G-Free: Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

Boy do I have a delicious FROM SCRATCH treat for you!

This morning, I decided to experiment in the kitchen instead of folding laundry. (Hard choice, I know.)

What resulted was a dozen amaaaazing (from scratch)chocolate chip cookies! Gluten-free too!  And did I mentioned I made them from scratch? I've been slowly but surely cutting out the gluten in my diet. I don't have an allergy, but anyone who eats gluten-free can attest to the newfound energy that comes from eliminating it! One day I hope to be completely gluten-free. Maybe even paleo?? But let's not get ahead of ourselves. :)

So without further ado, I present to you my (from scratch) creation!

Recipe:

2.5 c almond meal (Or almond flour if you don't like the texture. I do!)

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/8 c sugar

1 Tbs vanilla extract (Splurge for the real stuff. It makes a difference!)

1 egg

1 stick butter, melted (I REALLY tried to use coconut oil, but I couldn't get the stupid jar open. Promise! For coconut oil use 1/4 c melted.)

1/2 c semisweet chocolate chips

Stir wet and dry ingredients separately. Then stir together. Add the chocolate chips at the end! Form into little balls of dough, then press flat onto a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.

Voila! Enjoy your FROM SCRACH gluten-free cookies. Heavenly!

For the Glory

Well here I am again.

I've spent the last couple of years soaking up my new city and falling in love with the plans God has for me here!  Knoxville is amazing, y'all.

People say y'all way more here than they do in Charlotte.
(And subsequently, so do I.)

An orange in my sweet tea has become my (most delicious) bad habit.

Everyone eats, breathes, and bleeds the color orange.
(I'm getting there.)

God is doing crazy amazing things in my heart and in this city, and I can't wait to share more with you!

I hope to share what God is teaching me.
I hope to encourage and influence as the Lord blesses me with His wisdom.
I hope to give ideas on cooking and cleaning and making a home and teaching children and loving people as I learn by God's grace how to do these things.

I started In The Mystery years ago for all these things.  If you decide to take a look around, know that God has blessed me in so many ways with His wisdom.  But also know that I have matured a lot in my faith over the years.  I have learned new things, and above all else, I've learned more about who I am in Christ.  So please, give me grace as I start this journey again!  I'm excited to see how God uses my words for His glory -- because isn't that what this life is about?  For the Glory.

"Blessed are you, God of Israel, our father from of old and forever.  To you, O God, belong the greatness and the might, the glory, the victory, the majesty, the splendor;  Yes!  Everything in heaven, everything on earth; the kingdom all yours!  You’ve raised yourself high over all.  Riches and glory come from you, you’re ruler over all;  You hold strength and power in the palm of your hand to build up and strengthen all.  And here we are, O God, our God, giving thanks to you, praising your splendid Name." - 1 Chronicles 29:10-13

The Mighty Fig Leaf

Genesis 3 talks about the plight of man when Adam and Eve succumbed to temptation and chose to disobey God.  "Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves... and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden." (Genesis 3:7-8)


Let me ask you something.  When you recognize your sin, what do you do?  How do you feel?  If you're like me, you probably feel ashamed.  You want to run from the Lord and hide.  You are fearful of Him, because your eyes have been opened to just how unlike Him you really are.  You feel naked.  Exposed.  You feel unworthy of His presence.  The conviction you feel is totally normal!  It is the Holy Spirit inside of you that helps you to recognize when you're in the wrong.  But the issue lies in the fact that we take this conviction, and we try to keep it to ourselves.  We hide, and we try to cover up our messes with the fig leaves of this world.

Now let me tell you something.  The fig leaves you try to cover yourself with so you won't feel so naked and ashamed are going to disintegrate one day.  The things you try to do to make up for your sin are only going to ease the guilt for so long.  One day, when the winds of this life blow your way, the temporary fig leaves you created for yourself will fall away, and the guilt and shame are just going to reappear.

