Welcome Back to my continuing article titled?Pondering on Scripture and Career. I took July and reflected and relaxed. So I apologize for those who were wanting to see a July edition, however, welcome to the August and fall getting back into the swing of things edition. :-) As a reminder, I don't do a lot of planning, this article is what the Holy Spirit brings to my mind to put down but I will say this time the holy spirit has been working on me for several weeks and even more so the past few days on this topic. Be that as it may, I will continue to ask for forgiveness for run on sentences, punctuation errors, etc... I am not an English major just a person who loves God, Family and my Career.
So... Welcome. This month I come to you with bread on my mind but let me back up a few days... This past Wednesday I was driving back from a work event in Hamilton, Ohio. about Exit 44 on I-75 North Bound I had an overwhelming feeling that God wanted me to bake bread for communion at church on Sunday. So I immediately stopped, texted my pastor and let him know this... after a few moments I was texted back stating that indeed that fresh baked bread would be a warm welcome and that I could bake the bread for communion. (the loaf is pictured above in the cover photo). Long story short though I was overwhelmed with so much joy that I broke into tears from exit 44 till exit 64 before I could regain my composure completely. Now here is where why I share this with you:
Bread is a simple food yet staple of life for many cultures... this bread that I made for church is no exception in simplicity: Flour, water, yeast, and salt.. and a LOT of time, 14 to 20 hrs to be specific and to do it right. Thinking of this there is a parallel with the making of this bread and both the spiritual journey and career path of some.
Bear with me but here we go on a recipe journey together for some delicious bread and hopefully some insight for spiritual and career growth perhaps:
- Raw materials for this bread: Flour, Water, Yeast, Salt - This would equate to the person in both spiritual and career journeys. In both aspects you have to start somewhere and being born and alive is the best start for both. :-)
- Step one: Mix flour, water, yeast and salt in large bowl till combined. - The resulting dough ball is a small but firm dough... yet the yeast which when mixed and activated by water becomes alive and a seed to make that stiff dough ball in to something more. Just like the kindness you could show to a stranger, or the simple stating of thank you, please, and an occasional may God bless you statement might be a seed of life in a firm hardened heart of a person just starting a spiritual journey they may not have been aware that they were going to be embarking on. Or how a word of encouragement, coaching, team building or recognition can be the seed of life in some ones career. That even in a failure, that person can pick themselves up and be encouraged to keep moving forward with a push that they know there is more and that there are reasons to keep going.
- Step Two: Cover the bowl with the dough ball with a lid, towel or plastic wrap and let it rest/rise for 12 to 18 hours. over night works best. - Time... time in this recipe is really the key. With the bread it is that time letting the yeast work within eating the natural sugars of the flour, growing and expanding that dough into a bubbly, active, alive dough that is vibrant, yet still not fully mature, but closer. Time for us... well it can take years from the initial seeds of Spiritual/blessings, kindness, encouragement and prayers to work on the heart of the new believer or newly employed. Over these years you might grow a little in faith and knowledge and you may deflate or lose a bit of faith and knowledge and go back and forth until a time when you are ready to take that next step and go from new believer to boldly proclaiming Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior and let me tell you about my journey and share my testimony. OR the new employee to go from learning on the job to promotions and becoming the teacher and preacher of the product lines and services offered to the new flock of employees ready to be nurtured.
- Step Three: After the 12 to 18hrs turn out the now softer almost fluid dough on to a heavily floured counter, roughly shape into a ball, cover, and let rest 30 minutes. While the dough is resting place a 4 qt Dutch oven, with lid on it, into an oven and preheat to 450 degrees F. - So for the person here in this analogy we are right at that precipice going from newbie to evangelist. Now that could be evangelizing for Jesus Christ or for your employer and the products you offer with zeal or perhaps both of these. :-) A lot of times you take a few moments, days, months, or years between these stages and strengthen your faith and knowledge in Scripture and/or Employer portfolio even more so then you already have. Realizing things and adding to your knowledgebase of the subjects more and more. I for one did this via group meetings, talking with more and more people, doing devotionals with the youversion bible app, as well as many other avenues.. Seeking more to strengthen my faith in Jesus Christ and in my confidence in sales for my employers. Now, I do realize you might go through a few employers before you find the one that brings this passion to reality, just don't give up. God has a special purpose for each of us in this world.. Keep seeking and you shall find.
- Step 4 - after the 30 minutes take the HOT Dutch oven out of the oven and put the dough into the Dutch oven and place the lid back upon it and place back the Dutch oven into the oven for 30 minutes. After the 30 minutes take the lid off and bake for 15 more minutes. - So after that time of seeking and finding ... and well honestly.. during this whole process we might find ourselves in hard times. We might feel the full effects of the spiritual war being fought around us daily. We might have setbacks and failures that pull us down in the work place. We just might feel some days like we are in that Dutch oven in an oven. The dough is stuck, trapped in a confined HOT place. Steaming and baking and the yeast is dying and just terrible conditions for the living dough that once was. Have you ever felt this way? I know I have. But you know what, as the yeast has to live and thrive for a time and then die, we too will likely find ourselves in moments of spiritual/employment joy and living on top the world just to have things heat up and be humbled back to our knees and start over. Well... and that is ok.. A lot of times we must die to self to be able to serve humbly for both Christ and once employer. Just never lose sight that in all you do, you do what you do for God. It is this mentality that has served me well in my past 15 years especially. Have I always done this well... Nope.. Do I still fail at times and have to reset and restart ... most certainly. WE are still human so all we can do is pick up and do better and keep Jesus in the forefront and keep on keeping on. :-)
- Step 5: Take the bread out of the oven and turn on to a wire rack to cool before enjoying. - So this to me is like the pinnacle of the journey. When the lid is lifted and you are confident and bold in your spiritual journey and/or career path and have developed the breastplate of righteousness, the belt of truth, helmet of salvation, and sword of the gospel... just as the bread as develops its golden crispy crust holding the soft, chewy, moist bread inside it that is craved by many for nourishment... This is when you truly are at the best part of discipling others in faith and helping others strengthen and grow their faith as you were once seeking to do yourself... and/or helping others in the organization to grow and further themselves to get better understandings, promotions, and succeeding as a team with common understandings and goals.
So as Jesus stated best himself:
Well I hope this moment of pondering was insightful for you and remember as bread goes through a process to get to the table, you too will go through a process in your life that is sometimes great and other times not so much. But if you stay the course and give it time and never stop seeking ... well you too can achieve goals in spiritual growth and career path alike.
In closing I will state if anyone is intrigued and would like the full recipe details for this bread loaf just let me know and I will be happy to share it with you that you too can experience this delicious bread first hand and its journey from raw materials to fully mature and wonderfully made bread. Just as God has made you. Wonderfully.
Take care all, have a great next couple weeks, and "May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace" - Numbers 6:24-26.
