the storycorps interview is here!

[Approximate video running time: 40 minutes]

NOTE: If you would prefer to download an audio-only mp3 version of the interview (in order to burn to CD or upload to an iPod), right-click on this link to access the save options.

First of all, heaping amounts of gratitude are in order. Sharing this interview is only happening because we had some help. And have we mentioned how excited we are to share this with you?!

Our StoryCorps experience would not have been possible were it not for the orchestrations and masterful maneuverings of God. Christianne and I really and truly mean that; we are both incredibly humbled that God chose us for this experience and that we have the opportunity to share it with you. If you don't know the story, I'll give you the abridged verson. It happened like this ...

Thanks in part to an unrelenting double-tall soy latte addiction, Kirsten makes a totally impulse purchase at Starbucks of the Listening is An Act of Love Gift Set. She falls in love with it and writes a blog post about it to share it with those she loves. She even gives a copy away to another lucky blogger. Marisa in marketing at StoryCorps finds said blog post and informs Kirsten they've linked to it on their own website. Cool!

Fast forward about four weeks. Marisa follows up on Kirsten's original post and finds Christianne's comments, sees that Christianne lives near Orlando. StoryCorps will be in Orlando to record interviews January 10 through February 2; would Christianne be interested in participating?

Okay, now rewind a little bit. At the beginning of December, Kirsten bought a plane ticket to go visit Christianne from January 29 through February 2 (which, in addition to being an insanely good deal, works perfectly with Christianne's and Kirk's schooling schedule). E-mails exchanged between Florida and New York and Washington state with all sorts of excitement brimming over our this most unforeseen opportunity. Would we like to interview one another?

Um ... YES!!!!

And that, in a nutshell, is how it came about. We could not have pulled this all together if we tried and are ridiculously grateful that the opportunity was handed to us as it was. So it is with utter humility, profound thanksgiving, and much prayer we share this with you, asking only that it go forth and bless our friends and whomever else might find it. God is big and He is great. And so we surrender this as offering of love, for Him to do with as He will.

We sincerely hope you are blessed in listening.

A special thank you to Christianne, who spent hours upon hours on her Mac in an intensive labor of love to put it together in the video format for you. We are so happy to share with you not only from our interview, but with photos of the beautiful time we spent together. We desire for you, our readers, to feel included in this since our relationship was reforged in your company.

And a very, very special and large thank you to our friend, Biola alum, and fellow honors program survivor Sean, who is not only a good friend, but a very tech-savvy and generous guy who is hosting our interview in the mp3 format and who has been so encouraging and supportive in this process. Thank you Sean, from the bottom of our hearts, not only for offering up your technological know-how, but for listening and encouraging us.

So without further ado ... enjoy the interview, friends. We are so proud to share it with you. We know that this does not belong to us: feel free to share the love.

blessings & peace ~ c & k