4 TBSPN flour 
2 TBSPN sugar 
2 TBSPN cocoa 
1 egg 
3 TBSPN milk 
3 TBSPN oil 
2 TBSPN chocolate chips 
A small splash of vanilla extract 
1 large coffee mug (Microwavable)

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well.  Add the egg and mix thoroughly.
Pour in the milk and oil and mix well.
Add the chocolate chips and vanilla extract, and mix again. 
Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts.
The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don’t be alarmed!
Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired. ENJOY!

Jeremy and the band are in Canada today and they have no cell service or internet. It’s funny how the little things get me thru the days of him being away.
We have a lot of big trips coming up this year, which is such an amazing opportunity for them to travel around the world and share with others and lead them in worship, but we sure do miss them when they’re away!!!
I’m having a sentimental moment right now (which I do often!), just so thankful for my precious husband.

xoxo
A

For the chocolate cake, I just used my favorite chocolate cake recipe (it can be anything).

The chocolate on top is chocolate ganache, which is super easy to make.

Ingredients:
9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped (I used organic semi-sweet choc chips)
1 cup heavy cream

Directions:
Place the chocolate into a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil, watching very carefully because if it boils for a few seconds, it will boil out of the pot. When the cream has come to a boil, pour over the chopped chocolate, and whisk until smooth.
Allow the ganache to cool slightly before pouring over a cake. Start at the center of the cake and work outward. For a fluffy frosting or chocolate filling, allow it to cool until thick, then whip with a whisk until light and fluffy.

The more you let it cool, the thicker it gets. You can even stick it in the freezer for a bit and then use it for icing.

I poured it over the cake and let it drip down the sides for a nice effect and then put organic fresh berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries) on top to finish it off.

Enjoy!!

Base:
**In South Africa they use something called “Tennis Biscuits” which you may be able to find in some of the International sections in the grocery store. I didn’t have any on hand, so I just substituted with Graham Crackers and it was totally fine.

1 pkt of Graham Crackers (I don’t mean the whole box, just 1 packet in the box)
1 stick of butter

Crush Graham crackers and add melted butter. (I actually used a little less than 1 whole stick, if you’re trying to be health conscious.)
Put in fridge for 10 minutes.

Lemon Filling:
3 egg yolks
1 can condensed milk
1/2 cup lemon juice
(add more if you want it even tangier)

Meringue Topping:
3 egg whites (beaten)
Add castor sugar for stiff peaks (2 cups)
(The more sugar you add, the stiffer your peaks will be and it will also brown more easily)

Method:
Preheat oven to 350*F
After you’ve refrigerated the base, bake it for 10 min.
Prepare the lemon filling and pour on top of base.
Bake for 15 min.
Pour on topping and bake for another 15 min.

Turn oven off and let meringue dry out for a bit. The longer you leave it, the crunchier it’ll be. It’s all preference.

Oh, I almost forgot, someone had mentioned making a chocolate base. I haven’t tried it yet, but I think I might add some chocolate chips next time!

Enjoy!

Ps. The colors in this pic are a bit distorted because of the camera filter on it.

One of their recipes that I tried and love is the “Dutch Oven Pancake”. It tastes kind of like french toast. Now I have to be honest when I read the name I thought “really?!?!”
Growing up with an older brother a “dutch oven” has a whole different meaning. Needless to say it scarred me many times for life!

It’s such an easy recipe that I totally had the girls make it with me.
I’m sure you could also get adventurous with this and add fruit (blueberries or pears) or chocolate chips…
Anyway, here it is:

Dutch/German Pancakes:

Ingredients:
2 TBLSP unsalted butter
4 eggs
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole milk

Optional Toppings:
Lemon Juice
Powdered sugar
Maple Syrup
Cinnamon

Method:
Preheat oven to 425*F.
Melt butter over low heat in a 10- or 11- inch cast iron skillet. (I just used a regular stainless steel one)
Whisk eggs in a medium bowl. Whisk in flour and milk until mixture is no longer lumpy.
Pour the batter into the skillet over the melted butter.
Bake for 25 minutes until pancake is puffed and golden brown.

Remove from the oven, transfer onto a plate and cut into wedges.
Sprinkle whichever toppings you choose and serve!

Hope you like it!
xoxo

There is no doubt that it is by praying that we learn to pray, and that the more we pray, the better our prayers will be. People who pray in spurts are never likely to attain to the kind of prayer described in the Scriptures as “powerful and effective” (James 5:16).
Great power in prayer is within our reach, but we must work to obtain it.
We should never even imagine that Abraham could have interceded so successfully for Sodom if he had not communed with God throughout the previous years of his life.
Jacob’s entire night of wrestling at Peniel was certainly not the first encounter he had with his God. And we can even look at our Lord’s most beautiful and wonderful prayer in John 17, before His suffering and death, as the fruit of His many nights of devotion, and of His rising often before daybreak to pray.
If a person believes he can become powerful in prayer without making a commitment to it, he is living under a great delusion.
The prayer of Elijah, which stopped the rain from heaven and later opened heaven’s floodgates, was only one example of a long series of his mighty pleadings with God. Oh, if only we Christians would remember that perseverance in prayer is necessary for it to be effective and victorious!
The great intercessors, who are seldom mentioned in connection with the heroes and martyrs of the faith, were nevertheless the greatest benefactors of the church. Yet their becoming the channels of the blessings of mercy to others was only made possible by their abiding at the mercy seat of God.
Remember, we must pray to pray, and continue in prayer so our prayers may continue.
Charles H. Spurgeon
Sent from the Streams in the Desert Devotional, by L. B. Cowman

This week (wk 4), Beth read a poem that someone sent to her.
It’s a huge challenge to us to be set a part from this world (“Babylon”).
To clarify it’s referred to Babylon because that’s where Daniel was taken captive to. He purposed in his heart to not be defiled by all that was going on around him…

Here’s the poem:

Babble On in Babylon
Author unknown

Brimming closets, shoe racks bulge.
One in every color, I’ll just indulge.
My wildest whim will oft be met
Bigger, faster, give me, get.
Travel on in Babylon

May I go first, do you not care?
For my time’s precious, you’ve lots to spare.
I’ll slip in front and off I’ll go
See I’m quite fast and well, you’re quite slow.
I and me, fast friends life long
Prattle on in Babylon.

Nip it here, just there a lift.
I just turned forty. It was a gift!
The eyes, the lips, the bosoms do,
Sculpted, lasered, injected too.
No wrinkles left; the tummy’s gone.
Journey on in Babylon.

Enough of me, how do you view me?
You get one, but give me three.
I couldn’t bear to just say no.
It’s my desire and rightly so
Add another and on and on
Shuffle on in Babylon

No end in sight that I can see
Today’s blocked by the mirror in front of me.
A wreck, a death, tsunami tide
It mildly stirs me, I must confide.
TV claims, tens of thousands gone.
Oh well, let’s see what else is on.

Numb to stunning sight of each new dawn.
Sinking fast in Babylon.
Like a lobster in a pot
Who begins to like the water hot,
I’ve been duped, been tricked, been had.
Convinced that truth was somehow bad.

Evil coddled and cooed and purred,
And beckoned me and called and lured.
Now in a place with the light turned on
I’m racing home from Babylon.

I hope this encourages and stirs you as it has me, to be intentional and deliberate about being set a part and not being absorbed into the standards of our society.

Much love to you guys!