Michelle Williams, formerly of Destiny’s Child, to Release Book ‘Checking In’ About Her Journey with Mental Health & Wellness…

Hello World,

According to PublishersMarketplace.com, Michelle Williams, formerly of Destiny’s Child, will be releasing a book entitled Checking In (Nelson Books), which will be an account of her journey with mental health and wellness. The topics to be addressed in this book have been a long time coming, and I hope this announcement means that Michelle has received some healing in these areas (otherwise why write the book, right?). I believe the last post I wrote about Michelle was 3 Reasons Why I’m Glad Michelle Williams & Pastor Chad Johnson Are Reportedly ‘Working on Things!” I was really disappointed when Michelle and Pastor Chad broke off their engagement, and from watching their short-lived OWN reality series Chad Loves Michelle, I believe the reason had to do with Michelle’s mental health and wellness. Reportedly, her book will debut in May 2021. I will be getting a copy. (And let’s hope the book is dedicated to her once again fiancé Pastor Chad, but no reality show this time, ‘K thanks 🙂 ) What about you?

Any thoughts?

 

 

 

The Top 10 Blog Posts and or Magazine Articles for Black Christian Women in December 2019…

 

Hello World!!!

Happy New Year (and Merry Christmas since I missed that…)I took a sabbatical from blogging while I launched my debut novel Destination Wedding but I’m BACK now! I will tell you more about that launch in another blog post, but in the mean time, let me focus on the goal of this blog – blogging the cross section of faith, relationships and pop culture!

So much has happened during my month away and even in these first days of this New Year and I will get to that – but slowly as I get back to my mostly twice a week blogging schedule. In the mean time, as I get back into blogging shape (LOL), I’m back with my monthly roundup of blog posts and or magazine articles for black Christian women. Below is my Top 10 monthly roundup of blog posts and or magazine/newspaper articles for black Christian women for December but you don’t have be a black Christian woman to to check them out. As usual, let me know if you like my list! Enjoy and share!

1.  Miss World’s Win Means Five Black Women Now Hold the Top Pageant Titles — a Historic First” by Katie Mettler

Excerpt: The crowning of Miss World 2019 has closed out this year’s historic pageant circuit, marking the first time the titles for all five top beauty contests were won by black women. On Saturday, Jamaica’s Toni-Ann Singh was named Miss World, joining a 2019 cohort of advocates for prison reform, women’s rights and music education who used their platform to address conventional beauty standards: Miss Universe 2019 Zozibini Tunzi, Miss America Nia Franklin, Miss USA Cheslie Kryst and Miss Teen USA 2019 Kaliegh Garris. “To that little girl in St. Thomas, Jamaica and all the girls around the world — please believe in yourself,” Singh wrote on Twitter. “Please know that you are worthy and capable of achieving your dreams. This crown is not mine but yours. You have a PURPOSE.” See more at: washingtonpost.com.

2. “Another Black Woman Emerges Winner at Miss France 2020 Pageant” by Briefly Team

Excerpt: Another black woman has won a beauty pageant, joining the reign of black queens in major beauty pageants around the world. Miss Guadeloupe, Clémence Botino, was crowned in the 90th edition of Miss France pageant on Saturday, 14 December. See more at: briefly.co.za.

3. “Rosa Parks Statue Unveiled in Montgomery, Alabama on 64th Bus Anniversary” by TMZ

Excerpt: Rosa Parks was memorialized in the city where she was once arrested for refusing to give up her seat to a white person … and where a statue of her now stands tall. The bronze life-size figure was unveiled Sunday in Montgomery, Alabama with the help of Mayor Steven Reed — who recently became Montgomery’s first black mayor — as well as Alabama’s governor, Kay Ivey. There were other important people there too, though. Mary Louise Smith was on hand for the unveiling as well — she’s one of the original plaintiffs in the Browder vs. Gayle case that ultimately desegregated buses in Montgomery a year after Parks was arrested. See more at: tmz.com.

