the Great Menu Exchange: Friday's Recipe- Spicy Veggie Beef Soup

To learn more about the Great Menu Exchange click HERE!

My Menu:

Monday: BBQ Chicken Pizza

Tuesday: Orange Wine Pork Chops- Crock Pot Style

Wednesday: Southern Chicken Broccoli Casserole

Thursday: Grandma's Triple Meat Spaghetti Sauce

Friday: Spicy Veggie Beef Soup

Saturday: Pulled Pork Sandwiches a la Crock Pot

Sunday: Spicy Mexican Chicken Tacos

**All of these recipes will be added to the "recipe" tab on my blog! Enjoy!!

Friday's Recipe: Spicy Veggie Beef Soup

Shopping List:

2 quarts of Tomato Juice or V8

16 oz of frozen mixed veggies (or you can use fresh- carrots, canned corn, onion)

2 Beef Bouillon cubes

3 potatoes cubed

2 lbs. of cubed beef stew meat

1 tsp. of dried parsley

1/2 tsp. of oregano

1/2 tsp. dried basil

salt and pepper to taste

2 tsp. of your favorite hot sauce

1 packet of onion soup mix

1 tsp. worshestire sauce

Make it: 

1. Salt and pepper the stew meat and brown in a skillet.

2. Add all ingredients in a large stock pot and cook on medium heat until it comes to a boil. Turn down to a simmer and cook for 3-4 hours. Taste often and adjust seasonings as necessary!

The Great Menu Exchange: Thursday's Recipe- Grandma's Triple Meat Spaghetti!

I am racing against the clock to get my recipes up to participate in the Great Menu Exchange. Only 2 days to go and 4 recipes left to post! To learn more about the Great Menu Exchange click HERE!
Oh spaghetti, I heart thee. Especially my grandma's spaghetti. When I lived in Vegas, before my grandparents moved away to CO, it was tradition to get together on Christmas Eve and Christmas. My grandma would make the most amazing spaghetti filled with hearty meats (sausage, ribs, steak) and chicken for our Christmas Eve dinner. This is a slight variation on that sauce.


This will make a lot so go ahead and invite some friends over, make a big salad, some toasty garlic bread, grab a big bottle of your favorite wine and enjoy some delicious spaghetti!

My Menu:

Monday: BBQ Chicken Pizza

Tuesday: Orange Wine Pork Chops- Crock Pot Style

Wednesday: Southern Chicken Broccoli Casserole

Thursday: Grandma's Triple Meat Spaghetti Sauce

Friday: Spicy Veggie Beef Soup

Saturday: Pulled Pork Sandwiches a la Crock Pot

Sunday: Spicy Mexican Chicken Tacos

**All of these recipes will be added to the "recipe" tab on my blog! Enjoy!!

Thursday's Recipe: Grandma's Triple Meat Spaghetti Sauce

Shopping List:

3-4 tablespoons of extra virgen olive oil

1 package of Italian sausage )your choice of mild, sweet, or hot- I like a mixture of sweet and hot!)

5-10 cloves of garlic

1 white onion

1 1/2 tsp. of ground oregano

2 tsp. of Italian seasoning

2 bay leaves

3 big cans of tomato puree (16 oz.)

2 tbslp. of sugar

1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese

2 chicken breasts- par boiled

1/2 lb. lean ground beef- browned and drained

Make it: 

1. In a large skillet cook sausage on low in a few tblsp. of oil for 1 hour or until the sausage is cooked through & browned on all sides. Do not remove from it's casing. Par boil the chicken breasts in a separate pan and set aside to cool. Brown the hamburger meat in a separate skillet and drain. Set aside. 

2. Chop up your onion & garlic super duper fine. Remove sausage from skillet and using the same pan with left over grease, sweat the onion and garlic in pan for about 5-10 minutes or until the onion is translucent.

3. Add oregano, italian seasoning, and sugar and salt and pepper to the skillet and let cook for a minute on low to coat the onion and garlic.

