MY HUSBAND'S FAVORITE MEXICAN CASSEROLE - THEN AND NOW

My husband loves casseroles and Mexican food and anything covered in cheese, probably even cheese covered in cheese. His favorite dish growing up his Mom called "Oklahoma casserole". My mother in law told me how to make it early in our marriage and it was a staple in our home for over 20 years. My boys loved it as well. Since we eat less processed food these days, I had to find a way to keep an old family favorite, but make it a little healthier.

ORIGINAL RECIPE

2 pounds ground beef 

1 can Spanish rice

1 can Ranch Style beans

Shredded cheddar cheese
FYI - I usually added a can of Rotel tomatoes

Brown the ground beef, add the rice & beans & mix well. Pour into casserole dish. Top with cheese and bake in 350 degree oven about 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and casserole is hot and bubbly. 

HEALTHIER VERSION

2 pounds lean ground beef
onion, diced

1 cup brown rice

1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 or 2 wedges of Laughing Cow garlic & herb cheese

1 can Ranch Style beans

Garlic, minced or garlic salt

Cumin

Chili powder

Place ground beef and onion in skillet (if it's too lean add a little coconut oil to the skillet) and cook until meat is brown and onions are tender. I season my ground beef with garlic salt or add minced garlic and salt, just whatever I have on hand. 

SPANISH RICE - While beef is cooking, cook rice according to directions. When rice is done, add tomatoes (juice & all), Laughing Cow cheese and mix together thoroughly. Then add garlic salt (or just salt and pepper, whatever your taste buds prefer), cumin and chili powder to taste. I don't measure much. I just put a few dashes of cumin and chili powder then mix it all together and taste. If it taste like it needs more, I add a little more. But be careful a little bit of cumin goes a long way. You could also add cilantro if your family likes it. We do not like cilantro.

NOTE: Adjust it to your taste. You don't have to add the Laughing Cow cheese to the rice if you don't want to. And I know that it is more processed than all natural cheese, but I love it and I love the flavor that it gives to the rice. My family LOVES garlic, but maybe your family doesn't. You can also add more beans or more tomatoes, just whatever you want.

Add spanish rice and beans to the skillet and mix together with the beef. Pour it all in a 13 x 9 casserole dish, cover with shredded cheese (our favorite is cheddar and monterey jack) and bake at 350 degrees about 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and casserole is hot and bubbly.

Grant likes this casserole with "hoe cakes" or "griddle cakes". My Dad loved "hoe cakes" as well. My Dad fried them in about 2 inches of vegetable oil so they were very greasy. Then he buttered them! LOL. I don't use vegetable oil anymore and we really don't like greasy food so I just spray my pancake griddle with coconut oil spray. For "hoe cakes", I use the recipe on the back of the Quaker yellow cornmeal box, but I make these changes:

1 use more cornmeal and less flour (I ALWAYS use ORGANIC UNBLEACHED flour). On the box - I use the measurement for flour for the cornmeal and the cornmeal measurement for the flour. And instead of vegetable oil, I use coconut oil. I just melt the coconut oil in a glass measuring cup in the microwave about 15-20 seconds. I also use organic raw honey instead of the refined white sugar.

Get your griddle hot, spray with cooking spray (I prefer coconut oil spray - it is a LOT healthier) and cook them like you would pancakes.

I know that these are not the healthiest dishes, but we do live in the South and these types of dishes are what Southern people like to eat. We don't eat this very often anymore. I used to make it at least every 2 weeks, now I only make it a couple of times a year. But at least it has a little more nutrition in it than the original version. I hope you try it. If you do, let me know what you think.

Blessings to you & yours,
Lori 

SAUSAGE CHEDDAR BALLS

WARNING - THIS RECIPE IS NOT HEALTHY! But, it is worth indulging in occasionally. This is one of my most requested recipes and I am expected to bring my sausage balls to certain get togethers. They are also my BCF, Larissa's, birthday treat every year. When my boys were little, I would make double batches about one weekend a month, put them in ziplock bags & on busy mornings I would pull them out of the freezer, take out a couple for each kid, wrap in a paper towel and microwave for a couple of minutes, throw the kids in the car and GO.  Isn't that the life of every busy working mom?

My family loves sausage. I know it is not healthy, but it is one of the foods that my family thinks is worth keeping in our diet. We try to eat clean 80-85% of the time. We are very diligent about refined sugars, food dyes, etc. but we love food too much to ever go completely organic and we are too busy to be obsessing about what to eat & what not to eat all the time.  So, we eat sausage once or twice a week and we enjoy it. We do limit our refined flours also. I have tried using gluten free baking mix and tried brown rice flour and whole wheat flour for the sausage balls and my guys said "NO! Do not mess with the sausage balls!" So here is how I make the sausage balls that my guys, my friends & my family love. I have eaten lots of dry sausage balls. My friend, Diane, told me to add a little milk to keep them from drying out and I have been doing that now for at least 15 years.  I hope you enjoy them.

And I have to add, since I take Plexus I can splurge more without having arthritis and neuropathy flareups. I've been splurging more than I should lately and even though I'm not hurting and I feel great, I'm not losing any weight, so I've got to get back to keeping my splurges to a minimum.

FYI - I am picky about the brand of sausage I use. I only use Blue & Gold sausage or Braum's sausage. We love Braum's Hot sausage & it gives the sausage balls a little kick. The only semi-healthy change I have gotten away with is sometimes I will make a batch with 1 stick of regular sausage and 1 stick of turkey sausage. When you use turkey sausage you have to be very careful about it drying out because it has no fat. You can add a tablespoon or 2 of plain Greek Yogurt to your mixture to help hold it together. Also, if using turkey sausage only use 2 cups of flour instead of 3.

