Low in carb but tastes great!

     In effort to be more creative with my meals yet be able to eat stuff that's tasty, I sort of made up my own recipe. Has it been done before probably! I just went to atkins.com to find out what I can eat (my menu plan of choice) while I go through my "lifestyle" change. I am trying to make it an entire change not just physical but spiritual, mental, emotional... basically all the al's LoL

     I hope that you like this recipe and you can tweak it for what tastes good to you! Luana! (Enjoy! in Hawaiian)

Ok so recipe 1 chicken any chicken as long as the skin is gone! I used a chicken breast  I did one whole chicken breast but it's optional how much you want to use one chicken breast is about 3-4 thighs 4-5 drums 5-6 wings be mindful it's a change!

1 chicken breast (Because a breast is thick I butterfly cut the breast into 3 slices.)

½ cup zuccinni

2 pinch garlic salt

2 pinches of pepper

4 twigs of fresh rosemary

2 pinches of red pepper flakes (optional)

¼ cup of mixed cheddar, mozzarella, blue, (any cheese really)

Preheat your oven at 350° 

Use whatever kind of pan you have if it isn't non-stick than use some kind of spray. Be mindful! Not a lot!

I place the rosemary two twigs of rosemary at the bottom of the bag parallel of each other length wise (of the pan long way is length wise). 

Place your chicken atop the rosemary height wise.

1 pinch of garlic salt spread across the 3 slices of chicken.

1 pinch of pepper spread across the 3 slices of chicken.

2 pinches of red pepper flakes go across the 3 slices of chicken. (yes I like spicy!)

Place your zuccini atop the chicken spread it evenly across the 3 slices of chicken.

1 pinch of garlic salt spread atop the zuccini.

Spred the ¼ cup of cheese atop the zuccini evenly.

Bake for 20-30 minutes

After that give a check making sure your chicken is cooked through thoroughly. 

Let it is for 10 minutes and vol-la!

I eat 1 - 1 1/2 slices with a salad it's just yummy! Be mindful of how much cheese you put on your chicken because that can totally take the whole low carb out of the picture.

Also chicken luau! I used coconut milk in mine but when I figure out the recipe you'll be the first to know ;)

I already made the chicken zuccini and loved it because I could taste the chicken yet it wasn't so blah! =D

Luana oe! (You enjoy!)

Until we meet again!

TRIUMPH THROUGH TRIALS

³Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

 ⁴But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

James 1:3-4 (King James Version)

I see you when you are in the garden of grief, My princess. 

I hear your cry for help in the dark hours of the night. 

I myself cried out in the garden the night I was betrayed.

In My suffering I asked My Father for another way-- a less painful way. 

Yet I trusted His will and purpose for My life and knew the ultimate victory was at the cross. 

Just as olives must be crushed to make oil. 

I pouredout My life as a love offering for you. 

Don't ever doubt that I am with you and that I long to take you to a place of comfort, peace and victory. 

Even when you cannot see Me from where you are. 

I am working on your behalf. 

Give to Me the crushing weight of your circumstances and come to Me in prayer. 

When it is time to leave the garden, I will walk with you across the valley and straight to the cross-- Where your trails will be transformed into triumph.

Love,

Your Savior and your Victor

This is just a reminder that these are devotionals -- never to be substituted for the Word of God! =)  

I look at this and think of how He can take my folly and use it for his victory! Which is what He tells us all the time but He wants us to come to Him in a time of prayer... It doesn't have to be some long boring prayer! If you're doing to do it make it count, make it real! Go into or to a place of peace, a place where you can be alone with the Lord and just let it all out! Even if it's crying! He wants it all but you know Jesus isn't Santa.... Yes, I was shocked when I heard that he doesn't want to be visited only when we have problems! He wants to be visited daily! Go check him out it's like chillin with a friend ;) I Love my alone time with Him and I'll confess sometimes it's short but spend it with Him undivided attention to Him! 

Much Love till the next time! ;)

Peace Out and Jesus Bless!

The Lord spoke this into my spirit this morning!

     I am encouraged by what I read this morning I hope it can and will be an encouragement to you!

     How I perceive things can make me or break me. I read this scripture and felt conviction. Conviction is nothing more than the Lord pressing on us to change- we know it's wrong so change... at least that's how I see conviction. It's not to stop and look at all my wrongs but to see what they are for who they are in me and to allow the Lord to change me and mold me. 

     My previous post has a statement I heard from my Pastor T. E. Bailey "Law brings knowledge of sin (wrong doing)" so reading the scripture brings knowledge of things I /we are doing wrong that I/ we may not know we're doing wrong. 

   

     So this scripture sheds light on curiosity and desire which are both flesh not spirit. They are wants and not needs for who we are and can become in Christ.

