Coffee the World and Jesus but not Necessarily in that Order by Ron DiMiglio - REVIEWED

About the Book:

Life lessons and almost irreverent musings from twenty-five years in the global coffee industry

When many Christians take a long, hard look at the lives of the spiritual elite in America, they want to shout, "I don't want to be like that!" Ron DeMiglio knows how they feel and he's not afraid to do the shouting—even when those shouts are sometimes directed at himself.

Coffee, the World, and Jesus is a collection of mildly contrarian musings from this international coffee businessman who happens to love Jesus. In these humorous vignettes about the relational, flawed, unwavering faith Ron clings to, readers will find glimmers of their own daily struggles to reflect Christ in a fallen world. For the religiously cautious, the disillusioned, and jaded followers of Christianity, this is a refreshing look at how God reveals Himself to be so much bigger than politics, dogmas, or western influences.

Ron's sidesplitting series of stories about how he found his spiritual groove smack-dab in the middle of his God-breathed, coffee-scented uniqueness will appeal to readers looking for a quick bite of spiritual growth with their next latte.

My Thoughts:

“I was made in God’s image.  I was not asked to make God into the image of my knowledge, politics, heritage, or cultural familiarity.”  (p. 122)

Ron DiMiglio may be a coffee connoisseur who has traveled the globe building an international coffee brand, but he has a faith that is as raw and real as the coffee beans he roasts and drinks.  To read his book is very much like the dark, hearty brew he sells – it lures you in with words that are bold and enticing.  He shares his life experiences through the lens of his personal relationship with Christ, but also through a solid foundation of who he is in Christ.

I felt as though I’d been sitting in a coffee shop with a close friend as I read DiMiglio’s book. I would get totally engrossed in the story he was relating to me and WHAM! Truth would smack me in the heart and I’d pause and say (sometimes out loud), “Wow! That was good!”  His insights gained through his experiences in the coffee industry place a magnifying glass on the day to day reality of living life as we were created to do – in the image of our Creator, uniquely designed to show His reflection to the world.

I think this book is going to speak clearly to a generation desperate to hear a realistic daily dose of faith.  My 24-year-old son actually read this before I did and enthusiastically encouraged me to give a copy to his brother.  He even read many chapters aloud to me on a road trip, and kept exclaiming over every  chapter and how he was encouraged to walk out his own faith journey in practical ways.

This is a unique book, and I think God will use it to create a hunger for a deeper relationship with Christ – especially in a generation that is already walking away from Christ in massive numbers.  I highly recommend this book!  It will challenge and encourage you in surprising ways! 

About the Author:

Ron DeMiglio is the former president and owner of Eko Brands, LLC. The past twenty-five years of his life have centered around coffee as he traveled around the world. Coffee, the World, and Jesus, but Not Necessarily in That Order, is his first book.