Faithful in the Fray

I'm not removed from the chaos, I'm faithful inside it.

wife, mama, friend. hope advocate.

  • from the heart.

    I received an email tonight and thought I’d share it.

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    Have you ever loved someone so much that just the thought of them makes you lose your breath, gives you chills down your spine, and makes your heart beat so fast you think it might beat right out of your chest?

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    You love them so much that literally every song you hear on the radio reminds you of them and you can’t help but stop, sing the song and wish they were there to dance along.

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    It’s this love you have for them, the kind of love that when your hear their voice you can’t help but ask them to just keeping talking because the sound of their voice is so beautiful and calm you have to hear it all the time.

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    This love for them is faultless and everlasting. To speak it is one thing but to see them and feel it man, does your heart do flips.

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    You feel and know that this love, it is pure and it is so true. That even when it gets rough you look into their eyes, take their hand and say “I love you” and that’s all you need.

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    Its a love that never gives up and never grows old. It stays alive and well and grows with each day that passes by. A love that’s so rich and pure that it’s impossible to break, rip and tear apart.

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    It’s so strong that even in the strongest of storms it stands so firm and does not move. This love you feel, this love you know, is forever. It’s made to last and is truly made for you and I. 

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    It’s a love that even just a touch brings a spark that turns into a fire that burns brighter and brighter with each and every passing day. Day after day this love for you never dies and never fades.

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    It grows strong and stands true in everything and in all things this love was made for me and you.

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    -Jeremy Colquhoun.

  • there is hope.

    i’m about to become vulnerable.

    this isn’t something that i’m used too, but i feel its necessary.

    yesterday, the chain broke.

    &

    the floodgates opened.

    you see, i have plenty of people that i know.

    but very few friends.

    my friends are scattered all across north america.

    causing me to be extremely lonely, 95% of the time.

    i don’t do well alone.

    thats part of why i loved being out on the field so much.

    constant community, no matter what.

    coming home, its a completely different story.

    now, i’m not asking you to feel bad for me

    but i am asking you one simple question:

    do you feel alone?

    because I do.

    it’s true. i feel like a stranger in a sea of best friends.

    a hidden face in the crowd

    the outcast of the ‘popular group’

    and while i know those are all lies

    its all i’ve been able to think about.

    i’ve been praying, praying so hard

    that one day, i’ll be able to have a good community

    right where i’m planted.

    i feel like most people these days feel alone.

    but none of them are willing to openly state it.

    well here i am.

    i’m tired. i’m hurt. i’m sad.

    i’m alone.

    and there’s no place to go but up.

    i declare that i am going to be able to find GOOD friends.

    that community will happen upon me, and that The Lord will put people together.

    I declare that God will do GOOD things.

    No more flakiness, no more wishy-washy, but

    true.

    honest.

    people.

    those types of people you want to tell everyone about.

    the type of person that instantly makes you feel better because theyre a light

    i declare i will be one of those people, and that i will find one of those people.

    this isn’t the end, but simply the beginning.

    the beginning of something simply wonderful.

    declare it. believe it.

  • thirty minutes.

    I have thirty minutes to complete a list of tasks before we open the doors at 5am.

    most of the time my mind is else where but off the top of my head, 4:30-5am looks like this:

    turn on the oven, clock in, turn on coffee brewer, brew ice coffee, start brewing ice teas, set timer, turn on espresso machines, rinse, grab bags for coffee, label coffee bags, *beep beep beep* teas are done, put cold water into pitchers, pour ice coffee into pitchers, grind the coffee, start brewing pike and bold, put ice into ice coffee, label teas and ice coffee, pull two shots on both espresso bars, calibrate the thermometer, grab whole milk and nonfat milk from back, pour into sure shot, label sure shot, pull two more shots, switch pike and bold for decaf and blonde, make sanitizer, grab mocha bottles, fill mocha bottles up, label, pull two shots, make sure i have white mocha, chai, soy, and all syrups, pull two more shots, grab an oatmeal with nuts and two splenda ready for 5am when the first customer arrives on the dot, assign a til on drive thru, turn headset on, *ding* “goodmorning, welcome to starbucks this is sara what can i get started for ya?”

    pause.

    all that. thirty minutes. not to mention the two other openers we have. what a job.

    i wouldn’t trade it for anything.

    my pastor has been doing a series on our passion and purpose and last night i felt like he was speaking directly to me. he asked if anyone worked in the drive thru, and as i was sitting on the front row i reluctantly raised my hand. he went on to talk about how we all love to be treated well at the drive thru, we want our order correct, and we want the people to be friendly at the window. he then went into detail about no matter where you are in your station of life, don’t just do the time but do good.

    those words made me stop in my tracks.

    i love my job. absolutely love it. sure, waking up at 330am isn’t ideal, but i’m so blessed to have a job. i like talking to people all day long, i like making drinks, i like working hard and seeing results, i like it when it says we’ve had 30 cars drive thru in 30 minutes.

    i’m slowly discovering how i can do good in the world, more specifically in America, in georgia, at starbucks. sure, i don’t see myself here forever but i know that i am making a difference each and every day. i’ve been able to share Jesus with numerous people that have walked in, just by loving on them, not even preaching the Gospel itself.

    at work i’m know as ‘sara #3 or africa sara’ and i’m perfectly okay with it. who wouldn’t want to be known as africa sara? what a wonderful name!

    i know this blog is not a lot, but it’s a concept that is so simply wonderful. doing good and working hard. don’t let the Christians of the world be the lazy people of the world. put forth tremendous effort, don’t look at the clock and just go!

    until next time,

    sara.