Let It Rise: My Loaf, My Heart, My Hope! Love Was The Leaven All Along!
- MS
- Apr 18
- 13 min read
Updated: Apr 21
**Flour, Fire, and the Empty Tomb! THE BAKING BEGINS AT DAWN!**
It’s early morning on Resurrection Sunday.
The kitchen is hushed with holy anticipation. Soft golden light spills through the window, gently kissing the worn wood of the flour-dusted countertop.
Outside, a chorus of birds fills the air with their melodious songs, as if the entire world is aware of a profound truth—He Is Risen.
Welcome to a kitchen unlike any other, where flour transforms into a heartfelt love letter, fire refines without scorching, and the ancient ritual of sourdough whispers tales of a soul restored.
In this sacred space, bathed in the gentle warmth of morning light, the tomb stands empty, a silent affirmation of hope. At the same time, the oven radiates inviting warmth, like a hug from an old friend.
Here, it’s not merely about baking bread; it’s about embodying the essence of it. Standing with Jesus, I am not here to prove that I have changed but to embrace the truth that He has already made me beautifully new.
This kitchen is a fragrant sanctuary, filled with the smell of honeyed sweetness and overflowing grace as the starter bubbles with the effervescence of resurrection joy.
The countertop, dusted with flour and a sprinkle of grace, serves as a canvas for creation. Each crack in the crust, every gentle rise of the dough, and those sacred pauses in the recipe remind me that my innocence hasn’t been lost; instead, it has been delicately concealed in Him, patiently waiting to rise again.
A sourdough starter bubbles quietly in its jar, alive with hidden energy, much like the tomb that could not hold Him. I stand at the counter, my hands trembling, not out of fear but from reverence.
Then I feel it: the presence of Jesus beside me. He’s wearing a soft linen apron, His sleeves rolled up, with a smile in His eyes. “Ready?” He asks.
I glance at the bowl, the flour, the starter… then back at Him. “I’m not sure I deserve to touch something so beautiful.”
He takes my hand and guides it into the flour. “You’ve already been made beautiful. That’s what the Cross and the Resurrection were for.”
This isn’t just Easter, with its pastel colors and church pews; this is a profoundly personal Easter, echoing deep within my soul.
It’s the kind where Jesus rolls up His sleeves, ties on a well-worn apron, and demonstrates that even the messiest, most chaotic dough can transform into something nourishing, golden, and gloriously new when touched by love's gentle hand.
So come, barefoot and unguarded.
Come with your bruises and questions, your curiosity ignited.
He’s patiently waiting at the counter, ready to reveal the wonders that lie within. There’s healing in the rhythmic kneading, a sense of wonder in the tranquil waiting, and unrestrained joy in the rising.
My beloved reader, let’s journey together to bake resurrection, crafting not just loaves but a celebration of new beginnings.
**ENTER THE SACRED KITCHEN**
As I step into the inviting embrace of the countryside kitchen, the warm glow of amber light wraps around me like a beloved blanket.
The deep royal blue cabinets line the walls, their elegant hues harmonizing with the space's rustic charm.
A window frames a breathtaking view of sun-kissed golden fields that sway gently in the breeze.
On the counter, a glass jar bubbles with sourdough starter, its effervescence reminiscent of joyful laughter.
The large wooden table is a canvas of flour dust, a testament to past culinary creations. Nestled among the cooking essentials, fragrant cinnamon sticks peek out from a ceramic jar, hinting at sweet and spicy delights yet to come.
The air is infused with the soft scent of wildflowers, mingling with the rich aroma of fresh earth, creating a sensory tapestry that feels both grounding and magical.
Jesus stands at the heart of this sacred space, His sleeves rolled up casually and a blue apron tied loosely around His waist, exuding warmth and familiarity. He glances over His shoulder, a gentle smile brightening His face. “Are you ready to bake something beautiful? Remember, this is more than just bread; this is about soul restoration.” His voice carries a melodic lilt, full of encouragement.
I linger at the threshold, caught in a moment of uncertainty. “Jesus… do I still get to keep my innocence?” I ask, my voice wavering, barely above a whisper, laced with the weight of my fears and the trembling of my heart.
“Oh my beloved, remember, innocence is not earned by your performance; it is a gift from God through the Cross.”
He pauses, allowing that truth to settle softly in my heart.