SAUSAGE CHEDDAR BALLS

1 pound of Braum's Hot sausage or Blue & Gold sausage
3 cups Bisquick
2 cups shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup milk

OPTION - instead of milk, you can add 1/4 cup of Ranch dressing. Grant loves Ranch dressing & loves it in his sausage balls, but my husband does not.

Place sausage, Bisquick and cheese in a large mixing bowl. Pour in milk. Using your hands, mix together thoroughly (if it is a little dry, add a little more milk). Roll into golf ball size balls. Place on greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees about 25-30 minutes.

TIP - I wear disposal gloves to mix it up, then when I'm done, I just throw the gloves away and my hands are clean. :)

I hope you get to go out and enjoy the sunshine this weekend.

Lori

FIRST FRUITS FAST DAY 19 - WHAT KIND OF LEGACY WILL YOU LEAVE?

We went to Kevin's Grandpa's 85th birthday yesterday. He has been a Pastor for more than 60 years and is still pastoring at 85 years old. He doesn't just talk the talk, but he walks the walk. He is a man of integrity. He is a very Godly man. He fasted, nothing but water, every Tuesday for most of his adult life. He tells the story that once he took the kids for an ice cream cone and got one for himself forgetting for a few minutes that it was Tuesday. He felt terrible. There is absolutely no doubt that one day he will hear God say "Well done, my good and faithful servant." All of his brothers are Pastors, most of his nephews are Pastors and 2 out of 3 of his sons were Pastors (Kevin's Dad is not a Pastor anymore, but his uncle still is). His youngest son and his family had a Southern Gospel singing group for years. My oldest son who loves going on mission trips, teaches Sunday School, leads a discipleship group and preaches whenever he gets a chance, really enjoyed talking with his Great Grandpa about his life in ministry. When Grandpa is gone, his legacy will live on.

4 Generations

One of my favorite songs is "Legacy" by Nicole Nordeman. It says "I want to leave a legacy. How will they remember me? Did I choose to love? Did I point to you enough to make a mark on things? I want to leave an offering."  I think about that a lot. I want to leave a legacy my children and family will be proud of. When I get to heaven I want to hear God say "Well done my good and faithful servant". I want to love like Jesus loved. Boy, that's hard isn't it? People can be so mean, rude and hurtful. Our flesh says we should hate them or seek revenge or be bitter. But God's Word says we should love them, pray for them and BLESS them. What? BLESS someone that has hurt you? Be nice to someone that goes around purposely being mean to others? Yes. If we truly want to live a Godly life, that is what we have to do. I struggle with this and I know some of you do as well. We are not perfect, but we can strive for perfection and with God's help, we can leave a legacy our family and friends will be proud of.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3GxmLaaAwg

Have a blessed day,
Lori

FIRST FRUITS/DANIEL FAST DAY 17 - TRAGEDY

Our small town has suffered a lot of tragedy this last week. We have lost some very good people to complications of the flu. There are precious families having to figure out how to keep living without their dear loved ones. Last night the unthinkable happened. An 18 year old went on a shooting rampage. He shot police officers and a young lady and killed a young man. My heart is broken this morning for the Holt family and friends and our community. I don't have many words to say this morning, just lots of tears and "hold them, dear Jesus. Comfort them all and keep us all safe."

FIRST FRUITS/DANIEL FAST DAY 16

Today's devotion from The Fasting Edge -

"When you draw closer to God, He draws closer to you. In the same way, when you get serious with God, He gets serious with you. There are two powers at work when you fast: the human will and the supernatural power of God. When you decide to exercise your will and put your flesh under submission to the Spirit of God. His supernatural power kicks in and helps you fast according to the level of commitment you have made. You can do far more in the anointing of God than you can in human zeal. God's anointing is not for thrills - it is for battle. When you go into battle, you fight to win. The anointing that comes through fasting and prayer gives you a fresh strength to fight for you family, for your kids, for your marriage, and to win! It gives you the ability to hear God's heart and pray forth those things that He desires to release in the nations.

You cannot do God's will with human zeal any more than you can effectively chop down a huge oak tree with a dull ax. Most of the time you will cause more damage than good by not waiting upon the Lord for His way, His direction, and His anointing. Our zeal can become a stumbling block based in our own pride. God needs empty vessels - not ones so full of themselves that He can't pour Himself out through them."

I have struggled with this for a long time. Being fiercely independent, I want to do everything on my own without help from anyone. God has really been working on me the last few years. It has not been easy! I have had to learn to put my pride aside. I have had to learn to be obedient to Him. This may sound crazy to some of you, but I have argued with God so much the last few years. I am an extreme introvert. I used to go to church. Sit on my pew and go home. I rarely talked to anyone and if I did they had to approach me first. I did not like going to church fellowships. Too many people and you were expected to talk and be friendly. I didn't like and being friendly. But my husband does! God began this season of growing by telling me to start going around and speaking to others at church BEFORE they spoke to me. What?! But, God you know I don't do that. That is very uncomfortable for me. He kept prodding me and I gave in. It is still not comfortable for me but it's getting easier. And when He told me to start a blog, I really argued with Him.There's no way I could blog. That means putting personal stuff out there for the whole world to see. I'm a very private person. I can't do that. Well, you can see what happened. Being obedient and putting my flesh aside has not been easy, but I am so glad that I did. I have a relationship with God now like I never had before. An elderly man at our church used to always say "Get self out of the way". That is what we have to do. Get ourselves out of the way, so that God can do His work through us.

