May 6, 2026

At Home with GCH: “All Things Green” — Green Food!! :)

March 20, 2013 by

I know St Patty’s Day is done and over with, but I just had to share these FUN recipes with you!!  It doesn’t have to be a GREEN holiday to share them, right??!!  🙂  ENJOY!

 

AllThingsGreen

 

Green Velvet Cake Pops

http://www.lovefromtheoven.com/2011/03/07/green-velvet-cake-pops-more-st-pattys-day-baking-ideas/

 

Grasshopper Cupcakes

http://www.luulla.com/product/13648/grasshopper-cupcake-in-a-jar-5

 

Green Tollhouse Cookies

http://pinterest.com/pin/75224256245963297/

 

Split Pea and Ham Soup

http://clarefare.com/2012/02/24/split-pea-and-ham-soup/

 

Green Rice Krispie Treats

http://pinterest.com/pin/179299628886835822/

 

Shamrock Shakes

http://smells-like-home.com/2011/03/shamrock-shakes/

 

Enjoy sharing these fun recipes with your family!

 

Be Blessed,

Christi

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If you would like to send a private message to Christi regarding this blog,

please email her at: Christi@GirlfriendsCoffeeHour.com

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Captivating: Chapter 11 Warrior Princess – “Fighting Back” – “Emotional Attacks”

March 19, 2013 by

Sword and RosesWhen I’m working with new clients or patients one of the things I make sure to stress from the beginning is that when it comes to life and the things we go through in life, our mind, body, and soul are all connected. What we are going through does not just affect one of these areas and one area cannot be affected without the other two areas being touched also. These three aspects of our lives are interconnected, and make up who we are.

Emotional attacks in life are very real.  These attacks are not limited to our minds, or our hearts, but are aimed at our bodies as well. The example Stasi uses of dizziness made me think. This was something I knew, but also something that I didn’t think of on a regular basis, it was one of those “oh yea” moments for me. I learned a long time ago not to put anything past satan. He is out to hurt us, and he will do so at any cost. “Demons smell human brokenness like sharks smell blood in the water, and they move in and take advantage of our weakened soul”. Yes, satan has his ways, but God also has His, and His ways are stronger, more powerful, and made specifically to protect us.

In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.

Ephesians 4:26-27

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

James 4:7

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

1 Peter 5:8-9

He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you”.

Luke 10:18-19

For reasons I have yet to understand, society makes it seem as if mental health is a taboo subject. The need to seek out the professional help of a counselor to the need for medicine such as anti-depressants has been made to appear as a negative “out”. This is far from the case. The act of verbalizing your thoughts and feelings to a Christian counselor or trusted advisor can be one of the best decisions made by someone. If God is leading you to speak to someone, then please do. God has given individuals in this world a gift to help us through our struggles in life. There are a lot of things in our life we overlook because we see them as “normal”, and even if they are not as “normal” as we would like them to be, we are hesitant to talk to someone about them. My favorite quote from these two sections was this one, “It’s amazing what we will live with because we think it’s normal when it’s not”.

What if I don’t know what should be normal and what shouldn’t be normal?

 PRAY

Constantly talk to God, if something feels less than normal to you then talk to Him and ask.

The title of one of these two sections is “Fighting Back”; it’s time we fought back, it’s time we told satan, “no more”. But we can’t do this alone. Let God “began to train our hands and heart for battle”. Let Him touch our hearts, minds and souls

1 Thessalonians 5:23

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

With Love,

Tonya

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Let’s Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father, normal is a word that has taken on many meanings, and can be hard to figure out. Please touch our hearts, minds and souls and show us what you have intended for us, what is normal Lord? What do we need to bring to you? Lord remind us that our body, mind and spirit are all connected, we cannot address one without the others. Thank you for caring for all of us Lord. Lord, I pray that when we question normal, or when we question ourselves that we automatically come to you, Lord I pray that we make praying without ceasing a normal part of our life. Thank you for your tools, and thank you for your protection.  In Jesus’ name we pray,  Amen.

Your Assignment:

What are your thoughts on fighting back? What does it mean to you?

*****

Our next Women’s Online Bible/Book study will begin March 24th!

GWS

To join us, click on the picture above and complete the registration process.

