Lent day 22

 Well, we finished looking at Daniel yesterday and I have to say Im really glad I decided to follow that particular nudge, but now Im left wondering how to fill the next couple of weeks until Easter.  I suppose it will be back to the usual listening for what God is saying on any particular day but I have to confess I didnt really hear Him say too much yesterday. 

On Tuesdays I work in the church cafe and yesterday it was really quiet. Hardly anyone came in at all, but the few that did had very interesting conversations.  It wasnt that I was listening in, just that there were only two or three people in at any one time and I was working on my own so I couldnt help but overhear some of what was being said.  Two different sets of people were having deep Jesus conversations.  One was a triplet of retired people - a lady and two gentlemen - and the lady was saying some really quite pointed and profound things about the Holy Spirit.  The second was a couple of student-aged people who were clearly discussing some teaching or preaching thing one of them was having to do in the near future.  I didnt really listen in, I was just aware of the background noise being not merely the quietish music which was playing, but God's people talking about God's business.  I wonder if its because we are a church run cafe that we attract church people.  Or if it is something to do with Northern Ireland still being quite a 'religious' society. I prefer to think it is because we have prayed and asked God to inhabit the building, to reach out to people through the simple act of having coffee and to reveal Himself there all the time.

It would appear He is answering those prayers.  I've had lots of interesting 'spiritual' conversations with customers about all sorts of things ranging from parenting teens to dealing with bereavement and everything in between.  I wonder if coffee shops are becoming the new confessionals.  Or if baristas now serve the same function as bar tenders used to.  People are hungry to talk. Especially people who are on their own.  Nobody feels terribly comfortable sitting in a coffee shop on their own but a surprising amount of people do it.  These days people bury themselves in their phones and pretend to be busy.  But I suspect most would be more than happy to be interrupted with a friendly hello.

I dare you to try it this week. 😀