Saturday, July 12, 2025

Hamburger Tater Tot Casserole

 

 



Ingredients

1 BAG FROZEN TATER TOTS

        

1 POUND GROUND BEEF


SALT/PEPPER


  1 BELL PEPPER (CHOPPED)     


1 ONION (CHOPPED)


                 2 CUPS SHREDDED CHEDDAR CHEESE
                 

¼ CUP KETCHUP

 1/4 CUP WATER

                                                                    

Directions

COOK GROUND BEEF, ONIONS, AND PEPPERS. DRAIN. 


MIX WATER AND KETCHUP, AND ADD TO THE MEAT MIXTURE.


IN A 9 X 13 CASSEROLE DISH, PLACE ONE-HALF OF THE TOTS ON THE BOTTOM. 


TOP WITH MEAT MIXTURE, AND ADD ONE-FOURTH OF THE CHEESE.


ADD THE REST OF THE TOTS, AND TOP WITH REMAINING CHEESE. 


BAKE AT 350 DEGREES FOR 25 TO 30 MINUTES.

(Photo courtesy of recipeshubs.com.)


I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing. No one escapes life's hurts, but we can move beyond them to hope and healing. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on FacebookTwitter, and Linkedin.

Friday, July 11, 2025

We Need Revival - Patricia Jordan

we need revival
Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint; but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction. Proverbs 29:18 NIV

One summer, I attended one of those old-time camp meeting revivals in Western North Carolina, where my husband and I live. This was my second summer of attending the tent meetings. I have a friend who attends the host church, and she invited me to her church’s revival. I went and enjoyed it so much that I returned again the following summer.

The host church covered the tent floor with wood shavings. Nightly, a great lineup of spirit-filled praise singers started and ended the meeting by singing wonderful gospel songs. In between the music, men and women prayed at the altar. Then one of the preachers approached the podium and preached an inspiring message. 

The preachers came from nearby towns scattered across the Blue Ridge Mountains, as well as some from as far away as Mississippi. They each realized it was up to them to spark the revival flame. The preachers and singers knew we live in a dark world. The Spirit anointed each one to be a gospel messenger through their talents and calling. 

Our souls are in a dark place without the light of the gospel message being placed within them. Without Christ, we wander through life looking for meaning, even spiritual meaning. But because we know no restraint but God's law, we never find that peace that passes all understanding.

One night, I relaxed in our backyard, enjoying the stars that sparkled across the sky. After a few minutes, I felt in my spirit that God told me that the brightly lit stars represented believers. The dark sky represented the darkness of this world. That’s when I realized how much we need revival. As Christians, we have the responsibility to share God’s message with the world.

Think of ways you can help revive this dark world. 

Heavenly Father, cleanse me of all unrighteousness. Forgive me of my sins. Set my soul and heart on fire for revival. In Jesus' name, amen.


Patricia and her husband are both Christians who stay active in their faith. They are also Air Force veterans. They have three daughters, two granddaughters, and one great-grandbaby. They live in her hometown of Sylva, NC. Patricia went to college, intending to become a writer. After dabbling around at writing, she finally got serious about it and wrote a self-help book about her own journey of overcoming depression (Westbow Press). She enjoys gardening and staying in touch with her extended family. She believes in daily Bible reading as a means of spiritual growth and mental and emotional wellness.


I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing. No one escapes life's hurts, but we can move beyond them to hope and healing. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on FacebookTwitter, and Linkedin.

Wednesday, July 9, 2025

Rest Is Good - Anita van der Elst

rest is good
As for the rest of you, dear brothers and sisters, never get tired of doing good. 2 Thessalonians 3:13 NLTP

They needed to come out, those three wisdom teeth, and I opted for IV sedation for the extraction procedure. The dental care was excellent, and all went well. But I didn’t expect my energy level to be so low in the aftermath. I discovered that rest is good. 

Because of my lack of energy, I canceled my weekly small group gathering at my home. I also missed out on a ballet performance by my daughter-in-law and granddaughter. Additionally, I missed a music recital in which both grandkids and my son participated. 

Disappointing, to say the least. Housework went by the wayside. Since my diet was restricted to soft foods for a whole week, I didn’t cook meals either. I must confess, however, I didn’t mind having frozen yogurt every day.

