#ncwa

Friendliness comes in many forms, but in a city like Seattle, I didn't expect to find many of them. When the population of a place doubles and triples in less than a decade (thanks to Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Boeing, etc.), and when that place is wedged between two large bodies of water (the bay and Lake Washington), people start to get a little edgy. Especially when that place's is extremely progressive ideals ("socialist idiots," as I heard someone call their governing body) only worsen the swelling homeless population (aka they're given clean heroine needles and get out of jail free cards), further exacerbating the turbulent dichotomy of elitists literally rubbing shoulders with the destitute and adding to the overall crankiness and distrust. So as I said, when this country boy from the Midwest boarded my flight for the Emerald City, I didn't have high hopes. But as it turns out, I was completely wrong.

From the moment a man named Patrick picked me up at the airport, the faculty, staff, volunteers, and attendees of the NCWA Renewal Writers Conference treated me like family. And for those of you wondering, that should be a good thing. Gratitude and graciousness flowed from those who had paid me to come out and talk about what I love. They fed me copious amounts of delicious food, put me up in a nice hotel in a beautiful neighborhood, and even encouraged me to sneak away in the afternoon of the second day so I could experience the greater Seattle area for my first time. In short, there wasn't a single time when I saw a staff member that he or she didn't lift me up and brighten my day.

And as I said, the faculty and attendees were no different. I sat down with many literary rock stars (like James Rubart, who spoke those wise words about Peretti at the beginning of this blog) and fledgling writers, and every time, the conversations were friendly and energizing. Everyone there was on fire, both for writing and for Christ… What's that? I didn't mention that NCWA is a Christian organization? Oh, well, yeah, I guess that's pretty central to my whole point. So if you didn't know, now you know. But anyway, like I was saying, I didn't meet a single person all weekend (while at the conference) who acted as if they deserved something from me or were above me in some way. It was as if we all shared a single goal, a single spirit…

As I said, Seattle is a progressive little town, but that's not an inherently good or bad thing. It's the focus of that progressiveness that makes all the difference. Being 2,000 miles away from home, I could expect some ideas that differed from my own. Gun control, taxation and representation, soda or pop—there are times when these issues can turn into heated debate, but only when there's a fundamental difference in worldview. And when you meet a group of people who all believe that we were created and sanctified by a loving God so that we can, in turn, show that love to the world, all of those seemingly important issues become secondary. We begin the conversation as friends and take the time to truly get to know each other. And then, when those hard topics arise, we discuss them with patience and grace, leaving us with hope and optimism instead of frustration and pessimism.

The internet and social media are full of such toxicity that it often takes going out into the world to remember that we're all one people. We essentially want the same things—peace, equality, freedom, safety, and all the other hippie words—but when we try to obtain them the easy way (without making real connections with others in the conversation), we're inevitably met with failure. Our desire to win the debate (i.e. impose our beliefs) overshadows our common goals.

And that's why gatherings like NCWA's writing conference are so important and enjoyable. Everyone there shares a spirit of community, of humility and excitement. And when such a gathering is led by people living in that Spirit, it leaves a legacy. I'll not soon forget the hospitality that I was shown or the friendships that I formed and renewed. The Emerald City may not be ideal for a Midwest boy like me, but looking past its congestion and frenzy has allowed me to find some truly beautiful people and places. And for that, I'll always be thankful. So long, Seattle. It's been real.