This piece was written in May 2021 to be published during the same month.

Enjoy <3

As I approach 33 years on the planet, I am at a loss for words. My therapist (who has become a beautiful fixture in my life) describes God’s presence in my life as “lavish .”The first time she said it, I was taken aback, but it seemed appropriate. I had never thought about it that way. The amount of detail that God has put into displaying his goodness makes his presence undeniable for me. Even when it seems less than ideal

I booked my dream trip to NZ to celebrate my birthday and canceled it. I’ve been waiting about 12 years to finally go on the trip. I cried and am working through my disappointment, but it’s highlighted and brought duality to my attention. While my sadness remains, I am also delighted. I’m very grateful and very disappointed.

I am looking forward to my new birthday plans and dreading figuring out when I’ll eventually get to go to New Zealand.

This is also what I’ve learned is my “Jesus Year .”I don’t know if there are any theologically sound parallels and significance, but It seems like a magical idea, right? I’ve decided that I’m going to celebrate this entire 33rd year by embracing God’s lush love and provision in my life. Say it slowly with your eyes closed like you’re eating a piece of chocolate or your favorite fried item. Lush Love.

Think about the very complex ways God has kept you during turmoil and chaos. For example, I walked to a local coffee shop to write this for you and planned on going out to Riverside Park in Manhattan after finishing my flat white and breakfast sandwich. Sis, while I was sitting here, it started raining. Chile, I would have been a mile away from my apartment without an umbrella. I’m grateful I got a Holy Spirit nudge to simply enjoy the coffee shop and not rush. Even these tiny moments are building up to a greater revelation of his love for you and I. Relish in it like your rolling in fields of beautiful, robust flowers and grass (without the itchy side effects).

Happy birthday to me and a very happy unbirthday to you, my friend. You are loved, and every day is a moment to celebrate.

Jazzy ;-)

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The beauty of Christianity is the diverse experiences and ways of seeking, experiencing, and understanding Jesus. As a black woman descended from enslaved Africans in North America I have had a conglomerate of influences over how I have and still experience Jesus.

When I got to college and learned that the Bible was used to promote and support the argument for slavery, I was heart broken. I felt like everything that I learned was a lie. Did the fact that my ancestors were introduced to Jesus through White Europeans/ Americans,  who were probably their oppressors, cancel out my faith and experience with God?

It took a lot of pressing in and studying to understand that Christianity is not synonymous with whiteness or the Euro-Centric ways in which our ancestors were exposed.  I was even pleased to learn that there are African retention in the way we worship, meet and embrace God. I’m amazed at how African-Americans have infused the rhythms of emphasis on the “off beat” in music, adorning our heads with beautifully and elaborately decorated hats, and what I affectionately refer to as “shouting.” All of this after systems and rules were enforced to squeeze every ounce of their homeland. Motherland.

The truth is that Jesus is synonymous with Jesus. The white stained glass, King James translation, and incorrect/ incomplete  interpretation of scripture Jesus is not who God is limited to. Jesus and the statutes shared with us in both the ancient Hebrew and Greek texts of the Bible are complex, beautiful and can translate into any time, race, culture and heritage.

This complexity is why it is important for us to experience the voices of people throughout the African Diaspora, and the myriad of cultures throughout the world. Here at Be Inspired Again we are dedicated to un-Europeanizing our perception of Jesus, God and Holy Spirit. We believe that it’s limiting and won’t help in our passion to see women from ALL walks of life, races,cultures and heritage thrive and Be Inspired to love God day after day, after day.

We will be sharing the voices of Black Women who love God and dance through life with Jesus.

Visit our Instagram @beinspiredagain for an upcoming collection of Bible teachers and “Inspirirers.” 

Be Inspired to let God outgrow that box and into the fullness of who the Bible, creation and our experience of Him tells us He is.

Jazz

I didn’t know if it was spelled “Catherine” with an E or “Cathrine” without an E. I don’t remember ever second guessing the spelling of my late grandmother's name before this night. So, I did what any intelligent millennial granddaughter would do and I googled it. I was confident that some of the groundbreaking work she did with youth in Miami, FL would have popped up, or something from her matriculation through the University of Alabama during the heat of the Jim Crow era. Much to my surprise, it was her death notice on legacy.com. It shared that she passed away on June 18, 2003 and where her memorial services would be held.

