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Cinnamon Swirl Chocolate Chip Bread

I had a relaxing morning reading God's word, listening to Hillsong, finishing my wax-ups, and baking this! Lately, God has been convicting me of not feeling content with my situation, and it has really been depleting my joy in Him. For more read below! Anyways, here's the recipe I made. It's one of the simplest recipes ever but surely will be a favorite! Click here for the recipe!

This morning, I read this devotional from Oswald Chambers (utmost.org) that talks about why we suffer, and how we can use our persecutions or criticisms or failures for God's glory. These are all definitely things that we all go through. And let me tell you, it's never easy. In these times, we are to remain faithful because faith brings us closer and more aligned to Christ. God tests us, and for good reasons, and in the end we can look back and say that it made us stronger and so much more dependent on Him. Right now, I can't say I completely always trust God, especially when things suck and school is hard. But reading His word every day is a reminder to me that, with faith, comes doubt. And doubt is okay! We are allowed to doubt God, but through this, we need to remember to CLING to Him and just watch His faithfulness shine through.

 . . but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings . . . —1 Peter 4:13

If you are going to be used by God, He will take you through a number of experiences that are not meant for you personally at all. They are designed to make you useful in His hands, and to enable you to understand what takes place in the lives of others. Because of this process, you will never be surprised by what comes your way. You say, “Oh, I can’t deal with that person.” Why can’t you? God gave you sufficient opportunities to learn from Him about that problem; but you turned away, not heeding the lesson, because it seemed foolish to spend your time that way.

The sufferings of Christ were not those of ordinary people. He suffered “according to the will of God” (1 Peter 4:19), having a different point of view of suffering from ours. It is only through our relationship with Jesus Christ that we can understand what God is after in His dealings with us. When it comes to suffering, it is part of our Christian culture to want to know God’s purpose beforehand. In the history of the Christian church, the tendency has been to avoid being identified with the sufferings of Jesus Christ. People have sought to carry out God’s orders through a shortcut of their own. God’s way is always the way of suffering— the way of the “long road home.”

Are we partakers of Christ’s sufferings? Are we prepared for God to stamp out our personal ambitions? Are we prepared for God to destroy our individual decisions by supernaturally transforming them? It will mean not knowing why God is taking us that way, because knowing would make us spiritually proud. We never realize at the time what God is putting us through— we go through it more or less without understanding. Then suddenly we come to a place of enlightenment, and realize— “God has strengthened me and I didn’t even know it!”

Oh How I Need You

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

{Jeremiah 29:13}

When it's just one of those days....

Lord I find You in the seeking

Lord I find You in the doubt

And to know You is to love

And to know so little else

I need You

Oh how I need You

Oh how I need You

Oh how I need You

Lord I find You in the morning

Lord I seek You every day

And let my life be for Your glory

Woven in Your threads of grace

Light glorious light

I will go where You shine

Break the dawn, crack the skies

Make the way bright before me

In Your light, I will find

All I need, all I need is You

Pumpkin Pie Bars

I had the sweet pleasure of having lunch and baking with my lovely friend Brenda yesterday! She is an amazing woman of God, and I am always so encouraged by her devotion to serving God through serving others. I am so glad that I have her with me in dental school because I'm not sure what I would do without her! Anyways, here's what we made! 

Me in my new apron from Ner! <3 td="">

Hard at work!

Find my Matcha Green Tea Shortbread recipe if you wanna learn how to make these! 

INGREDIENTS

For the crust/topping:
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
12 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 cup old-fashioned oats
½ cup chopped pecans/peanuts

For the filling:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
½ cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree
1 tbsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. vanilla extract
White Chocolate chips, for topping

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a 7×11-inch (you can also do 9x13) baking pan with foil, extending the foil over the edges of the pan. Lightly grease the foil. Combine the flour, granulated sugar and brown sugar in a small mixing bowl and toss with a fork. Add the pieces of butter to the dry ingredients and cut it in with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the oats and chopped nuts.

Reserve 1 cup of the crust mixture and set aside. Add the remaining crust mixture to the prepared baking pan and press onto the bottom of the pan in an even layer. Bake the crust alone in the oven for 15 minutes. In the meantime, prepare the filling.

To make the filling, combine the cream cheese, sugar, eggs, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until smooth and well combined.

Once the crust has been removed from the oven, pour the filling into the pan and smooth over the crust. Sprinkle with the reserved crumb mixture and white chocolate chips, as desired. Bake for 35-40 minutes (if using 9x13 bake for 25 min) remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool. Slice and serve.

Adapted from: Annie's Eats