Have a blessed day!
Lori

FIRST FRUITS/DANIEL FAST DAY 15

I'm not going to lie, I'm feeling pretty weak. I don't function without protein and I did not eat enough protein yesterday. When fasting I try to get my protein from eggs, nuts and greek yogurt, since I'm not eating meat.

Today's devotional from The Fasting Edge was so good that I'm just going to share most of it with you today. It is titled "Surrender Complete Control".

"It can be so easy to come up with reasons not to fast or to cut short a fast after you have started - especially when it comes to jobs, sports, our overly worshiped entertainment, and, last but not least, convenience. Fasting breaks the routine, and that is inconvenient. We can either submit to God or submit to the world. Likewise, we are either resisting the devil or resisting God. If we are not drawing closer to God, we are drifting farther from Him. Fasting is a choice to break the allure of the world and all its trappings as we put our flesh under submission When you turn from the things of the world and submit yourself to God, He will give you the grace to stand strong and resist the temptations of the enemy.  Especially on an extended fast like this 21 day fast, you will discover that time spent fasting, praying, and meditating on God's Word cleanses and purifies your heart and focuses your thoughts on things above rather that the stuff of this world.

It takes work to get your flesh under submission.  Paul explained that the flesh wars against the flesh. So you need to ask yourself: Which one are you empowering? Which one are you giving access to control your life?

I understand that sometimes on a fast you can't hear God speak over the sound of your stomach growling. I've been there! You can't focus on your morning devotions for thinking about oatmeal. (It is amazing how, during an extended fast, even the most bland foods sound wonderful) You want to read the Word, but you have a headache; you are cold and probably tired from the toxins being filtered out of your body. You might feel like you are just physically falling apart, but stay the course and don't let your flesh or the devil shortchange your reward. Now you can see why Paul so urgently warns us to "walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh" (Gal. 5:16). You can be victorious in the battle between your flesh and spirit - and fasting, prayer, and feeding your spirit on God's Word will help accelerate the process.

There may be situations in your life, your ministry, your calling, your business, or your marriage where it seems like Satan is so deeply entrenched he will never be ousted. Don't believe the lie. Fast, pray, and wait upon the Lord. As you do, you will change your inner man to line up with God's will. Think about that when the enemy tempts you to give up on this fast, and determine that this is the time to press in like never before."

Isaiah 40:31 "But those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings of eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." 

Hang in there! We can do this!

Lori

FIRST FRUITS/DANIEL FAST DAY 14 -PERSISTANCE

We are in day 14 of our Fast. Woo hoo! We had a MAJOR prayer answered yesterday. I can't stop praising God! We found out a few months ago that our health insurance was going up over $500 in 2014. We have been very concerned and praying hard. There's no way we could afford $500 a month on top of all of our other bills. Our prayers were answered yesterday. God provided a way that most of it is going to be covered. Praise God! I feel like I got one elephant off my chest.

Don't give up! Persistence pays off.

From the Fasting Edge - "When you pray and fast, your persistence breaks resistance. It brings you to a place where you can feel God move powerfully in your life - but it also causes Him to feel your need. Whatever forces have been resisting what God had coming in your life, your persistence will break resistance. Fasting not only positions you to feel God - but it also positions God to hear your heart's cry as well.

You may have heard of the PUSH prayer model:  Pray Until Something Happens. It's a good reminder to be persistent in prayer. You may have other areas that need persistent prayer in your life, but today, if there is sickness in your body or mind, or in the body or mind of a loved one, begin to speak forth health and healing in Jesus' name. Begin to declare what His word says about healing. Your persistence will break resistance, just like the woman with the issue of blood. Her healing came about because she persisted and positioned herself where she could touch the Master. By your prayers today, position yourself to touch the Master. Speak words that release health and healing for your body, your family, your church, and others."

"Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving." Colossians 4:2

FOOD - My family's favorite way to eat veggies is to take potatoes, onions, zuchini, yellow squash, carrots, bell peppers & whatever other veggies we've got handy. Slice them or dice them where they are even in size so they cook evenly. Place parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Spread veggies out on parchment paper. Drizzle with olive oil and I use my hands and make sure all the veggies are coated in olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and whatever your favorite herbs are (we love basil). Place in 400 degree oven and cook for about 20-30 minutes. Roasting the veggies this way really makes them tastes delicious. We love it. You can also do this with sweet potatoes. YUMMY!

Have a blessed day!
Lori

FIRST FRUITS/DANIEL FAST DAY 12 - HOW HE LOVES US

Good morning! Here we are at day 12 of our annual Fast. How are you doing? I'm hearing some great reports from some people that are fasting. Like I told you before, the first week I was discouraged about some things, but God showed up last week. He caused some things to happen that we've been praying about for a long time. I know it's not easy, but hang in there, you will be so glad you did.

FOOD - Again, Daniel Fast is no meat, no breads and no sweets, BUT it is all between you and God. We allow ourselves tortillas because we are so busy and it is easy for us to wrap something up in a tortilla and eat it on the go. Yesterday I made burritos for us to eat on for a few days. These were super fast and easy. Here's what I did:

2 cups brown rice, cooked
1 can chili beans
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoons chili powder (more if you want)
2 teaspoons garlic salt
1-2 teaspoons pepper
cheese (your favorite, we like cheddar with this)
ALL SPICES CAN BE ADJUSTED TO YOUR TASTE

I cooked rice in microwave according to directions. When rice is done, add all other ingredients and mix together thoroughly. I wanted to add corn to this also but Kevin didn't want me to. I think corn would be good in it. Heat coconut oil in skillet or spray a griddle with non stick spray. Put some of the mixture and cheese in middle of tortilla, wrap up like a burrito, place in hot oil or on hot griddle and cook until outside becomes golden brown on both sides. I put in individual ziplock bags so we can take to work for our lunches this week.

