May 6, 2026

Girls with Swords: Chapter Two – “A Sword Reforged” (pgs 29-33)

April 4, 2013 by

Here I am trying to write a blog, not just any blog, but a blog that God has already prepared for you to hear.  One that I need to focus on and discern His words from mine in order to deliver exactly what God wants ( and not what I want to say).  I believe with all of my heart that Satan will do all that he can in order to distract me, make me doubt, confuse me, and make it seem impossible to write something for you.  I have never struggled with writing before. My times of writing have easily become my favorite, because each time I write, I feel so close to God.  I can feel Him guiding my fingertips across the keyboard.  I feel His wisdom touching the screen.  I re-read what I just wrote and sit back in amazement that those words were not mine; they were the words of my God.

Why now I wonder am I finding it so hard to write?  It is no coincidence that since I have started blogging about a book that encourages women of all ages, pasts, and futures to take up God’s sword against Satan that I am sitting in front of my computer wordless.  Satan does not want me to find God’s words.  He does not want me to write them down.  He does not want anyone else to see them.

In this moment, I asked my mother to pray for me.  She spoke these words to my heart, “Hold onto God’s word.  Remember that the cross is where Satan was defeated.  He will continue to roam around, but the work has already been done on the cross.  Carry scripture around with you and as you feel these attacks, pull out that scripture, and use GOD’S WORD against those attacks.”  And, of course, she told me she would be praying for me.

These confirming words from my mother brought me to this “a-ha” moment.  This moment of writing the words that I know God wants YOU to hear.

“And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” Matthew 28:20.

Do you believe these words spoken by Jesus in God’s Living Word?  No matter how badly Satan attempts to discourage us, these words will always remain true.  It took me awhile to understand the comfort and truth behind these words.  I have found the more time I spend in God’s Word; the more I feel the truth of these words.  The more I learn the power of the “sword” God has given me to deter Satan’s attacks, the more thankful I become that God has already fought my battles for me.  He is victorious and, through me accepting the gift of His perfect Son dying for me, I am victorious too.  When the battles seem to carry on and you are feeling weary, confused, distressed, uncertain, and alone; REMEMBER THESE WORDS, “I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS” and let your heart be content with this promise from God. 

I love many things about Jesus.  One of my favorites being that He can relate with us and in return offer us the best comfort and advice we could ever imagine.  When you are tempted beyond what you believe you can bear, Jesus has been there.  Call out to Him for help; He knows just how you feel.  Jesus was tempted and His faith was tested by Satan.  Each time Jesus pulled out His sword against Satan.  He knew God’s truth and He used it when it mattered the most.  Let us follow Jesus’ example.  Take up your sword which is the Living Word of God and use His truths against Satan’s many lies.

I desire so strongly to be able to not only know the many truths in God’s word, but to use them too.  We have been given the most powerful weapon—the Bible—and we must decide to put off everything that hinders and distracts us, to take up the “sword” and learn how to use this truth against Satan in our weakest moments.

PathHeHasChosenForUs_Meyers

 

Let’s Pray:

Lord, thank You for coming through always.  Thank You for being with us even in the moments when we do not feel You.  In those moments Lord let us not forget Your truths.  Let us learn Your truths so that in our weak moments, we can feel Your strength through Your Word.  I pray that You set a desire in each and every one of us to learn Your truth daily so that when the time comes to use Your truth, we can do so with confidence.  Lord, we love You so much and know that we need You every moment of every day.  Thank You that we can count on You and feel the comfort and peace this truth brings!  Amen.

 

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Meet Wellness Coach and Fitness Designer – Crystal Bush Breaux

April 3, 2013 by

I Can Handle It

 

“I can handle it and figure it all out on my own. If I mess up, I do not need anyone to help me.  I am strong enough and capable to turn it around and make it right.  I know the exact time when things need to be done according to the clock, day, week, month and even year.” That WAS the story of my life. I had a need to be morally perfect and in control; which, of course, caused me internal frustration, hopelessness, and missed opportunities for a deeper relationship with God and others.

