Tasty Bites: Three-Bean Beef and Sausage Chili with Pumpkin

By Beth V

Chili is one of my favorite dishes to serve for company in the fall. It can be made at least a day ahead, and it is warm and satisfying for even the heartiest appetites. You can also easily adjust chili according to your mood. White Chicken Chili, Beef Chili, Sausage Chili, mild, spicy, full of beans, no beans, it can be almost endlessly customized without really messing it up. One day, I wanted to make chili and I gathered all I had on hand to just throw it together, including some leftover pumpkin puree from another recipe. Well, I discovered that we really love our pumpkin chili! Whenever I have made a random chili recipe or a quick throw-together since, my husband taste-tests it and says that he thinks we need to add some pumpkin. Pumpkin adds an earthiness and a slight sweetness that blends right in and really ties the flavors together. If you’ve never tried adding pumpkin to your chili, you don’t know what you’re missing! And the subtle flavor and color blends so well into the chili that no one would ever know it is in there.

Pumpkin also adds more nutrition to what can already be a pretty healthy meal. If your chili is full of beans and veggies along with the meat and tomatoes, it is already a great source of protein, fiber, and antioxidants. Even the chili peppers that make your chili spicy have tremendous health benefits.  Pumpkin adds even more fiber and vitamin A. I love that pumpkin is packed with nutrition because it is such a fun seasonal ingredient, but I like it even more for the subtle way it makes my chili recipes taste better.

Click to read more ...

God Says... "Don't Judge Me, But I'll Judge You!"

By Kely Braswell (Dangerous Breeze)

You Say: "Other people have so many problems. Why can't they get over their issues?""

God Says: Look a little closer. Judge not, lest you be judged. Judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment"

I’ve got a huge problem.

One of my friends is a pedophile, and I don’t know it.

Perhaps two. Or more.

And what’s more, I’ve been nice to him. (or her).

And I have another problem.

One of my friends is having an affair. And I don’t know that either.

And there may be more than one.

And one of my friends has a deep problem with obsessive lust. Actually, many, many of my friends do. They view pornography, ALL the time.

But I’m not sure — at least not always sure — which ones they are.

A couple are alcoholics. A few more do drugs of one kind or another.

I can’t believe I hang out with these people. And I even love them.

They sit right beside me, every week, in church. If I knew it, I'd blow them up.

But there’s a dark secret in their lives, too, and they don’t know it.

Unaware, they are. (As Yoda would say.)

One of their friends is very, very selfish. One of their friends judges others. One of their friends has pride. And anger issues. And can be very impatient with his kids, sometimes in an incredibly jerkish, scary way.

And they may not know it, because their friend has learned to hide it pretty well, especially in a group. Especially in a “christian” group. Really well, at church, especially.

And on top of all that, their friend is a pastor.

And he is me.

Right there in their midst.

If they only knew.

"Kely is a church planting team trainer with Antioch Ministries, International." He has a B.S. in Secondary Education, and he’s a lawyer on top of that (go figure that combination!). He has also been an overseas church planter off and on for the last 20 years. Kely is a husband and father to six, and enjoys running, reading and writing. You can find more of his writing over at his blog: Dangerous Breeze.

What Example?

By Pat

I often speak of my granddaughter, Kendra, who lives with us. She is six years old now, and is the source of many lessons. God uses her to reveal things to me about myself. Kendra follows me everywhere I go most of the time she's home, and in many little ways, she is like me, just by watching and imitating me. When she gets out of the shower, she slathers on body lotion, just like me. She uses brown mustard-just like me, and she likes to put potato chips on her sandwiches-just like me. There are many more examples...and as much as it delights me to see this, it also scares me.

