By Bread Alone: A Baker's Reflections on Hunger, Longing, and the Goodness of God
- Downloads：4740
- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2023-03-01 03:21:32
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Kendall Vanderslice
- ISBN：1496461347
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
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Summary
Bread is central to God's story， and to your story too。
Our spiritual lives are deeply connected to bread--the bread we break with family and friends and the Bread that is Christ's Body， given and broken for us。 It's easy to choose the cheapest， most convenient option， but the life of Jesus and the story of Scripture， as well as the substance of bread itself， shows us that there is more。 In By Bread Alone， Kendall Vanderslice， a professional baker and practical theologian who spends her days elbow-deep in dough， reveals that there is no food more spiritually significant than bread--whether eating， baking， sharing， or breaking。
Kendall has struggled with hunger ever since she can remember--hunger for bread， yes， but also for community and for the ability to "taste and see" the goodness of God。 She knows the tension of bread as blessing and bread as burden but has learned that bread also offers a unique opportunity to heal our relationship to the body of Christ and to our own bodies。 In By Bread Alone， she weaves her own faith-filled journey together with original recipes and stories about the role of bread in church history， revealing a God who draws near to us and creatively provides for our daily needs。
When words fail， when we cry out in longing and loneliness， when God feels impossibly far away， By Bread Alone displays the tangible expression of God's presence and provision for us in the form of bread。 It's the story of hunger and family， of friendship and unmet longing。 It's the story of a God who meets us in both sacred and mundane ways。 In the mixing and kneading， in the waiting and partaking， may God also meet you。
Our spiritual lives are deeply connected to bread--the bread we break with family and friends and the Bread that is Christ's Body， given and broken for us。 It's easy to choose the cheapest， most convenient option， but the life of Jesus and the story of Scripture， as well as the substance of bread itself， shows us that there is more。 In By Bread Alone， Kendall Vanderslice， a professional baker and practical theologian who spends her days elbow-deep in dough， reveals that there is no food more spiritually significant than bread--whether eating， baking， sharing， or breaking。
Kendall has struggled with hunger ever since she can remember--hunger for bread， yes， but also for community and for the ability to "taste and see" the goodness of God。 She knows the tension of bread as blessing and bread as burden but has learned that bread also offers a unique opportunity to heal our relationship to the body of Christ and to our own bodies。 In By Bread Alone， she weaves her own faith-filled journey together with original recipes and stories about the role of bread in church history， revealing a God who draws near to us and creatively provides for our daily needs。
When words fail， when we cry out in longing and loneliness， when God feels impossibly far away， By Bread Alone displays the tangible expression of God's presence and provision for us in the form of bread。 It's the story of hunger and family， of friendship and unmet longing。 It's the story of a God who meets us in both sacred and mundane ways。 In the mixing and kneading， in the waiting and partaking， may God also meet you。
Reviews
Suzanne
，
By Bread Alone is not your average theology book， personal narrative， or cook book， and we are thankful it's not！ Kendall Vanderslice combines her own journey as a baker and theologian， her experience baking and leading community-making events， and hungering for God into a delightful and deep narrative that draws you in to taste the goodness of God。 As a pastor I also love that she included discussion questions and you can download a free Lenten study guide to use along with the book for your ch By Bread Alone is not your average theology book， personal narrative， or cook book， and we are thankful it's not！ Kendall Vanderslice combines her own journey as a baker and theologian， her experience baking and leading community-making events， and hungering for God into a delightful and deep narrative that draws you in to taste the goodness of God。 As a pastor I also love that she included discussion questions and you can download a free Lenten study guide to use along with the book for your church or small group。 Having these extra resources provided saves me time having to create them myself， and allows me to be a reader and not have to always be thinking as a leader while I read。 If you're unfamiliar with Vanderslice's Edible Theology Project， you need to check it out as well。 Her work is the real deal and is what our churches need to bring us together around the table and build community wtih our neighbors near and far。 Check it out。 You won't be disapointed！ 。。。more
