I often say that coffee is one of my love languages. And even though I am teasing (usually) there is truth behind the statement. I look forward to my first cup of coffee each morning. I love the ritual of making it as well as sipping the hot coffee while beginning my day. There is a sense of anticipation, time for quiet and hope for all the day will bring. I seek authenticity in my days and warm, steamy goodness in my coffee.
During the last week, I found three opportunities for delicious coffee and even better friendship. Taking time for conversation with friends leads to authenticity. Empowering others, speaking truth and affirming who others are in Christ is one of my greatest desires. In-real- life meetings where truth is spoken and affirmation is given fills my life with mission and purpose. Sitting across the table from you with a mug of our favorite hot beverage makes me giddy with delight.
You are all my people. When we engage in heart to heart connections, God provides a soul connection through His Spirit. Opening up the deep recesses of who we are to another friend allows space for love to seep into any of the empty places in our life. Authenticity grows when vulnerability works hand in hand with truth. This in turn clears a path for truth to enter in a posture of receiving. God honors the time when our focus is His truth tempered with love and grace. Being authentic is not just spitting out whatever is on your mind. There is a passage of grace that we walk through to hear the other person and listen well. It takes intentionality to not just seek affirmation for yourself but speak the same into others.
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Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies. Philippians 4:8-9 MSG (emphasis mine)
Paul says it so well in Philippians. He calls us to the authentic and challenges us to seek the best and not the worst. That is what we can do for each other as we seek authenticity with others and ourselves.
Work in harmony with the God who desires to make all things good
Choose authenticity as an anchor of who you are and how you wish to live your life
Fill your minds with graciousness and a truth that points to God
Practice living in love and make it a habit that you feel lost without
God takes our desire for His truth coupled with authenticity and works it into “excellent harmonies”. He shows us through time with Him and conversations with others how love is our foundation and what grows us into who we are as His children. Let us honor God in our desire for Him and willingness to let Him lead us deeper into truth.
Heavenly Father,
We love you and thank you for choosing us everyday.
Thank you for the gift of your grace
that leads us through a passage to listening and living your truth.
May we seek you in our routines and relationships by
focusing on authentic conversations and actions.
You are amazing in your love and in showing us the way.
We are blessed by the gift of knowing you better and loving you
and others deeper.
In the name of Jesus,
Amen.
Seeking authenticity,
I’m so sad that I didn’t realize I was so close to you. Someday we’ll definitely break bread over coffee in real life. Love you friend!
I’m counting on it friend. It looks like you and an amazing conference and experienced your own authenticity over the weekend. Love you too!
A great post, Mary. I loved this: “Authenticity grows when vulnerability works hand in hand with truth.” Coffee and friends. How great is that?!
Moments for coffee with friends are certainly great. Thank you for being here and making my day!
Coffee and authenticity are two things that are very important to me! Great post.
Thank you Leslie! They are two of my favorite things. I’m glad to “meet” you today. Blessed you stopped by.
I’d love to sit somewhere out in nature with you and our cups of coffee, Mary. Having a heart to heart authentic conversation. 🙂 Thank you for being so authentic! Love and hugs!
Oh that would be so wonderful Trudy! I know we would have the time of our life. I pray you find some authentic conversation here when you visit. Love and hugs!
So beautifully said, Mary. It goes so well with what I’ve been studying recently in Proverbs.
Thank you Wanda for being here and spending some time. I would love to hear more about what you are studying in Proverbs. I pray your week is blessed.
Hi Mary!I love that line about practicing to live in love, so that I’d feel lost without it. That’s such a beautiful sentiment, and one that God really wants from us. He doesn’t want us to live without hope at any level!
We do all belong to each other, I really agree with that point too. We are all his children, all facing the same joys and sorrows. I hope that he will lead you to many coffee dates, where you are able to support and encourage others.
