Who am I? (Where to find the answer ;) )

Hey friends~

Long time no posts from me~ so sorry, if you've missed me! :)

Today I am posting a review for a new Bible from Thomas Nelson Bibles , 

the Life in Christ Bible (NKJV). 

Today (and honestly throughout history), many people often wonder "what is the meaning of life?" in general, and what is the meaning of their life specifically. It is evident by the rampant depression, anxiety, and general dissatisfaction and disregard for life we see increasing around us, that people are not finding relevant and encouraging answers to that basic question. 

A number of years ago, rapper Lecrae released a song "Identity" that always comes to my mind when talking about a person's identity (imagine that!), and is one of his songs that I can get behind. I believe it totally relates to this whole question of "Who am I?"   

"Identity is found in the God we trust and any other identity will self destruct..."

So, where does one find out about their identity in the God we trust?
The Bible is the best answer (in my opinion), and the Thomas Nelson Life in Christ Bible can help you discover why YOU matter (hint~ it's not because of anything you DO, but because *you are made in the image of God). God has a purpose for your life in this moment. You have a part to play in what He is doing in the world, but knowing why you are here starts with knowing who God says you are. 

Whenever I get a new Bible, I want to know what sets it apart from any other Bible. Generations ago this wasn't an thing, but today there are Bibles for college students, Bibles for youth, Bibles for Children, Bibles for Women, Bibles for Men, etc... This doesn't mean that the text of the Bible is different depending on the audience, but that the included notes and helps are geared toward that specific audience. 

The features included in the Life in Christ Bible are intended to help you explore not only how the gospel of Jesus Christ makes you a new person, but also to help you learn how "who God says you are" can change how you think, speak, work, and move through the world.

I appreciate the overview in the front of the Bible, as it details three basic goals for this particular Bible, which I would like to share with you here:

The concept that every human being (Christian or not) is made in the image of God. That sin did not destroy this image of God in people, but severely damaged it. Scripture shows that people can discover that they have intrinsic worth as image-bearers of God. There are eight themes that explore this view:

• I Create
• I Reflect
• I Discern
• I Matter
• I Reason
  
• I Relate
• I Rule
• I Worship

This focus also clarifies that the gospel is not just about salvation from sin (as critical and wonderful as that is), but restoring identity and relationship between God's image-bearers and Himself, by knowing "My Identity in Christ" with 17 themes:

• I Am a Citizen
• I Am an Ambassador
• I Am and Heir
• 
  I Am Adopted
• I Am Chosen
• I Am Complete
• I Am Forgiven
• I Am Holy
• I Am Justified
  
• I Am Known
  
• I Am Loved
• I Am Reconciled
• I Am Redeemed
• I Am Righteous
• I Have A Family
• I Have A Purpose
• I Will Be Glorified

The third goal is to connect the true identity of the image-bearer made new in Christ with Faithful Living, the the answer to why am I here,  Living My Identity In Christ with 15 themes:

• I Live with Compassion
• I Live with Faithfulness
• I Live with Forgiveness
• I Live with Generosity
  
• I Live with Gentleness
  
• I Live with Goodness
• I Live with Hospitality
• I Live with Humility
  
• I Live with Joy
  
• I Live with Kindness
• I Live with Love
• I Live with Obedience
• I Live with Patience
• I Live with Peace
• I Live with Self-Control

Now, I am generally not a fan of seeing "I" in such quantity, with a focus on the individual "me," but in this instance, it is a call to learn how to be the best one can be, so that our lives manifest the goodness of God. Imagine what a world we could live in if every image bearer of God truly lived their identity in Christ as outlined above. There would be no more call of "Maranatha! Lord Jesus, Come!" Because He would already be here. The best way to work towards people in every tribe and nation coming to know their true identity is for each of us to begin (or continue) to strive to live daily exhibiting the attributes mentioned. 

Many notes for each theme are included, each tied to a specific verse or section of Scripture. A number of longer articles can be found throughout the Bible, exploring themes such as Age and My Identity, Consumerism and My Identity, Disability and My Identity, Gender and My Identity, Marriage and My Identity, Parenting and My Identity, Technology and My Identity, and more. I skimmed through some of the articles, and was pleased to see that they tend to hold to a Biblically sound and gracious tone.

