How long have you been at UPC?  

Since 1994 when we were meeting at the Seventh Day Adventist Church 
 
Where are you originally from? 

I grew up in Europe-three years in Germany and 12 years in Belgium 
 
What are some of your hobbies and/or interests? 

I enjoy reading but never get to do enough of it. I also love riding my bike!

What’s your favorite dessert? 

Anything chocolate and cheesecake! 
  
Favorite TV show? 

I like Numbers and LIFE 
  
What are you involved with at UPC? 

Through the years I have worked with children’s ministry and most recently helped lead women’s ministry.  I will phase out of that and hope to be more involved teaching again. 
  
How have you seen God work in your life recently? 

He is showing me how much I need him DAILY!  I fight so much to be independent and not ‘needy’ but he is showing me that I am needy-desperate for him in so many ways! 
  
How can we be praying for you?  

That God would make me more and more dependent on Him and less on myself!

I made this for dinner the other night and it was SO good! Yum! I’ve actually made this recipe several times. It’s quick and easy to make. Don’t let the fancy name fool you.

This recipe comes from Epicurious and was in Gourmet Magazine. So I can’t say if it’s healthy or not. I’ll share my healthy options below. If you try it let me know what you think!

INGREDIENTS:
2 pounds precooked polenta (in a tube), cut into 4 (1/2-inch-thick) rounds
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casing removed
1/2 pound mixed sliced fresh wild mushrooms
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 1/2 cups bottled marinara sauce

Accompaniment: grated Parmesan

Preheat broiler.

Broil polenta rounds on a lightly oiled large heavy baking sheet 3 to 4 inches from heat until lightly browned in spots, about 7 minutes. Turn rounds over and sprinkle with cheese, then broil until polenta is golden in spots and cheese is melted, about 7 minutes more.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over high heat until it shimmers, then cook sausage, breaking up lumps, until just cooked through, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

Heat remaining tablespoon oil in skillet over medium heat until it shimmers, then cook mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add wine and boil, scraping up any brown bits, until reduced by about half, about 2 minutes. Stir in sausage and tomato sauce and simmer, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Season with salt.

Serve ragout spooned over polenta.

My Healthy Version: I use sweet Turkey sausage and omit the Parmesan cheese. When cutting the polenta I just cut the whole tube into 1/2″ slices and I’ll brush olive oil on one side when broiling.

I while back I stumbled upon this post by Freakonomics blogger Steven Levitt. It describes a phenomenon I first noticed while book shopping during the Christmas season last year: there have been a lot of books published lately which seek to undermine the existence of God: Breaking the Spell, The God Delusion, God the Failed Hypothesis, God is Not Great, Irreligion.

These books intrigue me. I’ve been tempted to read one, just to see what sorts of things they say. Have any of you picked one up, perhaps aiming to give your apologetics skills a workout? What did you think?

This fall, my LIFE Group will be reading through The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism by Tim Keller. I’m very much looking forward to it. To be honest, my faith could really use some shoring up right now. I long for belief in an age of skepticism!

Yesterday was Vision ‘13 at church, and we heard an amazing Odes Project Concert during the first service, and then listened to Mike cast a vision for the next five years during the second service. 

What I appreciated most about the sermon was the way that our church is desiring to be a blessing to the broken people of East Orlando.  As I have just learned that my unbelieving grandfather died suddenly of a heart attack last night, I am reminded of the need for the Church to grow and bring in God’s Kingdom.  I thought it was powerful how Mike told that even though there is poverty, homelessness, violence, spiritual lostness, and so much more that makes us wonder where God is, that Christ is King and that He is using His church to reign in His kingdom.  The world needs the gospel and every broken area needs redemption, which is offered in Christ.  What an honor to be called to be God’s hands and feet to impact East Orlando for Him.  I am excited to see how UPC can continue to be a blessing this year. 

Summer is officially over once school starts. For some school started about a month ago and for others school started 2 weeks ago. Here in Orlando we’ve had 2 hurricane days! Where I grew up we had snow or ice days.

How are you feeling now that school started?

a) stressed at first but feeling okay now
b) finally, the kids are out of the house and I get free time!
c) ugh, more traffic
d) it doesn’t affect me