Mocha Moment

Mocha Moment

“Mary…sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching” Luke 10:39.

Just a stone’s throw from a busy street but positioned perfectly at the edge of the woods lies a little cabin, home to Mocha Moment, a coffee shop like no other I’ve ever seen. Outdoor seating on the wraparound deck conveniently faces the woods, while indoor seating includes sofas near the fireplace and chairs surrounding a roaster in the middle of the room. Homemade chocolate chip scones and cinnamon-swirl coffee cakes fill the display cases, and a full coffeehouse menu graces the order boards above the counter.

Having a Mocha Moment, complete with Chocolate Chip Scone!

Who wouldn’t want to spend a Mocha Moment (or two…) in this woodland-respite coffee shop? I recall many a moment there, seated across from my husband, cup in hand, as we met for mini-dates just to get away. I treasured the early-morning moments with two friends who met regularly with me for talk time and prayer. Then there were the special moments spent with a group of girlfriends on the deck, soaking in the sunshine, sipping our beverages, and solving one another’s problems. I miss those moments; they were far too few. They meant even more than the mocha that filled my cup, though that was wonderful too!

Can you picture a place where you might go, alone or with others, for a moment of respite, a brief get-away? (Maybe you’ll have a mocha in that moment so you can give it the same name!) Too often, we let life’s frenzied pace keep us from taking these precious moments to relate and refuel. And while we may meet with a friend or loved one, what we need even more are regular moments with Jesus. How can we find a time and place to sit at His feet and listen to His teaching, just as Mary did when Jesus came to her home (see Luke 10:38-42)? I think we’re more often like her sister, Martha, whose task list distracted her from sitting beside her sister and before her Lord. We justify, “I’ll be with You in a moment, Jesus. I’m much too busy now.” But that moment doesn’t come. Ouch!

In His mercy, our Savior invites us to bring our distractions to His feet. We confess the many moments we’ve chosen to put other things first, and there at His feet, we receive His words of forgiveness, of salvation won for us at the cross.

Pick a place, alone or with a sister in Christ, and He will meet you there, providing respite like no other. Your getaway moments with Jesus will provide the most meaningful “talk time” as you listen to His teaching and reply in prayer. He relates to you and refuels you in ways that no one else can. (By the way, no matter which beverage you choose to sip on the side, go ahead and call it a Mocha Moment – with your Savior.)

Dear Jesus, I need a moment (or more) with You today. Lead me to a place where I listen and learn from You, sitting at Your feet. In Your name. Amen.

Chocolate Chip Scones

-Inspired by the Mocha Moment Coffee Shop-

1 cup flour

3 T. sugar

1 ½ tsp. baking powder

Dash salt

2 T. cold butter

1 egg

3 T. heavy cream

½ cup miniature chocolate chips

Coarse sugar for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a separate bowl, mix egg and cream; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in chocolate chips. Turn onto a floured surface; knead gently, then pat into a circle. Cut dough into wedges and sprinkle coarse sugar on top. Bake on an ungreased baking sheet for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve beside your favorite coffee beverage and enjoy a Mocha Moment (or two).

From Sip, Savor, and Drink Deeply Devotions by Deb Burma © 2017 CPH. 

Reprinted with permission

Stepping Out...in HOPE

Hope. Is it merely wishful thinking? A verb? "I hope we win the game. I hope we're going to have a beautiful summer after this long winter. I hope they like me. I hope I can be forgiven..."

Often in our world, we have minimized or mistaken the deeper, real meaning of hope. A noun. Given with the greatest of Gifts. Found in our Savior, Jesus Christ.

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living HOPE through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." 1 Peter 1:3 

In Jesus, our hope is real. Our hope is certain. God handed us hope in the manger, and He secured our hope at the cross and the empty tomb. Through Jesus' death and resurrection, by faith we have the hope of salvation and eternal life in Him; we areforgiven by His grace; we receive the promise of the final resurrection. Our hope is a reality, NOT wishful thinking!

