You can’t just look at the dirt if you want mud pies

After about 2 months of working at “The Bucks” (this is hard for me to even admit at this point…) I actually thought after all of this dreaming, after all of these “suggestions” on what to do from the Lord, after writing a business plan, after looking foolish in front of multiple groups of people, and after buying cups and plates at thrift stores out of obedience…I actually came to the conclusion that Starbucks was it…that I was to work towards to becoming a manager and do the best I could to create a ambiance of community and love for people…I called out to Him again. “Ok, Lord, if this is what you have for me, I praise you.”

Even though I was convinced that God was only preparing me to become a manager of a Starbucks someday, I continued to sit at the tables and converse during my breaks I kept getting more and more ideas for the coffee shop and it seemed like there was no way to get them out of my head. Day after day I took a piece of paper or even a Starbucks napkin and pen with me on my breaks, everything from hours of operation to dress codes began to pour out of me. My mind stormed into the clouds and rained out all the details. It felt more like I was running a race than journaling my thoughts. Ideas were coming to me faster than my hand could write. I couldn’t understand why I felt such a sense of urgency? Writing out possible shift times and marketing plans? What was going on? I didn’t realize the reason it was urgent was because I was working on deadline, God’s deadline. I couldn’t see it from the Starbucks coffee window over looking the Caldwell and Mooney store I worked at, but God was moving me towards his master plan. “It’s time to quit.” I didn’t ask any questions. Wither or not it was the Lord, I didn’t care, I wanted to quit, even though I said I would be ok with what he has for me, deep down I didn’t want it to be Starbucks. I quite and got a job with James and Michele at Tazzeria, a coffee and sandwich shop on Main Street which I loved to go to. Then one month later, on a Sunday night in September, 2006 I met Mike Lorah who worked at the church with a coffee shop in mind…