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The Heart to Heart Newsletter, created by Lois Breneman in 1999, has been sent around the world for sixteen years to ladies in fifty states and sixty-two countries. Our purpose at Heart to Heart is to encourage women and create biblical values in their day to day living.
Should you prefer simple text email or to unsubscribe please send me an email with your request. Categorized topics from archived newsletters can be found on Lois Breneman's blog.
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"Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things,
which you do not know." Jer. 33:3
God is much more chatty than most people believe. Reread familiar Bible stories and take notice of how many times He says "I tell you this before it happens so when it does, you will know I am the Lord your God and it is I Who have done this." Sometimes we wait on life to happen to us and then call out to Him. God desires much more than a last minute rescue. He has things to tell us about today, tomorrow, yesterday and many days to come. He has things to tell us beyond our thinking in the middle of dinner and diapers or wherever you are in life at this moment.
Take some time and ask Him. Ask Him to show you your future in some area. "Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing His plan to His servants the prophets." Amos 3:7
Jesus told His disciples repeatedly, "I tell you this, so you will remember I told you before it happened." (Matt. 24:25, John 16:13, John 14:29) He loves intimacy and our dependency on Him. He loves to chat and for us to trust Him enough to obey and rest in Him, and then SEE it happen with Him.
He has always given me a picture of what will be in my life before it seemed possible. Only once could I not see and that was for my protection. He loves saying, "Watch this!" He loves a heart that adores Him. He loves to show us the impossible. He loves to calm us with singing. He loves to do everyday life with us. He loves to laugh. But rarely is He ever silent. I think we assume that He is silent much more than He is. Ask. He will tell you Great & Mighty Things which you do not know. Are you listening?
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A Voice for Others
Used with permission by Barbara Baranowski
I looked at my dad’s 93-year-old body in the hospital bed, weakened suddenly by the stress of broken hip surgery. He was understandably tired, frail and confused. His normally clear mind searched my face through questioning eyes, looking for answers to what his life would be like in the days to come. I imagined the next weeks and months—rounds of doctors and nurses visits, technician tests, weeks of rehabilitation, and the struggle for restoration. How could I convey to the caregivers and professionals what my father had been like just a day before the fall—vibrant for his age, committed to sharing his faith in Christ wherever he could, mentoring those younger, and visiting nursing homes. He was active in church and an inspiration to others.
Knowing that medical professionals are extremely overworked with patient loads that leave little time, how could I be a voice and personalize my dad to them? I whispered a prayer, “How, Lord, can I make him more than a body to care for?” As God spoke to my heart, I put the following answers into practice
- Share interesting facts about your friend or family member, as time and conditions permit. This allows the caregiver to get beyond the illness or injury to the heart of the individual.Seniors especially have a rich past filled with a lifetime of experiences that their frail bodies may belie.Often they too have touched others with healing words.
- Share faith from the heart of the patient—thoughts either spoken yourself or by encouraging him/her to do so.My father used his dark days of physical difficulty to share the light of Jesus with those attending him.Without disturbing their very important work, he would slip them a word of encouragement or give them a small New Testament or his published inspirational book.
- Share the patient’s appreciation with the caregivers.Often they are not able to do so, but we as advocates can.This may lift the day of a specialist in need of comforting and appreciative words.
An advocate is a helper, a voice, and an interceder for another. An advocate provides the healing touch of words for the patient and thoughtful help for the professional. The Bible reminds us in Philippians 2:3-4, “in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” My dad could not always share his story, but because I was his advocate, caregivers knew that this was a beloved and special man— one whom they would be honored to call their friend if they had met him under different circumstances. Why not be a healing voice for someone you love?
Barbara Baranowski is a published writer and inspirational speaker devoted to family, educational, and spiritual issues. She lives with her husband John in Roanoke, Virginia and is a retired middle school teacher.
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Avocado Chocolate Pudding
Recipe by Lois Breneman
Please see Lois's blog for more pictures: www.heartfilledhome.blogspot.com
Only 4 or 5 ingredients
Yields 3 servings of light, fluffy and creamy deliciousness!
Suitable for breakfast, dessert or a snack!
Put all these ingredients into a Nutra Bullet or blender (milk first and blend until mixed thoroughly):
1 1/2 cups SO Delicious coconut milk
2 avocados (minus the peel and seed)
2 heaping Tbsp. Healthworks Organic Cacao Powder
Stevia to taste
5 drops wild orange doTERRA essential oil, optional
This can be made just before serving or put in a serving dish or individual dishes, and refrigerated. When ready to serve, top with a strawberry, slivers of almonds, or toasted unsweetened coconut, and enjoy!
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Plan for an Active Summer!
Used with permission by Leigh Kaiser
Summer is a great time of year to be active with your family and friends. There are lots of ways to get your heart rate up, burn calories AND have fun at the same time. Yes- you can have FUN while being active! Leisure activities are fun for all ages and help bring people together. Instead of playing video games, napping, or watching TV, why not go for a hike, paddle a kayak, play badminton, toss a Frisbee, peddle a bike, dive for toys in the pool, or walk around the neighborhood? You'll be able to talk with the people who are with you, laugh, enjoy the outdoors, and create memories.
