Today, one of my favorite poets Maya Angelou passed away at the age of 86. Today’s Hump Day Happiness is her poem, “Phenomenal Woman”. This poem. Wow…this poem. When I first read “Phenomenal Woman” I was struggling with my identity as a black woman, trying to own this curvy figure, and questioning my value in the world. I wondered if I’ll even feel comfortable in this brown skin, then I read Angelou’s words and a whole world of self-acceptance and... Read more
I almost didn’t start a blog. I love writing and I love community, but blogging? Not so much. Several years ago, my attitude towards the whole blogging world was very hostile. So much so, that when a good friend suggested I start a blog after we sat for a while to discern God’s desire to use my love of writing for the Kingdom— I nodded politely and then told my husband that evening, “He is crazy, if he thinks... Read more
I almost didn’t start a blog. I love writing and I love community, but blogging? Not so much. Several years ago, my attitude towards the whole blogging world was very hostile. So much so, that when a good friend suggested I start a blog after we sat for a while to discern God’s desire to use my love of writing for the Kingdom— I nodded politely and then told my husband that evening, “He is crazy, if he thinks... Read more
Last week, I read an article called, “5 Things Christians Should Stop Saying”. As a millennial, I resonated with each phrase and hoped more good-intentioned evangelicals would think through some of the implications of insider language like, “God’s plan” or “first world problems”. When I began to embrace Anabaptist thought, I slowly removed Christianese pet phrases like, “Too blessed to be stressed” or “God has a plan” from my vocabulary. My none-but-Jesus hermeneutic just can not reconcile the trite... Read more
Last week, I read an article called, “5 Things Christians Should Stop Saying”. As a millennial, I resonated with each phrase and hoped more good-intentioned evangelicals would think through some of the implications of insider language like, “God’s plan” or “first world problems”. When I began to embrace Anabaptist thought, I slowly removed Christianese pet phrases like, “Too blessed to be stressed” or “God has a plan” from my vocabulary. My none-but-Jesus hermeneutic just can not reconcile the trite... Read more
Welcome to Hump Day Happiness! On Wednesdays, I like to share one thing that inspires joy, happiness, connection, and ALLTHEWARMFUZZYFEELINGS. And this Ted Talk invokes ALLTHEFEELINGS. My Friends, please meet my new favorite poet: Sarah Kay. Right! Right? She has a performance in NYC this month that I’m so hoping to attend. In case you’re wondering my answers from the question in the Ted Talk, My 3 things I know to be true are: 1: Contentment is a choice,... Read more
Hello Friends, Welcome to the second edition of our new series, “Hump Day Happiness”! Every Wednesday I’m going to post one thing that inspires joy, happiness, connection, and ALLTHEWARMFUZZYFEELINGS. In honor of Mother’s Day, today’s come from “The Liturgists” new compilation of amazingness, “God Our Mother”. I learned about this album yesterday when, “The Brilliance” shared it on Facebook and now I’m officially in love with “The Liturgists”. Growing up Assembly of God, I never experienced liturgy, it... Read more
Mother’s Day is coming! This will be my twelfth Mother’s Day. Usually, my Mother’s Days look like, the family gives me cards (the kids are always hand-made, TC’s are always from papyrus, my favorite card store), we go to church, I get a carnation, we go out for lunch. Sometimes, if I’ve dropped enough hints, my husband will “surprise” me that one thing I’ve been putting off buying but wouldn’t voluntarily spend money on. I think this is a... Read more
Mother’s Day is coming! This will be my twelfth Mother’s Day. Usually, my Mother’s Days look like, the family gives me cards (the kids are always hand-made, TC’s are always from papyrus, my favorite card store), we go to church, I get a carnation, we go out for lunch. Sometimes, if I’ve dropped enough hints, my husband will “surprise” me that one thing I’ve been putting off buying but wouldn’t voluntarily spend money on. I think this is a... Read more
This post is part one of a series of lessons I learned last night at and on the way home from seeing, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater . Confession: I wrote this post in my mind last night as I went to bed last night. Then when I saw today’s FMF word was: Mess, I knew I wanted to try to write my story in five minutes for y’all. And Ok…I failed. I wrote this in 15 minutes. But in... Read more
Shalom in the City
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