Dear Diary: My Life Raising Brown Girls

  Tending to the Heart God Entrusted to You Scripture:   “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” — Proverbs 4:23   Reflection:  Sacrifice is often celebrated in motherhood. We praise endurance, selflessness, and the ability to keep going no matter the cost. But over time, constant sacrifice can quietly teach you to ignore your own inner world.   You learn to push past your feelings. You learn to minimize your needs. You learn to survive without being tended to.   Yet God does not ask you to disappear in order to love well. Beneath the responsibilities and routines is still a woman with a heart that feels, hopes, grieves, and longs to be cared for—not corrected, not rushed, but gently healed.   Healing does not mean something is wrong with you. It means something precious has been carrying too much for too long.   Wellness Insight:   Emotional pain that goes unacknowledged do...

  Making Room for Desire Without Shame   Scripture:   “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” — Psalm 37:4   Reflection:  There is a particular kind of guilt that surfaces when you begin to want more; not more things, but more space, more meaning, more life. It often arrives quietly, wrapped in questions like: Shouldn’t I be content? or Is it wrong to want something for myself?   Many women learn to associate goodness with self-denial. Over time, desire becomes something to suppress rather than listen to. But Scripture does not treat desire as something sinful by default. God speaks of desire as something shaped in relationship with Him; not erased, but refined.   Wanting more does not mean you are ungrateful. It does not mean you love your family less. It often means you are still alive to the life God placed within you.   Grace meets you right there.   Wellness Insight: ...

Noticing the Quiet Erosion of Wholeness   Scripture:  “Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, ‘Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.’”— Mark 6:31 Reflection:  Caregiving often begins as an act of love. Over time, it can quietly become a way of life where your needs are always secondary, postponed, or ignored altogether. At first, this feels normal—even noble. But slowly, something shifts. You stop noticing how tired you are. You stop asking what you need. You learn to function without checking in with yourself, believing that this is simply what faithfulness looks like.   Yet even Jesus noticed when the giving became too much. He saw the exhaustion. He named the need. He called His disciples away—not because they failed, but because they were human. Care that costs you yourself is not the goal. Wholeness is.   Wellness Insight:   When careg...

Remembering Your Identity Beyond Roles   Scripture: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.” — Isaiah 43:1   Reflection:  Before motherhood, before the sleepless nights, before the endless tasks and responsibilities, you were known. You were loved. You were God’s. Motherhood is sacred and life-changing, but it can also quietly blur our sense of self. Over time, it’s easy to measure your value by what you do; diapers changed, meals prepared, schedules kept. And while  these acts of love are meaningful, they are not the totality of who you are.   God calls you first and foremost by your name, not your role. You are His beloved daughter, fearfully and wonderfully made. This week, we begin by remembering that identity. The part of you that exists beyond caregiving, beyond tasks, beyond roles.   Wellness Insight: Wellness begins with presence and awareness. When you recognize that your worth is not ti...

"Rooted Beyond Motherhood"   is a blog series rooted in spiritual identity, emotional well-being, and wholeness in Christ. While motherhood is sacred, it does not define the entirety of who we are. Through this series, we explore the full spectrum of womanhood beyond motherhood; our dreams, creativity, struggles, passions, and evolving identities. It invites women to reconnect with their God-given identity, nurture their emotional and spiritual health, and remember that before we were mothers, we were beloved daughters, called women, and whole persons in Christ. Motherhood is a vital chapter in our story, but it is not the whole story. Below is the outline for the series. Blog Series Outline Before I Was "Mom," I Was His When Caregiving Costs You Yourself The Guilt of Wanting More and God’s Grace Healing the Woman Beneath the Sacrifice Your Body Is Still Sacred Friendship, Solitude & Spiritual Community You're Calling Isn’t Cancelled by Motherhood Becoming W...

A  few years ago, I created a Facebook group for children of Black and Brown parents called “Help! My Parents Drive Me Crazy.” The purpose of this group is to provide a safe, supportive space where adolescents aged 14 and up can connect, share experiences, and discover strategies for navigating adolescence, young adulthood, middle adulthood, and beyond. People from all walks of adolescence and young adulthood are welcome to join, creating a community where we can learn, grow, and support one another . This is a positive, uplifting space — no bashing is allowed. Here, we lift each other up, share our journeys, and celebrate the joys and challenges of growing up and living life as a brown child or young adult. You will find understanding, encouragement, and connection as you navigate the journey of being yourself. Discussion Topics Include: Navigating parent-child relationships Communication strategies with parents Identity, culture, and heritage Buildi...