Coffee >>> Jesus

[fromcoffeetojesus]

Building Blocks

Most of the time writing comes easy to me. With last week being finals week of my first half of the semester, writing has been a required chore. It’s nice to have a place where I write because I feel prompted to. Where I can leave the end of a sentence with... And don’t have to have five scholarly sources that I’m placing in-text citations for. I can’t complain though. Finished the semester with all A’s (yes!). I’m done bragging.. wait maybe not. God has been SO AWESOME to me in this season and has not stopped pouring out blessing on my life. I currently have my hand in every area of creativity and business that I am passionate about. The music industry, fashion world and I’m officially your local barista again. Through this hard season there are three things that I’ve seen God build on. 

1. Revelation

When you seek Him and ask for Holy Spirit to begin to reveal the heart of the Father to you, He does. I mean, He REALLY DOES. In all sorts of ways. It started with understanding how to hear His voice again, then dreams, then confirmation, then other people having dreams. It’s been one of the most eye-opening, faith-building seasons of revelation that I’ve ever had in my life. Verses in the bible that I’ve read a hundred times now have fresh meaning to me. Learning again who God is, how much He loves and His constant pursuit of my heart. 

2. Relationship

There are people who fall in and out of your life. We’ve all seen it happen, maybe too often. Then there are the people who show up in your life just in time  to stand next to you through the hardest parts. I’m so thankful to have a family that sticks together regardless of disagreement and failure. And for me, family extends beyond my mom and dad. Learning the right people to trust and be intentional about having relationship with has made all the difference. God is strategic with who He surrounds you with and who He allows to fade away. His timing is perfect.

3. Generation

I didn’t understand this one fully until last week. My grandma is the only living grandparent that I still share a bloodline with. Dynamics between us since I’ve gotten older have been a lot different. I’ve known my grandma to be there praying when my mom calls her to tell her about something going on but she never really reached out to me directly and vise versa. Last week there was a really hard day where everyone in my house was just overwhelmed. No one was really mad at each other but the weight in the house was heavy. Out of nowhere, my grandma calls me. We had a short conversation which provoked me to pull my family all into the kitchen. For an hour and a half we got to sit and talk and encourage each other through this season. Next thing I know my grandma is knocking on the door. She comes in saying, “I’m here to pray.” Holding her and my grandpa’s hand we prayed as a family. It’s difficult to describe the way I felt. I haven’t seen as much fire and passion in anyone as I did in my grandma that afternoon. I even peeked out of the corner of my eye sometimes just to see my five-foot nothing, sweet grandma pray out in power against the devil, declare words of knowledge and the goodness of God. 

John 15:5b

“...apart from Me, you can do nothing.”

[fromcoffeetojesus]

Find Your Table

"You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows." -Psalm 23:5

In the last few months I have seen a lot of loss and heartbreak. And on top of it, fighting a battle with my immune system hasn't made it any easier. When your enemy is "the unknown" the worst outcomes seem closer to reality than anything else. (You know you're going through it, when you spend all of your time in the Psalms.) You bargain with God like, "Look, David was going through it too, and you helped him out..." I'm fortunate to not have physical armies hunting me and trying to take my life. But that doesn't devalue the things that seem to threaten our lives today. 

Whenever I read Psalm 23, I get this mystical picture of a forest that God is leading me through with green trees all around me and there's this beautiful wooden table tucked away in there with a feast waiting just for me. You can lay down in the grass and look up through the cracks of the tree tops to see the cool, blue sky. A quiet stream flowing, talking with God. It's about peace and stillness with God right? 

There are two phrases though, that re-frame this chapter for me:

"...in the presence of my enemies..." vs. 5

and

"...though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death..." vs. 4

There is a hunt happening here. You have stepped into these woods of unknown and your enemy is chasing you. It is easy to see the enemy because it's often the thing we can't stop thinking about. Whether you get a bad doctor's report, have financial struggles or are in a difficult relationship with friends or family. Those things are chasing you into these woods of the unknown. They are still the same beautiful woods as before but since your enemy is chasing you into this valley, it's hard to stop and enjoy the view. 

What I have had to keep reminding myself lately is that there is ALWAYS a table. If your enemy is present, that means God is also. He's prepared a table for you in the exact situation you are in. On the table He has His goodness, mercy, grace, blessing, favor, love, power and promises waiting for you. Whatever your enemy is doing to get you to keep running lost and scare through the woods, find your table. The second you take your eyes off of the chase and onto the table, your enemy is powerless. 

