May 6, 2026

Girls With Swords: Chapter 6 – “Becoming a Warrior” (pgs 81-84)

April 29, 2013 by

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Why don’t we send our children into battle?  Why are we so shocked and disturbed when we hear of countries that DO send their children into a war zone?  I believe it is hard enough to send an adult off to do battle.   I cannot imagine looking my innocent, naïve children in the face and sending them off to face a vicious enemy.  I have a responsibility to train my child, teach them the things they need to be successful, develop their knowledge until they are mature.  God doesn’t expect us to fight our battles untrained either.

This week we move from just being a soldier in armor and carrying our swords to developing the heart of a WARRIOR.  Did you know there is a difference?  I did some research on characteristics of a warrior and found some words that made me think.  What do you think of when you hear these words?

Commitment                   Determination                                Willingness to Succeed

Prepare bodily                 Prepare mentally                           Ability to Adapt

Will Power                       Driving Force from within           Push limits beyond expectations

These are not casual words.  They are ACTION words.  They are words with character and strength, experience and wisdom.  Our children do not possess these characteristics yet.  It takes experience and the guidance of a caring parent, teacher, or counselor to bring about this kind of maturity in a person.  SO…there’s the word…MATURITY.  To become a WARRIOR we must develop maturity.  Not just in life experience, but in Spiritual Matters.  We ARE Spiritual Warriors.  Some of us are on the front lines and some are still back at the tent waiting our turn.

The Apostle Paul spoke to people in the new churches about becoming mature Christ followers.  He used some pretty strong language as he taught them to “grow up.”  Check out Hebrews 13, Ephesians chapters 4 and 5, and Hebrews 6.  This is the first part of Hebrews 6:

“So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don’t need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds and placing our faith in God.  You don’t need further instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.  And so, God willing, we will move forward to further understanding.” (New Living Translation)

The basic teachings are very important.  If a believer doesn’t get that right, it doesn’t matter how passionate she is about Jesus.  Once a new believer understands the basic lessons, it is time to practice what was learned and “move forward” toward maturity.  The first five chapters of our book Girls with Swords is “Basic Training” for every good soldier.  Now we will learn to develop the heart of a WARRIOR.  Lisa tells us, “The warrior has a CHOICE.  Honoring what is godly and noble is often the rite of passage when a soldier becomes a warrior”  (page 82).

In our reading, Lisa gives us words a WARRIOR would understand:

Strategy                        Intuition                              Vision

Wisdom                        Patience                               Persistence

Tenacity                       Unified Voice (Unity)        Concerned Effort

Do any of these words pertain to you?  Have you developed any of these traits of a Spiritual Warrior?  If you can honestly say “No,” it’s OK.  You know where you need to start.  If you recognize some of these character traits in yourself, that’s Good; continue to work on the area you are lacking.  The Scripture would not tell us to move on to maturity if it was not a possibility for our lives.  God makes use of every attempt we make to move closer to Him.

Lisa shares, “You should never doubt that what seems a small or insignificant decision or gesture now may very well open a passageway or even empower you in the future” (page 83).  Has anyone ever told you what you actually GET to take to heaven with you, that you acquired while on earth?  Some people live by the phrase, “You can’t take it with you, so USE IT UP.”  I need to share with you that the only thing we carry to heaven acquired on earth is our CHARACTER.  We will be known by our godly character in heaven.

Yes, there will be spiritual babies crawling through the gates.  Yes, there will be spiritual adolescents and, hopefully, some spiritual young adults.  But I hope that each one of us will burst the gates of Heaven wide open like a WARRIOR on a mission for God.  We have a CHOICE to believe, a CHOICE to mature and a CHOICE to live in a way that brings Honor and Glory to God the Father.

Let’s finish our time together with Jesus’ best friend, John.  In 1 John chapter 2 we are encouraged to mature in our faith.  The whole chapter is beneficial, but I want to leave you with this:

“24 So you must remain faithful to what you have been taught from the beginning.  If you do, you will remain in fellowship with the Son and with the Father.   25 And in this fellowship we enjoy the eternal life he promised us.  26 I am writing these things to warn you about those who want to lead you astray. 27 But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true—it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ.

Living as Children of God

28 And now, dear children, remain in fellowship with Christ so that when he returns, you will be full of courage and not shrink back from him in shame.  29 Since we know that Christ is righteous, we also know that all who do what is right are God’s children.”

Our struggles on this earth are not with other people, social injustice, or anything we can see.  Our struggle is Spiritual and must be fought with Spiritual Strength, Spiritual Might, by a Spiritual WARRIOR.  It’s time to pick up your SWORDS, ladies, and get to training.  Our future maturity and Spiritual Survival depends on it.

Listen to “Greater” with me as we pray.

Let’s Pray:

Heavenly Father, You alone are worthy of our praise.  You alone are great, and we worship Your name.  Father, we will follow You into battle for the souls on this earth.  We want to grow in character as we become more like Jesus.  Give us the spirit of a WARRIOR, the strength to endure to the end, and receive us in heaven as victors of this life.  We love You, Lord.  We are ready to go deeper, be wiser, and learn to be greater.  AMEN.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

If you would like to join us for the “Girls with Swords” Online Bible/Book study, click HERE to be taken to our sign-up page.  Once you complete the enrollment process, we will email you further details.  We hope you will join us!

