November 23, 2024

You Do Not Forsake Us

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The Lord also will be a stronghold for the oppressed.
A stronghold in times of trouble;
And those who know Your name will put their trust in You.
For You, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.
Psalms 9:9-10

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Dear Lord, how blessed we are to be among those who know this Truth!  You have not…You will not…You cannot forsake Your seekers!  For You have promised!  You are so good  to us and we are so thankful.  May we not only hold to this promise but help us to encourage others to remember Your faithfulness and to put their trust in You.  We pray for those who are oppressed and in times of trouble…thank You for being their Stronghold (and ours, too!).  We love You and adore you!  And thank You in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Let Your Kingdom Come

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Your glorious cause, O God
Engages our hearts
May Jesus Christ be known
Wherever we are
We ask not for ourselves, but for Your renown
The Cross has saved us so we pray
Your Kingdom come

Let Your Kingdom come
Let Your Will be done
So that everyone might know Your Name
Let Your song be heard everywhere on earth
‘Til Your sovereign work on earth is done
Let Your Kingdom come

Give us Your strength, O God
And courage to speak
Perform Your wondrous deeds
Through those who are weak
Lord, use us as You want, whatever the test
By grace we’ll preach Your gospel
‘Til our dying breath

Sovereign Grace
Bob Kaughlin

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I just love when a song, such as this anthem, stirs my heart and provides me with lyrics to sing out the Scriptures!  (You, too?)

When Jesus was asked by one of His disciples to teach them how to pray, this is what He thought important to include in their prayers (and ours, too!):

And it came to pass, that, as He was praying in a certain place,
when He ceased, one of his disciples said unto Him,
Lord, teach us to pray…
And He said unto them, When ye pray, say,
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.
Give us day by day our daily bread.
And forgive us our sins;
for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us.
And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.
Luke 11:1ff

Such a simple prayer (thank You, Lord…You know we are really very simple beings!) yet full of deep, foundational truths.  As I sang along to this song, I thought about how Jesus was the One Who brought God’s Kingdom to the earth…and will be the One Who, when He returns as Lord of lords and King of Kings, will fully and completely—forEVER and EVER—establish God’s Kingdom here on earth…as it is now in Heaven.  Glory!  HalleluJAH!  Praise You, Jesus!  Thank You, Father!

The prophet Jeremiah spoke the prophecy of Jesus’ first coming to the earth:

“Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord,
“When I will raise up for David a righteous Branch;
And He will reign as king and act wisely
And do justice and righteousness in the land.
In His days Judah will be saved,
And Israel will dwell securely;
And this is His name by which He will be called,
‘The Lord our righteousness’ ”
Jeremiah 20:5 and 6

Daniel also spoke prophetically of the Kingdom to come:

But the saints of the Most High shall receive the Kingdom,
and possess the Kingdom forever, even forever and ever.
Then the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven,
Shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High.
His Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him.
Daniel 7:18, 27

When God sent Gabriel to Mary, the angel spoke these words about Jesus and His Kingdom:

“…He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High;
and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David;
and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever,
and His Kingdom will have no end.”

Luke 1:32 and 33

And much was told to John in the vision given to him (the Book of Revelation), including this passage among many, many others:

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth;
for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea.
And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,
made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.
And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying,
“Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men,
and He will dwell among them,
and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them…”
Revelations 21:1-3

These truths are such comfort and encouragement to us as we live in this dark, and increasingly darker, world.  But we must remember to pray…daily…as Jesus instructed.  And we must keep our hearts set toward God as we anticipate Jesus’ return and His everlasting Kingdom!

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Sovereign God,

Thy cause, not my own, engages my heart,
and I appeal to Thee with greatest freedom
to set up Thy Kingdom in every place
where Satan reigns;
Glorify Thyself and I shall rejoice,
for to bring honour to Thy name is my sole desire.
I adore thee that Thou art God,
and long that others should know it, feel it,
and rejoice in it.
O that all men might love and praise Thee,
that thou mightest have all glory
from the intelligent world!
Let sinners be brought to Thee for Thy dear name!
To the eye of reason everything respecting
the conversion of others is as dark as midnight,
But Thou canst accomplish great things;
the cause is Thine,
and it is to Thy glory that men should be saved.
Lord, use me as Thou wilt,
do with me what Thou wilt;
but, O, promote thy cause,
let Thy kingdom come,
let Thy blessed interest be advanced
in this world!
O do Thou bring in great numbers to Jesus!
let me see that glorious day,
and give me to grasp for multitudes of souls;
let me be willing to die to that end;
and while I live let me labour for Thee
to the utmost of my strength,
spending time profitably in this work,
both in health and in weakness.
It is Thy cause and Kingdom I long for,
not my own.
O, answer Thou my request!

