A Momma’s Prayer

Over the years, my prayers as a mother have included exhausted utterances while drifting off to sleep, simple statements of regret and remorse, and intense pleas begging for the heavens to open and send blessings and angels to comfort my children.  I know God hears me… His wisdom is perfect and complete, whereas mine is not. I know I am His daughter. His love for me is perfect. In Him, I am enough. I pray my children will understand these truths for themselves. 

I pray that my children will intentionally seek their Heavenly Father and His Son, their Savior. I pray they seek to gain their own complete knowledge of the existence of a loving God who prepared the world and plan of personal experience for each of us. I pray they seek Jesus Christ. I pray they work to pattern their life after His teachings and His continued and sustaining love. I pray they work to feel God‘s love and mercy despite the seeming darkness amidst trials, unfairness, and struggles. 

I pray they authentically surrender their will to the Father’s and trust and fight here on earth as they fought to come here to gain a body and experiences. I pray they recognize the familiar feeling as they pray to their Heavenly Father, of a time where they were in His presence. I pray these feelings will sustain them as they work to return to Him to live again with God and Christ, their Savior, in a state of peace, and love and with the families they choose to grow in faith. 

I pray they find love, work to grow it, and emulate Christ’s love back into the world around them. I pray they receive the angels, seen and unseen who worked tirelessly to minister unto them and cheer for them in this cause. 

I pray they understand it’s OK to sometimes feel broken; that they see in their brokenness, that they can be taught. God and His Son love them where they are and in so doing- teach them how to love others. 

I pray they choose to come to know themselves as God knows them. – That they tirelessly work to become the son or daughter that God sees in them. 

I pray they truly understand that Christ’s Atonement reaches them – always – no matter what… And that salvation through it is a personal experience. 

I pray they choose to dedicate their life to testifying of Christ through all they do and say, believing that together they can and will change the world, one person at a time -beginning with the choice one who gazes back at them in the mirror.

Because I know that every effort is recognized and loved by God, and every footstep in faith is accompanied by Jesus Christ. I pray that when the climb seems too difficult when blessings seem to go unrecognized, and when life seems to be filled with more disappointments and devastation than joy… that they don’t quit… I pray that they will forever keep trying, keep believing, and keep growing their faith in Jesus Christ, their Savior, Advocate and Eternal Friend.

-JC

Strawberry Lemonade Cookies

Lemon Sugar Cookie 
1 cup soft butter
10 oz. lemon greek yogurt
2 cups granulated sugar
2 XL eggs
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Cream butter, yogurt  and sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high for 1 minute or until fluffy. Hand stir in eggs, vanilla, and lemon extracts; don’t overmix. Add dry ingredients all at once and mix until fully incorporated. Add 2-3 Tablespoons more flour for high elevation. Chill dough for 2 hours.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Scoop out approximately 36+ 1 ½ ” balls of dough. Gently roll. Place on greased or parchment paper on an aluminum cookie sheet. Flatten to 1/4” tall. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 min.  Let cool.  Frost cookie with Strawberry Cream Frosting. Drizzle with Lemon Icing. Let set. Share!

Lemon Icing
4 Tablespoons lemon juice
2 cups powdered sugar
Blend until smooth. Spoon into freezer strength Ziploc until ready to use.

Strawberry Cream Frosting
8 oz. softened cream cheese
1/2 cup soft butter
1 oz. crushed (to powder form) freeze dried strawberries
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar
Mix cream cheese, butter and strawberry powder. Add vanilla, then mix. Stir in powdered sugar. Mix until fluffy. Spoon into freezer strength Ziploc until ready to use.

-JC