When dreaming becomes reality!!!

So it's official! The Press Coffee Shop in Dungannon, NI has opened. The first weekend was fantastic and full of moments where I tried to keep from squealing because I was so excited that my dream was finally a reality. It's been about 9 months since Jason and Michelle Scott approached me with the idea of running a coffee shop at the church. In so many ways I can hardly believe it's happened and in other ways it seems so natural and the right progression for my personal life as well as where our church is at.

These first few months will be more about finding our feet than being the best coffee shop in town, although I wouldn't mind if we did both. The coffee shop has such a unique feel. We have a wall of artwork that is dedicated to the Dalit's of India (check out OM India if you're curious, you will not regret it). We also have artists within the church who are displaying their pieces in the coffee shop. We've added signage, plants, lamps...all those little things that make it feel a bit more lived in and not so display roomish. We have a very simple menu, are open Fridays from 10-4pm and Saturdays 12-9pm at the moment. And when the night comes the atmosphere completely changes. It's amazing!

This coffee shop is such a labor of love and parallels my walk with God this last year. It raised in me a lot of doubts. Doubts in my ability, doubts that God really wanted this cafe around, just doubts in general. But I feel is has awakened my soul. I love it and I feel that the love I have for this particular adventure is filtering through other areas of my life. It still amazes me that I have this opportunity.

I am just foolish enough to believe that God can use me, someone with some experience but not a lot to do something as special as run this coffee shop. To love on people in this kind of place. Hopefully show them a little bit of the unconditional love and acceptance Christ has extended to me. I just feel really privileged. Thanks Abba...it's yours.

We're opening this Friday 4th September 10am!!!

Hello to all of you amazing followers, now you will officially have something to follow. This Friday the 4th of September 2009 The Press Coffee Shop will be opening it's doors to the public!!! I'm so excited and terrified at the same time! This is an absolute dream come true but I think there's a good amount of trepidation when your dream becomes a reality. Will this actually work? Will people come and like it? Will I be able to cope? And so the list of questions goes, most of which involve me searching my heart and finding that God has promised me some pretty amazing things. That when I'm weak He is strong. So I feel weak and underqualified but He's not and He's with me. He knows every need I have and anticipates with and for me the unforseen challenges that lie ahead. So this whole business of trust becomes a very personal path of day in and day out moments. But I am hopeful that God will create this space. That He will be what draws people in and makes them feel welcome. My prayer is that He uses my hands and my feet to do His work. Another promise, His grace is sufficient for me. I am human as any of you who know me well can attest to. Therefore I make mistakes, hurt people's feelings, lack common sense and generally act as humans do. So this promise of grace is one I rely heavily on each day. Grace from God that I can continue to serve Him to the end. Grace that I can show people His love and grace. Grace with those who I care for and sometimes don't show it. All of this to say that The Press is His deal, I just happened to catch wind of it when He whispered and now I'm part of His deal.

I hope all of you who can come, do. Stop in, have a chat with me and the other amazing volunteers who I hope to highlight as time goes and see what's going on at The Press.

Also, a huge thank you to the following people:

My hubby, for putting up with all of my self-doubts and not believing any of them and for simply loving me.

My Mom, for taking me to every coffee shop in Nampa, Idaho and creating a love of people in me.

My Dad, for being so supportive of me all these years and the ones to come.

The Carpenter Clan, for listening to me rant on and on about this coffee shop for the last year and a half.

Lynda, for always being so excited as I shared my dreams.

The Chud Clan, for dreaming with me and believing in me.

My friends, your support, ideas, and prayers have carried me farther than I knew they could.

Michelle, great minds think alike and this is your dream come true as much as it is mine.

Ciaran, you are the official cafe man!

Ian, partnering with EA is an awesome privilege, here's to the future!

Steven, the logo is just what I was hoping for and now you'll always have a visual representation of your handiwork.

Paul, for putting up with all of my pickiness.

Sharon, for late night chats about coffee shops, dreams and for even later nights setting the place up.

Colin H, our quick chats gave me a lot to think about and vision to move forward when I was standing still.

And last but not least,

Vineyard Church Dungannon, over the last 5 years you have grown me up, challenged me, walked me through the valleys and mountains tops, and most of all have shown me what happens when we partner with what God is already doing. Thank you.