Summer is almost upon us. For some of us these are the lazy days—the mornings and evenings without alarm clocks and bed times. They are vacations, summer camps, cookouts, pauses in schedules and routines.
But… it’s good to have a plan to stay in the Word. Enter, LifeWay Women to save the summer:
LifeWay is offering an easily accessible and doable Bible study plan for even the craziest of summers. Both Angie Smith and I are incredibly excited to join you this summer through Bible studies we’ve written:
Angie wrote a study called Seamless that focuses on God’s single story of redemption and helps us better understand how all of Scripture ties together.
For some extra inspiration, I just returned from the Amazon Jungle and met this incredible woman.
Beautiful believer in the Amazon singing “I’d Rather Have Jesus”
To most, she would be considered the poorest of the poor. But watching this video reminds me of how rich she is. (My two year-old niece has watched this at least 20 times on my iPhone. Her words are, “I like this lady”. Me too.)
So, the unofficial title of this post is “I’d Rather Have Jesus…This Summer”. Plan to be in the Word! You’ll be so thankful come August!
Love and appreciate you all so very much. You all have been so good to me!
I want to introduce you to my friend Susan Yates. She lives in the Northern Virginia area where I grew up and her husband pastors The Falls Church. She is a wife, mother, grandmother, author, speaker and a dear believer. She’s full of wisdom, so you’ll want to read on.
Susan was so gracious to write this encouraging post on overcoming discouragement. I know you’ll be encouraged:
Do you ever feel rocked by bad news? More-than-disappointed because things didn’t turn out the way you wanted? Has someone you relied on let you down? Did a relationship fail to develop as you had hoped, or the job you needed not come through? Have your small regrets grown into a big pile of discouragement? Has it been a miserable week, a long season of trials, or even just a “terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day?”
If so, you are not alone. Disappointment is very real and all too common for each one of us. It can cause us to sink into the pit of discouragement and lose sight of the light. And as believers it’s easy to pile on the guilt that so often accompanies this. I shouldn’t feel this way. I should handle this better. I should trust Jesus more. Self-condemnation, though pervasive, is about as useful as piling big rocks on yourself when you’re already at the bottom of the pit.
When I was a little girl we often took vacations at the beach. I have a vivid memory of my Dad standing on the shore with his perfect newhairline hairstyle looking while we kids swam in the ocean. With hands on his hips, his baldhead gleaming in the sun and waves splashing his feet, he stood resolute as our lifeguard. We were his treasures and he was not about to let us get dragged out to sea by a rip current. At any moment he stood ready to dive in and yank us out of the deep water. He did not rescue us every time a wave knocked us flat – he knew we needed to right ourselves when that happened, but he was ever vigilant against unseen dangers.
In thinking about my grown-up disappointments I imagine the ocean. Choppy waves on the surface are normal. Winds come and go impacting the sea in a myriad of ways. You can be floating calmly one moment, then hit head-on by a huge wave the next minute. It’s both fun and scary. It’s a normal part of the life of the sea.
Disappointment is a normal part of our lives. Feeling deeply sad is not wrong. Jesus himself was grieved and anguished. He wept when Lazarus died even though he knew he would raise him. He suffered deep agony in the garden. Those he loved failed him. He understands our disappointments. He feels them with us. (Hebrews 2:14-16). We must not condemn ourselves for what is a God given emotion. (Rom 8:1).
These normal disappointments are like choppy waves on the ocean. They come and go. They hurt, but not for long. However if we let ourselves wallow too long in disappointment it becomes similar to succumbing to a dangerous rip current that can pull us further from shore into more treacherous water. You can’t see this current. You don’t know it’s coming until you realize it has taken you too far out. It can be subtle or it can come on suddenly and a child is not likely to recognize its danger. That’s why my Dad stood ready and alert. If we drifted too far, he waved us back and if he perceived we were in real danger he swam to grab us.
Recently I got caught in a rip current.
A project I had worked on for years was turned down. I was crushed. I felt personally rejected because my work had been rejected, and then on top of that I felt guilty for feeling so upset about it. This was not a matter of life and death. It was ‘just’ a rejection, but it hurt- a lot. Guilt and disappointment grew into a heavy blanket that weighed on me. I couldn’t move past it, and I wallowed in it for days. However, God saw my plight and He began to reveal to me that I was being “ripped” out into a dangerous place of deep discouragement. I had a choice to make. I could continue to chew over my disappointment and dwell on my discouragement or I could put my eyes back on Jesus.