 
As an example, I was curious how 'Marriage and My Identity' would be treated, and found it interesting that the article found in Ephesians 5, subtitled "Representing Christ to the World," deals solely with the comparison of Christ to the husband in a marriage. It totally skips the "Wives submit to your own husbands" section (which, to be fair has been totally overdone and twisted by too many people), and leans into the reality of  a Christ-following husband's headship as a reflection of Christ's sacrificial relationship to the church. Not overbearing and autocratic and self-serving, but loving and encouraging. In short, men bear a great responsibility for the health of their marriage. They have big shoes to fill. 

Here is a short video showing the size, and sharing the inside of the Bible in hand. 

This Bible is available in Hardcover, Leathersoft, and Bonded Leather. For the purposes of this review I received a brown Leathersoft style. The Leathersoft and Bonded Leather Bibles offer two ribbons (Old Testament and New Testament placement!) and all of them are printed in Thomas Nelson's exclusive, easy to read "comfort print," which I can verify is easily readable for 50+ and 60+ eyes.

 

Before I finish, I would like to mention that along with the various notes included, this is also a reference Bible (Although that text isn't quite as easy on the 50+ and 60+ eyes 😅 ), and includes cross references and translation notes. There are also the typical maps, tables of monies, weights, and measures, a topical index, and a selection of reading plans found in the back of the Bible. 

If you (or a loved one) are confused about who you are, why you matter, and what the sense of life is in today's world, order a copy of The Life in Christ Bible, and explore that focus, which will lead you to the ultimate answer of who you can be for eternity~ a Child of the one true God. 

*Giveaway has ended

Blessings~

 #LifeInChristBibleMIN #LifeinChristBible @nelsonbibles

Many thanks to HarperCollins Christian Publishing for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own and are not influenced by monetary compensation.

Roasted Acorn Squash with Sausage Apple Stuffing

When you are gifted 5 lovely acorn squash, you wait till everyone is home for dinner, and make something fun with them. When it coincides with the first day of November, it's just that much better. 

I knew I wanted to make a stuffed squash with sausage and apples, so I looked around on the internet, but didn't find anything that suited exactly what I had in mind. So, I chose the cooking method for the squash that seemed the most reasonable (read:quick!), and did my own thing. 

Note, for my purposes, the stuffing worked perfectly for 5 acorn squash, so if you aren't cooking that many, you will have leftover stuffing (yay!) 

Ingredients

5 Acorn Squash, halved and seeded

1 lb roll of Sausage (I used Aldi's)
Garam Masala Spice blend (I have a grinder bottle with black peppercorn, coriander, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves, ginger, I think any combination of these would do nicely)
1/2 tsp Savory or Sage

2 Apples, cored and diced (1/4-1/2 inch? Not large chunks)

(2 TBS?) Honey

1/2-1 tsp Cinnamon

1 box Hawaiian Stuffing (Aldi~ or some other box of stuffing, but this is one of my favorites)

Butter

Black Pepper

Hard Cheese, Grated. I used Gouda, Parmesan or Asiago would also be good. 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F while preparing squash

2. Place squash halves cut side down on parchment paper on baking sheet (I had to use two sheets, because I couldn't quite fit 10 halves one one sheet) and bake for 40 minutes (Some larger squash may require 10-15 minutes longer)

3. Brown (and chunk up) sausage over medium heat. I also added the spices and savory or sage at this point. Because I ground directly onto the meat, I don't have an exact measurement, but I will guess about 1 tsp or so of Garam Masala Spice mix) 

4. Remove cooked sausage to a medium sized bowl.

5. Melt 1 Tbs butter in same pan, add apples, drizzle with honey, sprinkle with cinnamon and saute' until soft. 

6. Use slotted spoon to remove apples from pan (So any liquid remains for next step), and add to sausage

7. Add 1/2 the recommended amount of water for your box of stuffing to the pan, add the stuffing and mix till moistened (I didn't bring to a boil or add butter, just 1/2 of the water, and mix)

8. Add stuffing to the bowl of sausage and apples, and mix, tossing with a fork so that it doesn't compress. 

9. Remove cooked squash from the oven, and flip over carefully (With spatula and fork to steady)

10. Add two or three thin slices of butter to the squash cavities, and pepper the whole thing (to taste)

11. Fill with the stuffing mix. I used about 2 scoops of a Table Serving Spoon to fill each cavity.

12. Grate the cheese over top and sprinkle with a smattering of pumpkin seeds, and return to the oven for another 20 minutes. You can choose to add the cheese 5 minutes before cooking time ends if you don't mind one more step. I was streamlining because I don't mind more "cooked" cheese. I would also consider grating the cheese over top right after removing from the oven~ that would work as well, I think.

