“When Jesus Wrecks Your Comfortable Christianity”

Oh. Man. I have been a huge Jen Hatmaker fan for almost a year now – as long as I have known of her. If you want to look into the life of a woman who is genuine, hilarious, and truly wrecked for the kingdom of God in the best way ever, I highly suggest that you check our her blog, her books, her speaking engagements, the show HGTV just did about her family’s move into a new home and the renovations that followed, or just follow her on Facebook. Her love for our Savior is contagious.

See? Practically besties 🙂

I saw a Facebook post last month that she was re-releasing her book Interrupted from a few years ago, but with revised and expanded content, and wanted to offer 250 bloggers a chance to be sent an early release copy to share about with their readers. So thank YOU my lovely readers for the chance to tell you a little about this book! And I got to enjoy some quiet time on a plane ride to Boston this morning to finally dig into my notes and write!

First of all, I think this book is for everyone: men and women, believers and non-believers, young and old. Everyone. In our busy and fast-paced world it is so easy to become a creature of habits, put our heads down, and just get through life numbing yourself to anything that disrupts your focus. How often do you lift your head up and think: “what if I’m missing the point?” or “is this all there is?”. It’s also so easy to feel discouraged in our time and feel like God has never been more absent in society than He is now. (But this isn’t true.)

Second – this book is best described as a conversation. I probably didn’t read it as quickly as I was supposed to, but honestly I loved reading and then having a time to pause and reflect and dig into my heart and get into prayer before hours or days later I’d pick it back up and continue.

During this few weeks of reading, I FINALLY took something that had been on my heart for a long while and turned it into action: connecting with and sharing what I hope and pray is a meaningful gesture with the homeless people I see daily who are begging on street corners and at major intersections that I drive by every day. I would avert my eyes at traffic lights in hopes to not FEEL anything that made me uncomfortable. I sat in tears for a good while after I felt these words jump off the page and squeeze my judgemental heart until I wanted to burst:

We are not allowed to neglect the oppressed because we have reservations about their discernment. We cannot deny love because it might be despised or misunderstood. We can’t withhold social relief because we’re not convinced it will be perfectly managed…we are only qualified to administer mercy, not judgement.

So I set off on a trip to Target and bought supplies to make what I now refer to as “blessings bags” — bags filled with things to make a poor and homeless person just a little more comfortable and a note of loving encouragement and prayer. I keep them in my car and hand them out at traffic lights like a lunatic when I am at an intersection where someone is begging. I am still thinking and praying and knowing that this will continue to evolve, but I feel like it is hopefully a helpful start. And I have already been so humbled by my few interactions in the last week that have involved brief but beautiful conversations with the recipient.

Being ignorant in our intervention is just as unhelpful as detaching ourselves because we want to assume that the oppressed people of our world are thankless, reckless, and irresponsible. Maybe there are some who are, but when we stand at the gates of a Heaven we will face an account of our lives – what we did and what we didn’t do. Dig into Matthew 25 here, but the main idea of what matters and what doesn’t is our care for the oppressed. I remember being annoyed by the WWJD bracelet fad as a kid. But there really couldn’t be a better question to ask ourselves constantly. What would Jesus do? Because whatever the answer is in any situation, do that. And then do more of that.

I practically want to recreate most of the book for you right now because there is just so much to talk about and think about. But instead I’ll share one more concept that I really identified with: the concept of Communion as a call to action in our lives, not just a ritual process at church. Jen explains it in great detail from a theological standpoint that amazed me and I had never heard explained this way. When Jesus shared the bread and the cup with his disciples, it was a symbolic ritual, but also “a new prototype of discipleship. ‘Continuously make MY sacrifice real by doing this very thing.’ Become broken and poured out for hopeless people. Become a living offering, denying yourself for the salvation and restoration of humanity…we don’t simply remember the meal; we become the meal.” If we are to feed His sheep, we need to be broken to feed others.

Boom. Brain explosion, yes?

