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Gertie. That was her name. To me she was Grandma Eisaman, and she lived right across the street when I was a young girl. She was famous in our small town of Irwin, PA for both her engaging personality and her mad baking skills.
Her specialties? Pineapple upside down cake, cinnamon sticky buns, and apple dumplings that were served piping hot in a bowl a la mode. (I just drooled on my computer.)
She was most famous, however, for her homemade bread. Breathe it in and smell it with me. It was melt-in-your-mouth magic.
When I was about eight years old, Grandma taught my sister Elise and I how to make her homemade bread. I still warmly remember so many of the details. We used a large yellow Tupperware bowl, Crisco, Fleishmanās Yeast packets, hot water, sugar, lots of flour, and a pinch of salt.
Elise and I worked the process.
Grandmaās process.
We mixed, kneaded, formed, and baked the bread just like we were taught. And each time we did, the house took on the smell of heaven and every neighbor and visitor was happy to share in the bread-love.
Beyond baking bread, another great lesson that we learned from Grandma Eisaman is that adversity does not define us.
When she was just 58 years old, grandma had a massive stroke that paralyzed the entire left side of her body. She lived the final five years of her life handicapped, yet chose not to be defined by her limitations.
Life was hard after the stroke. Getting around took a good deal of effort. Her face didnāt look the same. It drooped on one side. Her body didnāt cooperate. Iām sure that was frustrating. Her life-pace had to slow down.
Even still, she fought through adversity and, over time, learned to walk with a cane, and even re-learned how to drive her car (with a few modifications). How cool is that? Ā And she went on living. She continued to play bridge with her friends, was a leader at her church, and she baked.
Though her life took an unexpected and challenging turn, Grandma Eisaman continued to laugh with, bless, and serve othersā¦ at churchā¦ in the communityā¦ and in the kitchen by baking and giving away countless loaves of fresh baked homemade bread.
Her significance was not defined by her challenges.
Her significance was not defined by her limitations.
She knew who she was in the eyes of her Creator. The One who knew her before she was even knit together in her mommaās womb.
Do you know who you are?
Do you know Whose you are?
Do you allow your challenges, your past, your thoughts, your experiences, or your limitations to define you ā or do you allow God to determine your significance?
The struggle with finding significance looks different in each season of a womanās life. A college student might search for validation in her sorority or GPA, a young mom has to fight to find her importance in stinky diaper changes and 3am feedings, while an empty nester or single sister might try to find success in leading a Bible study or in her volunteer work.
No one understands the insecurities of a woman like another woman. Iām with you in the battle, friend. Iāve wasted a fair amount of time in my own life searching for significance in the approval of others and of God.
The secret to our significance is found in the heart of God.
In His heart for us.
“The secret to our significance is found in the heart of God. In HIS heart for us.”
Here are a few reminders from the Bible:
Jesus said, āAre not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.ā (Matthew 10:29-31)
Then God said, āLet us make man in our image, after our likenessā¦ So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.ā (Genesis 1:26a, 27)
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
Iām a woman of many fleshy failures. Imperfect as they come. Iāve got challenges, frustrations, and insecurities, just like you, that bid to define me. But ONLY GOD has the right to define any of His creations. The Bible teaches that we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14) ā and that God has a purpose for every life, and His purpose is fully centered on HIS glory, not ours.
We can make sense of our significance based on Whose we are, not on what we can or cannot do. Not on what our boss says, what people around us say, or what our culture says. When we allow our significance to be found and defined in the grace of Jesus Christ, we gain a fresh, and compelling understanding of our incredible value.
And if we can bake awesome homemade bread too ā all the better.
Dear Lord, Help me to accept that You are the One who gets to define my significance. I really want to get this! Please sift through my thoughts, doubts, insecurities, and emotions that leave me feeling like less instead of more. In Jesus’ name, amen.
FOR YOUR RESPONSE and REFLECTION:
Donāt gloss over this message! Consider where you really are with this. Reflect. Repent if needed. Respond to God in prayer. Go deep with Him. And be honest. God can handle your honesty.
