Daily Devotionals
Friday, February 2, 2024 (Ashley)
A couple weeks ago I realized I had an addiction… a bread making addiction 
I started making a loaf a day to perfect the art of my sourdough skills. But I soon realized I couldn’t stop! I would find myself preparing bread in the morning while still staring at a loaf from the day before. At first, I have to be honest, I coveted the bread. I had spent so much time on each loaf, I didn’t want to cut into it. But once there was a new loaf the next day, the old loaf would end up being wasted. I found myself in a vicious bread making cycle.
So I decided to start giving some away. I realized it was taking up a lot of time but I truly enjoyed it. I don’t know about your house but the kitchen is a popular room in ours. It’s where we do our homeschooling, where we catch up on our days, where I usually am if my phone rings… I do a lot of thinking in my kitchen. One day, I found myself thinking about a certain person and thought, “Hey… this loaf should be for them!” So throughout all the various baking steps, I decided to pray for this person. “I think I’m going to make this a thing”, I told myself.
One morning, as I was doin’ my bread thang
… my husband walked into the kitchen, put his arms around me and I said, “Bread lady!! I love when I walk in on you making bread! You always seem so happy!” I realized I really was happy… I had been praying for the family that would be getting that loaf of bread and I felt so much love for them. I decided to write a little note on the back of a verse card to the bread bag, which I have since done for all of them.
I’m a little embarrassed to admit this but… Praying for others has never been a natural gift of mine. Sure, if someone I know or love is in need, I offer my prayers but prayers for specific friends or family just because? I’m not going to lie, that hasn’t exactly been “my thing”.
“Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.”
—James 5:16
James did not mean “righteous person”, as in a sinless person. What he was referring to was those who can effectively pray for others because they have confessed their sins and are in an open place with the Lord. As christians, our most powerful resource and connection to God is through prayer and I had often looked at prayer for others as a last resort to save them from their trials. That is completely backwards from what the Lord wants. Prayer should come first!
Once I presented this idea to God, he has begun to place certain people on my heart. I either plan to see this person or it happens to work out that I will see them when I have a loaf ready. I believe he will do the same for you!
If you haven’t confessed your sin to the Lord, clear the space between you and see where God leads your prayer life. I promise, you won’t be disappointed.
Ashley
I started making a loaf a day to perfect the art of my sourdough skills. But I soon realized I couldn’t stop! I would find myself preparing bread in the morning while still staring at a loaf from the day before. At first, I have to be honest, I coveted the bread. I had spent so much time on each loaf, I didn’t want to cut into it. But once there was a new loaf the next day, the old loaf would end up being wasted. I found myself in a vicious bread making cycle. So I decided to start giving some away. I realized it was taking up a lot of time but I truly enjoyed it. I don’t know about your house but the kitchen is a popular room in ours. It’s where we do our homeschooling, where we catch up on our days, where I usually am if my phone rings… I do a lot of thinking in my kitchen. One day, I found myself thinking about a certain person and thought, “Hey… this loaf should be for them!” So throughout all the various baking steps, I decided to pray for this person. “I think I’m going to make this a thing”, I told myself.
One morning, as I was doin’ my bread thang
… my husband walked into the kitchen, put his arms around me and I said, “Bread lady!! I love when I walk in on you making bread! You always seem so happy!” I realized I really was happy… I had been praying for the family that would be getting that loaf of bread and I felt so much love for them. I decided to write a little note on the back of a verse card to the bread bag, which I have since done for all of them. I’m a little embarrassed to admit this but… Praying for others has never been a natural gift of mine. Sure, if someone I know or love is in need, I offer my prayers but prayers for specific friends or family just because? I’m not going to lie, that hasn’t exactly been “my thing”.
“Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.”
—James 5:16
James did not mean “righteous person”, as in a sinless person. What he was referring to was those who can effectively pray for others because they have confessed their sins and are in an open place with the Lord. As christians, our most powerful resource and connection to God is through prayer and I had often looked at prayer for others as a last resort to save them from their trials. That is completely backwards from what the Lord wants. Prayer should come first!
Once I presented this idea to God, he has begun to place certain people on my heart. I either plan to see this person or it happens to work out that I will see them when I have a loaf ready. I believe he will do the same for you!
If you haven’t confessed your sin to the Lord, clear the space between you and see where God leads your prayer life. I promise, you won’t be disappointed.
Ashley
