After a few weeks of quick and easy recipes… I figured it was time to give you one that is a bit more time consuming… but worth every minute. Most of us like pizza… and some of you LOVE it.

Many of us view pizza as on the list of “bad” foods that we indulge in every so often. Now, the fast food version of pizza (served at places like Pizza Hut, Domino’s, Etc) really should be on the “bad” list and is not ideal for putting in your body… but did you know that pizza can actually be good for you?! When you use all real and fresh ingredients, you can create a meal that is full of nutrition and flavor and tailored to fit your tastes buds.

Due to the fact that I am sensitive to most dairy products and often times wheat, I stayed far away from pizza for years knowing it would make me feel terrible. Until…

A while back we had our friends Bobby and Lindsey over for dinner. Lindsey and I have some of the same food sensitivities so we collaborated on the meal. She planned to bring the pesto and I supplied the remaining ingredients for pizza. Little did we know that there had been a huge recall on pine nuts and they were something like $30 a pound! She had the brilliant idea to use cashews instead and it was the best pesto I had ever tasted. With a little tweaking (aka… making and eating it often) I have landed on this recipe. It also tastes great on chicken, fish, pasta, sandwiches and… you fill in the blank.

Using this as a base on pizza really eliminates the need for using much (if any) cheese due to all the flavor and texture it adds.  The pesto can also be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge to make the assembling of the meal much faster.

My son Duke LOVES this pizza and knows that pizza night usually means we are going to be having a family movie night.

He asks for pizza every night.

ENJOY!

Elizabeth

PESTO:

• 1 C raw cashews
• 2 C basil (lightly patted down but not packed)
• ¼ C olive oil + more if needed
• 1-2 garlic cloves (or 1 T minced garlic)
• 1/8 tsp salt + more if needed
• 1/8 tsp pepper (or a few dashes)

Combine all ingredients in a food processor or high-speed blender. You may need to add a bit more olive oil if the mixture is too thick or not blending well. Give it a taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.

PIZZA:

CRUST:

• If you need to go gluten free: we use the Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Pizza Crust and it can be found at most grocery stores for about $3.50, including Winco. Follow the instructions on the package to make.
• If not: Trader Joes’s also carries fresh, whole-wheat dough in the refrigerated section for about $2… or you can make your own!

TOPPINGS: as much as you want of the following:

• Thinly sliced bell peppers
• Thinly sliced tomatoes
• Onions
• Mushrooms
• A dash of salt and pepper

OPTIONAL TOPPINGS:

• Spicy ground chicken sausage (the best is from Whole Foods or New Seasons and you only need ¼ - ½ lb to adds tons of flavor. If you don’t like spicy, they also have mild.)
• Cheese: Feta, Mozzarella or Goat cheese all taste great. You really don’t need more then a light dusting of cheese.
• Red pepper flakes

TO BUILD:

Spread pesto evenly over crust. Depending on the size of your crust and how thick you want the pesto, you may have a bit left over.

Layer toppings and bake at 415F for about 15 – 20 minutes

ENJOY!

“If you abide in Me

and My words abide in you,

ask whatever you wish

and it will be done for you.”

John 15:7 NASB

Whatever you wish.

I like that. A lot.

If that isn’t a reason to pray, I don’t know what is. Whatever I wish…

Well I wish for lots and lots of things. Health, wealth, and happiness to start with. A better body, a beautiful house in the country, a new oven, a vacation in Switzerland, and all my family happy and healthy and wealthy too.

I do the whole wishing thing really well.

But hold on, wait a minute. What is that I learned in Hermeneutics?  Something about not building doctrines on flimsy phrases and out-of-context verses?

Oh darn.

Does that mean I may not be able to wish my will on God?

Spanning out to the verses before and after, I see words about abiding and bearing fruit and glorifying God and keeping His commandments.

Uh oh, where did wishing go?

When I read this seemingly cross-stitchable verse again, I see what it really says.

And I get hung up on the if.

If…

You abide in Me,

There are, it would seem, conditions for all my wishing and wanting and getting what I want.

I’m beginning to think this might not be so easy after all.

What, for example, is this thing called abiding?

I looked it up.

To remain or dwell. To be united with him, one with him in heart, mind and will. Steadfast.[1]

It means to remain in His perfect will at all cost.[2]

That’s intense!

At all cost?

With all my heart, mind, will?

Sounds a little like when Jesus prayed, “…not as I will, but Thou wilt” (Mt 26:39) or “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done…” (Mt 6:10)

What about my wish?

I go back to my less and less favorite verse and find another if…

if My words abide in you…

He wants His words to abide in me, to penetrate my will and my intellect.

To change the way I think, the way I feel, the way I wish.

Then, He says, go ahead and ask.

Anything.

Anything that comes to mind while you are united in Him, yielded to Him at all cost; so fully absorbed in Him that your heart and mind and will are all mixed up in His.

That’s the way to wish.

And when we do that, my dear wishing sisters, He promises that,

It will be done for you.

From a heart full of wishing,

Diane

---

[1] The Complete WordStudy Dictionary, New Testament, Spiros Zodhiates, Th.D.

[2] The Open Bible, pg. 1032 notes

The Other Side of the Story about Sex

Phil and I have had the immeasurable joy of raising 4 children to adulthood. For over 31 years our house has sung with the sounds of people growing up, exploring their worlds, expressing their opinions, and inviting friends into this snug circle.

Two of my children are introverts like me: John Mark craves long stretches of time alone to think and study and Elizabeth rarely wanted more than a couple of friends over at a time.

Rebekah, on the other hand, always seemed to be organizing a party. Breakfast on a Saturday morning, a movie night starting way too late for reasonable early-to-bed-early-to-rise mamas like me.

But it’s Matt who has filled our home with crowds. Something’s always brewing with him and his ever-expanding group of friends. And these are some of the best people I know. Fun and fully involved, these teenagers and twenty-somethings have found strength in each other. They spur each other on to godly living and give each other courage to forge out new paths as they relentless pursue God.

I’m more than a little impressed by them.

One of my favorite things is when the men in this group cram into Matt’s room at the top of the stairs. It’s a tiny room, stuffed to the gills with books and computers and a keyboard and who knows what else. Yet in they squeeze, for what I’ve learned to anticipate… a time to talk about girls.

Just like girls, every one of these guys either currently likes someone, or is dating someone, or is scanning the crowd just to be sure not to miss out.

And that’s a good thing!

These men are fully aware that the next major decision of their lives involves finding and pursuing and getting to know the one who they hope will be their happily ever after romance.

And since our room is just a few feet away from the door they always keep open (trust me, the scent of 6 or 8 guys crammed into that miniscule space necessitates an open door policy!), Phil and I get to hear some fascinating conversations.

This is no lousy locker room boasting. Their conversations are laced with Scripture they’re memorizing and hopes they have for bringing the Kingdom of God into their world.

Really great stuff.

But it’s the girl talk that intrigues me. And so I’m going to clue you in on the snippets I hear over and over again from that crammed in space, and what I think you really ought to know…

They think you’re beautiful.

Really.

It’s the first thing they say after they’ve met you or talked even a few minutes with you. They don’t notice your make-up or lack of it, your new hairstyle, or even your size.

If you’re nice and your eyes dance when they talk and you give them just a bit of encouragement- you’re beautiful.

They do not share Hollywood’s narrow definition of beauty. In fact, I am sometimes flabbergasted at who they think is beautiful and who they aren’t attracted to at all.

Which gives rise to the next point…

You need to be your own version of beautiful.

