Just this past weekend our daughter called in a carload of girls with the frantic tone of “Help!” He got them off the country road in the mountains of North Carolina, back to the right place and their long awaited destination – Walmart in Brevard, NC! He was their hero!

Sunday in church, I saw a theme for the morning service – it was Meat or Milk. It was mentioned at three different times in three different settings. I took note. I knew the Lord was wanting to say something to me about that. Consider these verses:

1 Corinthians 3:2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.

Hebrews 5:12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.

Hebrews 5:13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.

1 Peter 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby

The theme here is that babies desire milk, but as we grow in Christ we should desire the meat of the Word so we can be mature and be used of God (Heb. 5:12).

When a Christian has been feeding on meat of the Word, they can then help someone who is lost. They have been there and they know exactly where a lost person is. They could lead that unsaved person to Christ.

When a Christian has been feeding on the meat of the Word they also know their way around their Bible – they have a spiritual GPS – a God Pointing System! They can open to Scripture passages to help a discouraged friend, remind themselves of God’s promises, or teach a Truth that someone needs to learn. They have been feeding on the Meat and it’s evident in their lives!

Are you good at navigating yourself and others spiritually? If not, there’s only one clear direction for your life – become a student of the Word and feed on the Meat!

How are you currently feeding on the Word?

Roasted Turkey Breast w/fresh herbs

Mashed potatoes with Turkey gravy

Roasted asparagus with Parmesan cheese

Rolls

Lemon blueberry Pound Cake (more about this later!)

I have to share one recipe with you that I tried earlier in the week that was so good! It’s called Roasted Vegetable Salad. I served grilled chicken with it and it made a great summertime meal. You can vary the vegetables – I used what I had. I failed to take a picture of mine, but it’s really colorful and appealing.

Roasted Vegetable Salad

1 lb. small red potatoes, quartered

2 medium ears of sweet corn, halved (I used frozen kernels)

1/2 lb. baby portobello mushrooms, halved

1 med. sweet red pepper, cut into strips

2 medium leeks (I used red onion)

1/4 C plus 2 Tbl. olive oil, divided

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 lb. fresh asparagus, cut into 2-in. lengths

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

2 cups cubed French bread (I toasted these on a cookie sheet while the vegetables were cooking)

10 Cherry tomatoes, halved

1 cup crumbled Feta cheese

Dressing:

1/3 Cup olive oil

1/4 Cup red wine vinegar

1 Tbl honey

In large bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Drizzle with 1/4 cup oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Place in two greased 15 x 10 x 1 in baking pans. Bake at 425 degrees 20-25 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute asparagus in remaining oil until tender (just a couple minutes). Add garlic and pepper flakes; cook 1 minute longer. Cut corn from cobs; place in a large bowl. Stir in the bread, tomatoes, cheese, asparagus and roasted vegetable mixture. Combine oil, vinegar and honey, drizzle over mixture and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Another recipe I made this week was Lemon-Blueberry Pound Cake, not from Taste of Home, but from my Cooking Light Cookbook. You would never know this is a light recipe; it tastes just as yummy as any regular pound cake with twice the fat grams! Be watching for the recipe on my blog this week.

What’s been cooking in your kitchen?

With love,

Wednesday night in prayer meeting I was met with one reason we need the fellowship of other Christians. I heard three dear ladies in our church stand and give testimonies about opportunities to share the Gospel this week – one was in a store and chatted with a customer, one on her job at the hospital, and the last talked with a man over the phone – a stranger dealing with bank business! As I sat and listened to their testimonies my heart was stirred with the desire to be used of God in that way. I know the Lord has brought those opportunities my way, but I’ve been distracted by my own busyness or the task at hand and missed them. I came home determined to ask God to open an opportunity for me, then to look for it!

As I had my prayer time this morning I said, “Lord, help me to be faithful to you today and to see the opportunity to witness and not let it slip past me.” As I went to the grocery store I was looking. I was at Ingles and it was early afternoon and the store was relatively quiet. I was nearing the end of shopping when I remembered that I needed to go to the produce department and talk with one of the workers. The week before I had accidentally dropped my pen down into the case holding the corn on the cob! The produce worker had told me he would clean the cases and keep my pen for me. However, when I asked another gentleman about it, the pen had not been retrieved.

“Oh, I’ll come back later”, I said. This young man kindly answered, “No, you go finish your shopping. It will only take me a minute. I’m happy to get it for you!” I watched him go get a cart and begin unloading the produce on that stand. I went on my way to get my last few items, thinking about how kind he was and how grateful I was that my nice pen would be in my purse again! The Lord quickly brought to my mind that the kindest way I could thank him would be to share the Gospel with him.

As I made my way back to the produce stand the worker looked up at me, pulled a Cross pen from his shirt pocket and asked, “Is this what you lost?!” Indeed it was, and I thanked him for his kindness and told him how much I loved shopping in their store because everyone was always so helpful. Then I said, “You’ve been so kind to me, let me share something with you.” I handed him a tract that says, “Will you go to heaven when you die?” I said, “This is even better than finding a lost pen, because it holds the Truth about how to be sure you can go to heaven. This is the best news there is.” “Yes, you’re right,” he said. “Thank you!”

I pray that he took the time later to read through it, and that he will trust Christ if he isn’t saved. I’ll be back in that store in the near future and I’ll be praying for an opportunity to ask him what he thought about what he read. I walked away knowing that this was God’s appointment and that He had given me this sweet opportunity to share about my Savior.

I wonder if I would have been looking for that chance if I hadn’t been challenged by those sweet ladies at church? I doubt it. I would have been on a mission – my mission instead of God’s. So thank you, Linda, Sue and Ethel for being faithful to witness and for sharing your testimonies at church. God used you in my life! I also say, thank you, Lord, for the Church – what a blessing it is! I wouldn’t make it as a Lone Ranger Christian!

Praying you’ll be in a Bible believing church this Sunday,

In Matthew 6 we read the passage about God’s loving care for us. Matthew says in verse 27, Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? The answer? No one! Worrying won’t change how tall you are! I am proof! As a matter of fact, the truth is that worrying won’t make you taller; worrying will make you smaller because it shrinks your testimony!

The passage goes on to say that in the very same way that we can’t change our height, neither can we do anything about our needs, but there is One who can! God knows our needs, and just the way He takes care of the sparrows and feeds them and also clothes the lilies, He will feed and clothe us. He can also protect us from harm, guide us in decision making , give help in trouble, and heal us when we’re sick. Worrying won’t help any of those situations, it will only worsen them because it shows our lack of faith in an all-powerful God! That’s how our testimony shrinks. People who know we’re Christians, look at our wrinkled brow and wringing hands and wonder why we’re doubting God. Could they still come to us for counsel, knowing that we are fretful over things that only God can handle? No. We’ve destroyed our testimony.

I recently heard the testimony of a missionary in India that held a baptismal service in a river. He felt leeches attaching themselves to his leg and foot. He was startled, but he knew he could trust His God. He finished the service, then left the waters to care for his wounds. That’s faith! That’s also an incredible testimony of someone who knows their God. That’s the kind of person that can help others in their time of crisis.

How well do we know our God? Do we know Him enough that we won’t worry about a financial , material, physical, or spiritual need because we know He promises to provide for us? That’s the kind of faith for we each need to be praying.

So, is your testimony growing or shrinking? May you stand tall!

Glad to be 4’9″,