My cousin Kennedy and I on the floor. My Brother Benjamin and Uncle Kenny playing video games. Granny Catherine on the far right hands side.

I only needed confirmation of whether not I was spelling my cousin, Kennedy Catherine’s, middle name correctly on her Mother’s Day card. Whether it was Catherine with an “E” or without an “E”, but there I was. Sobbing uncontrollably. Again. 17 years later. Missing her presence and love. Her bear sound effects. Her passion to teach Ben and I how to read. Her fervent stories about civil rights and growing up as a black girl in Alabama. Watching Oprah with her in our play room in the 90’s, eating corn, snacking on orange slices. The love she had for granddad. Her arguments with granddad never worried me, though. It was like a piece of furniture we learned not to stub our toes on.

Granny with my brother Benjamin, my mom and I celebrating Benjamin’s birthday.

Her influence over our community, my family, my brother and I are timeless. I’m overwhelmed with gratitude, love and admiration for her. I often wonder what life would be like had she lived a few more years to see me graduate from highschool or enter Spelman as a young woman. I know that she prayed for it. 

Ben, Granny, and I the day after Christmas.

Here I am, a week away from transitioning into 32 years on earth. Starting off my celebration of this Mother's Day by expressing gratitude to my granny, among other Titans of love in my life. Making sure that when her name is googled or searched on any platform, her story is told thoroughly and correctly.  Catherine Green Dinkins was a legend. A Queen. A fighter. A lover of Snickers. And yes there is an “E” in Catherine.

Happy Mothers Day,

Jazmon (that’s how she pronounced my name lol!!!)

Hi Friends! 

It is our passion here at Be Inspired Again to help you flourish in your relationship with Jesus. We also want to help provide tips and tools to help you thrive, especially in this world wide “Selah Moment”. Here are a few things to help keep you connected, grounded, and sane!

Love, Jazzy!

Create.

If you’re anything like me you have a TON of ideas swirling in your head. But before you try to tackle them I suggest the following:

1. Pray about what God would like you to focus on

2. Tell someone and get accountability. Marco Polo is my favorite app to use to keep in contact with my besties and keep them up to speed on how they can hold me accountable!

3. Begin

4. Keep going

Create a schedule for yourself.

Create an hour by hour schedule for yourself. Especially if you have a ton of ideas you’d like to tackle, your day is packed with a variety of activities and responsibilities. I hopped onto Canva.com and created a fun visual for my schedule. 

Here’s a sample of my schedule:

9:00 Wake Up, Quiet Time (Reading my word,prayer, sitting silently...literally lol)

9:30 Get Dressed, Make Breakfast

10:00 Log in to work ( Turn on laptop, begin checking e-mail’s, responding to text messages, review where I left off from work on Friday)

11:30 Team Zoom Check-In

12:00 Items specific to work (Creating proposal’s, lesson planning, graphic updates, etc.)

1:00 Lunch

2:00 Check in with my Team and begin digital 1 on 1’s

3:30 Log Information for our remote team to access progress

4:00 Check my to-do list and calendar to make sure I’m staying on task

4:30 Create an end of the day report for my supervisors. They didn’t ask for this,but I created it as a means of accountability for myself and to maintain their trust in my work ethic.

5:00 BE GREAT AND ENJOY RESTING

*Take a quick 5 minute break every 25 minutes to help with your progress

** If you’re not working from home. You can literally schedule time to sit down and relax or some of your fun habits you’ve been putting off

Get Physical. 

Find an online class, take a run (if this is ok with local legislation and in an uncrowded area), tune into DJ Nice @DNice on Instagram and dance to his INCREDIBLE set. It will def put a smile on your face and get your heart rate up.

Schedule some time to connect, pray with, laugh with your friends and family. 

My best friend and I pray on Tuesday mornings and I am looking to have some friends join me on some fitness goals while we are in our corporate Selah.

Therapy.

Schedule some virtual sessions with your therapist or check out some virtual therapy.

Say No.

Now that we are all most likely at home the assumption can be that you’re available. You don’t have to be! You don’t have to jam pack your schedule, which I am an expert at doing. Take this time to reset.

