a friend loves at all times

we are weirdos

So, I called kayla, the other bff, because I needed a listening ear and a good word of wisdom.

Not only did she let me just rant and rave without fear of judgment, but she responded with,

"Can I read you the prayer I prayed for you this morning?"

i

am

so

humbled

by

her

love.

What a friend that I can just call, on some random day of the week, and who will be ready and waiting with a prayer she prayed in in the quiet places with her Almighty, without my knowing.

Thank you, Jesus for friends like Kayla. Thank you for the woman that she is who sows in the secret and who will reap joy and life.

anNIE cake

I have been missing Friend terribly lately. I just need her. I need her advice. I need her ridiculous humor. I need her to tell it to me straight. Ugh. SO. I did the thing that makes me feel closest to her in the world: I baked.

And as i baked, i documented, that she may be a part of the process both in my heart and (now) in my blog. :)

hello baker's squares. how i love thee.

the cake itself was ridiculous. i mean. ri.dic.culous. so rich. and yet there is still the chocolate mousse and the dark chocolate cream ganache to go. yikes.

So here comes the hard part: The mousse.

85% chaoco chips. melted into the marscapone. check.

HERE IS MY PROBLEM: The recipe for the ganache called for "heavy cream." Ok, check. But the recipe for the mousse called for "whipping cream." SO WHAT THE H IS THE DIFFERENCE?? Annniiieee this is where i needed to mindlessly deliberate over weird/unimportant decisions: Is Cool Whip the mystery "whipping cream" only so named because of fear of copyright laws?? Or is there a lurking whipping cream some where out there that will provide the perfect mousse texture??

BAH

I went with the Cool Whip.

DELISH. I could eat that mousse plain.

Any "normal" cake would stop there... But oh no. Not a cake for annie. Here comes the cream ganache icing.

I have to say, it was well worth it.

well.

worth.

it.

why He whispers

It's probably been a year since I first started striving.

Ha.

No really. All this time I've been striving to hear His voice about what my next steps are, striving to find my purpose, striving to make a living doing something that doesn't make my soul shrivel up like a dried up raisin (thank you, Jordan).

I can't say I've been especially patient.

Er.

I can't say I have been patient.

But I was in the kitchen the other day, and felt I heard the Lord's voice gently reminding me where I was headed.

"There you are, Lord, where have you been?" I asked, instantly tearful. My heart has been so heavy with striving after His voice and His will. But it was as if I suddenly realized He had been speaking in a quiet whisper to me all along. "But why did you have to whisper?" I begged, hurt and impatient.

"Because I knew you would never listen to a Father who yells," was His only reply

lyrics

hope which was lost

now

stands

renewed

(ps...uh...does the face in the background of the "praying the names of jesus" book (see below) look vaguely familiar to anyone else? Uh, SAYID!?? Seriously. I spy him)