LET’S TALK ABOUT IT:Ā CLICK HERE toĀ LEAVE A COMMENT answering this question:Ā Ā What is theĀ biggest challenge when it comes to believing in your personal significance?Ā (And while youāre leaving a comment,Ā tell meĀ aboutĀ your baking specialty!)
Comments 53
Self worth and self confidence. Once I muddle through that and give myself an okay to get off the ‘pity’ pot, do accomplish the task, no matter how hard or how long! Praise God!
I struggle with feeling insignificant almost daily, even though I take care of our household, cook and home school my girls. I do not think what we do defines us, rather who we are, a child of God. Thank you for reminding me of this! My baking favorite: pineapple upside down cake š
My biggest challenge? Being secure in being my own individual, and being okay with my God-given gifts being in my own style. Our God is creative, and I’m learning that He wants us to be ourselves and let the gifts He’s given us show that creativity. My baking specialty? Zucchini, pumpkin, and banana bread, and apple pie.
I’m so thankful for your message, it really shows how important it is to not just talk about being a believer but also living it. I confess there are areas in my life that NEED fixing. I’m not perfect but I serve a perfect God. Continue to share your thoughts and ideas it is such a blessing.
Both my children are at school now and I have finished studying. I feel quite insignificant and lost at the moment. Nothing driving my attention each day now my youngest is at school. How can you still be a stay at home mum when everyone who needed you is at school. My husband says to rest but I just feel lost. By boys ask me what is my job and why don’t I have a job outside the house like other mums. Significance I wish God would show me my significance. Baking bests – biscuits and slices
Rebecca, you are so significant! You are a wife and mother and woman of God! As you keep being a beautiful example for your family they will praise you just like the Proverbs 31 woman. You need only to keep your faith. Use this time to spend with God. Maybe pick up a part time job, or take a course. Promise me you won’t feel insignificant. I don’t know you but I love you, and I know you are significant. you are worth more than gold. As you continue to honor God He will honor you. love you.
My husband walked out two nights ago after 7 years of marriage. I’ve been struggling with the worst depression of my life. I do not want to divorce. I love him & want to work it out. I have always struggled with depression for most of my life. When we got married he was in a wheel chair & has been sick most of our marriage. I have happily cared for him through hundreds of emergency room visits, hospital admittances, 10 surgeries, and 2 pace makers. My husband is also an ordained minister. Now I need my husband & God in the worst way & he i.s nowhere to be found. Please pray for my husband, our marriage, and for God to heal us both spiritually, emotionally, and physically. May God bless you in all you do.
Jeremiah 33:3 “Call to me, and I will answer, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know”. It’s a promise!
Thank you for this reminder. On my own when I’m with my family and when I’m alone, I know my significance is in the Lord. I have great security in Him. But it’s others in this area I live in that constantly send me the message that I’m not valued. Why? B/c I’m not caucasian. They do things like stare at me. At church, even people who act like they are my friends exclude me from “their” (inner circle) get-together for coffee and lunches. It hurts. It hurts a whole lot. You have no idea.
I am too old, diabetic.allergic I used to bake some very good rolls that my Friend Malinda’t tought me to make them, my husband is very sick in an adult Family Home, so I don’t bake even those, but I think Jesus still loves me
Nobody you are somebody. Jesus does still love you and always will. So do I. I love you. God bless you, your husband and family. you still have purpose. I hope you smile today.
Hi Gwen,
Letting other things define my Significance !. that was exactly what i was pondering whole day yesterday at work. I went home in the evening and cried as so many situations have overwhelmed me. I just read this from you and truly God has used you to bring comfort and make me to readjust my line of thoughts. I feel better now. I love my baking. Muffins of all sort is my favourite. My kids can’t even wait for them to cool off..
Hi Gwen,
Thank you so much for sharing! God has used your words to speak straight to my heart, and remind me of how truly valuable I am! Thank you!!
When my boss thanks others for their days work, but says nothing to me, I have to remember that only my God needs to say “well done, good and faithful servant”
Hi Gwen. I can so relate! My Gram was my very best friend until I got married & moved away. She lived down the street and I spent a lot of time at her house. She gave me the unconditional love & taught me to bake among other things. She made the Best from scratch Angelfood cake that. O box can come remotely close to!!! I very seldom bake, but I do make yummy sticky Pullaparts.
