What James 5:17-18 Teaches Us About Elijah's Prayer

     The Old Testament story of Elijah is incredible. In fact, it’s so incredible if it wasn’t written in the Bible, I’d think for sure that it hadn't happened!  At the time Elijah came on the scene the children of Israel had turned away from God and were worshiping Baal and Asherah.  A few years ago I looked up false gods in my New Unger's Dictionary, and I was surprised by the picture and thought to myself, they gave up God for this ugly idol?  A lot of this idol worship was perpetrated by Jezebel the evil wife of King Ahab. 

   So to show God’s chosen people that they were off track, God put it in Elijah’s heart to pray that it wouldn’t rain for 3 ½ years (1 Kings 17:1).  Now that’s a long time, and you would think that the entire nation would be on their knees asking for forgiveness after just one year, but this didn’t happen.  

   In fact in order to prove that Jehovah was the one true God, Elijah initiated in the third year (1 Kings 18:1) a showdown on Mount Carmel.  He told everyone that the one who answered by fire is God.

 Elijah told the priests of Baal and Asherah to meet him there and build an altar and offer sacrifices. So as the priests of Baal cried out, from morning until after noon (the Bible doesn't say exactly how many hours are involved here, but at least 3 to 4)  When it reached noon,  Elijah poked fun at them saying, "Cry out with a loud voice, for he is a god; for he is meditating or has wandered off or is on a journey. Perhaps he is asleep and will awake" (v. 27).  

     When it was Elijah’s turn,  he rebuilt the altar of Jehovah, dug a deep trench around it and then did something a little strange—he asked for them to dump water on the wood and the offering three times. Then he prayed, "O Jehovah, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known today that You are God in Israel and that I am Your servant and that I have done all these things by Your word. Answer me, O Jehovah, answer me, that this people may know that You, O Jehovah are God and that You have turned their heart back again" (Recovery Version of the Bible, v. 36-37)   Immediately fire came down from heaven and devoured the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, the dust, and even all the water in the trench! 

      After that Elijah said he could hear an abundance of rain. Eventually his servant saw a small cloud coming out of the sea; it quickly brought on a downpour.  All of this only made Queen Jezebel even angrier.  Can you imagine?  You’ll have to read 1 Kings 19 to find out how this story ends!  I relate this story because in his epistle James makes a reference to Elijah’s prayer that it would not rain for 3 1/2 years:

Elijah was a man of like feeling with us, and he earnestly prayed (Lit. prayed in prayer)  that it would not rain: and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth sprouted forth with its fruit.  James 5:16b-18

This section in chapter 12 of the Life-Study of James that covered Elijah's praying in a  prayer ministered to me:

The words “in prayer he prayed” indicates that prayer from the Lord was given to Elijah in which he prayed.  He did not pray in his feeling, thought, intention, mood or any kind of motivation arising from circumstances or situations, to fulfill his own purpose.  He prayed in the prayer given to him by the Lord for the accomplishment of His will.  What is the meaning of this experience to pray in a prayer?  The prayer that Elijah prayed was great, for he prayed that it would not rain on earth for three years, six months….Elijah could pray in this way because God gave him a prayer, because God burdened him with a prayer….We should not pray according to our memory, observation, or our own burden. On the contrary we must have a burden from God to pray for a certain thing, just as Elijah was burdened with the prayer given to him by God (Lee, Witness. Life-Study of James. Anaheim: Living Stream Ministry, Print). 

     Prayer is something ongoing. I feel like I'm always learning about prayer.  It touches me that God gave Elijah the prayer, and he prayed in God's prayer.  He didn't come up with shutting up the heavens by himself in order to turn the people back to God.  Reading this made me ask the Lord to give me His prayer for a situation in my own life.  

I like to listen as much as I can to the Life-Study of the Bible with Witness Lee that goes along with the Life-Study that I am reading.  Both the excerpts from the spoken messages and the commentary are enlightening. 

