January 30

Today is the third day in a row that classes have been cancelled. It’s funny how God works sometimes. Just when I am starting to get overwhelmed with studying for my first exams, I get a three day break! It has been so wonderful, and such an awesome opportunity to catch up on everything. Although the down time has been much appreciated, I am ready to get back to my normal busy schedule and continue with my classes! I have had so much free time today that I experimented with a new recipe for lunch. I made quinoa and yellow squash patties, and they were DEElicious (recipe at the bottom of the post) I hope everyone has an incredible Friday and a great weekend!

Daily Thanks: Today I am thankful for time to reorganize and clear my mind, and for being surrounded by people I don’t deserve.  ““You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house” (Matthew 5:14-15)

Quinoa and Squash Patties

You will need:

-1/2 cup quinoa

- ½ TBS Tuscan olive oil

-1/3 cup diced yellow squash

- 1 tsp salt

- pinch of pepper

-1 egg

-1/2 cup shredded cheese

-bread crumbs

-sunflower seed oil

Add quinoa, olive oil, squash, salt and pepper to boiling water (two parts water for ever one part quinoa. These measurements should be on the package). Cook until quinoa is tender and all liquid is absorbed.

In a separate bowl, mix together cooked quinoa, egg, and cheese. Roll mixture into 1 ½ inch rounds, folding in bread crumbs as needed (these should help hold your patties together and make them more manageable for cooking). Sear rounds in hot sunflower seed oil (about 1 TBS should do) until both sides are golden brown. Enjoy! Hope you guys like this recipe as much as I did! Also, these can be stored in the refrigerator/ freezer and reheated in the over at 3:25 for 7 minutes. 

January 28

It is Tuesday and this week is dragging by! (Feels like it should be about Friday) Today at the University of Alabama, classes got cancelled for a snow day! I am so excited to spend tomorrow with my roomies having snow day fun! My incredible friends made dinner tonight to celebrate! We are having chili and cheese biscuits. This time is best spent being around the ladies that matter most to me, so I am not going to do much of a post today. Instead, I am going to include my daily devotion for today.

“I am with you always. These are the last words I spoke before ascending into heaven. I continue to proclaim this promise to all who will listen. People respond to my continual presence in various ways. Most Christians accept this teaching as truth but ignore it in their daily living. Some ill-taught or

wounded believers fear (and may even resent) My awareness of all they do, say, and think. A few people center their lives on this glorious promise and find themselves blessed beyond all expectations. When my presence is the focal point of your consciousness, all the pieces of your life fall into place. The fact that I am with you makes every moment of your life meaningful” (Jesus Calling: Sarah Young.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Tuesday evening and an incredible rest of the week! Also don’t forget, I am now accepting prayer requests on the Humble Bee face book page! Just like the page and send your prayer request as a message! Sending you all lots of love from Ttown.

January 24

On my trip to Washington DC this week, I had the incredible experience of being able to go to the National Holocaust Museum. The displays, videos, and photographs spoke volumes to my soul about the suffering and loss that was endured at that time. It so happened that the same day I visited the museum was also Martian Luther King Jr. day. The downtown area was crowded with people celebrating Dr. King and the civil rights movement. These events got me thinking about how our world’s history is peppered with events that parallel these two; Situations in which one group is singled out and oppressed. As a race, human beings are consistently trying to dehumanize another group of our own. The holocaust, slavery, sex trafficking, and the trail of tears are just a few examples. These issues may not seem relevant to you and your life, but consider this quote from a Lutheran Pastor who was living at the time of the Holocaust. “First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out because I was not a Socialist. Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out because I was not a Trade Unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak for me” It is imperative that when we stand up for the injustices that are occurring around us, and I think that the largest injustice of our generation and time is the issue of abortion. Once again, we are singling out a group of people and making any excuse we can to strip them of their personhood. We can call it anything we want, but the bottom line is that we are systematically killing our young. Over one third of my generation is not living today, because of this genocide. There are hundreds of arguments made to support people’s right to an abortion, but let me say this: If we are right in our arguments, this will be the one time in our world’s history that was are justified in the

intentional extermination of a group of human beings. Race, gender, religion, or even level of development are beside the point. Back in the time of slavery, slave owners felt justified in owning and mistreating slaves. During the Holocaust, Nazis felt justified in torturing and killing millions of their own people. They achieved this by dehumanizing those they were targeting. Now, years after the fact, we have realized the horror of our actions, but there is no way to take them back. As one former fetus to another I ask you this: what side do you want to be on when our nation finally wakes up and realizes we are killing our children? It is so important that we inform women about the other options and resources available, and take the time to be a friend to and speak of the love and forgiveness of Christ to women who have already been affected by abortion.

