For those of you who know me well, you know getting the day started has always been hard for me without a cup of coffee. Needless to say this was something I was nervous about coming on the race because I did not know how often I would have access to a cup of coffee in the mornings.
I wanted to give the people of the nations my best self. And for a long time my best self was Caroline + a cup of joe.
My team can attest that month one was hard for me in Cambodia. I would go out of my way to get a cup of coffee before ministry, be it waking up early to make a cup of instant or to hop on a bike and bike to the nearest coffee shop before breakfast.
Let me tell you. The miraculous has happened.
I have gone very few days in the last 4 years of my life without a cup of coffee and even when I did the addiction did not ever disappear completely.
I have now gone almost two weeks without a cup of coffee to start my day and I have more energy than I ever thought possible.
It was hard for the first few days. I fought agonizing headaches and exhaustion. I had to take a lot of naps and I went to bed fairly early.
But now I feel like I have met a new version of myself. A fully functional version. An energetic version. A joyful and life loving version of myself WITHOUT a cup of coffee.
Instead of Caroline + coffee it is Caroline + a big ole dose of Jesus in the mornings.
I believe the simple way of living we live here contributed a lot to this. We eat things without artificial hormones in them and we get a lot of rest and a decent amount of exercise hiking up and down our mountain almost daily. BUT I believe the biggest contributor has been starting my day with the Lord. Praising Him for who He is, all He has done and taking in His word. Instead of starting my day with a cup of coffee.
Praise Him, ya know?
Psalm 16: 5-6 You, Lord, are all I have, and you give me all I need; my future is in your hands. How wonderful are your gifts to me; how good they are!
