Lessons from Gumbo

So what does Gumbo mean to you?  Okra?  Sausage?  Seafood?  Spicy?  Mild?  Thick?  Thin?  Do you serve it over rice or perhaps if you’re a true Nawlins resident you serve it over potato salad.

I would imagine if I asked you how you like or how you cook your gumbo, I would get as many different recipes as the number of people asked.

It’s often been said that doing ministry in New Orleans, specifically our church, is much like Gumbo – you just never know what’s going to come up in a spoonful!  Now, I’ve eaten Gumbo (Come on!… I may be from Texas, but I know how to enjoy good New Orleans cookin’!) and I don’t think I’ve ever had the same Gumbo twice.  Each bowl brings a mystery and a story.

To read the rest of the story come and visit me over at Seeds of Faith!  Yummm... you'll be able to smell the delicious aromas better over there today!  LOL!

My Favorite Kitchen Utensil

I read a verse recently that reminded me of one of my favorite things in my kitchen.  We probably all have a favorite cooking utensil.  Maybe it's particular spoon or spatula, or a bowl or pot.  I know you know what I'm talking about... it's the one thing that you will dig and dig for in that "kitchen" drawer... searching for it with all your heart - because you love it so much.  

Would another utensil do the trick just as well?  Perhaps.  But you love THIS one!  I'm that way with my Cutco knife!  I love it!  I like everything about it.  I like how it feels in my hand, I like the shininess of the blade (silly I know) and it has that perfect sharp blade that will cut through just about anything!  I have almost 2 sets of good kitchen knives and yet - this is the one that I use every day for almost anything that I need to cut or chop.  

Most of you know that if I'm passionate about anything - it's about how alive the Word of God is - and I love to find ways that will remind me in my every day living about God's Word.  It's not just a book I pick up on my way to church - but it's something that I need to use every day.  

Hebrews 4:12 (NASB)

For the Word of God is living and active 

and sharper than any two-edged sword, 

and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, 

of both joints and marrow, and able 

to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Now, let me set the stage for you... I'm at my kitchen table, coffee in one hand, Bible in the other reading this verse.  I look up to ponder it for a moment and my eyes land or rest on the Cutco knives on the counter across from me!   I know my God was giving me a visual, if you will.  He was showing me that as much as I love my Cutco knife - His Word is sharper than that!   

Don't you just hate it when you pick up a knife and it won't even cut through a tomato?!  I don't have this problem with my favorite knife.  And this morning I was reminded that God's Word is sharp enough to cut through anything that I'm dealing with - and His Word has far better treasures in it than the shiny blade of my knife.  I know it seems silly that a simple little knife would make me smile - but it does.  I enjoy cooking just a little bit better when I'm using my favorite knife.  

Here's what I learned from this... every time I use my favorite knife, I will think about God's Word and get a visual that what He has to say is super sharp and will never dull!  It can cut all the way to the spirit and soul, bone and marrow of my thoughts and my intentions.  Secondly, I need to use it every day!  Just like I love using my Cutco knife - I need to enjoy picking up God's Word.  And I bet that I will enjoy living just a little bit better and find joy in life if I do!

Today, just like you dig and dig for that favorite utensil - dig into God's Word.  Be patient and wait for Him to speak to you and remember, His Word is living, active and above all else - sharp!  Use it with care - but make sure you use it!  Keep it in an accessible place like you do your kitchen utensils - I promise that it will truly not only enrich your life and bring you joy but help you cut & chop through the hard parts of life.

Do you have a favorite kitchen utensil?

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Comfort in the "all"

I hope you all enjoyed your Labor Day weekend and truly got to take a rest from your "labor."  I know how hard "resting" can so often be for Mothers.  Someone is always dirtying a dish, and someone is always walking across a clean floor, and just by the sound of the toilet flushing you know that someone is making your clean bathroom go down the drain.

On Saturday I gave our house a thorough cleaning and Sunday was a great day with our church family (this day is always a busy/enjoyable one since my husband is the Pastor).  But yesterday we really rested!  Yesterday we spent the day with some friends in Mississippi at their house on the Bay.  The weather was perfect!  We ate incredible New Orleans food (Liz, the jambalaya was to die for!) and rode on the boat and even went down an incredible water slide!  We all went to bed totally rested and exhausted!

Then Tuesday morning - back to reality - awaits me first thing this morning.  Back to the daily grind.  Back to commitments and responsibilities.  Before opening my Bible, I made a small list and shared it with the Lord.  It was a list of things that I must get done before Friday.  I must admit my heart skipped a beat thinking of my responsibilities.  Have you ever been there before?  I know you have!  Wishing I could clone myself if just for a day!!!

I love it when the Lord speaks directly to my heart.  He knows just what I need and leads me to His still small voice and says just the right thing.

2 Corinthians 9:8 (ESV)

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.