The great make-up magnate, Bobbi Brown, lamented that the women she works with look in the mirror and see only their flaws. Instead, she advises that women enhance their best features and simply ignore everything else. I think that’s wise advice.

God is a artist and he created beauty in you. Go ahead and enhance away! But please, please, please stop concentrating on what you don’t like about yourself. It will only make you self-conscious and awkward… and crabby and defensive too!

These guys see your beauty at first glance. They’re intrigued and intimidated by that beauty.

Since beauty is so very important to men, why in the world would you not try to look your best?

Some women really don’t like men’s focus on beauty. They expect men to “just love them as they are”. And there’s truth there of course, but I think we need to banish the lie that what we look like doesn’t matter.

These godly, fighting-hard-to-be-pure men delight in a woman’s beauty.

In his best-selling book entitled, His Needs, Her Needs, Willard Harley share years of research to conclude that one of the top needs of a man is “an attractive spouse”—which is clinical-eze for “a beautiful wife”. He spends an entire chapter talking about  a man’s deep desire to spend the rest of his life with a woman he finds lovely to look at.

If you’re starting to steam at me right now, please go back and reread #3… your own version of beauty…

When a man entrusts his life-dominating sexual needs to a woman for life, he is taking a great risk. They really think you must be driven by the same needs they are. It comes as a bit of a shock to men that women don’t daydream 24/7 about sex.

And it hurts them to the core when girls/women/media moguls make light of their battle to reign their desires in. This dominates their lives!

Its time women joined in respectful acknowledgement that men are driven hard by a physical and emotional need for sex.  As Christian women, don’t you think we ought to be in awe of their attempts at purity?

Will you commit yourself now to handling your future husband’s need with great care and commitment?

Stop flaunting your body to men.

There, I’ve said it.

We all know what we’re doing when we wear things too tight with too much skin exposed. Women crave the attention they’re sure to get when they use their bodies to entice a man.

Being beautiful and even alluring does not require immodesty.

Let’s give these guys a break! They’re fighting an uphill battle to reign in all that male testosterone. The enemy is shaming them constantly by their vulnerability to sexual temptation- don’t you be a part of Satan’s schemes!

I am praying for you, dear daughters of my heart, as your sort this all out. I am asking the Father to help you discover your own beauty. I am asking Him to shed light on all those lies you’ve swallowed for far too long. And I’m thanking Him that He knows your hearts… and finds all beauty there.

From my heart,

Diane

We had apple pie for breakfast this morning… well, kind of. I’m a creature of habit when it comes to breakfast and lunch and I ALWAYS have oatmeal for breakfast. I have somehow passed this on to Duke as well and he refuses to eat anything else for breakfast. Like mother like son?

We usually keep it pretty simple but today I was in the mood to try out our new kitchen and make something new… and I am so glad I did. All the flavors combined created some sort of heavenly bowl that closely mirrors apple pie.

It was a good morning in the Mosser household.

I know that oatmeal may not get you as excited as it gets Duke and I, but may I encourage you to think outside the box a bit with oatmeal? Due to its bland flavor, you can really add ANY combination you like to create flavor and texture.  I plan to do a post in the near future with lots of ways to try oatmeal.

Until then, give this one a try!

ENJOY,

Elizabeth

MAPLE APPLE CINNAMON BAKED OATMEAL

Serves 4-5

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 C oats (I used old fashioned oats)
• 1 ½ C water
• 2 C unsweetened vanilla almond milk (Or any kind of milk you prefer. Almond milk and soy milk tend to be sweeter tasting then regular milk. If you prefer to use milk, you may want to add a bit more brown sugar.)
• ¼ C real maple syrup
• 1 T real vanilla
• 1 tsp cinnamon (plus a bit more for sprinkling)
• A dash of salt
• 2 apples (I used Fuji apples)
• ¼ C organic brown sugar + a few extra sprinkles just because

TO MAKE:

Preheat oven to 400F.

Combine oats, water, milk, maple syrup, vanilla, salt and cinnamon in a pot and bring to a boil. Once it boils, reduce to a simmer and stir often. Allow it to cook long enough to thicken up. About 8 minutes.

While the oatmeal mixture is cooking, peal both apples. Cute them into fours, remove the core and seeds and slice both apples very thin.

Line the bottom of a baking pan (my baking pan was about 12x9) with half of the sliced apples and sprinkle with cinnamon.

When the oatmeal is done, pour all of it over the apples in the pan.

Layer the remaining half of the apples on top of the oatmeal and sprinkle brown sugar evenly over the top.

Bake at 400F for 30 minutes. During the last minute or two, turn the oven to broil and watch closely. This will brown up the apples and make it look even more delicious!

Using a spatula, scoop into bowls and enjoy!

“Call to Me

and I will answer you…”

Jeremiah 33:3

I absolutely do believe that God answers prayer.

No doubt whatsoever in my mind. It’s all over Scripture, from the very beginning to the very last verse. Every story, every promise, every prophesy, and every teaching enforces the incredible, glorious truth that God answers prayer.

Problem is, He doesn’t always say Yes.

Just like when my grandson asks me for a handful of M&M’s. Sometimes I say, yes. In fact, I usually say yes (don’t tell his mom).

But sometimes I say, not now, later, after you eat your dinner.

And sometimes I say no.

No you can’t have M&M’s because they’ll make you hyper and crazy and grouchy and you’ll hit your brother and then where will we be?

And then there are those other times when I say no, because I have something much better in mind. Let’s hop in the car and go to Cold Stone and get us a big bowl of ice cream all smothered in M&M’s.

Which of those do you suppose Jude prefers?

And that’s the way it is with God too.

Sometimes He says yes,

Sometimes later,

Sometimes NO, and

Sometimes He’s got something better in mind.

But always, always, always, He answers prayer.

From my heart,

Diane

Has that ever happened to you? Has God not given you something you were absolutely certain you needed right now… only to find out that He had something far better on the horizon? Do old boyfriends come to mind? Or that house you bid on and lost but then you “happened” to find something beyond what you’d hoped?

Will you tell us about it? We need your stories to strengthen our faith!

Also, don't forget about the night in prayer tomorrow night!

I’ve been struggling all morning, trying to write this post about the importance of preparing for the expression of sexuality in marriage. Every sentence seemed stiff and strangely defensive. There is just so much I want to say, and yet the saying of it comes at a cost. Why is that?

I’ve felt as if I’m navigating a minefield.  Each step is dangerous, full of hidden misunderstandings and potential pain. And in all this precarious tiptoeing I’ve lost sight of the goal— to point the way for all these young women I love.

And so I’ve deleted all my carefully chosen and boringly diplomatic words. I’m just going to write as if you were all my daughters. I never worried one bit if they were going to get mad at me— because my yearning for the best possible marriages for them overruled all that anxiety about what-if-I-say-the-wrong-thing.

And so, dear daughters of my heart, I speak to you today as Mom.

When I married Phil I was a virgin. As in, really a virgin. No man had ever seen me or touched me in any sort of intimate way. I came into my marriage fresh and without any sort of angst.

Just as God intended for every one of us, I’d been well protected by my father who put sort of an invisible guard rail around his daughter. I was never molested or misused in any way. And I thank God for that rare blessing every day.  Because of all that good care I carried no baggage from my past.

And because my mother painted such an enticingly beautiful picture for me of sexuality within marriage, I measured my growing sexual awareness as a delight to be anticipated.

And yet, I was by no means pure. I brought with me images both real and imagined; fantasies with which I’d indulged my mind, more kissing than I wish I’d allowed in a previous relationship, and a ridiculous bunch of make-believe about romance and passion and how it all works.

