Fragrant Offerings: sweet surrender

Showing posts with label sweet surrender. Show all posts

CHOCOLATE BROWNIE FUDGE PIE - Ah! Sweet Surrender!

Chocolate-Brownie-Fudge Pie

1 c. butter

4 oz. unsweetened chocolate

2 c. sugar

1/2 c. flour

4 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3/4 c. chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter and chocolate together. Combine sugar and flour. Add chocolate. Beat in eggs. Add vanilla and pecans. Pour into greased pie plate. Bake 25-30 minutes. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream. Ah! Sweet surrender! (In moderation...) ;-)

Read: "Sweet Surrender"
Read: "Surrendered"

Read: "Life Keeps Coming Up CHOCOLATE..."

From A Chocolate Life by Deb Burma © CPH. Reprinted with permission.

Surrendered!

"For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure."

-Philippians 2:13

On this new day (and every day...), you and I can REST, assured that we can trust the Spirit's saving work in our Baptism and through the Word.

The One who saved us and fills us with the desire to be like Jesus is also transforming us in His likeness.

"Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." -Psalm 139:23-24

Like the Psalmist, we can cry out to God with a repentant heart, knowing His grace covers us as He gives us the strength to live our lives in Christ, SURRENDERED to Him. Even running to Him with reckless abandon!

Sweet Surrender!

"For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure."

Philippians 2:13

My little white flag just went up. Do you see it? I'm waving it weakly back and forth in front of you. I held it out long enough and finally, I surrender. I give up. You win. All my resistance is gone. I am no match for you, you irresistible Chocolate-Brownie-Fudge Pie! I surrender all my resistance, all my will power, all my diet plans, and I run toward you with a fork in my hand. Ah, but it is a sweet surrender! Mmm, delicious!

While I may joke about surrendering to chocolate, I wonder about the the kinds of things we usually yield to helplessly. We all have weaknesses, areas of strongest temptation and feeblest resistance against which we cannot stand on our own. Maybe we surrender to gossip or gluttony. Perhaps we give in to peer pressure, envy, or greed. Possibly, we struggle with an addiction to something that hurts us and those we love.

In His sweet mercy and grace, our heavenly Father saw us drowning in our sins, weaknesses, and temptations. He lifted us out, saving us from our faults and failures and forgiving us through the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit working through God's Word breathed new life into us and filled us with faith.

God traded our weakness for His strength and enabled us to surrender to the Lord! We give up: We give up all our feeble attempts to be strong enough on our own, all our futile efforts to do good things by our own strength. You win, God! You won salvation for us when You defeated sin, death, and the devil. In Your victory, You give us eternal life in Christ! All our resistance disappears. Through the power of the Spirit, we no longer resist Your lead, but gladly follow.

In our sin, we cannot match God's holiness, but He took away our sin and made us holy in Christ! We surrender all our foolish plans, selfish ambitions, and evil thoughts and ways to God's perfect ones. Jesus runs toward us with outstretched arms. Filled with His Spirit, we yield to His loving touch. Truly, this is sweet, sweet surrender!

Surrendered, we can only imagine the amazing work ahead as the Spirit works in us, fulfilling His plans and purposes according to His perfect will.

Lord, do with me what You will today. I surrender my ways to You. Work in and through me to do Your will, for Your purposes, and for Your good pleasure.

In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

From A Chocolate Life by Deb Burma © CPH. Reprinted with permission.

Life Keeps Coming Up CHOCOLATE...

As if I didn’t already savor and swallow copious quantities of chocolate (and countless cups of coffee) over the holidays, in this New Year, life keeps coming up "chocolate". Yes, right here at the start of all-things-healthy, and in the midst of resolution lists, I’ve resolved to focus on chocolate…

Well, sort of. I mean, I had you at the mere mention of it, right?

