Did you notice my GIVE-A-WAY?!

For those of  you that are looking for my give-a-way...please read the post from April 5th called What's Your Price? . Click on the previous link...or just go ahead scroll down a bit if you are already this far. I gave instructions on how to win at the bottom of that post. No person is too close or too far to win...so read on my friend.

Submit your answers any of the ways posted, for a chance to win a prize that I really want to keep myself (Haha...now that doesn't go along with my whole 'greed' teaching now does it!! ;) ) You can submit them as a comment on my blog. Or on facebook. Or email me. I am excited to see the ripple of God move throughout this 'contest'. Let's give God the glory for His goodness through acts of kindness to and through one another!

Happy blogging all!! I thought I'd share a picture of one of our MANY daffodils. It made me smile! (The previous owner of our house...LOVED daffodils. Lol!) I keep finding new ones that I never knew about. It is becoming a fun game. (Maybe fun is too strong of a word. Haha!)

Once my randomly placed tulips come up this spring...I am going to relocate them so I can enjoy them. (They are my favorite flower!) Right now...they are hidden from my view in a bunch of tall, dead weeds...and the only people who can enjoy them is drive-bys. Lol! You are welcome for that random information. (Your day is now complete!) I guess I need to hang out with some friends. This lack of adult conversation is making me ramble. Tee hee! *sigh*

Have a blessed 'Good Friday'! If you want to read an amazing, heart gripping truth about what Good Friday is all about, written by my favorite author...click here! I read it this morning...and I sat with tear-filled eyes in awe of the truth. Matchless. This is what makes my God...matchless!

What’s Your Price?

Wouldn’t you agree that we are born into a greed-filled society? We are, as is, richer than most other countries. And we continue to waste money so easily. We think of ourselves before we think of others…daily. We worry when we’ve always had sufficient provision. We get anxious when God has always provided a way. We forget the broken and suffering world before us. We look past the other ends of the earth that are starving and dying every day.

The enemy wants us to please self. He wants us to always be thinking of a way to make more money. He wants us to sacrifice for a price. He wants us to lower our morals for a price. Never have the words in this song Here I am to Worship made so much of an impact to my way of thinking. "I'll never know how much it cost...to see my sins upon that cross." (Your welcome for getting that song in your head for the rest of the day. Pleasure is all mine! ;) )





What is your price? What is the price you would accept to lower your moral standards? Max Lucado writes in his devotional, Embraced by God (which I highly recommend if you have a love for writing)...that money is in the hearts of American people. Please take a minute and read this excerpt from his book listed above.

"If money is the gauge of the heart, then this study revealed that money is on the heart of most Americans. In exchange for ten million dollars:
25% would abandon their family.
25% would abandon their church.
23% would become a prostitute for a week.
16% would give up their American citizenship.
16% would leave their spouse.
13% would put their children up for adoption."

Ok...now let's all pick our jaws up off the floor after reading that. Seems a bit extreme huh? Well greed doesn't usually just throw itself at you in full force with ten million dollars. No, it must start with accepting  just a slight drop in your moral standards. Then a little more.

Soon...people who you once loved, begin to keep their distance. Probably thinking that you will sell them out for the right amount of money. People you hardly know are trying to befriend you...for their own personal gain. No one knows you anymore. You aren't yourself, and you don't trust anyone.

Included, and most important in that list of people that barely know you...your Father. (Father being capitalized because I am speaking reverently of your Creator!)

You see...provision, abundance, and knowledge...they were never intended to be a replacement for your faith, trust and compassion. The less you needed God for provision...the less faith you required to get through your days. The more abundance you acquired through your drop in morals...the less trust you had for anyone...including God. And the more knowledge you gained of how to become more wealthy...the less compassion you had for those less fortunate.

If this is you, ask yourself...was it worth the price? If this could be where you are headed, ask yourself...is it worth the price? What is the cost? Who is suffering?

I have incredible news. If you can relate even on the smallest scale...it is NEVER too late. The foot of the cross is always open. There is an alter out there waiting for you to kneel in front of it. It is always ready and waiting for you to surrender it all to Christ again. He is the One who bore the sin of greed on that cross. What an incredible Easter gift you could give to God and your family...surrender.

