Coffee with Christ Blog

Definition

September 16, 2014 // by Nikol// Leave a Comment

I have learned that my definition of things are sometimes very different than God’s definition. For example, things that I consider as painful are things God calls “good.” Take discipline for example. No one that I know likes disciple.

It hurts.
It is uncomfortable.
It brings out dross in our hearts.

Yet the Bible teaches us that it is for our good that He disciplines us.

Last week, my Facebook feed was abuzz with the Osteen’s. Many Christians are coming down hard on them because of the prosperity gospel they preach. I even posted a link to a message about how the prosperity gospel isn’t Biblical. However, the trouble, it seems, is not in whether or not God promises us prosperity. The problem is in how we define it.

Could it be God’s version of prosperity it is not in bigger toys, better houses, expensive cars, and higher salaries? Could prosperity really be defined in terms of the spiritual and eternal achievable only through more Jesus, more Holy Spirit, and more God the Father?

Don’t Wait Until Wednesday

September 7, 2014 // by Nikol// 3 Comments

Back in 2013, as a New Year’s resolution, I decided to send a note of encouragement to someone every week. The idea was to hopefully brighten their day and to also instill a little more gratitude in my life. I kept things old school…with pen to paper and with a stamp through the mail. It was so much fun that I kept it up. So, every Wednesday I sit at my desk and draft a letter.

Some weeks, the letter conveys my thanks.
Other weeks, it expresses my sympathy.

Some weeks, the letter is a prayer.
Other weeks, it is words of encouragement in the midst of a battle.

Some weeks, the letter contains my congratulations on a job well done.
Other weeks, it is meant simply to brighten a day.

Some weeks, I send more than one letter.
Other weeks, I struggle with writer’s block.

To avoid the latter, I started to keep a list of people that are noteworthy. This Wednesday, I sat down to write a note to the next person on my list. Tears welled in my eyes as I realized it was too late.

How can it be too late to send a note of encouragement?

Well, it just so happened that on Tuesday, I attended her funeral.

She didn’t know how I felt about her.
She didn’t get to smile when she opened something in the mail that wasn’t a bill.
She didn’t know she had touched my life in an extraordinary way simply by being who she was.

So, I’m chunking the list. Life is too short.

Tell someone that you love them today.
Encourage someone today.
Say thanks today.
Make someone smile today.
Send a note today.
Take a chance today.

Don’t wait until Wednesday.

Follow

August 18, 2014 // by Nikol// Leave a Comment

Will you follow Him here to the place of sacrifice?
Will you follow Him where tears flow?
Where pain knocks?
Where fear beacons you to turn back?

Will you follow Him through shame to redemption?
Through angry and bitter tears?
Will you follow Him through the valley?
Will you follow Him in the wilderness?
Will you follow Him here?

RATS!

August 11, 2014 // by Nikol// Leave a Comment

Ok. Ok. Ok. There are four things you should know right off the bat:

1. I am deathly afraid of rodents – especially rats.
2. I have a weird fear of dead animals.
3. God has a sense of humor.
4. God’s ways are not our ways.

About a month ago, I left some new, unopened bags of dog food out in the garage (bad Nikol!). I noticed some little holes along the bottom and knew immediately that a rodent of some kind was nibbling on it.

No problem.

The food went into a Rubbermaid container, and an awesome neighbor set some rat traps for me (which he would come check so I didn’t have to see and dispose of a dead rat – Praise Him!).

Little did I know this rat was smart, sneaky, and really, really wanted some dog food.

After a couple of days the traps were all tripped. There was no rat in the traps, and the edges of the handles of the rubbermaid container were chewed up. GROSS!
Let the horror begin…

Early one Sunday, I was sipping on my coffee in a chair that sits next to the door leading out to the garage. Suddenly, I hear – just on the other side of the door – a rapid tap, tap, tap, tap, tap.

Terror gripped me. I held my breath. Maybe I was just hallucinating.

A few seconds later….

Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap.

I thought my heart was going to explode.

The only thing I thought to do was flick the light on, kick the door, and pray that was not what I thought it was.

Suddenly, silence.

I sighed, made a mental note to have the traps reset, and after about 20 minutes my heart rate returned to normal.

About an hour later…

Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap.

WHAT?! You have got to be kidding me! Have mercy, Lord!

I kicked the door again, grabbed my phone, and called my neighbor to come reset the traps. Who cares if it is 7 AM on a Sunday!

Neighbor #2 to the rescue. Look at what the little monster did to an “air-tight” dog food container.
This was war, people! And sometimes wartime requires some creativity: Since the rat wanted to get into the dog food so badly, we gave him what he wanted.

We took some dog food and sprinkled it on the bottom of the rubbermaid container.
The lid was strategically placed like a ramp.
The dog food would be irresistible to the rat. He would climb in, but he wouldn’t be able to get out.

It was a long shot. But would you believe that it worked?

Would you also believe a co-worker had to come look inside the container to see if it worked because I was too chicken? He took care of the varmint, but he made me look inside beforehand.

Guess what?!

