May 2, 2026

Freedom

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The Lord frees prisoners.
Psalm 146:7b HCSB

Called to Be Free was the title of the sermon at church on Sunday, so this verse jumped out at me as I was reading through Psalm 146. One point the pastor made stuck with me: “You cannot lose your salvation. You CAN give up your freedom.”

John 10:28-30 (HSCB) assures us our salvation is secure:

I give them eternal life, and they will never perish—ever!
No one will snatch them out of My hand.
My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all.
No one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.
The Father and I are one.

Ephesians 1:13-14 (NIV) confirms we bear His mark:

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth,
the gospel of your salvation.
When you believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,

Now take a look at the following excerpts:
– “captives will be released and prisoners will be freed”  Isaiah 61:1NLT
– “For He has broken the gates of bronze and cut the bars of iron apart” Psalm 107:16
– “freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free” Luke 4:18NIV

See the theme running through these verses? Freedom, specifically our freedom.

So, since we have been set free, why would we give up that freedom? (Think of the Israelites, set free from Pharaoh, yet clamoring to go back!) When things get hard, we sometimes want to return to “the way it was.” Or maybe it is fear of the unknown. Often we chain ourselves (and others) to rules and standards we have no hope of achieving on our own. We will never live up to God’s standards on our own.

Other times pride and ego stand in the way of our freedom. Or our desires. Or material things. Perhaps we have become complacent and allow the enemy to subtly trip us up. Too many times we blame our “sinful nature.” Yet our sinful nature no longer has any power except what we give it. Before long we are bound up in chains of our own making. When we realize we are once again chained to this world, we try to free ourselves but to no avail.

All our efforts will never be enough to set us free. However, Zechariah 9:12 holds the key:

“Return to the stronghold [place of safety, your fortress] all you prisoners of hope” (a paraphrase)

We need to return to our place of safety (our stronghold, our fortress) when we find ourselves bound by chains—Jesus. Only He can set us free. As John 8:36 (AMP) says:

So if the Son liberates you [makes you free men],
then you are really and unquestionably free.

When Jesus sets us free, we are free indeed. There is no one else who has that power. He is the only place we can find our freedom. The Spirit that marks us as His will always lead us back to the foot of the Cross.

When we truly understand who we are in Christ and what He has done for us, then we realize what we do NOT have to do.

  • We do not have to pretend to be something we aren’t
  • We do not have to live up to impossible standards
  • We do not have to fix ourselves (or anyone else)
  • We do not have to be bound in chains

All we must do is accept His grace

Our freedom isn’t because of anything we have or have not done. Our freedom is solely because of all Christ has done. The pastor summed it up like this:

Jesus + anything = nothing
Jesus + nothing = EVERYTHING
The choice is ours.

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Lord, thank You so much for everything You have done for us and given to us. Let us be aware of anything we chose that might take away our freedom that came at such a great cost. Your Son did not die so we could continue to bind ourselves in worldly chains. He rose that we might have everlasting freedom. You are so good to us. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen – so be it!

Faith To Believe


psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Faith that’s forever
Faith to believe
Faith that moves mountains
Faith for my dreams
Faith that’s forever
Faith to receive
(I’ve got faith)…Faith to believe 

Now faith is the substance
Of things hoped for
And the evidence
Of things I can’t see
It’s my faith that moves mountains
Of doubt and uncertainty

I’ve got faith…faith to believe

Down through the years
Through every test and trial
I’ve learned down on my knees
By faith I can live out what I’ve heard
He won’t go back, back on His word

I believe, I believe, I believe
It’s possible
I believe, I believe, I believe
I’ve got faith…faith to believe 

Written and Sung by Sheri Jones-Moffett

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How faithful is our God!  When we doubt, all we have to do is look toward our Father for support and guidance along our way.  He will not answer when we want…not always in the way we want…but He will answer.

Our thoughts follow what is in our hearts.  What we say brings life or death.  What is in your heart?  Do you believe, do you have the faith to trust that God will be there to catch you no matter what?  As our faith grows, our words should follow. We should speak words that encourage each other and instill hope in our God.

As you sing the song, think on the words.

Consider what you believe.

Pesto Pasta with Grilled Chicken

Look what someone who loves me gave me today?  Oh happy me!

2014-08-07 17.34.47

My daughter, Kassia, lovingly gifted me with a jar of her healthy but-oh-so-yummy pesto (and luscious balsamic reduction)!  This is precious stuff…what to make, what to make?  Eventually, I just decided to keep it simple: I took a couple of tablespoons to marinate chicken tenderloins, which we then grilled; and then topped off sauteed zucchini and onions with another couple of tablespoons and combined it all together with some gluten-free penne pasta. So yummy!

