“But God, I Don’t Want Starbucks”

I have the biggest smile on my face right now because my Papa loves and cares for me so so much. His heart is so kind and compassionate and He brings people into our paths who can change our lives in an instant. Thank you for stopping by to read today’s blog post my friends! I pray you have had a wonderful Friday and I encourage you to check out my posts from the previous 6 days if you haven’t had an opportunity to read them. As always feel free to leave me a comment, share my posts with your friends, and reach out to me by email if you ever need to chat!

     As I sit here typing this blog post in a coffee shop, I am reminded of the constant goodness of God and of the fact that nothing is truly by chance. God doesn’t do anything by chance or by mistake. He is a very intentional God and He knows what He is doing, so trust Him. Trust Him when He tells you to do something, go somewhere, or when He wants to push outside of the realm of your comfort zone. Yes it may be scary, but the outcome will be so incredibly worth it and who knows… you may even make a few new friends along the way. 

     Last night I received a text from a dear friend of mine asking if I could come have lunch with her and then speak to her kindergarten class about my upcoming Mission Trip. These precious 4 and 5 year olds have been learning all about what a missionary is, so she asked if I would be willing to come meet them and talk to them about my opportunity to go serve! 

     We found all of the countries I get to go to on their classroom globe, we watched some of my videos from Training Camp (they especially liked seeing the one of me eating a cricket), we sang songs as I played my ukulele, we played some of my favorite camp games such as “Little Red Wagon,” and “Baby Shark,” and we even decided that we would become pen pals once I’m off serving on The World Race! I am so excited for this opportunity and to be able to keep up with them as they go about their year of kindergarten, and as I go about my year of ministry. 

     I sat in my car in the school’s parking lot knowing that I needed to go get some work done on my laptop, so I had already decided I would head to a local coffee shop. I wanted to go to one in particular that I absolutely love when God placed Starbucks on my mind instead… I made a face and sat at the exit of the parking lot knowing that if I headed right it would be toward the coffee shop I had intended on going to, and if I turned left it would take me in the direction of the Starbucks that God was telling me to go to. I smirked as I turned left because I knew there had to be a reason that God was telling me to go to Starbucks. Again I say… He does nothing by chance!

     I walked inside, sat all of my belongings down on a chair next to the window, and went to the counter to order my drink. The barista handed me my iced coffee and I went to take a seat so that I could begin working on my blog post (not this post mind you; I had actually intended on posting my Q&A Blog today, but God obviously had other plans). I started answering one of the questions for my blog when a woman approached me. She said that she loved my shirt and asked me where I had gotten it.

Another God moment.

     You see I’m currently wearing a shirt that I sold in order to fundraise for The World Race. It has part of the verse Isaiah 6:8 written on it, “here am I, send me,” and it also lists off all 11 of the countries that I will be serving in. I wasn’t planning on wearing this shirt today. My friend said I should wear my t-shirt when I came to speak to her class, but honestly the thought wouldn’t have even crossed my mind if she hadn’t suggested it. 

     I told this woman that I had actually sold the shirts to fundraise for a year-long mission trip that I would leaving to go serve on in less than a month. We began chatting and she told me that she had had the opportunity to go serve on a mission trip herself. Any guesses where her mission trip was to… BELIZE… which “just so happens” to be the first country on my list of 11. She told me that she would love to send me some information about the individuals that she served with while in Belize because they are still living and doing ministry there. She laughed as she told me that the woman she was supposed to be meeting for coffee still hadn’t shown up, and I smiled as I explained that God had laid it on my heart to come to this particular Starbucks rather than the coffee shop that I wanted to go to. We both shared a smile and laughed as we realized that it wasn’t by chance that her friend was running late, or by chance that I ended up here. God knew exactly what He was doing even if we hadn’t realized it until that very moment. She asked how she could keep in touch with me and she is now following along with my journey through this blog. Linda I can’t thank you enough for coming up and talking to me today, it was a true pleasure and such a sweet encounter given to us by God! 

     As she went to sit back down on the other side of the room, I began once again working on my Q&A Blog. A few minutes passed by when she came back over and asked if she could take a photo of me in my shirt, so that she could be praying for me. I gladly obliged and she began to take the picture when an older gentleman at the table right next to me started giving her pointers on how to take the photo. From the jargon he was using and by the tips he was giving her, it was quite clear to see that this man was a photographer. 

     Linda took her photo with the help of this gentleman, then she went to sit back down. I felt God telling me to listen. I didn’t even know what this necessarily meant, but I thought “okay Papa I trust you.” I looked over at the man and asked him if he was a photographer. I then explained that I would be leaving the country soon to serve on a mission trip and part of my job was to take photos, videos, and write stories of the individuals who I will be encountering. I came to find out that his name was Don, and he had been a professional photographer for over 20 years. He immediately began pouring his heart out to me about photography. He knew everything there was to know about the particular camera I have and he gave me incredible insight into how to take the best shots possible in different scenarios.

     “LISTEN.” God said “just listen Meagan.” So all I had to do was sit there and listen as this gentleman was able to light up as he got to share about one of his passions with some girl he just met in a Starbucks. There was a twinkle in his eye and it was so fun to be able to learn and soak up all of the knowledge this man had about photography. It’s so funny to think about because he literally sat down in the time Linda had gone back to her seat after speaking to me, right before she came back over and he told her how to get the perfect shot. He then received a phone call to leave right as he was wrapping up telling me how to take the perfect shot while I’m on my mission trip. We exchanged “thank you’s,” “goodbyes,” and with a final “good luck on your mission trip,” Don headed out the door. It was as if he had come to this Starbucks just to be able to talk to me and so that I could learn more ins and outs of photography. 

Another God moment. 

     These encounters weren’t just by chance, and it was so beautiful to see how God used one moment to lead to the next. My friend told me that God placed me on her heart last night to come share. Because I was sharing about my trip she told me to wear my “here am I send me” shirt. God sent me to Starbucks where Linda’s friend happened to be running late. Because of this we were able to connect about Belize and she was able to begin supporting me and following along with my journey through my blog. She asked if she could take my photo, and because of this Don was brought into the story. He is a professional photographer who was able to impart wisdom and advice on me, a novice photographer who is eager and excited to learn all that she can before heading off on the field.

     NONE of these circumstances were by chance and I’m done thinking that things “just happen,” or that things in my life are “random.” NOTHING is random to God. He purposefully and intricately writes the story that is our life to include these beautiful moments that lead to the moments that are even more beautiful and detailed. So trust Him today. Trust Him right now in this very moment. Breathe and know that He has you where you are for a reason and that at any moment the circumstance you currently find yourself can be the “because” that leads you to a moment that can change your life! 

-Meagan

Friends I am in need of about $3,000 in order to be FULLY FUNDED for The World Race! Will you prayerfully consider partnering with me today and making a one-time donation to help me reach my final fundraising goal? You can do so by tapping the “DONATE” button located at the top of this page or feel free to reach out to me by email at [email protected]. Thank you, and may God bless you with a wonderful weekend!!