• Good white bread, sliced
  • 2 cups fresh strawberries, cleaned, hulled and sliced
  • 1 cup fresh blueberries
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • Zest and juice of one orange or lemon
  • 2 tablespoons rum, optional (use the zest of one orange or lemon but omit the juice if using the rum)
  • 2 large cage-free eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract

Loretta Scott once said, “We can’t help everyone, but everyone can help someone.“

I love that. Don’t you?

My son Nathaniel and his fiance Amanda have been visiting churches in hopes to find a church home where they can serve together. Not a church that will serve them, but one where they can serve. Last weekend after visiting another local church, they came back here for a Sunday dinner.

In Amanda’s hand was a beautifully wrapped loaf of bread with a very thoughtful note attached to it. Each visitor received a homemade loaf of this bread made by some of the ladies. My son and Amanda were very touched as was I. We ate a couple slices of the bread and it was yummy! On the third night I decided to use the rest of it to make this berry pudding and it was so good! That yummy bread soaked up all of the juices and custard and made a lovely dessert. As we ate the dessert we thought again of the very thoughtful ladies who had lovingly baked the bread. I was reminded of this verse in Proverbs 31:

26 She speaks with wisdom,
    and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the affairs of her household
    and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed;
    her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many women do noble things,
    but you surpass them all.”
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
    but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
31 Honor her for all that her hands have done,
    and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

A few days later notes began to arrive in the mail. Some of the ladies wanted Nathaniel and Amanda to know how happy they had been to meet them.

To the ladies who baked that bread, and to all of the godly Proverbs 31 ladies who serve for Christ faithfully and joyfully, thank you!

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter an 8 x 8-inch baking pan.

In a large bowl combine the strawberries, blueberries, granulated sugar and lemon zest. Stir and let sit.

Place the bread slices on the sides and bottom of your pan.

Pour your berry mixture over top.

In another bowl whisk together eggs, milk and extracts. Pour over the berries. Press down a bit with your hands and bake for one hour.

For best results allow the berry pudding to sit for 30 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Isn’t she gorgeous?