I really do you love the part in the devotion about significance. I love the thought of seeing my personal significance through God’s eyes. I strive to see things that I do through our heavenly Father’s eyes. It is a constant battle to not be concerned with how others see me. I pray that I am thought of as a twinkle in our Father’s eye that shows that unconditional love He so freely gives & that my Gram so beautifully modeled for me. I look forward to giving her a great big hug when I see her again in Heaven.
I confess that I find my value in what I think others think of me… I remember,as a child my dad could just say… he is disappointed in me and that would be worse than a spanking….I have continued feeling this way in my marriage and in my job and in an effort to please everyone, I make myself sick. I pray that God would help me live for an audience of ONE
Thank you, you have no idea how much I needed today’s reading and prayer. For the last 13.5 months I have been dealing with my vocal cords being parlazied, and having to have a trach because of this. Everyday I say this is in gods hands. But for some reason the last few days, I have been down about it.
Today’s lesson reminded me that it is in gods hands and to make the best of it, to not let it define who I am. Thank you
Gwen, many thanks for this timely devotional. As I write this my work performance at work is being discussed with our management team as they assess their talent in our team and your devotional was a blessing to read that “ONLY GOD has the right to define any of His creations”. I am my own worst critic and the wisdom you shared with me this morning has helped me to take a step back and truly understand what matters-God matters and only God Matters. -A.I.
Gwen, you grew up in Irwin? So did I. My grandfather was a staple there and had played baseball for Shafton as a young man. My dad taught industrial arts at Norwin High School. I graduated class of ’89. What a small world!
Recently, we had to put Dad in a secured dementia facility and I’m really struggling to NOT make the pain of Mom’s death and Dad’s disability the defining focus of my life.
I have had such a rough couple of months…knee pain!!! I have somehow struggled through but I really, really think that I began to justblet it take over my life. Everyday was the same…I usually started it in tears and most likely ended it in tears. Finally some relief this week but now that I am seeing things more clearly I think I was starting to just experience the snowball effect. Every day rolled into the next and everyday brought nore pain and I began to think…I am never going to be the same again. I know it could be much, much worse. I could be living with something life threatening. The devotional this morning hit me between the eyes…my daughter tried to tell me the same thing the other day and I of couse denied it, “I am not doing that” I said probably more to myself than out loud. Yes I was. Thank you for sharing your lovely story about your grandmother. I too had a grandmother who was an amazing baker,,,I don’t do it often but i absolutely kove baking bread,
Blessing!
I have allowed my disability and fear to define me. It’s a stronghold I need to daily turn over to the Lord. I love to bake cookies and muffins!
I am so grateful for God he is showing me each day how significant I am I came from a dark place in my life to the love of God. I had believed Gods love was for someone else not me, I believed I would never prosper that was meant for some else. I struggle with fear and at times define myself with failure. I am giving my everything to God and I Shine !! I Believe with all my being I am made with Gods goodness, truth and grace. I love to bake and share with my neighbors, grandchildren, and friends I am well known for my famous chocolate cake, brown sugar cake, cinnamon buns and homemade breads and fresh sweet buns. I also learned from my grandmother she lived just across the rail way tracks when I was a child, there was always that heavenly bread I would watch her make with amazement !!
I struggle with not having obtained an Associate degree, being divorced for 19 years and working 2 jobs to pay my bills. I frequently think I have to fix things and am guilty of not going to God in prayer. But I’m working hard on that… I live to bake cookies, cakes and breads!! When I retire I am going to bake a lot and give to ladies in a retirement facility my mom lives in!!!!
I am learning that what I feel may not be so, and what God thinks about me is more important that what I feel It’s still a struggle. The temptation to retreat is great, but God is greater. By the way my mom used to make bread. My dad made the biscuits. I enjoy doing both, sometimes giving them away as gifts. Thank you for this devotional writing. It encouraged me.