"May the God of HOPE fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with HOPE by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13

Yes, our God of hope is able to fill us with joy and peace in every circumstance as we trust in Him; we overflow with His hope poured into us, and this enables us to persevere through the pain and difficulty that all-too-often fills our days. Maybe you have struggled with an addiction or suffered from depression or mourned a terrible loss. Maybe you live with chronic pain or struggle with a strained relationship. The Lord brings comfort to you through these words from Romans 5:3-5: "We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, HOPE. And HOPE does not disappoint us..."

We're not called to rejoice because we suffer, but to rejoice in the midst of our sufferings. In them, character is developed; the kind of character that allows us to recognize and empathize with others as they face similar struggles because we have walked a related road.

And character produces hope. Real hope in a real Savior who knows our every need and enables us to step out in hope when sufferings and struggles surround us, because we know that one day we will be delivered out of all of them and into His arms. We have His promise.

"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful." Hebrews 10:23 As you face the cross on Good Friday; as you gaze in wonder at the empty tomb this Easter, worshiping the One who died and rose for YOUR sins; as you hold unswervingly to the hope you profess, you can hand out hope in His name. Point people to the Hope that IS Christ.

If people mistake hope as merely wishful thinking or attempt to place their hope in anything or anyone else, they will find themselves disappointed and disillusioned. There is only One in whom real hope can be found.

In our Savior's strength, we step out to share with them our hope in the One who stepped in and saved us by His amazing grace.

The One who heals our past, no matter where we've been or what we've done.
The One who helps us in the present. Right now. In the midst of every struggle.
The One who holds us now and in the future, whatever may come.

 He is the One who stepped out of the tomb that first Easter morning, giving real and certain HOPE for eternity.

Step out. In Hope.

Served on the Side

Served on the Side
“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works” Hebrews 10:24.

My car brakes for coffee shops. This might as well be my bumper-sticker statement because it’s true. The hot cappuccino/latte/mocha/breve inside calls my name, and my car comes to a screeching halt when I spot a shop. But I have to admit, there’s another reason for the braking. It’s the sweet treats served on the side of my beverage. They also call my name. “Over here!” they whisper. “This will complement your coffee and make it taste even better!” So I stare into the display case, wondering which I should choose today. Brownie or biscotti? Coffee cake or scone? Any one of these treats is sure to go really well with my drink. And besides, I reason, two are better than one. I wouldn’t want my coffee served all alone.

In life, we can become a bit more like the sweet treats at the coffee shop, not as we are served, but as we willingly serve on the side. The Lord calls us to a life of wholehearted service in whatever we do (Colossians 3:23). Our sinful pride may tell us it’s better to go it alone, but God calls us, instead, to humble service alongside others. And it IS true that two are better than one (Ecclesiastes 3:9-12), though I’m not sure this truth works with my sweet-treat reasoning. 😊 By His grace in Christ, the Lord leads us away from our prideful place, forgives our sins, and puts us in the humble path of someone with whom we’re called to serve.

Whether it’s a coworker, a relative, a fellow church member, or a friend, there’s someone we can serve alongside. And when we do, God uses our gifts and abilities to complement theirs – to make their service even better. And He is glorified!

The writer of Hebrews says we’re to stir up one another – spur one another on – to love and good works. So let’s consider how we can do that, with the Lord’s help. As you ponder the New Year just ahead, consider: What “calls your name”? How and where can you serve-on-the-side with someone else? Consider how your God-given gifts may work really well with theirs. Maybe you can crunch numbers for your friend’s fundraising event. Or maybe you can offer creative ministry ideas to a staff that’s looking for assistance.

You can give encouragement exactly where it’s needed - now...and later too! Stir up a loved one or a sister in Christ as you humbly harmonize her gifts with yours, serving with her on-the-side. (Mmm…even better than hot coffee with Cappuccino Brownie Squares served on the side!)

Lord, lead me to a humble place of service alongside others, that You may be glorified as we stir up one another to love and good works. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Cappuccino Brownie Squares

These rich, layered brownie squares combine favorite flavors of coffee, cheesecake, and chocolate for a decadent delight! Enjoy served on the side of your favorite coffee beverage.

