Omega Espresso Bar

Changes

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The word "HOPE" written in rusty metal letterpress type sitting on a wooden ledge background.
In the waiting…

A change of plans seems to be the thread that runs through each day for most of us lately.

For someone who thrives with a plan, this is a more than a bit unsettling. It can make one a bit cuckoo.

We all tend to be creatures of habit, making sure that much of what we do feels comfortable. Some of it takes place without much thought, because muscle memory is a real thing. We reach for what is expected to be there—whether it is an object, a friend, or a plan in our day. We set our alarm for the same time, grab the comforting cup of coffee, and drive the same route to the same place.

In this time, I have been having a few sweet, yet heart-breaking conversations with a young lady who has been anticipating a life together with a wonderful man. Even at her young age, she has been expecting that the future would be clear and bright with this certain gentleman.

Her plans are starting to unravel and it is shaking her heart. The investment in the relationship has been three years in the making. It is hard for her to think of life otherwise.

Our interns reflect on their lives quite differently.

There is a time in their lives when they can’t even dream of a future, much less one that is bright. Just getting through a day is enough.

“Once upon a time…,” and “…happily ever after,” are not in their thoughts. Their days are struggles, often seen through the lens of abuse or addiction. Regardless of the reason, their feelings strike a common chord: hopelessness.

But, once a glimmer of hope appears—through a timely conversation or even a determined heart—that glimmer grows and our interns start to make plans for a different life. Their early transformation reaches the ears of the Omega Espresso Bar team through our partnering organizations. We are humbled and grateful to have a small part in helping these women journey toward days filled with success and achievement.

My friend who is struggling through a change in plans with her boyfriend is, by her own words, lacking hope. She doesn’t know it yet, but she’ll find it. Because she is trying. She is seeking answers. Even though it is difficult, she is taking steps to find that hope.

Yes, plans change.

OEB’s plan was to have two interns, and a third in process, working right now in our partnering coffee shops.

The plan was to have our annual fundraising luncheon in May.

The plan was…

Yet, the truth is that there is still hope. It’s there for my sweet young friend as she bumps around a bit, finding her way toward a bright future. And while the program part of OEB looks different in this season, the hope for our interns remains the same. As we continue to walk with them, we trust that we will soon be celebrating hope that doesn’t change.

The impact of your partnership is bringing hope to us, to our interns, and to our mentors. Here are some excerpts from their recent messages to us:

“The kids have really been liking having more time together.”

“God has been so kind and gracious to us. I think we are relieved to be together after an especially stressful year.”

“I’m grateful for what my life looks like currently.”

“Feeling so thankful for my life and family, and for the love our Creator has for us.”

Indeed!

He is good. I am loved.

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Image of hands of a potter, creating an earthen jar on the circle

Purpose

One of the Christmas gifts I received this year was to take a class in wheel-thrown pottery. Show of hands: anyone else had a chance to do this?

When I first walked into the studio, the smell of clay hit me like a ton of bricks (pun intended). It is a cold, damp, and earthy smell. It isn’t bad; it’s just different.

I looked around and noticed a circle of pottery wheels, with sloppy buckets of water next to each one. There are also lots of tools there that I didn’t recognize. I was interested to find out how to use them.

As I waited for the rest of the class to arrive, I noticed a guy taking large lumps of clay and cutting each one. He weighs them into smaller, precise amounts. He kneads each piece of clay, placing them all in a large bucket for us to grab.

The instructor has each of us remove our jewelry, put on aprons, then sit down at our stools. I cozy up to my pottery wheel.

The first thing the instructor has us do is to play with the foot pedal, allowing us to get a feel for the different speeds of the wheel. Too slow and the piece wobbles. Too fast and you can’t maintain control of the clay. Either way can be disastrous.

Once I get my lump of clay, I learn that the kneading is to remove all the air bubbles. If there are any air bubbles left, they cause the formed piece of clay to crack or even explode once in the kiln.

I then learned about how to put the clay on the metal wheel. There is actual artistry to this step.