Hebrews 12:2 came to mind. “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.”
My feelings didn’t change immediately. I realized that I had exhausted myself trying to swim against the tide of self-pity. I needed Jesus to rescue me. So I made a simple choice to think about who He is instead of my own misery. I asked Him to rescue me. What did this look like? It meant repeating to myself throughout the day the character traits of God. He understands me; He loves me; He has a plan; He has been faithful in the past; He alone has the whole picture, etc. I have had to make this choice again and again, every day, and many times throughout the day.
As I’ve reflected on this experience, several things have helped me:
*Recognize that disappointment is a normal part of living in this world. All of us will experience it. (Even that person who looks like “she has it all together.” It’s a myth. She doesn’t.)
*Be alert to the dangers of moving from the normal waves of disappointment into the pull of a rip current- a dangerous trajectory which can take us far away from the safety of our Father. One of Satan’s greatest tools is that of discouragement. He uses it because it is so subtle.
*Resist becoming critical of a person who doesn’t understand how you feel, or respond in the way you want them to. Our enemy loves to nurture a critical spirit within our heart. God knows how you feel. (I almost threw a shoe at my husband because he said, ‘You’ll just have to trust Jesus.’ He wanted to comfort me but he just didn’t know how.)
*Restore your perspective. Go to a museum. Listen to praise music. Meet with someone and ask how God is working in his or her life. Hang out with folks who make you laugh. Do something for someone else.
*Ask God to reveal to you something new. One of the things God revealed to me was that I needed to ask myself, “Have I let my project become an idol?” Ouch. I could see my subtle drift in this direction.
*Spend time in the scriptures. God’s word is full of promises, full of power and never fails to speak to us if we let it. The Psalms are a great place to be as David is so honest.
*Make a list of the ways you have experienced God’s faithfulness in the past. This will build up your hope for the future.
*Remember that time heals. You may not feel better right away. Your circumstances might not change but you will change as you focus on God and allow Him to use this time in your life for your good and His glory.
*If you are experiencing discouragement that is deeper and longer lasting than the normal everyday stuff you would be wise to reach out for the support of others or a good counselor. Remember no pit is so deep that God is not deeper still.
The mental picture of my Dad on the beach intently watching over me ready to run to my rescue is a visible reminder of how much more my heavenly Father is watching over me and will come to my rescue.
“He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes who were too strong for me…He brought me out into a spacious place. He rescued me because He delighted in me” (Psalm 18:16-19)
Joshua 22:3-4 For a long time now—to this very day—you have not deserted your brothers but have carried out the mission the Lord your God gave you. Now that the Lord your God has given your brothers rest as he promised, return to your homes in the land that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you on the other side of the Jordan.” [Numbers 32 reveals that Moses’ first choice for the eastern tribes would have been for them to settle with the rest of the Israelites west of the Jordan. Still, they kept their promise to help their brothers.]
Quick context: This is Joshua speaking to the the Reubenites, Gadites and half tribe of Mannaseh (eastern tribes) whose homes were opposite the rest of the Israelites on the other side of the Jordan. The Lord instructed these eastern tribes to help their brothers and sisters cross the Jordan River and settle them in the land of Canaan. They’d completed the task and now Joshua was releasing these tribes to return home.
For a long time now
I appreciate Joshua’s notation of time here. He didn’t give months or dates, just hey, this has been a long one! I wonder how long you’ve been bearing someone else’s burdens, helping them across their Jordan? Has guiding them into the place of God’s will felt like a seemingly indefinite journey? Maybe you’ve had to give up some of your own comforts and familiar surroundings to accomplish this? Take encouragement from this passage: The Lord hasn’t lost track of time! He knew it had been a long time for the eastern tribes and the author of Joshua details this. Also, for some New Testament encouragement, the Lord will not forget your labor of love (Heb 6:10).
Sometimes it’s about what you don’t do
Joshua’s wording is telling here. “You have not deserted your brothers…” I don’t know if you’ve ever been abandoned, left or deserted by someone you loved or depended on, but the pain of abandonment has to be one of the deepest of the human experiences. So it encourages me that all the way back in the Old Testament God delighted in seeing his people not desert one another.
Commitment to one another is important to God. Praise Him for this.
For the eastern tribes to have left the other Israelite tribes would have gone against the very mission God gave them. Practically speaking sometimes not deserting simply means showing up. Just hanging in there. Being present. You don’t necessarily have to whip out the life-changing “word”, have the extravagant dinner ready, come up with the Bible study lesson, look stylish while you’re helping out… Sometimes serving someone is as simple as not going anywhere.
