In a world that demands immediate results and instant gratification, practices like baking bread (especially sourdough) are a powerful act of spiritual resistance. It's one of the Handmade practices that most connects us to faith, because the process itself is a living parable. Making bread teaches us profound lessons that modern life tries to make us forget.
First, the lesson of the yeast . Faith is trusting in a process we cannot see. We mix simple ingredients—flour, water, salt—and wait for an invisible life (the yeast or sourdough starter) to do its silent work. We cannot force it; we can only provide the right environment and trust. It is a reminder that, in our lives, God often works in ways we cannot immediately perceive, like the parable of the yeast that leavens the whole batch of dough.
Second, the lesson of kneading . Working with your hands is prayer incarnate. It's a rhythmic act that compels us to be present. You can't knead dough properly while answering emails or getting lost in future worries. You must feel the texture, the moisture, the resistance. Putting your strength and patience into the dough anchors you to the present moment, transforming a physical act into an active meditation, a wordless dialogue with the Creator.
And finally, the lesson of waiting . Bread cannot be rushed. It must rest. It must ferment. It must rise and double... all in its own time, not ours. If you try to accelerate the process, the result will be dense, tasteless, lifeless bread. It is a practice of radical patience and trust. It teaches us to let go of control and respect the rhythms of creation, a direct parallel to how we wait for God to work in our lives, in His perfect timing.
When we finally take that golden bread out of the oven and its aroma fills the house, we haven't just created food. We've participated in a miracle. And when we share it at the table, we're not just serving food; we're sharing the tangible testimony of God's waiting, transformation, and faithful provision .