Other Posts on the Life-Study of James: 

Why Does the Epistle of James Open Up With Trials?

What's the Way to Resist Temptation in James 1:21?

How Spiritual Growth is Connected to the Lord's Coming in James 5:7-8

What James 5:17-18  Teaches us About Elijah's Prayer

Other Related Posts on Prayer:

From the Life-Study of Matthew:
What is the Crucial Significance of Lord's Prayer in Matthew 6:9-13?
Have You Seen the Battle Between the Two Kingdoms in Matthew 12:26-28?

From the Life-Study of Luke:
Why is Persistent Prayer Important in Luke 18:1-8?

From the Life-Study of Acts:
How is Acts a Book on God's Move & Prayer?
Seeing God's Move & Satan's Frustration in Acts 14

From the Life-Study of Galatians:
How Do We Practically Enjoy Grace in Galatians 5:18?

From the Life-Study of Ephesians:
How Do We Apply the Armor of God in Ephesians 6?

From the Life-Study of Philippians:
Why Does Paul Put Anxiety and Prayer Together in Philippians 4:6?

From the Life-Study of Colossians:
From the Life-Study of Colossians - What Happens When We Pray?
What is Christ Doing at the RIght Hand of God in Colossians 3:2?

From the Life-Study of 1 Timothy:
What is Paul's First Exhortation in 1 Timothy 2:1?

From the Life-Study of James:
What James 5:17-18 Teaches Us About Elijah's Prayer

From the Life-Study of Revelation:
What are the Golden Bowls of Incense in Revelation 5:8?

From the Life-Study of Exodus:
Taking a Closer Look at the Tabernacle in Exodus: The Incense Altar

From the Life-Study of 1 & 2 Samuel:
What We Can Learn from Hannah's Prayer in 1 Samuel 1

Other Posts:
Why Prayer Matters
Calling on the Lord Makes a Difference! 
Hearing God   (From Collected Works of Watchman Nee, Vol. 18 - Tell Him)

Why Prayer Matters

Calling on the Lord Makes a Difference! 

Hearing God   (From Collected Works of Watchman Nee, Vol. 18 - Tell Him)

A Great Fall Soup - Make It From Scratch Corn & Potato Chowder

Fall's a great time to start making some hearty soups.  And usually the day before Thanksgiving I make soup so that everyone will appreciate the feast the next day!!  Usually I make soups about three times a week because the international students who live with us are used to having soup every day as part of their dinner. And over the six years we've hosted students, I've come to enjoy this tradition as much as they do!

  When I'm out of Asian chicken bok choy, cabbage, or spinach soup (See the recipe link below!),  I often make different kinds of  chowder.  And, of course there are days where there's no soup, and if they want it, they make themselves a bowl of ramen!  


This soup comes from my Heritage School cookbook.  It's nice and easy. And I know that all of our students loved it,  because

there was hardly anything left in the pot when I went to wash it!

Make It From Scratch Corn Potato Chowder

Serves 8

1.  Prepare vegetables: 
(1)  Scrub and cube 3 large potatoes. 
(3)  Chop 1 onion.
(3)  Chop 2 carrots.
(4)  Thaw 1 1/2 to 2 cups of frozen corn.

2.  Prepare soup:
(1)  Put  cups of boiling water into a soup pot.
(2)  Add the cubed potatoes
(3)  Then add the following seasonings:  1 bay leaf, 1/2 T salt,  1/2 t black ppper, 1/4 t sage,  and 1/2  t cumin.
(4)  Cook for about 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
(5) Saute onion:  Put 2 T of butter into a small skillet and sauté the onion for about 5 minutes.  And then add to the potato soup.
(6) Add 1 1/2 cups of milk to the soup (The recipe calls for cream, but I always cut down the fat!).
(7)  Then add the corn, 3 t of parsley (or add 3 T of fresh parsley).
(8)  Simmer soup for 10 minutes or until ready to serve.
(9)  You can add 2-3 cups of grated cheese to this if you like!

