Colleen James

Blog

  • The Best Homemade Pizza

    Picture of the homemade pizza with jalapeños and ground beef

    I feel a little arrogant to be calling this recipe the best homemade pizza, but my family has really hyped me up to believe just that!

    After making homemade pizza and trying a few different things a couple of times in December, I decided I wanted to make pizza for my younger sister and brother-in-law’s visit in early January. And let me tell you, the results were stupendous! Everyone sitting around the lunch table that day raved about how good this pizza was! Or better put, almost everyone. My picky little two-year-old still believes he can make a correct decision about how something tastes just by looking at it!

    Weeks later, when I served it again to my older sister and mom to celebrate my birthday, they raved about it just as much! After all the compliments and requests for the recipe, I knew I should include it here.

    I use a standard recipe for the pizza dough to make it, along with many other standard items that make up a pizza here in the United States. The secret that makes this pizza so good is the butter garlic mixture I use before placing the marinara over the dough. I spread softened, unsalted butter over the dough, then I sparingly spread minced garlic from the jar on top of the butter.

    Using softened, unsalted butter for this recipe really makes a difference. I used melted butter for my garlic butter base one time in December, and it just wasn’t bursting with flavor like the ones I’ve made with softened butter. I also used salted butter one time, and the pizza was overly salty. The garlic butter mixture with the unsalted, softened butter underneath the marinara sauce and toppings really takes this pizza to the next level. If you love pizza as much as my family and I do, I hope you’ll give it a try! And if you do, please be sure to leave a comment to let me know how it turned out for you!

    BEST HOMEMADE PIZZA

    Ingredients:

    • 1 ½ c warm water, separated
    • 2 1//4 t active dry yeast (1 packet)
    • 1 t granulated sugar
    • 3 ½ c all-purpose flour
    • 2 teaspoons salt
    • 2 T olive oil (plus a little more for drizzling)
    • 3-4 T unsalted butter, softened
    • 2-3 T minced garlic from a jar*
    • 23-ounce jar marinara sauce
    • 3-5 cups mozzarella cheese (depending on your personal preference)
    • Toppings of choice**

    Instructions:

    1. In a bowl, gently stir together ½ cup warm water, yeast, and sugar.
    2. Cover and set aside for five minutes or until bubbly.
    3. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the flour, salt, olive oil, yeast mixture, and additional cup water.
    4. Knead gently to incorporate all the flour, then drizzle with a little oil and spread it over the entire ball of dough. Cover and let rise for two hours, or until it has doubled in size.
    5. Preheat the oven to 400F.
    6. Once the dough has doubled, punch it down and place on a parchment paper in the baking dish of your choice (I have used a cookie sheet to make pan pizzas and a pizza stone to make round pizzas).
    7. Roll out the dough to achieve the desired shape.
    8. Once the dough is ready, spread over the butter until the dough is entirely covered. Only use what is needed to spread a thin layer of butter over the dough, then spread the minced garlic sparingly over the butter spread. Refer to the picture below.
    9. Gently spread the marinara sauce evenly over the pizza, then add the grated cheese and toppings of choice.
    10. Bake in the oven for 25-35 minutes. Let sit for five or so minutes, then use a pizza cutter to slice as desired and enjoy!

    Notes:

    *I like using pre-minced garlic from a jar for this recipe, because not only does it save time, but the dough also gets the added flavor of the juice from the jar of minced garlic. If you want to use fresh minced garlic, feel free to do so. Just keep in mind that it may slightly alter the taste.

    **Although I have used several different toppings for this pizza, my family has enjoyed the one with ground beef and jalapeño peppers from the jar most. For the beef, I brown it in a pan over the stove with steak seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, and a little bit of garlic and onion powder, then I add ¾ or so of the browned beef to the top of the pizza.

  • A Season for Rest

    Photo from Pexels.com of a snowy path through trees

    Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

    Matthew 11:28-29

    It’s cold outside, which isn’t necessarily a given on these winter days in southern Texas. The trees have lost their leaves, and there is a general sense of dreariness outdoors, but I don’t mind it. Not this year, at least. This type of weather reminds me of my need to do what much of nature is doing on this side of the hemisphere—rest.

