I am black, I am loved, and I am proud of who The Lord made me to be. As I’ve been wrestling with my thoughts on the events taking place in our world, I’ve realized that I don’t have all the answers, only God does. I have a heart that is broken, drained, and unsettled (to say the least) when I look at the injustices that have occurred over the past couple of weeks and over the past hundreds of years. So, I’ve been spending time at the feet of Jesus during these difficult times. I’ve been praying for the hearts of those who failed to love their neighbors the way we’ve been called to. I’ve been contributing to causes that are creating good change. I’ve been having tough, but necessary conversations. And I’ve been crying out to my Heavenly Father, the only one who could truly carry the weight of these burdens. Racism, police brutality, systemic failures, and widespread injustices are happening and have been happening for far too long. I’m grateful that these issues are being seen in the light for what they truly are, and even more grateful to see so many coming together to advocate for change. There is still work to do, and I hope that you, too, will join in advocating for what is right. So, here’s to celebrating the black queens and kings that we are, even as we continue to fight for our equal seat at the table. Here’s to continuing on this journey to justice. Here’s to hope in the goodness of God, even when the world is sometimes cruel. Here’s to backing our words with actions in moving towards positive change. Here's to embracing what’s uncomfortable for what is necessary. Here’s to mercy, that can perhaps exist alongside accountability. Here's to digging deeper, working harder, and doing better. Here’s to love - a love that looks like Jesus, who knew our black lives mattered long before we took our first breaths. Here’s to our hearts breaking for what breaks His, and loving better. This is only the beginning of what I believe is something necessary, overdue, and beautiful. I pray that this is not just a moment of realization but a movement towards better tomorrows for all of us.