I am often at a loss for words as a black queer man when I witness brutal extra-judicial police killings perpetuated against black and brown people, people that look like me. It too often feels as though this type of violence is becoming normal. The fact is it is only our visualization of the violence... The post A Loss For Words appeared first on Thirty Seconds or Less.

June Jordan said, “We’re the ones we’ve been waiting for.” Tituss Burgess put it to music. Paul said, “All of creation is waiting like a woman in childbirth for the revealing of the children of God.” Children of God, we’ve got to show ourselves, stand up, stand out, stand in, die in, march, tweet, protest,... The post All Of Creation appeared first on Thirty Seconds or Less.

We are a sleepless people. Black and brown folks don’t have the privilege of rest in America. We don’t have night and day, only perpetual terror and fear. The rest of America might just be waking up, but we stay woke, eyes wide open, unable to shut. Because dare we sleep, dare we close our... The post We Are A Sleepless People appeared first on Thirty Seconds or Less.

Two years ago Eric Garner was killed in an encounter with the police, wrestled to the ground, chocked to death. His crime: selling loose cigarettes. A few days ago Alton Sterling was killed at the hands of the police, wrestled to the ground, face smashed into concrete and shot at close range. His crime: selling... The post Eric & Alton appeared first on Thirty Seconds or Less.

Are we not more than an odd mixture of stardust and words? It is from dust we were formed and it is to dust we shall return. The inbetween is full of words, some spoken, some thought, and many forgotten. There must be something more. Perhaps the purpose of this life is to become flesh,... The post Become Flesh appeared first on Thirty Seconds or Less.

Open sourced is not the same as crowd sourced. The later is an invitation of public opinion and collaboration. The former is open access to ideas and information. While they both say, “let’s do it together,” one can often lead to too many cooks in the kitchen while the other gives you the instructions and... The post Recipes, Cakes, & Biscuits appeared first on Thirty Seconds or Less.

I have a lot of questions — questions on why my friend had to die so young, questions on why churches steal others’ dreams, questions on if God is still pursuing me. I was taught that doubt and faith are competitors, but I believe that doubt and faith are dancing partners. If you don’t ask... The post A Lot Of Questions appeared first on Thirty Seconds or Less.

The way in which we map the world changes the world around us. How you ask the question affects the answer you will uncover. When Jacob was running from home he napped on a rock, only to awaken and declare, “God was in this place and I, I did not know.” Because when you look... The post Existential Cartography appeared first on Thirty Seconds or Less.

Consider the importance of the table and every amazing interaction over time. Enemies have become friends, families have grown closer, diplomats have made life changing decisions, and most important, Jesus broke bread. He broke bread with sinners like you and sinners like me. Jesus used the table to level humanity and show that love and... The post Breaking Bread appeared first on Thirty Seconds or Less.

As an adult, my connection to Church waned, not because of a decline in my own spiritual needs, but because of a lack of fulfillment from the Catholic Church and its teachings. I found communities linked to the Catholic Church that acknowledged gays could be people of faith, but those spaces and places felt hidden,... The post A Source Of Strength appeared first on Thirty Seconds or Less.