JOLT!!!

Over the past several weeks I have spent a lot of time with God in conversation about His will in my life. I have worked on following Him, diving into His word, operating in faith, and heeding to what He is saying to me.

I was able to attend the West Coast Christian’s Writers Conference and it opened my eyes to some new things and at the same time scared me to death. I walked away knowing I needed to do something different, yet not wanting to expend the energy it would take to revamp my writing in order to make it meaningful to the people I am hoping to show the amazing way of Christ. I was honest with God and let Him know all this scared me and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to do any of it. I basically said, "I am done writing!"

But, being the God He is, He continued to speak to me in more ways than I can count. He spoke to me in a new book I am reading. He spoke to me in a Bible study I attend. He spoke to me at the coffee house and simply said, “write”. That was the only word I heard and I heard it more than once from Him. He just wants me to write. He doesn’t want me to worry about what will happen with my writing, He simply wants me to get His word out. He will do the rest. Well, duh?! Of course, He will. I am not sure why I thought I needed to do anything else. But, in my great wisdom, that means nothing, I thought I should quit.

So, hearing Him, attending to what He is telling me, taking heed of His leading, I am about to enter into a slightly different direction with Grace and Strong Coffee. Oh, the title will not change! That is my go-to!! That is where I get strength and joy and hope. But I know now that people have a need that must be met in order for them to draw closer to our great Savior and in order for me to be part of that great journey, I need to make some changes to my writing.

A JOLT is what women who are busy, tired, overwhelmed, and struggling desire. They are not always sure what this JOLT looks like, but they know they need it. For me, that JOLT is God’s great grace, and of course, strong coffee. I can distinguish it is God who gives me the JOLT. I can recognize coffee gives me a JOLT several times a day. I can discern where I get my JOLT and joy from, but most women cannot.

John 16:24 says, “Until now you have asked for nothing in my name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.” (CSB emphasis mine) And what women need is a JOLT of joy! The reason I can preserve the title Grace and Strong Coffee is simply because I know joy comes from simply asking my Father for grace and I will receive joy through it. But women who exist in this evil, hectic, empty, world, often don’t know that their JOLT or their complete joy will come from God’s abundant grace.

So, the JOLT series is born. This is where I will focus my writing so that women can begin to grasp and appreciate joy in their lives by knowing and understanding they simply need to ask God and they will obtain it. The focus of JOLT will be John 16:24, “Until now you have asked for nothing in my name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.”

If this is you, if you are struggling with finding joy in your everyday life, please hang with some changes to the Grace and Strong Coffee website and blog. Hang in there as there may be some missed weeks of blogs due to work on the site and work on my writing. But, be prepared to help support this mission with answers to questions where you may be asked to be brutally honest. Help out others by sharing your own stories and heartbreak. Support by sharing the blog with friends in order to help them through the difficulties in life we all struggle with, and to help them find their JOLT.

I believe God has so much goodness to give if we are to just ask, yet we walk through this world fraught because we simply don’t ask for His help. Drawing closer to our God who only wants goodness for us is the only way to begin living a life where you can experience joy and be able to overcome the weariness of the world.

If you are ready to begin having a great big JOLT in your life, please respond "yes" in the comments section. Once I have received responses, I will be emailing out a short survey for you to complete regarding the joy in your life. This will help me to determine the topics you want to read and the areas of life you are struggling with and looking for God’s help.

Our God is so good! I feel so blessed He solicited me to help meet the needs of women through His divine Word. I feel so fortunate that you are on this journey of life with me and walking with me to the end when we are able to live in complete joy everyday and every moment.

May God bless you and the decision you make to walk this journey with me by leaving your response below.