I love coffee, a lot. It’s one of my favorite things. It’s my favorite part of my day, and usually go to bed thinking about how much I’m going to enjoy my morning cup of coffee. I love trying new coffee shops and learning about new roasts and experimenting with new ways of drinking it.
In my world, coffee is an integral part of my quiet time. It’s my favorite way to spend time with Jesus. So much so, that I often joke that I’m 50% coffee and 50% Holy Spirit.
While I was getting ready to head to Georgia for Squad Leader training, I was brainstorming how to make sure I wouldn’t ever be without access to my life juice. My mind was filled with thoughts of travel mugs, french presses, filters, and beans (and so was my amazon cart). It was in the midst of this that the Lord clearly told me “No.” He told me to leave all of this at home. He told me there wasn’t room for both Him and coffee in my pack. Ugh. But, He didn’t stop there. When I got to Georgia, coffee was readily available. I was pumped and thanking God for sending me coffee! That’s when He asked me to give it up.
He’s been showing me that this isn’t really about coffee at all, but about dependence. He has shown me about the beauty of fully relying on Him. He is my actual source of everything I need. And like Isaiah said…
“but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”
??Isaiah? ?40:31
Living from a place of dependence on the Father is a lot more invigorating than a shot of caffeine and it doesn’t come with the dreaded crash. He has given me His heart for these people and the strength to keep going even when I’m exhausted. He is strengthening me day by day and inviting me into true rest in His presence. I am amazed by all this month has been, and I can’t wait to see what else is in store.
It’s crazy to think that my first month with R Squad is coming to an end. Part of me feels like I just got here, but the other part feels like we’ve been here for a year. In just a short amount of time I’ve seen them wholeheartedly dive into community, ministry, and life in Thailand. I have had the privilege of getting to know their hearts and stories and I am so excited to see how God uses each of them for His kingdom!
