May 1, 2026

You Are My Strength Psalm 71

September 27, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

I will come in the strength and with the mighty acts of the Lord God;
I will mention and praise Your righteousness, even Yours alone.
O God, You have taught me from my youth, and hitherto have I declared Your wondrous works.
Yes, even when I am old and gray-headed, O God, forsake me not, [but keep me alive]
until I have declared Your mighty strength to [this] generation,
and Your might and power to all that are to come.
Your righteousness also, O God, is very high [reaching to the heavens],
You Who have done great things; O God, who is like You, or who is Your equal?
Psalms 71:16-19

You are my strength
Strength like no other
Strength like no other
Reaches to me

You are my hope
Hope like no other
Hope like no other
Reaches to me

In the fullness of Your grace
In the power of Your Name
You lift me up
You lift me up

Unfailing love
Stronger than mountains
Deeper than oceans
Reaches to me

Your love O Lord
Reaches to the heavens
Your faithfulness
Reaches to the sky

Singer/Songwriter – Reuben Morgan with Hillsong United

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Kimchee Jjigae (Kimchee Stew)

September 26, 2014 by

Kimchee Jjigae resize

My blog is called The Frugal Girlmet, because I like to use everything I can in the kitchen and do my best to make sure nothing goes to waste.  Kimchee Jjigae is the Korean embodiment of this principle.  A little background:  Kimchee is a fermented, spicy cabbage dish that, together with rice, is the backbone of Korean cuisine.  Traditionally, Korean families made kimchee in the summer, in gigantic clay pots.  They buried the pots in the ground to preserve them, and the family ate the kimchee over the course of the winter.  Winters are very cold in Korea, so that helped preserve the kimchee…but it still got old.  What to do with overripe kimchee – throw it away?  NO!  Koreans use every last bit of their resources, which is how Kimchee Jjigae came to be.  They made a stew out of the last of their kimchee, adding  meat to make it more filling, and served it with rice for a complete and frugal meal.

The only ingredient you MUST use in this stew is kimchee.  Everything else can vary by region, resources, or personal taste.  One of the most common varieties has pork as the protein component, and this is the way I make it.  You can cut up a few pork chops, or use any leftover pork you have.  I made a pork roast in the crockpot the night before and reserved about 2 cups of meat for this stew.  Other types of Kimchee Jjigae use canned tuna, tofu, other seafood or fish, and even Spam!  During the Korean War, American GIs brought Spam with them, and Koreans adopted it too.  Another variation that was born in the Korean War is called Budae Jjigae, which translates to “Army Stew.”  American soldiers made their own version of Kimchee Jjigae by adding ramen noodles, meat, seafood, and other vegetables to make their rations last longer.

If you like spicy foods, you will love this.  If you feel a cold or sinus infection coming on, this will clear it right out (it’s loaded with Vitamin C and probiotics)!  If your family likes chili, you should really give this Kimchee Jjigae recipe a try.  Feeling brave?  Feeling frugal?  Read on!

Kimchee Jjigae

Ingredients:

  • 1 small onion, sliced fine, or one bunch of green onions, sliced
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil (or other oil)
  • 2 cups pork (see note above)
  • 2 cups kimchee, preferably old kimchee
  • about 1/2 cup kimchee juice (that red pepper water in the bottom of the jar!)
  • 2 cups water
  • rice to serve
  • sesame seeds, dried seaweed, or sliced green onions for garnish

Directions:

  1. In a large pot with a lid, add the sliced onions and oil.  Cook over medium heat for a minute or two.
  2. While the onion is cooking, chop the pork.  If you are using raw pork, you have two options:  you can add it in whole and then remove it when it’s cooked and chop it up.  You can also slice it thinly and add it now.  I think it’s easiest to use leftover pork that you can quickly chop or shred.
  3. Add the pork, kimchee, kimchee juice, and water to the pot.  Adjust the heat so the stew simmers.  Cover with a lid and cook for 30 minutes.
  4. Serve with rice, and garnish with sesame seeds, dried seaweed, or green onion tops.

Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for about a week.

 

Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana

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

 

Filed Under: At Home w/ GCH Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

When You Need Rest

September 26, 2014 by

encouragementbloggraphicromans15

Then, because so many people were coming and going
that they did not even have a chance to eat, He said to them,
‘Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest’
Mark 6:31

I love rainy mornings and lit candles and quiet moments with just me and Him. The world quiets, cell phones and all screens are turned off, and I am His. I read His love letter to me and we talk endlessly.  I catch Him up on my week (like He doesn’t already know).  I tell Him how great and amazing He is. And He pours into me, and I know I am loved.  My own prayer retreat right here.