Once we receive your registration, we will email you further details!

We hope you will join us!

 

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At Home with GCH – Meatless Mondays – HashBrown Crusted Quiche

March 18, 2013 by

Here on our At Home with GCH blog, Mondays are always focused on healthy but oh-so-yummy! recipes.  This month we are going to spotlight vegetarian dishes.  Each Monday will actually be a Meatless Monday!  This week we are making quiche!  Oh, yum!  But in light of our healthy but oh-so-yummy inclination, we are substituting a shredded potato crust for a pastry crust.  So delicious…so easy…so nice and crispy!  I took a peek at a few similar recipes, and calorie counts on ingredients like those below will add up to approximately 250-300 for each wedge of this quiche.  This along with a simple salad (we had spinach-strawberry salad with ours) makes for a filling yet light supper.  You certainly can exchange different veggies and cheeses for the spinach-tomato-fresh mozzarella combination in this recipe.  During the spring and summer, we often have quiche once each week on our menu.  It is quick and nutritious; and, if I prepare different varieties from time to time, no one gets bored!  I would love to hear about your quiche if you make a different variety!  Enjoy! 

IMG_0184

Caprese Quiche with Hash Brown Crust (makes 4 generous servings)

Crust:
3 cups frozen hash browns, thawed
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 425. Thaw hash brown potatoes, and blot between paper towels to remove excess moisture.  Combine in mixing bowl with melted butter, Parmesan cheese, and seasonings.  Lightly grease 9″ glass pie plate.  Pour potatoes mixture into pie plate and press down onto bottom and up sides of pie plate…go all the way up to the rim.  Bake for 15-20 minutes until lightly browned; do not let burn!  When done, remove from oven.  Place on a cooling rack and allow to cool slightly.  Reduce oven temp to 350.

Filling:
1 medium sweet onion, diced
2 teaspoons olive oil
good-sized handful (12-14 grape tomatoes), chopped
1/2-3/4 cup fresh spinach leaves, sliced 1/4″ slices
1 heaping tablespoon chopped garlic (I use jarred)
Heat olive oil in medium-sized saute pan over medium heat.  Add diced onions and cook for 6-7 minutes until softened but just slightly browned.  While onions are cooking, chop tomatoes (drain away any excess juice).  To slice spinach, stack a number of leaves, and then just carefully slice down through them into 1/4″ slices; repeat until all spinach is sliced.  When onions are ready, add tomatoes, spinach, and garlic.  Saute for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until spinach has wilted.  Remove from stovetop and allow to cool.IMG_0189

Egg Custard:

4 large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup 2% milk
1/2 cup ricotta
dash of Kosher salt
1/2-1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1 cup fresh mozzarella balls, rough chopped
To the eggs, add the milk, ricotta, seasonings, and breadcrumbs; whisk together until smooth.

To assemble:
Once baked crust has cooled slightly, layer in filling ingredients and then pour the custard on top.  Add chopped cheese and swirl with fork to evenly distribute ingredients.  Carefully place in middle of 350 oven, and bake until eggs are set and cheese is slightly browned, approximately 30 minutes or so.  Let stand for 10 minutes to set up and finish cooking.  Cut into four wedges.

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

♥ coleen

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

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Captivating: Chapter 11 – “Warrior Princesses”

March 18, 2013 by

“And Mordecai told them to answer Esther: “Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews.  For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish.  Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

Esther 4:13 and 14

I love the story of Esther, I have read it many times, and I have watched the adaptation of the story in the movie that Tommy Tenney made “One Night With the King” countless times.  The movie was created beautifully, from the choice of actress to the setup to the beauty pageant and, of course, the colorful wedding of Esther to the King.  As much as everything else is beautiful, it does not take away the purpose of why Esther was chosen by God to be Queen.  She was to fight for her people and deliver them from Haman’s vicious plot.  After seeking the face of God through prayer and fasting, Esther used the only weapon that was available to her—food.  She prepared a feast for the King and Haman.  After they had eaten, Esther told the King what Haman’s plot was: to wipe the entire Jewish nation from the face of the earth.  Well, Haman’s evil plans did not succeed because of the courageous act of this Warrior Queen Esther.

