“Ministry Monday” Chocolate Chip Cookies For Jesus
I have to be honest with you Ladies…when God called me to have a recipe blog I wondered when I could give Him the glory He so richly deserved. How could I fit the Lord Almighty in amongst Party Punch and Pot Roast? I remember praying, “Dear God, there are other women out there who blog about marriage, missions, child rearing, YOU! Why then, do you want me to blog about recipes?!” Then, as faithful as he ALWAYS is…He made Himself known on my blog…ehh hem…His blog….
So, of course…I am crying with tears of joy as I introduce to you another Sister-In-Christ, Ingrid…please show her God’s love by offering her encouragement today!
Ingrid is a Christian wife and mother of 3 boys. God has placed her and her family in an inner-city home in Minnesota. She seeks to love and serve her neighbors and is outward in her faith by showing them Jesus’s work in action. In January 2011 she traveled to Ethiopia to meet more brothers and sisters in Christ (look at the amazing photos she took during her trip at www.12knotheel.blogspot.com). To see more of Ingrid’s ministry, visit reachinghiskids.blogspot.com!
Ingrid is a Christian wife and mother of 3 boys. God has placed her and her family in an inner-city home in Minnesota. She seeks to love and serve her neighbors and is outward in her faith by showing them Jesus’s work in action. In January 2011 she traveled to Ethiopia to meet more brothers and sisters in Christ (look at the amazing photos she took during her trip at www.12knotheel.blogspot.com). To see more of Ingrid’s ministry, visit reachinghiskids.blogspot.com!
Here is one of the first letters I received from Ingrid…
Hi Janelle!
I don’t like to cook but I am getting better at it and enjoying my kitchen more because of you!! Thanks!! Despite not liking to cook I do enjoy baking. I especially like to bake chocolate chip cookies. I live in an inner-city neighborhood and we have been extrememly intentional at reaching out to our neighbors. I am known as the chocolate chip cookie baker and it has opened doors to get to know the parents. When the neighbor kids are over and I make cookies I always send some home to have them share with their parents. I have seriously gotten to know more adults in the neighborhood because they love my cookies. Kind of silly but it really has been a door opener for Jesus! One funny story is of a teenage boy in the neighborhood who LOVES my cookies. I have had him, more than once, knock on my door because he smelled the cookies from 3 houses way! Sometimes I intentionally turn on the exhaust fan to put the smell out. It has also become tradition for me to bake cookies for each of their birthdays, parents included. It really is amazing how food speaks to the soul!
Keep those recipes coming!!
Love, Ingrid
“Noone can do everything, but everyone can do something…”
~author unknown
Ladies…can you think of a special “grown-up” in your childhood memories that made life more comforting simply by the food they served you? For me, it was my Grandma’s spaghetti, Mom’s apple pie, and Aunt Patti’s Chicken Cordon Bleu! Ingrid is that “special someone” in her neighborhood. Something so small like baking and giving chocolate chip cookies can mean so much to a child (and an adult) I am certain these children will always remember her kindness.
Thank you Ingrid for spreading God’s love!!!!
Here is her post…
I was inspired to do this post by Janelle over at Comfy in the Kitchen. Her blog is one of my favorites and has helped me so much with cooking. Recently, she asked her readers to share their stories of how they use food as ministry. I enjoy baking and particularily love to bake chocolate chip cookies! God has placed us in an inner-city neighborhood and for the past 13 years we have been striving to love our neighbors and show them who Jesus is by our actions and words. As our ministry has developed I believe that God has used countless chocolate chip cookies to touch the hearts of our neighbors for Him! We frequently open our home to kids who need a place to hang out, do homework, play, eat or just see life from a Christian perspective. Several kids come to our church and once every 4-6 weeks we invite them over for lunch. Lunch is usually simple but chocolate chip cookies are always freshly baked! I am amazed at how quickly a whole batch can be devoured! This past Sunday we had 12 kids over, ordered pizza, played some xbox and ate some cookies!
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
| Then I sent a text to Chuck. I have known this young man since he was 6. He is now 18 and 6’5″! He LOVES my cookies. For 9 years he lived 3 houses away. Whenever I baked cookies I would turn on the exhaust fan and before too long I would hear a knock at the door and Chuck would be standing there with a BIG grin, “You baking cookies?!” |
 |
| Here’s a helpful hint: If you buy the 72 oz. bag from Costco or Sam’s Club you definitely save money! |
Over the years my cookies have become famous in this little neighborhood. The past couple years I have baked a batch for everyone’s birthdays, even the parents. I believe that to best reach these kids for Jesus I need to also reach their parents. It takes time to build relationships and trust but when you do hearts are opened!
Finally, I delivered a bag of cookies to a dear family down the street. They have been our neighbors for 13 years. The kids are involved in our youth group, Awana program and attend on Sundays with us. This past year their mom started coming to a neighborhood evangelistic Bible study. I see God working in their lives and I know that He uses many things to touch hearts, including chocolate chip cookies!
Thank you so much again Ingrid …what a blessing and sweet inspiration you are!
Please join me prayer over Ingrid, her family, and the families God wants her to touch!
Please join me prayer over Ingrid, her family, and the families God wants her to touch!
Love to you,
Janelle
Please e-mail me at JMNehrenz@me.com to be a guest blogger on Meal Ministry Mondays. I would love to show off your love for the Lord and His people!
I love Ingrid's story! How wonderful to do all that baking and she is so right, reach out to the parents too:-) I am sure lots of seeds are being planted with every cookie she bakes:-) Keep it up Ingrid!
Love,
Suzanne
I LOVE stories like this. It makes me feel like we can do tangible little mom things to bring people to Jesus. It's not all about telling others, but showing others. Thanks. Now I'm hungry for cookies….Maybe a quick stop to your friend Clare's blog will stop the cravings…maybe?
This is a wonderful story. It shows how everything we do counts in life. Thanks for sharing this inspiring tales. I look forward to next week!
What a great story! God will use you if you are a willing vessel. Awesome!
so.so.so. awesome!!!!!!
This just made my day 🙂
I love Ingrid! She is one of my real life friends. 🙂 We lived a few blocks from eachother for 10 years, but I only met her 3 years ago. She served our family by cleaning our home when our sixth child was born, and I had only met her a few days previously to that. God has since moved us from the city, and she has been faithful to check on our home that we have been trying to sell. We were there painting earlier this week and she brought us her delicious cookies and a meal. She is a tremendous encouragement to me and a true testimony of Christ. She is an example of loving and serving with out ever expecting anything in return.
Johnson Crew- Oh, what kind words…I feel so blessed to have met Ingrid! Thank you so much for encouraging her…she is certainly a vessel for Christ.
Thanks for commenting Johnson Crew and for your kind words! You forgot to mention that I made Chicken Enchiladas (got the recipe right here – delicious!).
I am working on a women’s program. Somehow I ended up with the mix and the making of a chocolate chip cookie and its ingredients as part of an object lesson. There were several things that led me to this place including the “Creative Ladies Ministry” website by Julia Bettencourt. However, now things just seem not to make sense. I was just pondering if I had missed what the Lord was saying and then I came across this blog from a Google search of Jesus and cookies (smile). Thank you, now I see the next step and how to finish this. I feel like I’ve been on a scavenger hunt and your article provided the final clue. Thank you for being obedient to God. I do have tears in my eyes. God bless you.
Such a blessing to hear from you..