A Dream, a Neighbor & a Jar of Salsa

In this episode, we’re telling the story of Storied Provisions—an idea that sat in Lauren’s heart for years before the Lord brought the right people, place, and timing together. What started as a desire to create something beautiful, hospitable, and rooted in community eventually became Storied Provisions, a coffee shop, bakery, mercantile, and gathering space. But the story is really about more than opening a business. Lauren and our friend and co-founder Sara Keene share how two separate dreams began to converge, how the Lord provided people with complementary gifts, and what it looked like to keep saying yes when neither of them had the whole picture. We talk about discerning a dream from God without trying to force it, doing something *with* the Lord instead of simply *for* Him, and learning to trust Him through closed doors, changing plans, financial pressure, and plenty of moments where we felt in over our heads. We also get into the beauty—and difficulty—of building something with other people: knowing your strengths, being honest about your weaknesses, navigating old wounds and insecurities, and choosing vulnerability before tension has a chance to turn toxic. One of the sweetest parts of this story has been seeing that the Lord dreamed a better dream than we could have dreamed for ourselves. Storied has become a place where truth, beauty, goodness, hospitality, meaningful work, and community all meet—and where the Lord continues to shape the people building it just as much as the thing being built. Our hope is that if the Lord has put something on your heart, you’ll be encouraged to hold it with open hands, invite others into it, and trust Him with what it becomes. **Mentioned Resources** - Storied Provisions - Aesop’s Fables - Edison Coffee Co. **ORDER MY LATEST BOOK** *Becoming Like Jesus* is a book about “progressive sanctification” that takes it beyond church words into the honest conversation so many Christians have navigated. Rooted in the Beatitudes, this book unpacks the lifelong series of highs and lows that the Holy Spirit uses to shape us into a person who looks like Jesus. **FOLLOW and SUBSCRIBE:** Follow Lauren | Follow Matt | Youtube | Website | Newsletter If you’ve enjoyed this episode, one of the best ways to support the show and make sure others find it, is to subscribe and leave a review. Thank You! **Thank you to our Sponsors** Global Christian Relief GCR comes alongside persecuted Christians with prayer, Bibles, and real help so the church can endure and shine as a light for the Gospel. Stand with the persecuted Church and be a lifeline of prayer and support. — visit GlobalChristianRelief.org to learn more. **The Unimaginable** **Some questions only suffering can teach us to ask, and only God can meet us in.**If you or someone you love is walking through devastating loss, **The Unimaginable** is a faithful companion for the journey...reminding you that while grief may never fully disappear, you never have to carry it alone. Available at MoodyPublishers.com or wherever books are sold. **Cozy Earth**  Head to cozyearth.com and use our code **BETWEEN** for an exclusive 20% off. That’s code **Between** for an exclusive 20% off. And if you see a post-purchase survey, mention that you heard about Cozy Earth right here! – *Editing and support by* The Good Podcast Co.  *For sponsorship inquiries, email* [*sponsor@thegoodpodcast.co*](mailto:sponsor@thegoodpodcast.co)