March 15, 2026

Cheesecake Baked Apples

Cheesecake Baked Apples resize

I love baked apples.  They’re tender yet sturdy, and you can fill them with lovely loads of raisins, spices and nuts.  Since my girl is allergic to nuts, I needed to find something different.  Ta-da!  Cheesecake Baked Apples!

I used Gala apples, and I would suggest you use either Galas or Fujis.  You can top these with whatever you like – nuts, crumbled cookies, or even ice cream!  We kept it simple and added some whipped cream.

You know a dessert is a winner when it suddenly grows quiet in the dining room.  My girls were so serious eating these healthy treats they stopped their near-constant girl chatter.  Try these easy baked apples today!

Cheesecake Baked Apples

Ingredients:

  • 6 apples (use Gala or Fuji)
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon (I added a little ground nutmeg, too)

Directions:

  1. Slice off the top of the apples.  With a knife, cut out the core and scoop out the apple flesh. You want to leave at least 1/4 inch of apple “wall.”   Make sure you don’t cut through the bottom!
  2. In a bowl, blend together the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, egg, and cinnamon.  If you like, you can add a little bit of the scooped-out apple flesh; just chop it up and stir it in.  Fill the apples about 3/4 full.
  3. Bake for about 20 minutes in a 350*F oven.  Remove and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana


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

Drawing Circles

encouragementbloggraphicromans15

And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.
Matthew 21:22 ESV

I remember looking in my cabinets and truly wondering how was I going to feed them today.  ‘Empty‘ not only described the pantry and refrigerator…but it also described me.  “How could God just allow this?  I have been His for so long.  I pray and I read my devotions. What else can I do?” I thought.

My prayer life had always been important to me.  I remember when I was growing up, I would talk to Him all day long.  As I got older, married with kids, my prayers were more like “God is great, God is good” and “Now I lay me down to sleep.”  Not that those are  wrong prayers, they just weren’t enough to move the mountains that were before me.

I decided to do a prayer walk.  I made a route in the shape of a big circle and visualized my problems being in the center.  I made a prayer circle.  Every day I walked that circle and talked with Him and prayed to Him and asked Him to do the impossible—to miraculously provide.  And He did!  It didn’t happen overnight but, little by little, He creatively gave us our daily bread and manna.  Then it hit me: God knew what I needed…He wanted to make sure I knew what I wanted!  He wanted specific prayers, asking for specific things.  He didn’t want just the superficial.  He wanted me to ask Him for the impossible!  Anything less, really, is insulting to Him.  Why?  Because those prayers really don’t require divine intervention.  Our God likes to part Red Seas and make suns stand still and drop manna from Heaven.  That is what He loves to do for us.  (Isn’t He amazing?)

God loves keeping His promises to us and He loves doing impossible things for us.  And the bigger the miracle, the better because God gets more recognition and glory.

What promise are you needing today?  I encourage you to get a piece of paper or a prayer journal and draw a big circle.  Write the big impossible thing that you need in your life right now in the middle of the circle.  Then pray every day for a whole month about this circle and see what God can do.  It may take more than a month because He is not on a time limit.  God does things in His time.  But be patient!  He will answer!  God is for you! He wants the greatest things for your life.  And He wants all the glory so that all those around you will see His hand in your life and want what You have!

I don’t know your circumstances today.  Maybe you have been praying specifically for something and it feels like it is never going to happen.  I encourage you to fast.  Some things only come through prayer and fasting.  Look up all the different fasts that you can do and choose one that works for you. And always remember to thank Him—even before the miracle—showing that you have  faith that He is going to come through.

He loves you!  He wants so much for your life. He wants your biggest requests! Your life will be so full of Him. And remember, who you become is determined by how you pray.

When I heard these words, I sat down and wept and mourned for days.
And I was fasting and praying before the God in Heaven.
Nehemiah 1:4

Let us pray:  Dear God, You are awesome. You are kind, just, and faithful.  And You love us so much.  You have the power to move mountains.  Thank You for loving us and for hearing us when we pray.  Help us to be specific, and not to be afraid to ask You for those big things that we need right now.  Nothing is too much for You.  Help us to be faithful and to persevere even when it seems like You don’t hear us. We love You. We believe You can…and will…part the Red Seas in our lives.  And when You do, we will give You all the credit and all the glory for, without You, we are nothing.  And for those who are not quite all believing, I pray that You give them the courage to give it all to You.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

Answers, Guidance, and Direction

SeekingHimLogo

The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the [whole] person; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure and bright, enlightening the eyes.
The [reverent] fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the ordinances of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold, even than much fine gold; they are sweeter also than honey and drippings from the honeycomb.
Psalms 19:7-10

My kids started a new math curriculum a couple of years ago. This curriculum was confusing and, in my opinion, it made the process much harder than necessary. It would give a problem and no explanation on how to solve it. It would leave us flipping the paper over to see if we missed something or having to resort to a web search to assist in finding the solution. We were left wanting and needing more, left alone without direction or answers.

