Tag: trust God

Love

Love Is

meghanewhite

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Love is patient.

Love is kind.

It does not envy.

It does not boast.

It is not proud.

It is not rude.

It is not self-seeking.

It is not easily angered.

It keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices in truth.

It always protects.

Always trusts.

Always hopes.

Always perseveres,

Love never fails.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8a, NIV 

This perfect love has no jealousy, or boasting, or pride, or unkindness, or rudeness, or selfishness. There is no place for impatience, short-temperedness, or keeping a list of wrongs. Love never delights in evil and always rejoices in truth. It protects and trusts, always hopes and perseveres. Godly love never fails.

Agape is the Greek word for love used in this infamous passage of scripture. This is God’s love. And this is how we are to love others. It’s impossible to show this kind of love without knowing Jesus. It takes the power of the Holy Spirit within every believer to share this agape love. We have to be filled before we can pour out God’s love on people.

Agape is self-sacrificing. It truly is death to ourselves. Jesus said in order to follow him we must deny ourselves and take up our cross daily (Luke 9:23). That is the only way this powerful love from God can flow from us. It’s not about us, It’s about Him.

How do we know what love is?

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 1 John 3:16, NIV

Jesus laid down his life for us while we were still sinners. This is the highest form of love. We are to love our brothers and sisters with the same sacrificial love. Impossible in our strength. Only possible through Jesus.

Where does love come from?

Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 1 John 4:8, NIV

There is no real love apart from God. He himself is love and we cannot love without knowing Him through Jesus Christ.

As Christians we get to share this agape with those around us. This beautiful love that God gave us through Jesus can overflow from us to every single person we have in our lives and even those we cross paths with each day. This love is powerful and nothing like any kind of love in the world. We fall short at times, and don’t always love the way we should, but God’s love will never fail.

Help us Lord, to love like you do.

Love you all,

Meghan

If you need prayer please leave your request in the comments or drop me an email (go to my contact page).

Photo credit: Meghan E. White

Food

Magic Bars

meghanewhite

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If you are looking for a super easy and decadent dessert, or even if you are not looking, I’ve got a great one for you. These amazing bar cookies will satisfy your sweet tooth, and your neighbor’s too. There are countless versions of these awesome cookies, Hello Dolly Bars, Seven Layer Bars, and a few others. I went with the Disney inspired Magic Bars because I like the name. Call them whatever you like.

The fun thing about cookies like Magic Bars is you can customize them to your preferences. If you don’t like coconut, don’t add it. Use this recipe as your base and tweak it to your liking. Have fun with it. I added sprinkles because why not. 

Magic Bars are effortless yet scrumptious. These uncomplicated cookies are soft and chewy like caramel with just the right amount of crunch. Your hunger for something sweet will be gratified with this lovely treat. Enjoy!

Happy Eating!

I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonders. Psalm 9:1

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Magic Bars 

Ingredients 

1 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs (approximately 9 graham crackers or 1 full sleeve)

1/2 cup melted butter (4 oz.)

6 oz. chocolate chips 

6 oz. butterscotch chips 

1 cup sweetened coconut flakes 

14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

2 Tbsp. Jimmies sprinkles (optional)

Instructions 

  1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 9 x 13 pan with parchment or aluminum foil, or spray with cooking spray.
  2. In a small bowl mix the graham crackers and melted butter. Dump the mixture into the prepared baking dish and press into place with a measuring cup.
  3. Spread chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and flaked coconut evenly on the crust. Pour entire can of sweetened condensed milk on top over everything.
  4. Add walnuts and sprinkles on top.
  5. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the edges are golden brown, and the filling is bubbly. Cool completely and cut into bars. Enjoy!

Notes: 

  • Cool by placing the bars in the fridge or freezer. They will be easier to cut if cool.
  • Use parchment or foil to easily remove from the pan and cut.
  • Magic Bars are very soft, especially when they first come out of the oven.
  • Use more or less coconut, or nuts to your preference.

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Faith, Jesus

Out With the Old in With the New

meghanewhite

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Another Christmas tree tossed to the curb. It’s just a tree but I like them. They each have their own personalities. This tree had a huge crack in the trunk, so about three feet had to be chopped off. It leaned to the right, but still so pretty. And there were no complaints about the smell. That wondrous fresh pine aroma filled our house.

