SUNDAY FASHION: UNIQUE & CLASSY ASO EBI STYLES!!

When it comes two gorgeous wearing traditional attires, some people know the nitty gritty of how well to go
about it, how to combine the colors, gorgeous accessories that will complement the amazing attire and especially how to tie the 'Gele'. Enjoy and have fun ....
See photos below ----

Recipes: Chicken Casserole

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked chicken, cut in small bite-sized pieces

4 cups pasta, cooked and drained, approximately 2 cups uncooked (penne, cavatappi, rigatoni all work well)

3 tablespoons butter

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons flour

½ cup sour cream

1 cup milk

3 cups cheese, grated (cheddar, cojack, Swiss or a combination) – save just a little bit for sprinkling on the top

½ tsp. red pepper flakes

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease the inside of a 9 x 13 baking dish.

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat and cook the onion and garlic until the onion is translucent (about 5 minutes) stirring occasionally. Add the flour and whisk together for about 1 minute (this will allow the flour to cook just a little before adding the other ingredients). Add the sour cream and milk, and continue whisking until the mixture has thickened. Remove from heat and add all but ½ cup of the cheese. Add the red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Stir together, then layer evenly in the bottom of the prepared baking dish.

Sprinkle the remaining cheese evenly over the top of the casserole and bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese on top is melted and the sauce is bubbly. Remove the casserole and let it sit for about 15 minutes prior to serving.

Source: examiner.com

Single Women: You Were Made for More Than a Ring

I just really want to be a wife and mom," said the pre-med college student who had come over for tea. She wanted to chat about her career options and her new boyfriend and she was much more excited about the boyfriend than a possible medical degree.

I said the same thing during my early single years, and I've heard the same thing over and over from many young women. So many women, particularly Christian women, envision the house, the kids, the loving husband, the dog and the yard. They long for the days filled with baking cookies, raising kids and greeting their husband at the door after a long day's work a Leave It to Beaver episode that plays and replays in their minds.

And, you know, there's nothing wrong with that. As a matter of fact, it's perfectly natural for women to daydream about weddings and husbands and kids. The problem comes when that is all we dream about, when our dreams end at the altar and we think the wedding alone is our destiny.

You were made for more than a ring.

Wake Up to the Real "More"

I remember the day I was, for the 400th time, bemoaning my singlehood. A good friend challenged me: "Nicole, what else do you want to be besides a wife? What does your life look like outside of the home?"

I sat dumb. I couldn't answer her! I always knew in my head that life was multifaceted, but I realized deep down that I was hoping a husband would be my panacea, my savior—not only from loneliness but also from purposelessness and boredom.

My friend's question challenged me, and the Holy Spirit began to speak to me: "A husband will never give you purpose. Your life is about more than being a wife. Simply being a wife will never fulfill you."

That sobered me and propelled me to take hold of the garment of Jesus and beseech Him. I cried out, "What have You called me to do? What have You made me to do? What can I do uniquely that no one else can do?"

That day I realized that even though I desperately wanted to get married, my life was meant to be about more than domestic bliss—and the same is true for you.

Face Up to the Church Challenge

Let's face it, though: The church world doesn't help us out much in this area. Christians often treat single women like they have some sort of disease. They keep them at arm's length and forget about them in their sermons, social gatherings and prayers. Sermon illustrations are filled with examples appropriate for married people but totally irrelevant for singles. Churches organize all kinds of activities for stay-at-home moms and couples, but singles are left to fend for themselves—or, worse, are called on to provide childcare for the marriage activities. This can leave singles feeling lost and invisible.

The truth is that many Christians get married very young, so they simply cannot relate to being 35 or 45 or 55 and single. How many of you single women have had a married man ask, "Why aren't you married yet?" As if you knew! As if you're somehow too prudish or too snooty or too picky or too something to get a man. You walk away sure you must be the problem. You assume that in some unknown way you're warding off men. You feel condemned and confused.

Many married women don't know what to say either. They have never lived alone or made a major decision alone. And some make insensitive comments or suggest perhaps you have the "gift of singleness." Some assume you're on the hunt for a man—and they hold their husbands a little closer when you're around.

