What Pancakes Taught Me About Dead Dreams

What pancakes taught me about dead dreams

by Andy Lee
@WordsByAndyLee

Have you tried to succeed at something and failed time and time again?

Did you finally throw in the towel with the disappointing yet relieving thought, “I guess I’m just not meant to do this. I will never be able to do it, so I’ll give up.”

Maybe it was your best book idea yet (or at least you thought it was your best.)

This is the way I felt about pancakes.

When my kids were young, I would try my hardest to make those circular breakfast delights. But mine were always less than perfect spheres, sometimes burnt on the outside and runny on the inside, and they NEVER tasted like a restaurant’s.

But I had a Belgian waffle maker, and I was a pro at making waffles. No flipping required. So, I completely quit trying to make pancakes and only made waffles on special days. Years later I bought a griddle, but ready-made mix pancakes, though rounder, still didn’t taste like I desired. So, I quit again.

But God does not miss one little desire of our hearts. And I believe He wanted to show me that nothing is impossible with Him to encourage me in my other dreams like publishing a book.

God doesn't waste anything, even the smallest of disappointments.

One summer I baked my mom’s brownies, and the recipe required a little buttermilk–not much. I had a lot left over, and I hate to waste anything, so I looked up buttermilk pancake recipes—despite my failures. I found one that looked good. It had butter and sugar. [Yum.] So, I tried making them.

{Cue angel choir.}

They were heavenly. The closest thing to restaurant pancakes I’ve tasted at home.

And they were (for the most part) beautiful.

What was once a fail in my life turned into a victory. I could make good pancakes! I just needed the right pan and a great recipe. But the story doesn’t stop there.

My son was involved with his high school Young Life, and I was asked if YL could host their pancake breakfast/ Bible studies at my house. Yep. Ironic. Over twenty teenagers and YL leaders came every other week for Bible study and pancakes. And I made the pancakes!

My living room was filled with high school kids talking about the Bible, laughing and praying together.

God redeemed this small, irrelevant disappointment. He turned it into something eternal.

That’s what He does.

What have you given up on? What desire or dream have you decided will never happen?

 Trust His timing.

He will open the doors when it’s needed for the Kingdom.

Live right where you are, doing the things you can do. (Like making waffles.)

Maybe your favorite book project hasn’t been picked up yet, but another idea is churning in your mind. Pitch it at the next conference you attend!  Or maybe the opportunity to be published on your blog presents itself to you every day, but you’ve not considered that good enough. Do it!

Do the things you can do.

At the right time, God will supply you with the right tools and recipe to do the thing you’ve always wanted to do, but when He does, it will be for His better purpose.

What dream seems dead to you? Jesus seemed dead too, but He rose on the third day!

Trust.

And in the meantime, you might want to make pancakes.

TWEETABLE

What pancakes taught me about dead dreams - @WordsByAndyLee on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Blueberry Buttermilk Heavenly Pancakes

1 stick of melted butter

3 eggs

1/2 cup of milk

3 cups of buttermilk

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

3 tsp baking powder

3 tbls white sugar

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 pint of blueberries

Whisk butter, eggs, milks, salt, soda, and powder together. Add sugar and flour and mix with a wooden spoon. Don’t over-mix. Add blueberries. I place a 1/4 cup of batter per pancake on hot griddle.

Top with raspberries and your favorite syrup. Enjoy and keep on dreaming.

Andy Lee is the author of A Mary Like Me: Flawed Yet Called and The Book of Ruth Key Word Bible Study: a 31-Day Journey to Hope and Promise. She’s a speaker, blogger, and mom to three grown kids and a kitty named Hank. Join her Monday -Friday on Facebook Live for a Bite of Bread, a Bible study and soul nourishment for your day. To find out how to join the broadcast or to invite Andy to speak at your next event, visit www.wordsbyandylee.com where she digs deep to live fully.