Brown Sugar (Originally written in 2019)

My favorite movies are Black romance movies. My all-time favorite is Love and Basketball, after that it’s Love Jones. I wouldn’t consider myself a hopeless romantic, however, I just love, love. It just warms my soul and allows me to feel. It brings out this vulnerability inside of me, as the characters unleash their masked personas. They allow themselves to love and be loved. It has always been something that I have admired, especially as we struggle to show our true emotions. We tend to put on this hard posterior that can seem to be cold-hearted, while inside we all just want to be loved. It is something so beautiful about a genuine, happy, and healthy relationship, no matter if the couple is struggling or thriving (circumstantially).

Brown Sugar, the movie starring Taye Diggs and Sanaa Lathan is also on my list of favorites. There is a rawness that is so pure and clear in their friendship. It shows that while you may have a plan for your life, don’t allow fear (of failing) to stop you from obtaining GOD’S best for you.

The movie uses hip-hop as a metaphor for love. I think love makes you want to dance. Once you find a good beat or rhythm, things start to flow. But, never be afraid to change it up, as long as GOD is always the pulse. 

Love,

Raven Renee

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Do Your Design.

Even the clouds do what they were created and designed to do. 

GOD created you and designed you intricately. We are all different; do your design. Whatever gift(s) HE has given you, use them. Your design has meaning. It showcases the solution you possess, and it takes into account everything in your life because GOD knows. Understand your strengths and allow GOD to make them stronger. Oftentimes, these need to be refined so that they can come through the lens of CHRIST. Understand your weaknesses and allow GOD to pour in what you need. Many times, this is where people come in because we are all pieces to the puzzle, especially those HE has called you to partner with. However, this doesn't negate your necessity to develop and allow GOD to turn weaknesses into strengths. This happens through process. 

Process reveals your design. It prunes, refines, and cultivates what needs to be developed, actualized, and/or uncovered. Allow GOD to process you, not the situation. Remember, GOD holds you accountable for what HE has given you to steward well and cultivate. 

‭Psalms 139:14 NKJV

[14] I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.

Truly get to know yourself. Understand how GOD has made you so that you can fully show up (in your calling), uniquely you. You have to know GOD to truly know yourself; you have to truly know yourself to show up in the world and in relationship. Not knowing yourself makes it a lot harder to do relationship with others, which we were made to do.

In your process, remember that THE LORD is the source of everything good, and HE is the answer.

- HOLY SPIRIT led

Love,

Raven Renee

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