1 large pkg. (19–21 oz.) brownie mix + ingredients to make cake-like brownies + 1 T. instant coffee granules

1 cup milk

¼ cup instant coffee granules

2 pkg. (3.4 oz. each) cheesecake instant pudding

1 container (12 oz.) frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided

20 cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies, coarsely chopped 

Chocolate candy bar to grate on top, if desired - or - chocolate-covered coffee beans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease 9x13” pan.  Prepare brownie mix according to package directions for cake-like brownies, adding 1 T. instant coffee granules to batter.  Pour into pan, spreading evenly.  Bake 25–30 minutes.  Cool completely.

In mixing bowl, combine milk and ¼ cup instant coffee granules; stir until dissolved.  Add pudding mixes and half of the whipped topping; whisk until smooth.  Coarsely chop cookies; fold into pudding mixture.  Spread filling evenly over cooled brownies. Spread remaining half of whipped topping over top.  Grate chocolate candy bar on top, if desired.  Refrigerate at least 30 minutes. Cut into squares and serve chilled.

The Savior’s Grace Place Menu: Breve Blessings

Did you know...?? Your Savior has a “menu” of sorts (yes, you read that right!) and it's filled with the very best of His abundant provision and served up to you. 
In this excerpt from Sip, Savor, & Drink Deeply (found in both the Bible study book and the devotional), you will receive a selection from The Savior’s Grace Place menu by way of the description of one popular coffee shop beverage. Other selections include: Mocha Mercy, Cappuccino Comfort, and Latte Love, to name a few. And guess what?! Your cup overflows with an endless supply of each menu item, poured out in abundance by His grace and generously served up to you today and every day. Enjoy...

BREVE BLESSINGS

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing. Ephesians 1:3

A breve is perhaps the least known beverage on a coffee shop menu. This delicious drink is created simply by substituting half-and-half or light cream for the milk in any espresso-based beverage. Take your latte, cappuccino, or mocha, and simply replace the steamed milk with a creamier option and—voilà!—you have a breve. If you’re thinking, But I’ve always added cream to my coffee, keep in mind that a breve is more parts cream than coffee. It’s really rich. 

We are brimming with God’s breve-rich blessings, overflowing for us in Christ and found near the front of The Savior’s Grace Place Menu! His blessings are not limited to the past. (Sigh. My cup was rich and running over at one time.) They’re not restricted to special moments and milestone events we log in our memory books. In our sin, we are shortsighted. Not only do we fail to remember or recognize some of our blessings, but we neglect to acknowledge and praise our Savior as the one who provides each and every one of them. We bring our shortsightedness and neglect to the provider Himself, who knows our failures and forgives all of them for Jesus’ sake, blessing us “with every spiritual blessing,” beginning with the forgiveness we receive at the cross and flowing forward with the blessings of faith, peace, love, joy, and more!

Today’s blessings that fill our cups may have a new look, a different flavor than yesterday’s blend, and we may not yet recognize them to be the blessings that they are. Maybe they’ll appear through new means, revealing God’s continued provision in a different way.

One day, while waiting in line at my local coffee shop, I was startled as a woman appeared suddenly and grabbed me by the arm. With a smile larger than my grande breve, she exclaimed, “Can I pay for your drink? I am so blessed today, I just want to share my joy!” By God’s grace, this woman recognized His rich blessings in her life and let them overflow onto me.

Praise be to God, our cups of Breve Blessings are brimming over! The Lord’s blessings really do spill over from our cups of plenty; our cups overflow (Psalm 23:5).

Dear God, help me to recognize Your rich blessings as they flow into my life, sometimes through unexpected means. May I give You glory as I acknowledge and praise You for each and every one. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Drink Deeply: God is the giver of every good and perfect gift - every blessing - both physical and spiritual. All that we have comes from His hand. Read Ephesians 1:3-14, which begins, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." We "bless" or praise our triune God - the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit - for His countless blessings, beginning with the spiritual blessings in Christ we read about here.

1. According to verse 3, you are blessed in Christ. Find and mark every "in Christ" or "in Him" across this passage. Why is "in Christ" so significant?

2. Because you are "in Christ," united with Him in your Baptism, you are a recipient of every spiritual blessing from heaven. Read the passage again, looking for some of the countless spiritual blessings you receive by His grace.

3. According to verse 6, the blessings you receive "in the Beloved" - in Christ, the one He loves - are the result of what?  [The blessings we receive are the result of God's grace, not something we earn or deserve.]

