Buffalo Chicken Dip

Ingredients
8 OUNCES CREAM CHEESE

½ CUP RANCH SA

LAD DRESSING

½ CUP FRANK’S RED HOT BUFFALO WING SAUCE

½ CUP SHREDDED MOZZARELLA CHEESE

2 CUP SHREDDED COOKED CHICKEN

Directions
PLACE CREAM CHEESE IN A SMALL ROUND DISH.

MICROWAVE FOR 1 MINUTE TO SOFTEN.

MIX SALAD DRESSING, WING SAUCE, CREAM CHEESE, AND MOZERELLA CHEESE UNTIL SMOOTH.

ADD CHICKEN AND MIX WELL.

BAKE AT 350 DEGREES FOR 20 MINUTES.

I invite you to try my newest book, Grits, Grace, and Grands, in eBook or paperback. If you are a grandparent or just want to hear grandparent stories, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Christmas Reflections from a Music Teacher - Chaney McCoy

And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. Matthew 1:21 NLT

As I finally lay down after a day full of hectic, beautiful chaos, I couldn't help but think of why I pursued music education in the first place.

Music moves people in so many ways. It can touch hearts when sometimes words can't. I found that out long ago and wanted to teach little hearts to love and be moved by words with music. One night, I was reminded by my son that music does touch and move people even when I don't think it does.  

My neck and shoulders ached. I was on a heating pad, tired and ragged from the day's events. My son was ready to play basketball when we got home. He had asked all week about putting our tree up. What's for supper? My husband was called into work again for the second time on the same day. Another main water line had burst. The list goes on. All I wanted to do was take a hot shower and bed down, but I pushed on and did what I needed to do as a mom on her own that night without the person I leaned on. The one who kept me sane and who I really needed. 

I finally got to the tree and lights after a busy day. By then, my fingertips were splitting and sore from being so dry and the constant use of sanitizer and now from fluffing the tree. Then, I heard my son in his room singing "Hope for Everyone," one of the songs they had sung in the Christmas program at school. He made up his own lyrics where he couldn't remember the original, but what stuck with him was "hope for everyone."  

The Lord is good; there's hope for everyone. 

The Lord is Lord; there's hope for everyone.

It's Christmas time; there's hope for everyone.

I'm so glad there's hope for everyone.

He had listened and soaked in the meaning and purpose of the chapel service. The day was worth the aches, tiredness, and sore fingers. Listening to my son and his music gave me peace and calmed my heart. It also motivated me to keep doing what I was called to do: teach others what God has so graciously given me the ability to do--move others through the power of music. 

Find your hope in Christ this Christmas. 

Chaney McCoy is a music enthusiast, teacher, and tutor at Greenwood Christian School, Greenwood, SC. 

I invite you to try my newest book, Grits, Grace, and Grands, in eBook or paperback. If you are a grandparent or just want to hear grandparent stories, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Chicken Nugget Results - Abigail Griffin

Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. Philippians 4:6 KJV

Think about the last time you ordered fast food. Then, think back to the last time you went to a nicer, sit-down restaurant for an occasion that was a little more special.

Whenever we make our way to our chosen restaurant, we usually have already decided how long we’ll have to wait for our food to be prepped. It almost seems unnatural to order a steak, two sides, and a salad and then expect the order to arrive fully prepared and sitting on the table within five minutes. However, the five-minute mindset doesn’t seem so outlandish whenever we’re in line waiting for our chicken nuggets on the go.

Sometimes, when we pray, we get immediate “chicken-nugget” results, but other times, God has something greater that He’s preparing. Both chicken nugget and steak requests have their own place and are valued by God.

God wants to hear our steak prayer requests just as much as He wants to hear the chicken nugget ones. Paul reminds us that it can be easy to pray those mountain-moving prayers. Typically, we have no problem putting in our steak orders to God. He can do the unthinkable and answer our request—sometimes within the moment that prayer was brought before His throne. 

However, after putting in our steak order and telling God how we would like it all done, it would be unreasonable to expect chicken nugget results. God’s answers are never rare but are always well done, and only His timing will satisfy our needs.

Don't expect chicken-nugget answers when God has a steak answer in the waiting. 

 

A college senior, Abigail Griffin is a Christian writer passionate about spreading the good news of Jesus Christ through the power of words. She studies Professional Writing and English and desires to continue infusing a biblical worldview into her writing.

I invite you to try my newest book, Grits, Grace, and Grands, in eBook or paperback. If you are a grandparent or just want to hear grandparent stories, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

How to Decide - Martin Wiles

And you will hear a voice say, “This is the way; turn around and walk here.” Isaiah 30:21 NLT

A multiplicity of choices can complicate our decision-making process.

My wife is the queen of slow when deciding what to wear. Very conscientious of how she looks, she will spend more time in a closet in one morning looking at clothes than I do in an entire week. She carefully takes the pieces of her prospective outfit from the rack and hangs them together to see how they look. This process may continue several times before she decides on an outfit she likes. Occasionally, she will ask, “How do you think this looks together?” My opinion really doesn’t matter, but I suppose it makes her feel better to ask. And, of course, I also appreciate her matching my clothes.

The ancient nation of Israel had a bad habit of listening to the wrong voices when making decisions. This habit cost them numerous defeats at the hands of their enemies and other forms of discipline from God. The prophet Isaiah reminded them that a better way to make decisions existed—one that still works today.

As believers, the first question we should consider when deciding is whether the choice is sinful. We have no acceptable time to decide to do something that will lead us down a sinful path. When those times come, we don’t even have to pray about what God would want us to do. He always wants us to say “No.”