This lovely tree, with all its memories, is gone. If it were up to me I’d probably have a fresh tree year round loaded with Christmas decorations. Trees eventually die so it wouldn’t be ideal to have one all year in my living room. It would look like a cactus by the time the next holiday season arrived. As much as I love fresh trees, I look forward to cleaning everything up from Christmas and putting it all away. It’s a fresh start.

Throwing out our old tree makes me think about throwing out some bad habits, and bad attitudes that need to go in my life. Like a dried up tired tree, so is my attitude at times. I say I’m going to change yet I still fall back into bad habits that need to go. I know what it takes to bring real lasting change, surrender.

Only Jesus can help me let go of whatever is destructive in my life, and He can make something new and beautiful from it. But I have to let go, and I don’t always want to. I think my old ways are better, when they clearly are not. It doesn’t stop me from going back to them like an old familiar shiny Christmas tree that dulls over time. I think it’s working, but it’s not. 

Jesus is calling me to trust Him with the old, and He’ll replace it with new. I’ll take what He’s handing out any day, even if it involves death to my old ways. His ways are the best. I’m looking forward to the new things that Jesus wants to do in me. It will be difficult to throw out the old bad stuff that I cling to, but I’m ready for the new stuff from my Savior. 

Complaining can be replaced with gratitude.

Worry can be transformed into faith.

Fear can be destroyed with peace.

Out with the old, in with the new.

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17, BSB 

Love you all,

Meghan 

Christmas, Food

Grinch Cookies

meghanewhite

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That mean ol’ Grinch inspired some really fun cookies. I can’t help but think of watching the classic Christmas cartoon special each year. The book is even better. In honor of the grumpy one you can enjoy this delightful cookie. It’s soft, chewy, and easy to make. The red hot is to represent the Grinch’s heart. You can use heart shaped sprinkles, or even M&M’s. I could not find the heart shaped sprinkles so red hots worked great.

Grinch cookies are a nice way to add something new to your holiday baking. They are delicious and a great conversation piece. These would be fun to make with kids. You could make a whole theme with the cookies, book, and cartoon, or movie. Or just make them to share with your friends and family. Have fun with these adorable cookies.

Happy baking!

“Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29

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Grinch Cookies

Yield: 40 cookies

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup (4 oz.) softened butter

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

2 eggs

1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/4 tsp almond extract

green food coloring

1/2 cup powdered sugar

cinnamon red hots or heart-shaped sprinkles

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line baking sheets with parchment.
  2. In a small bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl beat butter and sugar until well combined and creamy. Add eggs one at a time and blend until combined. Add the vanilla and almond extract. Add the green food coloring creating the color you desire. I used 12 drops.
  4. Slowly add the flour mixture to the egg mixture until combined. Don’t over mix.
  5. In a small bowl add the powdered sugar. Roll the cookie dough into 1 inch balls and evenly coat in the powdered sugar. Place on the baking sheet.
  6. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges and bottoms are slightly golden brown, and the cookies are crinkled on top.
  7. While the cookies are still hot place a candy at the center and gently press. Let the cookies cool for a few minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes:

  • These cookies puff up while baking.
  • Make sure to place the candies on the cookies immediately after the cookies are out of the oven.
  • Be generous with the powdered sugar to ensure it sticks while baking.

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Christmas

My Favorite Things

meghanewhite

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As a little girl, I would lay on the floor next to our Christmas tree looking up at all the lights and decorations. It was so wonderful and exciting to me, all of it. The stereo console would be playing an Elvis, or Gene Autry Christmas record, creating the perfect dreamy atmosphere.

Years later, and I still love Christmas. I love the decorations, music, silly movies, baking and giving. That’s one of the best parts, giving gifts to loved ones, and sharing my baked goods with neighbors and family. And, I absolutely love going to Christmas Eve service at church, especially if it’s candle lit.

I love the old ornaments we’ve got on our tree. Little brightly colored pieces of glass that are slightly tarnished and holding so many memories. They reflect the light so beautifully. They’re just things, but to me they represent so much more. It’s about celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ.

I will celebrate my Savior and it’s a privilege to be able to do so. This is the only month we can say Christ every single day to complete strangers as we wish them a “Merry Christmas”. I say it as often as I can.

We are not guaranteed tomorrow, we only have today. So, today I choose to be grateful for right now. I am grateful to have the opportunity to celebrate the most amazing gift the world has ever received, the Messiah, Jesus Christ. It’s worth celebrating, and is my most favorite thing. I will light the lights, hang the ornaments, and bless my loved ones with some homemade cookies to say, “Hallelujah!, The Savior was born!”.

For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6, NKJV

Love you all,

Meghan