March 14, 2026

What Faith Can Do

January 17, 2015 by

SeekingHimLogo

Then He got into the boat and His disciples followed Him.
Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat.
But Jesus was sleeping.
The disciples went and woke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”
He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?”
Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.
The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this?
Even the winds and the waves obey him!”
Matthew 8:23-27 NIV

Everybody falls sometimes
Gotta find the strength to rise
From the ashes and make a new beginning
Anyone can feel the ache
You think it’s more than you can take
But you are stronger, stronger than you know
Don’t you give up now
The sun will soon be shining
You gotta face the clouds
To find the silver lining

I’ve seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn’t ever end
Even when the sky is falling
I’ve seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand-new
That’s what faith can do

It doesn’t matter what you’ve heard
Impossible is not a word
It’s just a reason for someone not to try
Everybody’s scared to death
When they decide to take that step
Out on the water
It’ll be alright
Life is so much more
Than what your eyes are seeing
You will find your way
If you keep believing

Overcome the odds
You don’t have a chance
(That’s what faith can do)
When the world says you can’t
It’ll tell you that you can

What Faith Can Do  ~ Kutless

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Toum – Lebanese Garlic Sauce

January 16, 2015 by

Toum

My sister had an addiction.  Drugs?  Alcohol?  Gambling?  No.  She was addicted to toum.  Toum is the thick, creamy garlic sauce she was eating at her favorite Mediterranean restaurant.  She talked about it.  She bought tubs of it to take home and put on home-cooked food.  And when she moved to a different city, she craved it.  She just sent me a recipe for it on Facebook this week, and I decided to try it.  I present to you Toum – Lebanese Garlic Sauce!

The original recipe is here, and there is a lot of information and background on the sauce.  Unfortunately, the recipe makes a huge quantity, and I didn’t want to commit to using 4 cups of oil on a recipe I’d never tried before.  So I made my own, much smaller batch, which is what I’m listing here.  There are only four ingredients, and you probably have all but one in your house right now.  Use fresh cloves of garlic, fresh lemon juice, sea salt or Kosher salt (not iodized table salt), and grapeseed oil.  Grapeseed oil is readily available and not expensive.  It is very pale in color and has a very mild taste.  (Some comments in the original recipe mentioned that olive oil can make a bitter sauce, so I think it’s best to avoid it.)

As you can see, I made it by hand with my mortar and pestle.  Whew, what a workout!  If you have a small and powerful blender, use that.  I have a large food processor that is great at mixing up dough, and not good at making small batches of anything.  Either way, it’s all about technique:  just like when you make mayonnaise, you MUST add the oil a tiny bit at a time, or else your emulsification will break and you’ll have a sad, oily mess.

This sauce is friendly and gets along with all savory foods.  Yesterday I took a spoonful, shook it up with another spoonful of olive oil, a little lemon juice, and a drop or two of honey and made a delicious salad dressing.  Last night I made a wrap with grilled chicken and lettuce, and used the garlic sauce instead of mayo.  This morning I put a dollop of this garlic sauce in my breakfast bowl of fried eggs and roasted broccoli.  Right this minute I am eating the last of the batch of garlic sauce, mixed in with leftover quinoa, chicken, and vegetables.

Quinoa with Toum

…and now it’s gone.  I think I see why my sister buys it by the tub!

Toum – Lebanese Garlic Sauce

Ingredients:

  • six large cloves of garlic
  • half of one lemon
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt or Kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup grape seed oil

Directions:

  1. Cut the hard root end off the cloves of garlic, and cut out any bruises, brown spots, or sprouts.  Get the prettiest cloves of garlic you can find!
  2. In a mortar and pestle, mash them up.  If you are using a small and powerful blender or food processor, mash them up!
  3. Add a sprinkle of salt and a little squeeze of lemon and mash some more.  Then add about a teaspoon of oil.  If you are using a blender, you can keep the blender running as you let the oil in the top, in a very fine trickle.  If you are using a mortar and pestle, add a teaspoon and mash until it’s blended in.
  4. Take it slow.  Add a sprinkle of salt, a squeeze of lemon, and a touch more oil.  Alternate oil with salt and lemon.  Slower!
  5. Eventually, it should all come together into a creamy, fluffy blob of sauce.  If it just won’t come together, or you feel like you have too much oil, you can add another clove of garlic and another squeeze of lemon.  But if you take it slow, you’ll get it.

Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana

To view even more of Dana’s unique recipe, you can visit her at Frugal Girlmet!

Filed Under: At Home w/ GCH Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

This Week…Beginning a Series on FAITH (Matthew 8:23-27)

January 16, 2015 by

SeekingHimLogo

Then He got into the boat and His disciples followed Him.
Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat.
But Jesus was sleeping.
The disciples went and woke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”
He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?”
Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.
The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this?
Even the winds and the waves obey Him!”
Matthew 8:23-27

This week, here on the Seeking Him devotional blog, we’ve begun a series on Jesus’ words on FAITH.  There are quite a few accounts recorded in the Gospels where Jesus taught His disciples the value and the importance—the requirement—of having faith.  I believe that having faith is something we grow in as we mature in our Christian walk.

Listen to just a bit of what our sisters have shared this week…

In No Denial, Laura shared a story from just a few years ago of a woman who gave her life for her faith…and did not deny her Lord and Savior.

I have fought a good fight, I have finished [my] course, I have kept the faith:
2 Timothy 4:7

“The woman kept her faith even though she probably knew she was fixing to die.  She was not afraid to tell the gunmen that she was a Christian and followed Christ.  She had great faith—a faith that carried her home as she admitted she followed Christ.  She was probably afraid, but she had faith.  She obeyed her Lord and did not deny Him.”

❤

Tina reminded us, in Free, of the account in Mark chapter 5 where a woman who suffered for twelve years with a debilitating bleeding disease had faith to approach Jesus for healing.

And He said to her, Daughter, your faith (your trust and confidence in Me,
springing from faith in God) has restored you to health.
Go in (into) peace and be continually healed and freed
from your [distressing bodily] disease.
Mark 5:34

“The woman had heard of Jesus’ miraculous healing power and out of her desperation, she knew she would probably die if she did not find someone to cure her…Getting the courage to touch His robe in the crowd, she knew she could get into trouble if found out.  Women were and are still thought of as property.  But Jesus did not rebuff her.  He wanted her to have faith in telling her story to everyone that she was healed just by touching His robe.”

❤

In God Said It. So Be It. Fear Not., Ahmee encouraged us with the record of Joshua and the Israelites and their seven day walk around the walls of Jericho.

“The Israelites did nothing but march around the walls of Jericho to make them fall. That was simple. Should it have worked? No. Not at all. If I go outside right now and march around my house, I’m certain it will still be standing when I’m done. The reason it worked is because God said so.

God will call us to do some <for lack of a better word> crazy things. However, it doesn’t matter what we think we are capable of and it doesn’t matter what is supposed to be possible. All that matters, in the end, is Who said it was supposed to happen. When the Creator of the world says, “Let it be so,” believe me, it will be so, regardless of what opposition we face.”

❤

Ann laid out two great points, in Faith Jumps, about how faith and God’s Word go hand-in-hand.

“Faith is a raw material for a product we are going to have. As Hebrews 11:6 explicitly says without this raw material—faith—we cannot please God. For us to have our hearts’ desires we need to have faith in the Giver and believe His word with no doubt at all.
The disciples forgot that Jesus was everything and started doubting…hence Jesus’ question (Matthew 8:25). Jesus called Peter to walk on the sea toward Him. At first Peter did…and was not drowning but he started doubting and focused on the waters THEN he started drowning. The Bible records Jesus confronting Peter: “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Read this record here.)

So little faith can be a raw material for us to have a product that is not attractive and leads to not having a product at all. We need to build our faith always. So, how do we build our faith? By hearing the Word of God.”

Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.
Romans 10:17

❤

And in Why Are You Afraid, Cynda spoke a difficult truth to us.

“Being a Christian doesn’t mean bad things won’t happen. Storms will come at us, tossing us to and fro. But those storms are much easily weathered when we cling to our Rock. The second part of Matthew 8:26 (HCSB) reminds us “Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea. And there was a great calm.”

Look at 2 Samuel 22:3 AMP:

My God, my Rock, in Him will I take refuge;
my Shield and the Horn of my salvation;
my Stronghold and my Refuge, my Savior—You save me from violence.

With God as our Rock, we have no reason to be afraid.
All it takes is placing our faith in Him alone.”

