::this week::

praising:  some unexpected provision for our ministry.  some recent revelation from the Lord... hearing Him a lot this week.  miraculous healing of an infection in my finger... continually blown away by the ailments (large and small, physical and emotional) that God will, and loves to heal.

praying:  for wisdom and clarity on some decisions.  for boldness, courage, and confidence in Christ in me, and more opportunities to exercise those with.  for increased faith and wisdom.

thankful for:  some sweet downtime/ family time last weekend... after a busy week, where Jeremy was working late and not home for dinner 2 nights, it was nice to relax and spend a lot of time together.

cooking:  pasta with peas and prosciutto, chicken tortilla casserole, pizza, sausage potato casserole, guacamole chicken salad, potato salad

reading:  Matthew, Psalms, Daniel, Your Power in the Holy Spirit by John G Lake

creating:  after a several month long crafting hiatus I am finally feeling the urge to create again... making Mother's Day gifts for our mom's and some wedding presents for a sweet couple

doing:  gym and coffee date with my love.  lunch with a friend.  play date. brunch on the Northshore with some powerful men and women of God.  dinner with J's folks.  coffee date with a friend.

pondering:  1) spiritual warfare... especially the multitude of verses in the Psalms like the two below;

Psalm 61:3 for you are my safe refuge, a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me.

Psalm 62:7  My victory and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me.

If God is my rock or refuge where no enemy can reach me, then why do I feel so attacked at times?  Am I not hiding myself fully in Him?  Is hiding in Him purely rest?  Or is there an active engaging in the battle?  Most of the armor in Ephesians   is defensive... but we are given the offensive sword of the Spirit, and told to pray in the Spirit persistently... is this our offense?  Am I constantly covered in the armor listed in the Ephesians passage, or do I leave holes open for the enemy to reach me, if so, what are they?

2)  As I've been reading through Matthew I see an overall theme of faith...

Matthew 8:13 Then Jesus said to the Roman officer, “Go back home. Because you believed, it has happened.” And the young servant was healed that same hour.

Matthew 9:22 Jesus turned around, and when he saw her he said, “Daughter, be encouraged! Your faith has made you well.” And the woman was healed at that moment.

Matthew 9:29 Then he touched their eyes and said, “Because of your faith, it will happen.”

Matthew 21:21 Then Jesus told them, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen.

Matthew 21:22 You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.”

In many cases miracles were performed or promised because the subject believed, or according to their faith.  Also, I see many situations where people were criticized for looking and responding in the natural realm, according to their circumstances, power, or strength...

 

Matthew 8  Jesus calms the storm

Matthew 14 & 15  the multiplication of food to feed thousands.

Matthew 14 Peter walking on water until he got distracted by the waves

Matthew 16:23   Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.”

 

I want to constantly walk in supernatural faith that believes the impossible, that doesn't look at my circumstances or things in the natural, but that knows that God is all powerful and sees the supernatural possibilities of all situations.  I don't want to look at the storms, 5 loaves, or crashing waves and allow them to take my focus off of Jesus, allowing them to limit my expectations and experiences of Him.  I want to constantly believe things that sounds crazy, expect things that sound crazy, and constantly experience God through the miraculous.  If I'm only operating in what makes sense then I am selling the world short of the fullness of experiencing the Kingdom.

meditating on:  Isaiah 26:3 You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!

Wasabi Noodles

I made these Wasabi Noodles.  The changes I made were to;

-use 1 (13.25 oz) box whole wheat linguine
-omitted the cucumber and replaced it with one bag of broccoli slaw
-double the sauce recipe since I had extra noodles and veggies, plus stir in 2 Tbsp rice vinegar, and an extra 1 Tbsp soy sauce, and 1 Tbsp sesame oil

I think this would also be great with shredded cabbage, carrots, or edamamae tossed in.  This dish was good, nutritious, and very quick to throw together.

