Do you know much about pumpkins? Take this quiz to find out!
Grown in North America for 5,000 years, it’s forty -five varieties include the white Cotton Candy and Red Warty Thing pumpkin. (Yes, that’s the name!) In 2023 the heaviest pumpkin weighed a hefty 2,749 lbs. That’s a lot of vitamin A and potassium!
Did you ace the quiz?
Now let’s choose, roast and prepare our pumpkin for use as we prepare our faith.
CHOOSE!
HOW?
CHECK THE STEM!
Why the stem?
It’s the stem’s connection to the vine that transports nutrients, sugar and water to the pumpkin. This enables the plant to grow strong and withstand the changing environment. Let’s choose an orange Sugar Pie pumpkin with a firm, dry, stem which indicates that it’s sweet, mature and ripe.
Prepare to connect!
Like the stem, our faith connects us to Jesus, our vine, who nourishes us with His love. The Holy Spirit transports the water & sweetness of God’s Word strengthening our hearts. Just as the pumpkin’s firm stem reflects its’ maturity, let’s connect with a firm faith to reflect ours. This choice prepares us to withstand our ever-changing environment.
I am the vine; you are the branches.
He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit;
for without Me you can do nothing,
John 15:5
ROAST!
1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Line a sheet tray for the pumpkin with foil.
While our oven heats up, grab the foil! It will shield our pumpkin from drying out and make clean up easier.
Grab a shield!
When troubles heat up our lives, grab onto Jesus! With Him as our shield our faith won’t dry out. He even helps clean up our messes!
But You, O Lord, are a shield for me,
My glory and the One who lifts up my head,
Psalm 3:3
2. Cut the pumpkin in half, and scoop out the mess.
Removing the pumpkin’s mess, or guts, can be difficult. What do we do once it’s removed? Do we throw it away or use it? How about feeding a parrot or making soup to share with others.
Remove the mess!
Like the pumpkin’s guts, messy things in our lives can be difficult to remove. But we don’t have to do it alone. When in faith we call on Jesus, He will help us.
We can’t throw our mess away, but don’t worry, Jesus never wastes anything! We can have faith that Jesus can use our mess for something good. Perhaps sharing our messy experiences with others will bring them healing and hope.
Now we know that all things work together for good
for those who love God,
who are called according to His purpose,
Romans 8:28 TLV
3. Spread canola oil, cinnamon, and vanilla extract to the inside of the pumpkin
forming a paste-like consistency.
Adding in flavors with a paste like consistency, helps their sweet aroma stick to the pumpkin.
Add in love!
What flavor do we want to add so that a sweet aroma sticks to our faith? How about the flavor of love? Adding Christ’s love to our faith, produces a sweet-smelling aroma we share with everyone we meet.
And walk in love,
as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us,
an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma,
Ephesians 5:2
4. Roast pumpkin for 40 minutes until tender enough for a knife to easily slice through.
Without heat, our pumpkins won’t roast and tenderize.
Welcome the heat!
Without the heat of troubles, our faith is never tested. It’s in the testing that our faith grows and tenderizes our hearts producing compassion, patience and the fruit of the Spirit, (Galatians 5:22-23).
My brethren,
count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience,
James 1:2-3
5. Peel off the pumpkin skin and puree the flesh in a blender until smooth.
If we want to enjoy the pumpkin, its’ tough, protective exterior has to go!
Remove our tough exterior!
Don’t we sometimes have a tough exterior like the pumpkin? It may protect us from being hurt, but it also prevents us from receiving all the love Jesus and others extend to us. Once our tough exterior is removed, our faith and relationship with Jesus can grow.
That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith;
that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
may be able to comprehend
with all the saints
what is the width and length and depth and height—
to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge;
that you may be filled with all the fullness of God,
Ephesians 3:17-19
USE IT!
Our pumpkin is prepared! Are you ready to use it? Try baking my family’s favorite pumpkin recipe.
Now that our faith is prepared, let’s use it to bless others too!
Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers,
raise the dead, cast out demons.
Freely you have received, freely give,
Matthew 10:8
REFLECTION
Is your faith ready to be used?
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, as I write John 15:5 and say it aloud, help me to connect with You. Be the shield I grab, remove and use my mess for good helping me to joyfully welcome the heat of trials. Remove my tough exterior so that my faith is a sweet aroma of love to bless others. In Jesus name. Amen.
PREPARE FAITH LIKE A PUMPKIN
Comment!
________________________________________________________________________________________________
*For information on making Jesus Christ your Savior, email me or visit, http://www.peacewithgod.net/
Pumpkin facts: www.guinnessworldrecords.com, www.organicauthority.com, www.goodhousekeeping.com, www.livetoplant.com
