Lattes with the Lord

When I was in middle school, I was obsessed with The Hunger Games . They were my favorite movies, and I would eagerly anticipate the new movies and reread the book when waiting for them to come out. I recently rewatched them since being at home and there was a line that stuck out to me. It is this: hope is the only thing stronger than fear. Fear has been a big theme in my life recently. I am constantly living in fear and questioning everything. What if I am missing out? What if I say too much? What if I don’t say enough? What if nobody likes me? What if I am not pretty enough? Good enough? Fill in the blank. These are questions I have found myself dwelling on the past few months. They consumed my mind and have sent me into a downward spiral of an identity crisis. It has led me to question who I am and who I want to become, and I get really frustrated with myself. It honestly seems like an endless cycle of defeating thoughts and impossible situations. This has led me to a buttload o...

My church helps serve at another church/ministry known as The Bridge. This church offers a place of safety and love for people in Chicago who are experiencing homelessness, recovering from addictions, or recently released from prison. Most of these people come from difficult backgrounds and have recently come to know Jesus. I have gone to this ministry a few times throughout late middle school and high school, but tonight I got to meet a man named Sean. When I arrive at a new place, it takes me a while until I feel comfortable. I have to feel it out and get the vibe of the people I am around. I was greeting people as they walked in, but arrived late to that job because I was getting a bit of a refresher on how things are run at this church. I had some nice conversations with the people I was greeted with and it helped me feel a sense of comfort. When we were told to go find seats for the service, I was unsure of where to go. I saw a man sitting by himself. He was dressed in red an...