"All things [are] full of labour; man cannot utter [it]: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing."

Ecclesiastes 1:8 KJV

All things are wearisome, more than one can say. The eye never has enough of seeing, nor the ear its fill of hearing  

Ecclesiastes 1:8 NIV

So here's how I view this though on another occasion this scripture can be read and the Lord will expose something completely different this is what the Lord spoke into my spirit today. Also my personal conviction...

     In this day and age of course I want... I won't lie and I'm being real I want a better home, car, job, business, sight, body, money and the list goes on! Shiny flat screen t.v., beautiful house to roll up to in a nice vehicle BUT realistically I have what I have and that is what is real. Being human though I want, want, want and even try to make it a need want LoL! Thus [ The eye never has enough of seeing ]

     Also hearing the daily scoops when I get around different family, friends and church members. If I'm not careful I can get caught up and fall into the gossip groups; those which I try really hard to stay away from! When I hear an inkling of what is going on I tend to want to know the truth thus getting involved where really I have no business in all cases even my own! Thus [ nor the ear filled with hearing ] 

     So here's my take on the entire scripture... It is impossible to calculate how much anxiety, pain, labor, and fatigue are necessary in order to carry on daily operations of life. What does that mean? Life is laborious even if I try to do it lazy man style, it will actually become worse should I neglect/ ignore problems.

      The desire of gain can be endless, and an endless curiosity to unfitness a variety of results, cause men to, labor on. So what exactly does this mean? I/ we work and faint after temporal (earthly possessions / I can also mean investing too much time on self image etc. ) things that can cause more problems than solve. Yes we have needs and fulfillment of those needs are important but knowing when we're being excessive is where the Lord comes in. He is he weight and balance for all things. In His Word we can find that His grace is sufficient! [ And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. ] 2 Corinthians 12:9 We don't have to over exert ourselves when we have the Lord as ours weight and balance. We may not like the answer He gives but NO, is an answer. 

     I am a lover of art and graphics on any type of medium... When I had the ability I would buy magazines and anything that caught my eye artistically. Did I need it? No, I wanted it... The eye sees much, but wishes to, see more. Seeing in particular can be very scary because it can lead us into many temptations that can cause me to fall short of God's glory [ present tense from my last post check it out! ] I know I don't want to lose what I currently have so I will maintain what I have with prayer.

     The ear hears of many things; but is curious to hear more. So desire and curiosity carry men... If I trust in God no matter what my eyes see or what my ears hear He is sufficient for me! Gossip can be a real man killer I learned this one straight on. I won't lie I've been caught up and did my fair share of damage but as painfully as it was I have learned my lesson. I had to learn my lesson the way I did because I wouldn't have learned it any other way. Thus the Lord putting me/ us in situations where things are so messed up, not knowing head from toe, up from down it's so that he can reign in our dilemma. 

So he spoke into my spirit these things from this one verse:

My grace is sufficient... 2 Corinthians 12:9 (Our wants & needs seeing )

He is Jehovah Jireh our provider... Here's a great atrical on being content.

In Him we can find contentment...  ( Our wants & needs seeing )

 ⁵Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

 ⁶So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. Hebrews 13: 5-6

Be aware of our conversations... ( hearing ) Hebrews 13: 5,

"Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man." Matthew 15:11

If our replies are not good about anything, blaming, sarcasim, do a heart check... (conversation)

"O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." Matthew 12:34

So here's my close that does not mean we live a life of nothingness, poverty or hanging out with others. It means that even more so we need the Lord today to keep us in weight and balance. Keep our conversations clean and basically not throwing rocks at anyone with our mouths. Not over indulging with our eyes to the point where we become greedy, prideful and the like. This scripture encourages me because now I know what I need to look out for and how I need to be careful!

Till my next post!

<3

ps. i'm trying to figure out how to write my blogs so bear with me if I jump from first to second persons in my writings!

Living Justified and in Balance

This was Sunday morning (March 20th) preaching by Pastor T. E. Bailey. Each time I hear the Word of the Lord coming from my Pastor I can feel a weird movement inside... Almost like a slushing feeling trying to burst out...

I know what it is though, through  my Pastor the Lord is waking the giant within... a giant who fell asleep. A Holy Ghost giant! I've had the not so great privilege of  wandering in the wilderness and really at times I didn't know, where, how, what and why I was wandering. I still don't understand some things but I'll leave it to the Lord to expose it at His due time not mine!

Anyway... in attempts to gain back some ground I allowed to slip out of my hand, I'm taking control of my flesh! Devotion, study, prayer, exercise in all aspects of the word! I'd like to live a justified and balanced life and I can do this through Christ who strengthens me! I know I can't because truly my flesh is saying "get real, who you kidding?" But I received a Word from the Lord that says I can do it through you!!!!! Amen Lord I receive it!!!!

