+   “I Testify of Him” combines music and pictures of the divinity of Jesus Christ from a woman's view. The gorgeous voice of singer Jenee Wright Prince perfectly expresses the touching lyrics of Steven Stewart and Hilary Weeks.

1 – 12 oz carton of gluten-free condensed cream of mushroom soup (Pacific brand is best brand I have found!)
9 oz frozen green beans, thawed
1 tsp gluten-free soy sauce (try San-J brand)
1/2 cup milk (can substitute soy milk or unflavored almond milk)
Dash of black pepper
1 – 5 oz bag of Kettle Brand sweet onion flavor potato chips

Preheat oven to 350 F
Put chips in a Ziplock bag and crush them.

Combine soup, milk, soy sauce, and pepper in bowl.

Add the thawed beans and 1/2 of the crushed potato chips.

Mix all together and place in 9x11 or 8x8 casserole dish.
Bake for 25 mins or until bubbling.
Top with remaining crushed chips and bake for additional 5 mins.

• Separate toaster – Either have two toasters or have a four-slice toaster and designate a side for gluten-free bread products. You have to watch out for those pesky crumbs!
• Squeeze bottles – These have made life a whole lot easier for identifying gluten-free mayo, ketchup, jelly, etc.
• Plastic cutting boards – They prevent any little crumbs from mixing with gluten-free items.
• Large plastic serving spoons to stir/cook with – The wooden slotted spoons are crumb magnets!
• Beware of sharing anything in a jar or tub with gluten-free items. Use a spoon to scoop out what you want without touching it to non-gluten-free items.
• Use brightly colored dot stickers to designate gluten-free items in the pantry. This will help new gluten-free folks and non-gluten-free cooks when preparing meals.
• Keep your gluten-free bread and bread products in the refrigerator to last longer.
  

I hope you find these kitchen tips helpful. I would love to hear from others what their go-to gluten-free products are. These items cost more than their "regular" versions; it can be extremely frustrating to pay $7 for a loaf of gluten-free bread that tastes like the bottom of your shoe! Also there is a gluten-free expo on April 28 with tons of vendors. I  have never been but I plan to attend! Go to phoenixceliac.org for more details. God Bless! 

Jen Isbell recently returned to Mountain Park and enjoys attending the Empower PM and Prayer Shawl Group.

Glynnis Whitwer of Proverbs 31 Ministries recently wrote a thought-provoking blog about loneliness on Encouragement for Today. “Loneliness can strike at any time, in any situation a woman might experience,” Glynnis asserted. “Age, finances, employment, geography … none of these guarantees a life less lonely.” Loneliness seems to be increasing even while so many more communication vehicles are available to keep us connected. Is it because our friendships are not as deep or open as in the past? Glynnis discusses the challenge of finding and keeping good friends, our loneliness, and our relationships – both interpersonal and with God.

Celiac disease has changed my life in a good way, even though at first I didn’t see it that way. I had to stop focusing on all the things I could no longer eat and think of all the healthy new foods I could try. I am so much healthier now than I was before going gluten free and I thank God for that. It is a daily conscious effort but one that is so very worth it.

I would like to take the opportunity every month to share gluten-free tips, advice, recipes, and product reviews that I have learned over the years. I am not an expert by any means and look forward to learning more about Celiac and the gluten-free life. If anyone is interested, I would love to start a gluten-free group. Please email isbelljenny@hotmail.com if you have questions, comments, or recipes to share.

Five fast tips when looking for GF foods:

1. Fresh is best. Non-packaged foods are almost always naturally GF, not to mention healthier!
2. When in doubt, DON’T (it’s not worth it).
3. Find restaurants that have GF menus or call ahead. 
4. Don’t be afraid to speak up, ask questions, or call companies. 
5. Always double check. Manufacturers can change ingredients or sources at any time. Just because the item was GF three months ago doesn’t mean it is now. 

Jen Isbell recently moved to Phoenix with her son Logan and attends Empower PM.

Patrick was taken prisoner by Irish raiders when he was 16 and held captive in Ireland as a shepherd. During this period, he began praying to God for solace and became a devout Christian. According to his writings – his “Confessions” – he had spent six years in captivity when he believed God spoke to him and told him to leave Ireland. He escaped to Britain, where he wrote that an angel visited him in a dream and told him to return to Ireland as a missionary. After 15 years of religious training and ordination as a priest, he was sent to Ireland to convert the pagan Irish population to Christianity.

During his ministry, St. Patrick founded at least 365 churches in Ireland with schools where youth were trained for ministry and the foreign mission field. His mission was very successful and no martyr’s blood was shed, but his life was often in danger. On numerous occasions he and his companions were seized and carried off as prisoners, and at least once he faced imminent death. Yet each time he was able to escape. St. Patrick was so successful in converting the island to Christianity that according to the Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland, just six years after his arrival, Ireland’s laws were rewritten to reflect the Gospel.

So how did he banish all the snakes from Ireland? According to History.com, “The ‘banishing of the snakes’ was really a metaphor for the eradication of pagan ideology from Ireland and the triumph of Christianity.” Actually, there have never been snakes in Ireland. Scientists suggest the ice age made the island too cold for reptiles and the icy ocean surrounding Ireland likely kept snakes away.

St. Patrick’s Day is a religious holiday in Ireland. Many Irish attend mass on this day, March 17, and offer prayers for missionaries worldwide. To learn more about St. Patrick, read “Who Was St. Patrick?” on History.com, and the “History of St. Patrick” on StPatricksDay.com.

This recipe is great because it is versatile. Try it substituting shrimp, steak, or tofu for chicken and adding other veggies.

1/3 cup gluten-free soy sauce (Asian food aisle) 
2 Tbsp brown sugar
4 cloves garlic, minced (or use less if you are not a garlic lover)
1 tsp ginger, grated (I buy ginger root, freeze it and grate it or if it is not frozen, put it in a garlic press)
1 tsp cornstarch
1 1/2 lbs chicken (or other protein), cut into bite-size pieces
1 bunch broccoli, cut into bite-size pieces
1 large yellow sweet onion, chopped into large chunks

Combine the first six ingredients with 1/4 cup of water to create marinade; pour over chicken and marinate at least 10 minutes. Remove chicken (save the marinade) and stir fry in 1-2 Tbsp oil until thoroughly cooked. Remove chicken and set aside. Add broccoli and onion to pan; stir fry for 1 minute, then add 1/4 cup of water, cover and steam for 3 minutes. Add marinade and chicken to veggies and cook 1-2 minutes until marinade is boiling (since raw chicken was in it earlier).

Serve over rice or rice noodles.  This also makes delicious leftovers for a salad!  Serves 4.

I have heard Luke 6:38 a million times, about giving and how if you give, you will receive it back, more than you can contain. I never noticed it before now, but the thought and the context really starts in the prior verse where it talks about judgment, condemnation, and forgiveness. I have to share with you that when this light bulb went off, I wanted to flip the switch or unscrew it, anything to turn it off. Say it ain’t so!

It is common knowledge that we are not to judge others and that we should forgive, but consider the principle here. Even the “Lord’s Prayer” requests that we be forgiven “as we forgive” others.  How could I have missed this? This is real, this is big: the measure that we use will be the measure we receive.

No wonder I sometimes feel worthless or insignificant; I have made others feel that way. When I feel inadequate and unacceptable, do I remember the times I condemned others by my words and actions? God covered all the bases here, didn’t He? He included the arrogant, the self-absorbed, the holier-than-thous, the grudge nurturers, the gossipers, the sinners.

The good news is that this math works both ways. If we bless others, forgive them, and give, we will receive blessing in return. If you are one who always gives others the benefit of the doubt, grace to you! If you easily forget when you are wronged and forgiveness is easy for you, mercy is yours! If yours is the gift of generosity and you love to bless others, blessings to you! Chances are you have not mastered all areas and are still working on some. Let’s hope the math goes in our favor and we are better at the positive than we are at the negative.

Leave the light on and do the Math

Mindy Mikrut leads one of the women's Bible studies at MPCC. She and her husband, Jim, live in Ahwatukee with their son, Logan.

Our heavenly Father is a perfect example of what a father is supposed to be: loving, supportive, and nurturing. As our Father, God never gives up on His children even when we hurt Him, leave Him, or reject Him because He knows we are only children and don’t know any better. We are going to mess up; we are going to make mistakes. Our heavenly Father is not surprised by our weaknesses or failures. He gave them to us to benefit us. To teach us things that He knew we wouldn’t be able to learn any other way.

Some people go looking for love in all the wrong places. I hope that this Valentine’s Day you will reflect upon how much God loves you and recommit your life to Him. When you put your love for God first in your life, everything else falls into place. It's the natural order of things; the way it was supposed to be.

If you have never had someone in your life who loved you unconditionally, I hope you will take God at His word when He tells us in Jeremiah 31:3 (HCSB), “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore, I have continued to extend faithful love to you.” He did it all because He loves us! We don’t have to do anything to earn God’s love. He gives it to us simply because we are His, and we cannot lose His love for us because it is a gift.

Elisa Urquiza lives in Ahwatukee with her husband, Art, and their two children, Devon and Tristan.

This workshop is open to anyone who is interested in the subject of prayer or who may want to join the prayer team. Cost is $25. For questions, contact Pat Patlen.

Register now

If you enjoy knitting or crocheting or want to learn, and wonder what you could make next that would make a difference in someone’s life, then you may be interested in the Prayer Shawl ministry. We make and provide prayers shawls to people in need, both inside and outside the MPCC community. This is an awesome opportunity to get to know other crafters, share patterns and bless the works of art. Shawls are free to anyone who would like to give them to someone who is recovering from major surgery, grieving, or needs the healing touch of being surrounded with prayer and love. Last year we touched several lives locally and as far away as Canada. If you would like to get involved, join us the second Sunday of the month at 1 pm. For more information, contact Dara Zarowny at pnxchik@cox.net.

Crust:
1 c flour
1/3 c sugar
1/2 c butter

Cut butter into flour and sugar and press into large oblong dish. Bake 15 min. at 350.

Filling:
3 c sliced rhubarb (can use frozen if thawed)
2 c sliced strawberries or raspberries (can use frozen if thawed)
4 eggs, beaten
2-1/2 c sugar
3/4 c flour

Combine and spread over baked crust. Bake about 40-50 min. at 350 until set. Cut in squares and serve warm or room temperature. Good with cream or ice cream. Serves 10-12.

By Alice Schultze

The light of dreams shines
On hearts
Now darkly filled with
Sadness.

Only listen.

Have you been to meadows
Where angels rest,
Touched
Their shimmering wings?

My dear beloved,
The daisies by the roadside
Speak the truth.
He loves you He loves you

Not.
He loves you.

Alice Schultze serves as our Women’s Night Life registrar. She enjoys writing poetry and fostering dogs.

AM at 9:00 - "Intercessory Prayer" - learning how to pray effectively (book by Dutch Sheets is $12) - led by Sarah Paschke

Plumbline - comparing other faiths with the Word of God - led by Jennifer Miller

"Made to Crave" - finding the missing link when making healthy food choices - craving God, not food (books are $20) - led by Lisa Bisetti & Caroline Clock

Beth Moore's DVD series on "Revelation" (workbooks are $15) - led by Kim Knight

Beth Moore's DVD series on "Daniel" (workbooks are $20)

1 bag Rolo candies
1 bag mini twist pretzels (Use MINIs, not TINYs)
1 bag pecans or pecan halves

Preheat oven 400F.  Place one Rolo candy in the center of a pretzel.  Place on cookie sheet.  Bake in oven for 3 minutes.

After removing from oven, press a pecan into the middle of the warm Rollo.  Move to wax paper and let cool completely. 

The world’s easiest treat!!

The hardest part is unwrapping the Rollos!

The Prayer Shawl group meets the 2nd Sunday of each month at 1:00 pm in the home of Dara Zarowny to share potluck snacks and fellowship. New members are always welcome, as well as donations of yarn.  Email Dara or call (480) 460-1386 for more information.

Well, have I got a recipe for you! Many times we are misled into believing we should eat certain low-calorie meals, when really the nutritional value has been minimized to meet the calorie mark. I’m sure you’ll look at this recipe and have a few tweaks of your own, but really, the vitamins from the veggies and the protein from the eggs and cheese keep this recipe at the top of my list.

Huevos Rancheros
Serves: 2

Ingredients:
1/2 white onion
1 - Anaheim Pepper (or Ortega Chili)
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 can Rotel: Diced tomatoes with lime juice and cilantro (can usually be found near the canned vegetables)
4 eggs
4 corn tortillas
1 cup finely shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese
olive oil

Cut onion and pepper into large chunks. Sauté in a large skillet with enough olive oil to coat the ingredients. (about 3-4 tablespoons; you can add more as you go). Add garlic. Heat for about 5-7 minutes, stirring with a spatula making sure nothing burns. Onions will become very soft and turn golden. Once soft, add red pepper. Next, pour the can of Rotel in pan and cover with lid. Let simmer for 10 minutes.

When there is about 4 minutes left you can start your eggs. In a greased skillet heat one side of a corn tortilla. Each tortilla will use about 1/4 cup of your cheese. Sprinkle about half of your 1/4 cup cheese on the flat tortilla while it is getting warmed.  After the cheese has melted a bit, crack one egg onto tortilla and cheese. Heat until it starts turning a bit white. Once it is turning white, flip tortilla with egg over to fry other side. (you have to be quick with your flip fyi). Fry for a few minutes longer until egg is over medium. Flip back over onto a plate Repeat process with remaining eggs and tortillas. If your skillet is big enough you can do two at a time.

Using a fork, prick the egg, allowing the yolk to smother the tortilla. Spoon your warm salsa mixture over eggs and tortillas and then top with remaining cheese.

Enjoy!

MPCC’s own Jaclyn Douma has a website dedicated to her cookbook (http://www.a-sugarnspice-life.com/ ) and blog featuring recipes and ideas called Honey Crust (http://passion2crave.blogspot.com/).She is also a recent winner of a Philadelphia Cream Cheese Contest and has been featured in many food articles.

Join us for great Italian fare and fellowship at Bell' Italia, 4909 E. Chandler Blvd (behind Wendy's). RSVP before Sunday, January 8, to Elaine Halvorson
(480-759-1874). Look forward to seeing you all there!

