by Kimberly | Sep 2, 2015 | Uncategorized
I love writing prompts. Sometimes all you need is a little shove in the right direction to get the writing juices flowing.
All month long I’m participating in Blogtember – so follow along, and go encourage other bloggers.
My ideal day. Well, the main components would be water, my misters, and no sin.
Two I think I can get this side of heaven, the third one – well, heaven is coming one day. Sin just messes everything up, right?
First, the water. I think I would wake up (after a long night’s rest of perfect quietness (well, maybe the sound of ocean waves) and kiss the three most important men in my life. I would curl up with all three of them in a king size bed with a white duvet and have breakfast in bed (that I didn’t have to make). Coffee pour over for my mister, apple juice for my little misters, and diet coke for me. Then we would journey to be a big wrap around porch located on the coast. So, that the little misters could run around and love running and the mister and I could snuggle on a porch swing while watching the waves. Then we would all go journey together on the coast.
We would eat lunch at a quaint local place featuring some of the best seafood ever and then lick our lips while eating ice cream cones piled high with textured ice cream (like ice cream with nuts, chocolate, brownie pieces, caramel, something). Then the boys would get a babysitter the rest of the day.
My mister and I would wander around said beach town, holding hands, having afternoon coffee with sweet friends of ours that came in to town just to encourage us and hang out, go one a photo walk with said couple and take photos of whatever our heart’s desired, then we would find a nice place to have dinner on the beach. Maybe a picnic, maybe a fun steakhouse. Then we would just walk and talk – like we did when we didn’t have kids. Hard to do when you have littles who are asleep – you can’t quite leave the house.
So, like I said, it would include water…the misters…and well, maybe good food and good friends, too!
by Kimberly | Sep 2, 2015 | hearthopejustice
(Most of you know about heart.hope.justice: a ministry of handlettering prints that support ministries or people or families who care about and are involved in different types of justice ministries.)
Heart.Hope.Justice supports justice ministries and families and persons who love justice for the sake of the gospel. I’d love for y’all to meet Sophie. Here is her story: keep reading to find out how you can support her trip and ministry and get yourself a handlettered art piece.
- Tell us a bit about yourself: My name is Sophie McDonald, I’m 26, I live in Paducah, Kentucky, and I have been mesmerized by the God of the universe.
His glory is the reason I have breath
and His Gospel the reason
I’m no longer who I used to be.
My passion is for the nations to see and be transformed by the stunning truth of the Gospel, but my heart beats with a fiery desire for young girls and women to see the real source of beauty—Jesus Christ. I am convinced true beauty comes only from a life fully devoted to following Christ and that until God is enough, nothing ever will be. To this Truth I give my tiny vapor of a life. You can also find me working full time as assistant editor over at RTM Magazine, an interactive Christian web magazine designed for iPads and Android tablets (also available for viewing online)
2. Why this trip and this team you are with? Great question. Simple answer: The IMB (International Mission Board) asked me to consider going and God gave complete peace about it. The peace turned into a burden. A burden for the beautiful people in this particular area to hear and know and be radically changed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to be freed not only from sin slavery but human slavery.
Check out some of the stats from the specific area to which we’re going in South Asia:
- Population: Almost 30 billion
- Believers: 0.9%
- 93% unreached by the Gospel (this means they’re dying and going to an eternal hell and have yet to hear of another option)
- This specific area is listed in the top 10 countries as THE place to practice modern slavery
- More than 15,000 women are trafficked from this country to another country ANNUALLY and more than 7,500 children are trafficked domestically
- Approx. 200,000 girls and women are working in brothels here
- Even believers don’t always know the signs of trafficking or what to watch for to prevent the trafficking of their own children
I wept the first time I was faced with the reality of those facts. How can we sit back and do nothing? We must go. We’re commanded to. If we don’t, who will?
Seven of us will be going as part of a Women’s Mission Immersion Team through the IMB and I am thrilled to go under the leadership of my sweet friend Lori McDaniel. Our team will participate in several mission opportunities from discipling national believers in individual and conference settings to praying for and working in areas where women are exploited. This team also has a component of mission training, where we will be learning tools that we can implement both in the States and overseas.
What’s your bigger picture for this trip? The big picture is Revelation 7:9-12, “After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’ And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshipped God, saying, ‘Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might by to our God forever and ever! Amen.’”We spend our days, we labor across the globe and across the street, with that vision in mind. The bigger picture is to spend our short little lives on this earth in the God-ordained mission of gathering more eternal worshippers for the one true God. We live this day with that Great Day in focus. That’s the bigger picture for this trip; to make disciples who make disciples so that more worshippers are surrounding the throne for all eternity giving Jesus Christ, our suffering Savior, the glory due His name.
