Restored Joy in a Flaky Crust
My very first apple pie from scratch. Made with Love
Yesterday, I made an apple pie for the first time in my life — from scratch.
Now, I’m not sharing this to boast. Plenty of people can make apple pie. I’m sharing it because this simple act of baking turned out to be something much deeper.
For years, the enemy had stolen certain joys from me — my joy for baking, for creating, and for finding delight in small things. He whispered lies that I was a failure, that nothing I did mattered, and that even God would reject me because I couldn’t “get it right.” When I believed those lies, it led to a heavy sadness that sometimes turned into depression.
But since re-dedicating my life to the Lord — and watching Him draw my husband closer to Him too — I’ve seen God begin to restore what was stolen. Yesterday’s pie wasn’t just dessert; it was a quiet act of reclaiming joy.
My daughter helped me in the kitchen. We made the dough together in the food processor, peeled the apples, and laughed our way through the steps. I rolled out the crust, made the filling, and even created a little crisscross pattern on top — something I’d never done before.
It was simple, yet deeply fulfilling. For years, one of the lies I’d believed was that I wasn’t a good mom — that I’d somehow mess up my kids no matter what I did. But God has been untangling that lie, too. He reminds me that my role is to train up my children in His ways, to love them, guide them, and trust Him with the rest.
When the pie came out of the oven, I let it cool completely (as the recipe instructed). Then I cut myself a slice. The crust was flaky. So flaky that I actually gasped with excitement. My husband chuckled and asked, “Are you crying?” I wasn’t — but I understood why he asked. I was just overwhelmed with gratitude that something I made actually turned out right. For once, I didn’t fail.
It might sound small to someone else, but to me it was a sacred moment — proof that God is restoring what the enemy tried to destroy. I realized I can be the wife and mother He’s called me to be. Not perfectly, but faithfully. Failure can teach us, yes — but for me, it had often paralyzed me. This time, though, the pie turned out beautifully imperfect… and that was enough.
That morning, before we baked, my husband and I had talked about our family and how we want to build our home on the Lord. We read together from Joshua 24:14–15 (ESV):
“Now therefore fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and in faithfulness… And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, Choose this day whom you will serve….. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”
My husband and I have chosen to serve the LORD.
We also reflected on Psalm 127:1 (ESV):
“Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.”
So that’s what we’re doing now — letting the Lord build our house, our marriage, our family, and even our hearts. Little by little, He’s restoring the joy that was lost. Praise the Lord.