FIND YOUR TABLE!

[fromcoffeetojesus]

Letting Go

There are a thousand things we can cling to on this earth. Materials, houses, people, jobs. What happens when you're asked to let go? For me, I don't like having to give up things I enjoy. Sometimes it's called for as sacrifice (always for something much greater).  But there's another side to it too.

The other day, I was starving so I put a plate in the microwave with some chicken on it to heat up. I came back so excited to eat my meal. Only, something happened while it was cooking... the chicken wasn't the only thing being re-heated. Now my hands are on the plate and I can feel the burning sensation begin to spread through my fingers and hands. How easy would it be to just let go of the dish? But, I'm so hungry and the chicken would be ruined and the plate would be broken, but my hands are burning and the pain is so bad, but all I have to do is let go, but I don't want to because then I'll have to clean up a mess and... there it is. If we let go of something simple, something easy we can claim that we gave that up for God and He will reward us. We look strong and spiritual. But when we have to get real and let go of something that might make a mess, it can actually be much harder. 

I've been the one to intellectualize pain. I have thought to myself, someone else is going through much worse, I should just tough this out. Or, I don't know what's going to happen if I have to sort through that right now, so I'm just going to write it off as if it weren't that bad. I'm afraid to make a mess (or be a mess). And instead of being able to ever enjoy life, I'm walking around with a hot plate in my hands letting the burns get worse and worse, when all I have to do is just let go.

"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland." Isaiah 43:18-19

[fromcoffeetojesus]

What Are Your Promises?

Lately I've been studying the Old Testament quite a bit. I've been able to focus on the promises God gave Abraham and in return we all inherit. But more than the general promises of family, land and status, God has individually promised all of us specific things. Do you know what your promises are? I've been having dreams, more frequently than ever, from the Father and when I wake up, He brings interpretation almost immediately. When I was talking with a friend today, who knows about the dreams, I was explaining how I wanted to make sure I am in the right place and doing what God wants. As women, it's hard not to want a family and a husband in our future. I've definitely wanted those things and not always in the right timing. I want to know that the man I marry isn't one I am asking permission from God to marry, I want him to be the only one that if I didn't say yes, it would be disobedience to God. I want to make sure that I am the right person to mother future children and serve Him and my family with everything I am. As I began to express a little bit of doubt I had in myself to become that, she reminded me that I have been having these dreams of specifically what God is promising me for the future and He wouldn't be affirming these things if my motivation were contrary to His will. When your heart is right and for the will of your Father, when you ask Him things, He answers. I had forgotten that I asked God to show me His specific promises for my life and when I began having these dreams I simply wrote them down like a cool movie I had been watching instead of claiming them as my own. Ask God for the specific promises over your life and don't be surprised when He starts showing you. Claim them. Take hold of that which God has promised you and steward it with all you have. Sometimes it's getting debt paid off to set up future, other times it's dealing with inner healing that needs to happen in order for you to be made whole or searching out you calling for specific seasons in life. But it's always about turning your affection, trust and hope to the One who is worthy of your entire life, promises, dreams and all. "Yet he [Abraham] did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what He had promised." Romans 4:20-22

[fromcoffeetojesus]

What Is Your Earthquake?

I've never been through a physical earthquake large enough to feel. From what I hear it can be a helpless feeling. Something at work much larger than you are that can destroy any or all of your life. Imagine for a moment that you are in this earthquake.. And it's a big one. The furniture around you is moving across the floor, windows begin to shatter inward, pictures swing and fall from the walls. No matter how great your plan was to not be afraid, in that moment, you might find yourself experiencing a certain measure of fear. God doesn't promise a life without earthquakes when you follow Him. What He does promise is to restore every broken thing. He is there through the breaking as you're trying to save every vase from flying off the table and each valued treasure in your home. Maybe it's even your kids, spouse or animals that you want to hold on to and protect. There comes a point when you have to let go. You can either hold on to all of your things and see what you can save, or hold on to God and let Him replace things in your life that are of far more value. What are you holding on to? Some of you will rebuild the ancient ruins; you will restore the foundations laid long ago; you will be called the repairer of broken walls, the restorer of streets where people live. (‭Isaiah‬ ‭58‬:‭12‬ HCSB)

[fromcoffeetojesus]

