Yvonne Orji & Emmanuel Acho seem to be getting serious…
So almost a year ago, my interview with HBO “Insecure” actress Yvonne Orji, a devout Christian, was published for THE LOOKOUT. I interviewed her about her TEDx talk she gave about celibacy as she decided at 17 years old to be celibate due to her Christian faith and was still a virgin at 34 years old.
Below is what she said about her stance:
“From the time I was 17 until now that I’m 33 going on 34, I’ve seen too much. I’ve seen the hand of God over the years in my life, and this one thing that he asks of me. I mean he asks many things of us. But this one thing [virginity] that is a roadblock for so many people, he’s been so faithful to me in the darkest of my days, it’s no biggie.”
When I interviewed her, it seemed that she didn’t have a boyfriend, but as of May, babay, according to Yvonne’s Instragram page, her status has changed! Whoop, Whoop!
Won’t He do it? Yes, he did! God answered Yvonne’s prayers and her faithfulness by sending her a man with the same name as His son! How special is that?! So who is Emmanuel Acho? He is a 27-year-old (yes, Yvonne’s got a younger man) former Philadelphia Eagles’ linebacker. A committed Christian, Emmanuel, who has bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Texas at Austin, is currently an ESPN analyst. Although she is technically the artist in the relationship, he can also sing and play the piano! His father is from Nigeria and Yvonne is from Nigeria as well! Both have done charitable work in Africa. He wrote this about his experience in Nigeria:
Even though I’m proud of the work we did in Nigeria this summer, I know we left way too many patients unattended to. Our short stay there was not enough to treat all of the country’s ill and afflicted. Living Hope Christian Ministries has set out to build a real clinic in the Isuikwuato, Nigeria that would cost roughly $2 million — and we’re almost there. But unfortunately, when funds stop coming in, the building stops going up. We need a real clinic, we need a real staff and we need your help. In my profession, my goal is to hoist the Lombardi trophy, but in my everyday life, my goal is to save lives. To help us accomplish our goals, visit LivingHopeMinistries.us. Read about the rest of his experiences at theplayerstribune.com.
He sounds like marriage material and from what Yvonne is posting on her Instagram right now, things look they are heating up! I’m not sure if they are baecationing together, but as of now, according to social media, they are in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico!
And this is what she said about praying for her new man:
So did God answer her prayers or what? From the looks of things, a marriage proposal may be on the way. And did you pray specific prayers about a mate? I did! Were they answered? Mine were!
Yvonne Orji and Emmanuel Acho seem like a perfectly matched couple! I can’t wait for the Nigerian wedding!!!
I’m not gonna even lie. I could care less about the Super Bowl on Sunday…Who is playing? (Although I will be attending a Super Bowl Party at a friend’s house 🙂 )
But I am intrigued by the fact that rapper Snoop Dogg aka Mr. Gin and Juice aka Mr. Smoke Weed Every Day aka Martha Stewart Sidekick will be debuting his long awaited gospel album “Bible of Love” during the Super Bowel Gospel Celebration, a 1-hr special, which will air Saturday, Feb. 3 on BET at 11 PM EST and Sunday, February 4th at 11 AM & 11:00 PM EST. Salvation is for everybody, but singing about salvation ain’t….Or will he be rapping?… Or both…We will see…
Also, GRAMMY® Award-winning hip hop and R&B singer Faith Evans, GRAMMY® Award-winning gospel singer Tye Tribbett, GRAMMY® Award-winning gospel vocal group The Clark Sisters and GRAMMY® Award-nominated gospel musician Rance Allen will reportedly join Snoop Dogg. Other performers at this year’s Super Bowl Gospel Celebration include Christian and R&B singer Erica Campbell, GRAMMY® Award-nominated percussionist and singer Sheila E., GRAMMY® Award-winning gospel singer Donnie McClurkin and GRAMMY® Award-winning vocal and instrumental ensemble Sounds of Blackness.
