HOW DO I LOVE GOD?
(Recipe: Appetizer)

December! One month left in 2011. Twenty-four days until Christmas. Fifteen days until my grandsons first birthday. Twenty days until my oldest grandchild’s eighteenth birthday. Twenty-six days until my middle sons forty-sixth birthday. Where has the time gone? This year has flown by. What have I accomplished this past year? What have I learned? What am I still learning?

Every day we learn something new. I was reminded this week that when Jesus came into the world, his first stop, before even setting foot on earth, was the safety of a mother’s womb, cradled beneath her loving heart. For nine months he dwelt in her safety and love.

For the past three years I have been doing an on-line ministry with Campus Crusade for Christ. My mission: To respond to the many emails that I receive from around the world from people wanting to know more about Jesus. To date I have spoken with over 8,300 men, women and teens.

One of the questions I am frequently asked is: “How can I love God more?” A very good question. A question perhaps we should ask ourselves often. How would answer them?

This week as I was reading through Deuteronomy I came across Deuteronomy 11:22. There was my answer to this question – and the answer wasn’t some general answer that I chose to give – it was an answer direct from God.

“Show love to the Lord your God by walking in his ways and holding tightly to him.” (NLT).

Translation: To show God how much you love Him, walk in obedience with God and don’t let go of his hand.

Think about it. When you are with that person you love, don’t you relish being close to them, holding their hand, walking alongside them, doing everything to please them?

God wants the same thing from us. If I am going to love God, if I am going to show God how much I love him, then ‘I will walk in his ways and hold tightly to him.’ Are you doing this? If not, why not start today. Let God know how much you love him by sticking close to him, allowing him to do the leading, and, in obedience, walk wherever he leads you, never letting go of his hand.

May God bless you today with a wonderful adventure of loving God.


Candied Walnut-Camembert Puff Purses

1/3 cup finely chopped walnuts
¼ cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp. minced fresh rosemary leaves
1 17.3 oz. package Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets, thawed
2 oz. Camembert cheese, cut into 32 ½ inch cubes

Heat oven to 400. Stir walnuts, brown sugar and rosemary in small bowl.
Unfold pastry on lightly floured surface. Roll pastry sheet into a 12” square. Cut into 16 – 3” squares. Repeat with remaining sheet.

Spoon about 1 tsp. walnut mixture into the center of each pastry square. Top each with cheese cube. Brush edges with water. Fold the corners, over the filling and twist gently to seal. Place filled pastries into a mini-muffin pan.

Bake 15 min. or until golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes.