When Your Sourdough Sleeps


 What a sluggish starter taught me about patience, persistence, and seeing God’s lessons in the little things.


⸻


Home-from-Vacation Excitement… and a Flat Starter


Yesterday I could practically smell the fresh-baked loaves as I unpacked. My sourdough starter—normally a bubbly, faithful friend—had been resting in the fridge for a couple of weeks while we traveled. No problem, I thought. A couple of feedings and we’ll be back in business.


Except… nothing happened.


Feed #1: no rise.

Feed #2: a faint puff, then deflation.

Feed #3 and #4: still a lifeless puddle.

Disappointment began creeping in. Starting over felt like losing a little piece of homestead history.


⸻


A Curious Tip from ChatGPT


Desperate, I asked ChatGPT for help. The suggestion? Swap the water for pineapple juice during the next feeding. The gentle acidity can neutralize excess sourness and give the yeast and bacteria a balanced environment to wake up.


I mixed in the juice, stirred, covered, and waited—again.


⸻


Watching Hope Bubble Up


At first, I doubted. Hours passed with hardly a blip. But sometime in the night those tiny bubbles began marching upward. By morning my jar had doubled, the surface domed with life. A couple more regular flour-and-water feedings and my starter was back to its joyful, yeasty self—ready for today’s bake.


⸻


Kneading the Lesson Into Life


That little revival reminded me how God often uses our disappointments as classrooms:

1. Patience is practiced, not possessed. Waiting on the starter stretched my willingness to slow down.

2. Creative solutions often follow frustration. Pineapple juice wasn’t in my original recipe, but it became the breakthrough.

3. Resurrection stories hide in everyday moments. A dormant culture sprang back to life—much like our own hearts when hope feels flat.


“We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance.” — Romans 5:3



Quick-Reference: Reviving a Sluggish Starter

Step

What to Do

Why It Helps

1

Discard all but 2 Tbsp starter.

Reduces excess acidity and waste products.

2

Feed with 1:1:1 ratio (starter : flour : pineapple juice).

The juice’s pH balances acidity; sugars jump-start activity.

3

Keep it warm (75-80 °F / 24-27 °C).

Yeast and LAB thrive faster at cozy temps.

4

Watch for doubling (6–12 h).

Indicates a healthy population rebound.

5

Return to regular water feedings twice before baking.

Ensures flavor and strength are back to normal.


A Slice of Encouragement


Today the house smells like crusty loaves again, but the real gift isn’t just the bread. It’s the reminder that delays aren’t dead ends—they’re detours into deeper growth.


So if your plans (or your sourdough) ever fall flat, don’t toss them out too soon. A splash of creativity, a dash of patience, and a prayerful pause might be all you need to see them rise again.


Happy baking—and keep looking for life’s little lessons in the jar on your counter. 🍞✨

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