And while some of you may laugh at my innocence, I believe that every single indulgence in impurity negatively impacts the explosively dynamic sexual bonding that God designed for each of us to experience in marriage.

And that, my dear daughters is the real reason to guard your purity jealously.

Not because someone says so, not because you might get an STD, or find yourself pregnant (all pretty good reasons, I might add), but because you don’t want to do anything that will in any way keep you from having a fiery love affair with your husband for the rest of you life!

And that is the goal. Because there is no better way to bond a husband and wife together, no better way to overcome differences, no better way to become intimate down deep… than being naked and unashamed and one in the fullest sense of God’s plan.

And now some of you are cringing. You are no longer a virgin. You gave yourself away a long time ago. Or someone stole it from you in a perverted act of selfishness.

Your mind is messed up and your soul is ravaged and I ache for all you’ve lost.

But before you let the enemy do his whole blaming, shaming spiel on you, listen up. You may not be a virgin, but you can become pure again.

That’s what redemption is all about. Your past is covered by the beautiful, life-giving, soul cleansing blood of Jesus. He died knowing about your mess-ups. When you confessed your sins and chose to follow Him, you left all that behind. (read more here)

And if you’ve given in again since you gave your life to Him, His forgiveness is just one confession away.

And now you can begin the hard work of becoming pure.

And so my dear daughters, will you listen to a few words of motherly wisdom?

1. This past of yours will not go away just because you bury it down deep. In fact, it is guaranteed to rise up and bite you right about the time you are embarking on the whole mysteriously fabulous journey of marriage.
2. If you haven’t already, gather a couple of closely trusted, fully safe friends who walk with Jesus and confess your past to them. Bring it up to the surface and tell them what happened.
3. Then allow the Spirit of God to wash over you with His grace. And keep seeking that grace until you feel forgiven. That’s right, your feelings really do matter. This process of feeling forgiven may take a very long time.
4. Remember, you’ve got an enemy out there who is going to fire all sorts of darts at you. Open up to Ephesians 6. Study exactly what you’re supposed to do with those fiery darts. Then be diligent to win this battle for your mind.
5. If you’ve been molested or misused get help. Real help, like an older woman or a counselor who knows how that kind of horror can mess with your mind. Do not deceive yourself into thinking that you’ve “dealt with it”. I honestly don’t think that’s possible all by yourself. And I’ve sat in too many marriage counseling sessions trying to get to the bottom of the conflicts only to find unhealed molestations in the wife’s past.
6. Be strict with yourself about purity. Is a romantic comedy on t.v. arousing once again your craving to be fully loved? Turn it off. Does that magazine at the salon that details all the ways to have fantastic sex beckon for your attention? Don't go there. Are you allowing your mind to imagine what it would be like to loved by that man? Confess it for what it is: lust.
7. If your boyfriend is pushing for more physical involvement than affection - dump him! And here's why: if you give in you'll resent him for the rest of your life. And even if you don't, you'll always wonder if he's going to have the manliness to stay faithful to you.
8. While you wait for God to bring you to your husband, create beauty every where you go. Sexual sins before marriage leave women feeling ugly and miserable. Go on a campaign for beauty. Make yourself beautiful. Make your apartment appealing and your car smell good! After all, you want people who step into your space to experience just a tantalizing taste of the beauty you offer. And what you have to offer is far better than the in-your-face sensuality this world seems so enamored with.

I think that this could be an incredibly enlightening conversation between you and your Jesus following friends. Cheer each other on, hold each other accountable, call each other out when you see each other slipping. Above all else, remind each other why you want to be pure.

If these words I’ve poured onto the page are resonating with you, will you write a response? I think we need to stop hiding behind shame and start championing the purification of our sexuality. If you’re with me, will you say so?

From the heart of a mom,

Diane

P.S.   With just Matt at home now, our house is regularly invaded by a group of young men who are the most zealously committed men of God I have ever known.

They all seem to cram into Matt’s little electronics stuffed room when they want to talk about g-i-r-l-s. And believe me, those guys talk about you females all the time!

And so next week I want to leave you with a list (I do love lists) of what I hear from the other side of the story…

We are moving today. I am 8 months pregnant.

Which means… this past week has been filled with packing (and Duke “helping” me pack by emptying the boxes I fill) and some quick and easy meals.

We all need those meals that always turn out the way we’d hoped, require little time and minimal planning. My dear friend Kaitlin Frazier (who will be doing some guest blogging on these pages) introduced me to the concept of using butternut squash in tacos and I am forever indebted to her!

Squash has become one of my favorite foods (although nothing can quite beat potatoes for me) and I love using the leftovers from this meal in a salad for lunch the next day.

Here is also some interesting information about butternut squash.

ENJOY,

Elizabeth

BUTTERNUT SQUASH TACOS

Serves 4-5

1 butternut squash – peeled and cubed

1-2 cans black beans (depending on how many people you are feeding)

Corn tortillas (I use the Trader Joe’s handmade corn tortillas. They are nice and thick.)

About 2 C shredded purple cabbage

Olive oil

Sea salt and pepper

ON TOP:

Guacamole (homemade always tastes the best!)

Tapitio hot sauce (or any kind)

Crumbled goat cheese or feta cheese

*people who are sensitive to dairy are often not sensitive to goat’s milk products

Optional: Fresh limejuice and cilantro

TO COOK:

Preheat oven to 400F.

Using a vegetable peeler, peel skin off of the butternut squash. Cut in half lengthwise and use a spoon so scoop out all the seeds. Cut the whole squash into ½ inch squares.

Place on a baking sheet and lightly drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and toss until evenly coated.

Bake for about 40 minutes, stirring halfway through. The squash will brown evenly and be soft when it is done. If you leave it in long enough, it will even start to caramelize a bit.

While the squash is cooking, the quick guacamole from last weeks recipe or whatever kind of guacamole you like.

When the squash is nearly done, open the black beans and drain half the liquid. Place them in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Then reduce medium heat until they thicken up and the liquid has cooked out. About 8 minutes.

To cook the tortillas, I spread just a touch of coconut oil on both sides of each tortilla and brown them a bit in a pan. Or you can spray both sides with olive oil spray and brown.

TO SERVE:

Layer black beans, squash, guacamole, goat cheese or feta, cabbage and hot sauce. You can also squeeze some fresh lime and garnish with cilantro.

ENJOY!

Just a few days ago I read this post on boundaries. After wiping the tears of laughter off my face, I had to start all over again with those tears of deep conviction. How often I forget! As soon I was done reading it, I sent it to my daughter, Elizabeth (my partner in this whole writing endeavor), and now I’m sending it to you (my partners in this whole learning/loving/growing endeavor).

May you laugh and cry and remember…

From my heart,

Diane

I am so thrilled to offer you this gift for Valentine’s Day- A STORY.

A story of love done right…of love that lasts…of love that grows more beautiful with time.

A love story about two opposites brought together to create a whole family of passionate Jesus followers.

Because isn’t that the story we all wish for? work for? hope for?

May God keep your hope alive as you read what He did not so long ago for Jay and Michele.

Theirs is a love worth waiting for my dear friends.

From my heart,

Diane

Our Love Story

We were young, passionate, idealistic, and complete opposites. Jay was quiet. I was outgoing. He was laid back. I was the strong leader. He was composed. I wore my emotions on my sleeve. He was the youngest.  I was the oldest.

And our backgrounds just highlighted the fact.

