Regaling the coffee jockey

Dear Friend at Rise Up Lubbock

I’m just like everyone else when it comes to regaling every coffee jockey who serves me coffee with events and problems that have happened to me. It is almost a shame how (not just me but) people think they are there to not only serve coffee but to be everyone’s buddy. It reminds me of something I was once told… This person said (and writers of Christian literature seem to agree) that a “discerning heart” actually means a “hearing heart.” When I heard the phrase I thought: That’s really a strange statement. That one question opened the door to other questions like; what is a hearing heart? What does it hear? What is it listening to? Well, let me put it this way, a hearing heart is one that sees beneath the surface, one that looks with insight into people’s situations and God’s word.  Solomon wanted to be able to understand with depth. He longed for wisdom. His request was specific; he knew exactly what he was asking God for. He was asking for incite to see the good and evil in men’s hearts. You see, he was actually asking God for the ability to see into things and understand motives, thoughts, plans, ideas – the things that drove and guided men to do what they do. Why did he want it? His desire was completely unselfish… he wanted it so that he could serve others. So he could be a great leader. Being a leader requires so much wisdom, character, and ability. I suppose, in his way Solomon really asked for a “hearing heart.”

God gave us a unique ability

Dear Friends at Rise Up Lubbock,

            As I was sitting enjoying my coffee today I was thinking how unique it is that God gave us the ability for us to enjoy such culinary delights. No matter if your delight is anything like coffee, strawberries, chocolate, or some delicious confection it is our tongues that provide us with such an ability—such pleasure. Yes, we enjoy these divine splendors through the marvel of this little member. So tiny and so specialized, but it can also get us into big trouble too. When speaking in haste or anger it can make us seem unappreciative of the things that God has given us, even destroy friendships/ relationships, and when it’s turned against someone it can ruin lives. Truly, as Christians we have a responsibility to use our tongues wisely… not letting foolish or rash things utter from our mouths but rather speaking the words that Christ would say to those to whom He gave so much, to those whom He loves. Today consider these thoughts… Every word that I say to others, every infliction of emotion or impatience is a direct reflection of the Christ in me. Is that how I what others to see Christ? Whether or not I want them to they will judge Christ’s worthiness, His love, and His compassion by the words I speak. So, today as you sip your coffee contemplate this thought…  If we consider ourselves ambassadors of Christ then we must speak for the ruler of Heaven.

Dan-Dwayne      

2 Corinthians 5:20

    Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

Dear Lord,

I know that I speak in haste and talk out of turn. My anger is ignited when I see your children taken advantage of, but there is no excuse for my actions. My outbursts can destroy my testimony and push people away from me. Words may be intangible but they sting worse than mortal wounds and have lasting effects. Please remind me that everything I say and do is a reflection of you. It is a privilege to be your ambassador.  It is a privilege to allow your words to find a place in my mouth. So, Lord, please help me today to find the self-control to quench my angry words and only think about things which are true, things which are honest, things which are just, things which are pure, things which are lovely, and things which are of good report. Allow me to speak up when I find things of virtue, and help me speak out anytime there is an opportunity to give You praise. Lord as I fall on my face again I ask that You help me and mold me to be the man you want me to be. I want my testimony to be a good report because without it I would fall into the devil’s snare—reproach. You, Jesus, are my hope when things seem hopeless, my defender in times of persecution, and the healer of my broken life. – Amen

What a great way to start your day.

Good Morning Friends of Rise Up Lubbock,
You know that having a cup of coffee is a great way to start your day, but nothing can replace… nothing is better than… starting your day with a prayer. Asking God to be a part of whatever adventure comes your way is…. Priceless!
Dan-Dwayne

Dear Lord,
I look forward to my day with great anticipation and hope. I ask today that you join with me in today’s endeavors and together we will be successful. I know that you prefer to be the silent partner but just knowing that You are there strengthens me and gives me courage to face whatever obstacle might come my way. I intend to speak, work, and live this day in faith, trusting that you will be walking by my side. As I work toward success… I realize that without You there is no real success.  Thank You Lord, I believe that you will be in everything I do today. – Amen

Joshua 1: 7 and 8
Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

Lions and Cockroaches... and Coffee?

Hello friends at Rise Up Lubbock,

Have you ever been to a coffee shop enjoying your steaming cup of freshly brewed coffee and look over at the floor to see….   a cockroach crawling along the tile right toward you.  It ruins the mood and you start to have doubts about the cleanliness of the restaurant. The fresh flavor of the coffee is now tainted with the thought that is might not be as pure as you first thought… and soon you will stop going to that shop and find a new place to get coffee.  Well, Satan is exactly like that cockroach. He tries to get into your goods and corrupt the purity of your thoughts. He is sneaky and he tries to hide while he is working but when you see him it is time to move out of his reach…   I’m sorry what were we saying about coffee.