And if you are out there saying..."Vanesa, I don't have two nickels to rub together. You don't have to worry about me losing myself in this 'abundance' you speak of." Then remember what I said in my last post..."Greed has nothing to do with money...and everything to do with the heart and hands that hold it." Greed does not confine itself to those who have much. The enemy will get in the heart of anyone who allows...and use whatever he can. Just be wary of his scheme. God just unveiled him to you...watch yourself.

All good things come from God. God always deserves the glory. He always deserves the honor. He always deserves the respect. God always deserves the excess to do HIS will.

Pray for protection from this scheme of greed that the enemy will try to use on you. Bathe your children, no matter their age, in prayer...against greed. Always give as the Lord requests...no matter what the price. The cost will bring eternal, ever LASTING rewards!

Go be His hands and feet with whatever He has blessed you with. Food, transportation, love, compassion, animals, books, songs, the list is endless. And our God is a creative God. He will tell you to give the wackiest things...and the Light that you share is matchless. Don't believe me? Well then, let me tell you a story.

I will never forget the day that some dear friends of our showed up with a trunk full of groceries for us. It had been a rough couple of months for us financially. We were barely keeping our heads above the water...but still being faithful with what we had. When he pulled up and opened his trunk...I could've cried. (I don't think I did at that moment...but I did later for sure! It's my style ya know. ;) )

As my husband and his friend began bringing in bag after bag...I began loading up the fridge and cupboards. There was one item in particular that brought me to tears. Go-Gurt. It was not an extravegant gift. Just simple. It was a blessing that cost him less than $5. You see those four children that run around this house with me all day...had been asking for weeks for me to buy them some Go-Gurt. I had to keep telling them no. Each time breaking my heart for how innocently disappointed they were. This large box of Go-Gurt was proof that God cares about even the smallest of our desires. He met our needs...and our wants.

And those friends of ours (R & R)...they proved  to me that they will obediently give as God leads. They will not give in to greed. They will surrender their abundance to bless those that God leads. What a wonderful example they were to me...and oh how that day inspired me.

Creative...be creative. Look for ways to use what resources you have...and give like no one else! Your mission is unique...unlike mine...but so important. You show Christ through every act you do in His Name! You are the Christ that others see. Smile at that! This is never to condemn you...and always to inspire and encourage you my friend.

Oh my you will never guess what God just reminded me of. (I am putting my lesson today to use!) This is my 100th post since I started writing my blog in February of 2011. It makes me a bit sad to see how many days I wasted without sharing...but I still choose to be really excited with the days I was obedient!! So...in celebration of this event...I would LOVE to do another give-a-way! I have an idea in mind...and if you love God...love coffee or chai...and love chocolate...YOU SHOULD PARTICIPATE!! =)

Send me a message on my blog. On facebook. My email. Text me. Call me. Just say the word GIVE-A-WAY and then tell me how you blessed someone else at God's leading. Or how you were unexpectly blessed by someone else. Or even how this post inspired you to be creative and you plan to bless someone soon! That would be sooo awesome! It will be such a huge encouragement to hear from you blogger-land stalkers out there. LOL!

And I will mail the awesome-est prize to whoever it is that wins. (Randomly selected of course!) No person reading this right now is too far! I see you out there in Germany, Russia, Malaysia, Taiwan. Come on...let's go global!

Take the Greed Quiz

I was doing my devotions the other day…and what do ya know…it resulted in a blog post. Lol! This is a usual for me. God teaches me something…and shows me how to pass it on to whoever is hungry for more of His knowledge revealed.

The subject of choice…greed. Ack! I know some people who I would classify as greedy. How about you? I am sure you could think of someone if you thought real hard. It isn’t just me right? (By the way…I do not condone that behavior. I hate that specific people subconsciously popped into my head when asked to define greed. Judging at it’s finest. =( I learned from it though. That is the purpose of writing it down. To see the enemy’s thoughts as my own…and throw them back in his face with a new revelation from my favorite Author…God!)

So when I was asked the question, “What is your definition of greed?”…I was struggling to not list qualities of the people I know. See, awful huh? I know. God and I have dealt with it. I had to make a conscious effort from that point on to make general worldly categorized statements…instead of specific examples. My definition of greed was a bit surprising to me. And extremely humbling!

