Suzanne Elizabeth Anderson's Blog, page 13

God Intended it for Good : Day 2 of the Waiting with God Giveaway

To celebrate  the giveaway  we're doing with the terrific people at  Free Book Friday , each day this week I will be posting a devotional from Waiting with God to give you peek inside this inspiring devotional which was born from my own year of waiting with God.





Day 2




“You intended to harm me,

but God intended it for good

to accomplish what is now
being done...”




~Genesis 50:20













Day 2







God Intended It For Good







So where should we start on
this journey toward a closer relationship with God?

How about right where we are,
in God’s Waiting Room? It’s that space in between when we first release our
prayers to God and the moment when God answers.

At times, it can feel like
the loneliest place on Earth, because it’s just us. Alone with our unanswered
prayers.

So let’s start there. Alone
and wondering, “Why is this happening, God?”

Whether I’m the one who got
myself into the mess, or not, my first instinct often involves asking God for
help.

But what about those times
when despite our best efforts, we find ourselves in a dilemma that we’ve prayed
about but received no answer?

Where is God then?

What can we do when things
look bleak and we feel most alone?

God promises us that no
matter how dismal the picture, He will take our problem and turn it into an
opportunity for our growth.

And an opportunity to grow
closer to God.

No matter where you are in
your personal relationship with God, I believe that if you will spend the next
month walking with God through His holy word, and meeting Him in the quiet of
prayer, you will come out stronger, hope-filled, and with a new answer to your
prayers.

Let’s start with this outrageous
promise from God… whatever you are going through today, God will work it out
for your good.








Giveaway Details:




All this week we are running a giveaway on Free Book Friday, please click this link and enter for your chance to win one of 5 copies of Waiting with God. 

I hope you'll join us!

Trusting God with Your Future : Day 1 from Waiting with God - Giveaway

To celebrate the giveaway we're doing with the terrific people at Free Book Friday, each day this week I will be posting a devotional from Waiting with God to give you peek inside this inspiring devotional which was born from my own year of waiting with God.







 Day 1






But I am trusting you, O
Lord,

saying “You are my God!”

My future is in Your hands.




~Psalm 31:14-15













Day 1







Trusting God With Your Future







Talk about a dive into the deep end. What a great way to start our
devotional journey!

Do we trust God enough to not only say: “You are my God, my future
is in Your hands!”

But to believe it and live it?

If you’re not quite ready to make this commitment to God today,
let’s make it our goal to be there at the end of 31 days together.

If you’re like me and have tried to do everything on your own, the
most difficult decision may be letting go and letting God.  What an enormous amount of trust it takes to
say, “Okay God, I’ve tried to do it my way, but I’m ready to let go of the reins
and turn my life over to You.”

My first reaction to that announcement has always been: But what if I don’t like the plans God has
for my life?

Don’t worry. We’re going to tackle that question within these
pages.

This conflict of asking for God’s help but not totally trusting
His ability or willingness to answer, was what finally made me turn to the
Bible in search of guidance and to many, many hours of prayer to seek God. In
the end, I was able to say, “God, You’re in charge of my business, my finances,
my life”.

In the past, I tried to do it all myself.  With mixed results.




Now, I declare that I am asking for God’s
blessing on my future and trust in Him to work it out for the best.

Will you join me to trust God with your present
and your future?







****




Giveaway Details:




All this week we are running a giveaway on Free Book Friday, please click this link and enter for your chance to win one of 5 copies of Waiting with God. 

I hope you'll join us!

Writerly Wednesday : Images from MAP Chapter 4 and a Poem by Liam Hughes

Poetry and images continue to be the best way to share the inspiration behind my Novel-in-progress.






It's A Hard Road



I jumped on the train
I left this old town
I escaped the rain
I'm no longer down
The wheels start to turn
My worries are gone
I have lots to learn
About the trail that I'm on
As I look around
I see my new friend
I know I am bound
To travel till the end
I'll travel south and I'll travel north
I'll travel east and I'll travel west

I just want to find the road that is best 











The train it did slow
I'm in a new place
The moonlight does glow 
On my tired face
It's time for me
To try and find a bed
It's time for me
To rest my weary head
Morning is here 
There's sorting to do
I'll sound sincere 

With my goodbye to you



I'll travel south and I'll travel north
I'll travel east and I'll travel west
I just want to find the road that is best












It's time to move away
I'm not satisfied
I've spent many a day
Finding a place to reside
There's a town on my mind
It's just down the track
No need to find
A way to get back
The train I will get
Sitting at the station
The future is set
I feel anticipation

I'll travel south and I'll travel north
I'll travel east and I'll travel west
I just want to find the road that is best 


Liam Hughes

via the poemhunter.com

Not-so-Meatless Monday : Pico De Gallo Burgers - BEST TASTING BURGER EVER!

You'll have to trust me, this is one of the best burgers I've ever eaten.





















