The Prophecy of Pumpkin Bread {and a recipe}

There are days when I just get the urge to bake.  And there are days when I get the urge to bake for someone.

Yesterday I got the urge to bake for my friend Amanda.

And often when I bake, I double or triple or quadruple a recipe so that I can make tons and freeze the extra for later urges…to eat or to give.  I kinda figure that while you’re making a mess, it isn’t that much more mess to prepare extra to satisfy urges.

I should let you know though that while I made umteen loaves of pumpkin bread yesterday, I did neglect to cook dinner and had to run out to pick some up. (Keeping it real here people.)

So when it was warm from the oven and my husband had walked in and I was going to walk out and grab some take-out for us, I told him that I needed to stop by and take some to Amanda.

She didn’t know I was coming.  I tried calling and texting and she didn’t answer, and I decided that I didn’t care if she knew I was coming or not, because this wasn’t the first thought I’ve had of Amanda lately.  I’ve been thinking of her alot.  Her mom has been battling cancer and that alone is reason enough to be more prayerful on her behalf than normal…but yesterday I couldn’t get over the feeling that she needed warm bread.

I wrapped up the bread and tied it pretty and hopped in the car with it and a container of the best tomato soup known to man (which sadly I don’t make and cannot wrangle the recipe for) and headed to just drop by to drop off a little “thinking of you.”

When I got to her house she had just gotten out of the shower, had on sweats, no makeup, and a giant smile of welcome for my unannounced drop in.  I could have cared less what Amanda had on or the state of her home (which by the way is preparing for remodel so it’s stripped bare in some parts.)  I just felt strongly like she needed to know she was on my mind and on the Lord’s that He’d keep bringing her to mine.

So I hugged her and gave her bread and she cried and said I had no idea how much she needed that yesterday.

But somehow I knew.  It’s why I baked bread in the first place.  And sometimes breaking bread with someone looks more like baking bread for them.

It’s the prophecy of pumpkin bread…those urges we get to do something to remember someone else tangibly and unexpectedly with nothing more than a hunch that it matters.

And it did.

And it does.

So the next time you get that feeling to bake and take….or to buy that cute little mug in the Marshalls check out line … or to stop by with a surprise cafe Americano on a dreary day for your friend… DO IT!  It just might be that the Lord’s prompting has some real needs behind it.

So here is the recipe for you… my most favorite pumpkin bread recipe ever.  It’s fallish and spiced and almost like a cake.  I love it with cream cheese spread on a warm piece!  And in the comments below, I’d love if you’d share stories like this…of when you took and someone needed or when someone brought and it ministered to you!

Pumpkin Bread with Dates and Pecans

• 1 c. water
• 1 c. applesauce
• 1 can pumpkin
• 3 c. sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 c. chopped pecans
• 3/4 c. chopped dates
• 1 tsp each…nutmeg, ginger, salt, and baking powder
• 3 1/2 c. flour
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp cloves

Mix first 7 ingredients together in a large bowl.  Mix drys all together and add to pumpkin mixture and blend well.  Pour into 2-3 loaf pans and bake at 325 for 1 hr or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.