Making Waves

I’m currently the youngest adult member at my home church.     The former young adults who once attended eventually stopped coming altogether or ended up leaving due to relocations and different life changes like walking away from the church, a lack of interest, or getting married and having children. So I’ve been riding solo for a while.    When I realized this, a growing desire to connect with other like-minded believers in my age group began to nag at me. I didn’t have a lot of committed Christian friends nearby I could identify with, confide in, or relate to. For years, I’d been praying about where I could find community with a group of women I could connect with who were also Christians (but still knew how to have some fun every now and then) and who lived for the Lord (but also weren’t rigid, preachy, or obnoxious about their faith). In college I had a brief season with a group of young women who kind of fit what I was looking for, but many of them were in thei...

The first time I ever heard a guy refer to a young woman as a   ho , I was a high school freshman.   And the guy who said it was an upperclassman who had just broken up with his girlfriend. I’m not entirely sure what happened between the two of them, but I knew he didn't want anything to do with her anymore. And in that moment, I also knew that I  never  wanted to be called that word. Ever. I would later hear about other girls I went to school with being ridiculed and referenced by that term once word got out about how some of them carried themselves. And while I knew the use of that word wasn’t kind or a good thing to be known for, I had mixed feelings about it. Especially since some of my former friends and peers who fell under that term would sometimes make fun of me for not carrying on like they were and would snidely say stupid things to me like, “You’re a goody-two-shoes,” “You’re not better than me,” and “Well, you know what they say. Good girls...

I think it’s odd that there’s a relationship status feature on Facebook. Years ago, I decided to keep my status private and hidden. And though this may seem like an odd choice to some, I’ve learned that at the end of the day, your relationship and relationship status are not anyone else’s business but your own. You don’t need to be “Facebook Official” or “Instagram Official” to have a happy and healthy relationship. You can enjoy being with the person you’re with and build new memories and special moments together offline. I know this isn’t a popular thing to do, but it’s at least worth trying. If you are spoken for, you can make that clear through sharing photos of who you’re with if you’d like – although I don’t recommend doing so unless you’re certain you’re with someone you plan on being with for good. If things don’t work out, you can walk away quietly and discreetly without taking a ton of photos down, responding to nosey people who want to know what happened, and more. You’ll at...

There aren't too many musicians I purchase full-length albums from these days. But when I found out about H.E.R.? I was sold. This. Girl. Is. Fire. And she’s one of a kind. She’s all kinds of #BlackGirlMagic – she writes, sings, and plays the guitar and has dropped smash hits like   Focus  and the socially conscious track   I Can’t Breathe  that dropped during last year’s Black Lives Matter movement. Her latest release,   Back of My Mind , sounds and feels like a private journal gone public with words and melodies from a young woman who’s not afraid to speak her mind and express what she wants and how she feels. Her work, vulnerability, and down-to-earth vibe remind me so much of Lauryn Hill’s   The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill,  and I can’t help but get Prince feels from her too – maybe it’s the way she gets down on the guitar. Either way, she’s the coolest. I love her style, her swag, and her voice, and I appreciate how she’s changing the game. If you...

In 2007, Tyler Perry wrote and directed a film titled   Daddy’s Little Girls.  The film centers on an unexpected romance between a mechanic named Monty (Idris Elba), who also happens to be a single father of three little girls. He meets and eventually pursues a romantic relationship with a successful lawyer named Julia (Gabrielle Union), who he initially met after accepting a position as her driver. Upon Monty and Julia’s first introductions to one another, it’s clear that they couldn’t be more different. Monty’s a single father from the hood, working hard to take care of himself and his girls. Julia’s a put-together uptown girl focused on her career. They have little in common. And on a socioeconomic level, Julia is the winner in this scenario. So how in the world could these two ever be interested in each other? Watch the film and see for yourself – unless you’ve seen it already.    Either way, it’s an interesting love story. I can see what Tyler Perry was trying t...

One of the best things about settling into my new home has been waking up to the sounds of birds chirping outside my bedroom window in the mornings. I’ve also enjoyed the natural lighting that shines indoors too. Both are reminders of the arrival of a new day. And as I wake up, pray, get dressed, and prepare to grab a fresh cup of coffee, I look around and still have days when I think,   oh my gosh, I can’t believe I have my own home.  It’s a refreshing and exciting feeling for sure.   Making shopping trips to At Home, Home Depot, and Lowe's has been fun. Decorating has been a blast. Cooking and trying new recipes have been memorable experiences too. And, of course, having family and friends over for small and intimate gatherings has been the best. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed making my house a home, and in a lot of ways, I’m still in this euphoric state of mind that feels wonderful. My heart feels so full, my joy is overflowing, and I feel like my life is in a good place. Not...