❤

I so appreciate the encouragement given through these devotionals written by Tina, Laura, Cynda, Ann, and Ahmee.  Having consistent faith is among the more difficult requirements of our Christian walk.  Have you found this to be true yourself? Nevertheless, we must pursue every day believing God and His Word and placing our complete trust in it.  Remember,

Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.
Romans 10:17

The time will come when each of us will stand before our Lord and there will be a reckoning of our lives and our obedience.  No doubt each of us wants to hear the words that Jesus spoke in the parable of the ten talents (Matthew chapter 25)…

‘Well done, good and faithful servant!’

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

What Is A Peacemaker

January 16, 2015 by

encouragementbloggraphicromans15

Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.
James 3:18 NIV

I am a peacemaker by nature; a conflict resolver at any cost, or at least I used to be.  I don’t think that is the kind of peacemaker James is referring to.  He is actually talking about healthy peacemakers who are personally at peace with God‘s authority and willing to bring a sense of peace wherever they go.  It doesn’t matter who they are with…they just have that gift.

Turn in your Bible to James 3:13-4:1

If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover the truth with boasting and lying. For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind. But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.  What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? (New Living Translation)

What a hard question he is asking the people!  And what kind of answer do you think you would have given him?  What does cause the fighting among God’s people?  I think the answer comes in the second question that is asked: “Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you?”  That answer is yes.

The fact is: conflict is part of our human condition.  It exists in most households, offices, and churches.  But just because there is conflict, doesn’t mean that there has to be fighting and quarreling.  However, they usually go hand in hand, especially if people are not willing to take responsibility for their own part in an argument.  They find someone or something to blame for their actions instead of just admitting the wrong that they did or the words that they said.

But God calls us to be different.  As His children, we pray for the wisdom to do the hard things—like admitting we were wrong and asking for forgiveness.  He calls us to be humble, knowing that we are human and will make mistakes. Read James 3:13 again.  The writer is reminding us that one who is wise and understands God’s ways will show it by deeds done in humility.  Saying we are sorry requires humility and that means admitting to others that we are actually wrong sometimes.  (We don’t like that very much.)  But in order to be the light that Jesus calls us to be and to be the witness that leads others to Him we must right our wrongs.

This is the kind of peacemaker that God calls us to be.  The kind that humbles themselves and shows love to others.  Seeking God’s wisdom delivers us from the need to be right all the time and helps us become the humble servant to those that we come in contact with.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.
Matthew 5:9

 { You are a child of God….  }

Do you know this God that loves you so much?  He is your Father and He wants so much to be in your life.  Or maybe you know Him but you’ve moved away from Him and need to get back on track.  If so, He is waiting and He will meet you right where you are.

I would love for you to pray this prayer with me today:

Dear God, I know that I am a sinner and I need forgiveness.  I am far from You today and I want to change that.  I believe that Jesus is Your Son and He died for my sins.  I ask that Jesus come into my heart today and be Lord of my life.  Walk with me…gve me more knowledge of You.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

Filed Under: encouragement Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

No Denial

January 15, 2015 by

SeekingHimLogo

Then He got into the boat and His disciples followed Him.
Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat.
But Jesus was sleeping.
The disciples went and woke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”
He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?”
Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.
The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this?
Even the winds and the waves obey Him!”
Matthew 8:23-27

This past weekend Dish Network gave their subscribers a free weekend of HBO and Showtime.  I woke up early and watched half a documentary.  I was able to watch the whole film later that night.  The film was “Terror at the Mall”—a documentary about the terrorist attack that occurred in 2013 at an upscale mall in Nairobi, Kenya.

After the attack, 60 people lay dead, including 12 children.  The Muslim attackers were targeting Kenyans and Christians.  They basically killed anything that moved. People hid in fear, and many prayed to make it out alive.  The last civilian killed, a thirty-something aged woman, answered her captors that she was a Christian when asked.  They killed her immediately.

I have fought a good fight, I have finished [my] course, I have kept the faith:
2 Timothy 4:7

The woman kept her faith even though she probably knew she was fixing to die.  She was not afraid to tell the gunmen that she was a Christian and followed Christ.  She had great faith—a faith that carried her home as she admitted she followed Christ.  She was probably afraid, but she had faith.  She obeyed her Lord and did not deny Him.  Amid great turmoil she still put her faith in Him.

Many people today are losing their faith and turning from God.  They are giving into the world’s demands and losing their way.  But for those who do not lose their faith, there is a great reward.  They will one day be living eternally with Christ and not suffering or living in terror anymore.

