COFFEE?

My favorite question I get asked or to ask someone else is, "Hey, wanna meet up for coffee?" This is my favorite question for two main reasons. The first being that coffee is a gateway to people. I love getting to know or to catch up with someone over coffee. It is easier to fit coffee into a busy schedule than meal times because any time is coffee time. It is also cheaper than a meal and allows me to treat a friend without causing great damage to my budget.

The best Jesus talks happen over coffee. Whether it is sharing the Gospel with someone for the first time, or being able to encourage a fellow believer, coffee shops generally create an atmosphere for conversations to be deep and meaningful. You can sit for many hours at a coffee shop and not feel guilty for taking up a table; I cannot say the same for a restaurant. 

The second reason I love meeting people for coffee is that coffee tastes really freaking good. I thought I knew a lot about coffee until I got a job as a barista at a specialty coffee shop in Baton Rouge called Social Coffee. I have learned so much about coffee notes and how to make different drinks. My latte art is still in the works, but I have never enjoyed a job so much. I drink coffee and get to meet new people all day. Sometimes people will sit at the bar and chat with me while I make coffee. I love when people ask questions about coffee so I can test the retention of my coffee knowledge. I enjoy learning the names of customers and attempting to remember their coffee order. 

When I think about the value and the beauty of coffee, it comes out to mean so much more than cappuccinos, cortados. Coffee is about creating or deepening a connection between people. It puts into practice the second great commandment from Christ, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." (Mark 12:31 ESV)