Welcome to Eat With Joy!
This blog is about food, family, faith and how these intersect with justice and joy. ‘Joyful eating’ is how I like to talk about our family’s approach to food. Nothing here would make for an exciting “try this for a year!” experiment–we don’t follow any rules or regimens–we just try to love God, our neighbors, the planet, and one another as we purchase, plan, eat–AND ENJOY!–our food, remembering that every meal is sacramental–a sign of grace–and that when we’re mindful of others in our choices, we’re mindful of Jesus, too.
About Me
I’m the mother of two bright and beautiful boys, and wife of 9 years to Tim, an OT/Hebrew Bible scholar. We live in beautiful Greenport, NY, way out on the end of Long Island. While I’ve written ever since I could hold a pencil, I came to writing about food and food issues as a way to get better from years and years of an eating disorder that was only extraordinary insofar as it was SO ORDINARY–the kind of disordered eating and self-loathing that plagues many (if not most) American women (and men, too.) As a Biblical Studies major and a Christian, I searched my faith for answers, discovering that while the Bible talks about food a lot, Bible-readers come up with everything from Biblical veganism (eg, George Malkmus) to God-ordained Paleo diets (eg, Jordan Rubin). My own approach, which I call joyful eating, aims at loving God and others (and myself!) by eating with gratitude, pleasure, and awareness of the needs of the whole community of creation.
I’m the author of Eat With Joy: Redeeming God’s Gift of Food, which is forthcoming from InterVarsity Press in early 2013.
My writing has appeared in places like Christianity Today, Her.meneutics, Books & Culture, The Progressive Christian, Catapult, The Suffolk Times, Creation Care Magazine, and Flourish Magazine; one of my essays appears in Bella DePaulo‘s book Singlism.
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Exciting blog. Bauckham told me about it. I used to teach at St Mary’s. Like you I’m concerned with food and have a chapter on food in Ecology of the NT and am doing short booklet and have a short article coming out in October. I’m told you’re writing a popular book on food and theology. I imagine you’ve read Wirzba’s new book. Best wishes in your work
great to hear from you, Mark! I really like Wirzba’s new book; my review of it will be in Books & Culture soon. I’m interested in your chapter on food in that book and will look forward to your booklet!
I have just found your blog by way of Pat P. Congrats on your new book to be. Its enjoyable to see the boys and you two. I still keep those Stones in my prayers. Your happiness is contaigous…..Snow here tonight–(hope it melts by morning), my petunias don’t like it! Love to you all.
Enjoyed perusing your blog and reading, Rachel! Congrats on the book! Your smile is always a light, as is your writing. (Shannon Vining posting as keymomentsmom.wordpress.com)
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Hi, Rachel! I came across your blog very recently upon recommendation from a friend. I’m so glad I did! We have similar food and living philosophies, I have one son (almost 6 months old), and I, too, have a husband named Tim who works in Biblical studies. I’ve really enjoyed reading from your site so far. I’m looking forward to joining you in your journey!