"The world to see Your life in me"

It can be painful being single. Sometimes making big decisions on your own can be painful. I waited nine months to buy my home after saving for the down payment because I thought buying a house was something you did after you were married, not as a single 22 year old. Heck, it can even be painful to make small decisions on your own! I cried IN Costco last week. I’m fine. I just have a hard time re-entering into the western world, too many choices. It can be painful to encounter and process a developing nation’s culture on your own. It can be painful when someone asks, “Why are you still single?”

These things are painful, but fruitful. It hurts so good! Every time I talk my way out of a traffic ticket in TZ, I see growth. Every time I fight lies that I am forgotten and not cared about in the States while I’m in TZ and choose to seek the truth that I am loved, I see growth. All of the time I spend alone in my room praying about big decisions, I see growth and new confidence. Every time I answer the, “why are you single” questions, I see growth and new confidence. Painful. Fruitful.

I am all about women’s rights. A couple years ago, Always had an ad that focused on, “When did the saying, like a girl become an insult.”

I live in a country where there is a very dim view of women. Most of them are seen as someone to fetch water, do the cooking, and have babies. No thank you. We were made to do so much more than that! Let us vote. Pay us what you would pay a guy.   Acknowledge our knowledge. We are made in His image. As women, we can share the gospel from a point of view unlike that of a man. We can take care of the orphan and widow differently than a man. We are fearfully and wonderfully made, fully equipped to better the world in which we live. Single. Married. Man. Woman. Doesn’t matter!

I throw like a girl. I hit like a girl. I fight like a girl. All of these are perfect because the world needs more girls and women being who God created them to be who aren’t worried about what others think of them standing in Costco crying. We women don’t have to be equal to guys in everything. I don’t care, nor will I ever care, that my 20 year old brother is better at building things, shooting, and driving than I am. I’m not saying I’m bad at any of these things. He’s just better. I can rock a baby to sleep like no one’s business. Natural talents.

The men in our world have a lot riding on their shoulders. I can’t image the stress placed on a guy when he thinks about being a topnotch provider for his wife and children. Gals, we need to be praying for men. Three areas that stand out to me to pray about are – wisdom, courage, and strength.

I have two main points I’m trying to make:

First: “Like a girl” should never be seen as a bad thing. There is a dang good reason God made both male and female.

Second: Being single shouldn’t stop you from doing ANYTHING. AT. ALL. Get out there.

As I was listing to an Eric Church song, “Record Year,” I got to thinking about my 2017. I think The Fresh Prince of Bel Air theme song does an excellent job of explaining how I feel my year has gone

                                                  “Now, this is a story all about

how my life got flipped-turned upside down.

And I’d like to take a minute, just sit right there,

I’ll tell you how I became the”….

…..volunteer coordinator at an orphanage in Arusha.

I hold babies and tell them how much God loves them. I hang out with volunteers and tell them about God’s faithfulness in my life. I sweat all the time because it’s hot in TZ. Sometimes I forget that I’m white. I’m learning another language. I moved to a new country. But, I think best of all, in 2017, I have a better grasp on my value as a single person. I am proud to share with you a few significant new personal records I’ve made this year. Even though at times it has been painful to reach these new records on my own, I recognize the fruit and realize who is always with me. Psalm 16:8 “I have set the Lord always before me, because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.”

74,072 miles flown

211 nights spent out of Montana

35 airplane rides

16 cities visited

10 churches visited

5 tearful airport goodbyes

4 travel visas

3 abandoned babies picked up

2 major holidays spent away from family

1 new love – Tanzania

“The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living soul.” Genesis 2:7

Our cow, Rosie, had her calf this afternoon! New life being born is always such an amazing thing to watch. I’ve never prayed over a cow more in my entire life. I was so worried this little babe wasn’t going to survive because it was Rosie’s first calf and the poor momma didn’t know what was going on. Thankfully, we have many staff members here who know what to do and how to help deliver the calf.

After a good deal of time, the guys were able to pull the calf out.  He wasn’t really breathing at first. As I was watching all of this unfold I saw Ramah, one of our great staff members at Neema, give a big breath of air into the new calf’s mouth. Tears. So many tears rolling down my face as I watched this sweet little calf come to life.

Watching Ramah do this, Genesis 2:7 came to life for me. I could see it now!  I could see God breathing life into us, making us living souls.

Let us never forget the giver and taker of each breath we are breathing.

