A lifestyle blog focused on motherhood, marriage, and ministry! My journey as a work-from-home mom and entrepreneur, the wife of a youth pastor, and sharing my favorite things!
I can't get over the blessings and good gifts that God brings, especially in regards to other people praying for me and situations of my life. There were a lot of prayers that went into the start of my relationship with Eric Gregory. It was 8 1/2 months ago, on the roof-level deck of my aunt and uncle's house in downtown Lancaster City, that Eric told me he wanted to call dibs... on me.
Read MoreLast month I posted about a really big life change... a new job. Since starting that job, people are constantly asking me how things are going. I know this is natural. I know this is expected. I don't always like it.
Read MoreThat’s right. Last week I finished out my time at my current place of employment. And this was actually one of the hardest decisions I have had to make in the past couple of years. This announcement may seem unexpected and out of the blue for many of you who are reading this, but allow me to explain…
Read MoreLazy weekends are refreshing to my soul. And baking makes the house smell so good... and somehow inspires me to do some cleaning while there is something baking in the oven. For me, banana bread is usually the result of having a few bananas that I never got around to eating while they were fresh... so the over-ripened bananas become a heavenly-scented weekend treat!
Read MoreToday was something that has been on the list for a long time... I finally got around to doing The Color Run with some of my very best friends!
Read MoreI suppose you’re not actually a baby anymore… at the age of twenty, you are indeed a beautiful young woman. Yet, I will always have a vivid picture of you in my mind as a rambunctious ten year old girl… that was the age you were when I left the house for college, and somehow you will always be that age in my memories.
Read MoreSometimes when I pray and ask the Lord for "patience," I fear that what I am really saying is "Lord, please give me what I want." And that when I pray for "clarity," what my heart is really saying is "Lord, give me what I want now."
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they say that time heals all wounds.i hated that phrase, once. when my heart was first broken and the world that i knew was shattered... everyone told me that it just takes time. that despite my brokenness, someday i would feel whole again. that's the last thing that you want to hear when your heart hurts... and i still remember vividly what those days and nights were like, to feel empty, and dark, and hollow... to feel worthless. to feel like i would never be able to pick up the pieces of my broken heart.but i did. slowly, but surely... i did. and now i believe it. that in many ways, time truly does allow for the wounds of pain and brokenness to heal. there are still scars... some more obvious than others... but the pain is no longer there. i really couldn't even tell you when the pain finally went away... it just did. and it doesn't hurt anymore... those memories are no longer a burden.looking back, i see God's hand at work in the way that He cared for me and surrounded me and distracted me from my own brokenness, to allow the pain to go away over time. and eventually, God broke down some walls around my heart to recognize my own flaws within that pain... my own selfishness and my desire for control. a never-ending journey, but one that is recognized and that i fight against almost every day... to desire less of me and more of Him.and while time seems to be able to heal (most) wounds, i still believe there is great need for action... that healing ultimately requires recognition and response. to recognize what once was and where you are going... and to respond... to forgive. time may be able to distract and heal the pain... but without forgiveness, the bitterness will always sit in my heart. how much more clearly i can understand the Scriptures when it says "If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins." (Matthew 6:14-15) what a strong statement! there is no way of letting go of the bitterness in my heart without forgiveness. and despite all of this brokenness and pain and bitterness that was once in my heart... the Lord loves me all the more for it."all the more!" this amazes me. time and time again, i feel like i continue to stumble and fall and that i am filled with that brokenness again, or the selfishness, or the bitterness, and time and time again the Lord washes over my brokenness and pain. the past few weeks i keep coming back to this phrase in James where he simply states, "but He gives more grace." and i am overwhelmed. almost ten years later and the Lord is continuing to overwhelm me with His Grace, and i feel that i can finally say that i have let it all go... the pain, the brokenness, and the bitterness from all those years ago.tonight, i treasure the brokenness that has strengthened me tobecome who i am today.tonight, i am overwhelmed by grace.tonight, i am hopeful for the future and what is to come...
Soups are one of my absolute favorite meals to make ... there is so much room for variety and flavor. Not to mention they are great for freezing and enjoying later down the road! There is one soup that I first made when I was in college, and have tweaked it maybe only twice, but it is my absolute favorite!