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At Home with GCH: Gluten-Free Cornbread Mini-Muffins

April 29, 2013 by

Here on our At Home with GCH blog, Monday’s are always focused on healthy but oh-so-yummy! recipes. This week we are making Gluten-free Cornbread Mini-Muffins.

IMG_0218

 

They fit right into our healthy but oh-so-yummy category because they are:

  • full of fiber
  • low in sugar—and non-refined sugar, at that!
  • very low in fat
  • gluten-free

Last month, a few friends and I began a journey of reducing excess in our lives.  The first area we tackled was food.  Uh-huh…you read that right.  So, right off the bat, sugar, flour, and caffeine were eliminated.  (Can you say detox?  We did…and it was good!)  I learned many things over those four weeks one of which was that I knew that refined white sugar and wheat flour were permanently removed from our eating lifestyle.  My husband, Robert, and I purged our pantry of all wheat: pasta, cake and cookie mixes, all-purpose wheat flour, crackers, snacks, cookies, and a few stray cans of condensed soup were even found and tossed!

I had been dipping my toe into the gluten-free baking world for awhile.  My daughter, Kassia,  exclusively bakes with gluten-free flours and is a fantastic baker.  She is my hands-on instructor in the field and has taught me so much!  (Thank you, Kassia!!!  Love you!)  So, after purging the bad out…I found I had quite a few basics to get started with.  For those of you considering doing the same, there are any number of really good websites to peruse and follow.  At the bottom of this post, I have listed just a few of my favorites.  These women all are quite knowledgeable, their recipes can be trusted, they are very skilled, and have been baking gluten-free for many years.  Please consider trying a few of their recipes, and wandering around their websites where you can learn and experiment!  Each of them also has tons of valuable information on how to set-up a gluten-free pantry, the types of flours and starches to buy (and why you should consider those particular products).

You will probably be surprised to know that, to get started, you won’t need to go out and spend tons of money…. I would suggest buying a few products that are new to your pantry each week.  Each of the ingredients that I used in this recipe can be purchased at Super Wal-Mart, or Whole Foods, and probably at your favorite grocery store also.  May I suggest, too, that you do not hesitate to purchase some of these products online; I have and will continue to do so.

So, here is this week’s gluten-free recipe.  We are having these with my Veggie Chili…oh, yum!  Enjoy!

Gluten-free Cornbread Mini-Muffins   (makes approximately 32-36)

Ingredients:  IMG_0212
1 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup millet flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour/starch
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon psyllium husk (unflavored metamucil!)
3 tablespoons sugar, of your choice
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup milk, of your choice
1/4 cup melted butter, slightly cooled

1 tablespoon sugar, to sprinkle (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425.  Thoroughly grease mini-muffin pan (this recipe makes 30-36).   Melt butter; set aside to cool slightly.  Combine dry ingredients; stir well.  In a small bowl, whisk eggs; then add milk and melted butter.  Whisk together ‘til combined.  Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients.  Stir ‘til smooth but don’t overbeat.  Fill muffin tins 2/3 full.  If desired, sprinkle a tiny bit of sugar over top of batter.  Bake for 12-15 minutes, ‘til just slightly browned and springs back when lightly touched with finger.  Keep your eye on them; don’t overbake.  Cool in pan for 2 minutes.  Loosen by running small spatula around edge.  Remove to cooling rack.  Enjoy plain, or with butter, honey, or marmalade.  Excellent toasted, too!

Here are links to a few of my trusted gluten-free websites:

http://www.elanaspantry.com/

http://simplysugarandglutenfree.com/

http://glutenfreeonashoestring.com/

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

♥  coleen

_________________________________

If you would like to send a personal message to Coleen concerning this recipe, you may email her at: Coleen@girlfriendscoffeehour.com

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At Home with GCH: Two Breakfasts for Health

April 26, 2013 by

Kale Sweet Potato Eggs

My Mom always said, “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.”  Yours too?  It’s actually true!  Breakfast is the meal we should pay the most attention to, because it has the most dramatic affect on our bodies.  You haven’t eaten in ten or twelve hours, and your body is in need of fuel and nutrition!  Are you going to give it a danish and a mocha?  No!  That’s the worst breakfast you can have!  You’ll have an insulin spike, a sugar crash, and a deficit of the things your body wants: protein, a little fat, and slow-release carbs.  The best breakfast?  Eggs and vegetables.

Please check out  Coleen’s recipe for a delicious frittata, or consider these two ideas:  Spinach Scramble, and, Kale and Sweet Potato Hash with Eggs.  A frittata can be made for dinner, with the leftovers reheated for breakfast; both the Spinach Scramble and Kale and Sweet Potato Hash can be made ahead of time, and reheated with eggs added at the end.  All of these breakfast ideas are great ways to start your day, with a big dose of protein, a little healthy fat (which helps your body absorb Vitamins A, D, E, and K) and slow-release carbohydrates to keep your energy levels stable.  Plus, if you make them the night before, you won’t have to think so hard in the morning.  And that’s a good thing!