What’s some verses that God has used to bring justice ministries into your heart?
Over the past couple of weeks God has really put Psalm 72 on my heart. In that Psalm, which most linguists attribute to Solomon, we find what one theologian called “A glowing description of the reign of Messiah as righteous, universal, beneficent, and perpetual, to which are added a doxology and a postscript.” It is a stunning picture of our Lord in all His breathtaking (literally) holiness and through that we get a glimpse into His heart for hopeless humanity, “For he delivers the needy when he calls, the poor and him who has no helper. He has pity on the weak and the needy, and saves the lives of the needy. From oppression and violence he redeems their life, and precious is their blood in his sight” (vss. 12-14). If we are Christ’s representatives on this earth and He, through the Holy Spirit, is to live His life through us, then are we not to do what He does? He loves the poor, the weak, the needy, the outcasts, the rejects, the wretched (all of which we were). We are to do the same, extending the same grace, mercy, kindness and steadfast love we have received from the Giver of all good gifts.
What have you learned about God as you prepare for this trip?
Using a few different mediums, God has exposed in colors more vibrant than ever the essential connection between the local church and His heartbeat for the nations. Vance Pitman said, “When God birthed your church He had the nations on His heart. It was never about you.” And Christopher Wright said, “The church of God does not have a mission in the world. The God of mission has a church in the world.” So in the birth of a church God invites us to join in His kingdom activity, which translates into the command to make disciples of all nations (including our own). So how do we connect what God is doing locally in our church to what God is doing globally? How do we reach the world as well as the people right around us? We study Jesus. And as we’ve been studying Him, I’ve learned more about His “method” seen throughout Scripture of scattering and gathering, of blessing people to be a blessing for others and teaching others so they can in turn teach those around them, all for His global (and eternal) glory, and it has been so humbling and exciting. We have been rescued from our rebellion to share with other traitors the hope of the Gospel that can free them from slavery forever—this is amazing! What a holy and sacred calling God has given His church. A calling that constantly forces our dependence on the Eternal One, for only the Eternal can produce eternal results. Be Thou our vision.
So, how can you support Sophie and her team? By emailing me at kimddavidson @ gmail dot com and telling me you want to order one of these 5×7 prints in mint green (with black lettering). For 16$ you will be supporting Sophie and her team with 10$ and 6$ will be for shipping/handling and then goes right back toward other justice ministries.
by Kimberly | Sep 1, 2015 | Books, Uncategorized
I think reading is one of the best ways to better yourself. If you are reading the Bible – it is about learning the gospel of God to know God better. If you are reading a cookbook, then you want to make your cooking better. If you are reading a comic book, you want to laugh better. Get it?
Before I get to the list of mine for this month, I want to encourage you to go read this post by Doug Wilson about how to read more. It will be of benefit to you. I know lots of seminary profs who are friends that read several books a week. I don’t read that fast. I would love to get through 2-3 a month.
So here are some I’m reading this month (mostly finishing up, because I’ve started all of these – and only have a few pages left in some, but I want to complete!!)
French Women Don’t Get Fat: I am so far loving this book. I read it at night and it gets my mind reset to keep on my healthy journey.
A Woman’s Wisdom: This is a great book and helpful to women. Lydia Brownback writes clearly to help women in any stage of life know how to apply the Proverbs to their lives. This will be extremely helpful to me this month, especially in my parenting journey.
Peter Pan: I love any movie about Peter Pan – and I want to get to know more about Barrie in the future. My mister and I are currently watching Hook which he has never seen, which I personally think is one of the late Robin Williams’ best roles.
Fierce Convictions: This is a biography that is about God, the gospel, justice, and women. It is great – and I only have a little bit left to finish it.
What are you reading this month?
by Kimberly | Sep 1, 2015 | Uncategorized, weight loss
Hooray for September. Here in north Georgia we are experiencing wonderful temperatures in the 70s and 80s and cooler mornings that definitely must mean that Fall is on the way.
Even though the season of bathing suits and shorts might be coming to an end…it just means that skinny jeans and cute sweaters are in our future. Boots are definitely a must – and I’ve come to know that when I lose weight, my boots fit better (that’s why working out your calves are so important – stairs are a great way to do that).
Goal setting in the weight loss game is something that is vital to our success. I have done Weight Watchers just a few times, and even though I did this weight loss journey on my own, I am reminded of something that I learned from this company. Celebrate the goals!