    Both Sunday school and the church service touched on this theme over a week ago, and I’m finding it in the verses I’ve been reading during my quiet time as of late.

    Cease from striving. Be still and know that He is God. Rest in Him.

    I generally jump into each new year with a lot of zest and a list of goals that I tend to only half-finish. This year, not only did I make the big list of goals, but I also started packing in anticipation of our move come May.

    A few weeks later, however, I’ve found myself scaling back on all the things I want to accomplish this year, and I’ve already unpacked some of the items I had stored away. The truth is, after a busy fall semester of book readings and farmers markets and all the daily tasks as a wife and mom, I’m tired, and I need a break.

    As I find myself in this slower season, I see God’s wisdom to have created this world with physical seasons—seasons to rest, to plant, to nurture and grow, and then to reap a harvest. And as I consider these seasons, I can’t help but think that our lives ought to follow a similar pattern too.

    We certainly see these different seasons in our lives at different times. As I grow older, however, I’m finding beauty in the idea of starting the new year at a slower pace, with lots of time to reflect on the past year and to prayerfully consider what God might desire for me this new year. To rest, just like nature is doing now.

    There will be plenty of time to tackle the projects ahead and to pack and prepare for a move come this spring. Perhaps the best way to prepare for the busyness ahead, however, is to find rest in the LORD and to physically rest as I commune with Him this winter season. After all, God created each physical season on purpose and for a reason. If the winter season that nature is given helps to lead to greater growth in the spring, then how much more do we need that time of rest and restoration so that we can experience abundant growth in our own personal seasons of spring! Let’s not take for granted the winter seasons God gives us. They happen to us on purpose and for a reason. Let’s take advantage of them to rest, reflect, and deepen our relationship with God.

    For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.”

    Ecclesiastes 3:1 ESV

  • Alfajores Marplatenses (an Argentine Cookie)

    Pictures of the alfajores!

    There was no Christmas cookie competition this year, which was a bit of a disappointment. At the same time, it was a relief to not have any restrictions placed upon me for my cookie inspiration this year.

    This time around, I opted to try to find a recipe online for a cookie that is undoubtedly my husband’s favorite. The cookie is known as an alfajor (al-fa-HOR), and it is a sandwich cookie consisting of two shortbread cookies and a dulce de leche filling. While there are several versions of this dessert, the one my husband loves most and that I set out to make this year was a chocolate version, which meant making chocolate shortbread cookies and then coating the entire dulce-de-leche-filled sandwich cookie in chocolate. Yum!

    After searching for recipes and finding an authentic one, I came to learn that this particular version is called an alfajor marplatense. I further came to learn, according to my husband, that this cookie comes from the coastal city Mar de Plata, Argentina. So, there’s your geography lesson for today! 😉

    My husband’s father was from Argentina, and JJ lived there for three years as a child, so this cookie is more than just a yummy treat for our family. It’s part of keeping JJ’s cultural heritage alive.

    The recipe I followed is a video of a woman from Argentina named Isabel Vermal making these cookies step by step. If you speak Spanish, I encourage you to follow along with her to make your own. Her accent is delightful and easy to understand, and she explains the process well. You can watch her video here: Alfajores Marplatenses with Isabel Vermal.

    Otherwise, I have translated the ingredients and instructions below. I also converted the ingredients from grams to cups, but I will include the measurements in grams for each ingredient below as well, for those of you who would prefer to follow those measurements with a food scale.

    Lastly, I made these cookies a little under half the size that the creator made hers, which yielded me a over 25 cookies to her 12. These cookies are so rich that I felt that a smaller size would be more suitable for my family and me. My cookies are roughly 1 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter to her 3 inches. Because of this, the baking time is less than what it would be for the bigger cookies. Also, because this recipe yielded more for me, I needed to compensate for the amount of dulce de leche and chocolate. I will include both the original amounts and baking time alongside my adjusted amounts and baking time.

    These cookies are a bit time consuming, but completely worth the hassle! With a hint of orange, creamy dulce de leche, and a rich chocolate coating, these cookies make for a great teacher’s gift, Christmas party dessert, or cookie for a Christmas cookie exchange!

    If you make them, let me know what you think! You may just find that your family is begging you to make these each Christmas, much like mine will be doing with me!

