Written For A Purpose

February 4, 2023February 5, 2023

Reflections on Rest

As a cross country runner in high school, I always loved the beginning of a race. At the firing of the start gun, the herd of runners dispersed, releasing a quiet thunder of hundreds of feet striding over the grass-covered route. Supportive shouts from friends and family broke into the stillness of early morning. I felt weightless in my running cleats as I ran up and over hills and through patches of fall-tinged forests, sweat dripping down my back and immediately evaporating in the crisp air.

December 25, 2022December 31, 2022

God Sees You This Christmas

“Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,

‘Glory to God in highest heaven,
and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.’

When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, ‘Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.‘

July 9, 2022August 20, 2022

The Wildflower Farm

I’m always on the lookout for unique places and experiences off the beaten path. One such hidden gem is The Wildflower Farm located near the Chicagoland area in Monee, IL. Established just last year, 2021, this business is a beautiful boutique flower farm with a twist—you get to select and cut your own flowers!

My friend Alyssa and I planned a surprise birthday adventure at this farm for our friend Allie’s 22^nd birthday. As the three of us drove further and further out into the corn fields to arrive at The Wildflower Farm, it was entertaining to hear Allie’s guesses about where we were taking her. Each theory became more and more suspicious: “Lunch? Line dancing? Umm, are we going out for drinks? I know, you’re taking me paintballing!”

August 11, 2021August 11, 2021

Authentic Italian Anise Biscotti

The only thing better than a hot cup of coffee in the morning, is a hot cup of coffee with a biscotti. These sweet, crunchy Italian cookies are the perfect cookies for “dunking.” Unlike other cookies, they don’t crumble apart in your mug!

And, if you want to have the “authentic Italian biscotti experience,” you can dunk your biscotti in red wine — that’s what the Italian side of my family does 😊. The recipe I’m sharing with you, today, is my Grandpa Carmen’s recipe for Anise Biscotti – he’s been making these cookies for years and they are a staple treat at family gatherings. These biscotti are sweet and satisfying, and the Anise oil adds a unique and delicious flavor. If you want to indulge yourself a little at breakfast time (or after dinner with a glass of wine), this recipe is perfect for you!

July 21, 2021July 21, 2021

Bread of Angels

Tessa Afshar’s Bread of Angels is a masterfully written work of biblical fiction and a rich well of wisdom and encouragement for the heart. The novel immerses readers in the historical context of the New Testament and introduces them to the protagonist, Lydia of Thyatira, dyer of purple (later to become the first convert to Christianity in Europe; see Acts 16).

After reading Lydia’s story and the interwoven accounts of Jewish history, I saw the world afresh and found myself more readily trusting in the Lord’s providence for my own life. This book was truly uplifting and transformative. Using the life experiences of Lydia, the novel reminded me how I can give my fears and anxieties to Him in return for a true and unshakable peace in this life.

July 16, 2021July 9, 2022

Pumpkin Squares with Cream Cheese Frosting

These yummy pumpkin squares are one of our family’s favorites! If you are looking for the perfect treat to indulge your sweet tooth, this moist pumpkin cake with hints of cinnamon and thick cream cheese frosting is sure to hit the spot!

Pumpkin is one of my absolute favorite flavors. It always brings back good memories of pumpkin patches, bonfires, and morning runs through red-tinged forests. And though pumpkin is often reserved for fall dishes, I think it’s a great treat for any time of the year–even in the midst of summer!

July 7, 2021August 1, 2021

Achieve Your Goals

Before entering college, I received an encouraging letter from a mentor figure in my life. The letter contained a simple, three bullet-point To-Do list for the next four years: 1. Pursue God, 2. Be faithful to your studies, 3. Invest in friends and fun. When assignments and commitments made it difficult to maintain a healthy life-balance at school, I would often refer to this list to help me reassess my priorities.

July 2, 2021July 10, 2021

Gratitude

One of my most cherished memories from college is a little “Thanksgiving-mas” brunch I was invited to on a Sunday afternoon. The invitation came about three-quarters of the way through fall semester, just as I was beginning to feel really burnt out. I had allowed papers, projects, tests, and other commitments to replace my peace. Adding to my weariness, because of the travel restrictions related to Covid, our usual (and much-needed) mid-semester breaks had been cut from the academic calendar—in essence, until those Christmas bells started ringing the sound of winter break, we were in it for the long haul.

At the very moment that anxiety and discouragement threatened to overwhelm me — a sweet friend invited me and a few other girls to take a break and celebrate Thanksgiving/Christmas at her apartment. It was the little bit of hope and light that I needed to make it through the week.

June 21, 2021June 21, 2021

Petoskey Stones-A Unique Treasure of Northern Michigan

Every summer our family vacations in beautiful Northern Michigan. The area has a certain charm to it with its dense forests, peaceful beaches, lake breezes, fisheries, farm stands, and home-y small town atmosphere. Ever since I was a little girl, I loved standing on the beach, gazing out into the seemingly endless expanse of deep, glittering blue that is Lake Michigan. I would spend countless hours roaming the shore on the lookout for pretty stones tossed up by the waves.

June 4, 2021July 9, 2021

Simple & Delicious Chicken Enchiladas with Salsa Verde

After watching an episode of Magnolia Table in which Joanna Gaines cooked her Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas, my mom and I were inspired to try out a similar version in our own kitchen. The enchiladas we made for dinner the next night were SO good! The creamy, cheesy filling of these enchiladas is perfectly complemented by the tanginess of the green chilis and salsa verde. It’s comfort food with a bit of a kick. And hidden amidst all that yummy, cheesy goodness, is some healthy, poached chicken.

If you love Mexican food and are searching for an easy dinner option, this recipe is the perfect choice.