Jesus, Coffee and Me
A devotional by Colleen C. Howard
“Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.”
—Psalms 107:8-9 (NIV)
I start each morning with Jesus Christ. My Bible, journal and coffee are companions.
As soon as I open my eyes, I get out of bed and head to the kitchen. I grab a coffee pod and push the power button on the coffee maker. What happens next? Three little words appear on the digital readout, “Lift to Begin.” At this point I am forced to make a decision: to lift or not to lift? For me it’s a no-brainer. I know I want coffee, so I quickly pull the lever down and begin to detect the sweet smell of my favorite beverage.
A few weeks ago, it occurred to me that just like the coffee maker gives instructions, so does our Savior (Jesus Christ). He asks us to lift our hearts to the heavens and begin our day by thanking Him. He invites us to lay our burdens at the foot of the cross. He deserves our worship and praise every morning!
However, we live in a world that’s moving at warp speed. Information is constantly knocking at the door, begging for our attention. My first response is to begin juggling everything that’s coming my way and I become overwhelmed. When I realize what’s happening, I take a step back and go to God. He reminds me that I don’t need to figure out everything by myself.
When we rely on Jesus, He does the heavy lifting. He prepares our path and shows us how to navigate this unpredictable adventure called life. But just like the coffee maker asks us to “lift to begin” our Heavenly Father (God) asks us to put our faith in Him and follow His lead. We all have our morning routines. As the coffee maker fills your mug (for those of you who love coffee like I do), ask Jesus to fill your cup with His Living Water (John 4:13–14).
Remember God’s faithfulness in your life, welcome Him into your heart each morning and be aware of His presence. This is how we begin to nurture our relationship with the God who loves us so dearly. When we start our days with praise and prayer, He covers us with joy.
Let’s Pray:
Dear Father God,
You are always with us. Open our eyes to see You in unexpected places this today: while we are driving to work, talking with a friend, cooking dinner, or listening to a song. Thank You that your mercies are new every morning. We praise You for your faithfulness to us, and your love that’s never ending. Open our souls to sense your presence, and our ears to hear your words. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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Song of Reflection #1: “Jesus on My Mind” by B.J. Thomas. Listen to it here.
Song of Reflection #2: “How Can You Not” by Leanna Crawford. Listen to it here.
Song of Reflection #3: “You’ll Never Thirst” by Anointed. Listen to it here.
Song of Reflection #4: “Come and Fill My Heart” by Avalon. Listen to it here.
Song of Reflection #5: “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” by Carrie Underwood, ft. CeCe Winans. Listen to it here.
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Author Bio:
Colleen C. Howard is a follower of Jesus Christ, educator and writer. She lives with her husband in the Arizona desert where the sunsets are spectacular, the summers are relentless and the winters are a little slice of Heaven.
Colleen earned her Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership. This degree opened opportunities to write science curriculum, develop district programs, work with Arizona teachers, community leaders, and more. With NASA Grant funding, she was also able to work with teachers all over the country and expand their knowledge of teaching science as a collaborative effort.
Over the last few years God has placed a strong desire in Colleen’s heart to shine a light on God’s presence throughout ordinary days and encourage women in their faith walk with Him. Although some days bring trials and others bring joy, Colleen believes that if you fix your eyes on Jesus then you will see the heart of God.
Colleen’s writing has been published in the following online publications: Living By Design, Her View From Home, Inside Out Worldwide, Inkspirations, and in anthologies like From Ruins to Restoration, Mountains Moved: 45 Devotions of Bold Faith, and The Miracle of Prayer. She is a monthly blogger for Dressing in God’s Love.
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Connect with Colleen:
Website: authorcolleenchoward.com
