Coffee With Jesus
One of the greatest experiences in life is waking up from a good night’s sleep to the smell of freshly brewed coffee. Even if you’re not a coffee drinker most would admit the aroma of freshly brewed coffee produces a warm, cozy feeling synonymous with mom’s apple pie during the holidays. A major coffee brand created a marketing campaign around the idea by stating that it’s “the best part of waking up.” Whether it’s fresh brewed coffee at home or stopping in at the local coffee shop our country is crazy for coffee. These statistics from Drive Research support this idea: 3 in 4 Americans drink coffee every day, 49% of people drink 3 to 5 cups of coffee a day, 68% of Americans make coffee at home every day, and 87% of Americans consider themselves somewhat or full-on coffee obsessed. We love our coffee!
Equally as interesting as the fact that we love our coffee is how and where we like our coffee. As mentioned in the above stats many brew their coffee at home, others like to stop in at local coffee shops, and still others take advantage of coffee services at work. When I was very young my brother and I would go visit my dad usually during spring break. He was a heavy equipment operator and worked on construction sites for a living. When we visited, we would get up super early, pack lunch, and go to work with him. Along with his lunch he would make a pot of black coffee, pour it into his thermos to drink on throughout the day. Usually, on the way to work he would ask my brother and I to pour him a cup of coffee. As soon as we opened that thermos the aroma of that coffee filled the cab of his truck. To this day when I smell freshly brewed coffee my mind immediately transports me to the cab of that truck filled with the smell of coffee. Wherever you like to drink your coffee, my guess is that it’s become part of your daily routine that you look forward to everyday. I have such a routine that I’d like to share with you in the remainder of this post.
It's around 6:00 a.m. when my alarm goes off. After hitting snooze, 9 minutes later I get up and make my way to the kitchen. (Keep in mind that we live in a 41’ fifth wheel we affectionately call the Millennium Falcon so it’s a very short walk to the kitchen.) I begin to brew my first cup of coffee and as I sit and wait for it to finish the aroma fills the room. When it’s done, I grab the cup and sit quietly in my recliner. This is my time to meet with Jesus. Though He’s not there physically I can feel His presence sitting there with me in the quiet. This is my time to read and listen for Him to speak to me through the Bible, prayer, and journaling. It’s been part of my daily routine for quite a while, and I love starting my day this way. My reading usually consists of a reading plan from the YouVersion Bible app done with a few friends. I love doing reading plans with these guys because, as it usually is when reading or listening to teaching from the Bible, it speaks to each one of us differently and we each get to share our thoughts on the text. The thoughts and comments these men share inspire me and I’m so thankful to have this time together. My prayer time consists of anything from sitting quiet and listening or praying through a prayer list I keep in my journal. I read a book years ago called The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson that changed my whole approach to prayer and changed the trajectory of my life. It’s an annual read for me and I owe many of the habits and principles I practice now to what I’ve learned from this book. I like to journal about the things I’m praying about so I can look back to see how God answered. Which brings me to journaling. I use what is called a “Five Year Journal” which gives you five spaces to write for each day of the year. This enables you to see what you’ve recorded on that day each of the previous years. It’s been absolutely amazing reading previous entries and thinking back to what was going on in my life at that time. I write my entries as prayers, so most entries are a continued conversation with God about things going on in my life. I have a written record of conversations with God and His faithfulness in my life. My journal is sacred to me and a habit I hope to continue for the rest of my life.
After about two cups of coffee, I finish up my time with God and am ready for the day. I can’t imagine starting my day any other way. I don’t always get up at 6:00 a.m. but I always get up in time for coffee and my time alone with God. It’s just a great way to start your day. So let me encourage you to get up an hour before your start time, brew a hot cup of coffee, find a quiet place, and simply sit in God’s presence. Open the Bible, spend some time in prayer, and write out a few thoughts in a journal. You may feel like you don’t know what to read, say, or write. It’s a valid objection. It’s less about what you read, say, or write, and more about intentionally taking the time to meet with God. He is a loving Father who loves spending time with His kids.