“It’s Your breath in our lungs, so we pour out our praise.”                                                           – Great Are You Lord by All Sons & Daughters

Everyone, meet Larry!

It is very easy for me to sit at Neema and think I am in this magical world. But that’s not always real life. Real life is a 19 yo mom of a one month old with no job, no money, and no family who is living in a 5×8 room a friend is paying for. Real life is a man pointing a knife at you.

 

On Tuesday morning I was going with Ema, one of our amazing staff members, and Mariya, who is working in our MAP program, to go and check on this young mom to see about getting her in our outreach program and possibly helping her start her own business.  We gathered up rice, four, sugar, tea, and ugali and off we went to see her.

 

As we left Neema that morning, I climbed in the front seat because Ema was driving. As we were making the 45-minute drive over to this momma’s village I thought to myself, “I love when Ema drives. It’s a lot less stressful for me.” He always gets us to where we are going safely and I don’t have to be on the watch for motorcycles running into me, cows crossing the road, people walking into the car, or a billion other things. I could leave all of that to him to deal with and enjoy the ride!

 

So we were on the main road from Arusha to Kenya where we found ourselves stopped at a newly installed stoplight. Ema and I were talking about the stoplight and that it is nice that Arusha is getting more of these. Just as I was getting my phone out to take a picture of the stoplight I see out of the left hand corner of my eye a young man and a blind man walking towards the car. I continued to look straight ahead in hopes that if I acted like I didn’t notice them they would keep going.

 

My looking away didn’t work. He started asking for money and not in a kind way whatsoever. Ema was telling the man that this was no way to ask for help and no one would want to help him if this was the way he talked to people. Just as Ema was wrapping up this conversation, the man put his arm down on my window sill. Ema told him to not touch the car. (I’ll remind you that this was all said in Swahili so I’m sure I’m missing parts of what was said). As the man moved his arm away, he placed a knife pointed towards me on the window sill.

 

I have never sat so still in my entire life. I trust Ema and I knew in that moment I needed to let him handle it and all I needed to do was be still – to not freak out. While we were in the middle lane of a ton of traffic, Ema put the car in park and got out of the car yelling and running towards the man. The man ran to the side of the road and picked up a huge rock. I had the doors locked and my window up by this point. I cried out to Mariya, who was in the seat behind me, “What do I do?” – ‘cause I was fixin’ to haul butt to anywhere else. Before she could even answer me, Ema had run the guy off. Ema told me if the car hadn’t been parked in the middle of traffic he would have chased him down and….well… I’ll let you guess what he wanted to do to this man.

 

Ema got back in the car and we started off once more on our drive. I found myself biting my lip as tears rolled down my face. Maria had her hands on my shoulder from behind and Ema had his hand on my arm. Guys. This scared me. Life isn’t always about cute babies. It is about cute babies a lot of the time for me, but bad people are all around our world. It doesn’t matter if it’s a gunman in a church, a car driving through Big Bear, or a poor man trying to take five bucks with a knife. We must have our guard up at all times.

 

After seeing crazy knife man AGAIN the VERY NEXT day (this time I was able to very quickly drive away as he was staring at me), I started saying that I have a nemesis in Arusha. Then, today I was listening to “What a Beautiful Name” by Hillsong and got goose bumps as I sang along with the song, “You have no rival. You have no equal. Now and forever, our God reigns.” PREACH. We have so much power living in us as people who follow Christ and we have the gift of the Holy Spirit. Whatever it is you are facing, remember He has no rival and no equal. He has ALL of the power.

 

Real life is 19-year old moms who desperately need help. Real life is thinking multiple times a week, “At least I’m up-to-date on my tetanus shot.” Real life is kissing abandoned babies goodnight cause otherwise they wouldn’t have anyone else to do so. Real life is people begging for money with a knife. Real life is having a mountain of laundry staring at you. Real life is the stress of owning your own business.

 

Real life is hard. Though the nemesis we each face may look different, we can and should be praying for each other. Be praying especially for safety – for you and me and all of our loved ones.

 

 

I recently read about a girl’s need to decorate and it was explained as, “Being able to control one’s own environment.” Truth.  After reading that, my weird need to bring things from MT to TZ  made so much sense to me.  I’ve thrown myself into a whole new world (“A whole new world. A new fantastic point of view”) and being able to see my bedspread and pictures of loved ones when I walk in my room really helps me feel less freaked out.  Until I see a spider. Then I freak out and spend 30 minutes chasing it around my room because Lord knows I’m not falling asleep with that thing alive and within 100 feet of me.

