Tag: Beloved Community
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Say Their Names
Breath Prayer: Inhale: Remove my heart of stone. Exhale: Give me a heart of flesh. “Say Their Names” Memorial from Lake Highlands Area Moms Against Racism, displayed at Arapaho United Methodist Church Every morning this week when I walk my two children into church for VBS, we will walk by the Say Their Names Memorial…
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belonging vs. fitting in
Image contents: a poppy in a field of larkspurs. Text says,“‘If I get to be me, I belong. If I have to be like you, I fit in.’ Braving the Wilderness by Brené Brown” I’ve long grappled with a sense of not quite fitting in wherever I go and have always wondered if everyone else…
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judgment vs. compassion
Judgement shuts down vulnerability, but compassion paves the way for connection, which is the antidote to shame. Years ago, I was part of a small group where we were encouraged to share our struggles so we could support and pray for one another. I don’t remember the specific thing I shared (probably my struggle with…
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communal grief & communal joy
**Please note: This IS a political post, because politics affect people. This post is for my friends in the margins and the privileged folks who are standing with them. To anyone else, I’m open to civil discussions offline.** When I began listening to people in the margins, one of the most important refrains I heard…
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on Botham Jean and forgiveness: justice and mercy are not mutually exclusive
The unjust, unprovoked murder of Botham Jean is a symptom of the communal sin of white supremacy. The idea that whiteness is superior is so baked into our society, none of us can be unaffected. If we do not actively work to dismantle it, we are upholding it. Though Amber Guyger was convicted, she is…
Lindsay L. O'Connor 