Now, this may seem extreme for a math situation, but you should understand that math is not my forte…I need as much clarity as possible. I need to know what to do and how to do it, without clarity I’m lost.

To me this is much like life—without clarity I’m lost. Reading the words in this passage gave just that…in a world where there are so many problems without clear solutions we are left to search for answers. But as always our Heavenly Father has those answers written for us, His clarity is at our fingertips in His word, it is on our lips with each prayer. He makes a statement and follows with a clarifying statement—His words rejoice our heart, they enlighten our eyes, they endure forever, they are righteous and true, they are richer than gold and sweeter than honey. They are clear and concise.

When I found the solution to the math problem, I found a sense of peace—peace that lasted until I read the next problem. But with God’s direction and answers the peace is lasting. Unlike math, where the answers may be questionable, God’s Word is always dependable, always correct.

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Let’s pray:  Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your answers to life, for Your guidance, and for Your direction. Life can be like math at times, confusing and uncertain. But Your words are true, clear, and they enlighten us. They are dependable and constant. Your words guide our lives, our hearts and our minds, thank You. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

When The Crazy Kicks In

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Here I go tiptoeing to the kitchen
And don’t you know, crash goes the coffee cup
My only chance to be still and listen
Lord, don’t let, don’t let the kids wake up
A little time with You, the only way to get me through the day

Oh, come meet me in this moment
Before it all gets going
And these plates start to spin
And the crazy kicks in
A circus of distractions
Is just about to happen
I’ll be ready when
The crazy kicks in

Pushed and pulled by a thousand expectations
And all the roles that I’m supposed to play
To hit the ground running is a temptation
But I have learned this lesson the hard way
A little time with You, the only way to get me through the day

You got me, where You want me, even through the highs and lows
You know me, and You hold me, and You show me that You’ll never let me go

Singer/Songwriter: Francesca Battistelli along with Ian Eskelin, Tony Wood

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“Oh Lord, thank You that You are the peaceful place in the midst of the crazy in life….” Jesus said, “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest” in Matthew 11:28 NLT.  “Oh Father, come meet us in these moments….”

I think this blog “Wounded But Victorious”states it so well:

“Meet me in my broken place….hold me now.
I am so thankful that I have a God that meets me where I am at, when my faith is weak, when my legs wobble under life’s weight, He is steadfastly there. Sometimes it appears as though He is missing in action, sometimes it feels as though my cries fall on deaf ears, but He is always there. Usually it seems He is waiting for me to grasp the latest concept or lesson that He wants me to learn, to humbly follow Him in complete surrender. I love my Lord and at the end of the day, I know that He alone can be counted on.
Though my life’s lessons have been hard at times for me and usually because of my stubborn reluctance to say ‘Yes Lord,’ I can reflect and say He has always been there.”

(Click on the link above to visit this blog.)

Even in those times when we FEEL as though God isn’t there we can rely on this promise:

So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them.
For the LORD your God will personally go ahead of you.
He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”
Deuteronomy 31:6 NLT

These are the times that we must continue to be strong and courageous and remember “Greater is He that is in me than He that is in the world…”. We can remain strong in the midst of life’s difficulties because we are strong in Him.

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Heavenly Father, Thank You that I am not the different roles I play in the midst of my busy life. That I am whom You created me to be. May we remember each and everyday who we are living for—and that is You. In Jesus’ Name, AMEN!!

Learning and Instruction

SeekingHimLogo

The instruction of the LORD is perfect, renewing one’s life;
the testimony of the LORD is trustworthy, making the inexperienced wise.
The precepts of the LORD are right, making the heart glad;
the command of the LORD is radiant, making the eyes light up.
The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever;
the ordinances of the LORD are reliable and altogether righteous.
They are more desirable than gold—than an abundance of pure gold;
and sweeter than honey, which comes from the honeycomb.
Psalms 19:7-10 HCSB

Learning: the activity or process of gaining knowledge or skill by studying, practicing, being taught, or experiencing something; the activity of someone who learns; knowledge or skill gained from learning.