Do Nothing.

Create some permanent margin. Habits that you can carry with you into the next season of healing and reunited community.

I remember that this specific day and time my life was really really  hard. Getting out of bed was hard, walking into work was hard, getting on the train was hard. All of it. I don’t know the specifics of the events, but I know that I was overwhelmed with life.  I sensed that I was at a cross roads and had a lot to figure out. Would I continue to wait for the man that I loved or would I move on and take a chance on the unknown. I explained it to my therapist that night and at the end of our session she prayed that God would clarify direction for me. I hopped on the D and transferred to the uptown C train at 59th street . A trip that I had taken for years. It’s easy to say I had been on that route hundreds of times. While on the train I pulled out Priscilla Shirer’s “Awake” Devotional and I remember my heart fluttering at the words on the page. It was without a doubt an answer to prayer. I was chatting with God about how floored I was at the confirmation from the devotional, I looked up and there at the 81st street station was a mosaic hummingbird on the wall. I had never seen it before. To anyone else it was a mini mosaic among many beautiful animals. To me it was a kiss from God. A big ol’ hug and squeeze. I knew that he was speaking to me and it was a reminder that all things work together for my good.

Today is a perfect opportunity to give you the gift of words. You have been and still are a pillar for me. Today we celebrate Jesus and His birth. The entry of the messiah into the world. But His story can never be told without that of His mommy… Mary. She loved Him more than anyone and knew Him more intimately. She displays perfectly the gift of mothering a child. She gladly took on the responsibility of bringing the messiah into the world. God made no mistake. He always knew that Mary would be the one. The same way He knew that He’d make you my mommy. I’m by no means Jesus, but like Mary you have time and again said yes to God’s call to raise Ben and I. It’s my joy to have you in my life. There were times that we didn’t know how we would make it, but here we are. Through health scares, loss, death, sorrow, joy and now the new life of Ben and Inna’s precious baby girl. You are the epitome of what it means to hold me down. You always give your best and your last.

You have passed to us a legacy of loyalty, generosity, and unconditional love. It’s quite miraculous to watch you love the people around you. You can take two fish and five loaves and turn it into ox tails, peas and rice, fried conch, raspberry tea, greens, and a side of cotton candy. All of my favorite things!!

You’re amazing and I want to etch it into the Internets.

Gon’ head wit yo bad self, guuurrrr!! Ay ay! Go mommy. Go mommy. Shake it, shake it, shake it,?shake it! Don’t break it! Just shake it! Shake shake it!

With lots of love and hugs!

Ma

Sequoia trees are some of the oldest living organisms on earth and the largest tree recorded is as tall as a 26 story building. Their root systems are also impressively expansive. Sequoia groves have what botanists refer to as “matted roots”. The roots of trees in these groves grow toward one another and intertwine. Scientists have discovered that these root systems literally help their neighbors stand tall and grow to their full potential. The women pictured above have been my sequoia trees. Through death, depression, anxiety, promotions, love gained and lost, they have been a hovering presence swooping in to catch me when I collapsed under pressure. They’ve been around to gas me up when I shared good news or sported a new hairstyle.

One would think I’d always be grateful and remember how blessed I am with these beauties in my corner, but chiiile… I. Have. Not. The Holy Spirit has been talking to me about contentment. With all of the things going on, in and around me, I’ve found it more difficult to be satisfied with the gifts that I have. A lot of the things I had prayed for and received now feel like burdens and nothing compared to the requests that have yet to be fulfilled by Jesus. I lost sight of the amazing friends that I’ve been gifted with. I’m fortunate to have several women, some not pictured above, that play the role of sequoia, sister and friend.

My sequoias and I went to Spelman College and graduated in 2010. It was the perfect environment for us to find each other and the value of “black girl magic”. My sequoias and I went to Spelman College and graduated in 2010. It was the perfect environment for us to find each other and the value of “black girl magic” . During SpelHouse Homecoming 2019 we celebrated 13 years of friendship. Hanging out with them reminded me of who I am and the magnitude, breadth and depth of what God has placed inside of me. To commemorate our friendships we organized a photo shoot with our Spelman sister Takia of TK Consulting and Design in Atlanta, GA. It was so much fun! Be Inspired to enjoy your friends and find a way to commemorate that. When you do please share! I’d love to hear about your sequoia grove’


Who are your sequoias?