 

Spinach Scramble with Pesto

Spinach Scramble

Ingredients (per person / per serving):

  • 1/4 red or white onion, minced
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 4 oz. frozen chopped spinach (from a one pound bag – just estimate a quarter of the bag)
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 eggs
  • optional:  1 ounce cheese (I like feta or goat cheese), 1 tablespoon pesto, or 1/2 an avocado

Directions:

  1. In a non-stick pan, add the minced onion and butter.  Over medium heat. stir and cook for 2 or 3 minutes until the onion turns translucent.  Add the frozen spinach, stir to combine, and cover with a lid.  Cook for 3 minutes.  Remove lid, stir again, and season with salt and pepper.
  2. In a small bowl, beat the two eggs, then add to the pan.  If you are using cheese, add it now.  Turn down the heat to medium-low and stir to scramble.  Cook for two or three minutes until done.  Serve with pesto or half an avocado, sliced, if you like.  Serve with sliced fruit.

To make ahead:  Mince the whole onion, cook like in Step 1 with 2 tablespoons butter.  Add the whole bag of spinach, cover, and cook until done, about 4 or 5 minutes, stirring to break up any frozen clumps.  Hey, you just made four servings!  Put three-quarters of the pan away in the fridge, and eat one-quarter of the pan with the ingredients in Step 2.  Every day, scoop out a serving of spinach and onions, microwave for one minute until hot, then add to the pan and continue to Step 2.

Kale Sweet Potato Hash

 

Kale and Sweet Potato Hash with Eggs

Ingredients:

  • 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1/2 red onion, minced fine
  • 2 tablespoons butter or coconut oil
  • 2 bunches kale, washed, ribs discarded, and torn into small pieces
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 eggs

Directions:

  1. In a large pan with a lid, cook the sweet potatoes and onion in the butter or coconut oil over medium heat.  After 5 minutes, add a few teaspoons of water and cover with the lid.  Stir every few minutes to make sure nothing sticks, adding more water if necessary.  (I’ve found sometimes I only need to add water once, and sometimes I need to add it again.  Not sure why, maybe some sweet potatoes are drier than others?)  
  2. When you can break up a sweet potato chunk with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, add the kale and spices.  If your kale is still wet from washing, carry on; if not, add another tablespoon of water.  Cover and cook for 3 minutes, then stir.  Continue to cook until the kale is tender, about 5 more minutes.
  3. You just made 5 servings!  From here, you can serve this as a side dish, or use it as a bed for fried eggs.  To eat for breakfast, reheat about one cup of kale and sweet potatoes on a plate in the microwave, and serve with two eggs, sunny-side up.  Break open the eggs so the yolk coats everything and dig in!

 

Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana

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

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Girls With Swords: Chapter 5 Weekly Review – “The Cross as a Sword”

April 26, 2013 by

Click Here for Next Week’s Reading Schedule

 

Welcome to Campground USA

Log Cabins, Nature Trails, Canoes,

Paddle Boats, Bikes, Fishing

Yep, that’s the sign entering our campground where we gather around the bonfire nightly to discuss Girls With Swords by Lisa Bevere. 

How about that meeting we had last night discussing Chapter 4!  The Holy Spirit moved upon Christi, and it was as though fire came down from heaven as she spoke about taking back all that Satan has stolen from us. Didn’t we have a Hallelujah time dancing on top of the old devil’s head! 

And speaking of a fire within them—Jennifer, Teresa, Tonya, and Diane did as they answered the questions:  “Where is the Battle?” and “Who is my Enemy?”  

  • Jennifer put it to us straight!  Our war is not with each other; it is with Satan.
  • Teresa laid out God’s plan of Redemption: “One Heart, Vision, Purpose, Name, Kingdom, Mandate.  We could be the answer to Jesus’ prayer He prayed for us at The Last Supper by becoming ONE. 
  • Tonya reminded us that we must battle to become ONE, using the tools God has given us in Galatians 5:22-26. 
  • Diane told her testimony of how the thief had come to steal, kill, and destroy her. But, Jesus came to give abundant life, and she didn’t listen to the lies of the enemy.
  •  Praise and Worship ended the meeting with Heaven’s angelic choir joining in.

 I just gotta tell you about a childhood memory I had as I was walking back to my cabin after the meeting.  I began thinking about the cattle farm I grew up on in Georgia.  I loved watching Daddy’s herd of cattle grazing out in the field.  The old cows would fill their bellies full of hay and then lie down under the shade trees and wait until it was time to get up and graze some more.  It was as though they lived only “to be fed.”

A thought suddenly hit me as I recalled that memory, and I stopped and prayed: “Father God, help me not to just graze on the things I am learning.  May I feast upon your word, and really ‘get who I am in Christ.’ May I not lie down like Daddy’s old cows after feasting.  Instead, may I rise up and use my Sword as a weapon in my daily life.”

Well, the sun has gone down here at the campground.  It’s time to make my way on over to the bonfire.  Tonight we are discussing Chapter 5—“The Cross as a Sword.” 

Teresa pinpoints the Crossroads.

Lisa says: “Just as Adam stole the fruit of a forbidden tree and caused all within him to die, Jesus died on a barren tree and thus became its fruit that all in Him might live.”  

