Called to Serve

Service. Serving. To serve.  What does that mean to you?  Do you think of a waiter?  Do you think of a service member? Do you think of the self-serve buffet?  Serving those around you is maybe not the first thing that comes to mind.  Maybe it is.  Serving ones tribe can be tricky.  Being called to be of service, to serve lovingly and without bitterness can feel impossible at times.  I struggle here in the very strangest of ways.  Let me explain…

I passionately serve people in my community, in my church and even strangers I don’t know.  I want to help them, I want to feed them, I want to do the things they need done.  I serve on boards, committees and teams.  I’ll feed you, clothe you, plan for you, pray for you. I'll fill a box full of toys and goodies for you.  I’ll help you find a job, connect you with a new friend, bake for you, cook for you and maybe even clean for you.  But when it comes to serving within my own home…now that’s just a whole thing.

It’s hard to serve your family with a joyful heart day in and day out.  It takes a lot of prayer and commitment to stay the course.  To give of oneself when oneself is poured out and worn out.  I get it.  Dear laundry, I hate you all the time!  Dear dishes, you pile up on purpose I think sometimes!  Dear children, didn’t I just feed you!  Dear Husband, why do you need a cup of water in every room!  Dear house, please put yourself on self-clean and move on with it!  I mean it’s constant acts of service around here.  The feeding, the toileting, the providing for. I mean wash, rinse, repeat right?  Well I’m here to say I am guilty of the bitterness of the act of service for my family.  Something that comes so naturally to me outside of these walls is such a struggle here when it should be an out pouring of love on the people needing so much of me.

Needing so much of me, this is maybe where the rubber meets the road.  It’s because there is so much need, so much pouring out, so many things for all the persons at Ferrell Farms.  And so it becomes a heart issue.  If I love God, then I am to serve joyfully, here’s the word… 

 Colossians 3:23-24 “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”

I am serving the LORD in what I do!  This should spur me on while I fold the laundry or stay up late working to keep up.

Philippians 2:5-7 “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.”

I love this verse because it reminds me that Jesus served us by being emptied out and taking the form of a servant.  I mean no clearer picture here of how I should live. To be emptied out of myself and filled up with the goodness of a serving heart and mindset.  Also, I can take away from this that GOD will fill me up on those days where I am completely emptied.  He will provide.

Mark 10:45 “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Jesus came to serve and to show us how to serve in selfless love.  I want that.  I am determined to serve my sick husband (he’s the worst sick person of ever) with a happy heart tonight.  I am determined to serve these exhausting little people with the pouring out of myself, in the knowledge that God will fill me back up again. I am praying this over my life.

Imagine a fountain.  The top tier, pours into the bottom tier, pours into the big basin which goes back up and starts again.  I pour out only to be re-filled through the act of service.  We do not serve alone, the Father is with us pouring back in as we go. Thank you Lord for that.

FEARFULLY WONDERFULLY and BEAUTIFULLY MADE in his image girl, that is what you are.  Serve your guts out, to God by the glory! Let us be joyful in our service this week sisters!

Much Love-

 Chrystan

Ruth Study: Peasant Bread Recipe

Hello Beautifully Made readers!  As we have been studying Ruth I have a special treat for you today for all your hard work!  We have been learning about barley and wheat and the threshing floor, so what would better go along with that than an easy homemade bread recipe?  Leesa Mead from Save a Skillet is guest blogging today, you're gonna love her!  When you are done reading today's blog, hop over and subscribe to her's, it's seriously one of my favorite blogs! 

Peasant Bread

But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.

                                                             Psalm 3:3

 Good morning!  My name is Leesa, and I write a blog over at Save a Skillet where we delve into how food and fellowship are intertwined and how to get back to having a love relationship with food. 

I am very excited to write this guest post today for Chrystan and the Beautifully Made readers.  Today I am going to share my favorite bread recipe – Peasant Bread.  Bread… so simple, yet so daunting to most cooks due to kneading it, letting it rise and then after all that hard work (and dirty dishes) it turns out tough or it falls in the middle (the worst!). 

But not today fellow readers, nope today is going to be your best bread experience ever. You are going to start being known as the Bread Baker (or Mr/Ms BB for short) in your friend circle.  You will walk in the door and people are going to be in awe of where you learned such a talent.

Not a fan of bread you say? Not impressed, huh?  I would go on a limb and say everyone’s favorite food is a good homemade bread.  Don’t believe me… what is your favorite food?  Lasagna?  Nothing pairs better with lasagna than delicious bread to sop of the leftover cheesy sauce.  Turkey with Mashed potatoes and gravy?  How are you going to clean all the leftover gravy off your plate without a fresh squishy roll?  I feel I have made my point.  J

Seriously though, this bread is pretty awesome. It always turns out perfect AND no kneading!  You mix ingredients, toss them in the bowl and wa-lah, let it rise and toss it in the oven.  Done.

Peasant Bread

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit       Total cooking time 30 minutes

Ingredients

·         2 cups warm water

·         2 teaspoons active dry yeast

·         3 teaspoons sugar

·         4 cups of all-purpose flour

·         2 teaspoons kosher salt

·         2 tablespoons softened butter - greasing bowls

Directions

Mix water, sugar, and yeast in a small bowl. Let this sit for 10 -15 minutes until mixture is foamy.

In a large bowl whisk together flour and salt.

Now stir in the yeast mixture.

Mix until all flour is absorbed. Dough will be very wet.

Cover bowl with a tea towel and let rise for 1 hour.

Tip :  For a good rising temperature, turn oven on 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 minute, then turn oven back off. The oven is now a good temperature for bread to rise.

Take bread from oven

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit

Grease 2 oven safe 1 liter size bowls with softened butter (Pyrex, Corningware)

Using two forks punch down dough, scraping from sides.  Dough will still be very wet.

Using two forks (due to wet dough, this is not easy) divide dough down the middle and separate into equal portions.

Scoop up half of dough into one of the greased bowls, and then the other half of dough into the other greased bowl.

Let the dough rise again for 20-30 min on countertop.

Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and cook for an additional 15 minutes.

Remove bread from oven and turn loaves onto a cooling rack.  If the loaves are not as golden as desired place back into oven for an additional 5 minutes, not in bowls.

Cool for 10 minutes prior to cutting bread.

(Recipe adapted from Alexandra's Kitchen - My mother's Peasant Bread)

www.saveaskillet.com (seriously, go check her out!)

Much Love,

Chrystan & Leesa

PS- The final chapter in Ruth coming next time!!! Can't wait to give you a BIG announcement! Sit tight!!!