In the verse above, Jesus’ disciples had been preaching and driving out demons and healing people all day.  They anointed people with oil in His name.  They were pumped up, can’t you just imagine?  Yet Jesus knew they were exhausted and needed some downtime.  He told them to go with Him to a quiet place and rest.

Now, rest can look different to all of us. It can be quietly reading a book, or running on your favorite path, or putting your feet in the sand.  Just a retreat with your Maker. It must be important to Him since the word ‘rest‘ in mentioned 585 times in the King James Version.  Here are just a couple of the ones I found:

Psalms 55:6, 7
Oh, that I had wings like a dove; then I would fly away and rest! I would fly far away to the quiet of the wilderness.

Exodus 33:14
The Lord replied,”I will personally go with you, Moses, and I will give you rest-everything will be fine for you.”

I feel so refreshed and so loved by God right now.  His words are so comforting, ‘everything will be fine for you’, He means you!  He wants you to be with Him and we are the ones that benefit. Psalm 4:8 tells us, “I will lie down and sleep in peace, for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.”

What do you need rest from today?  Have you been struggling with a stronghold that has overtaken your life?  It started out as fun but now it is out of control.  Or maybe you’re the only one fighting for your marriage and you’re exhausted and ready to quit. Maybe you’re a single mom and you love your children but you just need one minute to yourself…or you could very well lose it.  Even the bathroom isn’t private enough.  Maybe you just need to get back in to having that quiet time alone with Him everyday. Whichever situation you are in today, He is calling you to lay at His feet and leave all your baggage at the foot of the Cross—at the feet of Jesus.  There is nothing in the world more important than spending time with Him…reading His Word, and listening to what He has to tell you, and just talking together.

  *   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Do you know Him?  Is He Lord of your life?  If your answer is no, I encourage you to ask Him today to come into your heart.  Would you pray this prayer with me?

Dear God, I know that I am a sinner. I need forgiveness. I believe that You sent Your Son to die on the Cross to save me from my sins. Please, Jesus, come into my life today to be my Lord and Savior.  Walk with me through this life.  I don’t know all there is to know about You but I’m ready to be Yours.  In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

Filed Under: encouragement Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Everything I Need

September 26, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

When every step is so hard to take
And all of my hope is fading away
When life is a mountain that I cannot climb
You carry me, Jesus carry me

You are strength in my weakness
You are the refuge I seek
You are everything in my time of need
You are everything, You are everything I need

When every moment is more than I can take
And all of my strength is slipping away
When every breath gets harder to breathe 
You carry me, Jesus carry me

I need You
You are everything I need
I love everything about You

You are strength in my weakness
You are the refuge I seek
You are everything in my time of need
You are everything, You are everything I need

Jon Michah Sumrall, Dave Lubben  ~ Kutless

 *  ~  ♥  ~   ✞   ~  ♥  ~  *

Father, when life gets to be too overwhelming it’s Your refuge I seek. You are all that I need!

But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.”
Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ
may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults,
hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 ESV

It is in our weaknesses that we are made strong through Christ. Jesus is all we need. He is the strength in our weakness. God is our everything in our time of need.

I will love You, O LORD, my strength.
The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
My God, my strength, in whom I will trust;
My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
I will call upon the LORD, Who is worthy to be praised;
So shall I be saved from my enemies. The pangs of death surrounded me,
And the floods of ungodliness made me afraid.
Psalms 18:1-4

Jesus is the one who carries us when we feel as though our strength is slipping away. It is in these moments that we must turn our focus back to Him.

I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:13 NKJV

 *  ~  ♥  ~   ✞   ~  ♥  ~  *

Heavenly Father, I thank You that You are my strength in ALL my weakness and it is in my weakness that You make me strong.  You are my everything!  Father, I need You!  Thank You for Your faithfulness to see me through to the victory that lies ahead.  In Jesus’ name, Amen!!!

Filed Under: Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

An Infinite God

September 25, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

I will exalt You, my God the King;
I will praise Your name for ever and ever.
Every day I will praise You
and extol Your name for ever and ever.
Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;
His greatness no one can fathom.
Psalms 145:1-3

God is so great. God is so good. God is great all the time. It is hard to fathom just how far-reaching God’s greatness is—it is infinite. Infinity is hard to imagine because it never ends. It is often too hard to imagine infinity. There is no way to put an end to it.

