Living as a Victorious Christian Woman

We are always looking for fun new ways to teach our youth group the truths of the Bible. Some days it feels like we're totally on the same page with them, and other days their faces look like we're speaking in hieroglyphics. (Yes, I know what that word means and yes, it definitely applies here.) Our teens have now studied Genesis 1-5, which covers a lot of territory, so we've spent a couple of days reviewing. As an end-of-the-section review, I wrote out 29 questions from those chapters on index cards, leaving room for them to write the answers. On the back was the verse reference in case they needed a hint.  When all the questions were answered, we laid numbers on the floor and put some prizes on every other number as an incentive. Then it was their mission to take all those answers and put them in chronological order. Each right answer meant moving down the timeline and collecting the prizes as they went. Most of the prizes were just dollar store treats that I know they lo...

There's nothing I like better than trying out a new recipe. Unless it's sampling the results of a new recipe. That's pretty important, too. We received a Artza gift box from Israel a few weeks ago, and inside was a small jar of Sachlab powder mix. I had never heard of these spices, so having a recipe card tucked inside was a huge blessing! It's an interesting spice made from ground sachlab orchids. I had never heard of it, but I knew we needed to try it.  The recipe included is for crinkle cookies topped with almonds, so they already had my attention. I'm also a fan of recipes with very few ingredients but lots of flavor. These cookies have both. I made these cookies this weekend, knowing I could share them at our church lunch on Sunday. Our pastor and his wife just returned from a trip to the Holy Land, so I was curious about how authentic they would be. They're not sweet like American desserts are. They have a soft exterior with a crispy middle for a great com...

When I opened my Bible app yesterday and read my first devotion, I got rocked. Thank you, Streams in the Desert, for rocking me. The devotion centered on 1 Peter 4:12-13, where he reminded the believers that they shouldn't be surprised or caught off guard when difficult things happened in their lives. It wasn't some strange thing that came out of nowhere, coming out of the proverbial left field. They are promised to all believers of all eras. And not only were they trials ... they were FIREY trials. Peter wasn't talking about waking up on the wrong side of the bed and having to deal with people all day. The 1st-century Christians were dealing with persecution, torture and death for their beliefs. And Peter was telling them that this shouldn't come as a surprise because it was exactly what happened to their Lord and Savior! Maybe it's just me, but after reading those words, my problems don't seem so terrible. I've been struggling with a few things lately, but...

It's so close to spring that we can feel it in the air! Soon we'll see flowers popping up with color all over, so this card is just anticipating that warm, cheery moment! I rescued the front of another greeting card I was sent, and this seemed like the perfect place for it. I chose the card stock color based on the purple in the center flower, mostly because it's a graphic design trick and partly because it's my favorite color. Yes, sometimes that's the best criteria. The butterflies were also upcycled from another card, this time punched out with two different sizes of circles punches. Along the side, I lined up some tiny pink acrylic dots for a contrast and some added dimension. And the sentiment was already printed on the card front, so that just makes things easier! Ready to make this sketch your own? Start with a white card stock card base, then choose a pattern scrap that will fill most - but not all - of the card front. Choose a color from that pattern for yo...

Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee. Psalm 143:8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. Genesis 6:8 And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and wrought that which was good and right and truth before the LORD his God. And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered. 2 Chronicles 31:20-21 The words of a man's mouth are as deep waters, and the wellspring of wisdom is a flowing brook. Proverbs 18:4 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them. John 17:9-10 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 And ye have seen all that the LORD your God hath ...

It can be hard to share our faith. We read critical comments online, see eye rolls and hear derogatory comments about our God and our beliefs. It's enough to make us fearful of sharing our faith becauswe we don't want to be the subject of ridecule. But there are so many small ways that we can be who God has called us to be without buying a billboard and hammering away at hardened hearts. Consider some of these ideas. * Share a personal story about how God has blessed your life recently. * Print out your favorite Bible verse and put it on your desk at work. * Download a great Scripture-themed wallpaper for your phone or other devices. * Write a verse of Scripture inside your greeting cards. (Or only write the chapter and verse so they will look it up.) * Do more than just say you'll pray for someone - pray with them right then and there! * A well-placed sticker is a great way to trigger a quesiton or conversation. * Keep your word, in the little things and in the big things....

If you make a not-so-healthy recipe with extra-healthy ingredients, doesn't that make it healthier by association? I'm not a professional nutritionist, but I'm thinking not. Regardless of the "healthfulness" of this beautiful recipe, it's definitely better with grass-fed and organic beef. Try it with turkey bacon if you'd like, too. I used colby jack cheese from a party tray, but you can use any super-melty cheese that you'd like. Ingredients: 6 1/4-pound burgers Burger seasoning 9 small slices colby jack cheese 9 slices uncooked bacon 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. 2. Season each side of each burger with your favorite burger seasoning. 3. On the baking sheet, layer one burger, three cheese slices, and a second burger. 4. Wrap three slices of bacon around each stack. 5. Cook burger stacks at 400 for 20 minutes. Spoon out any grease. 6. Move oven rack to top of the oven and turn on the broiler. Broil for 3-4 minu...