Once you identify that person or people shoot them a text, face time, hop n your car or an Uber and surprise them. Say " thank you" and tell them you love them. Find out what their love language is. Show them value in a way that means the most to them. Pick a day of the month and check in on that day each month. Pick a day of the week and pray together on that day every week. Remember that sequoias are totally connected. Go and connect.

Jazzy

follow Takia @TKConsultingDesign on Instagram

We are featuring some of our favorite women and what inspires them. Our first guest writer is Rachel Watson. Enjoy!

I recently did a three day fast. It was one of the hardest yet liberating things I’ve ever done. I wanted to challenge myself in a way I hadn’t before, and I also wanted to hear from God in a way I hadn’t before. I felt my body was at its weakest, and yet, my spirit never felt more alive. Every time I felt desperate for food, I went to the feet of Jesus. It was my saving grace, the place I went to get nourished and restored. I was completely satisfied just resting at his feet. There was so much clarity, understanding, and joy there. And he filled me up every single time; all I needed to do was to close my eyes, and there was peace.

On the morning of the third day fasting, the physical pain was almost unbearable. I literally put my head down on the table and sobbed… In that moment, the Holy Spirit whispered these words to me,

“No more striving Rachel

It’s ok

I see you

You can be done now… continue if you want

But just know, I see you

I always have and always will even when you can’t see yourself

Your full surrender, I see it

I know you want more of Me

Even when it looks different than what you think it should look like

I see it, I see you

It’s ok… breathe

I’ve got it from here

Rest. See Me. Face to face”

In that moment, God invited me on a new journey to discover His GRACE. His infinite, majestic, glorious grace that our human minds can’t even begin to comprehend. My question to you is this: His hand is out stretched in front of you, will you grab hold of it? Maybe He’s also inviting you on a journey of rediscovery. A journey of coming back to, of relearning something that we forget as we get older, as we remember less and less of what our home in heaven is like. I pray that God speaks to you in the coming days, hours, and minutes. I pray that you have an encounter with the most high God that loves you deeply, and has a grace filled journey waiting for you to experience in a new way. No more striving, just rest, peace, and a desperation to see Jesus.

“Great faith does not grow through great striving
Great faith comes in response to great surrender.”

— Bill Johnson

Provided to YouTube by TuneCore The Maze · Phil Thompson · Nia Allen My Worship ℗ 2018 Phil Thompson Worship Released on: 2018-05-04 Auto-generated by YouTube.

At the beginning of the year I made a goal to write at least once a year. At 11:58 pm on April 30th I remembered.

I could’ve said oh well! But here I am keeping my word. Cheers to being inspired and late while persevering.

Keep on Keeping on!

13 As for you, if you redirect your heart and lift up your hands to Him [in prayer]- 14 if there is iniquity in your hand, remove it, and don't allow injustice to dwell in your tents- 15 then you will hold your head high, free from fault. You will be firmly established and unafraid. 16 For you will forget your suffering, recalling [it only] as waters that have flowed by. 17 [Your] life will be brighter than noonday; [its] darkness will be like the morning. 18 You will be confident, because there is hope. You will look carefully about and lie down in safety. 19 You will lie down without fear, and many will seek your favor.

Job 11:13-19

I’m in physical therapy for an irritation in a very tiny ligament in my right hip. 95% of my day I am great. During the other 5% I am in excruciating pain. The pain comes when I throw my body into or out of a certain position while sitting. I have gotten into the habit of being careful how I move, but in the moments that I forget about this condition of my hip I trigger the pain.

This is also what I do with issues of my heart and mind. I often times throw my thoughts into a direction (usually away from the direction God’s Word instructs us too) and I trigger anxiety, anger, or my arch nemesis, resentment. Over the course of my conversations with God, relationship with Jesus, and quality time with the Holy Spirit I’ve learned that there is always room to grow and I am constantly being molded into the woman He sees.* I have very high expectations of the people in my life (family and my inner circle), which must be countered with great amounts of compassion. Every so often I am reminded of my impetus to resolve that ‘I don’t need a particular person’ or that it would be ‘better if we had some space’. Now, I don’t usually say these things, I do them. I become short in conversation, I ignore calls or messages, and find other ways to create ‘kind’ wedges so that my feelings don’t get hurt and expectations aren’t thwarted. (Can you imagine if God treated us this way? No, thank  you!)

