Notice and Enjoy the Details
I've had another serendipitous moment meeting someone in a coffee shop. While finding places to do my weekly writing, I found myself at a coffee shop called RULU. I was looking for a non-chain coffee shop on my road trip today. This is a delightful reminder to me how intricately God directs our steps. He puts ideas and desires in our hearts, and as we follow Him, He shows us The Way.
This is a topic for today. How much God cares, is involved, and leads us. When we are obedient and follow Him, we have the beautiful opportunity to experience Him in the details. It's not as difficult as we may sometimes think. He delights in what delights our hearts because, well, He put those things there. He leads us to the way of life. His delight in our hearts leads us to the way of life. This is how we can know whether something is from Him or not. Is what we're thinking or doing leading to something life-giving? Or is it leading to something that is life-sucking? It all starts with a thought. Here's how it went for me today:
I'd like to stop by a coffee shop to write and have some alone time on my way to Orlando.
I'll try Apple Maps instead of Google Maps this time.
I want to take the scenic route away from I-4 and the Orlando traffic.
Ooo, this place looks interesting. Oh, it's closed today. Bummer, what about this other place that's nearby? RULU. They look en route and open. I'll go to that one.
Upon arriving, I was delighted and surprised to find this shop attached to a church. What are the chances I'd find myself in a coffee shop attached to a church? I wasn't looking for that. It's a beautiful space with a superb lofi playlist going. Its walls are covered with reminders to look up. The shop has its own separate entrance and, when inside, is open to the church's lobby. I learned the place is called RULU because it means "Raise Up Lift Up." The space is bright and airy. How fitting. This place gives me a glimpse into this local community and what God is doing here. All of us are a part of the same family of God in each of our respective areas of the world, doing what we know to do to follow Him.
After taking it all in, I ordered my beverage of choice for the day. I talked with a remarkable young man in the coffee shop while he served me the apple cider latte. He shared bits of his story, which was an honor to hear. He is in a place in life for making big decisions. He's considering brave moves to do what he believes God has for him to do. He has desires and passions and wants to do something with those things. He wants to be sure he does the thing God wants and not just what he thinks he may wish to do for himself. That alone shows willingness and submission to the heart of God for him. I'm grateful to hear his story and excited about what he has in front of him. I believe he will continue to have a soft heart and open ear to the heart of the Father for him.
Each of us has a set of elements we're built with. The life experiences we have form and shape our interests and desires. They also form our perspective. God gives us interests, talents, and skills we can grow that are intentionally placed by Him. They are a part of God's things for us to experience. He will speak through us, sing through us, paint, and talk through us to connect to others. We get to express God's love to people through all of those things He's put in our hearts and minds. And we do it best when we're delighting in Him. This joy is attractive and contagious. People will want to know what we know that has given us this lightness of heart. This is the peace that only God can provide. The world doesn't give anyone that depth of peace.
From the place in life where this young man is to where I am now, over 20 years older than he, I see how this is a lifestyle. This desire to follow God and be obedient to what He's put in our hearts, all while not knowing what the future brings, is the same. It doesn't change as we reach our 20s, 30s, 40s or more. We still have the choice to follow God one step at a time.
“You may make your plans, but God directs your actions.” - Proverbs 16:9