13. Remove from oven, plate carefully (I tried tongs~ stick with the spatula and fork combo~ it works better, in my experience ;), and enjoy! 

Blessings~

Anne (with an 'e") Wilson~ Debut Album Review and Giveaway! (ends Thursday evening, 5/5)

Hi all! 

I am so pleased to be able to write this next review, as it is always easier to write a good review about something you are excited about, or just really like, in general. I think I can honestly say both apply here. 
~>Many thanks to Universal Music Group for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation<~

Anne Wilson is a new Christian Singer/Songwriter (definitely not to be confused with Ann Wilson of "Heart" fame), who just released her Debut Album, "My Jesus," on April 22nd. 
You may have heard her title track this past year on Christian Radio or on your favorite streaming platform, or if you were fortunate enough to attend the Zach Williams Christmas or Spring Concert tours, where she was a special guest artist. She showed up >>for me<< as a recommended artist in my "discover weekly" list on Spotify a couple of weeks ago, so again, I was delighted to be asked to join this review/giveaway campaign and share her music with you all. 

In addition to hearing the music, I was given the opportunity to join Anne's Album Launch Livestream Event this past Wednesday, and I enjoyed getting a glimpse of this talented young lady. She only *just turned 20 this February, and she writes and sings with a wisdom beyond her years. Fun little fact from the livestream~ She spent a year and half pounding out 130 or so songs, the cream of which made it on to her debut album. I can attest to the determination and work ethic that feat requires~ pretty great in one so young.  Some other fun facts learned at the livestream: 

• Anne Wilson is the first female solo artist debut single to reach #1 on the Billboard Christian Airplay chart
• Anne Wilson’s debut single “My Jesus” was the longest #1 single on Billboard’s Christian Air-play chart of 2021 at 7 weeks total
• “My Jesus” was nominated for a 2022 Billboard Music Award for “Top Christian Song” against Kanye West(For those interested, the awards will broadcast live coast-to-coast on May 15 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on NBC. It will also stream live on Peacock).
• “My Jesus” Hit #1 on Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 and #19 on the Rolling Stone Top 25 Trending charts
• Anne Wilson was featured as Billboard’s October 2021 Chartbreaker Artist in their 21 Under 21 issue

On a more serious note, one of the main threads throughout much of her album is a recurring theme of hard times and despair defeated by the power, glory, grace and love of God. One might wonder at the veracity of a barely 20-something effectively handling the deep and dark right next to the deep and redeeming light, but Anne has walked a tough road herself, and many teens and young twenties experience more discouragement, hopelessness, and distress than some of us want to acknowledge. 

In Anne's case, during one of the most vulnerable and difficult time in anyone's life (15 years old) she suffered the tragic loss of her 23-year-old brother in a car accident. This loss clearly impacted her, but she turned to God for comfort and peace, which is evident in many of the songs throughout the album. What a gift to be able to empathize with others based on shared experience and then turn that into music to minister to the soul. For more on Anne, you can read her Biography here, and listen to her talk about that time and her story here. 

 

 Album Impressions ~ One thing I found interesting (and appreciated) was the way Anne incorporated a couple of lines {or stanzas} of old hymns in many of her songs, giving a definite nod to gospel hymn roots, without feeling like she was borrowing too much or reworking them. I actually noticed a couple, and then listened for some of the more subtle uses throughout. {see the brackets in my little snippet summations)
 

1. Prelude (Scatter) ~ short instrumental
2. Scatter ~ An anthem declaring that the battle is the Lord's, and we can stand firm in the knowledge that He *will* scatter our enemies. {Glory, Hallelujah, My God is marchin' on}
3. My Jesus ~ The title track~ another anthem~ so much has been said about this one already, I don't feel the need. 
4. Devil ~ This is a "fightin' " resurrection song (!😁!) with a refrain of "You brought life to me and death to the Devil. {I was blind but now I can see} 
5. Sunday Sermons~ Fun, foot-stomping track that honors the impact of being brought up "in church."{Jesus loves me, this I know}
6. Hey Girl ~ A tune that joins a few others that walk a line on the side of "Daughter of the King," combating the very real feeling of "not being enough," when in fact, we are each worth so much that Jesus gave His life for us... 
7. This House ~ This is fantastic~ a rockin' take on the concept of a the parable of the wise man and the foolish man~ without a firm foundation (the word of the Lord), "this house gonna fall" {My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood, my righteousness...} I found it interesting that she changed the wording to "my righteousness," which emphasizes that His righteousness does, indeed, become our righteousness, since we have none of our own. 
8. Mansions~ A lively little hopeful tune addressing {When we all get to heaven}
9. Mamas~ (with Hillary Scott) ~ Sweet tune for all the Mamas (and/or mama figures) in our lives. 
   Featuring Hillary Scott (from Lady A[ntebellum])   “Mamas (Official Music Video)” will release 5/4 for Mother’s Day and includes footage of Anne surprising her mother with the song, as well as footage of Hillary Scott and her daughters.
   