Read MoreSo many of you have asked recently for this recipe after seeing photos that I posted... I made this fabulous sauce the other day for my mother's birthday as both a gift and for the dessert! Several weeks ago she was commenting on how she wished that she could find this sauce in the stores for ice cream sundaes, but never could. So... I decided to try my hand at making some! Not sure if it measured up to or exceeded her favorite Friendly's Peanut Butter Sauce standards or not, but everyone seemed to really enjoy this!
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (or half & half)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup light Karo syrup
2 T. butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- Combine all ingredients (except the peanut butter) in a saucepan, stirring constantly until all ingredients are dissolved.
- Let the mixture cool completely (personally, I took it off the heat and let cool, but still warm), then add the peanut butter and stir well.
- It will look messy, but keep stirring and it will turn out smooth and still have some of the grainy texture of the peanut butter!
Time to enjoy! For my mom's birthday, I acually made a double-batch thinking we would needs lots, but the single-batch would have served 6-12 people, with some left over. This would be best kept refrigerated (due to the dairy), but is great warmed up for about 30 seconds (depending on the serving size), and is perfect for ice cream sundaes, or perhaps even to drizzle over a rich chocolate cupcake. I'm sure that there are lots of other ways that this delicious sauce could be used... I would love to hear some more ideas or ways that you use the peanut butter sauce when you make it!
Several months ago, I commented on how I really wanted to visit Longwood Gardens at some point... so for New Years Eve last month, when a certain boy was in town, he made plans for us to visit Longwood Gardens before ringing in the New Year. What a thoughtful thing to do!
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"Your friends will help determine the direction and the quality of your life."There are many things that I am thankful for... but this year it is more and more apparent as to how blessed I truly am by the friends that the Lord has graced me with in my lifetime... past and present!Several weeks ago, during the sermon at church, we were digging into Scripture and discussing what encouraging and supportive friendships should look like... and our pastor asked us if we have any "2 AM friends". You know... those friends that we can call up at any time of day or night, even if it's 2 o'clock in the middle of the night, and they will step up to the plate to listen to you, to love and encourage you, and to challenge you.I'll be honest... I've known the answer to that question for a long time now... I thank God almost every day for the dear friends that He has placed in my life and for their faithfulness to not only the Lord but also their faithfulness to be my friend... even on my most un-pretty and selfish days! These girls have walked through life with me since 3rd grade, and have laughed with me, cried with me, hugged me, encouraged me, and even slapped me around a few times to make me see truth rather than selfish lies.I'm often thankful for family and friends and am more than aware of the many blessings of grace that the Lord has provided to me... but these friends are more cherished than words can even truly describe!
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Crazy, I know, but in all of my years growing up in Lancaster County, I have never before been through a corn maze!
Read MoreI love soups. And I love fall. Which means I really love fall foods! I had suggested having a "Chili Night" for our small group meal tonight, which was a fabulous idea... but the best part of the night was this quote: "Can this just stay here? This stuff is amazing."
Read Morethis right here... is super exciting. in all my years, i've actually never been a part of an engagement party!
Read MoreBonjour, mes amis! I'm not sure when you get to say that you actually know a new language, but this has been on the list, and I have been actively working on basic vocab for a new language, so I feel confident that I can post about this item on the list at this point.
Read Morenot everything needs to be on "the list" before it gets checked off... some things get added and checked off at the same time!
Read MoreIt's been a while since I've checked anything off the list, but yesterday was an enjoyable day that included several new experiences: wandering through a vineyard and learning all about the wine-making process, tasting a variety of different wines, and enjoying a picnic on a mountainside.
Read MoreThe other day, I walked out of the grocery store with tears in my eyes.
I sat in my car and had to "pull it together" ... I was unexpectedly shaken and it caught me off guard. I had run into the grocery store to grab another bag of tortilla chips for dinner with friends that night. A quick "get in and get out" ... walked with my usual "I'm on a mission" pace and made a straight line for the snack aisle to grab the chips.
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Welcome to Simple Modest Mom! A lifestyle blog focused on motherhood, marriage, and ministry. This is where I share about my journey as a work-from-home mom and entrepreneur, being the wife of a youth pastor, and sharing about things that I love!
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