When it comes to my cookbook “Preparing For Your Husband: A Cookbook For EVERY Wife and “Wife in Training” Volume 1“, I would always get feedback from women and men who couldn’t get passed the title. I would be asked questions such as “Why can’t it be geared toward my husband (soon to be husband) preparing for me?”or my favorite, “If you’re not married how can you write a cookbook about preparing for your husband?”  It wasn’t until recently I began to encounter people who really understand the depth of the title, preparing for your husband as whole, and the vision that was placed on my heart when writing this cookbook. So though this blog post is LONG over due (my apologies), I figured I’d give you all a behind the scenes look at how the cookbook came along and truly explain why I chose the title, “Preparing For Your Husband: A Cookbook for EVERY Wife AND “Wife in Training””.

I always knew I wanted to write a cookbook that to me was always a given. I wanted a cookbook that compiled all of my recipes into one book that was easy to read & follow, contained recipes that I knew everyone would love, had a message to take away from it, and gave more than just a cookbook but additional resources. The hard part was finding the time to write all of the recipes down because I’m the type of Chef that does not use recipes, I cook instinctually, so it took me a while to really create recipes based off of what I would do to make my food and desserts.  In the midst of compiling recipes and going through life, I was a member of a Church in Texas at the time called Koinonia Christian Church under Pastor Dr. Ronnie W. Goines. On Mother’s Day Sunday, I can’t remember the year maybe 2011; he preached a sermon on a Proverbs 31 Woman. This chapter was new to me, I was still a “babe” in Christ, so as he went through the sermon all of it spoke to my Spirit.  Everything from being found by your husband and not to go searching for him, being confident in who you are, being willing to work, being a support system to her husband, etc. stood out to me but one phrase and point Rev. Goines made stuck with me, “making sure the oven was always hot” and the verse he referred to was,

“She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.” (Proverbs 31:15)

Now there were other GREAT jewels of wisdom I received from this sermon but this stood out to me in particular at that time because I’m a Chef and I wanted to write a cookbook. As I was sitting there that day, the Holy Spirit gave me my cookbook title and I honestly didn’t realize it until 2014 when I actually began getting everything in place for “Preparing For Your Husband”.

The title and the cookbook are founded on Proverbs 31:15 and preparing for your husband in the realms of cooking but what I love about the cookbook is It goes beyond just slaving in the kitchen for your husband (and children), and me not being married has nothing to do with the validity of the content or cookbook title, it is truly much more than that. The cookbook is based on the word of God first and foremost and it gives women, who can or cannot cook, a foundation and resource to have so they feel empowered and equipped in the kitchen.

I know that cooking is not the only way to prepare for your husband, as do many women, and that is why I question the popular idiom “the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach” in the beginning of the book. However, one thing that was consistent for me as I began to prepare for the cookbook and casually speaking with some women is that not all women know how to cook or feel comfortable in the kitchen. So to me it only made sense to write a cookbook that stood on the word of God, and helped women to truly be empowered, comfortable, and equipped to be the Connoisseur of their kitchens. I knew the title would get some crazy looks or even limit the people who wanted to experience the book and it’s contents but I also knew God gave me that title and the direction I needed to go with the cookbook, so I needed to be obedient to what He wanted.

Knowing that cooking was not the only way to prepare for your husband, I also wanted to make sure the cover, book content, and message expressed more than just that. I prayed for the direction I needed to go in and having a “preparation” list of all ways to prepare for your husband and having everything else checked off except for “finessing your cooking arsenal” was what I believe the Lord spoke to me in regards to the cover I wanted the cookbook to truly be a resource for a “Wife In Training” (like myself) and a Wife to be prepared to take on the kitchen but also remember the covenant of marriage. I remember asking women on my personal Facebook page what they did to prepare for their husband and the feedback I received was wonderful. The feedback was so wonderful that it assisted with putting the finishing touches on the cover and additional content that would be placed throughout the cookbook. I chose four responses that really resonated with me and I asked those four women if they wouldn’t mind their responses being added to the cookbook as quotes.

“I think the key for me was not to prepare for him, but prepare myself for God. If I kept myself prepared for God, God would get us prepared for each other. Divorce is NOT in our vocabulary. Keep God first in your preparations and He will allow your husband to come along the way.”

~ LaKisha Lopez-Martin

In addition to their quotes there are also Bible scriptures that encourage marriage as well as highlight other ways to be prepared for your husband and marriage.

“And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him-a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”

~ Ecclesiastes 4:12 ESV

As a little over a year has approached on the release date of “Preparing for Your Husband”, I won’t lie it took me a while to get over the critics especially those who wouldn’t give the cookbook a chance because they couldn’t get beyond the title, my relationship status, or the fact I wrote the book, but for the instances where I encounter those who understand the title and look passed it in its “simplistic” form, it makes the meaning behind the cookbook and title that much greater. 🙂

If you would like to get more information about the cookbook or how you can own your copy click here. If you’re interested in the complete gift set, that’s available here.

Stay Encouraged & To God Be The Glory!

Chanelle A. Watson
Author, Chef, Entrepreneur
Inspirational/Motivational Enthusiast