You have to forcefully throw it to the center of the wheel. If the clay isn’t centered, you have to peel it off and re-slam it down. This step is loud and messy. The water from my hands and the clay both splatter everywhere. It is also somewhat therapeutic! Who doesn’t like that?

As I wet both my hands in the bucket of water, I learned that they are not two separate tools, but one. The best execution for molding the clay is to have both hands touching each other the whole time. This allows your left hand to know exactly what your right hand is doing. They become one.

At this point, my hands are wet and the wheel is spinning. My hands are together with my thumbs interlocked, cupping the clay. In this moment, I am trying to remember everything that I had just been taught.

The pressure on the clay has to be both gentle and firm. If you squeeze too tight, the clay comes out between your fingertips in an ooey-gooey mess. If you don’t squeeze enough, nothing is formed, molded, or created.

Once I managed to create a perfect dome of clay, I learned how to “drop the hole.” That means that pressure has to come equally from the outside and the inside. Without the pressure from both sides, you can’t create a vessel. It would not be able to hold anything, and would lack purpose.

Isaiah 64:8 says:

”Yet You, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay. You are the potter. We are all the work of Your hand.”

If you have been a Christian for awhile, it is easier to admit that He is our Potter. Yet, the comfort for me comes from knowing that He is not only the Potter and the One doing the shaping, but that His forming is not random.

He is involved.

He is caring.

He is personal.

He is my Dad.

So, even with the pressures and the discomforts of life, I can trust my Father. I can know that—with purpose and skill—He is creating something beautiful.

Refocus

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“There’s a difference in how you were raised and why you were born…”—Sammy Sherrill

OEB’s founder, Janna Kainos, pointed out this statement above to me recently. It made me begin thinking about life: my own life, our interns’ lives, our friends’ lives, and my two daughters’ lives.

We all have different stories, paths, and moments that have shaped us. But, each of us has the opportunity to become more than what was imagined by our parents, our teachers, our family, our friends—even ourselves.

In the Bible, David, who was raised to be a lowly shepherd, became a powerful king. Of his life, he wrote:

“You saw who you created me to be before I became me!”—Psalm 139:16 (TPT)

I have always loved Psalm 139. On my wrist, I wear a medical alert bracelet because of a blood disorder I have. On that bracelet, I have “Psalm 139” engraved. It reminds me that God knew about this disorder before I was ever born.

That reminder helps me live beyond the fear of the disorder and into embracing each day to its fullest. I work toward becoming the person God knew I could be (disorder and all) “before I ever became me!”

Like my blood disorder, some people have been raised with something they have known since birth that brings crippling fear into their lives. That fear pulls them down into something other than and less than they could be.

Maybe it was a difficult childhood, or a disorder handed down, or a tragic life experience that is significant in their story. It has been this way for some of our OEB interns.

It is amazing to watch these women as they refocus.

They push past what used to shape them, what told them lies about themselves, and what crippled them from living fully. It is then that they begin working toward the strength we see in them, the beauty God sees in them, and what He knew they could be before they ever “became.”

They are women of great value and purpose.

We often get caught up and shaped by how things appear, especially in today’s social media world. Some things appear to be “perfect:” The perfect family, the perfect house, the perfect vacation.

On the other hand, many look at the “broken” with disgust or indifference: the homeless camp, the drug addict, the prison inmate, the alcoholic.

Wrong focus can cripple us.

When we change our viewing lens and refocus, we have a beautiful opportunity to live our lives to the fullest and become all that God knew we could be. We can then step up, coming alongside others and helping them grow into more than they ever imagined possible.

It has been a joy to be a part of OEB. I get to cheer on our interns as they refocus on who they can become. It is hope and renewal in action. It is the beautiful reality of the “What if?” moment in Janna Kainos’ story:

“What if there were a way to show other women with no hope, God’s hope? What if He used my past for His good?”

Janna refocused, seeking to discover who God chose her to be.

