When Friendship is Hard + Introductions Harder // Coffee Series

Coffee with friends requires a few things.

 

First, coffee. (And I've got some yummy hazelnut brew in the pantry and almond milk if your game ;)

 

Second, some place to rest your rump and sit face-to-face in heartfelt conversation.

 

Finally, it requires friends. You know, those people who manage to hop into their cars, set life aside and take the time to really hear what you're trying to say.

 

But if you're anything like me (a darling homebody who has a thing for Netflix, oven-baked pizza, a handsome husband and Dutch Blitz) then you might hate the process of making friends .

 

Because it is a process.

 

First, you must suffer through the introductions.

 

"Hi, I'm Frannie. What do I do? Well, I'm a stay-at-home wife who washes dishes and vacuums for happiness, substitutes occasionally and blogs; nerdy, right? Oh, what else do I like to do ? Well ... have you ever heard of Pinterest?"

 

I hate introductions.

 

Hopefully, you'll be bewildered (and blessed) by that precious person who manages to find you interesting and you'll get a text or Facebook message asking you to meet for coffee.

 

You say yes because you really do like this gal and can't wait to be friends but then immediately regret your decision because you'll spend every moment beforehand stressing out. You'll change your outfit at least four times, drive your husband nuts in the process and arrive early but sit in your car because you don't want to appear too eager for friendship.

 

Of course the next step is the weird dance of the do I hug this person or shake hands or awkwardly wave ... I'll settle for a wave ... oh, wait, she just went in for the hug ... eh. Naturally, you're sweating profusely and you haven't even ordered your coffee yet.

 

Darlings, making friends is a process and, for you precious introverts, I know it can be a difficult one.  

 

But friendship, forged over time, laughter and cups of coffee, is worth every ounce of gold in King Midas' palace. (Did you catch that reference, fangirls?)

 

I know because there are some lovely women who decided to befriend me. Women who have been there when I was single, lonely, pushing through college exams, preparing for overseas schooling, working in a kitchen, dating, engaged, married, thought I was pregnant, homesick.

 

Some have cried with me; many have laughed.

 

And through these forges of love we have grown closer into the image of Christ.

 

So, darling, this is the spring of making/pursuing/rejoicing in friendships. I know it can be hard but I want to encourage you to be brave + vulnerable.

 

(in)courage has been sharing a lot on friendship lately and I think you'd love what their saying. My favorite post, Friendship: A Piece of Cake, by Ann Swindell has me smiling and thinking about those special people in my life who could be reminded how amazing they really are.

 

With lots of love, sunshine and hazelnut coffee,

Joyfilled Easter + Me // Coffee Series

Hello, lovelies!!

 

Open your windows, pull up a chair and rejoice with me over a cup o' coffee -- our Lord is so merciful! I rejoice in His great kindness! Easter was only a few weeks ago but I am still reflecting on it.

 

This year Easter was different for me.

 

For as long as I can remember my Easters as a Christian have been marked with shame and sorrow. In preparation for the holiday I spent days remembering how my sinful self drove Jesus to His cross; I let the holiday become a reminder of sin and shame instead of a reminder of the victory I have in Jesus.

 

This year I dared to think differently.

 

I chose to rejoice, to sing.

 

 

Instead of weeping over past sins I chose to believe in the peace God's redemption guarantees.

 

 

Rather than focus on personal holiness I remembered that

 

Of course, I believe that there is a time to remember why Jesus came to the cross; to reflect on His work in our lives. But I am convinced that God is more glorified by a rejoicing, thankful spirit rather than a sorrowful soul.

 

And the amazing thing is that my Easter was lovely. I was away from family, had a darling husband who worked, alone in my little home.

 

But I was so glad -- Jesus has saved me and I am redeemed -- why shouldn't I rejoice?

 

It has taken me a long time to get to this point; some days I discover I've jumped back into the mud of despondency and sorrow. But Jesus carries me through and for that I will rejoice.

 

What blessings have you discovered lately?

 

With love, blessings and raspberry tea,

Faith, Feelings and C.S. Lewis // Coffee Series

Happy Friday, sweethearts!

 

Hoping this day is lovely for you -- full of quiet joys, peace and freedom to love and be loved!

 

Recently, someone shared a this quote from C.S. Lewis' book Mere Christianity; I was encouraged, inspired and motivated I thought it the perfect thought to share this Friday. Savor, relish and enjoy the fact that faith doesn't have to be based on feelings -- and live this moment by feeding your faith through God's Word, promises and prayer! With love to you!

 

"Now Faith . . . is the art of holding on to things your reason has once accepted, in spite of your changing moods. For moods will change, whatever view your reason takes. I know that by experience. Now that I am a Christian I do have moods in which the whole thing looks very improbable: but when I was an atheist I had moods in which Christianity looked terribly probable. This rebellion of your moods against your real self is going to come anyway. That is why Faith is such a necessary virtue: unless you teach your moods 'where they get off', you can never be either a sound Christian or even a sound atheist, but just a creature dithering to and fro, with its beliefs really dependent on the weather and the state of its digestion. Consequently one must train the habit of Faith.

 

The first step is to recognize the fact that your moods change. The next is to make sure that, if you have once accepted Christianity, then some of its main doctrines shall be deliberately held before your mind for some time every day. That is why daily prayers and religious readings and church-going are necessary parts of the Christian life. We have to be continually reminded of what we believe. Neither this belief nor any other will automatically remain alive in the mind. It must be fed."

He Has Triumphed (And You Should Too) // Coffee Series

 

Hello and happy Friday to you!

Today is the perfect day for giving yourself a fresh reminder of God's great love and sovereign care -- grab yourself a mug of goodness and join me in something special.

For some of us Christians sin is a word that plagues us, weighing us down in depression and shame. I am a believer and follower of Jesus Christ yet I still struggle with trusting in His forgiveness of my sins. It's not that I don't believe in His forgiveness ... it's that I don't feel it. Instead of feeling, trusting and rejoicing in God's forgiveness I feel shame, regret and sorrow.

And I don't think that's how God intends for His children to live.

I don't think God wants you to live that way.

Last Sunday our pastor shared some thoughts I'd like to share ... I learned so much from his simple reminder.

God's grace is bigger, greater and more efficient than our shame and sin.

"And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it."

If you are a believer and follower in Jesus Christ then you, my dear, can count on four (FOUR) wonderful things:

1. You have been made alive (meaning you are definitely not who you used to be ... dead ... a spiritual corpse ... of no ability to live ...)

2. He has forgiven your sins ... of that lie, gossip, pornography, affair, greed that you committed.

3. And then nailed that sin debt to the cross which held Jesus.

4. Finally, our Abba God disarmed Satan and the power sin has (the power to control, the power of shame ...) and, according to my thoughts, He danced in victory over them. Jesus was triumphant and you, dear one, are free to live!

Next time you feel overwhelmed by the shame of your past (confessed and forgiven) sins comfort yourself with the words of Colossians 2:13-15. Stop punishing yourself and start living in the freedom God's amazing grace offers.

 

I promise that God's grace will always be bigger, greater and more efficient then the past shame and sin you are reminded of.

 

You are loved, free and special,