“Between the beautifully bound covers of Bread for the Journey lies a collection of life lessons from past and present, from everyday occurrences to miraculous deliverance; pictures of faith, forgiveness and hope. This book is a treasury of physical and spiritual sustenance in one wholesome, inspiring package.” (My endorsement for MennoMedia).
Bread for the Journey is brought to us by the ten women who joined efforts to write Mennonite Girls Can Cook and Mennonite Girls Can Cook Celebrations, all through Herald Press (MennoMedia).
The dedication of Bread for the Journey reads thus: “We dedicate this book and our royalties to orphans and widows who face each day in need. Our prayer is that they would see the love of Jesus extended through caring hands, one home and one heart at a time.
I think for this very reason, God has been blessing the sales of these books. After seeing an Advance Reading Copy and a mockup of the cover, I’m sure this latest production will also achieve great sales.
Bread for the Journey is based on 13 weeks (90 days) of heartfelt meditations meant to encourage, to stir, to comfort, to inspire, to teach. Each week begins with a story and a recipe, and each day of the week features a devotional written by one of the ten women who compiled the first two books. Their inspirational contributions vary from lessons learned through everyday events to family stories from their forebears in Russia. Nostalgia and faith combine to show God’s protection and preservation through many years and trials.
This volume is again beautifully formatted, with luscious food photos and smartly styled pages. It is artistic, but as warm as Grandma’s hug. I love the spiritual parallel of roasted zwieback for the emigration journey with the long-lasting and nourishing inspiration of God’s word in our spiritual journey.
At the end of each meditation, the writer includes thoughts and meditations to savor.
Some of the stories brought tears to my eyes at the suffering the Mennonite people experienced in Russia and how they chose to trust in God instead of allowing bitterness to take root. Here are a few examples:
– Be encouragers
– Trust God in all circumstances
– Do not allow life to make you bitter; it’s a choice
– God loves us enough to take time to remind us of his great love
– The most amazing gift ever given is Jesus
– We are committed to each other and to Christ
I found these stories to be particularly nostalgic because they are part of my own personal history, stories I heard as a child when our extended family gathered at Grandma’s house for borscht and fresh bread. They are stories of sorrows and joys, of faith and perseverance.
In Bev’s words from article #4 of Week Three: “Without God, there are no answers to the hard questions, no reasons for difficult times, and, worst of all, no hope.”
Thank you, ladies, for your hard work, for your generosity, for your vision, and for being vulnerable. God is certainly using you through this endeavor.
Janice L. Dick 