As Easter approaches this Sunday, we want to take a moment to celebrate the “sweet sacrifice” Jesus made on our behalf by acknowledging the C.A.K.E He shared with us:

Compassion, the first ingredient, is symbolic of His life and His love and caring for us.

Appreciation for the ultimate sacrifice He made on our behalf. When we can truly grasp His sacrifice, it gives us a greater sense of gratitude for the people, circumstances and blessings that surround us every day.

Kindness as demonstrated by His love for all mankind and for what He refers to as one of the greatest commandments of all …. “love thy neighbor as thyself”.

Encouragement is what we receive from our relationship with Him. He gives us the strength and the courage to move forward in spite of the obstacles we encounter along the way. He was the living example of how we should encourage each other to stay the course, fight the good fight and pursue righteousness above all else.

Jesus was the ultimate C.A.K.E. baker and He shared His C.A.K.E. with all of us. The least we can do is share C.A.K.E. too! Have a Happy Easter and remember … Jesus is the reason for the Easter season!

Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:6)

There are times in life when we can become so overwhelmed by our circumstance that we forget the simplest solution to life’s most complex issues- Seek God! When I sit and reflect upon Philippians 1:6 (it’s posted on the wall in my office along with the vision God gave me for C.A.K.E. And A Prayer), I am reminded of how this journey began.

C.A.K.E. And A Prayer was born out of a desire to find a tangible and meaningful way to let someone know you are praying for them. In 2006 a very close friend lost three family members in a short period of time. When I wanted to send a message of hope and love to her, I couldn’t find anything unique and special enough to express that I was truly chasing God on her behalf. During that same period, I was diligently seeking God for my own purpose and His will for my life.

As God would have it (not fate), I reconnected with a friend and began helping her with her business plan for a bakery. Julie, a former youth minister, shared her plans to pray for each person ordering from her bakery and catering business. At that moment, something clicked. What if you could send a C.A.K.E. And A Prayer as a way of letting someone know you “really are praying for them”.

At that moment in 2006, C.A.K.E. And A Prayer was born in my heart and in my spirit. So much so that in January, 2008 I left my corporate job and abandoned MY plans to open an insurance agency, to focus full time on God’s plan to bring C.A.K.E. And A Prayer to life. I would love to tell you that the road has been easy, as we often think it should be when we are following God, but that would not be the truth. The journey has been full of incredible highs, unexpected turns and a few gut-wrenching lows along the way. But it is during those low points that I learned more about business than any graduate school could have taught me, and more importantly, I learned more about God than any Sunday school or church sermon has ever revealed to me. It really is about a PERSONAL relationship with God. And when I was at my low points, it was very personal.

So as I approach our two year anniversary and continue to move towards the vision God has given me to expand the C.A.K.E. And A Prayer brand to other outlets and other cities, I look forward to sharing lessons from the journey in the hope that it will encourage you to pursue the “sweet desires” of your heart. I know that as long as I am walking in my God-given purpose, I have already succeeded because I AM confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in ME will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ (Phil 1:6). What good work has He begun in you? Will you give Him a chance to finish it? If He’ll do it for me, He will do it for you too!