4. “‘The Clark Sisters: First Ladies Of Gospel’ Trailer: First Look At Biopic On Iconic And Influential Group” by Shadow and Act

Excerpt: Lifetime has released the first trailer for their upcoming film, The Clark Sisters: First Ladies Of Gospel. The trailer was unveiled in a promotional video for the movie, introduced by Kelly Rowland. Emmy nominee Aunjanue Ellis stars as the sisters’ mother, Mattie Moss Clark. The sisters are Christina Bell as Twinkie, Kierra Sheard as Karen (her real-life mother), Sheléa Frazier as Dorinda, Raven Goodwin as Denise and Angela Birchett as Jacky. The project is executive produced by Queen Latifah, Mary J. Blige and Missy Elliott. The description:  The Clark Sisters: The First Ladies of Gospel recounts the story of the highest-selling female gospel group in history and their trailblazing mother, Mattie Moss Clark. Credited with bringing gospel music to the mainstream, the five Clark sisters overcame humble beginnings in Detroit, enduring abuse, loss, rejection, betrayal and sibling rivalries to achieve international fame as icons of the gospel music industry. Christine Swanson is the director of the Sylvia L. Jones-written script. See more at: shadowandact.com. 

5. “Brooklyn Church Evicts Its Former First Lady Before Christmas and Defends the Action” by Nigel Roberts

Excerpt: DITMAS PARK – A dispute that centered in part on how Black churches should treat their pastor’s wife came to a legal resolution. The courts ordered the removal of former First Lady Paula Scarlett-Brown, widow of the late Archbishop Roy E. Brown who founded the Pilgrim Baptist Church in Flatbush, from her home that the church owns. While the legal dispute ended, a moral debate continues about first ladies. See more at: bklyner.com.

6. “Angela Brown, Viral Popeyes Chicken Sandwich Mastermind, is Our Internet Person of the Year” by Kahron Spearman

Excerpt: “There’s a lot of things that [as a Black person/woman] I’ll bring to the table that our team will bring to the table that our clients aren’t aware of,” she asserts. “I think people think that you can get a moment like this [without] people of color, or Black people. And the reality is you can’t. Every community is specific, and you just won’t find these moments without people who know how to find them, and know how to respond.” See more at: dailydot.com.

7. “Michelle Williams Says You Won’t Always Be Everyone’s Favorite Person & That’s OK” by Taylor Honore 

Excerpt: “I’ve done a lot of gospel, so I’m kind of insecure because mainstream [fans] don’t know my voice. And sometimes social media… it’s bad when you read the comments. I like engaging with people on social media. I don’t want to not talk to the people that are being gracious all because there are some mean ones out there.” See more at: xonecole.com. 

8. “6 Things To Consider Before Getting Into An Interfaith Relationship” by Shellie R. Warren

Excerpt: Being that I am a marriage life coach, I often get asked if I subscribe to interfaith marriages. Well, being that I am also a Bible follower (not an evangelical by any stretch, but I do strive for discipleship—John 8:31-32), I have to take into account that the Bible has interfaith couples. One that immediately comes to mind is Boaz and Ruth. He was Hebrew, she was a Moabite—there you have it; an interfaith relationship. (By the way, if you read the story, you might change your tune about “I’m waiting on my Boaz.” See more at: xonecole.com.

9. “New York City Ballet’s ‘The Nutcracker’ Casts First Black Marie” by Vanessa Etienne

Excerpt: At just 11 years old, Charlotte Nebres has made history. George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker opened Friday (Nov 29) at New York City Ballet, and for the first time in history, a Black girl will be playing the young heroine, Marie.  Charlotte Nebres was cast in the famous production which dates back to 1954. Charlotte was only six years old when Misty Copeland became the first female African-American principal at American Ballet Theater and recalls being inspired by seeing someone on stage who looked like her, The New York Times reports.  Now, Charlotte is a ballerina at the School of American Ballet and will be making a name for herself on stage in The Nutcracker. See more at: bet.com.