The last few days I have been completely overwhelmed by how much God loves me. Then yesterday morning, my Pastor preached on that as well. Pastor Phil said "If He gave His son, what would He withhold from us?" Can you imagine giving up your child. Knowing that you are sending him to be persecuted and tortured, to die a horrible death. I love my boys so much. I don't think I could do it. But God loves us so much and Jesus loves us so much that they did it just for me and just for you. Jesus didn't have to come. He could have said "no". The David Crowder song "Oh, How He Loves Us" keeps playing in my head. Here's a link to the video for you. Listen closely to the words and meditate on how much God loves you. There is absolutely nothing that you could ever do to make Him stop loving you. I am so thankful for His amazing grace, His mercy and that He loves me unconditionally.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCunuL58odQ

Have a blessed week!

Lori

FIRST FRUITS/DANIEL FAST DAY 12

Today's devotion from The Fasting Edge is so good, I'm just going to give you most of that today. Also I want to make Kevin some potatoes with onions and peppers before church.

"Sometimes you can pray for something, but you don't see the answer right away  Keep praying. Don't let go of your faith, and do not cast aside your confidence! It may be that the thing you are praying for is just not ready or in God's timing yet.  Your prayers will not be ignored or discarded. Prayers don't have an expiration date.

The Book of Revelation even refers to bowls of incense collected in heaven that are the prayers of the saints.  Daniel had been fasting and praying for three weeks when the angel of the Lord appeared to him, explaining how his prayers had been heard in heaven since the first day,  but the answer had been delayed:

Then he said to me, "Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia. Now I have come to make you understand what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision refers to many days yet to come." Daniel 10:12-14

Acts chapter 10 is one of the most powerful chapters in the Bible. Prior to the events detailed in that chapter, only the Jews had received the good news of the gospel and the baptism of the Holy Spirit. But everything changed when one man's hunger and persistence penetrated heaven . Peter went up on the roof of his friend Simon's house to pray. He was hungry because it was lunchtime. But once again, when man was thinking about sinking his teeth into a big juicy steak, God had a far different plan for lunch.

One day earlier, an angel visited a devout Italian man who loved God. The man's prayers and giving had come up as a memorial before God. He was a Gentile, but he and his household believed in God and wanted to know Him. At the end of four days of prayer, and perhaps even fasting, the angel of the Lord appeared to this man named Cornelius and told him to send for a man named Peter. Cornelius's men headed out and arrived the next day while Peter was on the roof - receiving a vision and food of all things. God was using food to show Peter that He desired to pour out His Spirit on all flesh, including the Gentiles. The Gentiles included every one who was not of Jewish descent and were long considered by Jewish law to be unclean.

Two men, miles apart, became connected by hunger.  Cornelius was praying with a hunger for God. Peter was on a roof at lunchtime receiving a message from God about food instead of chowing down on lunch.

One man was seeking; one man had the answer.  Both men were praying, and a connection was made.  Before they ever met physically, their prayers met in heaven. I think that is so powerful! Cornelius was storing up prayer in heaven. The next day the Spirit of the Lord prepared Peter for his role in what had already been decreed in heaven. When Peter went up on that roof to pray at lunchtime, God made the prayer connection, opening the door of salvation to the Gentiles.

I want you to understand that heaven has kindgdom connections for you.  When you pray, your prayers plug into God's connection of plans, resources, and power in heaven. All over this world there are connections that God is setting up - things we have no idea about, but by simply following the prompting of the Holy Spirit's call to fast, we take part in divinely orchestrated connections.

Notice that Cornelius's prayers "sizzled" in heaven for awhile before the connection came to pass. In fact, the angel even told him that his prayers and generosity had come up as a memorial before God.

I'm ready for some kingdom connections, aren't you? Have a blessed day.

Lori

FIRST FRUITS/DANIEL FAST DAY 8 - "BROKENNESS"

I'm going to be very transparent today which is extremely difficult for me, but God has put it on my heart so maybe someone else needs to hear it. The most difficult part of being a Christian for me has been to let go of EVERYTHING and let God have control. I am a control freak. I have always been strong... physically, mentally & emotionally. When my body started breaking down and I was becoming weaker and weaker, I was embarrassed and disgusted with myself for allowing that to happen. I am now getting physically stronger everyday. It's slow, but I'm getting there. It's funny how it takes so little time for our body to fall apart when we don't take care of it, but it takes an enormous amount of time and dedication to get it strong and healthy again.

My mother was very weak... physically, emotionally, she was just never a strong person. Both of my grandmothers were incredibly strong ladies and very Godly women. My grandmothers were my heroes. I loved learning from them. I would listen intently to everything they said and try to soak it all in. I always wanted to be strong like them. I promised myself at a very young age that I would never be weak, never depend on someone else to take care of me and always take care of myself. Being independent is a good character trait. Right? But, I also kept God at a distance. I didn't want God or anyone else to think I was needy. So, I would pray everyday, but for YEARS I would never ask for anything for myself. I could take care of myself, there were weaker people that needed God more than I did. He has a way of getting our attention. When my husband's kidneys failed in February 2010 and our lives changed forever, our church family came to our rescue. I love helping others, but I have a very hard time allowing others to help me. I had to learn to put my pride aside and allow others to help us. It was so difficult for me to admit that I needed help. We are so blessed to have some dear friends that saw through my facade and basically just stepped in and started helping. I was broken and finally let go and let God send the cavalry in to my rescue.