Just as Kendra picks up these harmless little habits and rituals to imitate me, I have to wonder what characteristics I have that I DON'T want her to imitate. Do I exhibit patience when I am pressured? Not always. Am I calm when I have many things to get done? Not always. Do I listen without interruption when someone is talking in order to hear the whole story? Do I speak gently, show kindness and consideration for the feelings of others? Think before I speak? Not always. Do I show Kendra what Jesus looks like in every aspect of my day-to-day life? Sad to say, but no, not always.

I want Kendra to see and hear Jesus when she's with me. As she grows up, I want her to read her Bible daily, just like me. I want her to pray diligently, just like me. I want her to love, and give, and listen and care. I want her to think before she speaks, look before she leaps, and put other people first. I need to be the example that will make God proud, but I can't do it without His help. And so, I will continue to pray every day that God will help me to show her every day, in every way, what it means to follow Jesus, so that someday she will say, "God is the most important thing in my life"... just like me.

"Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." (Proverbs 22:6)

Pat is a good friend who is passionate about her faith and her family. She works from home supporting a family business, and loves to read, write and garden when she can, and spends every spare moment with her grandkids.

God Says... "I give you my wisdom."

By Jason S (Connecting to Impact)

School for me was not that difficult. I was intuitive enough to know how to give the teachers what they wanted on assignments or at least sound coherent. I had a pretty good knack for hearing in class what would be important to remember and taking notes so tests didn’t require too much studying to get an ‘A.’

Now, if you experienced the opposite, don’t feel jealous. I received little to no common sense in most areas and did not develop any “street smarts” of any kind. I was young when I got married and thrown into a whole new realm called “the real world.” There were thousands of situations then and now where I have felt woefully inadequate, nervous, unprepared, and downright stupid.

This is my point. It’s very rare for any of us not to feel stupid at certain times or about certain things. It may lead us to tell God, “I’m stupid,”  but He has a response (He always has a response)—“I give you my wisdom.”

Too much “book smarts” can leave you in analysis paralysis. Too much “street smarts” can leave you jaded and cynical. The good news is that God gives us divine wisdom to meet every challenge in our life if we let Him, and there are no negative side effects.

Click to read more ...

Jesus Freaks

By Pat

A short time ago, a friend and I were talking about what we'd do if we knew the return of Jesus was imminent. Would we be different? Live differently? I couldn't really think of anything major that I would change about my lifestyle, except for one thing. I told my friend I would desperately witness in an attempt to reach my family and friends who are not saved, to warn them that the end is near, in hopes that their salvation was secured. And as soon as the words left my lips...BAM! Convicted! Shouldn't I already be doing that?

I have always felt funny about being too pushy about what I know to be the truth. I have a fear of wondering what people think of me, of thinking I am strange; a Jesus freak. I worry that rather than nudge people towards Jesus, my manner and words might instead push them away. It happens...We've all heard stories about people who have been turned off by over-zealous Christians. But didn't Jesus command us to "go and make disciples of all nations?" And in order to do that, shouldn't I be asking God to help me to overcome my inhibitions and do what I need to do in order to make sure everyone I encounter knows exactly who Jesus is?

One of my favorite Bible heroes is John the Baptist. He was fearless, unique, forward and obedient. He knew he was here to point people to Jesus. He never proclaimed to be great, but instead told everyone about the coming of the great Savior, Jesus. "I am the voice of one calling in the desert, 'Make straight the way for the Lord.' " (Mark 1:3) He didn't care to whom, where, when or how the message was delivered. He only knew he had a job to do, as do we, and he did it!

I want to be more like John. I want to overcome my fear of being avoided, or thought of as weird. I want to witness fearlessly, tirelessly and diligently. I want everyone to know my Lord and be saved. I want to be bold, not timid. I want the Holy Spirit to move in me in such a way that Jesus is made real and glorified in my every word. I want to be a Jesus freak! And with God's help, I can.

"I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he." (Luke 7:28)

Pat is a good friend who is passionate about her faith and her family. She works from home supporting a family business, and loves to read, write and garden when she can, and spends every spare moment with her grandkids.