    Alfajores Marplatenses

    Ingredients:

    • 2/3 c unsalted butter, softened (150 g)
    • ¼ c granulated sugar (50 g)
    • 2 T c honey (50 g)
    • Zest of ½ lemon
    • Zest of ½ orange
    • 1 egg
    • 1 t vanilla
    • 2 ¼ c cake flour (250 g)
    • ½ c cornstarch (50 g)
    • 1 scant teaspoon baking powder (5 g)
    • ½ t baking soda (2 g)
    • 2 T cocoa powder (20 g)
    • 3 c dulce de leche*
    • 5 c semi-sweet chocolate chips*
    • 2/3 c edible cocoa butter*

    Instructions:

    1. Mix together the butter, sugar, honey, and zest of lemon and orange with a hand beater, then add the egg and vanilla and blend again.
    2. Sift the cake flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and cocoa powder into a separate mixing bowl, then stir until well combined.
    3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well.
    4. Roll out the dough on plastic wrap over a clean surface until a quarter inch thick. Cover the top with additional plastic wrap until the dough is completely covered, then place in the refrigerator for an hour (leaving the dough overnight may alter the dough’s taste).
    5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper.
    6. Remove the dough from the fridge and cut out into circles to place on the baking sheets.
    7. While cooling, whip the dulce de leche to make light and fluffy.
    8. Once the cookies are cooled, place a dollop of dulce de leche on the concave part of the cookie, then add another cookie on top (both flat parts should be facing outward). Set in the freezer while preparing the chocolate.
    9. To prepare the chocolate, place a heat-safe bowl or pot inside a pot of hot water over medium low heat. Add the chocolate chips to the pot and stir until melted.
    10. Add the edible cocoa butter and stir to combine. Remove from heat.
    11. Remove the cookies from the freezer and fill in any gaps of filling with extra dulce de leche so that the dulce de leche filling is even with the cookies’ edges.
    12. Dip the cookie into the chocolate and cover completely, then set on parchment paper to cool and harden completely. Enjoy!

    *The original recipe calls for 1 c (300 g) dulce de leche repostero (a thicker dulce de leche) and ½ c (150 g) original dulce de leche. If you have the option of buying both a lighter and thicker dulce de leche, then do so by all means! Otherwise, use whatever dulce de leche is available at your store.

    I also added more chocolate chips and cocoa butter as a result of needing more to cover my cookies completely. The original recipe calls for 3 ½ c (600 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips and 1/3 c (60 g) edible cocoa butter. I bought my cocoa butter online. If you are unable to obtain cocoa butter, you can substitute coconut oil or butter.

    Lastly, I want to wish you a Merry Christmas! Praise God for the gift of His Son!

    For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

    Isaiah 9:6

  • A Year of Gratitude

    Picture of slips of paper with notes about the best of the year

    I did things a little differently this year. If you have been following this blog for some time, you know that I generally write a list of the best things about the year over the Thanksgiving weekend. It becomes a time for me to remember how gracious God has been to me and my family and to consider how much He has generously given to us throughout the year, which always causes my heart to well up with deep gratitude to Him.

    This year, I decided that I wanted to capture the best moment of each day, which I wrote down on little scraps of paper throughout the year. I must confess that I never quite got into the habit of writing down the best moment of each day every evening. I’m pretty sure I’ve skipped over a couple dozen days within the last 330 days or so that I have been doing this. At times, I wrote on several small scraps of paper at a time, trying to document the best of each day for several days at a time.

    Although remembering to do this activity in the evenings, and then also trying to determine or remember which moment was the best was a challenge, I’m really glad I stuck to it as best as I could.

    January was an especially beautiful month as I began this new routine. This otherwise dreary month turned into a vibrant 31 days for me as we enjoyed meaningful, often spontaneous moments together as a family, all orchestrated by God’s hand.

