If you've followed along through recent articles, you know I've got a heart for Jesus. And coffee. I like to believe they go hand in hand.

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He is present in my day to day life as I commonly find bumps in the road. Don't we all? A simple way to say it is, I am quick to judge. My immediate reaction is to run from trials but that is where the Lord is most present. When I see that speed bump, I often begin lacing up my favorite pink Converse, ready to turn around running and say thanks, but no thanks. I don't think I can handle that, so maybe later.

I can't be alone on this statement. I know that “jumping to conclusions” is not going to be something I'll add to my list of desirable qualities. And you probably won't either. But I have found ways to eliminate creating my own assumptions. I've been on this journey with God over the past few years. Journey is the only word to try and explain it. I've been through record lows as well as record highs. I’ve made it my mission to find God in the most unlikely of places and on a day-to-day basis. In short, I'm aiming to find the Lord in places where the presence of God would most likely be overlooked.

Okay, are you following me?

While on my Christmas Break, I was invited to have breakfast with three of my friends from high school. You know those people that you follow along with their lives from afar knowing there is a good chance your paths won't cross after graduating high school? Yep, that was them. Not because I didn't adore them, but because our career paths were far from each other's. Excited to meet for breakfast, I was just eager to learn how college has impacted our lives, which were once so similar. We all attended the same volleyball club and shared a common goal to play for the camaraderie rather than get wrapped up in the competitive aspect. Another similarity that came with our past was four out of the five of us attended the same high school. We were friends, but all had groups we were closer to. Like I said, admiring from afar was just fine.

During breakfast, I began to understand the true meaning of why our paths were crossed. We reminisced on our old high school days and our volleyball memories. I remember strategically drinking my coffee to prevent spitting it out as a result of laughing too hard. We laughed at the fondest memories of each other that included the typical “remember when?” We were grounded in our own lifestyles and friendships that getting a dose of the past was refreshing. Have you ever made plans to meet friends for breakfast and immediately say “yes” while dreaming about the crunchy bacon, buttery toast, a delicious egg, and a cup of coffee that your tastebuds are craving? Rather than the benefits of meeting with your friends? Embarrassed to say but that's where my head was at. I remember walking in, seeing my friends and immediately smelling the coffee thinking “oh, yes...I’d love a cup of coffee”.

Maybe that is where the introvert in me took over. Have you had one of these experiences? It is similar to getting home on a Friday eager to put those sweatpants on quicker than record timing. Only to get a call from your girlfriends asking you to join them for dinner. In your brain you've began listing the ten things you'd rather do, but in your heart you know meeting them for dinner is the most beneficial. And without fail, you throw on your most comfortable dress and low block heels, grab those keys, and slump towards your car. Still feeling upset that your night-in was crashed, you arrive to the restaurant seeing the most genuine, supportive, and put together girlfriends waving you down. Instantly, you regret being angry as this is called “right place at the right time”.

That's it. That is where I saw the Lord. I mean, how unexpected?

(Disclaimer: all names were altered as we apply for employment opportunities)

I saw Him as their friendship was everything I needed at that very moment. Every word seemed like food for my soul. I remember talking about our future and how sure we were that fear played a role. As seniors in college and only one semester away from graduating, we found how different our paths really were. Starting with “Ms. Lover-of-the-Word” who is an aspiring dentist who will easily become a dentist in addition to finishing her entire bucket list by the time she is forty. I'm pretty sure “determined” is her middle name, but it just didn't make it on the birth certificate. If I had to come up with a name for "Ms. Lover-of-the-Word’s" dentistry, it would be “Super Mom with a passion for dentistry”. She is going to do big things. But little do you know that she lost her dad a little over a year ago. As unexpected as it was, I know God was preparing her for this loss. And most importantly, she trusted Him. He used her tragedy to encourage others to lay everything at His feet. You are not in control and even with death He has a plan. There is one analogy she expressed, which has stuck with me when trying to remind myself how powerful our Lord is. It is this: “I am human. As a friend I will never be able to be there for you at every moment you need me. I am bound to disappoint you, fail you, and resent you at some point. It's inevitable. But God is the one who will continue to be there for you when no one else is around. He knows what you are going through because He is in control. God is your best friend”. Now, how moving is that?!

Next was my friend, “Ms. Pilot” who took the military path at an academy. Yup, read over that sentence again. No big deal. The first time I met her was at volleyball tryouts during our freshman year of high school. I recall getting on the bus to our volleyball game and hearing “Ms. Pilot” rap while everyone’s jaw dropped. Her innocence didn't correlate to her out of character taste in music. But then again, who am I to judge. The girl can rap! But in all serious, I have seen God work through her life in the most wonderful of places. She has this passion for helping people who are have special needs. The word "passion" is such an understatement as she created a group that met with the special needs students at our high school for lunch. She is thoughtful and takes into account those who have faced obstacles, especially physically and mentally. Her friendship is one that after being apart for months we can start right where we left off.

“Ms. Laugh-a-lot” is someone who I remember not being able to be around because she has the humor that makes a person laugh so hard making them fear they can't breathe. It's infectious because laughing is a sign of happiness...and I've never met a person who doesn't enjoy laughing. In addition to making people laugh, she cares. It's simplistic, but a rare quality these days. She cares about the people around her and wants the best for other, which is the sign of an ever present Lord. He blesses those who can provide a hand to hold. I know that her future involves bringing happiness to those who crave it.

Lastly, my sister was there begging me to stop complaining and get in the car to meet them for breakfast. She has always been the person who screws my head on straight when I feel like ignoring that it's loose. With this drive to help kids succeed, she is eager to use every bit of energy she can muster to give kids the opportunity to walk into the world feeling accomplished. It's rare to find someone who would give the shirt of their back for you even if it's their most favorite. She is just that. The Lord has called her to impact the youngest population to show that kindness always wins. My sister finds a purpose everywhere she goes, which prohibits her from just standing around. That is the Lord calling her to serve in the places that need her most.

It was while having breakfast where I saw Jesus in each one of them. The Lord has a way of pulling us out of safety to places where He can feed our soul. He blesses us in places and gatherings where we least expect it. A distant friendship was brought together for us to see Him in each other.