4. In a large sauce pan dump in the cans of tomato puree or sauce (do not use paste) add the onion-spice-garlic mixture and add the sausage and hamburger meat. Shred the chicken and add chicken to the pan as well. 

5. Add the parmesan cheese & bay leaves

6. Let cook on low for about an hour and then taste- you will need to add more seasoning to achieve your desired taste. I usually add about another 2 tablespoons of all the seasonings but do this slowly. If it is too sweet, add salt and if it is too salty add sugar. Pretty soon you will achieve perfection! Continue to let cook on simmer for about 3 more hours. (remove bay leaves before serving)

7. Cook up a big pot of spaghetti noodles, make a big green salad and enjoy!

The Great Menu Exchange: Wednesday's Recipe- Southern Broccoli & Chicken Casserole!

I have only 3 days left to get all my recipes up on my blog and get them submitted to participate in the Great Menu Exchange, so without further ado, I give you Wednesday's recipe!

I am not a huge casserole person.

I am from the West Coast. Land of smoothies and greens. But this casserole is AMAZING, and with today's recipe you get 2 recipes for 1!

To learn more about the Great Menu Exchange click HERE!

My Menu:

Monday: BBQ Chicken Pizza

Tuesday: Orange Wine Pork Chops- Crock Pot Style

Wednesday: Southern Chicken Broccoli Casserole

Thursday: Grandma's Triple Meat Spaghetti Sauce

Friday: Spicy Veggie Beef Soup

Saturday: Pulled Pork Sandwiches a la Crock Pot

Sunday: Spicy Mexican Chicken Tacos

**All of these recipes will be added to the "recipe" tab on my blog! Enjoy!!

Wednesday's Recipe: Southern Chicken Broccoli Casserole

Shopping List:

3 large boneless skinless chicken breasts

Enriched white rice (1 cup for each person)

1 can of cream of mushroom soup

1 can of cream of chicken soup

All the left over sour cream in your fridge (or 1/2 a cup)

1 garlic clove or 1 tsp. of garlic paste

2 tblsp. of olive oil

4-5 tblsp. of canola oil

sprinkle of oregano, parsley, and garlic salt

1 large head of broccoli

Cheddar cheese to top

Salt and pepper to taste

Make it: Rice

I am amazed at the number of people who do not know how to make rice. I was one of these unfortunate souls. So today I give you a lesson on how to cook perfectly not-stuck-together-mushy rice. You will thank me. I promise. 

1. Measure out your rice and place in a fine strainer. 1 Cup per person you are serving. Rinse the rice really good. Once you think you've rinsed it good- rinse it some more. You want to remove the starch so it doesn't stick together or get mushy. 

2. Measure out 1.5 cups of water per person you are serving and put in a pot and bring to a boil. Add a lot of salt. Don't worry you basically can't add to much. Take a peeled garlic clove and give it a good whack with the flat side of your chopping knife and place in the water as well. Or you can cheat (like me) and add 1 tsp. of garlic paste. 

3. Once your water is boiling add all the rice. This is important so pay attention to this part! You only want about 1.5- 2 inches of water covering the rice. Remove as much water as you need to to achieve this. Here is the other equally important part. DO NOT STIR THE RICE. Seriously. Put down your wooden spoon. I promise you will be sorry and end up reaching for the box of Uncle Bens if you stir. 

4. Once the rice has come back up to a boil turn the heat down to medium and leave UNCOVERED and cook until ALL the water evaporates. You can tell the water has evaporated by two ways- the first way is you hear crackling- do not be alarmed and DO NOT STIR! The second way is you can take a big metal spoon and stick it in the rice down to the bottom of the pan. If you feel water continue to let it all dry up. (The rice will stir be hard. That is ok!! DO NOT ADD MORE WATER!)

