My housemates are very wise

As a commitment to the new year, my four housemates and I sat down together and took a look at the covenant we'd made together at the beginning of the year. Brandon reiterated many times during the conception of this covenant, that it was to be a "living document" and looked at, thought about, and brought back to the table. Even though we had gone from six to five in the house almost two months before that, we hadn't re-looked at the covenant since then. It was a treasure hunt to find, even, since we couldn't remember exactly where it was. I didn't remember much of what was originally put on that covenant- goes to show how little we'd brought it back up together as the living document it is.

So, we looked at it together, after a month or so of sharing our own personal stories- which you can read a bit about here. We have really come together as friends since arriving in Tucson. When asked what its been like for me, living in Intentional Community with four others, who until August were strangers, my response is usually this: "I've been really blessed. I was really anxious about the idea of living with people I'd never met before, going through a new experience together, and still, at the end of the day, having to figure out how to live in community. I could be living with only house-mates, or with house-mates that I have to 'put up with' (so to speak) in the name of community. I, however, have received not only house mates in intentional community, but also close, supportive and loving friends, that I'm lucky enough to live with."
Most of the time we embrace each others personality characteristics. When we sat around our coffee table re-vamping our covenant to fit our commitment to each other as five adults in the house together, this came out in our covenant. It says we'll "Rock together Fridayzzzz."
And, on a Friday in January, all five of us and our site coordinator went to a Presbytery meeting to share with them about our experiences so far as YAVs.

And, to over 100 preachers, pastors, and elders, coming from a variety of walks of life, theological, and political perspectives, we rocked it.

The whole time I was listening I was giddy, thinking, "my roommates are awesome." We are five adults, living in the same house, all a part of the same program. But the presbytery heard five different descriptions, five unique experiences, five beautiful, inspiring and thoughtful stories.

"The mission field is anywhere God's kingdom is not fully realized. And that is everywhere." - Ali

"I don't know what the past tense of being is. But we be-ed." -Luke

"There is love, even in the brokenness." -Meredith

"Not because of a business degree, but because of the power of real human relationships." -Jacob