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Our Charis Family
Kim Donaldson
In September 2010, my second son Quincy John was
born. He joined four siblings at home, Timothy (now
15), Bailey (now 13), Abby (now 11) and Chloe (now
9).
Although my husband, Todd, and I had gone through
labor and delivery four times, Quincy's birth was
completely different. In fact, we did not even know
we were "expecting" until one week before.
We received a call on a Monday explaining that a
mother was due to give birth to a baby boy any day.
She did not want to raise the child, but had not
been able to find a family. The question posed to
us, "Are you interested?"
A wild week of prayers, phone calls and planning
ended with Todd and I on our way to the hospital to
meet the mother of our son. As we met for the first
time in the hospital lobby, she handed me sweet
ultrasound pictures of the baby. She also graciously
invited me to be in the labor and delivery room.
It was so different watching, rather than
experiencing, labor and delivery. My appreciation
grew for how my husband must have felt as I birthed
our children. I felt ill equipped to provide support
to this laboring mother which pierced my heart
especially knowing that all the difficult work was
to deliver a son for me.
Quincy's birth mom was alone, doing an incredibly
tough thing. As I reflected on her sacrifice and the
gift of life, I felt the tug of an idea forming. I
felt the leading of God to begin a ministry to
mothers who find themselves alone during childbirth.
When I thought of this concept of coaching moms,
crazy as it may seem, I envisioned bubbles. In John
4:13-14 it says, "Jesus replied, 'Anyone who drinks
this water will soon become thirsty again. But those
who drink the water I give will never be thirsty
again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within
them, giving them eternal life.'"
Bubbling Springs was born. As the idea, the key
verse and the ministry name began to take shape, I
knew I wanted to be educated to serve laboring women
as a coach.
I searched on line doula training, but was concerned
about the New Age bent of many programs. When I
discovered the Charis Childbirth Educator and Doula
program, I nearly leapt with joy and excitement
because of the Biblical worldview, the mission
minded training and the quality curriculum.
I am only just beginning, but I look forward to
learning and growing through the process. I look
forward to seeing where God is leading.
Quincy means "the fifth" and John means "God is
gracious." The perfect name for our little guy who
is now three years old. It is also the perfect
reminder that even in difficult circumstances, God
is good and that His grace is sufficient.
Like a bubbling spring, I look forward to sharing
that truth, reaching out to women in my community as
a Childbirth Educator and Doula.
To learn more about me and my family, check out my
blog.
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Quincy John
Kim and Todd Donaldson
with all their 'babies'
Timothy, Bailey, Abby, Chloe and Quincy.
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Charis Cuisine
Key Lime Pie
What do you get when you combine
macadamia nuts, coconut shreds, walnuts, avocados, fresh lime
juice, dates, honey, and sea salt? The healthiest version
of key lime pie! The crust requires some patience and
elbow grease, but it's completely worth the effort.
Ingredients:
Crust:
1 1/2 cups unsweetened shredded dried coconut
3/4 cup macadamia nuts, unsoaked
3/4 cup walnuts, unsoaked
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup pitted medjool dates, unsoaked
Filling:
3/4 cup chopped avocados (about 1 1/4 avocados)
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 cup unpasteurized honey
Blueberries and freshly sliced kiwi fruit (optional garnish)
Directions:
Crust: Combine coconut, macadamia nuts, walnuts, and sea
salt in food processor and process until coarsely ground. Add
medjool dates and process until mixture looks like coarse crumbs
and begins to stick together.
Transfer coarse crumbs/crust into
a 9" pie plate. Use your fingers to gently distribute the crumbs
in a uniform layer along the bottom and up the sides of the
plate. Aim to build up the sides with about 3/4 of an inch of
crumbs.
After the crumbs are evenly distributed, press the crust firmly
against the bottom of the plate using your fingers. Be sure to
press firmly near the junction between the bottom of the pan and
the sides of the pan. Press firmly into the crust along the
sides of the pan. Place completed crust in the freezer for 15-20
minutes.
Filling: Combine avocados, lime juice, and honey in a
food processor. You may need to stop occasionally and scrape
down the sides of the processor with a spatula or spoon. Process
until smooth.
Use a spatula or spoon to spread
filling over the bottom of the crust.
Peel kiwi, cut lengthwise, and slice into half-moons. Arrange
kiwi slices around the outer edge of the pie - it looks
especially nice when the slices are propped up at an angle.
Place blueberries (or any other berries like raspberries,
strawberries, or blackberries) in front of kiwi slices.
Chill entire key lime pie for at least 2 hours before serving.
This pie is best served chilled or slightly colder than room
temperature.
Please note: This healthy key lime
pie will keep in the refrigerator for about 2-3 days. We learned
about this recipe from:
Raw Food Made Easy For 1 or 2 People by Jennifer Combleet
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