God Spoke to Me at my Sourdough Jar..

God speaks to me sometimes in the most unlikely places…

This morning, God spoke to me in my kitchen, while checking in on my sourdough jar. I found myself confused and slightly disappointed, while looking at my Mason jar full of Sourdough starter that I had created last week. To my surprise, I've recently found joy by caring for this simple mixture of flour and water.  It has sparked a bit of excitement in my soul while watching it grow and thrive. I’ve found it therapeutic in a way…a stress reliever of sorts. I've looked forward to the process each day over the past week. I'm new and slightly clueless to this homestead trade and trend...but I'm doing my best to learn all that I can about it. You know, scrolling aimlessly on TikTok and asking my sweet cousin, whom has mastered this craft, a million questions each day about it.  You see, I’m not your typical homesteader. Though I cook a ton for my family of 8...canning and long baking recipes aren't typically my jam. My “wingin it” mantra, doesn’t help me much with this newfound hobby. I’m unorganized, messy, and have trouble staying on task or following a recipe. 

But what God was speaking to me this morning had nothing to do with baking...but everything to do with life. 

God speaks to me a lot in Parables, because he knows that's how I learn my best lessons. I could write a book on all of the times God has spoken to me so loudly in the most simple, mundane things. He also knows that sometimes I don’t slow down enough to hear his voice and direction. 

You see, the process of creating sourdough starting from scratch is fairly simple. Just a couple simple ingredients for your starter. Essentially you're consistently dumping (discarding) out and adding fresh flour and water daily to feed it and keep it growing. I’m no expert by a long shot, but that’s the gist of it. 

Either way, it's a process...just like life. 

It can be exciting, but at the same time, frustrating and discouraging. My dough seemed to be rising so beautifully a couple of days ago, only to wake up to see that it had fallen this morning. It reminded me that the same exact thing happens within our lives. Sometimes we feel like we’ve made so much progress…we’ve taken so many steps forward, only to turn around and take 10 steps back from where we were. We could even be steps away from that breakthrough we've been praying for. Or even inches away from walking in the purpose and calling God has planned for us.  Life finds a way of pushing us back sometimes. And so does the enemy. He wants to discourage us, delay us, and ultimately derail us from our purpose…and he will IF we allow it. 

After I spent a few minutes researching about the "fall" in the sourdough process, I realized that although, the fall is important...it does not hold near as much value as the rise. 

You see, friend, falling is normal.  It’s to be expected, even though it’s met with disappointment. It happens to us all. At every stage in life. The highs and the lows. The mountains and the valleys.  Some falls are bigger than others. 

Some falls we can bounce backa from quickly, like a scraped up knee in our younger years. Then there are other falls that hold more significance and greater pain. Those falls may have us on our knees too. But they knock the wind out of us. They leave our knees battered, bruised, and severely wounded. Those falls are more difficult to get up from. 

In those times, we often forget that many of life's greatest lessons happen there. It’s where we find growth, both within ourselves and our walk with Christ. Our loving God, in his goodness, reveals things to us there.  It's in the fall that we are reminded to reach up to grasp the hem of his garment. The only one that clean up our mess or bandage our battered wounds and can get us back up on our feet. 

Just like when that sourdough falls, we pour out and discard a lot of it. We empty out the junk that floats to the top and doesn't smell very good. And then we allow room in the jar to repeat the process. 

I'm beginning to learn that in all the areas that I'm not enough in life, or maybe I feel inadequate, or insecure…God is. He just simply is. His grace is sufficient. And where there is less of me, there leaves more room for HIM. His power is made greater in our weaknesses. We just have to empty ourselves, so that God can pour into us. 

In every circumstance, whether it be baking, motherhood, marriage, or just life in general... perspective and patience is key. Sometimes it just takes more kneading.  Maybe it needs more time and patience…and there are even times when rest is necessary. There isn't really a shortcut either. You see where I’m getting at here? We find ourselves seeking our own timeline instead of God's and we get frustrated when things don't happen on our schedule or in our plans. 

Maybe our starter has become stagnant and looks hopeless...and dumping completely seems to be our only option.  Then, well…that’s ok too. There is always room for a fresh start. New chances and beginnings. We can start over with a clean jar at any time.  But maybe...just maybe...you're a day or two away from your breakthrough.  From that rise you’ve been waiting for. But you won’t see it unless you keep on pressing and stay the course. Trust the process. We must cling to the truth that, yes, the fall is important…and oftentimes vital...in order for the rise to come.  Your RISE is what matters. 

Your rise. 

Maybe your rise will take you out of your comfort zone. Maybe you’ll rise of out of complacency, out of your familiar territory….or even out of the ashes. 

But that rise is above all the junk you’ve been through and your rise is on your way to becoming everything God has created you to be. I’ve always heard, the comeback is greater than the setback. 

At a glance, sometimes we focus too much on the outcome...And what we want it to look like. But even the most beautifully rounded crusted loaves...that look great on the outside, have flaws when you cut into them.  Yesterday I baked a beautiful loaf. The aroma of it filled my home. But when I cut into it, it was really dense. Just because it looked good, didn’t mean that it was good on the inside. It still needed lots of work.  

Many times in life…Beauty and charm can be deceiving.  And it’s not those things we should chase after. 

God reminds us in his word that we are created in his image. His image. And we are beautifully and wonderfully made. Like the dough, we are still a process. He's not done. 

But we have to surrender and allow him to mold us…and trust the process that he has us in HIS hands.  He is consistently shaping us into who he wants us to be. His ways, not ours. His grace is sufficient. He will continue to fill all the crevices and places in our lives where we feel the most depleted or insufficient. 

If you’re in that place like my jar of starter. You may be ready to toss it all out. You’re feeling like you’re a few steps back, or you’re feeling stuck with no movement.  Or you’re recovering from trauma, a heartache, a loss, depression, or anxiety. Whatever it is. Just remember…the fall is important…but doesn’t hold a candle to the Rise. 

The most beautiful loaves, aren’t the ones perfectly sculpted and carved. They are the ones with flaws and character and grit. The ones that have a story to tell. These take lots of time, perhaps some falls…but most importantly faith and perseverance. It’s all about the journey, even when we can’t see the end result… and all of the little things God reveals to us along the way. ❤️