List of My Favorite Soups, Chili & Stew Recipes: 

Beef 

Grandma's Favorite Beef Stew  (My mother-in-law's delicious recipe!)

Just Like Home Ukrainian Borscht  ( a Polish student  said this tasted like his mom's!)

Poultry

This is the Best Gluten Free Minestrone Soup!   (A recipe my son modified)

Mouth Watering Italian Turkey Sausage Soup   (This is  my friend Debbie's recipe)
Mexican Fiesta Chicken Soup   (A recipe I got years ago from a Mexican cookbook)
My Thanksgiving Turkey Soup  (My very own special concoction!)
Gary's Incredible Gluten Free Arkansas Gumbo  (Given to me by a Bible study friend)
Jeannie's French Market Soup  (A mom friend from when my kids were little)
Southwest Turkey Soup  (From my Syre School cookbook)

Fish
Northwest Salmon Chowder  (From my Heritage School cookbook)

Bean & Legumes
Vi's Best Chili  (A  Bible study friend's great recipe)
Bethany's Crowd Pleasing Tortilla Soup  (One of my daughter's friends special soup)
Country-Style Lentil Soup   (From my Heritage School cookbook)
Kathy's Texas Chili & Chips (From my Come & Dine cookbook)

Vegetable

Creamy Pumpkin Soup  (from Food Network)
My Favorite Gluten Free Pumpkin Curry Soup  (Combo from Food & All Recipes)
Downright Delicious Potato & Kale Soup  (From my daughter-in-law's family cookbook)

Asian
Chinese Chicken Soups  - Bok choy chicken, chicken & spinach, and chicken & cabbage
Make Your Own Gluten Free Chicken Pho!  (From a newspaper article)
Gluten Free Chinese Hot Pot  (Modified by a Chinese student)
Chinese Egg Drop Soup  &  Chinese Egg & Tomato Soup  (Adapted from our students)

Vegetarian & Gluten Free Tom Yum Soup (A delicious Thai soup) 
Deluxe Miso Soup (Kenchinjiru)   (Adapted from Internet search)
A Thai Mom Teaches Me How to Make Tom Yum Kung  (A student's mom's recipe)
A Vietnamese Cooking Lesson - Lien's Vietnamese Sweet & Sour Soup  (An International student's aunt's recipe)
Cooking Beef Pho for Vietnamese Students

How Spiritual Growth is Connected to the Lord's Coming in James 5:7-8

   I'll never forget the first time I saw my grandparent's  farm.  I was eight years old at the time, and had grown up in a suburb of Los Angeles with no clue how food got to the grocery store. They had about 8 cows, 2 pigs, and lots of chickens.  

My grandparent's farm (A four generation farm!)

   My jobs were to slop the pigs, gather eggs, pick vegetables in the garden and help get them ready for canning. My grandfather would also let us help with the summer haying--we loved stacking the hay bails as he forked them into the wagon. 

    I watched him cultivate, plant, and harvest his fields of wheat, corn, and oats. So farmers have a special place in my heart.  1 Corinthians 3:9 tells us that the Lord is also a farmer. (Here's  the post on that.).  Last week I read chapter 11 in the Life-Study of James , and it  links the Lord's coming to His being like a farmer.

