Signs of Hope in a Turn of the Weather

The high temperature in the city today was in the 70s. I love when the weather turns warm in my neighborhood. I sat outside this evening and listened to the sounds of the city. I could hear the sounds of bass systems in cars as they cruised around the neighborhood searching for people to stop and talk to. People poured out of their houses to hang out on the corners with their neighbors. I heard voices echoing through the streets amidst the different sirens that could be heard for miles. I heard buses and trains. I looked up at the stars and wondered about the plans that God has in store for my life. I thanked God for my calling in the city, and I am thankful for the city sounds and the warm breeze. My city comes alive with the spring. Every day is an adventure. I can't wait to meet all of the people that God will bring across my family's path this year. I can't wait to see how God is going to continue the ongoing process of transformation that is happening in my neighborhood. Each year I hear less gun shots, and more children laughing and playing in the streets. I see kids riding their bikes, and adults sitting on their front porches enjoying the sunshine. I see more workers paving streets and fixing power lines, and less drug dealers and prostitutes working the corners. I hear more of the quiet sounds of night and less of the sounds of violence. Yes, I have big hopes for my neighborhood and for the city this year. God is redeeming every person and every place, and my urban family plays just one small part in God's grand narrative. This is the slow process of transformation in urban ministry, and I can feel it more and more with each passing year. Relationships grow, and pain still exists, but God is right here in the midst of all of it.