“It is christianity to do good always—even to those who do evil to us,” said Dickens in his posthumously published book, The Life of Our Lord. “It is christianity to love our neighbor as ourself, and to do to all men as we would have them do to us. It is christianity to be gentle, merciful, and forgiving, and to keep those qualities quiet in our own hearts, and never make a boast of them, or of our prayers or of our love of God, but always to shew that we love him by humbly trying to do right in everything.” (from Christianity Today)

How many of these versions have you seen?
(from IMDB.com)

The Smurfs: A Christmas Carol (2011)
Dora’s Christmas Carol Adventure (2009)
Disney’s A Christmas Carol (2009) – Jim Carrey
Barbie in “A Christmas Carol” (2008)
A Sesame Street Christmas Carol (2006)
A Christmas Carol: The Musical (2004) – Kelsey Grammer
A Carol Christmas (2003) – Tori Spelling, William Shatner
The Muppet Christmas Carol: Frogs, Pigs and Humbug – Unwrapping a New Holiday Classic (2002)
Christmas Carol: The Movie (animated) (2001) – voices of Nicolas Cage, Kate Winslet
Maxine’s Christmas Carol (2000)
A Diva’s Christmas Carol (2000) – Vanessa Williams
A Christmas Carol (1999) – Patrick Stewart
An All Dogs Christmas Carol (1998)
Bah, Humbug!: The Story of Charles Dickens’ ‘A Christmas Carol’ (1994) – James Earl Jones
A Flintstones Christmas Carol (1994)
Brer Rabbit’s Christmas Carol (1992)
The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
Scrooged! (1988) – Bill Murray
A Christmas Carol (1984) – George C. Scott
Mickey’s Christmas Carol (1983) – Disney
Bugs Bunny’s Christmas Carol (1979)
An American Christmas Carol (1979) – Henry Winkler
Skinflint: A Country Christmas Carol (1979) – Hoyt Axton
Rich Little’s Christmas Carol (1978)
Scrooge (1970) – Albert Finney
Mister Magoo’s Christmas Carol (1962)
Scrooge (1951) – Alistar Sim
A Christmas Carol (1949) – Vincent Price
A Christmas Carol (1938) – Reginald Owen

Prepare – that word seems to keep creeping into my day more and more this time of year. Commercials begin to air on radio and TV which tell us how to prepare for the holidays. We are inundated with information on how to prepare a turkey, how to prepare holiday party tables. Budgeters hold seminars on how to prepare for the holiday spending frenzy.

With Advent approaching, the Christian New Year, we hear passages from Isaiah, repeated by John the Baptist, “Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord.” How do you prepare to receive God? Read more on Christian Women Today Devotional for Women…

Julie Cosgrove has written and published numerous Christian articles, including a Bible study on the power of prayer and a collection of devotionals on the Psalms. 

"I don't like the holidays," I whispered. I used to love holidays, before I was married. Before I felt the pull to be everywhere at the same time. Before any decisions that I made left someone upset or angry or feeling left out.

I struggled with a desire to be home, to start my own traditions with my young children and husband. We were the first to be married in both families, and thus the first to break "how it's always been."

Thanksgiving was a time to be thankful. All I felt was stretched thin. Christmas was a time to be joyous but I usually felt frustrated. Read the November 25 Encouragement for Today…

Suzanne Eller is a contributing writer to Today's Christian Woman and Proverbs 31 Ministries, a Christian author, speaker and Bible teacher.

I still remember the year I finally figured out that Santa Claus was not real. I was about 10 years old and I really wanted a new bicycle, but on Christmas morning there was a new bicycle for my sister and one for my brother, but none for me. (My parents hadn't gotten me one because they planned to give me my sister's old bike.) And while I got loads of other stuff, including a pretty cool electric keyboard, I was bummed out about not getting a bike. I figured if there really was a Santa Claus, he would've given me what I wanted most, right?

Don't we sometimes see God in the same light? We pray, thinking, "If there is a God, He'll give me what I want: a new job, more money, better health"…the list goes on and on. I think it's safe to say that most of the time, we don't even have a clue about what's best for us. We get so focused on that "one thing" that we want and we lose focus of other possibilities that may be out there. God knows what we need and He will use whatever it takes to bring us closer to Him. We don’t have to come to Him with a long list of requests. He already knows what we need, and as we trust Him with our lives, God will meet those needs in His own way and His own time.

MPCC’s Elisa Urquiza lives in Ahwatukee with her husband, Art, and their two children, Devon (11) and Tristan (8).

Each day of Advent, a homemade ornament is added to the Jesse Tree, a small tree made of evergreen branches. These symbolic ornaments can each represent a prophecy foretelling of Christ. Other variations include creating ornaments that represent the ancestors in the lineage of Christ, or using the various monogram symbols of Christianity as handmade ornaments.

Elisa Urquiza of MPCC is making a Jesse Tree with her middle school d-group kids. You’ll find many ideas for Jesse trees online; search “Jesse tree.” For pictures of Jesse Trees, click here for dozens of samples.

The event that Americans commonly call the "First Thanksgiving" was celebrated to give thanks to God for guiding them safely to the New World. The first Thanksgiving feast lasted three days, providing enough food for 53 pilgrims and 90 native Americans. The feast consisted of fish (cod, eels, and bass) and shellfish (clams, lobster, and mussels), wild fowl (ducks, geese, swans, and turkey), venison, berries and fruit, vegetables (peas, pumpkin, beetroot and possibly, wild or cultivated onion), harvest grains (barley and wheat), and the Three Sisters: beans, dried Indian maize or corn, and squash. The New England colonists were accustomed to regularly celebrating "thanksgivings"—days of prayer thanking God for blessings such as military victory or the end of a drought. (Wikipedia)

Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me "to recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness”:

Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have show kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.

Given under my hand, at the city of New York, the 3rd day of October, A.D. 1789.
(signed) G. Washington

Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto Him with psalms. Psalm 95:2

In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart; I will tell of all thy wonders. Psalm 9:1

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever….Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things. Psalm 107:1, 8-9

1/3 cup walnut pieces, chopped medium
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp honey

Combine brown sugar, vanilla, and honey. Toss with walnuts until coated. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove from oven, set aside to cool.

Spread:

1 cup cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup candied walnut pieces (recipe above)

Combine cream cheese and honey until mixed well.  Stir in cranberries and candied walnut pieces until mixed well.

Yield:  2 cups. Serve with mixed crackers and shortbread biscuits.

Kim Knight is a frequent contributor to the INTEREST newsletter and is active with EMPOWER Women's Ministry and the Career Transition Team at MPCC. Kim and her husband, Dale, have lived in Ahwatukee for six years

4 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 tbsp real butter (not margarine or other substitute)
2 tbsp water
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp salt

In covered 6-quart saucepot, heat whole sweet potatoes with 1 tsp salt and enough water to cover to boiling on high. Reduce heat to low; simmer, covered, about 30 minutes or just until potatoes are fork-tender. Drain. Set aside until cool enough to handle.

In a small saucepan, heat remaining ingredients to boiling, stirring until smooth; remove from heat.

Cut cooled sweet potatoes crosswise into 1-inch-thick slices and arrange in shallow 3-quart ceramic or glass baking dish, overlapping slices if necessary.