I usually realize I’ve yet again thrown myself into the rabbit hole of “I’m better without you” when I have a moment to breathe and check in with Holy Spirit. He gently embraces me while letting me know that’s not the way He has intended me to use the gifts of relationship. So… I take a deep breath and nestle into His embrace by coming into agreement. Agreeing that I shouldn’t write people off and take the stance of “I don’t need you”. If God has brought them here into my life, there is something that He wants me to have. If he wants me to have it, I want me to have it. I resolve to see things His way and I keep my heart soft.

I resolve to stop throwing my heart , decisions and emotions into positions that cause excruciating pain for my spirit. A pain that distracts the affection that I have for our Heavenly Father. An affection I hope you’re inspired to curate by walking through each moment with Him, my friends. Ease into His way of doing things. Be careful with yourself and ease into His loving redirection when you sense it.

Be Inspired Again.

*I know, I know, they’re distinct while being three in one, this illustration helps me embrace God’s complexity and closeness all at one time.

God is doing miracles right now. Miraculous activity in your life and in mine. Both as I write this and long after you read this God will be working the miraculous. Right before your eyes. There are miracles, signs and wonders that go unnoticed, because we aren’t tuned into Him.

The Earth is the perfect distance from the sun in order for life to thrive. The temperature of where you are is habitable, the air is breathable and you’re functioning in a manner that allows you to read and comprehend.

I just want to encourage you to be still in this season that you’re in. It may seem like nothing is going on, but God is there.  What we see as mundane is an opportunity for God to show you His face. If we position ourselves in His righteousness, not our own, we can witness the beauty of His presence. Rest in whatever pace God has you in. If it’s not a pace that God has put you in, ask Him to rewire your focus. If you are drawing near to Him I guarantee you that He is doing the same.

"You draw near to those who call out to you, listening closely, especially when their hearts are true.”

Psalms 148:18 TPT

He is amazing. Amen?

Amen.

In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s birthday my church asked a few of our church family to share about how Dr. King’s sacrifice has inspired and impacted them directly. It was a gentle reminder that I have so much to be grateful for. I was overwhelmed with gratitude. This time, it went beyond Dr. King and directly to God for what He did through Dr. King, my grandparents and the oceans of people that lived through the civil rights movement. It made me think about the freedom that I have to worship in the same room as people from a myriad of cultures. I have the immense privilege of serving alongside some pretty incredible people and my heritage only makes my experience richer. I sit at tables and have conversations with people that are interested in my point of view and value it. My skin and the culture it represents have been respected and as time goes on I grow fonder of God’s decision to create me as a woman with profound roots, a rich heritage and a beautiful culture. 

Today

I am grateful.

Dear Jesus, 

I didn’t know that I was disappointed.

 Am. 

I am disappointed. 

I know that you’re not done. Just like the woman with the single jar of olive oil in 2 Kings. I vow to take what I have and request what I don’t. I’ll use what I have to fill what you give me. I’m supernaturally equipped. I’ll keep pouring. I’ll pour out your love and patience. I’ll pour out worship, gratitude and thanksgiving.

I still believe you. I give you my disappointment. I’m seeing the weight of my perfectionism crushed by your will. Your will is to cover my imperfections with your perfection. I surrender to it. 

In your name, my love.

Amen. It is so.

“I pray with great faith for [myself], because I’m fully convinced that the One who began this glorious work in [me] will faithfully continue the process of maturing [me] and will put his finishing touches to it until the unveiling of our Lord Jesus Christ!”

— ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭1:6‬ ‭TPT‬‬

“My grace is always more than enough for you, and my power finds its full expression through your weakness.” So I will celebrate my weaknesses, for when I’m weak I sense more deeply the mighty power of Christ living in me.”