Open Handed Rest

I've found myself asking God for answers on a lot of things lately. More importantly, I've found the answer has simply been to rest. In the midst of my asking, God has been asking me to find rest in Him. HARDEST THING EVER. I'm a do-er. There are a lot of us out there. We get satisfaction only upon the completion of something successful. Wasting time is never an option. We are capable humans with incredibly high-performance abilities and enjoy the high-pressure moments because we conquer them and feel INVINCIBLE. Ironically, it is that exact place where God is working in my life. What happens when there's that one thing you simply "can't do." I'm not talking about having starbucks appear in your room without you leaving the house in the morning or winning the lottery or marrying Liam Hemsworth/Jessica Alba. What happens when the things that were once the easiest for you, appear to be the hardest? "A man who endures trials is blessed, because when he passes the test he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him." James 1:12 See what happens when: 1. You turn your 'why' into THANK YOU. 2. You turn your attention to HIM instead of you. 3. You allow time (the time you think is so precious) to be spent with the one and only who CREATED time itself. 4. You start putting in the same amount of effort 'doing' with your SPIRIT what you had been 'doing' with your hands. 5. You stop gripping the things you so desperately want to carry into the future with you and OPEN UP the possibilities to do anything He asks. If you're a hard-worker like I am, you understand the sacrifice it takes to accomplish the things you desire. Sometimes, seasons of rest are your sacrifice. If you're having a hard time finding answers, one thing I can promise you is that drawing near to the Father is ALWAYS the right answer. And when you have surrendered and ask Him to use your hands for work, be sure that they are open and ready to grab hold of exactly what He has for you. "I call you today to stop defining and limiting your future in terms of your past and start defining it in terms of your God." John Piper

[fromcoffeetojesus]

Don't Discount Destiny

No, I insist on buying it from you for a price, for I will not offer to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing. [2 Samuel 24:24]

When I walk into a store that I like, it's not typically just to look. Often I want to walk back out with a bag in my hand and a bit less in my bank account. But, paying full-price is something that I rarely do. It's always a good feeling to know you got a "deal." Marketing and sales are driven by the common mindset that people want to get the most for their money. When I arrive I know how much I have to spend and check the price tags, deals and promotions so that I know the best way to get all the things I want. Regardless of what is on sale, every time I find something, at least one thing that is not on sale. I don't have a coupon for it and can't get a discount. But I just have to have it. I can't assume because I want it so badly that the manager will just hand it over and tell me to have a nice day. I have a choice to make. Do I pay full-price for this one item that displays so much value to me, or do I walk away with several things that look similar to it but don't cost as much.

It is tempting to walk into a church and expect to be blessed simply because of your attendance. Often, people will hop from church to church just to see which one they really can "get the most" out of. It is something that I have been guilty of, even when I didn't realize it. Maybe the seats are nicer at this church, maybe all your friends go to that church, perhaps you even think that the band is so much better at that one church and you get a lot of encouragement from the teaching. Don't get me wrong, any of those things can be true about the place that God calls you to be. You aren't in sin for having preferences or taste. But are you called there? Because if you are, it will cost you. At least, it should. 

The call of God always comes with a promise and a sacrifice. You cannot gain what is at the top of the mountain by standing at the bottom staring at it. Nor can it be reached by climbing another mountain that is not yours.

We are called to give up our own lives in order to grab the promises of God. Abraham was the first example of this. God declared a promise to bless him and make a name for him. But that promise couldn't happen without Abraham having faith and throwing away the plans he had for his own life. Abraham had to cultivate a lifestyle of faith and dependence on God and that wasn't easy at all. He even failed at times, but because of his faith and devotion to reconciliation, God blessed him.

In my life, I have experienced a TON of favor and blessing from God. In trials and struggle, God has always shown His faithfulness to me. He isn't asking for works alone because we couldn't earn a seat at His table if we tried. No reservations, no pulling strings. God has carved our names on a specific seat for a very specific purpose. What it costs us, is our life. Are you so concerned with trying to set your own table that you don't see the one God has prepared for you? 

 "Don't miss out on what God is doing because of laziness and call it destiny..." -Alyn Jones

[fromcoffeetojesus]

Verbalize Your Dreams

This year has come with many surprises that I didn't expect so quickly. For a long time I was afraid to hope for things or desire things that I could not obtain on my own because I was afraid to depend on someone else to help me get there. I only ever set my sights on things I could attain so that I wouldn't be disappointed. Dreaming is an important tool that God has enabled our minds for so that we can live in His reality rather than our own. 

