An Unfamiliar Face in a Familiar Place

On a chilly November day in 2018, I woke up feeling heavy with the weight of disappointment and unanswered questions. I had taken so many risks over the last several months—emotional risks that left me feeling exposed and empty. Could life go anywhere good from here?
I reached for my Bible and ended up in Psalm 121.
“I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From where does my help come?
My help comes from the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot be moved;
He who keeps you will not slumber.”
I locked onto verse three. “He will not let your foot be moved.” This is what I longed for—to trust that God had me…and that life could be more than a downhill tumble from here.
Tears came, because I wanted to believe the words I read, but I wasn’t sure where to find the faith. I journaled a prayer, and told Nano about my wish to believe with more sureness that this could be true for my life. He listened while he finished shaving, then gave me hope to borrow.
Over the next hour, I bundled my children in their hoodies and delivered them to their teachers—then made my weekly trip to Jo’s for coffee and a day of writing.
Like every Wednesday morning, I greeted the familiar coffee shop faces, and ordered the signature latte. I found my favorite table by the window—bright with warm sunshine. I opened my journal to where I left off that morning.
My wish continued to stir. I felt scared my heart was defective, and I longed for more light to guide me to hope.
Around mid-morning, a low voice spoke to me—the man who just walked in the front door. I looked up to see twinkling eyes and an unfamiliar, fuzzy face. Ears tucked into his beanie, he approached me with a teddy-bear-like presence. With a careful slowness while he read my face, he placed his hand on the table in front of me. He said he hoped it didn’t come across the wrong way, but when he walked in the door and saw me, something urged him to come share a message.
“I think you’re supposed to know that God says your heart is beautiful. And He is putting all of its broken pieces back together.”
I felt a bit unsure, but curious, so I listened on. He continued for some time and I don’t remember everything, but I do remember these words, “You can trust that your help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved.”
While he spoke, my eyes misted over.
God sees me.
When I heard him speak the words of Psalm 121, say them aloud, I knew God said yes to my prayer. He didn’t hesitate to help my unbelief.
I learned the man’s name to be Chris, and I shared about my morning while drying my eyes. He smiled with the jolliest smile and said he just knew he was supposed to say something. I asked for a picture with him to help myself remember the moment.
In the last seven years, I’ve seen him maybe five times. Jo’s is the only place I’ve ever seen him and he always has timely words of courage to share.
He is one of the many reasons I love local coffee shops. In the light of Jo’s front window, I’ve put dreams onto paper, poured prayers into journals, and have met the image of God in dozens of caring people.
At least a couple times a month, I still return to Jo’s to see if I can find a seat at my favorite writing table. When I settle into that old, familiar place and look around, my heart fills with memories of the faithfulness of God.
It fills me to return to that moment and the place it happened.
There are no supernatural qualities to that table or that building, but the act of returning there is an intentional practice that grounds me. It’s a tangible way to bring my heart back to a place where it’s easy to remember: I am loved and seen by a God who knows me.







