Open Your Life… One Coffee Cup at a Time
How coffee turned our home into a place for friendship, faith, and real community
If you know my family, you know this… we are serious about coffee.
At our house, there are at least seven ways to make it… probably more. The crown jewel is a commercial espresso machine we saved for over time. We learned the craft, burned a few shots, dialed it in, and then did something that changed our lives…
We opened our door.
We hosted something we called Bistro Nights. Music. Board games. Laughter. A little food. Free espresso drinks for anyone who walked in. Friends brought friends. Strangers became neighbors.
We did Bistro Nights in local venues and also in our home where anyone could come. The public events were larger, but even the ones at our home had upwards of 50 people sometimes. Other times there would be just a handful of people… all of them were purposeful because it wasn’t about the numbers… it was about the conversations.
Over time, those nights turned into real conversations about life, marriage, faith, and purpose.
Same heart as our neighborhood Warming Station on Halloween… heat lamps, high-end chocolate for kids, gourmet coffee and tea for parents. Simple hospitality became a front porch for people’s stories.
That is the point.
You do not need a stage to make an impact. You need a table.
You do not need a perfect plan. You need an open door.
Take something you love… and let it serve someone else.
Turn Coffee (or anything) Into Community
A three-step playbook to open your life
1) Make it easy to say yes
Pick a weekly or monthly window. Saturday 9–11 a.m. works great. Keep it simple. Coffee, a few pastries, and a clean counter. Invite two families or three friends to start.
2) Create a little ritual
Put on some music. Light a candle. Open a window for fresh air. Ask one question that matters…
• What is giving you hope right now
• Where do you feel stretched
• What is one thing you are building this month
3) Give it a purpose
Tell guests why you do this.
Not to impress. To invest.
To be a bridge in a world that feels busy and disconnected.
If faith is part of your life, let it be natural and kind. Offer to pray if it fits. No pressure. Lots of presence.
Hospitality will do the rest.
Why this matters
People are hungry for belonging.
Your table can become a place where people remember they matter.
Open the door. Grind the beans. Pour the cups.
Let God breathe on the conversations you cannot script.
One latte at a time… you are building something real.
Try this today
• Text two people and invite them for coffee next weekend
• Screenshot the French Press steps and tape them inside a cabinet
• Pick one question to ask every time you host
👉 If you do this, tell me how it went. I read every reply.
Today, here’s an easy way to do that with something simple and sacred… a great cup of French Press.
The Perfect, Non-Bitter French Press
A simple ritual you can share with the people you love
Gear
• French Press
• Burr grinder
• Kettle
• Fresh, filtered water
Ratio
• 1 gram coffee to 15 grams water
Example: 32 g coffee to 480 g water for a standard 32 oz press
Method
Grind coarse. Use the largest setting on a burr grinder.
Boil, then rest. Bring water to a boil. Let it sit 30–45 seconds.
Bloom. Add grounds to the press. Pour just enough water to wet them. Stir. Wait 30 seconds.
Brew. Add the rest of the water. Stir once. Lid on, plunger up. Steep 4–5 minutes.
Press slowly. Steady pressure to the bottom.
Decant immediately. Do not let brewed coffee sit with the grounds. Pour into an insulated carafe to prevent bitterness.
Serve simply. Morning with biscotti. Evening with your favorite pie.
Pro tips
• If it tastes bitter, grind coarser or shorten brew time.
• If it tastes weak, add a little more coffee or grind slightly finer.
• Fresh beans matter. Buy small bags and use them within two weeks.
Love this!