The Simplicity

The alarm goes off at 5:30am and I struggle to get out of bed. It’s still dark and my mind doesn’t instantly click into gear and work. It’s my morning to serve in the coffee shop, so this means my hair goes up and I need to find my trainers as I can’t wear open toed shoes. I find my We Will Go shirt and run out the house.

I drive down the quiet streets, that normally has so much life in them. The sun begins to rise, and I smile, thanking the Lord for His beauty. As I get to the coffee shop I look at the litter that has been dropped outside during the night, and pick it up on my way in. As I go in, I do the needed things to get ready for the day. Make the coffee, turn on the machines, get the ice, put out the chairs. The coffee shop (The Urban Sip) is not here to make money. In fact, all the money goes into giving people jobs and into running the business. The Urban Sip is here for ministry. As I prepare and open-up the shop, I am preparing a place for people to come and hear about Jesus.

Through-out the morning people start to trickle in. It is raining outside as we get a day of cold weather from the hurricanes. So, the Urban Sip becomes a good place to get out of the weather and rest for a moment.

I have a homeless person come in and tell me all about their meetings that they have today about potential housing. I give them advice, pray with them and see them on their way. I have students come in and make the most of free wifi to get their essays done. I have another homeless person come in to take a nap, as they haven’t slept all night. I have one of our young men from the gym come in, just to ask for prayer. He wanted to just get through the day, mentioning that he heard God for the first time. He wanted to clarify that it was God and that he wasn’t going crazy. So, I talked about reading the bible and learning the truth from there. You won’t hear anything from God that doesn’t line up with scripture. We talked about worship and I showed him and his friend some YouTube clips of worship. I had missionaries come in and send emails to connect with colleges in the area, about serving together in the Jackson area.

The man who fell asleep woke up and talked to me about his struggles. He is unwell and is getting worse news every time he goes back to the hospital. He then doesn’t want to go back and has a real fear with hospitals. I talked about my same fear, and how God has come in every time I have had to go. We prayed together.

I don’t think we sold a huge amount of coffee through-out my morning there. But, God moved in so many lives. He reminded people who they are and what He was doing in them. He showed people how much they are loved and seen by Him.

I am about to go to Mozambique in November, and I am excited for God to do the same there. I have seen God move anywhere I am in the world, and I am learning the simplicity of it all. God wants to simply walk with you.

Even there your hand will lead me, and your right hand will lay hold of me. Psalm 139v10

He wants to have a say in each moment, of each day. He wants to have a father/son relationship. He wants to be your friend. He wants a two-way conversation, not just for you to give Him a list of needs and then be on your way. He wants to be there when you have housing and when you don’t. In the good and the bad times. 

I am learning that He wants me to have Him as the 'Go To'. To choose His joy when it doesn’t make sense. To listen to His guidance with each step. To have faith, even when it looks impossible through my eyes. 

To know that He rules and reigns in it all.

I am excited to learn more through my time in Mozambique. God has given me three words for this trip. joy, freedom and healing. I feel like the joy and freedom comes along with the healing. This excites me and gives me the expectation that He is going to move a lot in my life, and other people’s lives. I am excited to see my babies again! To minister to the beautiful Mozambican ladies who look after the children day by day. To have fun as a team from We Will Go and to encourage and build one another up, as God moves in us all. We will be going into the ‘Bush Bush’ to do some outreach, as well as connect with the students who are currently in the mission school.

Look Ms Ruth, I spelt your name right! 

Please pray with me as I get closer to this trip! Pray for my heart to be open to all He wants to do in this lead up to me going for 12 days! If you could pray over that dates I am gone too, the 6^th - 18^th November, that would be beautiful! For finances for the whole trip, as well as the everyday life here. God is wreaking me with how faithful he is in every moment, and I love how each one of you who pray are part of this!

Thank you again for all your faithful prayers, kind emails and messages cheering me on. You are all amazing!