10. “Pioneering Black Woman, Who Designs Interior of Cadillacs, Shares Her Road to Success” by  Natasha S. Alford

Excerpt: The road to success has lots of twists and turns, but at least Crystal Windham knows how to ride in style. Her artistic talent and creative thinking are exactly what led her to become the first African-American woman Director of Interior Design at General Motors in 2008. While most people think of “interior designers” as style gurus who only beautify homes, Windham does the same for what she calls people’s second homes: cars. See more at: thegrio.com.

If you know of any black Christian women bloggers and or writers, please e-mail me at jacqueline@afterthealtarcall.com as I’m always interested in expanding my community of black Christian women blogs and websites. As I noted before, while this is a roundup of interesting blog posts and or magazine and newspaper articles for black Christian women, you don’t have to be one to appreciate these pieces  🙂.

Any thoughts?

The Top 10 Blog Posts and or Magazine Articles for Black Christian Women in June 2019

Hello World,

If I don’t get a chance to tell you tomorrow, Happy Independence Day in advance to those of my subscribers who live in the USA! Although we are divided on many issues as a country, there is still no place that I would rather live and dream than in the United States of America! (And that’s not to say that I don’t want to visit countries all over God’s beautiful earth, but I digress..)

So y’all, I’m back with my monthly roundup of blog posts and or magazine articles for black Christian women! Below is my Top 10 monthly roundup of blog posts and or magazine/newspaper articles for black Christian women for June but you don’t have be a black Christian woman to to check them out 🙂  As usual, let me know if you like my list! Enjoy and share!

1. “Meet Rihanna, The Shy Gal” by Sarah Paulson

Excerpt: PAULSON: Have you always been a person of real faith?

RIHANNA: I’ve always been. My first time praying and fasting was when I was 7 years old. I did that on my own, because I wanted to go to New York, and I knew that this was a sacrifice I had to make in order for God to make sure I could get there.

PAULSON: Have you ever felt that God abandoned you? Or have you questioned your faith?

RIHANNA: Not my faith, but I have been in a place where I felt like maybe I had disappointed God so much that we weren’t as close. Actually, that happened to me while I was making Anti. That was a really hard time, but, thank God, I got through it. See more at: interviewmagazine.com.

2. “I’m Single, Saved, Celibate & I Want To Have Sex” by Monique Love

Excerpt: So, allow me to break the ice by confessing with you where I’m at in my life: I’m single, celibate and I want to have sex – I don’t want to wait anymore.

Shocker! I know this isn’t what you’ll hear from the average Christian however, this isn’t your average cookie cutter article either. We get down to the real issues Christians are dealing with in today’s world and let’s be honest, desiring sex is definitely one of them.

I’ve been celibate for almost six years. And throughout this journey of purity by way of honoring God with my body, it’s been a roller coaster ride. Some seasons, my mind is on a heavenly high while other times my mind wanders to some low, impure places. See more at: xonecole.com. 

3. “How Michelle Williams Is Healing And Moving On After The Worst Year Of Her Life” by Charli Penn

Excerpt: “That’s right. People have been like, ‘Michelle, this is a season for people to love on you.’ That’s hard to accept when you’re independent. It’s hard to sit down and just let somebody love on you, take care of you. I’m in a church where I’m being discipled. I don’t have to wear makeup. I can just go in and worship the Lord—go to church and just be. I’m getting back to my first love, which is God. And that had been a part of my success before. I was serving God. I’m forming that habit again.” See more at essence.com.

4. “Everyone (Even Barbara Walters) Told Sherri Shepherd Her Ex Was Sorry, But She Married Him Because She Was Lonely And Horny” by Victoria Uwumarogie

Excerpt: “I was in a place in New York by myself, lonely,” she said. “At the time I was in my 40s and scared. I was like, ‘I’m getting older, who’s going to want to be in a relationship?’ It was a lot of stuff done out of fear. I was also raised to in the church to believe you can’t have sex before you get married, so I was horny! The whole celibacy thing, this idea that it’s better to get married than to burn. So I got married too because I was horny, and look, we never had sex.” See more at: madamenoire.com.