Don't you just love this word - "ALL."  Let's just do a quick inventory here:
1.  ALL grace abound to me
2.  ALL sufficiency - meaning having all that I will need
3.  in ALL things
4.  at ALL times
5.  abound in EVERY good work - EVERY and ALL are like sisters, so I thought I would include it as well!

Oh!  The word abound means to overflow.

Basically the Lord was telling me not to worry.  My God is able to allow His grace to overflow in every area of my life.  To every part of my list.  I will have all that I need (ideas for blogs, time to write, time to study, etc) and in the end I may overflow in every good work.

Are you feeling a bit overwhelmed at reality this morning?  

Allow the grace of God to overflow in your heart and life and find comfort in His ALL.

His All-Sufficiency in your all things, at all times, and watch Him abound in your every good work!

His Words Sunday

This morning my heart is burdened to pray for someone I don't even know.  My Mom has recently shared with me a situation about one of her co-worker's family members.  As she shared with me pieces of the story, I realized this young Mother needs people on their knees... praying for her.  She is in a part of the hospital that will not allow visitors so she is probably very lonely.

It reminded me of a verse I read this week in my One Year Bible and I have selected it today for our His Words Sunday.  Reach out today to someone who might be lonely and alone.  Pray for those around you, even if you don't know them - for 2 are better than 1 and a 3 stranded cord can not be quickly broken!

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 (ESV)

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.  For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow.  But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!  

Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone?  And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him - a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

It's all good

Happy Holiday Weekend everyone!!!

This week has been a very full week!  I'm so thankful that a relaxing weekend with my family and friends is in my future!

This week I was driving my sweet Mommy Mini-van with the air conditioning blowing in my face - stressing about the issue of the moment (I've already forgotten what it even was!) and I saw a couple sitting at a bus stop talking on a nearby pay phone (I didn't even know those things still existed!).  My heart went out to them.  I didn't see a car anywhere near them.  The woman was the one on the phone and her head was in her hand.  The young man was leaning on the pay phone stand - obviously trying to tell her what to say to the person on the other end of the phone.

They looked sad and in despair.  I quickly prayed for them.  I figured that their conversation more than likely had something to do with finances.  They are at a bus stop, no car in sight, they obviously had no cell phone.

I immediately realized that whatever "hardships" I was dealing with in that moment were minor.  I thanked God for my incredible car, for air conditioning, for my BlackBerry laying beside me in my console, for my healthy kids sleeping in the backseat and for a wonderful loving husband that had put some running around cash in my purse earlier that morning.

Later in the week I went jogging and hear this song coming through my iPod.  I know I programmed it into my purple little Shuffle - but for some reason - I REALLY heard it for the first time this week and it totally ministered to me.  I hope it does the same for you.

Even when we think it's all bad... IT'S ALL GOOD (by Joy Williams)

Hanging out on the porch....

Want to REALLY know your God?  Learn His many names!

I recently completed a Bible study with the ladies of our church, and it truly transformed the way I pray and even approach my God.

Kay Arthur’s book, Lord I Want To Know You, covers the many Old Testament names of God.  I was truly amazed at how many different names my Lord has!!  We learned that the better we know His names, the better we will know how to communicate and relate to Him.

Think about it… how many names do you have?!

My friends call me Penny, but my closest friends call me Pen.  My children call me Mommy, and my husband calls me Babe.  Kids in the church call me Mrs. Penny and my daughter’s teacher calls me Mrs. Franklin.  I know how to respond, often times by the name that I am called.  Our God is much the same way!

I'm thrilled to be featured on 29 Lincoln Avenue today!  

To read the rest... click below!

Loss, Love & Legacy

How much do you really know about her?  She is a grown adult who knows what it feels like to be both single & married.  She knew all to well what it meant to be in love and then to lose it all.  She experienced both the joys of children and the sadness of barrenness.

These are just a few of the basics.  This woman also was once known as a "heathen" because of her family history and she became the great-grandmother of the royal Messianic line!

Who am I talking about here?

RUTH

I lead a local Bible Study every Wednesday here in New Orleans, Louisiana.  I've been doing this for the past year.  I had many women locally and from all parts of the country tell me that they wished they could be a part of what we were studying - but just weren't able to make it to Jefferson Park at that time.

So I started making our Bible Studies available ONLINE!!!

Are you looking for a WONDERFUL ladies Bible Study? 

But due to your crazy schedule, no childcare, health, finances, work, availability, car problems - you're just not able to find one?

Come check this one out!  This time we're going to be studying the life of RUTH - LOSS, LOVE & LEGACY by Kelly Minter.  All you have to do is click on the link below, and start following.  Here you will find instructions on how to get your book.  And the beauty of it all - is since it's all online - you can do it at your pace, in your time, and on your schedule!

I look forward to meeting you at Bible Study!  Come and study with the ladies of New Orleans - we're all just sisters in the faith, (no matter where we're from or how we connect), trying to more like Jesus!

Here's a sneak peak...

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