We all live with a certain amount of chaos in our lives. But for some, chaos and pain take control. The amazing truth is that when we allow God to work in us, healing will happen.
That’s what happened to a woman named Katrina, through the compassion of her employer and a local church’s Coffee Break program.
Katrina’s employer knew she was hurting. While attending the Pipestone (Minn.) Fair, he stopped by the Pipestone Christian Reformed Church booth and picked up literature on the church’s Coffee Break program. He gave Katrina the information and told her that if she wanted to go he would be flexible with her schedule.
“That was so amazing to me,” Katrina recalls. “Giving me the opportunity to fellowship with other Christian women meant so much to my boss.”
Katrina walked into her first Coffee Break meeting and was embraced by a community of believers who welcomed her with a cup of coffee.
“I shared my story and shed a lot of tears about how alone I was,” Katrina said. “I had been so hurt, rejected, and taken advantage of by the people I loved most.”
The community of believers provided a safe environment in which Katrina could explore a relationship with Jesus Christ. The women in Katrina’s Coffee Break group encouraged her questions, gave her the resources she needed, and prayed with her through her journey of seeking Christ.
Within a few months the group gave thanks to God when Katrina gave her life to Christ.
“Coffee Break doesn’t just refill my coffee cup,” Katrina said. “It refills my heart, soul, and mind with the love and peace I receive from God and through my group.”
Christian Reformed Home Missions developed the Coffee Break program more than 35 years ago. As a church-based community-oriented small group Bible study strategy, its goal is to bring women into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and nurture their faith in him.
The Coffee Break strategy and small group Bible study resources have been used effectively by more than 1,000 churches from over 50 denominations in the United States and Canada.
For information about starting a Coffee Break program at your church, please call Christian Reformed Home Missions at 800-266-2175 or email crhm@crcna.org.
—Christian Reformed Home Missions staff