Esther is a true example of the Warrior that we all are.   Just like Esther, each one of us faces battles in our everyday lives.  They may not be as enormous as preserving the existence of a nation, but we cannot deny that they weigh us down, causing us grief and many sleepless nights.

As long as we are alive, we will be required to put on our armor and fight.  We may be called the “weaker sex” but we are not weak.  We are warriors too.  We are in the war zone the moment we wake up to the time we go to bed and the next day is no different.  Some of the battles may seem mundane but still they give us stress.  We battle with our looks when we glance in the mirror; we battle with comparison just as soon as we walk out the door; we look at how others are dressed and we wish our clothes fit the same way.

Then there are battles that we face that are relational, such as misunderstandings with our families that distress us.  The workplace is no different.  We don’t agree with our colleagues, our bosses take us for granted, and we are overworked and unappreciated.

Throughout the day we are bombarded with decisions that we need to make whether we are at home, work, or school.  What happens during our day can make us feel great about ourselves or depressed.

So much of what happens in our day attacks our minds more than any other part of our body.  We need to guard what goes through our minds more than anything else.  Once a thought comes in, we think about it some more, it develops and the more we think about it the more it takes root and then it becomes an action.

No WarriorIt is so important that when we wake up in the morning, we should prepare for the battle that is ahead of us.  No warrior goes to battle without ammunition.  In the same way, we cannot wake up and begin the day without putting on the armor of God.  Just like Esther had to pray and fast to meet with the King, we, too, ought to prepare for what’s ahead of us.

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.   

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.    In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.    Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. 

Ephesians 6:10-18

Prayer should be part of our lifestyle as Warrior Princesses; we need not wait for a situation to arise that is beyond us in order to invoke a prayerful attitude.  Just like a soldier takes instructions from his superiors, we too need to meet with our Maker to take instructions for our daily living.  Our enemy is real and he is not chained.  He is “…like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).  If you are not dressed for battle then he will prey on your mind, body, and soul.

I pray that as we go through this chapter this week, we will be prepared to fight our daily battles knowing that we are more than conquerors.  Christ won the battle on the cross for us and we need not fear for THE BATTLE BELONGS TO THE LORD.  Face each day like a true Warrior Princess.  Not only are you beautiful, but you are also wise, cunning, strong, courageous, and victorious.

In closing let me leave you with thes words that Paul spoke to Timothy and permit me to change them to suit us Warrior Princesses.

“You then, my daughter, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.   Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer.  Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules.   The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops.  Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this”   (2 Timothy 2:1-7).

Be Blessed

Jackie

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LET’S PRAY

Father, thank You so much for giving me Your armor so that I can wear it in readiness for the battles that I face each day.  I will face each day knowing that the battle is already won.  May I seek Your face so that I may not be unaware when trouble comes.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

YOUR ASSIGNMENT

Read Ephesians 6:10-18 about the full armor of God.  Take time to know what each piece of armor means and literally practice putting it on.

Why would Paul tell us to put on the full armor of God?

 

 GWSOur next Women’s Online Bible/Book Study begins March 24th!  

Click on the Girls with Swords book to the left, complete the registration process, and we will email you further details!  We hope you will join us for this amazing study!

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If you would like to send Jackie a private email in regards to this blog post, you may email her at:  Jackie@GirlfriendsCoffeeHour.com

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Meet the Founders of Girlfriends Coffee Hour

March 18, 2013 by

Christi Wilson

Founder  –  Blog Contributor 

Meet Christi Wilson.  She lives in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin.

Christi is the wife to her wonderful husband Gary, mom/step-mom to her amazing kids Tiffani, Heather, William, and Joshua, and grandmother to her awesome grandchildren Michael, Brandon, Makenzie, Brooklyn, Kyler, Alaina, Jayden, Austin, Kylee, and CJ.

Christi has been involved in Women’s Ministries for ten years.  She was part of the Women’s Team with Christian Motorcyclists Association for nearly 9 years.  She  has been coordinating Online Bible Study/Prayer Groups on Facebook, since 2011, when she created the first Facebook Prayer Groups for Proverbs 31 Ministries.  The Lord led her into starting her own online Bible study ministry, and that’s when Girlfriends Coffee Hour was born!

