A very tall cake.

 A very tall cake

by Yvette van Niekerk

My customer asked me to bake them a very tall cake, it should have six layers, and they wanted it with a pink chocolate drip, with gold numbering and sweets to top it off.

I had to bake, three layers of vanilla cake, and three layers of chocolate cake. To my surprise, I used 1.5 kg of white butter and 3 kg of icing sugar.

I now understand that this cake does not want to be rushed. It needs to stand and then you can proceed to ice the cake. The challenge I faced with the icing was it kept on making little wholes in the surface of the cake. I still am not sure how I can rectify this but I think with practice I might be able to make the cake super slick.

So here is the end product. Do you you have any suggestions as to how I may improve on my skills?

Thank you

Living for God!

by Yvette van Niekerk 

July 10

Living for God!

1 Peter 4: 1 (NIV)

1 "Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin."

  This morning you feel ready to face the world, as you get the family prepared for Church you have expectancy, you are waiting for something exciting to happen. You know in your heart of heart we serve a Living God. There is no doubt in your mind today is going to be an awesome day. Walking into the Church, you see old friends, and you sit down and say humbly thank you, Lord, for another serve.

You listen to the Pastor, and his words are the same you read this morning "arm yourselves also with the same attitude because he who has suffered in his body; is done with sin." You don't know what the outcome will be during the next couple of months; the only real thing you do know is the Lord Jesus.

As you sit, listening to the message, you feel revived and refreshed. Nothing in the world can change your point of view. God has a plan, and He lives.

Prayer

Lord, I know You have something great in store for me, I await your guidance and take heart in knowing You are a living God, and I can trust in You. In the beautiful name of Jesus. Amen.

 

Our God is patient.

 by Yvette van Niekerk

July 9

Our God is patient.

2 Peter 3:9 (NIV)

9 "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."

  Praying for your loved ones is essential, and we do that daily. You read this scripture "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness." As you sit staring at the scripture, you pray, softly "O Lord, O Lord, please come to my rescue." meditating on the Words, you start to realize nothing has happened just yet they are still in the process of "downsizing."

You take out your journal. You are writing down your thoughts and prayers concerning the situation at the office. You seem to feel a little relieved, and you aren't lost. If God moves you from there, He will certainly open a new door.

Prayer

I praise You, Lord God. I get it your word reminds me: "He is patient with me," Thank You, Lord, "not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." I repent of my sins, Lord and take hold of Your Word. I plead the blood of Jesus Christ over my life and my position, Your will be done. Amen!

Are you #carefree?

 by Yvette van Niekerk

https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/freedom-relaxation-travel-outdoor-enjoying-nature_1211688.htm#page=1&query=carefree&position=28

July 8

Are you carefree?

1 Peter 5: 7 (NIV)

7 “Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you.” Rumour has it the company is going to “downsize” a little; they want to get rid of some “deadwood.” As you walk to your desk and switch on your computer, you see an email from Human Resources. Appoint has been forwarded to you to come and see them.

  You feel your heart skip a beat, the first thing jumping into your mind is “I can’t afford to lose my job.” The meeting was to see if there are any other possible positions you can occupy as your area has become “redundant.” 

Feeling sick to the core, you leave the office and get home, your family so happy to see you. They have no idea what your “anxieties” are. You pretend to be happy and cheerful, but you feel so frightened and worried. Instead of sitting down and praying about your situation, you sit and worry about it, and you are starting to make plans because how will you provide for your family? How? The Lord invites us to take every care of Him.

Prayer

O Lord, we thank you for yet another opportunity in coming to You in humble prayer. You know the lives we lead and understand our desperate fate. As we cast our anxieties onto You today, please help us in the Holy Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

 by Yvette van Niekerk

July 7

Are you passionate?

Isaiah 50: 7 (AMP)

7 "For the Lord God helps Me; therefore, have I not been ashamed or confounded. Therefore have I set My face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame."

  Do you have a passion for something in your own life? That one thing that you want perfect, you know a cake you are baking, and the royal icing has to be just perfect. My passion right now is to write my daily devotion, and it is my dream to see my book published.

I write as often as possible, and I pray the Lord will give me the wisdom and insight I need to speak openly and honest to you. In the position, I work right now, and I pray every day that my work will be useful, if not excellent. I continuously say thank you, Lord, for the help I receive when I need to find a file – which had stored. The stress of not finding a file on request turns my stomach, and I want to die. Then the Lord opens my eyes, and I find the information I need.

Prayer

Lord, we thank You for hearing our prayers and for helping us in what we do, I have never been ashamed or confounded. Lord, I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame. In Jesus Name, Amen!

 

I cannot do it alone.

 by Yvette van Niekerk

July 6

I cannot do it alone.

Numbers 11: 14 (AMP)

14 "I am not able to carry all these people alone because the burden is too heavy for me. "

  No man is an island." We cannot always go it alone, and there are times in our lives that we need people to help us. As I grow older, I have come to a point in my life where I believe I need help. In the "old days," I would be able to do so many things all at once.

