Trials can devastate us because we are often looking as to how they are affecting our lives. Yet when we can die to self and desire God’s glory as a result of them, we are given an entirely different outlook. We can actually rejoice if we know God’s name, God’s glory is being magnified as witnessed through our response to the trial. Specifically how? When others see our Christlike attitude – gratitude verses complaining, kindness verses anger, faith verses anxiety, contentment verses greed and joy verses bitterness – God is glorified. It means very little when godly character and spiritual fruit only appear when things are going well in our lives.

Randy Smith

CATEGORY	CUISINE	TAG	YIELD
Eggs		Cookies	24	Servings

INGREDIENTS

6	oz	Unsalted butter
4	oz	Sugar
4	oz	Ground blanched almonds
8	oz	Unbleached all-purpose flour
1		Egg; beaten
		Blanched sliced almonds
12	oz	Apricot or raspberry jam
2	oz	Water
		Confectioners' sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

DOUGH
FINISHING
PREHEAT OVEN TO 325F. Beat the butter until light and soft, then beat in
the sugar. Continue beating until very light. Stir in the almonds, then the
flour. Scrape dough onto a piece of plastic wrap, flatten and wrap. Chill
until firm, about 1 hour. Flour dough and surface very lightly and roll
dough 1/4-inch thick. Cut into 3-to-4-inch rounds with a fluted cutter.
Transfer to paper-lined pans and cut a 1-inch opening in half the rounds
with a plain cutter. Paint the cut rounds with beaten egg and strew with
the sliced almonds. Bake the bases about 15 minutes, keeping them very
pale. Cool the bases. Combine the jam and water and bring to a boil over
medium heat, stirring occasionally. Strain into another pan and simmer the
glaze until sticky. Sift confectioners' sugar over the almond-coated bases.
Paint the others with the glaze and adhere the sugared bases to them. Fill
in the openings with more glaze.
From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini

A Message from our Provider:

“Been falsely accused of the most awful things? Then you know how God feels”

The work of the Holy Spirit in John 3 is applied to the wind (the same word as spirit). From a human perspective, the wind has a point of origin and a destination that is unknown, yet we know the wind is present based upon the effects it leaves behind. Likewise, we are totally at the mercy of the free and sovereign will of God. Just as the wind is invisible and unpredictable and uncontrollable, God’s Spirit is moving among human beings, regenerating their hearts, and enabling them to willingly trust Christ for salvation. And when people do trust Christ, there will be evidence of His presence.

Randy Smith