2014-08-07 19.31.01

Kassia graciously is sharing her pesto recipe with us today…. This recipe is vegan and dairy-free (along with being intrinsically gluten free, soy free). Her secret ingredient? “Nutritional yeast.” Yup! Don’t knock it ‘til you try it! (Oh, speaking of trying it…dust your freshly popped popcorn with it!) Here’s a fun link loaded with lots of good info about nutritional yeast, or noosh, and some ideas where to purchase it. Enjoy!

Pesto

ingredients:
1/4 cup walnuts2014-08-10 17.47.41
1/2-1 tablespoon finely minced garlic (she uses jarred garlic, like her momma!)
2 cups fresh baby spinach
1 cup fresh basil (leaves only!)
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup+/- extra virgin olive oil
sea salt, freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

directions:

  • in a food processor, process the walnuts and garlic until minced
  • add the spinach, basil, nutritional yeast and lemon juice; process by pulsing until spinach is finely ground
  • with food processor running, s-l-o-w-l-y pour the oil down the food chute ‘til all is well incorporated
  • season with salt and pepper, to taste
  • this will make approximately 3/4 cup (about 12 tablespoons) of pesto. I only used 5 tablespoons in the entire dish pictured above which made 4 generous servings!

♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥

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

♥  coleen

 

 

A Friendly Reminder About Guidance

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The Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord lifts up those who weighed down.
The Lord loves the godly.
Psalm 146:8

Life can be burdensome.  As I step forth into this new season of my life, I find myself making the classic mistake of not taking everything to God.  I find myself trying to decide what I should do or what I shouldn’t do.  Making life choices can be difficult when done alone.  My pastor has said that when you say ‘yes’ to something, you are saying ‘no’ to something, as well.  Right now my major concerns in life are career choices.  Do I want to go back to school, or do I want to get a second job…again.  Do I want to do both?  Can I do both?  Do I want to go back to being so exhausted and never having time to do anything but work and work.

When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild.
But whoever obeys the law is joyful.
Proverbs 29:18

Getting advice from parents, friends, mentors, or an advisor is a smart choice; but ultimately their advice is just that—advice.  The true Decider and Decision maker is the Lord Almighty.  He has a plan.  He has a purpose for you.  He knows where you would fit best.  Yes, He places people around us to help guide us, but we need to do so prayerfully.  You don’t exactly want to take financial advice from someone who is not a good steward of their own money, for example.

When we spend daily time with God we can bring Him the concerns of our hearts and the decisions we have to make. God knows. He knows what we are supposed to do and He promises in Psalm 32:8,

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you and watch over you.

No matter what you are facing today—how big or small, how easy or hard—remember that you have a God who wants to help and lead you down the correct path.

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Lord, thank You for Your ever ready and never-ending guidance through life.  We have a tendency to make our lives harder than they need to be.  Help me to constantly pause and remember that I serve a God who loves me dearly and knows every step I need to take to fulfill the purpose set before me.  Help me to lean on You instead of myself, and to never stop trusting in Your awesome plans for me.  Amen.

Rise Again

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Go ahead, drive the nails in My hands
Laugh at me where you stand
Go ahead, and say it isn’t Me
The day will come when you will see

‘Cause I’ll rise again
Ain’t no power on earth can tie me down
Yes, I’ll rise again
Death can’t keep Me in the ground

Go ahead, mock My name
My love for you is still the same
Go ahead, and bury Me
But very soon, I will be free

‘Cause I’ll rise again
Ain’t no power on earth can tie Me down
Yes, I’ll rise again
Death can’t keep Me in the ground

Go ahead and say I’m dead and gone
But you will see that you were wrong
Go ahead, try to hide the Son
But all will see that I’m the One!

‘Cause I’ll come again!
Ain’t no power on earth can keep Me back!
Yes, I’ll come again
Come to take My people back

Singer/Songwriter: Dallas Holm

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Last week a couple of  friends and myself felt like the enemy was taking target practice at our marriages.  It wasn’t the first time…and I am quite certain it won’t be the last.  A recent sermon I heard, entitled Called to Be Free, came to mind and I thought about being free from satan’s attacks.  I know we won’t be completely free until we reach Heaven but Jesus has set us free from the chains of this world.  That includes satan and anything he tries to ensnare us in.  The enemy only has what power we give him.

