Coming Out of the Margins: How to Reclaim Your Space with Grace and without Apology
Life is Not Meant to be Lived in Apology We are all taught to hate ourselves in one way or another. We—Black women, immigrants, divergent …
love
Small Steps, Big Faith Series, 1 of 2: Q1 Reflections- Divinity in the Smallest Starts
I went out with two phenomenal soul sister friends to talk about and celebrate our successes in the first quarter (that’s mature woman speak for …
Heartwork Chronicles: The Journey of Healing and Growth, part 1
In this intimate tale from the Heartwork Chronicles, I unravel the beauty of conversation as a key to healing’s heart. Walk with me through a narrative sprinkled with smiles, laughter and tears, where the simple act of dialogue—both with ourselves and those around us—becomes a canvas for understanding and embracing our true strength. Discover how reflecting on our victories, big and small, equips us to meet today and our tomorrows with a bold heart and a resilient spirit.
Savoring Life: A Journey of Mindfulness, Self-Discovery, and True Unconditional Love
And the single most important connection I have in the world is the connection I have with myself. God loves me. I love me. I love others like I love me. If I don’t love me well, I can’t love others well, either. So I spent years learning to love myself well. To care for myself. To be patient, kind, protecting, trusting, hoping and to persevere. After all, that is the very definition of love in Corinthians.
The Raw Truth of Alcohol Withdrawal: A Detox Nurse’s Perspective
Unaddressed wounds don’t heal. If I cut my arm severely but don’t acknowledge it, it won’t heal, it’s get worse! And healing hurts. After I notice the wound, I have to clean it so it doesn’t get infected and it stings. Whether I apply pressure to stop the bleeding or clean it with alcohol, it’s gonna hurt. But the hurt doesn’t last forever. It’s temporary.
Self Love Conquers Self Hate
I hated the fullness of my cheeks and the width of my nose and the gap in my teeth and my double chins and my uneven eyebrows and the deep chocolate brown of my skin. I distracted others from my face by wearing low cut shirts. “Surely if they notice my breasts they won’t notice me, I thought.” Deep exhale. Deep inhale. Deep exhale.
I hated the width of my nose. The White and White presenting girls at my elite private high school were getting nose jobs for their 16th birthday and boob jobs for graduation gifts. We were taught to hate our ever-growing and changing bodies. And I couldn’t wait to get my nose job. To narrow it. To make it a cute lil tip.
Blooming Insights: Navigating Life’s Thorny Paths Amongst Beautiful Roses
As I prepared these orange roses for the vase I’d assign them as their home, I was surprised when I was pricked by their thorns. …
Unmasking Bias: The “Challenge” of a Two-Syllable Name
Joval. “Joval, like my parents Joel and Valerie.”
There’s misunderstanding. And then there’s this. Contempt. Disdain. Bias. Discrimination. Hatred rolls off their lips as they insist on mispronouncing my name.
From Self Doubt to Divine Truth: A Letter Across Time
For people who play too small, you will always be too much. Too sensitive. Too smart. Too bold. Too courageous. Too much of everything they think they aren’t, but simply don’t know they are. And it’s not your problem to correct. It’s not your concern. Your only concern is God. And in him, you are. You’re only concern is you. Not selfishly, but lovingly. Love your neighbors as yourself. Patiently and kindly.
Just Because They Did Doesn’t Mean You Have To, Too
Just because they hurt you doesn’t mean you need to hurt yourself, too. Just because their love hurt doesn’t mean you need to hurt yourself in the name of love, too. That isn’t love. It’s “love”. It’s struggle love. Hurt love. Harmful love. It’s love from someone who didn’t learn how to truly love themselves, but it’s the love they know to give.