The Name Game

A few days ago, I was flipping through my notebook where I keep all of my ideas for Not of this World. I found all the names I was considering before I landed on Not of this World. I cringed reading some of them! Which one would you have picked?

Food for Thought

Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.

-C.S.Lewis

What Are Readers Saying?

The New Issue Is Here!

The January/February 2012 issue is here! Click here to read it. After, come back and vote on your favorite article.

2011 in Review

 

 

A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 3,400 times in 2011. If it were a cable car, it would take about 57 trips to carry that many people.

In 2011, there were 82 new posts, growing the total archive of this blog to 133 posts. There were 122 pictures uploaded, taking up a total of 45mb. That’s about 2 pictures per week.

The busiest day of the year was July 8th with 54 views. The most popular post that day was Meet our new blogger!.

The most visitors came from the United States, Slovenia, and the Netherlands.

The most popular posts were Meet our new blogger!, Beloved by Catherine C., In Christ Alone, Christmas Devotional: Worship, and The Road + 100th Post Giveaway.

Thanks for reading in 2011….here’s to 2012!

 

 

Only a few more days!

Working on the final draft of the upcoming issue…should be out in just a few days!

The Christmas Story

Merry Christmas!

Apple Pie Recipe

Trying to decide what recipe to use for Christmas? Look no further than Old Fashioned Apple Pie! I came across this recipe when researching my Thanksgiving Evangelism article in the November/December issue. I’ve made it twice since and it has been approved by all members of the family and everyone else who’s tasted it. It’s a keeper!

Old Fashioned Apple Pie (adapted from Martha Stewart)

Ingredients: Five apples, peeled, cored, and sliced

2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar plus additional for pie top

1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 tablespoons of unsalted butter

1 large egg, beaten

Directions: 1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll out pate brisee into two 1/8-inch-thick circles to a diameter slightly larger than that of an 11-inch plate. Press one pastry circle into the pie plate. Place the other circle on waxed paper, and cover with plastic wrap. Chill all pastry until firm, about 30 minutes. I used a pre-made crust so I skipped this step. If you want to make your own, here is a linkto a Martha recipe.

2. In a large bowl, combine apples, sugar, lemon zest and juice, spices, and flour. Toss well. Spoon apples into pie pan. Dot with butter, and cover with remaining pastry circle. Cut several steam vents across top. Seal by crimping edges as desired. Brush with beaten egg, and sprinkle with additional sugar.

3. Bake until crust is brown and juices are bubbling, about 1 hour. Let cool on wire rack before serving.

If you’re not a fan of pie, try out some of these other delicious recipes: Forgotten Cookies, Lemon Bars,  Nutella Brownies, Cherry Coke Cupcakes, and Pumpkin Bread. Also, check out the December 2010 issue to make Chocolate Mint Cookies.

Happy Baking!

Challenge Yourself

Last year, Not of this World hosted a 31 day challenge. Each day leading up to January first, participants received an e-mail with a specific challenge. If you’re looking for ways to challenge yourself this Christmas, here is a list of some of the challenges from last year:

1: Make a list of all the things you are thankful for.

2: Write an encouraging note to someone who’s been a blessing to this year.

3: Spend some time abiding in God’s love. Journal, sing, read…do whatever it is that connects you most intimately with your Savior and let Him shower you with His love.

4: Create a care-package for a family serving as missionaries in a different country from where you live.

5: Think of one area in your life that you want to change. It could be your lack of studying, not taking care of your body, not treating your siblings well…whatever it is make a commitment to really work on that starting now and throughout the next year. Find someone who can keep you accountable; it could be your mom, a friend, you sister, your pastor’s wife…anyone whom you trust and know will remember. Really challenge yourself and keep at it out to see change.

6: Find a small container like a jar or a box. Rip of a piece or two of paper and write down names/causes/countries to pray for. Fill your container with the pieces of paper and now you have your own prayer jar! Draw a piece of paper when you wake up and when you go to bed and pray throughout the day for whatever you drew.