Danny

1 Peter 5:8

    Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

Dear Lord,

I face today with a new determination. I see that you have put in my hand what I need to make my day successful and I intend to use it. My God, I ask that you help me to patiently ignore the roaring of people who are enveloped in their own self-interests. They only complain, ridicule and find fault.   Don’t let me become distracted or tempted away from completing today’s goal. I thank you for hearing me and I trust that you will be with me in every decision I make. Help me remember today that every choice I make, every place I go, and every situation I find myself in that You are there too… we are a team. Lord, You are all I need.  - Amen

Flavor makes a difference

Dear Friends at Rise Up Lubbock,
          Every great coffee house has its secrets. They claim that they make the best coffee because of special roasting techniques or flavor mixing from various farms. Whatever they claim each brand has a slightly different flavor. There are definitely some differences which produces, for some, a more flavorful brew. It adds a mystery to the brewing process and the customer buys into the idea that they are purchasing something special and unique.  Isn’t it odd that we Christians continue to do the opposite? We buy into the devil’s tricks. He has succeeded in trivializing everything from the Bible to the symbols of our faith and as a result many have begun to believe that Christ’s crucifixion wasn’t so special after all. They paint Mary Magdalene as his girlfriend, and they scoff at the idea of a virgin birth. It didn’t happen overnight. It has crept into our society over a long time in comedy skits and comfortable movies… even in children’s cartoons. Well, friend, no matter how many cross charms I see I intend to remember that each one is a symbol of the currency that paid my sin debt. The devil may be able to change my society but he can’t change me.  
Dan-Dwayne

1 Corinthians 1:27

    But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;

Dear Lord,

As I pray and meditate on your sacrifice, the suffering you endured for my sins, I am so very thankful. I have always found it hard to wrap my mind around the concept that You came into this world with one ultimate purpose, and that was to endure a hideous death. The truth is that the anguish you endured redeemed us. It was necessary to save us from sins grip on humanity.  You knew that You had a duty, a sacrifice to preform. God’s plan had to be fulfilled. Still, being ‘the son of man’ You had the option of freewill; yet, You choose to make that sacrifice. You chose to endure the shame and stigma of crucifixion because it held the ultimate hidden key, a code if you please, that when deciphered provided a gateway to grace. To say thank You for such sacrifice doesn’t seem enough, but I have no other words to express my gratitude. So, with a grateful heart I say again, thank You. I do have one request today. Lord I ask for your help... help me Lord to walk worthy of your suffering. As I live throughout this day, help me do something for You. Help me make your sacrifice worthwhile.  - Amen

My favorite flavor is rich dark brewed coffee

Dear Friends of Rise Up Lubbock,

          On my last visit to the coffee shop I ask for my favorite flavor of rich dark brewed coffee and they told me that was not the flavor they had brewed for the day. They had a new coffee I had never tried. With anticipation I thought that I was getting the new and better coffee offered by the company and so I tried it. Don’t get me wrong… it was okay but it just was not as satisfying as the flavor I had come into the shop to get.  I fell for the thought that newer was better, but when it come to what really matters in life… well, most of the time we just want to be happy and you and I both know where the source of happiness is . I assure you that the source of real happiness is not in a cup of coffee…  right?

Dan-Dwayne

Dear Lord,

I have spent all my life working to acquire stuff. I see the newest technology and I can’t wait until I am able to afford it. I believe the bank and blue book appraisal when they tell me that the worth of my car is calculated by its age instead of its performance. What I really desire from you, Jesus, is not a life filled with fad or fashion, not the newest or latest but quality… I want a quality life. I want my life to matter. I want my legacy to be one of example; as how to live a fulfilling life after your plan. Help me see through society’s worthless teachings to find what is really worth living for. I want to live a life full of more enjoyment and you are the source of joy, the source of happiness, the source of fulfillment. Lord, I want more of You.  - Amen

Psalms 49:6-7

    They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches; None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him:

Did you know that a coffee bean is really a seed?

Hello Friends at Rise Up Lubbock,

Did you know that a coffee bean is really a seed? The pods which contain the seeds are picked by hand as to not rupture the coffee cherries before the right time. It is a labor intensive process and requires an army of harvesters working together for a single purpose. It is sort of like the many people who work for Gods purpose. We are a part of a greater whole. Like the gathering of wedding guests in the book of Matthew God is gathering the many to work his fields… Matthew 22:10 - So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.