For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; He also is to be feared above all gods.
1 Chronicles 16:25

God has been here before any of us were ever born. He created the universe, the world, humans—everything. His reach is infinite. His reach is so infinite that He is able to send His Son to be with us no matter where we are. His reach is so infinite that we cannot hide anything from God. He knows everything and sees everything. God’s reach is so infinite that it is amazing and scary at the same time. It is amazing that our God knows us so well.

He is so great that God deserves praise every day. His greatness and love make Him worthy of eternal praise and love. Once we are in Heaven with God for eternity, we will have the chance to praise Him for eternity.

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Dear Heavenly Father, we praise You for Your infinite love. We praise You for Your greatness. Without You, we would be nothing. You have our best interests in Your mind and sight, and we are thankful for that. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

I Never Lost My Praise

September 25, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

I lost some good friends along life’s way
Some loved ones departed in heaven to stay but
Thank God I didn’t lose everything
I’ve lost faith in people who said they care,
The time of my crisis they were never there
But in my disappointment in my season of pain
One thing never wavered, one thing never changed

I never lost my hope, I never lost my joy,
I never lost my faith but, most of all, I never lost my praise

I’ve let some blessings slip away, and I lost my focus
And went astray, but thank God I didn’t lose everything
I’ve lost possessions that were so dear
And I lost some battles by walking in fear
But in the midst of my struggle, in my season of pain
One thing never wavered, one thing never changed

I never lost my hope, I never lost my joy,
I never lost my faith but, most of all, I never lost my praise
Praise, praise, praise, praise…most of all, I never lost my praise

My praise, still here, my praise still here

Hallelujah! My praise is still here

Songwriter – Kurt Carr/ Performed by the Charlotte Central Church of God Choir

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Oh, can you picture Job singing this song?  He lost loved ones and possessions.  He  lost faith in people who said they care and in his time of crisis they were never there.   But one thing never wavered…one thing never changed—he never lost his hope…he never lost his faith…he never lost his praise.

There aren’t too many records throughout the Scriptures which depict someone more deeply grieved and in mourning than the story of Job “…a blameless and upright man, fears God and turns away from evil.”  Right off in chapter one, we read of the horrific loss that Job experienced.   Job was a man blessed by his God with “seven sons and three daughters; 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 female donkeys, and a very great body of servants.” The Scriptures tell us that “this man was the greatest of all the men of the East.” But, as we know, Satan purposed to take all that Job had in order to tempt him (verse 11) to turn away from and curse his God.  In one day, within a very short period of time, Job learns that all his flocks, practically every one of his servants, and each of his children has been taken from him.  However, Satan’s purpose was foiled because, “Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God” (verse 22).  Job kept his heart of worship and praise; his response to all this?

At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head.
Then he fell to the ground in worship and said:
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart.
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.”
Job 1:20-22

He never lost his praise.

As the woman who sings this song shared with us, in her time of sadness and loss, God taught her about the ‘sacrifice of praise.’   (Listen to her heart starting at :18 to 1:19.)

She never lost her praise.

Through Him, therefore, let us constantly and at all times offer up to God
a sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of lips
that thankfully acknowledge and confess and glorify His name.
Hebrews 13:15

Probably each of us has offered a ‘sacrifice of praise’ at least once or twice in our lives…yes?  However, I am confronted by the higher standard that Hebrews 13:15 states: “let us constantly and at all times offer up to God a sacrifice of praise….”  Other versions of this verse use the terms, ‘continually…always.’  That doesn’t leave much room for wiggling out of obedience, now does it?

We are to constantly {always, continually, at all times} give to God our praise as a sacrifice—whether our circumstances are happy and joy-filled or not.  Even in those times where it looks like there is nothing left, we are to acknowledge all He has done, is doing, and will do to take care of us.  And when we struggle to maintain our joy and peace we can still praise God for Who He is…He never changes (Malachi 3:6).  He never leaves us nor forsakes us (Deuteronomy 31:8).  He loves us with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3)…which nothing can separate us from (Romans 8:38-39).  We should always praise Him for those things…and much, much, much more!  I believe that then we, too, will sing…

I never lost my praise.

Filed Under: Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Perfection

September 24, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

Great is the Lord and highly to be praised;
and His greatness is [so vast and deep as to be] unsearchable.
Psalm 145:3 AMP

These two Scriptures echo the unsearchable greatness of God:

Who does great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number…
Job 5:9 AMP

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unfathomable (inscrutable, unsearchable) are His judgments (His decisions)!
And how untraceable (mysterious, undiscoverable) are His ways (His methods, His paths)!
Romans 11:33 AMP

Ok…I admit it…I am a word nerd.  When I read Psalm 145:3, two words stuck out – greatness and unsearchable. So I researched each word to see how it was defined in Biblical times.

