Prayer for My Puppy

by Emily Capps Hear my prayer Lord; listen to my cry for mercy. Psalm 86:6 I clasped my hands, bowed my head and used every bit of strength in my body on my prayer.  “Dear Lord, help dad to like the new puppy…” Have you ever prayed for something super important? Maybe it was a good grade on a test. Or the lines in the Christmas play you just knew you were going to mess up. Sometimes it’s hard to have faith that God is going to answer your prayer.  Just have patience.  God can help you study, so you can get that A.  He can calm those butterflies so you can remember your lines.  And He sure helped my dad with that new puppy. Nutmeg is still with us today. Emily Capps is 13 years old and lives in the North Carolina mountains with her three dogs, Sam,...

Read More
Posted by on Nov 30, 2020 in Devotions Archives | 0 comments

Granola Bars

Ingredient List 4 cups oats 1 cup wheat germ ½ cup All-Bran 1 bag slivered almonds (2/3 cup) 1 tablespoon cinnamon 1 ½ cups peanut butter 1 ¼ cups honey 4 tablespoons melted butter 1 ½ cups chocolate chips (optional)   We have more than one sweet tooth in our family. In fact, I think my husband and our 12-year-old were blessed with mouths full of “sweet teeth.” Homemade fudge and chocolate chip cookies are favorites at our house, but I wanted to find a nutritious, satisfying snack that tasted like a treat. When a friend brought me a batch of homemade granola bars, I knew they were what I was looking for. I tweaked her recipe a bit to suit my family’s tastes, and now I’m happy to be able to share it with you. First preheat your oven to 350...

Read More
Posted by on Nov 25, 2020 in Creative Corner Archives | 0 comments

God Will Use It

by Jan Cline When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over.” John 6:12 NIV A little boy stood on the shore of a great lake. He waved to a boat sailing across the water. “Goodbye, Master!” he called as the ship moved out of view. “And thanks be to Jehovah!” The boy turned to count his baskets again, just as he did several times in the last few hours. Each time he tallied up the fishes and pieces of bread, his heart filled with joy. How could a poor boy such as he receive blessing in this way? He had watched the Master turn his lunch into a feast for thousands. What a miracle! Then he received a share of the leftovers. How wonderful! “How happy I am to have shared my lunch!” The boy tugged on...

Read More
Posted by on Nov 23, 2020 in Devotions Archives | 0 comments

Easy Cake Mix Cookies

  Ingredient List 1 box of chocolate cake mix (any variety) ½ cup vegetable oil 2 eggs 2/3 to ¾ cup powdered sugar With just four ingredients, these cookies are not only delicious, they are oh-so-easy to make. They are a perfect Welcome Back Summer treat. Kids will have almost as much fun rolling the dough into balls and dipping them in powdered sugar as they will eating them. Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees. Next fill a small bowl with 2/3 to 3/4 cup of powdered sugar, and set it aside. After that pour the cake mix into a large mixing bowl, then add the oil and eggs. Stir until moistened. The thick, doughy mixture is now ready to be rolled into 1-inch balls.   After forming the ball, drop it in the bowl of powdered sugar turning it...

Read More
Posted by on Nov 18, 2020 in Creative Corner Archives | 0 comments

God Works with Mud

By Phyllis Qualls Freeman One thing I do know, I was blind, but now I see. John 9:35 Did you know that Jesus played in the mud? One day he saw a blind man and spit on the ground, made a couple of mud pies and put them on the man’s eyes. Jesus told him to go wash in the Pool of Siloam. Wow, as the mud washed away, so did his blindness. Then he could see. He smiled. He looked and saw everything around him. People asked questions about who healed his eyes. Well, he hadn’t seen Jesus yet, so he didn’t recognize Jesus. The Jewish leaders questioned more. Jesus listened when they said, “We know God spoke to Moses, but we don’t even know where this man comes from.” The man who was blind said, “God listens to the godly man who does his will. If he wasn’t...

Read More
Posted by on Nov 16, 2020 in Devotions Archives | 0 comments

Stuffed Shells

Because of her fond memories of cooking with her mom in the kitchen, Cheryl purposefully schedules one-on-one cooking time with each of her three children.  She loves cooking with her kids because it gives her quality time with them, it helps them develop independence, and it has led to some great conversations. Stuffed shells are a family favorite. Cheryl and daughter Mya will walk you through the steps to this yummy main dish.  Not only will you end up with a delicious dinner, you’ll also be making lasting memories.   Ingredient List 1 lb. jumbo pasta shells 3 tbsp. olive oil 1 1/2 lb. lean ground beef (could use Italian sausage, pork, or turkey) 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt 1 24 oz.  jar marinara sauce or 1 can...

Read More
Posted by on Nov 11, 2020 in Creative Corner Archives | 0 comments