Sadness. Anger. Heaviness. Confusion. Fatigue. This is what we’ve been feeling recently. This is what we’ve been hearing when we ask friends how they’re doing. Processing what’s happening in our world right now isn’t easy, and we’re guessing you’re wading through a tumultuous sea of emotions too.
For many of us, there’s also a feeling of helplessness. What should I do now? Where do we go from here?
Two weeks ago, five women from our (in)courage staff and writing team gathered to process together recent events and the deep-rooted history of injustice in our country. If you missed that community conversation, watch it below (or click here for a closed caption version). We know you’ll be encouraged!
Since then, we — your (in)courage staff and writers — have been listening, reading, learning, and lamenting. We’ve been asking each other hard questions and sharing our collective experiences to help one another. We’ve been praying, wrestling, examining our own hearts, minds, and lives. For some of us, that looks like taking steps to raise awareness or to heal our own racial trauma. For others, that looks like growing in our understanding of the trauma and prejudice we’ve never had to endure.
We are all asking God for help to be willing and ready to do what we need to do.
But this is not the work of one or two weeks. Racism in America won’t change because people hold a sign or have one hard conversation or post a black square on social media.
We’ve got to keep leaning in and asking God to give us eyes that see, ears that hear, and hearts ready to do the hard work of undoing prejudices and racism in our own hearts, our families, our communities, our churches, and our country.
Here at (in)courage, not all of us are experts in anti-racism education or racial justice, but we are sisters in Christ willing to link arms. We want to continue listening when it’s uncomfortable, learning when it’s hard, and seeking to love a little more like Jesus every day.
We also wanted to share with you a collection of resources that are helping us in the process.
Find our list of anti-racism resources here.
This collection has been gathered by the (in)courage contributors. It is certainly not an exhaustive list. There are SO many good, helpful, needed resources and voices out there. We encourage you to do your own research too. But if you’re asking yourself, Where do I go from here?, we hope you find these resources as starting points for your learning.
We’re all on different parts of the journey. The way forward is not a one-size-fits-all solution, but together we can cling to this promise:
He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.
Psalm 25:9 (NIV)
Though we rightly feel sad, angry, confused, and weary, we are also women of courage! We are committed, resilient, hopeful, and surrendered. We are prayer-warriors and difference-makers, so let’s pray this prayer together:
Lord, help us.
Lord, make us humble.
Lord, teach us your way.
Lord, let it begin with me.
[bctt tweet=”Our prayer for this journey: Lord, help us. Lord, make us humble. Lord, teach us your way. Lord, let it begin with me.” username=”incourage”]
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In Courage,
This country has a long history of racism. We pushed the Indians to reservations because we wanted the land. We enslaved blacks. The list could go on. Each of us needs to ask God to help us learn to love each other as we are faults & all. Let’s try to learn from our past & change it. Let’s teach our children & the younger generation to love everyone as Christ did.
Blessings 🙂
Thank you, Beth! To love others as Christ did and teach the next generation. Yes! With you.
❤
Thank you for your willingness to lend depth, understanding, compassion, and awareness to this dilemma. I will appreciate listening, reading, and reflecting. At pivotal junctures in my life, Black women have played significant roles and have been wonderful friends. They have helped me greatly. As a European American, admittedly, it is difficult to know what I can do. Circumstances in my life have sequestered me (beyond COVID), and so my social circles have changed and become more limited. This is one of the reasons I’m so very grateful for the Internet. Thank you in-courage and panelists for broadening my world and my view.
In Him,
Lynn Morrissey
We appreciate your heart, Lynn! Thank you for your willingness to listen, learn, and ask God for next steps.
Thank you for being brave in opening an honest dialogue. I grew up in the north, and like most white people, I thought that racism was a battle we had already fought. It wouldn’t be until much later that I would realize that I have experienced many trials in my life, but NONE simply because of the color of my skin. I can’t even fathom the thoughts of “not being enough” that swirled in black minds. As a young manager in the 80’s I needed to hire one person into my department. I interviewed lots of candidates and the person I decided on was a young black professional who was a single mother. Black and female. I didn’t think much of it until anonymous notes started appearing in my mailbox. They were unkind and some were even hateful. I had hired the first black person into the company and clearly some people were not happy. I do have to say that the experience opened the door to some courageous conversations that I had with Debra. Sadly, she told me stories that made my hair stand on end. Then I moved to the south and it was if I had stepped back in time. Racism was far more rampant in the south than where I’d come from. I know I have a long way to go, but I am really trying to ask and then actively listen. There is much more that I can learn and need to know if I even want to get a glimpse of what it’s like to walk in another person’s shoes. I am sorry for the hurts that keep having salt thrown into them and I do pray earnestly that God will (I know He can) bring beauty from these ashes. As Christians of many colors, we need to set the example of loving others the way Christ first loved us. Thank you for giving me food for thought as to how change can begin with me. Thank you for the list of resources!
