Coffee With Jesus – The Book

To me, there is nothing more exciting than getting an unexpected package in the mail. This morning, I headed to the post office to pick up my email. I opened my mailbox and inside there was a package sitting there just for me. Like a child at Christmas, I felt around the edges of the package, trying to guess what wonderful surprise was lying inside. Unable to determine, I glanced down at the sender’s address and noticed it was from my publisher. It’s my book! I thought to myself excitedly. I rushed home so I could open the proof copy of my book and show Joe.

As I held the book in my hand, I just stared at it in wonderment. For two years, I had been working on this book and now, here it was in my hands. The moment was truly surreal for me. I sat down and thought back to the moment when I decided to write a book…well, I should say when God used others to encourage me to write a book about my coffee time with Jesus.

For the past several years, I had been getting up every morning to have coffee with Jesus. My time with Him and the conversations we had have been so precious to me. Oftentimes, I would share my conversations with others in my Bible study groups, but to write those down in a journal never crossed my mind until one day my friend, Joan suggested that I should write a book. I remember laughing it off and telling her “Yeah, maybe I will”, but honestly, I had no real intentions of doing so. Afterall, I was not a writer. Little did I know at the time, but Joan’s suggestion was my first nudge from God to live out the purpose He had for my life.

A few months later, I was co-hosting a multi church women’s conference and as I was speaking with Catherine, one of the volunteers from another church, my friend Joan walked up to me and jokingly asked me how my book was coming along. Sheepishly I grinned and before I could even respond, Catherine looked at me with excitement and informed me that she too was a writer. Quickly I let out a nervous laugh and stated to her quite matter-of-factly that I was not a writer and that most of my writing experience was either journaling or college paper assignments. Catherine, without hesitation, corrected me by telling me that until I call myself a writer, I will never believe that I can be one. She then invited me to a 5-Day Writing Workshop that was occurring the following week. While I never saw Catherine again after the women’s conference, I did sign up for the writing workshop. Little did I know at the time, but Catherine’s invitation to the workshop was my second nudge from God to live out the purpose He had for my life.

My third and final nudge occurred on the final day of the writing workshop that I attended. For four days, I listened to a variety of speakers who provided techniques on writing and ways to get “unstuck” when experiencing writer’s block. I participated in the various writing assignments and with each assignment, I did my best to incorporate some of the writing techniques that I had learned over the past few days. However, as each day passed and the more I listened to the speakers and other attendees, who were also writers, I kept thinking to myself “You do not belong here. You are not a writer!”

On the very last day, I read my final writing assignment to the group of attendees. The assignment was nothing more than a short paragraph of about 300 words. It was at that moment that everything changed for me, for I was told quite candidly, “You have been given a gift from God and you need to use it.”

Now, here I was, holding my proof copy. I couldn’t help but smile at the book in my hands because my book isn’t just a series of short stories about my coffee time with Jesus – it is so much more.

To me, it represents the profound and transformative experience I went through while answering God’s call for my life. It signifies how God does not leave us alone to navigate our journey but places the right people, like Joan and Catherine, in our lives. It signifies how God provides us with the right opportunities at the right time. It signifies how God provides us with the tools, wisdom and spiritual gifts in order to fulfill our purpose. It signifies how He helped me redefine my perception of myself and how He provided me a sense of boldness to not only write a book, but to minister to women through other writing platforms.

My book and my writings represent my never-ending gratitude that God continually provides me guidance and equips me in all things and that I can fully put my trust in Him so that I can confidently pursue the purpose He has called me to fulfill.

When God calls you to fulfill the purpose He has set out for your life, it can seem scary and overwhelming at times. But if we hold onto the truth that God is in control, that we can trust His guidance and that He will always equip us with everything we need, we can shed the fear, the doubts and the anxiety. So, I say embrace the amazing journey and confidently pursue the path laid out before you.

How do you feel when you think about fulfilling God’s purpose for your life? What unique gifts and talents has God given you? How can you use them to serve others? What steps can you take today to move closer to living out God’s purpose for your life? Please share in the comments.