Gathering with God at the Coffee Table

Sometimes the only one you need to gather around the table with is God.
Sometimes the only thing you need to nosh on is His Word.

Friday morning I did just that, I gathered at my coffee table before Him, as I have been trying to do my best of doing every morning, and I read my devotional and prayed. I had come to the table weary and desperate to hear from God. In the past, I have usually not had any problems hearing from God, but lately it was feeling like he had abandoned me in a sense. Why was I not hearing from Him? I was really in need of his guidance and direction. My devotional had been about Sanctification (becoming Holy and set apart by giving one's life completely over  to God). I stopped to ponder and think about whether or not I have truly given my life completely over to God. I had to humbly admit to myself that I don't think I have. I still want to own parts of my life. I like to be in control; but I'm realizing time and time again, that when I let God have the reigns, He does a lot better of a job then I do. So right then I prayed and I told God that I wanted to grow closer with him, have a deeper relationship. I wanted to give Him every area of my life. I asked that He would sanctify me and I asked that he would show me where in my character I could grow.

I closed my eyes and I told God I was ready for whatever he was ready to tell me; I was listening. Right then, for the first time in a while, I heard His voice so clearly, saying "1st Thessalonians" and "patience." I haven't read that book in a long time so I had know idea what was in store for me, but as I read I felt the spirit convict me and show me the areas of life I have to let go and give over to God, and then I came to 1st Thessalonians 5:14 : "We urge you, brothers [and sisters], admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all." This stood out to me because I know I lose patience with all of them too easily. Then verses 23-24 stood out to me as well: "Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it."

God spoke directly to what I prayed about and I just sat there in awe of Him and tears of joy filled my eyes. I am not saying right then and there I was so great at being patient because God had spoken to me so clearly. In fact, that day I lost my patiece 3 times, and I could hear God's still, small voice whispering in my ear each time "patience." What I am saying, is that God speaks! We invite so many voices to our table, but His is the one we forget! Maybe, if we are honest with ourselves,  there are times we intentionally leave Him off the guest list because we feel like we know how to do this life better on our own, or that He will have convicting words we NEED to hear but don't want to. But maybe you have been inviting Him to your table and into your whole life, and you haven't heard from Him yet. I want to encourage you to keep listening because His timing is perfect. He will speak at just the right time. "patience" : )

Invite God to gather with you at your table; He'll bring you something to nosh on through His word  

All things New!

It's a New Year! I have been looking forward to 2014 starting because I know it is going to be a big year, I mean how could it not be.... I'M GETTING MARRIED! As exciting as that is, I woke up yesterday with the feeling that this is going to be a big year in so many ways besides just that one great reason. I looked out the window to see a refreshing, breathtaking amount of snow and it was a reminder that all things become new! This year is a clean slate. It can be anything I want it to be and so right then and there I decided that this year:



• I am going to grow closer with God.  I want to wake up every morning ready to seek after His will for my day and for my life more than I ever have before; taking the time to dig in the word and listen for His direction. After all, He makes me new everyday!
• I am going to date my Fiance more.  People talk about the need to date their husband and I completely agree with that logic, however, I find that during this season of planning our wedding, most of our conversations are centered around just that or any of our other many responsibilities. We need a no-responsibility conversation zone, and that is what I intend to bring into this new year, so we can carry it into our marriage.
• I am going to read more.  I love to read and I don't make time for it, but I need to because it fills me up.
• I am going to take care of myself more.  Drink more water. Do more yoga. Take vitamins. Run. Let go of unrealistic expectations.
• I am going to take more pictures. Too many moments of my life have gone undocumented and it stops now, especially since my mom gave me an amazing camera for Christmas!
• Lastly, I am going to nurture this business of mine : )  I look forward to being a part of the moments people decide to open up their homes and gather: for prayer and worship nights, holiday parties, birthday celebrations, football games, or for no reason at all; nourishing themselves both pysically and in spirit.

Now I know that this wasn't a sacred table moment, a recipe, or an event post, but I posted this for two reasons:

1. I want to remind people that this year is a new, clean slate. Better yet, every day can be! What are you determined to have change or be made new? (food for thought)
2. And also, as this new year starts, I would love to hear from you my readers! What would you like to see more of? Recipes? (Haven't posted any yet but intend on making that happen) More Sacred Table Moments? Wishlists? Let me know!

I hope you all had a great New Year's Celebration and I hope that this year you fearlessly grab hold of this clean slate and make the most of it!

Gather & Nosh's first catering gig & many thanks!