From The Fasting Edge "Brokenness is so precious in the eyes of the Lord. Brokenness makes room for Him to release His strength through our weakness in order to accomplish His plans. That is a crucial difference that we need to understand. Most of us struggle with the concept that is is our own strength that draws God's attention, when our strength is the very last thing God notices.

The brokenness that comes through fasting starts with throwing everything we identify as our strength down at the feet of Jesus to say, "Lord, I know I am limited.  I'm coming to You in brokenness, not in my strength, but in my weakness.  i acknowledge that You can do more through me, broken, than I can ever attempt to do on my own."  That is the type of fasting that connects with God."

2 Corinthians 12:29 And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." 

I'm praying for and I hope that you are also praying for me. Have a blessed day!

Lori

FIRST FRUITS/DANIEL FAST DAY 7

How is your fast going? Kevin & I are doing ok. It gets pretty comical because our son is not fasting so I cook meat for him & Kevin & I stand over the skillet and smell that aroma of beef or chicken. LOL. We have fasted at least once a year since 2007 or 2008, so we know it's worth it and we would never give up. However, we will have a big juicy steak on January 22 and savor every bite. :) 

That reminds me of something I want to share with you. When we started fasting in 2008 Kevin decided to give up chewing tobacco. He had dipped tobacco for over 25 years. He had tried numerous times to quit and would always pick it back up. But in 2008, he set his mind to it, prayed about it and quit. What started as a fast ended up with him being set free from over 25 years of tobacco use. I believe that fasting and prayer tears down strongholds.  

"Jesus was waiting on God for forty days and nights as He fasted in the wilderness. God was working on Him. There is a work going on in your life right now that you may not be fully aware of, but without fasting, prayer, and wilderness experiences, you will never be qualified to handle what God has for you in the future.  Fasting prepares you for what is yet to come. 

Fifteen times in the New Testament the Lord says, "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says."  You were born into God's family with spiritual ears. Having spiritual ears to hear from God is not enough. You must learn to use them. Hearing from God must become the highest priority of your life. Fasting is slowing down to speed up.  It's taking time to listen for your next set of instructions from the throne." 

Hebrews 4:15-16 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.  Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. 

Jentezen Franklin says "one thing I believe all Christians must come to realize is if we are going to walk with God, at some point we need to get out of our comfort zone.  Life brings extremes. I trust the Spirit of God has led you into this season of fasting. Continue to follow Him. You will return in the power of the Spirit. with a fresh rhema word from God for your life. We want everything with a shortcut, but remember there is work to be done. His timing is perfect, and your time will come." 

Here's a chile rellenos casserole that looks pretty good and would be ok on Daniel Fast. 

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Chili-Rellenos-Casserole/Detail.aspx?evt19=1

I am praying blessings and favor for each one reading this post. 

Lori 

FIRST FRUITS/DANIEL FAST DAY 6

Matthew 3:16-42 When he had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.  And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."  Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.  And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry.

Jesus was led by the Spirit to fast and pray in the desert before He ever preached one sermon, healed one cripple, freed one captive, or called one disciple.  All the while He was sharpening His edge for what was yet to come.  Satan did not want Jesus to succeed in taking back what Adam and Eve had turned over to him  when they gave in to their appetites and ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

"We are driven by our flesh far more often than we should be.  We want what we want when we want it, and we want it now! Fasting "dethrones" the rule of demanding fleshly appetites so that we can more easily follow the leading of the Holy Spirit.

The wisdom of coming away with the Lord and sharpening our edge indeed brings success.  We see it modeled in the life of Jesus more than once.  If Jesus needed the power of the Holy Spirit in His life and ministry on Earth, then you and I need that same power all the more.  The days are not getting any easier.  The church desperately needs to regain the edge for the battles ahead."

Pray for a release of God's power to overcome any situation and for supernatural blessings to pour into your life as you prepare to fulfill the destiny He has given you.

Have a blessed day!

Lori

FIRST FRUITS/DANIEL FAST DAY 4

Today is the first Saturday of the new year. I love Saturdays. I have worked since I was 14 and fulltime since I was 17. Saturdays are the only days that I don't have to watch the clock and rush around. When my boys were little we called Saturdays "snuggle days". They would get in bed with us and we watched cartoons in bed all snuggled up. I am tired. I am praying that my Plexus business really takes off this year so that I can retire or semi-retire in a year or two. I want to have lots of snuggle days with my gandchildren when I get some.

I want to hear how your fast is going. I know that a lot of people are starting tomorrow. Lots of churches do a corporate fast where everyone starts on the same day and ends on the same day. I do believe that churches see great things happen when the body is united in fasting and prayer. I just felt that God told me to begin our fast on January 1, so that's what we did.

Lots of people eat out on the weekends. If you are doing the Daniel Fast you can still eat out. Here are some options for eating out while on Daniel Fast -
Vegetable soup or chowder & salad
Beans & rice
Vegetable plate
Eggplant rollitini or eggplant parmesan
Cole slaw
Shrimp & broccoli (if you are allowing fish & seafood)
Fried rice
Eggs, omelets, quiche
Cheese enchiladas
Potatoes (french fries, baked, etc)

You can find something to eat in any restaurant. Just don't worry about it too much. Again make your focus more on God than on food. Remember that since you are not eating beef, chicken, pork, etc. that you need to get your  protein from other sources like beans, nuts, Greek yogurt, dairy, eggs, etc.

