Friends, this past year has been one of rest and in learning to be still that I may hear His voice. I shared a bit about my whirlwind year with you in my most recent post, I Found Simplicity in My Garden. My life has been a bit chaotic for sure, but guess what? I heard from God.
On August 23rd, 2015, God answered my prayer. After two years of living with anxiety (I was diagnosed with an anxiety disorder) I can freely shout, “I am anxiety free!” As happy as I am to be on the other side of such an ugly, mental battle, I am very aware that God needed me in the trenches to show me who He is, was, and will continue to be.
Soon, I plan on sharing with you my battle with anxiety, what I’ve learned from it, and how I’ve come to recover. I want to share this with you because I know that 1 in 5 woman in her mid-thirties is on some sort of antidepressant drug due to depression and anxiety. Ladies, our minds are powerful! They’re so powerful that the thoughts we put into them can promote or wreak havoc to our health.
Our minds are a spiritual battleground and we must learn how to fight wearing the armor of God.
Now that I’ve come to understand how to fight through these mental and spiritual battles with Him, God is now calling me to be a strong woman, to gird up my loins, and lead when he calls.
As I reflect on these past two years of living with anxiety, one thing I’ve truly come to realize is that God created us to be in relationship with people. I’ve found that when my anxiety is rearing its ugly head, I’m not in fellowship with real, live people. You know, the ones that live next door to me, go to church with me, and live across town from me. God created us to spend time with one another, to laugh, and to cry with one another. I’ve also come to realize that it takes work to maintain or form these relationships, it takes humbling of hearts, and perseverance.
Persevere, I will.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you for having walked through these trenches with me over the past couple of years. Thank you for sending sweet emails to me (some of which I still need to reply to!).
My Humble Kitchen, Looking Forward
Along with my post on anxiety (that I promise will be next), I plan on sharing some posts on where I’m at with homeschool. I still haven’t shared our recap post from last year, so I’ll do that first and then I plan on sharing all about our new homeschool year that started a few weeks ago. I’m in such a sweet spot with homeschool that I’m just bursting with joy to be able to share it with you. I want to share about our new read-alouds, books I’m currently reading, and some of my favorite resources that help me along in our homeschool adventures. Also, I want to share about our homeschool co-op and a brand new nature club that my brother-in-law and I are heading up this year. So yeah, a lot of homeschool stuff! It’s the season in life that I’m currently in and I’m really enjoying it.
Also, I have quite a few natural living posts to share with you and of course, recipes made with love.
I’m really excited to see what God has for me in this coming year. I do know that Paul was so right when he wrote, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Fig and Honey Frangipane Tartlets
Here’s a lovely recipe for fig and honey frangipane tartlets that I adapted slightly from a book called Honey, A Selection of More Than 80 Delicious Savory and Sweet Recipes by Hattie Ellis.
Figs are one of my favorite seasonal fruits in late summer and early fall. This frangipane tartlet is gently sweetened by honey and highlighted by the sweet, caramel like flavor of roasted figs. It's a sensational sweet treat your family will enjoy!
Ingredients:
- 1 Recipe Pâte Brisée (I used einkorn, all purpose flour)
- 8 fresh figs
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3 tbsp honey
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup ground almonds
- 2 tbsp einkorn flour
Method:
- Making 1 Recipe Pâte Brisée, enough for a 2 crust pie. On floured work surface, roll out and gently push the pastry into the pans. A 2 crust pie recipe should be enough pastry to fill one large tart pan or 6 mini tartlet pans.
- Chill in the refrigerator while making the filling.
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Put a baking sheet into the center of the oven. The tartlet pan or pans will be cooked on top of the baking sheet. No pre-baking of the pastry is necessary.
- In the bowl of stand mixer, cream the butter and honey for 2-3 minutes on medium speed. Lower the speed, and add the vanilla extract and eggs until combined. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and gently fold in the ground almonds and flour.