Part of the problem is that family has become an idol in the church. Christians have reacted to the feminist movement's exaltation of career over family by doing the same thing in reverse—exalting family over everything else. The family is so highly esteemed in the church that, with no effort at all, we can conclude life before marriage is suboptimal living, like a winter season to be prayed through and left behind as quickly as possible.

Winter, though, is a season of death. The trees look dead; the grass looks dead; flowers are dead. Wildlife is hidden away and sleeping. Potential life lies dormant beneath the surface, but no life is visible.

How different the single life should be from this!

As a single woman, your life is ripe for bursting with vitality and energy. This is a time for pursuing God, for traveling, for sowing eternal seeds in people's lives, and for investing in your career and in those you love.

Family is incredibly important, and the breakdown of marriage and family is the cause of many of our social ills, for sure. I do not think, however, that a married person is more important than a single person or that getting married makes you more spiritual or more special than a single person.

So challenge the status quo. Decide that even if you long for a mate, those who look at you will see spring, and you will indeed know life and fruit on a regular basis.

Take Up Responsibility

As a single person, it's your responsibility to find out the "more" God has for you. Even if your greatest desire is to be married, open your mind and heart and start desiring something else too. If you die tomorrow, will you leave anything significant behind, or is your free time spent only in daydreaming and indulging in discontent?

If you're in your 30s or 40s or 50s and aren't married, perhaps you are supposed to do something else before you wed. After you say "I do," your time, energy and money will be divided multiple ways. What can you throw yourself into now that will make a significant impact on an eternal soul?

I've heard it said a woman's highest calling is to be a wife and mother. I disagree. I think the highest calling for you is to be in the will of God. I certainly don't think Gladys Aylward or Corrie ten Boom were less important than my dear friend who stays home raising her seven children. These women are all heroines who have poured themselves out for other people and changed lives for the good.

What is God calling you to do? I know He's whispering an assignment in your ear and trying to stir a passion in you other than the sexual passion you dream about. He has something for you to focus on other than the left ring finger of every man you meet. He has something for you to be excited about other than the hello of the handsom man in your office.

Sister, you're too smart to think only about your figure, and you're too precious to spend your days strutting your stuff and hoping for male attention. You are more than the number of nods you receive from men and the number of dates you've had this year. You are a princess, not a prisoner of singleness.

Stand Up and Move Forward

If you are single, the goal for you right now is to figure out why you were created and to move forward with a sense of purpose. The key word for you is focus. Identify the call of God on your life, and set your face like flint, pursuing Him and that purpose for which you were created.

Don't worry. You won't intimidate your future husband. You won't scare him away. You won't miss him. Like an Olympic runner, set your face on the finish line and refuse the distraction of what others are doing ("How come she gets a boyfriend?" "Why can't I have a man like that?"). Claim the truth that God is no respecter of persons and that He has blessings in store for you, too, and move forward.

When you get married, your highest call will be walking in the will of God—which will include being the best wife and may include being the best mother you can be. But it will also include more. If your life ends at the wedding altar, if you get married and just settle in, if you stop pursuing God and cease investing the talents He's given you, you will fall short of the purpose for which you were created. You will become stale. And your marriage will suffer.

Our lives should be moving, dynamic and anointed, and that can't start when we get married. It has to start now. Once you get a glimpse of the bigger picture, it will focus your time and attention and give you purpose and goals other than catching a mate.

By my late 20s, I realized God was calling me to be a writer and speaker. He wanted to use my mouth and pen to communicate the truths of His Word and encourage others. This was confirmed when I spoke at my first conference overseas. I was in Ghana, West Africa, at a women's conference, and as I stood at the podium ministering to hundreds of beautiful women, I felt like I had come home. This was what I was born to do. Similar to Eric Liddell in Chariots of Fire, I realized I "feel God's pleasure" when I speak.

I didn't know how opportunities would come, but I did know those single years were prime time to invest in the talents God had given me. I had enough married friends to know I had more time on my hands than they did. I knew evenings free of distraction and quiet Saturday afternoons were a luxury and that I should invest some of those hours honing skills and pressing into God. I determined to be ready in season and out of season, and I spent many evenings with my Bible and my laptop open. I had purpose, and this guided my time and focused my heart.

