Devotional

Why Pumpkin Spice?

I am a pumpkin spice girl and happy to admit it! Whether it’s a hot pumpkin spice latte, a cream cheese pumpkin streusel coffee cake (see this month’s recipe below!) or a frozen pumpkin pie ice cream dessert, if pumpkin spice is in the name, my choice is already made. Whether you have joined the craze or not, I see a great spiritual truth in the warm, fragrant latte sitting on the table next to me.

As nights begin to cool and the sun sets a little earlier, there is a call to crave pumpkin spice. We see it on social media, on the shelves in the grocery store and on the menu at the our favorite restaurants. The question I am asking myself is ‘Why?’ Why do we crave pumpkin spice? I think I may have an answer.

We crave pumpkin spice because we crave what is in season.

A quick study on our physical cravings shows us the benefit of feeding our bodies what is in season. In the winter, we crave calorie dense foods to provide warmth. When the heat gets turned up in the summer, our bodies crave lighter, hydrating foods to replace fluids and keep us cool.

Spiritually, the same is true as well! Just like seasonal food fills our bodies with what we need to stay healthy, a spiritual diet of what is in season will fill our souls so that we remain spiritually healthy, connected to Jesus, our spiritual vine.

How can we determine what is in season?

If you sense a change of seasons in your life begin to recognize your ‘spiritual cravings’ by asking yourself these questions as you decide what should stay and what should go:

 Is it producing fruit? Jesus used gardening metaphors throughout the Gospels. Branches that didn’t produce fruit were cut off to allow branches that were producing fruit to thrive. If what you are doing in this season is not producing fruit, don’t be afraid to ‘cut it off’.

Is it life giving? In John 10:10 Jesus tells us that He came to give life to the full. If what you are investing in does not align with what Jesus came to give, it might not be for this season. That doesn’t mean it’s not difficult. Challenges actually can be used to produce life. Ask for discernment to know what gives life and what does not.

Have I prayed about it? This one is really the key. We all want to reply with a big yes to this question, but prayer is a two way conversation. Rather than putting your request before God then getting up to figure it out on your own, present your request and wait. Stay in prayer, silently listening for direction. You may not get all of the details right away, but God will begin to give you clarity and change your craving as you wait on Him.

God created us to crave what is in season and we can trust Him in the new. What a great reminder! I may never see pumpkin spice the same again!

Recipe

Cream Cheese Pumpkin Streusel Coffee Cakes

Prep Time: 20 minutes 

Cook Time: 18 minutes

Total Time: 38 minutes

Makes 24 coffee cakes

Cream Cheese Filling

8 oz cream cheese softened

1 cup powdered sugar

Streusel

3/4 cup flour

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

6 TBS unsalted butter

Muffin

3 eggs

2 cups granulated sugar

1 cup avocado oil

1 T vanilla

1 1/3 cups pumpkin puree

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 TBS cinnamon

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt 

1/4 tsp baking powder

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Grease well 2 12 count muffin tins and set aside 

In a medium bowl, mix the softened cream cheese with powdered sugar on medium setting until the combined. Increase the mixer speed to high to create a fluffy texture. Place this mixture in the refrigerator to firm. 

In a medium bowl, prepare the streusel. Combine the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar and cinnamon. Using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut the butter into the mix until a crumb forms. 

Combine the dry ingredients: flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and baking powder in a bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, beat eggs on high until light and frothy. One at a time, add the granulated sugar, avocado oil and vanilla until thick and lemon colored. Adjust the power to low to stir in one the pumpkin puree. Stir in the dry ingredients beating well. Remove cream cheese filling from the refrigerator. Place one heaping tablespoon of batter in the each muffin tin. Add one teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture. Top with additional batter until the tins are ¾ of the way full. Do not overfill the muffin tins. Sprinkle streusel topping on muffins.

Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 18 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to sit 15 minutes before removing coffee cakes from the tins. Enjoy!