PRaP 8-4-2005

"Bread Pudding" written by Me'agan Cailey



Bread pudding
INGREDIENTS:
· 6 slices day-old bread
· 2 tablespoons butter, melted
· 1/2 cup raisins (optional)
· 4 eggs, beaten
· 2 cups milk
· 3/4 cup white sugar
· 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
· 1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Okay I know funny way to start a PRaP but this was a conversation Pastor
Steve and I had over taking prayer to the cross. Most of you know Pastor
Mary Doyle is over in Africa doing AIDS research. And this is what
inspirited this PRaP. If anyone has watched the news lately, you have seen
that over in Africa there are rebels killing Christians. Pastor Steve and
I have always been close but last night I had to do, or should I say have
to say something that needed to be said. Pastor Steve lay it at the cross
and leave it there! Many times, he has had to help me deal with life
problems and last night the rolls were reversed. It felt uncomfortable but
I felt God put it on my heart to do this. We pray everyday for the safe
return of the J Team and fear had him over possibly losing someone he
loves. Now when we pray we are to believe that God heard it and will do His
will as He sees fit. We are to bring it to the cross and leave ALL there
and not take back any of the need or request. Not so easy to do but in a
way if we do not, to me, it is like telling or showing God we do not think
He is capable of filling our needs. Pastor Mary did a sermon on Bread
Pudding and this is what I said to Pastor Steve. Pastor Mary told us you
could not make GOOD bread pudding with out old dried bread. YUCK but she
went on to explain. If you use fresh soft bread not all of the milk and
sugar will soak up in the bread, cooking class in church lol. You need it
dry and all crumbled and broken into many pieces and the older the bread
the better the crumbs. Ok what does this have to do with praying we asked?
She said God wants to take ALL of the smallest of pieces and reform it into
something so good but we do not allow Him to do this. We know what the
recipe calls for and we have it in print (the Bible) but we tend to want to
change a good thing, a tested recipe that has been tested and re-tested.
We want to add or remove what is perfect. Now when we take a prayer to the
cross we know what we are asking for but we add more or in Pastor Steve
case removes something from the prayer after he took it to the cross. He
took back fear, worry, and doubt not giving God all of it and took back
something that God wants us to leave ALL of. So I told him about the Bread
Pudding and that changing the fact dry old bread might not be appealing but
that is what the recipe calls for. He needed to Praise God and in his heart
needed to know the team over there was in Gods hands and thank God for the
cross that we laid it at. Give Praise to the Lord and say yes Lord ALL my
prayers were heard and Your will be done. Instead, he took some of the
ingredients back with him. This left room for satan to take hold, and IT
stepped in. Not a good out come. We agreed in prayer that the J team was in
Gods hands and His will be done. ALL of the crumbs were left at the cross
and we asked God to have one of the team e-mails or send a message that
they made it there to the new camp safely. Then Pastor Steve and I praised
God for all the blessings we have in our life and we both truly felt the
peace of God come over us. We said our good nights and we went our ways. No
sooner about an hour later I saw on my computer and IM pastor Marys user
name. Praise God they were safe, and God heard our prayers.

PRaP Romans 8:18-27