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Taste & See
Life Is Sweet
12 Baking Devotions for Kids
by Ruthanne VandenBosch
Gathering in the kitchen has become synonymous with sharing
love and making memories. The warm, inviting atmosphere creates
an environment where learning and the exchange of ideas readily
take place.
What better way to nourish a growing faith in God with children? Life Is
Sweet: 12 Baking Devotions for Kids is a cookbook and teaching resource
rolled into one. You don’t have to be a professional baker or teacher to
enjoy working with children and making Bible lessons fun!
Designed for use with girls and boys ages 6 and up, each lesson features a
recipe, complete with a photo guide that is easy enough for even beginning
bakers to follow. A devotional is also provided, which the teacher can
incorporate during the baking process or can read with the kids while
the goodies cool. The cooking lessons feature general themes, along with
scriptures, that will help children grow and develop a Christ-like character.
Perfect for use with small groups of children, this hands-on learning
experience will help children remember and apply God’s Word to their
daily lives.
Product Specifications
ISBN: 978-1-59317-751-5
Paperback • Size: 8½" × 11"
Pages: TBD, full-color
Price: $16.99
Ages: 6 and up
RELIGION/Christian Education/Children
Themes: Theme: Cooking, Character, Devotions, Kids Small Group Study
Available July 2014
Product specifications and pricing are subject to change until release date.
Features and Benefits
• Twelve lessons that each feature a recipe and devotional that can be incorporated during the baking process or read with
kids afterward.
• Devotionals feature scripture and themes that help children learn about developing a Christ-like character.
• Recipes include photo guide.
• Material can be used by a teacher for small group programming or children’s church, summer outreach programs, or other programs.
It also provides opportunity for kids to reach out to other children in their neighborhood.
• Parents and grandparents can use lessons with their own children and grandchildren.
• Lessons can be used with boys and girls ages 6 and up.
• Leader’s section included.
• Free online video of the author demonstrating a lesson from the book.
About the Author
Ruthanne VandenBosch has been baking and teaching for many years. She has written Bible study curriculum for college students
and has led several mission trips. A few years ago, her love of baking inspired her to create her popular blog, easybaked.net. She is a
self-taught photographer and graphic designer and has even been a test cook for new products by a national brand. Currently, she is
serving as a missionary in Arizona, and using some of the lessons from Life is Sweet with the children there.
For more information, contact
Connie Crist
Vice President of Sales
Phone: 800-741-7721, ext. 3010 • Fax: 800-347-6411
Email: [email protected]
TABLe OF conrenrs
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2 -God works everything rogerher for good . . ........... . ..... 3
1 -God sees who you arc inside ... . ....... • . . ........... . ..... 7
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3 -God created you wid1 unique gifrs .. . .... 12
1 -God's gift of grace/salV1ltion . ........... . .... 17
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1 -Keeping a pure hearc . . ........... . .... 21
'R.o.Jµbef'lfJ J)anatl(J, Tlll'fUWel'j 4- The Fruit of che Spirit................... 26
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3 -Being genuine with God and each other ............... 30
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4 -Being obedient ... . .... • .................. 36
Ti,e,-JJyed Cake 3 -Being thankful
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. .... • .... • . . .. • . . .. • . . ........... . .... 42
4 -Guarding your heart . . . .. • . . .... . .... . . . .. . . . .. . . . .... 47
.fiJlwt!, o#Mea Oreo® PlJ(M
5 -Sharingyour f.tith .. . .... . . . .. . . . .. . . . .... 53
CillJumwn fl/pJilJR, JJoom CakR.J
2 -Living life "upside down" for God ... . .... 59
Appent1i& ..... ....... ..... ..... ............ ..... ..... ..... ....... ..... 64
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Hello, and welcome co "Life ls Sweet," a desserc cookbook foe kids, with a twist.
Each of the twelve recipes included in this book arc accompanied by a Bible lesson. The lesson tics directly
co the cecipe, using ingcediems, tedmiques, and even caste-resting co teach biblical uuchs like: grace, keeping a pure hean, being obedient, using your gifts, and characteristics of God.