5. Once the water has evaporated turn your heat down to the very lowest possible heat without turning your stove off. Drizzle the rice with a few tablespoons of Canola oil... Now go ahead and stir your rice! You'll want to make sure the rice is coated with the oil. Pile the rice in a big heaping oil coated mound in the middle of the pan and put the lid on the rice. (You may notice there is some rice stuck to the bottom of the pan. Don't worry- soak the pan for a few hours in water and it will come right off)

6. Let cook (the oil actually steams the rice) for a minimum of 15 minutes. At this point you can remove the lid to taste the rice. (do not remove the lid before this point) The rice should be nice and fluffy and not all slimy or stuck together. If it still is a bit hard (depending on the quantity you are cooking) continue to let it cook with the lid on. It will eventually reach perfection!! **If you added a garlic clove you'll need to remove it! 

7. Once the rice is done set aside.

Make it: Chicken

1. Cut up your raw chicken into bite sized pieces.

2. Heat up 2 tblsp of olive oil in a skillet and add chicken pieces.

3. Add garlic salt, salt, pepper, oregano, and parsley and cook chicken until it is done and brown. Taste and add more seasoning if necessary. 

4. While Chicken is cooking, cut your broccoli into pieces and add to a pot of salted boiling water. Cook until al dente.

5. In a large bowl add cream of chicken soup, cream of mushroom soup and sour cream.  Add your cooked chicken and steam broccoli to the bowl and give it a good stir until everything is coated. It should be very saucy!

Make it: putting it all together

1. In a 9 x 13 clear baking dish make a thick layer of rice. Next add the chicken-broccoli-sauce mixture and top with cheddar cheese. 

2. Bake in the oven on 350 degrees until the cheese is golden brown and the casserole is bubbly!! Yummy!

*Rice recipe courtesy of Sandra Brotzman

*Casserole recipe courtesy of Mama Leatherman

Be. Inspired. An Abiding Mom

My friend Missy sent this to me on mother's day before I had met my girls. Before I really understood what being a mom is all about. One big part is Trust. Trust in the Lord that He made and created little Amelia and Stella and He has good things planned for them. When I feel out of control to trust that the Lord is always in control. As their mom I sometimes want to be this perfect image of what I think a mom looks like... especially all of those super moms out there in blogger world. It is refreshing to read  study this and know that I can simply trust in the Lord and He will meet my needs and the needs of our family.

Blessings to you this week!

**this chart came from www.abidingmom.blogspot.com. Check her out for more inspiration!

Super Mom	Abiding Mom
Does	Is (Psalm 46:10)
Tries to impress others	Pleases the Lord (Eph. 5:10,Proverbs 29:25)
Is controlled by an agenda(curriculum, schedule, etc)	Is controlled by the Holy Spirit: (Gal. 5:22-26) (Uses curriculum & schedules as tools for orderliness so she's more free to follow the spirit)
Her self worth is found in her accomplishments (clean house, perfect kids, the perfect bulletin boards, etc.)	Her self worth is found in an accurate view of who she is in Christ Jesus (Eph 2:10)
Her peace is found in the “perfect” environment	Her peace is found in Jesus in the midst of any storm (Is 26:3)
She is discouraged by failure	Failure reminds her that God's strength is made perfect in weakness (2 Cor. 12:9-10)
She expects perfection from herself and others	She practices grace with herself and others (Eph 4:32)
She teaches her kids to be good	She teaches her kids to be Godly (Proverbs 22:6)
She is frustrated with her lack of spiritual fruit	She abides in Christ and bears much fruit (John 15:5)
She does things with her children	She builds a relationship with her children (Deut 6:6-7)
Her perspective is based on what is seen	Her perspective is based on what is unseen (Col 3:2)
She chooses quantity of activities	She chooses the most excellent Way (I Cor 13)

The Great Menu Exchange: Tuesday's Recipe- Orange Wine Chops!

I am participating in the Great Menu Exchange, and online collaboration of tried and true recipes! I will be submitting a full week's worth of my yummy recipes and in return will receive an online cookbook of all our the collaborators recipes! (I hope this will help my great cooking dilemma of trying to come up with ideas of what to cook. I am sure I lost a few brain cells delivering my twins!!)