Spoon butterscotch spice sauce evenly over potatoes. Bake uncovered, 20 minutes or until hot.

Each serving: About 210 calories, 2 g protein, 43 g carbohydrate, 4 g total fat (2 g saturated), 4 g fiber, 10 mg cholesterol, 175 mg sodium.

Diane Stevens is a print and online content writer/editor/consultant and is the editor of the INTEREST newsletter. She lives in Ahwatukee with her husband, Rick.

Growing up I never thought that I would write anything, let alone be a published author. When I was married in 2007, I heard a nudge at my heart; and when I answered, writing was my calling. People often ask how I have time to raise two kids under the ages of 2, contribute to my food blog four times a week, promote and market my book, plus keep up with our personal family blog, be a wife, clean the house and make dinner, let alone get dressed every morning. My answer is always, “God has blessed me with these talents and has given me just enough sanity to use them – oh, and the house is rarely completely clean!”

In my upcoming meeting with you, I cannot wait to share my story, hopefully inspire you with a few holiday ideas, and share some of my yummy recipes with you. Until then, I wish you all a family-filled Thanksgiving, and may God continue to watch over each of us.

MPCC's own Jaclyn Douma has a website dedicated to her cookbook (http://www.a-sugarnspice-life.com/ ) and blog featuring recipes and ideas called Honey Crust (http://passion2crave.blogspot.com/).She is also a recent winner of a Philadelphia Cream Cheese Contest and has been featured in many food articles.

Through giving away knitted and crocheted shawls, this ministry seeks to give comfort to those who are grieving or hurting. If you like to knit or crochet, we could use your help. We are still teaching but those who already know how to do these crafts are much needed. Our group as small as it is has been doing amazing things and the response from the recipients is very humbling and heartwarming. They truly do comfort those who need that extra TLC. Attendance at the monthly meetings is not required.

The Prayer Shawl Group meets for a light potluck lunch and to make shawls on the second Sunday of each month. For questions or more information, email Dara or call 480-460-1386. Until we meet again, keep those needles clickin’ or those hooks hookin’. :)  God bless y’all !!!

The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequalled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle, or the ship; the axe had enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years, with large increase of freedom. No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility and Union. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the city of Washington, this third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the independence of the United States the eighty-eighth.

Join us for lunch at the Elephant Bar Restaurant, 3405 W. Chandler Blvd (across from Chandler Mall, south side of Chandler Blvd., next to Chase Bank). Elaine has four buy-one-get-one-free coupons to share!

RSVP before Sunday, November 6, to Elaine Halvorson 
(480-759-1874). Look forward to seeing you all there!

There are over 45 vendors, and the timing of the crafts show is ideal for holiday gift buying. The show occurs the week before our annual H2H golf outing/silent auction/banquet.

In addition, Empower will have a booth of handcrafted items donated by talented members, with 100% of all proceeds going to Heart to Honduras. So, ladies, start your creative engines and bring your ideas and samples to Empower for feedback (we’re looking for top quality items the public will likely purchase for holiday decorating and gift giving). Unsold items will be donated to a local charity. We will gladly accept bake-sale goodies as well for the Bake Sale table.

For questions about the boutique, contact Denise Strickland.

Upcoming Empower AM opening segments are:

Nov 3 - Devotion - Amy Caron

Nov 10 - Story - Sheila Waits

Nov 17 - Worship Team

Nov 23-24 -  Thanksgiving Holiday - no Empower

It may seem a bit early to think about Christmas, but Operation Christmas Child is in full swing. MPCC partners with Samaritan's Purse to ship gift-filled shoeboxes to needy children overseas while sharing the good news of God's love with the children and their families.

Please consider packing a decorated shoebox or two with such items as small toys, school supplies, and hygiene items. You'll be amazed how much you can fit in a shoebox! Watch for information tables outside the MPCC lobby on Nov. 6 to get free toothbrushes, toothpaste, and premade gift boxes. Bring your packed shoeboxes to MPCC between Nov. 13 and 20.

Please contact Beth Blythe, 480-753-3730, with any questions or to volunteer to help with collections. Thank you for making a difference!

Thanks to Kara Jensen for her talent in putting slide show together.

• ·         Restaurant review
• ·         Shopping tips
• ·         Decorating tips
• ·         Favorite couponing ideas
• ·         Book recommendation/review
• ·         Marriage tips
• ·         Health and beauty tips
• ·         Parenting tips
• ·         Interesting links
• ·         Favorite scripture and why

Whether you want to contribute just one time or regularly, we would like to share your ideas with the women of MPCC and our friends. Send your submissions to Diane Stevens. Deadlines are the 20^th of each month for the following month.

Preheat oven to 425˚.
In a bowl, stir together potatoes and 1-2 tbsp. olive oil to coat, season with salt and pepper. Spread potatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet; roast until tender and golden, about 18 to 22 minutes.
Squeeze pulp from the roasted garlic cloves into a small bowl; whisk in 1/4 cup olive oil until smooth. Season with salt.
Heat BBQ grill to 400˚.
On a floured work surface, roll out pizza dough into 10” round or rectangle. Transfer to an oil-coated flat surface to place dough onto the grill. Grill pizza dough for just a few minutes and top the grilled side in this order: roasted garlic oil, cheese, potatoes, and rosemary. Grill pizza for just a few minutes, watch carefully.  You can cook the pizza on a stone too!

“So what I came to say, and what I’m tellin’ ya, is don’t be buyin’ that stupid stuff they be sellin’ ya. It’s all designed to fill your head and waste your space until you’re dead. Here’s the bottom line to my rhyme. Give your life to God, while there’s still time.”

But life doesn’t just stop. Time keeps on ticking. When you choose to delay making a decision, you have still made a decision. It may be days, weeks, months or even years before you finally figure out that you have missed a lot of life. Your kids are grown and no longer want to have a relationship with you. Your spouse has left you and found someone else. You never got the chance to tell your parents you forgave them before they died. You can’t go back and do it again. You can only pick up from where you are now and start again.

You’ve probably seen the poem “Footprints” (also known as “I had a Dream”), which tells the story of Jesus carrying His child through the hardest parts of the journey of life. Thankfully, God does carry His children, because there have been times in my life that I know I wouldn’t have made it without Him.

Other times just surviving from one moment to the next can be a struggle. We crawl through life using everything we’ve got just to keep our head above water. At those times, I learned, I have to take one day at a time. Not thinking too far into the future, but focusing on what needs to be done for just this day. I focus on myself and getting better because I know that if I can’t take care of myself, I won’t be a help to anyone else.

Scripture teaches us God doesn’t want us to stay down. Once we are able to stand on our own two feet He wants us to start walking. To “step out in faith,” often means trying something new and trusting that God is leading us. Should I take that job offer? Sell the house and move? Reconcile that strained relationship? These are choices we can make trusting Him to direct the course of our lives.

The theme of Mountain Park’s women’s retreat a few months ago was “The Race of Faith.” It’s a beautiful concept: when we join with other Christians as a community of believers, we are no longer traveling on our own. There is safety to be found in numbers. Just knowing that you’re not alone brings tremendous comfort. Often it gives us the strength we need to keep going.