Perfection

All of my life, I have had a desire to do the right thing by pleasing God and other people.  However, when I could not keep it together and failed, I was too embarrassed to ask for help.  I knew if I tried really hard I could do it without the help of anyone, including God.  This struggle left me feeling like a failure more than once.  It was only when I realized I was powerless by myself and could admit my imperfections, I became secure and confident in whom I was as a woman in Christ.

Control

After many years of infertility, multiple miscarriages, and trying to “fix” things in my marriage on my own, I had to realize there are things in my life I can not control.  I had to be willing to submit those things to God and give up my fears, my timelines, and plans of how I think it should be done. For someone who prided herself on being organized, on time, and prepared for any situation, the lack of control in certain areas of my life left me feeling hopeless.

What a happy day when I really understood my life’s scripture.Phil1_6

What a relief. I am not expected to have it all together. God knows we are going to fail, so why shouldn’t we expect it of our self.

As a fitness and wellness coach, my purpose in life is to work with women who want to overcome the helpless feeling of not knowing how to maintain their weight and consistency in their fitness.  I understand the feeling of having control and discipline in so many areas of life, yet struggling internally in one area that is so important to a woman. It can leave you feeling powerless.

My heart is to empower women to feel confident in their choices with food and exercise, and guide them toward a life of balance physically, mentally and spiritually, no matter how busy life gets.

*****

Crystal will be blogging for At Home with GCH on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month.

You can follow Crystal’s business blog at www.yourfitnessdesigner.com and/or follow her on www.facebook.com/yourfitnessdesigner.

For a personal Fitness and Food Design, you can email her at crystal@yourfitnessdesigner.com to schedule a free telephone consultation.

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Girls With Swords: A Sword Reforged (pgs 24-29)

April 3, 2013 by

The sword was renewed… There have been times in my life where I have felt beaten down, like I was unable to pick anything up— least a sword and carry it anywhere; times where I have felt I couldn’t read the word of God; times where I felt I couldn’t even pray.

I know what it feels like to have the sword renewed in my life. To pick up the Bible and have God lead me to the scripture I needed to read that day, to say a prayer and to feel His presence, I know what it feels like to have my sword renewed. I think we can all relate to this.

When I pick up the sword of the Word of God, a lot of times I don’t know what I’m going to read.  I don’t know how it is going to impact my day, my week or how it is going to impact that moment in time.  I do know, and I have faith in the fact, that the Word I hold in my hand and in my heart will make a difference, that the words He has written will make a difference not only in my life, but in the lives of others.

GWS_Page25

Our futures are beautiful and powerful, because we have God on our side and in our hearts.  As Lisa said, it is time for the church to know what a girl with a sword can do, it’s time for Satan to know what a girl with a sword can do, and it’s time that we believe this ourselves—that we take up our swords and declare what God has said in His Scriptures.

Girls with swords may be only three letters, but ladies, it means so much…

 

 

Lets Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the sword You have placed in our lives. Thank You for allowing us to see the power of this sword in our own lives so that we can wield our swords with confidence and faith. Please allow our words and actions to heal and not hurt.  Please give us the holy boldness to step out, sword in hand, and show the world, Satan, and ourselves, that Your word—our swords—hold more power than we could ever imagine.  In Jesus’ name, we pray,  Amen.

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Girls With Swords: Chapter 2 – “The God Sword” (pgs 19-24)

April 2, 2013 by

If someone handed you a sword today would you know how to use it?  Would you know how to hold it properly?  Wield it safely and effectively?  Defend yourself against an enemy?  Protect your family from harm?  Why do we need a sword anyway?

We have been handed a sword—a God Sword.  Ephesians 6 addresses the Armor of God that we are to put on daily to protect ourselves from spiritual attack.  Verse 17 says this, “Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”  We had a pretty cute discussion about spiritual “helmet hair” last week in one of the Facebook groups, but this sword of the Spirit is a different matter.  The Sword of the Spirit is the Word of God—my Bible.  How many of us have a Bible in our home, on our night stand or bookshelf, or in our car and we rarely use it?  Do we really know what is inside it?  Do we know the One the Book reveals to us?  We are missing out on the power of God in our lives because we do not learn how to use our weapon.

