Miracles in a Country Coffee Shop
If y’all know me, y’all know I love my coffee. I’ve been enjoying my daily brew since I was barefoot and fancy free playing with barbies. So when the opportunity came to be a part-time barista in a nearby country town, you better believe I didn’t even need to think about it. I just said when and where.
To me, this was an answer to prayer. I had been looking for a part-time job off and on for over a year with zero success. I thought this was just an opportunity to make some extra money and also get out of the house a little. And yes, it has done all of that, but that wasn’t enough for the LORD. Coffee was only the beginning. (cue dramatic music)
Just to set the scene, I work mainly weekends due to my and my husband’s schedules. So every Saturday and Sunday I get both my random newbies and faithful patrons.
About three months ago, I meet a woman and we strike up a lively conversation. She’s on her way out and the Holy Spirit tells me to ask her how she got into her line of work, so I do. This leads us into a deeper conversation which leads to a powerful moment of vulnerability and healing. That raw and beautiful moment created an instant connection (laughter and tears will do that to you); one I am eager to deepen and grow.
Another story: a young woman comes in and orders her drink. As I’m making her coffee, she wants to know if she can ask me a difficult question (for privacy reasons, I cannot share her situation). As soon as she speaks, the atmosphere shifts. The weight of what she’s facing is real and it is heavy. I hand her her coffee and know I need to exchange info with her, but can’t because there are other customers waiting. “Coincidentally”, I still have a business card in my pocket from the conference I attended the day before, so I give it to her. The neatest part of her story is the part I’m about to share: she wasn’t planning on coming to the coffee shop that morning. The only reason she stopped is because she met me last week and felt I would be a safe person to confide in becuase I was kind to her. As she was driving to work, she saw my car in the parking lot, hoped it was me and turned around and came in. One meeting one week prior turned into a friendship and new beginnings.
Divine appointments, tearful conversations, new opportunities. All have happened in this small town, country coffee shop and it has both surprised me and made me incredibly grateful. There are more stories. Lot’s of more stories. But those are for another day. For now, let’s be in awe of the magnificence and perfection that is our LORD and saviour. I never get sick of how He shows up.
Never.