Now, I’m not saying that having goals, aspirations, and even a to-do list is destroying your self-worth and that we must get rid of it all. That would be ridiculous and a little extreme. I live by a good to-do list, otherwise, I would not remember whether I’m coming or going on a daily basis. The problem lies with our culture. Its historic roots in white supremacy created our modern-day human hierarchical culture that measures your worth based on your race, gender identity, class, ability, and participation in capitalism. This culture takes one look at your humanity and demonizes you for it.

It is okay to live in the tension of the both/and. It is okay to feel the heartache, the guilt, the desperation and recognize that ignoring your needs and your life is not what will save the lives of those who are fighting for theirs. Yes, it is so unfair that thousands of beautiful, innocent people can no longer live their lives as they were once able to, just as we are now. That truth also applies to many other similar circumstances that are unrelated to an unprecedented present-day massacre.

It is not a coincidence that we are a society of humans walking around in a worthiness-chasing daze. Our society has destroyed our self-worth, convinced us that it’s our fault we don’t feel worthy, and has brainwashed us into normalizing toxic traits and behaviors in order to “earn that worthiness.”

In this article, Caroline J. Sumlin explains in a digestible way for the skeptic reader why we use the term ‘white supremacy.’ After reading this article, you will walk away with an understand about the foundational role white supremacy plays on our Western society and begin comprehending how that foundational role of white supremacy shows up in our daily lives.

I’ve made it my life’s work to help each of us get that freedom back. One faith-filled act of resistance at a time.

I never thought I would get to this place.

This place is questioning. This place of...deconstruction.

I was raised in the church. I have been a believer all my life, I was baptized when I was 16, I re-surrendered my life to Christ at 21. I ran hard and fast after The Lord and never looked back.

I refuse to be silent.

I will be that Christian.

There is a long history of hatred, live burning, drowning, and torture of the LGBTQ+ community in the name of Jesus. In other words, the LGBTQ+ community has been (and continues to be) lynched by those who are supposed to be a light of love in this world.

Sound backward and absolutely disgusting to you? It should.

Anti-racism starts at home.

Let me repeat that: anti-racism starts at home.

Anti-racist education must be a part of the discipleship of our children. The world changers we are raising must be a part of the dismantling of white supremacy.

WHITENESS: What It Is And Why We Must ALL Divest From It

“Be ashamed of being white?!”
“Stop being white?!”
“YOU guys are the racist ones!”
“You have Black History month!”
“I have Black friends and none of them believe this mess! Wake up!”

Whew. It’s a lot, huh?

I never expected any of this from the Christian community. I’ll be honest. I grew up in a Black church and never associated with a multi-ethnic church culture until after I graduated from college and became more immersed with other global ministries and the online Christian community. (For context, most of my interaction with the Christian community at large is online and that’s where I have drawn these conclusions from).

Here’s what I’m used to: silence.

Okay, so you either feel excited to read this post, or you’re feeling like, “Oh, look. There’s that word ‘calling’ again. Yippee.,” in the most sarcastic tone in your head.

I used to be the latter. For various reasons.

As a child, I dealt with feelings of worthlessness and purposelessness. Due to varying degrees of trauma, I wrestled with feeling worthy of life at all, let alone a calling to fulfill. I struggled with knowing what it was I wanted to do with my life, what I was even good at or gifted in, and whether or not the things I wanted were the things that God wanted for me.