    I have yet to read the slips of paper from this past year and to see what all I have deemed as the best for each day. I plan to do so (or to at least start it) sometime this weekend. But I look forward to reading each one and remembering how good this year has been and how God has been so kind to us. While we have certainly had some triumphant moments to celebrate this year as a family, I have noticed more, in writing down the best of each day, how gracious God has been to us in the small moments. I saw it in the evening where I felt His presence close to me as I made dinner and the boys played peacefully together in the living room. Or in the cold, winter evening when we watched a movie together as a family that taught the importance of hard work and persistence. And a more recent moment, when, while the fire alarm was blaring in our apartment complex, the boys and I went to get something to drink on a whim at our local HEB (a grocery store here in Texas, for those of you not blessed enough to know! 😉). I’m really glad I chose to document the days of this year, because I would forget all the little ways in which God lavished His love upon me this year. I’m pretty sure I still don’t recognize half of it as it is.

    I don’t know what type of year this has been for you, but I pray that God will help you to remember how kind and faithful and gracious He has been to you throughout this year. In this world, we are not without troubles. However, Jesus has told us that He has overcome this world. I pray you can find comfort in Him and recognize that He has not forsaken you and is not withholding His love toward you. He is more generous to us that we’ll ever know—at least this side of heaven. The fact that He gives us each breath and sustains us and has provided a way for us to know Him personally is proof alone. May He bring to your memory all the little (and big) ways He has lavished His love upon you and generously given to you. Regardless of our personal circumstances, there is still so much to be thankful for, so may our hearts overflow with thankfulness to Him! Happy Thanksgiving!

    I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds. I will be glad and exult in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.”

    Psalm 9:1-2

  • Thanksgiving Pumpkin Cake

    Thanksgiving Pumpkin Cake

    Picture of the pumpkin cake

    Not a fan of pumpkin pie? Have no fear! Pumpkin cake is here to save the day (and your Thanksgiving)!

    Last fall, I took a pumpkin cake recipe that my mom made when we were young and combined it with the creamy sweetness of both dulce de leche and white chocolate, and the end results were fantastic! I loved it so much that I made it a couple more times that season and shared it with friends, who raved about the cake also.

    This year, I decided to make a few minor tweaks to try to make the cake a little fluffier. I also inverted the two “toppings” for this cake, putting the white chocolate cream cheese filling in the middle and instead using the dulce de leche topping to frost the cake. I thought it looked prettier that way and more suitable for the season. The two are completely interchangeable, however, and the cream cheese filling makes a lot, so feel free to use the two however you like.

    Without further ado, I give you what I like to call “Thanksgiving Pumpkin Cake” (because Pumpkin Cake with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Filling and Dulce de Leche Topping is just a bit too long to say! 😉

    For the Pumpkin Cake:

    • 4 eggs
    • 1 c unsweetened applesauce
    • 2 c pumpkin puree
    • 2 c sugar
    • 1 t vanilla
    • 2 c cake flour
    • ½ t salt
    • 2 t cinnamon
    • 2 t baking powder
    • ½ t soda

    For the White Chocolate Cream Cheese Filling:

    • 4 oz white chocolate baking bar
    • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
    • 1 ¼ c heavy whipping cream
    • 2-4 T powdered sugar (optional)

    For the Dulce de Leche Frosting:

    • 13.4 oz can dulce de leche
    • 1 ¼ c heavy whipping cream

    To make the cake, heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare two round cake pans by greasing and flouring. Place wax paper in the form of a circle to the bottom of each pan. Set aside.

    Mix together the eggs, applesauce, pumpkin puree, sugar, and vanilla. Set aside. In another bowl, mix together the flour, salt, cinnamon, baking powder, and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ones and stir until just combined. Divide the batter evenly into each pan, then bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Once bake, let cool in the pan.

    For the white chocolate cream cheese filling, heat the white chocolate in a microwave safe bowl in ten second increments, stirring between heating, until the white chocolate is melted. Add the softened cream cheese to the white chocolate and blend until combined.

    In a separate bowl, whip together 1 ¼ cup heavy whipping cream along with the powdered sugar, if using. Once the heavy whipping cream forms stiff peaks, combine it with the cream cheese mixture and mix together using a hand mixer. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.

    For the dulce de leche frosting, blend the remaining 1 ¼ cup heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks are formed, then add the dulce de leche and mix together with the hand mixer until combined.

    Once the cake is at room temperature, assemble the cake by placing the white chocolate cream cheese filling on top of one cake layer, then adding the next cake layer and cover with the dulce de leche frosting. Enjoy!

