Racism and Reconciliation

Welcome to my new blog project!

So I’ve been out of commission with blogging for a long minute. Though this particular blog page is new, I blogged pretty regularly from 2012 to 2016. But I’ve been pretty busy — I met an awesome man, got married and I bought a house. 🙂 Also throw in a couple of job changes and everyday life, and there you go! But I really want to talk about something that has been heavy on my heart for awhile. Times are tense in America for a myriad of reasons. But a passion point for me for many years has been race relations in America. We can’t solve anything if we don’t admit it, work through it and have honest, awkward and sometimes painful discussions. About two years ago, I had a profound experience in prayer. It lead me to believe that God may be using me as a bridge between races to foster dialogue about our issues with race in this country.

Ever since I was a small child, I had friends from all different backgrounds in my life. If I connected with someone, his/her background was always secondary. But it didn’t stop me from deeply appreciating differences and at the same time becoming educated about other traditions and cultures. And I don’t want to come off like I’m an expert and perfect when it comes to race relations. I know I have bias and have said things I shouldn’t have and maybe even treated people differently because they weren’t like me. And I am a black female. No one is exempt here. It’s just time that all of us get real about what’s always underneath the surface of our daily interactions and is woven in the fabric of our lives. We’ve all got a lot of unpacking to do. We’ve all been programmed, indoctrinated into a certain way of thinking and believing. My white friends, I plan on having direct conversations on race issues in America and this is not meant to be an indictment or attack on you, your background and beliefs. It’s meant to be a platform for healthy conversations and to be a safe space to talk. And this is not simply a conversation. There is a deep spiritual element to what is at play when we discuss racism. Often in our discussions, online or with friends, we leave out the most important element that is the key to true reconciliation for our nation — the Lord. I really want to get myself out of the way — to a certain extent — when it comes to this conversation. This truly has to be work that God is moving in the midst of. Otherwise our emotions, our history and biases get in the way. My race and experiences inform my opinions and perspective, and that’s not always a bad thing. If you’re open, I’d like to take a journey, an odyssey, if you will. It may get a little rocky, be very eye-opening, scary and liberating all at the same time. I’d love to hear your feedback. I want this to be a constructive and productive place where we can all learn from each other. Prayerfully, we can make a positive change in how we understand one another. Won’t you join me? ~THB