Living as a Victorious Christian Woman

I truly can't believe that it's the end of October already, but the temperatures are getting cooler and the leaves are quickly falling from the trees. We're blessed here on the property to have three bucks and their does right now. The twins are almost fully grown, and it's still fun to watch them play in the yard. The change in seasons also means a change in how much sunshine we get each day. I love waking up early while it's still dark, and I really don't mind it getting dark a little earlier. We've had some amazing sunrises and sunsets recently, including after this storm and a few this week highlighted in pink. So pretty.  One of my greatest joys in October was our church's ladies retreat. Everyone was blessed beyond measure but the word of God that was shared, and we had lots of fun surprises for the ladies. One was our trail mix bar, which stayed open the entire weekend. We had about 20 different types of nuts, candy and dried

Find that patterned paper with a repeating pattern and use it to make today's sketch into a one-of-a-kind handmade card. Adding embellishments to a patterned paper can completely change the look of your card. It makes it more than just a sticker on a piece of paper, turning it into something three-dimensional. You'll also need a coordinating pattern, as you're going to make a small side panel out of it. Add a lovely sentiment to connect the two panels and you're ready to brighten someone's day. For my card, I started with a dark green background made of textured card stock. Then I chose a repeating dragonfly pattern and added teal gems on each of their little bodies. Not only does this tie the card together, it adds dimension and sparkle. The small side panel is cut from paper of the same stack, so I didn't even have to think hard about coordinating it. I like that kind of crafting! I printed out my verse from 2 Timothy and matted it on two shade

When I upgraded to a new camera this summer, one of the most important functions I needed was a better lens. I wanted to be able to zoom in tighter from farther away, just to get a little sharper detail and shoot from a longer distance. I didn't realize how up close and personal it would take me. The new lens lets me zoom in all the way across the big pond and has such clarity that you can see each hair on an animal's body. Talk about opening up a whole new world, this new camera does just that. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one. I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. John 17:22-23 Make this a weekend of getting up close and personal with the Lord. I would imagine that during the course of the week we all have drifted away from His side a little, allowing the things of the world to overcome

When was the last time you actually used your phone to make a phone call? And no, texts and tweets don't count. Go back to the most recent time that you dialed numbers, waited for a "hello" and then had a voice-to-voice conversation with someone. How far back did you have to go? This week? Last week? Sometime in the 21st century? Technology is an amazingly wonderful thing, but it's far removed from common courtesy. I will admit that I find it easier to send a text and go about my business while I wait for an answer. It might sound lazy, but it's a simple way to multitask. However, it also takes the better part of an hour to text a conversation that would take two minutes if I had called. So it's a trade-off. The other problem with all these electronic forms of communication is that we've lost the unwritten rules about how to hold a polite phone conversation. In two of my jobs, I'm required to spend time on the phone. I can't begin to tell you a

Some evenings it's nice to not have a lot of cleaning up to do after dinner. This one-dish meal only uses one skillet, and you'll have enough for leftovers the next day for lunch. It's a win-win situation. Ingredients: 4 servings brown rice, cooked 4 Tbsp olive oil 4 chicken breasts, thawed and diced 1 Tbsp cumin 2 Tbsp cinnamon 1/4 cup honey 1 16-oz jar salsa 1. Prepare four servings of brown rice according to package instructions. 2. Heat olive oil in a large cast iron skillet. Season with cumin and cinnamon. 3. Pour honey over chicken and stir, allowing it to caramelize. 4. Stir in salsa and cooked rice. Heat through.

For pastors' wives gifts at our ladies retreat last weekend, we handed out fuzzy sock cupcakes. I doubt that anyone tried to snack on them, but they'll sure be a treat as the fall temperatures set in. I used a cupcake wrapper template from the back of a paper crafts magazine I had. You can do a search online for a template, look through the books you have for one or you can cut your own. Trace it onto your card stock and cut it out. Then lay your socks on top of each other and roll, keeping the bottom edge in one long line. This gives you the swirl like frosting not he top of the cupcake. Then tuck it into the taped wrapper. If it doesn't stay rolled well, just slip a rubber band around the bottom so it will out of sight. Stick the handle of the lollipop into the center of the sock swirl for the cherry on top - literally and figuratively. I did this in several different color combination. That way you can have

The story is familiar: Israel sent twelve spies into the Promised Land. Their mission was to look around, see what it looked like and determine who was already there. When they returned, ten of the men decided to lie about what they'd seen and focus on the terrible giants that they saw. Their report was that these giants were too big and fierce to defeat ,so they'd better not even try. How could this band of rag-tag soldiers, who used to be slaves and brick makers, go up against huge enemies that made the spies feel like tiny grasshoppers? You probably know a little about how they felt. You have the giant of fear or the giant of poor health or the giant of a broken relationship in your life right now. That giant seems so big and so daunting that you just want to hide under the bed until it disappears. High-tailing it away from the problem seems safer and better for your self-preservation. Live to fight another day. But the Israelites' giants were actual giants.

