Super Simple Fruit Cobbler

1 can fruit pie filling

Or if want to go old school:
4 C. fresh fruit
1 C. sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
2 Tbsp. butter

Mix first 3 together place in 8x8 pan dot with butter.

Topping:
1 C. sugar
1 C. flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 egg

Mix dry ingredients together then stir in the egg (easiest with a fork) until crumbly. Sprinkle over fruit mixture.
Bake at 350o for 40 minutes or until lightly brown. Double for a 9x13 pan. Great served warm with ice cream.

Recipe from Tyann Heald

Super Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/4C. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 C. butter
1/4 C. sugar
3/4 C. brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 pkg vanilla instant pudding
2 eggs
12 oz chocolate chips

Combine butter, sugars, vanilla and pudding mix. Beat until smooth. Beat in eggs. Add flour and baking soda. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by spoonful on a ungreased cookie sheet. Bake @ 350o for 10-12 minutes.
Can substitute with any flavor of pudding or chips you like. (our family love making it with chocolate pudding and peanut butter chips)

Recipe from Tyann Heald

Gooey Butter Cake

Crust

Yellow cake mix
1 egg
1 stick of butter

Add all and smash in bottom of cake pan.

Filling:
8oz soften cream chz
2 eggs beaten
2 cups powder sugar

Mix these three together and pour over crust. Bake for 40-45 min @ 325

Recipe from Cassie Welch

Pumpkin Dessert

Pumpkin Dessert Crust

1 pkg. Yellow cake mix (reserve 1 cup)
1 egg
1/2 C. oleo (melted)
Mix egg and oleo, then mix into cake mix.
Pat into bottom of 9x13 pan.

Pumpkin Dessert filling
1 can pumpkin (small can)
2 eggs (slightly beaten)
2/3 C. evaporated milk
3/4 C. sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/8 tsp.  (or less) cloves
Mix, pour over crust from above.

Pumpkin Dessert Topping
1/4 C. oleo (soft)
1/4 C. sugar
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
Blend until pasty. Sprinkle over filling.
Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
Check with toothpick into cake crust.

Recipe from Tabitha Leake

Chocolate Mint Cookies

3/4 C. butter

1 1/2 C. light brown sugar
2 Tbsp.. water
2 C. semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 eggs
2 1/2 C. flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 packages Andes Mints

In a large, heavy saucepan over low heat, cook butter, brown sugar, and water until melted.  Add chocolate chips and stir until partially melted.  Remove from heat and continue to stir until all the chips are melted.  Pour into a large bowl and let cool for 10 minutes.  With beaters, mix in one egg at a time.  Then add dry ingredients.  

Chill dough for at least one hour (or until it is no longer sticky to handle).  Preheat oven to 350.  Line cookie sheet with tin foil. Roll teaspoon sized balls of dough, about one inch in diameter.  Bake 10-12 minutes.  (cookies will crisp as they cool).  Remove from oven and immediately place an Andes mint on top of each cookie.  Allow mint to soften and swirl with the back of a spoon.  Cool thoroughly.

Recipe from Rachel Stay

BEST SNICKERDOODLES

1 C. butter (2 sticks), softened
1 C. sugar
2/3 C. light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 C. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

T O P P I N G
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 C. sugar

Preheat oven to 300º F.
Cream butter and sugars until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Add flour, salt, baking soda and cream of tartar; mix until just combined. Form dough into balls and roll in cinnamon / sugar mixture.
Bake for 10-12 minutes. Initially, cookies may seem a bit underdone but let them cool on cookie sheet before transferring to wire rack.

Recipe from Mary Jo Smith

Sopapilla Cheesecake

2 packages of crescent rolls
2 8 oz. packages of cream cheese
1 1/2 C. sugar (divided)
1 stick butter
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla

Layer 1 package of rolls in pan. Mix softened cheese, 1 cup sugar and vanilla. Spread
over rolls. Put 1 package of rolls on top of mixture. Pour melted butter over this. Mix
remaining sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Recipe from Mary Jo Smith

Glazed Apple Bars

4 C. flour
2 1/3 C. sugar, divided
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 C. butter, room temperature
5 Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced
1 tsp. cinnamon

Glaze:
1 C. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 Tbsp. water

Combine flour, 2 cups of sugar, salt.
Cut in butter until crumbly.
Take half of this mixture and pat it gently into a jelly roll pan.
Top mixture with apples, laying them down in rows.
Combine remaining sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over apples.
Crumble remaining flour mixture over apples.
Bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes.
Mix glaze ingredients together while apple bars are cooling.
Cool before drizzling glaze over the top.
Cut into squares to serve.