So, here’s my cutie little room!

This is the view out my door.

This is the Blessings House where my bedroom is located.  I have the room in the back left corner.

I walk down this path about one million times per day.

I even took a picture of the grocery store where I shop.  The guy who works here is teaching me how to count.

Hope this gives you all a good visual of where I’m at!

 

Earlier this week I accidentally got some black mascara on my white and yellow bedspread. There’s no coming back from that. It will never be perfectly white and yellow again. I’ll forever look at this spot and remember that no one should try to apply make-up in a hurry while walking around their room.

 

Seven (Saba in Swahili: aren’t you all so proud that I’m working on the whole counting thing?!) hours later I was doing my daily devos and found myself reading Isaiah 1. While I was reading the first part of the chapter, all I could think of was, “This is why I don’t love reading in the Old Testament.” Everyone seems to be mad all the time and I can’t handle it when people are upset. Just when I was losing interest, I read “Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.” Ok, that verse started to pull me back in considering where I’m at and all. Then, I read verse 18: “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow, though they are red like crimson, they shall be like wool.”

 

Sin. I feel like I talk about this a lot so I’m sorry if you are sick of reading about it, but it’s kind of a big deal. The entire world literally changed forever when sin entered. I think we often view sin as this huge thing like murder, but sin is when you aren’t prayerfully spending your money. When you find yourself always wanting what others have. When you are gossiping about others. That’s sin: it pulls us away from God.

 

You are red like crimson and scarlet. Your life is stained. Some may only have a few spots here and there while others may feel like they are a big red fire-truck of sin rolling down the street. But then there’s Jesus. He makes us whole. His blood makes us white as snow.

 

One of my biggest fears is that people who are following after God are afraid to do big things for the Kingdom because of their past or daily sin. I am here to tell you that He doesn’t only MAKE us white as snow, but that He now SEES us as white as snow which means we have work to do. We have people to share the gospel with. We have orphans to love, adopt, and support. We have stains that can now be used as a tool and your tool will be a lot sharper when you start to see yourself the way God sees you.

 

I love my bedspread a little less because I stained it. I am why I can’t have nice things. But God doesn’t love you any less because you are stained. Please hear this! Please apply this to your own life! He looks at you like the perfect daughter you are. He looks at you like the perfect son you are. He sees you wholly – with sin and stains and everything else. He is making you Holy like Himself. Unlike my bedspread that I am unable to remove the stain from, He has the power to make you white as snow. No longer stained by sin.

 

So I’ll just be over here washing my bedspread with make-up remover for the 100^th time. Isn’t it pretty remarkable that God only had to shed His blood once for all of our sins?

 

 

Read and believe these lyrics

 

                                                    What can wash away my sin? 
                                                       Nothing but the blood of Jesus. 
                                                    What can make me whole again? 
                                                      Nothing but the blood of Jesus. 
                                                            O precious is the flow 
                                                    that makes me white as snow; 
                                                           no other fount I know; 
                                                    nothing but the blood of Jesus. 

Nope. Nope. Nope. If you had asked me ten months ago if I’d be living in TZ, I straight up would have thought you were crazy for even asking. Who leaves a great job, awesome family, and a wonderful church to move to a country where you CAN’T EVEN COUNT TO TEN?! I guess my answer would be, “Someone just like you.” Trust me. I’m nothing special. Like…not at all. I’m not saying this to be petty. I’m simply saying this to, hopefully, encourage you. If I can do it, so can you!

A common theme in my daily devotions the last couple weeks has been encouragement. Here are some verses. “May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow after Christ Jesus” – Romans 15:5.   “But encourage one another daily” – Hebrews 3:13

 

Two years ago I found myself being encouraged by Larissa (pictured) one evening while sitting in her living room after Bible study. That evening I expressed to her, “I would love to just move to Africa for a year.” She was the very first person to tell me, “Do it.”  I am forever thankful that she, prob not even knowing it at the time, changed my life. Talk about a big encouragement.

Evan (not pictured, husband of Larissa) is my pastor back in Montana. They have super awesome hearts for Jesus and they even took me on my very first mission trip. They’ve done an incredible job of encouraging me as I learn how to fuse my life and love for mission work together. Fun fact about them.  They are adopting a sweetie little girl from Ethiopia and they are within HOURS of going to pick their baby up. I remember the first time I prayed for their growing family and I AM SO EXCITED THE TIME HAS COME for their squad of 3 to become 4.

