Today was the first Risen Lord Women's Bible Study. We got together to discuss what we wanted to do with our time together, we'll only be meeting once a month but since most of us have young children a 2 hour uninterrupted break certainly sounds like heaven! Today we went over accountability, who is holding YOU as a Christian woman accountable?
I went a long time without having anybody hold me accountable, I thought I knew best and I honestly could justify almost everything I did. I didn't have anybody else telling me that I was straying from God and that I was deep in sin. I honesty didn't want to hear it and many things suffered from it.
My marriage, my self, my children.
A Christian cannot walk alone, at least not this Christian. It is far too easy to stray from God's path for me and use the ways of this world as a barometer for what is wrong & right when honestly the things that are "right" in this nation are most definitely wrong to me.
I was using other people as my measuring stick, not what I knew God wanted from me and how much better I could be doing. I have always thought of myself as a bad person, hence the title of my blog. I heard a sermon years ago where our archbishop preached on the concept of Dark but Lovely.
How could I be both? For I knew I was dark, sin was eating away at me and even when I was in it thinking I needed it, that I loved it. It only sought to destroy me, and many times it almost did.
Sin is all consuming and without another Christian to help me grab my footing, to be my anchor when I have drifted away from my God I could easily be lost at sea.
But to God we are Dark but Lovely. No human is without sin, those that condemn others are just not looking at their own sin cause really its much easier to judge others. But remember you are judged the same, true only God can judge you and have it actually matter but the people on this Earth that can now so easily see the choices you make, and the things you brag about without a second thought are judging you as well, and often more harshly than our loving Christ.
I am no theologian, the things I write cannot be backed up with scripture word for word, and I won't pretend to have it all figured out. But I'm trying. And thats all I can do for myself and my family. To want to HEAR when God speaks to me, to TRUST him more than I do myself, to be open and honest that it is a daily struggle for me. I am so thankful for the women that help hold me accountable far & near and I hope that one day I can help someone in even just the tiniest bit with their faith, for I once was lost but now am found. But I continue to search because I know I will never find what I'm looking for in this World.
Accountability Questions
[From Character that Counts]
[1] Have you spent daily time in the Scriptures and in prayer?
[2] How do you feel about how you've handled personal, family, and/or business finances?
[3] What three relationships have you nurtured most?
[4] What has made it difficult to do your 100% best in the different roles in your life?
[5] Have your words built up or tore down other or self?
After making baked ziti a week or so ago I ended up with a huge tub of leftover ricotta cheese.
I made some decent spinach ravioli and still had a ton left. So these cupcakes were the answer to cleaning out my fridge. If you don't like ricotta don't worry, you can't taste it at all!
I brought these to group today & am happy to say there are still some left for my late night episode of Big Love. With fresh strawberries.....oh yes.
A-lotta Ricotta Cupcakes
w/ Lemon Glaze
adapted from www.cupcakerehab.com
For the cupcakes:
9 tbs. [1/2 cup] unsalted butter at room temp.
3/4 cup sugar
3 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup ricotta cheese
Zest of 1 lemon
1 tbs. baking powder
2 tbs. extra virgin olive oil
For the glaze:
Juice of 1 lemon
1 cup confectioner's sugar
[1] In a mixer cream butter and sugar until light & fluffy.
[2] On low add eggs one at a time scraping sides if needed.
[3] Add the olive oil than slowly add in flour, salt, ricotta, lemon zest & baking powder.
[4] Bake at 400 degrees F for 25 or so minutes. Let cool before icing!
[5] For the glaze slowly add lemon juice to confectioner's sugar, you might need a little more or a little less depending on how thin you like yours. Super easy and brings out the sweetness and tartness even more.
Now go share!
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