From Sip, Savor, and Drink Deeply Bible Study and SSDD Devotions by Deb Burma © 2017 CPH. 

Reprinted with permission

Sip, Savor, & Drink Deeply: He Knows Your Name

I will not forget you. Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of My hands. 

Isaiah 49:15–16

I stepped inside my favorite coffee shop the other day and two familiar voices called out together from behind the counter, “Deb!” A warmth flowed into me as if I’d already taken my first sip of hot latte, and I thought, They never forget me! As I approached the counter, we began the friendly rapport we share each time I walk into their shop. Sometimes I’m grabbing a cup to go; other times I’m meeting a friend. But that day, I arrived at my favorite coffee shop alone, ready to sit with my Savior for a time of devotion, writing, and prayer.

I’ve become what some would call a “regular” at this shop, and when I arrived that day, the baristas not only knew my name, but they also knew my favorite flavor blend, served up just the way I like it. “Let me guess, Deb: a halfsie again today? Half raspberry and half white chocolate; half skim and half whole milk; a half shot of espresso. Am I right?” I laughed and nodded. We chatted a little while longer, then I headed to my table and opened my Bible.

As I began to read, they delivered my drink. The side of the cup read “We love Deb!” with a big heart. Once again, a warmth flowed through me, this time as I pondered the expressions of love printed on the cup and written across the pages before me. I paused to pray, thanking God for the baristas’ reminder that I am known. I am loved.

While my barista buddies know my name, label my cup with love, and learn a little more about me each time we meet, there is One who knows me completely (Psalm 139) and loves me with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3). He created me in His image (Genesis 1:27) and sent His Son to the cross to save me from my sins              (1 Corinthians 15:3). He calls me His child (1 John 3:1–2), and He will never forget me (Isaiah 49:15).

Even better than seeing my name handwritten on the side of a cup is knowing my name is engraved on the palm of God’s hand. And so is yours. He loves you! He knows your name.

Father God, You know my name! Thank You for expressing Your everlasting love for me across the pages of Scripture and at the cross of Christ, my Savior! In His name. Amen.

From Sip, Savor, and Drink Deeply Devotions by Deb Burma © 2017 CPH. 

Reprinted with permission

12 Ideas to Guide Your Child to a Life of Prayer

This post first appeared on The CPH blog (click to view) under "Everyday Faith".

“Momma, momma, huwwy! We need to pway!” My toddler ran to me the very moment he heard the siren from a fire truck speeding past our house down the nearby highway. I scooped my little guy into my arms and held him close. Together, we talked to Jesus, asking for help and protection on behalf of the people who may be hurting or in danger.

Just as my husband and I sought to teach our children that prayer can and should be our first response in every situation, you, too, can lead your growing children to pray, helping them see the need for it and the power of God in and through it. You can remind them that their loving heavenly Father’s eyes are always upon them, and that He hears and answers every prayer. They can draw near to His throne of grace with confidence (Hebrews 4:16) because of Christ’s sacrifice for them at the cross!

Here are 12 ideas to help you along the way:

1. From your children’s earliest toddler years, you can teach them to stop and pray for others when they hear sirens or when they witness any other potentially scary situation.

2. Encourage your growing child, and praise her for her humble words given to God in prayer. No matter how long or short her prayer, it is a beautiful offering to Him.

3. Teach your child how he can “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17), offering pop-up prayers in the middle of the day and developing an attitude of constant prayer and dependence on God.

4. Pray for and with your child on the spot as a crisis or need arrives: when she walks through the door in tears, when you learn of another family’s illness or accident, or when another person suddenly comes to mind.

5. Develop a prayer habit for your family at regular times in your daily routine, such as mealtime, devotion time, and bedtime, if possible.

6. Sing the doxology or a table prayer set to music, and encourage your children to sing with no inhibitions as they offer praise and thanks to the Lord.

7. Pray with them about big and small things, revealing that it all matters to God. He is a God of details and desires that we bring them all to Him.

8. Encourage your children to be honest and forthright in their prayers. God knows every hair on their heads, so He surely knows everything on their hearts. They can pray about anything, even those things that they can’t talk to you about.

9. Tell your child that however his heavenly Father answers his prayers—yes, no, or wait—he can expect God to change and grow him as a result of his prayers.

