Meet Lisa Miller, a Hostess from Delaware, as she shares how she found the Neighborhood Cafe and how it’s working in her own home:
I found your idea of a Neighborhood Café one day while God placed on my heart the need to be radical and do something different. I knew I always wanted to know my neighbors. I only knew a few that lived close by and just pretty much spoke to the ones I would see walking or riding by and that was it.
Deep in my heart, I really wanted to connect a little more, but really didn’t have time. I was so busy with my church family doing different things and serving God’s people—not to mention having a large family of eight kids ages ranging from 6 to 23 years old! My life was and still is busy. I love to serve others and make them feel loved and special, my home is always open to folks… but it was mainly my immediate family and my church family and friends I already knew.
Until the day I decided to be radical and do something really big and different. So I went on Google and typed in “spiritual groups for your neighborhood.” Up came a whole list of groups and so I scrolled through all of them. The Neighborhood Cafe just kept catching my eye because it was something I’ve always wanted to do, get to know my neighbors. So I clicked it and read all of your information and I even watched the video. It brought me to tears because I knew that this was it and how impacting it would be. So I prayed and prayed about it and decided to do it.
Just like you I had fears of rejection, of being looked at as crazy, of not knowing enough, of how am I gonna do this by myself. I told so many people what I was doing so that I could not back out of it. I said to God that I wanted to do something different and to be radical for him so I couldn’t lose hope. I continued to pray, then I started doing prayer walks around my neighborhood with my Women’s Ministry Leader who is also my neighbor. Another neighbor joined us for the walk and then eventually started praying with us and I can’t tell you how encouraging that was. I felt God’s love for me, I felt His approval and I was so excited about everything going forward.
When I had my Open House, 13 women showed up and it was incredible. The women were excited and open to more times together. I saw something from each woman, their need for friendship, acceptance and also to be part of something.
I look forward to what God has in store for me and for them as I continue to be obey his command of loving my neighbors.
Thank you for coming up with this idea of a Neighborhood Cafe.
Lisa Gavin-Miller
Live Simply
Love Generously
Care Deeply
Speak Kindly…
…and leave the rest up to God!
Lisa, I only have one word for you–wow! Your story is so encouraging and uplifting. Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. I think you will have encouraged many women to reach out to their neighbors. All you really needed to do was to pray, step out, knock on that very first door and trust God for the rest. Walking your neighborhood with your good Godly girlfriends and praying is a wonderful way to “start a cafe”! I know you have encouraged me–but it’s still scary! I’ll be praying for your Cafe and for your neighborhood.