If a warrior was sent into battle the same day he was given his sword, chances are good the warrior would not come back alive.  That same warrior needs training and experience to be able to handle his sword effectively.  Owning a sword does not make him an effective warrior, using the sword does.  Lisa says she had a revelation that “many of God’s daughters in this generation are unarmed…ill equipped and unprepared.  It…means they are at risk and incredibly vulnerable to deception” (p. 19).

The Bible warns us against the double-edged sword of false teachers/prophets and deception.

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world”  (1 John 4:1).  The only way to know the truth, to be able to test the spirits, is to know God.  You have to know His character, see if what the teachers (or people in general) are saying is consistent with what you know about God.  Are the teachers teaching the “whole” gospel?  There are many factions of believers in the world who are holding to small pieces of the God sword.  Each piece, used individually, is ineffective to defend and protect us from the evil one.

What good is a blade with no point, or a handle without a guard?  The sword bearer will be injured and perhaps killed if not properly equipped.  A broken sword is useless to the warrior, BUT useful to the enemy.  As Christ-followers we need to be properly equipped with the whole Bible, not just the pieces we like and disregard the rest.  Let’s figure out how to unite our fellow believers so that we are using the whole counsel of God against our enemies.

WordOfGodAliveLisa says, “All that we require to reassemble these weapons of battle in this season can be found in God’s Word.  Every piece large and small is already awaiting our unified, living declaration.  If it takes a furnace of hardship to bring us to a place of unified prayer so that what was separated can be seamlessly joined together, so be it” (p. 23).  It is time for the Mighty Warrior Princesses to study, pray and declare the Bible is TRUTH as a whole and learn to use it to influence others.  “The Word of God is ALIVE, POWERFUL, PERFECT, and PURE” (p. 23).

There was one more very profound truth on page 23.  “Satan is not afraid of a disjointed church that wields pieces or fragments of God’s mighty Word, but he will tremble in terror at the church that rises up with the sword of his Word re-forged and expressed through our lives.”  We have to know more than our favorite verses.  That piece may get us through sometimes, but we need to know ALL the Word to help us through a LIFETIME.

The world will truly see REVIVAL when the church unites to use our strengths to work together instead of tear each other apart.  Let’s learn to use our swords.  It’s time to TRAIN.  We have to get strong in the Lord and be of good courage.  Oh, and one more thing, “swords are used on enemies, not friends.”  Let’s band together, sharpen each other as we practice using our God Sword and fight the enemy!

Lift your WHOLE sword high,

Teresa

*****

Let’s Pray:

Heavenly Father, we thank You for the sisters You have given us to sharpen us.  Thank You that we can speak truth from You into each other’s lives.  Lead us to a deeper understanding of Your Word and help us to hide it deep within our being.  Enable us to use the truth to defend and protect us from the deceiver and false teachers.  Guide and protect us as we band together and learn to wield the whole counsel in the Bible and not just our favorite parts.  Your Word is Holy and complete.  We do not want to be found guilty of diminishing its value in our lives.  Thank You, Father for the opportunity to be in this place, in this time, to stand for You.  Help us as we learn new skills to apply to our lives.  AMEN.

 

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Girls With Swords: Chapter 2 – “A Sword Is Born” (pgs. 17-19)

April 1, 2013 by

(Your Reading assignment for this week can be found HERE)

 

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1, NLT, emphasis mine).

Lisa Bevere begins by discussing the origin of swords and how they are found throughout the Bible. As I prayed and sought the Lord’s leading in what He wanted me to write about today, He only gave me these verses and a few words. I think they are enough. His Word is always enough.

In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through Him, and nothing was created except through Him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and His life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it (John 1:1-5, NLT, emphasis mine).

So the Word became human and made His home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen His glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son (John 1:14, NLT).

Jesus is the Creator and Sustainer of all things. The Bible tells us that He existed with the Father before the heavens and the earth were created. His presence brings light in the darkness, which can never go out. His Word (the sword) speaks of His deep and abiding love for us—for all time. He loved (and loves) us so much that he became fully human, experienced the sufferings of life, and died a sinner’s death on a cross. His love is unwavering and true. He loves even those who do not love Him. Jesus is love. Love eternal.