Cassie
，
This one hits the shelves tomorrow。 Thanks to NetGalley and Tyndale for the ARC。This title looks at the connections between bread， church community， and human hunger and longing。 I liked the description of this book right away， but I didn’t love it as much as I wanted to。While the memoir portions of the book followed a chronological timeline in the author’s life， I had a hard time following the structure at times。 This totally could have been a Kindle/advanced copy issue though。 I liked the way This one hits the shelves tomorrow。 Thanks to NetGalley and Tyndale for the ARC。This title looks at the connections between bread， church community， and human hunger and longing。 I liked the description of this book right away， but I didn’t love it as much as I wanted to。While the memoir portions of the book followed a chronological timeline in the author’s life， I had a hard time following the structure at times。 This totally could have been a Kindle/advanced copy issue though。 I liked the way memories from childhood， instructions for bread making， history of bread and the church were all woven together in this one， but I imagine it would be easier to see the connecting points in print。I connected with the author’s experience as a ballet dancer， even in Christian dance programs， appreciated her candor in describing struggles with her health， weight， and body structure， and related to her desire to find true community and friendships in the church， sometimes struggling to find it。There were a couple moments I felt were too didactic or where it took some effort to understand the point the author wanted to make。 Her thoughts meandered a little bit more than is my usual taste for a memoir—sometimes I wanted her to spell it out for me a little more—but overall I enjoyed this one。 。。。more
Caitlin Mallery
，
Kendal explores her personal story of faith and body dysmorphia。 For a whole generation trying recover from diet culture she brings compassion and excitement for good food。
Sheila Joiner
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Kendall writes with grace and wisdom about the common struggles of growing into ourselves as adults and continuing to choose faith in the midst of rejection， loss， and unmet longings。 Her experience as a baker lends special insight into the significance of these hard times， and how they transform us into people of the kingdom。Throughout these reflections and lessons learned， she shares fascinating bits of church history and food science that highlight and enrich the spiritual lessons that can be Kendall writes with grace and wisdom about the common struggles of growing into ourselves as adults and continuing to choose faith in the midst of rejection， loss， and unmet longings。 Her experience as a baker lends special insight into the significance of these hard times， and how they transform us into people of the kingdom。Throughout these reflections and lessons learned， she shares fascinating bits of church history and food science that highlight and enrich the spiritual lessons that can be gleaned from observing the different processes of baking bread。 Kendall's story has such a vulnerable "realness" that has something for all of us who seek "the delight of praying for daily bread。" 。。。more
Anne Michele Somerville
，
As elements of water， yeast， salt and flour come together gradually to form bread that sustains， Kendall has offered a book that is more than spiritual autobiography; it is a gradual unfolding and blending of resilience and vulnerability， along with hope and longing， but not only that， but also of expertise， patience and a stubborn seeking after God's call on her life， a gently revealed clarity of vision and purpose meeting gifts。 In the gradual unfolding of her story， I found a depth of underst As elements of water， yeast， salt and flour come together gradually to form bread that sustains， Kendall has offered a book that is more than spiritual autobiography; it is a gradual unfolding and blending of resilience and vulnerability， along with hope and longing， but not only that， but also of expertise， patience and a stubborn seeking after God's call on her life， a gently revealed clarity of vision and purpose meeting gifts。 In the gradual unfolding of her story， I found a depth of understanding about community， hospitality， daily bread， suffering， discernment， generosity and companionship。 Those words are not in the glossary， yet they are spelled out in the telling of her story。 While "By Bread Alone" is not a cookbook， there are recipes and throughout her discussions of bread she teaches。 。。。more
Sarah Rossing
，
