It is done....Now it's time for the next season.

I previously wrote about my absence here and in general. The building of a coffee shop became a bit more time consuming than I would have guessed it to be. I have joked about not having a life and others of joked with me about the same but having crossed the finish line I can honestly say without a shadow of a doubt that I am so very full of life. This isn't just that euphoric victory dance type of feeling (that is there as well) but a true feeling of being full of life. I'm amazed at the life this place has breathed into me. I have grown so very close to some amazing servants of God.

I feel so honored to be in the above picture with Pastor Mike, his wonderful bride Nancy, and my new boss and dear friend Natalie. We have all seen weakness, strength, challenges, success and love in each other. There have been many others that we had the great honor of working with through out this project. I don't want to throw out names because I know that I will miss so many of them but I am so grateful for their help and community in this. It's amazing how spending that time working together has built up so many relationships. We haven't even
opened yet and we have built up strong relationships with each other and in our downtown community. Natalie and I have already had one of our neighbors in tears as she told us about

some of her internal struggles with life and the loss of family. We've had everybody from bank robbers to doctors walking through our doors and we haven't even opened yet. I feel so undeserving and privileged to be a part of this little slice of the kingdom of God.

It's been interesting looking at this shop as a business because it isn't a business that is focused on the financial gain, it's focus is on the relationship gain. We do have to be a responsible business and we have to do well but the focus is on each other and every single customer who walks through the door. How many jobs have you worked at where the focus is on loving every single person coming through that door, even the complainers......especially the complainers! This is the type of place that you just feel Gods presence and it is amazing!

Well readers, I look forward to watching you walk through the doors of our little shop. I thank you for being patient with me and showing me grace. I pray that this finds you smiling and well. With that I guess I should close this with thanks to our Father who made this blessed life of mine possible.

Father I thank you for opening the hearts of Mike and Nancy to me and giving me the chance to be a part of this amazing kingdom of yours. I pray that we get to reach out into many lives through this little coffee shop. I pray that we grow in our relationships with you in a mighty way. Father I pray that our strength, wisdom,integrity and love always come from you and that we never look to ourselves for those things because we always come up lacking. Father thank you so much for life that you have given me. Thank you for all of the people that you have put into my life. I pray that you show me how to work into their lives in the way that you have made me to. AMEN!!!

Check out pics at http://picasaweb.google.com/fireoshe