EP 08 | When a Coffee Shop Becomes a Kingdom Space What if God wants to use every area of your life—work, calling, even a cup of coffee—for His Kingdom purpose? In this episode of the Rise Up Podcast, Jason and Nate sit down with Will Ray, owner-operator of Pause Coffee, to talk about calling, entrepreneurship, hospitality, and what it looks like to be on fire for Jesus in the marketplace. Will shares the story behind his journey from Northern California to Portland, from restaurant life and film school to a Spirit-marked moment outside a taco truck that changed everything. He opens up about giving his life to Jesus, learning how to belong in church as a new believer, and the slow unfolding of a dream that became Pause—a space born through prayer, shaped by obedience, and built to feel different the moment you walk through the doors. A story about trust, sacrifice, and the hidden faithfulness behind what most people only experience as a finished product. Then the conversation widens into the why behind it all: why details matter, why hospitality is spiritual, and how a coffee shop can become a gateway to discipleship, community, and even the church itself. From awkward first dates to Bible studies, mentorships, sermons being written, and people first discovering Rise through a latte. This episode is a powerful reminder that God loves to use ordinary spaces for holy work. If you’ve ever wondered whether your work matters, whether business can be ministry, or whether the small things you do really count, this conversation will help you see your calling with fresh eyes.

Money, Investments, & Building a Life of Financial Freedom What if the way you handle money is shaping more than your bank account—what if it’s shaping your peace, your future, and the kind of life you’re building? In this episode of the Rise Up Podcast, Jason and Nate go deeper into the themes from the Overflow series to talk honestly about biblical stewardship, investing, budgeting, debt, and why the church has to do more than just ask people to give. Jason shares how growing up in an entrepreneurial family gave him an early framework for thinking about money, risk, real estate, and long-term investments—and why the Bible’s wisdom about stewardship still matters in a world of inflation, subscriptions, status spending, and financial anxiety. From Roth IRAs and first homes to liabilities, assets, and compounding interest, this conversation makes a practical case for why Christians should learn to think in decades, not just paychecks. But this episode is about more than numbers. It’s about freedom. It’s about resisting the trap of “symbols of wealth” that quietly drain your future, and learning instead to build a life marked by wisdom, margin, generosity, and presence. If you’ve ever felt stressed about money, unsure where to start, or frustrated that church only talks about finances when it wants something from you, this conversation will help you reframe the whole subject through the lens of discipleship.

What if the place you were trying to leave was the very place God was calling you to help transform? In this episode of the Rise Up Podcast, Jason and Nate sit down with Kristen Friend, Executive Director of Ministry at Rise, to talk about how a casual stop at Stomping Grounds turned into a Spirit-led redirection, a family mission, and a life fully poured out for the gospel in Gresham. Kristen shares the honest story of coming from a deeply rooted church community on the west side, sensing the Holy Spirit in an ordinary coffee shop, and stepping into a tiny young church that her husband knew was “it” before she did. She also opens up about the family vision that once pulled them toward Wyoming, the season away that exposed deeper fears, and the moment God made it clear that the place they were looking for was heaven—not a perfect place on earth. Then the conversation moves into mission, legacy, and what it means to build a church for generations you may never meet. Kristen reflects on raising a family on mission, why ministry joy outweighs ministry difficulty, and how the Pacific Northwest has forged a unique unity among churches that know the gospel is too urgent for petty division. If you’ve ever wrestled with discontent, wondered whether you’re in the right place, or needed fresh courage to take the next faithful step, this episode will help you lift your eyes and see the bigger story God is writing. Challenge: Are you chasing the perfect place, the perfect life, or the perfect circumstances? Ask God to show you where He has already planted you—and what it would look like to stop searching for heaven somewhere else and start bringing its hope right where you are.