Testimonial by Deborah Shaw

One Sunday evening, my teenage son asked to go to an evening service at a church that his good friends attended.  I was thrilled to have him ask to go, without me being the parent telling him we were going to church.  It was held in the gymnasium, with an awesome praise band and to my surprise, they served communion for this large gathering.   A whole loaf of challah was being passed down the row for us each to tear off a piece. When the loaf was 2 people away from my son, I whispered warningly,” you can’t eat that, you can’t touch that!” Then it was just like I felt a punch in the middle of my chest in the solar plexus. After that, an intuitive impression came across my mind saying,” Deborah, you need to do something about this!” I couldn’t ignore it was coming from the Holy Spirit.  This was a memorable experience to say the least.

I like how God is so much bigger than us. I was not in control of this idea. God was going to manifest it in His own way. A little over a week, I walked into work and our plant manager says, “Columbia Seminary just came in asking if Pure Knead had anything they could use for communion, and I sold them our irregular, uncut loaves for a discount.” At the time, as a small bakery, anything perfect would have to go to the retail store to meet the volume of Kroger’s orders. The loaves that appeared more homemade and still perfectly delicious could now find a home in the hands of the church. I just smiled and enjoyed God’s sense of humor at me thinking I needed to do something about this, He had it covered, I was just given the in-spirit, inspiration.

Local churches found out and stopped in for their communion loaves and told us wonderful stories of people being included now in communion that could not participate in the past. Stories, where the church had offered a gluten free option, but now with Pure Knead bread covering all the top 8 allergens, they saw tears from parents watching their child with egg allergies being able to take communion for the first time. One pastor with celiac disease reported she had stopped serving regular communion bread because of a rash on her hands and was able to enjoy serving her congregation again with an allergen friendly Pure Knead loaf. Another heart touching account, was of a severely handicapped child with texture issues now being included at the church service and church school.

I get so excited with every church I talk to that wants to try to include the allergy community. Pure Knead bread is that soft, white bread you remember from childhood, so when you receive it during communion your mind can stay quiet. When it is dipped for intinction, it will not crumble. Pure Knead receives beautiful emails about the taste and texture being something that surpasses their expectations. This is what fuels our passion, it is the people that tell us what Pure Knead is doing, makes their life better, to please keep doing it and they can’t wait until their friend or family member in another state can get it too. We are still like a hidden secret, but steadily growing. So, I smile and know God has the bigger plan and I will continue to show up every day to work, be grateful for the people’s lives we touch, and be ready to walk through the doors He opens to show His glory through Pure Knead.

Way before this business started, my first bible verse I memorized and claimed as my own, raising my family as a stay at home mom, was Jeremiah 29:11-13. I still feel this verse applies as God is using this mission supporting the allergy community as a way to use me for His purpose.“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek me with all of your heart.”

This communion bread is made with love; God inspired.  It is the bread of life and love.

Have a healthy day,
Deborah Shaw