After over five years of being empty-nesters, Christi and her husband became foster parents for children in crisis.  Although foster parenting can be quite challenging, the rewards are far more numerous!  This was truly a God-thing!  Coming from a background of physical and emotional abuse, she can relate to the hurts that many of these children go through in their life!

She also loves to read, study the Word, cook, and play word games.

She gave her life to Jesus on March 23, 1984, when He saved her from suicide, drugs, and alcohol.  She believes that without Jesus, we are nothing.  He is faithful to forgive and cleanse us from all unrighteousness in our lives and accepts us right where we are in our lives…blemishes and all.

 

Megan SmidtMegan Smidt, CLC – Co-Founder –  Blog Contributor 

Megan is a Certified Christian Life Coach specializing in Relationship Coaching and more specifically, Blended Family Relationships. She also works part-time as Personal Assistant to Christian Musician Yancy.

She and her husband Craig have been married 8 years.  She is the adoptive full-time mother to Craig’s 5 children from a previous marriage, all ranging in age from 21 years old to 14.  Megan is from sunny Southern California, but has lived in middle Tennessee since 2007.

Megan is very active in her church and in ministering to women. She leads a family small group in her home every week along with her husband and she works with teenagers at church on Thursday nights.   Megan also regularly does speaking engagements on various topics concerning Christian Women and is a Certified Christian Life Coach with clients all over the world.

Megan loves to travel and spend time with family and friends. She enjoys reading, music, movies, photography, paper crafting, sewing and roller skating.  She is silly, fun, and loves making new friends!

You will learn more about Megan when we introduce her new Glorious Living blog on Friday!

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We are so very excited to start this next study, Girls with Swords, with you! Lisa Bevere is an amazing author who will bring you deeper and deeper in your walk with the Lord!  If you haven’t signed up for this study yet, you will want to TODAY to reserve your spot!  To sign up, click on the picture below, and you will be taken to our sign-up page.  Once you complete the registration process, we will email you further details.  

GWS

Study Begins March 24th!

Sign Up Today!

 

 

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Captivating: Chapter 11 Reading Assignment – “Warrior Princesses”

March 17, 2013 by

WEEK of MARCH 17 – Chapter 11: Warrior Princesses

Sunday: Michelle – Reading Assignment

Monday: Jackie – Warrior Princesses (Intro)

Tuesday: Tonya – Fighting Back – Emotional Attacks

Wednesday: Carissa – Relational Attacks – A Warring Bride

Thursday: Michelle – Warrior Princesses

Friday: Jackie – Weekly Review

________________________________________________________

Join us for our next Online Bible Study

GWS

 

Begins March 24th!

Click on the Girls with Swords book to be taken to our sign-up link.  Complete the registration steps, and as soon as we receive confirmation that you have signed up, we will email you further details!  We hope you will join us!! 🙂

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Seeking Him by Coleen Hayden – Jesus

March 16, 2013 by

In our current series, Seeking Him, we have looked at the joy of having a dedicated, purposeful devotional time—your quiet time alone with God.  Over the past ten weeks we have considered the importance and deep value of seeking Him by intentionally removing ourselves from distractions and quietly being in His presence.  This week, as we conclude the series, we will consider our greatest example—our Lord Jesus.

Throughout the Gospels, we read of many times when Jesus purposefully withdrew from His disciples, and from ministering to the needs of the people, and went to pray.  We see how valuable it was to Him to be alone with His Father, seeking Him and spending time in His presence.

And in the morning, long before daylight,
He got up and went out to a deserted place, and there He prayed.

Mark 1:35

And after He had taken leave of them, He went off into the hills to pray.

Mark 6:46

 But He Himself withdrew to the wilderness (desert) and prayed.

Luke 5:16

 Now in those days it occurred that He went up into a mountain to pray,
and spent the whole night in prayer to God.

Luke 6:12

Within the context of each of these glimpses into Jesus’ life, we observe that He:

  • before even beginning His day, went and prayed
  • in the midst of trying circumstance, went to be alone with God
  • in preparation for important decisions, got alone with His Father and prayed
  • after much time ministering to the people and teaching them, He left and sought God and prayed

How much more do we need to emulate His heart and actions in recognizing our own great need to be alone with our heavenly Father seeking Him and praying?

