Hi there! My name is Aarti Sequeira. A few years ago, I embarked on a whirlwind cooking journey that would eventually lead to winning the “Food Network Star,” hosting my own cooking show called “Aarti Paarti,” and now judging several cooking competitions, including “Guy’s Grocery Games.” And recently, I got connected to the mission and ministry of Compassion International. My family sponsors a girl in Ethiopia, and I have a growing passion to help release children from poverty in Jesus’ name.
Looking back over my life, and the journey of the last few years, I can really see how God has worked. So, today, I’d like to share a short devotional about what God has been teaching me through this last season.
As you very well know, a large part of this year has been marked by being quarantined in our homes, and it gave me a lot of time to reflect on what the Lord might be trying to teach me. And this is what I heard …
I recently moved to North Carolina. Right next to my house, there’s a babbling creek. The water in the creek is so clear that you can find crystals in its banks! My family loves going for crystal-hunting walks.
The day after a strong storm, we walked down to see the creek. It was SO full — but we found that the water wasn’t clear anymore. It was green and murky, and the water was stagnant. As I observed the creek, I spotted a tiny mouth that had been clogged up, keeping the water from moving.
So, my daughter and I grabbed a shovel and started digging the rocks and sludge and fallen tree branches out of the way. Once we moved the muck, the water started flowing again.
This experience struck me. It reminds me of the spiritual sludge and muck that keeps us from fully flowing in God’s power and grace. I think, during this year of uncertainty, God wants us to look inward — to try and discover what’s getting in the way of him.
I believe that God is calling me, and maybe you, to consecrate ourselves — to separate ourselves from worldly things, so that we can recognize God’s sacredness in us. And so that others can see that sacredness too.
Quiet-Time Questions and Reflections
- What are the things in your life that are causing you to become stagnant? What muck and sludge are in the way of your relationship with God?
- What can you do to start clearing away that muck and sludge?
- Read Psalm 139. Ask God to search your heart and lead you toward a clear, flowing creek.
To hear more from Aarti and get one of her recipes, click here and follow her on Instagram!
Prayer is powerful. Check out these great resources to pray for children around the world.