- Fill the tart pan or tartlet pans with the filling and spread evenly.
- Cut the figs in half and arrange on top of the frangipane mixture.
- If making with one large tart pan, bake for 25 minutes, lower the heat to 325F, and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes.
- If making with tartlet pans, bake for 15 minutes, lower the heat to 325F, and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- Serve, drizzled with raw honey and a dollop of whipped cream.
Do you suffer from anxiety or depression? If you need prayer, please leave a comment below. I’d love to spend time praying for you.
This is such awesome news! And those tarts look AMAZING!
I can’t wait to hear more about how you overcame anxiety! I’m also eager to know how homeschool is going and what you’ve been doing there. Wish we could meet for a cup of tea!
I’m thrilled for you, Diana!
Love you so much, girl, and I’m shouting for joy with you! I definitely struggle in this area!
“Anxiety free” is HUGE! Praise the Lord! And the tarts look beautiful, as always! 🙂
Diana, so great to have you back! You are a very strong woman with a great heart and I just know you have many, many wonderful things coming up in your future! Hugs:)
Wahoo to the woot-woot! That is a-MAZ-ing news and gets me so excited about God’s even more a-MAZ-ing grace!! Can’t wait to read more on your blog, chat in real-life ;), and walk life’s journey together with you. You are such a dear, sweet friend. Praise the Lord for what He’s doing in your life!
And the tarts? Uh, yum. 🙂 You rock the kitchen, for reals.
Dear friend, all the things you wrote are so, so refreshingly raw and honest. And about real people relationships? Ummm, yes. In fact when I have been at my lowest I’ve had the enemy back me on the corner and sneer, “nobody even cares about you, see? They don’t have a clue you’re struggling. ….” to which I’ve learned to reply, “Jesus does, and whether I know it or not, I’ll bet someone is even praying for me right NOW!” Then fight the guilt of neglect and get up and call a friend or go see someone. Satan does NOT like the fellowship of the saints, because there Jesus is in the midst of two or more.
Thank you for sharing so we all know we’re not the only ones who’ve walked in the dark valley. God strengthen you as you reach out…
I also suffer from anxiety disorder, so I look forward to reading more from you… I am so happy for you that you have been able to overcome it.
Amazing looking recipe!!
Amazing you are anxiety free. I have been struggling with a panic disorder for over 4 years. I want to cure myself through God, not mask it with drugs. Can’t wait to read your story♡
Oh, Lindsay, that’s so hard. Yes, I’ll be sharing my story very soon!! Keep on looking up to God.
I am so happy to read this. I have not been diagnosed, but really, really struggle with anxiety, especially the past year or so. It is something I have struggled with and have tried to hide for a good portion of my life. I look forward to reading how you overcame and know that God has led me to your site for so many, many things. Actually, back about 4 years ago I happened to stumble upon your blog when I was searching for gardening in Iowa. I was just on the brink of starting a natural lifestyle with my family and can honestly say what I read in your posts really helped me to dive into a healthier lifestyle–raw milk, real fats and foods etc. So THANK YOU and CONGRATS on overcoming such a dark, and awful disorder.
With all you do, it’s amazing how you have kept yourself together so well while suffering from anxiety. Sharing your experience is going to help so many others, and in turn it will help you more as you describe your survival. I struggle with anxiety from time to time, mostly related to worrying about what others think or to my own tendency to make things more complicated than necessary–both stemming from insecurity. I’ve grown so much in this area by working on my self-confidence, by grounding myself, and by helping others. So many women I work with in counseling suffer from anxiety, so it has been a hot topic in my research and soul-searching. You are such an inspiration, and I can’t wait to read your survival story.
And those little bees on top of the tartlets…oh, my gosh! So cute!! I have to make these soon!
I keep checking back to see if you’ve put up a post about how you overcame anxiety! Can’t wait to read it! And eat those tarts… 😉
Lauren, it’s coming very soon! The Lord has been working in my heart and I have much to share 😀