Perhaps the most poignant example that Jesus left us is His time seeking His Father in prayer  just prior to His betrayal and arrest in the garden of Gethsemane.

Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and He told His disciples,
Sit down here while I go over yonder and pray.
And taking with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee,
He began to show grief and distress of mind and was deeply depressed.
Then He said to them, My soul is very sad and deeply grieved,
so that I am almost dying of sorrow. Stay here and keep awake and keep watch with Me.
And going a little farther, He threw Himself upon the ground on His face and prayed saying,
My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass away from Me;
nevertheless, not what I will [not what I desire], but as You will and desire.
And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and He said to Peter,
What! Are you so utterly unable to stay awake and keep watch with Me for one hour?
All of you must keep awake and watch and pray,
that you may not come into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Again a second time He went away and prayed,
My Father, if this cannot pass by unless I drink it, Your will be done.
And again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were weighed down with sleep.
So, leaving them again, He went away and prayed for the third time, using the same words.  Matthew 26:36-44

Words escape me to express how deeply I recognize my Lord’s awareness of His need of His Father at this incredibly stress-filled, sorrowful time!  But my heart is convicted and reminded of my own need to do the same!  If Jesus, the Perfect Man, who was totally without sin and always able to rise above any temptation, so needed this time seeking His Father…then I am without excuse to ever think I do not need the same…and more!

How very blessed we are to know that this is God’s Will…that He desires us to seek Him…that He is always available to us…that our yearning hearts will always be welcomed into His presence.  How very thankful we are to know that through His suffering, persecution, death and resurrection, Jesus—our Redeemer, our Savior, our Lord and Master—has broken down any barrier between us and Almighty God, and made it available for us to approach His Throne of grace!

But now in Christ Jesus, you who once were [so] far away,
through the blood of Christ have been brought near.
For He is [Himself] our peace (our bond of unity and harmony).
By abolishing in His [own crucified] flesh the enmity [caused by] the Law
with its decrees and ordinances [which He annulled]; that He from the two
might create in Himself one new man, so making peace.
And He came and preached the glad tidings of peace to you who were afar off
and [peace] to those who were near.
For it is through Him that we…now have an introduction (access) by one [Holy] Spirit
to the Father [so that we are able to approach Him].
Ephesians 2:13-18

“You are beautiful beyond description, yet God crushed You for my sin
in agony and deep affliction, cut off that i might enter in
who can grasp such tender compassion?
who can fathom this mercy so free?
You are beautiful beyond description, Lamb of God, Who died for me”

<3

________________________________________

Keep seeking Him and enjoy your quiet time with your Lord!  As you seek Him, He will be found…He promises!

Jeremiah 29:12,13
Then you will call upon Me, and you will come and pray to Me,
and I will hear and heed you.
Then you will seek Me, inquire for, and require Me [as a vital necessity]
and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.

Praying for each of you!  I know that the Lord will answer your heart’s cry as you are seeking Him with all your heart!

♥  coleen

If you are interested in contacting Coleen in regards to this blog, please email her at: Coleen@GirlfriendsCoffeeHour.com

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Love Letters from God by Diane Meyers – “Renewed”

March 16, 2013 by

My story is made up of many love letters written from my heart to God’s heart and from His to mine.  I open up to Him with a pen in my hand and a journal in my lap.  The Lord speaks to me through my writings, and I am beyond excited to share with you bits and pieces of different letters I have from God.  I share parts of my story so that God’s love, power, grace, forgiveness, and perfectness may be showcased.  As you read I pray the Lord grabs a hold of your heart and fills you with hope!

 

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will it—His good, pleasing and perfect will. –Romans 12:2

 

Dear God,

Some days I feel like an alien.  I feel so disconnected from this world.  I spend so much wasted time trying to fit in, and it just never seems to work out well for me.  It is like vinegar and water; I just don’t mix well with the rest of what this fallen world has become.  I always craved to be different, but not at the cost of others not liking me or thinking I am weird.    Why do I even care so much what others think of me?  I struggle with this feeling of trying to stand out in Your love but not finding the courage to stand up all the way.  I lack confidence in my differences.  There is a part of me that still wants this world to accept me.  Why, Lord, do I feel this way?  I desire to stand out in Your life.  I know this world is not for me.  I know You have made me new!  Please show me Your way and give me Your courage to find what I am missing.

