“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” – 1 Peter 4:10
Michelle Brenner is famous for her homemade lasagna. Now, you cannot buy her lasagna in your local grocery store, and it is not found in a restaurant. Michelle makes her lasagna in her own kitchen in Gig Harbor, Washington. You don’t even have to pay for these made-from-scratch lasagnas. Michelle gives them away.
Not a professional cook, Michelle Brenner was furloughed from her normal job during the COVID-19 shutdown. She picked up extra money by being a personal shopper for those who did not want to get out in the midst of a pandemic. She said during that time, she delivered several frozen lasagnas. Because she is a proud Italian-American, Michelle had the idea that people would appreciate a fresh lasagna. It was a tremendous idea. She offered her first lasagna on Facebook and, in moments, it was spoken for! Within just a few weeks, Michelle put a pantry in her front yard to keep up with the demand.
Michelle has not charged for her lasagna. If you need one, you take one. If you would like to donate, that is fine. A local sportsman club learned of her idea and offered her the use of their commercial kitchen. She now makes over 20 lasagnas a day. The community launched an online fundraiser to help and it collected over $5,000 in just a few days.
Michelle loves that she has blessed so many people with a homemade meal. She is excited to see how her community has come together. When interviewed about why she did what she did, Michelle said, “No matter where we come from or what we have or what we don’t have, we are all here together,” she said, “and one lasagna at a time, we are going to get through this and we are going to make that difference.”
We all have the ability to make a difference. We have talents and passions that can be used to bless the lives of our neighbors, our community and our world. Michelle Brenner saw a need with her neighbors and she filled that need with homemade food, but more than food, she blessed lives with her time and talents. What talents do you have to bless your neighbors? How can you use your gifts this week to be a blessing?
– Rev. Keith King, Pastor of Worship
