June 12, 2013

The Power of Asking for Help

June 12, 2013/ April L. Diaz

A while back I was asked to guest blog for youth ministry veteran Jen Bradbury on a transformational moment in my leadership journey.

HERE is what I wrote for her. I would love for you to read my story - this may be important for you to do today. Jen's also blogged quite honestly about her miscarriage the pain that brings.

April L. Diaz

Coaching and training leader to their fullest potential. Author of a youth worker book. Available for speaking to teenagers, youth workers, women, and churches.

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Allies. These men have been profound advocates and believers in me during some tough times. Mike invited me to be on his church’s teaching team because he knew women must be regularly preaching from the platform and championed my specific voice. He’s an incredibly good example of a white man leveraging his privilege for women and POC! Goodie has been like a brother from another mother. We connect and lament about the racial injustice strides we need to make. He says “onward sis” on the regular to me. Whoever says you can’t be friends with the opposite sex is crazy!!! Some of my most beneficial friendships have been men. Today we got to eat tacos and talk about all the faith, culture, and familial things we could over lunch. Partnership is truly supernatural. Grateful! ... #partnership #allies #men #women #friends #church #justice #POC #ezer

How he loves them. 🥰 Happy Father’s Day, babe. You’ve chosen the less traveled parenting path when we chose adoption and then you became a stay-at-home dad. You’ve given our kids the rare gifts of presence and time. You still choose the high road of being engaged in building their character over their comfort, valuing relationship over authority, and building in attachment every time. Your mindful to their developing their unique personalities, gifts, and strengths. You promote love over shame. You’re teaching them how to create a world of racial and gender justice and equity. It’s EXHAUSTING work. It costs you so much. But you keep doing it. Partnering with you in parenting is one of the greatest joys of my life. I ADORE YOU. PS. I know you’re not perfect at this Dad thing, but you’re pretty damn awesome and our kids know it. 😘

Today is Juneteenth. I never learned about this historic day in school or church. Today I will spend some time continuing to educate myself and talk to my children about our history. We are not free until we are all free. Freedom for non-black people looks like breaking the chains of white supremacy and racism in our own hearts and lives. It looks like actively becoming more antiracist in our thoughts, words, and actions. It looks like knowing where we’ve come from (PAST) so we can stand today in reality (PRESENT) and create a better way forward together (FUTURE). Our wholeness individually and collectively depends on how we integrate our whole story. This is our holy privilege and sacred work. ... #juneteenth #blacklivesmatter #freedom #wholeness #doyourwork #life #leadership #holidays #together #webelongtogether #warriors #allies #ezer

Use your voice for love, justice, advocacy, humility, and equity. But remember - you have 2 ears and 1 mouth. Listen twice as much as you speak, especially these days if you’re not black. Listen. Learn. Repeat. ... #blacklivesmatter #amplifymelanatedvoices #voice #together #belonging #fear #courage #justice #equity #leadership #antiracism

BLACK SPIRITUAL LEADERS UNFILTERED. Undone by what these leaders had to say! Get yourself over to Ezer + Co.’s Facebook page and listen!!! Get a notepad and pen because the truth dropped was INCREDIBLE. A few teasers (you gotta listen for context!!): 🗣It shouldn’t be a choice for us to care about this. 🗣 Stop redlining the gospel. 🗣 Stop scheduling your sins. 🗣 I live in LA. We hang banners in this town for winners. The confederacy didn’t win! 🗣Denouncing racism is just the beginning. 🗣 Eurocentric theology is heresy, because it’s not Christ-centric. 🗣 Repentance and restorative justice must precede reconciliation. ... #blacklivesmatter #amplifymelanatedvoices #icantbreathe #blackspeakers #blackvoices #blackauthors #poc #voices #leadership #wholeness #antiracism

Today is Juneteenth. I never learned about this historic day in school or church.

Today I will spend some time continuing to educate myself and talk to my children about our history.

We are not free until we are all free. Freedom for non-black peop

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April L. Diaz

Just posted a photo @ Orange County, California https://t.co/csYt8RDrnw
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April L. Diaz

Our babies’ last day of 7th, 6th, and 4th grades. 🖤🖤🤎 > Swipe for Judah’s true feelings about sibling pics and to… https://t.co/u2M3hzZ1z6
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April L. Diaz

This week has tenderized my heart in new ways. A trajectory shift in how I mother and am present with my babies.… https://t.co/Iz52HGfKij
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April L. Diaz

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