Wanna take a quiz with me? Read through my greed defining statements and mentally check the ones that describe you at times. I did it and I was embarrassed. You know those people I couldn’t help but think of above? Ugh…how it hurts to be judged so easily and carelessly. I get it! Warning…if you are having a bad day…maybe wait until later. =) I don’t want to pull you down further. Just to help you realize what God has to teach you for today.

Greed is never being satisfied.

Greed is being envious.

Greed is not being able to rejoice when others succeed or are blessed.

Greed is saving when you know you are supposed to be giving.

Greed is dreaming of wealth and nice things to the extreme of pointless obsession.

Greed is becoming desensitized to the hurting around you.

Greed is treating people differently according to what they can do for you.

Greed is believing that the most money= the most important.

Greed is laying down your morals for the sake of personal gain.

Greed is buying on credit with no plan or hope to pay it off.

Greed is the thrill of the purchase with the remorse of the effects to come.

Greed is dangling your belongings in front of others to puff yourself up.

Greed is discontent with how you are being provided for.

Greed is hiding purchases from your spouse/family.

Greed is keeping the good stuff for yourself (example: my hidden a stash of Dove chocolates or Lindt Lindor Truffles…lol)

Greed has absolutely nothing to do with money…and everything to do with the hands and heart that hold it.

Ouch! I’m ashamed to admit how many of those describe me at times. This list is like my own little chapter of Proverbs. As I have said before. Proverbs is like a kick in the stomach to me. Lol! “A wise man ___________(lists what is right there)…but a fool _____________(lists what I do there).” If any of those, or many of those make you feel a bit guilty…you are not alone.

Conviction doesn’t feel good.

 But correction…the point in which you apply your knowledge of right and wrong…that feels amazing!















Let’s end with one of my favorite Proverbs. I mentioned it in a recent post. And just incase you didn’t look it up…I will take time out of my busy day to type it for you. ;)
Proverbs 12:1 “Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid.”
Don’t be stupid. (That is what I wrote to myself beside this verse in my Bible.) I smile every time I read it. And it speaks mountains to me when I feel convicted and don’t want to accept it. When I do though…oh how I imagine God can finally high five the angels around Him. I am a work of art…and so far from being finished. But the days that I have breakthroughs…those are the days that God can add the vividness to His masterpiece. And I hope you can agree that when your world is bright and vivid you are happier. Brightness and vivid colors are signs of life! Breakthrough the chains that hold you in a place of greed. Your life will never be the same!Conviction doesn’t feel good.

Bloom Where you are Planted

We’ve all probably heard that before. ‘Bloom where you are planted.’ You know me. I can make anything into a devotional lesson. Lol! And that is just what I had in mind when I took these pictures a few weeks ago. In my opinion, the flowers pictured below would be much more beautiful if they weren’t growing under a big maple tree. Because then they wouldn’t be surrounded by dead leaves and small, fallen branches. In the light of the sun though…they open up (see picture #3) and are beautiful, no matter what surrounds them. Did you get that? Let me help you apply it. ;) “In the light of the Son we too can show true beauty in all places and situations .” And that beauty isn’t measured in the weight on your scale. Or the skill level of your make-up regimen. Or the outfits that you put together.

True beauty is from within. Don’t believe me. Let’s go to the Word of Truth and Knowledge. 1 Peter 3:3-4 “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight.”

Do you desire to be looked upon as a woman/man of great worth? Who’s scale are you comparing yourself to? Are you worried about how you stack up next to your friends? Or family? Or fellow church members? Or maybe your struggle is comparing yourself with people with the same gifts and talents. Let those be your verses for today. When you are feeling down on yourself…remember that a gentle and quiet spirit before God…is unfading. Remember that the Son of God…makes your world shine brighter…not fade away. And remember that He holds those things up as great worth! You are beautiful…and don’t let the enemy (or your circumstance) tell you differently.

 

Do you ever feel like this is you? You are trying to gain strength, grow stronger…and you keep finding obstacles every way you turn.

Or is this you? You are trying to be pure…and yet are surrounded by the dark, dead and ugly.

Do not doubt your ability to be transformed in the likeness of Christ. Look at how gorgeous this spring flower is amidst the deadness of fall that surrounds it. It is alive. No one can doubt the life that shines through it because it stands out in the dead and dark of its surroundings. And you can’t help but to smile at the vivid colors among the dreary.