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Dear Heavenly Father: Our world is crumbling, and many of our brothers and sisters are losing their faith.  Please help us show them the way back.  Strengthen our faith and give us hope of Jesus’s return.  We are the light, and we burn brighter because of Your faith in us and the strength You give.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Can’t Stop Singing

January 15, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Your grace for me will always be
More than enough
More than enough
The power of Jesus Christ in me
Is more than enough
More than enough

Because my heart is full
And my soul is free
In my weakness You
Had a plan for me

And I can’t stop singing about Your love
No, I can’t stop singing about Your love
Jesus, forever You will be more than enough
No, I can’t stop, I can’t stop

You will provide, You will supply
More than enough, more than enough
Open Heaven, open wide
More than enough, more than enough

Let the redeemed of the Lord say so
I can’t stop shouting
Can’t stop shouting

Because my heart is full
And my soul is free
In my weakness You
Had a plan for me
Now I sing the song
Angels cannot sing
I have been reborn
I have been redeemed

Covenant Worship ~ Songwriters: Joshua Dufrene, David Binion, Israel Houghton

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‘Let the redeemed of the Lord say so!
I can’t stop shouting…because my heart is full and my soul is free!’

{ And all God’s people said, AMEN! }

Psalm 107 is full of what ‘the redeemed of the Lord’ should say.  (Click this link to read Psalm 107.)  The psalmist writes, in verse after verse, of the awesome deeds and wonders of the Almighty, and repeatedly proclaims that the redeemed should say so in this manner:

Let them give thanks to the Lord for His lovingkindness,
And for His wonders to the sons of men!
(verses 8, 15, 21, 31)

Oh, and don’t we have so MUCH to give thanks for and to sing about God’s love for us?!!?  Without God’s love, each of us would still be dead in our trespasses and sins…bound as slaves because of Adam’s sin.  But because God loves us, we have been redeemed by His Son and given new life.

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

By this the love of God was manifested in us,
that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him.
In this is love, not that we loved God,
but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
1 John 4:9 and 10

I love each of the ‘more than enoughs’ in this song!  Just think…we have been given not just enough but more than enough!

‘Your grace for me will always be more than enough’
‘The power of Jesus Christ in me is more than enough’

And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses,
so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
2 Corinthians 12:9

‘You will provide…You will supply more than enough
Open heaven, open wide more than enough‘

Bring all the tithes (the whole tenth of your income) into the storehouse,
that there may be food in My house, and prove Me now by it,
says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven 
for you and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
Malachi 3:10

‘Jesus forever You will be more than enough’

Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and may share His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.  Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.  Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:8-14

Just like the writers of this song and the psalmist may we—the redeemed of the Lord—also say so!

Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things;
let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord.
Verse 43

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Oh, Lord, Your grace, Your love, Your mercy, Your goodness, Your provision are all more than enough!  How awesome to know that Your sufficiency doesn’t mean “just enough” or “barely enough,” but way more than enough for whatever we face, whatever our need.  Help us to rest fully in Your grace as we seek to live for You today.  Thank You for Your love…we love and adore You!  We pray and acknowledge these things in Jesus’ name, amen.

Filed Under: Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Free

January 14, 2015 by

SeekingHimLogo

Then Jesus got into the boat and started across the lake with His disciples.
Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat.
But Jesus was sleeping.
The disciples went and woke Him up, shouting,
“Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”
Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!”
Then He got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm.
The disciples were amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked.
“Even the winds and waves obey Him!”
Matthew 8:23-27 NLT

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

And He said to her, Daughter, your faith (your trust and confidence in Me,
springing from faith in God) has restored you to health.
Go in (into) peace and be continually healed and freed
from your [distressing bodily] disease.
Mark 5:34

(To read the context, please click this link.)

Can you imagine those who live with chronic pain being freed from it forever? I know plenty of people who would love for this to happen. People look for the cure everywhere except for going to their Father in heaven who can heal.  Does He always? No.  We will probably never know why. It is not for us to know all of the answers.

The woman had heard of Jesus’ miraculous healing power and out of her desperation, she knew she would probably die if she did not find someone to cure her. If she were a single woman and had spent all of her money on finding a cure, this was her last hope. Getting the courage to touch His robe in the crowd, she knew she could get into trouble if found out. Women were and are still thought of as property. But Jesus did not rebuff her. He wanted her to have faith in telling her story to everyone that she was healed just by touching His robe.