“Even in your most broken moments, when you feel lost in failure, do not close your heart to the Father. Without that innocence, you may not allow Him access to the deepest parts of you, the very places that will carry you forward.”
He continues, His voice gentle yet firm, “I call you to pursue a spirit of childlike innocence and simplicity. Embrace the wonder and trust of a child, for it is in that purity that you can truly experience the fullness of My love.”
As He speaks, the promise of renewal fills the space between us, inviting me to rise from the shadows of doubt that have burdened my spirit.
He takes my hand.“Let’s weave that truth into our baking, shall we?”
The words hang in the air, infused with a sense of promise and possibility, inviting me to embrace the beauty of rediscovery and reclaim the innocence that once flourished within me.
In His embrace, I feel the stirring of hope, as if each heartbeat resonates with the echo of His love, reminding me that I am never alone on this transformation journey. In this sacred call to innocence, I am reminded that the path forward is not complicated but rather a dance of trust and simplicity, where joy springs forth in the most unexpected places.
**THE STARTER: THE BEGINNING WAS NEVER BROKEN. RESTORED INNOCENCE IN THE BAKING.
ALIVE FROM WHAT LOOKED DEAD.**
Jesus holds the jar of sourdough starter, bubbling and alive. I stare at the bubbly mess; part flour, part water, all miracle.
“This,” He says, “is like you. Alive. Rising. A bit wild. Made from what was already inside you.”
I remember my past mistakes, self-judgments, shame, and “should haves.”
“You’re not ruined. You’re fermenting, becoming something full of flavor. Something only time, truth, and Love could make rise.”
I run my fingers along the rim of the jar, my heart trembling. “All that I thought disqualified me…”
Jesus places the jar into my hands. “I used it all. I never stopped nurturing the starter in you.”
Doughlicious Innocence Adventures:
Imagine yourself holding the bubbly starter. You’re filled with curiosity and embrace it fearlessly.
Now, take a moment to write a letter to your past self. Express gratitude and blessings to her.
Acknowledge that she was in survival mode, and celebrate that you are now in a place of growth.
Consider starting a "Grace Jar." Write down one past mistake on each slip of paper and include the note, "Jesus used this to create something beautiful." Watch as the jar fills up with evidence of redemption.
Add a Secret Ingredient:
“See, I am doing a new thing… I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” — Isaiah 43:19
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” — 2 Corinthians 5:17
“Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; He has risen!” — Luke 24:5-6
Stir up a fresh perspective:
My beginnings weren’t broken; they were a process of becoming. My story didn’t end at the cross. It began at the resurrection.
**THE MIXING: MESSY, HOLY, AND HELD TOGETHER. WHERE MERCY MEETS MISTAKE.**
Flour, water, salt, and starter sit in the bowl as I mix them with my hands. The flour sticks to my fingers and clumps together in unusual ways. “This feels messy,” I sigh.
Jesus, standing beside me, grins. “So does grace. This part always feels messy,” He replies. “But your mistakes don’t disqualify you; they become part of the miracle.”
He kneads the dough next to me, His touch strong yet tender. “Innocence isn’t the absence of sin; it’s about being restored and seen without shame.”
As I continue to mix, I find a rhythm in the resistance, laughing as flour dusts my nose. I’ve stopped trying to remain untouched; I am learning to embrace the process and enjoy it.
Doughlicious Innocence Adventures:
The dough is a little stubborn, but you’re sharing laughter with Jesus. He playfully wipes flour on your cheek. Take a moment to list what you think disqualifies you. Then, rewrite each item using this phrase: “Even this, He kneads into beauty.”
Next, choose one painful moment from your past and ask: “Jesus, where were You in this memory?” Write down His answer.
Add a Secret Ingredient:
"You've gone into my future to prepare the way, and in kindness you follow behind me to spare me from the harm of my past. You have laid your hand on me." — Psalm 139:5 (TPT)
“Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” — Isaiah 1:18
Stir Up a Fresh Perspective:
I was being held, even in the mess. Jesus didn’t flinch at my mess. He folded mercy into it.
**Kneading, Pressed but Not Crushed. THE RESTING: THE RISE HAPPENS IN SILENCE**
I press and fold the dough, and Jesus joins in. The rhythm feels sacred, like breath, like devotion.
