And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap if we do not give up. (Galatians 6:9)

In Isaiah 1:17, God says, “Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause;” but sometimes we don’t see the simple needs before us.

For several years since my return from overseas ministry, I have been praying and asking God, “What’s next?” I prayed and asked. I prayed and pleaded. Finally, I prayed and wept to a seeming void where I perceived God was not listening.

God, you asked, Whom shall I send??

Jumping up and down with my hand up, I’m here! I’m here!

Don’t misunderstand… I have a vision for the future but that takes many pieces to fall into place. I don’t have a problem waiting for that to unfold. I know part of my ministry is completing the book telling of God’s faithfulness from my childhood until now (Psalm 71:17-18). I even know that caring for my adopted special needs son is a ministry. But there seemed to be something missing that I was supposed to do right now. There was! I was just looking at what I thought reaching out to someone should look like, instead of listening to the cry that God was trying to get me to hear.

In my community was someone who needed a listening ear, someone to pray for them, and someone to say, I’m here for you. The person in need was right under my nose.

Sometimes we just need to wake up and smell the coffee.

Pamela Kearney wrote an article sharing about a man, Matthew, who owned a bakery directly across from a funeral home… She went to visit Matthew one day to share a story. “On a bitterly cold December evening, there was a visitation at the funeral home across the street from his bakery. The people bundled up in coats, scarves, and blankets, were lined up around the building waiting to hug the family of the deceased.” Mysteriously, a man appeared out of nowhere, serving hot coffee to these people. Pamela soon realized that Matthew was the man serving the hot coffee that night. He admitted that he felt so bad for the people that he wanted to do something, but that all he could do was make coffee. So he made coffee.

Further in the article, one learns that Pamela’s sixteen-year-old son was the one at the funeral home that everyone was visiting. Pamela was moved by the kindness of this person who didn’t know the people but did what he could do. Pamela responded, “Somedays, I’m burdened with the reality that I can’t do everything to help everybody. I truly do want to make a difference in people’s lives and change the world. I dream big, but I can’t do it all.” Matthew’s words came back to her once again, “All I could do was make coffee, so I made coffee.” Pamela repeatedly asked herself, “What is my ‘coffee’ in this situation?”

The article influenced me greatly. My coffee was reaching out to the person who needed to share. My coffee was seeing the woman in the Dollar Tree crying after a phone call, asking her if she was okay, and then praying for the situation. My coffee could be doing more than just praying for my neighbor going through radiation for cancer. My coffee could be being nicer on the phone when I have to talk with insurance people, and medical staff, and the endless, frustrating calls to call centers. Yet, one action can make a huge difference when people are hurting.

Patiently I will wait for the larger ministry assignment, but in the meantime, I can be the hands and feet of Jesus to a world that is hurting. One cup of coffee could change a life.

(What is My Coffee/Pamela Kearney)

Further article: https://www.pressreporter.com/lifestyles/%E2%80%98we-are-declaring-worst-day-our-life-god-still-good%E2%80%99