I can only speak for boys (as I was once young myself… some people don’t believe that) but I feel sure this also applies to girls. Every young boy wants to be the hero, but the question is… What makes a hero? Is it courage alone that makes a hero? Is it simply conquering the enemy? We live in such a mixed up world; today we are learning from many different sources and these sources would have 21^st century men to believe in their own autonomy. We are constantly presented with heroes that fight alone and refuse help or to be accountable to anyone. These so called heroes range from the rebel (movie star) policeman who refuses to call for backup to the make believe macho superhero who is so strong that he is above the law and accountable to no one. We have fantasy role models projected for us who forge through life in complete autonomy and we want to be just like them. But, the truth is we need each other. No one should be isolated and alone. Real heroes live and work in a community. So, the bottom line is, how do we become heroes in the kingdom of God? Become an encourager!  Become a person who others can depend on and you will become someone’s hero. It is a sign of a strong man to admit that he is only a small part of a greater whole. What is that greater whole? It is the body of Christ. Don’t hesitate, start developing the skills necessary to be a Christian hero today. Become the hero you wanted to be ever since you were a boy.

As Always,

Dan-Dwayne

Dear Lord,

I always knew that You want the best for me and a part of Your plan is that I have many spiritual siblings who You desire  to see blessed. Contrary to what I once thought, You and I are not walking alone on my spiritual journey. Today, I want to thank You for the many people that you have put in my life to guide me, encourage me, and keep me on track so that I will complete my spiritual race. Some of these people found Your grace after living sinful lives, while others were more wise and followed You from an early start, but no matter their background You have put them in my life to make me a better man. Help me to be an example for them as well. Proverbs 11:14 says that, “Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counselors there is safety.” By providing a spiritual family for me You endeavor to keep me safe. Thank You for my friends. - Amen

Proverbs 20:5

    Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.

Single Source Coffees are amazing

Dear Friends at Rise Up Lubbock,

            Have you ever been to a coffee shop that brews really good coffee?  They say the best coffee is harvested and packaged from single farms, meaning that the beans are not blended from many different places. It has a specific flavor which is natural to the coffee bean grown at one location. Blenders try to reproduce this kind of flavor when they mix coffee beans grown at different locations, but it isn’t really the same... It is like the faith that grows in a Christian’s life. The world tries to replicate it, but they can never quite get it. It seems, in these strange days we live in, I’m needing a larger dose of faith than ever before.  When everything seems to crash down on my head. When it seems that I can't succeed and there is no help anywhere, I can turn to my single source, most potent source of help that never fails me. My single source of… Oh, I forgot, we are talking about coffee.  Enjoy your morning Cup of Grace.

Dan-Dwayne

1 John 5:4

For whatever is born of God overcomes the world.

And this is the victory that has overcome the world,  our faith.

Dear Lord,

            Today I have so much to be grateful for. In times past You have seen me through many adverse situations and helped me with many problems. Since I asked you to join me, You have never failed me as I walk my life’s path. Now, as I look around I can’t see You working in my current storm. I feel all alone and it seems that the situation is hopeless. Lord, help me have faith in Your strength and power. I know that You have my best interest at heart and that I am a child of God, Your brother, and Your friend. I know that You would never abandon me. Please, focus my eyes so that I can see You more clearly amidst the deluge of my situation. Jesus, I trust You. - Amen      

I know many of you love hazelnut coffee, but I don’t!

Dear Friends at Rise Up Lubbock,

Have you all noticed how the coffee companies all tell us their coffee is the best we have ever tasted? The other day I purchased several flavored coffees, (from a company I usually don’t buy from) and I was very excited about tasting them. In the mix was some hazelnut flavored coffee. I know many of you love hazelnut coffee, but I don’t! Vehemently no… I do not like hazelnut. I thought I would save that flavor for my guests. I brewed up one of the flavors promising a chocolatey taste. To my dismay it tasted like hazelnut. I brewed up another one promising a vanilla taste. It too tasted like hazelnut. I was unhappy. Every flavor in the group tasted like Hazelnut, and as I said… I thoroughly dislike the taste of hazelnut. The company had promised a delightful variety of flavors, and yet, all I could taste was hazelnut. Blah!

Their advertisement team had sold me on the flavorful delights contained in the box, but in my opinion it was a less than superior product.