Leisure activities are a great way to bring your family together, but you should also consider adding 2-3 days of a focused, intentional workouts into your weekly routine. What do I mean by focused and intentional? I mean to set out with purpose to raise your heart rate and keep it up for a sustained amount of time, and also use your entire body to build muscle and stamina which will increase your joint-strength (ankles, knees, and hips), your muscle mass, decrease your body fat, and build heart and lung endurance. You can do this by going for a walk or jog through a hilly neighborhood, lifting weights, doing core work, or combining all of these things in an interval workout.
Interval workouts are typically short - yet intense - so you get a lot of bang for your buck. You don't have to work out very long (anywhere between 10-45 minutes) to get in a great workout with interval training.. It's also proven to be one of the best ways to increase muscle mass, decrease fat, improve heart rate, and give overall body wellness.
An example of interval training is this:
Do 1 min of each of the following (Within the minute, do as many quality movements as you can. Don't get sloppy! As you get tired, slow down (don't quit) and keep the quality of your moves as a priority):
- Squats or Jump Squats
- Push-Ups
- Lunges or Jumping Lunges
- Jumping Jax
- Hold Plank
Repeat this series 3 times for a 15 minute workout or 4 times for a 20 minute workout. Within this workout, you've taken care of lower body, upper body, core, and cardio. Like I said, a lotta bang for your buck! It's supposed to be difficult, so by round #3 you'll probably be pretty tired. That's a good thing! Remember: If we're not challenged, we're not changing. To make a workout worth the time, it needs to challenge your muscles, heart, and strength
My last challenge to you is to set a few simple goals that you will gladly work towards this summer. You can set them as a family and/or an individual. Here are some ideas:
- Plan 5 Group Leisure Activities a month (as a family)
- Do 2 days of Interval Training a week (grab a buddy)
- Walk/Jog 2-3 days/week (explore different neighborhoods each time)
- Eat leafy greens every day (spinach, broccoli, kale, etc.)
- Pray and give thanks and praise to God before, during and after each workout/activity. (This helps remind me Who gives us the strength to move, why we should desire to be healthy, and reminds me that health is a gift from the Lord.)
If you're interested in learning more about health and wellness or interval workouts, please see: Teamconquerit.weebly.com. Contact me with questions, comments, or general inquiries. Have a wonderful, active summer!
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Paleo Blueberry Scones
By Jamie Webber. Used with Permission by Reboot with Joe http://www.rebootwithjoe.com/paleo-blueberry-scone-recipe/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+jointhereboot%2FuoBr+%28Reboot+With+Joe%29
When you’re hosting a brunch there’s no better way to treat your guests to a lovely weekend meal than by serving warm scones right out of the oven…gluten-free, low-sugar, high-fiber, protein-packed paleo ones. These are exactly what I served last weekend when I had people over for brunch and they were a huge hit. They are so easy to make and quite frankly I think they taste better than any store-bought scones that are made with regular flour and tons of butter and sugar. Enjoy making these this weekend! You can serve them with grass-fed butter, this goji berry jam or alone because truthfully they don’t need a thing. They are perfect as they are. Happy Weekend!
Ingredients:
1 cup (140 g) almond flour
1/2 cup (70 g) coconut flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 organic, free-range eggs
1/3 cup (80 ml) almond milk
1 – 2 Tbsp. maple syrup
1 – 2 Tbsp. coconut oil, melted
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup (150 g) fresh blueberries
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C). In a large bowl combine the dry ingredients including almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, maple syrup, almond milk, coconut oil, and vanilla, and whisk together until combined.
Combine the dry and wet mixtures into a large bowl and stir until a nice dough forms.
- Fold in the blueberries.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Form the scone dough into a ball-like shape then press down to desired size.
You can slice the dough before baking to prevent crumbling into 8 slices.
- Bake for 23 – 25 minutes until golden brown.
Substitutions:
Almond flour — coconut flour, ground cashews
Coconut flour — almond flour
Maple syrup — honey
Blueberries — strawberries, raspberries, blackberries
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes
Servings: 8
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Repurpose Flower Baskets into Glowing Outdoor Chandelier
By Pauline Molinari from allfreekidscrafts.com that encourages sharing. http://club.chicacircle.com/repurpose-flower-baskets-into-a-glowing-chandelier/
My family is so lucky to live in Southern California. I’m originally from the midwest, so there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t realize how fortunate I am to be living in such a beautiful area. Being able to enjoy outdoor flowers and foliage year round is a treat. We currently have hanging flower baskets in our backyard, but after awhile they needed to be refreshed.
My super smart husband figured out that it was more cost effective to buy new hanging baskets rather than replace the insides of them. Once I saw the empty wire frames I knew I had to make something with them. The outdoor chandelier craft was born!
