VOICE OF TRUTH FOR TODAY
Our Replacement
When God first called us to open a coffee shop that would help victims of human trafficking, we knew the next step was finding a location. So we gathered students and friends and walked the streets of historic Sanford, Florida, praying for God to close every wrong door and open the right one so clearly that we couldn’t miss His direction.
And wow—did He answer.
The locations I loved had serious structural problems or enormous fees. One after another, doors slammed shut. Then there was the building I didn’t want. It was dark, trashed, partially falling apart, and located on a street where almost nothing was happening.
I saw a disaster.
My carpenter husband looked around and said, “I see potential.”
Then he said something I’ve never forgotten: we just needed to embrace the flaws like God embraces ours.
As we continued praying, this unwanted building became the door God opened wide. No expensive impact fees. A Christian landlord eager to help us. Free months for renovations. Everything began falling into place.
“Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act.” (Psalm 37:5, ESV)
That ugly little building became Palate Coffee Brewery—a place where people gathered, prayed, came to Christ, learned about human trafficking, sought help, built friendships, and experienced God’s love.
And God redeemed more than a building.
As a survivor of child sex trafficking, I had once been told by God that He would use my story for good. Through Palate, He did exactly that.
Sometimes we judge by what our eyes can see.
God sees the finished work.
He sees potential beneath the damage—in buildings, stories, and people.
So don’t discount what looks broken.
Surrender it to Him.
God is remarkably good at turning diamonds in the rough into places of restoration.
“With God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26, ESV)
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Excerpt from Voice of Truth Magazine
“Coffee Chat” by Tina Kadolph