Many of you know that I am a writer, and by that I mean I have several excellent novels and short stories available on Amazon.com and available in some local Lubbock bookstores. When I first started writing I found it very hard to advertise myself. It was so foreign to everything I had been taught. My Sunday school lessons on being humble and preferring my brother didn’t seem to fit in with the need to advertise my branding and the books that goes along with it. I had to learn to make myself a literary commodity. I was taught to give all praise to God and I try to do that in every speaking engagement I have. However, someone just looking at my stack of titles might not see it that way, and sometimes I feel like I’m in conflict with my own agenda (as I try to make my agenda and God’s agenda run parallel.) Anyone in the media (news anchors) or entertainment (singers, comics, artists, and writers alike) find the same thing I’m sure. In short it is a matter of praise.

Paul wrote in Hebrews that we should give thanks to God by the fruit of our lips we need to praise.  Praise to God may be done publicly, (and that is expected by God) but the kind that gives us real peace in return is private praise. Sometimes we need to seek solace in the sanctuary of private praise. When it seems that the world is crushing every effort we make, it is time to step back and through praise to God assess our motives. Are we working for Christ with the tools of daily life? Are we giving Him the praise he deserves through our actions and conversations? Yes, Praise is a specific kind of prayer with specific kinds of results. Praising God is a source of Joy; however, there is not only joy in the act of praising God but also a healing miracle called restoration. Through praise we find a restoration or a renewal of purpose and a reset system for our goals. It is hard to stay on track without setting aside time to praise to God.  

Just Sayin’

Dan-Dwayne

Hebrews 13:15

    By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

Don't keep your coffee pot on the burner too long, it gets nasty.

Hello friends at Rise Up Lubbock,

Have you ever noticed how bitter coffee is when it stays on the burner too long? You might try adding more water to make it taste better but it doesn’t work. The best thing to do is just pour it out and make a new pot.  Fresh ground coffee replacing the bitter scorched coffee. It is kinda like pouring out your heart to God in praise and letting Him replace the old bitterness with… Oh, I forgot we are talking about coffee. Right?

Dan-Dwayne

Dear Lord,

As I begin the work of this day.  I commit my life to You anew. I thank You for the privilege of what You have given me to do. I open my mind to Your guidance as I move forward in my responsibilities, and I ask that You might give me Your perspective on the problems I face and the power to solve them. Enable me to work effectively and efficiently and when I am finished with my work let it be pleasing to You. I commit to You every challenge of my day. I know that You never have failed me and You never will. My goal today is to praise you with my thoughts, actions, and words. Thank You Lord for allowing me to walk in Your company. You are the good Shepherd, the Emmanuel, the God who is with me today. - Amen

Psalms 42:11

    Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And, why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.

I don’t like it when I run low of coffee.

Hello friends at Rise Up Lubbock,

I don’t like it when I run low of coffee. I always like to keep an extra bag on hand so I won’t run out. But, what if I forgot to restock or the grinder breaks… or some future market makes coffee unobtainable. Those are possible and not factual situations. So, today I will enjoy my coffee and trust in God for tomorrow.  Today my cup is full.  

It is easy to fret about our everyday problems. Concerns about what has happened and what might happen makes these everyday problems build and build. They begin to look like insurmountable situations and we let them control our lives instead of us controlling the situations. We even begin to worry about things that have not happened yet. Possible but not factual situations adds enormous weight to our daily burden. The truth is that this is a kind of a spiritual attack. The enemy is trying to take our minds off God and onto our problems. Our everyday lives are the real battlefields on which spiritual battles are fought. What we have to remember is that if Christ wins our battles then we win the battle. With Christ’s help we can take back the control of our life situations.

‘Nuff Said,

Dan-Dwayne

Dear Lord I ask Your help,

You are Lord of the present and the future. I praise You that You know what You are doing with my tomorrows. I confidently anticipate each new day and expectantly await the discovery of Your grace, mercy, and peace in all my unresolved problems and potentials. I believe that everything that happens to me will be used for Your plan and purpose. Thank You for healing my concerns about the future. Give me future faith, the kind that sets me free from the obsessive worry about what might happen. The bigger the problem, the more Your abiding presence and power I will receive. I intend to stop missing the joy of today by fretting about the future.  I know that when You win my battle then I win too. - Amen

2 John 1:3

Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

Some coffee, like trust, can be bitter.