Making decisions based on feelings is also not typically wise. Sinful choices—as well as other choices—can feel right but be very wrong. Sin often feels right. This is how Satan designs it. If it felt wrong, no one would sin—or at least not as often. We must learn to forego our feelings for facts and truth.

I’ve sought others’ opinions when faced with life-changing decisions. This is acceptable as long as we can trust them individually and if they base their views on scriptural truth.

We make our best decisions by faith, basing them on what God’s Word says. The truth of God’s Word trumps our feelings and others' opinions and will never lead us down a sinful course.

Make sure you always make your decisions based on the truth of God’s Word.

Father, thank You for the guiding power of Your Spirit when the time comes for us to make decisions. 

I invite you to try my newest book, Grits, Grace, and Grands, in eBook or paperback. If you are a grandparent or just want to hear grandparent stories, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Cheese Dip

 

Ingredients

1  8-ounce Cream Cheese
2 cups shredded Mexican Cheese
1 can Rotel
1 pound sausage (cooked and drained)
1 can of refried Beans

Directions
In a casserole dish, smooth the cream cheese on the bottom.
Layer beans, sausage, and Rotel, then top with cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees for ten to twelve minutes or until bubbly.
Serve with your favorite chips.

I invite you to try my newest book, Grits, Grace, and Grands, in eBook or paperback. If you are a grandparent or just want to hear grandparent stories, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Bears or Gators? Believer or Non-Believer? - Melissa Henderson

So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:21 NIV 

“What do you mean there are gators in the neighborhood?” 

Moving from central Virginia to South Carolina's Lowcountry brought new adventures. Learning about alligators, blue skinks, armadillos, and other creatures led to excitement but also a bit of worry. One of the most interesting parts of living in a new state was adapting to the weather and different animals. Would we prefer the bears of Virginia or the gators of the South?

As my husband and I became accustomed to the humidity and scorching heat of the Deep South, we began referring to ourselves as “South Carolinians.” We laughed as we noticed folks wearing long-sleeved shirts and coats when temperatures reached sixty degrees in the Lowcountry. In Virginia, that temperature was great for wearing summer clothes. Our bodies soon acclimated to the climate, and we found ourselves dressing like the locals.

We settled into our new community and learned that alligators were a part of everyday life. Neighbors warned us, “Stay away from the gators, and they will leave you alone.” We didn’t have to be told twice about that. In the mountains of Virginia, bears could be seen crossing highways and looking for food at campgrounds.

In every state we have visited or lived in, we learned about animals. Just as there are bears and gators, there are believers and non-believers of God’s Word. Seeing the bears and gators proves they exist. Reading and studying the Bible deepens our relationship with God. Our hope and trust are found in him.

Although we don’t physically see God yet, as we do animals, we can still know He is real. He is the Creator. His love extends to all His creations. Yes, we believe he exists and will fulfill his promises.

Determine to find comfort in God's promises.

Melissa Henderson writes inspirational messages, sometimes humming them with humor. Melissa is the author of Licky the Lizard and Grumpy the Gator. She is a contributor to many publications. Melissa is an Elder, Deacon, and Stephen Minister. Follow Melissa on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Goodreads, Bookbub, Youtube, Linkedin, and at http://www.melissaghenderson.com.

I invite you to try my newest book, Grits, Grace, and Grands, in eBook or paperback. If you are a grandparent or just want to hear grandparent stories, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Good Prayer Posture - Martin Wiles

When Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room. Daniel 6:10 NLT

“Clyde, don’t slouch in your desk.”

I was in the third grade when I first became familiar with the definition of posture. Although my teacher, Mrs. Early, didn’t use the actual word, she associated it with the word slouch. So, if I didn’t slump, I would have good posture. Good posture, evidently, meant sitting up straight. But Clyde had a habit of slouching. Mrs. Early didn’t explain why it was important for Clyde to sit up straight. That part of good posture I would learn later in life. For now, it was enough to know I needed to sit up straight. Posture was important.

Posture is also crucial in prayer. The Pharisee who prayed in the temple stood while praying, and God said he went home no better off than when he arrived. The tax collector stood a different way and left with a prayer accepted by God. Daniel knelt while he prayed and found himself in the lion’s den. However, God closed the mouths of the lions.

Lying face down, standing, sitting, and kneeling are prayer postures illustrated in the Bible. Not everyone can do some of them because of health problems or disabilities. But the body’s posture isn’t nearly as important as the heart’s position. Daniel’s outward posture matched his heart’s; the Pharisee’s didn’t. Daniel knelt in his heart and posture. The Pharisee stood before God with his posture but paraded before God in his heart.

Our inward posture should be humility regardless of our outward posture when approaching God’s throne in prayer. We, as mere humans, are approaching the Creator, Controller, and Savior of the universe—the One who has the power to give and take life with a breath from his lips—the One who loved enough to sacrifice his Son for our salvation—the One who loves unconditionally and persistently.

We humbly offer ACTS: adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication. Before our lists, we adore him. Before our lists, we confess our sins and shortcomings. And before our list, we thank him for his goodness, which is beyond our imagination. When we finish those things, our list of wants is typically much shorter.

Think about the posture with which you approach God.

Father, in my heart, I fall before you, the deliverer of all good things and the sustainer of our souls. 

I invite you to try my newest book, Grits, Grace, and Grands, in eBook or paperback. If you are a grandparent or just want to hear grandparent stories, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.