This opportunity to grow not only in wisdom but also in strength and courage maybe the catalyst that carries you over into a new level with God. This year is the YEAR to be in Season, out of SEASON. It is about being prepared. What better way to practice this with God's help, than to trust God to feed you. However, it takes you being prepared for the season ahead before it even arrives. That is what this year is all about.
ARE YOU READY TO BE IN SEASON, OUT OF SEASON? “Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing and your vats will brim over with new wine.” Proverbs 2:9, 10
When asking what to write for today, God brought to mind a video series I watched earlier this year. I will link it at the bottom of the page. It is called the Pantry Challenge by Three Rivers. Now this is a woman who is 41 and just gave birth to her eighth child. This family lives on a small acreage and grows much of their own food, however, they do buy in bulk and preserve that food. The challenge is not to buy any food for the months of January and February.
Now for me, as of today, I have had to move back into the city. This summer I had dug up a small portion of my back yard to plant some vegetables, to see how the garden will grow. It was amazing. I just dug up the sod, which will be added back to the garden in the spring as compost and used only a garden shovel to turn the soil and planted. Next year the garden will be bigger, but still offer the dogs a place to run around.
This lady has had a year to prepare for her own challenge. However, I think God is leading me to give it a go. I am not as prepared as she is with home grown food and a freezer full of my own farm raised chickens and beef, however, by giving this challenge a go, it will help me prepare for the next upcoming season. This woman has been preparing for her eighth child since summer. She has been canning and freezing meals, teaching her children how to cook simple meals, and has planned for homeschooling during her time of giving birth.
I am not this woman, nor are you. However, lessons from those who have gone before us can teach us in the way we should go. Maybe you don’t have a garden (yet, or you don’t want one) this challenge can be done with all store bought food. Maybe you don’t have enough in your pantry to do two full months, but how about trying it for two weeks. The end result has two main points that I would like you to consider. Point one: it teaches you to prepare, to be prepared in season and out of season. Point two: it teaches you where your faith level is and helps you grow stronger in dependence on the Lord.
God knows where you are, and He wants you to grow in your faith and your dependence on Him. Remember, we are sustained by the Word. That is not only spiritually, but physically and emotionally as well. If you have been working on your Vision Board and Goal lists, you already have the basic idea of how to go about this challenge.
It is going to look different for everyone. Some of you will be able to start on January 1st and others might not start until January 15th. Some might plan not to buy any food for those two months and put that money on their credit card debt or save it for a huge grocery haul in March. For others, in might be putting a cap on the grocery bill, say fifty dollars for two weeks. The important part is building your faith and trust in God to see to your needs.
After praying about it and getting the green light from God, I suggest the first thing you do is sow your seed. Seed multiplies. Whether you are giving money to a food bank, or sowing food into someone in need, remember to tell God what it is for and believe for the 100-fold return. Seed reproduces after itself. Jesus knows how to multiply food.
Take inventory of what you have and if you can buy a little extra before the start of your challenge than do so. If you need fresh vegetables and dairy products, it is alright to keep that in mind and buy those things if that is what you need. Recently on the Sister Site, I posted a video on growing your own food indoors this winter.
If you receive food from a food bank, pray that God provides you with what you need. Always give Him thanks for providing for you. Remember to sow. Sowing multiplies. You may find God provides for you in unique ways. Maybe someone will invite you out for dinner or will give you a bag of groceries. Before the challenge, or during if you have decided to spend a certain amount every two weeks, consider buying vegetables or fruit in bulk on sale for cheap and you can freeze them or can them. Thank God. Always, always thank God. And ask for what you need in faith to God, not your mother, not your neighbour, but God.
If you need time to prepare and cannot start until February, that is fine. This is about growing in the Lord and learning how to prepare to be in season, out of season.
As I was preparing for this, I thought about how women of the war years had to use what they had, and little they had. Britain was much worse off than Canada or the United States. However, all these countries, including New Zealand, Australia and South Africa had limits put on them as to what and how much they could buy. This was called rationing.
If you would prefer you could do a Wartime challenge. As with the pantry challenge, you decide the degree and length you want to go. Always when deciding, choose something that will stretch you and make it seem impossible. The Wartime challenge is a little different, as food was rationed and some things impossible to purchase.
TO THOSE WHO ARE STRUGGLING BEYOUND WHAT THEY SEEM THEY CAN BEAR NOW, I CHALLENGE YOU TO TAKE ON SOME KIND OF CHALLENGE THIS YEAR. God has abundance for you if you will trust Him.
Whether you choose to do a wartime challenge or pantry challenge, it is time to take stock of what you have in the pantry. Then open up the apps to your local grocery store and find out what is on sale. This challenge is not about frugal living or starving yourself because of lack of food. It is about raising your trust in God. Jesus said he is the bread of life.
To help you decide what to have on hand, make a list of five or six go to meals you and your family enjoy. Write down what you need from the recipe and times that by how many times you want to prepare those meals for the duration of your challenge.
If you have a breadmaker, be sure your yeast is fresh, and you have flour on hand. Breadmakers can be found at thrift shops, Facebook marketplace and of course on Christmas lists. I am gluten free and will post some bread recipes soon on the sister site. You can also make it by hand.
Crockpots are a life saver. Again, they can be found everywhere and with Boxing Day sales and after Christmas sales you should be able to find one rather cheaply.
Do not plan to fail, but plan to succeed. This includes what you put in your pantry. For example, you need liquid oil, shortening, lard, butter and/or margarine. (Shortening, lard, butter can be frozen) For sugar you need white, brown, non-fructose corn syrup, honey, agar, or some other sweeteners. If you need coffee or tea, stock up, including whiteners if needed. If you run out of something, do not cheat, and run out in get it. That defeats the whole purpose of this challenge. You are here to teach yourself you can do all things through Christ. Not, “well, God I just don’t have what it takes”.
Instead of buying the kids their snacks, you might have to bake something. They might have to drink more water and less pop and milk. (Powdered milk works good for baking and cooking. Milk can also be frozen, although it changes the taste.) There is canned milk also. Yoghurt is easy to make yourself and can be frozen. Search google to find out what can be made with powdered milk.
Things to stock pile: oatmeal, lentils, carrots, potatoes, canned vegetables, canned meat, cheese (grate first then freeze), eggs fresh and powdered, flour, oil, cake mixes that don’t need extra eggs, jam and jelly, soup, gravy mixes, spices and herbs, chocolate chips, tomato sauce, pasta, canned fruit or frozen if you have a freezer, juice powder, rice, soya sauce and other sauces, peanut butter, rice or oatmeal milk for cooking and enjoying, cocoa to make chocolate milk syrup, corn meal, baking powder and soda.
Whatever you decide the rules are, establish them up front and stick to them. A pantry challenge is an exercise in kitchen discipline, and it’s not meant to be easy. Your rules will help keep you in line to meet your goals.
Remember to ask God for what you need. You may have to wait for a reply, or it might be that you need to figure something else out. Meal planning will help you and so will writing it down in your calendar. When your children complain there is nothing to eat, help them make rice crispy squares from scratch or bake a cake. It will become difficult, and it will be demanding; however, you can successfully do this. Do not let failure beat you. If you can overcome this, you are ready for the next challenge. That is how faith is built. From glory to glory.
Always try to choose nutrient dense food over sugared foods or over processed foods. I understand that at the beginning of the challenge it might seem like an impossible task to get your children to eat this diet, but don’t give into them. Let this also challenge them and teach them about the