My daughter and I worked together to attach two empty wire flower baskets together with black pipe cleaners to make a globe shape. But, first we filled them with a large string of white holiday lights in the center. We used the kind that we could adjust the “twinkle” factor on the set of lights. I cut the black pipe cleaners into 3 pieces each. We secured the two baskets together, as well as the lights hanging from the top of the now globe-shaped wire frame. This allowed the twinkling lights to hang nicely throughout the frame.
It was that easy!
We reused one of the chain hangers from one of the baskets too, and attached it to the top of our homemade outdoor chandelier. We hung it above our outdoor patio area, and now we can enjoy it year round! Lovely!
I love when I can re-purpose something into something beautiful!
Happy crafting!
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Housekeeping tip!
Submitted by Stephanie Morrell from Troutville, VA
"I used to put vinegar in my rinse compartment of the dish washer only. I have hard water and it leaves spots and stains. Then I added vinegar to the bottom of the dish washer as well each time and viola! no more stains."
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Compiled by Lois Breneman
Thanks to all those who have given permission to include your children's precious gems in Heart to Heart and on my blog!
This morning during family devotions we were talking about God's love and reviewing how happy and lovely the Garden of Eden was and then how everything changed and they were miserable and sad and life was so terrible. I asked them,"What happened?" My Gabriel (5) doesn't miss a beat...and with solemn eyes and a dead serious heart says, "Then they got married!" Yep folks. Setting a great example and modeling a wonderful marriage apparently. ~ Lauren in Virginia
Amiya (7): "Mommy, you know that story in the Bible about King Solomon that had 700 wives? That's a lot of good night kisses."
Malakai (7): "Yeah, I think he had lipstick everywhere!" ~ Danielle in Alabama
Standing at the counter, I took my allergy medicine this morning. My son, gleefully announced to the household, " Mama's taking a nap today!" (Perhaps I should look into other medications...) ~ Rachel in Virginia
My daughter, Mara, who is battling cancer, shared a sweet moment with me yesterday as I took her to a doctor's appointment. Her six-year old, Samuel, warmly placed his hands on her cheeks and said, "Mommie, you are beautiful and wonderfully made!" ~ Madeline in Virginia
Dillon (2): "Hey Mom! I wanna go outside and play tennis with my baseball club!!"
Oh how I love him. ~ Tiffany in Virginia
Emily (2), eating warm banana bread, said to me, "Mama, this bread is horrible. More please." ~ Rachel in Virginia
Jake (3) while riding in the van: Bank you for my crate.
Me: You're crate?
Jake: Yeah.
Me: What crate?
Jake: the one you put me in when I was a baby.
Me: you mean your crib?
Jake: yeah, my crib
Me: oh, you're welcome. ~ Jenny in Ohio
(After moving to a new home) Brookie (5) opened the front door wearing her nightgown and yelled at the new neighbors that she loved them and hoped they sleep good tonight. Glad we got that out of the way so they don't think we are a nice normal family. ~ Lauren in Virginia
You know you're having a tough day when you're running to the parking lot and your pants fall all the way down to your knees. Thankfully, she's only five. And thankfully the giggles that came afterward made the embarrassing mama moment totally worth it. ~ Amy in Virginia
Trying to play tag with Malakai (He's fast!)
Malakai (7) says: "Mommy, I'm like a jaguar and you're like a moose!" ~ Danielle in Alabama
My daily trivia with Benjamin (4):
Benjamin -Cats chase mice, what chases cats?
Me- Dogs
Benjamin - What chases dogs?
Me- umm bears maybe?
Benjamin - what chases bears?
Me- how about a lion?
Benjamin - what chases a lion?
Me- I don't know. A cheetah.
Benjamin - What chases a cheetah?
Me- Nobody because he is the fastest.
Benjamin -......Cheetahs eat Cheetos
Yes the fastest animal in the world eats Cheetos, therefore they must be good for you right?!?! ~ Heather in Virginia
A (fairly typical) one minute conversation with my twelve year old:
Ella (12) - I think you should have another baby.
Me - Really. You seem to enjoy your younger sister so much (sarcasm).
Ella - It wouldn't be annoying until I was already out of the house.
Ella (cont.) - And I will be taking a gap year when I am 16.
Me - You can't take a gap year when you are still in high school.
Ella - I can't do it when I graduate. 2021 would be a terrible year to travel across the country because of the predicted cicada infestation. ~ Beth in Ohio
Took hubby to dinner for his birthday. Amiya (7) opens her napkin and finds two forks. She says: "I know why they give us two forks...so when we drop one on the floor, we have another one!" ~ Danielle in Alabama
Amiya (7) and Malakai (7) pretending to be dinosaurs. Amiya is the mom and Malakia, the baby...
Amiya: "We're going to move to Alaska."
Malakai: "But it's so cold there, I don't want to go there."
Amiya: "But God can use you no matter where you go...you could be meat for another animal..." ~ Daniel in Alabama
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