Scripture says, and I believe, when God is on your side, nothing can hold you back or keep you down. We were created to glorify God! He wants us to fly! He has given us wings to take flight and soar above the storms. God gives us a higher perspective that allows us to live beyond our circumstances. This is what it means to live a victorious life in Christ. Let us live every day in that knowledge. God will not abandon us in our troubles. He will accompany with every moment of the journey whether He has to carry us in His arms or under His wings. 

This story was inspired by Psalms 124:6-8 of The Message:
Oh, blessed be God! 
He didn’t go off and leave us. 
He didn’t abandon us defenseless, 
helpless as a rabbit in a pack of snarling dogs. 
We’ve flown free from their fangs, 
free of their traps, free as a bird. 
Their grip is broken; 
we’re free as a bird in flight. 
God’s strong name is our help, 
the same God who made heaven and earth.

Elisa Urquiza lives in Ahwatukee with her husband, Art, and their two children, Devon (11) and Tristan (8).

“This Little Light of Mine” Lyrics 

There’s a little flame inside us all
Some shine bright, some shine small
The rains will come and the waters rise
But don’t you ever lose your light
In this life you will know
Love and pain, joy and sorrow
So when it hurts, when times get hard
Don’t forget whose child you are

This little light of mine
I’m gonna let it shine
This little light of mine
I’m gonna let it shine, gonna let it shine

May you live each day with no regret
Make the most of every chance you get
Let your eyes get wide when you look at the stars
With the same sense of wonder as a child’s heart
With the ones you love treasure the time
And for those who are gone keep their memories alive
Hold on to your dreams don’t ever let go
There’s a fire inside you burning with hope

There will be days when you want to give up
When the clouds settle in
But after the rain comes the sun
Don’t you ever forget
One day there will be no more pain
And we will finally see Jesus’ face
So until then I’m gonna try
To brave the dark and let my little light shine

There’s a little light inside us all

Matthew 5:14-16: You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Mutsumi is a pianist and MPCC Empower Worship Leader residing in the Ahwatukee area.

Invite your female co-workers, neighbors, family and friends to our annual Exhale Happy Hour-and-a-Half event in the MPCC lobby. This year's theme is "LBD Affair" (*Little Black Dress) and it’s all about fashion. Lori Davis will provide fashion makeovers for several women who will be presented clothing and accessory tips, with an emphasis on casual to fancy holiday dressing. Several lucky ladies from the crowd will receive accessories that Lori has chosen “on the spot” for their outfits. Stylists and makeup consultants will be on hand to provide hairstyle tips and tricks and makeup advice. No, you do not have to wear a LBD (but you may) … just come as you are and expect a beautiful "safe for the unchurched" event with chocolate fountains, munchies, fashion tips, and special prizes. And it’s all free – a priceless bargain! For more information, contact Kim or Denise.

Women's Lunch Bunch-
October 3 , 1:00 pm

Join us at Biscuits, 4623 E. Elliott Rd. (SW corner 48th & Ellliott in the Safeway shopping center). Lunch items range rom $6.00 to $10.00. Please RSVP before Sunday, October 2, to Elaine Halvorson (480-759-1874). See you there! 

Lord I will bow to You

To no other God but You alone

Lord I will worship You

Nothing hands have made

But You alone

I will lay down my idols

And thrones I have made

All that has taken my heart

Lord I will bow to you

To no other God but You alone

This song, sung by the “Women of Faith” singers, caught my ears and my heart several years ago. It’s a simple message written to a beautiful tune and struck me so much I chose to walk down the aisle to this song at my wedding 7 years ago. Looking back, I ask myself if I’ve forgotten my “vow” to bow to the one and only God and no one else. What “idols” have I created in my life and now worship - financial stability, job, etc.?

A few years into my marriage, motherhood seemed to become my #1 priority and even superseded being a Godly wife to my husband. Now that I have two sons, the youngest 5 months old, I struggle with this most — putting God first. In my head and heart, He is first, yet, do my actions show that He is? I want to spend my first waking moments with God reading and mediating on His Word – but with my 5 month-old waking me up at midnight, 2 and 4 am, I use that as an excuse not to get up early enough to spend quiet time with my Heavenly Father. I still read the Bible during the day or at the end of the day, but I feel like I am “squeezing in” time for the most important relationship of my life!

As I prepare the worship team to sing this song at September EMPOWER, I am recommitting to worship God and no other earthly gods. As I prayed during worship at the EMPOWER kickoff, I am striving to worship Him throughout my entire day no matter what I may be doing. Then, there’ll be more of Him and less of me. 

Mutsumi Mori is a pianist and MPCC Empower Worship Leader residing in the Ahwatukee area. 

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

When some event in our life has torn us apart or someone we love has broken our heart, when we feel trampled under the weight of our problems, we can have hope to survive the pain knowing that God loves us and will be right next to us.

Dressing:
¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained and minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups packed fresh basil, minced
1 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
¾ cup olive oil
1 ½ pounds tomatoes, peeled, seeded and minced
(dip for about 10 seconds into boiling water to loosen the peel)
6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

Cook pasta, drain, rinse in cold water, drain. 
Cut snow peas in half; add to pasta with mushrooms and olives; toss. 

To make dressing, combine sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, basil, cheese, vinegar, salt and pepper. Whisk in olive oil. Stir in tomatoes.

OR

In food processor, mince sun-dried tomatoes and garlic. Add basil and cheese, process to coarsely ground. Add tomatoes and pulse 3 or 4 times. Mix pasta mixture and dressing together. Sprinkle feta cheese on top. 

Can be prepared the day before.

The reality is that I am not that different from my children. I hear God's voice, and sometimes I tune Him out because it is untimely or conflicts with my plans. After a few repeated nudges, I sometimes respond begrudgingly and put minimal effort in to get the job done so I can check it off my extremely large to-do list, a list that I have created, not Him. I'm certain you can relate.

The harsh truth is that delayed or partial obedience is not obedience at all, it is disobedience. Our willingness to obey is a posture of the heart and should pour out freely as an overflow of our love for God. In John 14:15, Jesus said to his disciples, "If you love me, you will obey what I command." He goes on to say in verses 23-24, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with Him. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me." If we love Him, we will obey Him. If we don't obey Him, we don't love Him. These are painful truths to hear, especially because I love the Lord with my entire heart. But why is it so hard to obey Him? 

There are many reasons why we don't obey. Sometimes, the call comes at a time that is inconvenient or conflicts with our own plans or desires. Other times, God asks to do something that is difficult or scary, so we don't respond out of fear. Still other times, it's because we simply don't know or trust that God is preparing us for something much better than what we are unwilling or afraid to give up. The truth is that not trusting God is really a symptom of not knowing God — knowing that He is good, faithful, merciful, loving and has great plans for our lives. When I hesitate to respond to God's voice, I can almost hear him asking me, "Don't you know that I love you and want what is best for you? Don’t you trust me?" In my head, I know. But sometimes I'm stubborn, prideful or afraid, and I simply let it interfere with my ability to know and believe the truth and respond accordingly. I need a change of heart, and I need to trust Him more.

David was known as a man after God's own heart. He was a faithful and obedient servant. He provides us with a wonderful example of what it is to align our love and obedience. David so beautifully wrote in Psalm 119:33-37, "Teach me, O LORD, the way of your statutes; and I will keep it to the end. Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart. Lead me in the path of your commandments, for I delight in it. Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain! Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways." Let this be the prayer on each of our hearts as we seek to know Him, trust Him, and obey Him.

