Tag: God

Hope

Hello and how are you!?

I pray you’re well.

I’m doing well, myself.

I live in St. Louis, MO, and we just got hit by a tornado the other day. God spared my family and our home, and I praise Him for it! But so many homes and buildings were destroyed, and several people lost their lives. I knew one of those people. We were in praise dance ministry together at church. Because of her, and because of how hard our church building was hit by the tornado, and because of the many people I know who have been displaced and just don’t know how to move forward, and because of how my city is reeling, I am experiencing a mixed bag of emotions.

Yet I have hope. I have hope because God is still God.

I see God in so many ways during this time. In the people who are helping neighbors and strangers remove downed trees and debris. In the people who are giving away food and blankets. In the outcry against the unequal media coverage and distribution of resources. In the smiles. And even in the tears.

I also see God in my writing. I didn’t sit down to write about the recent tornado. I sat down to write about how working through my book coaching course has prompted me to read more and to write more. But God had other plans.

So here I am contemplating how God shows up in the midst of adversity, and writing about it to share with you.

I don’t have all the answers (or even any of them), but I know God does. And He’s not bothered by the questions and grief that weary your body, mind, and soul. To you, He offers rest. Matthew 11:28 (NLT) reads, “Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.’”

Rest is a gift from God, and we all need it. Whether or not we are in the midst of adversity, God wants us to rest. To relax in the knowledge that He is all sufficient and will supply all of our needs. That doesn’t mean you don’t need to work. Of course you do, It means you also get to rest in the midst of your labor.

I know that is a word for me, and I hope it’s a word for you, too.

May 19, 2025
Writing & Education

I posted the following conversation with God five years ago today. He’s been telling me for a long time to write and reimagine education. And here I am, five years later, not doing any of this perfectly, but I’m on the road. LELA House exists, and I’m writing more. I’ve even published some of my writing with LELA House courses. I pray you’re on your road, too, and if you need some help getting on your road, let me know. I’m here to help.

Me: Lord, it’s been a hard summer. It’s been a hard everything. It’s all too much, God – all of the violence, the disparities, the inequities, people living on the street when there are hundreds of empty buildings in the city, hurting people who need You and don’t even realize they’re lost, and don’t get me started on the education system. I know You don’t want me to move to Finland, but what can I do? What do You want me to do? How can I possibly combat the erosion of my country? Of the world?

God: Write.

Me: I mean, really. What can I do? I don’t have a bully pulpit. I’m not famous. I like to stay at home. I always pray, but I feel You calling me to do something in addition to prayer. We need You desperately, but I don’t know what to do.

God: Write.

Me: Write what?

God: What you’ve been writing is a good start.

Me: What I’ve been writing? What’s that? A compilation of the antics of my kids? A bad romance novel? A composite novel with so many disparate elements it’s hard for even me to see the through line? A literary/education/family online magazine that’s been on hold because I don’t have the mental energy to sustain it? A bookified dissertation that no one wants to read? A million partial stories? Too many projects begun and left incomplete to count?

God: You left some stuff out.

Me: Did I? Well, there are the academic articles I’ve been toying with and the Writing Center handbook that I’ve made headway on. Or did You mean the fictionalized retellings I’ve been jotting down of some women in the bible whose stories I find fascinating? Hmm. What else? Oh, that’s right. I have those two children’s books I wrote. And some articles for children’s magazines, too. Ok. I get Your point. I’m already writing, so I should just keep doing what I’ve been doing.

God: Not exactly.

Me: That’s what I was thinking too. What good is any of the stuff I’ve been writing, anyway? Who is it going to help? How will any of it point back to You? How does any of it explain the rage and exasperation and sorrow that I feel for the world? How is any of this a good start?

God: Why don’t you give finishing a try.

Me: You’re funny, God. Ok. Say I finish some of this work? Then what? Honestly, I’m a little embarrassed, that’s not the right word, but You get my point, by some of the stuff I write. Umm, I think I worry what people will think of me. I have some dark, bleak, and graphic things going on in my mind that definitely come out in some of my writing. Honestly, I’m surprised I’ve written it. Again, surprised isn’t the right word, but something akin to it. Like the first book in the Kept series – it has that disturbing rape scene. Oh hey. I had forgotten all about the Kept series and the three books I’ve worked on in it. Thanks for reminding me.

