Christina Speaks

The other day I was sitting on my bed working on something when I noticed the sound of a shower running. It was Isaiah showering before going to work. The miracle of that fact was not lost on me.  Tears welled up in my eyes as I flashed back to 5 1/2 years ago when in that same bathroom, I had to help him wash his body. He was 13 years old and already going through changes. His mom had to help him bathe just like when he was a toddler.  It was difficult for both of us. I would inevitably end up soaking wet and having to clean up water off of the bathroom floor. He usually ended up frustrated about something. Usually, because he wanted to do it himself, but couldn’t. As I sat listening to the water run, I couldn’t help but cry. The feeling of gratitude was completely overwhelming. He can wash himself, and not only that, he was washing himself before going to work. He can work. And not only that. He can drive himself to work. Miracles still happen today. Sometimes we don’t recog...

  Yesterday was Palm Sunday.  Growing up, I never learned much about that day. So, I took time to reflect on what actually occurred. On that day, Jesus was celebrated as he rode a donkey into Jerusalem. A large crowd gathered and gave Him the royal treatment. Many had become “fans” after seeing or hearing about him raising Lazarus from the dead. They celebrated Him in a massive way. Then just a few days later, crucified Him.  I wonder how painful it must have been for Jesus, knowing many of these same people shouting “Hosanna!” would be shouting “Crucify Him!” not even a week later. However, He continued on, because He had His mind set on higher things. He was focused on His heavenly Father and the task that had been set before Him. He knew not to get caught up in the accolades. I thought about how many of us get caught up in the praise of others. How we live for a “like,” a “love,” or a “follow.” How quick we are to spout off a comment just so we can receive the reinforc...

Throughout my life, there have been so many issues I’ve fretted over and tried to fix/handle myself. It created such anxiety in my life that I felt my heart would literally explode. Do you know that feeling? The times when your chest is so tight, and you wake up in the middle of the night thinking about the battles waiting for you when you get up in the morning? It is the worst feeling. Now that I’m older, and have learned more about God, I hand most (I have not perfected this motion) of these things over to Him right at the beginning. I already know I am not qualified to handle them on my own, so why not just let the Lord do it from the very beginning? There are times when it takes longer than I would like, and I get antsy, but ultimately I trust He’ll do it. For those of you who wonder why I’m so calm a lot of the time, it’s because I do my best to hand my battles over to God, so I can focus on what He’s asked me to do, not what HE said HE would do in the first place. Don’t you get i...

I’m feeling burdened this morning. It’s not because anything has happened to me. The truth is, I should feel worse. My burden stems from my lack of hurt. Many of our Asian brothers and sisters are being attacked and killed in our very own country. Where is my outrage? It is easy to find when it’s someone who looks like me. It is easy to find when it’s someone who has similar circumstances to mine. It’s easy when it’s an innocent child. It is easy to feel pain when I see a black man, then think of my own son, but what about when they are simply God’s children, just like I am? Just like my son is. Just like you are. Where is my outrage? Where is yours? Friends, our Asian brothers and sisters are hurting. Their ethnicity is being blamed. How does racial profiling seep into the depths of a virus and cause a beautiful community of people to fear for their lives?  I am familiar with the feeling, which is why it’s a shame these deaths have not rattled me to the core the way the deaths did...

  Quick report. I am back home after an AH-MAZING weekend MCing and speaking at the She Writes For Him: Braveheart 2021 Virtual Writers conference. It was an incredible weekend getting to watch up close how God moves in so many ways. I had the honor of hearing from women who have been called to tell their stories. I had the pleasure of encouraging these women to live out their calling in the way God has created them to. I got to work with women who I can’t even begin to properly describe how gifted they are, and how God is using them to do gigantic things. They are the real deal. Sold out for the Lord. I am in awe. This is International Women’s Month, and oh man do I feel the spirit moving among women all over the world. Can you feel it? I believe we were truly created for such a time as this. God has given women a very special place in His Kingdom, and it is time to start acting like it. We are royalty. He is our Father, He is our King, and He created women with so many gifts. We ...

Good morning friends!  I’ll just let you know this morning that I am crazy busy! However, I am happy to invite you to jump on the crazy train with me as I share what I am going through. Don’t worry, it’s all good things. I’m a bit frazzled, but can still find peace. I think it’s absolutely hilarious that God chose to have me work a full-time job for the first time in 20 years at the exact time that my life is busier than it has ever been outside of work. Yes, our God is an awesome God, and He’s got jokes apparently. I am currently preparing to travel across the country, MC as well as teach a class for a virtual writers conference, while working with 20 other authors to launch our compilation book (She Writes for Him: Black Voices of Wisdom), along with the other random things I need to do for my home and family. It's a lot. Normally I would be completely freaking out about doing all I need to do and saying all I need to say, but to be honest, it feels so completely ridiculous that ...

Today I want to simply share something personal that touched my heart. Yesterday, I was brought to tears as I watched and listened to my youngest daughter play the guitar during worship at church. Instruments are a new thing in our church, as we have historically only had acapella worship.  Olivia is our child who is quiet about her gifts. There is nothing she does for praise or attention. She plays several instruments, but if you ask her, she’ll only tell you about the one she plays the most. When she was barely five years old, our friend Terra taught her some basics for a few months, but being so young, she stopped within a year. What we didn’t know is that God was preparing them to share a stage of worship together 11 years later. I tried for years to get Olivia to sing (one of her gifts) with our praise team but she never would. I even gave her a lecture and Bible lesson about how it’s wrong to hide the gifts God has given us (see Matthew 25:14–30) but to no avail. So when she ...