Living as a Victorious Christian Woman

You want to eat healthy. You want something that tastes wonderful. You want something that's simple. You want something that's filling. If this is literally you, you'll want to try this Korean BBQ steak bowl. Immediately. This bowl has five parts: rice, broccoli, cucumber salad, shredded carrots, and the steak. They make a killer combination of flavors, textures, and temperature. No shortcuts on this one - you want to include every single component. Using a flat iron steak was the key - our Butcher Box steaks are grass-fed, pasture-raised, and antibiotic-free, so they were incredibly flavorful and tender. Choose your favorite steaks and get started on this bowl now. Ingredients:  4 6-oz flat iron steaks ¼ cup soy sauce 1 tablespoon sesame oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon ground ginger 1 tablespoon honey 1 large cucumber 1 tablespoon rice vinegar 1 teaspoon sesame oil Pinch of sugar (or monk fruit sweetener) Pinch of salt Green onion, sliced Rice Frozen broccoli Shre...

While I was out on the property this weekend, I couldn't help but think of Jesus' words quoted in Matthew and Luke:  Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.  But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows. Matthew 10:29-31 This is a picture of a normal, everyday birdhouse. But the birds have packed it so full of nesting material that they can't even get inside. I'm not sure when, if ever, I've seen birds lay eggs inside. It's definitely time to clean it out so it can be used for its intended purpose. On the other hand, there's a crack in the garage door that the birds can get through, and we discovered a nest on one of the shelves. They brought in all kinds of leaves and twigs and grass, and they made themselves right at home. Literally. The babies inside were big and healthy, and it was just a day or two after this picture ...

It's my first week in my new planner! If you didn't see my recent post on finding the perfect planner for your new year, check it out here . It feels like a fresh, new beginning, and I can't wait to show you how that beginning is going so far. I'm loving it! To make my first monthly spread one for the books (get it?), I pulled out everything I could find that was red, white, blue, had flags, or had stars. You never know exactly what you've got until you empty your drawers and bags and pile it all up on the table. Yep, that's exactly what I did. And boy, did I find some cool stuff! I laid it out in a random stamp/thrown around like confetti style, which I adore. The large Lady Liberty sticker in the bottom is one I found at the Veteran's Home gift shop in Marshalltown, and I love it right there in that bottom open space. I use these monthly spreads to keep track of my blog posts, so there's plenty of room for that on each day. The weekly pages in my new p...

One of the easiest hosting ideas ever, especially for events like 4th of July gatherings, is to have a themed grazing table and everyone gets to participate. Think old-fashioned potluck, but all the guests are on the same mission. A patriotic smorgasbord is perfect for a large group and so much fun to put together. I got creative and put together a little one for us this week. Please note ... yes, there are more sweets than actual meal, but we didn't eat all that in one sitting. I promise! Right now there are many companies making red, white, and blue versions of their products, and others are doing fun shapes and sizes. I used my own serving plate and a large cast iron pan to hold everything, and I couldn't resist picking up the iced tea glass with two dachshunds in patriotic top hats. Who could? Between now and the 4th of July weekend, put on your thinking cap and look around the next time you're at the store. See what limited edition foods they have in patriotic themes, ...

Have you ever wondered what's in the back of your freezer or at the bottom of your deep freeze? A cold-weather expedition may be in order! I went looking in ours and found 3 pounds of chicken tenders that I forgot existed.  The ensuing recipe hunt brought me to something I love to eat but usually don't love to do: hand-breaded chicken. I don't know why I don't enjoy setting up and using a breading station, but this one wasn't bad at all. I think the smell of the Panko (which I love in sushi!) may have made the difference. I also like making my own sauces, and this is a good one. Danny loves to try all the hot honeys out there on the market, so we had a couple of really good ones to choose from. If you don't have any in your own pantry, you can always use a few teaspoons of honey and a teaspoon or two of sriracha.  Ingredients:  3 lbs chicken tenders 1 cup buttermilk 1 box Panko breadcrumbs 1 cup all-purpose flour 2 Tbsp garlic powder 2 Tbsp smoked paprika salt...

Imagine me only talking to Danny on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings from 7-7:15 a.m. And maybe for an hour a couple of times a week. It's on the calendar, that's the time we'll hang out and talk about as much as we possibly can before we get back to whatever we were doing. We'll vent quick and keep moving. Ridiculous, right?  But that's often how we treat our relationship with God. We have a morning Bible study and prayer time, and we're at church on Sunday mornings, Sunday nights, and Wednesday nights. We read some books and listen to some podcasts. We check the boxes and do all the things. Beyond that, it's a little different. When I'm at work, that's work time. It gets its own little silo. When I'm at home, that's home time. Another silo. When I'm at church, that's church time. A very special silo, but still a silo. This way of thinking is exhausting. I know ... because I'm exhausted! This isn't how God has called us...