Maybe you are a parent or grandparem, wanting co spend time in the kitchen with your kids or grandkids.
Maybe you are a Su nday school teacher, pastor, or missionary, wanting co reach kids in your church wich the
Good News of God's love in a new and different way. Maybe you are a college srudem wiLl1 a neighborhood
full of kids around you, and you are wondering how you can reach 1hem for Jesus. \Vhoevcr you are, if you are
looking for a fun, new way to teach about God. this is it!
Each recipe in this book includes:
• An ingredient list.
• Tips for preparing ahead .
• Directions 1har include s1cp-by-srep pic1ures .
• A lesson that teaches something about living for God .
• Questions to spark discussion about what was learned .
Kids are so excited to learn new things, and with all of the "baking competitio n" srylc shows on TV lately, chis is
a grent way to share a useful skill along with biblical truth. Whether you decide to bake at home or host a class
in your church kitchen, rhe boys and girls in your li fo are going co love rhis approach t0 learning about God.
~~fluited:
The recipes in this book are arranged in a specific order:
I. Basic understanding of God
2. Presenra1ion of the Gospel
3. How to grow in your walk with God
The lessons can be done our of this order, bur if you have children who don't know God, it might be helpful
to follow it.
The lessons also are rated in difficuh:y from one (easy) to live (more difficul t). If you have beginning bakers,
you might arrange your lessons in order of difficulry.
To begin a lesson, plan ahead a few days before you meet.
• Read through the entire recipe and lesson.
• Check for ingredients you need and equipmem you might not have.
• Read the lesson and chin k about each chi ld who will come.
• Pray about how ro best discuss the lesson and think abouc how the kids might answer
each question.
•
Decide when, during rhe recipe, you will do your lesson. Sometimes ic is besr co do
the lesson while the recipe bakes, somerimes while ir cools, and sometimes it is besr co
finish baking complerely before doing the lesson.
Tbe day of the lesson, prepare what you will need.
• Prepare ingredients ahead if needed (like getting butter or cream cheese to room temperature).
• Get all of your ingredients ready and rhink about whar jobs rhe kids can be a part of.
If you have a large group, think about how ro divide up jobs e<Jually so no one gets
bored.
• Th in k about safety. Arc supplies and equipment set up so kids will be able to reach
them? Arc su rfaces dean and extra paper towels available? Arc there special instructions
you will need to give for equipment like electric bearers?
When the kids arrive:
• Tell parents you will need about 2 hours, depending on the recipe.
• Welcome them and talk about what you will be making and what the whole process
looks like.
• Talk about kitchen safety. Pull long hair back, scrub hands well, reach about oven and
microwave safety, and discuss any kirchen equipment that will be used.
• Pur rhe recipe cogerher. Allow rhe kids ro measure, stir, and rake pan in all pans of the
recipe.
• Give help wirh rhings like using a mixer or remo,•ing irems from a hor oven, especially
if you are working with younger kids.
• Sit down with the kids and go rhrough rhe lesson. Encourage questions and interaction. Pray wich your group.
• Enjoy earing your desserr together'
"lhe recipes in this book are tried and true, but sometimes a recipe can go wrong. If chat happens, don't panic! You have a great opportunity co talk abom second chances! We don't always
get things right the firsc time, but God always gives us a second chance. Invite them back for a
different recipe and lesson the nexr week.
As I worked on chis book, l have been praying for you! l have been praying thar the person
who opens this book wir h the desire ro teach lirr le ones abou1 Jesus would be blessed. I pray
chat God uses these recipes and lessons co open doors for you co share che love of God with
che ch ildren in your life. l pray the Holy Spirit brings understanding and hope to you and to
che young lives you will touch.
God Bless!
'P~. Make sure you check our che video at htrp://warnerpress.orglbooks/l ifcissweet/
.,,,,,.