Jay lived in the same house his entire childhood. I moved nine times before leaving college. His parents have been happily married for 42 years. My parents drug my brother and me through a three year divorce that was a living hell. He grew up in a home full of Jesus followers. I was raised in a Catholic/Italian family where church was a box we checked, mainly out of respect for my grandparents. He grew up in a family that was budget conscious and always able to provide. My mom worked two jobs and lived off food stamps with no help from my dad.

But then again, you know what they say about opposites….

­­­­­­­­­­­­­

Michele:

In pursuit of a degree in Intercultural Studies, I set off to Ecuador to work for HCJB Global my summer of junior year in college.  I was hoping to gain experience on the mission field and ask the Lord where he wanted to send me in the future.  I was focused, determined, and hopeful that he had a future for me in his creation.  I was ready to learn a new language, help coordinate short term teams for the summer, and ready to find my place on the mission field.

Jay:

It was funny. I hadn’t yet stepped foot in Ecuador and all the buzz was about some cute girl from my same university.  All the missionaries wanted us to meet – a forced “chance” encounter.  It was the last thing on my mind.  I was headed to Ecuador to work and to serve the Lord.  And the last thing I wanted was to be set up by some odd missionaries.

Michele:

Before I get to the part where I actually met Jay, I will just say that I had lots of opportunities to have met him before.  We both went to the same University in Los Angeles.  We had mutual friends.  Even a bunch of the missionaries I had corresponded with had mentioned him to me.  My prideful self just brushed him aside.  I was out to seek the Lord for my future on the mission field, not find a guy.  Well…so I thought.

Jay:

The first “Michele sighting” was a blur.  It was a fleeting moment, but I still remember it to this day – standing in the reception room of HCJB Global.  We were both on our own orientation tours, and it didn’t take long for us to realize we should spend some time together.

I was setting out on a year-long commitment in Quito.  No friends.  No acquaintances.  Just me.  I quickly realized just how lonely the mission field could be.  And yet there, right in front of me, was a girl from my school – fun, outgoing, friendly.  It was platonic.  I could easily convince myself of that.  Just a great friendship.  A travelling buddy.

And Michele was in no better situation.  She was surrounded by other students in the same internship program – and yet not one of them held her same interests.  She needed a friend almost as badly as I did.

Michele:

We spent the entire summer together learning the ins and outs of an international mission organization.  We practiced our Spanish, explored a new culture, and slowly learned a thing or two about one another.  It was an adventure of a lifetime. Living in Quito allowed us to experience high mountain Andean life and culture.  Yet, a short bus ride away and we could easily find ourselves lost in the rainforest, swimming in the Amazon River, flying into the same remote villages where Jim Elliot set out to share the Good News, or exploring beautiful beaches.

( enjoying Andean cuisine ... aka: guinea pig)

And although we’d stay up late talking about our families, dreaming about our futures, and learning just how different we were, the “us” topic just never seemed to come up.

And so, after ten weeks of incredible adventures together…I left.

I went back home to Northern California. I told endless stories of the adventures I had, how the Lord expanded my awareness of injustice and poverty, how I got to worship in remote tribal villages, praising the Lord in three different languages, worshiping one true God, and….

How I met the man of my dreams.

But that was it.  I was pretty sure I would never talk to Jay again.  I had no intention of emailing or keeping in contact with him.  If he wanted a relationship, he was going to have to pursue me.  (Finally my pride was serving me well!)

Jay:

I’ve always been slow.  The last to catch on.  The last to take action.  So it was no surprise, laying in bed, two days after Michele had taken off – back to the U.S. – that I realized my mistake.  What did I do?  Did I seriously let her leave?

I had nothing to complain about while she was there.  She had become my best friend.  We did everything together.  We knew everything about each other.  But anything further? My mind hadn’t even gone there.  After all, I had what I wanted.  I had her.  But now she was gone.  I was a wreck and I had to do something.  So, as the great romantic, I sent her an email.

Michele:

Four days after arriving home, I received an email from Jay.  I was beyond ecstatic by the fact that there was an email from him.  But I was more excited to read what he had to say.  After much nervous joking in the email, he got to the nitty gritty.  He said, “I think those feelings…yes I have them…are finally kicking in.  I miss you. For a long time I haven’t really known what I thought of us.  But for the first time, in a long time, I think I do.  I miss you and I know we had something special.  Should we consider this a little more?”

Is that romantic or what?

Jay:

Right.  Not romantic at all.  But at least I got her attention.  And she was willing to give our relationship a try.

We were in new territory now.  I still had 8+ months left in Ecuador.  Michele had a year and a half left of school in Los Angeles.  We’d have to make things work long distance. So, I stocked up on international phone cards and settled in for the long-haul.  I was beginning to realize, this girl was definitely worth the wait.

Michele:

We dated long distance for three semesters while I, along with 4 of the best girls in So Cal lived in a two bedroom dump in Orange County (infested with bugs). This was the home of some of my most memorable moments in college. Jay would visit every few months as he travelled back and forth to Ecuador.  And living only 5 minutes from the most magical and romantic place on earth, we’d visit Disneyland often.  But then he would leave and I would have the time of my life with my friends, soaking up all that school had to offer.

Post graduation, Jay was finally back in the States.  He had taken a position with Luis Palau in Portland, and I knew I would have to take a chance and head north if we wanted to see where this would go.  So, my roomie/friend and I journeyed up to Portland for a new adventure…and in hopes that Jay and I would get engaged.

Jay:

We both knew why Michele moved up to Portland.  It was the next logical step.  And now the ball was in my court.  Although she might claim I drug my feet, the majority of my time was spent on trying to find the perfect ring for my soon-to-be fiancée.  And on March 17, 2004, I successfully surprised her with a picnic lunch and a proposal for marriage at Portland’s Rose Garden in Washington Park.  Now it was just a matter of how quickly we could plan a wedding.

Michele:

Although Jay was everything I could have dreamed of, in my heart I really struggled to believe that our relationship would last.  How was I to believe that we were any different than my parents?  How was I to ensure that we wouldn’t be divorced in 10 years?

Because I can’t conceal my emotions even if tried, Jay asked me what was going on in my heart.  I told him my concerns.  With all the love that he could muster up, he sat me down and said:  “If you cannot believe that my proposal of marriage is forever then I am afraid we are not going to be able to proceed forward with our engagement.  I will not marry you with doubt in your heart.”  He left my apartment.  There really wasn’t more to discuss.

That night I poured my face into my pillow and cried out to the Lord.  I wanted so badly to believe him.  I wanted so badly to trust Jay at his word and I wanted so badly to do things right.  I repented of my fear.  As John Mark Comer says, “Anxiety is temporary atheism.”  Did I really believe God to be who he says he is?  That in spite of the ugliness that life may present to our marriage did I not believe that God would win out?  That he would get us through any struggle that would come our way?  That at the end of the day, he would be the restorer and healer of the brokenness that I came from?

That night the Lord changed my heart and I made a choice to not believe the lies that Satan would like me to believe and to be held in bondage of fear of all the what if’s in life.

I choose to believe!  That Jay would be a man of his word, that God would protect us, guide and warn us when we were going astray…just as He had for so many years to the Israelites.

And so with the help of our amazing families and friends, we married on August 20, 2004 in California and also had an Oregon reception in Portland put on by Jay’s parents.

Michele:

Jay and I have now been married for 7 years and have two beautiful boys, Carter (4) & Elliot (2).  Jay works still works with Luis Palau, now as the Creative Director. He is also the co-owner of an up-and-coming publishing company.  He is passionate about the written word.  I get to be a stay-at-home mom and together we are devoted to raising a generation of God fearing men.

