate Cake as directed on page 84 of The Gluten Free Almond Flour Cookbook
2. Cool cake completely
3. Once cooled, crumble cake into a big bowl, making sure there are no large pieces
4. Cake mixture will be very moist, no need to add frosting or jam
5. Massage cake mixture with hands
6. Press mixture into heart shaped mold, then remove immediately and transfer to a parchment lined plate
7. Place plate of hearts in freezer for 1-2 hours until very solid
8. Remove one heart at a time from freezer
9. Dip about ½ inch of the tip of a lollipop stick into melted chocolate
10. Insert the lollipop stick straight into the bottom of the heart, pushing about ⅓ of an inch deep
11. Holding stick with heart attached, dip entirely into melted chocolate, until covered
12. Make sure chocolate coating meets at base of lollipop stick; this helps secure heart to stick
13. Twirl any excess chocolate coating off the cake pop so it is evenly coated
14. Apply sprinkles (if desired)
15. Place stick of cake pop into styrofoam block
16. Complete with remaining hearts and allow to set completely
17. Serve your gluten free Valentine's Day Cake Pops!

(You can store these gluten free cake pops in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days)
Makes about 22 Gluten Free Valentine's Day Cake Pops

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Praise!

I just had to update with a praise! I was started on a new medicine after visiting the pain center.  It's called Lyrica and it's a medicine for nerve pain.  It's actually an anti-convulsive medicine, but is used to treat certain types of pain.  It's working! I have slept well the last two nights and have waken up with a significant amount of less pain. I will take less pain, amen? :) On top of that, I haven't had any side effects yet. AND, I haven't had to take a strong pain pill the last two days. I am so hopeful.  

My bone marrow edema is still there, but the swelling has started to go down. It is less painful and I'm SO glad for that. Bone pain is the worst!

So glad to finally be getting my pain under control after 11 years of suffering with it every day. So joyful right now. :)


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Strong composure...

 "Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves" (Rom. 12:19).

There are seasons when to be still demands immeasurably higher strength than to act. Composure is often the highest result of power. To the vilest and most deadly charges Jesus responded with deep, unbroken silence, such as excited the wonder of the judge and the spectators. To the grossest insults, the most violent ill-treatment and mockery that might well bring indignation into the feeblest heart, He responded with voiceless complacent calmness. Those who are unjustly accused, and causelessly ill-treated know what tremendous strength is necessary to keep silence to God.

"Men may misjudge thy aim,
Think they have cause to blame,
Say, thou art wrong;
Keep on thy quiet way,
Christ is the Judge, not they,
Fear not, be strong."

St. Paul said, "None of these things move me."

He did not say, none of these things hurt me. It is one thing to be hurt, and quite another to be moved. St. Paul had a very tender heart. We do not read of any apostle who cried as St. Paul did. It takes a strong man to cry. Jesus wept, and He was the manliest Man that ever lived. So it does not say, none of these things hurt me. But the apostle had determined not to move from what he believed was right. He did not count as we are apt to count; he did not care for ease; he did not care for this mortal life. He cared for only one thing, and that was to be loyal to Christ, to have His smile. To St. Paul, more than to any other man, His work was wages, His smile was Heaven.
--Margaret Bottome


 From Streams in the Desert

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Pain center appt

Yesterday was a very bad day for me. If I had any strength I would have been climbing the walls. The pain I had was so horrible that I couldn't even walk a few steps. My bone marrow edema is hurting badly, but the rest of me was in just the same amount of pain. I also had a migraine (still do) on top of that. I cried on the couch squirming around in pain. The vicodin the doctor prescribed had given me migraines and so I had not taken any pain medicine all day. So I called for something different.

My doctor called back and ordered me Tramadol. My husband went to the pharmacy to get it for me and I took one when he got home. An hour later, I had some relief. It had taken the edge off the pain and I was able to deal with it better. I don't like how it makes me feel though. I feel woozy and out of it.

Then the Pain Center called out of nowhere. I had already had an appt for the 24 of this month to go talk to them about my pain. They called and said they had an opening for tomorrow afternoon and would I like it. YES! :) So I go in this afternoon to talk to them about options. I hope we can come up with a plan for this chronic pain. It's for the birds...

*UPDATE* The doctor said he would never be able to cure my pain or fix it completely, but will be able to help make it to where it's bearable. I appreciated his honesty.  I start a new medicine tonight and I am hoping that helps enough to where I don't have to take strong pain medicine anymore. That stuff makes me loopy lol. Next appt will be for my bone marrow edema to see why it happens and why it comes back. I have to wait a couple more weeks for that. In the meantime, I am trying to stay off it and tootle around in my wheelchair at home. :)
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Trust amid silence...

"He answered her not a word" (Matt. 15:23).

