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.”

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 IHOP’s.

We had been given a Belgian waffle maker as a wedding gift. 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 my Bisquick 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. 

[bctt tweet=” God doesn’t waste anything, even the smallest of disappointments. ” username=”wordsbyandylee”]

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 this. Yep. Ironic. Over twenty teenagers and YL leaders came every other week for Bible study and 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.

[bctt tweet=” What have you given up on? What desire or dream have you decided will never happen?” username=”wordsbyandylee”]

Surrender it. 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.)

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 this time for His better purpose.

What do you need to surrender? 

Finding Purpose in Pancakes,

andy

(My revised recipe- even better!)

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 (Check out this article about the 20 health benefits of blueberries! You’ll be putting them in everything!)

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.