Unsearchable:  infinite, deep, incomprehensible, untraceable, vast. But when I looked up greatness, one word kept reoccurring—perfection. God IS Perfection. Which is something we continually strive for but cannot attain. In others words, God is described as ‘infinite, incomprehensible, untraceable perfection’.  I cannot even begin to wrap my mind around that.  I love the question that is asked in Job 11:7 (HCSB):

Can you fathom the depths of God or discover the limits of the Almighty?

Job 26:14 (AMP) asks it this way:

Yet these are but [a small part of His doings] the outskirts of His ways
or the mere fringes of His force, the faintest whisper of His voice!
Who dares contemplate or who can understand the thunders of His full, magnificent power?

We will never be able to conceive the riches of God’s greatness or His perfection.  We tend to define God by our limited experiences and our own point of view.  But God is so immense that we will not discover His full magnitude this side of Heaven.  Yet as we continue to seek Him, He continues to reveal Himself to us.

You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.
Jeremiah 29:13

Hebrews 11:6 says “He rewards those who sincerely seek Him.”  Amazing! God continues to reveal His greatness and His perfection to us when we sincerely seek Him.  He is more than worthy of our praise.  But we will never be able to glorify Him with as much praise as He deserves because His perfection is beyond what our feeble minds can comprehend.  But the more I seek Him, the more He reveals of Himself to me and I praise Him more.  As I grow in knowledge of who God is, I am able to honor Him with more and more praise.

Great is the Lord and highly to be praised…
Psalm 145:3

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Hold Me

September 24, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv
I love, I love, I love, I love the way You hold me
I love, I love, I love, I love the way You hold me
I love, I love, I love, I love the way You hold me
I love, I love, I love, I love the way You, the way You

I’ve had a long day, I just wanna relax
Don’t have time for my friends, no time to chit-chat
Problems at my job, wonderin’ what to do
I know I should be working but I’m thinking of You and
Just when I feel this crazy world is gonna bring me down
That’s when Your smile comes around

Oh, I love the way You hold me, by my side You’ll always be
You take each and every day, make it special in some way
I love the way You hold me, in Your arms I’ll always be
You take each and every day, make it special in some way
I love You more than the words in my brain can express
I can’t imagine even loving You less

Lord, I love the way You hold me
Whoa, oh, I love the way You hold me
Whoa, oh

Well ya, took my day and You flipped it around
Calmed the tidal wave and put my feet on the ground
Forever in my heart, always on my mind
It’s crazy how I think about You all of the time
And just when I think I’m ’bout to figure You out
You make me wanna sing and shout

I’m so grateful and thankful for all You’ve done
Wish I could tell You in a short story or poem
But all I have is my voice and this guitar
And You have my heart

Oh, I love
I love, I love, I love, I love the way You hold me
I love, I love, I love, I love the way You hold me
I love, I love, I love, I love the way You hold me, hold me, hold me

Written and Sung by Jamie Grace and Toby McKeehan along with Chris Stevens

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Where do you run when you have one of those days?  To Jesus???  He is our comfort….

“Come unto Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
Matthew 11:28 NLT

“Gracious ‘word’ of a gracious Savior, on which the soul may confidingly repose, and be at peace forever! It is a present rest—the rest of grace as well as the rest of glory. Not only are there signals of peace hung out from the walls of Heaven—the lights of Home glimmering in the distance to cheer our footsteps; but we have the “shadow” of this “great Rock!” in a present “weary land.” Before the Throne above is there “the sea of glass,” without one rippling wave; but there is a haven even on earth for the tempest-tossed, “We who have believed DO enter into rest.”

(I love this word picture! It is taken from gracegems.org.  Click on the link to read more of this article.)

And He said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
Exodus 33:14 ESV

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Heavenly Father, I thank You that when it has been one of those days, we can find comfort and peace in You!  I love the way You hold me.  In Jesus’ name, AMEN!!!

Filed Under: Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

No One Can Fathom

September 23, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

Every day I will praise You
and extol Your name for ever and ever.
Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;
His greatness no one can fathom.
Psalms 145:2 and 3

“No one can fathom….”  In life we try to find a reason for everything.  We don’t want any unknowns, we need answers.  Some things will be understood by all (like the greatness of ice cream), some things will be understood by few (like math), and some will be understood by none—like the greatness of God.