Can I tell you some good news?  There is a kind of fig leaf that takes your shame away forever.  It's called the grace of Jesus.  This kind of fig leaf is better than your fig leaf could ever be.  It's permanent.  It's solid. It presents you as holy and blameless before the Lord.  And the best part?  You don't have to make it yourself.  Grace covers every sin- past, present, and future.  This Mighty Fig Leaf is yours for the taking-- freely given.  The fig leaves you try to cover yourself with will always leave you defeated.  Can I get an Amen?  Take a look back at your life so far.  What has covering yourself up ever done for you?  Nothing.  But the Mighty Fig Leaf will always keep you victorious.  Jesus claimed victory over Satan when He defeated death, once and for all.  When you allow the Mighty Fig Leaf to cover you instead, the shame will be gone, and you will rest in the victory that Jesus claimed for you.

Just like Adam and Eve needed to hide in the trees (Genesis 3:8), we need to hide in the ultimate tree of the world-- the cross of Christ.  1 Peter 2:24 says, "He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that, having died to sins, we might live for righteousness; by His wounding you have been healed."  Jesus carried the weight of our sin so we wouldn't have to.  Can you imagine having to carry even one day's worth of your own sins?  He carries ALL of humanity's sin- past present and future.  Jesus loves us way too much to allow us to carry that weight.  Isn't that amazing?!  He LOVES us that much!

Jesus, thank you for loving me.  Thank you for carrying the weight of my sin for me so I wouldn't have to.  I am sorry for turning against you, God.  Please help me to turn towards you instead of away from you.  Help me pursue your mercy, just like you pursue a relationship with me every day.  Thank you for always being with me and for always understanding what I'm going through.  Jesus, you faced every temptation, but you resisted.  Please help me to be more like you, to resist attacks from the enemy-- speaking your truths and laughing at his attempts.  But no matter what I do, I know that I am covered by your blood.  I am victorious in your name alone.  Nothing in this world can cover me like your grace, Jesus.

The Only Thing That Makes Me Whole

Well hello!  It has been a full year since I last blogged.  That is NOT okay!  My life has done a 180 in the last year... the biggest thing being I MOVED TO TENNESSEE.  Yes, I packed up my life and moved to Knoxville to help start a church- Ignition Church.  I've been here for 9 days and have never felt more at home in my life.  Don't get me wrong- I love Charlotte.  I was born and raised there.  But I've known for quite some time that Charlotte was just the beginning for me.  God had a land with my name on it.  And boy, am I thankful that He got me to this land.

In the last year, I have grown immensely in my faith.  I've gone from a girl who strives to a woman who thrives.  I've gone from feeling like my faith depended on how much I do, to knowing that I am covered by the grace-laden blood of Jesus no matter what I do.  I was baptized on June 26th, and at my baptism, my Pastor asked me to share what this day meant to me.  I said that I now knew how much I truly need God in my life.  God has shaken me this last year and has shown me how I really can't do life without Him.  There is just no way.  The ONLY thing that makes me whole is the Gospel-- the Truth that Jesus died for me and covered all my sins-- past, present, and future.  "Not by works, so that no one can boast."

I knew it the day I volunteered at Redeeming Hope Ministries last March.  Seeing those kids' faces and knowing how deeply wounded they were made me realize I can't do what I'm called to do alone.  I am called to be the best mother in the world.  THE BEST.  And not just a mother to my own children.  A mother to my friends.  A mother to the children at Ignition.  A mother to this city.  A mother to this world.  I am called to be a part of raising up a generation that knows God intimately and loves Him and His people beyond all measure.  A generation that would give up their own lives to see the next generation do the same.  I need the perfect, pure grace of Jesus.  It is the only thing that makes me whole.  It's the only thing that makes me seen as holy and blemish-free before God.  Without Jesus, I can do nothing.  Without Jesus, I am nothing.