When you’re free to go
Joshua says “Now…return to your homes”. God’s assignments don’t typically last our entire lives. The Lord puts start and end times on our missions. It’s not our responsibility to co-dependently carry someone forever. Once the people we’re ministering to, encouraging, guiding are settled in the place the Lord has for them we can be released (when the Lord says so, of course.) When it was time for the eastern tribes to return home they hadn’t deserted a soul because they’d left their brothers and sisters in the Lord’s rest. That’s not abandonment, that’s freedom.
I took this picture of my niece mesmerized by the deer in the distance. (Also, she hikes in a bow).
A couple weeks ago I went away for a quiet retreat. The Lord had been nudging me toward a time of solitude, but you know how that goes—things were BUSY. And loud. And moving fast. And you know what? I can get really comfortable with that fast pace because…
busyness covers a bunch of STUFF.
You know what I mean?
When we’re sprinting from thing to thing—running around in a frenzy or intentionally stacking our calendars—the busyness can become an escape. And it’s easy to excuse our disconnect with God by falling back on how much there is to do!, which makes this all so sneaky. I am guilty of this. But I made the time to get away and I’m so thankful I did. Here are a few things I learned from my time of solitude:
Silence allows the chatter that’s deep in our souls to surface. I didn’t realize some of the fears and anxieties I was using busyness to shove back down until I unplugged for a time. As the fears percolated the Lord reminded me of the difference between True Safety versus False Security. In Psalm 16:1 David cries out to God for safety because he had made God his refuge (true safety). I began journaling about all the things I sometimes make my refuge: relationships, social media, financial security, personal devices, entertainment, my career (false security)… It took the quiet to reveal my fears and the quiet to reveal the Lord’s remedy for those fears. I’m still working through them, but they’re out in the open before the Lord now, as opposed to being covered up by a packed schedule.
The Lord is pleased when we set aside time to seek Him. I’ve been spending time in various parts of the Old Testament recently and am reminded continually that God desires His people to love Him with their heart, soul, strength and mind. For me, stepping away from the normal routine, daily relationships and too many iPhone checks a day was a way of showing God that I love Him. That He is worth my sole attention and affection. Being that I am forever recovering from legalism, it’s important to note that I didn’t get away to earn the Lord’s love—I can fall into that trap too. But this time I was truly expectant to spend time in His Presence, even if I wasn’t sure what to expect. As I took prayer walks, journaled and meditated on Scripture I sensed His pleasure.
Solitude is the landscape wherein God shows you what you otherwise wouldn’t know is there. Like sitting silently in the woods waiting for creatures to crawl out of crevices or alight onto branches, so waiting in God’s presence reveals what’s often obscured when we’re in a rush. I had a piece of paper for each family member and friend I was praying for. I felt led to write different prayers for each person, some prayers that felt expected and others the Lord impressed upon my heart that surprised me. Also, the Holy Spirit brought up a conversation He wanted me to have with a loved one about something I would have never seen a need for on my own. When I came home I had that conversation that was both uncomfortable and healing. The Lord knew.
In the spirit of full disclosure, I was only away and fully unplugged for about 28 hours. I wouldn’t want anyone to think I spent a month fasting while hiking the Appalachian Trail in sackcloth. But it was a start for me and I was thinking you might be encouraged to start with some time of solitude yourself, even if it’s for an hour or two this week. Just make a plan and stick to it. Set aside the time to pray, read Scripture, worship and journal what the Holy Spirit reveals to you. Find the quiet. Make the quiet.
The letters of 1, 2 & 3 John are—how shall I say this—blunt. Which is one of the reasons I’ve come to love them so much. Sometimes I just need someone to tell me the truth.
Well over a year ago, when considering where to land for this study, I began reading through these short letters. I hit points like what it means to walk in darkness versus light, how it’s incongruent to say you love God but then willingly go do a whole bunch of stuff that doesn’t please Him, how deception creeps in, truth versus heresy, what love really is and means—and I noticed my heart starting to pulse a little faster.
I realized that John’s message, though written 2,000 years ago, couldn’t be more timely.
So I decided to invite some people to my house for a bible study on 12&3 John and try it out. (It appears I’m wearing a name tag.)
Why John’s letters matter so much today
I had gotten a little lost in the vagueness of current culture. Even Christian culture.
I don’t know if you’ve noticed but there are a lot of opinions out there.