My Menu:

Monday: BBQ Chicken Pizza

Tuesday: Orange Wine Pork Chops- Crock Pot Style

Wednesday: Southern Chicken Broccoli Casserole

Thursday: Grandma's Triple Meat Spaghetti Sauce

Friday: Spicy Veggie Beef Soup

Saturday: Pulled Pork Sandwiches a la Crock Pot

Sunday: Spicy Mexican Chicken Tacos

**All of these recipes will be added to the "recipe" tab on my blog! Enjoy!!

Tuesday's Recipe: Orange Wine Pork Chops- CP Style!

Shopping List:

4 center cut pork chops cut 1 inch thick

1 jar (16 oz) of your favorite orange marmalade

1 small white onion

1/4 cup of Chardonnay or your favorite white wine (I love a good Sauvignon Blanc for this!)

2 sticks of cinnamon

a dash of cinnamon

salt and pepper to taste

Make it:

1. Turn on your crock-pot to the lowest setting

2. Chop your white onion into strips and place in the bottom of the CP

3. Salt and pepper both sides of the pork chops and place on top of the onion in the CP

4. Spoon the marmalade on top of the chops

5. Pour the wine over everything and sprinkle with cinnamon and add the cinnamon sticks

6. Cover and cook on low heat for 4 1/2 hours to 6 hours. Discard cinnamon sticks

7. Serve over steamed white rice with steamed broccoli and orange slices (optional)

8. Enjoy the rest of the bottle of wine!! (also optional!)


**Recipe courtesy of Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade slow cooker recipes

Foto Friday!

Happy 3 months Amelia (left) and Stella (right)

We have loved every moment of every day with you. You have completed us!

Stella Natalia

Amelia Grace

The Great Menu Exchange: Monday's Recipe

I am participating in the Great Menu Exchange, and online collaboration of tried and true recipes! I will be submitting a full week's worth of my yummy recipes and in return will receive an online cookbook of all our the collaborators recipes! (I hope this will help my great cooking dilemma of trying to come up with ideas of what to cook. I am sure I lost a few brain cells delivering my twins!!)

My Menu:

Monday: BBQ Chicken Pizza

Tuesday: Orange Wine Pork Chops- Crock Pot Style

Wednesday: Southern Chicken Broccoli Casserole

Thursday: Grandma's Triple Meat Spaghetti Sauce

Friday: Spicy Veggie Beef Soup

Saturday: Pulled Pork Sandwiches a la Crock Pot

Sunday: Spicy Mexican Chicken Tacos

**All of these recipes will be added to the "recipe" tab on my blog! Enjoy!!

Monday's recipe: BBQ Chicken Pizza

Shopping List:

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1/2 large red onion

Pizza Crust mix (I buy the prepackaged Betty Crocker mix, or you can be Martha and make your own)

1 cup of your favorite BBQ Sauce (I like original)

2 cups (at least) of grated mozzarella cheese

1 tsp. of garlic paste (or if you can chop your own)

3 tblsp. of olive oil

Sprinkling of parmesan cheese

**a few sprigs of cilantro (optional)

Make it:

1. Prepare pizza crust as directed on box. Heat oven to 450 degrees.

2. In a small bowl mix the 2 tblsp. of olive oil with 1 tsp. of garlic paste and a sprinkle of oregano.

3. Roll out the pizza crust and brush with the garlic/oregano/olive oil mixture. Put in the oven and bake until golden brown. 

4. Chop up the raw chicken into bite sized pieces and cook in a skillet with 1/4 cup of chopped red onion and 1 tbslp. of olive oil.  When the chicken is golden brown add 1/4 cup of the BBQ sauce to coat the chicken. Salt and pepper to taste.