  • Journal Entries and Mind Battles

    Photo by Lady Escabia from Pexels of a chess set

    I debated about whether to post this or not. Perhaps I wouldn’t at all had I written this more recently. The body of this post is from a journal entry from August of 2008, however, so I feel a little more inclined to share.

    I stumbled upon this journal entry recently while going through old diaries. I’ve been carrying around a heavy box of journals I’ve been collecting since over two decades ago, and as we look ahead to a move at the end of spring, I’ve been determined to lighten our load and to rid myself of anything that does not need to travel with my family and me. Thus, I’ve been reading through old journals, trying to determine what is worth keeping and what can stay behind.

    Most of what I’ve read so far has been embarrassing, to be honest. I’ve been revisiting the thoughts of a young woman who had areas in her life where she desperately needed to be set free. The lies I had believed as a girl and carried into young adulthood were still binding me up and determining my most every move.

    The entry I share is no different. Most of it is filled with a wrong mindset about my Maker. I see a shift in my thoughts, however, as I continue to read this particular entry. A small glimmer of hope streams through the dark clouds of my mind as I consider another perspective that, although perhaps not completely accurate, is trying to grasp ahold of the truth and God’s deep love for me.

    Here’s the entry I wrote back then:

     08/8/2008

    It’s raining outside. The storms here in Morelia scare me. The thunder cracks as if a big whip had just whizzed through the air. It rumbles with a passion.

    The first thing I wonder is if God is mad at me. I have so many issues with Him right now. I wonder if His heart is good towards me. I wonder if He’ll ever give me what I want most. I wonder why He would want me to hope to only see those hopes continually thrashed and left bleeding in pieces. I wonder if He just wants to use me and nothing more. Am I a pawn to do His bidding? Does He care about my feelings and desires and fears, or does He only care about those things that He can use for His master schemes?

    But then I hear the thunder again, and I hear it as a passionate groan, a deep mourning. Could it be that God is sobbing because of this very heart I claim He knows nothing about? Could it be that He feels desperate for me to see the war Satan is raging on my life? Could it be that He is watching in silent agony and begging me not to listen to the lies?

    Several months after writing this, I went on to discover just how many lies I had been believing. God did a wonderful work in my life and my heart to free me of many strongholds. For me, it was nothing short of miraculous. He did within me what I didn’t think was possible. It certainly wasn’t possible without His Spirit working within me.

    I don’t share this post lightly, and I’m not completely comfortable putting these thoughts out there, either. I share these ideas, however, because I think that the way I felt in this journal entry is not that all uncommon. We all have our hang ups and wrong thought patterns that seem determined to dominate our minds, and we’ll never fully be free from these struggles until Jesus takes us home. My hope, however, is that the words I’ve written today can encourage others to challenge their own perspective on their circumstances and help them to see life through the lens of God’s goodness, mercy, and grace. I sure learned a lot about such things in the months that ensued after writing that entry! My life was forever changed.

    If, like me, you have struggled with similar thoughts, I pray that you will see how God desires to truly set you free. He has so many wonderful gifts in store for us, but the best one of all—the one that allows us to enjoy all others—is living with a mind that has truly been set free by our Savior. Let’s aim to grasp ahold of that freedom together again and again in this battle of our minds. It’s worth the fight!

    For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.”

    Galatians 5:1

    For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.’

    2 Corinthians 10:4-5

  • Sweet Home Texas

    Photo by nagaraju gajula on Pexels.com of the blue bonnets in Texas

    We got out of Texas for a while. JJ, the boys, and I flew to the northeast in the summertime to visit his family for a few days, then we drove a couple states south with his mother and nephew to do some exploring. The idea was to visit a city that JJ had been researching online to see if we would potentially want to move there. It’s hard to find housing where we currently live, and with no family in town and a growing desire to experience the four seasons (as opposed to hot, hotter, and a small bout of cold in the winter), we’ve been considering getting out of Texas for a while.

    As we drove south with three young children in tow, the trip had its challenges. But it also had some great moments, too. Most of all, however, this trip was bittersweet—bittersweet, because I’ve grown to love Texas over the years.