Just when I'd started my diet, a friend handed me a gift with imprinted words, "Chocolate Fixes Everything" - and I couldn't argue. (And in this New Year, I have so much I'd like to "fix" - how about you?!) - Keep reading! ;-)
Then social media surprised me with one of those anniversary posts, celebrating my publisher's early release of my "Living a Chocolate Life" Bible study. (Funny timing, right?!)
Friends shared posts pertaining to chocolate. One even sent me breaking news sharing more health benefits of dark chocolate (see, I knew this would work with my New Year's goals...): "Chocolate May Be A Better Cough Suppressant..."
My publicist reminded me it's "National Chocolate-something Day" and I celebrated again...of course.
And we’re only weeks away from the airing of Nebraska Public Television’s Chocolate Life documentary.

So you see, life keeps coming up "chocolate"...I'd better roll with it.

Virtual chocolate (like the sweet image above) grabs our attention, even when we’re not grabbing an actual bite – or even when we are. Why?

Maybe it’s simply something that makes us smile. We relate to it (and to its tempting qualities…). We revel in its beauty; we know its aroma and taste. Chocolate is rich. Sweet. Satisfying. And chocolate gifts can be lavish – even extravagant. (Don't even get me started...)

So, my friends, for the next few weeks, let’s talk chocolate. Wait…better yet, let’s talk about topics our favorite confection can take us to…

Temptation...and Sweet Surrender

Savoring God's Sweet Grace...When Life's Left a Bitter Taste

Seeking Satisfaction

So maybe chocolate doesn't "fix" everything...but by way of sweet chocolate analogy, we go to the One who can...and does. We search His Word; we seek His strength; we trust Him.

If you’ve sampled my Chocolate Life devotional or savored the Living a Chocolate Life Bible study, you’ve touched on some of these topics. We’re going to dig in a little differently.

Will you “resolve” to follow me as I lead you down a chocolate-rich road? We’ll savor nuggets of God’s Word as we explore some timely and tough topics. Look for blog posts and social media posts with: Scripture, devotions, questions, …and even the occasional recipe. Comment, chat with me, ask questions…We’ll look at life – your chocolate life – in the light of God’s grace.

"Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good!" Psalm 34:8

A Chocolate Life ~ Sweet Surrender

A Chocolate Life brings sweet morsels of joy and bitter nuggets of pain. Some days are light and smooth; others are dark and lumpy. No matter what, God sustains us with grace in Christ. Wrapped in forgiveness, the Holy Spirit fills us with sweet faith in our Savior!

Sweet Surrender

"For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure." ~Philippians 2:13

My little white flag just went up. Do you see it? I'm waving it weakly back and forth in front of you. I held out long enough and finally, I surrender. I give up. You win. All my resistance is gone. I am no match for you, you irresistible Chocolate-Brownie-Fudge Pie! I surrender all my resistance, all my will power, all my diet plans, and I run toward you with a fork in my hand. Ah, but it is a sweet surrender! Mmmm, delicious!

While I may joke about surrendering to chocolate, I wonder about the kinds of things we usually yield to helplessly. We all have weaknesses, areas of strongest temptation and febblest resistance against which we cannot stand on our own. Maybe we surrender to gossip or gluttony. Perhaps we give in to peer pressure, envy, or greed. Possibly, we struggle with an addiction to something that hurts us and those we love.

In His sweet mercy and grace, our heavenly Father saw us drowning in our sins, weaknesses, and temptations. He lifted us out, saving us from our faults and failures and forgiving us through the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit working through God's Word breathed new life into us and filled us with faith.

God traded our weakness for His strength and enabled us to surrender to the Lord! We give up. We give up all our feeble attempts to be strong enough on our own, all our futile efforts to do good things by our own strength. You win, God! You won salvation for us when You defeated sin, death, and the devil. In Your victory, You give us eternal life in Christ! All our resistance disappears. Through the power of the Spirit, we no longer resist Your lead, but gladly follow.

In our sin, we cannot match God's holiness, but He took away our sin and made us holy in Christ! We surrender all our foolish plans, selfish ambitions, and evil thoughts and ways to God's perfect ones. Jesus runs toward us with outstretched arms. Filled with His Spirit, we yield to His loving touch. Truly, this is sweet, sweet surrender!

Surrendered, we can only imagine the amazing work ahead as the Spirit works in us, fulfilling His plans and purposes according to His perfect will.

Lord, do with me what You will today. I surrender my ways to You. Work in and through me to do Your will, for Your purposes, and for Your good pleasure. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Chocolate Brownie Fudge Pie