It’s that time of year again when the thought of a hot drink in your favorite mug and a good book beside a roaring fireplace is an extremely appealing activity! What is your favorite seasonal drink? This month we’ve included several book recommendations and a few typical hot drink recommendations from around the world. Any of these delicious drinks savored while pursuing a worthwhile book would serve to provide you with a very pleasurable and productive evening. Try them all! Used the included recipes, search for a different version on Google, or try your own recipe passed down thru generations. Cheers! Salud! Santé! Saúde! Salutí! Eviva!
- Added Blessings by Tanya Harrod. Hot off the press, this collection of stories by 20+ missionary wives in Europe will warm your heart with its poignant, heart-felt approach to an old theme – what it’s really like to place your life in God’s hands and see what He does with it. You will not want to miss this opportunity!
- The Many Facets of a Woman: The Value of Friendships and Mentoring. My new favorite and next read! This book by Suzanne Hillegas deals with women and friendships – something we all need more of.
- A Scarlet Letter by Lori Wagner offers practical advice and tools to help the reader overcome shame, that terrible device of the enemy which distorts the way we look at God, ourselves, and others. This book offers hope to that precious sister struggling with shame.
Now for the yummy part! Following are a few recipes and/or links for some tasty, seasonal hot drinks, typical of many of the nations represented in our churches in Europe. I hope you try them all!
Mexican Hot Chocolate – made with dark chocolate bars melted in milk and cream, with the spicy addition of cinnamon and/or chili to taste. Oooh la la!!
Wassail – an old-fashioned hot, spiced beverage originating in England that combines apple cider, orange and cranberry juices with cinnamon and anise for a spicy, fruity drink that warms to the bone.
Guatemalan Hot Fruit Punch – a typical seasonal spiced beverage, made with apple cider, added fruit and spices, popular during the holidays. Serve in mugs with a spoon to make sure you scoop up all the yummy fruit!
Eggnog – also more typical of Europe, is a rich, creamy blend of eggs and cream spiced with nutmeg. Many countries have their own version – give it a try!
Mexican Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
- 8 oz. dark chocolate, such as 70% Lindt or other
- 2 cups of whole milk
- 2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup light or dark brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4-inch cinnamon sticks
Optional Ingredients:
- 1/4 to 1/2 tsp chili powder (ancho, cayenne, or guajillo chili powder to taste)
- Dash of nutmeg
- 1 cup whipped cream for topping
Instructions:
- In a medium saucepan, combine milk, sugar, and vanilla. Heat over medium until mixture steams, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. While the mixture heats, cut or break up the chocolate into small pieces so it melts evenly. Once the milk is steaming, add the chocolate and whisk until it’s melted and incorporated.
- Heat over medium, stirring occasionally. Watch closely and do not boil. When chocolate is melted and milk begins to steam, whisk with a wire whisk or a molinillo (mini-frother) for 3-4 minutes or until a frothy consistency is achieved.
- Serve with a cinnamon stick in a mug. If desired, garnish with whipped cream and a dash of nutmeg on top. Enjoy!
Wassail
Ingredients
- 2 apples
- 8 cups apple cider (fresh, unfiltered, unpasteurized from a local orchard)
- 2 cups orange juice
- 1/3 cup lemon juice
- 4 cinnamon sticks
- 15 whole cloves, or ½ tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 Tablespoon light brown sugar , optional
Instructions
- Poke the whole cloves into the apples on all sides.
- Add all of the ingredients, including the apples, to a large pot over medium low heat.
- Bring to a simmer. Simmer for 30-45 minutes.
- Remove the apples and whole cloves. Ladle into mugs and enjoy!
Guatemalan Ponche De Frutas
Ingredients
- 1 box of raisins, soaked in water
- 1/2 cup dried apricots
- 1/2 cup dried prunes
- 1/2 cup dried apples, and cubed apple pieces
- 1 small papaya or dried papaya (optional)
- 1 pineapple, finely chopped
- 1 orange peel
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 tsp of allspice
- 1 tsp of cloves
- Sugar to taste
- 10 cups water
- Optional: ¼ teaspoon rum extract for added flavor
Instructions:
- Chop the dried fruit and the pineapple into fine cubes. Put all the fruit in a large pot and cover with water. Add the cinnamon, allspice, and cloves.
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer covered for 45 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and add the sugar to taste (depends on the ripeness of fruit). Add a couple of spoons at a time to not over-sweeten the punch.