If you have no idea what your destiny is, let me ask you this: What has God put in your hand? Like the boy with the fishes and loaves, if you offer even small things to God, He can multiply them and use them to feed multitudes. So can you write, play an instrument, sing, organize, teach, cook, research, program, build or sew?

Now is the time to discover gifts, no matter how small, and begin to invest in them. Now is the time to ask the Father for a bigger picture of your life and for guidance on how to work toward it.

This is also true for my sisters in their twilight years or those who are single again after being widowed or divorced. It's never too late to discover purpose. If you are retired and your kids are grown and gone, praise God! You still have time to dream a new dream. There is another volume of your life to be written. Don't shut down and assume the best is over. No, my sisters, the best is yet to come!

Do you remember Anna, in the book of Luke? The Bible says she had only been married seven years when her husband died. How sad! And yet she chose to throw herself into purpose and make something beautiful of her life. She spent her days in intercession, prophesying and waiting for the Messiah. And she got to see Him! At 84, she received a most incredible gift. (See Luke 2:36-38.)

Sisters, don't limit God. Remember, a single man wrote half of the New Testament. God wants to use you to change history—perhaps not world history, but at least the history of a child, a church, a community, a family or an office. What He is calling you to is life-changing for someone somewhere, and it is vital you discover it. Your mate will come alongside you and complement the work you are already doing. He will add to it and make it better, but there is much for you to do in the meantime.

By Nicole Doyley

Seven Honest Questions You Need to Ask About Your Marriage

Karen and I have been married 40 years, but the first three years of our marriage were miserable.

We thought once we were married, things would be great and we would live happily ever after. Were we ever wrong! And our naïveté almost ended in divorce.

Thankfully, it didn't. And that's due in large part to our commitment then—and now—to marriage maintenance. Yes, that's right: I included now in that equation. Because whether you're on the brink of divorce or thriving in your partnership, marriage requires continual upkeep. Karen and I learned that the hard way, but hopefully you don't have to.

Have you checked under the hood of your marriage lately? Here's a seven-point checklist to keep your marriage well-oiled and running smoothly.

1) How is your relationship with God?

Your spouse can't meet your deepest needs, and you can't meet theirs. That may fly in the face of what our culture wants you to believe, but it's true. When God paired Adam and Eve in the garden, He walked with them in their midst. That's the picture of how marriage works—with God at the center. When Adam and Eve rebelled, their marriage suffered as they lost the garden God had created for them to share.

When Karen and I married, we were believers but didn't know how to rely on the Lord daily. Because of that, we tried to get our deepest needs met through each other, which only resulted in frustration and bitterness. We thought we'd made a mistake in marrying each other—but we didn't. Our mistake was in trying to squeeze God out of each other.

The most important thing Karen and I do for our marriage every day is to start each day with prayer, the Bible and seeking God. That's where we take our cares, needs, hurts and desires. In that daily prayer time, the Lord heals, fills and empowers us with His incredible love.

Because here's the truth: Our deepest needs are acceptance, identity, security and purpose. These driving needs motivate us daily whether we realize it or not—and only God can meet those four needs on the deepest level of our lives. When we lack a relationship with Him in which those needs get met, we automatically transfer that expectation to our spouse, thus setting up our marriage and our mate for failure.

The most important issue in your marriage is your personal, daily, dynamic relationship with God. If you're rusty in this area, you probably need to apologize to your spouse for putting too much pressure on them—and to the Lord for not keeping yourself in well-tuned, daily fellowship with Him. When you've been with God, you can love your spouse properly. You'll find your expectations right, your heart healthy and yourself ready to love out of the overflow of God's love that's already in you.

2) How are your marriage disciplines and traditions?

In marriage, it isn't what you can make happen but what you can keep happening. Many married couples become distracted after a period of time and stop caring for each other's needs. Then they begin to fight and a big blow-up hides just around the corner. If they work through it, they may go for a second honeymoon or romantic getaway. But once that phase is over, they go right back into the negative cycle of distraction, fighting, making up and so on. The longer this cycle recurs, the more dangerous it becomes and the harder it gets to make up and keep going.