5. “LaKeesha Walrond, New Black Woman Seminary President Breaking ‘Glass Ceilings’” by Adelle M. Banks

Excerpt: NEW YORK (RNS) — Sitting in her office on Manhattan’s far west side, the new president of New York Theological Seminary, the Rev. LaKeesha Walrond, recalled how she once was reprimanded as a youth for crossing the pulpit area of her church during a choir rehearsal. Back then, she was taught, and believed, that women could not be preachers. After a career as an educator, executive pastor of a Harlem megachurch and, since June 3, the first African American woman president of the 119-year-old seminary, Walrond sees her trajectory as a sign that “God had this plan.” After serving at First Corinthian Baptist Church, where her husband, the Rev. Michael A. Walrond Jr., is senior pastor, she views her leadership of a 300-student multidenominational seminary focused on urban ministry as a reason for hope for other women. See more at: religionnews.com. 

6. “Rose Hudson-Wilkin to become Church of England’s First Black Female Bishop”

Excerpt: She will be consecrated in a service at St Paul’s Cathedral on 19 November and installed at Canterbury Cathedral on 30 November. In addition to being Chaplain to the Speaker, Rev Hudson-Wilkin, who was born and raised in Jamaica, has served until now as Priest in Charge of St Mary-at-Hill, in London.  “I am excited to have been called to be the next bishop of Dover in the Diocese of Canterbury with its long history of Christian witness,” she said. See more at: christiantoday.com. 

7. “The First Black Barbie to Use a Wheelchair is Here, and People are Loving the Message It Sends to Kids” by Amanda Krause

Excerpt: The doll is the first black Barbie to use a wheelchair, and is featured in Mattel’s Fashionista line, which is a part of the company’s ongoing attempt to create more inclusive toys. The Barbie was announced during the New York Toy Fair in February 2019, and officially launched in June. See more at: insider.com. 

8. “Why Brianna Mason is excited to be first African American crowned Miss Tennessee” by Amy McRary

Excerpt: “I can’t even put into words how special this is,” Mason said at a press conference after her win. “I have been competing for so long, and there’s a Miss Tennessee room with portraits of all past Miss Tennessees, and none of them looked liked me. And so I’ve made it my goal for the last couple of years to make sure my face gets up there not just for me, but for all of the young ladies who look like me and don’t think they can do it just because of their skin color.” See more at: knoxnews.com. 

9. “Breakfast of Champions: Serena Williams Scores Her 1st Wheaties Box!” by Maiysha Kai

Excerpt: It’s the most important meal of the day, and she’s known as the greatest female tennis player to play the game, so how is it possible we’re just now celebrating Serena Williams getting her own Wheaties box? As it turns out, Williams is only the second black female tennis player to grace a box of Wheaties and only the fourth female tennis player of all time, following Chris Evert and Alice Marble. In 2001, General Mills paid tribute to the legendary Althea Gibson, one of Williams’ well-known influences, but it would take nearly another two decades for them to honor Williams, who is widely recognized as the “GOAT.” See more at: theglowup.theroot.com. 

10. “NASA Renames Street in Front of Headquarters after ‘Hidden Figures'” by Rachel Frazin

Excerpt: NASA has renamed the street in front of its Washington, D.C., headquarters from “E Street SW” to “Hidden Figures Way” to honor the black female scientists featured in the book and movie “Hidden Figures.” Scientists Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson were honored at the ceremony on Wednesday. Also honored were “all women who have dedicated their lives to honorably serving their country, advancing equality, and contributing to the United States space program,” according to a NASA statement. See more at: thehill.com. 

If you know of any black Christian women bloggers and or writers, please e-mail me at jacqueline@afterthealtarcall.com as I’m always interested in expanding my community of black Christian women blogs and websites. As I noted before, while this is a roundup of interesting blog posts and or magazine and newspaper articles for black Christian women, you don’t have to be one to appreciate these pieces  🙂.

Any thoughts?