Coffee

A couple of years ago I ran a small internet-based coffee business called Five-Sided Coffee. I get excited about lots of things (finding a quarter, all you can eat buffets, college bowl season, etc.) but there are only a few things I am truly passionate about, and coffee is one of those things. After watching a man roast coffee beans and then brew them right in front of me while on a trip to Sudan a few years ago, my journey into roasting coffee beans began and it's never slowed down.

After the birth of our fourth child Emme, I didn't possess the necessary time to maintain Five-Sided Coffee anymore, not to mention that now that there were 6 members of my family the "Five" aspect of the business was now outdated. But ever since I shut it down two years ago, I have thought about the coffee business often. One of my primary goals for custom roasting coffee was to be able to give away many of the proceeds to various ministry projects around the world. And while I wouldn't say that I generated an enormous amount of profit I was able to give to some worthwhile and God-honoring organizations both at home and abroad. Plus, I made some really great coffee.

This past year I have had numerous requests from past customers for more of my coffee and, after some serious time in prayer about it, I am happy to announce that in the near future the coffee roasting business will once again kick off in the Griggs' house. The new name of the company will be 521 Coffee, based upon my favorite passage of Scripture in 2 Corinthians 5:21, "He made the One who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." I will roast primarily coffee from Uganda and Guatemala, although it will vary some throughout the year as the harvest times for some of the beans varies, which affects availability. And a substantial portion of the proceeds will go directly back into gospel-centered ministry in strategic locations in third-world countries (I am working on partnering with specific organizations so that I can report directly back to you what God is doing through the profits of 521 Coffee).

Stayed tuned for the grand opening of 521 Coffee at 521coffee.org (it's not up and running yet but it will be soon). Pray for me in this because it's more than just a business venture - it's a ministry that I pray gives all glory to God. And if you live close by, you can always come back and enjoy some samples of the latest batch.