JesusLoveEternal

 

 

With Love,

Jennifer

 

*****

Let’s Pray:

Father God, You are the giver of life, the One who loves each of us beyond comprehension. Lord, help us to accept that love today. Use us to reach the hearts of those who are doubting, questioning, or struggling. Fill us with Your Spirit of love and enable us to show that love to someone else today. We love You, Father. Amen.

 

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At Home with GCH: Mac and Cheese

April 1, 2013 by

Here on our At Home with GCH blog, Mondays are always focused on healthy but oh-so-yummy! recipes.  This week we are going to bake a yummy mac and cheese that is loaded with veggies, and low on the calories by reducing the amount of cheese.

macncheese

Mac and Cheese. C’mon, who does not like Mac and Cheese?  I read a poll, and Mac and Cheese was voted overwhelmingly as ‘favorite comfort food!’  Now I am hoping that your favorite version does NOT come out of a blue box 😉 but, if it does, perhaps you might consider my recipe and see if it does not convince you to try it instead of the blue box version in the future. 🙂 

This version of Mac & Cheese has lots of veggies snuck in there.  Some of the pasta is made with pureed carrots and tomatoes, and there is butternut squash throughout the cheese sauce.  I love this because it makes the cheese sauce even more colorful (ORANGE)  causing the eaters to ‘think’ it is more cheesy!  Also, there is only 6-ounces of shredded cheese in the whole dish which helps to keep this recipe in our ‘healthy-but-oh-so-yummy!’ category.

Have you ever made a white, or bechamel, sauce?  Well, today you will!  It is very easy, and a great technique to add to your repertoire!  In a future post, I will share some recipes that need a white sauce, and by then you will be a pro at making it!

The following recipe makes an abundantly filled 9×13 pan…enough to feed 6-8 hungry folks, )or, if you have a husband who LOVES leftovers like mine does, lunch for 2-3 days.)  This recipe is easily doubled, and I always make a double batch.  A menu suggestion:  Mac & Cheese, steamed broccoli, grilled ham steak.  A big, delicious salad is often our only accompaniment.

Macaroni:
1#box small macaroni (shells, penne)
12oz box veggie pasta (i used penne made with carrots and tomato) *2012-11-03 19.21.38

Cheese Sauce:
1/2 small onion, diced
2T butter
2T flour
1c 2 percent milk
1c chicken or vegetable broth
2 (10-ounce) packages frozen pureed winter squash, thawed
1/2c part-skim ricotta cheese
4oz sharp Cheddar, shredded (about 1+1/3c)
2oz Monterey jack cheese, shredded (about 2/3c)
1tsp salt, 1 tsp fresh ground pepper
1tsp ground (dry) mustard

Topping:
2 slices stale bread, crumbled into fine crumbs
2T freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1tsp olive oil

Preheat your oven to 375.  Coat a 9 by 13-inch baking pan with a small amount of  butter.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add 1 tsp of salt and the macaroni; cook  according to package directions.  Drain in a colander and place back into the cooled pot (this is where you will mix the macaroni and all that cheesy goodness together!)

Meanwhile, over medium heat, melt the butter in a medium saucepan, adding the  diced onion. cook ‘til the onion is soft and translucent, approximately 5 minutes.  Then sprinkle the flour over the cooked onion and, using a whisk, stir constantly for one minute.  Adjust the heat to very low, and cook for 2-3 minutes to get the starchy taste out of the mixture.  Do not let the mixture brown.   Increase the heat back to  medium and immediately slowly pour in 1/4 cup or so of milk while whisking briskly.  Just keep stirring!  As this is absorbed, continue to slowly add the balance of the  milk in a steady stream, followed by the broth; stirring constantly as the liquid  becomes absorbed.  This will take about 3 minutes.  Adjust the heat lower again and  let this mixture simmer slowly for another 5  minutes, stirring occasionally.  (You  have now made a white, or bechamel, sauce; congratulations!!!)  At this point, add in the thawed  butternut squash, stirring ‘til it is incorporated, allowing the mixture to come back  to a simmer.  Remove the saucepan from the heat.  Stir in the ricotta, and the  other cheeses, along with the ground mustard, and salt & pepper.  Carefully taste (it’s hot!) the  cheese sauce, adjusting for seasoning.