God: Do you think I don’t know you have these ideas? I gave you those ideas.

Me: I know.

God: Then if you know they’re from me, why are you ashamed of them?

Me: I don’t think they fit the image people have of me, which admittedly is an incomplete image.

God: Why do you care about the image people have of you? If you’re doing my work, I will take care of everything you need.

Me: So not only do you want me to write, but You actually want me to share what I have written? Some of this stuff doesn’t need to see the light of day.

God: You’re right about that, but a lot of it does.

Me: I don’t understand how my writing is going to help combat the ills of the world, but I hear You, so I’ll write. And finish. And share. But it’s going to be difficult.

God: Of course it will be difficult. I never promised you easy.

Me: No, You didn’t, but You did promise You would never leave me or forsake me. And You did promise that You will be with me always. And You did promise to be my ever present help.

God: I did and I meant it.

Me: Ok, God. I hear You. Please help me to obey You even when I can’t see what’s coming or understand what’s going on.

God: Of course. Now for another thing. Education.

Me: Education?

God: Yes, education. I made you passionate about education for a reason. You see needs in the education system, and I made you to fill them.

Me: I know that, God, but…

God: But what? Stop second guessing me. I knew what I was doing when I placed this heart of and for education in you.

Me: Of and for?

God: Yes. You are forever an educator and you are forever a learner. You can touch people both in how you educate and how you learn.

Me: So writing and education is what You want me to do to make our world a better place?

God: Yes, but you knew that already.

Me: I did. Writing and education are what I’ve been doing my whole life. They’re not sexy. They aren’t new and in the moment. They don’t speak to the conflagration of emotions I have each time I read a news article. They’re not revolutionary.

God: You don’t know that. You’ve never given either one of them enough of a try yet. Look at history. Writing and education have always been agents of change and revolution, but the people who wield them haven’t always had revolution in mind. You’re just afraid you might actually accomplish something.

Me: I am, but I don’t know why.

God: *silence*

Me: You’re not going to tell me, are You?

God: Not yet. I need you to trust me right now, even though You can’t see how it will all come together.

Me: Ok, God. I do trust You, but please increase my faith so that I may trust You more. Although I’m sure those lessons will actually come by my inability to see what You’re up to, because that is how You roll. Is there anything else, God, You want me to talk to You about right now?

God: That’s good for now, but get some rest. The road ahead is long and wearying.

Me: Help me to rest, Lord, and help me to write and to educate and to bring glory to You in all that I do. Thank You for talking with me. I look forward to our next chat. In Jesus’ name, amen.

July 9, 2021
Inevitable

When you are in God’s will and moving according to His plan, your success is inevitable. Success may not look like what you envisioned, and it may not come as soon as you would like. But know success is on its way.

Today, write about how you would live your life if you believed your success was inevitable. Then go and do thou likewise. 🙂

May 10, 2021
Fall or Fly
What have you been avoiding because you’re afraid you’ll fall? Journal about that today and focus on two things.
- What will happen if you fall and God catches you?
- What will happen if you fly?
March 29, 2021
You are Enough
For today’s journaling, we’re going to do something a little different. We are going to do a t-chart exercise. Today, your t-chart will be about describing how you are enough.

If you are using pen/pencil and paper, draw a vertical line down the middle of your paper. Next, draw a horizontal line through just the top portion of your vertical line. What you have should like like a lowercase “t.” If you’re using your computer, you can just make a table with 2 columns.

Now you will need to add 2 headings, one to each column you’ve created.
- Heading 1: Areas where I feel I am not enough.
- Heading 2: Ways I am actually enough.
So that’s your journal exercise today. Face the areas of your life where you feel insufficient, inept, or inadequate. Then consider how you really are enough. You may not be everything, but you are enough.