Today try to concentrate on all the blessings that God has given you. We get so wrapped up in our troubles sometimes that we forget about our blessings and all that He has brought us through. Keep praise and worship music on today in your house, in your car, wherever you go. It's amazing how much music can affect our attitudes.

Have a blessed day. I'm praying for you. Please keep my family in your prayers.

Lori

FIRST FRUITS/DANIEL FAST DAY 3

I hope your fast is going well.  Has the enemy tried to make you lose your focus yet? He's hitting me hard! I have to keep reminding myself that the rewards will be worth it. I have to keep my eyes on the prize. I see my Jesus at the finish line waiting for me with open arms.

Today's Fasting Edge devotion is "Choose to do Right".
Romans 12:9 Paul instructs believers "abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good." 

"Whenever you make a choice against one thing - you make a choice FOR something else. When you make your mind up to abhor evil, you make the choice to cling to what is good. In the same manner, when you choose to ignore the prompting of the Lord in an area, you are making a choice to do something that opposes His best plan for your life. Choosing to do right is not always easy, but God's grace is sufficient to see you through."

"We've all seen Christians who devote their entire lives to God, building ministries or personal legacies, only to watch them fall to pieces when some secret sin or scandal is exposed.  Unfortunately, one wrong choice can overshadow a lifetime of service to the King.  They ran the race but faltered just before the finish line.  I'm not saying God can't forgive and restore. He certainly does.  But let's choose today to finish well."

I am exhausted.... mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. It is taking every ounce of my being to stay focused during this fast. I refuse to be defeated. I'm tired of the enemy stealing my family's blessings. I am claiming blessings and favor and complete restoration for my family 2014. I choose to finish well.

Hang in there, friends! We are in this together. This recipe looks delicious! I LOVE brussels sprouts! Of course for the fast you could omit the bacon, but after the fast, the bacon is going in. :)

http://www.closetcooking.com/2013/11/brussels-sprout-hash-with-sweet-potato.html

Love and prayers,
Lori

FIRST FRUITS DANIEL FAST DAY 2

Remember me saying that I usually start fasting on January 2 because I want to get one more meat filled meal in before I start but I felt like God was telling me to not put it off and to begin on January 1? Well, the enemy hit me right between the eyes yesterday. As I was talking to God about it I realized that is why He told me I needed to start fasting on January 1 and not wait. Once again, He amazed me. He knows exactly what we need before we even need it.

The enemy is constantly prowling seeking whom he may devour. Don't be devoured by the enemy! Fasting and praying can help keep you from being devoured by the enemy. It's not going to stop things from going wrong. As a matter of fact, it's going to make the devil mad when you focus on trying to draw closer to God so he is likely to come after you harder than before. But, fasting and praying gives you an extra layer of protection and gives you strength and boldness like you never had before.

"Fasting doesn't just pertain to what you put in your stomach, but what you feed our soul and spirit as well."

"Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which is God's."  I Corinthians 6:19-20

http://healthyrecipesblogs.com/2013/09/26/zucchini-bake/

Here's a zucchini recipe for you that looks fairly easy. You can also take zucchini or eggplant, slice it and layer in a casserole dish. Pour marinara sauce over it, sprinkle with Italian cheese and bake about 30 minutes on 350 degrees.

Please keep me & my family in your prayers. I am praying for you and yours.

Many blessings to you all,
Lori

FIRST FRUITS DANIEL FAST DAY 1

HAPPY NEW YEAR! That comes with mixed emotions. 2013 was a year of heartache and blessings for me and my family, but so was 2012, 2011 & 2010. I am believing that all curses are broken and my household is moving into a year of blessings and favor. My youngest has been set free from drug addiction by the grace of God and for that we are truly thankful. But he still has some strongholds that need to be torn down and some maturing to do. Kevin got a new healthy kidney. We are overwhelmed at that incredible gift of life that God blessed us with. We are believing that he is going to be the healthiest transplant patient there has ever been. My sweet sister in love had two miscarriages last year. I still cry every time I think about it. She is now 7 weeks pregnant. Praise God! They are going to be such wonderful parents. I am so proud of them and so happy for them. And I can't wait to be the most awesome aunt ever!! This kid is going to be spoiled rotten!

We also started our own business in 2013 with Plexus Worldwide. We love the products and the company is incredible. Their compensation plan beats all others hands down. Between working full time, dialysis, then transplant, dealing with our son's rebellious behavior, then driving back & forth constantly to OKC and Lawton, we have not had much time to work at building our business so we are way behind most people that signed up when we did. We believe that God is going to send more customers and add ambassadors to our team in 2014. I want our team to have incredible testimonies of healing and transformation. I truly believe that these products were divinely inspired and that God is using them to help so many people get healthier than they have ever been.

Kevin and I started our fast today. This morning we had oatmeal and orange juice for breakfast. We have to eat black eyed peas today so I'm planning on making a stir fry with brown rice, black eyed peas, corn and onions and of course garlic. I always have to have garlic.

For our devotional during the fast we are using Jentezen Franklin's The Fasting Edge Journal. Today's passage was talking about recovering your passion. If you find yourself not feeling God's presence like you once did, fasting and prayer is a great way to draw closer to God and rekindle that passion that you may have lost. Passion is contagious. Lack of passion is contagious also. Remember to pray for your Pastor, worship leaders, deacons and other church leaders. They need our prayers and support. "The altar is not just for those coming to the Lord for the first time.  The altar is a place to get free from that thing that weighs you down and drowns out your fiery passion for God. Alterations are made at the altar. The altar is a place to alter your direction and get back on the right track with God."

