Happy Valentine's Day... and no it's not what you think.

Honour exemplified  on Valentine's Day...

For some this is a day they loathe. For others it's a day they eagerly await for all year. For me, it is neither. February 14th is just another day, a Tuesday this year. Maybe I'll treat me and my momma to toonie Tuesday at KFC, maybe not. This Valentine's Day took an unexpected turn when my mom came in my room and proclaimed "you must have a secret admirer."  I genuinely responded with laughter as she handed me a single red rose, and a box of Godiva chocolates. I knew immediately that is was my brother James that was behind it.

Let me give you a little back story about my brother James y'all. He is not at all my biological brother for starters. He is someone I've known for years now, that I served alongside for 1 summer at a Christian camp. He is also married to an amazing woman, that I know and have the utmost respect for. James is 2 years older than me (If I'm not mistaken). The summer we worked together, we weren't exactly the best of friends, but by the end of the summer we had developed a meaningful friendship. He is my brother in Christ, but also quite literally in every sense of the word.
When I think of the past 6 months, I've noticed a shift in James' presence in my life. James has been an intentional friend/brother. He remembers things that people have said in passing. He has been very consistent in planning group events. In November he actually hosted a party for a few of the single/unwed women in his life, with the sole intention of honouring them, and encouraging them. He had planned an escape room event, that I unfortunately couldn't make it to because I was at work - and he surprised me at work with my favourite salt & pepper chicken wings! That's the kind a man he has grown to be. So today when my mother barged in my room believing I had some strange admirer roaming around Scarborough - I couldn't help but feel blown away by the lengths my brother would go to honour us. When I say "us", I do indeed mean a group of us. I can think of countless ways he has gone out of his way for the fly gyals, and many others.

I'm at a stage in my life where I've had to reevaluate the titles I've loosely given many undeserving people in my life. I remember crying on the phone with my boyfriend, wondering if I had any actual brothers that would honour me as a sister. And I'm pleased to know that the Lord reminded me of three, and James is most definitely one of them.
So to you James A,
My brother from another mother, I say thank you. Thank you for the brotherly love you show me even when I am undeserving. Thank you for including me in plans, even though my work schedule is unpredictable. Thank you for your kindness, and your consideration. Thank you for showing us all that this commercialized holiday is not just about romantic love. Thank you for honouring me  at all times. I love you, I appreciate you, and I hope to always have you in my corner.
Your sister,
Nakita


Now you know what they say, behind every great man is a great woman! So I want to take a moment to honour James' equally amazing and sacrificial wife Nana!

So to you Nana,

Thank you a hundred times over! You are such an inspiration to me and many others. Thank you for not changing too much once you got married! You and James are some of my favourite married people to be around. Thank you for being nurturing and a spiritual mother to many. Thank you for writing "For Black Girls". Thank you for being great, and showing other black women that they too can be great. Thank you for speaking on your blackness, and embracing it! It's been pivotal in my growth as a young black woman. Thank you for the role you've played in your husband honouring the women around him. You guys as a unit, encourage me and remind me that God can be clearly glorified through the union he created. And finally thank you for believing in my writing, and for thinking I'm stylish. Believe me when I say, it's the little things I'll never forget.
Love,
Nakita



So for any of you that wanted more information about Nana's book "For
Black girls" check out her website!!



Www.forblackgirlz.com

Writing Challenge Day #10: 02/10/17

First of all, LOL! I'm genuinely laughing at the fact that the picture says November, but my late self is doing it in February! And I'm 10 days late. Just forgive me y'all. I invite y'all to challenge yourself this month. I'm really trying to explore writing as an outlet, and one of my goals for myself this year is to create more.


Ironically enough I heal through writing. Since I was a teenager, I've been encouraged to journal my prayers, and take notes in church. Journaling became a regular part of my life for a season. I grew lazy, and inconsistent so it came to a complete halt a couple of years ago. I've always said I write for a point a reference. I write to remind myself that what I'm going through, I can get through by God's grace. I write to remember. I've written countless prayers that I've seen answered, and write when that happens too because I'm fickle and bound to forget. I've always said the only time I can write poetry is when my heart is heavy, and the feelings need to find permanence via my words. Poetry has been a healing mechanism for me. It's raw, it's expressive. It doesn't demand one format, it's free. When I've written pieces in the past, I don't allow people to read them. Writing is vulnerable, and I truly believe that's why it's been a medium I use for healing. When I pray, and I expose my inner most thoughts to my Heavenly Father I feel vulnerable. When my fingers pick up a pen and start to form words I feel vulnerable. I feel as if I'm the girl whose father was a glass maker. My soul is transparent, clear for all to see through if they felt inclined. So I pray, and I write - I write and I pray. That is how I heal.

To be SBW.....

What's "SBW" you may be wondering? Saved, Black, and Woke. This is a question I've been meaning to ask the masses, because I believe it would be helpful to many, both young and old in the faith. Most of you, know what I mean when I say black. My skin is a dark brown hue, my parents are dark brown. I identify as a black woman. What do I mean by saved & woke? Let me break it down a little bit. To be saved: to be a born again Christian. A believer of the bible, beyond that an understanding that we are all in need a of saviour and his name is Yeshua (Jesus Christ!). So when I reference the faith, or  being saved that is what I'm referring to. To be woke: Being Woke means being aware.. Knowing whats going on in the community. 

   Now add all three together and what do you get? You get someone that is SBW aka me! How do we cope with the things happening around us? 

At the forefront of my identity is the fact that I am saved. It changes my worldview, and how I choose to navigate my time here on earth. As a Christian woman, I believe the bible teaches us that God is a God of justice. To really understand that, you have to believe that sin is as bad as the bible makes it seem. The saved part of my identity reminds me to pray. And I'm not talking about casual, lighthearted prayers. I mean prayers that will move the heart of God, prayers birthed in anguish. I don't foolishly dismiss and ignore the things I see happening around me. I try to engage in conversations, and see how I could remind people (specifically young black people) that our hope has a name, and that precious name is Jesus. 

To be black & woke seem relatively synonymous these days. If you're active on popular forms of social media, you better believe you will get "dragged" if you "sleeping". If you lack basic awareness about what is going on in the world you're living in, the internet folks don't take to well to that. A lot of POC (people of colour) are simply tired of having to teach nonPOC  about oppression, and how to recognize their privilege, and how microaggressions are indeed offensive. To be black and ignore the conversations that are prevalent today, you might find yourself on the wrong side of history again. Nobody wants to be the grandma who is in a textbook protesting at a black lives matter event proudly holding up her "all lives matter" poster. 

Catch my heart in this y'all.  I'm not here to talk politics, or to stir up divisive rhetoric amongst my Christian brothers and sisters. I'm here to ask the questions, that many are afraid to ask. I'm here because even though I am Canadian what happens south of the border effects me. I'm here writing this blog post because I work with young black teenagers that think Christians disagree with the simple statement that black lives matter. I'm here because I feel awkward discussing race relations with people that refuse to acknowledge white privilege. I'm here because I'm saved, black, and woke. I'm here because sometimes I have to scroll past another news story about another black life that was taken...because sometimes it feels like I've cried all the tears and my heart couldn't  survive another crack. I'm here for many reasons, my question is why are you here? Are you also SBW? Have you asked yourselves these questions? Only to end up with them unanswered? Discussions like these on online communities don't have to end poorly. 

If you're willing to talk, so am I. Be blessed y'all.