— 2 Corinthians‬ ‭12:9‬ ‭TPT‬‬

“Elisha asked her, “What can I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?”
She said, “Your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil.”
Then he said, “Go out and borrow empty containers from all your neighbors. Do not get just a few. Then go in and shut the door behind you and your sons, and pour oil into all these containers. Set the full ones to one side.”

— 2 Kings 4:1-4

This Christmas Jesus’ birth is sitting with me in a different way. The story leading up to His birth has been severely undervalued in my world. In addition to Mary having the favor of God, she had INCREDIBLE faith. Unlike Zechariah the priest who, after being visited by an angel had to be mute until Johns birth, she took the angelic visitor at their word.  A word that didn’t come from the mind or heart of the angel, but was a message from the one that her heart adored. It was her posture in her relationship with God that prepared her for that moment. She didn’t all of a sudden grow in great faith, she’d been walking uprightly and following after God’s heart.

As a little girl I heard Mary’s story and wanted an intimate relationship with God like she had. I wanted to experience God’s sweet favor like she had. Even wishing that I could’ve given birth to Jesus ( the hilarious mind of Jazmine the child lol). At the heart of that desire was a fierce desire to be engrossed in God’s love and favor.

In Mary’s story I’m amazed at how she, who had found favor with God had such a relatable moment of “fear” and “bewilderment”.

“Mary was deeply troubled over the words of the angel and bewildered over what this may mean for her.”
Luke‬ ‭1:29‬ ‭TPT‬‬

But her Heavenly Father knew how to speak to the depths of her heart and she had “ears to hear”:

“But the angel reassured her, saying, “Do not yield to your fear, Mary, for the Lord has found delight in you and has chosen to surprise you with a wonderful gift.”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭1:30‬ ‭TPT‬‬


I sometimes wonder if Mary questioned the word God gave her after this holy visitation?


Did Mary ever doubt after initially deciding to yield to faith and not fear? Did her swollen feet, cravings and labor pain tempt her to give God the side eye. (Don’t act like you haven’t... because I know that I have). Were there smears from doubters and on lookers as the wedding date and birth of Jesus didn’t quite “add up”? Did it bother her?

It bothers me. Explaining to friends new and old about career choices and the lack thereof has been a challenge for me. Sharing my hearts posture about the man I love and the rocky road that we are on has been an area of difficulty for me. In my prayer time and worship the instruction was beautiful and sharing with the “like minded” was easy. But what about the others? What about the things I do and don’t do because I’m waiting on God and following His instruction to believe?

Like Mary, I’m doing my best to yield to faith , not fear, and to adopt a posture of ‘“This is amazing!... As his servant, I accept whatever he has for me. May everything you have told me come to pass.”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭1:38‬ ‭TPT‬‬

I’m sure this initial response helped set the tone for Mary’s life from that moment forward.

Acceptance.

A posture of acceptance. Mary accepted God’s will for her life. She knew it wouldn’t be a walk in the park, but she set her GPS on God’s face and took Him at His word. This Christmas let’s take Him at His word and celebrate Jesus’ birth. The hope for humanity. Mary’s sweet baby boy who has changed the course of all of our lives.

What does it look like for you and I to accept what God is speaking over us? What word from God should you accept?

Sometimes I hear scriptures like Psalm 91:4 that say “His massive arms are wrapped around you, protecting you. You can run under his covering of majesty and hide. His arms of faithfulness are a shield keeping you from harm.” ‭ and I think about how that must be a great place and I can’t wait to be in that place. Holy Spirit revealed my skewed perspective and I’ve realized that I am there. And Sis, if you are navigating loving Him according to the Word of God, in Christ Jesus... so are you.

As I look around my bedroom that I have slowly decorated and saturated in prayer, singing (on and off key ha!), crying, waiting repenting, soaking in God’s presence, I see how everything is a love letter to me. It beats flowers at my desk and sweet nothings in my ear, although those are quite nice. 😉 From the hummingbirds on my wall to the pink chair I prayed and searched for. The board with my one way ticket to New York from July 30, 2013, the letter from my Dance student, and my UF degree. The canvased paintings that I found at Marshall’s in very challenging seasons. The unicorn lamp that was a gift and the sheets from my granny that carry love and a legacy of care. It’s a collection of God’s love for my natural eye and for my spiritual eye.

