I have been meaning to post my address here for sometime yet ... so here it is
ATTN: Tribeca -Brandi
144 E. 44th, Suite 710
New York, NY 10017
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Prayer Request
One of the girls on our project was sent to the hospital tonight. She's been feeling bad for a few days and the doctors aren't sure what's wrong with her so please be praying for her.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
New days ...
Last night as I was about to fall asleep (in our dorm that has spotty internet at best) I remember that I haven't posted anything since asking for prayer about the indistinct funk ... so here goes.
Things have been a lot better. Thursday we spent some time on campus and I got to do Soulariums at City College with Emily (the woman who is discipling me) and it was just such a good time. The group of us shared sack lunches and really good conversation then went our separate ways. Emily and I got into several good conversations and Stephanie and Kaitlyn were able to see a girl who had been sort of experimenting with prayer recently come to Christ.
Friday most of my time is spent doing staff things and then spending the evening in the Union Square area with Tiffany (the other intern) and Carlee (a friend from WU) and then relax and sleep until Saturday - which was the most therapeutic day ever. Basically I spent the day wandering through Queens (where we live) and Central Park with frequent pauses to read and journal and just reflect.
Since then God has just opened my eyes to how much of the frustration and anxiety I was experiencing was the result of spending more energy focusing on these high expectations of all of the great things I was planning to be (and the consequent high opinions people would have of me) instead of focusing first on seeking him and letting him lead me to the actions which will make me who he wants me to be. This has been a really freeing revelation and it has been coupled with some really good heart-to-hearts within the context of our discipleship group (both the small group that I lead and the slightly larger group Emily and I lead together). God has been breaking through some of the walls that were between all of us and already it is beautiful and exciting.
Yesterday on campus at Columbia university I was able to talk very in depth with a Chinese student, and even share a bare bones gospel presentation (boiled down because of a prior engagement) after she expressed how much she was hurting and desiring peace and hope. She isn't sure if she wants to talk further about it, but she has my email address and said she will let me know if she wants to talk. It was the most natural experience of sharing the gospel (with any clarity) I have ever had, and although I would love to talk with her further, I have a lot of peace in her just having space to digest until God brings another person into her life.
Today Tiffany and I were able to begin collaborating on the second project in earnest and we have come to an idea that we are both super excited about (that includes Carlee and Rachel [who are also both excited] and possibly Lady Liberty [who hasn't expressed her opinion])
Ways to Pray:
For continued growth in unity (particularly among collaborative groups) and growth in openness with each other.
Thursday and Friday we have a guest speaker, Sy Rogers, coming to speak and because he is talking about some heavy stuff (a lot to do with sexuality from his highly personal and rather unique perspective) - please pray that our hearts be sensitive to what he says and how that may effect our project mates
The seeds planted through Soularium and all of our other interactions in the city, especially my Chinese friend who is going through a lot of hard times.
My next journal ... smaller than what I normally use but a great size for my NYC living.
Things have been a lot better. Thursday we spent some time on campus and I got to do Soulariums at City College with Emily (the woman who is discipling me) and it was just such a good time. The group of us shared sack lunches and really good conversation then went our separate ways. Emily and I got into several good conversations and Stephanie and Kaitlyn were able to see a girl who had been sort of experimenting with prayer recently come to Christ.
Friday most of my time is spent doing staff things and then spending the evening in the Union Square area with Tiffany (the other intern) and Carlee (a friend from WU) and then relax and sleep until Saturday - which was the most therapeutic day ever. Basically I spent the day wandering through Queens (where we live) and Central Park with frequent pauses to read and journal and just reflect.
Since then God has just opened my eyes to how much of the frustration and anxiety I was experiencing was the result of spending more energy focusing on these high expectations of all of the great things I was planning to be (and the consequent high opinions people would have of me) instead of focusing first on seeking him and letting him lead me to the actions which will make me who he wants me to be. This has been a really freeing revelation and it has been coupled with some really good heart-to-hearts within the context of our discipleship group (both the small group that I lead and the slightly larger group Emily and I lead together). God has been breaking through some of the walls that were between all of us and already it is beautiful and exciting.
