This past week included many 11:30 PM coffee escapades after a late Urban Impact practice and more lesson planning and organizing for the following day in the clasroom. It included talks with kids new and old and it also included watching all of the other amazing talents that are part of our Urban Impact team. 

At around 8:00, we were running the Spring Recital show one more time to get it right, and five girls came out on to the stage to perform their hip-hop style rendition of four different songs. I could not help but smile through the whole song because it was obvious that these girls could dance and even more obvious was the love these girls were spreading to their audience. 

At about two minutes into their performance, the song changed and and a new song came on. Though I did not know this song, every member in the audience certainly did. Around thirty kids got up to dance in their seats and sing along with the performance. I smiled on the inside with this realization that I could have had 12 cups of coffee prior to this experience, and I still would not have felt the caffeinated jolt I felt while watching every kid dance to the rhythmn. Their excitement would have filled up an endless supply of coffee cups probably way into next year. 

And sometimes I think it seems so obvious to us that it is the caffeine that is the problem when in reality it is our spirit that needs a jolt. You cannot rely on coffee or tea to keep our spirit caffeinated. We need the spirit of love. The spirit of excitement. A spirit that lifts you up to dance. To smile. Without hesitation. Wherever you may be right now, search for that caffeinated jolt. How will you know? Oh, you'll know. It's an energy that cannot be exhausted.