The Pieces

Despite the fact that I have no prior experience in this area and that I would much rather be at home, I felt a peace to move forward into making this "inspiration" part of my speech.  We began asking people to pray for us.  We shared our idea with parents, asking for advice and hoping for their blessing.  As we took more steps of faith, baring ourselves to the people we most trusted, we realized we were moving.

Indications that we were on the right track included (what I refer to) key pieces to the puzzle appearing, seemingly out of nowhere.  The woman Ryan bought gifts from in Africa as souvenirs for me and the girls ended up at church one Sunday wearing the same African skirt I was wearing, and as we talked I found that Dawn worked with a small group of handicapped seamstresses in Congo (shonacongo.com) and they needed buyers stateside.  The fact that I was speaking to her face to face in our insignificant town in Kansas, was not just a coincidence. 

Another Fair Trade contact came through a good friend here in Haviland, whose brother works against human trafficking in South Africa, giving women a chance at earning a living making jewelry, delivering them out of their poverty and slavery cycle. (afrcianhopecrafts.org)

I got to know two incredible women living just blocks from me who work at Barclay College who have dreamed of opening a coffee shop and eagerly agreed to help us get one going (LeAnn Carlson and Molly Carlson, sister-in-laws, will contribute to this blog as well).  Both of them have prior barista experience and one is a business major. (One has a friend who works with a women's co-operative in Bolivia.)  Both are friendly, enthusiastic and positive. Both see this as a ministry to the college students, as well as the community.  What a blessing to know this isn't something we will have to do alone!

Another encouragement that we were on the right track was the topic at a women's brunch in early November, human trafficking and the modern day abolition movement.  Fair Trade was touched upon.  Many were inspired to action.  This felt to me to be a returning to our heritage, realizing people lived their lives in such a way that it changed the course of humankind forever, therefore changing history.  In our small corner of the world here in Haviland we can do the same.

There were more pieces, more affirmations, more challenges to not just have faith but walk in it.  We hope to continue to share these  as the days and weeks go by, telling you all what an awesome God we serve.  He is not far off, but very near.  He moves, He acts, He listens, He directs, He loves us so.

"But as for me it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge; I will tell of all Your deeds."  Psalm 73:28
-Hannah

Adventures in Naked Faith

Have you ever done something bigger than yourself?  While deciding if you should indeed take that initial step, did you doubt yourself?  Did you wonder if you would fail?  Did you wonder what others might think about you if you did?

If you answered yes to that first question, you practiced faith.  

So what's an adventure in naked faith?  I believe when we step out toward our end-goal we are embarking on an adventure being written in the present.  We also lay ourselves bare to quizzical glances and outright ridicule.

I'm believing the adventure will override the doubts!

The Adventure 

You may be asking, "What adventure is this?" And the answer is a multifaceted ministry via a business venture in our tiny town here in the heartland. Although I might like to think myself adventurous, I'm really too content to be at home, to have my routine, to dot the i's and cross the t's....order brings me peace. An occasional jaunt is fine, but I don't go looking for trouble. So to find myself staring at this could be quite daunting had the Author of the story not been so trustworthy.

The story begins in early August this year, on a drive home from Wichita, dreaming with my husband about the future. That night I couldn't sleep when all the dreaming and ideas merged into a concrete concept. I spent hours that night furiously scribbling down every thought lest I lose them by morning. Never has this happened to me before, and I believe with all my heart that my LORD was impressing this upon me so strongly I would have no rest until I did more than entertain the idea. It was as close to inspiration as I'll ever get.

My inspiration includes the following elements: a coffee shop, specializing in Fair Trade gift items, supporting those we know working with people in poverty; providing a place for the college crowd to gather, a place for community members to meet, a place for live music and cool art. We also desire that this place be an extension of our living room, to offer hospitality and an environment where people can just be, and an atmosphere reflecting the God who lives in us.


There's nothing special really in all of these things; they're being done other places all over the world with all degrees of success. But throw in the fact that, oh, yeah, I'm a stay-at-home mom that home schools (yeah, one of those crazies) and have no prior business experience, and the idea is a little more scary. I feel the urge to look over my shoulder to make sure someone else isn't meant for this. Seeing no one else there, I know this is intended for me.

As I referred to the adventure in naked faith before, the next step was to open my mouth and tell someone....my husband. Fortunately, I know no one else who is more supportive in anything I do, so that was easy. He actually took me seriously enough to begin to pray with me. As we prayed, things began to happen, and these are indisputably, positive road signs urging us to turn the page and begin the story.
-Hannah