a prayer from Valley Of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions – by Arthur G. Bennett

Hold On To The Promises

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Sometimes it’s hard to keep believing in what you can’t see
That everything happens for a reason even the worst life brings
If you’re reaching for an answer and you don’t know what to pray
Just open up the pages, let His Word be your strength

Hold on to the promises (hold tight)
Hold on to the promises (all right)
Jesus is alive, so hold tight
Hold on to the promises

And all things work for the good of those who love God
He holds back nothing that will heal you, not even His own Son
His love is everlasting, His faithfulness unending
Oh, if God is for us who can be against us
So, if you feel weak

Neither life nor death could separate us
From the eternal love of our God who saves us

Sanctus Real
Writers: Matt Hammitt, Chris Rohman, Mark Graalman, Pete Provost

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But the steadfast love of the Lord
is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him,
and His righteousness to children’s children,
to those who keep His covenant and remember to do His commandments.
Psalms 103:17 and 18

Such a beautiful promise!  Perhaps words like these ‘…to children’s children’  particularly impact women’s hearts.  Does this promise resonate in your heart like mine?  I have one daughter…and by marriage to her…one son!  And through their love for one another—four grandchildren!  So ‘children’s children’ yes, that catches my eye…and my heart.  I pray every day (just like you!) for the Lord’s love and His righteousness and His blessings to be upon my children and grandchildren.  That they would always be under His protection and receiving His provision is very important to me.  So as I read this promise, I pray, ‘Please, Lord!  By Your grace, Lord!’

But whether you have children or not, the promise of His steadfast love is from everlasting to everlasting <FOREVER!> to every one who has the fear of the Lord.  We play a part in these promises coming to pass, y’know.  Many, many, many of God’s promises have a stipulation attached.  God’s people have something to do to receive the promises that He makes to them.  It is kind of like when I promise my grandchildren, “Okay now, when the playroom is cleaned up we are going to the library.”  I have promised…but they have something to do, too.

According to these verses, the steadfast, everlasting love of our Lord is on those who fear Him (so that’s one thing we need to do).  And His righteousness carries over to our children’s children who remember to do His commandments (another thing we have the responsibility to do).

God’s heart to bless and care for His people’s lives is incredible!  He always wants to do good for those who love Him.  And He is faithful!

And we know that God causes all things to work together
for good to those who love God,
to those who are called according to His purpose.
Romans 8:28

Do you remember the message that Moses gave to the Israelites after delivering God’s Ten Commandments  to them?   (Deuteronomy 5 and 6)

These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.
Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home
and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.
Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
Deuteronomy 6:6-9

So we teach all the children in our lives about loving God with their whole heart, soul, mind, and all their strength.  We help them to grow in their understanding of how great our God is, and to have a worshipful fear of His AWEsomeness.  We impress upon them the right way to ‘walk’ with God, and to love everyone around them.  We teach them about Jesus and all that God has made available through Him and how they, too, can make Him Lord of their lives.  And we—they and we—will be blessed with the promises of God!

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Dear Lord, oh how much comfort it brings to our hearts to know of Your promises…not only to us but to our loved ones!  You are so very good to us!   We trust and have confidence knowing that You are faithful to do what You say You are going to do; please help us to remember we have our part to do also.  Our desire is to obey You, trust You, have godly fear…and love You.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Garlicky Green Beans and Pignoli

Who has memories of sitting with their gramma or favorite aunt and snapping green beans?  Such a simple, enjoyable way to accomplish a task that takes time AND have a great conversation.  Oh, and the end result? A big pile of fresh veggies just waiting to be prepared in the simplest of ways.  And truly it didn’t matter whether they were boiled or steamed or roasted (or microwaved…!), they were DELISH!!!  Just remember—only snap the stem end NOT the end with the little tail!  😉

The recipe I am sharing today uses a pile of green beans which have been steamed for just a few minutes. Click here  for a few ways to steam any veggies.  Meanwhile a simple sauce (yet VERY flavorful!) is prepared.  This sauce could also top any variety of fresh veggies…perhaps some broccoli or zucchini or carrots, even. And it all fits nicely within our healthy but oh-so-yummy POV, too! Enjoy!