Luke 10:19 (HCSB) puts it this way:

Look, I have given you the authority to trample on snakes and scorpions
and over all the power of the enemy; nothing will ever harm you.

We have all authority over the power of the enemy.  Sometimes we forget to use that power.  Even when we do, sometimes we still get knocked for a loop.  It is difficult to keep getting back up when you get knocked down repeatedly.  I read a Scripture that totally changed my whole perspective on this.  Take a look at 2 Corinthians 4:10-11 (AMP):

Always carrying about in the body the liability and exposure
to the same putting to death that the Lord Jesus suffered,
so that the [resurrection] life of Jesus also may be shown forth by and in our bodies.
For we who live are constantly [experiencing] being handed over to death
for Jesus’ sake, that the [resurrection] life of Jesus
also may be evidenced through our flesh which is liable to death.

I read this and had a “light bulb” moment.  Because we are believers and followers of Christ, we carry Jesus’ death and Resurrection within us!  The attacks we incur, the battles we fight are where we share in the death of Jesus.  If satan knocks me down, he may have won that battle but Jesus has already won the war.  Every time we rise up from defeat—whether it is perceived or real—we share in the Resurrection and ultimate victory of Jesus.  We can rise again because Jesus has already done it and we carry Him within ourselves.

As I was mediating on all of this, the song “Rise Again” came to mind.  But I was hearing it and singing it in a whole new light.  Since I have a personal relationship with Christ, it doesn’t matter if people laugh at me or mock me. It doesn’t matter if I get knocked down or thrown for a loop. “I will be free….” “…No power on earth can tie me down.”

For me, this revelation was earth-shattering and life-changing.  The storms will be easier to bear, and the attacks easier to survive because I know Jesus has already been there.  He has paved my way in victory and His victory is manifested in me.  Hallelujah!!!!

God, Parents, and Children

SeekingHimLogo

He is the Maker of heaven and earth,
the sea, and everything in them—
He remains faithful forever.
He upholds the cause of the oppressed
and gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets prisoners free,
the Lord gives sight to the blind,
the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down,
the Lord loves the righteous.
The Lord watches over the foreigner
and sustains the fatherless and the widow,
but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.
Psalms 146:6-9

For those who have children, you can probably relate to the verses above if you think about it.  We help to create, or make, our children in the way we hope that God has in mind.  We uphold them and make them feel better when they are bullied or treated unfairly.  We watch over them to keep them safe and healthy.

My daughter and I bought a mother/daughter combo necklace that we found on sale after Mother’s Day.  I wear the ‘mother’ heart, and she wears the ‘daughter’ heart.  She wore her necklace to daycare the other day.  Because one child at daycare is not allowed to wear necklaces because she turns it into a toy, her mother threw a fit when she saw my daughter wearing her heart necklace.  To keep things fair, the teacher took my daughter’s necklace up.  (I got the necklace back later on.)  My daughter didn’t fuss, but I am pretty sure she did not understand what was going on.  I felt for her, and I felt bad because I was not there to watch over her during the injustice.  But, I am proud that she didn’t fuss when her teacher took the necklace.  Most three-year olds would throw a fit.

Just as we help to create, or make, the person our child becomes so does God. God created the earth and everything in it. He created each one of us as a unique individual. He watches over each one of us, and He guides just like parents guide their children. We lift them up when they are down and we lift them up when they have success.  God does the same for us.  Just as we are faithful to our families, God is faithful to us.

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Dear Heavenly Father: Thank You for Your wonderful creation.  Thank You for freeing us and helping us guide our own children and families as You guide us. You sustain us, and You lift us up when we most need it.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Jesus Paid It All

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

I hear the Savior say
Thy strength indeed is small
Child of weakness, watch and pray
Find in Me thine all in all

Jesus paid it all
All to Him I owe
Sin had left a crimson stain
He washed it white as snow

Lord, now indeed I find
Thy power and Thine alone
Can change the leper’s spots
and melt the heart of stone

And when before the throne
I stand in Him complete,
Jesus died my soul to save,
my lips shall still repeat

O Praise the one who paid my debt
And raised this life up from the dead

Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow
He washed it white as snow 

Original hymn – Elvina M. Hall / Additional lyrics and praise – Kristian Stanfil

I listen to this hymn and again I am a child, sitting by my mom in church, listening to the grown-ups around me sing; and I understand these words even then. That Jesus paid my debt so that I could live; it was that simple then. Why do we complicate things when we get older?