These days I cannot do as much as I used to. When it comes to business, I think the same principle will apply. To make a success of your business, you would have to have people joining you and working alongside you. My friend owns her clinic, and I know without a doubt that she would not be able to run a successful business if it was for her family and friends helping her. The way forward is always better when you have God as your partner, and you have friends and family helping you too.

Prayer

Lord God, You knows we are planning to open our own company. Please, will You give us the necessary wisdom, insight, and understanding to act accordingly and invite the right people to join in our business? Helping us to get established and to draw the market we need to make it a great success. Strengthen us and help us in Jesus name, Amen!

 

 by Yvette van Niekerk

July 5

Which way, Lord?

Psalm 25: 4 (AMP)

4 "Show me Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths."

  Living the gospel, of course, isn't merely a matter of the intellect. It's difficult for the secular person to understand how we connect with an invisible God. Or even asking God for guidance, it seems illogical. For an intelligent person who thinks for themselves, it wouldn't make sense at all. The Holy Spirit makes it possible for Christians to believe that He is guiding them. It's that I know, that I know, that I know, sort of feeling. For example, you are driving to another town, and you aren't familiar with the place. I believe you probably would type the address into the maps on your cellular phone and let the GPS guide you.

It's the same when you ask the Lord, and you will get on your knees and pray about a situation and ask for directions. I believe God sees all because He is above all. Jeremiah 33, verses 3 confirms "Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know."

Prayer

Father God, according to Your Word, "the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom and his tongue talks of justice. The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide." Thank You, Lord, in Jesus name, Amen.

 

Birth of a Nation

by Yvette van Niekerk 

July 4

Birth of a Nation.

Genesis 25:23 (KJV)

23 "And the Lord said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manners of people shall be severed from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people, and the elder shall serve the younger."

  In the year 1776, the United States of America declared itself as a New Nation. Today as you celebrate the fact that you are free, that you have the freedom to religion, that you can go and do as you please, remember to thank the Lord God. All people in the world are always watching to see what the USA is going to do, today be healthy, be in charge and be blessed. 

Thank the Lord God, for the liberty of freedom. You have the privilege to experience all the good things in your lives.

Food for thought, First Peter 5 verse 8 says, "Be well balanced, be vigilant and cautious at all times."

Prayer

Gratefully, Father God, we humble ourselves before You, asking that You Lord will show us our actions of bad seeds so that we may correct them in time. The consequence of our selfish ways dealt with in Jesus Name. Amen!

 

Prejudice

by Yvette van Niekerk 

July 3 

Prejudice.

Acts 10: 34 (AMP)

34 "And Peter opened his mouth and said: Most certainly and thoroughly, I now perceive and understand that God shows no partiality and is no respecter of persons."

  Thinking about what Peter said, I want to put it to you this way. The word prejudice means that there is no "preconceived opinion that isn't on reason or experience." You and I are individuals, and God is not a respecter of persons, He knows us and doesn't act prejudicially. The Lord Jesus was a man, and He didn't have a set of friends for dining together or chatting to a specific group of people. No, the Lord Jesus was friends with everyone, the rich and the poor, the Israelites and Gentiles.

He is accused of dining with sinners as far as the Pharisees were concerned. The Lord Jesus considered us as people. There comes a time in our lives that we should stop viewing people through a different kind of "looking glass." This "looking glass" called prejudice should stop, and we should remember that God wasn't a respecter of persons, and we should act in the same way.

Prayer

Father God, according to Your Word, says that whatever things I ask when I pray, believe that I receive them. Please help me to stop being prejudiced. In Jesus Christ Name. Amen.

Prayer for true Love

 

by Yvette van Niekerk

July 2

Prayer for True Love.

Ephesians 3:19-21 (AMP)

19 "[That you may come] to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]! 20Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]— 21To Him be glory in the church and Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen (so be it)."

Prayer

Prayer for understanding, the love of Christ which will surpass our knowledge, that we may be with the fullness of God. That is our ultimate aim in this world, and to receive this wisdom is what we desire. As Christians, we know that the Holy Spirit within us will bring us into the Presence of the Father. Holy Spirit helps us to come to the knowledge that through Jesus, we can have a purpose and do superabundantly, far over and above all that we ask or think. We bring You the glory in the church and Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen

#thursday #teapot

by Yvette van Niekerk

 

#thursday #teapot

I feel so grateful today, I am, enjoying my tea in this beautiful little Kitty Teapot with the pink cup. My husband bought this for me, and I love the little kittens.

My tea tastes so much better in this little pot with a matching cup. Is there something you feel especially; grateful for today?  I am grateful for the spoiling in my life, thank you, my darling husband.

We live each day to the fullest and forget about all our treasures, constantly buying new things, not appreciating what we already have.