STABILITY. A relationship with God is like an anchor that keeps you grounded - no matter your circumstances.
SECURITY. Knowing the Father intimately takes away your fears because you know you can trust His unfailing character and provision.
SERENITY. Even in difficult times, you have peace because you have confidence that your situation is in His capable hands.
SENSITIVITY. You become more responsive to the work of the Holy Spirit and to the needs and emotions of other people.
SPIRITUAL UNDERSTANDING. You will begin to comprehend God's Word in a deeper way than ever before, and He will teach you to see your life from His perspective.
Our intimacy with God - His highest priority for our lives - determines the impact of our lives.
Material from In Touch Ministries
http://www.intouch.org/
Shared by Patty B. ♥
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Saturday, February 26, 2011
THIS 'N THAT...2/21/2011
Storytelling can be a powerful tool, a word can be worth a thousand pictures.
The Story of "The Mule"
authory unknown
Once there was a farmer who owned an old mule. The unfortunate mule fell into the farmer's well. The farmer heard the mule brayng - or whatever mules do when they fall into wells.
After carefully assessing the situation, the farmer sympathized with the mule but decided that neither the mule nor the well was worth the trouble of saving. Instead, he called his neighbors together and told them what had happened...and enlisted them to help haul dirt to bury the old mule in the well and put him out of his misery.
Initially, the old mule was hysterical! But the farmer and his neighbors continued shoveling and the dirt hit his back...it suddenly downed on the mule that every time a shovel load of dirt landed on his back...HE SHOULD SHAKE IT OFF AND STEP UP!
This he did, blow after blow, "Shake it off and step up...shake it off and step up...shake it off and step up!" he repeated to encourage himself. No matter how painful the blows, or distressing the situation seemed, the old mule fought panic and just kept right on SHAKING IT OFF AND STEPPING UP!
Of course, it wasn't long before the old mule, battered and exhausted, stepped triumphantly over the wall of that well! What seemed like it would bury him actually blessed him...all because of the manner in which he handled his adversity.
Scripture on Courage:
"He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak (Isaish 40:29)
"Be stong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord." (Psalm 31:24)
"Have I not commanded you? Be stong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not de discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9)
Quote:
"Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point."
C. S. Lewis
Shared by Patty B.
The Story of "The Mule"
authory unknown
Once there was a farmer who owned an old mule. The unfortunate mule fell into the farmer's well. The farmer heard the mule brayng - or whatever mules do when they fall into wells.
After carefully assessing the situation, the farmer sympathized with the mule but decided that neither the mule nor the well was worth the trouble of saving. Instead, he called his neighbors together and told them what had happened...and enlisted them to help haul dirt to bury the old mule in the well and put him out of his misery.
Initially, the old mule was hysterical! But the farmer and his neighbors continued shoveling and the dirt hit his back...it suddenly downed on the mule that every time a shovel load of dirt landed on his back...HE SHOULD SHAKE IT OFF AND STEP UP!
This he did, blow after blow, "Shake it off and step up...shake it off and step up...shake it off and step up!" he repeated to encourage himself. No matter how painful the blows, or distressing the situation seemed, the old mule fought panic and just kept right on SHAKING IT OFF AND STEPPING UP!
Of course, it wasn't long before the old mule, battered and exhausted, stepped triumphantly over the wall of that well! What seemed like it would bury him actually blessed him...all because of the manner in which he handled his adversity.
Scripture on Courage:
"He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak (Isaish 40:29)
"Be stong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord." (Psalm 31:24)
"Have I not commanded you? Be stong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not de discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9)
Quote:
"Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point."
C. S. Lewis
Shared by Patty B.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Love and Accept Yourself
We are often most critical of ourselves, but God wants us to love ourselves. We need to love and accept ourselves for who we are, just as we are. Those with a healthy self-esteem are able to recognize their strengths, know their limitions, and still value themselves unconditionally.
Affirmation for the Week: "I am a worthy, valuable and lovable person who is unconditionally loved by God."
