By Jennifer Pang

Baking sourdough bread takes time, commitment and perseverance. Compared to other types of bread, sourdough is a ‘slow’ bread that requires more time, effort, and attention in the baking process. Its baking process has a few different stages and it is important to follow through. You cannot rush it. The result is worth the patient waiting that it demands.

My husband and I attended a 3-day bread-making class. The baking lessons taught us to patiently slow down, paying attention to every step of the baking process. They serve to remind me of our spiritual discipline; how we need the Lord to help us grow in the fruit of the Spirit of patience.

To notice the bubbles rise and the dough folds required us to pause, see and listen…at every stage. Through the class, I learnt to slow down and to work diligently and patiently even when things get boring or monotonous. My husband and I had a good bonding time too.

We are often in a hurry, aren’t we? We seldom slow down to reflect on how good God is. As my husband and I revelled in the fragrance of the bread that was being baked in the oven, we were reminded to “taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8) and we took time to reflect on God’s goodness in our lives.