When God Bakes a Cake - Devotional by Dianne J Wilson

One of my favorite things about being a mom to tiny people was getting to bake snazzy birthday cakes three times a year. I've made cellphones, rainbows, lions, dolphins, butterflies, a mermaid castle... even Noah's Ark. 

 I'm happy to say that I discovered the secret to creating perfect birthday cakes. It happened round about the time my firstborn learnt to say the word 'ugly'.

I share that secret with you now ... DO IT WHILE THEY ARE SLEEPING.

Seriously. I cannot stress how important this is. Why, you ask? Here's the thing. Usually a great cake starts with your child's Current Favorite Thing and a basic slab of cake. Then you get to maul and sculpt the cake into a crumbly version of whatever-the-favorite-thing-is. If any bits break off during this process - don't panic! There is nothing that cannot be glued back into place with a good dollop of icing (frosting).

At this point in the process, your glued together cake-thing will look nothing like your child's Current Favorite Thing. You won't be concerned because you can see it in your mind - all lathered in multi-color icing, sprinkles, chocolate drops, cherries... It's all good, until said-child strolls into the kitchen, screws up their nose and asks, "What's that? It's ugly. I don't want it."

From here on, it's downhill fast. In all my years of being a mom, not once has a kid caught my vision. Any rational explaining quickly degenerates and ends with me yelling go sleep or else.

It only took a few 'it's ugly's' to convince me that decorating cake at 2am is a far better plan than trying to convert the masses.

Without fail, the next morning would bring sparkling eyes and gasps of wonder as they saw what I'd had in mind all along.

Have you ever looked at your life, turned to God and said, "What's this? It's ugly! I don't want it." I know I have.

But here's the secret to loving your life in all its glorious mess and drama. He's not finished yet.

Your Baker knows exactly what He had in mind when He created you, and He will finish what He started. You can trust Him. Philippians 1:6 '... being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.'

Dianne J. Wilson writes novels from her hometown in East London, South Africa, where she lives with her husband and three daughters. 

She has just finished writing the third book in YA series, Spirit Walker, with Pelican / Watershed. Book 1, Affinity released on the 8th of June. Resonance (book 2) will be released in October 2018.

Finding Mia is available from Amazon, Pelican / Harbourlight, Barnes & Noble and other bookstores.

Shackles is available as a free ebook from Amazon & Smashwords.

Find her on Facebook, Twitter and her sporadic blog Doodles.