I love to cook. I began cooking when I was little. Like before I could stand over the stove. The first thing I ever learned to make were pancakes. I was probably 3 and half at my aunt Monse’s house across the street whipping up batter and flipping them as I stood on a kitchen chair (all under supervision of course). I remember distinctly saying as a little kid that I was going to be a professional Chef. It was my first dream for when I “grew up”.
Over the years things have changed a little, and I’ve discovered different passions. Passions for building authentic relationship, communication, God’s Word, creativity, and music, just to name a few. But there has been a constant, maybe you can relate, I love food.
Now, I’ve not always been successful when it comes to my cooking endeavors. I once burned a boiled egg. Side note, it was only 5 short months ago that I burned it, just before leaving for the Race. Thankfully, I can say that I’ve almost always been successful when it comes to the eating and enjoying of food.
I love all kinds of food. I’m really not that picky. I never have been. The few things I am not a big fan of (Mayonnaise, Oreos, and cookie dough) all have exceptions to the rule. I can have Mayo if it’s cooked into things and trace amounts I can push through. Oreos are great for cookies and cream ice cream and crushed up as a pie crust. Cookie dough just needs a little time in the oven and it’s perfect! There are I’m sure other foods out there that may be a little weird at first sight or taste, but there is almost nothing I won’t try at least once.
With that, I can be pretty experimental in the kitchen. Let me tell you, it’s a blessing and a curse. I’ve made and then eaten some things that sound really weird on the outside, but to the tastebuds are such a delight I can’t help but praise the Lord at the top of my lungs. I’ve had a physical reaction to the taste of deliciousness! I’ve also had food of my own creation that I wouldn’t recommend serving to an opossum.
All that to say God uses our talents and abilities. Whether they have been in process for a while or your still learning something (maybe cooking) God can use it if you give Him your yes.
See at the beginning of this month, I’ve asked the Lord how he wanted to use me here in Lebanon. One thing He said to me was basically:
“I want you to cook for them.”
Wow. How’s this gonna go? I’ve had some really good experiences in the kitchen and some really bad ones.
Bad Example: Morrocco our host came over for dinner one of our first nights there, and I made spicy rice. Y’all. He was supposed to spend the night… He left right after dinner. His wife joked with me later by politely asking me not to go in the kitchen when our team would host them again later. #Knifetotheheart
Good Example: There are some, but to put one here would detract from the story to come. So keep reading please 🙂
So, meal planning and prep is a big deal when you’re working with a budget. The way our team handles it is often to have certain people “own meals” and delegate for help in the kitchen, and we all help with the grocery list. We buy groceries generally for about 4 days at a time and send a little delegation to retrieve what’s on our list. Knowing that God has asked me to cook, I have made sure to own a few key meals, and I try to help with dinner most nights.
Here’s where it gets good.
We as a team heard from the Lord that we would be hosting a few evenings for guests at our place! So, I’m not always just cooking for my teammates who love me and don’t mind eating what’s put in front of them to some extent. I’m cooking for, in this specific instance that I’m beginning to refer to now, the owner of what our team considers the best new pizza shop in this city.
Whew. Only fear of God y’all. This is gonna be a meal to bring Kingdom. So, I pulled all the stops. We even had dessert!
I made “Dirty Bird Wings”. They were falling off the bone. So tender. A baked potato with butter that seaped into its deapest reaches and salt cooked into the skin, roasted gorbanzo beans, and a sort of creamy jello soup. (Sorry no pictures, but I’ll leave the recipe at the end.)