I hear Jesus whisper,

“Your strength is little, and you are weak. But you are My child and as you pray and seek Me, you will find all that you need in Me.”

And I respond…

“Jesus, You paid it all, the price for every sin that I have committed and ever will commit. I owe You everything. Sin had stained me, taken all from me and in the broken places You filled me. And now I am clean, and white as snow.

Lord, I now see that You alone can do miraculous things, like heal disease, and break even the hardest of hearts and fill all with You. You paid the whole price for my sins, I owe all that I am to You. Sin had left a mark and almost ruined me, but You washed me and made me white as snow.

And  when the day comes that You appear to all, and we get to kneel before You as You sit on Your throne. I will finally be complete in You. You died to save my soul and my lips will proclaim the news to all the world. Jesus, You paid it all, and all to You I owe- sin had left a crimson stain, but You washed it white as snow.”

As a child, I listened to hymns and hung on every word and I pictured the events really happening. I pictured Him dying for me and washing the stain of my sins.  I pictured me dirty once and then I am made white as snow because of Him. I remember longing for the day that the trumpets would sound and I would get to stand before His throne and talk to Him. I would get to bow down before my Lord and Savior and tell Him how much I loved Him and how grateful I am for Him taking my sins away. And you know what? He really did take your sins away. He really did pay your debt and raise your life up from the dead. And because of this, you will live a life that is full and blessed. You will walk in light instead of darkness. And you will be loved by Jesus, our Lord. Just meditate on this today and let it just sink in…you are saved, loved, clean, because He paid it all.

But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

1 John 1:7

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Verse 9

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Let us pray: Thank You, Jesus, for paying the full price for my sins. You came and died and paid my debt in full. I am in awe of Your sacrifice and Your love. Thank You for loving me enough to save me from myself.  And when that day comes that I get to stand before You and bow down on my knees, I will praise You and proclaim to the world that You are the Savior!   In Jesus’ name, amen.

His Faithfulness Continues….

SeekingHimLogo

Shout with joy to the LORD, all the earth!
Worship the LORD with gladness.
Come before Him, singing with joy.
Acknowledge that the LORD is God!
He made us, and we are His.
We are His people, the sheep of His pasture.
Enter His gates with thanksgiving;
go into His courts with praise.
Give thanks to Him and praise His name.
For the LORD is good.
His unfailing love continues forever,
and His faithfulness continues to each generation.
Psalm 100

I’ve heard this passage my entire life…in church, in songs, through preaching, and in regular conversation.  A wonderful thing about God’s Word is that with each reading, a passage can reveal something new.  It may seem as if you’re reading the words for the very first time—when in fact it may be the hundredth time.

This passage did the same for me this time.  As I read the words, the last line stood out.  I know that God’s Word speaks to you in your seasons; and in this season of being a mother I need as much guidance from God as I can get.  For those of us who are sending our children back to school, or off to work, or out in the world—whatever stage of life our children may be walking into—there can be a good deal of worry associated with the actions of our kids.  “…And His faithfulness continues to each generation” (verse 5).

This line alone makes me want to shout thanks to the Lord!  It reminds me that He will be equally as faithful to my children as He has been to me.  Sometimes when I’m reminded of His promises such as this one, all I can say is “God is good! The Lord is good!”  Simple words that say so much. His promise to myself and to my children is reason enough to live this passage on a daily basis…but He has done so much more than that.  He has done more than I could ever imagine.  I want to live these verses not because of what He has done in my life, but for who He is to the world.  He is faithful, He is loving, and for this I thank Him.

Let’s Pray: Lord, Your words bring peace…they bring joy…they bring security. Words could never truly honor You as You deserve; but, Lord, we promise to make the best effort we possibly can.  I pray these words are written on the hearts of all the women reading this, and that we live these words in good times and in bad.  In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream (No Ice Cream Machine Needed!)

rsz_homemade_strawberry_ice_cream

A few months ago, my daughter made vanilla ice cream in her kindergarten class.  She raved about how fun it was to make it, and how the finished product was delicious.  Well, I took her story with a grain of salt (unintentional pun!) because 6 year-olds aren’t really known for their discriminating pallets.  But I researched online, found a recipe, and decided to give it a whirl.  And you know what?  If anything, she undersold it!  This stuff is fantastic!  Here’s my recipe for Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream.