There are so many times, even on a daily basis, that I don’t understand why God does what He does for me.  And for others, even those I don’t feel deserve it, and even when I don’t feel as if I deserve it.  So when the words of this psalm say to ‘…extol (or praise) His name for ever and ever’, I don’t find that a difficult task to accomplish.

I accept that God’s greatness is one of those things in life that will not be understood until it is time—until we see Him in all of His glory.  Until this time we are asked to follow simple steps: exalt Him…praise Him…extol His name.  Why? Because.  Because His greatness keeps us going even when we don’t deserve it.  His greatness just is!  We don’t deserve it, we didn’t earn it, but His love for us allows it to flow freely.

No, I cannot say why He does what He does, but I don’t need to.  I know that I need to praise and pray, I need to worship, I need to give thanks…for ever and ever….

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Let’s pray:  Dear Lord, I pray contentment in not knowing why You do what You do. Your greatness is a blessing, Your greatness is inspiring.  Daily You shine upon us, and daily we will say ‘Thank You!’  In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Spiced Chicken&Butternut in the Slow Cooker

September 22, 2014 by

Show of hands…who is thankful for their CrockPot (or slow cooker)?  Meeee…I am, too! And do you find that you use it more in the cold weather months than in the summertime? I do…not quite sure why.  Around the start of autumn, my slow cooker finds it’s way onto the countertop…and usually stays there for quite awhile. Ready to be used for something yummy, whether it’s a batch of apple (or pear!!!) sauce, or some variation of chili, or soup (of course!).  Hey!  What is the best thing that comes out of your slow cooker?  (Leave your answer below in the comments, please!)  Here are a few links that will give you hints and tips as to how to use the slow cooker to your best advantage.

7 Tricks for Better Slow Cooking in your Crockpot

Back to Basics: How to Use a Slow Cooker

Stockpiling Moms: CrockPot Hints and Tips

And here are a few of mine, too….

  • I find that mushrooms get quite mushy if cooked very long in the slow cooker. So I saute them early on and keep in the refrigerator ‘til 30-45 minutes until your food is finished cooking. Toss them in and give everything a good stir.
  • Today’s slow cookers are much more efficient than earlier models. No longer do I put together a meal in my slow cooker early on and let it cook all day long. Now, usually 4-5 hours before suppertime, I will layer everything in and let it start cooking.  Most often I set it on high for 1 hour and then 3-4 hours on low.
  • Keep the lid on!  I’ve read that every time you take the lid off, you add 15 minutes of cooking time!
  • Aspire to attain a programmable slow cooker.  (I’m still working on this!)

This recipe makes enough for 6 generous servings.  And with the yummy, thick ‘sauce’ made by pureeing the veggies there is no need to thicken with flour or sour cream!  This fits in perfectly with our healthy but oh-so-yummy POV!  Enjoy!

Spiced Chicken and Butternut Squash

2014-09-17 20.22.31

ingredients:

2# boneless chicken breast or thighs, cut into large pieces
1/2 large (3# or so) butternut squash, peeled and cut into large cubes
1 large sweet onion, sliced
3 large carrots, cut into large chunks
1 cup chicken broth
1 can coconut milk
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon garam masala seasoning
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 (10 ounce) package of baby bella mushrooms, wiped clean and cut into quarters
1 (10 ounce) bag frozen petite peas, defrosted

2 cups basmati or jasmine rice (when prepared this equals 4 cups)

directions:

  • mix together the spices and liquids; pour into slow cooker
  • turn slow cooker on ‘high’ at this point
  • add (in this order) the butternut squash, onions, carrots, and chicken pieces
  • cover and allow to cook on high for one hour
  • turn knob to low, and cook for 3-4 additional hours
  • don’t forget to toss in the mushrooms towards the end of cooking time

finishing and serving

  • about 15 minutes before you would like to serve, place all of the cooked chicken and about 1/2 of the veggies into a large serving dish
  • use an immersion blender* to carefully puree the rest of the veggies together with the liquid right in the slow cooker bowl
  • taste for seasoning, adding salt&pepper if necessary
  • stir in the defrosted peas
  • pour this ‘sauce’ right over the set aside chicken & veggies

* you can also use a blender, CAREFULLY pureeing the veggies and liquid in small batches.

♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥

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

♥  coleen

Filed Under: At Home w/ GCH Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,
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