"Pray that over the course of these twenty one days God will give you a new passion, a renewing of your first love, of the days when all you wanted to do was read His Word and spend time praying and worshiping Him".

Here's a link to a black eyed pea soup. It has meat in it but you can just leave out the meat and it would still be good.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Quick-Hoppin-John-Soup/Detail.aspx?soid=carousel_0_rotd&prop24=rotd

I'm praying for you all and I can't wait to hear about the great things that God has done for you through this time of prayer and fasting.

Many blessings,
Lori

PREPARING FOR DANIEL FAST

In Matthew 17 a man brought his demon possessed son to the disciples. The disciples prayed for him and the demon did not come out. The man took his son to Jesus and told him that the disciples were not able to cure the boy. Jesus rebuked the demon and immediately the demon left the boy. The disciples asked Jesus "why could we not drive it out?" Jesus said to them "20 - because of the littleness of your faith. For truly I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, Move from here to yonder place, and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you. 21 - But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting." 

We all have mountains that are in our way. Some mountains are small and some are HUGE. Casting out demons has to be one of the biggest obstacles you could face. Being diagnosed with a terminal illness; having a loved one addicted to drugs and there are other HUGE mountains that get in our way. Those HUGE mountains require HUGE faith and fasting. If you really and truly want that mountain to move, you can't just whisper to it or spend 5 minutes a day praying about it or crying about it or whining about it, you get what I'm talking about. You have to get SERIOUS in order to see SERIOUS results. Spending time in prayer, reading your Bible and fasting is serious. You are honoring God by denying your fleshly desires for food and maybe giving up a little television time to spend more time in the Word and in prayer. 

If you have chosen to do a Daniel Fast (no bread, no meat & no sweets) here is a list of foods to have on hand: 

Apples and peanut butter

Nuts

Plain Greek yogurt with fruit (I love frozen blueberries)

Cottage cheese with fruit

Cheese

Carrot sticks

Beans

Rice

Veggies 

Beans & rice

Stir fries with rice & veggies and/or beans

Vegetable soup

Tomato soup

Salad

Oatmeal

Eggs

Quiche

Veggie omelet

Potatoes - don't forget sweet potatoes

Here are a few links to some of my recipes that can be used for a Daniel Fast. The Gumbo and soup can be made without the meat and still be delicious. 

http://4newtons.blogspot.com/2012/05/broccoli-cauliflower-salad.html

http://4newtons.blogspot.com/2012/05/anti-inflammatory-sugar-free-cole-slaw.html

http://4newtons.blogspot.com/2012/03/healthier-gumbo-with-flaxseed-coconut.html

http://4newtons.blogspot.com/2012/02/belly-busting-soup.html

http://4newtons.blogspot.com/2013/12/scalloped-potatoes.html

Wishing you a happy, healthy and prosperous 2014. 

Keeping you all in my prayers, 

Lori 

FIRST FRUITS FAST

First of all, I AM NOT A BIBLE SCHOLAR. I am ONLY a sinner saved by grace. I am not worthy of God's grace, mercy, love & blessings, but I am so thankful that He gives it to ALL who are willing to accept it. That being said, the last few years, Kevin & I have fasted for 21 days at the beginning of each year. This is called a First Fruits Fast because you are sacrificing and honoring God for a certain length of time at the beginning of the year or giving God your "first fruits" of the new year. 

I have always loved our New Year's tradition of fried pork chops and black eye peas (with lots of ham in them) on New Year's Day, so we usually begin our Fast on January 2. But as I was talking with God about our upcoming Fast this morning, I felt that He was urging me to begin ON January 1 and not wait until January 2. My flesh wants those fried pork chops and that ham in the black eye peas just one more time, but my Spirit knows that if God is prompting me to begin ON January 1 and not wait, I would be foolish to not listen and obey. So our Fast will be from January 1-21. 

There are many different ways to fast. My son did a 40 day nothing but liquids fast a few years ago. He normally does only liquid the first 3-7 days, then follows the Daniel Fast. I have friends that fast one meal a day or do not eat from sun up to sundown, etc. There are many different ways to fast. There is not a right way or wrong way to fast. It is all between you and God. I urge you to seek His guidance and direction before you fast. Kevin & I and a lot of our friends choose a Daniel Fast which is no meat, no bread & no sweets. 

Whatever you choose to do, don't overthink it and don't spend more time focusing on what you can and can not eat than you do spending time with God. So many people get so caught up thinking about the food that they lose focus of the whole reason to fast in the first place which is to draw closer to God, to experience His presence like never before and for those miracles that you need in your life. 

I am going to try to blog each day during our Fast. I will try to share scriptures and encouragement for you as well as the types of foods that Kevin & I are eating. If you have a specific need that you would like for us to pray about for you, please let me know. Kevin & I would be honored to pray for you. If you are fasting, I would like to ask that you pray for us as well. 

