encounters.

So, a little over a year ago, I quit my job, moved to California and tried to spread my wings again. As we all know, my wings got clipped. I couldn’t find a job, I was out of savings, I was out of options and I came home with an opportunity to work at a coffee shop. That really doesn’t sound glamorous at all, and really, it isn’t. Part of my reasoning, that I’m still learning about, behind it all was to be around people that need more of Jesus’ love. Don’t get me wrong, I saw people at the Church all the time that needed more of Jesus’ love, but I wasn’t really in a place to be that person. I was really comfortable with where I was and most of my interactions were with people that already had enough Jesus in their lives. There are lots of holes to poke in all that, but this isn’t the reason for this post… For me, I needed out, I needed to be in the world and I needed an outlet for what Jesus was speaking and doing in my life.

Over the last months it has been my prayer that my day-to-day life would impact those around me, that people would experience Jesus just by being around me.

Today I was talking to a customer and she was asking me questions, a Bible verse came up and we kept talking while I was making her coffee. The verse is Exodus 14:14 “The Lord will fight for you, you only need to be still” (my version, in my head, ha). In the beautiful chaos that is life, we need to just be still sometimes and let the Lord fight for us.. This is a little bit of what we were talking about. Her drinks were finished, and I carried on with my afternoon, I actually headed to lunch and when I came back she saw me as I was headed to the break room and grabbed me, she was writing me a note, but wanted to talk to me real quick instead. She told me how my words had spoken to her about where she is at in life right now, how she sensed this peace and beauty in me. She told me that she was a believer and just going through a tough time. She had tears in her eyes as she was telling me how incredibly encouraged she was by her encounter with me. I kinda stood there a little dumb found, but was so encouraged by her seeing Jesus in me.

She ended up asking me if she could pray for me since I had blessed her, so, of course, I couldn’t turn down prayer! In the hallway outside work, I had a stranger lay her hand on my shoulder and pray over me… I’ve had other encounters, some have been amazing and so memorable, but i think that this one takes the cake.

All this to say, be who Jesus has created you to be, He’ll work through you no matter where you are. Let your life, your demeanor, the way you carry yourself reflect Jesus. Have a confident humility in who He has created you to be. Love Everybody!