So I challenge you as I challenge myself to not strive to be at the top in life, but to find the bottom and pour yourselves into the oppressed people who Jesus would’ve no doubt been right alongside of. And also to strive for great things: great giving and great loving — to not get complacent and comfortable. I think to a person who used to be very close to me who I was so humbled and amazed by the deep and powerful connection in their heart to seeing the needs of others and wanting to go to the corners of the earth to make things better — but fear of the uncomfortable and breaking the cycle of expectations is such a hard barrier to break through for all of us, and this person especially. It breaks my heart. I can’t say I get it right either, but I know that I don’t want to (and really CAN’T) ignore the call anymore. I want to live big and love more boldly than ever before. Are you with me?!
Ask Jesus to interrupt your life so that you are never the same again.

Now the fun part! Where to get your copy. I also want to send someone one. I wanted to do a giveaway with my copy, but it’s well-loved at this point and you deserve a fresh one! So comment below with an answer to one of these:
1) What would you struggle to give up if Jesus wanted to use your life to make a difference in the world?
2) In your community, what would make the Good News seem good again to people watching the church?
3) Do you use the Bible to defend things in your life instead of define it? How so?

Biscoff Pie

Ingredients
Crust:
-one package of Biscoff cookies (about 32) (reserve a couple to crumble on top at the end)
-4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Filling:
-1 cup whipping cream
-1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
-1 1/3 cups creamy Biscoff spread, plus a little extra to be melted for topping
-¼ cup powdered sugar
-pinch of salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Using a food processor, pulse the cookies until finely ground. Combine cookie crumbs and melted butter until combined.
3. Press the cookies into the bottom of a lightly greased pie pan.
4. Bake for 9 minutes. Allow to cool completely before filling.
5. Meanwhile, beat the whipping cream until stiff peaks are formed.
6. Add the softened cream cheese and Biscoff and beat on high until combined.
7. Add the powdered sugar and salt beat until the filling is smooth.
8. Spread the filling over the crust.
9. Melt reserved Biscoff for 20 seconds in microwave and spread carefully over filling. Sprinkle reserved cookie crumbs.
Refrigerate until firm (2 hours, at least)

Biscoff Birthday

An open letter to Delta Airlines:

Delta, I don’t often fly your airline because y’all just don’t fly to where I go without stops. That said, I get excited when your prices and my destinations do align because it means one thing: Biscoff cookies. Yum. The first time I had the pleasure of eating one of these heaven-sent cookies was on a flight to Atlanta 4 years ago. I didn’t think they were even worth taking until my travel companion got really excited. So I broke into my little pack of 2 cookies and let me just say that it’s a good thing the captain had instructed us to keep our seatbelts fastened or else I would’ve fallen onto the floor out of sheer delight. Oh. My. Word! That was the day Delta and Biscoff blurred into one being and I fell in love with a crunchy little spice cookie.

Love,
Brittany

So as years have passed I have found many other people who share my passion for Biscoff. I also heard that Biscoff spread even exists! Amazing! I’ve been dying to make something inspired by and/or using the cookies or spread since they’re pretty easily acquired in our stores. Every year I spend months planning the surprise birthday cake for my best pal Laura. She always lets me come up with whatever I think is good. By the day of baking, I’d finally figured out my own cakd invention that I felt covered a variety of Biscoff recipes and was cohesive while not being overwhelming.

Biscoff Cookie:
2 C all-purpose flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 C unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 C sugar
1/4 C firmly packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350 F.
In a medium-sized bowl, mix together flour, spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and cloves), baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
In a separate large bowl, cream together butter, sugar, and brown sugar with an electric mixer on low speed. Mix in the vanilla extract.
Gradually blend the flour mixture into the butter mixture until it is well combined.
Roll out dough to 1/4 inch thickness.
From here I used half to make the cutout cookies for the mini and large sandwich cookies, then divided the remaining into 2 (very thin) cookies in the bottom of 8″ circle pans.
Cut out cookies to shape as desired.
If you choose to bake it as shapes, place dough shapes onto parchment paper and bake for 12-15 minutes.