Instruction: a statement that describes how to do something : an order or command : the action or process of teaching : the act of instructing someone.

From the moment we are born we are learning. We learn to breath, we learn how to tell others we are wet, we are hungry, we are lonely and that we are afraid. We learn to be selfish. We learn that crying brings someone to care for us. We learn that we can engage people by smiling and cooing. We learn we can ‘eat’  our toes, our fingers, and we then we discover we can move by learning to crawl, and then walk.

Then, while we are still learning, instruction begins. We begin to observe how things are done, how things work. Things like putting a block into the correct shape.  We are instructed as to how to put on a shirt, a pair of pants, how to comb our hair, how to brush our teeth. Some go to daycare or have playdates, and here we learn to play nice with others, not hit or bite. We learn to be kind and to have compassion. We have learned at this point whom we should fear; whether it is a little person or a grown-up, we learn who we should stay far away from.

While in school we learn the ordinances (rules). We learn what we can do, what is acceptable behaviour and what is not. This is a precept. We must become teachable and willing to learn.

I obey Your precepts and Your statutes, for all my ways are known to You.
Psalm 119:168

We may not learn about the Bible until later, or totally understand, but our heavenly Father gave us His precepts—His rules, His laws—on how we should live. It does not matter when we begin to learn these, as long as we begin practicing them. He wants us to enjoy the life He has planned for us. We just have to be willing to trust Him.

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Father, thank You for loving us. I ask for my heart to become humble and teachable. I am not too old or too young to follow Your ways, to understand Your precepts. I want to have such a fire about me which will cause those around me to have a fire, a desire to know You. I want to learn. I want to be taught. I desire You, Father. Thank You for Your Word and for this ministry. Let us not grow weary in knowing You more intimately. In Jesus’ name I pray and ask these things, amen.

Benefits of Precepts

SeekingHimLogo

The precepts of the Lord are right, making the heart glad; the command of the Lord is radiant, making the eyes light up.
Psalm 19:8 HCSB

As I was reading this passage, the word ‘precepts’ caught my attention. I have heard it many times.  But what, exactly, is a precept?

  • Merriam-Webster Dictionary
    –  a command or principle intended especially as a general rule of action
    –  a general rule intended to regulate behavior or thought
  • Wikipedia
    –  a commandment, instruction, or order intended as an authoritative rule of action

…Because Abraham listened to My voice and kept My mandate,
My commands, My statutes, and My instructions.
Genesis 26:5 HCSB

A ‘precept’ is a statute, mandate, command, instruction, law, or ordinance that gives direct advice.  The precepts of the Lord will set us right if we heed them. They give us a great advantage and provide many benefits. Matthew Henry states: “The Holy Scripture…is of much greater use and benefit to us than day or night, than the air we breathe in or the light of the sun.”   Wow!

Psalms 19:11 states “Your servant is warned by them; there is great reward in keeping them.”  So what are some of the benefits we receive when we pay attention to the Lord’s precepts? Verse 8 told us they make the heart glad and the eyes light up.  Look at some other benefits listed in the following verses:

You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies,
for [Your words] are ever before me. I have better understanding and deeper insight
than all my teachers, because Your testimonies are my meditation.
I understand more than the aged, because I keep Your precepts
[hearing, receiving, loving, and obeying them].
Psalm 119:98-100 AMP

Every word of God is pure; He is a Shield to those who take refuge in Him.
Proverbs 30:5 HCSB

For a command is a lamp, teaching is a light, and corrective discipline is the way to life.
Proverbs 6:23 HCSB

Who wouldn’t want these benefits?  I certainly do!  The Lord’s precepts show us what sin is.  And they provide great and wonderful benefits. But there is one benefit these precepts absolutely cannot provide—righteousness.

For no one will be justified in His sight by the works of the law,
because the knowledge of sin comes through the law.
Romans 3:20 HCSB

On the contrary, I would not have known sin if it were not for the law.
Romans 7:7b HCSB

As Galatians 2:9 (AMP) points out, righteousness comes only through faith in Jesus Christ:

For I through the Law [under the operation of the curse of the Law]
have [in Christ’s death for me] myself died to the Law
and all the Law’s demands upon me, so that I may [henceforth] live to and for God.

Christ was crucified for us.  His grace provided our acquittal.  Even so, we can honor Him by following His precepts.  We receive so many benefits by being attentive to them.