I have trouble with finding my significance in other things too, and when I fail it makes me doubt and get down. I need to remember my significance in God. Not in myself or what can do. I have struggles with low self esteem, and also with what someone else said here. Getting the facts of my significance in God from my head to my heart. I truly believe but really struggle with making it personal. Praise God he loves me for who I am and not who I try to be. I want so much for my love for him, my joy and fulfillment to come from him. To know the presence of the Holy Spirit with me so that others will see Him in me. My purpose is to glorify Him, at least that is what I know for a fact. We were made worship him and make him known. Help me Lord. Reveal yourself to me, make my heart understand your love for me, and fill me with your joy and abundant life. Help me get past the pain of trying to measure up, and of the hurts and disappointments in life. I want to honor you in all I do.
I struggle every day to feel significant! My husband died at age 47 very unexpectedly and all my “significance” was tied to him. For two years, I have allowed being a widow to define me. I’ve wanted everyone to feel my pain and sympathize with me. It’s time for me to move on!! I don’t know who I am anymore but it’s time to figure it out. I have struggled with my faith and at times I “feel” abandoned by God, but I know that’s not true. I know He loves me and is holding me up.
Great inspiration today, and preparation as I leave on a Women’s Retreat…theme…YOU are GOD’S MASTERPIECE. God’s timing is excellent and you have helped me focus and prepare my heart for God’s message this weekend! Thanks for daily inspiration!
i LOVE this. thank you so much for sharing.
Hi Gwen,
I needed to hear this today. I am struggling with my signifigance now. I was diagnosed in 2013 with a disease called charcot foot. I have had numerous hospital stays, surgeries, and rehab stays. Since I could not walk on it, I could not teach last school year, 2013-2014.
I was getting better from Jan. 2014-June. God blessed me with some healing. I was even told I could go back to teaching in August. Well everything fell apart in July. The disease became active again and I am off my feet again, not supposed to walk. I could not return to teaching. Now the depression is worse and I have been feeling worthless. Your devotion reminded me of who I belong to and whose image I was created in. Thank you.
Susan Robinson
This was truly God inspired teaching, as usual!! It espeically hit home for me as I found out yesterday I might need my 5th back surgery. I live in chronic pain due to these surgeries and struggle not to let that take over my identity; God knows my struggles- and this was a wonderful reminder that my identity is in Him!!
What a great bible study. It hits right where I am. Out of work, sick and sick husband, very little money, but overwhelming peace. Some days I struggle with what and who I am so today lesson was good for me. Thank you.
Good Morning Gwen,
Thank you for your teaching, I too had grandmas who baked bread and Your description is perfect…I’m drooling too!
We’ve had some “affliction” in our family this year which has proved a blessing in that it is drawing us all closer to our God and King.
When addiction strikes a family it is like going through the grieving process…and you are so right our adversity does not define us…however Satan would really like it to! So, I have struggled with blaming myself, being mad that I have to walk this walk, But, God has proven so faithful and is walking us up this Mountain in grace. He has brought me to the place that I really want to be the woman He intended for me to be…Not my will but His…so I am searching for my significance for this stage of my life…almost an empty nester…waiting on God…not wanting to run ahead…
I am thankful for GIG devotionals and Studies. God Bless You!
Leslie Warnick
Ps…as for baking…not so talented except for my mother in laws “hot milk sponge cake”. I learned to make it cause it is my husbands favorite..smothered in strawberries and a little milk…yum!
My head understands this completely, and I praise my God for this truth, but my heart needs to embrace it. When that happens, I know that I will be able to live life in the fullness that He desires.
Hi Gwen, thank you for taking time to minister to women, I am a very good baker, btw, but I have struggles in my personal life just like anyone else. I have been praying to be positive in every circumstance this week and it is working great for me.
Hi Gwen. Thank you very much for sharing these Truths with us today. I have been a Christian for just over 20 years now but I still struggle with issues of significance. Very often, even knowing these truths, I still want to be defined by ‘what I do’ and not ‘Whose I am’. I pray daily that I’ll have victory in this area, and I believe that God is working in me to ‘renew my mind’. God bless you greatly in your ministry, as He continues to use you to encourage, inspire and teach us His Word.