Yesterday on campus at Columbia university I was able to talk very in depth with a Chinese student, and even share a bare bones gospel presentation (boiled down because of a prior engagement) after she expressed how much she was hurting and desiring peace and hope. She isn't sure if she wants to talk further about it, but she has my email address and said she will let me know if she wants to talk. It was the most natural experience of sharing the gospel (with any clarity) I have ever had, and although I would love to talk with her further, I have a lot of peace in her just having space to digest until God brings another person into her life.
Today Tiffany and I were able to begin collaborating on the second project in earnest and we have come to an idea that we are both super excited about (that includes Carlee and Rachel [who are also both excited] and possibly Lady Liberty [who hasn't expressed her opinion])
Ways to Pray:
For continued growth in unity (particularly among collaborative groups) and growth in openness with each other.
Thursday and Friday we have a guest speaker, Sy Rogers, coming to speak and because he is talking about some heavy stuff (a lot to do with sexuality from his highly personal and rather unique perspective) - please pray that our hearts be sensitive to what he says and how that may effect our project mates
The seeds planted through Soularium and all of our other interactions in the city, especially my Chinese friend who is going through a lot of hard times.
My next journal ... smaller than what I normally use but a great size for my NYC living.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Part of me was hoping that the hard times here wouldn't be THIS hard (whatever that means)
We have finally started in on what our 'normal' schedule will be. That has been exciting, but things have been kind of hard lately. No drama per say but their is a certain disconnect that is very uncommon for summer projects. Curtis (who is on staff in Denver and the husband of my discipler) addressed it during our first training time and I think some progress has been made. Please pray that we would grow in love and unity.
I think this city can be hard. Ironically, I feel like I have been experiencing more 'culture stress' here than I ever did in Asia, and as I have talked with some of the other women here, I have discovered I am not the only one.
On top of all of that, so many little things are happening to various members of the project. And (yes I know this is silly) my lap top and the wireless network seem to be united against me blogging because one of the two (and often both) tend to crash every time I try to update - at least once. Annnd subways are a blessing, but sometimes they can add their own stress, like when Sarah and I misread the map and missed meeting with our mentor because we ended up in the Bronx or this morning when I was late to meet with the girls I am discipling because I didn't realize that the E -line has 2 stops that are on 23rd street (one in Manhattan and the other in Queens)and when you get off of the one in Queens you can discover that their is a 44th Avenue, parallel to 44th Street, parallel to 44th Road all in a neat little row .... generally I think that NYC is well designed - that is not an example of that generalization (although I share those anecdotes primarily because I think they are kind of funny - they will be even funnier when I have more distance from them).
Don't get me wrong, I really love it here. This is a beautiful place and it is so exciting to be near so many people who don't like and think like me. It is also exciting to be living with people who love God and want to glorify him in all the crazy ways, but life has been hard for me here - sometime exhausting, sometimes overwhelming, and sometimes just an undefined feeling of funk.
This afternoon I was reading in John Eldridge's "Walking with God" and it really resonated with how I have been feeling here, he talks about how we are to use the idea of fruit Jesus talks about with reference to false teachings in a diagnostic way with the events of our life as well, "What is the fruit of what you are experiencing? What is its effect? If it continues, what will the results be? What will be lost?" I feel like the fruit of so much of what I have felt lately is not the fruit God desires for me personally or our project as a whole.
So I guess what I most covet as far as prayer goes is that the events surrounding us and our heart's responses to them will be the ones which most glorify God.
But as an evidence that not all has been bad (by any means) this is my dgroup family sharing dessert and dinner together. It was delightful.
I think this city can be hard. Ironically, I feel like I have been experiencing more 'culture stress' here than I ever did in Asia, and as I have talked with some of the other women here, I have discovered I am not the only one.
On top of all of that, so many little things are happening to various members of the project. And (yes I know this is silly) my lap top and the wireless network seem to be united against me blogging because one of the two (and often both) tend to crash every time I try to update - at least once. Annnd subways are a blessing, but sometimes they can add their own stress, like when Sarah and I misread the map and missed meeting with our mentor because we ended up in the Bronx or this morning when I was late to meet with the girls I am discipling because I didn't realize that the E -line has 2 stops that are on 23rd street (one in Manhattan and the other in Queens)and when you get off of the one in Queens you can discover that their is a 44th Avenue, parallel to 44th Street, parallel to 44th Road all in a neat little row .... generally I think that NYC is well designed - that is not an example of that generalization (although I share those anecdotes primarily because I think they are kind of funny - they will be even funnier when I have more distance from them).