Ingredients:

(makes 4 burgers)




1 lb ground beef




1/2 cup Pico de Gallo (store bought or homemade)




seasoned salt and pepper to taste







Directions:



In a mixing bowl combine ingredients, mixing lightly
Divide into 4 and form burger patties
Fry the buyers
Optional: butter and grill the hamburger buns in the same pan










I promise, these are truly the best burgers I've ever made or had in a restaurant. The pico de gallo (tomatoes, onions, cilantro, garlic, jalapeños, diced and mixed with lime juice) keeps the burgers juicy and flavorful. So simple, but promises to become your new favorite burger recipe.

Week-Ending : Discovering Your Gratitude with 1000 Thank You-s

When everything seems to be going wrong, 

the best thing you can do is write a list of what's going right.




***




If you're a regular reader of this blog, you'll know that I'm a great fan of gratitude lists. But it's only this month, after picking up Ann Voskamp's One Thousand Gifts , that I decided to take on her challenge of keeping a dedicated journal where I'm numbering and counting my thank you-s with the aim of reaching one thousand.




So what's the reasoning behind a list of 1,000 rather than the usual 'list 5 things'?




I believe, the cumulative impact of noticing and writing and reflecting on this growing list of 1,000 instances of gratitude that you, yourself, have created over time will help you to understand that you have more blessings in your life than you realize. 




Starting this project does not require:






Waiting until New Year's Day ...  I started on August 8th.
A fancy journal that needs to purchased ... I'm using an old blank notebook.
The burden of writing a certain number every day ... I forget to write some days. When I do write, I might list 2 items or 10 items.







I found an old, dusty, blank book amongst things that were going into our garage sale. I wrote the date on the first page, turned the page, and began numbering and writing the things I was grateful for in that moment.




On some days I'll write ten things quickly. On other days, I can only think of two or three. I don't think the number matters, or even if you're doing it every day, although I'm guessing that over time is will become something I look forward to counting and writing.




I started on August 8th. I'm up to #32. A couple thoughts on what I've found so far...




I've discovered that if you can express gratitude on a day when everything seems to be bleak and horrible...you'll find yourself feeling better when you put down the pen. There seems to be real magic in the effort it takes to consider what you are still grateful for in the midst of a bad day.




That gratitude can be found in the things that surround us. The picture above not only shows you my gratitude journal, it also contains some things I'm incredibly grateful for: Henry, my beloved first Newfoundland, my Bible, my journal, and a quiet place to read.




I'll keep you posted on how it goes and what else I discover along the way.




P.S. I'll let you in on a secret...I usually write about gratitude on this blog when I'm having a: woke up on the wrong side of bed, sad, depressing, feeling overwhelmed, horrible day...and every time I do, I feel better. Today is no exception. Which means, I'm grateful for you!

Writerly Wednesday : Images and Poetry from Chapter 3 in MAP Novel-in-Progress

The Journey

by Mary Oliver




One day you finally knew 

what you had to do, and began,

though the voices around you

kept shouting

their bad advice-

though the whole house

began to tremble

and you felt the old tug at your ankles.













"Mend my life!"

each voice cried.

But you didn't stop.

You knew what you had to do,

though the wind pried with its stiff fingers

at the very foundations,

though their melancholy

was terrible.












It was already late

enough, and a wild night,

and the road full of fallen

branches and stones.

But little by little,

as you left their voice begind,

the stars began to burn

through the sheets of clouds,

and there was a new voice

which you slowly recognized as your own,

that kept you company

as you strode deeper and deeper 

into the world,

determined to do the only thing you could do-

determined to save

the only life that you could save












These images and especially this incredible poem by Mary Oliver perfectly capture the first breakthrough moment for the main character, which occurs in Chapter 3 and inspires her to make the first of many life-changing decisions.



Creating these weekly previews of each chapter reminds me of why I loved writing this book and how I can't wait to share it with you, very soon.



Until next week,



Suzanne

Meatless Monday : Quick and Easy 20 Minute Vegetable Soup

Why open a can of soup when you can make this fresh vegetable soup in the same amount of time?







Ingredients:




A generous handful of whatever vegetables you have in the 'fridge, try for a colorful assortment




Some suggestions:

carrots

celery

onions

red, yellow, or green peppers

tomatoes (fresh or 1 can drained diced)

broccoli

zucchini

summer squash

Swiss chard

1 can of drained chick peas




2 cups to 1 quart of chicken or vegetable stock (amount depends on how many people you are serving)




2 ounces of thin noodles or broken spaghetti




Your favorite seasonings (here's some suggestions):

turmeric (for that lovely yellow color)

ground or freshly grated ginger

ground or freshly grated garlic

coriander

salt

pepper







Directions:




1. Sauté your favorite veggies in a tablespoon of olive oil for 2 - 3 minutes in your soup pot , just to bring out their flavors.




2. Add the stock and bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to medium for 15 minutes to let the hardier vegetables cook.




3. Add your noodles and seasonings and cook for another 5 - 8 minutes until noodles are al dente.




4. Taste and adjust seasoning 




5. I topped my soup with a small piece of oven toasted bread brushed with olive oil and garlic. Then I sprinkled a little parmesan on top. 




Chef's Note:




Throwing together a pot of comforting, homemade soup on a busy weeknight is totally do-able using just what you have in the 'fridge and pantry. I purposely kept the list of ingredients and their measurements general because I want you feel free to adjust it to your taste and preferences. 




