Sometimes taking a stand for Christ is scary. But by faith we know God is faithful to fulfill His promises.

“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you;
he will never leave you nor forsake you.
Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
Deuteronomy 31:8 NIV

During the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, many people were paralyzed with fright by its unknowns. Isolation became the norm as a measure to reduce the risk of catching the virus or infecting others. Fear and anxiety dominated social media discussions. God’s Word tells us something different.

“Do not be anxious about anything,
but in every situation, by prayer and petition,
with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
Philippians 4:6 NIV

Despite some trepidation, my husband and I decided to share God’s message of hope with those around us, while complying with all COVID-19 safety precautions. I constructed a rustic cross and painted the words, “Faith over Fear” across its front. My husband secured the cross prominently to the front of our house, clearly visible from the street. The response was unexpected.

Through our front window, I could see cars slow down as they drove by and riders turned their heads toward our cross. Neighbors smiled and waved as they passed by. One lady who hardly spoke to us made a point of complimenting our cross. A man from a nearby neighborhood stopped to commend our boldness in sharing this message of hope. Our grandson saw a young boy placing rocks hand-painted with images of trees and hearts on our sidewalk.

All these things happened because we chose to boldly proclaim our faith in God despite what was happening in the world. The biggest blessing for us is that our grandson witnessed God’s response to faith in action. God can be trusted to be true to His Word. It is a beautiful reminder to let hope in Christ overcome any fears we have on earth.

Sometimes I get tired of trying to figure out new ways to prepare chicken, especially with the added challenge of making it appeal to a child with limited food preferences. This dilemma resulted in the creation of a new recipe that may be the easiest way I know to cook a winning meal in 15 minutes. Get ready to roll!

Boil water to make four servings of pasta noodles, such as penne, farfalle, or rotini, according to directions. I like to sneak in some veggies by tossing a handful or two of broccoli tops into the boiling water during the final five minutes of cooking. Reserve about ½ cup of the cooking water before draining the pasta and broccoli. 

While the pasta is doing its thing, pull out your food processor. Toss in:

• One pound of cubed, raw chicken
• ¾ cup roughly chopped onion (about one medium onion)
• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
• 2-4 cloves (to your preference) garlic, smashed, peel removed 
• One or two large handfuls of fresh, roughly chopped  basil (for extra pizazz, add a sprig of rosemary leaves stripped from the stem)
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• ½ teaspoon pepper

Pulse the blender until everything is mixed together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. This will take about one minute. Shape the mixture into 1-inch meatballs and fry in a pan with a small amount of olive or other oil. 

Add cooked pasta and broccoli to the pot. Add about ½ cup of Parmesan and a small amount of the pasta cooking water to create a bit of a sauce. Stir, adding more water, if needed. Toss in the meatballs and blend.

Divide into bowls and serve. I like to garnish the plates with a sprig or a chiffonade of basil for fun (that’s a fancy way of saying chop a few basil leaves into thin strips and sprinkle them on top of the pasta dish).

Trust me, this is a winner. And, of course, ask God to bless your dinner time together before you dig in.