Don't get me wrong, I really love it here. This is a beautiful place and it is so exciting to be near so many people who don't like and think like me. It is also exciting to be living with people who love God and want to glorify him in all the crazy ways, but life has been hard for me here - sometime exhausting, sometimes overwhelming, and sometimes just an undefined feeling of funk.
This afternoon I was reading in John Eldridge's "Walking with God" and it really resonated with how I have been feeling here, he talks about how we are to use the idea of fruit Jesus talks about with reference to false teachings in a diagnostic way with the events of our life as well, "What is the fruit of what you are experiencing? What is its effect? If it continues, what will the results be? What will be lost?" I feel like the fruit of so much of what I have felt lately is not the fruit God desires for me personally or our project as a whole.
So I guess what I most covet as far as prayer goes is that the events surrounding us and our heart's responses to them will be the ones which most glorify God.
But as an evidence that not all has been bad (by any means) this is my dgroup family sharing dessert and dinner together. It was delightful.
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Mako and NYCSalt
It should come as no surprise that it has been an amazing couple of days. We got to hear from Mako Fujimura, who is a Japanese painter and the founder of IAM who has been hugely instrumental in helping artists to engage the culture through their craft and this summer project.
After we got back Jenn Buell, one of the directors who lives in the city to work with transFORM (an arts ministry in NYC with Campus Crusade for Christ), introduced the theme of this year's show - re-humanization. Then we did a show-and-tell of each our art. That was really cool. I especially enjoyed getting to see the paintings Sarah R did - their are a ton of talented artists here but she just blew me away.
As wonderfully thrilling as it has been to start really digging into the art side of why we are here, the highlight of my past couple of days was actually this afternoon when a few of us went to the other end of Manhattan (literally - just for the record this takes a while) to see an art show put on by about 8 high school students involved in an after school program called nycsalt. This is an incredible program that is giving inner city youth an opportunity to spend their time and energy pursuing art instead of the myriad of other choices the city offers. I was incredibly impressed by the quality of work these students created, the dedication they have to the program, and the way they were able to articulate the technical aspects of their work. Even if none of them go into photography, it prepares them well for going into something. In fact, because of his involvement with nycsalt, Ruben, has been able to get a job at the mac store. It is just an awesome approach to intervention - a practical way of using art to rehumanize. It was also exciting because it gave me a chance to meet the woman who will be mentoring me this summer (part of the project involves interacting with a professional artist in your field who is also a believer and sort of learning how they work through that), Alicia Hansen. She seems to be the one who has spearheaded getting the equipment and teaches them every Tuesday. She has even taken them up to Syracuse University which really opened their eyes to the availability of higher education. It is just sooooooooo exciting.
Ways to Pray:
Pray that we be diligent in working on our art. It is easy to feel like we have lots of time that all of the sudden disappeared (nothing new about that).
Also pray that God lead our creative endeavors as we consider what we want to communicate about re-humanization and how best to that.
A lot of people on project (not just our track) have been experiencing unusual and unexpected health problems (including one of my roommates) - so please pray for our health.
Tomorrow we are buying art supplies and officially meeting our mentors over dinner. Pray that we make wise choices as we shop and that we connect with our mentors that we may grow together as children of God and artists.
Ruben explains his piece "No Dumping Allowed" at the nycsalt show.
After we got back Jenn Buell, one of the directors who lives in the city to work with transFORM (an arts ministry in NYC with Campus Crusade for Christ), introduced the theme of this year's show - re-humanization. Then we did a show-and-tell of each our art. That was really cool. I especially enjoyed getting to see the paintings Sarah R did - their are a ton of talented artists here but she just blew me away.