 

Spring. It brings life. It brings color. It brings a fresh start for new ideas. I love spring in PA. It is a lovely season. No more snow. No more salt on the edges of the roads. No more sliding into ditches. No more bundling up from head to toe.

It brings warmth from the sunshine. Good things are to come. Beautiful things. Things that remind us of our Creator.

What is your spring like? Do you rejoice at the sight of new buds? (Speaking of buds. I ‘planted?’ some flowers last fall. Sort of. I say the word planted with a question mark because I wasn’t sure if they were going to live. And because I was unsure if they would even live because I had neglected them for so long…I wasn’t sure if I wanted to waste my time and energy in digging holes if they were just going to die. So what did I do? I dumped them in different places on the side of my shed. Yep…dumped. As in on top of the grass…in clumps. (My ‘green thumb’ is not quite developed. Ha-ha!) And to my surprise this spring…they are growing. Green leaves are emerging from the clumps of dirt that fell out with the bulbs that I planted dumped last fall. So I did officially plant them around my shed.  As in dug holes and gently placed the bulbs into said holes. Then recovered with fresh soil. I look at them almost daily when I walk by to see how they’ve grown. I know I have no right…but I am proud of myself. Lol! Sad huh? I honestly don’t even remember what type of flowers will appear. Oh how I love the surprises of spring!)

I love a fresh start! I love new life! I am excited for what is to come this year! I had a word from God spoken over me a few weeks ago. “It is going to begin to come easy for you. What you have been trying to do…will now be easy.” Whew…sometimes I need simple and easy. Praise God for something to look forward to! I can’t wait to see what those words entail for me. I have ideas…but I will wait on God to reveal them for sure. After all, I want His will above mine!

What does this fresh start mean to you? What new adventures are you looking forward to? I am praying for you out there in blogger-land. I may not know you. I have no idea what you are facing. But I pray for the people that this blog reaches. And that includes you! God knows you better than I…and I trust He is pouring His love on you.

 

How much easier it is to bloom when you are surrounded by life! Sometimes it takes going through trials to make you appreciate the easy life. Worry is not for us, as Christians. We have faith. We have trust in our Maker. We have the Word of Life. We have the Spirit to intercede on our behalf. Surround yourself with like-minded, life. People who are in your corner rooting for you to succeed for Christ. Pray them in. And pour out the love of Christ to each person you meet. (Even the difficult ones. Ugh, I hear ya…but it will be worth your effort!)

Bloom. And encourage others to bloom.

Share your gifts from God. Encourage others to share theirs.

Speak. And encourage others to speak words of Life.

Love. And encourage others to love.

Forgive and forget.

This is a fresh start for you. It is never too late to decide that you want to strive to be more like Christ. This is your year. Claim it…and start changing today!!

Too Much Grace…Is That Even Possible?

Part One-

Is it possible to show or BE shown too much grace? Huh…I am trying to form an intelligent answer to that question…and I’m struggling. My head says yes it is possible because I tend to want to punish people for my unspoken scale of ‘what they deserve’. My heart on the other hand, says no because you should give what you want/expect to receive. The problem is that sometimes my heart follows my head. =( There are many days that I talk my heart into feeling what my head does. Those are the days I regret most. I tend to be judgmental. Arrogant. Lacking in forgiveness. Without unconditional love. Stupid.(I’m allowed to say that word because it is in the Bible. Check it out. Proverbs 12:1. Just like Prego…it’s in there. Lol!)

The days that I follow my heart no matter what my head says…are the days I live for. They are moments with lasting impressions. The results are eternal. The lessons learned are teachable examples to my family and friends. (And of course you out in the blogging community. *smiles*)

You see today, as I’m writing this…it is one of those days. My head said I should be folding laundry. (Enticing huh? I know, not at all…but necessary?…absolutely! Haha!) My heart said I should be writing. You can tell over the last week I’ve been following my head because my writing has suffered. And for what? Clean underwear? Eh…it is over-rated. ;)

Today…today I listened to my heart. I heard God say, “Sit and write for Me.”…and I listened. And for what? Or should I say who?

YOU! God is speaking to you! How do I know? Because this is the point of my writing in which I felt the Spirit of God. A chill that radiated throughout my core. Instant tear moistened eyes. Immediate excitement in the presence of my King.