Cooking from scratch can be a way to feed your family for less money and in a healthier way than store-bought alternatives.




Ultimately, I hope you'll also find cooking a relaxing and creative way to end the day. Bonus: a simple recipe like this one is a great way to get your kids involved in meal preparation.

Week-Ending : Illustrated Devotional : Why Believe?

Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you'

he rises to show you compassion.

For the Lord is a God of justice.

Blessed are all who wait for him!

~Isaiah 30:18










Waiting for a prayer to be answered can be challenging. 




Especially when the prayers involve prayers for a loved one, for health, or for a long-held dream. 




When we don't hear an immediate answer one way or another, our belief can feel like it's being chipped away as each day of disappointment leaves a bit more discouraged.




Which is honestly the way I've been feeling. 




Lately, it feels like everything is falling just short of where it needs to be and nothing is quite succeeding.


On my long walks through the woods with my dogs, I've had lengthy conversations with God, questioning everything I'm doing including trying to make writing a career instead of a hobby.



As you've probably guessed, the photo above is one of the many, many covers I auditioned as a book cover for my first devotional : Waiting with God.



I'm beginning to think this cover is very apropos for what the experience of waiting for an answer to prayer feels like. (Don't be surprised if it becomes the cover in a future edition of the book, you know how I love to change book covers!)



Like this photo, we can see the end result of our prayers. We know the lovely eggs contain the beautiful birds we want to hatch.



The eggs themselves represent our efforts. We've done the work.



That's just the point. We've done all we can, there's literally nothing more we can do.



That's exactly where we have to let go, step back, and believe.



If we tried to make those eggs hatch before they were ready, we've have the makings of scrambled eggs, not the beautiful young birds that would eventually stretch their wings and take flight.



We can't make the eggs hatch before the baby within has fully developed.



We can't hurry the process.



Everything will come together when it's fully developed.



While we wait, we must believe that God already has the outcome in order, and our waiting is a time not to erode our faith, but to bring us into a closer, deeper relationship with God.



Can we use this time of waiting to believe the eggs are not empty, but already hold the perfect answer to our prayers, and their entrance into our lives will come perfectly formed at just the right time?



Can we believe?





Kellie Loder- "What If I Believed"

Writerly Wednesday : What's the Theme of Your Novel?

Authors often build their novels around an overarching theme...




Sometimes they do it consciously, and sometimes the theme rises through the story until the author finally takes note of it during the revision process.




Which is exactly what happened to me after I found the quote above and then thought about MAP, my current novel-in-progress, which I've been sharing with you over the past few weeks.




I've always thought of MAP's theme being one or all of the following:






the importance of pursuing one's dreams
our search for God
the need to find meaning in one's life







When I read the wonderful opening lines from  (of course it's much more than that) the idea of second chances really resonated with me as I looked at what I am currently trying to achieve in my own life.




Given the incredible economic melt-down that we've all experienced in the last five years, and the many people who lost everything and are now re-building lives, it's a theme that probably resonates with many people.




And as I sat down to write today's Writerly Wednesday post, I had an epiphany. One of the most important themes in my novel-in-progress is the pursuit of a second chance. In the case of my main character, her life depends on achieving a second chance.




What I love about the subconscious mind in the process of writing is how hidden ideas become part of the story without our conscious intention.




I also think that the best part of the subconscious mind at work is that the theme is woven into the story, rather than laying like a thick layer of frosting on top.




Another aspect of themes in novels that I find fascinating is how often a writer returns to similar themes in her novels. When I see that trend in a favorite author, I wonder if it's a conscious decision on their part, or not? 




When I look at my own books, whether they're women's fiction or my most recent children's book, one of my most common themes is the search for God and the pursuit of meaning in one's life. Those themes are an important part of my writing because they are very real questions I pursue in my life. And I believe that one of the most important reasons we write (and read) stories is to seek answers (and to be entertained in the process).




If you're a writer, I'd love to hear from you on how you incorporate themes into your novels. Is it conscious or unconscious? Do you find yourself returning to the same themes in more than one book?




If you're a reader, do purposely seek out books with a theme? If so, what are your favorite themes?

Two Ingredient Strawberry Jam - From The Joy of Cooking

Two ingredients:




1 Quart of Strawberries




4 cups of sugar




Place both in a heavy-duty cooking pot over low heat














Stir frequently while the strawberries 'juice up' and the sugar begins to dissolve.














Increase the heat to medium high and don't disturb for 15 - 17 minutes. The strawberry sauce will begin to boil upwards, so keep an eye on it and turn down the temp slightly to keep it from boiling over.




When the 15 minutes are up, remove the pot from the heat, and let cool.




When the strawberries have cooled they are ready to be transferred into their sterilized jars and stored in the refrigerator.

















It's wonderful as jam on toast...or a strawberry topper on ice cream.













Henry wants some!




This was my first experience making jam...

It was so delightfully easy and fun that I can't wait to try it again.




This is why THE JOY OF COOKING remains one of my all-time favorite cookbooks. 

The recipes are simple, straightforward, and provide great results.