Will work for food

This entire week, I have been exceptionally hungry. Every evening when I come home I go on a treasure hunt in my kitchen in search of some delicious snack. And this ritual continues until I go to bed. For instance, last night I came home from class and ate a salad (not for dinner but for an after school snack).After my snack, I went to the store to get food for my slumber party in the making! I had planned an evening filled with my sister’s favorite foods so I made pigs in a blanket (or as I like to call then weenie beanies) and taco dip. I also got all the ingredients for ice cream sundaes. For the record, ice cream is my all time favorite food so when I say I got ALL the ingredients I meant: ice cream, hot fudge, caramel sauce, peanut butter, sprinkles, cookies, cinnamon rolls (in place of brownies as requested by my sister), and whipped cream. And what slumber party is complete without raw cookie dough! As I was preparing my slumber party foods, I ate cottage cheese and peas. Sounds gross but it is amazing and I eat it frequently. When my sister arrived (a short time later), I ate all of the above mentioned snacks and not in moderation either. I managed to keep “snacking” all night but every time I opened the refrigerator, I was hungry. Even last night as I was going to sleep I thought, maybe I’ll make muffins in the morning for breakfast! Where was this hunger coming from and why did I constantly find myself searching for a new snack? I’ve heard the saying, “he’s a growing boy so let him eat” but never “she’s a completely grown woman so let her eat.” Today, I again came home from class and again helped myself to an after school snack and ate taco dip as I watched college football. Although my hunger still remained, I managed to control my excessive “snacking” tonight. (I would be lying if I said I wasn’t thinking about making an ice cream delight before bed as I type this.) In between my thoughts for food cravings and trips to the kitchen, I thought am I hungry or just not satisfied with my food choices? Usually, I just like snacks but this week, for some odd reason, I have been plain out hungry.


The hunger I’ve had in my belly is comparable to the hunger I have in my heart for God. I have a hunger to grow in my relationship with him, I have a hunger to spend time reading his word, I have a hunger to talk with him in prayer, and I have a hunger to love him. In order to fill my hunger for God, I must take time each day to do all of these things. When I don’t feed my heart, it becomes like a newborn that is hungry: cranky, grumpy, and angry. And as a result, I spend my day empty and hungry for my true nourishment in life. Do you spend time each day feeding not only your belly but your soul? If you don’t, think about how you feel when you had to work through your lunch, the vending machine won’t accept dollar bills and you still have 3 hours of work left. You become cranky, irritated, and your stomach is yelling at you because it isn’t happy. Now think about how good it feels to lie on the couch after Thanksgiving dinner when you are completely stuffed, relaxed, and happy. Our heart requires the same nourishment as our belly and our heart leaves us feeling just as miserable when it’s hungry. Start out snacking with the Lord and before you know it, it will be like Krispy Kreme doughnuts, everyday you will crave him and your heart will be full and happy. Tonight, I may go on another treasure hunt in my kitchen but my heart won’t be searching for what it needs because I gave it extra helpings this morning and this evening.



Verse to remember: Psalm 107 8-9 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.