You and I are part of the fruit of Adam, and if we accept Jesus’ gift on the cross, we are His fruit as well. Because we are Adam’s fruit we have a sinful, hurtful part of us.  Many of you have been hurt.  Your hurt is holding you back from the freedom and abundant life Jesus Christ has to offer.  If you have buried secrets, living in shame and regret, you are at a crossroads. 

  • One path leads to…loneliness, embarrassment, shame, pride, just getting by. 
  • The other path leads somewhere new and scary, feels vulnerable and shakey.
  • It requires us to walk one step at a time lighted by faith, trust, hope, and love.
  • But,it binds us to other travelers who are ready and willing to share their life story.

“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17).

Could we get together, talk, and share our stories?

Jennifer spoke on Transformation.

Isaiah and David prophesied that God’s chosen people would kill His only Son. The religious leaders thought that by killing God’s Son they would get to steal His inheritance.  “None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified The Lord of glory” (1 Corinthians 2:8). 

Lisa asks the question:  “What blindsided each and every ruler of that age? They could not see the transforming power of The Cross.”

What about you?

  • Do you see the transforming power of The Cross?
  • Do you live a transformed life?
  • Do you live fully believing that Christ died for you?
  • It is one thing to know about The Cross and what happened that day on Calvary.
  • Do you live in a way that your life represents this knowledge?

We were saved, forgiven, healed, loved, graced, empowered, and restored “in Christ” at the Cross.  It was the dead tree that brought us all back to life. 

You were already transformed because of the Cross.

The question is – Have you accepted it? Are you living it?

Tonya spoke on the power of The Cross.

“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity” (Ephesians 2:13-16).

Lisa said:  “On the cross God leveraged all that He was for all that we could be.”

  • Jesus died on the Cross, so that we could one day fulfill our potential.
  • The Cross brings us together.
  • The Cross lifts us up above any attack used against us.
  • Christ created the bridge needed between our neighbors and ourselves, between races, between genders, between ages, between classes.

The Cross has the power to unify all who are willing to embrace it.

In Christ the far-off and the wandering come near.

Diane spoke on the Scapegoat.

Everyone’s journey to The Cross is different.  We can all relate with the scapegoat in different areas as we journey to The Cross.   

Guilt     Lonely nights     Oppression     Rejection

Jesus knows the pain and the hurt behind each and every word used to describe what a scapegoat represented.  Yet, this pain was all taken with Jesus on the Cross as He became the ultimate sacrifice. Lisa is right:  The Cross is a Sword of Love.

“Yet it was our weakness He carried; it was our sorrows that weighed Him down.  And we thought His troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for His own sins!  But He was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins.  He was beaten so we could be whole.  He was whipped so we could be healed.  All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.  We have left God’s paths to follow our own.  Yet the Lord laid on Him the sins of us all” (Isaiah 53:4-6).

“Ladies, we must pick up His Sword and follow Jesus to Heaven!”

After Diane spoke, many women shared their painful past as Teresa had suggested.  Suddenly, a woman spoke out boldly:  “Let’s lay hands on these women that God would restore the years that the locusts and canker worm has eaten up!”

This lady has “got it.”

She knows who she is in Christ and is applying the Sword to the hurting.

Praise and Worship followed with old hymns of the church flowing throughout the campground: Near the Cross, At the Cross to name a couple.  

The smell of s’mores roasting nearby filled the air, and what’s that other smell I smell?  Could it be the aroma of Christ?  (Ah, how sweet it is!)

Let’s Pray:  Father God, may we become a living testimony of who we are in Jesus and know that, because of the Cross, You have equipped us to walk in You and defeat anything the enemy might throw at us.  In Jesus’ name, I pray.  Amen.

*****

If you would like to join us for the “Girls with Swords” Online Bible/Book study, click HERE to be taken to our sign-up page.  Once you complete the enrollment process, we will email you further details.  We hope you will join us!

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Girls with Swords: Chapter 5 – “Scapegoat” (pgs 76-78)

April 25, 2013 by

Every single word that Lisa has written on these two pages of the book have touched my heart in one way or another.  There is so much “good stuff” in this section of the book.  I have enjoyed the whole book so far, and I have really loved this chapter.  This chapter has caused me to look at the Cross in a whole new way.  The Cross as a sword is something I never visualized before.  This idea was all new to me, and it brought something to mind.

We all have a journey to the Cross.  Everyone’s journey is different.  Maybe we can all relate with the scapegoat in different areas as we journey to the Cross.

  • Guilt: How many times have you blamed yourself for an event in your life in which you carry around an immense amount of guilt from?
  • Lonely nights: How many nights have you fallen asleep next to your husband, or at home with your family, yet the loneliness that you feel inside is strong enough to cause you to think you are alone in this world with no one to love you…care for you…or be there for you? 
  • Oppression: How many times have you felt a heavy burden on your heart, one that crushes you to your core causing you to panic and shake the calm life you once lived? 
  • Rejection: How many times did you just want to fit in with your friends, family, co-workers; just to find out that no one wanted to be around you, and when you tried to surprise them you overheard the cruel words they spoke of you that cut deeper than any knife ever made?  The list goes on and on.  There are so many words that are used to describe the scapegoat we once believed we were.

