Reflections, Part 2: Life Interrupted in 2020
My older daughter, Nia, started a cake baking business in high school. She was always ready and willing to invest…
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Reflections, Part 2: Life Interrupted in 2020
My older daughter, Nia, started a cake baking business in high school. She was always ready and willing to invest…
Reflections: The Gifts of 2020
For many of us, we can’t wait to bid farewell to 2020 fast enough. From the impact of sickness and…
It Is Doctor, Thank You.
As an academician, I do know many women with doctoral degrees. For the last week on social media, I have…
Roots & Wings: Preparing Our Children to Soar
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Roots & Wings: Preparing Our Children to Soar
Today is my older daughter’s birthday. It is also her senior year of high school. Watching my Facebook friends post…
Will the Pandemic of 2020 Be the Death of HBCUs?
I am a strong advocate for all Historically Black Colleges and Universities. I am a proud graduate of Howard University.…
To all the people who are okay during this pandemic: It’s time to be Prayer Warriors!
Its week seven of our stay-at-home order in North Carolina. Most of us have moved from disbelief, fear and trying…
Making Sense of God During Covid-19
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Making Sense of God During Covid-19
I generally consider myself a quick study in many things. I like to think of myself as a critical thinker—I…
Finding Peace Living in a Dangerous World
When I was a kid growing up in Kansas City, Missouri I loved to hear the ringing bell of the…
Finding Peace Living in a Dangerous World
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Going Through the Storm
Last week, I had a lovely day trip to Winston-Salem, North Carolina to the Black Theater Festival with my teen…
Lines, Belly Bulge and Blessings: Reflections on Aging and Getting Older
A few months ago, I was talking to my girlfriend, Sarah, on one of our recent car phone conversations.…
Lessons from Surviving R. Kelly: Equipping our Daughters (& Sons) to Thrive
A couple of weekends ago, my social media platforms were lit up about the Surviving R. Kelly documentary. I had…
Make 2019 Your Year to Be Whole
When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he…
A Believer’s Celebration of Christmas Should Look Different Than the World’s
Lights and decorations. Finding the perfect gift. Mailing the Christmas cards before Christmas. Holiday galas and office parties. Cookies, eggnog…
Know Your Assignment: When We Are Secure with God, We Don’t Have to Be Afraid of Someone Else’s Anointing
I love the Word of God! No matter how many times I have read a scripture, it can speak to…
Marriage 101: Negotiating Gendered Communication Styles
My husband and I recently had a disagreement. It is the same one that has come up ever so often…
Put Your Mask On First
In January of this year, I kicked of my blog with an announcement that I would do a blog series…
Lessons On Self-Introspection from My Teenage Daughter
Earlier this summer I had a delightful conversation with my 15 -year-old daughter. It was delightful for a couple of…
Just Say, “No.”: Boundaries as a Form of Self-Care
Recently, I published a book, The First Lady: African American Pastors’ Wives in Their Own Voices, and I was having…
What Oprah’s Golden Globe Speech Teaches Us About Speaking Life!
On this past Sunday evening, I was finishing up my syllabi for the semester and engaged in a couple of…
Living Life with Boundaries
Happy New Year Speak Lifers! I have a confession. Since Thanksgiving, I’ve been off the wagon…the food wagon that is.…
Surviving on the Broken Pieces of Life
In the last few days of 2017, its always good to reflect on everything we experienced and accomplished throughout the…
Exteriors, Part II: The Pastor’s Wife as a Fashionista
This post was originally posted March 8, 2011 on a blog I participated with other pastors’ wives about being a…
Exteriors, Part I: The Pastor’s Wife, The African American Church, and Natural Hair
This post was originally posted February 22, 2011 on a blog I participated with other pastors’ wives about being a…
Raising Healthy PKs
This post was originally posted October 26, 2010 on a blog I participated with other pastors’ wives about being a…
Can a Pastor’s Wife be a Friend to Church Members?
This post was originally posted on January 11, 2011 on a blog I participated with other pastors’ wives about being…
Just Do You!
A few months ago, I was invited to speak at a women’s conference. I was fascinated by the concept the…
Parenting Your Kids Through Disappointment, Rejection and Loss
At the end of the school year, my 11 year-old daughter announced to me that she and most of her…
Small Gifts of Comfort for Motherless Daughters
Mother’s Day. A day of cards, gifts, brunches, and posting pictures in a Facebook “I Love You Mom” frame. A…
What to Do When You Don’t Like or Respect Your Leader
What do we do when we don’t like the president of the United States? Better yet, let’s make it closer…
“I cursed God!”: God is Big Enough to Handle Our Feelings
This post is written with permission from a grieving mother who still has hope. Few things are harder than…
For Marcus and Other Men Who Inhabit Black Bodies
Marcus and I go to the same church. I met him 10 years ago when my husband was called as…
Do You Have a Trump Problem?: Responding to Criticism Biblically
For the last several days, we watched news reports of the exchange between Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Muslim…
3 Reasons I Don’t Want to Live in a Colorblind Society
I recently served on a committee to address the diversity of an organization. The head of the organization and the…
Marriage Chronicles: Simple Solitude
Eighteen years ago today, at 2:00 p.m. I stood in the St. James United Methodist Church in Kansas City, Missouri…
Finding My Center In the Midst of Chaos
For the last several years, I’ve had to deal with a toxic person. You have probably had your share as…
Two Lessons Prince’s Legacy Can Teach Us to Speak Life!
Prince fans have spent the last several weeks mourning the death of this cultural icon. I have continued to enjoy…
Millennial Entitlement: Did They Get It From Us?
A couple of years ago I started posting Facebook status updates called <insert blank stare> when I would share absolutely…
Sistah, Speak Life!: The Single in Waiting, Part II by Tamara Gibbs
On Monday, Tamara Gibbs, creator and founder of Single Serving for Single Women, wrote about what it is like to…
Sistah, Speak Life!: The Single in Love, Part I – by Tamara Gibbs
Though I am married, I have many single friends whom I love and are dear to me. For the overwhelming…
Dangers Seen and Unseen: God’s Perfect Protection
“For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all ways.” ~Psalm 91:11 Two incidents happened last…
Live Color Fully
I recently discovered a tote bag I got a few months ago when I was a workshop facilitator a local…
A Private Party: Celebrating Me
There is nothing more precious than to watch a young girl, who has not yet been tainted by the standards…
The Marriage Chronicles: The Pragmatist v. the Romantic
Without fail, my husband continues to profoundly disappoint me. He is a great friend, companion and conversationalist. He makes me…
5 Things to Embrace for 2016
Five Communication Habits to Embrace in 2016 Happy New Year, Speak Lifers! Many of us will head back to work…
Thankful Living: Finding Joy in the Small Things in Life
One of the greatest lessons I’ve learned from both my daughters is finding joy in the small things in life.…
New Beginnings
I love new stuff. I love a car wash with new air freshner. I love the look of a fresh…
Flawed Mothers, Other Mothers and Model Mothers in the Bible
This week in Speak Life! ten courageous women shared their authentic and personal stories about their mothers or being a…
Even in Death, God’s Providence for Our Children Reigns
I believe God is sovereign. I believe His will is best for us. I believe God is able to do…
Stay Sharp!
This weekend my daughters, who are 11 and 7, and I were playing Categories. You know the game–it is when…
Be Ready. Be Available: Conversations with my Tween
This year my 11 year-old daughter started middle school. I have always been intentional about spending time with each of…
If I Were the Mother of a Black Boy: Reflections of Trayvon Martin and other Boys Like Him
On Saturday night, I was stunned at the acquittal of George Zimmerman for the shooting death of 17 year-old Trayvon…
Faith, Fashion & Meagan’s Faux Pas: Should We Hold a Preacher’s Wife to a Different Standard?
I didn’t watch the 2013 BET Awards show this year, but I read the comments about the show on my…