Therefore be long-suffering, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer eagerly awaits the precious fruit of the earth, exercising long-suffering over it until it receives the early and late rain. You also be long-suffering, establish your hearts because the coming of the Lord has drawn near. James 5:7-8

In this excerpt you can really see why the Lord needs us to grow: 

We have seen that the Lord Jesus is actually the real farmer, the unique farmer.  As we are awaiting His coming, He, as the real Farmer, is awaiting our maturity.  We may pray, 'Lord, come back quickly.' However, He may say, 'My children, mature quicker. While you are awaiting My coming back, I am awaiting your maturity. Do you know why it has been nearly 2,000 years and I have not yet come back?  The reason is that my people are not yet matured.  Only your maturity can hasten My coming back.'….It is a great help for us to realize that if we are serious about awaiting the Lord's coming back, we need to grow in life….The illustration of a farmer in 5:7 implies that the farmer is waiting for the crop growing in the field to ripen….According to Revelation 1, the Lord is also waiting for the harvest to be ripe. When the harvest is ripe, He will come back ( Lee. Witness. Life-Study of James. Anaheim: Living Stream Ministry. 23 November 2014 <http://www.ministrybooks.org/books.cfm?cid=0D>). 

   In the past years I have heard a lot of sharing on Living Stream Ministry's website on the subject of spiritual maturity.  Without this sharing I would not realize that the Lord's coming hinges on my growing and reaching maturity.  My grandfather never harvested a crop that wasn't ripe, and so I really get this parallel in the Scriptures.  

    And  Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 3:7 tthis growth depends on God -- So then neither is he who plants anything nor he who waters, but God who causes the growth. Only God can give us the experiences that we need that will make us grow all the way to maturity.  And we can ask Him to do that!  

I like to listen as much as I can to the Life-Study of the Bible with Witness Lee that goes along with the Life-Study that I am reading.  Both the excerpts from the spoken messages and the commentary are enlightening. 

Other Posts on the Life-Study of James: 
Why Does the Epistle of James Open Up With Trials?
What's the Way to Resist Temptation in James 1:21?
How Spiritual Growth is Connected to the Lord's Coming in James 5:7-8
What James 5:17-18  Teaches us About Elijah's Prayer

How To Make Amazing Thai Food - Gluten Free Pad See Ew

  This is one of my daughter's favorite Thai dishes, but she likes it served with a side of peanut sauce.  I've eaten this dish out, and  the recipe below is a modification of two recipes (one from a Thai cookbook) plus some suggestions from my daughter.  

   The original recipe calls for oyster sauce, which contains wheat, and so I had to tweak the marinade. That probably changes the taste a bit, but that's nothing unusual for someone who's gluten free. 

   My daughter also likes to add more vegetables besides broccoli because when she ordered this at a restaurant, it also had carrots and cabbage. Last of all I  altered the stir-fry sauce because that also normally normally contains oyster sauce!  

Our Thai student gave me a great compliment tonight when he told me that it tastes like what his mother makes!  Also two other students even asked me for this recipe!  

Gluten Free Pad See Ew - for 8

1.  Marinate the meat:  
(1)  Rinse 1 pound of chicken/sirloin and cut into thin bite sized pieces. 
(2)  Marinate the meat with 2 T gluten free tamari, 2 t sesame oil and 1 T brown sugar. 
Put in fridge for at least 30 minutes. 

2.  Prepare vegetables: 
(1)   Wash and then cut 3-4 cups of broccoli florets.  
(2)  Thinly slice  2-3  medium carrots or use that fancy kitchen tool that peels carrots in multiple strips.
(3)  Thinly slice a quarter of a head of cabbage.
(4)  Mince 6-8 cloves of garlic.

3. Preparing the egg strips:   Cook 2 eggs like an omelet and then cut into strips.  Then Set aside.

4  Soak 3/4 of a  pound of Rice Flake noodles (Any wide noodle) : 
(1)  Put 1 pound of wide rice noodles into a glass dish with boiling water to soften.  I usually put a piece of foil over the top to keep the heat in.  Add additional water as necessary.  This can take about 20 minutes, give or take.  Watch them, drain them when they are ready.
(2)  Or boil them according to directions.

5.  Prepare stir-fry sauce:  Mix together in a glass dish -  10 T gluten free tamari, 4 1/2 T brown sugar, 2 T fish sauce, 1 tsp. salt, and 1 1/2 tsp. pepper.  Set aside.

6.  Prepare the Pad See Ew:
(1)  Put 2 T oil into a large skillet and let warm up, add the garlic and 1 T bean sauce.  
Stir-fry for 30 seconds.  
(2)  Increase the heat and add the meat and stir-fry until done.  Remove and put in covered dish.
(3)  Add 1 T more oil and add the vegetables; stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until crisp tender.
(4)  Then add the stir-fry sauce and add the chicken back in and egg strips.
(5)  Gently stir the noodles slowly while you drizzle the stir-fry sauce over them and combine all the ingredients with the sauce.  Note:  I couldn't use all my noodles, so gauge how much you can put in so the noodles aren't too dry.  My daughter likes to have this served with a side of Thai peanut sauce.  You can find that on the Gai Pad Prik recipe below.

For serving:  Put tamari on the table and a small bowl of chopped peanuts so people can add what they like  to their plates.  One of our Vietnamese students also put out the Sriracha sauce. He uses it like Americans use ketchup!

Check out some of the other curries on this blog!

Tasty Thai Red Curry   (Modified  recipe from back of curry paste & Thai recipe)

Fantastic Thai Green Curry (Modified a recipe from back of curry paste & Thai recipe)

Rose's Authentic Chinese Yellow Curry  (From a Taiwanese friend who brought this to a potluck)

Thai Salmon & Vegetables in Green Curry  ( Modified recipe from Internet search)

Massaman Chicken Curry with Yams & Pineapple (Modified  recipe from back of curry paste & Thai recipe)

Spectacular Chicken Panang Curry (Modified  recipe from back of curry paste &  recipe)

Amazing Vegetable Panang Curry (Modified recipe from back of curry paste & Thai recipe)

Gluten Free Thai Chicken & Pumpkin Curry  (From Internet search)
Thai Salmon & Butternut Squash in a Red Curry (From an Internet search)

Vietnamese Saigon Style Tofu Curry  (Idea from Internet search; curry sauce recipe from Rose)

Other Thai Recipes on This Blog 

Making Gluten Free Pad Thai With a Thai Student (A combination of recipes & student's know how!)

Gluten Free Thai Basil Beef    (From Internet search)

How to Make Your Own Thai Fresh Rolls   (From my church cookbook, Come & Dine)

Rachel Ray's Thai Chicken with Basil & Pineapple   (From Internet search)

Gai Pad Prik (Chicken with Peppers) in a Peanut Sauce  (From Internet search)
Delicious Gluten Free Thai Wraps  (From Internet search)
A Thai Mom Teaches Me How to Make Tom Yum Kung

What's the Way to Resist Temptation in James 1:21?

   How do you resist temptation?  How do you endure in trials?  We all have them, and last week I felt like I had my fair share.  Some news came that just broke me up inside. And whenever that happens, I know I have a choice--I'll let this sink me or I'll let the Lord's word anchor me. Somehow even in the face of some doubts and fears, I kept speaking words of promise. But I also know that God and some others were praying for me!

    It was right in the middle of this psychological deluge when I read chapter 4 of the Life-Study of James.  That chapter was like a giant buoy bolstering my faith in God's word.  I was like wow, God you know exactly where I am right now and what I need to read.  This chapter centered on James 1:21b which says,   … receive in meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

In our spiritual life we need a good spiritual "breakfast" every day….As God plants His word into us every morning, this word becomes nourishment to our inward man, and it strengthens our spirit.  Once our spirit has been strengthened, it will sustain our soul. We will have the strength to withstand sufferings and to resist temptations....This means that through the nourishment of the implanted word we experience the salvation of our soul…..We know from experience that if our spirit is not strengthened and our soul is not sustained by a strong spirit, we are easily defeated by trials or temptations. The result is failure.This means that although we have been saved in our spirit, we are not being saved daily in our soul….Day by day we need to receive in meekness the implanted word, which is able to save our soul. The implanted word is full of energy to save our soul (Lee, Witness. "Practical Virtues of Christian Perfection" Life-Study of James. Anaheim: Living Stream Ministry,  <http://www.ministrybooks.org/books.cfm?cid=0D >)      

It touched me that the answer to how we resist temptation and endure trials is quite simple. It's all about making sure I spend time in the Word each day. Whether I sink or swim depends on it!!

I like to listen as much as I can to the Life-Study of the Bible with Witness Lee that goes along with the Life-Study that I am reading.  Both the excerpts from the spoken messages and the commentary are enlightening. 

Other Posts on the Life-Study of James: 
Why Does the Epistle of James Open Up With Trials?
What's the Way to Resist Temptation in James 1:21?
How Spiritual Growth is Connected to the Lord's Coming in James 5:7-8
What James 5:17-18  Teaches us About Elijah's Prayer

Vietnamese Saigon Style Tofu Curry

This fall we've had two Vietnamese students boarding with us. So in the past few months I've been trying out some Vietnamese recipes from my ow files, from one of the students, and from my Internet searches.  When I made this recipe  for the first time, I realized the curry sauce tasted a lot like one my Taiwanese friend Rose gave me several years ago for Chinese chicken curry.  So I'm  using that one for this recipe.

What I learned about Saigon style curry was it uses sweet potatoes instead of the potatoes in Rose's curry and it adds cauliflower to the carrots, onions, and peppers.  I was a bit hesitant when I first made it wondering what cauliflower would taste like in a curry. 

You can see that this curry is colorful, and the sauce is so yummy!  If you want more heat you can add more curry powder, chili sauce (Sriracha is what I use) or black pepper.   And all of our students liked it, but  the Vietnamese students appreciated that I would try to make a curry from their country.  

Vietnamese Tofu Curry  - Serves 8-10 

1.  Prepare vegetables:
(1)  Slice 1 onion and then cut the slices in half.
(2)  Slice 1 green pepper and then cut the slices in half
(3)  Mince 4 cloves of garlic
(4)  Scrub 5 carrots and slice on the diagonal.
(5)  Scrub 3-4 medium sized sweet potatoes and cut into circles or quarter it and cut into wedges.
(6)  Put carrots and sweet potatoes into a steamer and cook for about 12 minutes until almost tender. They will finish cooking in the sauce.
(7)  Cut up tabour 2 cups of cauliflower florets.   (Add more if you can!)
Garnishes:  Sprinkle these on the top of the curry before serving
(8)  Chop up 1/2 cup of cilantro.
(9)  Chop 1/2 - 1 cup of basil leaves.
(10)  Slice up 2 green onions.

2.  Mix spices in a pinch bowl:  Mix together in  a small dish 4 T Indian curry, 3 t chili sauce,  2 T fish sauce, 2 t lemon grass powder,  2" of ginger minced, 2 T brown sugar, 1 t salt, and 1/2 - 2 t black pepper.  

3.  Cube 1 package of tofu into 1" pieces.
(You can put a plate on the tofu to squeeze out excess water, then cut it and  brush sesame oil on it and bake it for 10 minutes at 30 and then flip it for 10 minutes more to make it a little more like meat.)

4.  Stir-Fry vegetables:
(1)  Put 2 T of coconut oil into a large skillet and when it's warm sauté the onion, peppers, ginger, and garlic.  
(2)  Add 4 T of  Indian curry and stir for 10 seconds until it's fragrant.
(3)  Pour  3 cups of chicken stock or water with  4 t of Chicken Better Than Bouillon into the pan and stir to mix.  
(4)  Then add the cauliflower and let it cook 2-3 minutes.
(5)  Stir in the spices and other seasonings.
6)  Add 1 can of canned coconut milk.
(7)  Then add the tofu along with the steamed potatoes and carrots and gently stir to combine.
(8)  Let the curry simmer 3-5 minutes.  If the curry needs to be a bit thickened, mix 2 T of tapioca starch  with 1/4 cup of water and stir it into the sauce. 
(9)  Taste and make any adjustments.

Serve with rice.  

Check out some of the other curries on this blog!

Tasty Thai Red Curry   (Modified  recipe from back of curry paste & Thai recipe)

Fantastic Thai Green Curry (Modified a recipe from back of curry paste & Thai recipe)

Rose's Authentic Chinese Yellow Curry  (From a Taiwanese friend who brought this to dinner)

Thai Salmon & Vegetables in Green Curry  ( Modified recipe from Internet search)

Massaman Chicken Curry with Yams & Pineapple (Modified  recipe from back of curry paste & Thai recipe)

Spectacular Chicken Panang Curry (Modified  recipe from back of curry paste &  recipe)

Amazing Vegetable Panang Curry (Modified recipe from back of curry paste & Thai recipe)

Gluten Free Thai Chicken & Pumpkin Curry  (From Internet search)
Thai Salmon & Butternut Squash in a Red Curry

Why Does the Epistle of James Open Up With Trials?

     On Friday night my husband and I with a friend were reading the Bible with two college students. One of them had just gotten saved this summer, and was asking questions, which by the way is one of the best ways to study the Bible. 

    I could tell towards the end he was feeling a bit outnumbered because he had most of the questions, and the rest of us were doing the answering.  So I turned to him and
 told him I've been reading the Bible for many years, and I'm still learning. When I'm reading, I'm still asking God what is this saying? For years that's how I felt about the Epistle of James. 

     I have to say I was having that feeling again when I knew that the next Life-Study in my sequence would be James. I don't have the printed copy of this particular Life-Study, so I went online to Living Stream Ministry's website to read it.  In the first chapter Witness Lee shares that the book of James is about practical Christian perfection.  And the first thing James brings out is our need to endure trials by faith.

Count it all joy, my brothers, whenever you fall into various trials, knowing that the proving of your faith works out endurance. And let endurance have its perfect work that you may be perfect and entire lacking in nothing.   James 1:2-4

   God spoke to my heart in this chapter on why God gives us trials: 

"Perhaps after you believed in the Lord Jesus, you thought that in the Christian life there would be no sufferings or trials....Surely God loves me and He will not allow anything bad to happen to me. This is the concept of many believers. But eventually trials come.... A final exam serves the three-fold purpose of trying, testing, and proving a student. Likewise, the various trials through which we must pass as believers serve this purpose of trying, testing, and proving us. These trials are surely a help in our practical Christian perfection, for God uses them to perfect us.....Trials...help us with our character and our behavior in our daily living" (Lee, Witness. "Introduction and Practical Virtues of Christian Perfection" Life-Study of James.  Anaheim: Living Stream Ministry.  http://www.ministrybooks.org/books.cfm?cid=0D >).

    So many times I've thought why is God allowing this to happen?  Not always do I see right away that God has the loving purpose of perfecting me through the various trials that He has ordained just for me. 

I I like to listen as much as I can to the Life-Study of the Bible with Witness Lee that goes along with the Life-Study that I am reading.  Both the excerpts from the spoken messages and the commentary are enlightening. 

Other Posts on the Life-Study of James: 
Why Does the Epistle of James Open Up With Trials?
What's the Way to Resist Temptation in James 1:21?
How Spiritual Growth is Connected to the Lord's Coming in James 5:7-8
What James 5:17-18  Teaches us About Elijah's Prayer

Gluten Free Comfort Food - Downright Delicious Tuna Noodle Casserole

Gluten free comfort food.  I knew it was good because there was hardly a bite left. And that's saying a lot because most of it was eaten up by our international students  who never had tuna noodle casserole before. 

 I was a bit nervous as I was making it wondering if they would like it or not. I knew they loved noodles and fish, but in a cheese sauce?  I've found out from our students over the years that  most Chinese don't eat much cheese in China, but when they come to America they begin to love it.  

This recipe comes from my Heritage School Cookbook; it's a new take on an old stand by. I like the way the eggs make it more like a soufflé, and, of course, it also adds a bit more nutrition.  Definitely comfort food at it's best.

Gluten Free Tuna Noodle Casserole - for 4-6

1.  Make a  sauce - In a mixing bowl put:  

(1) 2 eggs and beat them till fluffy. 
(2)  Then gradually add 1 can  of evaporated milk and then fill the can up with water and pour that in also.  Then add 1 heaping tablespoon of white rice flour, 2-3 t of salt, and 1/2 t of black pepper and beat a few minutes. 
(3) Then stir in 1 can of drained albacore tuna. 
(4)  Sauté 2-3 T  of diced onion and then stir it into the sauce.

2.  Prepare noodles:  Cook one 12 oz package off Tinkyada brown rice elbow pasta for about 14 minutes.  Rinse with cold water and drain.  

3.  Grate 4 cups of longhorn cheese.

4.  Arrange casserole - Grease a 9 x 13 pan:
(1)  Put half of the noodles on the bottom of the pan.
(2)  Stir in 2 cups of cheese.
(3)  Put the other half of the noodles on top of that.
(4)  Scatter last half of the noodles over that.  And stir into that 2 more cups of cheese. 
(5)  Pour the egg and milk mixture over the top.
Add any additional cheese on the top.  Sprinkle with paprika. 

5.  Bake  uncovered at 335 to 350 for 30-35 minutes.  Check and bake a few more minutes if necessary; let stand a few minutes before serving.

Other Italian & Greek Pasta Recipes on This Blog:

Italian & Greek Chicken:
Incredible Gluten Free Chicken Souvlaki   (My son-in-law's marinade recipe)
Chicken Cacciatore with Peppers & Mushrooms  (My mother-in-law)
You've Got to Try This Gluten Free Chicken Parmesan!  (From my church cook book, Come & Dine)

Pasta Cassroles:
The Best Gluten Free Lasagna   (From my church Come & Dine cookbook)
Delicious Gluten Free Chicken Tetrazzini     (From my daughter-in-law's family cookbook)
Jan's Classic  Baked Spaghetti Casserole

 Classic Pastas:
My Mom's Splendiferous Gluten Free Spaghetti  (My mother's amazing sauce!)
Ginger's Family Favorite Gluten Free Beef Stroganof   (From my friend Ginger)
Gluten Free Pasta Aioli - Sausage & Vegetable Penne  (From my daughter and son-in-law)
Incredible Gluten Free Pasta Primavera     (Combination of two Internet searches)
Fantastic Gluten Free Salmon Fettucine 
Easy to Make Gluten Free Shrimp Linguini   (From my Syre School Cookbook)
Carmine's Authentic Italian Pasta Sauce  (From my son-in-law's father who was born in Italy)

Mac & Cheeses
Fantastic Gluten Free Macaroni & Cheese  (Modified from Heritage & Internet search)
Gluten Free Comfort Food - Downright Delicious Gluten Free Tuna Noodle Casserole  (From my Heritage School Cookbook)
Northwest Crab Mac & Cheese  - From a 5th grade friend's recipe project
Whidbey Island Crab & Noodle Bake - A classy crab mac & cheese recipe from my mother-in-law

Pizza
Judi's Gluten Free Crazy Crust Pizza -  Spinach, Artichoke & Feta Pizza (From a friend)

Soups:
This is the Best Minestrone Soup!  (From my son's Internet search and tweaking)
Mouth Watering Italian Turkey Sausage Soup   (This is  my friend Debbie's recipe)

Salads:
Tasty Gluten Free Pasta Salad   (I've been making this salad for over 20 years!)
Jeremy D's Sensational Greek Salad  (From my son-in-law who is half Italian)
Michelle's Greek Quinoa Salad   (My daughter came up with this way to use quinoa)