7: Make a list of ways God has provided for you over the past year.

8: Living overseas can be tough on your family back home as they don’t get to see you often and probably worry about how you’re doing. Today call your grandparents (or another relative) just to chat and catch them up on your life. It’ll make their day.

9: Get a small, but nice, Christmas gift for someone you usually wouldn’t give one to.

10. Meet someone new and reconnect with an old friend.

11. Tell someone about one of the ways God has been faithful to you this past year. It could be in a letter of encouragement, a phone call, whatever…just spread your stories of God’s faithfulness!

12.  Forgive someone you’ve been holding a grudge against.

Sign up for Christmas devotionals for more ways to challenge yourself this season!

 

Worshiping through Talent

Continuing with this week’s theme of worship, here are two stories from MK girls of how they have used their talents to bring glory to God and worship him:

I’m a photography lover.  It’s hard to believe that just a few short years ago I hadn’t taken more than a handful of photos, and the only camera I had back then was a cheap toy that took blurry pictures no matter how hard I tried to compose my shots correctly. I first started getting into photography when I was in eighth or ninth grade, and slowly developed a passion for it. The first half of my eleventh grade year, I would beg my dad to use his camera which was much better than mine. Finally, for Christmas that year my parents bought me a Canon Powershot. My photography continued to improve as I snapped away and became one of the main photographers for my high school yearbook staff. I eagerly offered to attend as many events as I could, and although I didn’t know how to change setting on the Nikon D90 I was using, I kept shooting. Although I knew the basics of photography at that point, I still had much to learn. Last semester I bought my first DSLR, a Canon EOS Rebel T1i. I took a college digital photography class and read several books on photography, so that I now have a much better understanding of the art. I am a blogger, and just recently I have started following many professional photographers’ blogs in order to learn from them. I also started a 365-photo-a-day challenge at the beginning of this year. As a Christian, I seek to excel in my photography so that Christ may be glorified through it. He gave me this talent, and I have the choice to either develop it or not. Recently I have been pairing Scripture with photos as an expression of worship so that I might bless and encourage others. As I reflect on my week and choose which verses to use, God teaches me more about Him and His word. My talent isn’t from me, but from God, who I worship through photography as I continue to improve and seek his will for my life. -Jessica

Hi, my name is Emily, and I’m a recovering dance-a-holic. I know that sounds a bit insane, but seriously, I am. At age 3 I started taking dance classes. Movement was the first way I learned to express myself. Before going to school and learning how to write essays and formulate speeches, I was learning to pirouette and shuffle-step. By the time I was 8, I started practicing nearly everyday of the week, and competing on weekends. In middle school, my life was dance. I ate, slept, went to school, danced, and then did it all over again. I even got dismissed from certain classes in school because of my rigorous dance schedule. I was a fairly shy person, but when I got on that stage to perform, my body took over, and I was a new person: fearless and enjoying every moment of it. I auditioned for a special high school for crazy artists like me who want to pursue their passion further and was accepted! But, the summer between 8th and 9th grade, my world was changed. I had a new passion: Jesus Christ. I slowly realized myself wanting to do everything in my power to exalt Him, not myself. My head now knew that He was all that mattered, not dance, and my actions started to follow. In a place where I was graded on my abilities, and competing for the highest level or a placement in the front of the group, I had a hard time focusing on God instead of myself. I struggled for two years at the art school to balance out my love of God and dance, and He, in all of His grace, helped me let go of dance. I still love to dance and always will, but it won’t ever be before my Savior. Now, I occasionally take classes, and am constantly choreographing dances to my favorite songs. Because dance is one of the most natural ways of expression for me, I love to go in my room, blast worship music, and dance for the only One’s opinion I truly care about. Recently, I have been exploring ministry through dance and asking God if that’s where He wants me. I don’t know yet what He has for my future, but I know He has instilled a love of dance within me for a reason. -Emily

How do you use your talents to worship God?

Stories taken from the April 2011 issue of Not of this World. Sign up for Christmas Devotionals here.