She found hope in God. She was encouraged by the “cheering on” she received from others. OEB was birthed out of that refocusing!

For Janna, being shaped by a life of alcoholism and pain brought to life a non-profit organization that helps women from compromised backgrounds to become what they were born to be: women of great value and purpose.

“There is a difference in how you were raised and why you were born…”

Who were you born to be? Who can you cheer on?

Refocus your lens, take a look, and step up!

—Julie Gatewood, OEB Board Member

Image of old vintage camera, shoes, and case on the ground

Verge

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The dictionary defines the word verge as:

(vurj) noun: the point beyond which something begins or occurs.

As you know, some verges are difficult. Others are welcome.

Image of daffodils in the spring snow

We are on the verge of the spring season here in Oregon USA. Seems like we were just watching snowflakes fall outside our windows. Now, it’s time for clipping fragrant daphne as we anticipate daffodils that are almost bursting inside their tight, sunny petals.

I’ve got friends who have been on the verge of much lately. They’re moving to a new state and a new stage of their lives. As they pack up their home, they fill box after box with memories. The change of address wasn’t expected, but they wondered if it might happen.

Does that make it easier or harder? Hmm…

Other friends are waiting for their verge. They feel like they’re moving backward rather than ahead. What was once comfortable and perhaps even mundane is now a place of unrest and unsettled emotions.

Life does that. Life surprises, placing us on the verge of bitter cold and the warming sun.

Both.

And.

In the past few months, we’ve witnessed this truth in our sweet interns. Once, their lives seemed normal and seemingly comfortable. Yet now, it’s unsettling for them. They are beginning to realize that the abuse they have endured both poisons and destroys.

In stark contrast, Omega Espresso Bar has the honor of working with partners like Divine Threads and Domestic Violence Resource Center to collectively bring hope and healing. (We’ll be sharing more about these exciting partnerships at our upcoming 2019 Luncheon. Please join us!)

As we mentor a woman right now who is considering her next season, she is weighing what once was against what can be. She’s on the verge: something new and hopeful is on her horizon. She can leave the self-loathing titles and the unspeakable experiences behind.

And still, she is full of questions and natural fear.

From our perspective, we can see beyond, to the other side for her, even though she’s not yet there. She’s still trying to settle in with the new. She is boxing up her past, hopeful yet apprehensive about what lies ahead.

It is an honor to walk through this space alongside her. It is beautiful. We are grateful to see her growth and we smile with her at her bright future.

If that sunny daffodil stayed under the snowy ground, we couldn’t appreciate its beauty!

Feeling Full

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Feeling full?

It could be you’re having a full week. Or maybe you’ve got a full tummy. Perhaps like us, your heart is full.

Omega Espresso Bar is wrapping up a really cool year. We look back with enormous gratitude for all of you and what you’ve done in these women’s lives. We are “s’mitten” with you, our partners!

Woman making heart symbol with snowy hands
We’re “s’mitten!”

One of our interns just wrote this note to us:

“I had a fabulous day at work today. Thank you for everything.”

—Elizabeth

Simple words, yet full of meaning. They come straight from her heart—because of you.

Another of our ladies had this to say when we last met with her:

“I feel overwhelmed with gratitude this holiday season. It makes me emotional thinking about how the Lord has blessed me!”

—Val

Once again, it’s because of you!

You are making a measurable difference in the lives of others. We get to see it every week! We are so grateful. We get to walk along this journey with these beautiful women. They share stories of their redemption and their hope.

It is our joy to give you a tiny peek into Omega Espresso Bar’s mission, happening right now.

As we come to the end of this really cool year, would you consider giving an additional gift to Omega Espresso Bar? You may do so here.

Your prayers and your financial backing matter. They impact real women with real stories in real ways.

We don’t yet know who our newest intern is, or what her amazing story will become. But, we know that there will be room in our full hearts because of you. Thank you.

Uh, Pardon Me?

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The Lord loves and rescues people.