Hello there! I hope your Holidays went well and you enjoyed time with your friends and family! I know it's been awhile since I last posted, but you all know how this time of year goes : )  I have exciting things to share though, so I won't waste another moment, and I will just get to it!

Two weeks ago, I had my first catering gig at a Prayer & Worship Night hosted by a few of my friends from church. The Prayer & Worship nights are held once a month in someone's home. Someone guides the time with a specific message, there is worship, and a time for prayer, and there is just great fellowship! It was such a good time and I feel so honored and blessed to have been given the opportunity! Here are some photos of the event taken by my lovely friend and maid of honor, Pearl:

^This isn't the full spread but just gives you a little

                                           view of the tablescape!

 

^ It was so great getting to meet some new people and talk

   to old friends about my food and this new and exciting

                                       endeavor with Gather & Nosh : ) I got such great feedback!

^ Here are some dessert tacos! Yum!

^ I absolutely love this tray holding the peppermint

fudge! Thank you mom for letting me borrow it!

^ Here's a closer look at that delicious peppermint fudge :)

^ These are mini pecan sticky buns.... and they are

absolutely to die for! I think I gained 2 pounds this

                                            holiday season from these alone!

^ Here is a look at why we gather: the fellowship of

knowing we are not alone in our spiritual walk 

                                              through praying for one another...

^ and worshipping the God we love!

 

^ Here's a picture of my mom, McCallister (my fiance)

and me! I want to say a big thank you to you guys for

helping me set up everything, and calming my nerves!

 

^ This is my business card, designed by one of my other

lovely friends and bridesmaid, Brenda and her beau Luke!

Thanks so much guys! It's beautiful! I couldn't have asked

                                      for anything more :)

So, many thanks...

Thank you to Tony for letting me provide my services to the Prayer & Worship Night and for leading worship so beautifully! Thank you to Alissa for leading our time together! Thank you to Ashlee and Delwin for opening up your home for all of us! Thank you to my mom and fiance for helping set up everything! Thank you to Pearl for taking these lovely photos! Thank you to Brenda and Luke for designing my business card and doing so during finals week! Most importantly, thank you God for this lovely opportunity and for this season and for who you are!

Hope your new year starts off bright and that it brings more moments with the ones you love!

Gather & Nosh's Holiday Wish List: Gifts for the One who makes the Kitchen their Home

Yesterday was cookbooks, today i'm sharing a few of the things on my Christmas List this year that I am drooling over:

                

 

  


Here is where you can find these lovely gems:

1 & 2. Both the polar bear measuring cups and the recipe cards are from Anthropologie. 3 & 4. Both the apron and the kitchen towel are from Nourishing Notes. 5. I have an obsession with all things red for the kitchen, and I also love all the attatchments for Kitchen Aid Mixers. 6. These Le Creuset Mini Cocottes feed into my red in the kitchen addiction, and also can be a great way to serve mini-sized meals, which are my absolute favorite for gatherings! 7 & 8. This wine tasting game and Not your mama's dinner party table topics from Nordstrom's Holiday Gift Section sounds like a sure way for loads of fun to me! 9. This DIY cheese making set is just one of the many awesome DIY kits William Sonoma has to offer (to be honest I really want them all!). 10. Lindsay Letters, a phenomenal calligrapher, made this great Canvas, inspired by the words of Shauna Niequist, which would make a great centerpiece for your dining room (this duo also has a great mug and print with a great reminder/ mantra: present over perfect!; heck, their whole collaboration is pretty great!).

Enjoy! Merry Christmas!

Gather & Nosh's Holiday Wish List: Cookbooks Edition!

Today marks the start of the 12 days of Christmas! I figured a great way to kick it off would be to share with all of you the my top 5 cookbooks, anyone who loves to gather around the table as much as I do should have!

                     

                                         

From top left to bottom right: 1. Smitten Kitchen: the pictures are so beautiful, and Deb Perelman's blog is one of my favorites for recipes. 2. Bread & Wine: Shauna Niequist has always been one of my favorite authors, but when she came out with this book I felt like it spoke to my heart like never before! The recipes are more of a supporting character to her stories that make you feel like you are sitting at her table. 3. Small Gatherings: I LOVE the seasonal eating aspect of this book! 4. Cichetti: Italian food is my absolute favorite and I love the bite sized portioned recipes and meals to share in this cookbook (it's kind of what I'm all about : ) ) 5. The Kinfolk Table: I have always loved the aesthetic of Kinfolk Magazine! I was so excited when they came out with a cookbook. The recipes are not intimidating and come from several different kitchens; the pictures feel so warm, inviting, and personal.