Today's sketch makes me think of a wall in an art gallery. You're going to frame up three pretty portraits and line them up in a row. Too much fun! First, choose three small embellishments or images cut from decorator paper for your art exhibit. Mat them or raise them on 3D adhesive to make them really stand out. Then use the colors from the images to select your gallery wall - patterns or solids will be just fine. Double mat so you have a picture frame around the outside. Finally, run a border across the bottom to hold your sentiment. For my card, I chose three Christmas ornaments from a sheet of patterned paper and matted them on black card stock. Yes, I said Christmas! The most wonderful time of the year... I used a striped paper from the same mat stack for the background, so I knew the colors would coordinate. Yep, I'm just that lazy. The very back layer is the same black card stock as the image mats. Then I added a tiny white gem between them for a

Our house sits in the perfect place to watch changes in the weather. We're out in the middle of the country, and up on a hill, so winds and clouds swirl around us every day. One evening recently we had just had a full day of dark, thick clouds. There was no rain to speak of, but the clouds filled the sky all day. Even in the middle of the afternoon, it was as dark as late evening. But then, right at dusk, the clouds moved away in one large sheet, revealing a beautiful sunset. The sun had been back there all day - just like normal - it was just hidden. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. Titus 2:11-13 Make this a weekend of looking for hope. Just like the sun is always in the sky, even behind the clouds, there

 Christmas may be the most wonderful time of the year, but fall is a close second in my book. I love the colors, the cooler temperatures and a season devoted to thanks and giving. We've been in our home since the fall of 2011, but this is the first year that I've really done outdoor decorations for a special season. I suppose Christmas lights count, but we only hung those for a couple of years. A friend of mine is a farm wife, and she and her husband brought me some stalks of corn after the harvest was over. I tied them together in a bundle and leaned them up against the wall, in front of the ladder from the tree house. (Since the tree house is falling apart, I asked Danny to salvage the ladder for my decorating purposes!) Then I just added some crates, hay bales, baskets and gourds for stacking. A suggestion for outdoor decorations: Don't put out anything that won't withstand wind and rain. There are specific products for the elements, but you

Normally when I make trifle, it's the Death By Chocolate version. I layer chocolate cake, chocolate frosting, chocolate cookies, chocolate chips and anything else I can find that's loaded with chocolate. But this week, while planning desserts for our ladies retreat, someone else was bringing the chocolate version. So I went out of my comfort zone and put together an out-of-this-world vanilla trifle. Judging by the six bites that I came home with, it was a hit! Ingredients: vanilla sandwich cookies vanilla frosting angle food cake white/vanilla chips whipped topping Start with a layer of bite-sized chunks of angel food cake. Heat the can of vanilla frosting in the microwave for 30 seconds, until slightly runny. Drizzle the frosting over the layer of cake. Crumble 10-12 cookies into a layer on top of the frosting. Spread a thick layer of whipped topping, then sprinkle with vanilla chips. Repeat! You should be able to get two of each layer into a regular t

We received such a blessing at ladies retreat this past weekend. It was a time of rest, renewal and soaking in the word of God. So much time and energy was put into the food, the activities and the decorations, which are my favorite parts of the planning process. I designed several bulletin boards for the ladies of our church to put together, and they knocked it out of the park. We generally use plastic tablecloths for the backgrounds, and then print out letters and words on the computer when we can't find remade letters we like. I also picked up several packages of multicolored leaves at the dollar store. This one is my favorite. Each letter has two holes punched in the top, and they're strung on twine and stapled to the background. This is a great way to make a rustic banner in just minutes. We were also able to use a variety of borders from the church's massive collection. Each bulletin board then had the same theme, but drastically different color

If I had to wager a guess, I would say you're probably going through a trial or a storm right now. If you're not, it's also possible that you will be before long. These times of testing grow us, change us and prepare us for whatever God has planned for us next, but that doesn't make them any less painful. The best way to thrive - not just survive - in these long days is simply to pray. We always want to do something, try something new or ask someone else to change something in our situations, but none of these are the answer. No one can begin to touch your circumstances the way God can with a simple touch of His hand. And whatever He has you going through at this precise moment is exactly what you need to mature in your faith and rely on Him for your every need. But so many times we don't know exactly what to pray. Are we supposed to pray that the situation just goes away? No. Should we ask that God changes that other person so everything will be like it

