Jesus saves – Page 7 – Meghan E White

Vulnerable

June 17, 2022 meghanewhite

This adorable little stray cat showed up in our backyard a couple months ago. We left a dish of water for her and eventually started leaving out some food as well. She shows up throughout the day meowing wanting attention and something to eat. It took a while for her to come near us. Now she rubs against our legs, but she’s still very cautious.

Since the days have become extremely hot she disappears until early morning and late evening. I have no idea where she goes throughout the day but she sure likes to see us. She is a vulnerable cat with no home providing her protection, so we do what we can to help her. Her visits with us are brief as she is always on the move.

Our little feline friend is vulnerable to all sorts of dangers. Being vulnerable is not something we humans purposely choose. We do everything we can to avoid being vulnerable. The reality of how frail our human lives really are smacked me right in the face when Tom and I both got sick with covid. I was down for almost two weeks and it took Tom a little longer to recover.

It was pretty rough but we survived and we are on the other side by the grace of God. I felt like I was living out the movie Groundhog Day. Each crummy day was on repeat until we got better. When you get sick you are helpless to some extent. I can do my part by drinking plenty of water, taking vitamins, and getting rest. By the way, getting rest was no problem since all we wanted to do was sleep.

Regardless of my choices, I’m still vulnerable. We had to trust God that He would get us through our sickness to the other side. Tom and I know our lives, our times, our health, and everything are in God’s mighty hands. Suffering is not fun. Sickness is terrible. But God cares for His children.

I couldn’t pray much because I was just surviving. We had many wonderful people praying for us, and checking on us which was a huge blessing. One verse that came to mind during our illness was from James.

And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. James 5:15, NIV

I held on to that verse. It’s one of my favorites when dealing with sickness. I believe those words. God made us well.

Another truth that came to mind while being sick was the incredible reality that there will be no sickness in Heaven. How amazing is that? Glory! Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! We will never be sick in Heaven.

He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. Revelation 21:4, NIV

We are vulnerable in our brief lives. Sometimes we think we are unstoppable, and can do whatever we want, whenever we want. Sickness, trials, and tribulations remind us of our human frailty. These difficulties that we all experience, are opportunities for our faith to grow. It’s humbling to be sick. You don’t feel strong, you are weak.

In humility, we can fully trust God to help us in our time of need. God helps us like no person can. There is only one Heavenly Father, and He loves helping His sons and daughters.

If you are feeling vulnerable right now, please know you are not alone. We are all vulnerable on this side of Heaven. God is waiting, and always available to answer you in your time of need. His will, His way. Trust Him. He’s got you.

Love you all,

Meghan

Food

Veggie Stir Fry

May 26, 2022 meghanewhite

If you want a simple, nutritious, inexpensive meal, look no further. Veggie stir fry is filled with flavor and nourishment. Use your favorite vegetables. I like to use onions, carrots, and broccoli as my base. Then I add whatever looks or sounds good, like snap peas.

The sauce is so delicious with fresh ginger and garlic. Red pepper flake gives it a nice little kick. Use more or less depending on how much spice you prefer. I like to double, or even triple the amount of sauce.

Veggie stir fry is so quick to throw together. The only time consuming part is chopping all of the vegetables. In a pinch you can use frozen, or any leftover veggies you’ve got in the fridge.

For a budget friendly, easy dinner make this tasty veggie stir fry. Add a protein like chicken, beef, or shrimp for even more flavor and nutrients. This no fuss dish will give your meals variety. Enjoy!

Happy Eating!

Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. Proverbs 30:5

Veggie Stir Fry

For the Sauce:

1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger

1 clove minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flake

Vegetables:

1 medium onion cut into wedges

3 to 4 carrots sliced into thin rounds

2 heads of broccoli cut into florets

sweet peppers sliced into strips

other vegetables to add: snap peas, baby corn, zucchini, asparagus, cauliflower, water chestnuts, or whatever you like

for cooking the veggies:

1/2 to 1 teaspoon of salt

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Instructions

In a small bowl combine the soy sauce, sugar, cornstarch, ginger, garlic, and red pepper flake. Whisk until blended, set aside.
In a large skillet or wok, heat vegetable oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onions and carrots and a pinch of salt. Raise the heat to medium high, stirring every 30 seconds or so until the onions have softened. This takes 4 to 5 minutes.
Add the broccoli and the rest of the vegetables and another pinch of salt to the skillet, stirring every 30 seconds or so, until the carrots start to caramelize. This takes about 5 minutes. Cook the vegetables until the carrots are fork tender and the remaining vegetables are tender, yet crisp.
Turn the heat down low. Pour the sauce over the vegetables, stirring constantly until the sauce is thickened. This takes less than a minute. Remove from heat and serve with rice.

Notes:

I recommend doubling the sauce.

Cook the vegetables to your liking. I prefer mine crisp yet tender.

Cover your skillet with a lid to help steam the vegetables.

Food, mustard seed sentinel

Baked Feta Pasta

April 27, 2022 meghanewhite

This pasta is quite famous. Baked feta pasta gained stardom on Tik Tok in 2019. Blogger Tiiu Piret shared a version of the pasta bake on her blog in 2018. Finnish blogger Jenni Hayrenin posted her version of the feta pasta dish on her blog the very next year and it went viral. BAKED FETA PASTA – ORIGINAL RECIPE – Liemessä

With so much hype is it actually good? I say yes. After some experimenting and modifications I came up with my own version of baked feta pasta. It’s pretty much the same. I just made a few tiny changes like adding spinach and onion.

This simple pasta bake is creamy, savory, and a little tangy. Roasting tomatoes with olive oil, and garlic is always a winning combo. The addition of soft feta makes the sauce scrumptious. Cheese and tomato are great partners in any recipe.

Baked feta pasta is a trend that lives up to its fame. It’s inexpensive to make and you can modify the ingredients to your liking. Change up your pasta recipes with this delectable dish.

Happy Eating!

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light. Ephesians 5:8

Baked Feta Pasta

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

1 lb pasta

2 pints grape tomatoes

1 (8 oz) block feta cheese

½ cup olive oil

½ yellow onion, diced

4 cloves of garlic peeled and sliced in half

¼ teaspoon red pepper flake

salt

fresh ground black pepper

fresh thyme, chopped

fresh oregano, chopped

fresh basil, chopped

large bunch of spinach, chopped

½ cup pasta water

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°
In a medium sized baking dish, place the tomatoes, onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, fresh thyme, and oregano. Pour about ¾ of the olive oil over the tomato mixture. Season with salt and fresh ground black pepper. Toss everything to coat.
Place the feta in the center of the pan and drizzle the remaining olive oil on top.
Bake for 40 minutes until the tomatoes and feta are browned.
While the tomatoes are in the oven, cook the pasta of your choice according to the package directions. Right before draining the cooked pasta, reserve ½ cup of the pasta water. Add fresh chopped spinach to the hot water, then drain.
Once the tomatoes and feta have cooked, take a spoon and break it up and combine everything. Stir in the fresh basil. Add the pasta and spinach. Stir in the ½ cup pasta water. Give it a taste, and add more salt and pepper to your liking,
Enjoy!

Notes

* Use any type of pasta. The original recipe used spaghetti.

* The pasta water really helps thin out the sauce.

* Greek feta works best.

* Try cream cheese or goat cheese if you don’t like feta.

For this recipe and more, go to the link below to access Mustard Seed Sentinel.

https://www.mustardseedsentinel.com/post/meghan-s-corner-baked-feta-pasta

Jesus

Unflappable

April 22, 2022 meghanewhite

Recently, my youngest son’s golf coach suggested he watch some of the Masters Golf Tournament. We watched the highlights from the competition showcasing the best golfers in the world. A young man named Scottie Scheffler won. Only twenty-five years old, and a true master of the game. One reporter described Mr. Scheffler as unflappable. What a brilliant word that seems to have disappeared.