Hello friends of Rise Up Lubbock,

Have you ever noticed that some coffee is more bitter than others. There is nothing like a really smooth cup of coffee but when you order from a new restaurant you never know what you will be served. Sometimes it is one of those bitter cups. Today’s cup of grace is a little bitter because trust can be a difficult thing.  Men of great trust like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses were rare considering the long history of the Jewish nation. Many of the Old Testament leaders of Israel were not men of faith but men of sight. So it was when the Assyrian power approached the nation of Israel. The leaders’ sight convinced then that there was safety in Egypt and her swift horses.  God through the prophet Isaiah, was showing them that the way of deliverance which they sought by themselves was wrong.  Their strength was not to be found in themselves or in Egypt. Salvation was to be found through faith in God. By returning to Him and resting in Him they would find safety. A quiet and faithful trust in God would make them strong. When danger threatens it is difficult for a man to refrain from using his own strength. It is most difficult to maintain inward composure and not trust in externals. But true faith is a confidence which casts every concern upon the Lord. A man is strongest when his reliance on the Lord is greatest.  

Dear Lord,

I put my trust in You. I resist the human tendency to lean on my own understanding. I acknowledge my need for your wisdom in my search for solutions to my problems before me. Direct my path as I give precedence to Your ways and loyalty to Your will over and above everything else. I lift up my voice in confessing my total dependence on You. I believe that You are the author of my destiny. I know that the work You began when You called me to follow You will continue to develop to full fruition. Help me to move forward in keeping with your vision. It is awesome to realize that You can use me to accomplish Your goals. Think Your thoughts through me, speak Your words through my words, and enable Your best for others through what You lead me to do. - Amen

Psalms 20:7

    Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.

As Always,

Just sayin’

Coffee companies promise many different things.

Hello friends of Rise Up Lubbock,

Have you noticed that many different coffee companies promise many different things? What do I mean by that? Well, like the promise “It’s good to the last drop.”  There are others too but all these promises are subjective. How could the coffee company know what I like? They are actually promising something without knowing if I like their coffee at all. My God is not like that. He knows me better than I know myself and when He makes a promise it is for sure. We can trust in God’s promises! This morning my cup was stirred up and so here is a thought about one of the scriptural promises we have the promise of healing.  

Dan-Dwayne

Dear Lord,

It seems that throughout each day I am submerged in this world that doesn’t even think about You or Your sacrifice. They are so focused on what it takes to get by, to survive daily that they can’t see that they are drowning in a sea of self-interest. Everyone is completely wrapped up in what they want and what they are doing.  Today I am in need of your healing power.  My illness is not physical but emotional and spiritually personal. I feel almost like a soldier who is weary from battle.  I ask that you make me whole. Refresh my experience with You. So, I can feel that special rightness again. Jesus, it is my intent desire to be your man, someone who you can depend on. Give me renewed strength so that I may continue on.  I depend on You, my Lord. - Amen

I am off to work and face the challenge of my day.

Hello friends at Rise Up Lubbock,

It’s time for another cup of grace or something to share over coffee with your friends. There’s something every true coffee officiatto knows. And, that is: the best way to drink coffee is in a ceramic cup. The reason why is that a paper cup absorbs some of the flavorful oils in the coffee and the drinker (me) loses taste. Anyway, I was at my favorite coffee house and the barista had just handed me my coffee. (In a ceramic cup) and a young man who was more concerned with looking at his cell phone than watching where he was going bumped into me. My expensive coffee, my brown ambrosia, became a decoration on my sleeve instead of being enjoyed like a regular cup of coffee should. As you can guess I had to conquer the mad beast inside and say, “Oh it’s alright.” While I was thinking sarcastically, it’s alright? I now have to have my shirt laundered and I suppose you’re going to pay the laundry bill? Not likely. Yes, I held my tongue and behaved myself. It was the thing to do. The kid meant no harm and it will actually cost me very little to remedy it. My cup needs filling with prayer. So today… This is my cup of grace. 

Dear Lord,

Again I am off to work and face the challenge of my day. The daily grind makes me see everything so opposite from how it really is. It seems that my job and making money is more important than the provider. The entire world I live in functions on a system of misplaced values.  Help me Lord to overcome these thoughts and see them for the lies that they are.  From You, all good things come. You are my treasure and yet it was you who paid the price for me. You sacrificed your all so that I can be redeemed in Your sight. Jesus, I ask that You help me today be a light in a dark place. Help me overcome anger in the face of stress and when I'm confronted by peer pressure and the desire to fit in, please give me the courage to be the man that you intend me to be.  I accept this blessing and thank you for demonstrating your power in my life -- Amen.