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson will be awarded the 2018 Faith in Action Award, and Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald will receive the 2018 Lifetime of Inspiration Award at the celebration.
Snoop Dogg with hosts Yvonne Orji and Pastor John Gray.
The annual event joins together key NFL Players, top Gospel/Contemporary Christian and mainstream GRAMMY® Award-winning artists and special guests all on one stage to bring audiences an evening of uplifting music and inspirational messages. This year’s concert will be hosted by NAACP Image Award®-nominated actress from HBO’s hit show InsecureYvonne Orji, and gospel singer and star the OWN Network show The Book of John Gray Pastor John Gray.The celebration was taped on Thursday, Feb. 1 at Benson Great Hall at Bethel University in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Melanie Few (Partner of Results Media & Marketing (Entertainment & Lifestyle Marketing Agency) launched the Super Bowl Gospel Celebration in Miami in 1999. During Super Bowl XXXIII weekend in 2002, the event became the first, and remains the only inspirational concert sanctioned by the National Football League (NFL), bringing faith, football and inspiration together. The show has drawn crowds in the thousands and has demonstrated growth year-after-year, selling out venues in major Super Bowl host cities, as well as to bring inspiration to over 2 Million viewers each year.
Since its inception, SGBC has donated a portion of its proceeds and more than 6500 tickets to local and national charities. The event brings key NFL players and top artists together on one stage for uplifting music and inspirational messages. In addition, SBGC offers an opportunity to extend goodwill from corporate and broadcast partners and sponsors.
As of today, we’re one week into December so before any more of the month gets away from me, below is my Top 10 monthly roundup of blog posts and or articles for black Christian women ( 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. “In the Wake of Trump’s Election, A Meeting in the Ladies’ Room” by Amy Butler and Leslie Copeland-Tune
Excerpt: Four percent of black women voted for Donald Trump to be president of the United States. While others didn’t like Hillary Clinton or didn’t trust her, we understood that there was really no other choice for us. We have lived the tension between racism and sexism our whole lives. We know that as a black woman you have to be even more than 10 times better, more educated, more prepared than a man to just be considered minimally qualified. We knew that we could not give the office of president of the United States to someone who used racism and misogyny to win, someone who belittled women and sexualized his own daughter. No, not on our watch. Amy, what we don’t understand is why our white sisters, who as women share at least a part of our struggle, came out and voted to support him? How can this be? What in the world happened? See more at: baptistnews.com.
2. “U Name It: Viral Star Shirley Caesar”
3. “Keepin’ It Locked ‘Til She Gets A Rock: What We Can Learn From Insecure’s Yvonne Orji” by Stephanie Caudle
Excerpt: Yvonne, despite her character Molly’s sex life, is a 32-year-old virgin. Charlamagne jokingly told her that she played her character a little too well to be a virgin but Yvonne persisted that this was in fact her truth. “Personally, I had plans to have sex when I turned 18,” she said. “I was dating [dude] and I had it figured out. But, I got to college at 17 in D.C and then I got saved.” See more at: xonecole.com.
4. “Pastors Tell Black Women to be Passive and Wait for Love. I Don’t Believe in That” by Janelle Harris
Excerpt: Because the statistical odds are not in our favor, many of us are so desperate to understand why we’re not married and what we need to do to get married that we will listen to whoever seems as though they have the answers. Most often that boils down to two categories of folks: men and ministers, because as far as we know, they have an inside connection. It’s a situation ripe for exploitation: best-selling books, sold-out conferences, some of them birthed from a genuine desire to help, some of them preying on the vulnerabilities of good, Christian women trying to figure out why, despite faith and diligent prayer, their spouse’s arrival has been indefinitely postponed. See more at: washingtonpost.com.