Ask God to lead your thinking on this; otherwise, it will be easy to get stuck in a negative loop and miss how mightily God is moving in you, even when you don’t feel like enough.
December 7, 2020
His Favorite Crayon

People are like God’s box of crayons. Each one is a little different from the one next to it, and each one has a purpose for which it was uniquely designed. God didn’t create you to color like everyone else. He created you to draw a picture and write a story that are yours and only yours.

So today, journal about the unique picture and story that is you. What experiences, success, failures, hopes, dreams, and disappointments have aligned to bring you to the exact space you are in right this very moment? Write about that and marvel at how you are God’s favorite crayon.

November 30, 2020
How Do You Center Yourself to Create?

Check out the next episode of Real & Raw with Roshaunda where I talk about how I center myself to create. Please comment below to share your tools and tips.

September 2, 2020
Be You

Did you know that you are fearfully and wonderfully made? That God made you with a purpose?

God took the time to intricately form not only your body but also your personality, characteristics, gifts, talents, and perspective. He created you because He has work that only you, with your unique personality, characteristics, gifts, talents, and perspective can accomplish.

Stop looking at other people, wishing to be more like them. The longer you do that, the longer you will take to find and fulfill your purpose. The longer you will take to become who you were created to be.

Now, I’m not saying there isn’t room for improvement. We all have areas in which we can grow and learn. What I am saying, however, is not to disdain who you are and how you exist in the world. There is no one else like, and that is the point.

Be who you are. God made you that way on purpose.

To partner with someone who can help you figure out your unique design and help you become your best self, contact me. I would love to join you on your journey.

If you like what you read and believe others will, too, please share.

April 21, 2020
Smiling to Transformation

My daughter’s resting face is … severe. Her friends kid with her about it, and people often tell her to smile more. But I tell her, “You don’t have to smile if you don’t want to, but when you do feel like smiling, we will all be in awe of your radiance.” When my girl smiles, it’s like a thousand suns have brought joy to the planet. Her smile may be infrequent, but its brilliance is rare. She can flash her fake smile at any moment, but her true, breath-taking smile only comes when she experiences genuine joy. Not only does her smile transform her, it transforms everyone in her presence.

Transformation. I have learned a few things about transformation from watching the evolution of my daughter’s smile.

Transformation is easier when you live with childlike wonder. When my daughter was little, nearly everything brought her joy, so she beamed frequently. As a child, she felt free to fully embrace and enjoy whatever she encountered. As she has become a teenager, cynicism and self-consciousness keep her from allowing herself to revel in her lived experiences. Similarly, transformation most readily occurs when we open ourselves up to it. As we age, however, we fill our minds with limiting beliefs that tell us we are too old or too tired or too fill-in-the-blank to become anything different than we already are. Consider what makes you truly smile. Who are you in the moment of that transformation? How can show up as that version of yourself more often?

Transformation happens when you are ready. Telling my daughter to smile will produce nothing genuine from her. At best, she will flash her fake smile and go about her business. At worst, dour lines will etch her face as she replaces her resting severity with annoyance and anger. Likewise, people transform on their own schedules; prompting from others will not produce transformation. You can prepare yourself for transformation by listening to God and living consistently as who He created you – the amazing individual with gifts and talents and passion and drive and uniqueness – to be. How are you preparing for your next transformation?

Transformation will run its course. And then run it again. And again. Once begun, the unquenchable brilliance of my daughter’s smile lasts until it stops. She occasionally tries to stop her smile, but she can’t. It dawdles in her eyes and cheeks, in the way she wrinkles her nose, in her breathless speech, in her body’s energy. Sometimes her smile lingers for hours; sometimes it only lasts for seconds. Sometimes we go long stretches of time without seeing her smile; sometimes we see multiple smiles in a day (although rare). Transformation also shows up as an irrepressible force, doing its work until complete. And it will come back to you again and again. What transformation are you looking for next?

Transformation changes people. My daughter’s smile, whether brief or extended, morphs her entire being, and we are all the better for it. Transformation, great or small, creates lasting change in you. People around you not only notice, but they also respond. Some people don’t recognize your transformation, but they recognize something different about you. Some people realize you’ve changed and may respond positively or negatively. Whatever the response, transformation in you precipitates change in others. How have you transformed and how has your transformation influenced others?

Transformation, like a smile, can happen frequently, can shine briefly or linger, and it can bring people closer to their true selves. Are you ready to transform?

Please comment below to share your transformations. And if you need some help navigating through a transformation, please contact me for 1:1 coaching.

If you like what you read and think others will, too, please share.

March 3, 2020
Home Work

I’ve always enjoyed working from home; it just took me a few decades to realize it.

When I was a kid, I took home seriously. It was my favorite place. I learned each nook and every cranny. I explored the yard. I created space for my dolls to luxuriate. My job was to learn and grow, and I did it at home.

While in college, I worked as an RA, which means I worked from home. I learned my building’s intricacies, and I got to interact with my residents. I loved it.

When I graduated, I worked as a hall director, which allowed me to work from home. I learned my building and campus, worked with my RAs and residents, and loved it.

Then I became a full-time graduate student. I went to school at a physical campus, but I did most of my work from home – reading, writing, grappling with difficult concepts. And while doing that, I made our apartment welcoming to family and friends.

Then one day I got the notion I needed to have a job outside of my house. I’ve had good jobs, that I was good at, doing good work. It all seemed so good that I ignored the feeling it might not be right.

Now, I’m not saying I never want to leave my house. Of course Ido! What I’m saying, however, is that I find satisfaction in work that allows me to use my actual home as my home base, work that allows me to tend both to it and my family and home.

I got caught in a trap that told me there was only one way to have a career and find success – by working for someone else outside of my home. That is a laudable career path, but it’s not the path God created me to follow.

Rather, God created me to connect deeply with others, to serve others, all from the space of my home. I felt that truth in my body when I would leave a job and have some time at home before beginning another job. I relaxed. I breathed. I thought deeply. I slept. I took care of my family and home.

My children saw glimpses of me. More often than I’m proud of, my children have either seen an exhausted, ill-tempered version of me; or they have not seen me, because I’ve retreated to my bedroom to decompress from the day.

But when I’m at home, my children can see who I am.

That, ultimately, became a driving force behind my return to working from home. I knew God didn’t give me children for me not to be myself with them. He has lessons for them to learn that can only come from me, and I need to be myself for that to happen.

It took me a long time to realize that.

The longer I worked outside of my home, the more I wanted to learn about how God had fearfully and wonderfully made me. I took spiritual gifts inventories. I took the Myers Briggs Type Indicator. I took StrengthsFinder. I learned a lot, and I got overwhelmed.

So I had to go back to where I knew I could find answers – daily devotion time with God. The more time I spent studying God’s word, the more He revealed to me about how He shaped me.

He showed me I’ve always loved doing many of the things I enjoy now; I’ve just enjoyed them in a variety of ways. I’ve always loved listening to people and helping them think through their processes; that’s why I’ve gravitated to the work I’ve done – residence halls, teaching, writing center work. I love learning and hunting for knowledge – that explains graduate school, my endless questions, and my love affair with Google. And I love to create – crafting, writing, music, dance.

None of those things I love demand I work from home, but my particular predilections indicate that I do so. I’m an introvert. I’ve always wanted to be a wife and mother. I find great satisfaction in cleaning (despite the current condition of my house). I enjoy hosting events from home.

I love being at home. That’s just how God made me.

But staying at home didn’t fit with the idealized concept of success I was living. I was married with kids, a church family, degrees, and a good academic job. My life was good, but something didn’t feel right.

Once I finally acknowledged I didn’t feel like I was living out God’s purpose for my life, despite how great my life looked, God began leading me to a life that better fit how He created me. I needed all the experiences I have had, including jobs that didn’t fit, so God could get me to where I sought His direction, rather than society’s confirmation.

Maybe you have felt like that, too. You don’t have to live as a watered-down version of who God created you to be. He wants more for you, and it’s ok for you to want that, too.

If you like what you read and think others will, too, please share.

January 20, 2020

Your cart (items: 0)

Products in cart
Product	Details	Total
	Available on backorder Previous price: Discounted price:	Save