Even though I know that I am a child of God, the great doubt maker continues to penetrate my thoughts especially when I have felt and been completely immersed by the power and the presence of Jesus. Thank you for this amazing reminder. I love to bake I am more a “Jack of all trades, master of none”
All of the comments below truly mirror my thoughts and feelings. It is refreshing to confirm that others wrestle with the same things. I pray that Jesus bless us all with His grace and understanding! Being raised with guilt, blame and shame. I am in constant fear of what others will think. Each day when I begin to head down that worry path, I have to “just say Jesus.” I don’t say it as much as I should. I find I do not have any trouble believing that he knows my heart and all that I deal with everyday, so why do I make it hard on myself by not having enough faith to know he will take care of my everything? Thank you Gwen for sharing your gift with all of us! Dear Heavenly Father, please keep each of us in your loving arms, and continue to give us all hearts for loving you!
This message has done more than hit home, it has touched a nerve that I have been trying to mask for quite some time, thank you Gwen for being bold enough to put “my feeling” into words that others can see and or understand. I keep trying to define my being based on my job performance, my children, and my contribution to the lives that I touch (relatives, loved-ones, etc.). But I have yet to find what makes me me. I failed in my marriage because I didn’t know how to come out of being a single parent or survior mode.
But I am ready to share my life with someone that can and is wanting to do the same. Thank you once again for being so bold, caring, and loving I appreciate it more than you know.
This is something that I struggle with as so many women do. I have been praying daily for God to help me to realize that it isn’t anyone else’s opinion of me that matters that only His view of my life and what I do with my life is important. This has been difficult for me for I constantly hear from my husband how I don’t do this right or I didn’t do this right and I have to take a breath and go to God and ask for patience in 1. responding to my husband when he does this and 2. to understand that God’s judgment of me is the only one that matters. Regardless of how I am judged here on earth, those judgments mean nothing compared to God’s judgment when I or any of us stand before Him.
It is important that we, as Christian women, remember to give thanks to God for EVERYTHING that we have in our lives. Grant it, some may have more than others but God has blessed each of us with what we have. He gives us a new day which is never guaranteed, we have homes, family, friends, and countless other things that we take for granted everyday. We need to remember to give thanks to God everyday for those things and to realize that no matter what happens in our life, if we start thinking that we did something on our own, God can show us differently. For we need to humble ourselves before the Lord and give Him thanks and praise and glory for He takes care of us and gives us so much.
Lord, I come to You today to give you thanks and glory for all that you have done in my life. I thank You for saving my soul, for coming into my life and making me a new person through Your perfect love. Lord I come to You and ask that You help me to realize and see ALL of the blessings that you have given to me in my life from the simple sight of a sunrise to the air I breathe everyday. Lord open my eyes to see that though I am an imperfect person, I am a child of God and through You all things are possible. Help me to see beyond my failures and shortcomings to see that I can use those as a way to reach people and bring them closure to you. In Jesus name. Amen
This article gave me chills Gwen! I especially love the picture of your grandma! My significance is not defined by the happiness of others and I’m no longer afraid of trying to please everyone. That’s on a good day. On a bad day the devil sneaks back in to remind me I’m a failure and not good enough.
My baking specialty is homemade fudge that I learned to make from my wonderful Grandma Hattie! Peace and Grace to you today. Love Donna
A times i feel am not good enough, or look at the other person and think this or that person is better than I am. But your writing today made so much sense to me because I have allowed my past experiences to dictate to me which ought not to be because am a daughter of God. I really appreciate the prayers and thank you so much. On baking, just muffin cakes. God bless
It seems that I battle with significance daily–at my job (I’m a teacher) and at my church, even. I’m constantly asking God in my heart, where do I fit in and what difference do I make here? And at times, one of my students will come up and say how much they love the atmosphere in my class (and they don’t even realize how ineffective I feel–even to the point of considering another career sometimes). But, then it reminds me that I do have significance and I have to make a conscious effort to cast down those thoughts that the enemy sends and remind myself of God’s truth according to his word: I am fearfully and wonderfully made (with a purpose). When it all boils down, God’s word trumps the lies that we believe about ourselves, our shortcomings–in his eyes, we are his precious creation, made in his image and he loves us. As far as baking, I seldom bake desserts from scratch–I usually make something from a box–however, I have made a tasty strawberry cake from scratch. I better & more known for baking chicken though.