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FUDGe CUPCAKes with, BUTTeR CReAJD ICIDG
Theme: T~ Uwt god wmilM ~ tngetiw' ~ ~
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Before che kids arrive, sec out small "sample" cups of each ingredient used in the cupcakes. Also, sec
om 2 sticks of butter co warm up co room tempera cure.
Who likes cupcakes? I think cupcakes are my favorite dessert. 1 like picking out fu n cupcake papers
and preuy sprinkles for che cop! Today we are going co make chocolace cupcakes wich vanilla icing.
Before you scare, you wi ll be asked ro taste-rest all of the ingredients. I've left a spot next to each
ingredient for you to write a ONE WORD description of what you think about that ingredient's
Aavor (Yum, Yuck, Nasty, 'Tasty. .. be creacive!)
Give each kid a lisr of rhe ingredienrs and a pencil. (You can make your own lisr or phorocopy che one
in che back of the book.) Have the kids caste a little of each ingredient and write one word to describe
each. Have fun discussing the tastes together before you start baking.
Prep Time: 15 minuces Bake Time: 20 m inuces CooUFrost Time: 2 0 minuces
{!npf1Jle 9flfjlie.dienJ/,: (Makes 12 cupcakes)
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1 \'2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1
A cup cocoa powder
'h teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
I tablespoon white vinegar
'h teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup water
9dnf; 9fUJM11iRn!J:
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2 sticks (one cup) buttec, at room temperature.
1 \'2 cups powdeced sugar
I teaspoon vanilla
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Check your ingredients list to make sure you have
everything you need.
Place 12 cupcake liners into a cupcake or muffin tin.
Preheat oven to 350° F.
NOWYOUARe
ReADY TO BAKe!
• Place all dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl
and stir together until well blended.
• Add all che liquid ingredients co rhe dry and stir until smooth.
• Divide barrer equally inro cupcake liners. I use a
scoop co do chis, buc you can USt." a spoon. Fill each
liner about 1IS full.
• Bake ac 350" F for 20-25 minutes.
• Remove from oven, and when cupcakes are cool
enough co couch, remove chem from pan and let
chem cool on the counter.
• Make burcercrearn icing while they cool.
• Place all ingredicms in a large mixing bowl.
• Use a mixer tO beat ingredients rogethcr on low
speed. This can be very messy! You might wam
co help rhe kids d1e first rime you do rl1is.)
•
• Once ingrediems are combined, mix on high
for I to 2 minutes, scraping sides with a spatula,
unril very Iight and Auffy.
'
• Frost cupcakes with a knife, or pipe frosting on,
using a decorating cip.
(To~«
how to pipe frosting. vi~it
h crp://wamerpre<;.<.orglbooks/li fei<...-weerI
for an inscrucrional video.)
• Acid sprinkles!
Let's talk about those ingredients you just tried.
(Let kids discuss answers ro the raste-test and share your rhoughrs on rhc Aavors.)
• Wh ich ingrcdicn rs were your favori re?
• Which were your least favorite?
• If you could pick one ingredient co car a whole bowl of, whar would it be?
• Did mosc of the ingredients casce good or bad?
Tthink die only 1hings char casted good were 1he sugar and che water. J rh ink everything else was prercy
gross, especially che vinegar!
• Since we are using mostly yucky-tasting ingredients, do you th ink the cupcakes wi ll
be good?
You'll have co cry chem for yourselves once ihey are finished baking, bur l chink they are really yummy
chocolate cupcakes!
• How do you chink rhis happens?
(Jusr let chem speculate. Depending on your group and time frame you could look up reasons for
adding d1ings like Aour and baking soda to ;l cake.)
Today we are going to talk about a big word: sovel"eigtl(Y·
• Have you ever heard chis word before? Do you know what ir means?
l11e dictionary definition is "supreme power or authori ty."
Cod is described as being sovereign. This means that He has the 6nal say in absolutely everything.
Sometimes th is characteristic of God is confusing to people. If God has the final say in everything,
rhen why do bad things happen to me? Does that make God evil or mean?