2015-06-16 19.12.19

Garlicky Green Beans with Pignolis

ingredients:
1# fresh green beans, snapped and rinsed
2 tablespoons butter (or a combo of butter and olive oil)
2 (or more) tablespoons finely minced garlic (I used jarred)
2 ounces pignoli (pine nuts)
sea salt, freshly ground pepper (I used a lemon-pepper blend)
zest and juice of 1 small lemon (optional)

directions:

  • steam the prepped green beans in the manner of your choice
  • in a large skillet, melt the butter/olive oil over a medium-low heat
  • add the garlic and pignoli stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes making sure they do not burn; remove from heat
  • add the cooked, drained green beans and toss together along with a generous amount of salt & pepper (and the optional lemon, if using)

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God loves you!  ♥  (Don’t ever forget that!)

  coleen

You Are My Refuge

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The Lord also will be a refuge and a high tower for the oppressed,
a refuge and a stronghold in times of trouble
(high cost, destitution, and desperation).
And they who know Your name
[who have experience and acquaintance with Your mercy]
will lean on and confidently put their trust in You,
for You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek (inquire of) You
[on the authority of God’s Word and the right of their necessity].
Psalms 9:9-10

You, oh Lord, are my refuge
You are holy and just
You are faithful and righteous
You, oh Lord, are my refuge
By Your mercy, You cover me

Under the shadow of Your wings
Lord, in Your presence I’ll remain
You are forevermore the same
You are my Refuge, my only Refuge

You, oh Lord, are my Refuge
In You I find rest
You’re my God and my Fortress
You, oh Lord are my Refuge
By Your mercy, You cover me

Under the shadow
Under the shadow
Under the shadow of Your wings
Under the shadow
Under the shadow
Under the shadow
By Your mercy You cover me

Cheryl Keaggy, singer/songwriter

This Week…Psalm 31:19

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How great is Your goodness,
Which You have stored up for those who fear You,
Which You have wrought for those who take refuge in You,
Before the sons of men!
Psalm 31:19

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This week, here on the Seeking Him devotional blog, we  have been reminded of our God’s GREAT goodness!   Our devotional writers have shared the Truth given us in this week’s passage through the devotionals they have written.  Here are a few of their thoughts….

In Fear of the Lord, Tina gave us two examples: the Israelites who did NOT have the fear of the Lord as opposed to the first-century Church who DID live in the fear of the Lord….

“The first-century Church (shown to us in the Book of Acts) practiced the fear of the Lord.

So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria
had peace and was being built up.
And walking in the fear of the Lord
and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.
Acts 9:31

The early Church chose to focus on what was good in their lives and keep up their community by seeking daily to bless others and be God’s best.

We can walk in this way as well.  When we are coming into a state of turmoil, we can choose to walk in God’s goodness by following His Will in our lives.”

In God’s Goodness, Ann shared numerous Scriptures relating to the goodness of our God….

“Let me just show you a few verses in the Bible that show the goodness of God.

• Psalm 25:8  Good and upright is the Lord therefore He instructs sinners in His ways.
• Psalm 33:5   The Lord loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of His unfailing love.
• Psalm 34:8   Taste and see that the Lord is good, blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him.
• Psalm 119:68   You are good and what You do is good, teach me your decrees.
• Psalm 145:7  They will celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of Your righteousness.
• Matthew 19:17  “Why do you ask Me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.”

The above Scriptures speak to us in many ways, showing us the ways of the goodness of the Lord.  It is by His grace and His lovingkindness to put in store all this goodness just for us.  The beneficiaries of His goodness are you and I—as long as we do His will and walk in His statutes.  God’s goodness is immeasurable. The grace of God takes us to that level where we are able to receive this goodness.”

And in Using Blessings to Share God, Ahmee encouraged us to be sure to point others to the goodness of our God….

Psalm 31:19 says “…blessing them before the watching world…”.  I like that!  God blesses us before the eyes of the watching world.  He is using us to draw attention to Himself so that others will be saved.  God reaches and searches and hunts down. Truly, I cannot see how any one person might be able to say that they did not know of the Almighty God.  In this world of evil He has done so much.  So, let the world watch!  Let them watch and let them see!  But don’t forget to point them upward.  Use your blessings as the opportunity to point someone to God.

You Are Such a Good God

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How abundant are the good things
that You have stored up for those who fear You,
that You bestow in the sight of all,
on those who take refuge in You.