Vietnamese Pickled Vegetables

Vietnamese Pickled Vegetables

I made these to serve as a side to a Vietnamese Shrimp Noodle Soup.  I'm not sure if it's that I'm pregnant and everything pickled tastes delicious, or if these are just one of the best things that I've ever eaten, but let's just say that I ate an entire batch in 1 day and am kinda thankful that Jeremy doesn't like cauliflower so I didn't have to share them.  I'm pretty sure I'll be making these again soon, and not just on nights when I cook Vietnamese food.  In fact, they should be a staple to have around my fridge.  They are a great combination of spicy and sweet, but they are pretty spicy, so reduce the red pepper flakes if you don't like a lot of heat.  This batch filled up two large canning jars for me, so halve or double the recipe as needed.

-2 c sugar
-3 c white vinegar
-3 tsp salt
-2 tsp red pepper flakes
-2 tsp black pepper
-6 cloves garlic, sliced
-1 small head cauliflower, cut into bite sized florets
-1 cucumber, sliced
-2 carrots, sliced

Bring sugar, vinegar, salt, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and garlic to a boil on the stove.  Layer the vegetables in desired canning jars.  Pour the hot brine over the vegetables and seal jars with lids.  Once jars are room temperature place them in the fridge.  These were ready to eat within a few hours, but could stay in the fridge longer based on your preference.

Vietnamese Shrimp Noodle Soup

Vietnamese Shrimp Noodle Soup

I have been on a Vietnamese kick lately... craving lots of light, fresh flavors.  This soup was my attempt to create them at home, loosely based off a recipe from a friend for a pork noodle dish.  And for my first attempt of cooking Vietnamese food at home, I'd say I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out and could eat this for dinner once a week.

-4 c broth (you could use all chicken broth, or all seafood stock, but I used a combination of clam juice and chicken broth)
-1/4 c soy sauce
-1/4 c sherry
-2 Tbsp brown sugar
-1/2 Tbsp sriracha sauce
-4 cloves garlic, minced
-1 2" piece ginger, sliced
-2 star anise 
-1 head bok choy, chopped
-1 pack mushrooms sliced (I used button, but shitake would be more traditional)
-1 lb med-large shrimp, shells removed 
-4 oz vermicelli rice noodles, cooked according to package directions
-assorted toppings: chopped cilantro, lime wedges, bean sprouts, scallions, and/ or basil

Combine broth through star anise in a large pot.  Simmer over medium heat for at least 20 minutes, but up to several hours (the longer the better).  Remove star anise, add bok choy, mushrooms, and shrimp.  Cook an additional 10 minutes, or until veggies and shrimp are cooked through.  Place noodles into bowls, top with shrimp, broth and veggies.  Sprinkle with desired toppings.

*Per the initial recipe that I worked off of I actually did the whole soup in a slow cooker, but the original recipe was intended for lengthy cooking because it used a pork shoulder.  With quick cooking shrimp, you don't need to use a slow cooker, but I found it very low maintenance to cook it that way.  I combined the broth- star anise in the slow cooker over low for several hours.  Removed the star anise, added the bok choy and mushrooms for 20 minutes.  Added the noodles for 10 minutes.  Then added the shrimp and cooked a final 5 minutes before serving.

::this week::

praising:  a miraculous multiplying of money in our bank accounts.  God using Jeremy to heal a physical condition in one of our friends.  supernatural peace that transcends all understanding (Phil 4:4-8)... although multiple circumstances could have me stressed and worried this week, our Lord, His peace, and His promises are so good, so faithful, and so worth trusting in... grateful for eyes to see Truth, and by faith, beyond what I can see in the natural realm.

