Bible Study // 1 Peter 5

1 Peter 5: 6-9, 12 (NLT)

6 So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor.

 7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.

8 Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. 

9 Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are.

12 I have written and sent this short letter to you with the help of Silas, whom I commend to you as a faithful brother. My purpose in writing is to encourage you and assure you that what you are experiencing is truly part of God’s grace for you. Stand firm in this grace.

I have been meditating on this chapter for a while, and I just love the encouragement Peter gives. It's encouragement that we all need in our daily walk with the Lord. 
I especially love verse 9, when he talks about how you are not alone in your sufferings, because sometimes I get down and feel as if I am alone in the Christian fight, and I need to be reminded that there are other people out there that are fighting the good fight. 

I really hope you delve into this chapter for yourself, and take the Lord at His word, by humbling yourself before him, giving Him all your worries, staying alert for the enemy, and standing firm in your faith.
But don't give up if you mess up, because the Lord is a good and forgiving God, you will love you unconditionally. 

-Cassidy

2 Minute Iced Latte

Iced coffee is one of my favorite things to make when I'm in need of an afternoon pick-me-up.

This is probably the simplest recipe in the history of recipes, but I thought I'd share it with you nonetheless. 

Here's what you'll need:

-Ice

-Your leftover morning coffee (or you can brew it fresh, and wait for it to cool)

-Simple syrup* with flavoring of your choice (I used vanilla)

-Milk or half and half

*Simple syrup is super easy to make, it's just equal parts sugar, water, and your choice of flavoring heated up so that the sugar dissolves. Some of my favorite flavorings are almond extract, vanilla, and peppermint.

Grab your glass and fill it half-way with ice.

Pour in your coffee, filling the glass about 3/4 of the way

Add in a few tablespoons of your syrup- if you like your coffee lightly sweetened, add around 2 Tbs, if you like it a bit sweeter, add closer to 4 Tbs.

Top off with your milk or half and half.

And there's your beautiful latte! (Be sure to snap some lovely pictures of the coffee + milk mixing, so you can wow your friends on Instagram) 

I hope your Thursday is lovely!

-Cassidy

DIY Geometric Camera Strap

Today I'm going to share a super easy diy camera strap that I created. I was needing a new strap because my last one I had created was falling apart. So, I grabbed some scrap fabric and got to work! 

This project only takes about 30 minutes and requires very basic sewing skills (which is good, because that's all I have to offer!) 

Simple Granola

For me, there's not a whole lot better than fresh granola on some Greek yogurt in the monring. I've been attempting granola for a couple months now, and I have successfully burned about four batches (I blame the oven). But I attempted a recipe of my own creation today, based off of this recipe from Alton Brown.  I didn't have any nuts in the the house and I'm not crazy about dried fruit, so I kept the granola super simple. If I can do this recipe, I know you can too.

Ingredients:

3 Cups Old Fashioned Oats

3/4 Cup Dried Coconut (Sweet or unsweetened will work)

2 Tbs Brown Sugar

1/2 Cup Honey

1/4 Coconut Oil (Vegetable oil will work too)

Pinch of salt

Sprinkle of cinnamon 

Mix oats, coconut, salt, cinnamon, and brown sugar in a bowl. 

Then mix the oil and honey in a separate bowl. I recommend melting the honey a bit in the microwave, so it's easier to mix. 

Mix your dry ingredients into the wet and stir well, so that all the oats are coated.

Pat the mixture onto a baking sheet so it is a thin layer. 

Stick into a 250 degree oven.

All together it will need to bake for about 1 hour, but you will need to stir it every 15 minutes, or it will burn. I have to set a timer to remind myself.

After about an hour, when it looks golden brown, take it out of the oven to cool. 

*It won't feel crispy yet, so don't fear- it crisps up as it is cools.

Tada! You've just made granola! It is perfect to pair with some milk or yogurt and berries. And if you burned it, keep trying, practice makes perfect! I hope your day is full of blessings!

-Cassidy

Cozy Monday

 I didn't have any school to do on this holiday monday, so today I am staying warm in my house with a fire and cup of tea. Though it was a warmer January day, I wasn't feeling up to braving the cold outdoors, so I opted for snapping a few pictures in my bedroom, despite the poor lighting. I do have to go to a meeting tonight, so I attempted to look at least a little bit presentable, while still extremely cozy. 

 Starbucks T-shirt // Dad's closet 

Cardigan// Forever 21

Pleather Leggings // T.J. Maxx

Shoes // T.J. Maxx

Ear Cuff // Icing

 I plan to spend the rest of my day with a blanket and mug of tea binge watching some Netflix like any good teenager on a holiday monday. I hope your day is full of blessings!

-Cassidy