10. No Place Like Home ~ A loving tribute to her brother Jacob, and the reality that while we say there is no place like home (here on Earth), there truly is no place like our real home (in Heaven). 
11. God Thing ~ I use "It's a God thing" as a phrase fairly frequently, and I appreciate that there is now a song pointing out that the big and the small things point to Him and His work! Miracles still happen.  
12. That’s What We Need~ Hard hitting, truth spitting reminder that there is One Way, One Truth, One Life, and that Love should be our standard. 
13. Something About That Name~ A fresh take on the name above all names, and the dichotomy of its use by saints and sinners, in joy and sorrow, tender but loud... nicely done! 
14. Closer To God~ Explores how God can be close, even when we don't understand what we are going through.
15. My Jesus (feat. Crowder) ~ fun remix. 

I love the fact that so many established musicians like Matthew West, among others, have taken Anne under their wings~ encouraged her, written lyrics and music with her~ mentored her, really, while letting her  Country, Gospel Rock roots shine through. I also value the hope that Anne represents as a shining example to those who are distressed by this old world, and those who fear for future generations. There *are those young people who know and love God, and will continue to be beacons, reflecting His light, and drawing the lost safely to the shore of God's amazing grace, mercy, and love. 

There truly isn't a track on this album that I don't enjoy! See for yourself! 
Stream or purchase Anne’s new album now!

You also have a chance to win an autographed copy of Anne's Debut CD in my quick giveaway that ends this THURSDAY, May 5th. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

.

Blessings~

#AnneWilson #AnneWilsonMIN #MomentumInfluencerNetwork 

"A Show About Anthem Lights" review & Pure Flix 3-month giveaway

I'm back with a quick review on "A Show About Anthem Lights" and a giveaway for a free 3-month subscription from Pure Flix.

As I mentioned in my last post, Anthem Lights (a really fantastic male vocal group, and a favorite in our household) has entered into the “semi-reality” cartoon genre. 

The premise of the show (so far) is to give a fun bit of a behind-the-scenes look at the band and their creative process, as well as some run-ins with a fictional nemesis band. 

Each episode is between 11-15 minutes long, and the episodes are released every other week, 4 episodes at a time. That means that there is a new set of episodes available (today!), which brings the current count to 8. 

Click on this LINK to view a trailer of the series. 

 

Episode 4, the guys work to find their niche 

I was asked to review episode 4 “Famous” where the guys from Anthem Lights decide to try out for a reality singing show, and have to agree on the style and content of their song. 

As I mentioned in my last post, the show has a bit of a “Get Smart” vibe, including a fair amount of silliness (that I suspect is somewhat realistic, 😅), much of which will go over the youngest viewers heads. Speaking of which, I also watched the pilot episode, in order to get more of a feel, and some of the dialogue is likely waaayyy over younger viewers, but will amuse teen, and possibly older fans. 

Check it out, and if you are intrigued, sign up for Pure Flix to watch this series (and see what other family friendly fare is offered as well!) 

Blessings~

Disclosure: Many thanks to Pure Flix for providing a temporary subscription for this review. Opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. 

#AnthemLightsMIN #MomentumInfluencerNetwork #PureFlix

Anthem Lights "Gets Smart"

Hey, friends!

Are you familiar with Anthem Lights? They are a male vocal band with outstanding talent whose originals, covers, medleys and "mashups" have been enjoyed in our home for years now. 

Here are a few examples to give you a taste: 

One of my favorite Hymn Mash-ups 



 A Beatles Medley



A "Best of" mashup of Billboard songs of the year



A Disney Mashup from The Little Mermaid (Yep~ They can get a little goofy) 


And an original

Well, the boys haven't just grown up, they've gotten married, some of them have kids, and now they have a fun new venture they are taking on~ cartoons! I already knew this, but they really don't take themselves TOO seriously. 😂

Yep~ you read that right! Joey, Spencer, Caleb and Chad are voicing a new cartoon literally named "A Show About Anthem Lights" airing starting tomorrow, January 12 on Pureflix. You can check out a preview episode and see if you have the same "Get Smart" or "Wild Kratts" vibe that I was getting. 