Recipe from Mary Jo Smith

Fudge-Striped Cookie Salad

1 pkg. instant vanilla pudding
1 C buttermilk (stir into pudding)
1 container of Cool Whip
Add 2 cans of pineapple tidbits drained (or fresh pineapple chopped into bits)
1 can mandarin oranges drained
Just before serving stir in 1/2 bag of Keebler Fudge-Striped cookies broken into bite-size pieces.

Recipe from Rachel Goodhue

Divinity Candy

2 1/2 C. of sugar
1/2 C. of water
1/2 C. of light-colored corn syrup
2 egg whites
1 tsp. of vanilla
1/2 C. of  chopped walnuts (optional)

In a large sauce pan combine sugar, water,and corn syrup. cook and stir over medium high heat until mixture boils. Reduce heat to medium and cook till it reaches 260 degrees, (Hard ball stage) (it will take about 10 to 15 minuets) If you don't have a candy thermometer then have a glass of cold water handy, drip a spoon full of the mixture into the water for a few seconds if the candy doesn't deform till being pressed on you have reached the hard ball stage. Remove the sauce pan from heat.

In a large mixing bowl beat egg whites till they form a stiff peak. Gradually poor the hot mixture in a thin stream over the egg whites. Beat for about 3 minutes while scrapping the sides of the bowl. Add vanilla and nuts, and beat for another 5 to 6 minutes (candy should lose some of it's shine). When beaters are lifted out the mixture should fall in a ribbon that mounds on itself.

Drop one spoon full of candy mixture on to wax paper if the candy keeps it's form it is ready if it flattens out it needs to be mixed longer. Quickly spoon mounds of mixture out on to the wax paper (mixture will harden as it cools so move quickly)

Recipe from Savannah Roth

PUMPKIN GINGERBREAD TRIFLE

2 (14-ounce) packages gingerbread mix

1 (5.1-ounce) box cook-and-serve vanilla pudding mix

1 (30-ounce) can pumpkin pie filling

1/2 C. packed brown sugar

1/3 tsp. ground cardamom or cinnamon

1 (12-ounce) container frozen whipped topping

Bake the gingerbread according to the package directions; cool completely. Meanwhile, prepare the pudding and set aside to cool. Stir the pumpkin pie filling, sugar, and cardamom into the pudding. Crumble 1 batch of gingerbread into the bottom of a large, pretty bowl. Pour 1/2 of the pudding mixture over the gingerbread, then add a layer of whipped topping. Repeat with the remaining gingerbread, pudding, and whipped topping. Sprinkle the top with crumbled gingerbread pieces, if desired. Refrigerate overnight. Trifle can be layered in a punch bowl.

*Source Food Network

Recipe from Annie Thom

Mint Patties

2 Sleeves Ritz crackers

1 to 2 pkgs Andes Mints

Melt mints in microwave safe bowl. Dip each cracker into melted chocolate and lay on wax paper to dry. Continue until chocolate is gone.

Recipe from Lindsay Boman

Best Fudge Brownie Ever

1 C. butter

1 1/2 C. sugar

1 1/4 C. Dutch processed cocoa powder

1/2 tsp. salt (1 tsp if using unsalted butter)

1 tsp. baking powder

1 Tbsp. vanilla extract

4 Large eggs

1 1/2 C. White whole wheat flour

2 C. chocolate chips

Cup 1/2 3/4 chopped pecans (or favorite) (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly grease a 9x13 pan.

In a medium sized microwave safe bowl or in a saucepan, melt the butter on low heat, then add the sugar and stir to combine.