We don’t have an ice cream machine.  It sounds like kind of a waste of space, because it’s not something I’d use too often.  The only equipment this recipe needs is two Ziploc bags!  The technique is easy and is perfect for kids to make.  All the recipes online were the same, so I used one (of several) you can find with a Google search.  But what’s even better than vanilla ice cream?  Strawberry ice cream!  Instead of just sprinkling chopped fruit on top, I made a strawberry puree that, when mixed into the vanilla ice cream, makes a strawberry ice cream as good (or better!) than anything you can get at the grocery store.  Also, the serving size is just right.  It’s big enough that you can satisfy two kids with this recipe, and get a taste or two for yourself.  But it’s small enough that you won’t beat yourself up if you eat the whole thing yourself!

Becky puts in some sweat equity

Becky puts in some sweat equity

Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream (No Ice Cream Machine Needed!)

Ingredients:

For the Strawberry Puree:

  • 1 pint strawberries
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1/4 cup water

For the Ice Cream:

  • 1 cup half-and-half (or use 1/2 cup whipping cream and 1/2 cup whole milk)
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 cup rock salt or kosher salt (whatever you can find that has big grains of salt, the bigger the better)
  • ice
  • sandwich-sized Ziploc bag
  • gallon-sized Ziploc bag

Directions:

  1. First make the strawberry puree:  Wash, hull, and quarter the strawberries.  Over medium-low heat, mix together the strawberries, honey, and water.  Mash with a wooden spoon or potato masher, but leave some chunks.  Cook on low for about 20 minutes until reduced and thickened a little.  Don’t let it burn!  Take off the heat.  (You can do this the day before, if you want.  Just pop it in the fridge when you’re done letting it cool.)
  2. For the ice cream:  In a bowl, stir together the half-and-half, sugar, and vanilla.  Pour the mixture into the small Ziploc bag and make double sure it’s sealed well.
  3. Fill the large Ziploc bag halfway with ice and the salt.  Add the small bag to the ice, then cover with a little more ice.
  4. Shake!
  5. Shake!
  6. Shake!  (My bag got really cold, really fast, so I had to wrap it in a towel so it didn’t hurt my hands.)  Shake for about ten minutes.  You can squeeze the ice cream bag and tell when it’s frozen.
  7. Serve the vanilla ice cream with the strawberry puree.  Voila!
Sweet success!

Sweet success!

 

Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana


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

All I Need Is You

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Left my fear by the side of the road
Hear You speak, won’t let go
Fall to my knees, as I lift my hands to pray
Got every reason to be here again
Father’s love that draws me in
And all my eyes wanna see is a glimpse of You

All I need is You
All I need is You, Lord, is You, Lord
All I need is You
All I need is You, Lord, is You, Lord

One more day, and it’s not the same
Your Spirit calls my heart to sing
Drawn to the voice of my Savior once again
Where would my soul be without Your Son
Gave His life to save the earth
Rest in the thought that You’re watching over me

All I need is You
All I need is You, Lord, is You, Lord
All I need is You
All I need is You, Lord, is You, Lord
All I need is You

You hold the universe
You hold everyone on earth
You hold the universe
You hold, You hold

Performed by Jesus Culture / Songwriter: Marty Sampson

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Do you need to leave your fears by the side of the road and lift up your hands and start again? I know there are times when I do….  It’s the Father’s love that draws us back in to the One who loves us the very most.  God calls us to turn to Him and cast all of our cares on Him.

…casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you.
1 Peter 5:7 ESV

God calls to our spirits to draw us back to Him.  He puts the yearning and need for Him in each and everyone of us.  When we lose our closeness with Him, we are not satisfied until we turn back to Him once again…. “Drawn to the voice of our Savior once again….”

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.
James 4: 8 NLT

Where would we be without the gift of God’s Son Who gave His life for each of us?

“This is why Jesus came and why He died, to become the ultimate and final sacrifice, the perfect (without blemish) sacrifice for our sins (Colossians 1:22; 1 Peter 1:19). Through Him, the promise of life eternal with God becomes effective through faith to those who believe in Jesus.

So that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ,
might be given to those who believe.
Galatians 3:22

These two words, faith and believing, are critical to our salvation. It is through our believing in the shed blood of Christ for our sins that we receive eternal life.  ‘For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast’ (Ephesians 2:8–9).”

Read more here  This article is from the Got Questions?.org website.

I love the visual this song describes of resting in the thought that God is watching over us.

The LORD Himself watches over you!
The LORD stands beside you as your protective shade.
Psalm 121:5 NLT

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Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of salvation and for mercies that are new for each day.  All we have to do is turn back to You as Your Spirit calls out to our hearts.  May we rest in You knowing and believing that You are watching over us…in Jesus’ name!!  Amen!!