My husband, Demario Davis, and I use his platform in the NFL as our ministry.
How is that?
First, you must understand that a lot of times when we think of missionaries, we automatically think of people who are going to the poorest of places to share the Gospel. But that’s not the only way God moves.
God has elevated us for a mission that is not normal in the eyes of most. He has said to us, “Not only do poor people need Jesus but also people who think they have everything — but yet they have nothing because they don’t wholeheartedly have Me!”
It’s true. There is missionary work to be done on different levels, in different places. It doesn’t all look like work in the slums of cities. Spreading the Gospel is about using the platform given to you, wherever that might be.
Our platform allows us to reach and encounter both individuals and entire communities that we typically wouldn’t have been exposed to. It has elevated our voice, giving us a place to be heard by people who wouldn’t normally listen to us share God’s truth. As people often fix their eyes on us, we boldly (in love), attempt to shift their eyes to Christ!
So, here, amongst wealthy athletes and high-profile entertainers, I walk alongside my husband in ministry.
I encourage you to use your platform to do the same.
Sweet potato casserole… When my family hears the name, their eyes light up!
Our first introduction to an amazing sweet potato casserole was a dinner we had at Ruth Chris Steakhouse. It was phenomenal, so I searched high and low for recipes that would give our hearts that same satisfaction that I could make in-house! I didn’t find one I loved right off, but then I got the idea to take my Godmother’s sweet potato pie recipe and tweak it with a few I found online, creating the perfect in-home dish recipe. It certainly took a few attempts for me to master it, but now, it’s a holiday staple in the Davis household.
I typically make three pans minimum, because our family and friends can’t decide if they’d like to have it with their meal, for dessert or both! Sometimes, I’ll surprise the family with this dish for a Sunday dinner, and boy, do they dig in! I’m later bombarded with hugs, kisses, kind words — and sugar-high, stinky-fingered kids running in circles!
My grandmother used to say certain dishes taste better when they are made with love! So, I can certainly tell a difference when I make my dishes with minimum distractions, lots of love, and a quick prayer over those who’ll consume it. I hope your family enjoys this dish just as much as mine does, and I’m sending some of that love your way to make it extra special.
Ingredients
Crust:
Brown sugar
⅓ flour
1 cup chopped pecans
⅓ cup Earth Balance butter (melted)
Sweet Potato mixture:
3 cups cooked, mashed sweet potatoes
1 cup and ⅓ cup of sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
½ cup Earth Balance butter (melted)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Rub butter on the sides and bottom of the pan.
For the crust: combine brown sugar, flour, nuts, and butter in a mixing bowl. Chill in the fridge until ready to use. This helps the crumble maintain its form and not melt into the sweet potatoes.
I boil my potatoes with the skin on and add a dash of salt and olive oil. This makes it easy for the potato to slide right out of its skin. Combine sweet potatoes sugar, salt, vanilla, eggs, and butter in a large mixing bowl in the order listed. Beat thoroughly with a hand mixer for about 3-4 minutes to increase the fluffiness of the sweet potato mixture.
Pour mixture into the baking dish and bake for 25 minutes.
Sprinkle the surface of the sweet potato mixture evenly with the crust mixture and return to the oven for 10-20 minutes or until the crumble has browned. Let it sit for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Facebook memory pop-ups! You gotta love ‘em! There was a lengthy post I wrote back in December 2015 that popped up just the other day. I found it amazing that I mentioned The F Word blog website coming in the new year of 2016. Well, it’s been a long time coming! God gave me this vision so long ago, and today, I am thrilled to see it all come together in perfect timing.
Here’s the New Year’s flashback:
Facebook Journal Entry Dec. 2015 —
Anyone who knows me knows that I’m a perfectionist with a mild case of OCD, who adores family and domestic tasks. My husband often ask why do I insist that our house looks as if we don’t live in it. Umm, I have no idea! Everything has a place, maybe. When our family visits they often walk on eggshells attempting to meet my expectations for the cleanliness of our home.
My friends often wonder what my position as a “Domestic Engineer” entails. Let’s just say, I don’t sit down all day unless I’m nursing our infant or using the potty, and in my mind, I wear a cape! Each morning, I rise with a mission, and keeping the kids happy and the house clean are BIG – although I sometimes fail (not so good for perfectionist).