Good marriages prioritize regular disciplines and traditions that ensure the right things keep happening. For example, almost all good marriages include a date night or date day in the weekly or monthly routine. It isn't in response to a fight or a crisis. It is a proactive discipline in the relationship.

Early in our marriage, Karen and I walked together every morning for an hour and a half. We would pray for 45 minutes and talk for 45 minutes. It was one of the best things we ever did with each other.

Do you have a date night (or day)? Do you prioritize your marriage and protect the time and energy you have together? Don't wait for a convenient time. Make it happen, and keep it going.

3) Are you emotionally bilingual?

You're no doubt familiar with the old saying "Marriage is about becoming one." But maybe you haven't heard the cynical response: "Yes, but which one?"

In many marriages, a battle is forged to see which language gets spoken in the home—the man's or the woman's. But we are different by God's design, and we have different needs. Men need honor. Women need security. Men need sex. Women need nonsexual touch and affection. Men need to be friends with their wives. Women need open and honest communication. Men need their wives to be domestically centered. Women need their husbands to lead.

The essence of romance is speaking in your spouse's language as you meet their needs in love. Romance is not a language lesson; it's a language demonstration, where you enter your spouse's world and speak love the way they understand it. When a husband and wife both do this, they are in heaven. But many marriages never make it to that point.

For your marriage to succeed, you'll need to meet needs in your spouse that you don't have. And they'll need to do the same for you. The greatest marriage is two servants in love who sacrifice for each other. The worst is two selfish people who demand to be served.

Again, we are different by God's design, and it is unchangeable. Because of this, one key to a great marriage is becoming emotionally bilingual. Don't speak love in your own language; speak it in your spouse's language. As you do, you'll see them light up and respond.

Are you emotionally bilingual? What's your spouse's language? How can you speak it today—and every day?

4) Do you make decisions together as equals?

Marriage is about sharing. Yet it's amazing how many couples don't share decisions. Either one spouse dominates the relationship or both people share the same house but live separate lives.

Karen and I make all our important decisions together, and this is crucial to the intimacy and goodwill of our relationship. We don't bully each other or make each other pay a price for being honest. When we make decisions, we first submit them to God and pray. Our marriage is not a battle of wills; it is a search for His will. Then, because we share all the big decisions, there's no chance for resentment or division to creep into our life together.

Do you and your spouse make decisions together? Do you respect your spouse's input? Are you willing to compromise, or is it your way or the highway? This is a big issue with a big payoff when you make the commitment to slow down, pray, talk and agree.

5) Who are your friends?

Paul doesn't pull any punches when he says, "Do not be deceived: 'Evil company corrupts good habits'" (1 Cor. 15:33). Your friends are your future. You become like the company you keep. If you don't believe that, you're deceived.

Karen and I are committed to our local church and Christian friends. None of our friends are perfect, and we aren't perfect either, but we're all committed to living for Christ and to our marriages. In 40 years of friendship with dozens of couples, only one of those couples has divorced—and prior to that divorce, the husband left church and developed a close friendship with a ungodly man.

We live in an immoral, evil world. There's never been such a strong pull of sin on all our lives. In response, we must be honest about our vulnerabilities and need for each other. I doubt Karen and I would be together today if it weren't for the support and encouragement we received when we needed it most from our church and believing friends.

Realize that the "company we keep" includes entertainment, computers, Facebook and television. We must be careful and accountable about these things, as they have become prominent features in our culture and can be just as impactful on us as our friends.

Are you a committed member of a local church? Do you have friends who are committed believers and committed to their marriages? Are you accountable concerning your entertainment? The degree to which you take these things seriously is the degree to which your marriage has a chance to thrive.

6) Are you empathetic to your spouse?

Marriage research reveals one of the most important features in successful marriages is the ability to empathize with one's spouse. That simply means we are sensitive to them and "feel for them." It means we care about how our actions affect them. It means caring for what they are going through and just caring for them in general.

When we date and fall in love, we are naturally empathetic to the other person. We work hard at trying to please them. We're sensitive and try to do things to make the other person feel good.

