COFFEE SHOP DREAM

I was looking back at my journal today and I'm amazed at what the Lord has weaved together over just the last few months. I originally wrote this back in October. It is now March and since then Pearl Bridge Coffee Co. is well under way. I would have never thought that this dream I set out to pursue in October would be the reality that it is today. What was once a tangly mess of mismatched threads is now being woven together in a tapestry that is unfolding before my eyes. May the Lord do great things with our coffee company & may we be pioneers in our industry!


10.30.2006

WOW…where to start?!!! My skin is the only thing keeping me from going a million directions right now. I feel like “Jo Jo the idiot circus boy w/ a pretty new pet.” As I drove away from the meeting I just had w/ Barry & Parker, though I was tempted to call ALL close friends & blab my excitement, instead I blasted “Jump For My Love” & had a private little dance party along Preston Rd. All I could do was praise You w/ dance. Tonight was more confirmation that the whole coffee shop venture might really be happening. I can see Your fingerprints all over this & You continue to bring people in my life that have the same heart/ vision that I do. There are so many people who have been weaved into my life recently with regards to the coffee shop dream, that appear to be “random” but appearance is deceiving. Nothing is just random with You.. all is wonderfully & beautifully orchestrated. We see the pieces of fabric… You see the tapestry. And so, while the pieces of fabric seem to be coming together in my eyes… I want to continue to trust what only Your eyes can see. I can plan all day long, but You determine my steps. I don’t want to plan in futility & in selfish motivation… I want to plan & goal-set in a way that invites You in… acknowledges Your bigger plan in the midst of it all.

10.31.06

… (continued b/c I fell asleep typing)…
I want to humbly pursue this opportunity ahead, realizing each step of the way that You guide my feet and it is from Your hand, not my spectacular entrepreneurial abilities (sarcasm), that I have been blessed with this opportunity. I have seen a lot of my pride surface lately and I think its so ugly. O, Lord I want to pursue this with passion & humility. I saw that in Barry last night and it challenged me. Hearing of his resume of business experience, I know that he is a wealth of wisdom & knowledge in the business world, yet he did not use big words to impress or assume a role of significance above Parker & I (though he very well could comparatively, given his age and experience). He has a sensitive heart to You & sees this as a great opportunity to do something he is passionate about. All that to say, he really set a precedent for how I want my attitude to be right now. And if my heart is not centered on You daily, that will be impossible. Oh, Lord break my pride… show me how to lay it down… moment to moment.

I lift up this team of guys as they finalize the initial business plan. I pray that they would be attuned to You and allow Your spirit to lead. I pray that Your heart for Your people would be evident throughout this whole process… that we would love each other well and work in a way that brings glory to You. Oh, Lord I pray that our coffee shop would be a beacon in this dark world. A place of rest & peace in the midst of the chaos that surrounds. A place that is relevant to our culture yet offering a hope beyond it. A place where the staff is not bogged down by duty & corporate bureaucracy but has the freedom to engage with each other & with customers on a personal level. A place where fellowship is the cornerstone and where people are sharpened & encouraged. A place where uniqueness & individualism is supported & promoted through our product, our people, and our atmosphere. A place of quality products that not only benefit our customers but also establish credibility & innovation in our industry. A place where Christ is the heartbeat that results in the pulse of every facet of the business. Where You are the source of Life to all branches of the business.

O, Lord this is my heart… guide what may come of it.