Spring Update and Favorites
Hello my friends! May has been absolutely gorgeous here—summer came early this year, which is fine with me! This month makes me realize how grateful I am for God’s creation of color. The rich green of the grass and trees, white lilacs (my favorite), the vibrant blue sky; our God loves beauty and that is so evident in His creation. We’re looking forward to a number of camping trips this summer—I’m planning to share some photos and stories in each month’s favorites and update!
This past week was our church’s missions conference. The preaching was so good, the fellowship is always fun, and it was a blessing to hear from the missionaries that came as well. It’s so encouraging to hear how God is still saving souls and important to be reminded that there are many in this world who need to hear the precious name of Jesus! I was challenged anew to be willing to follow the Lord wherever He might lead, and to live for what will matter for eternity. Christ and souls will be all that is important when we come to the end of our lives! (As a neat side note, the wife of one of the missionaries was actually brought to Dohnavur Fellowship when she was 11 days old. Amy Carmichael founded Dohnavur, and it’s incredible to think that the ministry is still having an impact today!)
Each year, our church holds an auction on the Friday night of the conference; the proceeds all go to missions, and it is so much fun to see what everyone makes and watch the competitive bidding! This year I decided to make a chocolate raspberry layer cake. All was going according to plan until I left my cakes to thaw on the counter…in the two minutes I wasn’t watching, my sister’s dog bounded in and promptly set about demolishing one of the cakes. I heard, “No, Darby, no! Bad dog!” with a sinking heart! That resulted in a lot of drama—I couldn’t believe I had to make another set of cakes, and my sister was worried because chocolate is highly poisonous for dogs! Anyway, the vet was called and I was happy with how the cake came out… I used the recipe for the cake and frosting that is on the back of Hershey’s Cocoa Powder and melted leftover frosting to “glue” the raspberries on. And the dog was very apologetic so we’re back on good terms!
This semester of correspondence Bible school is officially over! I learned so much; it’s been great so far (except the tests! 😉) Already I’m feeling so much more equipped to share God’s truth with others. The class of 2 Corinthians was especially a blessing. Since this class was part of the regular services of the church, I thought I’d choose some of my favorite messages from this class and link them here for you. If you’d rather listen than watch, you can find the mp3 recording of each sermon on the website here.
- Three-Fold Deliverance
- Real Repentance
- The Battle In Your Mind—if you can only watch one, it has to be this sermon! This may be the most important truth you will ever need for a victorious Christian life.
- The Gift of a Thorn
- The Practical Power of Christ’s Resurrection and The Resurrection per Christ’s Deity
Although I haven’t been able to do as much reading lately, I do have a couple of book recommendations for you!
The Cost of My Faith: How a Decision in My Cake-Shop Took Me to the Supreme Court by Jack Phillips. You may remember hearing about this high-profile religious liberty case in the news. I didn’t actually finish this book because it was accidentally returned to the library before I was done! But I did skim through most of it (yes, I’m one of those readers!) and it contains a much-needed message for believers. Jack Phillips explains his decision with grace, courage, and clarity. You’ll also follow along as he discovered what it’s like to be involved in the Supreme Court process. If you are a Christian concerned about the moral issues and religious liberty in our nation today, you need to read this.
Magnolia Table Cookbook by Joanna Gaines. My sister gifted me a copy a couple of years ago, but lately, I’ve enjoyed rediscovering this cookbook! The photographs are beautiful, and I hope to try several of the recipes in the next few months. This cookbook inspires me to get in the kitchen and enjoy the process! For me, making delicious food is one way to show my family they are loved and special. 😊
I’ve made this recipe for “Crispy Herb-Roasted Chicken Thighs” quite a few times this year. My only adaptation is that I double the recipe and add 2-4 tsps. of chicken seasoning rub (depending on how many thighs I’m using). I usually make a big pot of fluffy white rice with this meal.
It’s hard to believe we’re on our way to June already! Here are some of my goals for June:
- Read/study A Woman’s High Calling by Elizabeth George. My mom found my copy at a rummage sale last year, and it looks really good.
- Establish my own “voice” practice routine; I love singing, but I’ve been going through a video course and I want to have a regular time of putting into practice what I’m learning.
- Go for a walk or bike-ride every day I can.
- Drink more water! I’m so awful about staying hydrated, and I need to do better 😀
I hope you’ll enjoy the laptop and smartphone wallpaper below; the quote has been a reminder for me to live fully where God has put me right now!
It’s such a privilege to know Him and live for Him, and I pray that each of you will have a blessed month ahead as you rejoice in the Lord. See you next week!
With love,
