Faith & Encouragement

It was 2012. I had just moved to the Bay Area from Los Angeles to start a new chapter in my life. I was sitting in the front room of my new apartment and just finished a phone call that left me feeling a bit frustrated and discouraged. Little did I know, that one phone call was the start of…

Imagine walking along a dirt road on a journey of justification when a flash of light comes from the heavens and scares you and your companions. You drop to your knees and cover your head in fear of what might befall you. As you quiver on the ground, with your eyes squeezed shut and shaken to your core, you hear…

Have you ever had a new, unexpected experience and thought to yourself, I need more of this in my life!? Or whispered to yourself, I don’t know what I’m doing here but it just feels right!? Well, after doing a mental check-in as we near the end of the year, I realize how I’ve had more of these moments than…

I love Saturday mornings. There is nothing like sleeping in on a Saturday morning with no appointments, no deadlines and no particular place to be. These are the mornings that I like to make me a sweet cup of coffee, sit down with my Bible and journal and just commune with God. I position myself to receive a word from…

Welp. Here we go again. I know what this is. I wasn’t expecting it so soon. Dang homie. I have gone another year without a real date. Shocker, right? Not really. I’ve been through this before. (Remember my two-year period with no date, no kiss, no nothing?). While I don’t prefer these moments, it is what it is. I’ve surrendered…

I was catching up with a dear friend of mine after church and she asked me a question that stopped me in my tracks. I was explaining how this season of my life has allowed me to develop a deeper relationship with Christ. I’ve heard His voice more clearly and have a fresh perspective on this time of preparation. I…

I was scrolling through social media when I should have been somewhere writing. I knew I had no business being on there because, in a matter of minutes, I saw at least six announcements about wedding engagements. Six! I saw acquaintances from high school getting engaged, with kids in tow. I saw people I knew from church get engaged. I…

As I sit here munching on cauliflower pizza, I think, “my, how have things changed!” I went from indulging in buttermilk biscuits every Wednesday to working out five times a week as part of my new fitness program. We have all heard about the different fad diets out there. Whether its tea, shakes or something else on social media, it’s…

I sat at a round table covered with a lavender tablecloth and decorated with a simple flower centerpiece. Six other women sat with me and we were preparing to share our prayer requests. Spring was in full bloom so the days were longer and the weather warmer. For the past four weeks, we met every Tuesday evening for a six-week…

I grew up in an old school Pentecostal church where the women weren’t supposed to wear pants, make-up, earrings or anything that could make them more attractive. For those who weren’t rocking synthetic wigs, they had traditional hairstyles (read: boring hairstyles) or were told not to cut their hair. I recall a certain Sunday school teacher once frowned at me…