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In the picturesque mountains of North Carolina where the fluffy clouds kiss the mountaintops, a young wife and homemaker was busy in her tiny country kitchen. The bright sun streamed in the open window framed with tied-back curtains accented with flowers. It was a peaceful and quiet time of day and the children napped in the back bedroom.
For the umpteenth time, the young wife attempted to bake whole-grain bread for her family. Many times she had tried; but each time her results were dismal. She consistently produced a dense, hard loaf of bread that was better suited for a doorstop than for the dinner table. Yet, she did not give up.
On this day, with a joyful heart, a smile and renewed enthusiasm, the wife prayed and asked G-d to bless her hands and teach her to bake a light, tasty loaf of whole-grain bread that her family would enjoy. Then, she took out the recipe book and set about making another loaf of bread, carefully and meticulously following each and every step laid out in the recipe.
The young wife lovingly mixed the whole-grain flour and natural ingredients, as she had done countless times before. She paid attention to the look, feel, smell and every aspect of her labor of love. Her dough came together and she kneaded the satiny, elastic dough under her gentle fingers. As Jewish wives and mothers before her, the young wife prayed for each member of her family that would partake of the loaf as she kneaded it.
The time came to shape the loaf and bread and let it raise slowly until it was beautiful with a softly rounded top. The wife could hardly contain her gratefulness and excitement when her loaf rose and gently rounded. Her family would be so pleased! Into the warmed oven the precious loaf was placed, gingerly and with great anticipation to continue in the rising.
Partway through the second rise, the young homemaker peeked in the window of her oven to check on the progress of her loaf. Her hopes came crashing down however when she saw that her lovely loaf had risen fully, but then obviously had fallen, looking more like a sink hole rather than an appetizing loaf of bread she so longed to create.
Frustrated and exhausted, the tears rushed to her eyes and her body sank into the kitchen chair. Wiping her hands on her gingham apron, the young wife finally admitted defeat and gave up her desire to bake a good loaf of bread to bless others. As she rose and slowly approached the oven with the intent of tossing that detestable, fallen, crevice-laden loaf in the trash, she heard a voice deep within her say, “Wait.”
The wife turned and left the kitchen, allowing the bread to remain in the oven. She did not know why she responded to the direction, only she felt it was the L-rd speaking to her.
When the rising time was complete, the young wife returned to the kitchen and turned the oven on to bake the sunken loaf as the recipe instructed, even though the bread only filled half of the pan.
The young wife decided to trust, and setting the timer, she left the kitchen to check on her children.
To her surprise and delight, 30 minutes later, a high, rounded, golden-brown, perfect loaf emerged from the oven and filled the room with its delicious aroma! It was just like it was supposed to be! Overjoyed but confused, she asked the L-rd what happened.
He replied to her spirit; “My child, this bread is like your life. You come to me with an open heart and drink in my Word and abide in my Spirit and things go well in your life. Your joy fills you and your life rises (like the bread) and blesses others. You give off a sweet-smelling aroma that draws people to you and they ask you why you are so happy, and you tell them, it is your G-d. Then comes times of testing and fire. The joy dissipates like steam and you find your “spiritual high” falling, crashing in like that sink-hole in the bread. You cannot stand up on your own. You will think all is hopeless and you feel defeated. You want to give in, give up and throw away what you know because of what you see and feel. BUT, do not go by your feelings, or even by what you see in yourself. Trust in me and remain in me and seek my face. For those that remain in me and persevere will emerge from this life victorious and perfected! Let people see that even in times of testing and fire, your G-d is able to sustain you!
The key is the “recipe”, the “instruction book” which is My Word. When you feel crashed in and hopeless, go to my Word and follow the “recipe” for peace, whether you are being tried by fire or things are going well and you are gently rising. Follow the recipe for life; my Word and live it, trust me and you will gently grow and rise into what you are supposed to be: a reflection of Me.”
James 1 (NASB)
1 James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad:Greetings.
2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.
4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
6 But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.
7 For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord,
8 being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
9 But the brother of humble circumstances is to glory in his high position;
10 and the rich man is to glory in his humiliation, because like flowering grass he will pass away.
11 For the sun rises with a scorching wind and withers the grass; and its flower falls off and the beauty of its appearance is destroyed; so too the rich man in the midst of his pursuits will fade away.
12 Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.
14 But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.
15 Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.
16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.
17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.
18 In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.
19 This you know, my beloved brethren But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger;
20 for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.
21 Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.
22 But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.
23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror;
24 for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was.
25 But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.
26 If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless.
27 Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
(Mountain Photo Taken: Wednesday October 24, 2007 — Barnardsville, NC by melystu)
About Vickilynn Parnes