2012-11-03 20.00.28

Pour cheese mixture over the macaroni in the large pot and stir gently to combine.  Transfer the macaroni and cheese to the 9×13 baking dish and bake for 20 minutes.  Remove from oven.  Adjust the top rack in the oven to a higher position, and turn  the broiler on.  Combine bread crumbs, parmesan cheese and oil in a small bowl.  Mix with your fingers; get a little messy!  Then sprinkle over the top of the cooked mac and cheese.  Carefully place the baking dish back in the oven and broil for 3  minutes.  Keep your eye on it; you want the breadcrumbs to brown but not burn and  for some of the macaroni to get just a little crispy (my husband loves that part!).  Again, carefully remove from the oven…and you are ready to serve!

*Here is a link to the type of veggie macaroni I used.  Check it out!
http://barilla.com/content/prodottobarilla/veggie-penne-freshly-pureed-tomatoes-and-carrots

 

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

♥  coleen

*****

If you would like to send a personal message to Coleen, in regards to this blog, please email her at: Coleen@girlfriendscoffeehour.com.

 

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He Is…

March 30, 2013 by

How can one ever fully define all that our Lord, Jesus the Christ, is?  God has bestowed upon His Son many, many names.  There are a vast number of prophecies in the Old Testament that Jesus fulfilled…and was allocated the glorious Name associated with these prophecies.  Below is a very small list of the names of our Lord as they pertain to us.  I pray that as you read them and consider them, your heart will be lifted in praise..and thankfulness to Almighty God for all that He has provided for us in Jesus our Lord!

He is the Messiah 
He first sought out and found his own brother Simon and said to him,
We have found (discovered) the Messiah!
—which translated is the Christ (the Anointed One).
John 1:41

He is our Master 
And you must not be called masters (leaders),
for you have one Master (Leader), the Christ.
Matthew 23:10

He is our Savior
For to you is born this day in the town of David a Savior,
Who is Christ (the Messiah) the Lord!
Luke 2:11

He is the Way, the Truth and the Life
Jesus said to him, I am the Way and the Truth and the Life;
no one comes to the Father except by (through) Me.
John 14:6

He is our Advocate 
My little children, I write you these things so that you may not violate God’s law and sin.
But if anyone should sin, we have an Advocate with the Father
—Jesus Christ [the] righteous.
1 John 2:1

He is the Friend of Sinners
The Son of Man came eating and drinking [with others], and they say,
Behold, a glutton and a wine drinker, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!
Matthew 11:19

He is the True Vine 
I am the True Vine, and My Father is the Vinedresser.
John 15:1

He is the Good Shepherd 
I am the Good Shepherd.
The Good Shepherd risks and lays down His [own] life for the sheep.
John 10:11

He is the Bread of Life
Jesus replied, I am the Bread of Life.
He who comes to Me will never be hungry, and he who believes in and cleaves to
and trusts in and relies on Me will never thirst any more (at any time).
John 6:35

He is our Righteousness 
In His days Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely:
and this is His name by which He shall be called: The Lord Our Righteousness.
Jeremiah 23:6

He is our Deliverer
God exalted Him to His right hand to be Prince and Leader and Savior and  Deliverer 
and Preserver, in order to grant repentance to Israel and to bestow forgiveness
and release from sins.Acts 5:31

He is the Lamb of God
The next day John saw Jesus coming to him and said, Look! There is the Lamb of God,
Who takes away the sin of the world!
John 1:29

He is the Prince of Peace 
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called…Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6

He is the Author of Life
But you killed the very Source (the Author) of life, Whom God raised from the dead.
To this we are witnesses.
Acts 3:15

He is the Light of the World
He said, I am the Light of the world.
He who follows Me will not be walking in the dark, but will have the Light which is Life.
John 8:12

He is our Mediator 
For there [is only] one God, and [only] one Mediator between God and men,
the Man Christ Jesus, Who gave Himself as a ransom for all…
1 Timothy 2:5, 6