I hope you enjoy my suggestions and that you will think of someone Santa could make very happy with one of these! 

Merry Christmas!

"I'm not where I thought I'd be"

Saturday night, I had dinner with my very best friend, maid of honor, and fellow recent grad, Pearl. We caught up on how each of our relationships was going, she asked me about wedding plans, I told her about booking my first catering gig (it's this monday; can't wait to share more about it with you guys next week!),  then somehow we started on the subject of expectations and dreams we had/ have for ourselves. In essence, we talked about how things have changed since graduation (a short, yet long 6 months ago).

When we graduated, we saw the world as our oyster (a somewhat naive thought, we realize now, considering our current economy and job market)! Why wouldn't our ideal careers be ready to swoop in and hire two ambitious young women such as ourselves? Well... suffice it to say, the ideal positions were not given to us. She works in a job she didn't envision for herself and I am working at Chipotle, a restaurant I love, but a job that I could have easily done in high school. When we were in College, and even fresh out, we had such high expectations for what life post college was supposed to be like, and now here we are sitting, reality check in hand, and Pearl looks at me, vulnerably and with humility, and says this,

"I don't want to be like so many people our age who aren't happy with where they're at but act like they're totally fine. I just want to be honest and say: I'm not where I thought I'd be. Maybe then I'll actually take steps to change things and not be here 3 years from now."

 

I felt so free the moment I heard myself say in response, "I'm not where I thought I'd be either."

 

While it's true that this realization can be discouraging, I have also found that God has taken me far better places than I ever dreamed up for myself, even if they look less luxurious. In high school, I thought I would go to a Big 10 school, graduate with a degree in Journalism, move to New York and work for a big fashion magazine. I would have never imagined myself graduating with a degree in youth ministry, getting ready to be married young to the love of my life, and having close friends from California & Michigan that fill my life tremendously (regardless of distance). Also, due to not having a full time job in my field, being able to start this catering business and blog, something that i'm passionate about and brings me so much joy! I had felt that not having a full time position had been putting boundaries in my life, but in reality those boundaries beautifully set me free to be more open to the places God could be leading me; places that he wants me to trust him enough to go!

 

At that table, a sacred moment happened. One filled with vulnerability and humility, encouragement and freedom. So I want to encourage you if you feel the same way: You may not be where you thought you'd be, but maybe it's because you have been too caught up in expectations (your own or the world's) to really stop and see the opportunities that God might present to you when your life plan has derailed and all you have left is to trust him. I understand that for some of you, you may not believe in the God I love and follow; this moment might still apply to you, and maybe your next step is to stop and pursue a goal you left behind thinking it didn't align with the "perfect plan" you had. Whoever you are, I encourage you (and myself) to not look back in regret, but to look forward, one step at a time, to the places we could go if we free ourselves from the boundaries of expectations we so often tangle ourselves in.

 

Two Scripture verses come to mind:

Jeremiah 29:11 - "For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future."

Isaiah 55:9 - "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts."

Here is a song for your listening enjoyment and encouragement : )



Thankful for Learning and Laughing Together

Sharon, a leader from the youth ministry I serve in at my church, invited me and another leader over her house to knit Tuesday night and I jumped at the chance! I have been dying to learn, and the idea of knitting by the fire on a wintery, snowy night brought warmth to my heart. Sounded like a perfect evening to me! The night proved to be even better than I could have imagined though. We went to Jo-Ann Fabrics and picked out our yarn, grabbed panera to take home, and ate by the fire before the knitting began. Alise (the other leader invited) also brought cookies! These weren't just any cookies though, they were S'mores cookies! S'mores are absolutely one of my biggest weaknesses. Anyways, as we sat around the fire, spooning down soup and nibbling on cookies; we shared our lives with each other. I could definitely tell that we were in the midst of one of those sacred moments. Sharon then began teaching us how to knit, which took a while to get the hang of (boy oh boy, I give knitters so much credit). Eventually, I started to see the beginnings of a scarf and that was such a joy! There we were, knitting our scarves, watching Kate & Leopold (whatever happened to Meg Ryan?), and sipping on hot chocolate. Here is a picture of us in action:

After the evening was over, and I was laying my head down to sleep, I found myself incredibly thankful for the time we shared, learning and laughing. I had such a cozy warm feeling inside, and it wasn't just because of the soup and hot chocolate! Thank you Sharon for opening up your home and also your heart. I know how to knit now! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Blessings,

Melissa