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Lord, thank You for Your amazing grace that removes all guilt from us.  Let us be more attentive to Your precepts and use them daily.  Thank You for the direct advice they provide to us and for the marvelous benefits we receive when pay heed to them. In Your Holy name I pray, Amen – It is so!

Overwhelmed

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

I see the work of Your hands
Galaxies spin in a heavenly dance,oh God
All that You are is so overwhelming
I hear the sound of Your Voice
All at once it’s a gentle and thundering noise, oh God
All that You are is so overwhelming

I delight myself in You
Captivated by Your beauty
I’m overwhelmed, I’m overwhelmed by You
God, I run into Your arms
Unashamed because of mercy
I’m overwhelmed, I’m overwhelmed by You

I know the power of Your Cross
Forgiven and free, forever You’ll be my God
All that You’ve done is so overwhelming

You are Beautiful, You are Beautiful
Oh God, there is no one more Beautiful
You are Beautiful, God, You are the most Beautiful

You are Glorious, You are Glorious
Oh God, there is no one more Glorious
You are Glorious, God, You are the most Glorious

Big Daddy Weave / Songwriters: Michael Weaver and Phil Wickham

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Do you ever get overwhelmed when you think about the glorious majesty of the Father???  I love, love, love the part in this song that says “…unashamed because of mercy…”  We don’t have to be ashamed because of the mercy of the Heavenly Father; we can run into His arms and receive His unconditional love.

God’s love is unconditional.  Unlike earthly affection, His love does not fluctuate.

The Father doesn’t care for us more when we have pleased Him
or less when we have failed or sinned.
Charles Stanley

But God showed His great love for us
by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
Romans 5:8 NLT

Are you captivated by the beauty of the Father? I love this quote from Captivated By Christ!  (Click here for the full article by George Dillahunty.)

In our Holy Scripture text, for today, Jesus, the Christ, was talking to the Disciple/Apostle Thomas – “Doubting Thomas!” Every blessing – for the Christian true believer – is obtained – by being captivated by Jesus, the Christ – the Way, the Truth, and the Life! Having entered through the “Door,” by repentance and faith, we can continue to experience His Grace by following the path that only He can provide!

Jesus saith unto him, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life:
no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.
John 14:6

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My prayer for this day:
Father, may we all be so ‘captivated by Your beauty’ that we are ‘overwhelmed by Your mercy’ and ‘run into Your arms’…in Jesus’ Name! AMEN!!!

Your Way—The Only Way

SeekingHimLogo

The revelation of GOD is whole and pulls our lives together.
The signposts of GOD are clear and point out the right road.
The life-maps of GOD are right, showing the way to joy.
The directions of GOD are plain and easy on the eyes.
GOD’s reputation is twenty-four-carat gold, with a lifetime guarantee.
The decisions of GOD are accurate down to the nth degree.
Psalms 19:7-9 MSG

Many objects, people and organizations claim to have the ultimate solution for life. These things slip in and take hold of our lives attempting to show us a better way. Thing is—your paycheck, your boss, and your job do not hold the key to life. These things didn’t make you and they couldn’t possibly tell you what path to follow and what choices to make. One Being, and one alone, knows all that the world could hold. And that very same Being created both you and me. As Job said, “The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life” (Job 33:4). Isaiah advised, “Don’t put your trust in mere humans. They are as frail as breath. What good are they?” (Isaiah 2:22).

When I first researched Psalms19:7-9 in the Message Translation, I was taken aback. The way this version explains these verses is amazing. “The revelation of God is whole and pulls our lives together.” Wow…if you sit and think on it…how simple, but profound, is this statement. Not just knowing about or being aware of, but the revelation of God basically makes everything right and complete. “The signposts of God are clear and point out the right road.” Truthfully, I don’t find this to be so simple, but then again, in my human ways, I have been known to… (putting it nicely) complicate things. “The life-maps of God are right, showing the way to joy.

Notice these verses say nothing about any other thing in this world—but God. God has the answer to everything.  He IS the answer to everything. Nothing is impossible for the Lord. What other way could there possibly be, if God is the answer to everything?  There is no other way. All other ways are false and a waste of time. THE Way is the way. Jesus said it best in John 14:6: “Jesus answered, ‘I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

I know I’ve said this before, but it is so important and imperative for us to remember, that the only One who knows our path is the Lord. Yes, I do believe that He can, and will, place people in our lives to help us, listen to us, and guide us.  But these people cannot replace the Maker. If we constantly are leaning on our physical helpers…and not taking the time to spend time with God and hear His voice…then we aren’t hurting anyone but ourselves. No person can have a relationship with God for us. This means our parents, our friends, our pastor, our spouses, our children—none of these can have a relationship with Christ for us.