In this season, I am asking God to remind us every day that nothing we have and nothing we do is from ourselves.  It is all by His love that we are renewed each day.  It is by His mercy that we have everything we need to fulfill the calling on our lives.  We will NEVER be qualified.  We are so undeserving of the blessings we've been given.  We need to stop feeling like we have to earn His love.  It is much too large a gift to ever be able to earn.  Accept it.  Let it overflow from your soul.  And be thankful for it.

Jesus, thank you for all you've done.  Thank you for carrying the weight of our sin so we wouldn't have to.  I am grateful that you would choose me to be a tool in building Your Kingdom.  Please help us to accept your grace and to surrender our pride in thinking we can live life on our own.  We can't.  We need you.
"In Him we have the redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding." - Ephesians 1:7-8

But God Says...

Last night, I had the privilege of hearing a message by Christine Caine, world-renowned speaker and leader. It was a life-changing message, one that I will always remember as a milestone in my walk with Christ. She spoke about many things, but one topic that stuck out to me dealt with my train of thought.

We so easily jump on board a train of negativity, eventually leading us to a destination of doubt, self-pity, and an overall feeling of worthlessness. It is crucial to start thinking about what we're thinking about. Evaluate your stream of conciousness. Who is putting these thoughts in your head? Is it God? Or is it the enemy?

So often, the enemy tells us tiny little statements that, overtime, destroy our minds. These thoughts lead us far from Christ, the ultimate direction we should be going in. What can we do with these thoughts? We can confront the enemy with what God says about us.

The world says you're unemployed because you aren't qualified for the job. God says, "Your beginnings will seem humble, so prosperous will your future be." -Job 8:7

The world says you are too young to be a leader. God says, "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers-- in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity." -1 Timothy 4:12

The world says the Godly man you've dreamt of won't want to marry you because you're not a virgin. God says, "You are a new creation. The old is gone, the new has come!" -2 Corinthians 5:17

The world says you're not handsome enough or beautiful enough. God says, "I knit you in your mother's womb... You are fearfully and wonderfully made." -Psalm 139:13-14

The world says you need a husband NOW, you need a wife NOW, you need a job NOW, you need a house NOW, you need a car NOW. God says, "I will make everything beautiful in my time." -Ecclesiastes 3:11

The world says you will never be completely satisfied with God. God says, "I forgive you. I am your healer. I have redeemed you. I will crown you. I will satisfy your desires with good things." -Psalm 103:3-5

Replace those evil thoughts with the thoughts of God. With God, you are strong, beautiful, and able to do anything. What God says will always overpower what anyone else says about you!

Pure.

I've been contemplating writing this specific post for a long time. It's taken courage... lots of courage... to get to this point of stepping up and stepping out. I'm ready to take a risk-- because I know you need it. This message is not from any book, any song, or even any sermon I've heard. It's straight from the heart. From the Spirit, rather. This is for the girl who gave up everything but didn't get the love she expected. This is for the guy who wanted so badly to do the right thing but fell all too easily into a trap of sin.

Several weeks ago, I was reading through Hosea when a certain verse caught my eye:

"Then I told her, 'You are to live with me many days; you must not be a prostitute or be intimate with any man, and I will live with you.'" --Hosea 3:3

Now you may be thinking, What the heck? What is this looney tune talking about? Well if you know me well, you know I'm a footnotes reader. Hardcore. I absolutely love the clarifications, the translations, and yes, even the notes that say "meaning is uncertain." There just happened to be a tiny 'k' next to the phrase "live with," so I jumped my eyes straight to the bottom of the page. And do you know what the translation of "live with" is? Wait for. So the new verse becomes:

"Then I told her, 'You are to wait for me many days... and I will wait for you.'"

This verse is speaking about the broad topic of purity. As soon as I read it, I felt God speaking to me, telling me how important it is to stay pure. Not just for God, and not just for myself-- but for my husband. I must be pure in mind, body, and Spirit.