Remember in the Old Testament, Elisha the prophet was like that. People would touch his bones and come alive!

Once while some Israelites were burying a man, suddenly they saw a band of raiders; so they threw the man’s body into Elisha’s tomb.
When the body touched Elisha’s bones, the man came to life and stood up on his feet.
2 Kings 13:21
Elisha was a holy man of God…one of His great prophets.  And then there was Peter…his shadow would fall across people and they would be healed.  What a great testimony of one of the disciples that loved Jesus!
*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *
 
Father, help us have faith in Your Word.  Like the man asking Jesus to heal his daughter, ‘If you can’ and Jesus saying that  He can only do it if the man had faith. The father responded, “I believe, help my unbelief’.” We want that. You are our Sovereign God. There is none like You. Thank You for loving us more than anyone on earth ever could.  Forgive us and help us to show grace to others. Thank You for always being there and never leaving us. Thank You for second chances!  In Jesus’ name, amen.
Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Do I Trust You, Lord

January 14, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Sometimes my little heart can’t understand
What’s in Your will, what’s in Your plan
So many times I’m tempted to ask You why
But I can never forget it for long
Lord, what You do could not be wrong
So I believe You, even when I must cry

Do I trust You, Lord
Does the river flow
Do I trust You, Lord
Does the north wind blow
You can see my heart
You can read my mind
And You got to know
That I would rather die
Than to lose my faith
In the One I love
Do I trust You, Lord
Do I trust You

I know the answers, I’ve given them all
But suddenly now, I feel so small
Shaken down to the cavity in my soul
I know the doctrine and theology
But right now they don’t mean much to me
This time there’s only one thing I’ve got to know

I will trust You, Lord, when I don’t know why
I will trust You, Lord, ’til the day I die
I will trust You, Lord, when I’m blind with pain
You were God before, and You’ll never change
I will trust You
I will trust You
I will trust You, Lord
I will trust You

Singer / Songwriter ~ Twila Paris
*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *
I just l.o.v.e the heart of this wonderful woman!  She sings out and proclaims that—even when shaken…worried…fearful…doubting—in her heart of hearts she TRUSTS in her Lord!  Have you been singing along with her?

“I will trust You, Lord, when I don’t know why.
I will trust You, Lord, ‘til the day I die.
I will trust You, Lord, when I’m blind with pain!
You were God before, and You’ll never change.
I will trust You….I will trust You…I will trust You, Lord!
I will trust You.”

Trust in the Lord…Who better to trust in?   But do I?  Do you?  Actually, yes, I think that we do!  We have experienced and been blessed by God’s goodness and grace and mercy over and over and over again.  We have seen His loving care cover the lives of our loved ones.  We know—because He has graciously proven Himself—that He is a faithful God Who always provides what is best for His children.

But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope:
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end;
They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.”
The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.
It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.
Lamentations 3:21-26

trust

TRUST, n.

1. Confidence; a reliance or resting of the mind on the integrity, veracity, justice, friendship or other sound principle of another person.
                           He that putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.  Proverbs 29:25
2. He (or that) which is the ground of confidence.
           For Thou art my hope; O Lord God, thou art my trust from my youth. Psalm 71:5
(From Webster’s 1828 Unabridged Dictionary)

From these definitions we have an understanding that it is because of confidence that we trust. And we have confidence in someone or something because they have proved themselves worthy of relying on them.  When we think of these words in relation to our Father God…oh, my!  There is no doubt of His having proven Himself!  He is a Faithful God Who always brings His promises into fruition!

…Trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind
and do not rely on your own insight or understanding.
In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him,
and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths.
Be not wise in your own eyes; reverently fear and worship the Lord
and turn [entirely] away from evil.
Proverbs 3:5-7

This verse comes to mind and brings such peace to my heart! I do not have to always understand. I do not have to know what is going to happen.  But, I do need to follow Him. I need to trust Him with all my heart. That part is my job.  He will help me and He will get me through. It might not be easy (and truth be told, it isn’t always easy), but it will be okay.

The question is, ‘Do we lean on our own understanding or do we depend on God?’  The wise choice is obvious when we remember that God knows the end from the beginning. He provides for and sustains all that happens in between. Trusting Him, and continuing to choose to trust Him, is the wisest decision we can make—every day of our lives.