2 Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

Where do you need freedom today?  Receive it by faith!

praying:  still for a new level of breakthrough and revelation from the Lord for me... a newer, deeper, more passionate hunger than ever before... that I would truly seek Him and only Him with my whole heart.  for friends and the requests of others. 

thankful for:  provision... that all of our needs and many of our desires are met.  our health.  some unscheduled downtime this week.  my sweet hubby and how well he loves and leads me and our son.  such varieties of food so readily available through grocery stores... that stuff like bok choy, rice noodles (and more) can commonly be found at any everyday market now.  the weather... the warm sun, the cool breeze, the rain that refreshes the earth and my soul... that there is a purpose in all of it... embracing and enjoying exactly what each day brings... hoping to do this with every circumstance in my life... thankfully allowing them all to serve their purposes.

listening:    lots of Jesus Culture, including Fill Me Up and Freedom Reigns

reading:  Matthew, Daniel, Psalms, Your Power in the Holy Spirit by John G. Lake

cooking:  parsley pesto (on pasta, and as potato salad), Vietnamese shrimp noodle soup, pizza, wasabi noodles, salad with ginger dressing, Vietnamese pickled vegetables, curried couscous (made with the dressing from this curried rice salad)

prego update:  had a doc appointment this Monday, all is doing well.  seem to be further progressed now at 35-36 weeks then I was at 41 weeks with Noah... not sure if that means that Elisha could come early or not, but glad to know that all is well.  have an ultrasound this coming Tuesday to find out how big Elisha is, just to have as much info. as possible as we weigh whether to pursue a VBAC or do another c section.  excited to see our little man one last time before we get to meet him in person.

doing:  not much... resting after a busy week last week, and soaking up each last minute that we are a family of 3.  a play/ dinner date for me and Noah with a friend and her kiddo while J co-leads and teaches at a meeting on the Northshore on Friday.  a couple tea/ play dates with friends.

pondering:   Matthew 5:21-22 “You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’ But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell.

We're no longer under the law/ Old Covenant... our command is no longer simply not to murder, we are now under the New Covenant and the law of love, which encompasses don't even be angry... Ouch, convicting!  and then...

Matthew 5:23-24  So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God. 

reconciliation is more important than our sacrifice (or deeds) unto the Lord.  and then...

Matthew 5:44  But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!  

Jesus said this to hearers who would literally have enemies and be persecuted simply because they were followers of him... enemies who did worse than slander or gossip but that would take some of the hearers lives.  and yet, despite the severity of these enemies to come the hearers were told to love them, to pray for them.

Matthew 5:8  God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God.

And all of these things... anger... love... reconciliation... come down to having a pure heart before God... those with pure hearts will see Him... I sure don't want Him to be hidden from my sight because of a lack of purity in my heart. 

meditating on:  Matthew 6:9-13  “This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us today our daily bread.  And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

This is the model of how we should pray... meditating on the principles found here to guide me.   Also, thinking on "daily bread"... often translated daily needs... but by doing this are we selling ourselves short?  Jesus spoke of Himself as "daily bread" (John 6:32-53)... so is daily bread our daily needs, or is it our ONLY need, found in Him?

John 6:35   Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life.  Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

Parsley Pesto

I made this Parsley Pesto. I really liked the fact that the recipe calls for spinach, because I add spinach to pretty much every pesto that I make for an extra burst of nutrition.  The only change that I made was to add 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes.  I thought this turned out really well, and served it tonight over pasta.  I'm planning on making a potato salad with it tomorrow also.

women's ministry in my life...

This morning I will be speaking at our church women's brunch.  Here is a summary on what I'll be covering...

freedictionary.com defines ministry as: the act of serving.  So women's ministry would then be the act of serving women.  I believe this includes women both inside and outside the church.

Ministry isn't something that happens at a certain time, place, or event, but it's something that we are... our lives are ministry. Ministry isn't about a program or formula, but about using our creativity and gifts for the good of others.

Ministry may take the form of hospitality, it may be organizing a group of people together, it may be sharing the Gospel, an encouraging word, or meeting the needs of someone we encounter along the way of our everyday life.  We are all ministers of the Gospel.

I was asked to share some examples of what that looks like in my life, how I do ministry, and stories of that playing out...

