The Story Behind Soul Care Café, Part 1
On January 25, 2023, I woke up from a curious dream.
The setting was a quaint downtown—the type you’d expect to see in a Hallmark movie about a big-city executive who comes home for the holidays and unexpectedly reunites with an old flame. In the dream, I walked down a stereotypical Main Street with historic brick buildings and recessed storefronts. I approached a shop with a Space for Rent sign in the window and went inside to look around.
As I surveyed the hardwood floors and exposed brick walls, I began to wonder what sort of business I might open there. A coffee shop? Tea room? Maybe I’d sell specialty cookies. Then I noticed some doors off a hallway to the left. “Those will be the counseling offices,” I thought to myself, matter-of-factly.
Suddenly, a feeling of panic washed over me as I realized I couldn’t afford a venture like this. It felt completely unattainable, yet I felt compelled to make it happen.
When I woke up, something told me this was no ordinary dream. It was so vivid—so specific—and it had nothing to do with anything going on in my life at the time. Though I’ve always had an entrepreneurial bent, I never aspired to running a brick-and-mortar business. My plan was to build some sort of online platform that would allow me to work from home and be my own boss—just me and my computer—no employees, no rent, no worries.
Still, I couldn’t help but play the dream over in my mind. I decided to share it with my sister, Lynndsi, and her response added another layer of intrigue: “Did I ever tell you about my idea for a counseling center combined with a coffee shop?”
She had not.
That was all it took for the brainstorming to begin. Neither of us was a licensed counselor, but Lynndsi was a trained coach, so we decided we could start there. We imagined a place where people of all ages and walks of life felt seen and supported. A place to gather and a place to grow. Admittedly, we didn’t really believe that this dream would materialize, but it was fun to pretend.
What happened three months later shifted our perspective.
My team at work had a meeting to discuss the results from our Working Genius assessments. If you aren’t familiar with Working Genius, it’s a tool that helps people identify the type of work that aligns with their gifts. Since we were a team of creatives, it was not surprising that we all scored high in either wonder or invention. As we discussed our shared passion for developing new ideas, my boss casually mentioned that she and her husband were looking into the possibility of opening a coffee shop that also offered coaching services.
Say what?!
My jaw dropped as I listened to her describe the same concept my sister and I had been concocting. I would later find out that my boss had been inspired by a dream, too.
And that’s when I knew—without a doubt—this was no ordinary dream.
It was a God dream.
Stay tuned for part two, coming soon!