Love and blessings,
Bev xx
We need to as Followers of Jesus be people who keep Praying. No matter what. God created us made us the people we are he choose us to have the skin color we have should that be black brown or white. Saved or unsaved we should see everyone beyond their skin color. Love them for who they are. Not look at them or dislike them because they are this color or that color. They are a person with a beautiful personally beyond their skin color. Stop judging them for what part of world they came from. We are not to Judge. It wrong in God eyes. We especially if saved have to do what Jesus would want us to do is love all people of the world. Like the kids song I was taught at Sunday School. Jesus Loves All The Children Of The World Red and Yellow Black and White. We are to do the same. Another thing comes to mind. When we are sick in Hospital we don’t care what religion or skin color that Doctor or Nurse is that is treating us. As long as they make us well. If we the person that are ill have white skin and the Doctor or Nurse has brown or black. Or if we the person that are ill this time have brown or black skin the Doctor or Nurse is white skin. You don’t care as long as they make you well. Why should it make any difference when we are not in Hospital. When out in the world we act differently. When in Hospital we are nice to the Doctor’s and Nurses treating us no matter what color their skin is if brown or black or white. We shouldn’t be nice in Hospital to the Doctor’s and Nurses treating us because we are ill want well. People if not saved because of their skin color act differently. It so wrong. God see what people like that do. God sees the hurt and pain it causes. Skin color shouldn’t matter. It shouldn’t matter if a person is brown black or white skin color. We should see people and look at them and from the heart for who they are. Love them like Jesus would. A skin color should not make a treat them any difference. They are people with a heart and people with a soul. Once we all saved or not saved get passed the skin color. Stop be horrible to people. Start doing what Jesus would want us to do that is Love either. In this other song I learnt at Sunday School when we. You get both on YouTube yes we are all the Children of Jesus. This song the words are so true for today along with PRAYER. It is Jesus Hands Where Kinds Doing Good To All Healing Pain And Sickness. We are to do the same. Especially us who are SAVED. Love everything one in this world no matter what they skin color. Look at their heart. Love todays reading. Thank you incourgage for it xxxxxxxc
Is there a transcription or closed captioning available on this video for the profound hearing loss group who follows this wonderful website/blog. All of you continue to be a blessing to me and others.
Also, thank you for the resources as well.
Blessings!
Hey Carrie,
We’re working to see if we can provide a closed captioning version of this video. But your comment was a timely reminder for us to ensure that we build that important access point for future videos when possible. I’ll pop back in here with an updated link if it becomes available. Thanks so much!
-Becky Keife
(in)courage Community Manager
Carrie, I commented too soon. YES, you can watch this video on YouTube with closed captioning. Woohoo! Just click the CC button. Here’s the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=di6DdMjJO60
All the protesting, rioting, destruction of property including blame, opinions, injuries and deaths are caused by one person. Satan.
1Pe 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Our country has taken prayer out of schools and the 10 Commandments out of public institutions. We have written laws that allow babies to be killed in the womb or at the time of birth, laws that ignore God’s Word that marriage is to be between one man and one woman, immorality, adultery, divorce, theft, lying, murder and much more. Gen 1:27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. And Galatians says we are “one in Christ”. Our hope, trust and love is found in God’s Word. We must turn to Him in repentance for our sins, and in fervent prayer for revival. Psa 18:30 As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.
First of all, this was an excellent post. For the second Sunday in a row, yesterday our pastor invited a friend of his who is black to speak. I was glad to hear him admit that he had had feelings of animosity towards white people in the past before he was saved. The reason it made me happy to hear him admit that is that for the most part when you hear about racism, it seems to be aimed at white people. I have heard more hate spewing from the mouths of non-white people, so let’s be honest here, there is plenty of room for improvement in the non-white community. We all need to examine our attitudes regardless of our ethnicity. I am concerned that race has been over-used for years as a means for political gain which is so wrong. As the guest speaker noted at our church yesterday, we need to all be on God’s side and call wrong what He calls wrong, no matter what it is, be it abortion, racism or whatever. We need to be unified if we are going to have a powerful witness in the world. We are one in the spirit, we are one in the Lord. We are called to witness his love and yes, to pray for reconciliation and bring glory to God. Although God created diversity within humanity, we are all one. My prayer is that people will focus on that and work together. It is such a beautiful thing when that happens. I have been blessed to be a part of churches in California and now Missouri where we currently live that are a good mix of people of different backgrounds. We are one big, happy family. I want that for our country!
Thank you for taking the time to compose that long comment, Karen. I too have heard black speakers share a very different message from those who have over-used race as a means for political gain. The answers these non-politicians suggest are not popular because they will require monumental change (i.e. a return to raising children with both a mother and father in the home, ), and a long siege of effort (i.e. to value education, improve the schools, and bring back the discipline required for learning to take place). Note: these issues are not exclusive to one race or another. These are goals that all of us need to embrace and all of us would benefit from. Just these two shifts alone would produce great positive impact in our communities–no matter the racial make-up. Of course, Jesus is the supreme answer. He’s the only One who can change the heart.
Thank you for the reply, Nancy. I whole-heartedly agree with your comments and yes, Jesus is the only one who can change hearts. I love my country and have been saddened to see such division, not only on the race issue, but over-all. Our country was founded on Christian Ideals and principles. Many of my ancestors were early settlers and sought to spread the gospel. We desperately need revival in this land that I love. If we have the love of God in our hearts, we will have unity.
Amen, Karen, AMEN!!