Whenever I am reading or studying the Word you will almost always find me with a cup of fresh, flavored, coffee. Sometimes that includes cookies. It just might be that I am the original cookie monster. I would rather have a cookie or two with a great cup of coffee or tea than any other treat.
My husband’s mother, who is now in Heaven, made sure that her cookie jar was always full. She was always ready with a quick snack and a cup of coffee when we visited or when the grandkids came by on their way home from school. Just because that’s how she was. I think she may have been the ultimate Proverbs 31 woman. I’m sharing one of my favorites from her recipe box, with a few adjustments because I cannot tolerate wheat and I try to stay away from refined sugars.
Bon appetit!
Simple Butterscotch Bars
1/2 cup butter 2 eggs
1/2 cup honey 2 cups any nut flour
2 tsp vanilla 1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
Soften butter, add sugar, and eggs, and beat. Add vanilla and the remaining ingredients. Blend together. If using an electric mixer, all can be mixed at once. Spread on a greased cookie sheet. Bake 20 minutes at 325 F. Cut while warm.
There is a difference between believing and knowing. I believe that God is who He says He is and that He can do what He says He can do. I know that He has redeemed me with the blood of His precious Son.
Believing is holding an opinion without having a way to prove it. Knowing is an understanding that is backed up with solid evidence and trust in the source of that evidence. That’s a strong academic statement so let me see if I can explain.
When I sit down on a chair I instinctively know that it’s there. Since I can’t see behind me I have no way of proving that until I sit down. I simply know that the chair is there and totally trust it will hold my weight.
So how do I know that God is really God, that He really can do all He says, that He redeemed me? That requires a special kind of relationship and that’s the key. I have built a relationship with Him. How? I spend time with Him, in the Word. I talk with Him, in prayer. I discuss Him with other Believer’s.
I’m writing this review differently than I usually write. It will be much shorter, but I hope that will entice you to read the book.
In one week our protagonist goes from being settled in her own rooms to homeless, from being a respected teacher to having no job, from single to married and living in a place she didn’t know existed.
The setting is a small cabin in a holler nestled in the mountains of Eastern Kentucky in the early 1900’s. Life is joyous and difficult at the same time. School is something people have dreamed of having, but a teacher can be hard to find. A one-room schoolhouse is built and the missionary-pastor sets about finding a teacher/wife. In one week that is accomplished and the story begins…
The characters include a mountain waif whose mother died, the missionary pastor showing and sharing God with the people of a backwoods holler, and the teacher/wife (a woman of excellence in many ways) who ties it all together. The author does an excellent job of expertly weaving the lives of her characters together.
This book will be excellent reading on a hot, lazy summer day. I loved it and I know you will, too.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free directly from Revel/Baker Publishing Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR requirements, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
I have been given the honor and privilege of reviewing another really good, historically accurate book. You will find two completely different reviews on this page because Paraclete Publishing sent two books and I asked a friend to read and review with me.
Ahoti is a Hebrew word that means “my sister” and is a retelling of the well-known Bible Story about Tamar, King David’s daughter. However, the authors go much deeper into the story using information from the Book of Gad, the Bible, historical resources, and literary license to enhance and expand our understanding of what happened after she was raped by her brother.
As in real life, healing from a traumatic incident takes time, silence evidenced by the friends who will sit with you in the stillness, productive physical activity – music that helps express grief and a way to move on. In Tamar’s case, this came in the form of a garden.
Tamar disappeared into history after her brother Absalom was killed but, there is so much more to her story. King David’s Court was typical of political communities throughout history. There was the expected intrigue, murder, rumor mill, court affiliations and collaborations, alienations and separations that determined the fate of this woman.
One of the things I really enjoyed about this book was the vocabulary. The authors are very skilled at using words that are rarely used in fiction books. Words that are not so old or uncommon, giving the reader a better understanding of what was really happening in the time and place, were placed in just the right places.
I highly recommend this book. This story is the timeless history of good and bad. It is intense in spots, contemplative, and represents what life 3,000 years ago could have been like in king’s court.
The next review is by Tonya Heston. She is an avid reader of many genres and I’m proud to call her my God-daughter. Thanks, Tonya!
Ahoti is the beautiful story of a young girl whose innocence is stolen and what happens after her family sweeps it under the rug for the sake of family pride. As a 21st-century woman, this book saddened me, and then healed me in a way that only a book can.
Our God is a mending and healing God, and that is true no matter the harshness of what we have to go through to finally see it. I admire Tamar for her resiliency and her absolute faith that God still loved her, even if it felt like everyone had let her down. Everyone except for Mara, of course. Everyone needs a friend like Mara in their lives. I believe that Mara and Tamar were placed together for this divine purpose.
While this book isn’t my normal type of book, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. It did get a bit wordy at times, but I don’t think it took anything away from the story. I did have to go back and refresh myself on what was said if Tamar had a lot of thoughts before responding to someone. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who’s interested in Biblical fiction and would like to imagine what happens after the writers of the Bible stopped recording.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free directly from Paraclete Press. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR requirements, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
GOD is striding ahead of you. Proudly, with importance in His step. He’s covering every second, every nuance of this day.
He’s right there with you. Not just ahead but in front, back, sides, up and down. In my mind, my heart, my soul. He has all of me.
He won’t let you down. He keeps all of His promises, faithfully. He never fails me.
Don’t be intimidated. There are bullies and controllers everywhere, including our inner minds! Stop listening to them. Only God is worth consistently listening to!
Don’t worry! Just stop letting whatever is bothering you have such control. God is in control. He has it all covered.
Originally posted on October 5, 2020 under the title He Has All Of Me
A Satisfied Spirit 
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