He delivers us from our enemies. He pulls us out of our own situations. He redeems us from our own choices. It is His specialty. He deIights in writing His story in us!

I, Janna, am one of those people who was rescued out of my own situation. Now, I help other women know this God Who calls each of us “Mighty Warrior.” He loves us more than we can imagine.

“Mighty Warrior?” I hear you ask. Allow me to explain.

In the Bible—in the book of Judges, chapter 6 to be exact—the story is told of Gideon. He was working tirelessly and hiding from his oppressors. It’s easy to imagine he was a bit on edge already because of the continuous strife facing his nation.

Out of nowhere, a heavenly messenger visited him. He greeted Gideon and challenged him with saving God’s people.

As you can understand, Gideon was taken aback. He essentially replied:

“Uh, pardon me?”

Picture Steve Urkel when you picture Gideon. He was not your “go-to” guy for winning in a battle of any size. Gideon was—even by his own description—“the least in his family.” He was also from the weakest clan of the tribes of Israel.

Yet through the words of the heavenly messenger, Gideon heard God ask him to save His people from the tyranny of the evil, relentless oppressors.

Gideon hadn’t done anything of importance yet at this point in his life. He was just trying to get by and survive. (Plus, his résumé didn’t look so great.)

But here is the first thing God said to him through His messenger:

“The Lord is with you, Mighty Warrior.”

In his own eyes, Gideon was not mighty nor was he a warrior. Once again, Gideon (perhaps rolling his weary eyes) essentially said:

“Uh, pardon me?”

Gideon possibly thought to himself “what did He just call me?” as he looked around the room for someone else.

I can definitely relate to how Gideon felt at that time. Here are some names I used to call myself:

“Weak”

“Worthless”

“Pathetic”

I have scars on my arm—the result of my own choices and the desperation of my old life. You see, I was once a cutter.

But now, when I look down at my faded scars I see what the Lord calls me:

“Healed”

“Rescued”

He calls me “Mighty Warrior” too. Just like in the story of Gideon, it is certainly not because of who I am but because of His power of redemption!

Each time I look for those faint marks on my arms I am greeted with His strong words, now emblazoned upon my body:

Photo of Janna Kainos' tattoo

Just as He did with Gideon, the Lord has given me a calling and a vision. His mission for me is to give other women the powerful, good news that God loves them too.

My God calls them and me “Mighty Warrior!”

What is your calling? What vision is God creating in you? Perhaps you need to be encouraged that God loves you. Indeed, He delights in writing His story in us.

We would love to hear from you about the story that God is writing in your life!

“Hello, My Name Is…”

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Photo of Identity word picture

What is in a name, and how does it give us identity?



Have you ever looked up the meaning of your name?

As you know, words have power. I think names have even more power than we give them credit for.

I like to listen to Christian radio as I’m driving around, running errands. (It helps me if I’m singing along about how Jesus loves us all, making it hard to yell if someone cuts me off!)

Anyway, as I’ve been listening, I have noticed that there are a lot of songs about Jesus and His name.

There are songs about the power of His name, the beauty of His name, and the importance of His name. As Phil Wickham writes in his song:

“At Your name

The mountains shake and crumble

At Your name

The oceans roar and tumble

At Your name

Angels will bow

The earth will rejoice

Your people cry out”

Obviously, neither you nor I are the Savior of the world. We are not the Creator God. You and I are, however, created in His image. We are witnesses of Who He is. We are given the honour of bearing of His image.

So, your name and my name matter. And names have power.

”Sticks and stones may break our bones” but words can hurt us worse than ever…

The names we call each other have power. Your given name has power. And the names you and I place on ourselves—those have tremendous power if we allow them to.

Beyond all those, there are the names that identify us when we have been redeemed by God. Here are just a few of the beautiful, strong, peace-giving, earth-shattering, heart-reaching names we have been given through Him:

Beloved

Daughter

Son

Mighty Warrior

His

Chosen

Saint

Blessed

I recently changed my name legally. It represents who I am now that I know the Lord. And I am growing into who He says I already am.