And here is the press release so you can read all about it yourself! 

Blessings~

#AnthemLightsMIN #MomentumInfluencerNetwork #PureFlix

Naturally Antibac Cutting Boards?

Local craft fairs are one of my favorite places to get unique gift ideas (for giving to others as well as my own wishlist when appropriate 😁), and Forever Boards is one of those small businesses. 

Forever Boards craft cutting boards (and more) out of reclaimed Corian scrap destined for landfills, which fits into my personal version of reduce, reuse, recycle, upcycle. Not rabid about RRRU, but definitely believe it falls under being a good steward of God's creation. 

Cheese Tray (Very useful size)

They also have some very interesting, fun and unique "shaped" cutting boards~ this is an obvious favorite in my house, but there are others that are equally interesting and fun.

Visit Forever Boards on their Website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 

I notice that unless you are purchasing in person at a craft fair, all boards are custom cut to order, and may take up to 2 weeks to ship, so something to keep in mind, :) 

 Blessings~

This was a totally unsolicited post. I just think this is a quality item worth sharing about

Pesto Tortellini Chicken Soup

Pesto Tortellini Chicken Soup

1 head of garlic + 4 large cloves, peeled and "bruised" with the flat of knife

1 sweet orange or red or yellow pepper

1.5 lb of raw chicken (I used thighs)

3 qts chicken broth 

4 medium to large carrots, diced (with one set aside) 

3 stalks of celery sliced lengthwise and chopped

1 lb dried tortellini (I used Trader Joe's pesto tortellini)

1-2 handfuls of fresh spinach, rinsed, stacked, and sliced into thin ribbons (You can slice it however you want, I just found stacking and slicing all at once worked quite nicely for me). 

1-3 tsp onion powder (to taste)

3 Tbs pesto sauce, or to taste (I used Aldi's Pesto sauce)
2 or 3 pinches of salt (if using low sodium chicken broth, otherwise, to taste, after it is all cooked)
Fresh Ground Pepper to taste

After eating, I decided that some shredded Asiago cheese to "finish" it would have also been nice. 

Roasting:

1. Preheat oven to 400 for roasting garlic and pepper purposes
2. Lay out two sheets of tin foil
3. Slice the tips of the cloves on the head of garlic, place in the middle of one square of tinfoil and drizzle with olive oil. 
4. Slice the pepper in half and remove the seeds. Brush with oil inside and out and lay face down on the 2nd square of tinfoil.
5. Close the foil for both tightly to contain mess and allow the garlic/pepper to steam/roast for 35-40 minutes. 

Soup: 

I cooked my chicken in the instant pot and finished the soup there as well, but if you have a big soup kettle, that works fine also. 

1. Pour 2 qts of chicken broth into pot (It can start heating up, either with IP Saute' function or medium heat on the stove)
2. Add the chicken, the bruised garlic, the one set aside chopped carrot, the chopped celery, and the onion powder. 
3. IP ~ close lid and cook on HP for 12 minutes, quick release, stove~ bring to boil and then simmer for 25-30 minutes. 
4. Remove chicken from pot to shred (I like to get rid of the little fatty bits and skin that don't dissolve at this point, before shredding).
5. If you have an immersion blender, you can incorporate the cooked garlic, celery and carrot pieces into the broth now (I did). If not, I might fish out the garlic cloves ~ or not. 
   
6. Bring the broth to a boil and add the rest of the diced carrot and the tortellini and cook for 14-16 minutes (Or according to the instructions on your tortellini package. If it is fresh tortellini, dump the carrots in a little earlier)
7. By now the roasted garlic and pepper are probably done, so take the foil carefully out of the oven and let it cool a minute while you shred the chicken and add it back to the pot.
8. By now you can probably add the ribboned spinach and swirl it in to wilt
9. Squeeze the garlic out of 4 of the cloves, peel the skin from the pepper halves and smush it all into a paste and swirl that, the Pesto sauce, and the pinch(es) of salt into the broth as well. 
10. Let it simmer for a couple of minutes, then dish up into bowls, add fresh ground pepper and shredded asiago cheese to taste. 
    

Garnish with yummy toasted bread~ I crushed the rest of the roasted garlic cloves and mixed it with a little butter and olive oil to put on our toast. YUM! 

 Blessings~