This book is a great reflection of food and relationships。 Not only with other people， but also with yourself and your faith。 Kendall's journey weaving together a love of baking and love of people， along with learning to express her own yearning for love and community speaks powerfully to a moment in time when isolation is so common。 The recipes and prompts to break bread with others with greater frequency and intention are an excellent resource for individuals and community groups。 "When we bak This book is a great reflection of food and relationships。 Not only with other people， but also with yourself and your faith。 Kendall's journey weaving together a love of baking and love of people， along with learning to express her own yearning for love and community speaks powerfully to a moment in time when isolation is so common。 The recipes and prompts to break bread with others with greater frequency and intention are an excellent resource for individuals and community groups。 "When we bake bread and break bread， we know God in a rich， creative， and intimate way。" 。。。more
Emily
，
It is such an accessible story of food， pain， longing， and faith。 Kendall's writing draws you in with stories that so many can relate to。 She easily weaves bread science with faith and life struggles。 You learn more about bread， communion， and community in a way that's intriguing even if you don't feel deeply religious。 I also love the way recipes are included that tie her life's story together。 It is such an accessible story of food， pain， longing， and faith。 Kendall's writing draws you in with stories that so many can relate to。 She easily weaves bread science with faith and life struggles。 You learn more about bread， communion， and community in a way that's intriguing even if you don't feel deeply religious。 I also love the way recipes are included that tie her life's story together。 。。。more
Suzanne
，
I thoroughly enjoyed reading By Bread Alone。 It was hard to put down。 I enjoyed the recipes and look go to trying all of them。 I have followed the author Kendall Vanderslice for several years。 Excited to see what is next in her journey。
Ronja
，
To be honest， I wasn’t sure what to expect with By Bread Alone — as I am not one to read biographies or people’s stories that often。 But I was intrigued by all that I could possibly learn about bread and God’s Word through this book。 This book far exceeded my expectations。 The author’s story was told in such a captivating way that I had a hard time putting down this book。 I could relate to many of things she wrote about， and learn from the rest。 On top of that， I learned a lot about the bread an To be honest， I wasn’t sure what to expect with By Bread Alone — as I am not one to read biographies or people’s stories that often。 But I was intrigued by all that I could possibly learn about bread and God’s Word through this book。 This book far exceeded my expectations。 The author’s story was told in such a captivating way that I had a hard time putting down this book。 I could relate to many of things she wrote about， and learn from the rest。 On top of that， I learned a lot about the bread and its role in Scriptures as well as the history of the church。 All in all， this was a great read。 。。。more
Sarah
，
The author does a good job of weaving her personal story with bits of the science of bread making and her theological insights about bread and God。 I especially like her Liturgy for Baking Bread at the end of the book， which is both a recipe and a prayer。I received an ARC from Net Galley。 It will be released on February 28， 2023。
Sarah Wolfe
，
This was an enjoyable memoir， although it's very similar to Bread & Wine by Shauna Niequist。 I liked the different bread recipes and really loved the liturgy for bread making in the appendix。 I've been enjoying the content from Vanderslice on the Edible Theology Project。"Eating has the power to forge community and shape our identity。 At best food fosters a sense of belonging among those who eat in similar ways， a reminder that our longing for community and our need for food go hand in hand。 For This was an enjoyable memoir， although it's very similar to Bread & Wine by Shauna Niequist。 I liked the different bread recipes and really loved the liturgy for bread making in the appendix。 I've been enjoying the content from Vanderslice on the Edible Theology Project。"Eating has the power to forge community and shape our identity。 At best food fosters a sense of belonging among those who eat in similar ways， a reminder that our longing for community and our need for food go hand in hand。 For most of history， eating has been tied to cultural or religious identity， but even without those underpinnings， we manage to create our own new dietary identities 。 Paleo。 Keto。 Vegan。 The list goes on。 At worst， though， food can mark a form of social isolation。 Whether the family diet sparks criticism from classmates or allergies prevent us from sharing a meal with others， food is also a reminder that God’s good creation has been marred。""I didn’t need to chase after 'feeling God' or discerning God’s will to know that I remained within the fold。 I just needed to walk forward ， hands extended， and taste the Bread on my tongue， feel it slide down my throat， and let it settle into my belly。 In doing so， I was binding myself to this community， and they in turn were binding themselves to me。"{I received a digital ARC on NetGalley from Tyndale House} 。。。more
Kaitlyn Schiess
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