By Mallory Mattingly
Mary Bryant Shrader never thought she would host a popular YouTube cooking show, but through the lessons her mother taught her and shifting her focus to God, Shrader found herself prepared for the role He had planned for her.
In a new letter with Guideposts, she shared a few lessons she’s learned along the way.
Lesson 1: Lay the Foundation.
One night Shrader was on her way home and “a teenager ran a stop sign and plowed into my car. I’d thought I was so in control of my life, but as my car spun across the wet road and into a tree, all I could do was call out to God,” she told Guideposts. “It had been an awfully long time since I’d talked to him. Though I had been raised Catholic by devout parents, I’d put faith on the back burner in pursuit of my career.”
It was after that moment that Shrader “had an epiphany,”
She wanted to “live a slower, more intentional life.”
Lesson 2: Don’t Put Your Plan Ahead of God’s Plan.
“That rainy-night car accident made me rethink a lot of things. Why was I working 24/7 if I didn’t feel fulfilled? Had I put my plan ahead of God’s plan? I was a total type A then, and I had a hard time letting go. But when you release the illusion of control and put your life in God’s hands, you’ll discover his plans are much better than any you might have,” Shrader wrote.
Lesson 3: Make Time to Be Still and Just Be With God.
“I think of it this way: For dough to rise, it needs to rest in a warm place, away from drafts,” the YouTube host explained. “It’s similar to how our souls need to bask in the light of the Lord, away from earthly distractions. If we can learn to prepare spiritually for what life brings, to just be still and trust in God’s presence, he will work things out for our good and in a way far better than we could have planned for ourselves.”
God certainly has used Shrader’s time with Him to show her His plan. Her cooking YouTube channel, Mary’s Nest, boasts over 1.14 million subscribers and nearly 1,000 videos, ranging on topics from recipes to price-saving tips and everything between.
Related: Singer Andra Day Trusts God’s Plan: ‘God is Working. Trust in His Holy Spirit’
In February, Shrader announced the release of her new book, The Modern Pioneer Pantry.
“This is my second book in my Modern Pioneer series and it’s all about how to create a Four Corners Pantry and preserve food through home canning, drying and dehydrating, fermenting, freezing, and pickling,” she wrote in a post on Instagram. “And then I show you how to use everything you preserve to create appetizers, sides, main meals, baked goods, desserts, and more!”
Through it took a car accident to recenter her life on God, Shrader discovered what it looks like to have a relationship with Him, all while building a cooking channel that inspires others.
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