Return the mixture to the heat or microwave briefly, just until it's hot but not bubbling. It will become shiny looking as you stir it. Heating the butter and sugar a second time will dissolve more of the sugar, which will yield a shiny top crust on your brownies.

Transfer the mix to a mixing bowl.

Stir in the cocoa, salt, baking powder, and vanilla.

Add the eggs, beating till smooth; then add the flour and chips and nuts if using. Beat until well combined.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake the brownies for 28 30 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs clinging to it.

The brownies should feel set both around the edges and in the center.

Remove from the oven, and after 5 minutes loosen the edges with a table knife, this will help prevent the brownies from sinking in the center as they cool.

Cool completely before cutting and serving.

Recipe from Jennifer Rhodes via food.com

Breakfast Banana Splits

Split a banana in half
Add a spoonful of yogurt
Top with raisins and granola cereal

Recipe from Erin Replogle

Buttermilk Pancakes

2 C. flour
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 C. buttermilk
1/4 C. sour cream
2 eggs
3 Tbsp. melted butter
1-2 tsp. vegetable oil

Whisk together dry ingredients in a large bowl. Stir together buttermilk, sour cream, eggs, and melted butter in a medium bowl. Make a well in the dry ingredients. Carefully whisk in liquid ingredients. Do not over stir; the mixture will be lumpy. Allow to rest for 10 minutes. Heat 12 inch skillet over medium heat. Add oil and wipe the inside and sides with a paper towel. Add batter ¼ cup at a time. You can get 4 in the skillet. Turn about
2-3 minutes. Cook on other side 1-2 minutes. Keep warm in a 200 degree oven while you are cooking the remaining pancakes.

*Source Cook’s Illustrated

Recipe from Jennifer Rhodes

Overnight Yeasted Waffles

Makes 6-8 Waffles
This batter must be made at least 12 hours in advance.

1 3/4 C. whole milk (do not substitute low fat or skim milk)
1/2 C. oil or melted butter
1 C. unbleached flour
1 C. whole wheat flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. instant yeast
1 tsp. salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Heat the milk in the microwave until warm. Whisk together the flour, sugar, yeast, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Gradually whisk in warm milk and oil until smooth. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla until incorporated. Scrape down sides of bowl, cover and
refrigerate 12-24 hours.

Heat the waffle iron. When the iron is hot, remove batter from refrigerator and whisk to recombine and deflate. Spread the correct amount of batter onto waffle iron and cook until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter or put batter in fridge to use again the next day. Mine usually lasts about 3 days.

* Modified from America’s Test Kitchen Recipe

Recipe from Jennifer Rhodes

Sweet Potato Buttermilk Dinner Rolls

Or Hamburger Buns or Cinnamon Swirl Bread

1 C. mashed sweet potato
2 C. buttermilk
1/2 C. butter
2 eggs, at room temperature
1/2 C. butter, melted and cooled
1/4 C. honey
5 tsp. yeast
2 ½ tsp. salt
6-7 C. white whole wheat flour
1/4 C. vital wheat gluten

Warm mashed sweet potato, buttermilk, and butter on stove top. Once butter is melted turn off heat and let cool. In a large bowl or mixer combine yeast, salt, 6 cups of flour and vital wheat gluten. Add honey and eggs to potato mixture. Add potato mixture to flour. Mix for about 5 minutes. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Add flour until dough
cleans the side of the bowl. Be careful not to get too much flour. You want a slightly
sticky dough. Mix for 5 minutes. Knead dough on a clean surface until dough is smooth.
Place in a large oiled bowl and cover. Let rise until doubled. About 1 hour. For a quick
rise, turn oven onto lowest setting, 175 on mine. Turn oven off and place bowl in oven
for 15 -30 minutes.

To make dinner rolls, divide dough into 24 (large) rolls or 32 (small) rolls. Place on
parchment paper lined baking sheets. Cover and let rise about 20 minutes.
Turn oven to 375 degrees. Bake 15 minutes for small rolls or 18 minutes for large rolls.

I also make hamburger buns (24 buns) and cinnamon swirl bread (2 loaves) with this
dough.