Psalm 31:19

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Oh, Lord, we are so grateful for Your abundant goodness!  You have purposed and planned to take care of us—and we are so thankful.  You make it so easy to boast of our great God and to share with those around us of Your grace and goodness.  Today may we live our lives in such a way that we are not a hindrance and do not detract from the glory that belongs to You.  May our friends and family…our enemies even…be drawn to You as they cannot help but acknowledge Your blessings, Your goodness, Your benevolence as they see how graciously You care for us.  We love You…we praise You…we glorify You!  And we pray, thanking You for these things, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Psalm 100

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Enter in through the gates
Enter in here with praise
Come before Him, come bring your song
We are His people, He is our God

For the Lord is good, and His love endures
His love endures
For the Lord is good, and His love endures
His love endures
Forevermore His faithfulness, it has no end
For the Lord is good, and His love endures
His love endures

Enter in to His courts
Enter in with grateful hearts
Come before Him, come bring your song
We are His people, He is our God

Raise your voice, shout for joy all the earth
We sing a new song now
We sing a new song now

It’s Your love
His love endures
His love endures

Forevermore His faithfulness, it has no end
For the Lord is good, and His love endures
His love endures

 Chris Tomlin
written along with Jason Ingram

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As the last notes of this anthem play, my heart resounds the joyous statement of this song: His love endures!  (How about you?)

Are we not so very thankful that His love endures?  Without the enduring, faithful, steadfast, unconditional love of our God…where would we be?

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son,
that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16

His love which endures forever has made a way for us to have ‘forever’—eternal life—with Him!

And y’know what?  It has absolutely nothing to do with anything we have done or ever could do!  We have trust and confidence in our God because He always brings His Word to pass!  He is the only One Who does not change.  And so, yes, His love endures forever!

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above,
coming down from the Father of lights
with Whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
James 1:17

God is not man, that He should lie,
or a son of man, that He should change his mind.
Has he said, and will He not do it?
Or has He spoken, and will He not fulfill it?
Numbers 23:19

For I the Lord do not change….
Malachi 3:6

  • Whenever you might be tempted to despair, consider this thought: His love endures forever.
  • When you want to give up, remind yourself: His love endures forever.
  • When you think you have had all you can possibly take…lift your head, and shout to the heavens: His love endures forever!

Say it to yourself.  Repeat it.  Sing it.  Memorize it.  Write it down on a sticky note and place it where you—and your loved ones!—will see it (on the bathroom mirror, on the dashboard of your vehicle, on the refrigerator, in a lunchbox): His love endures forever.  Encourage your husband: His loves endures forever.  Teach your children: His love endures forever.  Remind your sweet friends: His love endures forever.

  • No matter the troubles that come your way…His love endures forever.
  • No matter how you feel about those troubles…His love endures forever.
  • No matter whether we choose to believe it (or not)…His love endures forever.
  • No matter what…His love endures forever.

Believers throughout the centuries have sung these words; may we echo their praises.

“Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good;
His love endures forever.”

David, the Levites, and the Israelites  (1 Chronicles 16:34, 41)
Solomon, the musicians, and the singers  (2 Chronicles 5:13; 7:3; 20:21)
The Levites and the re-builders of the Temple  (Ezra 3:11)
David and the other psalmists (Psalm 100:5; 106:1; 107:1; 118:1, 6, 29; 136 <twenty-six times!>)
Jeremiah and the children of Israel  (Jeremiah 33:11)

May I encourage you to think back on the many, many, many ways you have experienced God’s enduring love and ‘Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.’

And remember…no matter what:
He loves you today, tomorrow, and always.
His love endures forever!

Holy, Holy, Holy

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Holy, holy, holy
Holy, holy, holy
Holy is the Lord God Almighty
Worthy to receive glory
Worthy to receive honor
Worthy to receive all our praise today

Praise Him
Praise Him and lift Him up
Praise Him
Exalt His name forever 

 Alvin Slaughter (along with the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir)
written by Joe Wood, John Dykes, Reginald Heber

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One day we will perfectly, completely, totally, truly exalt and praise and honor and glorify the Great I Am forever and ever…for all eternity!  Oh, isn’t it going to be so AWEsome?!!!?  Then we will be just like the heavenly host who now are around God’s throne.

