Blog 33/ One More Year — Trusting the Season God Is Brewing
Another year of life, reflection, and gratitude—proof that the best seasons are still brewing.
As my birthday approaches and Easter draws near, I have been reflecting on the past year with a deep sense of gratitude. This season feels especially meaningful because it also marks nearly one year since I secured the domain for CourtneyCoffeeChats.com. What started as a simple idea—an online space for thoughtful reflection, bold conversations, and scholarship—has slowly grown into something far more meaningful to me.
It has become a place where my voice, my faith, my research, and my life experiences come together.
At the time I launched the platform, I was approaching the final year of my doctoral journey. Completing an Ed.D. requires years of discipline, perseverance, and faith. Like many who reach the end of that road, I assumed the next chapter would unfold in a predictable way.
But life rarely moves in straight lines.
In the three months since completing my doctorate, there have been twists and turns that I did not anticipate. Moments of uncertainty. Moments that required patience. And moments that called for deeper trust in God’s timing. Yet even in the midst of those unexpected turns, there has also been much to celebrate.
I have had opportunities to speak nationally as well as locally, share insights from my research, and begin building a platform where ideas about higher education, leadership, and institutional change can be discussed openly and thoughtfully. Watching those seeds begin to grow has been both humbling and exciting.
Looking back, I can see how every season played a role in shaping this moment.
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens. - Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NIV)
The Bible reminds us in Ecclesiastes 3:1 that “to everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.” Some seasons challenge us. Others stretch us. And some quietly prepare us for the next chapter of our calling.
Recently, a former classmate reached out to let me know they had successfully defended their dissertation and would soon be graduating. I congratulated them sincerely—earning a doctorate is no small accomplishment. But the message also gave me a moment to reflect on how much life has changed since that chapter of my journey.
Distance, growth, and time have a way of bringing clarity.
Even though my doctoral journey was completed through an accelerated online program, time has created a natural distance from that chapter of life. As I continue building my work and my voice here in Arizona, I’ve come to understand something important: some people walk with us through the chapter that forms us, but they are not always meant to walk with us into the chapter that follows.
That realization does not bring bitterness. It brings peace.
He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. - John 15:2 (NIV)
Another scripture that has stayed with me during this season is John 15:2, which reminds us that God prunes the branches so that they may bear even more fruit. Pruning can feel uncomfortable while it is happening, but it is ultimately an act of preparation. It clears space for growth, renewal, and the next stage of purpose.
As Easter approaches, that message of renewal feels especially powerful. Easter reminds us that new life often follows seasons that felt uncertain or difficult. It reminds us that transformation is always possible when we trust the path God has placed before us.
And as my birthday draws near, I find myself filled with gratitude.
Grateful for the doors that opened.
Grateful for the doors that closed.
Grateful for the lessons that arrived quietly through experiences I did not fully understand at the time.
I am especially grateful for the journey of the past year.
One year ago, CourtneyCoffeeChats was simply an idea—a small seed planted with the hope of creating a space where reflection, scholarship, and meaningful dialogue could exist together. Today, it has grown into something that reflects my voice and my belief that bold conversations can inspire real transformation.
Like a good cup of coffee, some of the most meaningful things in life take time to brew.
This past year has reminded me that growth rarely happens overnight. It unfolds slowly, through perseverance, faith, and the quiet confidence that God is ordering our steps even when the path ahead is not fully clear.
The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him. - Psalm 37:23 (NIV)
Psalm 37:23 reminds us that “the steps of a good person are ordered by the Lord.” When I look back on the past year, I can see those steps more clearly than I could while walking them.
As I step into another year of life, I do so with a renewed sense of purpose and gratitude. The road ahead will surely continue to bring new opportunities, challenges, and lessons. But I trust that each season will carry exactly what it is meant to carry.
Sometimes the most profound clarity does not arrive in loud moments or dramatic milestones.
Sometimes it arrives quietly—through reflection, prayer, gratitude, and a warm cup of coffee. ☕
Remember, bold conversations, brewed fresh - one cup at a time!
Dr. Courtney Nicole Johnson
Founder of CourtneyCoffeeChats
Bold Conversations, Brewed Fresh.
Welcome to The Coffeehouse Collection - where higher education meets heart. Here, you will find Scholarly Sips, Courageous Cups, Life Latte Moments, and Freshly Brewed Reflections - bold conversation and personal insights brewed just for you!
