As someone that spent most of my teens and well into adulthood with undiagnosed schizophrenia (a very long story in it of itself), I often struggled with forming and maintaining relationships. My friendships and romantic partnerships were like shooting stars, burning bright for a moment and then burning out in a flash. So when I … Continue reading Created for Community
Category: Admin Story
Name it and Claim it Theology
A big part of my spiritual journey is that I was raised in the Southern Baptist sphere of Christianity. It’s a very no nonsense denomination. Early on in my faith, I explored different denominations of Christianity because I wanted my faith to be my own and eventually came across the popular Prosperity Gospel church. You … Continue reading Name it and Claim it Theology
A heart for broken things
I have a heart for broken things. I’m a fixer to my core. There is no problem I won’t fight to solve and I see little fruit that comes out of complaining. Like many people, I saw the pandemic as the perfect opportunity to adopt a puppy and in true Emily fashion, I adopted two. … Continue reading A heart for broken things
The Inconsistency in Staying Consistent
I have an obsession with consistency. I have for several years now. About five and a half years ago, I sat through a gut-wrenching sermon series on dating and marriage. There were good chunks of information but what I remember most was the pastor's emphasis on consistency. He said that the best gauge of knowing … Continue reading The Inconsistency in Staying Consistent
Cheapening the greatest gift
I've lost count on how many days I've been in quarantine. Jokingly, I have said that my 712th day was by far the worst. Most days, I have felt every rough, cracked, wretched edge of my soul. My heart is without reprieve. There's no busyness, no distractions from the weight I have carried for … Continue reading Cheapening the greatest gift
To Share Your Story
There was a time in my life when I was a prolific writer. I was in the process of deep healing and felt the need to share my story. As I've healed more, the less I've shared my story. The less my life has been marked by the abuse I went through and the more … Continue reading To Share Your Story
Love in a Desert Wasteland
I still remember the first time I saw him. I was 18, a senior in high school, at church one Sunday when he came to visit our congregation to lead worship. I remember what his voice made me feel like, like I wanted to write poems on poems on poems. He mesmerized me. When I … Continue reading Love in a Desert Wasteland
Younger
I had high expectations for my 13th birthday. Friends, cake, I wanted a cat. I had high hopes for boobs to come in and some studly boyfriend to appear. Well, there were no friends that crowded my party pad. The cake was lackluster. I was flat-chested and crushing hard on a boy named Ricardo who … Continue reading Younger
Being Single
Recently, I've been thinking about what it means to be single and almost 30. What does it look like to live in the tension between desiring marriage and living out the calling of being single for as long as God has me here. It's been a weird season, these last few months. I dated a … Continue reading Being Single
Sovereignty
Truth be told, I haven't trusted much in God's sovereignty. Not the way I should have been doing. For most of my life, I was told I was not worthy of the love I craved. I was told that if anyone really knew me, they wouldn't want me. And so I kept everyone at arm's … Continue reading Sovereignty
An Uncomfortable Conversation
Friends, this is awkward but it needs to said: Minorities are not tokens for you to look cool. And I'm not just talking racial minorities. LGBTQA, refugees, people with disabilities. We need your friendship and your alliance but I personally could do without the "token friend" status. I'll come at it from my perspective. I'm … Continue reading An Uncomfortable Conversation
Bowling with my dad
My last memory of my father before he passed is of us bowling together. I remember the rundown bowling alley, greasy food, the way he smiled and laughed. But what I remember the most is the dull ache in my heart. I had confronted him about the one thing no one but he and I … Continue reading Bowling with my dad
