The Beginning – How I knew there was a God

Although I did not grow up in the church, I have always known about God for as long as I can remember. When my mother would take us to visit our cousins in Chicago every summer, we would attend church on Sundays with them. I remember going to Bible study with my cousins and learning about God. I also had two best friends in junior high and high school, one whose father was a pastor and the other whose mother and father were believers and attended church regularly. I remember asking their parents questions about God.

Accepting God as my Lord and Savior

In college, I met one of my closest friends and she was very active in a church club. She asked me to attend and I went and absolutely loved it. I joined the club and began learning more about God. After college, I met my husband and he invited me to his church. While we dated, we regularly attended church. I grew to love that church, decided to accept Christ as my Lord and Savior, and was baptized.

It has almost been 20 years. In many ways, it feels just like yesterday. I can remember being dunked in that water so vividly.

God has saved me so many times

I can tell you that God has made a way so many times when I did not see a way. God has saved me from myself so many times I cannot even count them. God has kept me sane when I felt like I could have easily went crazy. My husband and I moved away from the city and church I was baptized at and for year’s we could not find a church home. I finally found a wonderful church when I decided to visit Grace Church almost three years ago. It is at this church that I have grown so much closer to God. I am learning how I can make a difference in this broken world starting with my family. Since we started attending Grace, my two oldest sons have been baptized at their request. God has also brought me peace during this Pandemic alongside the battle against systemic racism in this country.

So, what have you been doing to keep your peace in this broken world?

I will tell you that I have had to intentionally make time to allow myself to disconnect from everything.

I have faithfully been doing three things for the past month.

  • Making sure, I go on a daily walk. Sometimes I am by myself and others I have my youngest son with me riding his bike. I enjoy having this alone time with him away from my two older sons.
  • I pray every night and every morning for myself, for my sons, for my family and friends and for the world.
  • I created a list of 10 things that make me happy and I try to do at least three of them each week. This week, I decided to enjoy a delicious cup of Gelati (mango flavored frozen ice and vanilla custard on top) from a black-owned business called Rita’s.

I also asked my fellow MommiNation sisters to share three things they have been doing to keep their peace during this tumultuous time.

Mommi Pamela @mzpamela2u

  • Listening to good sermons and podcasts
  • Being in the moment
  • Being intentional about small acts of kindness

Mommi Haley @haleypecikonis

  • Diving into my business
  • Making dinners with my family
  • Self-care days

Mommi Destiny @destinyajaw

  • Praying and fasting
  • Expressing tons of gratitude
  • Reading books and Bible app devotionals

Mommi Joanna @therealladygrace

  • Engaging in dialogue with those who are ignorant or uniformed. Education is key and knowledge is power. At least try to help them gain an understanding before writing them off
  • Signing petitions to help further the cause
  • Living in the moment and taking in every second that I have with my family

Mommi Brittany @motherhoodismagical

  • Praying more
  • Reading
  • Taking daily walks

Mommi Jennifer @msjenniferpink

  • Being unapologetic because I refuse to be silenced or minimized now more than ever
  • Owning who I am/want to be. This is the perfect opportunity to stop doing, dressing, etc. ways that do not empower me. I got locs and am changing my wardrobe
  • Stealing hugs and kisses from my babies because it just makes me feel at peace

While many of the three things are the same, some are very different. What is most important is that they all have found ways to re-center themselves and keep their peace at a time in which none of us has experienced before in our lives.

I strongly encourage any Mommi that reads this blog to figure out your list of things that bring you peace and intentionally make sure you do them every week.