Here are a few examples from over the years of how I've organized groups of women together;
-used to hold a monthly Craft Night where ladies could bring their own project to work on while enjoying food and conversation with each other... since this was not held at my house I was comfortable advertising this on Craigslist, flyers in coffee shops, open FB groups etc.
-I used to organize the ladies from our community group used to get together once a month for some sharing/ encouragement/ girl time without having the guys around... this has gotten a lot less frequent as our lives have gotten more busy, and most of us have had children, but we still try to do it when we can
-we host singles/ couples in our home for dinner on average of 1-2 night a week
-most weeks I plan a weekly zoo or Chick Fil A trip for stay-at-home moms and their kiddos to get together
-organize groups of women to attend a local Turkish Cooking Class... all of the women who teach these classes are Muslim, and open to inter-faith dialogues, so over the years several of us have had the chance to share the Gospel with some one these women, and if nothing else educate each other on our beliefs, culture, etc. and tear down some of the negative walls that exist between Muslims and Christians, particularly American Christians
-ladies board game nights at our house
-yearly ladies blueberry picking trip to a farm on the Northshore
-send weekly texts to ladies from our community group and our Pastor's wives to encourage them and find out how I can be praying for them
-Bible studies

I also know of ladies who have organized artists retreats, running groups, worship nights, and various other events.  I know a stay-at-home mom who bakes goodies every Monday morning to send to work with her husband for his co-workers, to her kids schools for the teachers, and to leave in the mailbox for her mailman.  I know a group of young adult ladies who got together and started their own monthly breakfast cafe for the homeless in New Orleans, where people are served restaurant style.  Get to know your neighbors and the people around you... bring housewarming gifts to new neighbors, Christmas or holiday treats to your neighbors.  There are no limits to the creativity of how you can bring people together or do ministry... work off of your talents, passions, interests, and skills.  Not everyone is a planner/ organizer, so organizing big groups of people won't be for everyone, but each of us is equipped with some gifts to use.

For me, this looks like taking my son to the parks in our neighborhood, going on walks through the neighborhood and engaging our neighbors in conversation.  Knowing them, and knowing their needs.  Over the last few years my neighbors have continued to warm up to us, at first they wouldn't even let me in their homes, and now they invite me in and give me hugs and kisses.  This has brought up several opportunities for ministry... my husband has had the chance to pray with multiple neighbors over the last month.  Our community group has provided Christmas dinner for 3 of my poor neighbors for the past 2 years.  Because we know them, we know their needs, and we are able to meet their needs provisionally, emotionally, and spiritually.  One former neighbor used to come over almost weekly for tea, and would comment to me that I was the first neighbor that she had who actually tried to get to know her.  I would text her weekly when I was going to the grocery store to see if she needed anything, and sometimes pick up additional items for her while I was there. 

Also, one encouragement that I've learned from... it's not about numbers.  Don't get caught up in worrying about how many people come to each event, remember the shepherd would leave the 99 to go after the 1 who was lost.  A few years ago, one craft night that I hosted, only 1 person showed up.  I was defeated thinking that it was a failure, basing my "success" on numbers, but God knew exactly what He was doing bringing only 1 person there that evening.  And after some crafty time with the 1 lady who did come the Lord gave my friend a huge burden to confess to me a particular crippling sin/ stronghold in her life and I had the opportunity to encourage, speak truth to, and pray with her right then and there... all of which would not have happened had other people shown up that night. 

Often as women we can tend to be a Martha and not a Mary... to get caught up in the wrong things... the plans and details, rather than our relationship with Christ, and to others.  Plans and details are good, but Christ is better and the only thing that is important.  It's not about having the perfect event, the food, decorations, activities etc., it is about having the Holy Spirit, in a relationship, listening to Him and His promptings and using our passions and giftings for His glory, wherever we are.  It's about doing all that we do to the glory of God, in relationship with Him, being His Light to each and every person we encounter and being faithful stewards of every resource He gives us.

It's about being fully present, available, and engaged where we are, and not adding more activities to our calendar.  It's about having the margin and time in our schedules to be the church, and not about having so many church activities on our schedules that we don't have any time left to be in the world.  It's about being in our neighborhoods, offices, places of interest (gyms, spas, restaurants etc.) as ambassadors for the Kingdom, as Light in the darkness.