Around the fifth day after the oral surgery, as I complained to the Lord about how weary I still felt, Paul’s instruction to the folks in Thessalonica came up in my daily reading. 

I realized that by taking care of my body and getting enough rest, I was doing something good. Although I missed serving my dear sisters in Christ in my home, God allowed me extra time to rest and recuperate. He would eventually restore me to full capacity. Yes, I was tired, but not of doing good. 

When you are tired, remember that resting your body is something good that God encourages because He is a good, good Father. 


Anita van der Elst finds joy in creating with words, believing God gifted her with the desire to do so. Married to her best friend, Edward, since 1976, she is a proud mom of four adult children and Oma to three of the most delightful grandchildren ever. Other joys in her life include bringing beauty to Facebook through photos she takes on her iPhone, exploring the state parks in the PNW, facilitating a small group of women, and participating in a Bible study. 


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 FacebookTwitter, and Linkedin.

Monday, July 7, 2025

Stubborn Is as Stubborn Does - Martin Wiles

stubborn is as stubborn does
Then they will not be like their ancestors—stubborn, rebellious, and unfaithful, refusing to give their hearts to God. Psalm 78:8 NLT

Something magical happened when my grandfather whispered the words, “Giddy up.”

I’ve seen only a few mules in my lifetime. Yet being familiar with the saying, “stubborn as a mule,” gives me a clue about their personality. My grandfather knew mules and their nature. His father died when he was twelve, leaving him to run the family farm. An uncle helped him, but for some reason, mules didn’t appreciate Uncle Ransom. When he gave the command to “giddy up,” they didn’t budge—at least, most of the time. Or if they did, they stubbornly plowed a crooked row. When my grandfather asked, however, they plowed in straight rows. Something in Uncle Ransom’s nature brought out the stubbornness of the mule’s nature.

Later, after my grandfather gave up farming and began delivering ice, then milk, and finally ice cream, he encountered stubbornness once again—and benefited from it. Some business owners were quite challenging to work with because of their stubborn nature. What other salesmen couldn’t deal with and threw up their hands to, my grandfather confronted with his patient nature and won them over as customers.

God also encountered stubbornness, but not so much in pagans. He discovered it in his chosen people. The people he had called out from among all people groups of the world. The people to whom he delivered the Promised Land. The people He delivered from four hundred years of slavery. Instead of worshipping Him, they often stubbornly followed the wicked ways of their unbelieving neighbors.

I can name a few times when I’ve been stubborn as well. Wanted to do things my way instead of God’s way. Thought I knew best. God gave me good examples to follow, and I stubbornly chose the bad instead.

Stubbornness keeps us out of God’s will. Like a mule, we’ll refuse to budge toward God’s revealed will, or we’ll plow a crooked row of inconsistency in obedience. When we’re out of God’s will, paucity follows. God’s blessings can’t—or won’t—flow when we’re living in stubborn disobedience.

God suggests a cure: remember his blessings of the past and obey his commands. When we do this, we’ll “giddy up”—and gladly, when God whispers the command.

Don’t let stubbornness cause you to miss out on God’s best.

Father, deal with my stubborn nature, making it pliable, so I’ll willingly obey what you tell me.

 

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing. No one escapes life's hurts, but we can move beyond them to hope and healing. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on FacebookTwitter, and Linkedin.

Saturday, July 5, 2025

Honey Bun Cake

 


Ingredients
1 BOX YELLOW CAKE MIX

4 EGGS

¾ CUP COOKING OIL

8 OUNCES SOUR CREAM

1 CUP BROWN SUGAR

3 TEASPOONS CINNAMON

Directions
MIX BROWN SUGAR AND CINNAMON AND SET ASIDE.

MIX CAKE MIX, EGGS, OIL, AND SOUR CREAM.

BEAT UNTIL SMOOTH.

POUR ONE HALF OF BATTER INTO A GREASED TUBE PAN.

ADD CINNAMON AND SUGAR AND TOP WITH REMAINING BATTER.

BAKE AT 350 DEGREES FOR 30 TO 35 MINUTES.

GLAZE
2 CUPS POWDERED SUGAR

4 TABLESPOONS MILK

2 TEASPOONS VANILLA

MIX TOGETHER AND POUR OVER WARM CAKE.