Let’s consider Jesus’ journey not to the Cross, but with the Cross.  Jesus knows the pain and the hurt behind each and every word used to describe what a scapegoat represented.  Jesus went through more suffering than our human bodies can ever imagine.  Yet your depression, your loneliness, your hurt, your pain, your guilt, your betrayal, your shame, your (insert others here) were all taken with Jesus on the Cross.  Could you imagine the weight on His shoulders as He fell up Calvary’s hill?  The astonishing part is that Jesus’ innocent shoulders were not the ones meant to carry all of these things.  We deserve all of it, yet Jesus loved us so much that He took what was meant for our cross and sacrificed Himself so that we can be saved and free in Him!

As Jesus approached the spot where He was to be sacrificed, I can only picture Him taking the Cross with the weight of it all and sticking it into the ground.  Then I imagine the Cross as a sword and I know that when that sharp point hit the ground, our world was shaken.  Not for the worse, but for the better.  Jesus IS the ultimate sacrifice.  As I write those words, “Jesus is the ultimate sacrifice,” I begin to tear up because I stand in awe of Jesus and His love for me that He died and rose again, defeating all that was on the Cross, FOR ME, that I may live eternally with Him.  Lisa is right: the Cross is a sword of love.

It is time, ladies, to follow Jesus’ footsteps to the Cross.  For when we arrive, we will meet Jesus waiting to hand us His sword.  As He gives us His power, we must be able to echo His words in our hearts, “Forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).  We must forgive ourselves, too.  We must leave all the burdens we carried to the Cross in His hands where they belong.  We must pick up His sword and follow JESUS TO HEAVEN!

Make time to meditate on this Scripture today:

 

Isaiah53_4thru6

Let’s Pray: 

Heavenly Father, how can we find the words to thank You for what You alone have done for us?  Thank You for loving us so much that You sent Your only Son to die for us.  Lord, some of the ladies in this study may have already traveled to the Cross and found Your healing and have picked up Your sword.  I pray for these ladies, that You empower them to use Your sword and stand firm in You against Satan as You guide them to Heaven.  Lord, maybe there are some ladies who are in the middle of their journey or have not started yet.  Lord, I pray for these ladies that You show them Your paths to the cross, that You give them Your strength to reach the point where they find You and give You all of the burdens that lay so heavy on their hearts.  I thank You for the power of the Cross.  I thank You for guiding us every day to You.  We love You, Lord, so much!  Amen.

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Girls With Swords: Chapter 5 – “The Croise” (pgs 72-76)

April 24, 2013 by

I don’t like math.  I don’t understand it, and whoever invented the calculator is an awesome person.  But I do understand the equation Lisa gave in this chapter.  I understand what it meant for me, what it means for my children, and what it means for all of us.

Moment = Force x Vertical Distance

I can picture standing there…watching His hands being nailed to the Cross; that moment meant so much more than an arm being stretched across a piece of wood, “in a moment the Cross spanned the unfathomable distance between God and humanity, and overcame every force of hostility.” Every person, place or thing that may stand in our way from becoming who He created us to be was taken care of that day; that’s what that equation means to me. It means that nothing placed in my path will stop what God has planned for me.

Ephesians 2:13-16

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation,having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.

on the Cross

Jesus died on the Cross, so we could be the person He created us to be.  God gave His only Son so that we could one day fulfill our potential.

The Cross, out of all the symbols out there, is one that most people recognize.  We were driving to school the other day and my 4 year old little boy said “Mom, I know why there are so many crosses around the church.”  I asked why and he responded by saying “It’s because Jesus died on the cross.”  From this to an elderly gentleman, kneeling in front of a cross in the hospital chapel, praying for his sick wife…to images of the Cross appearing everywhere when tragedy strikes, the Cross spans the distance. This image is a source of comfort, a defense in our times of trouble, a reassurance that everything will be ok in the end.

The name of Jesus is one lever that lifts the world

– Author Unknown

The Cross, and what Christ did for us, brings us together.  The Cross, and what Christ did for us, lifts us up above any attack used against us.  Christ created the bridge needed between our neighbors and ourselves, between races, between genders, between ages, between classes.

“The cross has the power to unify all who are willing to embrace it. In Christ the far off and wandering come near.”

Let’s Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Cross!  Help us to remember what Your Cross means to us. Your Cross rid us of any hostility that may stand in our way. Your Cross has power that we cannot always see but, standing on Your word, we will walk in faith with our swords held high, knowing that Your Cross, and what Christ did for us on that Cross ensured that we will walk in our full potential.  In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen!

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At Home with GCH: “Painted” Mason Jars

April 24, 2013 by

I LOVE Mason Jars….there I said it!  It’s off my chest now! 🙂  Mason jars can be so much FUN!    I’ve seen them used for organizing pantries, for holding green smoothies, drill holes in the lid to put a straw in and use it as a drinking glass, change jars, cookie jars, pasta jars, and so much more!  All of those ideas seemed pretty understandable…. But, then I saw this next idea, and I got excited!

I’m so excited to show you this next project!  When I first saw it on Pinterest, I thought “NO WAY….Painted Mason Jars??”  But oh my goodness, just wait until you see just how beautiful this project turns out!