Affirmation for the Week: "I am a worthy, valuable and lovable person who is unconditionally loved by God."
Monday, February 14, 2011
1 Corinthians 13
If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
RICH CHOCOLATE BUNDT CAKES
Ingredients:
Dry Ingredients:
2 cups granulated sugar
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
1 ½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
Liquid Ingredients:
2 large eggs
1 cup whole milk (I used 2%)
½ cup vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup MINUS 2 TBSP boiling water
2 Tbsp. Chambord (raspberry liqueur)
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 C). Grease and flour a 10-inch bundt or tube pan. I used individual mini-bundt cake pan-it comes six bundt cakes to each pan, and this recipe makes 12 mini cakes. I did not flour the pans because I didn’t want any “white” when I turned over the cakes.
Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl of an electric mixer. Ad the liquid ingredients (except for the boiling water and Chambord), and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
Stir in boiling water (and Chambord). Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for 50-55 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in cake comes out clean. For mini bundts, I baked for about 15 min. and then started checking it until toothpick came out clean. Remove cake from oven and let cool in pan for 10 minutes and longer, then invert cake onto wire rack and let cool completely. If you try to remove too soon cake will brake apart!
Raspberry-Chocolate Ganache: (Note: The ganache recipe is very generous – I often half this recipe).
1 1/3 cups heavy cream
2/3 cup Raspberry Puree* (instead of making your own raspberry puree which is very time-consuming cuz you then have to get all the seeds out, you can use 2/3 cups seedless raspberry jam).
16 bars (1.5 oz each) Godiva Dark Chocolate, Chopped OR 2 (12oz. packages) of ghiradelli bittersweet chocolate chips – the bittersweet makes all the difference! And you don’t have to chop), but this ganache recipe came from Godiva.
2 TBSP Chambord (raspberry flavored liqueur)
Heat the cream and raspberry puree in a medium saucepan over medium heat to a boil, stirring occasionally. (don’t let the cream form that “skin” on top. Remove from heat. Add chopped chocolate and stir until melted and smooth. Stir in the Chambord. Pour over the bundt cake(s) and chill for a couple of hours. Serve with fresh raspberries.
Dry Ingredients:
2 cups granulated sugar
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
1 ½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
Liquid Ingredients:
2 large eggs
1 cup whole milk (I used 2%)
½ cup vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup MINUS 2 TBSP boiling water
2 Tbsp. Chambord (raspberry liqueur)
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 C). Grease and flour a 10-inch bundt or tube pan. I used individual mini-bundt cake pan-it comes six bundt cakes to each pan, and this recipe makes 12 mini cakes. I did not flour the pans because I didn’t want any “white” when I turned over the cakes.
Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl of an electric mixer. Ad the liquid ingredients (except for the boiling water and Chambord), and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
Stir in boiling water (and Chambord). Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for 50-55 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in cake comes out clean. For mini bundts, I baked for about 15 min. and then started checking it until toothpick came out clean. Remove cake from oven and let cool in pan for 10 minutes and longer, then invert cake onto wire rack and let cool completely. If you try to remove too soon cake will brake apart!
Raspberry-Chocolate Ganache: (Note: The ganache recipe is very generous – I often half this recipe).
1 1/3 cups heavy cream
2/3 cup Raspberry Puree* (instead of making your own raspberry puree which is very time-consuming cuz you then have to get all the seeds out, you can use 2/3 cups seedless raspberry jam).
16 bars (1.5 oz each) Godiva Dark Chocolate, Chopped OR 2 (12oz. packages) of ghiradelli bittersweet chocolate chips – the bittersweet makes all the difference! And you don’t have to chop), but this ganache recipe came from Godiva.
2 TBSP Chambord (raspberry flavored liqueur)
Heat the cream and raspberry puree in a medium saucepan over medium heat to a boil, stirring occasionally. (don’t let the cream form that “skin” on top. Remove from heat. Add chopped chocolate and stir until melted and smooth. Stir in the Chambord. Pour over the bundt cake(s) and chill for a couple of hours. Serve with fresh raspberries.
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