For This House
Every Season. Every Space. All for Him.
Every Season. Every Space. All for Him.
July 14, 2025 | 6 min read
Reanna Hoffmann
The dough sitting on my counter was over-proofed. The fragility of sourdough baking is both overemphasized and not considered often enough. Eight hours was not enough time for this dough to rise appropriately, much less overproof. I was so sure that I had calculated the rising time correctly.
I woke up extra early to prepare the dough before leaving for work. I snuck into the kitchen while my husband was still in bed—as quietly as possible with a microwave and mixer—to prepare my favorite sourdough recipe. But there was no way I could have accounted for the fact that my husband would leave the patio door open all day.
Honestly, I can’t blame him. The weather was so nice, and the house was stuffy. There was no way he could have known that sourdough baking is a perpetual science experiment with countless variables to consider. He couldn’t have known that the temperature of the dough, the humidity inside our kitchen, and the weather outside all factor into the equation that determines the speed of fermentation.
But alas, the cinnamon roll dough on the counter was over-proofed and could no longer be shaped into perfect two-bite morsels. Lucky for me, this was not a paid order but an intended gift for a new mom. Sigh. What could I turn this dough into that would still be delicious and edible?
I racked my brain for a few minutes while setting out the supplies I would need to transform this failed batch. As I reached for my rolling pin, inspiration struck—I could turn this squishy, airy mess into braided cinnamon bread! I grabbed my pizza cutter and got to work. Soon, my gloopy pile of dough became an intricately woven masterpiece. I carefully transferred the braided bread from my silicone baking mat into a transportable tin pan and set it on the counter while waiting for the oven to finish preheating.
As I loaded my dirty dishes into the dishwasher, the Lord began to stir my heart. “See, you made a masterpiece out of that mess. Aren’t you glad I get to do that with you?”
My mind began to race with all the “messes” I had made that day—the laundry that soured in the washer, the grammar mistake in my email to corporate, the coffee that spilled down the front of my pants. I felt like a mess.
Then the Lord brought a verse to mind that I had memorized:
“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” (Ephesians 2:10, NLT)
How was I still a masterpiece after making so many mistakes? Then I looked at the braided cinnamon bread on the counter—the masterpiece that started as a mess. I laughed to myself. I had intended for that dough to be something else entirely, yet the final product served its purpose in a completely new way.
I reflected on my life. So many of my hopes, plans, and desires had not unfolded the way I had imagined. I wasn’t using my college degree in Elementary Education, yet I was sharing the Gospel in an entirely different way. I lived in an apartment in a state my teenage self could have never fathomed. I had friends from diverse ethnicities, cultures, and backgrounds who embraced me because of my imperfections. The Lord had redeemed and restored all my heartaches—my messes—with beautiful reminders that He is the Creator of it all.
Friend, the Lord wants to use us in our mess. He has “good things He planned for us long ago.” We merely have to let Him turn our mess into a masterpiece.
God,
Thank you for your faithfulness. Thank you for seeing us & loving us in the middle of what we think is a “mess.” Thank you for turning our insecurities and faults into beautiful pieces within your grand design. Help us see ourselves how you see us. Thank you for loving us unconditionally.
Amen.
Reanna Hoffmann is a writer, speaker, and podcast host passionate about helping young adults stand firm in their identity, grow in community, and live with purpose. She’s the author of Not Just Waiting on Substack and the voice behind the Me & Re podcast.
Reanna Hoffmann is a writer, speaker, and podcast host passionate about helping young adults stand firm in their identity, grow in community, and live with purpose. She’s the author of Not Just Waiting on Substack and the voice behind the Me & Re podcast.