Source: http://www.cupcakeproject.com

Biscoff Cake
1 box Golden Butter cake mix (Duncan Hines)
1 stick butter
4 eggs
1/2 cup Biscoff spread
2/3 cup water

Preheat oven to 350.
In a large bowl, combine 1/2 cup Biscoff spread and the stick of butter. Beat at medium speed with a hand-held mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at time, mixing well after each addition. Add cake mix and water. Mix on medium-high speed for 2 minutes.
Divide into 3 pans that have been sprayed and floured. Bake for 15-20 minutes ( or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean). Let cool on wire racks before inverting.

Biscoff Buttercream

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1/3 cup Biscoff spread
3 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup whipping cream (may need a tablespoon or two more)

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and Biscoff spread until smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. With mixer on low speed, add 3 cups sugar, whipping cream; mix until light and fluffy. If necessary, gradually add more powdered sugar or whipping cream to reach desired consistency.
Source for cake and buttercream: http://www.plainchicken.com/2012/03/biscoff-cupcakes-with-biscoff.html?m=1

White Chocolate Cheesecake
3 8-ounce packages of cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
8 ounces good quality white chocolate, chopped
5 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch salt

Pre-heat the oven to 325°F. Place the chopped white chocolate into a heat safe bowl and set aside. Bring the 1/2 cup of cream to a simmer over medium heat in a small sauce pan. Pour the hot cream over the white chocolate, jiggle the bowl to submerge it and allow to stand for one minute. Stir the chocolate gently until melted completely.

In your mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese until smooth and lump free. Add the sugar and mix, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

On medium speed, slowly add the white chocolate ganache. Once combined you can add the eggs, one at a time, beating on low speed until each egg is incorporated. Once you’ve added all the eggs, mix in the vanilla and salt and divide into 2 pans (preferably with a pop out bottom for easier removal!)

Set the pan onto a couple large sheets of aluminum foil and smooth them up the sides of the pan to waterproof.

Bake at 325°F for one hour then reduce heat and bake at 300°F for an additional 30 minutes until the center is just set.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on a wire rack. Once cool chill for at least an hour before assembling cake.
Source: http://notsohumblepie.blogspot.com/2010/04/white-chocolate-caramel-cheesecake.html

Biscoff Caramel
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup light corn syrup
3/4 cup whipping cream
1/3 cup Biscoff Spread

In a medium-sized saucepan, stir the sugar, water, and corn syrup over a medium to medium-low flame until the sugar has dissolved completely. Raise the heat until the syrup boils. There is no need to stir the syrup until it turns a deep amber color, but swirling the saucepan prevents burns. Also, occasionally it helps to brush down the sides of pan with a wet pastry brush. Remember, the syrup must always be monitored. This will take anywhere from 5-10 minutes, depending on what kind of stove you are working on.
Remove the syrup from the heat and pour in the cream, being very careful not to get splattered when the mixture bubbles up. The sugar syrup will congeal and not absorb the cream right away, but turn the heat onto low and soon the mixture will become homogenous and turn into caramel.
Keeping the flame low, add the Biscoff Spread and stir to dissolve. Poor into a gravy boat or sauce dish, and prepare to fall in love.
Source: http://biscoffblog.com/recipes/biscoff-caramel/

Chocolate Ganache
16 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
16 ounces (2 cups) heavy cream
Directions
Place the chopped chocolate into the bowl of a food processor.
Heat the heavy cream in a quart-sized, microwavable container and microwave for 3 to 4 minutes on high, or until it just begins to simmer; be careful not to allow cream to boil over. Pour the cream over the chocolate and let stand for 2 minutes. Process by pulsing several times until chocolate mixture is smooth. If you wish to make a lighter frosting, allow it to come to room temperature, approximately 2 hours. Once at room temperature, place in the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk on high for 2 to 3 minutes.
Source: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/ganache-frosting-recipe/index.html

That’s it! All the recipes! Whew!

So my assembly pattern was as follows (top to bottom)

-Chocolate ganache
-cake
-caramel
-cheesecake
-buttercream
-cake
-caramel
-cookie
-cheesecake
-cookie
-caramel
-cake

And alas, the photos!!