You see my friend…your head is smart. Sometimes too smart for your own good. The enemy will use your own brain against you. He can’t get to your heart though. If you are a ‘blood-bought, highly-favored, child of the Most High God’…your heart is already spoken for. The enemy has to work with your head…because he doesn’t have the power to touch a heart that belongs to Christ. He’s no match for that kind of power. (Smile at that thought. I did. =) )

So how does the enemy get to you?…he whispers lies to you. He uses people you trust to tear you down in their moment of weak judgment. He makes you feel guilt for past wrongs. Wrongs that have already been nailed to the cross. He piles on responsibilities to make you busy so you don’t have time to meet quietly and reverently before your Savior. He places things in your path that he thinks you might lust after.

He’s sly…but you are God’s beloved and you are smart. You are intelligent because you have access to the Creator and all of His knowledge. You are strong because of the Spirit that lives in you. You are saved because of the sacrifice on Calvary. You are forgiven because of the Blood that washes you clean. You have a clear mind because you were born with a will to think on your own.

So you see…if we can seek our heart’s answer. If we can follow the love and compassion that God has placed in us…we will not live in so much regret. Each time we make the right choice…our Father will rejoice.

It is kind of like teaching your young children to stay away from fire. We make a big deal about it and possibly punish them because we want them to understand the severity of the possible consequence. And when they comprehend and apply their new-found knowledge…we stand back and watch. We are ready to run to their rescue if they try to play with fire. And we are ready to rejoice with them when they choose life. =)

God longs for us to apply the knowledge He has given us. He wants us to use our life experiences to change our future reactions. He wants us to always be teachable. He wants us to follow our hearts (remember, this is where Christ resides in us) when our heads seem to be failing us. He wants us to be forever changed to be more like Him.

 

Part Two-

The second part of this post shows the real me. (I try to show the real me through my writing. Never acting like I always have it all together. Instead showing my faults and failures and then how God’s grace covers them all!) I tried to publish this post Saturday…and was clearly not successful. The reason? I had not yet been tested. The enemy tested to see if I would live what I wrote. I am happy to say in the end…I passed. But!…I definitely lost sight in the middle. =( Ugh!!

I will spare you the details of this weekend for the purpose of showing only God’s glory and not the enemy’s handiwork. The enemy’s plan started on Thursday. It escaladed on Friday. And by Saturday it was just ridiculous. I was in a bit of shock as to what was happening. Instead of calmly extending grace…I fought with hurtful words. (I know the author and the source of them…and I am a bit ashamed of how carelessly I slung them when I was hurt.)

All day on Saturday I held back my grace and forgiveness. My focus was not in the right direction. I was focusing on what/who was before me, and not Who is above me. Finally at 8:30 Saturday night God spoke to me. He reminded me of something I heard from Woody Woodson early this week. “I will show up if you do.” Whether you agree with that statement or not is not the point. To me it meant something specific.

If you read a post I wrote a month ago (called God’s Generosity)…you may remember that I mentioned my newest song. If you remember that, you will also remember that I asked you to pray for the man who God revealed to me the song was for. With this in mind now again I say… “I will show up if you do”. To me this was God saying, “Fix what you broke…because if you don’t show up at church on Sunday, I can’t.” Does this mean that God’s presence would not be there? NO! But does it mean that God’s plan for this man would be impossible? I don’t know. But I would hate to be the person who messed up the plan of God for myself and even more so for another person.

It had been weeks since I told this man’s wife of God’s plan. Each week I saw her with her children. No husband. What would make me think that today would be any different? The voice of God…and I could not risk it. Fixing what I had broken Saturday…was necessary to make Sunday successful. I was dreading it…but God was with us. He softened our hearts (and our voices) and forgiveness and grace were the victors.

This past Sunday morning was my most peaceful in a while. I was home alone, preparing only myself for church. I thought here and there about the possibility of singing my song…but decided it wasn’t likely. I leisurely sipped my steaming mug of Coconut Cream coffee. Read a little. There was no rushing. No yelling about how it was time to go. Just peace and quiet.

I spoke with some encouraging sisters when I arrived at church. Walked into the sanctuary not really paying much attention to who was there. As I walked onto the stage to begin worship…my husband (the worship leader) approached me. He asked if I was ready to sing my song today. I said, “Why, is he here?” YEP…he was. I looked up and saw him sitting with his family. I got a huge smile on my face realizing that what the enemy meant for evil, God used for good. I had passed the test. It took me a day…but I listened to the voice of God…and I played my part in His plan for this man.