Here’s what I mean:
- Set attainable goals. This is probably the most important, especially if you are a competitive, goal oriented person like I am. Goal setting (and making your goals) can help you keep active in your weight loss. I would start with the first 5 lbs. Everyone says that hardest thing to do ever is the first step. Once you work up the nerve to start a new journey, making changes in your life, than it is easier to keep going than to get going. So, make your first goal losing the first 5 lbs. Relatively easy and attainable. Once you read this goal, then set another: maybe 10 lbs, 10% of your current body weight, etc. Write these goals down. Attainable means no more than 2 pounds a week. Any dietician will tell you that weight loss of more than 2 lbs a week is not healthy nor does it lead to sustainable weight loss. The most I ever try to lose is 2 lbs a week but even that isn’t really attainable or realistic for me (because I love to bake). And I like to have goal prizes too! I do like special dates or whatever but in weight loss try to make them something applicable to your weight loss journey: a new article of clothing in a smaller size, a date to do something active (like bowling), a new pair of shoes, etc. If you follow these simple steps in goal setting – then you will reach them! Be persistent!
- Tell your goals. I remember a few years ago, the year I ended up meeting, dating, courting, and marrying my husband, I decided to go vegetarian for a year. How that got started is I asked a question on facebook something like “what would you do to go vegetarian for a year?” People thought I was crazy. And from that day forward I went vegetarian for year. It was hard. My husband gave me a few passes on our honeymoon. But, all I had to do was put it in writing in a public space and it made it stick. Most of the time that works for me. But, what is more important is having accountability with your goals. Have someone whom you respect and will listen to – and also someone who is a great encouragement to you – hold you accountable for your goals. My mister has been great in that – since he never lords my weight over me – but kindly helps me stick to my goals and reminds me of where I want to be.
- Repeat. When you make one of your goals – fabulous. Celebrate! Celebrate well. You have just accomplished something most people don’t! Then, set a new goal.
by Kimberly | Sep 1, 2015 | Uncategorized
I love writing challenges. This month will be a challenge by Brave Love Blog who encourages us with daily writing prompts to build community and have our blog tell a story – and to share that with others.
I’m Kimberly and I live in the state of Georgia. I live with my mister of almost 4 years (next month) and my two little misters (who will be 3 and 2 this Fall).
Florida holds my state of home-ness. I had a license plate when I lived in North Carolina that said FL GIRL. My parents still live in the house I grew up in. My brother and his wife live in the state of Florida too. I didn’t grow up going to beaches because we had a pool, but now I think that is the best place in the world to be. I went to college at Flagler – in St. Augustine, which I think is one of the prettiest places in the world. I got my official start working in ministry at Anastasia Baptist Church – working with the youth there. Learned a lot about ministry and working with others and leadership. Met my mentor in college. I daily see her reflection in my life. Our second son is named after her, so yeah, I think she is pretty important.
I then moved to North Carolina – which I honestly think is quite possibly the most perfect state in the union. I went to Southeastern Seminary, made some amazing friends, learned a lot about life and relationships, and got my life more centered on the Gospel. I started attending an amazing church and worked with college girls. I love discipleship. Community and relationships.
I also got my love of cooking in college and then worked for Williams-Sonoma after seminary – so anything I I can serve around the table to bless others and fill their bellies – the better. And I loved the great employee discount.
I loved to Louisville KY after a short stop back at home in Florida with my parents. I worked for Southern Seminary and one of the admins there who I greatly respect. I met more amazing friends. I heard some gospel-centered preaching that would change how I look at the Word of God.
Then, I got my dream job writing curriculum at a church in Raleigh. It was amazing. God so prepared me for this job by my time in Louisville.
Then I met my husband. Blessed event. Short engagement. Crazy time since then. We’ve had two babies, lived in two different states, and always cling to the gospel and each other because we don’t know what is going to come our way.
Now, I’m a wife, mom, creative (photographer, writer, handletterer, chef), and someone who loves relationships, community, health and fitness, and travel (though that’s so rare right now with two littles and a tight budget). The gospel invades all of these things at their core.
I look forward to sharing more randomness for the month of September with yall. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask!
by Kimberly | Aug 31, 2015 | food, The Charming South Kitchen
Greetings folks at the last day of August. I wanted to share a little about how I go about planning my menu each week, and remind you still have until tomorrow to enter my 10 year blogging giveaway, and give you the menu for the week.
