This first video for the Marriage & Relationship: Modern Concepts vs. Biblical Principles series is an introduction of me (LaShawnda), my company and the study series. I also begin to explore the importance of naming. Each meeting is focused on one or two Biblical couples. We explore the main theme, elements, issues and lessons ofContinueContinue reading “Video MR2.0: Marriage & Relationship Series Intro”
Tag Archives: Relationships
Terry Ann: Woman. Seed. Fertile Ground. Inspiration.
In the summer of 2018, I began working on a portrait and prose book project about womanhood. That summer I returned to my hometowns Gary and Milwaukee and asked friends, family and old connections to pose and share some words about their womanhood experiences. When I began sketching out the project my mom was notContinueContinue reading “Terry Ann: Woman. Seed. Fertile Ground. Inspiration.”
Sermon: Standing In The Gap by Pastor Gary Ham
For those of you who thought the grass was greener on the other side and found that it was not, this message is for you. “The crisis you are facing is not one of money, is not a crisis of relationships, it is a crisis of faith. It is your faith. For with God allContinueContinue reading “Sermon: Standing In The Gap by Pastor Gary Ham”
When Truth Destroys
Then I thought of how each of those relationships would probably still be as superficially satisfying and emotionally frustrating as ever had I held my tongue and worn the mask of false communion that so many keep in place as if their lives depend on others believing in their shallowness or trusting in their vanity. I mourned each of these relationships – family and friend. It was never my desire to come to the end of people. {Click to read the full post.}
An Open Letter: Woman to Man
Relationships are built on mutuality and thrive on reciprocity. I cannot build with someone who is constantly attacking me. Passive aggressive behavior is violent in nature. You may “only” be emotionally dismissive, neglectful, and stoic, but each instance is an attack on everything I see in and believe about you….I will not chase anyone who is not pursuing me. I am the good thing you are responsible for shepherding, but I am also responsible for where I choose to go. You lead, I follow. When you stop leading, I stop following. Remember that.
The older I get, the less I worry about relationships.
As I have matured, I have become more confident with all I have to offer as a human being, as a woman, as a friend, as a worker. There’s no need for me to chase anybody or anything. God is my supplier. {Click to read full post.}
A conversation and a song
We were still in the middle of a slow-moving line in a restaurant in Union Square. He began singing a beautiful song in his beautiful voice. Halfway through I began lip-syncing along with him. My heart was lifted and I believe he lifted the hearts of several people in the line also.
Face-to-Face: Sharing God’s Glory With One Another
Relationships are destroyed from lack of knowledge as well. People don’t take the time or make the effort to get to know each other anymore. They seek shallow intimacies and call everyone friend. What one person knows, all people know – yet no one truly knows anyone and everyone feels the need to hide their true selves. This cycle is easy to maintain with technology, but the strain of maintaining the mask cannot be kept up indefinitely in face-to-face interactions.
Saved from Nice
Nice translates to dishonest to me. People try to be “nice” by not hurting your feelings, so they misrepresent their feelings, their thoughts, their ideas. They misrepresent who they are. Because they are being “nice”, you end up interacting with a false representative. (Read the whole blog by clicking on “View Original Post”)
Forgiveness – You have it. Now What?
I had to sit back and think about how so many people have been comfortable treating me so cavalierly and then setting me aside. The answer I came to: I forgave when they asked and forgot their transgressions without requiring anything from them. No expression of repentance, no sincere/specific apology and no attempt to make amends. I was always giving of myself and going home empty.
Now, I’m asking for something in my relationships. I want to be wooed. I want to know you’re not just after a comfortable foot stool or a quiet ear. I need to know you’re interested in contributing to and sustaining a relationship with me. I need to know I’m not in it alone.
Harvest Life 