The Urban Christian Woman Blog
Restoring the Urban Woman with God’s truth for everyday life.
Grace In Gathering
Today I sat in the top row of an old theater and watched two separate friends baptize their sons in a horse trough. Tears ran down my cheeks, soaking my mask, as these men, my pastors, spoke the words "trusting in the confession of your faith, I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit."
Wait Well
I was in the school pickup line for 20 minutes. I was thinking, wow this is a long line, I could be doing something else. I don't like to wait in long lines at the store, at the gas station, or anywhere. Perhaps my lack of patience gets the best of me. Sometimes waiting is inevitable, so how do I wait well? What is the point of my waiting? What is it that God is growing in me during this lapse in time?
The Costumes We Wear
Regardless of where you stand on Halloween, we can find some amount of fun in a costume. For a short time, we can hide the real us and present someone or something quite different for a while. The problem would be if we viewed the costumes we were wearing as truth and acted as if our costume is who we are in reality.
Women of Repair
It’s easy for me to read that verse and think about “ruins” in places like England or the Middle East - locations where kingdoms and old structures rose and fell hundreds and even thousands of years ago. But what does it mean to examine the ruins, both physically and metaphorically, right where we live?
Finding Humility In The Wisdom of Christ
I don’t know about you, but I really like being right. As a new believer, I loved the idea that truth is knowable. An all-powerful and all-knowing God made Himself known to ME by coming to earth to die for MY sins and has given ME the ability to know Him and tell other people how great He is??? In the past, you could find me on social media or in relationships telling others about truth and boy, was I proud that I was someone who “knew it”! You guessed it, another opportunity for me to be right.
DO YOU BELIEVE THIS?
Do you all know the true story of Lazaus? Mary, her sister Martha and brother Lazarus were all close friends with Jesus. They shared meals together and Jesus even sat at their house and told them about God, the Father. They had a very close friendship. They believed Jesus was who He claimed to be. They knew He was the Son of God and that the prophecies were true. They knew Him and He knew them.
The Grave of Good Friday: Ezra’s Example of Repentance
As the days warm and flowers bloom, it’s so easy for us as Christian women to jump right into the celebration of Christ’s resurrection on Easter Sunday. This year especially, we are eager for the fulfilled promise of new life. But in order to more fully understand the wonder of the Resurrection, we must again recognize why Christ went to the grave at all.
When Friendship Births Discipleship
As urban women of faith, there are many places in the Bible we can look to examine the topic of discipleship. Within scripture, the people God uses to point us to discipleship may in fact unearth our perceived ideas of what Biblical discipleship looks like.
Suffering with Elisabeth Elliott
While you may not have heard of Elisabeth Elliot before, you’ve likely heard the name of her late husband Jim Eliot, a missionary who was killed by natives in the jungles of Ecuador during an attempt to bring them the gospel.
When the Sun’s Light Fails
I walked under a bright sky once. The day was new and the sun was lending its light, as graciously commanded by its Creator. I accepted the grace not realizing it was a gift and therefore not turning to say “thank You.” I presumed the light would shine on my entire day because, afterall, I had things to do. I went about using the light, enjoying the light, assuming the light would remain.
Sent for This Purpose
I don’t like saying goodbye, but what I really don’t like is being left behind. For the past 26 years of my life, I’ve lived in the same city and watched people come and go. Whether it be celebrities (looking at you, Lebron) or people close to me, I’ve always struggled to not feel personally abandoned when others moved away. It felt like an affront - what could be more important than being here with me?
A Reflection from “An Antidote to Fear” by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
My friend Takpor survived a civil war. He was twelve years old when the Liberian Civil War broke out, which lasted fourteen years and took thousands of innocent lives. The aftermath had a devastating effect on families, communities and the infrastructure of the country that Liberia is still dealing with today.