I would like to wish all of my amazing readers a Merry Christmas 2020 and Happy New Year 2021!!
2020 was definitely a very interesting and strange year with plenty of difficulties and trials, but when I look back on this crazy year I am filled with thankfulness. Thankful for lessons learned, the growth coming out of trials, and so many wonderful little moments and blessings.
I can wholeheartedly say with Lamentations 3:22-23: "The Lord’s loving kindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness."
God is faithful and I rejoice in His goodness, even in the hardest moments! For this reason, I am filled with so much joy as we come to this Christmas season when we especially celebrate our Savior's birth! Even though this year and season look different, Jesus is always the same (Hebrews 13:8: "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.").
My greatest prayer for this platform that I have built is that God would be glorified. How could it not be? How could I not want to glorify the God who has saved my life and whose peace enables my heart to sing for joy, even in the hardest year of my life? My prayer is that everyone reading this could come to know this peace, joy, and salvation that I am so blessed to be a recipient of, not of my own merit, but because of God's amazing grace!
Good News
Coming to know this good news has to start with some bad news. Romans 3:23 says, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." We are all sinners in our natural state. We have sinned against a holy God and deserve death as a punishment. The first part of Romans 6:23 says, "For the wages of sin is death". Death is the just punishment for our sin. But, the verse goes on to share the good news, the gospel (the word gospel literally means "good news"!). It then says, "but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
God sent his Son, Jesus, to earth to live a sinless life and die on the cross the death that we deserved, to pay the penalty for our sin. To satisfy the wrath of God that we deserve. Jesus stood in our place, bearing the penalty for our sin so that we might stand in His place, justified before God. Here you can clearly see that this salvation is not earned by our own works. We are saved by God's abundant grace and mercy. "For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God; it is not from works so that no one can boast." Ephesians 2:8-9. And that is the greatest gift that we can celebrate this season, and throughout the year!
I urge you today, turn from your sins that end in death and believe this good news, and you will be saved!!
A Recap of 2020 for Knead Some Sweets
2020 was a huge year of growth for Knead Some Sweets with over 200% growth in visitors from last year. I have said it before and will say it again, I am SO thankful for each and every one of you!
I am also very happy with the progress made this year in my food photography. I'm very far from being an expert but am looking forward to another year of practicing the skill!
I published a total of 55 recipes this year, which comes out to just over 1 recipe per week. I thought it would be fun to do a round-up of my personal top 15 favourite recipes of 2020. These were my favourites to develop, photograph, and eat! The recipes are listed by date posted, not favouritism!
My Top 15 Favourite Recipes of 2020
- Banana Cream Pie
- Monkey Bread Muffins
- Cookies & Cream Cupcakes
- Homemade White Bread
- Banana Coffee Milkshake
- No-Bake Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake
- Blueberry Brown Butter Scones
- Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Garlic Herb Breadsticks
- Pumpkin Spice Caramel Corn
- Banana Gingerbread Muffins
- Fudge Brownie Pecan Pie
- Brownie Cheesecake Cupcakes
- Lemon Cream Cheese Turnovers
It was so hard to narrow this list down even to 15, haha! I love all of my recipes for different reasons, but these were the top ones that come to mind!
Here's to many more delicious recipes in the next year! I will be taking the next week off of posting new recipes and posting on social media. See you in 2021!
P.S. Stayed tuned for a special theme for the month of January!! Hint: 🌴🍍🥥
↓ Here is a cheesy photo of me for the picture part of my "virtual Christmas card"! ↓
Merry Christmas!
Love,
Naomi
Susan
AMEN and Merry Christmas!