111cse cupcakes can l1elp us undersrand this charactcriscic of God. 'TI1ink of all chose yucky ingredients
as bad things char happen in life.
• What are some bad things tbar have happened in your life?
(Let kids jnsr ralk here-he especially scnsirive co rhc wide range of experience. For some kids che
worse rhing ever is gerring a "B" in a class :ind for others chcy losr a parenr ro cancer. Try m nor
minimize rhc "small" things.)
~
_m
Maybe you goc really sick, or your parents got a divorce, or your besc friend found a
new btsr friend and lcfr you.
Lots of really hard things happen co us. 111crc are a lor of reasons why they happen.
Sometimes they happen because anocher person does something ro hurr us, somedrnes
they just happen (like getting sick) and we don'c know why.
·nie important thi ng to understand about God is char He can do something AMAZING with
the bad th ings chat happen, if we ler Him.
Here's what the Bible says:
(If cime permits. you can pass out Bibles and show the kids how ro look up rhe verses.)
Romans 8:28 (esv): And we know th1trfor tho.re 111ho love G11d dl! rhinp work 111gerher for good, far tho.rr
who are called dccording to His purpose.
• There is a requirement in this verse--whac is it?
• Do you meet this requirement?
• If not, will you ask your leader more about how to love God?
Ecdcsiasrcs 3: 11 (N1v}: He hm mrtde ever_ything benuriful in its time.
He has 1dso set etemity in the hum1111 Imm; yet 110 one can fathom
wha1 God hits dime fiom beginning to end.
•
In its rime .. .
This means thar bad things might conrinue ro look bad for
a while. \Xlh~n we love God and trust in His promises, we
look forward to rhc day when even rhe bad rhings in our
lives are made inco someching beamiful.
2 Corinthians 5:7 (N1v) : For 1ue live by fairh, not by sight.
You trusred that I knew what I was doing when I told you all chose
yucky ingredient~ would make a good cupcake. You wem ahead and
put chem cogerhcr and put them in rhe oven.
Now, as you go frosr and ear those cupcakes, l wam you to rhink about how you can better love and
trust God. \'ifhcn you trusr Him, you will believe rbar somehow He will work ALL cbfogs together for
good in your life.
And He will!
Pr<ttj:
Pray witli kids before finishing recipe--(Jr later before you eat cupcakes. Ask God to help them love and t rusr
Hin1 nlore.
This Scripmre passage, I Corinthians 12:14-27 (NIV), goes with Lesson 3: Cimumum Cheesecake
Sundaes.
Photocopy and cur the sections apart. Give each child a section to read aloud. The sections are
numbered so the children wil l know when it is their turn. If' there arc fewer children, then a child can
read two of them or the leader can read the extras.
1) Even so the body is not made up of one part bur of many. Now if rhe foot should say,
"Because I am nor a hand, I do nor belong co rhe body," ir would nor for char reason
srop being part of the body.
2) And if the ear should say, "Because I am nor an eye, I do nor belong ro the body," it
would nor for rhar reason stop being part of rhe body. If rhe whole body were an eye,
where would the sense of hearing be If the whole body were an ear, where would the
sense of smell be?
3) Bur in fact God has placed the pares in rhe body, every one of them, just as he wanted
them to be. If they were all one pare, where would the body be? As ir is, there are many
parrs, bur one body.
4) The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need yo u!" And the head cannot say to rhe feer,
"I don't need you!"
5) On rhe contrary, chose parts of rhe body chat seem ro be weaker are indispensable, and
the parrs char we th ink are less honorable we rrear with special honor.
6) And rhe parts thar are unpresentable are created with special modesty, while our
presentable pans need no special rrearmen r.
7) Bur God has put the body rogerher, giving greater honor co the parts char lacked ir, so
that chere should be no division in the body, but that its parrs should have equal
concern for each other.
8) If one parr suffers, every parr suffers wirh ir; if one pan is honored, every pare rejoices
with ir. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a pare of it.