Taste and see!

When the Lord gave me the idea three years ago to start a Holiday baking business, I prayed He would use me for more than baking. I knew the main purpose was to bless us financially but I knew that the only way it would be successful was to make it all about HIM. So on the day I knew I was going to start this business I asked God how I could truly touch the lives of the people I would be serving with more than just good food. I will never forget what God showed me. I was soaking in the bathtub and praying and kept hearing the word PRAY. "Spend time praying for these lives. Pray for my children. This is how you touch eternity." The more I thought about it, the more I realized that I may be the only person in this world praying for them. We don't always look at praying like that, but we should. That's why when God shows you to pray for someone, you do it! You may be the only one your knees interceding for someone's life.

So as I pour ingredients into the KitchenAid mixer, as I measure and sift, I pray. As I chop ingredients for forty-two cheese balls (which are done!) and form them into perfect balls, I pray. And as I completely cover each of them in pecans, then wrap them tight in saran wrap, I pray. With each Rum Cake, Pumpkin bread loaf and cheese ball wrapped tightly in cellophane and tied with a pretty ribbon then sealed with my Sugar and Spice label, I pray. It is truly sealed with a prayer.

These beautiful women that have placed an order for something savory or sweet to be placed on their Thanksgiving table are getting much more than something yummy to share with relatives. As I work on each order, I look down my spreadsheet (thank you Kelly Ann) and I look at the names that have ordered Pumpkin bread. I pray for them by name, each and every one of them. This year I asked God to specifically show me how to pray for these women (and one man) and I instantly heard the Holy Spirit give me a scripture. The scripture He brought to mind, Ephesians 3:14-21, made me cry because I knew it was for me too. It's one of my favorite passages and I've been meditating on it since I was fifteen years old. I feel like I am always trying to understand God's love and understand how much He truly loves me. If people in this world really knew how much God loved them, they would never doubt. Tomorrow I will be delivering these orders to each person on my list. Some of them have a relationship with Jesus, some do not. No matter who it is, this prayer is exactly what they need. They will never know I prayed for them but I know God will honor my prayer. I pray that as they taste the things I have prepared and baked, they will not only taste something good but they will taste the fullness and goodness of Christ. May they taste and see that the Lord is good! (Psalm 34)

Ephesians 3:14 When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father,[e] 15 the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth.[f] 16 I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. 17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. 21 Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.

And now back to baking! My friend Lori will be here at 3pm to help me wrap and tie ribbon!