I still look at Jay sometimes and wonder how in the world did I ever get to marry such an amazing man of God?  He is faithful, patient and continually points me back to Jesus.  I run to him with my failures and he reminds me of the grace that Jesus has showered over me.  I run to him with my dreams and he reminds me who created them.  I would never have imagined marriage could be so gratifying.

Jay:

And yet, I know the truth.  I so won out on this deal. I could have never expected to marry someone as amazing as Michele. Just as I ground her in truth, she grounds me in love.  She challenges and encourages me to no end.  And she is filled with grace.

Was it all worth it? We feel like we’re bragging sometimes.  No doubt it was worth it.  And the best is yet to come.

Jay and Michele

We live in a world that is all about convenience and making things easy. Eight Minute Abs, microwave dinners, drive thru everything, gas attendants to pump your gas for you… the list goes on and on.

Let’s just be honest, it is always convenient and easy to eat unhealthy. We get busy, the kids are hungry… we will start again tomorrow.

Eating fresh, real foods does take work and planning... but is not impossible!

For me, it is a passion. My heart skips a beat when I walk into the produce section at Whole Foods. Yes, I know I am weird. Yes, I know that not everyone shares the same level of excitement over vegetables and grocery stores as I do. For some of you cooking is stressful. For others, you simply don’t know where to begin.

The first step in eating well is planning. Planning is something we all know how to do. We plan our days, our weeks, our vacations…

I know that life gets busy and we can’t eat perfect all the time… but may I encourage you to think ahead a bit? Look at the week ahead and plan for the days that you know will be busy and leave little time for cooking. Keep ingredients in your pantry and fridge that you can throw together quickly.

This week’s recipe is one of those meals for us. My husband, Brook, often works several long days in a row and needs meals he can take with him and heat up later.

This meal stays tasting great for several days in the fridge and can be made in the morning and heated up for dinner.

I would love to hear your questions and the tips you have learned along the way for meals in a pinch!

ENJOY!

Elizabeth

Mexi Bowls

Serves 6 - 8

The Mix:

• 1 large bell pepper, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 C chopped broccoli
• 1 C chopped mushrooms

*You can use any combination of veggies you like so feel free to add or substitute.

• ½ C chopped cilantro
• 1 T minced garlic
• 1 Can each of the following:

Kidney beans

Black beans

Corn (check the ingredients to make sure there is no added sugar)

Diced tomatoes (I used no salt added diced tomatoes)

Diced green chilies

• 1 T olive oil
• 1 T garlic powder
• 3 T chili powder
• 1 T cumin
• ¼- ½ tsp cayenne pepper (optional: we love spicy food. If you don’t want much of a kick then omit this part)
• Sea salt and pepper to taste
• ½ - 1 C vegetable broth (the Trader Joe’s Organic Hearty Vegetable Broth is my favorite)

*The key to this dish is making sure you use enough spices to make it burst with flavor so don’t be afraid to add more and do lots of taste tests!

The Base:

• 2 C quinoa (rinsed)
• 4 C vegetable broth

*Brown rice also works well if you are not a fan of quinoa

The Top:

You can really top these with anything you like but here is what we do:

• Shredded purple cabbage - adds a nice crunch and pretty color
• Fresh cilantro
• Crumbled feta or goat cheese (optional)
• Homemade Quick Guacamole:

1 – 2 ripe avocados

1 T minced onion

1 tsp garlic powder

Sea salt

Juice from a lime

4ish dashes of Tapatio hot sauce

*Mash it all together with a fork until it is the texture you prefer

To Cook:

Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. I use a big pot to cook mine so it doesn’t spill over the edges.

Add onions and bell peppers and cook just until they start to soften a bit.

Add broccoli, mushrooms and minced garlic and cook for a few minutes.

To avoid the vegetables being soggy at the end, make sure you undercook them at this stage. They will have more time to cook as you add the remaining ingredients.

Add black beans, kidney beans, corn, tomatoes and green chilies. Stir all together.

Add garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, pepper and vegetable broth. Stir well and bring to simmer.

Simmer for about 10 minutes and add cilantro. Give it a taste and see if you need to add more spices. You can also add more vegetable broth if you want. Remember that some of the liquid will cook out as you simmer. Let it cook for about another 8 min for all the flavors to combine.

While the mix is cooking, start the quinoa. I just throw mine in a rice cooker and it does all the work. If you don’t have one, put quinoa and vegetable broth in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Then cover and reduce to a simmer for about 15 minutes.

*If you don’t have a rice cooker, I HIGHLY recommend them! They range in price but even the $20 one from Target works perfectly.

To Serve:

Using a bowl, place quinoa on the bottom and mexi mix on top. Garnish with toppings.

ENJOY!

Somewhere across the world a little girl beckons me.

Amma, she calls, I want you.

I see it in her picture, that yearning for the love she’s never had. The way she twists her hands as if to stop herself from reaching for that longing.

Afraid to hope, unsure of what she doesn’t know.

And I see it in the shyness of her eyes and that soft little smile. Calling me, wishing for all the love I can hardly wait to give.

As if... she knows.

As if... the Father has whispered secret stories of life to be.

As if... she’s not sure that all she hopes is true but maybe it is.

And maybe there really is a family full of love coming soon to bring her home.

In just a few weeks my son and daughter will fly across the world to meet this one they’ve prayed for, hoped for, wished for.

And this little girl who longs for love will be embraced by a family.

She’ll sit on her father’s lap and laugh into those startling blue eyes, run brown hands along the milky white of her mother’s skin.

She’ll see pictures of the boys who will be her brothers. Those little guys who will grow up to watch over her and protect her and tease her

and sometimes drive her crazy.

And she’ll hear about me... her Amma. And Pops and her cousin Duke and a baby girl coming soon and all the aunts and uncles and other cousins and a whole church full of more love than she’ll ever possibly be able to hold in her heart.

From nothing to so much.

Because this abandoned girl is going to be adopted into a family. Our family.

And she’ll step into a new life with a new name and a future of love that lasts forever... no matter what.

Slowly but surely her hands will untwist. Her smile will reach her eyes.

Over the months and years she’ll fill out and grow up and

be a woman well loved.

And all that love will come spilling beauty for all the world to see.

And maybe I already know this story. Because isn’t it mine?

Was I not that orphan girl aching for more?

Afraid to hope.

Wishing for something but not sure what. Bruised and abandoned and barely surviving in a world gone bad.

Wasn’t that me not so long ago?

And now I have a family who loves me.

Those ones I call my brothers and more sisters than I can count.

With all their embracive caring and helping and making sure I’m good and well and known and seen.

Those ones who love me no matter what.

And I have a new name too. And a future filled with all that hope of forever.

And most of all I have a Father.

One who sets me on His lap and listens.

Who tells me I am His. Who whispers what He wants for me to do and be.

Because He has plans for me.  Because He knows me. Because He loves me.

Long ago, even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes.

His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ.

And this gave Him great pleasure.

Ephesians 1:4,5

Someday soon a little girl is coming home to write her story here. And her story will show us ours.

I can hardly wait.

From my heart,

Amma

Almost a year ago, John Mark preached without a doubt the most profound sermon on marriage that I have ever heard. As I sat in the back of the beautiful building downtown listening to my son, I was struck with the rightness of all he had to say. You see, Phil and I have been married now for 33 years. Way back when we first started this journey together, we barely had a clue what we were supposed to be doing. We just knew that we loved each other passionately and that somehow our lives seemed to just click.

As John Mark preached, I finally saw why two completely different personalities could fit so well together. Here’s a little exerpt of what he said:

One of the primary reasons for marriage is mission.