5. “7 Women Besides Susan B. Anthony Whose Graves Deserve ‘I Voted’ Stickers” by Maddy Foley
Excerpt: Every election, a pilgrimage to Rochester, New York takes place. People from all over the United States, a large number of them women, place their “I Voted” stickers on suffragette Susan B. Anthony’s grave, an homage to her fight for the 19th Amendment. But there are a number of women besides Susan B. Anthony whose graves deserve “I Voted” stickers — and today, let’s honor them…Born into slavery, Sojourner Truth escaped with her baby daughter in 1826. In 1828, she sued her former owner for custody of her son and won, becoming the first black woman to win such a case against a white man. Truth is perhaps most famous for her extemporaneous speech “Ain’t I A Woman?” delivered in 1851 at the Ohio Women’s Rights Convention in Akron, Ohio. The speech argued for the equal rights of women as well as African-Americans. Truth is buried in Oak Hill Cemetery in Battle Creek, Michigan. See more at: bustle.com.
6. “Off-Duty Buffalo Officer Saves a Life on Plane to Las Vegas” by Lou Michel
Excerpt: Buffalo Police Officer Jennifer D. Whitaker arrived at a 911 call for a woman who had collapsed last year. She panicked and froze. Other first responders soon arrived and revived the woman. “I made a vow to God that I would act immediately if given the opportunity again,” Whitaker said. She kept her vow on a recent flight to a friend’s wedding in Las Vegas. “I was listening to Gospel music on my headphones when I heard somebody saying, ‘Help this lady, help this lady.’ It must have been loud. I could hear it over my music.” Whitaker jumped up and looked behind her. A woman was lying unconscious in the aisle. See more at: buffalonews.com.
7. “Sasha and Chuck Fenda Collaborate”
Excerpt: Born Karen Chin, Sasha is no newcomer to the music industry. In 2004, while still a secular artiste, she enjoyed international success with “I’m Still In Love With You,” a duet which she recorded with Sean Paul for his Dutty Rock album on Atlantic Records. The song topped reggae charts globally and peaked at number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Although she has walked away from the secular stage since she became a Christian, she is not afraid of being judged on this project as it is reminiscent of her earlier recordings. See more at: jamaica-star.com.
8. “‘The Girls’ Gatherings are Great Assets for Black Women” by Alonzo Kittrels
Excerpt: A few Sundays ago, I overheard several female members at church discussing plans to attend a gathering at the home of a church member. I must admit that I did not pay much attention to the conversation until I learned that the gathering, only involving females, was a luncheon for “the girls” to come together as a way to show appreciation for those that provided kindnesses and support to this member during a recent medical challenge. The get-together was also an opportunity for friends and family to bond. See more at: phillytrib.com.
9. “New Music Center at Evanston Seminary to Focus on Black Church Experience” by Genevieve Bookwalter
Excerpt: The Center for Music and Worship in the Black Church Experience will begin educating students Jan. 22 with four-day classes of intense study, designed for church musicians who want to advance their skills but don’t always have the time or finances to enroll for a full semester, officials said. The Rev. Cynthia Wilson, assistant vice president of student life and dean of students at Garrett-Evangelical, said she expects the inaugural class to come from the Chicago area and throughout the Midwest. Students can choose from a variety of disciplines, including dance, choral development, liturgy and “worship and holy hip-hop,” among other courses. See more at: chicagotribune.com.
10. “BET’s ‘Love & Happiness: An Obama Celebration’ Brought Us Some Much-Needed Joy” by Shamika Sanders
Excerpt: As the last days of the Obama administration fade into yesterday, we are reminded of their love story with programs like BET’s ‘Love & Happiness: An Obama Celebration’ special that aired last night. Hosted by Terrence J. and Regina Hall, the celebratory event featured star-studded performances by Jill Scott, Janelle Monaé, Common, Usher, Bell Biv DeVoe, The Roots, De La Soul, Yolanda Adams, Michelle Williams, Kierra Sheard, and former Hamilton star Leslie Odom, Jr. See more at: elev8.hellobeautiful.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 articles for black Christian women, you don’t have to be one to appreciate these pieces 🙂