This morning, I started my day in our War Room, and I had what I thought was a clear vision of how I would execute our day. I got our daughter dressed. As I began the process for our son, my daughter began to create this mess with her things. As I turned around to stop her, my son begins to shoot urine onto the ceiling and floor. LOL… What should I do? I wanted to panic, but I decided to proceed with him and let her be! She’s trying to find a headband for her outfit, I told myself. I started to clean up this mess, but something told me to stop. I decided to laugh, sit my son down and embrace the moment!
While snapping this photo [pictured below] for the grandparents, I realized I needed to hurry to get them breakfast before leaving for an appointment.
Let’s just say another huge mess was created in the kitchen. Usually, I’d panic and rush to clean up the mess, but there was a voice inside me that said “not today”. I smiled and rapidly packed up the kids to get out the door. With a baby bag and purse on my shoulder, a 29lb baby and car seat in my hand, and a 25lb toddler on my hip, I rushed to the car.
Then, I realized I didn’t have on my shoes. LOL! I ran back into the house with my entire body being weighed down to grab my shoes and looked around at the messes that had been made. Wow! I could hear the voices of my family and friends saying, “…and you want 6 kids?” I kissed my little lambs and literally laughed out loud, thinking, “Yep, 2 and 4 to go!” This is something minor I usually make major.
Once we returned, our toddler decided to give her brother and herself a yogurt bath. I found humor in this too!
What would have normally turned into a day of stress with a “Martha” spirit, turned into a day full of answered prayers, joy, chaos, laughter, and quality time with the ones I love so deeply! If someone walked in right now, they’d think I’m cracking up, and ask if I’m ok. But today is the 1st day I honestly would rather have a messy house full of kids, love, quality time, and laughter, instead of a super clean one with no one to share it with!
Often, we waste energy on things that are irrelevant or try to figure out what’s next in life. Instead, we should embrace each season we’re in and learn to have a “Mary heart” in a “Martha world”!
Now, off to love on these little lambs, the mess can wait!
I absolutely love Christmas. Yearly I find excitement in the traditions, decorations, shopping,& movies. Since I was able to get ahead on planning this year, I’ve been spending every moment of my free time indulging in Hallmark Christmas movies.
Yesterday as I sat and anticipated the ending of my 5th movie it dawned on me that most of the movies had a similar storyline. Finding true love that you can’t live without during the holiday season. It became evident that more Christmas movies displayed finding true love in man and not the true love of Christ.
Glancing around my home I was reminded that Christmas is more than decorating, food, shopping, finding true love . Although I’m grateful for them all my heart was filled in remembering that Christmas is about the birth of our savior, reckless love of God, and the gift of eternal life. We should find pure joy in that this holiday season!
As we enjoy our holiday season let’s remind people of the greatest love story that’s ever been written, the Bible, the greatest gift that’s ever been given, Jesus! And the one relationship we can’t live without, Christ!
We love because he first loved us.– 1 John 1:19
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. – John 3:16
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. – Romans 5:8
If I’m completely honest, being a wife and mom is HARD, and homeschooling… well, that’s even harder!
I’ve actually questioned myself every single day…
… Am I a good mom?
… What am I doing?
… Am I enough?
… Am I doing them a disservice?
… Do I yell or use my spoon too often?
… Will I regret it all later? … Is God pleased?
The sign reads “First Day”… but it’s actually our 5th week. The date is printed wrong, and we’ve had a rocky start. My initial vision for this was everyone being dressed similar, nicer hair cut/styles, and a different background.
Why?
Because I wanted them to be “picture perfect“ for my 6-year-old scrapbook collection that’s still inside a box. If they didn’t take the photos today, I risked my superhero shattering the frames or never getting around to them being picture perfect.
Today, however, God knew I actually needed encouragement…
I absolutely love how God works. The children’s tutor took the photos for me while I was at a Bible Study. I didn’t instruct her on where to take them; however, I love that she chose a spot next to the scriptures I placed on my front porch to encourage our visitors. Since I’m usually in a hurry, I often overlook them, but today, God knew I actually needed the encouragement myself…
I am with you ALWAYS (Matthew 28:20).
As I sip on my 8th espresso shot of the day, I rest on this scripture.
I am reminded that regardless of if I’m having an awesome day or a crappy day — feeling confident or defeated, the kids are behaving like nutcases — The Lord is with me, and His GRACE is sufficient for me.
Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me ( 2 Corinthians 12:9).
Enjoy a space to connect, be empowered and educated to seek Jesus wholeheartedly, identify blind spots, seek growth, learn to love, forgive, laugh, cook amazing food, and understand that living the in the spotlight is not always roses & candy.