Here is just a few steps in my menu planning:
- Ask my mister if there is anything that he would want for food this week. He usually gives me one or two specific things so I try to always mix those into what I’m already planning.
- I have my go-to food blogs and always some cookbooks on hand to peruse and see what looks yummy to me this week.
- Think about our schedule and our diet needs for the week. Sometimes my husband has two days off, sometimes only one, so that plays a factor. Also, we are on the go…so I like healthy and portable if we are going to be gone close to lunch time.
- I write down the recipes I want to make and make a list. Then, I hit my pantry and fridge to see what, if anything, I have off that list so I don’t duplicate it. Then I put that revised list into the notetaker app on my android. This is so much more handy to me than paper and pen. I can just delete as I go with one finger. Not needing to balance paper, pen, grocery cart, and two little boys who are reaching for shelves or hitting my heels with the little grocery cart.
So, here is what we are doing this week:
Spaghetti
Macaroni and Cheese with banana peppers
Kung Pao Cauliflower
Roasted Jalapeno Soup
Beef and Vegetable Soup.
I’ll be sharing the recipes on facebookin if you want to follow along there – and I’ll be tweaking them – so if they come out well, I’ll share them with photos on Instagram (you can follow along over there) and the recipes here on the blog.
by Kimberly | Aug 30, 2015 | Sundays in the South
Oh glorious Sunday. Nap central in our home in the afternoon. And loving to bake and cook and organize my kitchen while having NCIS or Gilmore Girls on in the background. My mister works every other Sunday so I get a quiet afternoon to myself in between church time. Some Sundays we have people over then it is a day for community – which I love as well.
Here are some links I’ve been loving this week:
This chocolate and pb cake will be made for the next person who requests a chocolate cake for an event – or maybe just for us to eat!
Coconut and chocolate together – yes, please!
This book for my preschooler about oceans, mountains, and stars oh my!
Joy tackles the rising tide of Instagram
Psalm 119 is amazing and Kristin is about to start a study on it.
by Kimberly | Aug 29, 2015 | The Charming South Kitchen
One of the reasons I started this here blog ten years ago this month was to share recipes with my college girls. I loved sharing recipes so they could cook them for dinner, or to share with friends, or even now, to share with their husbands and families.
This month marks 10 years of blogging for me. I love to blog, share recipes, connect with readers, and share life and community. It can be done on blog world – believe me!
So, for this blog, I wanted to share some resources that I love – because often people ask me what are my go-to recipe places on the internet. I’ve come to absolutely love these blogs and turn to them first more than other places. I hope you come to know these bloggers, love their food, know their stories, and share their food with your loved ones.
everything important happens around a table
eatliverun – I started reading Jenna back when I lived in Louisville like 6 years ago. I loved her healthy(ish) recipes, her stories, her wine-tasting, California-living life, and her photos. She also is a fit-girl! She is a momma and though she doesn’t blog here now, she is doing fitness coaching and you can follow her on Instagram. But, she still has her blog up. Two of my favorites are her Thai Red Curry and her Pistachio Cupcakes (as my mister, they are so good). And, if you haven’t read her book and love culinary life stories – you will love her White Jacket Required. I finished it in two days (and I have toddlers!).
bloggingoverthyme Laura and I share the same last name (well, my maiden name). She is superb at the camera and I love her story-telling and her chronicling of her now life in Chi-town. She is down to earth and shares delicious recipes – and she interacts with her readers and wants to encourage them in their kitchen pursuits. I just made her Lemon Zucchini Cardamom Bundt Cake. So good (I ended my sugar and carb fast a day early just to have some – and a BLT).
pinchofyum I’d love for my husband and I to be able to turn this blog into a well-paid blog so that he could quit his job and we could just do this. Wishful thinking. But, other than the monetary side of the blogging, this couple is great at giving photography tips, delicious recipes and that may be a little out of my culinary box, and again, is interactive with their readers. I do love these chocolate chip cookies and this delicious granola
dineanddish Kristen is so friendly and personable and of course a great chef for her family and others. She cares about her readers. I wish I could meet all of these bloggers and sit down for coffee or bake with them in their kitchens. That would be such a treat. Again, her photographs are great (notice a theme of food and photography) and her recipes are delicious. LIke these maple scones perfect for the fall that is approaching quickly and because I’m from the strawberry cap of the world, this unbelievable strawberry shortcake
And since I’ve been blogging for ten years – I will be giving one lucky reader a little prize package – filled with things that I blog about! So, all you have to do to enter is comment here (and for every entries share on social media)! I will pick the winner on September 1!
by Kimberly | Aug 28, 2015 | Bible, Books, Shepherding Children
Something my husband and I are learning how to do (and we are talking about progression, not perfection) is having more time where we talk with our boys about Jesus and the Bible.