Recipe from Jennifer Rhodes

Pumpkin Pancakes

2 C. all-purpose flour 

3 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground allspice
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 C. milk

1 C. pumpkin (I add maybe 1/4 cup more)

1 egg

2 Tbsp. oil

2 Tbsp. Vinegar

Mix together the milk, pumpkin, egg, oil, and vinegar. Combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, ginger, and salt. Stir into the pumpkin mixture just enough to combine.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium heat. Pour or scoop batter onto griddle, using appx. 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides.

Recipe from Rachel Stay

Creme Brulee French Toast (Breakfast Casserole)

1 C. packed brown sugar
1/2 C. (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 tbsp. corn syrup
1 loaf French bread or challah or even sourdough, sliced (I get the fresh french loaves at Wal-Mart)
5 eggs
1 1/2 C. half and half
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt

Melt butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup together until blended. Pour in the bottom of a 9 x 13 casserole dish, making sure the bottom is covered.

Arrange the bread slices in the pan over the syrup. (Mine don't usually end up in a single layer, but more overlapping each other a little. I like it this way, because then the bottom of the bread is all gooey and yummy and the top is a little more crunchy.)

Whisk together the eggs, half and half, vanilla, and salt. Pour over the top.

Cover with plastic wrap, pressing down to make sure the bread soaks up all the cream mixture. Refrigerate for 8-24 hours.

Bring to room temperature and bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Serves 6.

Recipe from Mary Jo Smith

Caramel Apple Bundt Cake

3 eggs

2 C. sugar
1 1/2 C. canola oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 C. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
3 C. apples, chopped and peeled
1 C. pecans, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Grease and flour bundt pan, set aside.
In a mixing bowl, beat eggs until foamy; gradually add sugar; blend in oil and vanilla.
Combine flour, salt and baking soda; add to egg mixture. Stir in apples and pecans. Pour into bundt pan and bake for one hour or until cake tests done.

Caramel Sauce
1/2 C. butter
1/4 C. milk
1 C. brown sugar
pinch of salt.

In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients for sauce; boil for 3 minutes, stir constantly. Set aside.
When cake is done, let cool in pan for 10 minutes on a wire rack. Remove cake to platter; slowly pour caramel topping over warm cake and serve. I poked holes in the cake with a bamboo skewer before pouring the caramel sauce over it.

Recipe from Mary Jo Smith

Any Time of Day Coffee Cake

1 box yellow cake mix
2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 C. oil
2 small boxes instant vanilla pudding
4 eggs
1 C. water
Mix above ingredients and beat for 5 minutes.
Pour into a greased 9x13 pan.

TOPPING:
3/4 C. sugar
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
1/2 C. chopped nuts *optional*
Mix together and sprinkle over cake mixture.
Swirl with a fork.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.
Freezes well

Recipe from Erin Replogle

Apple Muffins

1 1/2 C. flour (try half whole wheat, half white)
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 beaten egg
1/2 C. sugar
1 1/2 C. finely shredded, sweet apple, such as Gala (a tart apple will require more sugar)
1/4 C. cooking oil
1/2 C. chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Grease 12 cup muffin tin, set aside. In a medium bowl combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, baking powder and nutmeg. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture, set aside.

In another medium bowl combine egg, sugar, apple and oil. Add apple mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy) Fold in nuts, if desired. Spoon batter into prepared muffin tin.

Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the middle of  a muffin comes out clean. Cool on wire rack.
*Modified version of BH&G zucchini/apple bread recipe.

Recipe from Melissa Tomko

Doughnuts

4 cans of buttermilk biscuits not flaky biscuits

bowl of cinnamon and sugar mixture
3 C. of powdered sugar divided
All vegetable shortening
4 Tbsp. milk


Heat vegetable shortening in a pan over medium heat. Open the cans of biscuits and rip a hole in the center of the biscuits. Pinch the biscuits flat. Fry the biscuits in the shortening till lightly brown. In 3 separate bowls put the cinnamon and sugar mixture in one bowl, 1 cup of powdered sugar in one bowl, and combine the 2 cups remaining of the powdered sugar and 4 tbsp of milk in the last bowl. (these will be your coatings for your doughnuts) Roll your doughnuts in your coatings (this will give you 3 different types of doughnuts).