I don’t yet know the outcome. That is not my worry. I was obedient. I was real. I sang it in the wrong key. Oh, haha! Should I not have said that? Too real? (Maybe God was sparing me from becoming prideful. Lol…I couldn’t hit a few of the lowest notes the I intended to. I had started it too low and it was too late to fix it by the time I realized it.) But with all of that said…I will do whatever else God instructs me. I will help however I am needed. I can’t wait to see how this man creates his own ripple effect.

God is faithful to the end. He gives us opportunities to redeem ourselves with what He has taught us. I may have played with fire…but I didn’t not get burned. God reminded me of my own words. He didn’t give up on me. He didn’t decide that I was a lost cause when I lost focus. He consistently spoke to me…until I heard His instruction and applied it.

Can you extend or receive too much grace? Not if you are saved by the blood of Jesus. I fully understand how I feel now. My heart doesn’t fail me. My head…eh…I’m still a work in progress there. I thank God that I can say…I get it. I understand why that word was spoken over me last week. Grace! My world doesn’t make sense without it. I am not whole without it. I could not survive without it. I would live in a constant state of sadness without it.

I don’t have to ever be without it. Do you?

Oh What a Wonderful World

Today’s statement to ponder…”Describe a world where everyone gives someone else the break they hope to receive.”


What is  your immediate reaction to that statement? I will admit, mine is mixed. It makes me smile to picture a world as beautiful and whole as the one mentioned above. It also makes me want to silently cry when I think of how God desires for us to be…and how many holes we leave when we don’t. Especially as Christians. His desire for how we treat others (believers or non-believers) are not always met.
Is this a wonderful dream? (A seemingly unreachable one.) Or is this your light bulb moment? The moment that God has divinely placed in front of you to start a movement. A movement that starts with one…and ripples or snowballs to reach many. The ripple effect can start with you. Own it. I have my ripple effect and you can have yours. If they can connect and cross paths…what a more powerful movement they become. And God can use those ripples to reach MANY. I don’t feel as though many is a large enough word for the mental picture I am trying to portray. It will do for now.
We are called to think outside of the box, right? =) This is outside of the box of my pea-brain thinking. But then again, so is healing. So are divine appointments. So is saving a sinner from the eternal punishment that he/she deserves. My brain doesn’t understand what is not explainable. Just because I am not able to ‘figure them out’ does NOT mean that I don’t trust they are real.
Trust…now that I can do. And my Savior has proven Himself faithful time and time again. He has healed. He has set up appointments that were clearly by His divine guiding. The timing was just toooo perfect to be by ‘chance’. And saving the sinner…is so beyond what we deserve. Therein lies the problem. We treat each other sometimes according to terms we deem deserving.
You don’t deserve my forgiveness because you have hurt me too deep.
You have offended me too often to deserve any more chances.
You don’t deserve my kindness because I see how you treat others.
You don’t deserve my compassion because your heart is hardened towards others.
You don’t deserve my love because it is too difficult to love you.
You don’t deserve grace because you don’t learn from your mistakes.
Ouch! Read those statements again. This time picture Jesus saying them to you. You can’t. It is impossible for Him to be without love. That is wonderful, almost unfathomable news for you. To know that He will always give you grace…is a life-changing realization. It is all about what people deserve with us. And we are harsh with our standards. We set ours high and expect others to set theirs low. How has that been working for you? Not too good, I assume.
Do you give your friends, your family, your church, the strangers you meet; the break that you would want?
If that question immediately makes you angry, or ashamed, or sad…that my friend is called conviction. It is how God helps us to realize His will for us is different than how we’ve been living. What you do with this information…makes all the difference. We were born with free will remember? Sometimes I wish that I didn’t have it. Then I wouldn’t mess up so badly…and soooo often. But that wouldn’t show God our reverence for Him. It wouldn’t prove how much we love, respect and fear Him. You see if God wanted puppets, he would have created them. But no He created us to be His heirs, His sons and daughters. He desires relationships with us. This is not a dictatorship.
Because we are free willin’ men and women, we sometimes are too proud to admit that we react against God’s will. Sometimes we are too busy to notice. Sometimes just flat out defiant and unwilling to change.
Let’s try to picture it if we did change. What would your world look like? Peaceful. Kind. Gentle. Fun. Joyful. Compassionate. Filled with love. Forgiven. Beautiful! And what a proud Father we would have! Help me make this happen. Start your ripple so that when it crosses mine…they are a powerhouse to be reckoned with! The bigger the combined movement…the harder it will be for the enemy to fight against us. We are strong in Jesus name! Rise up and meet the hand of your Father. He is waiting to turn what the enemy tries to use against you…for HIS purpose.

