Dec. 24

Luke 1:46-55

And Mary said:   “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.  From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is his name.  His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.  He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.  He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.  He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.  He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors.”

Dec. 23

luke 1:29-33

But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.  He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

Pictures: Our Home for Christmas

Our Home for Christmas 2010

Dec. 22

Acts 3:24-26

“Indeed, beginning with Samuel, all the prophets who have spoken have foretold these days. And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.’  When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.”

Creamed Corn Casserole

I found this recipe in my Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book and loved it!  The flavor is wonderful and not as sweet as my usual creamed corn casserole.  Also, the green and red peppers are perfect for Christmas :)

2- 16 oz. packages of frozen whole kernel corn
2 cups chopped red and green sweet pepper
1 cup chopped onion
1 tbsp butter
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 can condensed cream of celery soup
1- 8 oz container of chive and onion cream cheese spread
1/4 cup milk

*Place corn in a colander and run under cool water to thaw.  Drain and set aside.
*Cook peppers and onions in the butter until tender.  Then add the corn and pepper.
*Whisk together the soup, cream cheese and milk... and slowly add to corn mixture.
*Place in prepared casserole dish and bake covered for 50 minutes at 375 degrees.
(This recipe works great in a crock pot too!  Just take out the butter and do not thaw the corn.  Cook on high heat for 4-5 hours.)
Sorry I don't have a photo of the finished product!

Dec. 21

Isaiah 53:10-12

…though the LORD makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.  After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors.  For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

planning ahead...

 I know Christmas comes first, but have you thought about your New Year's Festivities?!

{sequin lace dress}

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details of denver

Dec. 20

Isaiah 53:1-3

Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground.  He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.  Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem...

Dec. 19

isaiah 59

The LORD looked and was displeased that there was no justice. He saw that there was no one, he was appalled that there was no one to intervene; so his own arm achieved salvation for him, and his own righteousness sustained him.  He put on righteousness as his breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on his head; he put on the garments of vengeance
and wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak. “The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their sins,” declares the LORD.

“As for me, this is my covenant with them,” says the LORD. “My Spirit, who is on you, will not depart from you, and my words that I have put in your mouth will always be on your lips, on the lips of your children and on the lips of their descendants—from this time on and forever,” says the LORD.

You're Designed to Shine

This past week I had the wonderful opportunity of traveling to Ft. Collins, Colorado with a dear friend and mentor.  We met up with a group of women at Group Publishing who have a passion to reach girls for Christ.  Over dinner, meetings, and drives through the canyon, we DREAMED of where the Lord was leading and how to share Him with girls.  God is moving and I pray all of us will continue to be ready to follow and run fast after His dream for us.  Check out this video below... I know you will be blessed:



If you are still looking for a Christmas gift for a girlfriend, mom, or daughter, pick up Christina's book Ocean Star or some of the fun journals or guest books {here}

Or if you are interested in starting a girl's bible study that will encourage them in their journey with Christ, check out the You're Designed to Shine Journal and Leader's Guide {here}
And read more about how God is working in girls' hearts across the world {here}

ft. collins

 As we were driving through Estes Park, I said "I would love to see a coyote..." and before the words even left my lips, I saw this fluffy fella walking in the distance:

 Old Town Ft. Collins:

The rain slowly changed to snow as we headed into Rocky Mountain National Park... gorgeous!