Beauty in the Renewal

My last post spoke to some of the ways Nate and I's journey has been an illustration of the Gospel and I made the statement that, "True beauty is found in our renewal in Jesus Christ."  Every since God put those words on my heart I have had it on my heart to tell some of the beautiful stories- testimonies of transformation.

There's Kenneth, the first person we met.  When Nate and I first rolled into the Bowery, before we even got inside, Kenneth watched our bikes and sent us inside for lunch and gave us one of his freezee pops.  He is a bigger guy because his heart is so big.  He is full of love and is on the road to finding his identity.  He's 49 but  we are in similar places.  He prays with us at night.  He is trying to find his way and he is depending on Jesus to lead the way.

There's Howard, the Bermudan Danny Glover.  Howard showed Nate and I how to work the desk the first day and has been on of our best friends ever since.  He loves Peanut M&Ms and used to sleep under the Williamsburg Bridge.  He doesn't have his front teeth but that doesn't mean he can't smile.  His smile is beautiful and when chased by his hearty laughter is a loud proclamation of his love for God and transformation.

There's Jason, the gentle in spirit.  Jason got married in Manassas and knows about Virginia.  Everytime Jason sees us he smiles and says hello.  Everytime.  Jason used to have an addiction.  Now he is addicted to spreading joy and love.  He wants to listen and he cares.  His transformation in Jesus is beautiful and you can see it when you look at him.

There's John and Rich, the hooligans.  They are from Brooklyn and Queens.  When Nate and I went to work at MontLawn Camp for a couple of days they went with us and now they are our brothers.  John cuts his apples to eat them because he doesn't have teeth.  When he talks, get ready to laugh, everything he says is gold.  Six months ago, John couldn't stop drinking until he gave Jesus a chance and now he has been sober for the longest time that he can remember, by the grace and strength of the Holy Spirit.  Rich talks out of the side of his mouth, every conversation's end goal is ice cream and every sentence ends in, "Buddy!"  Rich has been to jail six times for the same offense and now he is starting over.  He wants to work at the Bowery as long as they will have him because it has changed his life.  The only time Rich is silent is when he is asleep but it doesn't bother me.  They both wear hats and banter back and forth and are brothers in transformation and their stories are as beautiful as the brotherhood that we now share with them.

The Bowery is open 24/7 365 and is always at work.  It is a mission that operates by God's standards.  We never stop because God never stops.  He has been working longer than anyone else and will continue to do so for eternity.  His ways are mysterious but His ways are beautiful.

These stories are only snapshots and fragments of the beauty of the transformative power of Jesus Christ and the Cross.  These guys are our family now because they have shared their stories with us and now they are part of our story.

Part of the Beauty in the Renewal is that we are never alone in doing work for the Kingdom:

 God's family is big and we are all beautiful.