He is Emmanuel 
Behold, the virgin shall become pregnant and give birth to a Son,
and they shall call His name Emmanuel
—which, when translated, means, God with us.
Matthew 1:23

He is the Head of the Body, the Church.
He also is the Head of [His] body, the church; seeing He is the Beginning,
the Firstborn from among the dead, so that He alone in everything
and in every respect might occupy the chief place.
Colossians 1:18

He is the Resurrection 
Jesus said to her, I am [Myself] the Resurrection and the Life.
Whoever believes in Me, although he may die, yet he shall live;
And whoever continues to live and believes in Me
shall never [actually] die at all. Do you believe this?
John 11:25

He is our High Priest
Inasmuch then as we have a great High Priest 
Who has [already] ascended and passed through the heavens,
Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession [of faith in Him].
Hebrews 4:14

He is the King of kings, and LORD of lords 
And on His garment and on His thigh He has a name inscribed,
King of kings and Lord of lords.
Revelation 19:16

He is the AMEN 
These are the words of the Amen, the trusty and faithful and true Witness,
the Origin and Beginning and Author of God’s creation:
Revelation 3:14

One final name that we all love to call our Jesus is—King.  Please listen to Dr. S.M. Lockeridge as he exalts the name of our Lord Jesus as King…may your praises ring out as loudly as Dr. Lockeridge’s.

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: Soba Noodles with Salmon and Miso

March 29, 2013 by

Soba Noodles with Salmon and Miso

 

I know some people give up meat on Fridays, especially during Lent, so to celebrate the end of Lent, the coming of Easter, and the arrival of Spring, I have a fresh and tasty fish recipe for you!

The two “ethnic” ingredients you’ll need for this recipe are both Japanese.  Soba noodles are thick, chewy buckwheat noodles, with a wonderful nutty taste.  They come dried and are widely available, so if your grocery store has an Asian section, there’s a good chance they’ll be there.  (You could substitute whole wheat spaghetti if you really can’t find the soba noodles.)  The other ingredient is miso paste.  It’s made of fermented soy beans and adds a mild soy sauce-like flavor.  Check the refrigerated section of the store, maybe by the tofu.  (If you can’t find it, use soy sauce instead, but the flavor will be more pronounced.)  As for the vegetables, I like baby Bok Choi, but if you can’t find that, you could use 5 ounces of spinach instead, or Napa cabbage, or even bean sprouts and strips of bell pepper.  Be creative!  This recipe serves two, but you can easily double it if you like.

Soba Noodles with Salmon and Miso

(Adapted from a recipe in the book Homestyle Asian)

Ingredients:

  • 2 ounces dried soba noodles
  • 1 heaping teaspoon miso paste (or one teaspoon soy sauce)
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 4 teaspoons sesame oil, divided
  • 1 pound salmon filets
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh garlic (use 2 cloves)
  • 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
  • 1 carrot, cut into matchsticks
  • 3 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 4 heads of baby bok choi, separated into individual leaves (or use one 5 ounce bag baby spinach)
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Salmon Grill Pan

 

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350*F.  Cook the soba noodles according to the package directions.  Drain, add back to the pot you cooked them in, and toss with a teaspoon of the sesame oil, so the noodles won’t stick together.  Set aside.
  2. Whisk together the miso, honey, one teaspoon sesame oil, and one teaspoon water to form a paste.  Brush over the salmon.  Sear on a hot grill pan or frying pan for 30 seconds.  Brush salmon with any remaining glaze and place on a foil-lined baking tray.  Bake for 6 minutes, then cover and leave to rest in a warm place.
  3. Heat one teaspoon of sesame oil in a frying pan.  Add the garlic, ginger, carrot, green onion, and bok choi and sauté for one minute.  The vegetables should not brown, but remain bright and crisp.  Add the noodles, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and last teaspoon of sesame oil, and stir to combine for another 30 seconds.
  4. To serve, place the noodles and vegetables on the plate.  Top with salmon and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

 

Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana

*****

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

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Glorious Living w/ Coach Megan: How to Stay Motivated

March 29, 2013 by

 GL header

Dear Megan,

How do I stay motivated? To reach goals? I try to lose weight and exercise but I keep losing my ambition. I also am struggling in doing my bible studies.