Enough said,

Dan-Dwayne

It's funny, the value we put on things

Hello friends at Rise Up Lubbock,
Those of you who have followed my writing for any length of time know that I really like my coffee. I value it. It is a wonderful part of my day to set out on my deck and watch the Texas sunrise with a big cup of fragrant, steaming, delicious coffee and welcome the day with a morning prayer. It's funny, the value we put on things. We value things that will not matter in the end and take for granted what really is important and everlasting. There are some things which are valued as priceless. To an art collector it might be a painted masterpiece, to a jeweler it might be a magnificent diamond or pearl, to a conductor it might be a perfectly performed symphony, but all these things have no lasting value. They are like hay and stubble compared to the things of God which will not decay. So, what things really are of value to us? The answer is … redemption, restoration, sanctification, and life itself are precious beyond any mortal sense of value. These are the precious things of life! Truly, the value of redemption, the value of sanctification, the value of restoration is beyond the ability of man to count as wealth, but what does God consider valuable? God owns the cattle on a thousand hills and all the wealth in the world. What could He consider to be something of worth? The answer to that is YOU and ME! God’s treasures are his children and whether or not you feel like you are a treasure that does not change the fact that you are. An expensive pearl does not know it’s valuable. God’s people are like magnificent pearls of great value. The fact that you chose to follow Christ makes you a great treasure to God.

This is me, just saying…

Dan-Dwayne

Looking forward to my morning coffee with great expectation.

Hello friends at Rise Up Lubbock,

This morning was still dark and I was just getting around… I was really looking forward to my coffee this morning. It had been a while since I had a cup and I found myself really thirsty for it. I popped a K-cup into my new coffee maker and the aroma of the almond mocha was fabulous. I could hardly wait for it to finish brewing. As Christians we can be exactly like that when it come to God and his grace. You may find yourself, as I so often have, in one of those dry spells where work and the pressures of life have become so overwhelming that I forget to pray. I don’t intentionally disconnect from my source of strength, but life happens and I look back on my day (or days) and see that I haven’t made time for God in my life. It has been too long time since I’ve felt His touch on my life, and I remember the feeling, the surety, that I’m not on my own, but that my Lord is walking near me. I instantly long for His visitation, His spiritual touch, and his restoration in my life. Maybe you have had those very feelings too. The grace of God is marvelously refreshing, and today my cup is stirred up on the topic of grace. These thoughts are something to share over coffee with my friends, and, maybe you too can share it with someone else who is looking for a little grace.

Dan-Dwayne

I want my coffee NOW!

Hello my friends at Rise Up Lubbock,

This morning was exceptionally crazy! Every morning I get up and do the same things getting ready for my day.  It's brush those teeth and scrub that face, not to mention all the things I end up doing for the family. My son wants me to do that thing and my wife calls down the hall saying she forgot something in the kitchen could I bring it to her please… and when I finely finish I turn to pour myself a cup of coffee, but I forgot to make it. The pot is cold and empty. There is a sudden feeling of exasperation! I spent all that time getting around, doing for others, and I forgot to put on the coffee… I want my coffee, NOW. I become impatient over the silliest things. You know I think that is true about my prayers too. I pray and I want to see immediate results.

Yes, we want to have instant answers. You know, like the coffee I’ll make this morning … Instant. But, most of the time God doesn’t do His work instantly. It takes patience to see the hand of God working, moving the pieces together until His plan is perfect. I hear the sounds of impatience around me more and more every day.

Our culture is teaching us to be impatient, and along with the impatience - selfishness. To me this seems true, especially for our children who are true students of this generation’s culture. I hear the words from so many, Mommy I’m bored… There’s nothing to do, and… This is so boring. In the Bible we see how God created great men. He made a great man out of Abraham – who even left his wife in Egypt because he was afraid his God wouldn’t work in his behalf. Abraham failed on so many occasions and God said he was faithful. His final triumph could not have been accomplished by a forty year old Abram. It could have only been accomplished by the one hundred and fifteen year old Monarch. 

David became a man after God’s own heart – he planned and executed a man’s murder all because he wanted the man’s wife. He repented, God restored him, and it didn’t take a hundred years to do it. What this generation doesn’t get is that many times God turns our sorrow into joy, failure into success, a sinner into a saint by means of relationship. Relationship with God isn’t an instant thing. It requires effort and persistence… something that will never be obtained by the wimpy cry, I’m bored.     

Dan-Dwayne

I have an unusual coffee pot.

Hello Friends at Rise Up Lubbock,

I have an unusual coffee pot. I mean it makes great coffee but the controls are digital and sometimes I think that I’ve set it but because you have to push the ‘on’ button twice to start the coffee brewing… It doesn’t make coffee when I think it will. Obviously, the real problem is that I think I have turned it on but I didn’t. 

