2 weeks-11 books-and a memoir

It was two weeks ago that we left for our Christmas Vacation. True to history I filled up my backpack with books, thinking to myself this break is going to be nice and relaxing with plenty of time to read. At times I can be super idealistic and this was one of those times, I thought there would be peace and quite with 10 sometimes 12 people in the same house. With all the beds full and family sleeping on couches and the floor, three little kids running, crying, eating, pooping, rolling, playing, a TV that was on most of the time. Now don't read into this too much am not venting , I really enjoyed it, I'm just illustrating to you how foolish I was to think I could spend my vacation reading 5 hours a day uninterrupted.
Out of those 11 books in my bag I read and struggled through about six chapters. What I do want to share with you is the memoir that I did read and finish while I was there. It was was New Years Eve and all 10 of us were at Ashley's (my sister n law) work a coffee shop and there was a book shelf that was take a book leave a book. So of course I could not part with one of my eleven books I was not reading so I just took a book. A memoir titled "How Starbucks Saved My Life" by Michael Gates Gill. So it's this book that I would like to share some of my thoughts with you. This book has really little to do with coffee, besides that fact that it is a place of employment, and mostly to do with one mans journey.
I liked that I could just sit down and breeze through this book, just get into this man's story. It is about this guy Michael who grew up in New York he was basically was raised in the upper crust of society, silver spoon in mouth, ivy league education, jobs came to him. He worked for a big advertising company right out of college made six digits salary, traveled all over the world, wore thousand dollar shoes and suits, worked like crazy never really saw his family. Then he got grey and old and after 25 years of dedicated work and sacrifice to this company they just let him go. Because he was old and grey, not young, good looking and full of energy. So then the next ten years he tries to work for himself, has another kid from an affair, lose his wife and house. By now he is just putting up a front of his past lifestyle but doesn't really have anything to back it up. Then one day he is sipping a latte at Starbucks and it just happen to be a job fair there too, a manager of one store asks him if he wants a job. Then from there you can guess. He becomes a barista at Starbucks and learns many great things about life, working hard for the basics, comes out of this upper crust bubble and starts to see people as people, reconnects with his kids, their is racial reconciliation. It was just a good encouraging story to read.
Warning what am about to share with you are just some thoughts that this book has provoked in me that am working through and would appreciate your grace and feedback too.
This book has some spiritual tones to it. I saw a You Tube clip were he said there was defiantly divine grace in his life.
So one might say well "did he come to know Jesus?"" Because that is what it's all about."" If he does not know Jesus he just might be going to hell in a hand basket."
I can say for sure that Michael's quality of life is much better then it was before. So often when we think about people who don't know our Savior Jesus, they become a homework assignment for us. So I ask is it better to go to hell in a hand basket then not? Every single person on this earth is created in the Image of God. Whether that person knows Jesus or not. So we are to love everyone because they all have God's image. Sometimes we get so narrow minded about some one coming to Jesus that we neglect to love, show, and give them what they need to come to Jesus. Why were some many people attracted to Jesus? Was it because He fed, healed, cared showed compassion for them? Now please I stand firm and hold on to tight 1 Cor, 15:1-5, that it is because of Jesus and the work He did. I need to give a reason when people ask for the hope in me (1 Peter 3:15). But also need to show them what Jesus showed. So I'm challenged to not hold back what some one might need in order for the Gospel to come alive. I need to flesh this Gospel out. Thanks for your time, read the book its a good read.
Joshua