Hi Rose Buddy! It has been seven years in the Big Apple and boy what an impactful seven years it has been! So poetic that the actual day falls on a Sunday this year and Sunday’s are now my blog post days. Also, seven means completion and what I am definitely “completing” is starting a year depressed, defeated, and anxious! This year I am hopeful, trusting God more, and encompassing His Joy. I thought it would be perfect to pick a word to describe the seven years I have been here and that word is crazy! Journey with me as I discuss each bit of crazy that has been my residence in New York.

It has been crazy good! New York is definitely one of those places where you either hate it or love. Now, there are some things I hate and love about it, but overall my stay has been crazy good. Obviously, I am still here, right? It has so much culture and enough things to do to capture anyone’s interests. Yes, it is a busy place, but with the right people it is easy to get your pockets of peace. Secondly, it has been some crazy times. We all are coming out of one of the craziest periods in history. Outside of the big panini we were all in, I have faced some huge obstacles that only God could help me endure and gain wisdom from it. With everything I have faced, I have had crazy support! Such a blessing to uproot myself from my home state and find another home on the other side of the country. From church family to my fiancé to sisterly friendships and coworkers, the support I have received while living here has been a true God sent!

This was also a time where I have exercised crazy faith! Even moving to New York was crazy seeing how I had little funds, but my faith outweighed my present circumstance. It is by that heart towards God that I pray I continue to live. I have certainly seen some crazy people! Working in the medical field now, I see all types from all over and boy does this world need Jesus. To put it nicely, there have been quite a few characters that have crossed my path. Believe everything you see on social media if you never been here. People are nuts. There has been crazy timing as well. The way certain things have unfolded for me has been nothing but God. All I can do is sit back and laugh as I look over the past years. From job opportunities to meeting and dating my now fiance has God’s hand all over it. Even the two church homes I have had since being here are apart of divine timing. I left one to join another without the first church harboring any resentment or anger. The love has never felt stale or lack luster because we are still family in Christ and I love that!

Last, but certainly not least, crazy Joy has to be the sealer of this all. It has been the astounding Joy of The Lord that has strengthen my back to face every mountain before me. God has given me a Joy that helps others in their walk while He holds my hand for mine. Everything that I have been through thus far should have sure taken me out, but God! It was His Joy that showed up in dreams. It was His Joy that sang across my lips over my mother’s hospital bed after she transitioned. It was His Joy that allowed me to still flip those pages in His Word with tears in my eyes. I am thankful for seven crazy joyful years with the Lord and ready for what He has in store for 2023.

Until next time, Peace!