#shesharestruth Lent 2014: psalm 130

I'm following along with the ladies over at She Reads Truth for my daily Bible reading for Lent. On Fridays we will be sharing on that days reading.

Lent is a time in which I reflect on what Jesus really did for me. He suffered. Such suffering because He loves me. Me. And you. I still have a hard time wrapping my brain around it. Becoming a mom gave me a new perspective on unconditional love but my imperfections, my sinful nature still don't allow me to come close to the love Jesus has for us.

The Psalmist in Psalm 130 cries out in despair to God. I have a tendency to turn inward in my despair. To pity myself and become overwhelmed with sadness. It's in those moments that God most wants our hearts. He wants us to turn to Him when we feel hopeless and He will restore us. He forgives completely. I can tell God anything and he holds no grudge. Wow! I am so bad at mulling things over and keeping mental checklists of my anxieties to fuel more anxiety. Let it go! (Song now stuck in my head, cue Elsa) God wants me and loves me for me. He forgives ME.  I want to be more like Him.

no bake chocolate quinoa bars

Today I was in need of a chocolate-y treat. It just so happened that I had some leftover quinoa from dinner prep this afternoon so I thought I would try using it as a base for granola type bars.

My measurements are approximate just taste and adjust.

2 cups cooked quinoa
1 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup honey
1 cup coconut
Sprinkle of ground flax
Sprinkle of chia seeds
Handful of chocolate chips (as requested by the 4 year old supervisor)

Mix and press into a 9x13 foil lined pan then refrigerate until firm. These don't get as hard as an oatmeal based granola bar because the quinoa is cooked but they do firm up enough to cut into squares. You can also refrigerate the bowl for an hour then scoop out and form into bite sized balls.