Love, Wishy-Washy Diane

Love Letters from God

 

Dear Precious Child of Mine,

Believe it or not, I am happy to hear that you feel like an alien.  I am pleased that you feel disconnected from this world.  This makes Me smile.  This means you are living in line with My desires for you.  You were not created to fit into this world; you were made to stand out in My love.  When people see you, they should be drawn right to your heart, where I am found.  Reaching towards the empty dreams this world has to offer will only leave you further away from standing in My truth.  In order for you to feel like you belong to Me, you must let the thoughts of who you truly are reign in your mind.  The best parts about you are the ones I give you daily, if you only ask.  Ask for My strength and you shall receive, ask for My cleansing and you shall receive.  Ask for My confidence and you shall receive, ask for my courage and you shall receive.  I have created you for a purpose you must not let anyone try to convince you otherwise.  I can guarantee that you will feel weird and out of place in this world, but I can assure you that the more you feel out of place, the more you will feel My perfect love for you.  Do not lose heart, stand firm in the life I have created you for, not the one you may find more convenient living in this world.  This world has nothing for you.  This world will only bring you down.  I am the perfect example of how to live in the world just not of the world.  Focus on Me and renew your thoughts with My truth so you are able to stand all the way up reaching toward Heaven for every little thing that you need to stand out with confidence in a world that so desperately needs My love.

Love, Your Perfect Creator

 

Lord,

Thank You.  Two words that do not seem enough for all You do for me day by day.  Are there any words that mean more than ‘thank You?’  All I can do is express my gratitude through my actions.  You are alive in me!  I want to make sure I am showing YOU off through my interactions in the world all day long.  You are the best part about me, and I desire to share that best kept secret with everyone I come into contact with.  Lord, let my love for You be so strong that it never fails.  I know now that I do not want this world to accept me.  I pray this world accepts You, and I am praying that You give me Your strength to be a vessel for others to find acceptance from above in You.  Thank You for all that You do, Lord.  Thank You for understanding.  Thank You for helping me get rid of the lies and hold fast to Your truth!  I love You so much, Lord.  May You see my thankfulness and love for You through the times I am not conforming to this world, but standing out and up completely!

Love, Your Alien

© Diane Meyers 2013

 

Questions for Reflection:

  1.  Do you sometimes feel out of place in this world, as I do?  How does this make you feel?
  2. What is holding you back from feeling accepted from God above?  Is it lies that are cluttering your mind?  Practice renewing your mind moment by moment. Focus on God and His truths throughout your day.  Journal about the impact this action has on your life.
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At Home with GCH: Irish Colcannon

March 15, 2013 by
Irish Soul Food!

Irish Soul Food!

St. Patrick’s Day is this weekend.  Now if you’re like me, your carefree days are behind you and you will not be found in a pub, swilling green beer!  But it is fun to partake in a little luck of the Irish, wear something green, and eat some Irish soul food.  If Corned Beef and Cabbage is more effort than you want to put in, have I got the recipe for you!

Colcannon is classic folk food, meaning it’s what the poor villagers could throw together in a pot to feed a large, hungry family.  This is not a fancy dish, but it’s filling, easy, and incredibly tasty!  If it’s still cold where you live, this will warm your tummy!

Irish Colcannon

Ingredients:

  • 4 slices of bacon, diced
  • 3 large or 4 small potatoes, scrubbed, peeled if desired, and cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 1/2 head green cabbage, thinly sliced
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 to 3/4 cup milk
  • 2 green onions, diced
  • salt and pepper

Directions:

  1. Put bacon in a large pot over high heat.  Cook until crispy, then remove the pan from the heat.
  2. While the bacon is cooking, simmer the potatoes in a little water and cover with a lid.  When you can break the chunks of potato with a fork, add the cabbage and simmer until the potatoes are done, about 3 minutes more.  You want the potatoes to be cooked through but not mushy.
  3. Lift the potatoes and cabbage from the water and add to the pot with the bacon in it.  Yes, leave the grease in the pot!  Over medium-low heat, fold in the butter and milk, stirring to combine and break up the potatoes.  Season with salt and pepper and stir in the green onions.

