Hello! My name is Indi-Anna and I live in New York City! I have just moved into an apartment on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. However I’m currently staying in Florida with my boyfriend’s family due to the state of my city during this pandemic.
How are you spending your time right now?
Right now I am spending my time working from ‘home’ – driving to chick-fil-a or starbucks as my daily “big” activity and praying ferociously for all of my friends currently in strict lockdown. I’m enjoying time to slow down and not be walking 10000 steps a day at a rapid pace!
What are you finding challenging?
Other than the urge to not wear pyjamas all day or at least put a half decent top on for zoom calls, I am struggling to not become disconnected to the reality of what my friends are living in in NYC. I don’t want to wait for Covid-19 to become personal for me to then wake up and realise what the state of the world is in and that we desperately need Jesus. I am reminded that he still wants to be invited in to help. Our prayers are so important to him and our nation.
Do you have any tips to make life more fun?
I’ve begun to write poems about my day. It allows me to see the fun in the things that I think would usually be really boring. Sometimes I make the poem into a song too! I also paint what God’s teaching me, like the other day during prayer- it came to my attention that I wasn’t depending on God and I was using both of my feet to stand up- so I painted a flamingo.
What are you learning about Jesus through this time?
I’m learning that Jesus, through all seasons, is over the top kind. Way too kind. Kind. And Kind again haha.
Is there anything transformational you’d like to share with us?
A quick story-I’ve just spent the last 3 months in NYC sleeping on other people’s couches and spare rooms as I waited for the apartment that God was preparing for me. During this 3 month period of being in other people’s spaces- I must’ve only used one glass to drink my water out of and maybe used a spoon for my yogurt one time? I very much laid low. I was embarrassed- and to an extent, ashamed, of being in the way of these kind people who offered to let me stay. It wasn’t till I stayed with my mentor for two weeks until she picked up that I was living as if I’m a burden to everyone. That everyone is merely being kind to me, no one really wants someone staying in their home right? Well she kindly (but sternly) explained how I was a blessing to her home and that she was honored that I was with her. I replied in thanks and would leave the conversation knowing that’s what all kind people say, I bet that’s not how she really feels.
Well- God kindly gave me an apartment in his perfect timing. PLOT TWIST- I spent a total of 3 nights in that apartment until it was time to pack my bags again (for what seemed 100000 time) and left to stay with my boyfriend’s family in Florida to get out of the City during this pandemic. Ha. God’s funny. I could hear him say- “Now let’s try this again. I’m going to teach you that you are not a burden, you are a blessing”. Well it’s 3 weeks in and I am thankful to be under God’s teaching, because there’s so much more freedom to experience when we begin to believe the TRUTH. It’s taken me 19 years to realise this simple fact and that’s 19 years too long. So take it from me, YOU are a blessing and don’t let anyone tell you differently.
