We spent the past 2 months running a cafe in Valga, Estonia. A place where middle school, high school, and college aged students could just come hang out. EVERYDAY we would pray over the cafe. We prayed for The Father’s love to be tangible in that place, for peace and freedom to reign there, for the cafe to be a place of refuge, for people to laugh and experience a joy they have never had before when they walk in, and for new life to begin in that cafe. Looking back it is so cool to see how God was faithful in everything.
As the 2 months went by I can’t tell you how many times I heard people say “I don’t know what it is about this place but it feels like home” or “this place just feels different than any other place I’ve hung out”. This would always make me laugh a little bit on the inside because I know exactly why it feels this way! It’s not because the old mismatched couches, the guitars, the giant bird painting on the wall, or the out of tune piano. There is/was nothing special about the building itself. The reason it felt like home to every person who walked into that cafe is because The Father’s presence was in that place, and that is where we feel at home. In the presence of our Father. In his strong and powerful yet gentle hands there is peace, freedom, love, and joy unending. We were created to be His children, and when the students would walk into the cafe they were able to receive a taste of the comfort and rest The Father gives to His children. Many would come back daily and stay all day. Not because we had cool events going on or anything special, but simply because the cafe brought a feeling of home that they could get no where else.
If I could say one thing I learned from ministry these 2 months it would be that ushering people into God’s presence is far more powerful than any profound words I could ever utter. Let people come and see. You can tell people about Jesus all you want and they can know all about Him, but invite them into His presence and that is when lives change. Let them experience God, because once you experience the presence of God you can’t deny His existence and you begin to yearn for more.
I pray that the students will begin to understand why Elutuba Cafe felt different. We left after 2 month and many were beginning to ask questions and think deeper. Part of me wishes I was still there to see it through, but I rest in knowing that God is faithful. I pray for more spiritual farmers in Valga to come along side of what God is doing there.
I pray as well that those of you reading this blog would experience the presence of The Father. Even though you may be a Christian and a child of God, many of us miss out on resting in the presence of your Father. This isn’t because He hasn’t given it to you (He allows ALL of His children to rest in His presence), but because you are still living like an orphan. There is an inheritance waiting for you that makes all the riches in the world look like filthy rags. Let God be your Father. Let Him absolutely change your life. If you are interested in reading more about this please read a book called Spiritual Slavery to Spiritual Sonship. It’s a good one!