So here's some of the preaching that was shared on Sunday... Forgive me because he was moving way too fast for me to get everything! I need to start recording it!

1. God wants us to live a justified life.
2. We have liberty with boundary's.  Example: Living in the U.S. we have the ability to attain a drivers license, with this license we are given the privilege to operate a vehicle. There are RULES and LAWS that must be followed or else our license can be revoked. Law states that on a particular highway 55 MPH is the limit we can choose to go 100 or higher MPH being that we have what we need to do this. However the law clearly states 55 MPH is the limit, here is where the Lord blessed us we have a CHOICE to follow the law stated or break it. There are consequences either way someone can get hurt #1 and/ or when caught we could be fined or worse the revoking of a privilege.
3. God wants us to live righteously... the simple definition of this word is Right with God.
4. Justification simply means Just as if I never sin. There are two major extremes we do not want to fall into... 
1. We live in a world where we don't want to change, I'm fine it's everyone else that's the problem... Liberalism
2. Holier than thou... self righteousness... Legalism.
5. We want to be in balance! There is no such thing as penance with the Lord. We cannot work to get into heaven- it's more than that we need repentance.

What I've got written here is the way I understood the preaching so from my perspective. I will ask him for more notes =) 

I do want to add some things from the preaching that really helped me!

Shame is nothing more than unforgiveness to self. Shame ties the hands of the Lord to help in our situations.

Liberty is not a license to sin. Liberty is that we have been liberated from Old Testament rules and laws. Example: scape goats etc. 


Law brings knowledge of sin- without we don't know that we are sinning or doing wrong. 


Jesus gives us the ability to live above sin!


Romans 3:23-24 King James Version
For all have sinned (Past tense)
and come short of the the glory of God; (present tense) what does that mean? We ALWAYS NEED HIM!

23For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus

Ok... so what's my news than with all this... I took it to heart and this is what is on my heart and mind.... 

Honestly when I see someone who's groomed well, body is shape, great personality and more importantly and cannot stress that enough has a beautiful spirit!!!!! And more of course! I myself appreciate that... I can't say that I've been diligent at that but that's my prayer. To be diligent in all aspects... spirit, mind, body which will also include soul. I hope you pray for me and I'll keep anyone reading this blog in my prayers for a change in all parts of life- I Love Jesus and cannot say that I'm always going to do right or be right but I don't want my "license" revoked when I appear before the Lord but I also want to be happy here on earth... while I have the time. Getting my spirit right with the Lord, getting my attitude right with the Lord, my body in to shape and a smile not just on my face but in my spirit.

Siutu (continued)

Siutu sets out in a single man canoe headed for a place and a people she longs to call her own. Strapped to her head- the only protection, strength and human possession she brings with her is her Holy Bible. Padding and hoping, yet not knowing when or if she'll see a shoreline. As it was told me to, Siutu pulls up to the shores of Vava'u, Tonga. The details at this point are vague but story goes that she makes her home in Neiafu a village in Vava'u and becomes a nurse there in the village. Because of Siutu's compassion for the sick and hurting the people fall in love with her regardless her skin color. Siutu's compassion brings quite the attention she wasn't wanting but received. The royal family in Neiafu took quite the liking to her that they bought her home with them and set her up for marriage with another guest they had taken a liking to. He was from Fiji Epeneza/ Epenesa is his last name and from what is known a very well known name in Fiji. They are introduced and get to know eachother and from there the rest is simply history.

Siutu

Just recently I was on the phone with my cousin (because of our age difference I call her Aunty) Siutu. She shared with me of our namesake. The story starts off like this...

The time period is during World War Two it was a time when the South Pacific was flooded with Germans and Europeans in general. Siutu's father was a German solider aiding the U.S. via Samoa. Born in Satapuala a village situated on the north west coast of Upolu island in Samoa, Siutu adorns the world with her beauty as an afakasi and it doesn't stop there she is born as an albino child.

During this time to be afakasi was not openly accepted and she felt it and heard it growing up. Not being accepted by the very blood that ran in her veins, she left her village to seek out a place where she would be happy and allowed to live without rude comments or gestures from family members. Siutu sets out for Upolu the captial of Western Samoa there she will take a leap of faith.

Thinking to herself not just in her mind but in her heart of the things she had been through and not wanting to go back home... her mind is set to find a place and a people who will accept her as she is and allow her to call that place home. Siutu leaves Upolu with her Bible strapped to her head in a single man canoe and paddles hoping to land somewhere... anywhere...

Neiafu, Vava'u Tonga is where she finds herself...

To be continued =)