But then life happens. And in the process of paying the bills, of children, of sickness, of money stress and work stress, of in-laws and the IRS, we wake up one day to find issues crowded between us. If those issues aren't dealt with properly, we end up hardened toward the other person. The empathy we once felt becomes frustration. We focus no longer on our spouse's feelings but our own.

When Karen and I were on the verge of divorce, I had become very angry with her. I felt mistreated and that I'd made a mistake in marrying her. It was all about me. As issues accumulated between us, I began focusing on the negatives in her and feeling sorry for myself. The young man who was so tender-hearted toward Karen when we dated became a hard-hearted husband who couldn't care less about how my behavior affected her. I was convinced that if Karen would just change, everything would miraculously become fine.

Even as I believed that, Karen suffered from my dominance and verbal abuse. The change in our marriage only began when God broke through my hard heart and let me see myself as I really was. At that moment, I realized how domineering and damaging I had become. Standing at the brink of divorce, I finally began to empathize with Karen again. I put myself in her shoes and came to the stark realization of what it must have been like to be married to me.

Being empathetic is a choice, not an emotion. Regardless of the condition of your marriage, start thinking about how your spouse might be feeling. Forgive them, and ask the Lord to give you the grace to act above your emotions.

7) Is your marriage first?

Genesis 2:24 says, "Therefore a man shall leave his father and be joined to his wife." As I'm sure you already know, marriage requires leaving and cleaving. In other words, for marriage to work, it has to be first in your life. It won't work any other way.

Back when Karen and I were on the verge of that divorce, I was addicted to golf. I played almost every day. Karen complained about it because it kept me away from our family, and when I was home I was exhausted. Even though I told her she was first, it wasn't true. In real terms, golf came before her.

Part of the healing of our marriage came when I hung up my golf clubs for Karen. In doing so, I expressed to her in real terms she was first. The result was a resurrection in the garden of our love that had been destroyed through my distraction.

In real terms, your marriage must come before your children, your church, your friends, your smartphone, your family, your work and everything else going on in your life. This is the way God designed marriage, and it simply won't work another way.

Making your marriage first means saying no to other things. It means saving time and energy for your spouse every day and protecting your marriage from intruders. It means doing little things like turning off your phone when it's time to talk to them, ignoring incoming calls and texts, making eye contact when they speak, turning off the TV or computer to spend time together and putting down the newspaper so you can have a real conversation.

Does something else come before your spouse right now? Is your marriage really first? Keeping your marriage first—along with all these other checkpoints required for healthy maintenance—is crucial for keeping your marriage on the open road.

By Jimmy Evans

Joy In Pure Worship

TEXT: DEUTERONOMY 16:13-21

KEY VERSE: “Seven days shalt thou keep a solemn feast unto the LORD thy God in the place which the LORD shall choose: because the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thine increase, and in all the works of thine hands, therefore thou shalt surely rejoice” (Deuteronomy 16:15).

It is not only in such traditional sins of immorality as fornication, adultery, murder, lying, pride and homosexuality that man is seen to rebelling against God. In the twentieth century, it is also in not keeping “a solemn feast unto the Lord”. Worship service in most assemblies today is characterized by rowdiness and indecency. They are devoid of the solemnity God demands. There is little to take away for personal meditation after a Church service.

In our text today, God gave an express command to the children of Israel to set apart specific periods in the year to gather together to worship Him. The beneficial of such holy convocations was far deeper than just the superficial frills and thrills of singing and dancing. The Lord was to use that period to remind the people of their great deliverance from the land of bondage, their unique identity among the Gentile nations and to impress upon their hearts, the precepts and commandments that will continually keep them in their new-found liberty and blessings.

In today’s world of business and commerce, and with the digital race to acquire knowledge and succeed at all costs, believers need to observe the same periodic break from our busy world to come apart and rest a while. The enriching experience of a time set apart for deep devotion and fellowship with God can never be quantified.

Like the psalmist, we should be joyful during worship of God. We need to also avail ourselves of the unique opportunities to attend Christian programmes such as retreats, crusades, weekly meetings aside observance of regular personal devotional time with God. There lies the secret of our strength and victory in the battles of life.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Saints stand in awe of God’s majesty.