Now…if you made this recipe, you have half a head of cabbage left over.  May I suggest Roasted Cabbage Wedges?  With a little olive oil, salt, and fennel seed, the cabbage becomes sweet, tender, and delicious!  An unexpected way to eat this nutritious green veggie!

 

Roasted Cabbage Wedges
Roasted Cabbage Wedges

Ingredients:

  • 1 head green cabbage (or half a head)
  • olive oil
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 tablespoon fennel or anise seeds (optional, but I really like it!)
  • 1/2 lemon

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375*F.  Cut the cabbage in half from top to bottom.  Cut out the core, and cut each half into four wedges.
  2. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.  Arrange cabbage wedges on the sheet and drizzle with olive oil.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and fennel or anise seeds, if using.  Bake for 10 minutes, or until the edges of the leaves take on some color.  With a spatula, flip over the wedges and bake for another ten minutes.  The cabbage wedges should be soft, with crispy edges.  Serve with a squeeze of lemon if desired.

Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana

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

If you would like to contact Dana in regards to this blog, please email her at Dana@girlfriendscoffeehour.com

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Our Next Women’s Online Bible / Book Study Begins March 24th!

March 15, 2013 by

GWS

 

“Lisa Bevere is one of God’s most powerful voices for this time in our history.” — Sheila Walsh, core speaker of Women of Faith

“As you read Girls with Swords, you’ll be empowered to face your challenges with boldness and learn to live like a hero.” — Robert and Debbie Morris, pastors, Gateway Church, Dallas-Ft Worth, TX

“Read this book with fair warning: You are about to engage in a powerfully courageous life!” — Christine Caine, author of Undaunted and co-founder of The A21 Campaign

“In Girls with Swords you will be challenged to join the ranks of Christians who are already moving forward in their faith.  Don’t be taken out of the fight! Stand firm and experience spiritual victory!” — Pastor Steven and Holly Furtick, Elevation Church, Charlotte NC

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I’m a huge Lisa Bevere fan.  I’ve been a fan of hers for years, all the way back to “Kissed the Girls and Made Them Cry.”  I had the privilege of seeing Lisa and John in a conference, here in Wisconsin, several years ago.  It was one of the most empowering, invigorating, spiritual conferences I’ve been to!  Lisa and John both have an amazingly strong desire to reach others with the Gospel!

When I first heard about this new book Girls with Swords I knew immediately that I had to get it!  I immediately felt God say “This is your next GCH study!”  Even though we continued to discuss other studies, I always came back to this book!

The day I got the book, I wanted to read it right away; but I put it aside until I could really focus on what I was reading.  I’m so glad I did because this is a book that you don’t want to just skim through.  You will want to study this book!  It is that important!  If you take this book and really study it, it truly will bring you victory!  Promise me that you won’t just skim through this book!  I want  to see victory in your life, just as much as Lisa did when she wrote this book!

So, how do you sign up, you ask?  That’s the easy part!

There are three steps to take to make sure you get the most out of this study:

1) Buy the book.  You will find links on our sign-up page for the hardcopy and the Kindle version of Girls with Swords.

2) Sign Up HERE

3) If you are on Facebook, you will need to send a Friend Request to our GCH Admin, so we can add you to our secret Facebook group where we will dig deeper into this book as a group.  You do not need to be on Facebook to follow along with this study.  BUT, you will get so much more out of it, if you can join our study group!  As soon as you complete the registration process, we will email you further details.

Before I close, I want to share one more thing with you.  This is shared on the inside cover of this book.  It will give you an idea of what you can expect from this book.

“Creatively forging the imagery of swords, the Word of God, and the Cross, Girls with Swords will teach you:

  • How to speak the language of heaven on earth
  • What it means to intercede
  • What it means to carry your cross
  • What it means to be discerning
  • How to disarm the enemy
  • Why women are the enemy’s target-and why God needs them to be heroes

It’s time to take up your sword and be a hero!”

 

We hope you will join us for this amazing study!

 

God’s VICTORY is waiting for YOU!

Christi Wilson, Founder of Girlfriends Coffee Hour

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To send Christi a private email in regards to this website, blog, or ministry, you may email her at: Christi@GirlfriendsCoffeeHour.com

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