Moist PB Banana Muffins & Surrendering to Jesus

I've decided to turn this blog into my own personal spiritual thoughts/diary/reflection + food diary! We'll see how this goes :)

Today I am thankful for the beach and for sisters in Christ that provide advice and support for me during hard times. There's just something about sitting at the beach, putting on some headphones, and reorienting your life with Jesus again. You don't have to worry about what others think. It's just you and God's creation. The reason why the beach is such a peaceful place for me is because it's still hard to imagine how God created such a vast thing that spans the entire world! But he did, and he controls every inch of it.
Recently, I have been so caught up with life and all of the worries that come along with it. But today I heard a sermon by John Piper where he just broke me down so that I could surrender all of the things that were stressing me out to Jesus. The key was prayer. We forget that prayer is the easiest to physically do, yet seemingly hardest discipline of the Christian walk. Prayer gives me peace and purpose, it gives me a hope and a yearning to hear from God. And the most awesome thing is that God doesn't care how ornate our prayers are..and he listens to every single word that we speak to Him.

If you look closely, you'll see dolphins!

"The confidence that a sovereign God governs for your good all the pain and all the pleasure that you will ever experience is an incomparable refuge and security and hope and power in your life." {thank you Ari!..we aren't in this alone!}

Bible verse of the day:

2 Corinthians 4:17-19

For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

Baking therapy for small groups tomorrow:

Polka dot muffin liners from Michael's

My model..i am so mean ;p

SUPER MOIST Mini PB Chip Banana Muffins w/ Greek Yogurt

Makes 48 mini, bite-sized, pop-em-in-your-mouth muffins

Ingredients
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature, plus more for pan
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (generously rounded!) mashed very ripe bananas
1/2 cup good-quality Greek yoghurt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup Peanut Butter chips

Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a mini muffin tin with liners and PAM. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, and beat to incorporate.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to the butter mixture, and mix until just combined. Add bananas, yoghurt, and vanilla; mix to combine. Stir in PB chips, and pour into prepared pan.

Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 10 minutes. Let rest in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool.