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Zoodles in Chunky Red Sauce

January 2, 2019June 2, 2019 Kellye Marie

So, you’re not eating meat…or cheese (or any dairy), or bread, or sugar, or a bunch of processed foods…and your wondering what in the world you should eat. Well, it doesn’t have to be boring that’s for sure!

Time for a little fasta (fake pasta). I’m not sure if that will catch on…but who really cares. ha!

Anyway, I thought why not some of those fun zoodles I’ve been seeing everywhere and some robust chunky sauce.

I used the veggetti/spiralizer to make my noodles but really there are a bunch of different techniques you can use.

Red Sauce
-1 sweet onion (any onion is fine, I like sweet onions so that’s what I used)
-1 green pepper
-8oz of sliced fresh mushrooms (I used baby bellas)
-3 cloves of garlic
-1 tbsp dried oregano
-1 tbsp dried basil
-1 tbsp dried parsley
-1-28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1- 28 oz can diced tomatoes

-Dice and saute all veggies (minus garlic) in olive oil until slightly tender on medium heat.
-Crush and add garlic toward the end (be careful not to burn the garlic…yuck!)
-Cook for a few minutes-stiring
-Add oregano, parsley, basil and salt and pepper (don’t add too much salt….there’s no coming back from that)
-Add tomatoes
-Stir and cover
Simmer for what seems like forever…like an hour…really longer. (I was hungry so it got an hour)

Fasta (fake pasta)
-Make zoodles… or use premade from the fresh section (Zucchini…in case you are new to the zoodle scene)
-Saute zoodles in olive oil over medium heat to desired texture (I like mine with a little bite)

Add sauce…and assemble fasta (fake pasta) .

Finish with grated cashews (or not, lol)

Ta-da!

Honestly this was surprisingly good for a “throne together ” idea meal.

And in case you’re wondering…it is vegan and Daniel Fast friendly!

Bon Appetit!

Blog, Faith

It’s God’s way…not ours.

December 1, 2018 Kellye Marie

Have you ever had something “bad” happen and think, “Not today devil!”?

Most of us have, but what if I told you that the devil needs God’s permission? What if we have been giving him credit instead of looking at the bigger picture to see what God may be up to? So instead of talking to the devil…we should be seeking God.

So there have been some instances in the last 2 years that left me unsettled. People who were supposed to be supporting me spiritually started to rub me the wrong way with their actions. It became clear that something spiritually was affecting them…and thus, me. Mean words were being said, hurtful actions were being done and quite honestly I was really sad, and disappointed by their reactions as it was brought to their attention.

I wrestled with myself because I thought…is it something that I had done? Are they going through something? As I prayed through it, the feeling didn’t changed and neither did the situation really. I was so upset. How could what began as a huge part of my spiritual growth now be causing me be pain?

The Holy Spirit gave me peace about it all and also direction. So, it was time to move on to a new place. No hard feelings, nothing bad to be said… just at peace with moving on. It was scary thinking about leaving a place that I had been for so long but, I knew that God had a reason for what was happening even if I really didn’t know. Honestly, I was still unsettled because I felt like the devil had tried coming for me, and that…well, I didn’t like thinking about.

As I transitioned to a new situation, I continued to seek God about what purpose He had for me in this new place. A place I had not myself chosen… but instead, was led to. A lot of new experiences and adjusting took place and is till taking place. But, I do believe change is good…not always comfortable, but good nonetheless. As I waited, I just trusted that God had a plan…He HAD to have some plan for this and I wanted to see what it was but I also knew that all things are according to God’s purpose, not mine. So, I waited.

Sorry that I am not going into too much detail but hopefully you are getting some of this and it is making sense. (I don’t need to name names to make a point.)

Well, today I was at an event and it dawned on me what God was doing. He was taking me into my purpose…not all of it…but some of it. I know long term what He has shown me, but not the steps to get there. Today, as I sat and listened to announcements being made…it became clear.

God allowed my previous situation to become unsettling. Wait what? Yeah…that’s right. It was not the devil just barging in and causing issues. God was up to something.

As I drove home I began to think about Saul and David. David had been anointed as a young man to be the king of Israel. But, before that…Saul was king. In 1 Samuel 16:14 it says, “Now the Spirit of the Lord had left Saul, and the Lord sent a tormenting spirit that filled him with depression and fear.”
‭‭Saul then sends for David to come to play the harp to calm him. He becomes fond of David. After that, David slays the giant, develops a bond with Saul’s son Jonathan, and then Saul becomes jealous of David’s success.

Honestly, this is great stuff. So, if you have not read this…you have to check it out.

So, David is super successful at everything he did because God’s hand was on him. And the more successful David got, the more jealous and mad Saul got. David loved Saul and his son but still…was a bit unsettled that Saul would treat him poorly. But Saul, well…he kept disobeying the Lord…and kept letting his fleshly man to act up and try to hurt David. So, eventually the Lord just allowed some things to happen to Saul. And well, sin… leads to death and … well, he died. (And no, it was not some bedside peaceful death either.) So, while David was running for his life, because Saul was trying to kill him… God had a plan all long. That plan ultimately lead to Saul dying and David becoming king and fulfilling God’s purpose for his life.

I TOTALLY just made a long story short so, you’ll have to read 1 & 2 Samuel to get the rest of the juicy details 🙂

So, back to what I was saying before…

So yes, God allowed my previous situation to become unsettling because if it wasn’t…I would have never left. And I would not have been able to fulfill His purpose.

Even when it looks like things are falling apart…take a step back and see if maybe, just maybe things are falling into place.

I pray that this blesses you in some way! And when things are not quite making sense…get scary, sad, or even hurt…seek the Lord and He will show you what He’s up to …in due time. Because after all…

It’s God’s way…not ours.

I am SO excited for what God is going to do. I am honored to be his servant. Use me Lord that You may be glorified!

Blog, Faith

In the Midst

September 6, 2018March 21, 2020 Kellye Marie

“Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.” Lamentations 3:23

While many are familiar with the verse, very few realize what is happening while this is being said. Israel is experiencing the wrath of God and His rage. The Israelites have been disobedient over and over, and being punished, and are crying out in lament (a passionate expression of grief or sorrow). And in the midst of their worst suffering, they start to praise God, just for who He is. I love how the Word has stories to help us…even stories that help us in our darkest hours.

While God is a gracious, merciful, and forgiving God, He also will correct us when we keep being disobedient. God has emotions too; and when He is angry…we will know.

Emotions of God:

• Anger – Psalm 7:11; Deuteronomy 9:22; Romans 1:18
• Laughter – Psalm 37:13; Psalm 2:4; Proverbs 1:26
• Compassion – Psalm 135:14; Judges 2:18; Deuteronomy 32:36
• Grief – Genesis 6:6; Psalm 78:40
• Love – 1 John 4:8; John 3:16; Jeremiah 31:3
• Hate – Proverbs 6:16; Psalm 5:5; Psalm 11:5
• Jealousy – Exodus 20:5; Exodus 34:14; Joshua 24:19
• Joy – Zephaniah 3:17; Isaiah 62:5; Jeremiah 32:41

So, like I was saying, the people of Israel are being punished severely for their disobedience. And God loves us, but part of love…is correction. You know all of those timeouts, weeks of being grounded, and spankings you got as a kid…well, you were loved. Your parents were trying to save you from making bad choices in the future that could possibly hurt you by correcting you with a form of discipline. And if you didn’t learn the first time…your consequences got worse…right? Right. Well, God is our Father…and He disciplines us too.

(And if you were abused, that is not what I’m talking about and I am sorry that happened to you. All parents, unfortunately, don’t always do what is right… just felt the need to throw that in there…because there is a difference between abuse and discipline.)

As you read through the bible you can see this struggle with the Israelites and God. One minute Israel loves God, then they are complaining about what they have been blessed with and end up mad. Then, begin worshipping idols because he didn’t give them what they wanted. Then they get what they want but something bad happens to them because they put whatever it was before God…so they beg for help, get corrected, they repent, then they love him and live to please him, then forget the Lord’s goodness and start complaining… all over again. It really is a vicious cycle. (hmmm…kinda sounds like…us? Can you see how we are Israel? That’s for another day.)

Anyway, the Lord gets angry and just releases His wrath. Like terrible, horrible, devastating, gut-wrenching, wrath. Lamentations is even hard to read. I mean… they had no food, no water, starving, they were too weak to run from their enemies so they lost wars, tons of people died, their women were raped, their children were taken to far away places, their enemies laughed at them and mocked them. Generations wipes out. Women ate their children to survive.<<AH! Crying and sadness… and no comfort. So, like, yeah. Um, most horribleness ever. Just like when we keep acting up and the discipline intensifies to the extreme. Like, how did it come to this! I’m sure we all know that person who just keeps messing up and seems to never learn…and their punishment/situation keeps getting worse.

But even in the midst of the worst time ever… the Israelites begin to praise God and declare His goodness. ‘Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.’ They were not praising Him because they were blessed with some ‘thing’. Not because He had delivered them from their suffering. NO. They praised Him simply because of WHO HE IS.

In the midst of their suffering, they praise Him.

I cry out, “My splendor is gone! Everything I had hoped for from the Lord is lost!” The thought of my suffering and homelessness is bitter beyond words. I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss. Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!” Lamentations 3:18‭-‬24 NLT

There is something special about seeing someone’s devotion to God when they are at their worst moments. Whether those situations are self-inflicted (due to disobedience) or just a test of our faith, like Job, where we see that no matter how bad it got… prayer and praise was still happening. Hope in the Lord was still there. Expectation of change was still there. At the worst moments, when they lose everything, they still hope in the Lord. It takes a big amount of strength to, in the midst the worst times, to stop and focus on the Lord, and who He is.

We get so consumed in our mess, that we forget to focus on who God is. That may have been the problem in the first place. How does that even happen, right? Well, work, family, trying to get through the day…busyness. Busyness leads to tiredness and then the next thing you know you aren’t praying like you used to. And you are now focusing on all of the things, the problems, instead of the One who is in control of it all.

Just like Israel, we get distracted….and the cycle starts. Seriously, we need to stop it. Just for a moment, before we lose it, just stop. Stop with the phone, the emails, the networking, the streaming, the music, the job, the house, the kids, the sickness, stop worrying about the bills, thinking about the hurt of the past, the __________. And start speaking the Word of God, out loud. Right there in the midst of your WORST…start to exalt the Lord. Praise Him, raise Him up, honor Him! Just for who He is.

Right now, in the midst of your trials…and anything you may be facing… Just read this out loud and your focus will begin to change as you focus on Him:

Lord, your love is faithful and it never ends! Your mercies never cease! Great is Your faithfulness, Oh God! Your mercies are new each and every morning! Lord, You are my inheritance; so, I will put all hope in You!” (Lamentations 3:18‭-‬24)

Lord you are my refuge and strength! You are always ready to help in times of trouble.’ (Psalms 46:1)

Thank you, Lord! You are SO good! Your love never fails! It goes on forever! You are faithful to all generations! Psalms 100:5

You are Yahweh Yireh — “The Lord our provider” (Genesis 22:13-14) You are so full of love and compassion! Just like you did for Isaac, you provided a sacrifice in my place! Thank you for your Son, Jesus!

You are Yahweh Rapha — “The Lord who heals” (Exodus 15:26) You healed the lepers, gave sight to blinded eyes, the lame walk, demons are cast out, the dead rise, the woman with the issue of blood touched of the edge of your clothing and was healed. You healed the Centurion’s Servant but just saying the word! You are so powerful that Your Words can heal. Hallelujah!

You are Yahweh Nissi — “The Lord our Banner” (Exodus 17:8-15) It is in Your power that my enemies are defeated! When I lift you up, you cause me to be victorious!

You are Yahweh Shalom — “The Lord our Peace” (Judges 6:24) Lord, you are in control of everything! Even the wind and the waves obey you Oh Lord!

You are Yahweh Ra-ah — “The Lord my Shepherd” (Psalm 23:1) You watch over me like a shepherd does his sheep! You keep me safe from predators seen and unseen, you guide me through my life. And when I wander astray, you leave the 99 and pursue me until I’m found! Thank you, Lord! Oh, how marvelous you are!

You are Yahweh Tsidkenu — “The Lord our Righteousness” (Jeremiah 23:6) Hallelujah, you are so merciful! And we thank you Father God for your Son Jesus! It is through our faith in Him that we can be made righteous.

You are Yahweh Shammah — “The Lord is present” (Ezekiel 48:35) Lord you are always there! We thank you for your promise! You will never leave us or forsake us! Your Spirit dwells in us Oh Lord!

Lord, you are the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”’ Revelation 22:13

I will praise you in the midst, because You are good!

No matter what you are going through, no matter what it looks like, God is still good! He still loves you. And His promises still stands.

‘For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.’ Psalms 30:5

Blog, South Carolina

Burger Tavern 77

August 20, 2018August 20, 2018 Kellye Marie

Address: 2631 Devine St, Columbia, SC 29205 | Instagram & Twitter: @btav77

I couldn’t decide…so I ordered the Burger Trio. 3 nicely sized sliders: Classic 77, Charleston, and the Memphis.

I started with the Classic. Immediately I noticed the quality of the beef. These burgers are cooked with high quality Angus beef. There is a good char on the meat that lends to the magnificent flavor of the burger itself.

But… then I bit into the Charleston!

BABYYY!

I started dancing! Humming and moving my hands as if I was directing an Orchestra. I don’t know where that came from, but I couldn’t stop. The Charlestown was literally a FLAVOR EXPLOSION! The pimento cheese and pecan bacon literally made edible music in my mouth! The pimento cheese was super flavorful and offered a slight spiciness that all good pimento cheeses have. That cheese met perfect pecan bacon on the dance floor and the magic happened! 2 bold flavors atop high quality Angus beef…. this is the perfect burger!

And the Memphis. Perfect beef slathered with sweet and tangy barbecue sauce, Crispy fried onions and bacon. It is a great ‘barbecue’ burger.

I am always hesitant about ordering french fries because I just want crispy fries…and sometimes I am disappointed. But the JoJo fries, however, came out super crispy in a cute little metal bucket with a paper crossword puzzle. Food AND fun! Ha!

So, I actually started with the fried pickels. You know how sometimes you order fried pickles and they’re all soggy and nasty? Well, these were actually crispy! The whole entire wooden cutting board was served crispy and hot! And they were served with 77 sauce. To my surprise it is a very bold mustard-based sauce, super tangy. It is a great pairing with the pickles and tickles the taste buds!

MY ORDER INCLUDED:

The Burger Trio:

The Classic 77

Perfectly Grilled Burger topped with Yellow American Cheese & Finished with Tavern 77 Sauce

The Charleston

This delicious Burger is topped with Smoked Pimento Cheese, Pecan Bacon, with a Dill Pickle Slices.

The Memphis

On top of this Burger Comes Smoky Flavored Bourbon BBQ Sauce, Aged Cheddar Cheese, Crispy Onion Tangles & Two Strips of Bacon.

Appetizer: Fried pickles with 77 sauce

Overall, Burger Tavern 77 is a big YES! And if you want to try more than one…the Burger Trio is a great choice!

The Charleston Burger and crispy JoJo Fries are my fave!

No matter if you want beef, turkey, veggie, bun or no bun…there is something for everyone. And it is soooooo good!

Shout out to Hannah, the best server ever!

TGIN shampoo, conditioner, and deep conditioner

Beauty, Hair

Thank God It’s Natural! TGIN

August 11, 2018August 11, 2018 Kellye Marie

TGIN: CAN WE TALK ABOUT THIS?! Let’s talk about this!

‘Going natural’ and being ‘natural’, as it pertains to hair, is a true journey for many women of color. There are so many unforeseen adventures …like… DO I do a big chop and start from nothing? What will my head look like? What will I look like. WHAT does my HAIR even looked like?!! >WHOA< How do I style it? Braids, twists, curls, afro, protective styles. SEE?! So many things…oh wait, the biggest one of all….PRODUCTS! When you go natural, the products that you use generally change too. And I don’t know about you but this is the most expensive part of the journey because you never know what is going to work for your hair, so you end up buying a bunch of stuff that just sits in the cabinet once it doesn’t work.

When going natural and picking products many people get distracted by hair texture. We tend to look at curl pattern as a way to determine what products to use. I did this too…but I was often frustrated because while my hair may have looked similar to the YouTuber that I was watching…my hair reacted very differently to the products and techniques they used. There is another important part to the natural hair journey (or hair care in general) that I would say is equally and possibly more important. Porosity.

So what is porosity? Porosity refers to the ability your hair has to absorb and hold moisture. Rather than spending my time discussing porosity…you can read about that here. I recently did a porosity test and found out that my hair is low porosity. With that said I began to seek out products that catered to my hair needs. I knew that my hair did not do well with a lot of product..so I was on the right track with that. But now that I am a bit more educated about my hair and what it needs, I sought out those products. I am on a journey towards length! And dry hair tends to break. I needed moisture, and not just a bunch or oils and creams because that is too heavy for my hair.

MY hair is low porosity, is a blend of 2C, 3A, & 3B textures and is also more fine than it is coarse.. I know…what a pain. It’s semi straight, with soft to medium wave patterns. And my scalp will oil itself as the days go on. And because of this, too much product from the beginning is bad and results in a heavy oily look after about 5 days. But with that said…I still need moisture and most of that will come from shampooing and conditioning. I usually use a dandruff shampoo (Selsun Blue Moisturizing Shampoo) and ORS heat protecting serum to flat iron my hair… Yep, that’s it. And my hair was and is still healthy. BUT, as I began to seek out no-heat styles for my natural hair…I knew I was going to need more than that so I added a conditioner and some creams. My entire routine changed…whether I wore my hair straightened or un-straightened.

SO FINALLY…about TGIN! HA!

I recently saw that TGIN worked well for low porosity hair. Well, all hair types really but someone with low-porosity hair raved about it so I knew that is where I wanted to start. I purchased the shampoo, conditioner and a small travel size of the deep conditioner on Amazon.

I just washed my hair yesterday and

BABYYYYYYY! Let me tell you!!

…First of all the shampoo smells like fresh cut apples. Then, I was a bit skeptical about the super liquidy viscosity…but it lathered very well. I washed my hair twice paying special attention to cleaning my scalp the first time and to my hair the second time. This shampoo has SLIP! As I washed my hair, I could easily run my fingers through it with no pulling or tangles. It detangled while I washed! And when I rinsed it out I had to double check that it was actually rinsed out because my hair was SO smooth! If you are going for squeaky clean..this is not the shampoo for you. With the amount of moisture that was in my hair, I could have been done after just the shampoo! But I continued to the conditioner.

I squeezed out the excess water with my hands and added the conditioner…proceeded to shower. (Yes, I am one of those; I wash my hair in the shower. You do what works for you…and I’ll continue to do me.) When I washed out the conditioner…my hair was so super incredibly smooth…it was like butter! No, for real like butter. I was concerned that there was too much moisture for my fine strands. I had a moment in the mirror…My hair actually looked different. It looked extremely moisturized, not greasy. And my curls (they’re waves but let’s refer to them as curls) looked soft and there were some curls forming where there usually isn’t much texture. Also my edges looked like soft curly baby hair! I smoothed my hand over them and they bounced back with a springy softness instead of just laying sadly down.

It’s like my hair came alive!

Since I was straightening my hair, I opted out of the deep conditioner. I will use that when I do a braid out or a protective style when my hair can be covered and be sitting undisturbed for several days. It tends to need more moisture in those states.

Over all…this shampoo is my FAVORITE! Super rich, full of moisture, helps to detangle and smells good!

Two thumbs up and a flip of my hair. Super sorry, I was prepping for a meeting so I did not have a chance to document the process but…Check out the after! Hey now, HEYYYY!!

Love, peace and hair grease. Oh, and and don’t forget the TGIN!

Check them out on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter: @TGINatural

This is not a sponsored post. I tried it, loved it, and I’m sharing it!

Food, Indiana

Schakolad Chocolate Factory

August 10, 2018August 10, 2018 Kellye Marie

Chocoholic! Yes, that’s me. I can’t think of a better way to celebrate the end of a long week than to indulge in the rich, sweet decadence that is Schakolad Chocolate Factory.

Schakolad’s award winning chocolates are made fresh at the store with the highest quality ingredients and contain no additives or preservatives. They are located in the Trader’s Point area at 6010 W 86th St #136, Indianapolis, IN. Mindy and Todd are a husband and wife team of chocolatiers are the sweetest couple! Pun intended! They have great ideas and can help you in choosing the perfect treat and/or customizable gift.

My favorite has always been the original pecan turtle…and still is. Like…it is the perfect blend of pecan, gooey caramel, and rich smooth chocolate. Schokald offers them in rich dark chocolate as well as with cashews instead of pecans.

If you love s’mores, then you’ll love the ‘Campfire’! It is marshmallow, topped with caramel and a graham cracker…covered in milk chocolate! I know, right! YUMMMY!

Todd introduced me to their cinnamon sugar pecans a few months back and I have been hooked! They also have almonds and cashews. They are roasted nuts with a crispy crunchy cinnamon sugar coating…I dare you to each just one. You can’t!

Today…Mindy schooled me on their truffles and their ganache. I am now addicted to the rich, velvety smooth dark chocolate ganache! When you pop it in your mouth and bite it…music starts playing. Really…you can hear a symphony.

And another one of my faves are their cattails. It is a salted pretzel stick, dipped in rich gooey caramel and then dipped in their smooth milk, or dark chocolate. There’s something about the saltiness of the pretzel, the carmel and chocolate paired with the crunchy texture that make the cattails a perfect treat!

They have several varieties of different chocolate treats, sugar-free options, non chocolate treats, gelato, and hot chocolate or frozen hot chocolate. ANNDD they have customizable treats for every occasion!

Find them on Facebook and Instagram: @schakoladindy

http://www.schakolad.com

Faith

SHAME

August 8, 2018 Kellye Marie

When I was younger I made a really bad decision and the news spread through the little town I lived in like wildfire. One person told another person, who told a group of people and so on. By the time I got home that day…a bunch of people knew. And not only did they know, they started gossiping and adding to the story. In a matter of days, most of the town knew my name, my family, and ultimately the skewed truth…about me.

I could tell you more of that story but the point is, I made a mistake, I felt horrible, and the people talking about it made it worse.

There are only so many times you can hear…things like,

“You’ll never be nothing but a _____”.

“I bet she _____.”

“I heard she_____.”

“She this.” and “She that.”

Until you start to think that…maybe…they could be right. Maybe I would forever be ‘my mistake.’

I was so ashamed.

Isn’t it funny how easily we will believe the worst about ourselves? Believing that because we did something wrong, we deserve to pay for it for the rest of our lives. Or that somehow all we’ll ever be… is our mistakes, our failures, our shortcomings. Whether consciously or subconsciously, we believe that because of what we’ve done we are not good enough and therefore are not worthy of anything good. So, we continue to make bad decisions.

SHAME is ugly y’all! Shame can keep you in bondage. It can keep you from receiving your blessings, from living a full abundant life. Shame can keep you from God’s plan for your life.

During the years that followed, I continued to make bad decisions. No, I was not on a complete mission to self-destruct…well, not completely…I was an honor student, a recognized leader in school by many of my teachers and peers, an athlete, an advocate of people who were being bullied (man, how I wish someone would have stood up for me). I became a college grad and so on. Even though I had many good things going for myself…there was an underlying belief that I never really deserved anything good.

I can’t put my finger on exactly when, why or how…but at some point my eyes opened. Maybe…it was during or after yet another toxic relationship when I realized I was better than what I was doing to myself. It’s like when you keep dating the loser type…and find yourself saying things like…”I deserve better than this!” And then it dawns on you like…Wait, I do deserve better than this! Why do I keep allowing this person to treat me like this? I’m a good person. I’m caring, loving, faithful and loyal…I don’t deserve this! ANDDDD “I’M DOING THIS TO MY OWN SELF!…HOW STUPID!” HA! Yes, I took the blame…because it was ME who allowed this to happen. I believed the lies of the enemy and it was me who had to choose to stop letting it affect my life.

And then BOOM! I realized that I was living in bondage. The bondage of shame! Shame led me to relationships that were not good for me…to people who were not good for me. To situations and behaviors that were not good for me…over and over again.

We all have choices. We can choose to stay chained to our mistakes and live in bondage or we can believe what God says about us, repent and accept a new life. And let me tell you, it wasn’t like I was clueless about God’s Word while all of this was happening. Oh no. I prayed often. I was faithful in my attendance at church…week after week…I sang along, lifted my hands in worship and yelled out my amens. All the while, dragging my ball and chain right there into the Lord’s house and plopped it right down beside me in the pew. In chains, living in shame.

The enemy will do whatever he can to make you feel shame and keep you in shame…to keep you embarrassed so you will stay defeated. When that happens, you can’t fulfil God’s purpose for your life. The enemy doesn’t want you to feel God’s love, receive forgiveness or see yourself the way God sees you…so he keeps telling you the lies that you are not worthy of God because of what you have done. Or maybe it isn’t something you have done…maybe it is just a circumstance that makes you feel ashamed…like your intelligence, the way you look, your financial status or title etc..