10 Ways to Set Your Child Up for Failure

There are all types of lists for parents. If you want a list to ruin your kids forever, here's a list for you.

1. Give your kid everything he wants. Don't deny what will truly make him happy. Overvalue money and things in his eyes.

2. Dress your child in designer clothes, no matter the cost. Show her that her outward appearance matters most of all.

3. Place your child's needs over that of your spouse's. If he cries, run to him immediately. If he interrupts, give him your full attention.

4. Entertain your child throughout the day. If she wants to play tea then put your plans aside. If she wants to watch her favorite movie for the 100th time then forget your idea for going for a walk and getting some sunshine.

5. Plan your menu around your child's desires. No child should have to eat something he doesn't like. If, by chance, you want to make something other than macaroni and cheese or peanut butter and jelly, feel free to cook your own meal, just as long as you have time to fix what your child likes.

6. Sign your child up for as many extracurricular activities as she desires, even if it means giving up your evening plans on a regular basis. Don't worry about trying to gather around the dinner table. He can only be in the Junior Soccer League for so long and you don't want him to miss out.

7. Don't discipline your child when she acts up. Everyone should learn to express herself in her own way. If she demands something, then applaud her efforts. At least you know that she will not be a pushover or a doormat in this world.

8. Don't worry when your child fights with neighbor kids or even when he is a bully. Life is not fair and someone always has to be the underdog. At least your child is learning to elbow his way to the top at a young age.

9. When your child has a disagreement with her teacher, always choose your child's side. Don't show up when the teacher wants to discuss your child's problems. The teacher will want to take a course of disciplinary action and that'll hurt your child's feelings.

10. Don't share your faith with your child. After all, you don't want to offend. Give your child the option if she wants to hear Bible stories and don't pressure her to memorize Scripture verses. She might get disheartened if she doesn't get it right the first time and you'll ruin her self-esteem. More than that, you don't want her to know there's a God who runs the universe, makes the rules, and determines eternity. The thought is too hard and your child might not understand.
More than that, she won't be self-dependent and strive to be a good person.

Do you see your parenting shine in any of these areas?

Yes? Then congratulations! You're on your way to succeeding at your goal of ruining you kid forever. Keep up the good work... and then just take a moment to consider what type of an adult your child will grow up to be–one that will stand out about the crowd, without a doubt!

Daily Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, 

Thank you for the beautiful opportunity to invest in the adults my children will one day become. As I parent them, help me see the areas I can improve. I look to You for guidance and strength.
In Jesus' name, Amen.

By Tricia Goyer

NEVER FORGET GOD'S GOODNESS

When they went across the lake, the disciples forgot to take bread. Matthew 16:5

Have you ever forgotten God's goodness to you? Have you ever had to relearn something? I know I have. And the disciples did too.

Matthew's Gospel tells us that on one occasion, the disciples had forgotten to bring bread on their journey, and they were worried about it.

The feeding of the 5,000 had happened only days earlier. Then there was another miracle of the feeding of the 4,000. So what happened?
They forgot. That is what happened.

Jesus essentially told them, "Do you remember those miracles I did? Remember the feeding of the 5,000 that involved a little boy with some loaves and fish?"

God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The same God who was there for you in the past will be with you here in the present. And
He will be there for you in the future as well. But we easily forget.

When you are young and just starting out in life, you have to trust God for everything: food, clothes, transportation, and a pay cheque.

But then maybe you find a good job and work hard. You are diligent. You save. You invest. Things start going really well.

You don't have to really worry much about your day-to-day needs. And then one day the boss calls you in and says, "With this economy, we have to do some downsizing. We will have to let some people go. We are really sorry, but this is your last week with us."

Now you begin to sense trouble ahead. You start panicking. You are wondering what you will do.

Did God provide for you in the past? Yes, He did. Will He take care of you in the present? Yes, He will. Yet we often forget this. The same God who was there for you in the past is with you today!

Prayer: Thank God for being Your ever present help in times of need.

Scriptural Reading: Matthew 16:5-12