“Kneading strengthens the gluten; it binds everything together,” He says. “Just like grace. Grace doesn’t avoid your past; it stretches it into strength.” I look at my hands, strong from kneading. For the first time, I truly believe: I am not weak because I fell; I am strong because I rose again.
Doughlicious Innocence Adventures:
The dough is forming under your palms. It becomes elastic. Responsive.
Choose one story from your past you feel shame around. Ask Jesus, “What do You see when You look at this?” Write His answer.
Add a Secret Ingredient:
"Though we experience every kind of pressure, we’re not crushed. At times we don’t know what to do, but quitting is not an option. We are persecuted by others, but God has not forsaken us. We may be knocked down, but not out." - 2 Corinthians 4:8–9 (TPT)
Stir Up a Fresh Perspective:
He kneads even my mess into miracles.
**THE RESTING: THE RISE HAPPENS IN SILENCE**
I place the dough in a bowl and cover it with a linen cloth. “Is that it?” I ask. Jesus wipes flour from my cheek and replies, “That’s everything.”
We sit down at the table together. Tea is steeping, and the dough is resting. So am I.
“See?” He whispers. “Growth happens even in stillness. You don’t have to earn your worth. You rise by resting in Me.” My heart exhales. I realize I don’t need to prove anything; I just need to allow myself to be loved. “You’ve always thought innocence was something you lost,” He says softly. “But I’ve been holding it for you, safekeeping it. Like the dough, hidden, rising.”
I take a deep breath. At this moment, I don’t need to prove anything; I simply am.
Doughlicious Innocence Adventures:
Imagine a quiet kitchen with rising dough and the scent of hope in the air.
Schedule 30 minutes of “proofing time” this week. This is not about productivity; it’s about giving yourself permission to rest in His love.
Do nothing but rest in God’s presence. Let your nervous system know: it’s safe now.
Add a Secret Ingredient:
“In quietness and trust is your strength.” — Isaiah 30:15
Stir Up a Fresh Perspective:
In stillness, I rise. Rest is not an act of giving up; rather, it is a process of resurrection in progress.
**THE OVEN: THE FIRE THAT FREES, NOT CONSUMES. The Fire That Transforms. FROM BROKEN TO GOLDEN.**
The oven glows, and I wince. “This part scares me.”
Jesus gently places the dough on the baking stone. “You fear the fire would destroy it, but it's used to give it form.”
I watch as the dough expands, crusts over, and changes color. The loaf cracks open; its crust is golden, and its shape is graceful.
“The fire doesn’t shame you,” He says. “It sets the beauty inside free.”
Doughlicious Innocence Adventures:
Imagine the oven window glowing, golden, and alive. You and Jesus peek in like children.
Reflect on a season that felt like fire. Journal: “What emerged from that fire in me that I now carry like gold? What was burned away? What truth came through?”
Add a Secret Ingredient:
“When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned.” — Isaiah 43:2
“He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.” — Malachi 3:3
Stir Up a Fresh Perspective:
The fire didn’t destroy me; it revealed me.
**THE LOAF: BROKEN OPEN, NEVER BROKEN DOWN: WHERE INNOCENCE IS RESTORED**
Jesus places the warm sourdough loaf on the table between us. He breaks it open, and steam rises, filling the air with the comforting aroma of nourishment.
“This,” He says, handing me a piece, “is how I see you. Nourishing. Honest. Enough.”
I take a bite. It’s the most genuine food I've ever tasted.
I lean in closer, my voice dropping to a near whisper, filled with urgency. “But I need them to see me. To truly understand that I’m not the person I once was.” He locks His gaze onto mine, His eyes a deep well of understanding, radiating a mix of compassion and unwavering determination. It's as if He can sense the internal storm raging within me, churning with uncertainty and longing. “You don’t need anyone’s acknowledgment; you don’t need their applause to make this transformation real,” He replies, His tone a soothing yet firm reassurance. “What you truly require is your own restoration. Trust me, you have already embarked on that journey.”
Doughlicious Innocence Adventures:
Each time you eat bread this week, whisper: “This is who I am now; whole, healed, and at home in Him.”
Add a Secret Ingredient:
“He restores my soul.” — Psalm 23:3
Stir Up a Fresh Perspective:
Others' recognition isn’t my restoration; Jesus is. The Cross didn’t just remove my sin; the Resurrection restored my original glory.