Shame has many of us in bondage. Let me say this, when we allow shame to take control…we STAY in bondage. And when we are too embarrassed to talk about it…we run the risk of never being delivered. We need to talk about it! The bible tells us in James 5:16: ‘Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. ‘ That means to be healed we need to confess it.

Trust me when I say that everyone, yes everyone, has something they are not proud of. You are not alone. It is important to know that God doesn’t keep reminding us of the bad that we have done. HE STANDS UP FOR US!! God loves us and wants us and gives us an opportunity to start over. NEW.

This makes me think of The woman who committed adultery.

‘“Teacher,” they said to Jesus, ~~(‘they’ refers to the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees)~~ “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?” They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.” John 8:4-5,7, 9-11

You see, everyone has some thing. He called out the accusers, the shamers and then said that she has no condemnation. Jesus stood up for her and she was forgiven! She can start a new life…freely!

Sometimes, it is not other people shaming us…it is us. In our minds…we shame and condemn ourselves. That is the trick of the enemy! Kick him out of your mind!

We can overcome shame.

We can overcome shame by learning what God says about us, in his Word. Yes, when those thoughts pop up…start to speak the Word to yourself and over your life and cancel out all of the lies. Yes, speak it! There is power in the things you say! James 3:3-5 & Proverbs 18:21 These are some of the things that I speak when I need to cancel out the lies and remind myself what God says.

I am LOVED! John 3:16

I am FORGIVEN! Ephesians 1:7

I am not my past. I belong to Christ, and I am a new person! 2 Corinthians 5:17

I am a WINNER! I am victorious! Deuteronomy 20:4

I am God’s MASTERPIECE! Ephesians 2:10

I am More Than A Conqueror! Romans 8:37

I am FEARFULLY and WONDERFULLY MADE! Psalms 139:14

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me! Philippians 4:13

When I am weak, He is strong! He supports me! Isaiah 40:29

I am cared for! Matthew 6:30

God has my back! He is on my side! Psalms 56:9

I am part of a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a purchased people! 1 Peter 2:9

I am the head and not the tail; I am above only and not beneath! Deuteronomy 28:13

He pursues me! Matthew 18:12 & Luke 15:4

If you are struggling with shame, you can overcome it! You can be delivered. Speak the Word over your life…and believe what God says about you!

Food, Louisiana

Ruffino’s on the River | Lafayette, LA

July 16, 2018 Kellye Marie

Ruffino’s on the River | 921 Camellia Blvd Lafayette, LA | Facebook: @RuffinosontheRiver | Instagram & Twitter: @Ruffinos

DECADENT. RICH. DREAMY.

Ruffino’s on the River was recommended by the local community as a great place to have a nice dinner. And as a visitor to this wonderful city, I will second that recommendation!

I am always in search of a unique dining experience. So for an appetizer, I ordered the 48-hour braised pork cheek, Benton’s bacon jam, pork jus, & butternut squash puree. For my entrée I ordered the Sweet Tea Duck Breast- Maple Leaf duck, sweet potato puree, Abita root beer glazed candied pecans. And for my dessert, I ordered the Ricotta cheesecake – I have honestly never seen this before so I had to try it.

So…how was everything?

Well, the 48-hour braised pork cheek, Benton’s bacon jam, pork jus, butternut squash puree was to slap yo’ mama good! Whoa! Talk about tender! Talk about flavor on flavor on flavor! One touch of the fork and it falls apart, as it should. This bite was so dreamy. The pork cheeks alone were amazing but that bacon jam. That bacon jam added another note of robust mouthwatering flavor. Paired with the smooth rich and delicate sweetness of the butternut squash puree. It was a perfect bite of sweet and salty. I ate the last one for breakfast with some eggs at the hotel I was staying at. Normally I would not eat leftovers on a trip…but I was not letting a single piece of that go to waste!

YUM!

Ruffino's on the River _Braised Pork Cheek — Appetizer-48-hour braised pork cheek, Benton’s bacon jam, pork jus, & butternut squash puree.

Having cooked the Maple Leaf Duck Breast at home, I was looking forward to my entree. The duck was a perfect medium rare. Duck is great with sweet flavors and this dish was no different. The root beer glaze and candied pecans were a great pairing with that perfectly smooth, rich buttery sweet potato puree. The only thing I would add would be maybe some garlicky haricot verts to help to balance the sweetness and offer a place of rest on your palate. But overall this was delicious and I would definitely order it again! And again!

