"Recipe Variations" by Angie Fuller
My aunt shared a cookie recipe with me many years ago that she’d used for decades. Not one to turn down ANY promising recipe, I tried it and was not disappointed! I assumed that — like her — I would follow it for years to come.
But as time went on, the recipe evolved. My family’s dietary needs and tastes changed. There was that emergency ingredient substitution that worked surprisingly well. A different cookie recipe sparked an idea for a new twist. Today, the recipe still has its core identity traits: oatmeal, peanut butter, and chocolate. But my aunt might not recognize it as the recipe she gave me all those years ago.
Some of us can look back on our lives and observe a similar evolution. We had a recipe. We were sure of our goals and the path ahead of us. But over time, our needs and preferences changed, or there were turns in our path that we didn’t anticipate. We began to see that our recipe might not quite match the one God has in mind.
As a young child, I was sure I wanted to be an elementary school teacher. I earned bachelor’s degrees in elementary and early childhood education and went on to teach for seven years in fifth- and first-grade classrooms — appreciating different aspects of both. During this time, I also honed my gifts of organization and creativity with a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction.
When God first nudged me to change my plan, it surprised and initially disappointed me. Wasn’t I where I’d always wanted to be? But after leaving the elementary classroom, I realized an ingredient substitution was just what I needed. I spent eight more deeply fulfilling years teaching younger children at Second Friends Preschool — interrupted with a few years of priceless time at home when our twins were born.
Thirteen years after that nudge from God, I sensed another nudge. Again I resisted, especially with no new opportunity on the horizon. Would all of my education and experience seem wasted? I courageously stepped into a year with no teaching responsibilities other than in volunteer roles at church. Looking back, I see how that less structured time allowed me to reflect and to nurture other people in my life in unanticipated ways.
The next variation in my recipe was to enjoy two years as a choir accompanist in a middle school classroom. God even spiced it up by placing me with a choir teacher who was my former fifth-grade student — an unexpected but meaningful reconnection! It was during these years that God stirred a new hunger into my heart — a growing desire to devote my time and talents to children and parents in ways with more eternal impact. I had no idea how I might follow those desires. Even with the retirement of Gwen, 2BC’s former, beloved children’s pastor, I barely entertained the idea of following in her footsteps. Me? A pastor?! I didn’t have the right ingredients! But through prayer and other subtle nudges, God slowly warmed me to the idea… and here I am.
Some people thrive on the unknown — on interruptions and unexpected opportunities. They wonder why one would follow a recipe in the first place! But for those like me, who find comfort in a plan and in choosing when and how to deviate from it, being open to God’s nudges takes courage. What have I learned?
The recipe for my vocation still has its core identity traits: children, organization, and creativity. However, it’s not a recipe I would have recognized on my first day as a fifth-grade teacher!
God is at work in every step — shaping and refining me through mistakes and success, tough decisions, and the influence of colleagues, friends, and family.
Variations are not to be feared. They are opportunities to embrace growth and joy. What do I know for sure? Wherever God leads me, I will always welcome a warm, oatmeal, peanut butter, chocolate chip cookie!