Living the Dream

Hi all. This is my first official blog entry.  It seems that blogging is the thing to do these days, and some of you have requested that I start a blog describing some of our adventures here in the Concrete Jungle. I'm always having adventures here, whether I'm at the market buying groceries, riding the train, or having a glass of wine with neighbors. This city is BURSTING with life and excitement! Even the most mundane tasks often become adventures :)

As many of you know, Michael and I have shared a love for this city for many years.  Mike first fell in love with NYC in the summer of 1998, when he spent a summer here with Here's Life Inner City.  Here's Life is a ministry that is put on by Campus Crusade for Christ.  My first experience with the city was in High school, when I took a singing tour with the Owatonna Concert choir. Even at a young age, the energy and excitement of this city gripped my heart.
Fast forward 15 years, and we are living this heartfelt dream! We have landed our family of 5 (YES, families of 5 exist in NYC!) in the Williamsburg/Greenpoint neighborhood of Brooklyn. We love our new neighborhood for countless reasons. Old Brooklyn charm abounds, and artistic creativity oozes from every crack and crevis. Even the street art is beautiful! Or is it?
One thing that has hit me now that I live here is that the beauty I see all around me is breathtaking, to me. It is breathtaking to Michael. But, I don't think it is breathtaking to everyone. I believe we are in constant awe of this city , because we have been hard wired to love this stuff. The hussle and bussle, the packed, shoulder to shoulder train rides, the graffiti, the variety of people, from the hippie banjo player on the corner, to the Italian meat shop owner, to the cross -dresser.   EVERY aspect of this city lights us up, and brings us to life. For many years, I just assumed every human being on the face of this planet had the same love affair with New York. Now, I'm beginning to see that maybe we are wired this way for a greater purpose than ourselves.
We came here because we love it here, yes. But I also think we love it here, because we are called here to help bring hope into the lives of many lost and hurting people. We, along with our dear friends, the Deverauxs, Rachel Larson, and others, hope to begin a movement of missional living in nyc that will bring people into deeper community with one another, and with Christ. Our main objective: Love. People need hope, and people need love.
This is only the beginning of this grand adventure.  I can't wait to see where it takes us! Thanks for listening :)
Peace,
Kristi