Joy Glazed Lemon Cookies

Day 2:

JOY

“The men whom I have seen succeed best in life have always been cheerful and hopeful men, who went about their business with a smile on their faces, and took the changes and chances of this mortal life like men, facing rough and smooth alike as it came.”

 Charles Kingsley

We may be going a little over board with the joy on this post, but it's because it is that important.

 One of the biggest transformations you experience when you really walk with God is feeling joy at all times. It's not easy and you have to make a conscious decision to be joyful, but there is always an overflowing source at your fingertips. All you have to do is look to God.

So for JOY we chose to make some delicious lemon cookies! This recipe is sure to spread some joy. ;)

Joy Glazed Lemon Cookies

What you'll need for the cookies:

• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 2 Tbsp. melted butter
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. lemon zest
• 1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup of milk (we used almond!) and 1/2 tsp. vinegar

What you'll need for the glaze:

• 1/4 cup FRESH lemon juice
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar

What to do:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar. Then add melted butter. Mix until light and fluffy.

Add the egg, vanilla extract, and lemon zest. Make sure to mix all the ingredients well!

In a separate bowl, combine all the dry ingredients (baking soda, baking powder, flour, and salt). Then add this to the batter. 

While mixing on low, slowly pour in milk and vinegar mixture.

Mix only until combined. Then scoop out onto the baking sheet.

Bake for 10 minutes. We suggest baking on the bottom rack of the oven. We baked two batches at the same time and the bottom rack turned out golden and perfect! 

While the cookies are baking, simply stir the fresh lemon juice and sugar together. Once the cookies come out of the oven, top them with the lemon glaze. Go crazy with the glaze! We were scared to over do it and we wish we had because it was wonderfully delicious! 

Just look at the yummy glaze! 

Smiling with our lemon-y goodness! :)

Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy Bars

If you're shorter on time and supplies, this dessert is perfect! This is all you need:

• 1 box of angel cake mix
• 1-2 cans of lemon pie filling 

If you're looking for a more cake-like consistency, go with one can. However, if you want a dessert that's more like a lemon bar, go for two! We used two cans and it was moist and gooey! 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the cake mix and the lemon pie filling in a bowl with a spoon. Once combined, pour into a greased 9 x 13 pan and bake for 25 minutes! Dust with powdered sugar for perfection! 

Mallory says:

"Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again-REJOICE!" Philippians 4:4

Life gets so hectic sometimes that we don't realize just how desperately we need to take a step away from it all and just rejoice in the Lord. Let His spirit fill our hearts with His unfathomable joy. We can't see through our plank filled eyes that the world around us will never bring us true joy. We can never fill our lives with enough "things" to satisfy the needs of our heart.

God is comfort in our darkest days. He is joy in our pain. His love makes our hearts new.

We need to learn to turn to God for joy; to fall at His feet in agony and walk away as new, unburdened creatures. Sometimes I feel like I don't spend enough time in prayer; and my heart can definitely tell the difference when I haven't. When I've neglected my relationship with God, it reflects on the condition of my heart. Likewise, when I've been keeping myself continually before Him, my heart shines like the sun and no one can mistake the joy in my life.

So if you're finding that your heart is missing something, talk to God about it. He has just the right joy "puzzle piece" to fit into your empty spaces.

Also, put your dancing pants on and listen to this "joyful" song ;)

"I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!" John 15:11

Molli says:

“Always be joyful” (1 Thessalonians 5:16). I think sometimes we forget that command. We over think and over analyze everything and just throw ourselves into a pit of self pity. It’s easy to do and almost impossible to get out of on our own. Maybe you don’t completely throw yourself into the pit… Maybe you just teeter on the edge, redeeming yourself when something goes right. I may only have 19 years of learning this, but I’m realizing more and more that joy is something we need to carry with us at ALL times. When we have joy in our hearts, bitterness can’t fester, forgiveness is easier, struggles are more like lessons and less like punishments, and life is more enjoyable and exciting! So if you’re feeling down, cheer up! Bake these lemon cookies, take a walk in God’s glorious creation, listen to your favorite station on iHeartRadio (I recommend Chris August or NEEDTOBREATH), and PRAY. That’s right, “Never stop praying,” (1Thessalonians 5:17). When we approach God with our problems, it’s almost impossible to feel self-righteous (at least for me) and we’re instantly humbled. We’re reminded that God loves us and that He has our best interest in mind (Romans 8:28). We just need to focus on looking at life through a joy filled perspective and remember that we are blessed, forgiven, and loved. And THAT is certainly something to be joyful about.

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