Your writing today really hit home. My grandmother lived across the street from me and we did a lot of baking. Her sugar cookies were to die for. My Mom had a stroke in her 50s. She was like your grandmother and worked hard to overcome the effects. I have had a lot of challenges the past 2 years and have really leaned on the Lord. I finally have let God define who I am. Thanks for your inspiring devotionals.
My past. I have struggled with putting it behind me. I need to meditate on 2 Corinthians 5:17. I can be self condemning at times and need to repent and deliverance. I don’t bake from scratch yet, but I love cakes and bake the store bought mixes. Grandma Eisaman sounds like a beautiful woman and I love her already like I knew her. She was beautiful too. Thank you for the story. God bless.
My weight and a lot of things that have happened over the past 6 plus years that have nocked the wind right out of me. My confidence and desire is pretty much gone. Chocolote chip cookies.
I am 34 and about to start over in my life for the third time in 6 years. Most of my life has been marked by hurt and loss. I am eternally grateful that God allowed me back into His flock, after spending half my life fleeing from Him and denying Him. Today I can see that pain often is necessary to gain a deeper view of life, but it hasnĀ“t been easy living without God. Compared to my past life, I can never feel utterly alone or destitute again, because He has eternal grace for all us faulty folks and never lets go of our hand. For that, I am filled with peace whatever the circumstances and thankful for my life in spite of it all.
I was a writer. Always had been always would be. I draw scenes and people with words. I pull emotions from the page. That’s how God made me before I let the people and places of life get in between us and they, instead of God, began to define me. These mis-definitions are the root of struggle. Square peg, round hole stuff. Life isn’t supposed to be that hard. But now I listen to Him more than the worldly voices, so I write more. I write better. He has saved me from myself so many times, I’ve finally surrendered to His will for me FIRST – saves my blunders and His mop up time.
My biggest challenge is that I have no self confidence or self esteem. But I know my Father loves me just the way I am. After losing 2 sons, one to spinal meningitis and one to a drug overdose I have struggled with self worth. The only thing that has kept me going is my faith. I continually turn to the One who gets me through each day. My baking specialty is cheesecake. I collect cheesecake recipes and love trying them out. Baking is an outlet for me when I’m having a bad day. I thank God for giving me that talent. HE is my strength.
I am 52, divorced for 11 years, Mom to TWO AMAZING young men —they have always been my life… but now 20 and 18, one in the military, the other one headed there after graduation, I am an empty nester… and really not liking it. My very small house has suddenly gotten very big. I work 2 jobs to fill my time .. well actually 3 if you count my Avon business. But I struggle daily, financially, and personally on where my life goes from here. Tried dating — bleck! That filled NO void…. I know God has a plan, He tells me that in Jeremiah — and I know I need to patient and let that plan unfold — but patience and optimism are sometimes tough on a daily basis. Still, I know He’s got control of the wheel.
I am not a baker… but I make a mean spinach and artichoke dip.. a staple for Packer games!
God Bless everyone struggling today with any issue …. keep the faith! He’s got this …..
Depression and insecurity seem to stop me living the life God has intended for me.
I’m a Christian and know these things shouldn’t define me, but it’s a daily battle!
I would love to be as strong as your grandma and many other women, and I pray to God to carry on using me even when life doesn’t make sense in my point of view.
I still believe that He is working within me, and one day I may see life through the eyes of Jesus!
I am not in paid employment. I am not married and I do not have children. To the world I am a non entity. But my identity is not in what I am or who I am in the world. It is in who’s I am. The precious child of God and co-heir with Christ. I can also be relied on to supply morning tea for a church service even if it is dropped off at one church on my way to a service at a different church.
Thank you for the article. Just heard the beginning of a sermon by TD Jakes about “in between places” where you have no one to call, don’t know what to do next, where to go etc. Thats where am at. Reading this article challenging my identity in Christ reminds me that I should just hold on and trust that He is working out something even though it is so hard. Just because am His, there is hope for us. Thank you.
This was such a great message today! I think I’m not alone when I say that I am my biggest challenge. A lot of women are their own worst enemy and talk themselves out of doing things for many different reasons.
As far as baking…I LOVE baking cupcakes. I have had many people say I should sell them, but I love baking for the enjoyment and my payment is seeing people enjoy them!