O taste and see that the Lord [our God] is good!
Blessed is the man who trusts and takes refuge in Him.
Psalm 34:8

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Ginger Orange Squash Soup with Crabcakes

January 13, 2015 by

Soup-Palooza 2015 continues!   Have you been enjoying any soups with your loved ones?  This week we’ve had Chicken Noodle (gluten-free), Mediterranean Fish Soup, Dana’s Tom Kha Gai soup, and this one…Ginger Orange Squash Soup with Crabcakes.

Oh! My!  The combination of fresh orange and gingery goodness with the saltiness of the crabcakes…just delicious!  I perused quite a few crabcake recipes (since I didn’t have one of my own) and have included links (down below!) to two gluten-free/paleo recipes. Perhaps you have your own incredible crabcake recipe (share, please!) or you could even serve these with some of the delicious frozen ones available in your grocery store.  Whichever direction you decide to go…just do it ‘cause this flavor combination is not to be missed! Enjoy!

2015-01-09 20.53.35

Ginger-Orange Squash Soup with Crabcakes

ingredients:

soup

1 large butternut squash (3#), peeled and seeded, cut into 2″ cubes
1-2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground pepper (I use lemon-pepper blend)
1 large sweet onion, chopped small
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons finely minced fresh ginger
2 tablespoons chopped garlic (I use jarred)
1 orange, zested and squeezed (about 1 cup juice) —set zest aside
2 quarts chicken stock
1 cup water
sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
fresh greens (baby spinach, kale, arugula), sliced thinly

crabcakes

http://blogs.prevention.com/living-well-gluten-free/2013/03/06/gluten-free-crabcakes/

http://nomnompaleo.com/post/3635746431/paleo-krabby-patties

directions:

  • preheat oven to 400
  • line large baking sheet with parchment paper
  • use just enough olive oil to lightly coat the squash and season well w/ s&p
  • pour seasoned squash onto the baking sheet
  • roast until just beginning to brown, about 20 minutes; remove, set aside

meanwhile…

  • in a 6 quart stockpot, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and saute onion for 8-9 minutes over medium heat (or ‘til softened and translucent)
  • add ginger and garlic and continue to cook for 1 minute stirring constantly
  • add roasted squash, orange juice, chicken stock and water
  • bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until squash is tender, 15-20 minutes
  • remove about 1 cup of squash to serve in bowls
  • using an immersion blender**, puree soup until smooth
  • season with salt and pepper; stir in orange zest
  • place a handful of sliced greens and some of the reserved squash in bottom of bowl; fill with soup
  • serve topped with crabcake(s)

**also can be pureed in a standard blender being very careful and pureeing in batches

   ♥      ♥      ♥      ♥      ♥ 

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

♥  coleen

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Give Me Jesus

January 13, 2015 by
psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv
In the morning, when I rise
In the morning, when I rise
In the morning, when I rise
Give me Jesus
 
Give me Jesus, give me Jesus
You can have all this world
But give me Jesus
 
And when I am alone
Oh and when I am alone
And when I am alone
Give me Jesus
 
And when I come to die
Oh and when I come to die
And when I come to die
Give me Jesus

Traditional African Spiritual Hymn
Performed by Fernando Ortega
*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *
Such a beautiful and meditative song to worship our Savior!   Can you imagine being in God’s presence one day?  Oh sweet friend, I can!  I can just imagine being awed, speechless, and at peace—all at once.  God is our Friend.  He wants that relationship with us that is a great friendship…greater than any friendship we will ever have on earth.
You see, God created us and He knows us inside and out.  He knows what we are thinking and what path we will most likely take.  He knows our character and He knows our name. It might not be our earthly name…but a name that God has for us.  I hope and pray with my mistakes that I will have a name that I will not be ashamed to bear; I would be just devasted.  God extends grace and mercy to us.  We are not to take for granted that grace will always be given.  God does have His limits.  We have to be willing to turn and repent from our ways and ask God to give us Jesus in a new way—in a way that will make us stand up and shout from the rooftops how wonderful our God is and how much He loved us to send His only Son Jesus to show us how to live a perfect life.
*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *
Thank You, Father, for sending us Your Son.  Thank You for giving artists the words to say to bring us closer to us. Extend to us Your grace and mercy, even when we do not deserve it.  We strive to please You and to break the cycle we seem unable to break.  In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
Filed Under: Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: , , , , , ,
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