    I never would have imagined to have become so fond of this state. As a teenager born and raised in Colorado, I vaguely remember scoffing at the idea of living here, alongside my two sisters, while watching a popular TV series that took place in Texas. Colorado has so much natural beauty, and I just couldn’t imagine living anywhere else in the world at the time.

    More than a decade later, however, God opened the door for me to study in Dallas, so I moved to the state. Ironically, I never finished that degree, but I stayed in Texas all the same, switching schools to study linguistics only 18 miles away. My idea was to finish my degree and go back overseas to pursue missions work. Nonetheless, God had other plans. The calling to missions that I had sensed over my life (and that I was able to fulfill in my twenties) was starting to fade, leaving me with a lot of questions and uncertainty about my future. Fortunately, God was planting a love for teaching English as a second language in my heart throughout that time, and several months after graduating, I was given the opportunity to teach ESL to Spanish speaking seminary students in south Texas.

    It was while living there that I met JJ, and plans changed once again. We married and moved to the west-most tip of the state soon after, where we experienced numerous highs and lows. There, we experienced the joy of welcoming our firstborn into our arms and buying our first home together. There, however, we also experienced the sorrow of dealing with personal health issues within our family, a pandemic, and personal loss. Nonetheless, treasures were forged throughout this time. Through these moments of grief, God was rekindling my love for writing that would develop into something more over time. I started blogging in that home in west Texas, and the sense that I could minister to others and encourage them through my words only grew in the months to follow.

    Six years after our initial move to west Texas, we packed our bags again and moved to a small town not too far from San Antonio, where we currently reside, and there have been plenty of joys and sorrows within our time here, too. We moved here on the heels of our own heartbreak right before the town was to experience its own tragedy. Several months after that, we experienced more heartbreak as our oldest son struggled in school.

    Nonetheless, I clung onto Lamentations 3:22-24, as follows:

    The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
        his mercies never come to an end;
     they are new every morning;
        great is your faithfulness.”

    Furthermore, as the year came to an end, He made a passage from the Psalms to become our reality.

    Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.”

    -Psalm 30:5b

    The following year, we welcomed a second son into our family and saw our oldest son grow in such wonderful ways. Since then, JJ has also had different opportunities to grow within his profession, and God has given me a greater sense of purpose through writing and publishing my first children’s book with more to come!

    Texas really has been such a blessing for my family and me. God has given us so many opportunities to see His goodness in our lives while also being stretched and molded to look more like Him. Our time here has been rich in so many ways, and the friendships we have formed throughout our years living here have been so precious that it’s hard to think about saying goodbye. Nonetheless, as we spend a few more seasons here, I want to remember that the good gifts that God has bestowed upon my family and me are not limited to this place. If He could make a place where I had no desire to live to become a blessing to me, then how much more could He do that wherever He may lead!

    As my family and I begin to prepare for what comes next, I pray we’ll keep that in mind, being expectant of the future but also living well in this moment and in all the extravagant gifts God continues to give us in our sweet home Texas.

  • My Children’s Book is Now Available in Spanish!

    My Children’s Book is Now Available in Spanish! For those of you who speak Spanish, the description is below as well as a link where it can be bought!

    ¡Ya publiqué mi libro de niños, El Creador de los Instrumentos y la Mandolina, en español! Abajo hay una descripción del libro junto a un vínculo donde se puede comprar.

    …

    En el corazón de una villita encantada vive un grupo de señores que crean cosas magnificas y que tienen una relación extraordinaria con algunos objetos animados de la vida real. Uno de estos creadores se llama Teo, un creador de instrumentos y un músico talentoso. Un día, termina de crear una mandolina con la intención de tocar una canción que él compuso específicamente para sus cuerdas. Sin embargo, la mandolina es engañada por un guapo desconocido y huye de la tienda del creador de los instrumentos esa misma noche, deja la vida que Teo le podría haber dado y cualquier sentido de propósito atrás.

    Ya lejos de la tienda de Teo, Mandy se da cuenta que el guapo desconocido le ha mentido, ya que él le obliga a tener una vida de dificultad bajo las manos de su esposa e hija. A pesar de sus problemas, Mandy sigue pensando en el creador de los instrumentos con mucho cariño y en cómo podría haber sido su vida con él. ¿Verá a Teo de nuevo? ¿Descubrirá la razón por la cual ella fue creada?

