Garrison

Garrison's profile

This little boy has been on my heart for a couple of weeks now. I haven't had the chance to raise any funds yet, but I have remained faithful in prayer for him. He is missing both feet and one hand, but otherwise shows no problems! Look at that sweet face!

My heart just breaks for him and the other children at Reece's Rainbow that are waiting for families. They are cast aside in their countries as lower class because of their disabilities. Some of these kids are living in adult mental institutions as young children!


I know not everyone is able to adopt. I know we are not in a position to do it again anytime soon. If you aren't able to adopt, please give to help someone who can. November is national adoption month. Please do something to give to children in need of a family!

 

 

If you would like to help this little boy, please click on Garrison's link above and you can donate right through Reece's Rainbow. I will be collecting for him in the next few weeks as well.

Talent Required?

Being a church planter's wife sure stretches you! I am being used in ways I never would have thought. Anyone that has known me for any length of time would be shocked to hear what I am doing now!

I am now the worship leader! (While our worship leader recovers from giving birth to her new son, a.k.a. my adorable nephew.) I have never been known as a great singer. In fact I was quite the opposite growing up. Thank God that when there is a need He provides the talent where it was lacking! I have improved so much and can actually carry a tune. Believe it or not, a few people have even said I have a beautiful voice! Praise God he provides!

It makes me wonder...is talent required? Or does God honor you stepping out in faith, trusting that He will make it work? I'm really not sure. Maybe it's a little bit of both.

There is so much to learn on the church planting adventure! I can't believe all the things that I never even thought about! In the beginning stages, there's not a whole lot of people besides your family. I knew that in my head, but the reality still hits hard.

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Galatians 6:9

At times it can seem discouraging and overwhelming! But can not loose heart! Remember God's call for your city! Meditate on the promise he has given you! He will provide if we stay faithful!



I had to add a picture of my new nephew Saxon!

My New Obsession



Yellow Squash

Doughnut

I have discovered a new and productive hobby, at least if you have a little girl. I have been making play food out of felt! It is pretty easy and fun. I have been sitting in the chair at night and sewing play food while watching t.v. Most of the stitching is done by hand.



Lemon slice

I have found resources all over Pinterest . Some of the foods are freehand and a few I found tips and patterns for.  I really love all the tutorials that are on Helping Little Hands Blog. 


My favorite- Bag of Chips! I love how this turned out!

Cupcake- could use some tweaking.

Ice Cream Cone



Strawberries

Fried Egg



Know Your Worth- The World Is Waiting

Do you ever struggle with feeling worthy? I know I do. There are those mental breakdown days that you feel like a bad mother and that your children deserve a better mother. Or is that just me? There is so much on our plates as women and sometimes we just don't feel we can do it all, or that we are worthy of it all.

God doesn't call you un-worthy for every mistake you make. He loves you and calls you worthy despite it! He sees the whole picture! He sees what you will become!

In Genesis 17 and 18 God changed Sarai's name to Sarah. The name Sarah means princess.  God changed her name despite the fact that she took matters into her own hands to have a child by her maidservant and then treated her cruelly. He named her despite the fact that she laughed when God told her she would have a son at over 90 years old. Even though she did all that, God still called her princess before she ever earned the name.

Have you believed the negative? What has Satan placed in front of you to pull you from your worth in God? What pressures, mistakes, and lies have paralyzed and prevented you from living as the amazing woman God calls you to be?

You are a masterpiece! God created you with over 200 bones, thousands of hairs, thighs stronger than concrete, you replace millions of blood cells per second, etc. You are not a mistake! God put a lot of time and thought in creating the human system and so much more into your soul!

When you are down, remind yourself of God's truth.
    
 "You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who has called you out of the darkness into His wonderful light." 1 Peter 2:9

Psalm 45:11 says, "The King is enthralled by your beauty, honor Him for He is your Lord."

"How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast the sum of them! Were I count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand." Psalm 139:17-18

Do you see how God sees you? You are royalty, you are beautiful, and he is always thinking about you! And that's just three verses!

It can't stop there! Once you realize your worth, you are free to live out your purpose! There is a world out there that needs you!

God has put you here, at this time, where you are, at this exact moment for a purpose!

"From one man he made ever nation of men...he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. For in him we live and move and have our being." Acts 17:26-28

Can you look in the mirror and see yourself as God made you; as a person of infinite worth? Can you look at your life as something meaningful, something unique with a world changing purpose?

You are called to impact this world as only you can! Your life was meant to be an adventure for God! Erwin Raphael McManus said "Jesus is transforming lives, writing history, creating the future, and unleashing the kingdom of God. If you plan to keep step with Jesus the Pioneer, you better expect some changes!" in his book The Barbarian Way.

What changes is God calling you to make to get in step with Him?

Candy Choc-o-latte Cookies

My boys came up with a new creation they call Candy Choc-o-latte Cookies. They really wanted to make chocolate chip cookies, but we were all out of chocolate chips. We raided all the candy stashes and came up with tons of different fun size chocolate and carmel candies. I chopped them up into little pieces and added them to the batter in place of chocolate chips. They were delicious!

Candy Choc-o-latte Cookies

• 2/3 cup butter, softened
• 1/3 cup shortening
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 vanilla extract
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons of hot water
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• approximately 2 cups of chopped up chocolate and carmel candies

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cream the butter, shortening, and white and brown sugars until they are creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each egg is added. Then mix in the vanilla. Dissolve the baking soda in the hot water and add it in. Next add the salt. Then stir in the flour gradually. When it is all mixed together, you add the candy pieces. Make tablespoon size balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Makes about 3 1/2 dozen.

Mom's Monkey Bread

I have recieved a request for the Monkey Bread I served at my sister-in-law's baby shower. I thought I'd post it here. The recipe is from my mom!

Monkey Bread

• 4 packages of refrigerated biscuits
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Start the glaze heating while you are completing this stage. Mix sugar, cinnamon, and brown sugar in a bowl. Cut each biscuit into 4 pieces and toss in the mixture. Do them in stages or they will stick together. Toss them into a greased bunt pan. Continue until they are all gone.

Glaze

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 sticks of butter
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Melt together in a saucepan until smooth. (Mine never got smooth after 45 minutes, but mom says hers does. Either way it's good) Pour over the biscuits in the bunt pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes then turn over on a plate.

My Sister-in-law's Baby Shower

This weekend I hosted my sister-in-law's baby shower for my nephew Saxon that is due next month.
I have pinterest to thank for most of the ideas! Here are some photos.

This recipe was from pinterest, it tasted awesome and super cute! Found it here.

Here is the cake I made.

Here's the diaper cake I made for Saxon!

The beautiful mom-to-be holding one of the babies that was at the shower.

And us together...

By the way, those pom poms above our head were pinterest too..Here's the link!

Here are some of the ladies that attended. Thank you all for all the beautiful gifts and friendship!

Here is a blanket I knitted for the baby.