The Lesson of the Pound Cake!

The Lesson of the Pound Cake by LaKisha M. Johnson

Galatians 6:9- (NIV) Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

I bake really well, and I mean extremely well. But this did not happen overnight. I am particularly good at baking pound cakes. When I first learned to bake a pound cake, it was "just ok", I couldn't figure out what was wrong. Like it was eatable, but it wasn’t good. One day, I went over to a ladies house and watched her bake her pound cake, the first thing I noticed that her eggs were sitting out on the stove in a bowl. I went and touched the bowl of eggs and noticed that they were room temperature. I asked, “Why did she do that?” She said, "Room temperature eggs are BETTER for things in high fat content, that way it doesn't make the batter lumpy!" “Hmmmph”, I said. I began to watch her process, everything she did seemed very methodical and focused, even when she mixed and sifted the flour. She took her time with everything, she didn’t rush to get to the finished product, she understood that the process was just as important as the final product. As a matter of fact, she understood that the process, would lead to the final product.

My first pound cakes were complete failures, they would come out of the oven partially baked in some areas, and ruined. You could only eat part of the cake, and it just didn't taste the same. I have always done things extremely fast, why you may ask, because I was always trying to get to the end point, the final destination. I didn’t understand that the results of what I would get in the end, was due to the process that it had to go through to get to those end results. Those first attempts at making pound cakes were usually rushed because of the demand of having five kids, working full time, caregiving for my husband, running my own non-profit or whatever else was on my schedule that day. I wasn’t focused on the process of the pound cake. I was only focused on the end result.

The first time I baked a “good” pound cake I took my time. I got up early that morning and put my eggs out, I also put my butter out so it would start to soften, I didn't rush when I sifted my flour nor when I mixed it all together. I even made sure I added one egg at a time. As I took my time making the pound, I noticed the difference in the batter from my previous cakes. When I put it in the oven, it looked perfect. I was anxious to check on it while it was baking but for some reason I remember Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not unto your own understanding, in all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.” So wisdom, said “Don’t open that door, or you are going to ruin that cake. “

It isn't always easy to be patient, to wait on a breakthrough, a change, to hear God’s answer for something, especially when you need it to happen and you understand that the promises of God are “yes and amen” (2 Cor 1:20). Patience is a virtue (behavior showing high moral standards) and necessary for the full development of anything. The process is just as important as the end result. In the process, we learn what works, and what doesn’t. We gain wisdom, knowledge and understanding. For me, I have learned to trust God, in places that I could never trust Him before, why because I walked through the process, and understood that it was a part of the end result. If I skipped steps I would be underdeveloped, much like an undone pound cake, only part of it is good, and therefore not enjoyable. Romans 8:25, “But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. Most of the times what we need is actually in “the wait! I think I may just go and bake a pound cake today.

Prayer: Father we thank you for the process in waiting on you, sometimes it is painful, we don’t understand it and it seems as though it is not beneficial to us. But we know that you are working out things on our behalf, if we just don’t give up. Holy Spirit encourage us in the Word to keep standing, keep believing in ALL of God’s word, that we will reap in due season if we faint not. Give us strength when we are weak and courage when we lack it so that we may keep our eyes on the Lord our God. In Jesus Name, AMEN

LaKisha M. Johnson is mom, author, motivational speaker, minister and teacher. She is the host of Coffee and Conversations on “facebook live” Monday-Friday at 5:00 am central standard time and Sundays at 7:00 am central standard time. She hosts a pajama party for women, “Pillow Talk” several times throughout the year, walking them through God inspired truths, while providing a place of vulnerability and transparency to talk. To find out more information on her log on to lakishamjohnson.com and follow her on social media @justbeinglmj