Here’s what I mean by “mission”. God gives Adam a job to do: rule over the earth, work the Garden, take care of the Garden…

We need to recapture a Biblical theology of vocation. Your job is part of God’s calling on your life. In Biblical theology we do not work to live—we live to work…

God wants you to join with Jesus and the people of God and work for human flourishing…

In the story, God calls Adam to a mission. All men need to have a mission. Guys, I should be able to sit down with every single one of you and ask: “What is your mission in life? What has God called you to do? Why did God put you here? And you should be able to give me a short, clear, concise answer…My mission is to…

But here’s the problem: Adam is incapable of the mission by himself.  He needs help. Which is why God says, “I will make him a helper…”

He goes on to explain that the word in Hebrew which our Bibles translate as “helper” is the same word used in the Psalms to describe the mystical way in which God comes alongside us to help us do what we are incapable of doing by ourselves.

But there’s more…

All healthy marriages are built around mission.

Couples that exist for one another are doomed to failure.

If your marriage is about your marriage, it will collapse in on itself. If the point of your relationship is your relationship, it will self-destruct.

Which is why a man has to have a mission before he is married and the marriage needs to be built around that mission…

Women don’t marry a man without a mission. And men, don’t marry a woman who doesn’t want to help you on your mission. Because you need help!

And that explains why I am more in love with Phil today than I was as a starry eyed bride in 1978.  And why two distinctly different people work so well together even when we clash and I cry and get stubborn and fall apart. (a little dose of reality lest you think this is some sort of fairy tale romance!)

When Phil asked me to marry him all those years ago, he had already painted a picture for me of a life I couldn’t wait to embrace.

He knew where he was going and he invited me to join in the task with him. He highlighted the ways in which I could help fulfill that vision, acknowledged his need for what I had and he didn’t, and together we dreamed of a mission that would take both of us pulling at full strength for the rest of our lives.

What woman in her right mind would say NO to that? (of course the fact that he was absolutely hot and drove a souped up 1970 Lemans didn’t hurt either!)

And for all these years we’ve chased down that vision together. We’ve raised our children, outlined our calendar, prepared for our future… lived our lives… all with that vision in the forefront.

And so, some words of advice to women who want a marriage with a mission:

• Don’t marry a man who doesn’t have a vision for his mission.

That said, many men need a woman to come alongside them and help them articulate that vision. There are ideas and impressions swirling around in their heads but they’re not yet able to clearly define what they’re feeling. That’s where you come in! By listening long and knowing him well and using all that fabulous womanly intuitive brain God gifted you with, you may be able to define his vision.

• Don’t marry a man whose vision makes you cringe.

I know of one woman whose husband’s vision for his life included a somewhat bohemian lifestyle. Freedom to move as the Spirit led, keeping things simple, flexible, fluid.

The problems in their marriage started when she insisted that they vigorously prepare for the distant future. Her vision involved hefty retirement accounts and sound financial planning.

Can you imagine the clash?

She’d had no real clue what his vision was before their marriage. He hadn’t sounded a clear trumpet and she would never have agreed if he had. Disaster!

• Don’t try to change a man’s vision.

Yes, you’ll be adding your help, your own vision of the vision. But to try to change where he senses God is leading him will only invite heart breaking discord and discouragement. Some men will put up a vigorous fight- but most men will sadly give up and give in. Yet all the while they’ll resent you. Is that worth it?

• Put all your gifts and talents and education and energy behind his vision.

He needs your help. Without you he’ll never tame that Garden. But with you at his side, lending a woman’s immense fortitude (think pioneer woman!) he will have that rare and satisfying sense that he’s doing exactly what God has called him to do.

And he’ll love you for it!

• Fit your family around that vision.

Too many men end up relinquishing their calling because they’re shamed into believing that it’s selfish somehow to pursue a vision that requires sacrifice on the part of their families. A woman who believes in her husband’s mission makes it the mission of her entire family. And a mother who helps her children adapt and is able to excite her family about their mission together, will find herself surrounded by indescribable joy- and fun and adventure.

A woman like that has an incredible power to make it work.

• Do the next thing.

If you’re a single woman and you’re racking your brain to try to figure out what you should be doing with your life, just DO THE NEXT THING.

You don’t need to worry about what your husband’s vision might be. God has this amazing and mystical way of working all those details out. Go to school, prepare for your future, forge ahead. Trust God to be the one to bring a man with a vision you can embrace.

And so, dear sisters, I pray that God will gift you with what He’s given me:

A man with a vision for his mission,

and the passion to pursue it together.

From my heart,

Diane

I had every intention of sharing a new recipe with you all this week... but my wonderful husband had something up his sleeve. He surprised me with a week long trip to sunny California to celebrate our 5 year anniversary and I haven't cooked once this week! Thus no photos or new recipe for you until next week.

However, I do want to share with you a dessert from one of my favorite blogs. These are a re-make of Chocolate Lava Cakes and they will seriously change your life if you give them a try. They remind me of a really gooey chocolate brownie. Need I say more? They are dairy free and can be made with oat flour if you need them to be gluten free as well. We make them way to often!

Enjoy!

Elizabeth

... back next Saturday with a new, quick and easy recipe.

How abundant are the good things

that you have stored up for those who fear you,

that you bestow in the sight of all,

on those who take refuge in you.

Psalm 31:19

(NIV)

How great is the goodness 
you have stored up

for those who fear you.

You lavish it on

those who come to you for protection,

blessing them before the watching world.

Psalm 31:19

(NLT)

How great is Thy goodness

Which Thou hast hidden away

For them who revere Thee…

Psalm 31:19

(Rotherham, as quoted by Amy Carmichael)

I read these words from God’s Word this morning with the day still dark,

before I’d made my list of what to do and how to hurry to get it done.

I was already stressed. Worried. Cramming my mind full of to-do’s. But these words changed my morning… and if I’d let them, would change every one of my mornings.

And so I share my heart with you…

HIDDEN THINGS

STORED UP…LAVISHED ON…HIDDEN AWAY…ABUNDANTLY BESTOWED…

Can this be the key to happiness?

Living on the look out for all these gifts God says He’s wrapped up for us?

Just us who are intentionally trying

to take refuge in Him,

to fear and revere Him,

to run to Him and no one else for protection

from all the hurts and pains and bumps and bruises of life in this world?

Might this not be that missing piece?

That way to what we want?

The way to wake up full of joy?

Dare I hope?

That life is more then lists undone?

That worries cannot rule my world?

That my mistakes and other’s too are not what life is all about?

Dare I believe?

That God has given gifts to me—

just for me

because He loves me?

Dare I search?

For clues to trails

which lead to all He has for me?

Wake up each day with this in mind,

this quest to find His good things stored for me?

Dare I try?

To see those gifts hidden here,

stored up there,

tucked in moments everywhere?

Because if it’s true that changes everything!

From my heart,

Diane

What are some of those good things He’s shown you recently? Any surprises? Would you let us in on your joy? Maybe even post a picture?

(Jodi and Curt)

For many months now we’ve been posting Love Stories on Mondays. We’ve read how beautifully God is writing His story in the lives of His people; men and women who are consciously making choices… and watched God honor those choices.

Most of our stories have been young and fresh… recent glimpses into how God is working.

Today’s story is about love that has lasted… and grown… and thrived.

Jodi is a dear friend of mine- a sister in the truest sense. I love this crazy girl who runs marathons and triathlons and packs more into her week than I’ll ever accomplish in a lifetime.

Most of all I love Jodi’s resilient faith in a God who can do anything. And more than she’d ever dreamed…

Click HERE to read her story.