While I appreciate concepts like open-mindedness, progressive, forward-thinking, without any structure these ideas cast a hazy milieu over our belief systems. And if our belief systems are unanchored or unwittingly broad, our actions and the way we live become progressively unclear. As a result of that lack of clarity we lose our direction. My course had grown a bit murky. I wonder if you know what I mean?
So 1, 2 & 3 John cuts through this haze with a laser beam, but he doesn’t do it for self-righteousness sake or so we can “get it right” or live up to the rules. He speaks hard-lined truth for the most intimate and hopeful of reasons—so we can have fellowship with God, with His Son and with one another (See 1 John 1:1-5). Community with God and others is at stake. To know and be known. We don’t have to be alone anymore. What better reason for John to have written?
And so I decided to start writing this bible study and here’s what that looked like… (I pride myself on organization.)
What I hope you’ll take away
Carl F. Henry once said, “The early church didn’t say, ‘Look what the world is coming to!’ They said, ‘Look what has come into the world!’”
And from verse one, John reminds us Look Who’s come into this world! He teaches us what it means to abide instead of to strive, manipulate or control. He separates light from dark, truth from lies, and walks us through the foundations of our faith so we can rest our head on firmer ground. He offers us the gift of confidence and knowledge, assuring us that we really can know we know Jesus.
Perhaps more than anything, John shows us what true love is. That it really is more costly and loyal and pursuant than anything we can imagine. And so when talking about love, John always points to Jesus.
This is what happened when Bethany and I came home from an event and saw a box of THESE on my doorstep. We were excited, with our barrettes in our hair and all.
A Big Thank You
I so appreciate all the support you all have shown me over the years. I love getting to meet you on the road and hearing from you through social media. I have the most gracious audience out there. My prayer is that What Love Is reaches you in the deepest places, renews your faith, strengthens your confidence and helps you know Jesus more. I’m so thankful for you.
These two images represent joy to me. I should first let you know that I am one of those people who has to fight for joy much of the time. Not that serotonin equals joy but I think it helps and I think my levels are low. Nor does a glass half-full mentality equal joy but, again, at least this points us in the right direction. I naturally dwell on what’s not working, could use improvement, the half where the doubts and questions linger. So, generally, I’m fighting for joy; I’m praying for it; I’m seeding and watering it. Which is why I was surprised when I discovered it in the most unlikely places.
See the Discovery boat in the Amazon? See those sunflowers in Moldova? These pictures embody places that have brought me joy, but not simply because of their beauty or majesty. Though a generalization to be sure, the Amazon is where the forgotten live and Moldova is where the orphans live. And nothing has brought me greater joy than meeting these people and experiencing the power and love of the Gospel in the harshness of poverty and hopelessness and abandonment. I’ve also found this same joy here in my own community, too. This next picture represents that community: meals around the table, family suppers, home bible study, afternoon coffees, the place I have to love others.
My Dining Room Table, Nashville, TN
Serving, reaching out, bringing in the lonely, encouraging the downcast, throwing the birthday party, taking a mission trip, teaching the Scriptures in your home, holding babies in the nursery, praying for the sick, however you’re doing it… this is where the joy is. I watched a fabulous sermon this morning by a friend of mine, Mike Meyers, who is on staff at my father’s church. The title is “Do Something” and if you have 40 minutes of quiet, I would spend it right here.
Mike spoke out of James 1:25, which says, “But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.”
I’ve read that verse so many times and missed what Mike so brilliantly pointed out: “Knowledge without action robs us of our true joy.” The flip side is this: When we do what we know to do we’re blessed. It suddenly dawned on me why my greatest most sustaining most fulfilling joy has come from being a part of the change Jesus is bringing about in the lives to whom He’s called me. It’s why I’ve found joy in such unlikely places, in parts of the world and in my own neighborhood where it makes no sense to find joy. Because God blesses our obedient doing. And when He blesses, His blessings are full of joy.
As we fly into September, and the Fall promises a new school year, the holidays, a fresh routine, I’m asking myself how my joy is faring. What am I not doing that I know to do? Who needs the warm embrace of Jesus? Where is He asking me to go? What step has His Word told me to take?