How many times have you tried to talk God out of what He has planned for you? Maybe sometimes without even realizing it. It's common to repeat phrases like;

"If it's supposed to happen, it will..."

"I can't do anything about this..."

"If I just had this..."

"I don't need anything else..."

Under these statements you will find hidden false humility, fear and doubt. We often believe that by settling for something, we are being realistic or wise about our dreams. God sometimes releases prophetic words well before they come to pass. Some Old Testament prophesies were spoken hundreds of years before they became a reality. Many prophets didn't even get to see the outcome of what they were prophesying, yet they had enough faith in the Word of God that they spoke with boldness and confidence. Even when it takes longer than you think it should, hold on to the promise that what Father has declared, he is faithful to deliver.

Every word of God is flawless;

He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.

| Proverbs 30:5 |

[fromcoffeetojesus]

When The Lights Go Down

"There, in the un-photographed spaces of hidden years, when we are not calling the shots or taking the heat or on the frontline or in the spotlight, self-control has the opportunity to grow, slowly and steadily, layer upon layer, until all that inner strength fuses together and creates something indestructible." 

Alicia Britt Chole

Anonymous

With analog photography, much of what you're creating is unseen by others until the finished product is revealed. Film is held in a tiny canister behind the lens of the camera. The only person who has any idea of what the finished product will look like, is the one creating it. Once the roll is ready, it is removed and placed into a black bag where the hands of the photographer opens it up.

All of the film has to be unrolled from its original reel and then rolled by hand onto a new reel which will allow it to be developed. On this new reel, the film goes into a tank, still completely sealed from all light, to add the chemicals required. After a lengthy process of chemicals and shaking the tank, film emerges. This is the first glimpse anyone can have of the photos. When it is brought out into the light, the photographer will look at the images and decide again what to take into the darkroom and continue to work on.

Light must now shine through the negative to focus in on the final image. When the light shines through the film onto a light sensitive paper, the image is written down forever. One final process of developing is required to seal the image on the paper. What most people don't know is that a photographer must bring the photo out into the light to truly know whether it has been properly made. Often there are test strips (tiny pieces of the light sensitive paper exposed to the negative's image) that are brought out into the light to see a glimpse of what the final image will look like. Each test strip goes through the same process of chemicals and cleaning. Finally, when the photographer sees that the image is ready, they print a full photograph of the final image. 

This process takes a lot of time and attention. There are steps that must happen sequentially and if you skip even one, the whole process begins again. It becomes clear that God uses the darkroom times to create His masterpiece. He digs in with his hands and attention because He is the one who has seen the vision of the final image. Intent is key. These hidden moments and seasons in life become the platform for God to perfect something He intended from the beginning. He brings out the test strips into the light and our growth is seen by those all around us.

Even in the testing, beauty can be seen. God uses those trials to show us a piece of what He has intended and assures us that He is still working. Through our whole lives, God will be working on this piece. 

I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. [Philippians 1:6]

[fromcoffeetojesus]

Prologue

There are two things my dad gave me a taste of from a very young age. And for these two things I will forever be grateful. He taught me much more than just this, but I believe that everything he showed me circles back to one of these two things.

When I was only two years old I had my first sip of coffee. Not just your average Starbucks Vanilla Latte with non-fat milk and light whip. No, my dad brewed the darkest of coffees and served it the only way one should. Black. You can imagine then, as a two year old sitting next to my dad begging to try his drink, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. So here I am, impatient little me staring at my dad waiting for him to give me what I was asking for. Since my dad, being a father didn't want to leave me disappointed, he made sure the coffee was cool before giving me a small taste. To his surprise, this wide-eyed tiny human that he created smiled in wonder waiting for more. I was hooked. Who knew a decision so small would lead to countless hours of coffee shops and conversations about life. Something as small as allowing me to have a sip of coffee led into routine and a way of connecting with my dad. 

It wasn't just coffee that dad gave me that day. A bond was made. The relationship my dad and I grew into was one that taught me the love of God and how willing He is to give to me when I ask. How love is the only answer to every circumstance and how generosity will fill you more than acquiring other things. 

My only hope for this is that I can retain all of the principles my dad instilled in me during each of those days that we sat drinking coffee.