Hello from New York City!
God's grace is so abundant! Through Him and your prayers on my behalf, I have transitioned here feeling so comfortable, welcome and completely in God's will. Even though I have just been here 4 weeks, I feel as though I have lived here for months. That kind of feeling can only come from Him!
Here's a recap of the last 4 weeks: I arrived on a sunny day after a nice flight. I got to share my testimony with a cab driver (yes, he spoke English) who wondered why my suitcases were so heavy! I saw my neighborhood and apartment building for the first time in daylight. I was very pleased. Josh and Tiffany are the kids I sublet from and they gave me an old, but much appreciated sofa that I slept on the first 2 weeks. I ran around exploring the neighborhood and picking up stuff for the apartment. (It took many trips since you have to carry everything.) One day Kristen, Scott's wife rented an SUV and we made 2 trips to New Jerse to pick up stuff from Wal-Mart and Target. (I have now ridden through both the Holland Tunnel and the Lincoln Tunnel.) My furniture arrived on Friday of the second week. I now have a bed (with storage underneath), nightstand, small table & 2 chairs, 3' wide wardrobe, TV stand, folding bookcase, 2 tv trays, sofa, 12"x17"x6' cabinet and a chrome 4 tier shelf unit for the kitchen area. Speaking fo the kitchen, it's a corner of the room with a one-piece unit measuring 27"x32" that houses a teeny fridge, 2 burners and a sink. This is a lot of stuff for a 21.5' x 12.5' apartment. But is all functional and fits nicely. I have received a vacuum, sofa, wardrobe, and a window air conditioner as blessings. I had some boxes shipped up from AR with some personal stuff, so I have 'furnished' the apartment and it looks cozy and homey. Tiffany says it is welcoming and calming. I'm glad. I'm also glad that she is drawn to it. Maybe this is where she will be drawn to Jesus.
I 'officially' began work on May 14th and haven't slowed down since. There's lots to be organized here in the office and my first mission team arrived on May 23rd. I've met many people, both inside the411 family and in the community. I'm getting lots of names to network with as the411 spreads our ministry through more of the city. I love my job here at the411nyc. I meet new people all the time. We have many visitors in our 'space' during the week. (we call it the space because it's our office, Artist Lounge, Studio and Worship Theatre.) We rent out the Studio and Theatre for rehearsals, plays, etc every day. There's a lot of life touches with each of these activities. We are constantly sharing Jesus with actions as well as with words. This town is a culture all its own. You cannot share with people until you have started a relationship with them. The more life touches we make with them, the closer they are to hearing the 'truth'. I'm working on organizing mission trips for 6 church groups coming up this summer, and am working on getting more churches involved in coming up to touch lives with us. I also encourage the411 family to serve regularly. All these things I love doing. (Thank you Father)
I am very comfortable with the subway and bus system here. And I love walking. I don't miss driving one bit! It all feels natural. It takes about 30 minutes to get to or from work on the subway or the bus or even walking. There is a market at the end of my block, so I just trot down there and pick up a couple bags of food and waddle back home. My neighborhood is pretty quiet. It's right behind Lincoln Center and near Julliard and a couple of High Schools for the Performing Arts. There is also a branch of my new bank, a library branch and some stores within a couple of blocks. There's a fire station nearby, too. And a small park next door to my building.
I miss seeing your loving faces. I'm comforted knowing that my church family is loving me and praying for me. I do hope that many of you will get the chance to come to NYC to see our ministry and to experience what you have partnered with by supporting me with money and prayers. This is your mission experience too, and I want to be faithful in keeping you informed and involved. God has blessed me greatly through you.
Here are some PRAISES to celebrate with me:
- Safe travel as I moved here and got settled in
- Easy transition (so far) into my new life style. Only God could make me feel this comfortable so quickly!
- Missions work that I so dearly love
- A staff that I feel very connected to
- A safe, comfortable 'home' in conditions that anywhere else would not feel sufficient
- A continuing sense of peace. I really feel God's presence as I travel down the streets of this city
- The boldness that God has applied to my life here as I yearn to love and share with others
- You, my faithful church family 'back home', who make me feel loved and supported
- And most importantly, our Awesome Father who created us, equips us, loves us, encourages us and sustains us
- At a shelter, I met a homeless young lady named Codi. She is at the end of her rope. She has 3 kids, all of which live with their various fathers in other states. She needs a job and a new beginning in her life. My 'mission assignment' that day was to help her with job search and resume writing. She gave me her cell number and I'm trying to keep in touch with her and have her spend some time here at the space. Maybe she will come to know my Jesus.
- Josh & Tiffany, the kids I sublet the apartment from. They are 20-somethings who are looking for their big breaks. We had a good relationship going and they are observing how a person who trusts God lives. Pray that I will be a good witness to them and that they will see God through the ups and downs of my life.
- There are some kids in the neighborhood who need lots of love and attention and especially Jesus. They come over to visit often. Their names are Malina, Melvin, Charmain, Destiny, Jasmine, Lonnia. They are in grades 3-6. Pray I will be a good role model and mentor to them.
- I've met a few of the maintenance guys who work in my building. Pray for a growing relationship with them so I can share Jesus. Junior and Eduardo are the ones I run into the most.
- The411nyc staff: Scott, Danny, Kirsten and me
- 411 church family with specific needs right now: Ricky, Keith, Anna Beth
- Future staff members we are praying/searching for: Worship leader, Space manager, Teaching pastor
Living area ( before) , Sleeping area (before) , Entrance & Kitchen Corner (before)
Living Area (after), Sleeping Area (after), Kitchen Corner (entrance to right)
Bathroom, My door. Courtyard in middle of building
playground between my building and housing project next door, my fridge/sink/stove
No comments:
Post a Comment