It snowed again this week. I know I said I wouldn't use that kind of language here, but it's the truth. All the more reason to start thinking about spring and spring cleaning and making everything sparkling and new. If you gather all your spring decor together, what will you find? Green leaves and butterflies? How about eggs, bunnies and beautiful pastel colors? And words from the Gospel that remind us of Christ's sacrifice and resurrection? Wood and the beginning of green plants? And the flowers we've missed all winter? I'm sure we can all agree on that one. Stone, grass and wood, bringing the outdoors inside? Always a winner! If you've got the winter blahs today, look around for anything that reminds you of spring and out it right where you can see it. Let's turn these last days of winter into the hope of a fresh new spring.

With just two ingredients, you can have a sweet, warm, gooey dessert in about half an hour. Seriously.  What's the perfect time to make this cinnamon apple bake? When you need some lovin' from the oven. When it's cold outside. When it's hot outside. When you have company coming over. When you have unexpected company. When you need something to take to a potluck. When you're staying in for the evening. When you want something sweet. When you want to spoil your family. When you don't have a lot of time. When you'd rather be eating than baking. I think you get the idea. Ingredients:  1 20-oz can of pie filling, any flavor 1 tube of refrigerator cinnamon roll dough 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly spray an 8x8-inch or 7x11-inch baking dish with nonstick spray. 2. Cut each roll into six pieces and mix in the baking dish with the can of pie filling. 3. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes. 4. Serve immediately top with the cinnamon roll frosting and vanilla b...

Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights are two of my favorite parts of the week. There's something about sharing what I'm getting from God's Word with our teenagers that does my heart good like nothing else can. If you've ever taught anybody anything, you know that feeling! Danny and I have always said that we study Scripture for ourselves, so our relationship with the Lord is strong, and we just let the teens listen in twice a week while we talk about it. Right now we're studying the Bible in chronological order, something we've never done before, and that means I'm reading and studying and gleaning new things all the time. Hopefully that excitement transfers to them as they listen and learn and get hands-on in Scripture, too. Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. ...

Who doesn't love a great birthday card? With today's sketch you'll be able to create a template for matching cards, get creative with your embellishments and use up a ton of scraps while you do it. Sounds like a winning combination to me! For my birthday card, I started with two scraps of textured decorator paper, one on the top and one on the bottom. Then I covered the overlap with a thin strip of coordinating paper. They're all from the same paper stack, so it took absolutely no thought, which I also like. The pink circles were made with a 1.5-inch punch, which is always the easiest way to get nice, clean edges. The phrase is printed from my word program on the computer and matted on dark blue card stock, then attached with 3D adhesive. Ready to make this card your own? Start by making your card with white card stock. If you want to, you can cover the front with colored card stock, then cut your patterned pieces a quarter of an inch smaller for a slightly different lo...

So, do you think you know the names of all the dog parts? Let's see! This is a fuzzy listening flap. And here's a wet rubber sniffer. Ya gotta love some begging blinkers. They definitely work. Let's not forget the unconditional love center! That deep-thinker topper is fuzzy, too. Every pupper has a happy-o-meter on its back end. Don't those toe beans look perfect for tickles? But those clickety-clackers can be pretty sharp. The shmooshy front side is just begging for scratches and scritches. Put it all together and you've got the sweetest, most lovable dog in the entire world. And now you can identify all their doggy parts - gotta love 'em all!

It's been such a busy month that February completely disappeared, and I'm still catching up! I have several books started, and I'm looking forward to diving deeper into them in March. Here's what I loved about the books I read in February... The Spotlight of Faith: Understanding What It Means to Walk With God by Bill Crowder. Instead of focusing on the "superstars" of the Bible, this book goes into detail about the lives of the lesser-known names in Scripture. From Andrew, Barnabas and Philip to Jochebed, Miriam and Lydia, I learned some amazing things about each one of these 12 lives that I had never noticed before. And that's why I read! Shopping For Time: How to Do It All and Not Be Overwhelmed by Carolyn Mahaney, Nicole Whitacre, Kristin Chesemore and Janelle Bradshaw. A mother and her daughters take turns giving some wise advice about how to use you time effectively and give God all the glory for it. I particularly loved being assured that I don't...

I'm a huge fan of seafood, especially when it's been seasoned and prepared in some delectable way. Shrimp, tuna, scallops, lobster, halibut, cod ... it doesn't matter. I'm there! We receive salmon in our Butcher Box every month, and it's been fun to look around for new ways to prepare it. I've used a Cajun blackening seasoning many times, but then I discovered how easy it is to make my own blackening. With a few tweaks for our personal taste, here's a spice combo that creates a perfect crust. Ingredients: 2 tsp paprika 2 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp oregano 2 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp onion powder 1 tsp cayenne pepper salt and pepper to taste 2 Tbsp butter, melted 4 skin-on salmon filets 2 more Tbsp butter, melted Chopped parsley for garnish 1. Combine all spices in a bowl. 2. Heat a large cast iron skillet over high heat. Lightly coat the inside with nonstick spray. 3. When the skillet is very hot, dip each piece of salmon in the spices to coat.  4. Place the coate...