    Únete a Mandy mientras ella descubre que las segundas oportunidades realmente existen y que nunca es tarde para experimentar la redención verdadera, la restauración y un profundo sentido de propósito en las manos del Creador.

    El Creador de los Instrumentos y la Mandolina es una historia conmovedora que resonará tanto en los niños como en los padres al recordarles de una manera poderosa que ellos tienen un Creador que los ama, los busca y les ofrece la redención, la restauración y un magnífico sentido de propósito como un instrumento en sus manos.

    El Creador de los Instrumentos y la Mandolina es el primer libro en la Serie de los Creadores.

    Link to where book can be bought

  • Spreading the Light

    Photo by Gantas Vaiu010diulu0117nas on Pexels.com of a handheld lamp lit by a candle

    I had another post ready to share today, but it doesn’t seem appropriate in light of Charlie Kirk’s passing.

    Like many people in this nation, my heart has been heavy as I contemplate the life and legacy that Charlie Kirk left. I didn’t follow him closely, but I caught videos of him from time to time and was always so impressed with his composure in hostile environments and his ability to answer with such intelligence and respect for individuals that were often times belligerent towards him.

    America lost a powerful voice yesterday when Charlie’s life was taken from him. However, in many ways, it didn’t. Charlie posted video upon video of his views and beliefs, and in light of his passing, many are curious to listen to what he had to say. He was a light for Jesus while here on earth, but now the message that he shared about Jesus and the gospel will spread like wildfire through the sharing of his videos online, all thanks to the intense focus that his assassination has brought to his life.

    One person thought to put an end to Charlie’s life yesterday, and he did. He killed his body, but he didn’t kill his soul. However, I truly believe that God has intended to bring eternal life to many through Charlie’s death because now many are willing to listen to the words of faith that Charlie often shared.

    I imagine Charlie weeping tears of joy at heaven’s gates at some point as he fully understands the impact that not only his life had here on earth, but that God has allowed his death to have as well. I hope that his wife can take comfort in that idea, and I pray that others (me included) are emboldened to share about Jesus like Charlie did, whether through his videos on social media or through their own testimony. Now is the time.

    Finally, we mourn his death, but we do not grieve as those without hope (1 Thessalonians 4:13). For those of us who have put our faith in Jesus Christ, we will see him again! In the meantime, let’s pray for his family, and let’s pray for and seek out opportunities to share with the lost so that, like Charlie, they too, can truly live.

    Death is swallowed up in victory.
    O death, where is your victory?
        O death, where is your sting?”

    1 Corinthians 15:54b-55

  • News As of Late

    Picture from our travels in July of stairs

    Hello friends!

    I generally just jump into my blogposts, but after such a long time away, a greeting seems in order. I did not intend to leave blogging for so long. At the beginning of the summer, however, I was determined to be more intentional and more active with my boys, and that took precedent over blogging.

    My sons and I spent most of June going on morning walks, where we looked for coins so we could buy ice cream cones at the end of the summer. Liam also decided we should look for bugs. Fortunately for me, not too many could be found at that time of the day! We also attended a mommy-and-me exercise class three times a week, which proved to be challenging to Liam and me on varying levels (but not for C.J., who thoroughly enjoyed running all over the place!).

    A good part of July was spent visiting family outside of Texas, and then school started in early August. Since then, my family and I have been settling back into old habits of school and soccer practice and stricter bedtime routines. Despite a tighter schedule, I am finding that I have more time to myself, so I hope to get back into blogging more consistently.

    Although I didn’t write any blogposts this summer, that doesn’t mean I didn’t write at all. I was able to finish the rough draft to my second book in The Makers Series, which I plan to revise and have edited soon so that I can create the storyboard and get it illustrated in a few months. I also translated my children’s book into Spanish with the help of some dear friends, and that version will launch September 16th!

    There are a lot of exciting things to come for my family and me in general, and I hope you come along for the journey!

    Thank you to all of you who read these posts and encourage me. Thank you also to those of you who write posts that challenge and encourage me in my walk with God. It is a beautiful thing to connect with others through writing, and God has made my life so much richer getting to share it with you all!