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Lord, thank You for being the Way. Thank You for making the choice simple. Although, it may be hard sometimes to walk Your path, I know that Your way is the only way for me. Amen.

People Like Me

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

What if I told you, what would you say
Would you stand by me, would you walk away
What if my walls came down and you saw everything

All of my weakness
All of my scars
All that I’ve hidden
Deep in my heart
For so long
And I’m scared to set it free

Show me a life that’s broken
Can be redeemed
Show me that You can handle my honesty
And help me to know
You’ll never let go
Your love won’t ever leave
Show me that grace was made
For people like me

You say I’m forgiven
Being restored
But it’s hard to feel it
Here in this storm
Torn between who I’ve been and who I want to be

Jesus, I need You
Need You to be
Hope in the darkness searching for me
Out of this doubt
Lord, help me to believe

Oh, my weak heart
And Your strong arms
Give me faith when mine is gone
Only trusting in Your mercy
Can set free
People like me

Show me Your arms are open
Your blood redeems
Show me that You can love
Even me

~ MikesChair ~
Mike Grayson, Nate Onstott, Seth Penn, Kyle Schonewill, Dustin Wise

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“Jesus, I need You
Need You to be
Hope in the darkness searching for me
Out of this doubt
Lord, help me to believe”

These verses so speak to me when I doubt who I am in Christ. I know I am loved by God. There are days that self-doubt creeps in. I have to remember the evil one is here to destroy us, to prevent us from reaching our full potential in God’s kingdom. As the father that brought his son for Jesus to be healed said,

Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, ‘I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!’
Mark 9:24

We are made to worship Him and to have a relationship with Him. Because of sin, shame, and guilt, we have been separated from God. Only…God does not want us to feel this way. He wants us to forgive ourselves and seek Him with all of our heart. He wants our total dedication to the pursuit of spreading His love to others.

 

Father, thank You for loving us.  Thank You for helping us see who we are in You. Forgive us when we doubt who we are in You. You made us perfect. Help us see who we are in You. Thank You!  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Perfect Law

SeekingHimLogo

The Law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul,
The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy making wise the simple.
Psalm 19:7

In this portion of Scripture, there are a few questions that can help us understand God and His character.

  1. What is it to be ‘perfect’?
  2. Which law is it talking about and where do we get the law that is perfect?
  3. Whose soul is revived and how?
  4. Which statutes?
  5. What does it means to be ‘trustworthy’?
  6. What it means to ‘make wise the simple’?

Consider these answers….

1-) To be ‘perfect’ is to be holy, righteous and good (Romans 7:12 and Psalm 119:142). And we see this in our God—He is Holy, righteous and good. Look at what He does to our lives: though we grieve Him, He is never upset with our characters, otherwise we would have been dead by now. However He is still gives us another chance.

2-) The “Law” is talking about the commandments that are holy, the Word of God that is contained in the Bible. When we meditate on this Word, it teaches us on what to do and what not to do. Therefore it is in this Book where we are shaped and molded to be perfect.

Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth meditate on it day and night
so that you may be careful to do everything written in it.
Then you will be prosperous and successful.
Joshua 1:8

3-) It is our souls that are revived as the Word of God is life.

The word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.
John 1:1 and John 1:14

4-) The statutes are the precepts, the commandments, the “dos and dont’s” which are to be obeyed.

5-) If something is ‘trustworthy’ it means it is so true, and there is truth in it.

Your righteousness is everlasting and your law is true.
Psalm 119:142

What this means is that the precepts, the commands, and the promises of God are true. What He says He will do, He will; believe it shall come to pass. When He says “the reward of sin is death,” He means it.

6-) We know that the law is good if one uses it properly. Meaning that it is simple to follow if one uses it properly otherwise if it is not used properly it make wise become tough.

We know that the law is good if one uses it properly.
I Timothy 1:8

Therefore, let us rejoice, my sisters, in meditating on the Word of God as it is a sure way to our perfect life. God is perfect—let us also be perfect. Remember He is holy and in Him there is no darkness.

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Father, we thank You for You are a perfect God.  We pray, oh Lord, for the grace that we should be perfect as well.  Whatever is not pleasing to You, Lord, may the Holy Spirit reveal it to us; and as we confess to You may we be united again with You and be with You always.  Thank You that You hear our prayers each time we come to You.  In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen.