This morning, I heard Pastor Jamal Bryant say, "Planes that land safely never make the news. It's only the planes that crash." I had to listen to that several times because it struck a chord in me. I thought about how life can sometimes be compared to a plane ride. Just because a plane lands safely doesn't mean there was never any turbulence. Landing safely doesn't mean there weren't moments when the plane had to fly through storms, thunder, and dark clouds. Just because a pl

A dear friend of mine shared her God-inspired devotional with me. It is a powerful reminder of God's love. It also challenges us to think about how we show up as believers. One question it asks is: In what area of my life am I trying to earn what God has already freely given? That question has echoed in my mind ever since. I am always asking God why we, as His children, struggle so much with our faith. It's not that we don't believe in God. Our worship, our prayers, and ou

Today is Father's Day. My biological father passed away many years ago. Days like today still sting because I miss his presence. My father wasn't a perfect man, but he was my daddy. He was the first man I ever loved. Many of us have fathers who have passed away. For some, our fathers were our heroes. They were our protectors and providers. We were Daddy's little girl or his favorite buddy. For many of us, our fathers were not present in our lives. We have spent years feeli

Matthew 7:12 (Amplified Bible) "So then, whatever you desire that others would do to and for you, even so do also to and for them, for this is (sums up) the Law and the Prophets." I grew up on this verse. My grandparents would often say, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." This is a verse that has always been a part of me. It stuck with me. I have tried to live my life through this lens. Sometimes, I think I may have taken it too literally. Not that the verse

Discovering My Purpose Yesterday, I had one of the most exciting and powerful revelations of my life. For years, I questioned myself. I questioned my worth, my purpose, and my power. I struggled to accept the image I believed I presented to the world. Doubt lingered in my mind, planted by my paternal grandmother's words. Quietly, I rehearsed her words in my head a million times: “You are too ugly, too fat, too lazy, and you will never be anything.” I questioned my life decisi

This morning, I am in a place where I truly need to understand the heart of Christ. I don’t just need to understand His heart — I need to reconcile His heart and His posture toward me. I am trying to transform my mind to be more like Him, but this morning my human spirit is at war with my spiritual responsibilities. I went back to the upper room for understanding. The night before Jesus’ impending crucifixion. The night He showed the ultimate act of grace. The night He washed

I have heard the story of Jonah and the great whale more times than I can count. As a little child, I pictured the whale as this huge, Moby Dick-type specimen—whose length was as long as the ocean and as wide as the sea, its height nearly reaching the sky. He was ferocious and to be greatly feared. Jonah’s whale was almost as frightening as the boogeyman in my childlike mind. As I got older and gained more understanding of life, the whale wasn’t as frightening to me, but he

Language is more than just a tool for communication. It is a living, breathing entity that evolves with time, culture, and experience. When I think about the words we use, I realize they carry the weight of history, identity, and connection. Have you ever paused to consider how the language of one generation differs from another? How those differences shape our understanding of the world and ourselves? This reflection leads me to explore the fascinating power of generational

Sometimes, I wonder if we truly surrender all of the contents of our alabaster box to God. In the story of Mary pouring out the oil from her alabaster box to wash the feet of Jesus, it can read like a graceful act—almost like something out of a romance novel. But when you really dig deeper into it, you begin to see the weight of the sacrifice. In those times, Mary was seen as a harlot. In other words, she was the side chick, the hoe, the “worthless” woman who had been used an

Another Easter Sunday is here—the day that Christians around the world celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Resurrection —the act of restoring and giving new life. It is revitalization. Revival. Renewal. It is the act of bringing something back to life and restoring its strength. Through Jesus, all who believe are given the opportunity to exchange our old wounds, beliefs, behaviors, thoughts, attitudes, hurts, grief, lack, mistakes, and wrongdoings for a new way of bei

This morning, I reflected on the meaning of Palm Sunday. Around the world, Christians prepare to celebrate this holy day that marks the beginning of Jesus’ sacrifice. As Jesus enters Jerusalem, the crowds greet Him with celebration, waving palm branches in the air. They rejoice in the promise of salvation, believing this mysterious King—the Messiah—has come to bring peace and hope. They cry out, “Hosanna,” meaning “save now!” Many have witnessed His miracles, and their antic

“Bloom” primarily refers to a flower—the state of flowering or the process of a plant producing blossoms. As a verb, it means to flourish, to develop into a healthy, thriving state. It also reflects a peak season of beauty, vitality, and growth—like being “in the bloom of youth.” A very wise sister-friend of mine shared a powerful word with me yesterday. She said God had given her the phrase, “Bloom Again,” to describe the metamorphosis of becoming new in a season of uncerta

Where Are You? Genesis 3:9 : But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” This morning’s lesson was an awakening reminder: God has always been seeking us. So many of us spend time running from God, hiding from God, or trying to prepare ourselves to be “good enough” for God. Yet, God has always pursued us—for love, accountability, and reconciliation. In the story of Adam and Eve in the garden, after they sinned, they heard God walking and hid themselves. Then God calle

One of the things that brings me great joy is waking up early in the morning, sitting outside, and taking in the beauty and mystery of God. It has been a long winter, and I have not been able to sit on my deck. But this beautiful morning was the first time in a while that I could step outside and enjoy my coffee on the deck again. As I sat there, I heard the glorious music of birds chirping. I witnessed the miracle of the sun rising from its slumber. I marveled at the towerin

Lately, I have been asking God to fully transform me, because my deepest desire is to be completely healed and truly free — free indeed. Romans 12:2 reminds us: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…” But if I am completely honest, the more I ask God for healing, the more my mind replays the things I wish I could redo. In the middle of the night, old decisions come racing back — like unwanted reruns of a life I already lived

So much of healing work requires us to look back on our lives and embrace our younger selves. For me, it is embracing my little girl — reaching back into moments in time when she was wounded so I can hold her, comfort her, and let her know that she is now safe. There are so many moments in my little girl’s life where wounds appeared — so many times when weeds rose up to choke her garden of innocence. In order to effectively heal, you have to remember where the injury was prod

I was honored to be invited to speak at a women’s conference, and as I reflected on what to share, God kept bringing me back to the title, "Loving the Skin That I’m In." In my quiet moments of prayer, I felt led to focus on the word “skin.” It became clear that many of us struggle to love the skin we’re in because we may need to shed the old skin that no longer serves us. As we step into new seasons of our lives, it’s essential to recognize the power of our skin. A Deep Dive

Today, God has led me to walk through the steps of my healing journey. Identify the specific areas where healing has not been fully achieved. Identify the feelings. Identify the thoughts behind the feelings. Sit here Process What is it saying to you? Got it, Father. Where should I start? Because as You and I both know, there are so many little nooks and crannies in there. So, I sit. I wait. I listen. “What about your divorces? Your failed marriages?” Oh—so we’re going straigh

Good morning, GOD, How are You? I wonder how You are feeling about Your world and Your children. I realized this morning that I often come to You asking for things—blessings, help, answers, protection—but I rarely pause to ask how You are doing. I assume that because You are GOD, You need nothing from me. But isn’t that a little selfish? If I was created in Your image, and I feel the pressures of life… if my heart aches, if the weight of the world pulls on me, if some days m

An orphan: a child or young animal whose parents are dead. My mother—my mommie—was my hero. She was my mentor, my example, my confidant, my protector, and my friend. She was my everything. I revered her. She dedicated her entire life to making my life better. To me, she was the very image of a virtuous woman. I spent so much of my life afraid that she would leave, terrified that I would be alone because no one could ever understand me the way my mother did. My mother made me