And if you have preschoolers, then you know that their attention spans for non-televised viewing is fairly short (one of the pitfalls of our media-driven culture). So, unless you have creative animals, paid sound effect personnel,and a storyboard producer – your nightly devotions might not live up to Daniel Tiger or the Octonaughts.
But, getting the Bible into your children, teaching them about Jesus, and loving them the way Jesus would love them (by the Spirit’s help) is the most important thing you could ever do for your children.
So, currently, my older son is just about to turn three. He loves books. So each night, we put our younger to bed (we read Good Night North Carolina and Goodnight Moon and a Sandra Boynton book and pray with him) and then scoot over to our older son’s bedroom and read a book with him. We are reading Read and Share 5 Minute Bible Stories (that I just got from Tommy Nelson – thank you). Our son loves it. It is short, great vibrant pictures just like in the Read and Share Bible which we also like, and its big (so even if he doesn’t have his glasses on, he can follow along. I love how even now (we are in the Moses story) it focuses on the work of God throughout the Bible – and not the men on earth who fail and are sinners. The whole Bible points to God and Jesus who died on the cross for our sins and the Spirit who indwells in believers. I want that to be what our son gets from reading the Bible.
So, when you are just starting out:
- Be simple and short. Attention spans are short. Keep your kids’ focus by reading something, asking questions, and praying. It doesn’t have to be long – just consistent.
- Utilize good resources. There are so many out there. I recommend this bible story book, and catechisms for kids. So many other tools out there, especially as your children get older.
- Be faithful. God will reward even the smallest. He wants your children to know Him too.
- Pray that God would capture your child’s heart! You can’t do it yourself. The greatest parents in the world can’t make their kids love Jesus. Only He can!
If you want to win a copy of the Bible story book I talk about here, then all you have to do is answer the question: what is one way you are teaching your children about God? I’ll pick a winner Sunday night!
by Kimberly | Aug 28, 2015 | food, The Charming South Kitchen
The kitchen is one of the most beloved spots in almost anyone’s home. People tend to gravitate toward the kitchen : hanging out at the kitchen bar, sipping coffee, talking, or helping bake cookies (or eating them). One of the mindsets I tend to hold to is everything important happens around the table. And, when we do move into a house of our own we will get my parents’ wedding table (solid oak 8 foot long) where I ate most of my meals until I went to college. Can’t wait.
everything important happens around the table
But, until then, I sit at an oval table that I’d love to DIY and think about everything I can learn about myself from being in the kitchen. Why am I thinking about this today?
Because I just put a bundt cake in the oven. I love bundt cakes but hate making them. They are easy to make but usually, no matter how much I butter and flour the pan, I can never get them out perfectly. Why? For the love of butter, why?
So, I’m facing my fears today because I saw this delicious recipe over at Laura’s blog earlier this week and had everything in my kitchen to make it. Now, I have doubly greased and floured the pan, and I’m holding my breath for an hour to see if it will come out or not.
Here are some fears of mine in the kitchen (and as you can probably relate – to the rest of life):
- I’m not good enough. With the advance of social media and my love of photography, cooking, baking, farmers markets, local eateries, and cookbooks, I fear I will never live up to what I see on my phone, computer, or little cafe I go to. But, I’m also learning is that I never will be – but I certainly can try. I should be competitive with myself, and not with everyone else. I need to keep trying and learning and improving. Progress not perfection.
- I will fail. Yes, you know what I will fail. So will you. We are not perfect by any standard. Even the best in home or restaurant chefs burn something, can’t capture the food with the lens, or have to throw out an entire recipe because it didn’t taste right. Failure is a part of life. You know what, that bundt cake might stick. But, I guarantee my husband and two littles will eat most of it and the people I give it to will like it. They won’t care what it looks like.
- Someone else will win. I’m a very competitive person. And, you know what, with so many bakers, photographers, runners, wives, mothers, handletterers around me – I will never be the best. Someone will always be better than me.
When I list out these fears – sometimes they sound silly. But I know how very real they are. So, I press on. I keep on baking. I keep using my bundt pan. I keep trying new recipes and taking photos. I dream of one day having my own story-cookbook or having a photo in a magazine. Maybe one day. Until then I will keep cooking for my family, making food as gifts to people, and stick with my motto of everything important happens around the table.
What are your fears in cooking, your hobby, or other areas of life?