You are Going to WANT to Make These!

Good morning all! I am sitting here going through pictures and I decided I just had to share this recipe I recently made. It all started at Christmas this past year. I got this cute little bag of goodies from my brother and his wife. Some sort of fun Bugle snack. They were super cute…but didn’t look ‘out-of-this-world-amazing.’ I figured my kids would like them. Not expecting much…I tried one.

Oh.

My.

Goodness!

They were so so so super yummy. I knew that I had to get the recipe because I certainly wasn’t sharing any of the ones that were a gift for my ‘family’. Haha! (I really didn’t share. Awful huh? I know…I have repented about it. And I’ve moved on. Move with me won’t you? Lol!)

So…since my family didn’t get to enjoy them. I bought all the ingredients and finally made them last Friday night. (What is just a few short months to wait for something so awesome? Lol!)

If you are on Pinterest…which I am…but don’t EVER get to really look at. You can find the original recipe. I don’t know the name for sure…so good luck with the search. (Your welcome.) We are calling them Chocolate Peanut Butter Bugles. Simple, yet surprisingly time consuming.

As I said…I made them last Friday. We had a youth event at our church. Since we were getting pizza I thought this would be a nice little dessert that would be easy. An hour and a half it took my daughter and I to make about half of a large bag of bugles. (We did of course sample some during the process.)

And Ariel took a break to do what we love most…

I know what it looks like. She is about to enjoy the chocolate off the rubber scraper. (And if you know me and know my love for chocolate…I would say that is a valid guess.) But no…she is singing into it. Anything is a microphone when you have a passion for singing. Lol! This day…she was singing my newest song. “Rise Up”. It is so powerful…and I am so excited for when God has me share it.

Okay, on to the actual recipe. You need three ingredients. That’s it! The fourth ingredient is 100% optional. =)

Ingredient #1
Chocolate Wafers (I don't believe the brand name is vital. I used part of a bulk bag of chocolate wafers when I ran out of these. You would probably need 2-3 of these bags to do an entire large bag of Bugles.)

I melted these in my Pampered Chef micro-cooker. =) Heat for 1 minute. Stir. Heat in 30 second increments until melted and smooth. (OR melt them however you want. Double broiler...sauce pan filled with water with a small bowl on top holding the chocolates. Be creative. Lol!)

Ingredients #2 & #3
Original Bugles and my favorite brand of peanut butter...J I F! Cause I am a choosey Mom! ;)
(Look at me dropping Brand Names like I'm getting paid from them. I can assure you...I am SO not getting paid. *sigh* Lol!)

I used my Pampered Chef spreader to get the peanut butter into the hole of the Bugle. Then I dipped the peanut buttered end into the melted chocolate and placed it on wax paper. (Ok...so I clearly didn't have wax paper, but that would have been my preferred choice. And I am a bit embarrassed of how old my saran wrap covered cookie sheet looks.) 

 Ingredient #4 (100% optional)
SPRINKLES!!!

My sister in laws version were for Christmas so they were adorned with some awesome red/white/green sprinkles. The closest holiday to last Friday, was St. Patty's Day...so I used green sugar crystals. They didn't really look that impressive. But since my daughter was my 'sprinkler'...I couldn't ask her to stop helping. She was so happy to be sitting on the island in our kitchen, helping Mom. These days won't always be here...so I have to take them while I can. =)

There you are folks! These are so simple. And so delicious. And so addicting. You should try them asap! Lol!

As for me...I am so excited today. You see, this post is part of a revelation from God for me. Not anything to do with the contents of the post. Just the fact that I wrote it AND sent it from my home computer...in my home! God is good...and He has made a way when there seemed to be no way. I praise Him that He is smarter than I!