5. Remove the pizza crust and spread the remaining 3/4 cup of BBQ Sauce on the crust. Add the cooked chicken. Cut up the remaining raw onion into thin slices and add that to the pizza. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and top with as much mozzarella cheese as you like! (For me, the higher the mountain of cheese the better!)

6. Cook pizza in the oven until the cheese is golden brown and bubbly.

7. Remove the pizza and add a few chopped up sprigs of cilantro to the top of your pizza.

8. Cut and enjoy!

More Than a Mama...

While I am absolutely in love with being a mom, and not just like in love a little bit- like head over heals, stars falling from the sky, how great is our God, bigtop in love with being a mom, I also am a missionary (amongst many other things!!)

I am constantly in awe of the work God has called me to be a part of and the vision He has given us for the Island of Hispaniola. Our hearts are truly with our Dominican & Haitian brothers and sisters.

Many of you are very faithful loyal blog readers over here at our family blog and I would like to invite you to follow our ministry blog as well.

Click the link below and sign up to follow what God is doing through us in the Dominican Republic!

Perez Ministry Blog

Much peace and many blessings to you today!!
Jackie

Yummy Blueberry Cake!

As a new mama of twin girls, maximizing my time is key to getting anything done!

Besides feeding 2 babies 5 times throughout the day, changing 20 diapers (I am not kidding.), sterilizing bottles, making bottles, and pumping every three hours. (This is a really bad sentence... I actually don't even think it qualifies as a sentence. oh well.)

Enter the crock-pot.

Lots of people have asked me what items have been super helpful with two babies and soon I will be giving my top must-haves! Near the top of that list is the crock-pot. It is magic! Not only can you make dinner, but you can make dessert as well in this nifty little invention!

I have been craving sweets post-partum... it's crazy! Like, I need sugar after every meal. I need to get a grip.

Anyway, this Lemon Blueberry Cake is a cinch to make in the crock!

Lemon-Blueberry-Goodness-Crock-pot-Cake!

Photo courtesy of me! (Again, not so much into taking pics of the process. I am all about the results, which I might add were fantastic!!)

Ingredients:

Cooking Spray (any kind will really do)

1 can of blueberry pie filling

1 box of lemon cake mix (Yes, I use a box... sorry mom) & all the ingredients required on the back of the box to make cake mix (water, oil, eggs)

1 1/4 cup of boiling water

1/4 cup sugar

Make it:

1. Coat your crock-pot with the cooking spray

2. Spoon pie filling into the crock-pot and set aside

3. In a big bowl mix the cake mix and ingredients to make cake. I use a good old fashioned whisk because I am too lazy to bust out a hand mixer and it's so much easier to just wash the whisk! Anyway, use whichever you prefer and beat the tar out of the cake mix until there are no lumps (about 2 minutes)

4. Pour cake batter over the pie filling in the crock-pot

5. In another bowl combine the boiling water and sugar and stir until the sugar dissolves. Slowly pour this over the top of the cake mixture in the CP

6. Take 8 paper towels and stack on top of the CP without touching the cake mix and secure with the lid on top (this will absorb the moisture)

7. Cook on high heat for 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 hours or until whatever you choose to stick in the middle to test comes out clean. (They always recommend a wooden skewer... I use a steak knife.)

8. Turn off CP and let stand uncovered for about 45 minutes (if you live in the DR you know that's quite impossible so just let it chill on your counter top with the lid on for a couple of hours while it cools down, or you can serve it hot, but be careful- the fruit will be extremely hot)

9. Scoop cake onto plates and top with blueberry mixture at the bottom of CP... Or if you have a cake pan, place that on top of the CP and invert and your beautiful cake and blueberry topping should plop right out and onto your plate!!

10. Enjoy!! 

This cake is so springy and delicious! It would also be wonderful if you did an angel food cake with strawberry pie filling or a streudel (sp?) cake with apple filling... combinations are limitless!!