Ruffino's on the River_Duck Breast — Entrée: Sweet Tea Duck Breast- Maple Leaf duck, sweet potato puree, Abita root beer glazed candied pecans

I have never heard of ricotta cheesecake. And now that I have, I can’t find it anywhere else. I love ricotta cheese. This cheesecake was so rich and delicately flavored. And after an already sweet meal overall – this was a pleasantly semi-sweet surprise. The chocolate ganache was a perfect accompaniment to the actual cheesecake. I could just place a call-in for the cheesecake. Yes, I would do that… pork cheeks and cheesecake please. Ha! Mmm.

Ruffino's on the River _ricotta cheesecake — Ricotta cheesecake with ricotta cream cheese and sour cream the fudge sauce

As I raved about my love for desserts…they brought out their bread pudding – on the house. Honestly, I am not one for bread pudding. It’s one of those things that you either love or you don’t. But I tried it. It had a slightly lighter texture and was not as sweet and heavy as the others I had tried. This was light and airy and had the perfect texture to sop up the white chocolate sauce and raspberry coulis. I would eat this bread pudding before I eat another one, seriously.

Ruffino's on the River _bread pudding — Bread pudding with white chocolate sauce and raspberry coulis

To my surprise they brought out a complimentary cotton candy at the end of the night. While my co-worker finished their beverage, I nibbled with delight. I am not a cotton candy person but something about this little puff was quite enjoyable…even after that large meal.

Ruffino's on the River _cotton candy — Complimentary cotton candy

Ruffino’s on the River…I raise my fork to you! YUM! I’ll be seeing you again!

…still dreaming of those pork cheeks…

Food, Mississippi

La Brioche Patisserie | Jackson, MS

July 16, 2018August 15, 2018 Kellye Marie

La Brioche Patisserie | 2906 N State St, Jackson, MS | Facebook: @labriocheofMS | Instagram: @la_briochefondren |

La Brioche is is cute patisserie in the Fondren, MS area. I stumbled across them after meeting with a client in the building. It was about an hour until my next appointment so I decided to grab a treat and prep for my next meeting.

BEST DECISION EVER!

I had a chocolate entremet the first time I came in. It was almost too pretty to eat. It was DELECTABLE! Sweet and utter indulgence. Rich chocolaty silky smooth mousse. Heaven in a bite.

The next time I was in town, one of my clients raved about their macarons and bought me an assorted tube of mini macarons. I AM SPOILED. They were PERFECT! A delicate, perfectly crisp meringue shell. The perfect amount of flavor and sugar. The pastry cream was smooth and gently flavored.

They have a large variety of macarons and other carefully crafted sweet delicacies including cookies, chocolates, cakes and more! You can even grab a yummy sandwich for lunch…but don’t forget the dessert!

I have been to other patisseries in other states and they pale in comparison. When I say they are perfect, the are! They have become the macaron that I compare everything to. The sweet treats that I desire that are miles away. When I come to town, they are a MUST.

If you are in the area, or plan on being in the area….you HAVE to visit La Brioche Patisserie. They are simply THE BEST!

Go ahead, treat yourself!

Food, Indiana

Thai Fusion | Indianapolis, IN

July 15, 2018 Kellye Marie

Thai Fusion | 9250 W 10th St., Indianapolis, IN | Facebook & Twitter: @ThaiFusionIndy

On Friday I found myself behind a food truck on my way to work. 10 minutes to 9:00 am and lunch was already on my mind. HA! Anywho, I looked them up on Facebook and saw they were going to be at Anthem. Since I could not make it over there, I decided to look up the hours and make them part of my weekend plans.

Currently they are open for dinner on Wednesday & Friday from 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. and Saturday from 5:30 p.m. – 9:00 pm. The restaurant is cozy and seats 24. They take your order at the window, you pay and seat yourself and they bring out the food to your table.

I went to the 10th street location for dinner and ordered the Pad Thai with shrimp and 2 Thai spring rolls. The noodles were very flavorful and the spring rolls were crispy and the filling was delicious.

I was able to meet the owner Nelly, she was super sweet. Everyone who came in to pick up their call-in orders knew her by name and spoke to her.

They also operate their food truck during the day at various locations.