I am a person who has fears. I am a person who gets it wrong. I am nothing special. BUT! I am a person who is seeking after Jesus. I am a person who wants what He wants for my life. I am a person who surrounds herself with people who tell her to, “Move to Africa.”  I truly hope you surround yourself with people who encourage you and help you seek Jesus. Your “Africa” might look different than mine and that’s great.

Remember, we all have flaws and fears, but don’t let that stop you. As our dear friend Michael Scott once said, “Guess what? I have flaws. What are they? Oh, I don’t know. I sing in the shower. Sometimes I spend too much time volunteering. Occasionally, I’ll hit somebody with my car. So sue me.”

So, spend too much time volunteering. Hit someone with your car. Sing in the shower. Surround yourself with people who encourage you.

Find your Africa.

“God wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of truth” 1 Timothy 2:3 – 4

 

Truth. I believe Paul is talking about the many different truths that set people free. Knowing the truth that while we are still sinners, Christ came to save us. Before we got our lives together and before we felt worthy of His grace, forgiveness, and love, He came to die for us. The truth that God’s love is unfailing. There is nothing I can do to make Him love me less. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The truth that as our world spins out of control, Christ will win in the end. Once you know God as Savior, the door is wide open to all kinds of truths Jesus offers to us. These are truths that we need to know and understand to live a life which will change the world and bring glory to God.

 

Some days I need to be reminded of the truth that my sins are forgiven more than other truths because I feel like such a failure at living a life that is pleasing to Jesus. Other days I need the truth that God has a plan for my life.

 

A lot of people ask what I’m going to do once this first year at Neema is up. I believe it’s too soon for me to know. I used to get kind of upset when people would ask me this question because I don’t know what this up coming year will look like or what I’ll be thinking a year from now. Stop asking. It is stressful. Jesus opened my eyes a couple weeks ago to a truth I so badly needed to hear – everyone was asking because they care about me not because they thought I had it all together and knew what the next year would look like. I’m a female which means I have fears of being forgotten, left out, and replaced (I have more but I won’t take time to list them all). So it’s kind of silly that it took me this long to realize that people asking me this question WAS a way of my fears being kicked to the curb. I was asked this question two weeks ago and instead of saying my normal, “I’m not sure yet” instead what flowed out of my mouth as if it wasn’t even me speaking was “more Jesus.”

 

In this area of my life, I’m learning the truth of Psalm 37:4 -“Take delight in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” Here’s the CRAZY thing I’ve learned about this truth. I don’t always know the desires of my heart, but God does. I’m sure that seems weird. I mean, who doesn’t know their own heart’s desires? I do know myself, but I have also come to know the truth that my life runs a lot smoother when I hand my plans, my desires, my fears, my failures, my strengths, my everything over to Jesus. Seeking the truths of Christ helps weed out the desires that are from the world and brings to light the desires that are from God. I just need to keep saying “more Jesus”. Depending on the day, God will show me a new truth that I am in need of and I am so thankful for the various truths in my life that God shows me and reminds me of at just the right time.

 

I want to say thank you to everyone who has asked about the next couple years of my life. It means a lot to me that you care so KEEP ASKING (one day I’ll have an answer…maybe).

 

Here’s a truth I learned yesterday, all kids like to splash.

 

Have you heard the phrase, “It takes a village.”?  I’ve been seeing first hand what this saying truly means.  I often hear Dorris Fortson, founder and director of Neema Village, say, “It really does take a village to raise all of these children.” Neema Village is made up of forty-five Tanzanian staff, a team of five missionaries, and all of the wonderful groups of short-term volunteers who come from all over the world to serve at Neema. That’s a pretty big village.  Back home, I have also seen a village of people come alongside the college pastors from my home church as they have worked tirelessly over the last year and a half to adopt a sweetie little babe from Ethiopia. Whether in Africa or in America, God didn’t intend for us to do life alone. To get just about anything done now a days, it really does take a village.