From My Heart,

Diane

I love burgers. There I said it. Its not the meat that does it for me, in fact I eat very little meat. There is just something about the bun, the patty (veggie and salmon are my favorite) and the toppings that just make the perfect combination! Thus, this salmon burger recipe was born.

I was perusing the isles at Costco when the package of frozen salmon burgers caught my eye. I read the ingredients, looked at the price and tried to decide if they were worth it... the good thing about being on a strict grocery budget is that you really do think through every item (more posts on budgets and meal planning to come). It suddenly occurred to me that I could in fact attempt to make my own salmon burgers using the salmon I had at home and some fresh ingredients. Decision made.

I also love potatoes. Of any kind. Especially french fries. Combine a healthy burger with healthy french fries and you have one happy mama. We eat these baked sweet potato fries quite often and they can be added to just about any meal and cut into any shape.

If you are on the fence about salmon and or sweet potatoes, here is some fascinating information about them both that just might make you want to give them a try.

Salmon

Sweet Potatoes

ENJOY!

Elizabeth

FRESH SALMON BURGERS

(serves 4)

12 - 14 oz. Fresh Salmon – bones and skin removed – cut into 1 inch cubes

1 chopped leek (about ¾ - 1 cup)

1 cup chopped fresh spinach (2 cups un-chopped)

3 T teriyaki sauce

*if you need to go gluten free, Whole Foods and New Seasons both carry g/f teriyaki sauce options

1 egg

*if you need to go dairy free, use 1 Tsp of ground flax seed mixed with 3 Tsp of water

*if you want to reduce the fat a bit, you can use two eggs whites

1 T dried or fresh basil

1 T minced garlic

¼ – ½ tsp red pepper flakes

Sea salt and pepper to taste

Splash of olive oil for cooking

Combine salmon, leeks and spinach in a large bowl.

Whisk together teriyaki sauce, egg, basil, garlic, red pepper flakes, sea salt and pepper.

Pour wet mixture over the salmon mixture. Using a pastry knife, mash the mixture until all the pieces are pretty small and combined. You may also try to use a food processor to combine the mixture… I have never tried it because I only have a mini one but I bet it would work well!

Heat a splash of olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, use your hands to form patties with the salmon mixture and place them in the pan. You will have to arrange them and form them in the pan a bit. Once they start cooking, they will stay together (if you used flax seed or egg whites, they won’t hold together as well so be careful when you flip them!).

Cook for about 8 minutes on each side or until they are brown on both sides.

I usually serve them on a whole or sprouted wheat bun (Dave’s Killer Bread Buns are the best!) and topped with sliced avocado, Trader Joe’s BBQ sauce (sounds weird but it tastes amazing!) and fresh spinach.

*If you need to go gluten free, they are great on a bed of fresh spinach too.

On the side we love steamed veggies of any kind and baked sweet potato fries (recipe below).

BAKED SWEET POTATO FRIES

(serves 4)

4 medium sweet potatoes

1 T melted coconut oil or olive oil

1 tsp garlic powder

½ tsp sea salt

¼ tsp pepper

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 400F

Wash and cut sweet potatoes into ¼ inch rounds (You can cut them in regular fry shape too. The rounds just make for easier cutting due to how fibrous they are).

Place sweet potatoes and oil in a zip lock bag and shake until the potatoes are fully coated.

Add spices and shake bag well.

If you have pans that fit, place a cooling rack inside/on top of a cookie sheet and place potatoes on top. This will make it so they will brown on both sides evenly and you won’t have to flip them. I wish I could take credit for this genius idea but I stole it from a blog. Life changing!

If your pans don’t fit, spray a cookie sheet with olive oil spray and arrange potatoes on the cookie sheet. Flip potatoes half way through.

Bake for about 45 – 55 minutes. Allow them to brown on both sides and start to crisp up. We like them pretty crispy so sometimes I turn up the heat to 425 for a few minutes at the end.

What if God were to call on women to gather together to pray for their family, their friends, the people in their lives and community? What if God were to call an army of women to engage in intense, purposeful prayer?

What if hundreds of women answered that call and came together all at once to pray in one massive all-at-the-same-time gathering?

What if every daughter, son, husband, friend, neighbor and work associate of every one of those hundreds of women got saturated in prayer?

What if we prayed all night?

What would happen?

Several years ago a group of ordinary women set out to find out what would happen if we had enough faith and determination to venture out of our comfortable beds and pray all night for the people in our own circles of influence.

We were excited, a little nervous, and filled with the hope that God would show Himself to us in tangible, powerful ways that we could understand.

And He did!

Since that first Night in Prayer, seven years ago, the number of women who come, pajama clad with pillows and goodies and hearts full of faith, has snowballed.

Women want to come! They bring burdens too great to bear alone: people they love who need Jesus, messy relationships they cannot fix, co-workers who are cold to the Gospel, teenagers taking terrible risks, and a great burden to see hearts rescued by the Redeemer.

We have seen those impossible prayers answered.  Really! We have seen our own minds and attitudes and thinking changed dramatically. We have seen healings of bodies and perhaps even more miraculous, healings of relationships.

More than anything, we have experienced Jesus in a way we never understood possible.

This year would you join us?

We are inviting women from all around the state, the country, and the world to spend the night of February 24^th- 25^th in prayer.

Rather than all try to cram into one building and do things exactly the way we do, we are asking you to consider gathering women in your church or ministry to pray at the same time as we do. We’ll link together via video at some point in the night to cheer each other on and be amazed at God’s movement.

And if you’re a part of Solid Rock, we’ll be gathering both on the Westside and Downtown this year. I’ll be leading on the Westside and Tammy and her team will guide you Downtown. If you plan on being a part of the Sunset campus church, join us on the Westside in especially set aside groups.

Together we will sing:

I love the LORD because He hears and answers

My prayers.

Because He bends down and listens,

I will pray as long as I have breath!

Psalm 116:1,2

(NLT)

Will you join us?

Filled with His hope,

Diane

P.S. If you are part of another church and want to organize your own Night in Prayer, contact Jodi (Jodi@ajesuschurch.org) and she’ll send you whatever might help.

For the next few weeks, in between some great Love Stories, we’re going to be taking a fresh look at four reasons for marriage… and four questions to ask yourself while looking for The One… and four areas which must align in your relationship in order to make a marriage great. Way back in the book of Genesis, God created this thing called marriage.

Right after filling His world with light and land and sun and stars and every kind of creature imaginable, God saw Adam’s aloneness. Every other creature had a match, but Adam, charged with the immense task of managing God’s creation, had no one.

And so God created Eve. Her name means “life”, and with her came a life giving relationship for Adam as well as a beautiful means of perpetuating life throughout God’s massive creation.

But it’s Adam’s aloneness that I want to address today.

“It is not good for the man to be alone;

I will make him a helper suitable for him.” Genesis 2:18

God saw Adam’s solitary life as a “not good” thing. As in negative… a detriment… a strike against him.

But instead of exhorting Adam to let God be his everything, or to find satisfaction in his aloneness, God decided to create a counterpart for him.

Someone who could and would partner with him in his life’s calling.

Someone to spend time with, to talk to, to be friends with.

Someone to chase away the loneliness.

And it gets even better! Scroll down a few verses to Genesis, chapter 2, verses 24,25:

“For this cause a man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.

And the man and his wife were both naked and not ashamed.”

Can you imagine? Two people so at ease with each other that they bare it all. They not only shed their clothes, they take off all those fabrications we wrap around ourselves to hide the imperfections we are so ashamed of.