As wonderfully thrilling as it has been to start really digging into the art side of why we are here, the highlight of my past couple of days was actually this afternoon when a few of us went to the other end of Manhattan (literally - just for the record this takes a while) to see an art show put on by about 8 high school students involved in an after school program called nycsalt. This is an incredible program that is giving inner city youth an opportunity to spend their time and energy pursuing art instead of the myriad of other choices the city offers. I was incredibly impressed by the quality of work these students created, the dedication they have to the program, and the way they were able to articulate the technical aspects of their work. Even if none of them go into photography, it prepares them well for going into something. In fact, because of his involvement with nycsalt, Ruben, has been able to get a job at the mac store. It is just an awesome approach to intervention - a practical way of using art to rehumanize. It was also exciting because it gave me a chance to meet the woman who will be mentoring me this summer (part of the project involves interacting with a professional artist in your field who is also a believer and sort of learning how they work through that), Alicia Hansen. She seems to be the one who has spearheaded getting the equipment and teaches them every Tuesday. She has even taken them up to Syracuse University which really opened their eyes to the availability of higher education. It is just sooooooooo exciting.
Ways to Pray:
Pray that we be diligent in working on our art. It is easy to feel like we have lots of time that all of the sudden disappeared (nothing new about that).
Also pray that God lead our creative endeavors as we consider what we want to communicate about re-humanization and how best to that.
A lot of people on project (not just our track) have been experiencing unusual and unexpected health problems (including one of my roommates) - so please pray for our health.
Tomorrow we are buying art supplies and officially meeting our mentors over dinner. Pray that we make wise choices as we shop and that we connect with our mentors that we may grow together as children of God and artists.
Ruben explains his piece "No Dumping Allowed" at the nycsalt show.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
They have arrived!
Just a quick update….
The students arrived Tuesday. It was HOT (even for a South Carolina girl) but otherwise things went well. I am looking forward to getting to know them all – still working on the names and such.
Yesterday we turned them loose to familiarize themselves with the city and navigating it and then met up with them at the Rockefeller Center to get a bit of an aerial view of the city. And then the arts track scattered to eat (we can’t often dine out together because there are just too many of us).
Tiffany and I went with a small group to Chinatown (where I tried a dish with steamed frog and as my Grandpa Ray would say – I’ve had that) before making our way back to the dorms.
This morning we had the extraordinary privilege of have Reverend Peter DeArruda (one of the facilitators of NYSUM where we are residing) giving us a brief overview of the history and mission of what they are doing. It was such a great perspective adjustment – especially now as we feel as cramped as ever.
He talked about how we need to be candle lighters rather than darkness cursers, and then about Numbers 13-14. He reminded us that although God gave the Israelites the land – there were bumps along the way, God doesn’t give us everything on a silver platter because he wants to develop us (it was a lot of the same stuff that was taught at Stacey and Michael’s wedding – it was really great).
We still have a bit more orientation to go through before we get really involved in our ‘regular’ schedule … but before I scamper off –
Ways to Pray
That the perspective that Brother Peter gave us will really sink in and that we will be thankful for all that God has provided for us – even when it feels cramped and hot.
That we will be willing to relinquish our rights/plans for the summer and focus first on God and his purposes.
That we will be of one accord – unified with God and each other, and that we exercise wisdom and grace in the weeks to come.
Also one of the Inner City staff, Michelle, has been having some dizziness and headaches since our arrival. She went to a Doctor who sent her to a specialist and tomorrow she is getting an MRI. Pray that they have wisdom in figuring out what is going on and how best to treat it.
Winthrop at New York ...
The students arrived Tuesday. It was HOT (even for a South Carolina girl) but otherwise things went well. I am looking forward to getting to know them all – still working on the names and such.
Yesterday we turned them loose to familiarize themselves with the city and navigating it and then met up with them at the Rockefeller Center to get a bit of an aerial view of the city. And then the arts track scattered to eat (we can’t often dine out together because there are just too many of us).
Tiffany and I went with a small group to Chinatown (where I tried a dish with steamed frog and as my Grandpa Ray would say – I’ve had that) before making our way back to the dorms.
This morning we had the extraordinary privilege of have Reverend Peter DeArruda (one of the facilitators of NYSUM where we are residing) giving us a brief overview of the history and mission of what they are doing. It was such a great perspective adjustment – especially now as we feel as cramped as ever.
He talked about how we need to be candle lighters rather than darkness cursers, and then about Numbers 13-14. He reminded us that although God gave the Israelites the land – there were bumps along the way, God doesn’t give us everything on a silver platter because he wants to develop us (it was a lot of the same stuff that was taught at Stacey and Michael’s wedding – it was really great).