Thank you.

~D

Oh, my dear…what a perfect question to start off this blog with! This is something almost every single person who comes to me for coaching needs help with, and it is certainly so important in every aspect of our lives! Here are a few ways you can endure success in staying motivated in areas you know God has called you to have focus on. 

1. Accountability

Share your new goal or endeavor with the people closest to you so that they can ask you how it is going and hold you accountable to getting it done. Use discernment about who to share with.  When you share what you are endeavoring to do with someone you trust, you are more likely to stick it out just from knowing that they know and will ask you about it! If you can enlist someone to go on this adventure WITH you, that is even better!

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

Colossians 3:16

2. Surround yourself with cheerleaders!

This is so important! When you make the commitment to do something new whether it is a new weight loss challenge or start a daily quiet time with the Lord, it becomes so much harder to do if you are surrounded by people who don’t believe you can do it or do what they can to discourage you. Even if your closest circle is full of Negative Nancy’s, that’s okay! Make sure you are keeping in frequent contact with the positive people God has so intentionally placed in your life!

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

1 Thessalonians 5:11

3. Know you are not in this alone

You are not created to do ANYTHING in your own power. You know that, right? God is with you and wants to walk this out with you every step of the way! Please do not try to do anything alone. <3

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed,

for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you;

I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Isaiah 41:10

4. Create margin in your day

Are you too busy? That is a big big way we all get unmotivated. If you are going to take on something that will take an hour of your time a day, make sure you make room for that to physically be able to happen. God does not intend for our lives to be so stretched that we don’t even have time for Him! Take some time to really look closely at how you are spending your time and see where you might be able to delegate tasks or delete time-wasters!

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind,

that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Romans 12:2

5. Just do it

Sometimes, it just comes down to those three words…. JUST DO IT! If you know that God has called you to it then He will equip you with all you need to get it done… you need only get out of the way! It really is that simple sometimes, and sometimes the only answer is to JUST DO IT!!!

As long as you are going to do it, you might as well do it right. Right? As long as you are going to show up for work, you might as well do your best on the job. As long as you are going  to raise a family, you might as well make it a happy, well-adjusted one. As long as you are going to have a life, you might as well live a life of excellence and live it with intention!

And if you throw yourself wholeheartedly into everything you do, with a total commitment to excellence, there are no limits to what you can accomplish. It is time to get up and give God 100% no matter what gets thrown your way! Satan would love nothing more than for you to stay right where you are and never move forward toward the life that God has intended for you…. Will you let him win or are you going to do your due diligence and just make it happen?

With God on your side….you’ve got this! 🙂

Blessings,

Megan Smidt, CCLC

*****

If you are interested in contacting Megan about personal coaching, please go to:  www.megansmidt.com

 

Filed Under: Glorious Living w/ Coach Megan Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Girls With Swords: Chapter 1 Weekly Review – “You Are a Target”

March 29, 2013 by

Next Week’s Reading Schedule

Picture this scene:  The long awaited girlfriends road trip had begun. The five girlfriends had been planning this get-away together a whole year.  It was to be a time for studying the Word of God with other believers at the women’s retreat, plus a time of rest and relaxation from their busy lives being a wife, mother, and the many other hats they wore throughout the year.  They were riding down the road giggling so hard that their sides were splitting. 

Then all of a sudden, they saw a road sign up ahead that read: 

Prince of Darkness

The laughing stops as Jennifer, the driver of the car, pulls over to the side of the road. They all sat quietly for a few minutes, each absorbed in their own thoughts as to what they should do now. 

Finally Jennifer spoke up: 

Girlfriends, let’s face it!  We did not even have to leave our homes to know that a battle is waging. Satan is desperate.  He tries to discourage us and make us doubt our God and His goodness.

It is time to recognize that, as Christians, we are automatically targets of the enemy. Satan will stop at nothing to tear apart our relationship with the Lord. He wants to keep us away from reading the Bible. He wants to prevent us from fully participating in a Bible/Book study by distracting us. He does not want us to be in fellowship with other believers. If he sees a spot to weasel his way in, he will try to do it.