Perhaps you need a retreat so that you can get quiet and hear from God, or get to know Him better?  Join us for our upcoming "Living a Free Life" weekend wellness retreat October 28-30 in Oracle, AZ. Click here for more information.  

Dawn Rutledge serves in the yoga ministry at MPCC and is the founder of The Living Well Retreats and The Center for Living Well. Her life purpose is to help individuals find healing and wholeness in Christ through wellness classes, workshops, and retreats that fully integrate the heart, soul, mind, and body.

I don’t know about you, but I come with baggage! I carry around with me the hurts, embarrassments, and disappointment of my life so far and they have transformed themselves into backpacks and bags of self-doubt and insecurity. I am not alone, and just in case you can’t relate, God has given us a prime example.

There was a very tall man named Saul (I mention this because tall always intimidates me), the Bible calls him impressive, unlike any other man but he came from the smallest tribe. Samuel was directed by God to find Saul as he would be the next king of Israel but Saul was on a mission to find lost donkeys. God changed Saul’s heart and gave him the ability to prophesy, and people from his hometown asked, “Who is his father?” (Who does he think he is?) The moment had arrived when all the tribes were gathered and Samuel was about to make the announcement…but where was Saul? It was his defining moment…he was hiding among the baggage. Don’t miss this: here is a guy who is hand-picked by God to be the king of Israel, a tall, dark and handsome stud with everything going for him, and he was suffering from serious, debilitating insecurity. He chose to dwell among his own baggage than to be front and center as the king. 

What baggage are we hiding behind instead of pursuing our destiny as children of the King? What defining moment will pass us by because we aren’t smart enough or brave enough or educated enough or beautiful enough or just plain not enough? You are chosen by the Lord, a child of the King, with everything going for you. Step away from the bags!

You have a room at the palace. Unpack and settle in.

Mindy leads one of the women's Bible studies at MPCC. She and her husband of 17 years, Jim, live in Ahwatukee with their 10-year old son, Logan.

Are you hoping to break a cycle of relationships that is not in your best interest while creating new ones in which your strength is celebrated and your weakness is safely protected?

F.A.I.T.H. Group uses a working guide called "HURT to HEAL" for women who seek God's grace and healing from the hurts of life. It includes biblical principles and contemporary, current experiences. The goal is to strengthen and encourage your journey toward lasting change and renewal. Ultimately, you can begin helping others to experience the same.

F.A.I.T.H. Group invites you to choose freedom and to trust God in the midst of your pain and questions. First, we commend you that you would consider participating in this small group study. That, in and of itself, is monumental! If we insist on waiting until the pain and doubt go away before trusting God, we’ll never do it. God never promised pain-free lives in this sin-stained world. But He has promised to be with us and to comfort and strengthen us in the midst of our pain.

Weekly classes start Wednesday, September 7, at 6:30 pm at MPCC. For further information, visit our website or email Hurt to Heal.

Total time 30 minutes 
Makes 4 

16 thin bread and butter pickles slices, patted dry
4 – 4” buns, buttered and toasted
1 ½ pounds ground beef (30% fat)
Salt and fresh ground pepper
1 small onion sliced paper thin
4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, slices 

Heat a cast iron griddle on a barbeque grill until very hot.
Layer pickle slices on the bottom of buns.
Without overworking the meat, loosely form it into 4 balls and place them on the griddle.
Cook the meatballs over moderately high heat for 30 seconds. 
Using a large, sturdy spatula, flatten each ball into a 5” round patty. 
Season with salt and pepper and cook for 2 minutes, until seared.
Press a handful of sliced onions onto each patty. Using the spatula, carefully flip each burger so the onions are on the bottom.
Top with cheese and cook for 2 minutes. Cover with a roasting pan and cook just until cheese is melted, 1 minute more.
Transfer burgers with the onions to the buns and serve!

In the ESV, it says that Jesus anointed the man’s eyes with the mud. Jesus didn’t just slather it on like some first-century spa treatment. He anointed the man. Anointed – consecrated, made sacred, sanctified, taken for use, called for divine service with mud made from spit. Jesus used gunk to make this man sacred, to call him to the divine. 

This man had a choice when Jesus applied the spit-mud to his eyes. He could freak out and run away or he could trust Jesus and see the situation through. He could get angry at Jesus for the gunk, blame Jesus for the gunk, and allow the gunk to separate him from Jesus. Or, he could choose to let Jesus transform the gunk into an anointing, into something that would make him sacred. 

We are all broken. We all have gunk. You have gunk. What choice are you making with your gunk? Are you freaking out, running away, getting angry, blaming Jesus, and letting it separate you from your Savior? Or, are you trusting Jesus, seeing it through, and letting Jesus transform it into your anointing? 

If you read the story, you will find that the gunk did not heal the man’s brokenness. The gunk was the anointing. What healed him was his trust and obedience. Jesus anointed the man’s eyes with the spit-mud and then told him to go and wash in the Pool of Siloam. Siloam is the Greek variation of the Hebrew word Shiloah, which means Sent. This particular pool is actually a mikvah near the temple. It was used to cleanse, purify, and make holy those who washed in it so they could enter the temple. It was a baptismal pool. And this pool was fed by the Spring of Gihon, which means bursting forth. It is fed by living water that is bursting forth. 

The man was cleansed and purified of this gunk in the baptismal pool of the Sent that is fed by Living Water that is bursting forth. He was made holy, not so that he could enter the Jewish temple, but so that his brokenness could be healed, his blindness removed, his eyes opened. So he could become the temple. When the disciples asked Jesus why this man was born blind, Jesus said that it was so the works of God could be displayed in him (verse 3). So that he could be anointed, made sacred, called into use. This man’s brokenness prepared him for the gunk that would be his anointing. 

We are all broken. We all have gunk. Our brokenness prepares us for the gunk. The gunk is inevitable. We live in a gunky world. But, for those who trust and follow through, Jesus can use this gunk as an anointing that leads to a purification that makes us into a temple of the Holy Spirit. God’s presence dwelling within you. 

You are broken. You are blind. You have gunk. And you have a choice. You can freak out and run away from Jesus or you can trust Him, let Him use it as an anointing, and see it through until He purifies you of it. He is the Living Water bursting forth. We are the Sent. Here’s what it ultimately comes down to: We all need Him; many of us want Him; but few of us choose Him. 

What will you do with your choice? 

Jennifer Miller, M.A., L.P.C., a Christian pastor, counselor and speaker, has led many workshops and Bible studies at MPCC. She lives in Chandler with her husband and two children.

James 1:5 — “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”

Let’s face it, sometimes we just have to ask the dumb question. We know it might be perceived by others as less than intelligent but we have to ask anyway. What kind of response do we get? Rolling of the eyes, a big deep sigh, perhaps occasionally there is laughter. Translation, the verdict is in; it really was a dumb question.

We process information in three stages. First is knowledge: “I know the stove is hot because I can see the red burner”. Second is understanding: “I understand that if I touch the stove, it will hurt because I will get burned. And finally, wisdom: “I will decide not touch the stove”. This is an obvious example and I am sure we are all wise enough to make the right decision in this case. Unfortunately, the choices in life are not always as simple or obvious as this one. Maybe the answer is obvious to others who are not as close to the situation (certainly, they are not wiser than we are), but it is not apparent to us and we have to make the choice. There is a right answer and God has it.  