We still have a bit more orientation to go through before we get really involved in our ‘regular’ schedule … but before I scamper off –
Ways to Pray
That the perspective that Brother Peter gave us will really sink in and that we will be thankful for all that God has provided for us – even when it feels cramped and hot.
That we will be willing to relinquish our rights/plans for the summer and focus first on God and his purposes.
That we will be of one accord – unified with God and each other, and that we exercise wisdom and grace in the weeks to come.
Also one of the Inner City staff, Michelle, has been having some dizziness and headaches since our arrival. She went to a Doctor who sent her to a specialist and tomorrow she is getting an MRI. Pray that they have wisdom in figuring out what is going on and how best to treat it.
Winthrop at New York ...
Thursday, June 5, 2008
I have arrived!
I am safe and sound in New York City. The flight and taxi ride (the latter of which I was irrationally concerned about) both went smoothly and it didn’t take long for me to settle in. Today and the next couple of days are a time for the staff and interns to get everything set up before the students arrive and get a little familiarized with the city (turns out I am not the only one who has never been here before).
Today we spent a good chunk of time in small groups going around the city to pray and kind of gain some comfort and confidence in our ability to navigate. I was with Bonnie, Puc(both Arts Track), Michelle (Campus Track), and Dave (Inner City Track).
I don’t want to go too crazy with the details (I am trying to avoid any more 3-pagers) but suffice it to say it has been good and I am very excited. We are sleeping 6 to a room which should ensure lots of bonding (only one of my roommates, the other Arts Track intern, Tiffany, is here).
Areas of Prayer:
-Continued support raising. A lot of students are hovering around the $2,000 mark of the $3,600 they need before they come on June 10th. Pray that they continue to seek God in this and be proactive and trusting. Also that they have wisdom on Saturday when they have to make the final decision about if it is wise for them to come.
-Bonnie’s (one of the directors) debit card information got stolen before she left Atlanta and $600 of fraudulent charges were made. Thankfully her bank caught it so she won’t loose that but she is kind of in a bind because currently she can’t access her cash – and as it turns out a lot of the restaurants in the city don’t accept credit cards (apparently it slows things down – contrary to the commercial) so just pray that this issue be resolved soon so that she can not have to worry about eating and not be distracted with trying to sort this out.
-Grace and patience as we live so close together.
-Energy for our team – we all feel a little exhausted right now, even those of us not having to deal with jet lag.
This would of course be a more exciting picture without the fencing in the background but all of the good ones are on Mike's camera (I don't get super excited about passing mine off for strangers to take pictures with it - even if it is held together with rubber bands currently)
Today we spent a good chunk of time in small groups going around the city to pray and kind of gain some comfort and confidence in our ability to navigate. I was with Bonnie, Puc(both Arts Track), Michelle (Campus Track), and Dave (Inner City Track).
I don’t want to go too crazy with the details (I am trying to avoid any more 3-pagers) but suffice it to say it has been good and I am very excited. We are sleeping 6 to a room which should ensure lots of bonding (only one of my roommates, the other Arts Track intern, Tiffany, is here).
Areas of Prayer:
-Continued support raising. A lot of students are hovering around the $2,000 mark of the $3,600 they need before they come on June 10th. Pray that they continue to seek God in this and be proactive and trusting. Also that they have wisdom on Saturday when they have to make the final decision about if it is wise for them to come.
-Bonnie’s (one of the directors) debit card information got stolen before she left Atlanta and $600 of fraudulent charges were made. Thankfully her bank caught it so she won’t loose that but she is kind of in a bind because currently she can’t access her cash – and as it turns out a lot of the restaurants in the city don’t accept credit cards (apparently it slows things down – contrary to the commercial) so just pray that this issue be resolved soon so that she can not have to worry about eating and not be distracted with trying to sort this out.
-Grace and patience as we live so close together.
-Energy for our team – we all feel a little exhausted right now, even those of us not having to deal with jet lag.
This would of course be a more exciting picture without the fencing in the background but all of the good ones are on Mike's camera (I don't get super excited about passing mine off for strangers to take pictures with it - even if it is held together with rubber bands currently)
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