So let’s get to work!

 

Here is what you will need for this project:  Jar Paint_Ingredients

1 clear glass Mason Jar

½ cup of Elmer’s Glue

5 -10 drops of your favorite food coloring (depending on how dark you want the color)

1-inch paint brush

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jar Paint_Step 1

Directions:

Stir the glue and food coloring together until well blended.  Grab your favorite 1-inch paint brush and then start painting the glue onto the jar.  After the whole jar is covered, set the jar aside and allow drying, and then watch what happens!          

 

The fun part of this project is that you are not limited to just one color!  Once the jar has dried with the first color, mix up more “paint” using a different food color.  Using a smaller brush, you can take this 2nd color and draw all kinds of squiggly lines, or geometric designs, or circles, or whatever you want onto the jar.  Once again, after you’ve painted the jar, set aside to allow drying.  If you want to add a 3rd color…you know what to do now! 

Then to finalize this project, find some amazingly beautiful flowers and viola…you have a perfect homemade vase to hold your beautiful flowers…or whatever else you want to use these jars for.  I love the flowers because, well, I just love fresh flowers, and the jars and flowers together make for a beautiful centerpiece.  If you want, you can use three different jar sizes…make them all different colors and then use as a centerpiece on your table!

Jar Paint_AFTER

Now that you know what you can do with JARS, don’t throw away your old jars.  Save those mayonnaise or pickle jars, and turn them into something beautiful.  I’m sure a friend would love to receive one of these amazingly beautiful jars filled with flowers or candy, or … or … or.  The possibilities are endless!

If you have been following my blog for any length of time, you know that I like projects that are simple!  You can’t get much simpler than this for a beautiful set of jars or a centerpiece!

I’d love to see YOUR projects!  You can email your pictures to me at Christi@girlfriendscoffeehour.com.

Happy Painting!

Christi

_________________________

*Cleaning Tip 1:  Wash your brush out with water as soon as you are finished painting your jar.

**Cleaning Tip 2: As your jars are drying, you will see some of the glue slide down the jar, onto the countertop or whatever you are placing the jars on to dry.  USE PAPER TOWELS TO WIPE THIS UP.  Otherwise, whatever you use will get stained with the food coloring.  (Don’t ask me how I know this!!)   🙂

 

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Girls With Swords: Chapter 5 – “The Cross As A Sword” (pgs 63-65)

April 22, 2013 by

Click HERE for this week’s reading assignment.  

I have a confession to make.  My life is not perfect.  I’m disappointed, saddened, and often angry at the events that mark my past and present.   Things happened to me and by me that I cannot change.  I find myself at a ‘cross’roads’.  I have a choice to make: Do I let those events in my past define me and color the present I am living?  Or do I confess my past and my present, give it to the One who truly loves me and live a future in Freedom and Purpose?

If I confess my hurts, my mistakes, my willful wrong choices, what will people think of me?  I buried those things in my past so far down, no one will ever know they are there.  If I just keep quiet, I can carry these hurts, deeply buried, to my grave and no one will ever know.  But….I know…and God knows…and deep down inside those “secrets” are festering and poisoning my heart and I really just need to dig them out.  NOW, please.

There is a part of me that screams, “What good could possibly come from dragging up the past?”  And then quieter, “Leave it buried.”  “You really don’t want to live through that again, do you?”   And then there is the part of me that says, (Quieter) “You probably don’t want to say that at church.  What if the Pastor finds out?”   “You really shouldn’t write that in your blog.  What if you disappoint readers or lead a bad example?”  “If you let people see that part of you, you will be left alone…again.”  Do you recognize these voices?  Do you hear the whispered hisses?

As we have been traveling together through this book, we have learned so much.  Since Lisa is using sword analogies, we have a visual representation of our cross in our hands.  Our sword, when stuck in the ground, is a cross.  Our sword, when held in the air…is still a cross.

It has been said that the cross is a bridge.  The cross of Jesus bridges the gap between our sinful nature and the perfect, Holy God.  It has also been said that sin entered the world by a beautiful, fruit-filled tree, and on the ragged, bark-stripped cross, Jesus made the perfect provision for us to be made whole.  As Lisa says, “Just as Adam stole the fruit of a forbidden tree and caused all within him to die, Jesus died on a barren tree and thus became its fruit that all in him might live.” (p. 64).  You and I are part of the fruit of Adam, and if we accept Jesus’ gift on the cross, we are His fruit as well.

Because we are Adam’s fruit we have a sinful, hurtful part of us.  We hurt people.   Many of you sisters have been hurt.  Your hurt is holding you back from the freedom and abundant life Jesus Christ has to offer.  Many of us have been taught to be ashamed, afraid and silent.  We bear many burdens in silence, never letting anyone in to walk alongside us.  We are lonely.  I was lonely.   That woman next door, she is lonely too.  What if we no longer wanted to be lonely?  Could we just get together, talk and share our stories?

That sounds risky, doesn’t it?   I’m at a crossroads.  I can make the decision NOT to live in fear, shame and disappointment.  I can make the choice to REACH OUT to that woman and listen to her story.  Maybe I will even share my story.  Maybe our stories will meld together, we will strengthen each other, we will forge a bond that is not easily broken and we will no longer be alone.   We will be ONE  and an answer to Jesus’ prayer.

