What is it about downtown that makes me feel like John Eldredge? For those who don't get the reference, the majority of this entry will make no sense...well maybe it will.
I do enjoy being outside. I love camping and I enjoy a good hike. I do enjoy the mountains though I'm not too inclined to carry a pocket knife at all times or attempt to round up my meals with only my bare hands and my multi-tool (I do own one).
Though I do enjoy the outdoors, I actually sense myself "coming alive" when I am wandering the streets of midtown Chicago, San Fransisco, or Sacramento. Something about being in the big metropolitan city atmosphere that makes me feel like Hiro on the first season of "Heroes" the first time he shows up in Times Square. I feel like that every time. I want to say hello to every uninterested city-dwelling passerby because everyone should be so excited to be there.
I like walking blocks at a time to a small "swanky" coffee shop to sit and read by the storefront window.
I like walking along with my white earbuds connecting my ears to my front jeans pocket.
I like finding a parking place (don't too much enjoy the search for one).
I enjoy old houses, studio apartments, and flats.
I enjoy small independent business among large corporate business.
I enjoy small city parks that almost feel like the mayor is playing a real life version of sims city where the city is dying of low oxygen and lacking recreation.
I enjoy diversity.
I enjoy visiting places "Christians don't normally go".
I enjoy endless individuals, which represent endless relationships I could have.
I enjoy that thing in my heart that leaps at the vision of me getting to know a lot of people in this room, this coffee shop, this park, this city. It is that thing that leaps within me to think about how many friendships I could create down here, and how many of those friendships could lead to a difference made in how someone sees Christians.
How many people could I meet downtown that could one day be talking to someone else who says, "I hate Christians. All Christians are..." Could the people I meet say to their friend, "Well, I actually have this friend I met at the coffee shop who is different than that."
My heart leaps at the possibility of building life-changing friendships before or even instead of converts.
There are so many friendships to be had downtown, and I would love to see people come to Christ, but there are a lot of people who need to trust Christians before they will ever trust Christ.
Now I am wild at my heart to make that a reality in a place where I feel God's pleasure on my heart every time I am there.