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing. No one escapes life's hurts, but we can move beyond them to hope and healing. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on FacebookTwitter, and Linkedin.


Friday, July 4, 2025

Forgiving Self - Martin Wiles

forgiving self
Now go and give this message to his disciples, including Peter: Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee. Mark 16:7 NLT

Not forgiving myself for my unwise teenage decisions could have changed my future.

At twelve, my future appeared bright. Dad was a preacher, and I intended to follow in his footsteps. Perhaps I would do it part-time because I also felt God wanted me to teach on the college or seminary level. Either way, I knew where I was headed, or so I thought. Satan knew, too. He slithered in during my teen years and convinced me he had a better plan. Like a starving catfish, I took the bait. Although I finally got back on God’s track, a part of which included forgiving myself for my foolish and sinful actions, I wasted quite a few years.

Peter was in a similar boat. Denying three times that he knew Christ was more than just a small slip-up. I’m sure he regularly beat himself up on the inside. Perhaps that’s why the angel singled him out when he instructed the women to tell the disciples that Jesus was alive and would meet them in Galilee.

Satan loves nothing better than to witness a defeated Christian. God forgives all our sins when we accept Christ as our Savior, but his forgiveness doesn’t make us perfect. Dwelling on what we’ve done and refusing to forgive ourselves sets us up for a life of wasting the gifts God has given us. And Satan loves every minute of watching us wallow in self-pity. God is a holy God, but if he can forgive our sinful foibles, we must learn to forgive ourselves.

When we fail to forgive ourselves, we limit God’s power in our lives. God is perfectly able to work all things together for our good and his glory, our mistakes included, but we must accept his forgiveness, forgive ourselves, and move on. Rather than allowing our mistakes to chain us, we can use them to help others who may be struggling with similar issues.

Refusing to forgive ourselves is, after all, illogical. Our sin offends a holy God, but if he can forgive me, who am I not to forgive myself? Failing to forgive ourselves is requiring more of us than God does—and he makes the rules.

Don’t let refusing to forgive yourself hold you back from God’s plan for your life.

Father, enable me to forgive myself just as you have forgiven me, so I can move on with your plan. 


I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing. No one escapes life's hurts, but we can move beyond them to hope and healing. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on FacebookTwitter, and Linkedin.

Wednesday, July 2, 2025

Serious about Serving - Martin Wiles

serious about serving
All night long I search for you; earnestly I seek for God. Isaiah 26:9 NLT

After nine years of floundering around in the work world, I became serious about an education and serious about serving.

From first to eighth grade, I was serious about school and enjoyed learning. Then the teenage-don’t-care bug bit. Joining in the movements of the time, I found myself rebelling against society and education. Why did I need it? Jobs were plentiful. 

After quitting my senior year and then returning six months later, I finally graduated a semester later than my peers and entered the workforce. The first few years went well, but then the economy turned sour, and so did my employment. After being laid off from the plant where I had worked since graduation, I found myself holding a string of unfulfilling jobs. Nine years after graduation, I finally succumbed to God’s earlier direction and went to college, but now as a married man with a small child. Doing so after graduation would have been easier, but I wasn’t serious at the time.

In the prophet Isaiah’s song of praise to the Lord, he expresses his sincere devotion to serving God. Though I doubt he actually stayed up all night every night seeking God, his word choice relates how much he needed God in his life.

Perhaps there was a time when Isaiah, too, wasn’t serious about serving God. After all, it took a hot experience to set him on fire for God (Isaiah 6). While God didn’t have to touch my lips with live coals to convince me I needed to get serious about serving him, he did use a series of disappointments to get me pointed in the right direction.

Through the payment Jesus made on Calvary’s cross, God demonstrated how serious he was about humanity’s salvation. He wasn’t under obligation to deliver us from our sins, but he didn’t want us to be a lost cause. Christ went all the way for us, and we should do no less for him.

Getting serious about serving God is a decision we can make through an act of our free will. God desires this decision and gives everyone the power to make it. 

Decide today to be serious about serving God.

Father, focus my heart, mind, and will on serving you to the best of my ability. 


I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing. No one escapes life's hurts, but we can move beyond them to hope and healing. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on FacebookTwitter, and Linkedin.