For the past few years I’ve dreamt about a women’s event that would reflect my love for the Scriptures, acoustic and thoughtful music, honest fellowship, all threaded by a passion for missions, both local and international. Eight months ago those years of dreaming turned into several months of praying, asking God if this was a gathering He wanted me (and a few special people around me) to put together. Several weeks later we came up with a name: Cultivate. And then a bit more description: A Women’s Gathering Around The Word. A few months after that we invited Michelle Margiotta, former worship leader at Times Square Church in NYC, to join a small trio of musicians to lead in worship. Without giving everything away, I have an invitation for you…
If you live in the Nashville area, or are willing to pile in a car with some friends, would you consider joining us this Friday evening and Saturday morning, August 15-16, for our first ever Cultivate? (Details here). I would love to experience this dream become a reality with you as we are filled with God’s Word, inspired through worship, encouraged in fellowship and absolutely energized by mission. All with the expectation that Jesus will be there waiting for us.
To say that I went to Moldova kicking and screaming would be strong, but to say I went a bit tired and with my arms folded—and a little concerned about the unrest in that part of the world—is just about right. So, where in the world is Moldova, you ask? See llustration #1
My sister’s co-worker left this on her door while she was in Moldova. In case someone needed her.
Simply put, the part of my heart that’s devoted to missions and ‘others, Lord’ was already full of the Amazon and a few long-standing activities I had going on at home—there’s only so much love and selflessness to go around, you know? But the ministry I partner with in the Amazon, Justice and Mercy International, has been working with the orphan population in Moldova for a decade now. It was time I saw the work firsthand. Still, my mantra was firm: I have no more of my heart to give away; I’m just coming to observe. To try the stuffed cabbage rolls.
And then I walked into a swarm of approximately 80 vulnerable and/or orphaned children in the western countryside of Moldova. And I realized that the space God gives a person for the poor and orphaned isn’t a fixed compartment you try to keep at a comfortable capacity. Rather, the borders keep expanding with each new face. Every fresh name. Another story of an individual life.
Enter Clara, Marta, Sofia, Nicoletta, Victor, Igor, Olga, Petro… (names changed to protect identity).
I’ll be sharing more about the work of JMI in the days, weeks and prayerfully years to come. But right now I want to ask you a question. It’s a question that was asked me a number of years ago: Do you know the name of a poor person? Not, do you know where poor people live or do you hand the homeless a dollar on occasion, but do you know the name of a poor person? I shared a few names above and they’re ones I’m putting before the throne of Jesus these days. Father, protect Sofia from the physical blows of her teenage brothers, keep Victor diligent in his school work, come to the rescue of Marta, Clara, Claudia, three sisters living in a shelter whose “mom road away on a horse one day and never came back.”—the exact quote of the five year-old.
I’ve decided that when I get to know names I have more time and more resources than I thought had—than I thought before boarding that plane to Moldova. Yes, the Amazon is still pressing on my heart and so are the people of my local church and so now are the people of Moldova and, guess what, all of them propel and inform the service of the others. God is masterful at replenishing our love and expanding our capacity when we reach out to the forgotten, those on the fringes of society.
Okay, but we have a reality happening: We’re compassion-fatigued. We’re overwhelmed by the need, flat numb from the pleas of non-profits, unsure of where to send our money or devote our time. So let me encourage you. Ask God to give you a name.
Ask Him to give you a heart for a nation.
Or a neighborhood.
Or a neighbor.
Because when God gives you a face and a name (in America or in the Amazon or on your street or in your church), He gives you room in your heart. When you don’t think you can cut out another latte a month to sponsor that child, you’ll remember his peculiar smile and you’ll figure it out. When you don’t have it in you to lead the youth group through another semester, that one teenager will lure you back. The morning you’re dying to sleep in, you’ll set your alarm 15 minutes earlier to pray for the orphan who stole your heart. The day you just can’t board another plane, you’ll cram yourself into the nosebleeds of coach one more time to hold a little girl, to kiss her forehead. (Even if you’re sure your hugs and kisses are all accounted for.) Because this is what happens when God gives you a name.
So, start by praying. Start by asking your local church where you can get involved. If you need another place to start, visit Justice and Mercy International.
***Lastly, I’m simply excited to share with you the bigger version of this story God has been working out in my life over the past several years. Wherever The River Runsis my most personal and honest book to date, and it may help bring focus to what God is asking of you. Mostly it’s about how loving the poor has enriched my life and my relationship with Jesus, and how it will enrich yours too.
I’m so excited to finally be able to share about a book I’ve been working on for the past two years. It’s called Wherever The River Runs: How A Forgotten People Renewed My Hope In The Gospel. As many of you know I’ve traveled down Brazil’s Amazon jungle on a river boat–sleeping in a hammock–many times over the past few years. I’ve written about some of my experiences in my Ruth and Nehemiah Bible Studies, but this book has allowed me the chance to tell the whole story of the life change I’ve experienced in one of the most captivating places on earth: The Amazon River.