10. Present your child with a journal, and encourage her to record her prayers and others’ prayer requests. Encourage her to look back to her past journal entries, recognizing God’s provision and answers along the way.

11. Model prayer as you teach it to your precious children. Pray openly and honestly. Let them hear you confess your sins and praise your Savior. Let them listen as you thank Him for the many blessings of the day and as you hold them up in prayer.

12. Pray the Scriptures for and with your children, inserting their names into them. Here’s a great place to start: “It is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you [ child’s name ] may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God” (Philippians 1:9–11).

Scripture: ESV®.  Portions excerpted from Raising Godly Girls by Deb Burma © 2015 CPH. Reprinted with permission.

Making Appearances: Your Daughter and Social Media

This post first appeared on The CPH blog (click to view.) 

Your daughter stares into the screen of her phone, deeply engaged in social media. Many of the images are recognizable. The comments are personal. Some elicit laughter. Others hit a little too close to home. Still others leave her feeling uncomfortable and upset.

What your daughter may not realize is that the limited view of her friends via social media—shared for the world to see—are skewed, a little or a lot. As friends share flattering photos and make enviable remarks, they give her the false impression that everything in their world is ideal. They may be “making an appearance” before their peers, attempting to build themselves up, to appear a certain way. 

The result? Your poor princess ends up feeling inferior to or resenting her friends, whose goal may not have been to intentionally hurt anyone but merely to look good to others. In other cases, friends may share suggestive images or inappropriate content to seek negative attention and end up causing even further hurt as a result. In still other cases, so-called friends may attempt a direct attack against your daughter, using social media as the means for cyberbullying.

Research reveals a direct correlation between time spent on social media and negative feelings of self-worth, especially among growing girls, who often struggle with confusion and uncertainty regarding their changing appearance, their acceptance by peers, and their very identity. Researchers from the School of Psychology at Flinders University in Australia surveyed more than 1,000 adolescent girls. Dr. Amy Slater reported, “Our findings demonstrate a worrying correlation between excessive media use, particularly social media and the internet, and lower self-esteem, body-esteem and sense of identity and higher depression” (Medical Daily).  

I’m not advocating a ban of social media for our girls (once we’ve determined that they are old enough and prepared to make use of it). So many excellent Internet-driven tools for connectivity, conversation, and education have the potential to powerfully and positively impact our children when used with discretion and when our children’s eyes are wide open to the potential deception and harm that can be found in them. 

You have the opportunity to let social media be a great teaching tool for your daughter.

• Be the mom. Set limits and explain them clearly; define appropriate and inappropriate use and provide clear-cut guidelines as you also educate yourself about the latest trends in social media.
• Alert your child to the very real dangers that exist. Don’t mince words. If you’ve determined that she is ready for social media, then she must also be ready to understand the inherent dangers: Internet pornography, sexual innuendos, crude language, cyberbullying, and other vices exist across cyberspace. Help safeguard her by providing ample information, for her protection. 
• Pray for and with her, asking God to guard her heart and guard her eyes: “Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in Your ways” (Psalm 119:37). 
• Establish a level of care and trust so she knows she can approach you with concerns and every possible scenario that may appear before her.

Your daughter is “making an appearance” before her peers when she sports her first smartphone, when she sets up her first Facebook page or Instagram account , and every time she texts, posts, pins, or tweets (or whatever term the latest social media uses to define sharing something across cyberspace!).

 What kind of appearance will she want to portray? 

• Help her to think carefully about the image she wishes to project, about how she wants to represent herself publicly.
• Encourage her as you remind her of her true identity as a godly girl. The image she projects doesn’t have to try to impress because she is made in the image of God.
• Share God’s Word of truth, which tells her that she is being transformed into Christ’s likeness (2 Corinthians 3:18). With God’s help, her every appearance before others can be a reflection of Him by her character, as she chooses to reveal it.

What an opportunity! As she shares images of herself, words, interests, video clips, and more, she is free to express her unique identity as a chosen princess of the King, a redeemed child of God in Christ Jesus.

Scripture: ESV®.  Portions excerpted from Raising Godly Girls by Deb Burma © 2015 CPH. Reprinted with permission.