Blessings,
Ceil
There is something so sweet when friends, new and old, sit across from each other to listen and lean in. When we add authenticity we say we trust you, desire for you to know us better and value your time. I pray I have any coffee dates too. My hope is that we all enjoy feeling valued because someone trusted us enough to share who they are with us. Blessings!
Authenticity! Yes please!
I love real hearty conversations guided by truth and God’s love.
My heart hears you…If the Lord wills you and a few other Writing pals I’d love to meet over the coffee table when I’m there ??
Blessings on your week.
You would be a wonderful person to sit across the table from and share conversation. Letting God lead in truth and love is a gift. Praying you have a wonderful week.
Stay authentic! We need more of that today.
Yes we do! Our world is full of saying what we think others want to hear and presenting ourselves as part of the norm. God created us uniquely and we need to embrace that beauty.
Focusing on the best, not the worst also puts us in gratitude. You made me now see how gratitude and authenticity tie together. Our world craves authenticity, I believe. As it always has, as proved by Paul’s words you shared, from those ancient times! I wonder what having coffee with Paul may have been like? I love my coffee too, to the point I found myself recently at Walmart at 7am to buy a new coffee maker when mine stopped working that particular morning!
I’m smiling at the thought of your 7 am trip to Walmart for a coffee maker. I get it! What I love is how you tied together authenticity and gratitude in your comment. Thank you also for getting me to think about having coffee with Paul. Oh what a wonderful conversation that would be. Blessings on your week.
Your first few words describe my mornings perfectly, Mary! What a blessing to know we enjoy and seek Him in similar ways. I’m so thankful you’ve had the opportunity this week to connect with other believers and be blessed.
One cup of coffee together in November wasn’t enough! We do share similar likes and finding beauty is one of them. I am so glad we connected in person. I know what a beautiful gift that was. Blessings on your week.
Authenticity anchors us in real life, and I’m so thankful for the friends who keep me accountable to be the same person in real life as I am on the page. When I teach in my church, I am opening the Word with women who have also heard me holler at my kids in the parking lot. This is one of my favorite things!
And, yes to coffee. Always.
Thank you for sharing how your authenticity crosses throughout your life. From Bible study to everyday life, you have made it a priority. I can imagine what a beautiful community you have surrounding you. I am going to a smaller church now that focuses on real and authentic community. It has been a beautiful blessing.
Mary,
You are a kindred spirit. There is a little sign by my coffee maker that says, “I drink coffee for your protection.” lol. Sad but true. I agree that some of the most authentic and real conversations have taken place over a cup of coffee or tea. God calls us to be authentic and to even be vulnerable with our struggles so that others can see Him working in us. I Pray that my pride won’t get in the way and that the human me would point others to One who inhabits my heart.
Sunday Blessings,
Bev
ps. Still look forward to a day of sharing coffee with you in person 🙂
Yay for coffee and real friendships that enjoy each other. I am the first one to close myself off in certain situations but God is teaching me vulnerability and the many blessings that come as a result. Thank you for your friendship. I am praying with you that God is the center of my conversations and that humility is the anchor.
I am looking forward to the day we share coffee and conversation too.
Great essay, mary. You’re so right – authenticity is really vital, because if we present a Potemkin village to the world…and worse, to ourselves…we can never really let God in.
http://blessed-are-the-pure-of-heart.blogspot.com/2017/01/your-dying-spouse-261-cry-out-to-god-fmf.html
Thank you as always Andrew. I believe authenticity comes by letting God into that space that says I am messy and broken. I love how you share who you are so honestly in your own writing. It is a testimony to who you are.
Beautiful post my friend. I decided a couple of years ago that I was going to be all about authenticity in my writing. Sometimes that is scary, but I think people really are looking for that. I wish we could sit face to face and chat, but I’m so thankful to have met you on line. Hugs!
People are looking for real and authentic. I know I relate to people that are broken like me. We are human and that means we are not perfect. I love that we met online and have this friendship that goes beyond just a person on the screen. God connected us and I am grateful. Chatting face to face would be amazing. You never know what God may do.