BinX Files

This is Binx. He has changed the trajectory of my life and has taught me how to appreciate the small things.

It all started with Facebook... One day, a friend posted that a small kitten needed a home. Normally, I would continue to scroll, not feeling I have the means to take care of another animal, but on this particular day, something inside of me compelled me to stop. The photo struck me, and I knew that this kitten had to be mine. His tiny eyes pierced into my soul. By the end of that day, I had a small kitten to my name and the story of Binx began.

Since getting him about 5 months ago, I've had he privilege to live with my grandmother,

conspire with my family to get my grandmother a cat of her own, move into and live in Bonhoeffer House, an intentional living community in Dallas, and grow into areas of myself that I did not even know were there.

This kitten has stolen my heart and taught me what it means to love. Binx reminds me to take time to play and not take life to seriously. He constantly makes me giggle, talks back at me, wakes me up when I am being lazy, chirps around the house, and is getting to know our newest housemate, Scout, a Border Collie mix who is fascinated by Binx's kittenness. Binx loves playing with all of his toys, but really loves chasing tennis balls around the house. He is fascinated by windows, and is always searching out new hiding spaces and vantage points in our home; his favorite place right now is the top of our clothing closet. He is extremely curious, and loves to be held.

It is funny how the most unexpected things can lead to the most beautiful experiences, teaching us new things about ourselves, creating new spaces to exist in, and challenging us to do things differently. I am thankful for Binx. I know, for a fact, that I would not be where I am right now if it was not for this little kitten guiding me and running right along side me. New relationships have been formed, old relationships have been strengthened, and I am constantly learning how to better enjoy simple pleasures and lean into the best parts of who I am.

Here is to the little things in our life that remind us who we are. Thanks Binx!

To the Women In My Life, Thank you

I am beyond grateful for the women who surround me in my life. They are fierce, they are creative, they are driven, they are kind, and they are at the cutting edge of so many arenas of life.

I am constantly inspired and in awe as I watch the women in my life weave through the world.

They are doctors and lawyers, producers and writers, theologians and ministers, mothers and daughters, singers and actors, adventurers and explorers, teachers and improvisors, leaders and developers.

They are constant reminders to keep going and to remain strong, even in the face of adversities and doubts. They are sources of joy, inspiration, love, and hope.

So, thank you to all the powerful women in my life who inspire me to be better each and every day. Thank you to all the beautiful women in my life who support, guide, and encourage me as we journey together to find our voices and live into the strength we have been given.

Happy International Women’s day!

What Matters

Lent is a time to recalibrate, reorient, and recharge our souls, minds and bodies. It is a reminder that we have enough; that we are enough.

Take a deep breathe with me.

Feel your body release and your chest open as air enters your lungs.

Tonight, I want to talk about making room.

Making room for yourself and all the messiness that comes with it

Making room for God and the Universe that always surrounds you

Making room for the Spirit to move through and wash over you

Making room for that quiet voice that lives inside of you

Making room for your pain..

Your grief…

your joy…

your peace

Making room is not always easy; we have busy lives and crammed schedules. We are worried about the next thing we can check off our never ending to-do lists. I get it. Making room can feel overwhelming, rather than liberating. Making room can make us uncomfortable. Making room can be painful. But that, my friends, is why it is essential. We need to make room for what matters again.

Take another deep breathe.

Lent is a yearly reminder to stop and look around, to reorient, recalibrate and recharge. It reminds us to make room for what matters again. It reminds us to take stock of where we are, who we are, and where we are going. It reminds us that that we are loved and loved fully and to remember that we are enough just as we are.

For Christians practicing lent, it is important to remember that Jesus himself took time to step away from the crowd, sit in silence, and pray. Jesus knew what many of us seem to forget; we cannot offer our best selves to the world if we never take time to find our center, listen to our heart, and make room to simply be. Lent is about letting go of what holds us back, and making room for things that give us life, bring us joy, and allow us to be our most authentic and beautiful selves.

This lent, I challenge all of us to make room in your life for what really matters. You can start small, by simply taking a deep breathe and feeling your chest expand. You are making room in your body. I personally, have challenged myself to write a blog post each day of this month as a way to make room for my self-expression and sharing with others. What does making room look like in your life?

Remember, you are enough. God is always waiting to be let in. Move over and make some room.