6 A.M. Coffee

Seemingly small moments have the capacity to change lives, we just might not realize their impact until later. What comes to my mind was a time when my husband and I had just moved to a new town after getting married.  We didn’t have close friends in our community yet, and I often felt lonely and hungry for meaningful friendships.

A young woman at my church decided to open her apartment at 6 a.m. for ladies to come drink coffee together before work.  Now, 6 a.m. is not “prime-time” Laura, and it was winter, which in Oregon is dark, rainy, and not exactly “get to know you” weather. But I was hungry for community and would have gotten up even earlier just to make a friend.

It was simple, we drank black coffee around a candle, and slowly woke up together.  We asked and answered random questions, laughed, and spent the mornings praying for each other.  None of it was planned or curated, my friend Beki just created a space for women to know and love each other. I felt nervous and insecure in that season, but every time I walked through her door I was met with so much love. We only gathered for a few months, but quite a few of the women in that circle are now some of my closest friends and partners in ministry.

Sometimes we think we need church programs, community groups, or rsvp events to create community. But maybe we just need someone to unlock the front door at 5:55 and start a pot of coffee.  Even I can do that.