So many times, that is how things are in my life too. I think I am in control of my situations only to turn around and find that what I did didn’t really get the right things going at all. Sometimes these situations are very important... but, I had my chance to get it right and I blew it! At this point most of us would give into the feeling of failure and plunge into depression. Funny thing about depression is that it’s all about the ‘me’ syndrome. For example: I’ve let people down, I’ve made a mess of my life, and I’m an idiot. Don’t get me wrong here I understand that depression is very serious. I’m saying these things as I look at life from my viewpoint because I’ve been there. I’ve said those very words out loud. I had to learn to give my ‘me’ problems over to God. I forgot that it is not a ‘me’ life it is an ‘us’ life… Me and God walking through this life together.  Yes, that is when I turn to God. God never will fail, He will never, never leave you alone in any situation. However it is at those critical times that I need to reassure myself that the administration of creation has not changed… God is still in control.  Always remember when it seems we have no control in our lives, it is then when we, through Christ, gain the most control over our lives. 

Oh, we really do get off the subject of coffee from time to time, but back to my original point, I think I need a new coffee pot. 

Dan-Dwayne

It's always more pleasant to share my coffee time with a friend

Dear Friends at Rise Up Lubbock,

No matter how much I may like my coffee it is always more pleasant to share my coffee time with a friend. I mean who wants to go to a coffee shop alone… coffee is much better with conversation (and maybe a scone or two.) Imagine setting there looking at the other people sitting at their tables sharing friendship over their coffee and you set with only your cup to keep you company. So many times I’ve been in just that environment when one of my fellow coffee enthusiasts strikes up a conversation with me. I may be sitting alone but because I’m in the company of friends – I’m not by myself. It’s the same for our Christian walk. Wouldn’t it be sad if we had to go through all of life’s tragedies, disappointments, and troubles alone! Like me in the coffee shop it may appear we Christians are alone, but we have a friend that sticks closer than a brother. So when you can’t get someone to share your coffee time, just remember that you’re are not really alone. Yes, ever since you accepted Christ into your heart and declared your faith… Well, since that day you have never really walked alone. You may have chosen to ignore His presence, but He will never leave you… ever!

Dan-Dwayne

Love is inhaling the aroma of the coffee...

Dear Friends at Rise Up Lubbock,

You know that I like my coffee. Well, I guess that is no secret… and I like setting on my deck in the cool morning, absorbing the warmth of the cup and inhaling the aroma of the coffee. It is… pleasant. No excuses, I just enjoy it. God is like that when it comes to our praise. No excuses needed… He just enjoys it. Our praises are like an aroma to His nostrils. Our praise rises to him like the fragrance from the altar of incense in the tabernacle of the congregation, the Tabernacle Moses built to God in the wilderness. Our hectic wilderness is the world of job, boss, politics, and family. We feel the pressure and weights of responsibility piled upon responsibility until we are drowning in the quicksand of our wilderness. What we need to do is step out of the wilderness into the Tabernacle of praise where participating in the worship of God creates an aroma so pleasing to God. It is so pleasant there. It’s certain God is there and all our problems can be solved there! It’s in that moment of serene meditation that we become the people/person we were meant to be, and we are doing what we were meant to do.

Dan-Dwayne

Each coffee brand claims they are the best

A Cup of Grace with Dan-Dwayne

Dear Friends at Rise Up Lubbock,

It seems that when I go to the coffee shop there is a growing amount of different coffee blends/brands and each one has some claim that they are the best. One boasts about having the best flavor and another brags on its aroma, and so on. I’ve seen a lot of product bragging, especially since I have worked in advertising… and celebrities are somewhat the same. I see people always promoting themselves. However the Word, Christ our Lord, teaches us something different. The best way to become someone special is to become humble first.

Matthew 23:12 - And, whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

It is likened to the way of Nehemiah. He heard that Jerusalem was in need and instead of mounting an awareness campaign he hit his knees and prayed... Then the answer came! …But, Weren’t we talking about coffee.

Dan-Dwayne

Don't take hot coffee with you in a regular cup.