A couple months ago, I was speaking at the Worden Open Bible Church. After I gave my PowerPoint presentation on Neema and the work I was going to do there this summer, Pastor Rick King took up a special offering for me. He said something to the congregation that really stood out to me and it has helped me understand why I have such a hard time asking people to partner with me in regard to finances. He said most people who go into full time missions have more of a naturally giving heart than most. Because of that naturally giving heart/personality, it’s very hard for them to ask for anything. So here I am not wanting to ask for help with anything, but also living with the reality that I can’t do this alone. Simply put. I need help. I need a village.

I will be very open and truthful regarding where I stand with my finances. If you aren’t aware, I have taken an unpaid position at Neema Village as their Volunteer Coordinator and Bookkeeper. I quit two super awesome (and well paying) jobs to do this because I know this is where God wants me to be. I am humbled every day by the work I’m doing at Neema and the realization that 43 beautiful children’s lives are being directly impacted by this work.

Would you also consider being part of my village with your finances and/or prayers?

Prayer and encouragement – I am forever thankful to everyone who has prayed for me. Please keep it coming! At times it can feel very lonely being so far away from my friends and family back home. I love it when I receive uplifting words from people in the States reminding me that I haven’t been forgotten. I was blown away each time Jesus brought just the right wonderful volunteer when I needed them to get me through a lonely spot.   I’m thankful for all of the friendships, both new and old, who will help see me through this next year. Speaking of which – maybe some of you will want to come and see me in Africa?!

Financially, I have two types of expenses – recurring monthly expenses and one-time purchases. My monthly budget is set at $2,000.00 which covers things such as food, housing, clothing, insurance, internet, phone, and other unknown monthly expenses which might come up. Currently, I have $225.00 of monthly support – ONLY $1,775 to go! My general fund budget is set at $12,000 of which I have $2000.00 so far. This fund covers one time expenses or bills for things such as doctor visits, supplies I’ll need for my year in Tanzania, airplane tickets, savings, etc.

Thanks to Provisional International being part of my village and allowing me to partner with them, your donations on my behalf are tax deductible! There are two ways you can make a monthly or one-time donation through Provision International

1) Checks can be made out to Provisional International with my name in the memo line and mailed to:

Provision International

P.O. Box 81694

Billings, MT 59108

2) Online donations (one time or recurring) can be made at the Provision International website using the following instructions:

1. Go to provisioninternational.org

2. Click on “DONATE” in the upper right hand corner.
3. Enter the amount of your donation and click on “GO.”
4. Click on the drop down menu next to the dollar amount. Scroll down and click on my name.
5. If you want this to be a recurring amount click the box right under the highlighted section. Choose the frequency and start date.
6. Enter the credit card information and card holder information. Or, you can click the “Use eCheck” button and enter the bank account information.
7. Click “Submit” at the bottom of the card holder/account holder information section.

If you are able to commit to a monthly/recurring donation and you would like a reminder or coupon book, please let me know and I’ll have my stateside assistant send you one. (Thanks, mom!)

On behalf of all the at-risk, abandoned, and orphaned children who live at Neema Village, THANK YOU! Partnering with me through your finances and prayers directly touches the lives of each of these children.

Keep an eye out for upcoming opportunities to attend speaking engagements and fundraising dinners where I will be selling miscellaneous things I brought back from Africa. If you can help me spread the word about Neema Village by scheduling me to speak at your home group, bible study, church, etc., let me know. I would love to talk to as many people in person as I can over the next 7 weeks before I leave for my year in Africa and then I’ll show you more cutie pictures of babies like the one below.

 

Do you ever feel unworthy? I do.  Everyday.  Of all the amazing people God has placed on this earth, why was I chosen to live the life I’m living?  Why did Jesus look at me and say, “She is going to be placed in this family, have these characteristic traits, and etc.” I’ve asked God why and this is what He has shown me.

In 2015, I went on my first mission trip which was to Guatemala with my church. Prior to going on the trip, we watched some videos which talked about poverty. Truthfully, those videos were very eye opening to the needs of people all around the world. One of the greatest needs in third world countries is clean drinking water. I remember busting out into tears one morning while sitting in the drive thru at Starbucks waiting for my coffee. In that moment, I cried out to Jesus and asked Him, “Why me?” This wasn’t the “woe is me” type of “why me” question. Instead, it was the type of “why me” which genuinely questioned why Jesus chose to place me here in the great life I live. Why wasn’t I the person living without clean drinking water? Why have I been given the life I have? As quickly as I asked why, Jesus spoke truth into my life. I sensed Him saying to me that I have been blessed so that I may be a blessing to others.

