Morning Coffee with Jesus

I get up in the morning and start some coffee.  Here at home, my mom has an espresso machine, so it’s a mocha.  =)  I gather my journal, Bible, pen, pencil, and Zune.  I sit down with my filled-up mug nearby, and place the earbuds in my ears as I hit “play” on my favorite playlist.  I open my journal.  “Good morning, Lord!”  I start.  I chat with him and tell him what’s going on today, even though he already knows.  I tell him what’s on my mind, and ask him for advice as I place my troubles in his hands.  It is my time to write and reflect on the Lord and what he’s telling me.  I’m not a very good listener, but God talks to me through my pen as I journal, at times.  (Still not a good listener, but I’m a good talker!)  I’ve spent many-a mornings in this routine, and it helps keep me focused on the Important One throughout my day.  It’s not a formula to having a good day or the only formula that lets me connect with God; I’ve learned that this summer.  But it makes me feel better; it is my most comfortable way to study the Word and chat with the Lord.  Sometimes I’ll be reading some hard truths or about the prophesized destruction of Egypt, but other times, I’ll be reading about God’s awesomeness and just re-read it again and again.  God gives me hugs and shows me things and even if I don’t FEEL like anything is happening if I read a boring passage, he’s always up to something.  =)

Sometimes, I write poetry to God.  Many of my poems appear here, on this blog, but not all of them.  I write them before I fall asleep at night or during the day when I feel like it.  I wrote a lot of “psalms” (as I dub them) in the month of June.  I felt like David, pouring out my heart and laying down my troubles, but always seeing God’s face before I conclude.  Sometimes I would write praises and just sit in awe of my Lord.  He is worthy of that awe, you know?

Sometimes, when I’m suffering from boredom or writer’s block I’ll come here and randomly click on blogs to read under the category “Christianity.”  And that’s funny, too, because God always seems to lead me to a few that fall under the same type of theme.  He talks to me through you other bloggers!  I also read books like “Radical Disciple” by John Stott, ”Grace Walk” by Steve McVey or “”Generous Justice” by Tim Keller.  Right now, I am reading “Radical” by David Platt.  God totally uses these writings about himself to point out truths or to just tell me stuff.  I usually read this type of thing again, before I fall asleep at night or when I feel like doing something else but don’t have a brain to think of it.

Throughout my day, I talk to God.  As I said earlier, I’m not a very good listener.  But even just talking to him allows me to see his hand at work and to see his face in the middle of a day that may not be going so well.  God always makes it better.  And sometimes he does tell me things.  But I usually can’t tell unless he hits me in the face with a two-by-four.  Luckily, he’s all for that kind of thing.  Or just telling me subtly again and again.

And sometimes, in the middle of the day, I make myself another mocha and curl up with the Word.  It’s like habit now.  Whenever I drink coffee, mocha or not, I at least talk to God if I don’t write to him or read of him or his Word.  I tried giving up coffee altogether because I was thinking about it first thing when I woke up in the morning, and that wasn’t good.  But now I think about God and the wonderfulness of the day to come.

 

During the school year, I’d go to a coffee shop on Saturdays and spend my morning there.  There were even a few days this summer when I could hang out at a coffee shop with my Bible and a mocha.  Extended dates with Jesus are always refreshing to my spirit, especially if something is heavy on my mind or on my heart.  What do you do to spend some time with God?  What are some of your routines or habits in doing so? 

 

Smiling LOTS, Anna =)^2