Secret Church |
- Turkish Künefe
- Treasuring Christ When Your Hands Are Full, an excerpt
- A Truckload of Topics To Be Covered at Secret Church 14
| Posted: 31 Mar 2014 10:45 PM PDT Over the next couple months, we'll be sharing a wide range of information (including food and culture) about the Secret Church 14 prayer focus, the Peoples of Turkey. Read more at the prayer focus website, HopeForTurkey.com. There’s still time to REGISTER for the Secret Church 14: “The Cross and Everyday Life” simulcast. A perk of traveling often is getting to eat the local food in new places. One of the greatest culinary discoveries we made in Turkey was on our first night in Istanbul. Our guide, who we quickly discovered was an expert in the art of eating, took us to his favorite restaurant. It was a vibrant local joint overlooking the shoreline of the Bosphorus Strait. We were served a traditional Turkish meal of Iskender kabob and were completely satisfied. Or so we thought. The real magic happened when a dish came out I had never experienced before. Hot copper plates were set before us with what can only be described as golden brown hairy cheese floating in sugary sweetness. Now before you say, "Gross…hairy cheese", let me explain. Künefe (pronounced coon-a-fay) is a cheese pastry soaked in a sweet simple-syrup. It is typical of the regions belonging to the former Ottoman Empire and something you can find at most restaurants and street corners in Turkey. It is said that the best Künefe can be found in the town of Antakya in Hatay (present day Antioch). This is because the light yellow, unsalted cheese used to make Künefe can only be found in this region of Turkey. It is considered to be one of the most delicious desserts in this area of the world and is often served at the end of a special meal or when women gather for a bit of tea and gossip. Künefe is usually cooked on an open grill in copper plates so the phyllo dough is browned to perfection. It is always served hot with a ladle of simple syrup poured on top and a garnish of crushed pistachios and Kaymak (cream) to complete the dish. These simple ingredients may not sound like they are meant to be together but believe me it is extraordinary and like nothing you've ever tasted before. Künefe was a highlight of our time in Turkey and we ate it at almost every meal. It is definitely not on the Weight Watchers list of approved desserts, but it is one that will give you a unique taste of Turkish cuisine and introduce you to what a typical Turkish woman might serve at a party or to her family after a meal. I loved it so much I may or may not have bought some Künefe dishes in the market so I could bring this recipe back home with me. Watch Künefe being made on the streets of Istanbul in this video and try this Künefe recipe at home. Invite some friends over and pray for the Peoples of Turkey as you enjoy this sweet dish. |
| Treasuring Christ When Your Hands Are Full, an excerpt Posted: 31 Mar 2014 10:01 PM PDT
What is the Goal of Motherhood? Motherhood is a piece of evidence of God's triumphant agenda to give life despite the curse of death. It is a gift that points us to Jesus. As life marches on to the praise of God's glory, we see a riveting display of the grace of our Father, who will fulfill his promise to give his Son an inheritance of nations to the praise of his glory. There's no greater goal than that. There are superfluous ideas circulating in the world that try to explain the goal of motherhood. Many of these ideas have a spiritual bend to them, describing motherhood as an expression of "the human spirit" or a metaphor for "Mother Earth." As Christians we understand that any spiritual guidance for motherhood that attempts to connect a woman to God apart from the substitutionary atoning death of Jesus cannot ultimately succeed. Jesus's claim to be "the way, and the truth, and the life" (John 14:6) has implications for the way we view our role as mothers. The lens of the profound reality of the gospel is where we see motherhood for what it is—a mercy. Praise God for the mercy he has on us when even we turn this gift into a vehicle for our self-fulfillment. With Adam and Eve's sin in the garden, all their progeny along with them were justly indicted and condemned to death. Despite their grievous sin, God not only allowed life but facilitated it and sustains it still today. The mercy shown to us at the cross of Jesus Christ is the pinnacle of God's lavish grace. Herman Bavinck wrote, "Based on that sacrifice [Christ], God can wrench the world and humanity out of the grip of sin, expand his kingdom, gather up all things under Christ as its head, and one day be all in all. No one, not even Satan, can say a word against this."[1] Even while we steal God's glory and insist that motherhood exists to serve our egos and our reputations, God gives us more mercy still. Even while we wring our hands anxiously over God's timing for our family, God graciously continues to fulfill his eternal purposes in creating each and every member of our family. Relieved of our self-oriented passions, we can rejoice in the reconciliation we receive through Jesus, embrace God's purposes in our motherhood, and smile at the future as we look forward to the future grace that is ours in Christ Jesus. God designed motherhood to highlight his great mercy and point us to who we (and our children) were made for: the eternally satisfying risen Christ (John 17:24). The joys of today's motherhood are true joys, but they are like shadowy reflections in a mirror. At the end of every day—chaotic and mundane alike—motherhood is about the adoration and enjoyment of our great God. The seraphim in heaven continually cry out, "And one called to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!" (Isa. 6:3). We rejoice in motherhood today, as it is meant to direct us to worship God in everything we do as a preamble to the worship we'll enjoy in heaven forever. Even while we go about the exhausting work of motherhood that oftentimes feels so futile, we can be about what we're going to be about forever. In Revelation 5 John sees a vision of the risen Christ, glorified and reigning. In verse 13 John tells us how everyone responds to Jesus: "And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, 'To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!'" Forever in eternity we will be praising the Lord, and even now we can praise him as we know Jesus Christ and him crucified for us. The next time something blasé happens, like the laundry filling up (again), or discovering what's left of (another) tissue box your toddler has curiously disemboweled, let your groaning turn into hallelujahs: "Praise the Lord, all nations! Extol him, all peoples. For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord!" (Ps. 117:1-2). Remind yourself of the truths in God's Word and be astonished as the Spirit reminds of you of what your faith-eyes have seen. I like how Richard Sibbes described faith: "[Faith] is the noblest sight of all. And it is as quick as sight; for faith is that eagle in the cloud. It breaks through all and sees in a moment Christ in heaven; it looks backward and sees Christ upon the cross; it looks forward and sees Christ to come in glory. Faith is so quick a grace that it presents things past, things above and things to come—all in a moment, so quick is this eagle-eye of faith."[2] Allow motherhood to incline your heart to worship, and bless the Lord who fills your hands with blessings. "I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable" (Ps. 145:1-3). Praising our great and merciful God is a mother's anthem—the song she'll be singing forever and ever. |
| A Truckload of Topics To Be Covered at Secret Church 14 Posted: 31 Mar 2014 10:01 PM PDT You may be wondering what topics will be covered during this year’s Secret Church. After all, the topic, “The Cross and Everyday Life,” leaves the door open for a number of things to be covered. Here’s a list of things (though not everything) that Pastor David will address on Good Friday, April 18th:
I trust you’ll find something in that list that applies to you. Go here to register or to get more information about Secret Church 14, “The Cross and Everyday Life.” |
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