I am posting some links to some websites about fasting. We love Jentezen Franklin's Fasting Journal. One of these websites has some good information, but I personally don't agree with all of it. But, again, it is between you & God. There is not a right way or wrong way to fast. This website has recipes for desserts, muffins, etc. and personally, I don't want to do that while fasting. She is not using flour, but I feel that fasting is not supposed to be pleasant and comfortable. It is supposed to be a sacrifice. We still eat good food, but the closest we get to bread is corn tortillas and as far as sweets we only eat fruit for our sweets when fasting. We also eat fish a couple of times a week while fasting, but no other meat. We also eat lots of eggs. I noticed some websites say to not eat eggs. We both work fulltime and have to keep our energy up, so eating eggs and fish helps us. 

http://www.jentezenfranklin.org/fasting/

http://www.ultimatedanielfast.com/

Many blessings, 

Lori 

SCALLOPED POTATOES

My husband's birthday was a couple of weeks ago. All he wanted for his birthday was scalloped potatoes, pork chops and red velvet cake (I make Non-Red Velvet Cake because I don't use red food coloring, but it doesn't change the taste of the cake). He LOVES potatoes and he loves cheese, so scalloped potatoes are his favorite. Through the years I have tried several different recipes and they were all okay, but a few years ago I used Pioneer Woman's recipe and now that is the ONLY recipe I use. I don't even like potatoes very much, but these are amazing! WARNING - THEY ARE NOT CALORIE FREE! But they are so worth splurging on for special occasions. I don't know what the difference is between scalloped and au gratin, but we just call them scalloped.

Here is a link to Pioneer Woman's recipe

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/01/perfect-potatoes-au-gratin/

Of course, I change it up a little to add the flavors that my family likes so here's how I do it:

SCALLOPED POTATOES

2 tablespoons butter, softened
4 large russet OR 8 red potatoes
1/2 cup 2% milk
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons minced garlic
1 onion, diced
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons McCormick Hot Shot or pepper
1 tablespoon chopped basil
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
1 cup shredded monterey jack
Option - cooked & chopped ham or bacon are great additions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Slice potatoes into circles or diced cubes. I use red potatoes because they are less starchy and have lots of iron, so since they are smaller, I just slice them in circles.

Combine milk and cream in bowl.

Add the flour, garlic, salt, pepper (Hot Shot), basil and onion.  Whisk together well so that the flour is incorporated into the mixture.

Grease square baking dish with the softened butter.  Pour potatoes into dish. Pour mixture over potatoes.

Cover the dish with foil and bake it for 30 minutes.  Remove the foil and bake for 20 minutes more.  Sprinkle the cheese all over the top and bake 5-10 minutes more or until cheese is bubbly.

TIPS FOR A BUSY WEEKNIGHT - I got these all ready in the morning before I left for work, covered with foil and put in refrigerator.  Kevin gets home an hour before I do, so he took the dish and set it on the counter to get to room temperature and turned the oven on.  Then all I had to do when I got home from work was pop the dish in the oven and let them bake while I cooked the pork chops. I think these could be cooked in a rectangular slow cooker also. I haven't tried it yet.

Merry Christmas to you all!

Lori

WHY YOU NEED ALPHA LIPOIC ACID (ALA)

Alpha Lipoic Acid has been, literally, a Godsend to me in getting my health back and freedom from pain, tingling and numbness. Back in 2011 when I decided it was time to take back my health, I prayed and talked to God pretty much 24/7 asking for Him to show me what I needed to do to get my health back. If you've read any of my blog posts then you know that He started revealing to me what foods to eat that would nourish my body and what "foods" to stay away from that were destroying my body. Well, during this time I also kept hearing "alpha lipoic acid" "alpha lipoic acid". I would hear it as I was driving down the road, as I was trying to go to sleep, it was the first thing that came into my mind as I awoke every morning. After a 2 or 3 weeks of this, I told my husband one day "I think God wants me to take Alpha Lipoic Acid". Kevin asked me what it was and I said "I don't know. I've never heard of it." So, I began to research alpha lipoic acid. And WOW! As I kept finding out more about this incredible antioxidant, I began to realize why God was telling me to take it. And right about now, some of you think I have lost my mind, but I know that others of you understand exactly what I'm talking about.

So, let me tell you about Alpha Lipoic Acid. It is a naturally occurring compound that's made in the body, but when you're system is out of whack, your body can not produce enough of it to help you. ALA is an antioxidant & is one of the most potent of all antioxidants because it is soluble in both water and fat. This unique ability to dissolve in both fat and water means that ALA has more "free range" to scrub your body for cell damaging free radicals. Here's just a few of the benefits of ALA:

*   Converts glucose to energy
*   Lowers blood sugar
*   Lowers blood pressure
*   Detoxes and protects the liver
*   REPAIRS DAMAGED NERVES

Europeans have been using ALA for years to provide relief from the pain, burning, tingling and numbness caused by neuropathy. Studies show that ALA aids in stopping or slowing the damage done by a variety of health conditions including HIV and liver disease.

Research also shows that ALA helps mend damage caused by strokes and even to help slow down the process of Alzheimer's.  It's ability to facilitate the regeneration of nerve cells has some very promising implications in brain and nerve trauma treatment.

ALA supports healthy skin as well. It keeps your skin young and resilient.

The American Cancer Society says that "ALA may inhibit genes that trigger cancer cells to grow and some recommend it as a component of an alternative anti-cancer regimen or as a complementary therapy to prevent or relieve some side effects of conventional cancer treatments. Researchers have begun to look at whether ALA can help prevent nerve damage from the use of chemotherapy drugs." 

ALA is found in red meats, organ meats, spinach and broccoli, but you would have to eat a ton of these foods every day to get what your body needs. So supplementation of ALA is crucial to stay healthy.

http://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatmentsandsideeffects/complementaryandalternativemedicine/pharmacologicalandbiologicaltreatment/lipoic-acid

http://www.webmd.com/diet/alpha-lipoic-acid-ala

ALA has helped me tremendously with the pain, numbness & tingling from neuropathy and carpal tunnel.

 Blessings to you all,
Lori