Monday - A Dose of Daily Inspiration

Finding Real Change

August 3, 2009

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
--2 Corinthians 5:17

Do you think that lasting change in a person is really possible?

The world says probably not. In fact, some behavioral psychologists tell us that by the time someone is five or six, a person is psychologically who they'll be for a lifetime.
And geneticists say that we are who are as a result of our genetic material. They say you and I have inherited behavioral traits and genetic predispositions that are set for life.
These thoughts aren't very promising, are they?!
Every week, I receive letters and emails from people who are desperate to know if they can change. Some people are addicted to drugs or are involved in other sinful activities and their lives are filled with trauma and pain.
Maybe even you are wondering today if you can really change!
If so, remember that on your own, you cannot change. Only Jesus Christ can change you. And there is no person who's so far gone that God's grace cannot reach them.
THROUGH JESUS CHRIST, YOU CAN CHANGE!

For more from PowerPoint Ministries and Dr. Jack Graham, please visit www.jackgraham.organdclick here to listen to Dr. Graham's daily broadcast on OnePlace.com.
OUR THANKS TO YOU!
Pause: Resting in God Instead of Stressing Out
Dear Friend,
Do the words rested... peaceful... and refreshed describe you today? Or do the words stressed... rushed... and pressured better describe your way of life?If you're like most Christians, you'd probably have to admit those last three words more accurately describe your life most of the time!The good news is that it doesn't have to be this way... even when your life is one big pressure-cooker. And in my new book, Pause: Resting in God Instead of Stressing Out, I'll show you why.Based on the principles from Paul's letter to the Philippians and Psalm 23, Pause: Resting in God Instead of Stressing Out will help you find true peace and rest in a world that is anything but peaceful and restful. It's the perfect "pause" button you need!So please request your copy of Pause: Resting in God Instead of Stressing Out when you give online today! --Jack Graham

Easy Huevos Rancheros

Easy Huevos Rancheros
1 Serving
This is a good brunch or lunch dish. Look for a brand of canned, low fat and low sodium all-natural refried beans. (Or, make your own.) Most of the fat in this dish is "good fat" from the avocado; if you're trying to lose weight, you might skip the avocado or substitute apple or pear.

Ingredients:
1 whole wheat flour tortilla
1/4 cup low fat, all-natural refried beans
1 egg (preferably organic)
2 tbsp salsa
1/4 avocado

Instructions:
Heat the tortilla in the oven briefly until it is slightly crisp. In the meantime, fry the egg and heat up the refried beans in the microwave. Assemble the dish by putting the beans on the crisp tortilla and topping with the fried egg. Garnish with salsa and avocado slices.


Nutritional Information:

Per serving:
297 calories
15 g total fat (3 g sat)
187 mg cholesterol
32 g carbohydrate
13 g protein
7 g fiber
386 mg sodium

-Recipe reprinted with permission of DrWeil.com

Need a little more patience? Don't we all!

Week of August 2


Patience


"Love is patient . . ." ~ I Corinthians 13:4

Have you ever found yourself in the midst of a work assignment, knowing the project is of God and knowing that you're right in step with His timing, when suddenly things seemed to stagnate or get stuck?

What did you do? Did you stop and pray and wait to hear God's response? Or did you persist along your path, leaning on your strengths and talents and understanding of what had worked for you in the past, what you knew to do?

Did you receive an answer from God? Or did frustration and anxiety begin to rise as you feverishly ran harder to try to make things work to meet your deadlines?

God's pathways strategically include divinely appointed times. And when He sets us out on a journey, His directive is to sometimes simply wait. This is where our faith gets tested.

So often, God's ways do not make sense to us, especially when we feel the pressures of meeting a deadline. And in these times, we feel like we're waiting on God to show up and clear blockages, organize things, make people cooperate with us therefore making a way for us to get the job done. But the truth is, as we await God, He's awaits us. He desires us to stop and listen and worship Him during the wait. And He desires to do a work in us in the process.

Patience must have its perfect work. While we're working, God is doing a work in us, to perfect us, to do things His way. He longs to bless us, to reward our faith. But will we pass the test?

Consider the prophet Habakkuk. The people of Judah took to behaving in Babylonian ways, and the righteous were grieved. When taking this issue before the Lord, He seemed to withhold His answer for a while. But God ultimately revealed to Habakkuk that He would take care of the issues through a release of judgment using the Babylonians to bring His people to their knees. This was not a solution that Habakkuk expected. Nevertheless, after hearing from God, Habakkuk did the right thing and awaited God's plan with a spirit of worship.

Sometimes, God has to take care of a few things before we can move forward. And sometimes we just need to stop and get out of God's way. While He aligns people and circumstances, He expects us to align our faith with His purpose and timing and exhibit that fruit of the spirit called patience.