Recipe courtesy of Sandra Lee Semi-homemade Slow Cooker Recipes

Up next week- my very very best friend's Key Lime Pie

Be. Inspired. Celebrating Sophi and Raena

Meet sweet Sophi and Raena. They are identical twins and this picture of them with me and my sweet baby girls was taken on their birthday here in the Dominican Republic.

5 years ago S & R entered the world 2 & 1/2 months before their due date... amongst many complications they were born profoundly deaf. They underwent surgery and received cochlear implants and today both speak and sign. 

Since before they entered the world these little girls were fighters. survivors. They were destined to be inspire-ers :) & Jesus lovers! It constantly amazes me at their faith and how they live out their love for Christ and for others. In 5 years they have overcome more obstacles and celebrated more glorious victories than many adults I know. They truly are lovely little ladies that will melt your heart.

We have been praying for these girls- Just this week they made the transition from a special needs school to public school, which I was clued into just what a big deal this is. There is no doubt in my mind that these girls will conquer this with the same grace and love with which they conquer most things in their lives, which is in no small part due to their amazing parents, Jeff & Vicki Rogers.

Jeff, Vicki, Sophi and Raena- such a joy and an honor to do life with you guys. I am constantly amazed at how your family lives for Christ. I pray my little girls will one day have the faith and courage to live their lives so beautifully honoring Christ as your (not so little anymore) babies do!

Blessing to you today!!

** Each week I post a little something to inspire readers. Mostly, it is whatever has inspired me throughout the week! Hope you enjoy!!

Craft Day!!

Today was one of those days. We didn't go to church because we were tired downright exhausted from last night.

Amelia refused to go to sleep... like she was hopped up on crack or something...

We tried everything.

Short of driving around in the car with her... mainly because I was tired I thought I would fall asleep at the wheel.

Anyway, I had been wanted to knock out a few craft projects, and today turned out to be the perfect day.

In lieu of church we put on worship music, albeit Praise Baby Worship Collection... that's right, all you mamas out there know what I am talking about. In fact my girls are asleep in their room and guess what I am listening to out in the office... yep, Praise Baby.

Craft # 1: Redo the Canisters

I am terrible with taking "before" photos. I always jump right in and then as an after thought remember those dang before shots... oops. Let's just say the jars had these ugly black metal signs that wrapped all the way around and covered the entire jar so you could barely see what was inside of them. They read "pasta, coffee, sugar, tea, pepper, salt"

Who stores salt or pepper in a canister of this size?

Seriously?

They had to go.

My friend Vicky is always doing such fun stuff with chalkboard paint (like spray painting pots for plants and then using chalkboard paint to make a label for what's inside... I'll be doing that soon, and posting pics later this week, now that I too, am obsessed with chalkboard paint!!)

Back to the canisters. I simply removed said ugly metal label and painted a big patch of chalkboard paint on front (it took 3 coats to get even). Tied 2 colors of pretty ribbon on and used chalk to write what's inside and voila! New Canisters.

They make me happy.

Not as happy as my second craft though!

Behold, the Disney jar...

There's not many other happier places this side of heaven than Disneyland.

I am not joking.

I love it all. the rides, especially the kids rides! My favorites are still Mr. Toads Wild Ride and Peter Pan. The character breakfast, sigh, the character breakfast. I even like it's a small world.

It's a small world after all, it's a small world after all, it's a small world after all, it's a small small world.

Is the song in your head yet?

All my mom wants for her 50th birthday (in 2012, sorry mom, I outed your age) is to go to Disneyland.

The whole family. Me, Alan, Amelia, Stella, Hank, J.D., Matt, and Kyle.

For Christmas!!

Of course I am giddy with excitement, except, do you know how expensive it is for a family of 4 to go to Disney these days? Ridiculously stupidly expensive.

Thus, the Disney jar was born. We'll be collecting our change for the next two years in hopes of being able to pay for tickets breakfast at Disney!

