We here at Craving Grace are supporters of a smoke-free environment. In case you didn’t know, we’ve been experiencing technical difficulties. Our website momentarily converted from the Women’s Ministry Craving Grace website to an anti-smoking website.

Basically we have a bunch of non-techy women responsible for this new fangled technology. Who knew that if you didn’t renew your website name that it would expire and someone else would take over? I mean, really, WE are Craving Grace…no one else can take our name.

Fortunately, we were saved from ourselves and able to keep our cravinggrace.org name. I was just relieved that our site wasn’t replaced with an off-color site for a woman named Grace.

I made this fish last week, and it was really good and VERY easy. I used MahiMahi, which was a little too fishy for my taste. I think I would have liked it more with talapia or catfish. I served it with a vegetable and baked potato wedges (like these.) This fish actually has enough juice that you could serve it with rice.

Salsa-Topped Baked Fish from Liz Meiners (Rinnie’s mom)

16 oz white fish
Parsley
1/2 cup salsa
1/4 cup sour cream

Preheat oven 350 and spray 8 x 8 pan. Cut fish into pieces (not too small) or leave in fillets. Lightly spray with butter substitute (I used some olive oil spray I have.) Sprinkle with parsley and bake for 20 minutes. Combine salsa and sour cream and pour on the fish. Bake 10 more minutes. Serve at once.

(I couldn’t find a picture of salsa baked fish, so thought I’d mix it up with this one instead!!)

I have been in a spiritual dry time lately. I’ve been really busy with working and 3 young kids. I’m tired. I always have a hard time being disciplined with my devotions when I’m not in a Biblestudy. And mostly, I just have not been taking the time to quiet my mind and spend time with God - reading the Word, praying, thinking of Him.

I was thinking today of something one of my college professors, Dr. Krabbendam, told me when I was struggling with my faith during my college years. He encouraged me to keep reading my Bible and praying, even when I didn’t feel like it, and that the feelings would eventually return.

I was also thinking of a devotional/letter my dad wrote to my sister Sarah and I as mothers of young children, encouraging us that we could still grow in our faith even though we don’t have hours to spend in the Word, and our reading of the Bible is often at a very elementary level.  I just posted it on my blog here if you want to read it.

I have been reading “The Jesus Storybook” to my kids lately (this is an awesome book by the way - I highly recommend it!) - the Lord has reminded me so much of His love for me through this children’s Bible, often bringing me close to tears as I read to them.

Pam and I were talking today about how wonderful it is that the Lord is faithful, even when we are unfaithful. That His love for us is not conditional on how many hours we spend in the Word and prayer, and that He knows what our days look like. Praise be to Him!!

So if you’re as dry as I am, remember that the Lord loves you still. And we can pray together that the Lord will refresh and renew our love for him.

This must be a southern thing, cause my wonderful friend Cathy also used to make a Sock-it-to-me Cake. Hers was delicious, so I’m sure this one is too.

Sock-it-to-me Cake from Currin Ann Seely
1 box yellow butter cake
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup oil
8oz sour cream
2 tsp vanilla
4 eggs
1 tsp cinnamon
3 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Glaze:
2 Tbsp melted Oleo
1 tsp vanilla
2 Tbsp milk
1 cup powdered sugar

Mix first 6 ingredients well. Pour half into a greased bundt pan. Mix next 3 ingredients, sprinkle over batter in pan. Top with remaining batter. Bake about 1 hour at 325. Cool and turn out to glaze.

Glaze: Combine all glaze ingredients. Mix well and pour over cooled cake.

Mine is the first line of Psalm 46:10 - “Be still and know that I am God.”

I like the entire Psalm but this line has always been a favorite.

Why? Because it’s so hard for me to be still and trust God. I’m a busy body and when things go wrong I like to try and fix it myself. But this verse reminds me not to worry or be anxious, and to trust God. It reminds me that God is in control of everything and He knows everything. So who am I to take his place?

What’s your favorite Bible verse or passage, and why?