And that is one of the greatest aspects of this thing called marriage.

Oneness. A complete melding of two people into one. A melding that can only happen as both Adam and Eve trust each other enough allow themselves to be utterly and entirely stripped bare.

And because there was no sin in the Garden, this oneness was able to happen without pain or immense amounts of angst—and it happened instantly.

But because there is so much sin in our world, that kind of oneness can only happen between a man and a woman with a great deal of risk and trust and commitment and trying.

It is this unashamed oneness that is God’s goal in every marriage.

And very few marriages ever get there.

But the ones that do start with real honest-to-goodness friendship. They like each other.

When Phil and I first started dating I was painfully uncomfortable with him. I was so afraid of saying the wrong thing that I could hardly choke out a word!  But before much time had passed, I found myself relaxing in his presence. I got caught up in knowing him and listening to him talk. I asked questions to keep him going, to find out more of what made this fascinating man tick.

Before I ever fell in love with him, I fell in like with him.

And even better, I felt fully myself with him. He was the first guy I ever dated who wanted me to be just who I was.

He liked me!

My quiet reticence didn’t worry him at all. With him there were no long awkward silences with me racking my brain on what to say next. He just carried me along into the conversation and somehow elicited more words from me than anyone had before.

But he also let me be silent. As if somehow he knew that my silence was just a way of processing and chewing on all he had to say.

I loved it!

In fact, I thrived with Phil. I came alive in his company. And for a raging introvert like me to crave another’s companionship is a miracle indeed!

And I saw this same thing with each of my children as they got to know the people who would eventually be their spouses.

When John Mark was with Tammy, he was more real and fully himself than I’d ever seen him be with any of his friends. With her he didn’t need to be cool or upbeat or always his best. I saw him relax, laugh a lot, and talk more than I think I’d ever seen him talk in his entire life!

And with Elizabeth, I saw her blossom. She was more herself with Brook than I’d ever seen her be. He brought out aspects of her character that I hadn’t even known existed.

With Rebekah and Steve, I see a more measured Rebekah. She gauges her responses by looking to his judgment of any given situation. Its made her relax, bringing out all the delightful joy that has characterized her contribution to our lives. It’s as if she needs him in order to be who she really is.

And that’s what I think this idea of oneness and friendship is all about. The freedom to be who you really are.

And so, my advice to anyone and everyone who is dating or thinking about dating…

• First be friends. Be sure you can be friends. Be sure he likes you— and you like him. Not the him you think he could eventually turn out to be… but him just as he is.

• Resist the urge to pretend to be something you’re not. There is no way you’re going to be able to keep up that façade for a lifetime!

• If something makes you uncomfortable about his personality, pay attention. Isn’t that the purpose of dating? Ask yourself, “Can I live with that?” Be honest.

• Date long enough to be sure you know the real person. See what he’s like when he’s mad. Or tired. Or discouraged. Can you live with that man?

• Ask the people who love you the most if you seem to be yourself around him.

• Ask yourself if you are thriving emotionally and spiritually and intellectually and socially when you’re with him.

• Do you match up comfortably? Remember, its not sameness you are after, but oneness.

• Examine your disagreements. What is snagging you up time and time again? Are they fundamental things? Or just the awkwardness of two people trying to meld their lives together?

I can honestly say that my husband is my best friend. In fact, I am absolutely convinced that he is the only person in the world who really knows me as I am.

And the most amazing thing about that is this: he still likes me.

Wanting that with all my heart for each of you,

Diane

BREAKFAST:

JM's Granola

Maple Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal

Day Off Pancakes

DINNER:

Fresh Salmon Burgers

Mexi Bowls

Butternut Squash Tacos

Cashew Pesto + Pizza

Smoked Paprika Rub

Grandma's Chili

Cashew Cream Pizza

Grilled Salmon+Veggie Bowls

SIDE:

Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Quinoa Salad

DESSERT:

Lava Cakes

Maple Apple Crisp

BAKE:

Banana Bread

SAUCES:

Cashew Cream

Cilantro Lime Peanut Sauce

G/F Teriyaki Sauce

Hello and welcome to The Kitchen! I am so excited to share with you and learn with you as we embark on this journey of cooking, eating, giving and whatever else comes across these pages. For those of you who don't know me, my name is Elizabeth Mosser and Diane is my amazing mom. I have been married to my incredible husband, Brook, for 5 years and we have a 2.5 year old son, Duke, and a baby girl due in April.

(Brook, Duke and I)

One of the greatest gifts my mother gave me was allowing me to be at her side in the kitchen as I grew up. My mom made a meal for our family every single night and she allowed (and sometimes required) my sister and I to help her in the kitchen everyday. I'm sure there were times when I was anything but "helpful" and yet she patiently taught me and encouraged me to love and serve people through cooking.

As soon as I got married, I realized what a gift that really was. Men love to eat! The past five years have been a journey of relearning and rethinking what I thought was a healthy way of eating and learning how to eat REAL foods, the way God created them. I plan to share bits and pieces of that story with you over the next few weeks and months and share with you what I have learned... and am still learning.

My goal on these pages is to encourage you and inspire you to feed yourself, your family and everyone who eats at your table with really good, real, whole foods.

Here are a few things you should know before we start cooking...

I am a total perfectionist and I love to follow the rules. However, for some strange reason, I hate to follow recipes. I like to think of recipes as "ideas" and then create whatever comes to mind. I also hate to measure ingridients. There is one major problem with these two things: how do you share a recipe on a blog when you don't write it down or know how much you used of anything?! So, I am turning over a new leaf and vowing to give you all actual recipes... therfore I will measure... most of the time... and record what I do in order to share with you all.

With that said, I want you to have free reign to change, substitute and adapt any of these recipes to your taste and accourding to what is in your pantry. Feel free to send in questions as well and I will do my best to answer them.

Lastly, Duke and I have some food sensitivties/allergies so you will find that most of my recipes are dairy free and often wheat/gluten free. I will try to always give you options to make every recipe with OR without dairy or gluten so you can modify them to fit who your are feeding them to.

I hope you have as much fun with these recipes as I do!

Elizabeth

JM’S GRANOLA

This recipe was born out of my brother, John Mark’s, request for some hearty granola. He wanted one with lots of nuts and real ingredients. After a few batches that were only “so, so”, I finally arrived at this recipe and we have stuck with it ever since.

Ingredients:

5 cups old fashioned rolled oats

¾ cup raw almonds

¾ cup pecans

*you can use any kind of your favorite nuts. Just make sure they don't contain any added oils or salt. If you don't want it quite as nutty, simply use less nuts.

½ cup organic brown sugar (optional)

3 t ground cinnamon

1 t sea salt

¾ cup unsweetened applesauce

¼ cup maple syrup

¼ cup honey

2 T of coconut oil

1 T real vanilla

1 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 300F.

Mix together applesauce, maple syrup, honey and coconut oil in a small bowl.

Combine oats, almonds, pecans, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl.

Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and stir until completely combined.

Spread over two cookie sheets in a thin layer and bake for 25 min, then flip over with a spatula and put back in the oven.

Bake for another 25 min. Then turn up the oven to 315F for about another 10 – 15 minutes (this allows it to brown up a bit more and get crispier). Keep a close eye on it and take it out when it is evenly brown on top and feels dry.

IMPORTANT: let it cool completely on the trays before you move it! This allows the clusters to stay together.

Once it has completely cooled, move to a large bowl and stir in the raisins.

Store in an airtight container.

We eat ours with unsweetened vanilla almond milk and fresh fruit or sprinkle some on greek yogurt… or eat it by the handful!

ENJOY!