- To serve: fill cups with punch and pieces of fruit. Put a small spoon in the cups to eat the fruit.
Eggnog
Cooked, non-alcoholic eggnog is rich, creamy, and safe for all ages. The mixture is heated to a safe temperature to cook the eggs before it is chilled and served. For a traditional flavor without the alcohol, you can add rum extract.
Ingredients
- 6 egg yolks
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 3 cups whole milk
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1½ teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg, plus more for garnish
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- Optional: ¼ teaspoon rum extract for added flavor
Instructions
- In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until the mixture is pale and creamy.
- Gradually whisk in the milk until combined.
- Heat the mixture over low-to-medium heat, whisking constantly, until it thickens and reaches 160°F. Use a cooking thermometer to ensure accuracy. Do not allow the mixture to boil, or the eggs may scramble.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the heavy cream, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and rum extract (if using).
- Pour the eggnog into a pitcher or other covered container. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or ideally overnight, to allow the flavors to deepen and the mixture to thicken.
- Serve the chilled eggnog in glasses and sprinkle with additional freshly grated nutmeg or cinnamon before serving.
Kay Burgess
Leading Together: New Year, New Me
Around the beginning of the New Year, our bishop and his wife have vision meetings with every member of church staff. During these discussions, the highs and lows of the past year are discussed, growth is celebrated, and each person is asked, “What is your vision for this next year?” As each person shares their goals, a plan is created to help them achieve that vision. These meetings have been very helpful; they help leaders better understand staff members and provide a clear starting point for pursuing their goals within the Kingdom.
Proverbs 29:18 tells us, “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.” Without vision, we are purposeless. To live a fullfilled life, we must have vision. To prosper in our walk with God, we must have vision. To witness to others, we must have vision. Without a vision to work towards, we open the door to discontentment and lethargy, and the potential that we have to do something great for God becomes squandered as the monotonous rhythm of life overtakes us. As the Scriptures says, without vision, we perish.
“Where do I begin?” Consider this: on December 31st, 2026, when the clock reaches 23:59, what kind of person do I want to be? How do I want my prayer life to look? Who do I want to have won to the Lord? What do I want my ministry to look like? If you can answer these questions, you have a start to your vision. Combine those answers with what God speaks to you and create manageable goals with checkpoints along the way. For example, how far along should this goal progress in 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, etc.? If creating a plan feels challenging, ask your pastor for advice! They are there to help us grow and fulfill our purpose in the Kingdom of God.
What will our 2026 look like? We have begun a new year full of possibilities and opportunities to change our world. Walking forward with vision allows us to truly be an instrumental part of Pentecost Every Day!
Candace Lindholm
Meeting Together: Cookies, Cocoaand a Great Book
Because I was born and raised in Canada, when I think of the Christmas season, I automatically think of snow. And when I think of snow, I think of a nice warm blanket, a big cup of hot chocolate with little white marshmallows floating on the top, and a great book in my hands.
Thinking ahead to your next Ladies meeting, why not choose this as your next theme. The ladies could each bring their favorite mug, as well as their favorite book. You could ask each lady to give a brief description of their chosen book and explain why it means so much to them. You could have a hot chocolate bar with various toppings that ladies could add to their hot chocolate such as marshmallows, peppermint sticks, chocolate shavings or sprinkles. You could have a small kitchen torch available to the ladies could “toast” their marshmallows if they’d like.
Check out the following websites for some inspiration:
https://shabbyfufu.com/how-to-set-up-a-hot-chocolate-bar-for-your-holiday-party/
https://www.firstdayofhome.com/hot-cocoa-bar/
https://aspenjay.com/hot-chocolate-bar-party/
https://www.favfamilyrecipes.com/hot-chocolate-bar/
Choose one particular kind of cookies for a theme, or choose a variety of cookies. Should you choose gingerbread cookies as your decorating theme, you could have gingerbread ladies available for each to decorate and take home.
Another idea of a take-home gift could be a cookie recipe in a jar. There are so many ideas available on the internet but here are a few websites you could choose from:
https://www.wgbh.org/lifestyle/food/recipes/2018-12-17/cookie-mix-jars-are-the-perfect-holiday-gift
https://krollskorner.com/recipes/desserts/cookies/christmas-cookies-in-a-jar/
Crystal Wallace
“She has done what she could and has anointed my body for burial ahead of time. I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed.” Mark 14:8-9 (NLT)