I am not boasting, but it was good. See, it wasn’t really just about the food to begin with. God used me by actually asking me to do something I love to do. Something He wired me to do. I don’t think that’s uncommon. He wires us all a certain way for a certain reason. He has a purpose for every little detail of how you and I have been created. He knit you together in your mother’s womb! It was a blessing to get to do what I love and see the smiles on my teammates faces as the chicken fell off the bone and into their mouths. It was also really cool to be affirmed in my cooking by our friend the pizza shop owner. Not only that, but the table with all the food, the place where we gathered, was such a cool invitation to jump into authentic community and togetherness. Our conversation with our friend was so sweet. She shared her story. Her life through the war here. She guessed all of our ages extremely accurately. She blessed us with her laughter and her extreme joy. When we prayed after the evening she was brought to tears. We were all touched by the realness and closeness of the Holy Spirit in that moment. That’s why God asked me to cook. It wasn’t about the meal, but creating an opportunity for His presence fall fresh.
He wants to bring Kingdom through our giftings. It’s not all about the gift. The outcome of obedience is also not always the point. The point is Jesus. He just wants us to want to know Him. He wants for us to believe and trust that He is the loving God of the universe. I’m thankful God let me use my gifting for his Kingdom. I’m more thankful that He is the gift we are all receiving when we step out in obedience and faith. The miracles that happen large and small, like a good meal turnout, they just point to His great love for us. So, I’m happy to be Chef Daniel when God asks me to be because I just want us all to experience how good He is!
What gift is God asking you to use for His Kingdom? I encourage you to take 5 minutes and ask Him.
In Christ,
-Daniel
P.S. The recipe (written by me so nothing is “exact”)
Dirty Bird Wings:
Ingredients-
Chicken wings (a lot) – 3 standard packages
1 bottle BBQ
1 bottle hot sauce
A little soy
An onion
Garlic
Pepper
Cumin
Salt
A little butter
Instructions-
-
Mix in bowl and let marinate
-
Bake 1 ½ hours (200 Celcius) longer is no problem
Baked Potato:
Ingredients-
Potatoes
Butter
Salt
Aluminum Foil
Instructions-
-
Poke lots of fork holes
-
Rub in butter and salt, then wrap in foil
-
Bake 2 hours (200 Celcius) longer is no problem
Roasted Garbanzo Beans:
Ingredients-
Canned Garbanzo Beans
Oil
Salt
Pepper (or other spices)
Instructions-
-
Drain can and dry the beans
-
Rub in oil salt and pepper
-
Bake (200 Celcius) 1 hour
Jello Special:
Ingredients-
2 jello packets
Water 6-8 cups
Milk 1-2 cups
1 large pomegranate
Big bowl
Instructions-
-
Pour jello packets into bowl
-
Double the water that the jello packet suggests (about 6-8 cups)
-
Mix in pomegranate seeds
-
Freeze 1 hour
-
Mix in milk (about 1-2 cup)
-
Freeze
-
Periodically stir and move to refrigerator
Gravy:
Instructions-
-
After chicken is done pour the juice into a pot (it’s good gravy for potatoes)
Special sauce:
Ingredients-
BBQ sauce (the little left in the bottle after pouring it out on the chicken)
Ketchup
Soy Sauce
Chili paste
Instructions-
-
Take BBQ in the bottle after pourings out on chicken add a little ketchup and a little soy sauce (shake it up till it’s a good loose consistency)
-
Pour into a dispenser, then add three teaspoons-(ish) of chili paste and mix it in
I know Thanksgiving just passed, but feel free to break out the above recipe for Christmas!
Also, update on the above story:
Our guest came back just yesterday with a friend. We ate a meal that we began prepping on Sunday! Around the table we shared stories and laughter, beyond that we prayed, and thanked God for bringing us together around a table.
My teammate Amber has a dope podcast if you want more on this topic where she dived in with my Squad Leader Alyssa. I highly recommend you check out her interview here:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/6IKPwxVll8nfcKWoNhg41l?si=_yGwbCS0QomOSvHgtZnOsg
Fundraising update:
I’m at less than $1,000 left to raise to be fully funded for this year of life and ministry! Whoop whoop! It’s giving Tuesday. If you feel led to help me reach my goal to be fully funded by my deadline in 3 days (AHH SO CLOSE) please hit the donate button on the top of the page to make a tax deductible donation.