Hello, my name is Janna Grace Kainos. Janna means “loved by God.” Grace (I’m saved by it.) Kainos means “new creation, fresh, something never done before.”

That’s who I am.

Now, each time I sign my name at work, or fill out a form online, or introduce myself to someone new—I get to remember Who’s I am!

What is your name? What does it mean? Who’s are you?

At the Table: Coffee with Cathy Dennis

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Photo of Cathy Dennis

Cathy Dennis, a member of Omega Espresso Bar’s Board of Directors, talks about her conversations with women who are longing to break out of a downward spiral.

Editor’s Note: This article is the fourth in a series written by the members of Omega Espresso Bar’s Board of Directors. Each one will be answering questions or sharing why he or she is committed to playing a vital role in Omega’s story as it unfolds.
______________________________

There is a such a need for the opportunity that Omega Espresso Bar brings. Over the past five years I’ve seen this need first-hand, serving as a volunteer chaplain to the women of a local county jail. For them, sustainable employment is next to impossible on the other side of whatever tragic circumstances they’re coming from.

Women in this difficult situation meet with me on a weekly basis. So often the stories are hopelessly similar. Drugs, alcohol, or abuse each play a cruel part, introducing them to “the system.” Once these women do their time and are released, their options are painfully limited.

Realistically, what can each one do to pick up the pieces of the life she has now? Some have even lost the desire to continue living at all.

A Downward Spiral

To make matters worse, the rehabilation and restitution facilities they can go to are situated in less-than-ideal neighborhoods. The people standing idly on those bleak corners are often the same ones who “helped” these women wreck their lives in the first place. Instead of being situated in healthy neighborhoods where these women might be able to start over fresh, they’re stuck amongst harsh realities and broken spokes in the wheel of “the system.”

Many of them end up right back out on the streets after their release. Homelessness becomes their new prison. Opportunity for true change is nowhere to be found. Many have been forced to sell their bodies, attempting to feed an addictive habit. Abuse and misuse pour their poison into a vicious and often unending cycle.

Recidivism occurs: in and out of one bad circumstance they go, stumbling into another one just as bad, if not worse. Shame and guilt and disease and failure and hopelessness and crime and anger and resentment and… and…

And then it starts all over again.

I have been at the jail long enough now to recognize those who are in and out, over and over again. Some share that they would like to have a different option, but nothing has changed for them.

These women have never yet known what it’s like to have a real job. They haven’t experienced teamwork, developed honest working skills, or been rewarded for achieving agreed-upon goals.

Enter Hope

Watching the transformation take place in Janna Kainos through her life story has been so encouraging. The Lord continues to sculpt her into an amazing woman. She believes in the abilities and rights that others have to succeed also. I believe that Omega Espresso Bar–through her management and business experience–will give these women the opportunity they seek to become a part of something bigger than themselves.

Omega Espresso Bar is not going to be just another coffee shop. Through the possibilities and leadership of the God Who sees and cares for each person, we can each play a vital role together in this story of transformation. OEB will serve as a step in the working world for these women as they recover from absolute brokenness. We can help bring them a sense of accomplishment and an honest reputation–something many of them have never thought possible.

I have asked the girls I talk with if they would be interested in such a place. Their reaction has always been very positive. Many have wanted to know where it is and when it will be open. I look forward to the day when I can reveal that answer and guide them to a place where they can start fresh in a new direction.

By His Power

Personally, I believe this need is way bigger than anything we can imagine, but hey: we serve the God of impossibilities made possible! All we can do is all we can do. And yet, all we can do is—by His power—enough. May we all be followers of His direction for our lives and reach out to those whom He calls us to serve.

So, my role on the board of Omega Espresso Bar is often expressed in silence. I offer my support from near and far, and through much prayer. I am deeply interested in these girls and their well-being, their possibilities, and in the hope of a place where they can someday experience true life change, for good.

And that’s why I’m glad to have a part in the Omega Espresso Bar story.