I don’t have to wonder. Because I’m here. Here in His arms.

I am indeed wrapped in His arms where He is protecting me. My life’s purpose, our life’s purpose, is it to run deeper and deeper into the covering of His majesty. His arms of faithfulness are wrapped around us.

As I purpose and navigate towards knowing Him in a more intimate way I am finding more and more rest in knowing that He is my refuge. I am wrapped. I am covered. I am consumed.

You are wrapped.

You are covered.

You are consumed.

In Jesus’ name, Amen,

The potency of black culture is not a sporadic phenomenon. I believe that the influence of the African Diaspora as a whole is because of the seeds of sorrow and perseverance planted by our ancestors. It’s not spooky or creepy. It’s real, beautiful and has been centuries in the making.

The Bible teaches us that we find the beauty of Jesus and unlock different layers of His goodness and treasures of peace and love when we endure trials of many kinds. Even when we emerge from the aftermath of oppression with gratitude. That’s not just on a day to day individual basis, but on a generational premise. Some inherit wealth while others inherit property. As a part of the diaspora here in America we have inherited a joy, a beauty, a sass, a strength, an endurance that could only have been compressed from the toil and troubles our people endured. It’s in our music, our dancing, our clothing designs, our childhood hand games. It’s embedded in the parts of our braids, the coconut oil and Shea butter in our bathrooms. It surfaces in our exclamation of “Hey girl!” and our contemptible “Oh no, he didn’t”. It’s in the passion behind our protests and our restless fight for equality. What the devil has intended for evil, God intends for good (Genesis 50:20). Every single time. On every fundamental and complex level of life.

When I got to Spelman in 2010 and learned that the Bible was used to support the enslavement of Africans I was crushed. I began to question the authenticity of my faith. I couldn’t understand how God could allow this to happen. It took years of asking, seeking, praying and hoping for me to understand that it was not the perfect will of God that there should be this type of suffering. It’s not God’s will for anyone to suffer. But within the intertwining of wills and the will of fallen humanity God was able to redeem the purpose of black people throughout the world.

My prayer is that through the celebration of Black American culture you are empowered to celebrate yourself and the roots God has given you. Black girl Magic, Black Boy Joy, and Black Lives Matter, among countless others, are all movements to empower and enlighten you. I challenge you to expand your expectations as a lover of Jesus Christ.  Also, believe that God is moving and using the Joy that's being planted into the black community in order to help shift the entire world in the direction of the Kingdom that God originally intended. Blessings aren't simply meant just for the receiver. It’s also for those fortunate enough to witness it.

I am the flower buding from the aftermath of their pain and joy.  To say that I am grateful  is an understatement.

Hey!! I'm excited to share this with you!! God's joy is a mighty mighty weapon. I hope that you're encouraged by this! And pleeeeaae bear with me as I learn how to change these video thumbnails. ha! 

xo

Jazz

Dear God,

Thank you for being amazing. Thank you for being my rock. Thank you for carrying me over and through. Lord, as I linger on the precipice of a different season I ask that you protect me from any distractions and anything that would disguise its self as being from you, but is actually from the enemy. Lord, help me heal in the deepest places where no one can see. In the places that have been cracked open. The deeper places. Please give me tunnel vision. Father, this cup, please take it, but nevertheless, not my will but your will be done.

I vow to praise you. Even when it hurts like hell. I’ll praise you when I don’t understand it. I’ll praise you when everyone around me expects otherwise. I’ll stand firm on your word. You’re my only solid foundation.

As I have to endure time, I ask that you encompass me with your grace and that your Holy Spirit moves in and through me more profoundly than ever before. I need you. We need you. Have your way, father. Your way is the best way. I trust you and give it all to you. Every ounce of desire. Every memory, every moment of happiness and sadness. I can’t do it without you.

Thank you for a peace that surpasses all understanding. I now know what it’s like and I’m blown away by the creativity of your provision. Complete your work in me. The way that only you can. Silence the doubt. Drown it. Kill it. I don’t want anything to get in the way of you being pleased.

