My Ancestors Prayed For This!
Today is my daddy’s birthday. He’s no longer here with me, and whew—grief is sneaky. It will creep up on you when you least expect it, and today it showed up uninvited. But here’s the twist: so is joy. Joy sneaks in just as bold. One minute I’m holding back tears, the next I’m laughing at something he used to say or do.
And as I sit in that tension between missing him and celebrating him, I hear this whisper: “You are living proof that prayers travel through bloodlines.”
Listen, sis. Don’t get it twisted. we are not here by accident. Our ancestors bent their backs in labor and their knees in prayer so we could stand tall. My daddy may not be here to clap his hands or shout his loud “that’s my baby!” but I already know he would be proud. Because I am his wildest dream coming true. I am living, breathing, chain-breaking, prayers-in-the-flesh proof.
The receipts? Hebrews 12:1 (NIV): “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”
Sis, let’s pause here. That “great cloud of witnesses” isn’t just Bible characters looking down from heaven—it’s the ancestors, the grandmamas, the daddies, the aunties, and the elders whose prayers still cover us. They’re the witnesses that remind us: keep running, sis. You’re not just running for yourself; you’re running because somebody before you prayed you across that finish line.
Isaiah 61:3 (NIV): “To bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.”
Here’s your mini Bible lesson: God never promised us a life without mourning; but He did promise an exchange program. Where grief tries to weigh us down, He slips joy into our spirit. Where despair tries to choke us, He covers us in praise. That’s why on days like this when grief feels loud, I can still choose joy. I can still lift my hands and say, “God, You’ve been faithful” even with tears streaming down my face.
So today, I yell Happy Heavenly Birthday, Daddy. I celebrate the way your life still echoes through mine. I honor your prayers that are still covering me. And I choose joy, even when grief thinks it has the last word.
Because sis, let me remind you when your ancestors prayed, they prayed for YOU too. And every time you rise, every time you push through, every time you dare to shine, you’re proving that their prayers still work.
✨ And if nobody told you today: I am proud of you too. Keep walking in that legacy. Keep breaking chains. Keep shining, sis. You are the evidence. You are legacy in motion!
Let’s Reflect: Grief is sneaky, but so is joy. When grief sneaks up on you, what memory of your loved one still brings you laughter, warmth, or pride? Write about how that memory can become a reminder of God’s promise to exchange ashes for beauty and mourning for joy (Isaiah 61:3).
Divine Disruption: When God Hijacks Your To-Do List
I was supposed to be minding my business. Working on my STEAM kits and lesson plans. And then God whispered, “Write.”
He didn’t ask for permission. He gave me disruption instead… holy, inconvenient, and exactly on time. That’s how Grace-n-Melanin showed up. This post is my behind-the-scenes look at what happens when your plans collide with God’s “Now.”
I was supposed to be minding my business.
I had my day planned out lesson plans to finish, emails to answer, maybe a Netflix break if I was lucky. I thought I was doing pretty good at being “productive.”
Then God whispered, “Write.”
I said, “Okay… later.”
He said, “No. Now.”
A divine disruption isn’t always thunder and lightning. Sometimes it’s an idea you can’t shake. A phrase that keeps echoing in your spirit while you’re washing dishes or scrolling Instagram. A nudge that shows up in your dreams, your prayers, your everyday conversations until you finally put your to-do list down and say: Fine, Lord. I hear You.
That’s how Grace-n-Melanin started. One moment I was working on my STEAM kits … the next, I was scribbling phrases on sticky notes at 2AM. A devotional for women like me stories, scriptures, and a whole lot of sass, downloaded straight from heaven onto my cluttered desk.
So here’s my encouragement for you: pay attention to the interruptions.
Sometimes the interruption is the assignment.
Scripture Reflection:
“Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it?” — Isaiah 43:19
Sis, Let’s Reflect:
Has God ever disrupted your plans for something bigger? Where might He be trying to get your attention now?
Been divinely interrupted too? Drop your story in the comments, let’s encourage each other.
Hey Sis, Welcome to Grace-n-Melanin!
What’s the Holy Ghost Side-Eye?
Around here, we keep it real. Faith doesn’t mean we fake smiles when life is wild. Sometimes the Holy Ghost reminds us to stay graceful, but also gives us permission to look at nonsense sideways.
This corner is for all the thoughts you wish you could say out loud in church, the raw prayers, the honest sighs, the “Lord, make it make sense” moments. The Holy Ghost Side-Eye is our way of saying: God can handle our real.
Hey sis, you made it!
First things first: thank you for being here. Whether you stumbled in through a social scroll, a friend sent you my way, or the Holy Ghost just knew you needed a little extra dose of grace and sass today, I’m grateful you pulled up.
So what is Grace-n-Melanin?
It’s more than a devotional, it’s a safe space for us to show up fully Black, fully beautiful, fully human, and fully honest about our faith, our struggles, our grief, and our glow-ups.
It’s 31 days of stories, scriptures, and side-eyes, because real life doesn’t always feel like a sweet Hallmark movie. Sometimes we praise. Sometimes we pout. Sometimes we roll our eyes at life and lift our hands to God in the same breath.
This blog is an extension of that journey. Here, you’ll find:
Extra devotionals to carry you between the pages.
Reflections that didn’t make the book but needed a home.
Behind-the-scenes peeks at how Grace-n-Melanin was born (spoiler: it wasn’t cute, it was a whole divine disruption).
Gentle nudges to remind you you’re not the only one trying to keep your faith real in a world that tests you daily.
Whether you read every post, binge a few at a time, or just skim for a word to carry you through Monday, you’re seen here. You’re loved here. And you’re invited to keep coming back.
So pour your tea, cozy up, and subscribe so you don’t miss what’s next. There’s so much more to say, and I promise I’ll keep it honest and maybe even a little petty when the moment calls for it (blame the Holy Ghost side-eye, not me).
Welcome to the journey, sis. Let’s walk it together.
Don’t be shy , drop a comment below, tell me who you are and what brought you here. And if you haven’t yet, hit that subscribe button so you don’t miss a drop of grace, truth, or sass.