Today is Holy Saturday, a day in the liturgical calendar representing the day after Jesus was crucified. It is a day I imagine was full of grief and deep sorrow. A day that felt empty of any signs of impending resurrection or relief from the violence and suffering present in the world. A day where … Continue reading Gethsemane & Grand Rapids
Personal Growth
Returning Home
Today marks my second week back in the United States: two weeks of remembering what it’s like to drive instead of walking barefoot everywhere; two weeks of figuring out what to eat for breakfast/lunch/dinner; two weeks of not being able to river-bathe under the rays of the sun peeking through the trees of a Cloud … Continue reading Returning Home
Pura Vida
Pura Vida is the national motto of Costa Rica, and locals use the phrase gratuitously: to greet one another, to end conversations, to ask questions and to confirm answers… I used a self-timer to take this photo this past September as I spent time in Monteverde, Costa Rica. In English, Pura Vida translates most literally … Continue reading Pura Vida
Reclaiming Self
I just got off of InstagramLive. The video I uploaded to my account is now the 10th episode of M.B.S.W.N.: Mind, Body, & Soul With Nia. Screenshot of the collection of my InstagramLive M.B.S.W.N. videos I created the M.B.S.W.N. InstagramLive series as a Lenten practice. (For those unfamiliar with what Lent is, it’s the 40 … Continue reading Reclaiming Self
Grief & Growth
Sadness feels omnipresent these days. Even in the midst of beautiful and joy-filled moments--like celebrating my Divinity School graduation and moving into my first-ever solo apartment (WOOT WOOT!!!)--I’ve also noticed pangs of heaviness in my heart. I’m not concerned, though, by these oscillating feelings of joy and sadness, because over the years, my life experiences … Continue reading Grief & Growth
Sunshine and Snow Piles.
Tuesday, March 9th, New Haven, CT experienced temperatures over 60 degrees fahrenheit. Sixty-four degrees to be exact. I videotaped myself standing on my porch eating dried mangoes in the sunshine so I could memorialize the miraculous moment of warmth. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsHFA28ibsc As I stood on my porch, I couldn’t help but notice piles of snow lining … Continue reading Sunshine and Snow Piles.
Broken-Open Hearted Warriors
“It is only through letting our heart break that we discover something unexpected: The heart cannot actually break, it can only break open.” (Love and Awakening, Welwood) Meet my fellow broken-open hearted warrior, Sinclair Williams. It's been just over one year, and my thoughts have felt like a ping-pong ball as I’ve gone back and … Continue reading Broken-Open Hearted Warriors
And So I Write
The Anxiety came on Thursday, as if She had been meticulously planning the attack all week. You see, I had an ethics paper due Tuesday, and after nearly a week of wrestling with whether or not I believed violence was ethically permissible as a Christian, I finally just did the thing and turned in my … Continue reading And So I Write
Truth, Fear & Love
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true.....meditate on these things.” Philippians 4:6-8 Meditate on the truth. … Continue reading Truth, Fear & Love
Unfiltered Joy: Traveling while Black and Female
Four days ago I got back from six-weeks of country hopping: Spain to Morocco to Germany to Greece to Hungary. Since returning to the States, people have been asking me, “When are you gonna upload your pictures? I want to see them!” “Soon,” I respond, but I still have yet to post them. I will … Continue reading Unfiltered Joy: Traveling while Black and Female
Purposefully Nia 