The Story
I’ve wanted to make sourdough for about two and a half years. A colleague once told me about his sourdough starter, and it immediately intrigued me. But after a quick YouTube search, I was intimidated — all the talk of hydration ratios, stretch and folds, fermentation times… it felt like too much.
For years, I kept saying I was going to try it. My husband would joke, “Are you ever going to make sourdough, or just keep talking about it?”
Finally, during my maternity leave, I decided I had the time — or at least enough in between feedings — to experiment. It was the perfect season to give it a go.
Let me tell you, there are a ton of resources out there. So many, in fact, that it became overwhelming. It took me 21 days to get an active starter — which, if you know sourdough, is much longer than it should take. I started to feel discouraged. I was wasting flour, money, and time — and I was ready to give up.
So I did what I often do when I’m frustrated: I brought it to the Lord.
“God, if this isn’t something I should be spending time on, just let this starter die. Like… completely.”
That same day, I pulled some discard out of the fridge to experiment with. (I’m a scientist by training, so I figured I’d trust my brain more than Pinterest for once.) At that point, I had three starters: two from Pinterest recipes and one from my own method.
To keep them warm, I stuck the Pinterest ones in the oven — then promptly forgot they were there… and turned the oven on to make dinner. I cooked them. Totally dead. It honestly felt like God was answering my prayer: Let it go.
So I tossed them out and moved on.
But I forgot about my “science experiment.”
The next morning, I walked into the kitchen — and to my surprise, that starter had doubled. It looked textbook perfect. Alive. Bubbly. Beautiful.
That day, I baked my first loaf of sourdough. It wasn’t perfect, but my husband took a bite and said, “This is really good. When are you making more?”
In one of the most chaotic, vulnerable, yet precious seasons of my life, God reminded me that what works for everyone else isn’t always what’s meant for you.
He gave me unique skills, a curious mind, and a little stubbornness — and when I stopped striving to fit into someone else’s method and leaned into the gifts He gave me, things came to life.
After many failed attempts (and probably 10 pounds of flour), I finally had a starter that now feeds my family. Literally.
One of the things I’ve come to love most about sourdough is the process.
Yes, it takes pre-planning.
Yes, it takes patience.
But once you find your rhythm, it becomes something deeply life-giving.
My daughter loves warm slices with homemade cinnamon butter. My husband will get out of bed on Saturday mornings just to snack on the fresh loaf. There’s something so simple, yet sacred, about bringing fresh bread to the table — something I made for my family, with my own hands.
And when you read the Bible, bread is everywhere.
From manna in the wilderness to Jesus calling Himself the Bread of Life — bread is a symbol of nourishment, life, and provision.
Bread takes time, hard work, and waiting. But the reward is that it’s shared. It nourishes. It connects.
That’s what this journey has become for me. Not just a trend. Not just a loaf.
But a reminder that God is in the process — and He can use even flour and water to teach us something eternal.
The Sourdough Recipe That Works for Me
Day 1
10–12 PM: Feed Starter (ideally as late as possible for a 7–8 AM dough start)
1:2:2 Ratio (for 2 loaves):
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80g starter (pulled from the fridge and left at room temp for 1 hour, lid off)
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160g flour
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160g water
= 400g total starter
Day 2
8 AM: Make Dough
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200g starter
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700g water (mix until milky)
Add: -
1000g bread or all-purpose flour
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20g salt
Cover and rest 1 hour.
9 AM–10:30 AM: Stretch & Folds (every 30 minutes)
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Round 1: 9:00
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Round 2: 9:30
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Round 3: 10:00
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Round 4: 10:30
Bulk ferment 3–4 hours (if 74°F+). If your home is cooler (66–73°F), it may take 6–10 hours. Look for signs: jiggly, airy, bubbly, and about doubled in size.
2:30 PM: Preshape, rest 30 min
Dust counter with flour or mist with water. Cut dough in half.
3:00 PM: Final shape into floured bannetons. Cover with a shower cap or plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 12–14 hours.
Day 3
Preheat oven (with Dutch oven inside) to 450°F.
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Flip dough onto silicone sling
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Sprinkle flour and score
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Add pie weights to bottom of Dutch oven
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Bake: 30 minutes covered, then 15 minutes uncovered
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Let cool for at least 2 hours before slicing
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