**The Bread, Broken but Beautiful!**
THE BLESSING: A NEW APRON, A NEW NAME!
Jesus hands me another piece. The crust crackles, and steam rises.
“This is My body, broken for you. Broken so your innocence would be mended,” He says. “And this is your innocence, restored.”
Tears fill my eyes; not from shame, but from release. “I kept trying to earn what You already gave.”
He places the bread in my hands. “I didn’t just die for your forgiveness; I rose for your innocence.”
I eat. I receive. And for the first time in a long while, I don’t just forgive my past; I love her. I don’t just hear “you’re forgiven”; I believe it.
Jesus unties my flour-dusted apron and hands me a new one, made of soft blue linen and embroidered with the word "Innocent."
“Wear it every time you doubt who you are,” He says. “Not because you earned it, but because I never stopped seeing you this way.”
I slip it on. It fits like grace.
Doughlicious Innocence Adventures:
You and Jesus are at the table, sharing bread. Peace wraps around your shoulders like a shawl.
Choose one physical item this week; clothing, perfume, or an object; and let it remind you: I am clothed in innocence.
Create a “Restoration Ritual.” Every time you eat bread this week, say: “I receive the wholeness He made from my brokenness.”
Add a Secret Ingredient:
“She is clothed with strength and dignity.” — Proverbs 31:25
"Bold power and glorious majesty are wrapped around her as she laughs with joy over the latter days." — Proverbs 31:25 (TPT)
"He refreshes my soul. He opens before me the right path and leads me along in His footsteps of righteousness so that I can bring honor to His name." — Psalm 23:3 (TPT)
Stir Up a Fresh Perspective:
I’m not earning a new identity; I’m remembering the one He already gave me. I’m His delight, His daughter, and His risen one.
**CLOSING WHISPER FROM JESUS**
"You believed that innocence was a door you had closed behind you. However, it was never a destination but a part of your design. I've been working to help you return to that innocence all along. Beloved, the Cross covered the cost, but the Resurrection crowned you with innocence. You don’t rise because you are flawless; you rise because I did. You are no longer trying to earn your place at the table. You are home now. The bread is warm, and the tomb is empty. Your hands are free from shame. I did not restore you to who you once were; I restored you to who you truly are. Innocence isn’t just about being naive; it is the radiant trust of someone who knows they are fully seen, fully loved, and fully safe. And that is who you are. It’s a purity of spirit that allows you to embrace the world with open arms, untainted by the shadows of doubt or fear. Innocence is not a sin nor a foolish belief; it’s a beautiful quality that helps you find joy in life’s simplest treasures. It fuels your curiosity, sparks your wonder, and keeps joy shining, especially when the going gets tough! And the best part is that this essence of innocence can thrive alongside wisdom, offering a refreshing perspective that sees possibility where others may see limitations. It is a strength, not a vulnerability. This gentle lantern lights the path forward, reminding you that love and trust can coexist even amid life's complexities. And that is who you are. Allow yourself to rise, embracing the bright, unblemished spirit within you. Allow yourself to rise."
"Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you."- Isaiah 60:1
In that blue kitchen, surrounded by wildflowers leaning toward the window, I came to a profound realization: I was not baking for redemption; I was baking with it. The same One who rolled the stone away was now rolling dough beneath my hands, reminding me that the oven is warm, the tomb is empty, and my soul is rising. The empty tomb means He did not just Rise, He came for me.
My beloved reader, awaken and shine, for your light has arrived, and the brilliance of God dances above you, illuminating your path and filling the world with wonder.
Let your spirit awaken and shine; a new light emerges from the empty tomb. The brilliance of hope surrounds you, guiding your way and inviting you to witness the wonders of life. The stone has been rolled away, signaling the end of despair and the triumph of hope. In this moment, we celebrate new beginnings and the endless possibilities that lie ahead. Just as dawn breaks through the darkest night, so does the promise of resurrection fill our hearts with joy. Even amidst sorrow, a light shines bright and cannot be extinguished. Embrace this miracle as a reminder of eternal love and a call to rise, shine, and live fully in the radiant gift of life.
**Doughlicious Innocence Adventures=Practical Steps
Add a Secret Ingredient=Scripture
Stir Up a Fresh Perspective=Reframe**