The rat wasn’t the gigantic hissing monsters with snarly teeth and beady red eyes I pictured in my head. He looked kind of cute, sad, and helpless sitting in the bottom of that container with his last supper. And I felt kind of silly for being afraid of him.

Progress made to conquer fear #1. Whew!

Grateful for that drama to be over, life returned to normal until two weeks later.

I walked into the garage to get my running shoes out of the car and heard the most atrocious sound. It sounded like a bird flopping around on the ground and something dragging on the concrete. I turned around to see a gigantic rat RUNNING AROUND the garage with a mouse trap stuck on its head!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! This cannot be my reality.

Neighbor #2 to the rescue…AGAIN. He took care of him, but y’all…I don’t know that I will ever be the same.

And that might be a good thing because apparently we are conquering fears.

Now, I’m not so scared of seeing live rats. In fact, I pray for the dead ones. I walk outside without fear and check the traps all by myself HOPING there will be something dead in it.

Isn’t it interesting how God works to conquer our fears? Often, we pray for God to protect us or deliver us from the things we fear. But sometimes, He wants us to conquer that fear by making us face it because that is how He sets us free. Most things that we are afraid of are just like that rat: they seem like gigantic monsters in our head, but in reality they are nothing but sad, helpless, little creatures at the bottom of a rubbermaid container.

Yep.

God has a great sense of humor.

And.

God’s ways are not our ways.

Wandering Wednesday #2

July 2, 2014 // by Nikol// Leave a Comment

June almost sucked the life out of me. I’m feeling a little A.D.D. That must mean it is time for a Wandering Wednesday.

Work projects kicked into high gear making for long nights and busy days.
I’ve had some disappointments. (Who hasn’t?)
Cried some big tears.
Dealt with some awkward, awkward moments.
Had one too many adult conversations. (Lord, give me strength!)
Replaced an A/C unit.
Had a crown replaced (and not the kind that goes on your head). This was me on more than one Monday.

(You’re welcome)

Engaged in The Battle of the Wills with this fella.

We’ve been through 3 cones and about 300 bandages. Repeat after me: I will not be defeated by a dog. I will not be defeated by a dog. I will not be defeated. by. a. dog.

Fortunately, there has been some oases amidst the chaos.

There was geocaching with my work team. We traipsed through the woods (sometimes in our socks because we made poor shoe choices). We climbed mountains (or hills). We laughed. But mostly, I just stood around and looked confused while they found all the loot. You know…kinda like a regular work day. Besides, nothing says team building like walking on the side of the road, holding a phone, and looking like an idiot.

I brought home a little bling from an Xterra 5K in May. 3rd place in my age group, baby. (We won’t talk about how many people were actually IN my age group.)

I tried my hand at sewing a baby blanket. There were so many things that could’ve gone very, very wrong but it all worked out in the end and all my fingers are still intact.

I was introduced to the coolest purse in the galaxy. You can swap out the covers on these little bad boys which might just change my life. Check out Miche’s website here.

I checked taking a calligraphy class off my bucket list. So fun!

I even got to put my toes in the sand. (Glory!)

And I’ve enjoyed countless 25 cent Icees with this little gem. It’s the little things, people!

I finished this bible study with the gals. (Come Lord Jesus!)

And painted some canvases.

…aaaaand went to an 80s themed surprise birthday party. I moused and sprayed and curled and sprayed and teased and sprayed and scrunched and sprayed and poofed and sprayed my hair for 30 minutes. The 80s were exhausting and apparently filled with hideous attire.

Well, that’s it for me. Here’s to hoping July is more low key than June.

What have you been up to lately?

The Registry

June 16, 2014 // by Nikol// 1 Comment

I found myself recently strolling through Buy Buy Baby with a gift registry in my hand. At some point in time some dear friends walked into the store, went down each aisle, and lovingly selected exactly what they wanted for their upcoming bundle of joy. I’ll save you the blow-by-blow of how I searched high and low for exactly the right nipple; how I combed through every bib imaginable to find the one with the little yellow bees; and how I wanted to slam my head into the wall while searching for no-skid, roll-down, ivory socks for a 0-6 month old. (Can we discuss for a moment why those things even exist? Is there some super baby that has been able to walk at 6 months and slipped because the socks didn’t have grippers on them. I mean….come ON!!!)

Anyway….

Did you know that God has a registry too? It is called The Book of Life (Rev. 13:8). John MacArthur describes this book as “the registry in which God inscribed the names of those chosen for salvation before the foundation of the world.”

Let’s think through that for a minute.

Before God decided to make the world He sat down and wrote a list. The list contains names of individuals. These individuals span the ages from the beginning of the earth until the end. They are the ones He chose. He selected them from every person that would exist through the entirety of history.

Many have walked this earth.
Some walk it today.
Only God know how many more are to come.

The thought that somewhere in Heaven there is a book so ancient it existed before time is pretty staggering. But to think that my name is written in that very book makes me want to fall prostrate on the ground in awe.

If you know Him – if you belong to God – He wrote down your name that day too.

He took a pen (or whatever you write with in Heaven) to paper, thought of you, and wrote your name.

He chose you.
He wanted you.
You are His.
And your citizenship lies in Heaven.

Amazing!

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