Father, as you abide in heaven, your name is without blemish and today I pray that your will and your Kingdom flourish in the realm of my heart, home and every sphere of my life, the same exact way that it is in heaven. Today, give me what I need and forgive me for I am not perfect by any means. At the same time, help me continue to forgive. Everyday and every moment. God, please lead me away from the temptation of anything that would divert your hand in my life. Deliver me away from the enemy's hand and his plans to distract, hurt or harm me. All the power, honor and glory belong to you, God. Holy Spirit be stirred up and occupy what’s yours.

In Jesus, name Amen

I am awestruck at God’s ability to move in my life even while it feels like I’m doing everyday mundane tasks. In this season of life I am fascinated with the Holy Spirit and my relationship with Him. Some of my friends and I have been diving into Discerning the Voice of God by Priscilla Shirer and it is helping transform my walk with God. I have been learning about how the Holy Spirit inhabits our lives as we allow him access to every part of our being. First our spirit, and then eventually our f (mind, will and emotions) and body. This amazingly beautiful gift of access to God’s Spirit makes me wanna throw confetti! It means that with time we are able to hear and perceive Him more clearly. Luke 12:48 in the Message version of the Bible tells us that “Great gifts mean great responsibilities; greater gifts, greater responsibilities!” This gift of the Holy Spirit comes with a responsibility that I have taken lightly for a very, very long time.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t always want to do what God asks me to do. Sometimes I feel more inclined to do what I am more comfortable with or I feel inadequate and unequipped, which is a LIE from the enemy, but we’ll save that for another day. The Bible tells us that even when we feel this way, when we are in a constant state of surrender to Jesus, or when we are  committed to working out our salvation (Philippians 4:12), and the Holy Spirit is inhabiting our lives, this constant state of surrender keeps our will malleable. Philippians 2:13 says, “It is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” The beauty of this particular verse is that GOD is at work in us. Ain't that good? He is a “good, good Father” and understands that our spirits are willing but our flesh is weak (Matthew 26:41).

Now let’s be very clear. As God is at work in us, our state of surrender is not passive. It is active. Surrender for us as lovers of Jesus Christ means that we keep watch and avoid the enemy's schemes. Ask God what that looks like for you in this season. Matthew 26:41 tells us to “watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation…” Right here Jesus makes it crystal clear that we fall tempted to cleave to our own will when we are not alert.

You can rest in knowing that God will reveal your next steps and give you the grace to do it. What seems unbearable at first will become your heart’s desire if you are surrendered to Christ and living under His Lordship. Rest in knowing that your relationship with Him is active. Work your faith and know that He will give you ease even when your pain solicits tears and when the relationship or job falls apart.

Trust the Holy Spirit within you and be intentional about listening. Listening will reveal His will, but more so it will build your relationship with Him. There’s no love like the love of Jesus. In your journey of being led by Him, let searching for God in His word and the community of believers around you encourage you to strive on.

With Sisterly Love, 

Jazmine

A dear friend of mine, Amber, lives by the motto "Do It Afraid." These 3 words are enough to give the devil and his minions a run for their money. We often allow fear to paralyze us from moving forward and seeing our lives as God does. Whole. Inspiring. Brave.

What does it mean for you to be fearless? Is being fearless the absence of fear? Or is being fearless doing whatever "it" is while you are hesitant or afraid. I recently took a huge leap of faith and when I jumped in I was scared out of my mind. An opportunity that I'd prayed and fasted for over a period of years... dare I say the last decade, presented itself. I cried, tried to find a way out of it, and reasoned that it wasn't the blessing it appeared to be. Nevertheless, I moved forward and kept my eyes on Jesus. I don't regret it. Three loaded but simple guidelines to follow when afraid are

1. Stop and Ask God for help! 

2. Meditate on God's promises. The Bible is a weapon against the enemy and a balm for our souls (Read Isaiah 44:1-2; James 1:2-4; Joshua 1:9; Psalms 121:1-2; Ephesians 6:10-12;)

3. Listen and keep an eye out for God and His answer to your prayer for help. Expect God to show up in an amazing way!  Every single day is loaded with opportunity to encounter God more profoundly than the last.

I hope that you're encouraged and that today is more amazing than yesterday!  

Be Inspired Again! 

Jazz