DISCLAIMER: I wrote this blog on July 1st, but didn’t have the time to post it until today, July 2nd. Soooo… Just subtract one day from each of those time periods listed below. :’)
14 days.
That’s how long I have left before I leave the city I’ve lived in for the past five years
13 sunrises left to fill my apartment with beams of sunshine and bring shades of pink to the sides of glass skyscrapers
13 sunsets left to watch from my kitchen, between buildings down Market, or from University City rooftops
13 moons left to bring content to the starless city sky and reflect on the waters of the Delaware
13 sleeps either accidentally on Michaela’s insanely comfortable couch or in the bed that has faithfully carried me through my time in this city
14 rotations around the earth’s axis to pack my South Philly 3rd floor walk-up
336 hours to eat at STARR restaurants and to gawk at the undying team spirit for the Eagles, 76ers, Phillies and Flyers
20,160 minutes to explore the community gardens, gaze at the abundance and variety of murals, and walk the cobblestone streets of Old City
1,209,600 seconds to wrap my arms around the many cherished people I’ve had the joy of living in this city with
14 days until this chapter in the City of Brotherly Love closes.
A lifetime left to love this city, remember this city, and pray for this city along with all the beautiful people it contains.
I don’t know if I’ll live in Philadelphia again, but I am so, so thankful that God brought me here for this season. During my five years in Philly, I spent a cumulative year living in Texas, California and Prague, but every time I left, my heart always skipped a beat when I saw that skyline again.
Thank you, Philadelphia, for welcoming a bright-eyed, naïve girl from the South and turning her into a jay-walking, Philly-bumping, loud-mouthed, Drexel Dragon, water-ice-eating Philadelphian. Thank you for expanding my vocabulary to include jawn, yo, and wawa. Thank you for cheap apartments with animals living in the walls and for ninja bricks ruining my shoes after a big storm. Thank you for opening my eyes to and giving me compassion for the homelessness, discrimination, and inequality that plagues our country. Thank you for teaching me how to embrace and own my creativity. Thank you for sowing me into Christian community and affirming that the Church is, in fact, global and present.
I have 14 days left in Philly, but there’s 34 days until launch.
34 days until I start this journey that God has set before me. This is in no way for my own glory, but His. This is action for the Kingdom of God. This is living as God’s obedient child. While it saddens me to leave Philadelphia, my heart is so excited to see more of the cities God created!
While we are here counting days, I have 20 days left to raise $2,000 more and actually launch to Panama with my squad! If you could pray for me in this fundraising process and, if you feel led, support me through the donate button at the top of this page or pass this on to someone who may be interested in donating, I would so appreciate that! 20 days to see God move mightily as He provides for this calling!
grace + peace
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