Where the soul leads, magic follows.
I’m Crystal. A mother of three, humanitarian, storyteller, photographer, wanderer, and endlessly curious student of this beautiful, complicated world.
I’ve spent much of my life following curiosity into unfamiliar places. From remote villages in the Congo to communities rebuilding through conflict, from the wild beauty of Africa to the jungles and waves of Costa Rica, these experiences have shaped how I see the world—and what I believe matters most.
“I followed a feeling, and it led me into a life I could never have imagined.”
Somewhere between surrender and courage, the extraordinary happens.
There is something extraordinary that happens when we learn to listen to our hearts.
When we quiet the noise, connect deeply with ourselves, and find the courage to follow the invisible pull toward something greater, life begins to unfold in ways we could never have imagined.
I’ve experienced this magic.
In faraway places, unexpected encounters, extraordinary coincidences, and moments of profound connection, I’ve felt the presence of something beyond what we can see or explain.
Call it the universe. Spirit. God. The One.
“I was never able to accept the status quo. I knew there was a better way. And I would live it.”
Feet grounded while kissing the sky.
I believe there is an intelligence, a connectedness, a beautiful mystery woven through everything.
And when we trust it, when we live authentically, move courageously, and surrender to the unknown, we become part of its unfolding.
Dreams become possibilities. Possibilities become realities. And what once seemed impossible begins to manifest before us.
A journey inward and beyond.
A life lived in alignment with the soul.
An invitation to discover just how extraordinary existence can be.
THIS IS ALL THE MAGIC.
The Magic I’ve Seen
Every place holds a little magic. The countries I’ve explored are highlighted in gold. Click to discover the stories I’ve gathered along the way. More stories are still unfolding.
The Journal
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Mado
When I first met Mado in Febraury of 2016, she was a little over two years old. She was so severely malnourished that she couldn’t walk or even stand. She sat in her mother’s lap, lethargic and still. Her arms barely larger than my thumb in diameter. We were there with a team of community…
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Seven Minutes
SEVEN MINUTES I was living in a hospital in Kananga in Kasai Central Province in 2012, shortly before the start of ASSP. My church hired me to renovate the hospital, but the funding was sparse. My room was a barren, concrete box with no electricity and no running water. Hopefully I would be able to…
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Bright Eyes
I love photos like this, a true representation of the world right now. A healthy baby, bright-eyed and vibrant… and in this case a little confused. It is true, child mortality is high in Congo compared to most of the rest of the world. In 2016 the rate was 94 deaths per 1000 live births compared to…
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The Youth is on Fire
This little girl was making waves in Goma, DRC. She was a young activist for women’s rights and she had just read a poem for her classroom. The look of pride in her face when she was finished was touching. Thankfully more and more girls are finding their voice because of programs like IMA’s Ushindi,…
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The Source
I took this photo on the way down to the local water source in Mutoto, a village a few hours away from Kananga in Kasai Central. I passed by these cute kids who were on their way back up from the source with their full buckets of water placed comfortably on their heads. This was…
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Walikale
I traveled to this little village in Nord Kivu to interview women who have survived sexual violence. The only way to get there was by UN helicopter because rebels have cut off access to the region. You would never know by looking at this photo that war has wreaked havoc on the area for decades.…
Step Into the Magic
A life of adventure, unexpected encounters, extraordinary people, and the beautiful mystery of being alive.
Join me for stories from the road less traveled, reflections on the human experience, and little reminders that magic is everywhere—if we choose to see it.