What's New?
This is the place I will talk about what's new in my life, or with this blog in general. If I'm planning a vacation or hiatus from my blog, this is where I will tell you.
As you can see, the formatting of the blog is different. I've changed the background and the font, and I've added some brand new content.
Also, I rode the local metro system for the first time. I've been on local buses before, but it was a completely different experience riding the metro downtown. There were lots of interesting and strange people. I think a person could ride the metro from one end of the line to the other and write a whole book in that time with such interesting people for inspiration. On this same trip, my mom and I went to an English pub for lunch. It was my first time at an English pub in America. I had the fish and chips, and they were delicious! It was, unfortunately, more like an American sports bar, so that was a little disappointing. Overall though, the whole experience was great!
Testament Talk
In keeping with the purpose of this blog, I will still be doing a Biblical reflection. However, it will only be one section of each blog post, unless I have something special to share, in which case I will make a post just about that topic.
It's a continuous process, learning about oneself. I've been rediscovering myself a lot lately, and I'm excited to share some of the changes I'm making. Something I've gotten a new perspective on in the past few weeks is Satan's power.
Satan is called the adversary for a reason. He is the enemy. But he is not God's equal. He is not God's match. If you've read the book of Revelation, you know that it only has one ending: Satan loses. Badly. That's because he is not God. He is not God's counterpart, or his equal. He has limitations.
Sometimes I forget that Satan is not all-powerful. He has limitations and weaknesses. This is a topic in the book I'm reading with my girlfriends called Fervent: A Woman's Battle Plan to Serious, Specific, and Strategic Prayer by Priscilla Shirrer.
So, what are those limitations?
1. He is not omniscient.
*He cannot read our minds or know our thoughts.
2. He is not omnipresent.
*Even though it sometimes feels like it, he isn't everywhere.
3. He is not all-powerful.
*Satan is restricted in what he is allowed to do. He is allowed to tempt us, but when God speaks, even Satan and his followers obey.
This was something I really needed a reminder of, and now I'm sharing it with you. The next time it feels like Satan is hitting us with everything he's got, we just have to remember that in order to hit him back effectively, we first have to hit our knees in prayer.
What's Cookin'
This is where I will share a recipe, share a helpful kitchen tip, or talk about a great restaurant I enjoyed. Sometimes I may link to the site where I found a recipe, or share the book I where I read it. Sometimes it will be one of my own recipes, and I'm especially happy to share those. I'm rediscovering my love of cooking, and I have so many recipes stored away that I want to try. I'm hoping that not only will my What's Cookin' corner be a place for you to find tasty recipes, but that it will also motivate me to cook (and to eat) more. Yum!
Today's recipe is a very simple one that I created myself (though I'm probably not the first one). I love hot chocolate, but the packaged hot chocolate mix that you make with water hurts my stomach a lot, so I had to come up with something easier on my stomach that was just as, if not more, delicious. Hot chocolate is a winter necessity. This was not optional.
Simple Hot Chocolate
1. Pour milk into a microwaveable mug.
2. Add your preferred chocolate syrup to taste.
3. Microwave approximately 2 minutes, depending on your temperature preferences.
*You might be able to substitute chocolate powder for the syrup if you prefer. If anyone tries this, let me know how it turns out.
Book Nook
This is where I will recommend a book, either one that I love or one I'm currently reading. I love to read, so I'm very excited to share these with you!
This week, I'm going to recommend Fervent by Priscilla Shirer. I'm really enjoying it. It's relevant, pertinent, and I'm really learning a lot. If you're looking to revamp your prayer life, I highly recommend this book.
Film Watch
For my film watch corner, I will share a movie that I really like, either an old favorite or a new one I watched during the week. It may even match with my Testament Talk but it won't always. There are great faith-based movies, and I can't wait to recommend my favorites, but I like other movies and TV shows too, so I will recommend some secular films too. Prepare to be inundated with old black and white film recommendations!
Recently, I watched the movie Sully starring Tom Hanks, and I absolutely re commend that you watch it. It was historical, dramatic, heart-wrenching, and wonderful all at once. It is a heavier story than I normally enjoy, but Tom Hanks always gives such an amazing performance, so I made an exception.
It's the true story of Chesley Sullenberger, who landed his damaged plane on the Hudson river, thus saving the lives of the flight's passengers and crew, and the investigation and backlash as his actions came under scrutiny.
There is so much more that I could say, but I won't. The hardest part of the recommendation sections will be not giving away any spoilers...
Weekly Reflection
I'm excited that I finally got my blog formatted properly. I've had to retype this post several times because Blogger has done some reformatting when it goes live, for some weird reason I've yet to figure out. I'm excited to share more of my life with all of you. I hope you enjoy the book, movie, and recipe recommendations. One day I may add in more sections if I have other things to share. Overall, the past couple weeks have been wonderful! I got to have a whole girls' day with my mom, I learned how to ride the metro, and I ate great food at not one but 2 new restaurants. I've read lots of great books, and watched mostly good movies. My job is going well, and I love my church.
I am so very blessed.
As always, I will end with a Bible verse:
Romans 15:13 - May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