When faced with a challenge where the answer is unclear, run through the process. What do you know? What do you understand based on that knowledge? Does that understanding prompt an obvious decision? If not, pray for wisdom. God promised to give it to you; all you have to do is ask and believe and He will make the right choice clear to you.  

You Have to Ask if You Want the Answer.

Mindy leads one of the women's Bible studies at MPCC. She and her husband of 17 years, Jim, live in Ahwatukee with their 10-year old son, Logan.

Are you looking for a women's small group and live near east Chandler? A new biweekly Bible study for women will be held at the home of Leatha Frank. The Bible study is Beth Moore's "Stepping Up" video series. For more information, contact Leatha.

The Prayer Shawl Group will meet for a light potluck lunch and to discuss changing the meeting to 1:00 pm on the second Sunday of each month.

Volunteers are needed for WNL dinners:
Beginning August 16: prepare meals every Tuesday from noon-3:00 pm.
Beginning August 17: serve and clean-up every Wednesday from 4:00-7:30 pm.

Feel free to come for an hour or stay longer. For more information or to sign up, contact Rita Puckett. No experience required except a willing heart to serve others.

Empower launches its fall semester on August 17 and 18. Large group opening segments include a variety of worship, devotionals and personal stories followed by a choice of small group options. Childcare is provided.

 Empower AM — Thursdays, 9:30 am
Class size is limited to 25. You can register and purchase study materials in the lobby on August 7, 14 and 18. Study choices are:
(1) Beth Moore’s video series on “Revelation” led by Sarah Paschke. Book is $15.
(2) Beth Moore’s video series on “Daniel” led by Kim Knight. Book is $20.
(3) Jennifer Miller will be teaching “Faith Out Loud”: learning to live with more transparent faith. Book is $8.
(4) Rita Puckett will be facilitating “The Whole Shebang II – Revisited”, discussing Sunday messages and related scriptures.

Empower PM — Wednesdays, 6:30 pm
Dinner is an option from 5:45-6:30pm with prior reservations at Rita Puckett. Study choices are:
(1) Beth Moore’s video series on “Daniel” led by Mindy Mikrut. Books are $20.
(2) Jennifer Miller will be teaching “Revolutionize Your Parenting” and the faith and marriage sections of “Home Life Revolution.” Love and Logic book will be available for purchase.

He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields with fire. "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

Ever feel like you just don’t have any fight left in you? You have been battling this war for days, months, years and you feel like it is just never going to end. Will you ever get the victory? Will you ever be able to rest? When will the chaos end? When will the storm stop? When will there be peace?

Just stop. Stop worrying, Stop talking. Stop complaining. Stop scheming and planning. Stop thinking. Just stop everything for a minute. Turn off the TV or the radio. Turn off the phone and the computer. Just stop. Find a quiet place alone. Listen. Wait.

What do you hear? If your mind is still racing, try to slow it down. Take a deep breath and just breathe. Again. Think about God. Think about how big He is. Picture him 100 feet tall. Think about how powerful He is; He controls it all. Think about the fact that He knows…it all. Listen. What is He saying? What has He always said? What does His word say?

He is God. He is our God. He is my God. He has my very best interest at heart. He will see me through any war, battle, trial, challenge, or issue. He is so much bigger than the problem that I have allowed to grow and consume me. He can be trusted. I have neglected to know God. I have forgotten who He is and what He can do.

Maybe the whole point is to stop fighting and let God fight for us. The rest and shelter we seek is in God. He will destroy the weapons that threaten us. He has the protection, the answers, and the solutions we need. He wants us to know Him and all His power. He longs to demonstrate His power in a tangible way so His name is exalted here in the earth.

Be still and leave the REST up to God

Mindy currently leads Summer Empower PM at MPCC. She and her husband of 17 years, Jim, live in Ahwatukee with their 10-year old son, Logan.

6 ears of corn / remove husk and soak in water

1 lime

Olive oil

2 Tbsp or more chopped basil

Salt and Pepper

1. Remove the corn from the water and grill until charred.
2. Zest the lime into a small bowl; add the juice of the lime and an equal amount of olive oil.  Add chopped basil, and salt and pepper to taste.
3. Place the corn in a shallow baking dish.  Drizzle the lime mixture over the corn and roll the corn until completely covered. 

The crisp can be made up to 4 hours ahead

One serving: 268 cal, 11 gm fat, 4.0 gm sat fat, 43 gm carb, 5.9 fiber

Active: 15 mins.; Total: 1 hr.

After taking a moment to recover from the initial shock, and telling myself not to be put off by her comment, it dawned on me that people assume when you’re "religious, that you have a lot of rules to follow: "I can't do this"; "I can't say that"; "I can't go there." I guess I really am a stickler for following the rules. In fact, one of my favorite mottos to use with my kids is: “Rules are there for a reason.” Maybe you can relate?

My husband likes to say that I am a black and white thinker. It’s either right or wrong, no in-between. I do hold myself to a pretty high level of accountability because I’m not living for myself. I live to please God with my life and my choices every day. But that doesn’t mean I always get it right. 

So much of what God wants to do in our lives happens outside of what we want our life to be. You can’t put God in a box like that and then expect Him to go along with your plans. Because the truth of the matter is that we don’t have an answer for everything. That’s what I told my friend who called. I rely on God to get me through one thing at a time.

Galatians 2:20-21 — "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”

Elisa lives in Ahwatukee with her husband, Art, and their two children, Devon (11) and Tristan (8).

After I checked my bags three more times for the key, I called my husband. No answer. I sent him a text. No reply. I called his work phone. No answer. I called his cell phone again – maybe he didn’t hear it the first time. Still no answer. When I went back out to the car and tried to stick a metal hanger through the window I had left cracked open, I nicked my window tint, and decided it probably wasn’t the smartest thing to be doing. By the time my husband called me an hour later, I had worked myself into a frenzy. “Did you get my message?!” “Yes, Lisa,” he said, calm as a cucumber. “What do you need?”

How is it that men always stay so unaffected during emergencies? I told him I locked my car key in the trunk and my spare key was in my gym bag, which was also in the trunk. I needed him to come right away because it was already 10 a.m., and I had to pick up the kids at 2 p.m. or he’d have to do it and I’d be stuck at the office all night. To which he replied, “So you’re at the office?” Hadn’t I already said that?! “Lisa, why do you always do this?” he asked. “Do what?” I wondered, completely clueless. “Freak out about little stuff like this,” he said. “This really isn’t a big deal. I’ll swing by the house and see if I can find a spare key and head over to your office around lunch time. If I can’t get your door open, we’ll call AAA to come and open it for you.”

Aren’t we women like that at times? We become anxious. We fret. We try to handle it on our own. We lose our minds and act like idiots. I know I’m not supposed to worry; I own the whole Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff series. I’ve memorized Matthew 6:25 where Jesus says, “Therefore I tell you do not worry about your life…” We get impatient for God to answer our prayers, but sometimes in times of stress, I forget.