Cup of Grace with Dan-Dwayne

Dear Friends of Rise up Lubbock,

Many times when I leave my house I will not have finished my morning (second cup) of coffee and so I take it with me. Sometimes I will put it in my travel cup but then there are other times that I just take my regular ceramic cup with me. Well, that was how it was, me finishing my coffee as I held my ceramic cup high over the car’s console as I traversed my way down the street. Take my advice it is not a good idea to take hot coffee with you in a regular cup. In the next instant a driver in another lane whirled his Mustang GT out of his lane (from behind a slow moving vehicle) and traversed across two lanes of traffic weaving between the cars. And, why? All to get ahead, to go faster down the road than the rest of the traffic. I slammed my breaks briefly to allow the Mustang enough room to dart between the cars and my coffee went… all over my shirt. Ouch! My first reaction was to respond in the flesh and not in the spirit. It is that stubborn streak I have that rose up in me for an instant. You know the stubborn streak that we have to kill out daily. (Sometimes I don't want to remember anger control = self control.) Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15 “I die daily,” referring to dying to sin… and again in Romans 6: 10-11 he said, “For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” It is easy to give into that stubborn… I want to do this my way attitude, but you will be far more blessed if you just give your situation to God, and trust.

Dan-Dwayne

Just a part of the coffee process...

Dear Friends of Rise Up Lubbock,

You know I like to talk about coffee. Well, I was just setting here thinking about how I only have control of my coffee at my end. I mean, have no control over any part of the coffee processing except the blessing and enjoyment part of drinking coffee. I know that there are pickers, roasters, and processers and many people that are involved in how my coffee gets to my cup, but the only thing I have any control over is how I brew it and pour it. So, as I said, I get the blessing part of the process. I get the enjoyment.  It's kinda humbling to think of all those are people working just so that the coffee can be sold in a grocery near me and that I can enjoy - my coffee.  My Christian life is also full of blessings that I didn’t put there. Those blessings were put into my life because of a praying mother, thoughtful prayerful friends, and the prayers of my loving family! They were prayed into my life and God honored their prayers and blessed me. That is a humbling thought. As a son, friend, husband, and father I have a responsibility to live worthy of their sacrifices for me… and then to think of the one who gave the most; the one who sacrificed the most… Jesus. How humbling to know that what he did was for me. Wow.

Dan-Dwayne

2oz Whole Milk in Americano

Friends of Rise Up Lubbock,

I was at my favorite coffee shop the other day and as usual I told the young lady about my books and that she would enjoy reading them. After I left the counter I seated myself behind a large freestanding rack filled with novelty cups and packages of ground coffees. I was near enough to hear what the baristas were saying (not that I intentionally meant to over hear them… it just happened.)  Well, the girl who I had been talking to was telling her coworker about my books and that she had just waited on an author. The curious thing was that she didn’t call me by name. I suppose she was trying to put a face to the name, after all they have so many customers throughout a day. Anyway, she called me by my order. The coworker asked was that ‘vanilla latte, half calf?’ The Barista replied no it was ‘2oz whole milk in Americano.’ As usual I started thinking about how that might apply to my spiritual walk.  Yes, it got me to thinking, what if God called us by our prayerful orders instead of by name. I can imagine Saint Peter asking God, “Was that last prayer from ‘ready for battle, full of faith with extra creamy enthusiasm?’” Then God might reply, "No, it was ‘only when need, all gain, low foam patience.’" I believe that what we pray and how often we pray (place an order with God) surely is relative to our relationship with God. I suppose to that Barista I will forever be known as ‘2oz whole milk in Americano’ who writes novels. 

Dan-Dwayne

It's time to refresh my supply of peace from God

Dear Friends,

There are some of us who are real coffee drinkers… I mean real coffee drinkers, not those one cup a day people. If you fit into this category, then you might be like me. You see I am kind of hyperactive... Okay, I am really, really hyperactive, and for those of us who are... well, we react to coffee differently. Let me explain it like this: to many people’s surprise coffee has a calming effect on people who tend to be hyperactive. No, really it’s true. I suppose that some people unwind by eating chocolate or having a soda but for me… when I get upset or stressed my coffee is just what I need. All this being said I have to say that there is nothing that can compare to the special calm that I get when I pray. You see, nothing, but nothing will ever replace the special peace that I get from my Lord Jesus. Often when we feel like our spiritual wells have run dry and the problems of life has a way of overpowering us [or de-powering us.] When we find ourselves unfocused and it seems that we are unplugged from His purpose that is when we are most likely to feel drained and out of patience. It is in times like that when I am more susceptible--my resistance is low to selfishness. It is then that people and problems get me down and my selfish emotions get stirred up. My human [fleshly] response is to react in hast, anger, and impatience. That is when I know that it's time to refresh my supply of peace from God. I must spend time in prayer and devotion to restore my spiritual well. I need to spend more time with other believes and find some way to be Christ’s hands here on earth. [Okay, that's another way of simply saying, I need to find someone to be kind to, help, mentor, or minister to.]  In doing these things I increase my faith and learn to trust my Lord more, and more. 

Dan