I’m excited about this book for two simple reasons: One is about style and the other content.
1. This is the first time I’ve had the opportunity to write in a narrative, memoir style for the length of a project. I’ve been able to do a little of this here and there over the years but have never had the challenge of writing a story with dialogue, arc and a bit of character development. I have no idea if I did it well, but I enjoyed the endless hours on the learning curve. For those of you writers I benefited a great deal from reading books on writing such as One Writing Well by William Zinsser and Writing Tools by Roy Peter Clark. The writing was a challenge, and may I say that my wonderful editor wasn’t afraid to cut thousands of words at a time if they didn’t move the story forward. So that was fun. In the end, you all have been such an encouraging audience for me and I’m thrilled to put something in your hands that feels both fresh and vulnerable.
2. Ever since my first visit to the Amazon jungle its forgotten people have captivated me. God has used them to break my heart, purify it, quicken my conscience, convict, renew, transform and challenge me. I’ve discovered that no matter where in the world you go–as close as next door–when you lay your life down for your neighbor, God changes you.
I appreciate each of you so much. I feel so incredibly supported and love the privilege of meeting many of you on the road and also through the written word. My prayer is that Wherever The River Runs will be just the adventure you’ve been longing for. The one that doesn’t require a trip down the Amazon River in a boat, only the one God is tugging your heart toward.
If you’ve already pre-ordered the book, you have a chance of getting even more goodies including Brazilian coffee, some AWESOME chocolate, a Justice & Mercy International tote bag, and a personal thank-you note! Enter below!
When I wrote my first Bible study, No Other gods, I needed a few girls to give me feedback on the study. I figured there was a better chance of them accepting if I lured them with dinner (which I’m not so sure was much of a lure back then). What transpired was each of us taking turns cooking and hosting, bringing some of our favorite recipes to the table, many of which found their way into the Bible study. I discovered that cooking and eating together, in some strangely powerful way, helped us share more honestly, laugh more deeply and open up about how God was working in our hearts. To this day, nothing delights me more than fellowship over a meal.
Over the years I’ve heard from many of you who have cooked the recipes from the studies and shared them in your homes or churches. For the most part the feedback has been good – a few of you really don’t like cilantro, which I’ve noted. My wonderful publisher, Lifeway, and I thought it would be fun to give you a chance to add your recipes to the mix, especially since I quite frankly am running out of ideas. We’d absolutely love for you to be a part of this fun contest—who knows, several of us may be spearing our forks into one of your amazing creations one day soon. Check out the contest details below and scroll down to submit your recipe!
~ Kelly
Submission Guidelines:
–Recipes perfect for making and serving to small groups (or hosting Bible studies!
–Recipes must be original and not copyright
–Recipes must include mostly fresh and/or whole ingredients. (We’re trying to stay away from heavily processed or preserved items or things that can live in a can for more than 37 years.) For desserts, this is a little more challenging, but try to think on the healthier or whole-foods side of things. (Chocolate is absolutely a whole food.) Be creative!
–Please categorize your recipe as either a: main dish, side dish, salad, dessert, or miscellaneous/snack
–Please include (about) 3 sentences describing your recipe, its history and/or why it’s special to you.
Winners:
Winners will receive these fun prizes listed below and will be chosen at random and notified by email.
–1 Kelly Minter “What Love Is” Bible Study Leader Kit
–1 copy of Kelly’s new trade book “Wherever The River Runs”
–A handwritten note from Kelly
–Some winning recipes may be used in on of Kelly’s Bible studies or featured in future editions of “The Minter Kitchen” on The Lifeway Women Blog and Newsletter.
Rules & Regulations:
By entering today’s giveaway, you acknowledge the official promotion rules of Kelly Minter LLC, and LifeWay Christian Resources. This giveaway starts Tuesday, May 13, (5/13/14) at 12:01 AM and ends Friday, May 23rd (5/23/14) at 11:59 p.m. CST. You must be 18 to enter, and you may only enter once per category. The winner/s will be selected at random. Participation in contest and submission of each recipe gives LifeWay Christian Resources and Kelly Minter to print the recipe in publications or online. For questions about the rules and regulations of this giveaway, please contact Bethany Bordeaux at Kelly Minter, LLC, PO Box 41763, Nashville TN 37204. For our complete list of rules and regulations, you can CLICK HERE to read all “the fine print.”
