Stories of Faith from the Coffeehouse

Roxy Lathrom allowed me to interview her when she was visiting the FireEscape. I asked her about what she believes and what her family believes.

"My parents and me don’t talk- I don’t know what they believe. I go to youth group with my friend, but she doesn’t really talk about what she believes, she is made to go to church by her parents." 

She was a little fidgety and worried about not having anything to say as we sat in a booth in the coffeehouse, "Maybe God is real," she said, "maybe not. I’ve not had anything good happen to me so-" She paused and I encouraged her and she shared some details about her life with me. Then I asked her if any religion was appealing to her, if she knew of a church she would want to be a part of and she replied by shaking her head, "Sometimes Christians act mean."

I asked her if there were times when she had to make a decision or if she was going through something hard if she thought about faith. She thought for a moment and said, "If I think about faith sometimes it depends on my mood. Sometimes I think about praying when I’m having a bad day, but I don’t know what to say."

Conversations like this are eye opening. It can be hard to begin a conversation, but those I spoke to were very willing to share. I'm so glad Roxy was honest with me and shared her story. Talking with her made me want to be more bold to ask others around me about their story. It made me want to be more open to share my faith in Jesus Christ that gives me hope during my darkest days. I was able to share some encouraging words with Roxy on the night of the interview and I was able to tell her that I would be praying for her.


Photo by Kira Stevens

Your Story Interviews from the FireEscape Coffeehouse

Our story of faith can find us in such low places, sometimes. 

One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to have dinner with him, so Jesus went to his home and sat down to eat. When a certain immoral woman from that city heard he was eating there, she brought a beautiful jar filled with expensive perfume. Then she knelt behind him at his feet, weeping. Her tears fell on his feet and she wiped them off with her hair. Then she kept kissing his feet and putting perfume on them. When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him! She's a sinner!"

v. 50 And Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace." Luke 7:36-39, 50

This woman, known to be a sinner, poured out the expensive and humbled herself completely. Not much is know about the rest of her story of faith, but her faith brought her peace.


Some of the young people visiting the FireEscape Coffeehouse on Friday, February 11 were kind enough to let me ask them questions about what they believe and why. One recurring theme through the interviews was how highly relationship is valued by these high school and college age young people.

Josh McCloskey

I’m a Christian. I believe in God and Jesus. My mom is a Christian- she always talks about Jesus; brings it up when anything happens. She makes sure I believe. Ever since I was a kid its been this way. Busy-ness keeps us out of church. I think about faith before I make decisions. I ask God for a sign to help me make a decision and I believe prayer works.

Chelsea Reeves

I believe in God. He’s the reason for everything. I believe hard in relationship and not religion. I think there is something wrong with every religion, relationships are more important. I believe the Bible says ‘if you love God but not your brother, you are a liar’ I care about people even my enemies. Christians gossip in church, hate is shown against people sometimes. 

When I was younger we didn’t go to church then my grandparents took me alot. Later, in Arkansas I went to lots of church functions. After that it dawned on me that something is wrong with every religion. I feel that Christianity’s biggest problem is gossip.

One thing I hold dear is the saying, ‘why strive to be perfect when you can fall in love with your flaws’ 

Now we’ve started going back to church. I live by Proverbs 17:22 I think it says: 'A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones' and I live by the quote, ‘live for the moment and live for God’. I have an app on my phone that gives me a daily scripture, that’s how I’m memorizing Bible verses.

Tomorrow I'll post more interviews from the FireEscape. What's your story of faith? Why do you believe what you believe?

What's Your Story?

I'm wondering about your story- have you been through some really hard trials lately?

Has God been blessing you incredibly?

Have you been learning about really being grateful for the simple things in your life?

How did you come to follow Christ?

What are some questions you have about faith, God and the Bible?

This week I'll be talking on the Moments of Grace radio show about stories of faith; some from the Bible, some from interviews recently conducted at the FireEscape.  Tune in Monday through Thursday from noon- 4pm on 93.1 KFEX in the Chanute area or listen online by clicking here.


Please share your story of faith in the comments. I would love to hear from you!

I need God's Word

For me the reasons for turning to God's Word are not academic and practical, they are not easily translated into a bullet-point list for quick perusal. For me the need to seek His comfort and wisdom is much deeper than any quick tip or point of advice. I have not always made the right choices, or done my best at living out a life of Christian discipline, but I have needed God. I have heard the message of doubt, taught by professors who claimed to be Christians. I needed God's Word then. I have seen my own shortcomings, as a young woman in high school who didn't really know what it meant to live a life of purity in action and attitude. I needed God's Word then. I have felt the crushing weight of depression as I counted my mistakes again and again. I needed God's Word then. I have held a sick baby in my arms and begged God for relief from fever, coughs, pain. I needed God's Word then. I have paced and rocked and sang myself silly with a colicky baby and sobbed for sleep. I needed God's Word then. I have witnessed friends' marriages tested, seen my own marriage tested, wondered if I really had known what I was getting myself into as a young bride. I needed God's Word then. I have bent an ear and lent an empathetic heart to a friend's heartache and desperate need for answers that I didn't have. I needed God's Word then. I have looked around me and felt the weight of all I haven't done, all I didn't do good enough, all that is left for me to do, a weight so heavy I want to run somewhere just to breathe.

I need God's Word.

The beauty strikes me and I barely breathe;
I long for You,
You promise to be found.
You are found!
Here in the middle of rising flood
All I must do is need You
I need You!
My need is ever before me

                           Corrie Lawrence
                                    October 2010


You have said, "Seek My Face, inquire for and require My presence as your vital need." My heart says to You, "Your face (Your Presence) I will seek, inquire for, and require of necessity and on the authority of Your Word." What, what would have become of me had I not believed that I would see the Lord's goodness in the land of the living! Wait and hope for and expect the Lord! Psalm 27:8,13-14 (Amplified)


In the morning You hear my voice, O Lord; in the morning I prepare a prayer, a sacrifice for You and watch and wait for You to speak to my heart. Psalm 5:3 (Amplified)

I have set the Lord continually before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad and my glory, my inner self, rejoices; my body too shall rest and confidently dwell in safety. Psalm 16:8-9 (Amplified

God says, "I have swept away your sins like the morning mists. I have scattered your offenses like the clouds. Oh, return to me, for I have paid the price to set you free." Isaiah 44:22

"And I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places, that you may know that it is I, the Lord the God of Israel, who calls you by your name." Isaiah 45:3

You can have the treasure and the riches written about in Isaiah. You must open a Bible, and open your heart to the truth contained in its pages.

Photo by Cheri Bunch