Cookies of Faith

One of the things I like about my MOPS groups is that every other month or so, our table of about eight women along with another table brings breakfast. Baked goods seems to be the obvious choice for me each time so that I can bake bunches of cookies and not eat them all. Today, after nine dozen or so peanut butter cookies, here is my testimony. (And a recipe.)

Peanut butter cookies, which I picked today, to be really mouthwateringly good, must be chewy. But there's a catch. When you're baking them, you have no way to tell if they're done. When they come out of the oven, they've expanded, but are still mostly soft. If you try to watch until the edges are browned, nope, that's too late as well. You just have to preheat the oven, set the timer for the time the recipe book tells you, and then get them out promptly when the timer goes off. Even if they're soft. Even if they look not ready. Allow them to cool and voila! They're perfect.

In other words, you have to have faith. Hebrews 11:1 says "faith is the substance of things hoped for and evidence of things not seen." 2 Corinthians 5:7 reminds us that "we walk by faith, not by sight."

Even when the cookies don't look done. Even when I don't understand. Even when every single instinct in my body tells me to intervene, change something - this will never work. Even then. I will walk by faith, not by sight.

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla

Beat together butter and peanut butter with a hand mixer. Add 1/2 cup of the flour, sugars, egg, baking powder and vanilla. Beat until thoroughly combined. Beat in remaining flour. Chill in refrigerator if necessary. Roll into one inch balls. Flatten with fork tines in a criss-cross pattern. Bake in pre-heated 375 degree oven for 7 - 9 minutes. Cool. Makes about 36.