Recipe from Savannah Roth

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

1 large room temp. egg

1/4 C. milk

approx. 3/4 C. water

1/4 C. softened butter

1/3 C. sugar

1 tsp. salt

3 1/2 C. bread flour (or 3 1/2 C. all purpose flour, plus 4 tsp. vital wheat gluten)

2 tsp. active dry yeast

Optional: 1/2 C raisins

Filling:

1/3 C. melted butter, cooled

1/3 C. sugar

3 tsp. cinnamon

1 egg white

1 1/2 tsp. sugar (for the topping)

Put the egg and milk in a measuring cup, and add enough warm water to make 1 cup. Pour this into the bread machine pan. Add the softened butter, 1/3 cup sugar, salt, bread flour and yeast. Set the bread machine to the dough cycle. When it beeps, add the raisins if you want them (or about 25 minutes into the kneading cycle if your machine doesn't stop for additives). Let continue to end of cycle.
Once done, remove the dough from the machine and dump it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll it out to a 10×12 rectangle. Brush the surface of the dough with egg whites. Next, brush with melted butter. Combine the cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle over dough, leaving 1″ edge all around.
Roll the dough from the short side, and pinch the ends together where they meet. Roll the ends under, and place the dough in a greased 12″ loaf pan. Cover with a cloth, and let it rise in a warm place for one hour. Once dough has risen, brush the top with egg whites and sprinkle with 1 1/2 tsp sugar.
Bake at 350 for 35 min.

*Source newlifeonahomestead.com

Recipe from Melissa Tomko

Blueberry-Banana Bread

Cooking spray
2 C. all-purpose flour
3/4 C. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
4 large overripe bananas
1/4 C nonfat or low-fat milk
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 C. fresh or frozen blueberries (not in syrup, and don't bother to thaw)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat an 8-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon mixing well with a fork.

In a large bowl, peel, then mash the bananas until mushy. Add the milk, egg, and vanilla and mix until well blended.

Add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture and mix until just blended. Fold in the blueberries (don't over-stir, or they'll start to break up and turn the batter blue). Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake until a knife or wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out almost clean (little bits clinging to the knife or pick mean the bread is still moist), about 1 hour. Let cool in the pan, set on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove the bread from the pan and let cool completely before slicing.

Recipe from Quinn Eileen Ward

Banana Bread

1 1/2 C. flour

1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 C. sugar
1/4 C. shortening
1 egg
3 ripe bananas
3/4 C. walnuts (optional)

Mix first six ingredients. Mash bananas and add them to the mixture. Add in optional walnuts. Pour into loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Recipe from Jill Winkler

Gooey Caramel Rolls

Mix:

1/2 C. brown sugar
1/3 C. whipping cream or half & half

Spray a 9x9 inch round cake pan. Pour brown sugar mixture over bottom of pan.

Top with (optional):
1/4 C. walnuts

Mix:
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon

Open can of refrigerated crescent rolls. Roll into 2 rectangles. Cover with cinnamon and sugar mixture. Roll up along short side. Slice into 4 pieces each for 8 rolls. Space evenly into pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes, until brown.

Recipe from Jill Winkler

Breakfast Roll

3 oz cream cheese
4 Tbsp. butter
1/3 c milk
2 C. Bisquick
1/2 C. raspberry jam or jelly
1 C. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 T milk

Preheat oven to 425.
Cut butter and cream cheese into Bisquick until crumbly. Blend in 1/3 C milk.
Knead dough for 8-10 kneads, then roll out into a 12 x 9 rectangle.
Place onto a greased baking sheet.
Spread jam down the center of the dough rectangle.
Make slices 2 1/2 inches long along the sides of the sheet, in towards the middle.
Fold strips over the filled center.
Bake for 12-15 minutes.
Combine the powdered sugar, 2 T milk and vanilla to make an icing and drizzle on top once the breakfast roll has cooled.

