The Urban Christian Woman Blog
Restoring the Urban Woman with God’s truth for everyday life.
Have a Seat at the Table This Easter
I have been eating so much spiritual fast food. I have been listening to my audio Bible while I get dressed in the morning or playing it while I fall asleep at night. Those are not bad things, but they had replaced my time of sitting down and being spiritually fed at the Lord’s huge, plentiful, open table. Scriptural Happy Meals from an app were not cutting it. Listening with good intentions for a couple of verses and then letting my mind wander off about what meetings I had and what was for dinner that night could hardly be considered Bible study.
Book Review: God’s Big Promises: The First Easter
As a mom, I think the greatest gift is the invitation to actually read the Easter story from the Bible itself.
Lent: These 40 Days
These 40 days of Lent are a time to remind us of the deep brokenness both in this world and in our own lives. It is a time designed for us to be mindful of the sin within, to be confessing before God the parts of us that keep us from the deep and transformative relationship with him that we were designed for. The idea behind giving something up is to look at our lives and see what has gotten in the way of that transformative relationship. There is a famous quote by St. Augustine that says, “The essence of sin is disordered love.” God ought to be the greatest love in our lives, far outweighing anything else. Sin comes into the picture when we allow anything else to experience greater love from us than God does. I think if we get really honest, we know that while we may claim with our mouths that he comes first, our lives often tell a different story.
One with Another: A Personal Reflection on World Refugee Day
Right before we threw in the towel and moved back to Chicago, an Afghan woman who I had met at our local park invited us over for dinner. Her and her husband spread a feast out on the floor of their apartment that made us feel like royalty. They prepared Qabli Palo, an Afghan rice dish with red raisins, carrots and lamb stew. I sipped warm mint tea and let each flavor-packed bite nourish my body and soul. I watched my kids dance around with their kids as the rug beneath me felt like a warm inviting hug. We shared stories and laughter and I left understanding in a new way that we needed this family as much as they needed us. Before we could serve, we needed to know the value and joy of being served.
Sharon Hughes shares her personal reflection on what it means to serve and be served with her neighbors.
Art As It Should Be
“What did God do with the vast abyss of nothingness? He creates. He illuminates the sky with piercing light, he stretches swatches of greenery across the barren ground and pours icy blue water into the deep basins of the ocean floor. He forms creatures to swim, to soar, to sit beneath shaded oak trees. He splashes color, builds in three dimensions and last of all- creates us. “
The Whole Truth
“I will purposely be downstairs in the living room on the nights all three of my teens come home from their practices. I know it is a time that they come in chattering about this and that and tend to sit down in the living room all together with me before going their separate ways. I don't make them sit and talk to me, it is just a time that they openly do it. So, I am present for it. This presence is where life-giving takes place. It's where randomness leads to the methodical work of the spirit.”
I Am His Good Thing
“Your husband is not your enemy, stop treating him like one. Have fun and remember that you two are one. Enjoy the journey to oneness, and remember that the Creator of Heaven and earth is with you.”
As we continue the podcast series on co-journeying, let’s look at a ministry that helps us co-journey and build the two most important relationships many of us will have in our lives, our relationship with God and our relationship with our husbands. Today we have an interview with Brandy Williams, the founder of I am His Good Thing (IAHGT) ministries.
Saved and Single…
As TUCW continues the podcast series on co-journeying, take a look at this piece by guest blogger, Tameka Moment, who shares the truth of the ups and downs of singleness and the hope of putting her faith in Christ.
Part of My Story…
Guest blogger, Elena Limoges, shares her struggles with a mental health diagnosis and God’s faithfulness through good friends and scripture. She couples reality and hope to encourage us all to trust the One who writes our stories. You can read more from Elena at elenalimoges.com.
‘Til He Appeared
With the arrival of Jesus, the world felt its worth. This declaration is for you. His coming was not just for the world then, his coming was for you. And in that arrival, you are presented with a clear picture of your worth. Every Christmas scent or scene, every gathering to celebrate and every quiet moment in front of a Christmas tree, every sparkle of a Christmas light or tune that gets stuck in your head; these all point to something more.