"He will be silent in his love" (Zeph. 3:17).

It may be a child of God is reading these words who has had some great crushing sorrow, some bitter disappointment, some heart-breaking blow from a totally unexpected quarter. You are longing for your Master's voice bidding you "Be of good cheer," but only silence and a sense of mystery and misery meet you --"He answered her not a word."

God's tender heart must often ache listening to all the sad, complaining cries which arise from our weak, impatient hearts, because we do not see that for our own sakes He answers not at all or otherwise than seems best to our tear-blinded, short-sighted eyes.

The silences of Jesus are as eloquent as His speech and may be a sign, not of His disapproval, but of His approval and of a deep purpose of blessing for you.

"Why art thou cast down, O?soul?" Thou shalt yet praise Him, yes, even for His silence. Listen to an old and beautiful story of how one Christian dreamed that she saw three others at prayer. As they knelt the Master drew near to them.

As He approached the first of the three, He bent over her in tenderness and grace, with smiles full of radiant love and spoke to her in accents of purest, sweetest music.

Leaving her, He came to the next, but only placed His hand upon her bowed bead, and gave her one look of loving approval.

The third woman He passed almost abruptly without stopping for a word or glance. The woman in her dream said to herself, "How greatly He must love the first one, to the second He gave His approval, but none of the special demonstrations of love He gave the first; and the third must have grieved Him deeply, for He gave her no word at all and not even a passing look.

"I wonder what she has done, and why He made so much difference between them?" As she tried to account for the action of her Lord, He Himself stood by her and said: "O woman! how wrongly hast thou interpreted Me. The first kneeling woman needs all the weight of My tenderness and care to keep her feet in My narrow way. She needs My love, thought and help every moment of the day. Without it she would fail and fall.

"The second has stronger faith and deeper love, and I can trust her to trust Me however things may go and whatever people do.

"The third, whom I seemed not to notice, and even to neglect, has faith and love of the finest quality, and her I am training by quick and drastic processes for the highest and holiest service.

"She knows Me so intimately, and trusts Me so utterly, that she is independent of words or looks or any outward intimation of My approval. She is not dismayed nor discouraged by any circumstances through which I arrange that she shall pass; she trusts Me when sense and reason and every finer instinct of the natural heart would rebel;--because she knows that I am working in her for eternity, and that what I do, though she knows not the explanation now, she will understand hereafter.

"I am silent in My love because I love beyond the power of words to express, or of human hearts to understand, and also for your sakes that you may learn to love and trust Me in Spirit-taught, spontaneous response to My love, without the spur of anything outward to call it forth."

He "will do marvels" if you will learn the mystery of His silence, and praise Him, for every time He withdraws His gifts that you may better know and love the Giver.

This comes from the devotional Streams in the Desert

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God still speaks...My purpose

I wanted to share this with you. I have been struggling a lot with physical things, but wanted you to know that I am well spiritually. God still speaks and He is so faithful. 

I have seeking God in what I can do for Him with being so weak and frail. On Monday, He answered my prayer. He said clearly to me that my purpose is to be a prayer warrior for Him. He told me in my spirit that even though I am weak and having difficulty right now, I can PRAY. I said, but my mind is so tired, too, how can I know what words to say? He said, PRAY, interceded for others, and the Holy Spirit will do the rest. Wow....
 
I opened up the bible and immediately saw every word that said "pray" jump off all the pages I was flipping through. I started underlining them all. There were so many. I then started getting emails within minutes requesting prayers for one thing or another. Mind you no one knew what God was doing with me at the time. Whoa...

Ryan was at the grocery store at the time of this. It's funny because it was just an ordinary day, nothing special, but God told me His purpose for me that day and I heard it LOUD AND CLEAR. I was so excited about what had happened to me while Ryan was at the store that I couldn't wait to tell him about it. He was happy, too. Also, when God laid being a prayer warrior on my heart, he laid SEVERAL people on me real fast like so fast I had to write it all down.

As you know, Ryan and I have a huge heart for missions, also. He just got back from the Dominican and was blessed by the trip. He is wanting to do this more such as go somewhere for 2-3 mos in the winter. I wouldn't be able to go due to my health right now, but we now understand that I may be the one who is in constant prayer while he/they are gone on the field. 

He wakes me up while it's still dark with specific people and situations to pray for. How humbling! In my grogginess of the dark, I pray fervently for whomever it is He has called me to pray for. My spirit soars knowing I am being obedient to His will.  The one He has so clearly called me to.

(I wanted to say that I know we are ALL called to pray. For me, this was something deeper He has called me to. A purpose He chose for me to do before the creation of the world. I am now ready to fulfill that and will continue to be groomed by Him by being in the Word and keeping my relationship with Him close)

I hope you all have a great day of worship. :)


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