My sWord says this in Proverbs 27:17, “As iron sharpens iron,  so one person sharpens another.”  I want to be sharp, useful and productive.  I am created for a purpose.  My story, when shared with another person, could be a life-changer, a world-changer.

I am not that person I used to be.  You are not that person you used to be.  Those people (back there in the past) made us who we are today, though, and we have to look at ourselves and see if we are who God made us to be.  I have a choice to make.  I think I’ll take out my sWord and see what wisdom I can find to lead me as I choose the path that leads to freedom in Christ.

Solomon, the wise man, found himself at a crossroad.  God made an offer to Solomon and He makes the same offer to you. What would your heart’s desire be?  Would you choose riches, fame, beauty, intelligence, a good job, a good-looking husband, a house full of kids?  The Bible says Solomon asked for wisdom to be able to do God’s will for His people.  Got granted him wisdom and then added riches, fame, beauty, intelligence, a kingdom, lots of wives and kids.  Only God would do something so extravagant as that!

When Solomon’s life was nearing its end, he looked back over all he had, the choices he made, the things he had done and he was disappointed.  The wisest man who ever lived was blessed abundantly by God and found that it is all meaningless without a relationship with the God of Heaven.

Ecclesiastes 8:9-13

I have thought deeply about all that goes on here under the sun, where people have the power to hurt each other…. When a crime is not punished quickly, people feel it is safe to do wrong.  But even though a person sins a hundred times and still lives a long time, I know that those who fear God will be better off. 

Solomon began to dig into his life experiences, uncover the meaningless parts that stood between him and the life God wanted for him.  Solomon could have left us with the book of Proverbs and we would have thought he was quite profound and wise.   Why did he write Ecclesiastes?  Solomon had a story to tell.  He needed to share with us what he learned so we could walk an easier path if we choose to.

If you are one of those sisters with buried secrets, living in shame and regret, you are at a crossroads.  One path leads to a familiar place…loneliness, embarrassment, shame, pride, just getting by.  The other path leads somewhere new and a little scary.  This path makes me feel vulnerable and shaken.  This path requires me to walk one step at a time lighted by faith, trust, hope and love.  This path binds me to other travelers who are ready and willing to share their life story with me.  I do not have to walk alone.

I don’t know about you, but I want to RISE when He calls my name.  I want to lay down all the sorrow and shame, lies and pain.  I want to follow Him!  I want to pick up a sister along the way and take her with me.

Let’s Pray:

Father, Thank YOU for the cross.  Father, give us strength to choose our cross and to follow You.  Give us a willingness to share our stories with our sisters.  Let those hurts, those wounds be used by You to bring healing to our hearts, Lord , and to free us from the shame that has held us captive for so long.  We want to RISE when You call us.  Thank You for wanting us.  We are not alone.  Never Alone.    AMEN

 

If you would like to join us for the “Girls with Swords” Online Bible/Book study, click HERE to be taken to our sign-up page.  Once you complete the enrollment process, we will email you further details.  We hope you will join us!

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Your Word Have I Hid in My Heart

April 20, 2013 by

 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
Psalms 119:11

It doesn’t matter whether one is a child learning to memorize Scripture, or an adult who has endeavored to walk in the Truth for twenty years, or a new believer just learning the power that can be wielded by God’s Word—this can be the cry of every single child of God. May I be so bold as to say, ‘This SHOULD be the cry of every one of God’s children!’

As I studied this particular verse, and read the beautiful expression of it in different Bible versions, I saw such a bigger picture.  Here, listen:

  • Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You.
  • In my heart I have hid Thy saying, That I sin not before Thee.
  • In my heart I store up your words, so I might not sin against you.
  • I have treasured your promise in my heart so that I may not sin against you.

The word hidden is also translated as ‘treasured’ and ‘store up.’  I think it is like certain items that we treasure and hide, or store away.  I keep cards.  Birthday, Christmas, Happy Hearts Day, encouragement, thank you, miss you, Thanksgiving, sympathy cards…I keep ‘em all.  Why?  It is because I treasure the words of the loved ones who have given them to me and so I hide them away and store them.  (It is a BIG box!)  Similarly with God’s Words…we treasure them and so we hide them in our hearts storing them away.

Here are a few other verses that we can hide in our hearts to help us, to strengthen us:

I desire to do your will, my God; your law is within my heart.
Psalms 40:8

The mouth of the [uncompromisingly] righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks with justice.  The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.
Psalms 37:30 and 31

My son, keep my words And treasure my commandments within you.
Proverbs 7:1

My son, if you will receive my words and treasure up my commandments within you,
Making your ear attentive to skillful and godly Wisdom and inclining and directing your heart and mind to understanding;
Yes, if you cry out for insight and raise your voice for understanding,
If you seek [Wisdom] as for silver and search for skillful and godly Wisdom as for hidden treasures,
Then you will understand the reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of [our omniscient] God.
For the Lord gives skillful and godly Wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.
He hides away sound and godly Wisdom and stores it for the righteous (those who are upright and in right standing with Him); He is a shield to those who walk uprightly and in integrity,
That He may guard the paths of justice; yes, He preserves the way of His saints.
Then you will understand righteousness, justice, and fair dealing [in every area and relation]; yes, you will understand every good path.
For skillful and godly Wisdom shall enter into your heart, and knowledge shall be pleasant to you.
from Proverbs chapter 2

One last point: in every single one of the translations of this verse in different Bible versions, one thing remains the same.  (Did you notice it, too?)  “…that I may not sin against You.”  The motivation of our hearts, yes?  Our hearts desire is to love God and be pleasing to Him.  We know from the Scriptures that the way to do that is to obey Him.  We obey God by having His Words hidden (treasured, stored up) in our hearts so that we will not sin against Him.