I have ALWAYS loved, loved, loved, worship music. From a young age, I have understood how worthy Jesus is of my praise. He doesn’t need my praise, but as a Christ-follower I will live my life declaring the greatness of God. I sing songs which state Jesus can come and have His way in my life. I believe worship music is one of many ways through which we can give praise to Jesus. The other day I was listening to the song “Hosanna” by Hillsong (‘cause almost every great worship song is by Hillsong) and as I listened to the words, I remembered that this song contains one of my all-time favorite bridges:

“Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like You have loved me
Break my heart for what breaks Yours
Everything I am for Your Kingdom’s cause
As I walk from earth into eternity”

As I got to thinking about it, I’ve been singing those lines for ten years which means for the past ten years I’ve been asking Jesus to break my heart. Three years ago, He started to open my eyes to the specific things He wants my heart to be broken for right now.

James 1:27: “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress  and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”

Who knows? In another ten years, my heart could be broken over something else! It might be broken for people who live with so much guilt from their past that I may be called to go speak freedom and forgiveness from God over them. It might be broken over the lack of God-fearing marriages. Maybe one day I’ll be married and perhaps even be a great example to young people of what Godly marriage looks like. It could be broken over the number of girls who have horrible body image issues. Maybe I’ll be the one sent to tell them how beautiful they are to God and to speak truth over them that they are made in His image.

 

I’m sure you can think of 100 more things that break your heart and that’s great! RUN WITH IT. I know you are going to feel unworthy and unqualified, but as Rick Yancey says, “God doesn’t call the equipped. God equips the called. And you have been called.” I believe that one of the great ways to understand your “calling” is to start by asking God to break your heart. Trust me. He will break it. It took me ten years to realize how He was breaking my heart, but here I am. Even though I feel unworthy, Jesus reminds me that being unworthy is part of the game. Feeling unworthy of what God has called you to do makes seeing how worthy HE is possible. Being broken causes me to lean into Jesus more. It forces me to reach out to others for help. Having a broken heart over something which Jesus cares about far outweighs the feelings of unworthiness I have for tackling the task set before me BECAUSE I know this is where I am meant to be right now.

 

You might be wondering what this looks like in your life? If you’re a mom, do those dishes and iron that laundry. If you’re a Pharmacy Tech, count those pills and run that insurance. If you’re in management, oversee those numbers and track that spending. Work that ponytail. Own that up-do!!

 

Here are a few points I’m trying to make:

 

1. Ask for your heart to be broken. It could be broken over a neighbor down the road who doesn’t love Jesus who you need to minster to, for example. I’m pretty certain the ideas are endless.
2. Go ahead and feel unworthy, but don’t let the feeling last long. Praise Jesus for what you’ve been given and go be a blessing to someone! God doesn’t call all of us to move to Africa. I just happen to be single and commitment free which Jesus is teaching me to count as a blessing, not a curse.
3. Give God the glory. Even when you are doing the 9-5/Monday-Friday thing, look for ways to show everyone around you how great and worthy Jesus is, even though we aren’t. There’s this meme that says, “Some days I feel like I really have my life together. Other days, I put the remote in the refrigerator.”  Rock it for Jesus even if the remote is in the refrigerator.

 

So, here I sit still smiling, still feeling unworthy, and still praising Jesus as I continue asking Him to break my heart for what breaks His.

I love baking & cooking! Here at Neema, I’ve tried making a couple different homemade goodies and I must say I’ve gotten fairly good at substituting ingredients we don’t have on hand. Pictured below is cookie dough which doesn’t look great, but the cookies turned out delicious!

Here’s a list of things I’ve learned you don’t need:

No white sugar? Using all brown sugar works fine!

No hand-mixer? It’s not the end of the world when things turn out lumpy!

No heavy cream? Melt some butter. Boil some whole milk.  Whisk together!

No cornstarch? Use flour instead, but you’ll add 8x the amount needed!

No sour cream? Mix vinegar into canned milk!

No baking powder? Use whipped egg whites!

No vanilla? Use a little pumpkin pie spice (those cookies turned out SO good)!

Lexi and I laughed so much while trying to figure out how to make chocolate pie without some of the ingredients listed above. We even had to FaceTime my mom to ask her a couple of questions! We weren’t ready to try making home-made pie crust so we settled on just eating the pie filling as pudding :).

I was pretty scared to attempt making the pie filling, but it turned out really good. Maybe next time I’ll even try making the crust.