I Kissed Dating Goodbye teaches that if you really love God and want to stay pure then kissing is something that you’ll save for marriage. I followed this rule all through high school and college and it made me super judgmental. Thinking this way led me to believe that my peers who were kissing or... The post Years To Deconstruct appeared first on Thirty Seconds or Less.

Two years ago I was on vacation when I heard the news about the murder of Mike Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. Since then my head continues to spin, my feet continue to march, and my voice continues to chant, “Black Lives Matter.” And now with the recent murders of Alton Sterling, Philando Castile, and countless... The post As Long As It Takes appeared first on Thirty Seconds or Less.

Black Lives Matter. And every single life is precious. The spilling of blood must be replaced by radically loving activism for justice. Let’s not get into either/or thinking; we can be complex in our love. We must be revolutionary in our activism. We must decry all of the violence. We must grieve the loss of... The post We Can Do This appeared first on Thirty Seconds or Less.

America is exceptional in its racism. People of color know this all too well, but too many white people like me still don’t get it. Our whole way of life has been framed by white privilege and white supremacy. We have political, cultural, and even theological ways of remaining oblivious. Those who conceal their sins... The post A First Step Toward Healing appeared first on Thirty Seconds or Less.

Black Lives Matter. End of sentence. Declarative. Absolute truth. Yes. And if you look at the shootings in Dallas and the interactions of police and the protesters beforehand, there was camaraderie, there was understanding, there was peace. You have to really think about who has a vested interest in changing this narrative and setting people... The post The Conversation Going Forward appeared first on Thirty Seconds or Less.

We must proclaim Black Lives Matter because it’s a biblical thing to say. Throughout our sacred narrative God consistently stands on the side of the oppressed. White Christians specifically must say it. Every time we refuse to see the God-given value and inherent goodness of black bodies, we thumb our noses at the Bible and... The post The Word Became Flesh appeared first on Thirty Seconds or Less.

Even through tears I know white privilege still blinds me from seeing the furthest depths of this problem. But I am listening. We can all rally behind the call that Black Lives Matter. For it is not a movement seeking superiority. It is the hail of a hurting community saying, “We matter too.” May we... The post Reconciliation appeared first on Thirty Seconds or Less.

Black is beautiful. Black bodies are gorgeous. Black Lives Matter. Black love is critical. Black intelligence is life changing. Black passion moves the world. Black theology teaches black love. Black love holds black babies and keeps them strong. Blackness is a gift to America. Blackness is America. Black Lives Matter. Your life matters. What does... The post Black appeared first on Thirty Seconds or Less.

As a Japanese American I am the descendant of a people who crossed oceans as exploited plantation laborers, only to be abused and lynched by white peers, only to be subject to mass incarceration during the second world war. People of every cultural background need affirm, now more than ever, that Black Lives Matter. As... The post Now More Than Ever appeared first on Thirty Seconds or Less.

Based on true events Every person knows the story No different than the rest It’s scary out there What do I tell my six year old? Where is God in all this? What does it mean to raise a black kid now? What does it mean to raise a black kid now? Where is God... The post What Does It Mean? appeared first on Thirty Seconds or Less.