Back to the jar. Again I removed ugly canister label, added some paint and lots of ribbon and a few flowers and that's it! Plus it matches the cute ribbon mobiles I made for the girls cribs, which they just started to notice this week! (When the fan hits the ribbon it gently sways them and the girls love looking at them!!)

I have a list a mile long of fun craft projects that I want to get to... maybe that will be what we do on Sundays... though next time, we'll go to church first!

Peace!

Foto Friday!

Earlier this week Cherry emailed me and asked if she could come help with the babies so I could sleep or do whatever I needed to do. It was such a blessed time yesterday. Not only did she hold, rock, feed, and love on my sweet babies, but she also brought me wild flowers from the Dominican mountainside (close to where she lives), and she washed my piled high sink full of dishes as well as folded the laundry that had been sitting on my kitchen table for 2 days! We chatted about babies, caught up on life, and ministry. The time was short, but I was very thankful for it.

Thank you Cherry! We loved spending time with you!

I was only going to post one photo- but I couldn't believe how much our girls are looking more and more alike! Can you tell who is Amelia and who is Stella?

Who is who?? :)

Blessings to you this weekend!

10 day old photo shoot

We were so blessed by Kymberly who came to our house when the girls were just 10 days old to take some newborn photos. I don't remember a lot of the details of the day except the girls pooped on the carpet twice and peed all over Kymberly. She was so sweet and handled it with such love (she is prego with a little Emelia too!!)

Enjoy the photos!

Inspiration of the Week: The Great Work of Forgiveness

"Forgiveness doesn't make the other person right; it makes you free." Stormie Omartian

I am reading a great book called "The power of Prayer to Change Your Marriage." I wouldn't say our marriage is in trouble, but only being married for 15 months with 3 month old twins I'd say we have a few things to learn. They say your newlyweds for the first 5 years of your marriage as you learn to communicate and do life together. 

Let me tell you, communication gets real tricky when your both sleep deprived & taking care of infants full-time. 

Sadly, one would think your prayers would get stronger during this time, but my prayer life began to seriously suffer after the girls were born, thus affecting all other aspects of life, namely my marriage.

So I picked up this book, after reading another one of her books because I love that you pray scripture and proclaim God's truths. There is power in knowing that your prayers will be answered and will be heard when you pray God's word. 

The truth about forgiveness is that it starts with you and with God. You must choose to forgive everyday and if you have an unforgiving spirit you WILL miss out on God's blessings. It Will affect your prayer life (Mark 11:25) and it gives way for Satan to work in your own life. (2 Cor. 2:11)

When we have an attitude of unforgiveness it is a grievous sin against God and we should repent and be very sorry for the sprit we have. We need to confess and ask to be forgiven of this as we learn to forgive others. 

Here's a few things/verses I learned about not forgiving that are scary enough to make me want to daily bow before God and ask Him to show me where there is unforgiveness in my heart so that I may live in freedom.

Not forgiving means you won't be forgiven by God

"But if you don't forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." Matthew 6:15

Not forgiving delays the answers to your prayers

"Whenever you stand praying , if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses." Mark 11:25

Not forgiving means you are walking in darkness

"He who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes." 1 John 2:11

 And here are a few promises that excite me about what happens when we forgive!

Forgiving brings blessings to you

"finally all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing" 1 Peter 3:8-9

Forgiving allows you to be forgiven

"Judge not and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven." Luke 6:37

Forgiving makes you Christlike

Even as Christ forgave you, so you must also do" Colossians 3:13

Forgiving is a way to pursue peace and keep from becoming bitter

"pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord; look carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled" Hebrews 12: 14-15

Forgiveness, I am learning is about repentance and love. To love someone enough to forgive and to repent to our God of any unforgiveness in our hearts. It is a daily work, not something we do once a month or once a year, but a daily turning to God in prayer in a posture of repentance... and it is hard! 

Please pray with me that my life might reflect this attitude of forgiveness that I might not miss His blessings in my life and in my marriage and that we will live in freedom!

Where do you stand when it comes to forgiveness?