For today's sketch, you're going to make a paper ribbon. This fun, simple embellishment will make your card stand out, as well as save you from trying to find something to coordinate with the colors and styles you're using. You'll need at least two patterned papers for the card itself, another pattern for your paper ribbon, a large square embellishment and a fun sentiment. To make the paper ribbon, cut a strip of paper to a width that will fit behind your square embellishment with about an inch to spare. Then use the corner of a piece of card stock as a guide to cut a perfect triangle out of each end. For my card, I chose four fun, coordinating patterns: one for the background, one for the panel on the side, one to cut down for the square embellishment and one for the paper ribbon. They are all layered on top of a textured brown paper. I wrapped it all up with a card stock die cut sentiment. For more great layouts, visit my Etsy shop . You'll fi

This is what happens when you take a 2-year-old Great Dane for a walk in the woods. This is what my pants, shirt and socks looked like when we got back to the house. I'm still not sure how they got inside my boots... Molly and I went for a tour of the property the other day, looking for fallen logs for a project for ladies retreat, and we ended up in some tall grass. Once we fought our way through, I came out covered in burrs. Apparently Molly's fur was a great barrier against them because she emerged with only a couple of the little Velcro-type seeds stuck to her. It took the better part of an hour to get all the burrs off so I could wash my clothes. Molly and I sat on the deck together while I pulled each individual seed out. My clothes were fine, it just took some time to un-cling the burrs. (If it's not a word, it is now.) Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto h

Are you ready to fill your house with the smell of fall - and spend very little money to do it? Pull out your favorite wax burner and try this idea. You'll need: a wax burner a votive candle 3 Tbsp coconut oil 3 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice 1 tsp cinnamon Mix the oil and spices in a small bowl until smooth. Spoon into the top of your wax burner and light the candle. If it's too strong or not strong enough for your taste - I mean, smell - then adjust the ratios a little and try it again. After each candle has burned out, just wipe out the slightly cooled oil and start again.

Maybe it's because I'm an Iowan, but I much prefer pork to beef. (Sorry cattle farmers.) So when I found a recipe for Italian meatloaf, I was so excited to make a few changes to it and make it the southern Iowa version. Just a note: while the flavor of this meatloaf gets better with each serving of leftovers, the cheese topping gets a little dry. If you can finish it within a meal or two, it will be at its best and freshest. Ingredients: 1 Tbsp olive oil 1 lb ground Italian style pork 1 small onion, diced 1/2 cup green bell pepper, diced 1 Tbsp Worchestershire sauce 1 clove garlic, minced 1 tsp Italian seasoning 1 tsp dried basil 1 tsp dried parsley 1 egg, beaten 3/4 cup Italian style bread crumbs 2 slices of bread, cut into tiny cubes 1 Tbsp milk 1 bag shredded mozzarella cheese 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese 1 cup marinara or pizza sauce 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick spray. 2. Heat the oil in a skillet, then add the

'Tis the season for finding pumpkins everywhere. You can eat them, drink them, make your house smell like them ... you name it, it comes in pumpkin for these few months. Most everyone likes pumpkin pie, but there is one problem: no one likes cleaning it out. The pretty orange outside covers up stringy, sticky, gooey junk inside. Remember skipping that part as a child and just drawing a Jack-o-latern face on with a black marker? I was that child. But until that internal mess gets removed, the pumpkin is pretty much useless. You can't take a bite out of it like an apple because of the seeds. You can't carve it up because the ickiness will just ooze out the holes. And you definitely don't want to make it into a pie until you've opened it up, scraped it out and washed it down. Only then is it fit for anything except decoration or pumpkin chunkin'. Whether you realize it or not, you come before God just like this pumpkin. You're full of selfishness and a

Why buy mass-produced gift wrapping when you can spend a few minutes and no extra money to create a one-of-a-kind upcycled pillow box? Just save a few cardboard tubes. Then fold them in half, creasing the edges really well. When you gently press one side down, it will show you where it naturally wants to bend. Crease that round line a little. And then repeat on the other side, overlapping the edges. Then flip it to the other end and do it again! With creased edges, the flaps of the pillow box will stay in place. Then decorate as much or as little as you like, adding some fibers around the middle to secure the flaps. You can customize the embellishments to the person who will receive the gift, or you can make them match any event or theme.

Perfect for fall, you'll enjoy sharing some chocolate dipped apples with those you love. You'll need: three apples, thickly sliced chocolate almond bark butterscotch or caramel chips white almond bark Slice your apples fairly thick so the chocolate has something to hold on to. Slice until you reach the seeds from both sides, the cut off the two ends of the core, as shown in the picture. Melt six bricks of a package of chocolate almond bark in the microwave, in 30-second intervals, stirring until smooth. Dip each of the apples, covering them as much or as little as you like, and place them on wax paper-covered baking sheets. Immediately place them in the refrigerator. Melt the chips and white bark in separate bowls in the microwave using the same technique. Drizzle them onto the slices in pretty patterns. Put them back in the refrigerator. Since you can't save these longer than a few hours, eat them as soon as they have hardened. Saving them just leads to sog