John 14:15
If you [really] love Me, you will keep (obey) My commands.

1 Samuel 15:22
Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,
as in obeying the voice of the Lord?

1 John 5:3
For the [true] love of God is this: that we do His commands….

The Word of God is our most powerful weapon against sin.  But useless are words on a page that are not hidden, treasured, and stored in the heart.

My prayer before our loving Father is that you…

…Put on God’s complete armor, that you may be able to resist and stand your ground on the evil day [of danger], and, having done all [the crisis demands], to stand [firmly in your place].
Stand therefore [hold your ground], having tightened the belt of truth around your loins and having put on the breastplate of integrity and of moral rectitude and right standing with God,
And having shod your feet in preparation [to face the enemy with the firm-footed stability, the promptness,] and the readiness of the Gospel of peace.
Lift up over all the [covering] shield of saving faith, upon which you can quench all the flaming missiles of the wicked [one].
And take the helmet of salvation and the sword that the Spirit wields, which is the Word of God.
Ephesians 6:13-17

Praying for each of you!

♥ coleen

_________________________________

If you would like to send a personal message to Coleen, you may email her at: Coleen@girlfriendscoffeehour.com, or leave a comment below.

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At Home with GCH: Chicken en Papillote with Pesto

April 19, 2013 by

chicken en papillote

I know chicken breasts are good for me.  I know I should eat lots of lean protein.  But sometimes the idea of choking down a dry, mealy, overcooked hunk of chicken makes me shudder.  Yuck!  The trick to cooking chicken breasts is to keep them moist and flavorful, because once they get dry, they’re only good for throwing on top of a salad and drenching with dressing.  So I needed something to keep the moisture locked in.  If you have all day, use a crock pot.  If you only have an hour, use parchment paper!

Cooking something “en papillote” is French for cooking “in paper.”  You might already have parchment paper if you do a lot of baking, but if not, you can find it near the aluminum foil in the baking aisle.  This recipe is infinitely customizable—just use whatever combination of vegetables you like, plus chicken breasts, and some seasoning on top.  Bake for an hour, open and enjoy!

This recipe is even better slathered with homemade pesto.  Basil is pretty easy to grow in the yard, so if you have a garden, you can make pesto this summer!  The recipe has the proportions that I like.  You may want to use less garlic, or more oil, to make a thinner sauce.  Also, most pesto recipes add a little parmesan cheese – maybe a tablespoon, grated – to the mix; but I left it out since I am still eating on the Paleo diet.  If you have leftovers, pesto goes great over pasta of any kind.  I had a little pesto leftover and I ate it on scrambled eggs – delicious!

pesto

 

Chicken en Papillote with Pesto

Ingredients:

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 cup baby carrots
  • 2 large zucchini, cut the same size as the baby carrots
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 teaspoons butter

For the pesto:

  • 2 cups basil leaves
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1/4 – 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons pine nuts (keep in the freezer so they won’t go rancid)
  • 1 lemon
  • salt and pepper

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400*F.  Cut two pieces of parchment paper, about 12 x 24 inches.  Fold them in half width-wise, then open.  On one half of the paper, make a bed of half the carrots and zucchini slices; repeat on the second paper.  Season with salt and pepper.  Top each bed of vegetables with two chicken breasts, and season with salt and pepper again.  Divide the butter and drop half a teaspoon of butter on each chicken breast.
  2. Fold the paper in half, to cover the chicken.  Now you should have an envelope or packet.  Fold over the long end a few times, then make a triangular fold at each of the corners.  Now fold over the two short ends several times.  (There are many ways you can fold the paper to keep it shut.  I’ve even gotten frustrated before and stapled them shut!  Here are some ideas for folding the paper.)  When you have the two packets closed up, place on a cookie sheet and put them in the oven.  Cook for one hour, rotating the cookie sheet halfway through to make sure the packets cook evenly.

papillote packet

 

  1. While the chicken is cooking, make the pesto:  In a food processor, blend the basil leaves, garlic, and 1/4 cup of olive oil.  Scrape down the sides, add the pine nuts, and blend again.  Scrape down the sides again, cut the lemon in half, and add the juice to the pesto.  If you want the pesto thinner, add more oil.  Taste…if you want a stronger lemon flavor, you can add the zest from the lemon too.  If you are adding parmesan cheese, now is the time!  Blend again.
  2. To serve, open the packets—carefully!  Don’t get burned on the steam!  You can put the packets on a plate, or open them in the kitchen and throw out the paper if you like.  Pass the pesto!

Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana

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

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