Dictionary.com defines unflappable as:

“not easily upset or confused, especially in a crisis; imperturbable.“

I love a great word, and unflappable is an excellent word that needs used more. It got me thinking about living up to such a quality. Am I unflappable? No. I can be, but many times I am not. Do I want to be unflappable? Yes. I think I have been more flappable in my life, then unflappable.

I have every reason as a Christ Follower to be unflappable, yet I struggle. The crisis comes and I crumble. I start out strong, believing God will make a way, yet as time goes on I start to doubt. Fear creeps in my mind and I collapse. But God, in His never ending grace and mercy reaches out His hand, and picks me up. He dusts me off, and gives me the strength to stand, once again.

Our foundation is on the Rock.

Every Christian has the potential to be unflappable when the hard times come. We won’t always hit the mark and will fall short, but the goal is to stand firm in our faith and not waiver. We must rely on Jesus to be unflappable. On our own we will falter. With Christ we can keep our joy, and peace, and hope because we know He will get us through the crisis.

And the rain fell and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. Matthew 7:25, NASB

Jesus taught about the wise and foolish builders. The foolish man built his house on sand. When the storms came the house crashed because of its weak foundation. The wise man built his house upon solid rock, and his house withstood the storms. The wise man is the believer whose foundation is the solid Rock of Christ. The fool is the man who has rejected Jesus’ teachings, and has an unstable foundation of sand.

Our confidence is in the Rock of Ages, Jesus Christ.

I took the picture of that massive boulder because it reminded me of the solid ground I stand on. It’s hard to tell in the photo, but the rock is huge. I’m sure that rock has experienced some storms in its long life, yet it has survived, and probably learned a thing or two along the way.

I’m grateful for Jesus, my Rock. He is my sure foundation. He holds me up, and at times picks me up. I have gone through some pretty awful crisis in my life, and my Jesus has been faithful to see me through. He has never left me, not once. He’s not going to leave you either.

My goal is to be unflappable in this crazy world. I cannot achieve this just by thinking positively or trying really hard. I can do this through Christ. I will fail at times, but I will get back up as He holds my hand.

Eyes on Jesus. He is everything.

Love you all,

Meghan

Salvation

It’s Never Too Late

April 9, 2022 meghanewhite

I love biographies. Real stories from real people intrigue and inspire me. Recently, I was scrolling through Youtube when a video showed up on my feed that made me curious. It seemed so random since I had never searched for this. The short video was an interview with none other than the legendary founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken, Harland Sanders, aka Colonel Sanders.

The Colonel did not get any real financial success until he was well into his sixties. He experienced many business failures before he achieved any great triumphs. Colonel Sanders shared that his ship came later in life, and maybe your ship hasn’t come in yet, but it will. What stood out the most to me, as I watched the Colonel’s interview, was his faith.

Harland Sanders placed his faith in Jesus Christ at seventy-seven years old. He shared with his wife that he “wanted to make peace with his maker”. Harland had achieved great wealth yet knew something was missing in his life. He was raised in a strong Christian home, and had been taught the truth from day one, but he went his own way for many years.

Harland was a hard man, who cussed like a sailor. He was known to get into some fist fights. Everything changed when he said yes to Jesus. Not a perfect man, but a follower of Christ, committed to doing good works with his money.

It’s never too late, until it is.

We are not promised tomorrow. We have right now. Our brief lives will end one of these days. Colonel Sanders got saved at seventy-seven. You might think you are too old, and too far gone to choose Jesus, you’re not. You might think that you have plenty of time to place your faith in Jesus. Don’t put it off another day, because you may not have another day.

Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring—what your life will be! For you are like vapor that appears for a little while, then vanishes. James 4:14, CSB

Honestly, getting saved is more than just hell insurance. You will never be the same. You will live a more abundant life, not with more stuff and money, but with peace, joy, and hope. You will have God’s Holy Spirit living inside of you. You will have a relationship with Jesus Christ. You will have full access to Father God. I could go on and on.

It’s never too late to choose Jesus.

If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation.

Romans 10:9-10, CSB

Love you all,

Meghan

Photo credit: Meghan E. White