The Bible says that I have a weapon against any attacks from the enemy. That weapon is the Word of God.   I believe we can be a hero in God’s army. When we tuck God’s Word into our heart, we are able to defeat the enemy the same way Jesus did in the wilderness. He refuted Satan’s attempts at trickery by repeating the truth from God’s Word.  

We now have a choice to make.  We can choose to be a hero in God’s army of warriors or not. As for me, I choose to keep going. Who’s with me?

Teresa spoke up next. 

Look, at it this way, girls.  We must have something of value Satan wants to steal from us, kill us, and destroy us.  Personally, I think a  few of the reasons Satan puts a TARGET on us are:

  1. We are a target simply because we are human.
  2. God loves us and created us for a relationship with Him.
  3. Satan cannot fix his problem himself and be returned to a relationship with God.
  4. If he can’t have a relationship with God, then neither can we. NAH! NOT! Whatever!
  5. Satan knows that every soul close to God is capable of great and wondrous things.
  6. Satan knows how the story ends.
  7. Satan is fighting to keep God’s precious creation distracted, distressed, and demoralized so that we don’t experience the fullness of our place with Him in heaven.

You know, Lisa Bevere says, “I believe that the attacks on your life have much more to do with who you might be in the future than who you have been in the past.  That statement made me realize that God created me for a purpose in this time.  I have a choice to fulfill that purpose and live a rich and satisfying life that God wants to give me or I can let Satan steal, kill, and destroy me. 

I choose to be a HERO!  I’m with you, Jennifer; let’s keep going!

Tonya spoke up next.

Okay, girls, the reality of the situation is that we, do, indeed, have a target on our backs. We are women, we are Christians, and we are determined to take up our swords and fight back. These three combined make us a very real threat to Satan and he will do what he thinks he can do to throw us off of our path.

But, there is a bigger reality than this one—the reality that we have God on our side, the reality that His promises are stronger and more powerful than any threat Satan has made. “There is no way we can or should fight this battle alone.” We don’t have to, we don’t need to, and we can’t. We NEED God’s heavenly support.

We as women are faced with a choice, “Will we be an unarmed civilian, victim, prisoner of war, or a hero”?

There is a target on our back, but the swords we hold are bigger and stronger than the weapons being thrown at these targets. Our swords, our prayers must not be influenced by what is around us; they need to be powered by looking to the One who created us to be warriors. 

“I’m with Jennifer; let’s move forward!”

Diane spoke up next:

“Hey girls, you know what just occurred to me?  Hebrews 12:1 says that we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, which is the faithful followers of God whom we learn about throughout the Bible.  They were people just like you and me throughout the Bible who have run their race and won!  Each one of these people had one thing in common—they lived by faith and not by fear.  They let God control their lives, and not fear.

Satan will never be able to live for God.  He has no choice but to live by fear.  His fear drives Him to attempt to destroy God’s chosen ones.   That is what he is trying to do to us now—implant fear in us to keep us from going ahead with our journey.

I’d say we must follow the examples of the faithful followers of our heritage, put on the full Armor of God, and trust that God has a plan for our lives, one in which we are a Hero for God.

I’m with you, Jennifer.  Let’s keep going.

I, Martha, was the fifth girl on that trip.  I had sat silently while my friends were discussing our options for continuing our journey. I now had to make a decision.  As I saw it, I must decide if I wanted to enter this territory where I was marked as a target, or get out and walk back the way our car had come from—alone!  These gals were determined to go forward.

As each of my friends had spoken from their hearts, I saw something different in them. No longer were they just friends, giggling on a road trip; they had caught a glimpse of who they were in Christ, and were not afraid of facing an enemy who had already been defeated anyway. They had convinced me that we were warriors!

Without a speech, I just said to Jennifer:  “Crank her up, Jen.  Let’s keep moving.”

Let’s Pray:

Father, God, we thank You for each lady who has signed up for this course.  Having read their comments this week, I know that, they, too, are ready to move forward using the sword that You have given us, defeating all the attacks the enemy tries to throw at them.  I pray Your blessings on each of them as we continue our journey together.  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!

Filed Under: Women's Ministry Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,
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