My husband came to my office and took care of the key problem in just minutes. He invited me to lunch, but I was much too busy since I had spent so much time worrying about it. That evening I shared the story with our kids and portrayed their father as the hero who came to my rescue and saved the day.

This Father’s Day I’m thankful that God has given me a husband who helps me to grow my character. My husband reminds me that I’m not perfect and need to stop trying to convince myself that I am. He reminds me that God wants us to believe Him when He says that everything will work out okay. The Bible tells us in Philippians 4:6-7: “Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” We can all learn to lean more on God and let Him help us deal with even our daily frustrations.

Elisa lives in Ahwatukee with her husband, Art, and their two children, Devon (11) and Tristan (8).

1 cup orzo
About 1/2 tsp. salt for boiling water
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp. olive oil
8 asparagus spears, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 cup packed fresh spinach
Juice of 1 large lemon
1/3 cup feta cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste

1. In a medium sauce pan, bring 4 cups of water to boil. Add the salt. Stir in orzo. Cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain orzo and set aside.

2. In a small sauce pan, saute garlic in olive oil. Add in asparagus pieces. Saute for 3-4 minutes. Stir in spinach. Cook until asparagus is tender and the spinach shrinks down.

3. Put the orzo in a medium bowl and add in the vegetables. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the orzo and vegetables. Stir. Season with salt and pepper. Taste-add more lemon juice if you wish.

4. Sprinkle feta cheese over the top of the salad. Serve warm. (I also liked the salad cold.)

Serves 4.

Kim is a frequent contributor to the INTEREST newsletter and is active with EMPOWER Women's Ministry and the Career Transition Team at MPCC. Kim and her husband, Dale, have lived in Ahwatukee for six years.

In 1910, Dodd asked the Spokane Ministerial Alliance to recognize her father's birthday (June 5) as a day to celebrate fatherhood. The Alliance settled on the third Sunday of the month. While Father's Day was widely recognized in Spokane and gained support from the YMCA and YWCA, it took decades for the holiday to catch on nationwide. The general public viewed Father's Day as another meaningless holiday to fill up the calendar.

Over the years, it gained recognition from such political figures as William Jennings Bryan, Woodrow Wilson, and Calvin Coolidge. In 1966, Lyndon Johnson publicly announced that Father's Day would take place on the third Sunday of June. It was not until 1972 that Richard Nixon authorized Father's Day as an official American holiday.

excerpted from http://www.fathersday.org/history/

2 Corinthians 1:3-5 (NIV)

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.

Have you ever had one of those days? Has the day grown into a week or a month? Things seem to be going from bad to worse and you are just struggling to survive it? I have to confess that I have had a few such days recently; the trouble was mounting and I was struggling to stay afloat.

The funny thing about trouble is that is often starts as a small little nit that you later learn was just the tip of the iceberg. The discomfort brings all of our insecurities to the surface and we start to doubt those things that we know to be true. We know God promised that He wouldn’t give us more than we could handle, but we are sure He has us mixed up with someone else at the moment.

The challenge is to be thankful. I know, it sounds absurd, but it is true. When looking back at other challenges in my life, I see that those are the times that God used to change me, my character, my commitment, my attitude, and my focus. It is in these times that our Heavenly Father gathers us up on his lap and wraps his loving arms around us. He holds us close and whispers gently while stroking our head; He calms our fear. It is in these times of trouble that God comforts, encourages, and changes us. Is there any more intimate experience between a father and child? It is here, in His protection, that we learn to be grateful for the mountain top experiences and understand that yes, the lowest valleys are the life-changing moments that may be the most important moments we live.

Are you going through some trouble right now? Turn to God; He is your Father and is waiting to comfort you. Have you been through some trouble in the past? Use your experience to comfort and encourage others. What a blessing we can be by turning our experiences into opportunities to see beyond ourselves and heal the hurt of a brother or sister in Christ.

Life is Hard, but God is Good.

Mindy leads one of the women's Bible studies at MPCC. She and her husband of 17 years, Jim, live in Ahwatukee with their 10-year old son, Logan.

1 c fresh blackberries or raspberries
1 c pitted, sliced fresh peaches
4 tsp fresh orange juice
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp whole wheat or multi-grain flour
3 tbsp rolled oats
2 tbsp brown or turbinado sugar
4 tsp canola oil
2 tsp honey
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
slivered almonds for topping

Heat oven to 375. Coat four 4-oz ramekins with cooking spray. Combine berries, peaches, juice and vanilla in small bowl and mix well. In separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients (except almonds) and mix until moist and crumbly. Spoon fruit mixture into ramekins; scatter crumb mixture evenly over the top of each and sprinkle with almonds. Bake 15-20 minutes or until fruit bubbles and top is golden brown.

Blessings

By Laura Story

We pray for blessings
We pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us, is way too much to give us lesser things

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

We pray for wisdom
Your voice to hear
And we cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough
All the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we’d have faith to believe

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
And what if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win
We know the pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home,
It’s not our home

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy
And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise

• Feb 23 - Mindy Mikrut tells her story (PM)
• Feb 24 - Cindy Galowitch tells her story (AM)
• Mar 2/3 - Baby shower/speakers for Crisis Pregnancy Center
• Mar 9/10 - Amy Caron teaches
• Mar 16/17 - NO EMPOWER - SPRING BREAK
• Mar 23 - Kathleen Ion tells her story (PM)
• Mar 24 - Meet the POM team (AM)
• Mar 25-26 - Exhale 2011: The Race of Faith (Register now)
• Mar 31 - Mary Delarosa speaks on love; Dawn Rutledge talks about Sojourners

For more information click CONNECT or call 480-664-4336.

This newsletter seeks to provide "non-commercial" information of interest to our women readers and your creative contributions are valuable to us, so send your thoughts and announcements to Interest. We'd love to know what you think of this enewsletter and appreciate any suggestions for making it more relevant.

• Jan 5/6 "Wise ways to save" with Alexis Spence & Karen Benton
• Jan 12/13 Margo Schramm shares her story
• Jan 19/20 Sojourners

Other events of interest:    

• 1/3 Lunch Bunch - 1pm
• 1/5 Empower PM resumes (dessert) - 7pm
• 1/6 Empower AM resumes (brunch) - 9am
• 1/11 Prayer Shawl gatherings

For more information click CONNECT or call 480-664-4336.

This newsletter seeks to provide "non-commercial" information of interest to our women readers and your creative contributions are valuable to us, so send your thoughts and announcements to Interest. We'd love to know what you think of this enewsletter and appreciate any suggestions for making it more relevant.

If you would be willing to help with either of these tasks, once a week or once a month, sign up (click here) or register at the Empower table in the lobby on Jan 2 or Jan 9.

Come enjoy the fellowship while serving others, whether you can help for just an hour or can stay longer. It's not just for women - men and students are welcome, too, and we will gladly train you.

Pumpkin Dessert

• 1 large (29 oz) can of pumpkin
• 12 oz can of evaporated milk
• 1 c sugar
• 3 eggs (beaten)
• 1 t cinnamon
• 1 t nutmeg (optional)
• 1 yellow cake mix
• 1 c melted margarine
• Chopped nuts

Line baking sheets with foil. In saucepan bring sugar, juice and zest to a boil, while stirring. Boil 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in pecans: pour onto baking sheets. Let stand until firm. To serve, break into pieces.