Daily Thanks: Today I am so thankful for the chance to go to our nation’s capital and be part of a revolution for life!

January 19

Happy Holy day friends! Today has been one of the BEST Sundays ever! I am in Washington DC this weekend through Wednesday with the Bama Students for Life, on the March for Life! We have only been here one day and it has already been one of the best experiences. I have gotten to spend time with some of the most amazing people, eat some stellar food, and explore this awesome city. Not only do I have the chance to advocate for the unborn by participating in the march, but me and the other BSFL students were fortunate enough to have Marjorie Dannenfelser

come and speak to us at dinner. If you do not know who this woman is, you need to look her up. Marjorie is a political powerhouse, who is passionately leading the pro-Life movement and fighting for the unborn. She was named one of the top 25 most influential Republican women in 2013, and is the president of the Susan B. Anthony List, which is a Pro-Life political activism group whose mission is to “Advance, Mobilize, and represent pro-life women.” She is truly an inspiration and an invaluable resource for our group. I cannot wait to share my trip and a bit of what I learn at the pro-life conference and March for Life with you guys! I hope everyone’s week gets off to a great start. I’m sending you all love from DC!

Daily Thanks: today I am thankful for…( so much that I’m going to share it in list-form)

-exploring DC with my besties (some would call it getting lost)

-Early morning espresso

-incredible food

-Riding what I think was the tallest escalator in the world

-dancing in the Metro station

-BSFL

-Learning and being surrounded by those who are not afraid to stand up and make a difference

What are you thankful for this week?

P.S. I seriously encourage everyone to check out the Susan B. Anthony List web site, and follow them on twitter to stay informed on the upcoming Pro-Life legislation (@SBAList). Every bit of support makes a difference.

January 10

Happy Friday loves. Today I want to talk about how I absolutely love the water! I was on my morning run and at the end decided to sit on a park bench and watch the river for a bit (it was cool, I saw turtles). It got me thinking how much I miss living near the water and water in general. I grew up on the Gulf of Mexico, so the beach was never too far away. There is something magical about water, and there is nothing quite like plunging into it and sinking to the bottom for a minute. Totally relaxing! I have noticed that most of us have a fascination with water. People fantasize about tropical destinations, hike miles just to see a waterfall, and even have pools installed right in their back yard. I don’t think this love affair with water is a coincidence. Biologically, water is required for life, but I think the need goes deeper than that. Water is a spiritual sign of salvation and God shows us his promises through it. Jesus turned water into wine (John 2). He used water to turn something ordinary into something extraordinary. Baptism is this same way. Through water and the word we are transformed from miserable sinners into spotless creatures of Christ.

Every time you see water, you can be reminded of this incredible promise! If that doesn’t put a smile on your face today, I don’t know what will. I hope you guys have the best weekend ever!

Daily Thanks: Today I am thankful for small reminders that I am loved.

What are you thankful for?

January 8

Today is the first day of class here at the University of Alabama, and the semester seems to be off to a stellar start. I am so happy to be back here with my amazing friends and my roomies! A brand new year and a new semester all equal a fresh start, and I am really hoping to do things a little differently this year. I want to see more, learn more, and do more for those around me. My New Year’s resolution this year is to refocus. I don’t want to achieve more, lose weight, or give anything up, I simply want to love those around me more fully as Christ does. This is not anything I can do on my own. I am constantly praying that my eyes can be opened and that I will be humbled, so that

I can be a resource for others. One of my favorite quotes comes from C.S Lewis “True humility isn’t thinking less of yourself; It is thinking of yourself less.” I think this quote is pretty neat, because it captures a common mistake that most of us tend to make. I sometimes feel that if I put myself down or point out my flaws to other people, that I am being humble. This is untrue and it is kind of a lazy-lie I tell myself. If I can give the illusion of humility, then I no longer feel obligated to go out of my way to build others up, take time to help my neighbor, and put others before myself. These are the things that make Christ happy, not that I pointed out to my friends what a bad hair day I am having.  I am so grateful for the support of all of my readers. I hope I can serve as a source of encouragement to you guys as much as you do for me. I am truly blessed.

Daily Thanks: Today I am thankful for an awesome morning run (A little on the chilly side, 16 degrees…burr), cranberry walnut oatmeal, and a fresh start.

What will you do differently this year?

P.S. I am now accepting prayer requests! I always include my readers in my daily prayers, but I would absolutely love the chance to pray for you individually! The best way to submit your prayer request is by sending me a message on The Humble Bee Facebook page (The Humble Bee)or by email (thehumblebee00@gmail.com)