I wanted to write about this because I don't feel like purity is talked about enough. It's a taboo subject. No one wants to talk about their mistakes, their shortcomings, and where they went wrong. But you need to know this one thing: Wait for him. Wait for her. Pray as you wait faithfully for your other half. Even if you have your other half, engaged even, continue to wait. Until you are married, you do not belong to each other. It's easier said than done, I know. But with each temptation you resist, you'll be stronger when the next one comes around. And they will come around. Don't think because you pray every day and read Scriptures that the enemy won't throw temptation in your face. If anything, it will get worse the closer you get to God!

No matter what choices you made as a teenager, a year ago, or even last night, your purity starts now. Got that? It starts RIGHT NOW. Jesus came so that we would be new creations in every aspect of our lives, including our purity. All you need to do is ask Him for forgiveness and allow Him to help you make better decisions. He will be the strength in your weakness, but only if you LET Him.

I have this verse as a post-it note on my wall, reminding me every day to stay pure for my husband. He deserves it. God deserves it. Today is a fresh start for you too. Just keep reminding yourself of the great rewards of waiting for your beautiful bride or your handsome groom! Be encouraged by this truth:

"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." --Romans 8:18

God's rewards are being stored for us with each temptation we resist. Do not sacrifice the eternal blessings of tomorrow for the temporary pleasures of today!

Guest Blogger: Amy Scheide

One of my amazing eGroup ladies, Amy Scheide, allowed me to post this here. She sent this to our whole eGroup on The City as an illustration of how captivating we can be when we cease to strive. Amy is studying French and Theatre at UNCC and has been called to start her own Shakespeare performance company called Books and Daggers Shakespeare company. You can find more information about Amy and her adventures at http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/pages/Books-Daggers-Shakespeare-Company/168601379826294.

A Brief Treatise on Dean Martin and Not Striving

This week I started researching Frank Sinatra’s “Rat Pack” (Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr, et al) to see what it was about them that CAPTIVATED audiences for years.

I realized that being a captivating woman is not unlike being a captivating performer. A captivating woman gives generously of herself, shining in her gifts and letting Jesus cover her weaknesses—there is an effortlessness about her, and that is her allure. A captivating performer, similarly, gives of himself or herself to the fullest, hones his or her talents to excellence, and experiences the present moment effortlessly.

The thing that made Dean Martin truly cool is what I mentioned tonight during group— all he had to do was show up, sing, and support the guest performers. (For those of you unfamiliar with his show, Dean Martin signed a contract that he would not have to attend any rehearsals. So when he showed up to film the day the show aired, he would have no idea what he was doing next— he followed cue cards and was quite often just as surprised as the audience.) The singing was easy for him because he was so gifted in that area. Supporting the guest performers may not have been “easy,” but because he was so generous, he was good at it. Anything that surprised him, he just rolled with. He didn’t control things, panic, overcompensate, shut down, or try too hard to make the act “work”. If you watch any of his performances (which were aired on national television for nearly a decade), you will never see him STRIVE. And it’s amazing. I think we can learn from that…. So in case you’re curious or you would like to be entertained, here are a few clips:

This first clip is Dean Martin & Victor Borge. Borge was a musical comedian, and remember— Dean didn’t know he would be working with him until they began taping that night’s show. This clip is the first and ONLY take they did of this routine, and even though Dean Martin had the giggles and could barely keep up, it was BRILLIANT because you can’t sense a struggle— he’s just enjoying himself up there, and in turn his audience got to have fun, too:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiGgnpUrP98

This last clip is Martin & Sinatra. You can really see in this one that these guys didn’t worry about what they were doing. Most likely there was no rehearsal involved before they started singing—only cue cards.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SR48pc93oWY

Captivating an audience and being a captivating woman seems like an odd comparison to make, but it really is something to think about. Imagine how the people around us would be at ease, imagine how people around us would open up, imagine how many people around us could be smiling if we could all stop STRIVING.

If Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra could be that confident in their own singing abilities, why can’t we be that confident in the perfect grace Jesus gave us to share?

I will pray this week that in spite of the busyness, the worries, the pressure, and the stress, that we girls [and guys] will JUST SHOW UP AND SING, and trust Jesus for the rest!