…and day and night they never stop saying, HOLY, HOLY, HOLY
is the Lord God Almighty, Who was and Who is and Who is to come.
And whenever the living creatures offer glory and honor and thanksgiving to Him
Who sits on the throne, Who lives forever and ever,
The twenty-four elders fall prostrate before Him Who is sitting on the throne,
and they worship Him Who lives forever and ever;
and they throw down their crowns before the throne, crying out,
Worthy are You, our Lord and God,
to receive the glory and the honor and dominion,
for You created all things;
by Your will they were [brought into being] and were created.
Revelation 4:8-11

But even now we can exalt and praise and honor and glorify Him!!!  We have our Lord’s example…even He did not seek to bring glory to Himself!  Jesus lived His life on this earth to bring glory to His Father.

Jesus replied, “If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing.
My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies Me.
John 8:54

Jesus also taught His followers that they, too, could glorify God.

You are the salt of the earth.
But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?  It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
You are the light of the world.
A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.
Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.
Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.
In the same way, let your light shine before others,
that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Matthew 5:14-16

Just like you, I so yearn for my walk in this world to bring attention—to bring glory—to the Great I AM!  My prayer every day is that others will see Jesus in me, and that anything good or righteous I might do will glorify the God that I love.  As His child, everywhere I go He is with me.  But not always do my actions {or my words} prove that I am a child of God.

God will be glorified through our lives in the big, and the small, things as we live and breathe with His character within us.  By His grace we have been enabled to love with His love…to show mercy as He shows mercy…to forgive…to give grace.

These are things that bring Him honor and glorify Him:

  • when a wife chooses to speak words that respect her husband
  • when we sit with our children and grandchildren reading to them out of their little Bible story books teaching them about their heavenly Father
  • when we go on a missions trip to a far-away country (or a nearby town!) and share the Truth of the Gospel of Jesus with young women who have lived with no hope
  • when we take a meal to neighbors who have just added a new baby to their family
  • when we take part in our church’s community-wide VBS program and minister to a little girl who has never heard about Jesus until this week
  • when we are in a long line at the grocery store and ask the mom with a cart overflowing with food AND 3 children to get in line ahead of us
  • when we go sit on the porch to chat (and listen) with an elderly neighbor whose family rarely comes to visit

And so I ask…
today will Almighty God, the Great I AM,
be glorified with you or without you? (And me, too….)

Let’s practice what we will be doing forever…and ever…and ever!

Shrimp and Broccoli

Probably most of us have a favorite Chinese takeout dish…yes?  For me, when done well, it is Shrimp and Broccoli.  Not too spicy but garlic-y…with tender shrimp and broccoli with a bit of crunch (that’s my style).  But often I find a dish like this is just as easy to prepare at home. AND less expensive.

This fits so well into our healthy but oh-so-yummy POV!  It is full of fresh veggies, the shrimp is high protein, and the whole dish has around 300-350 calories!  Here’s the recipe we enjoy…and I would love to hear about your favorite takeout!

2015-07-13 19.37.35

Shrimp and Broccoli

ingredients:

1/4 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/3 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1/8 (or more) teaspoon crushed red pepper, optional
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and cleaned
1 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
1 large head broccoli crowns, cut into florets
1-2 tablespoons coconut oil, divided
1 medium sweet onion, cut into wedges
big handful fresh sugar snaps or snow pea pods, optional
handful of baby carrots, optional
1 tablespoon minced  ginger (I use jarred)
toppings: 1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds, 1/4 cup sliced green onions
directions:
  • in a small bowl, whisk together the rice vinegar, soy sauce, honey, cornstarch, sesame oil, and broth; set aside
  • season the shrimp with 1 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning; set aside
  • prep all veggies: cut onion into small wedges, carrots in half length-wise, pea pods in half if necessary
  • steam broccoli for 5 minutes; remove from steamer and set aside
  • heat 1/2  tablespoon of coconut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat
  • add the shrimp and cook, turning once, ’til just pink and slightly browned (4 minutes  or so); remove from pan, set aside
  • add another tablespoon of coconut oil to the pan, along with the carrots and onion; stir fry for 5 minutes or so allowing to brown just a bit
  • toss in the sugar snaps and garlic, and stir gently for 1-2 minutes
  • toss in the steamed broccoli
  • give a quick stir to the sauce mixture and pour into the pan; stir thoroughly but gently to coat all the veggies
  • add in the cooked shrimp while continuing to stir ’til the sauce is thickened (another minute or so)
  • remove from heat; scatter the optional toppings across the entire dish
  • serve with cooked quinoa or rice

    ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥

    God loves you!  ♥  (Don’t ever forget that!)

    ♥  coleen