Though often not easy for our carnal nature to cooperate, God is actually doing us a favor by offering us an opportunity to advance. In this process, we get to surrender our arrogance and self-reliance to God's higher ways. And if we pass the test, He takes us to the next glorious realm of faith and reward. Like a deer, we become able to stand on the higher places.

Do you believe that God loves you enough to groom you to stand in higher places? Do you love Him enough to cooperate with His plan? My prayer is that you will not fear God's heights and that you will excel, not accelerate. May we worship God during His appointed times, resting in His love, exercising patience.




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Margaret D. Mitchell is the Founder of God's Love at Work, a marketplace outreach purposed to share God's greatest power source - the love of Christ. Check out the God's Love at Work 2009 Women's Conference & Expo [http://www.godsloveatwork.com/2009womensexpo] in the Atlanta area on Saturday, November 7.

Marinara Sauce

Marinara Sauce
4 Serving
Every cook needs a good recipe for marinara sauce. This one can be prepared in less than an hour and used in many ways. It is traditionally served over pasta, but is equally delicious with polenta or rice. It also makes a wonderful sauce for grilled vegetables or baked tempeh or tofu. Tomatoes cooked with oil provide a source of lycopene, one of the carotenes linked to protection from prostate cancer.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons quality extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
1 medium carrot, peeled and finely grated
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 large can (28 ounces) Italian tomatoes, crushed
1 large can (16 ounces) tomato paste
1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
1 bay leaf (Turkish)
2 tablespoons dried whole basil
1 teaspoon dried whole oregano
Scant pinch fennel seeds
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
4 cloves garlic, mashed Salt to taste


Instructions:
1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot (do not use cast iron or aluminum) over medium-high heat. Add the onions and carrot and saute until the onions are translucent.

2. Add the salt and red pepper flakes, then the tomatoes and tomato paste. Mix well, bring just to a boil, lower heat, and continue to cook at a simmer.

3. Add the sugar, herbs, and spices, and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. Add the garlic, and continue to simmer for 30 minutes more or until desired thickness. Add salt to taste. Remove the bay leaf.


Nutritional Information:

Per serving:
146 calories
8 g total fat (0 g sat)
0 mg cholesterol
20 g carbohydrate
4 g protein
4 g fiber
804 mg sodium

- Recipe reprinted with permission of DrWeil.com.

Chicken & Sausage Salad

Chicken & Sausage Salad




Serves: 8-10

Created by The MDM Team, Saturday, November 10, 2007
Lettuce sit back and salivate over this scrumptious chicken and sausage salad. This protein-packed salad makes a great lunch, dinner or snack.

Ingredients
4-6 chicken breast fillets
1 smoked pork sausage
1 garlic clove
Salad
1/4 cucumber, skinned (if you like)
1 large tomato, cut up
10 croutons (1 small pack)
Red pesto sauce Mayonnaise
Olive oil
Romaine lettuce

Methods/steps
Cut up the chicken. Heat garlic and olive oil in pan. Add chicken and cook. Make up salad. Once chicken has browned add cut up sausage. Cook until chicken is cooked. Add pesto for about 10 minutes. Put salad together. Serve with tear and share garlic bread.

Hot Cocoa

Hot Cocoa
1 Serving
This homemade hot cocoa is lower in sugar (and carbohydrates) than other recipes. It can be made with soy milk. Try flavoring it with cinnamon for a little change.

Ingredients:
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp water
6 oz 1 percent milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp almond extract

Instructions:
In a small saucepan, stir together the cocoa powder and the sugar. Add the water and stir well. Cook over medium heat until the mixture comes to a low boil and the sugar dissolves. Stir in the milk, vanilla and almond extract. Reduce the heat to low and stir until warmed through.


Nutritional Information:

Per serving:
156 calories
3 g total fat (2 g sat)
7 mg cholesterol
27 g carbohydrate
8 g protein
4 g fiber
96 mg sodium

- Recipe reprinted with permission of DrWeil.com

Slow-Cooked Penne Pasta

Slow-Cooked Penne Pasta




Makes: 6 servings

Created by The MDM Team, Sunday, February 17, 2008
See a box of penne pick it up, and all day you'll have good luck. That's because your gourmet meal will be cooking good in the crockpot without needing any attention.

Ingredients
1 1/2 lb. hamburger, browned and drained
16 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
1 onion, chopped
1 pkg. sliced pepperoni
2/3 box penne pasta, cooked
1 can cream of mushroom soup
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
2 jars pizza sauce


Methods/steps
Alternate layers in crock-pot as follows: hamburger, penne, cheese, soup, mushrooms, onions, sauce and pepperoni. Heat 4 hours on low in crock-pot.
Additional Tips
Ready in 4 hours