Recipe from Melissa Scott

Relationship with God {devotional}

Melissa Tomko has graciously agreed to write us some devotionals.  I'm excited to see where the spirit leads in her writing and how she will encourage us to grow in our relationship with Him.  This is the first of such devos.  It might be good to have a journal handy as there will be some prompts to record what the spirit is speaking directly to you.  Enjoy!

Think about your typical day. Perhaps you work long hours. Maybe you are a mother of very young children who doesn’t get much sleep. You may have older kids who have homework and extracurricular activities. You might have volunteer commitments. Your average day may be something completely different or it may be a combination of all of the above. No matter what you do, your time is precious. We all have people and things that need our time and attention, whether they are husbands, children, activities or a career. These things can be equally rewarding and draining, and the one thing that can truly refresh is the thing that we often fail to adequately nurture. None of the other important things in our lives can really be done well without the most important thing – a thriving relationship with the Living God.

A single, male friend of mine recently shared that he was discouraged and emotionally spent, so he was “going off the grid” and leaving town for a few days to be in solitude with Jesus. Can you relate to how he feels? Unfortunately for many women, being in solitude with Christ for days at a time is simply not an option. However, just because we can’t get away for a long personal retreat with the Lord doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t look for quiet moments in our day to be with Him, talk with Him, and be refreshed by His presence in our life. Doing so is following the example of Christ Himself, who often sought solitary places to pray, even during busy times of ministry.

Read Mark 1:35, Matthew 14:23, and Luke 5:16. Ask God to help you learn to follow Christ’s example of “coming away” during the busyness of life. Record what He might be telling you.

The pursuit of a relationship with God is a lifelong process. In the book The Pursuit of God A.W. Tozer reminds us that the desire to pursue God is in us because God first pursued us:

“We pursue God because, and only because, He has first put an urge within us that spurs

us to the pursuit. ‘No man can come to me,’ said our Lord, ‘except the Father which hath

sent me draw him,’ and it is by this very prevenient drawing that God takes us from every

vestige of credit for the act of coming. The impulse to pursue God originates with God,

but the outworking of that impulse is our following hard after Him; and all the time we

are pursuing Him we are already in His hand: ‘Thy right hand upholdeth me.’”

If we have truly tasted the goodness of God we will naturally long for more. We do not have to keep pursuing for the sake of our salvation but simply for the joy and satisfaction and fullness of knowing Him more. God’s personal nature requires conscious effort to cultivate a relationship, yet so often this most important relationship is the one we most neglect. Developing strong, positive relationships with our husbands, children, friends and co-workers is so important, but those efforts are in vain if we are not first pursuing a relationship with God .

“Our calling as children of God is to know Him, first and foremost. As Os Guinness

Writes, ‘It’s not about you. It’s about the one who calls you.’ Our primary calling is to be

with God, to immerse ourselves in His immeasurable love and grace. Everything else

flows out of this connection, which is our absolute number on priority.”

The Missional Mom (p. 19-20)

It is when we are firmly planted in the Lord that we will flourish and bear the most fruit in other areas of life.

Read Jeremiah 17:7-8. Ask God to show you how to be so deeply planted in Him that you will bear fruit in the driest of times. Record your thoughts.

Many places in Scripture encourage us to actively pursue an intimate relationship with God. Deuteronomy 6:5 says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” It is hard to love someone with that kind of depth and intensity if we are not intentionally pursuing a relationship with them. David is a wonderful example of someone who continued to pursue God in good times and bad. The Psalms are full of verses describing a close, personal relationship with the Father.

Take some time to meditate on these verses, let them encourage you to intentionally pursue your God with all your heart, soul, and strength, and share what God is teaching you below.

Psalm 63:1-8

Psalm 42 (David is going through a trial, yet he continues to thirst for God and praise Him.)

Psalm 27:8

Psalm 73:21-26

Spend some time praying over these Scriptures, talking to the Living God and listening for Him to speak into your heart. We cannot get through this life without complete reliance on God. Jesus tells us that “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God,” (Matthew 4:4).

Father, thank you for pursuing me first. I want the pursuit of a deeper relationship with you to be a lifelong goal. I pray that I would not become stagnant, but that I would always actively seek you and let your Word guide my life.