Latest / iRefresh Podcast / Diversity, Equity, Inclusion from God's View | Myesha Reynolds | EP 122

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Diversity, Equity, Inclusion from God's View | Myesha Reynolds | EP 122 · iRefresh Podcast

• 0:15
  This episode is going to be an amazing time for us to talk on a topic that you might call it a hot topic, maybe something trendy, but that's not why we chose it. Matter of fact, as soon as I say it, some of you might say, next episode, or go to another podcast, or even flip another video. However, we believe that this is a topic that we needed to talk on, and it's diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• 0:39
  And there's no one who could better talk about how we need as the body to Christ to see what's his viewpoint. What does he say about our hearts and what we are to do when we talk about all things of unifying, loving one another as he said we are to love.
• 0:58
  So I have a special guest who's an author. She's been a teacher. She's the founder of an amazing consulting firm called Equity Lens Consultants. And her name is Myesha Reynolds. Welcome. Thank you so much for having me. I'm so glad to be here and always welcome an opportunity to talk about this particular topic.
• 1:19
  Well, you know, we met at the Hollywood Prayer Network at a summit, and it was a wonderful time when I got to hear a little bit about what God called you to do. And so I would love for you to share with our audience where you've been to like, what caused you to come into talk about something that can have a lot of emotional range of feelings? Yeah. Well, you mentioned my background is in education. So I've spent so many years educating children and
• 1:48
  I love it. I love kids. And over the years, though, in the public school system, I often saw many inequities. And to me, when I would use that word equity or inequities, it really just revolved around not seeing things or not seeing things that were fair and fair.
• 2:06
  That's kind of all I thought of when I thought about equity was fairness and doing what's right. And so I kind of lumped a lot of my thoughts and conversations kind of around that the topic of equity with are we doing what's right? And are we doing what's fair by children that we're teaching every day? And so over the years, as I kind of noticed one things that weren't. I felt fair happening in classrooms.
• 2:34
  I decided that I needed to be part of the solution.
• 2:37
  I could do a little bit more outside of my classroom than I could do just within the four walls. And so I went to the superintendent of the school district that I was working at the time. And I said, you know what? I really believe based on what I've seen in our school district that we need an equity coach, somebody to really help teachers to look at their instructional practices, their relational practices, and determine whether or not they're operating fairly and someone who can really support them in that and help them to grow as educators.
• 3:07
  I became an equity coach just after going and kind of presenting that idea. That was back in 2017 in Wisconsin. At the end of that, so that was about 2016 when I started doing that work. 2017, I felt called to move to California. And I thought, oh, my goodness. Okay, I'm moving. But I knew I wanted to continue that work.
• 3:32
  And so what I did is I moved and I started working here in a school district, still coaching teachers with an emphasis on equity because they knew that I was bringing that to the district. I was hired to coach teachers. And over time, I thought, you know what, I still need to do more. And so I prayed into my starting my own consulting business, Equity Lens Consultants. And at that time, I.
• 3:57
  really still had no idea where our country was going to go when we talk in talking about diversity, equity, equality, inclusion, or DEI as it's referred to. And so when I started this business, the first thing I said is that I need to search the word of God to find out what the
• 4:21
  Does God, is this word even mentioned in the Bible? And I felt like, you know, I read God's word, but I wasn't really sure. And I knew that if I started a business that would have any impact on society, that I would actually need to make sure it was rooted in kingdom principles. Whether I was working with Christians or non-Christians, I wanted the work that I do to align with the heart of God. And so when I began to discover that, yes, there's so much
• 4:48
  God has to say in the word about equity, I took from scripture the foundational kingdom principles and applied those to my business, even when working with secular audiences. Because when I look at equity or think about that term or equality or fairness, I think about the value of all of humanity. And when I say all, I absolutely mean that. And so I began that company and
• 5:16
  Just have been doing that work since about 2020 here in California, which has opened up a lot of opportunities for me to speak on this topic. And I believe that my approach is very balanced. And oftentimes I've been told it's a breath of fresh air. And I know that's only because of the Holy Spirit of God speaking through me as I get to do teachings and trainings and seminars on this topic.
• 5:39
  Maisha, you would help us to maybe understand, like, what would you do when you're talking to a group with multiple backgrounds? Like, even like for our prayer team, I love about us is like, we come from a diverse group of churches and denominations. But when we come together, our uniter is Jesus Christ. And so we have that basic understanding of it's because of the work of Jesus Christ that
• 6:06
  that we can come together and pray. But tell me, how is it that you can come into and begin to talk about just maybe an idea of what you share from the word of God, from what you discovered that God says? I wanna say something. One of the things I always think about when I think about these conversations is that my initial focus for talking about equity was for educators.
• 6:32
  I never actually thought that I would be doing trainings and workshops and teachings for Christians. I will say I was a little naive because when I would have conversations about DEI, I came into the room or the space with this idea that we're both Christians. We're going to see eye to eye. We believe the same thing.
• 6:54
  And we believe that, you know, God's love is so pure and he shows no partiality and that we are to live like that. We are to forgive. We are to keep no record of wrong. And just all the things that the scripture says, we're to outdo one another and showing honor. Just all of the things right that we think about when we think about how we love and how we treat people and then how that then can cause us to be fair.
• 7:24
  you know, friends who I love dearly, but we just had a different perspective. And when the conversations would shift away from God and go more into more of the now things that have happened over time because of, you know, the history of even racism in the country or different experiences that people had, there was a place where I felt like there was such a disconnect with
• 7:51
  the word and the love of God and the hurt and the pain of people. And so when I kind of have this aha and I thought, wow, okay, God, I need to back up a little bit and think about how it is that I can serve the body of Christ in talking about equity. And so what I did, how I started this is I would ask people who I knew I was, I sent out massive emails and said, you know what? I want to host what I call a biblical,
• 8:21
  equity cafe where we gather people together, whether it's in a home or a building or what have you, and it could be your closest family and friends, or it could be people from your church or what have you. And we just talk about equity from a biblical perspective. So I thought, you know what, I'm just going to do it. So I just started asking people and people would bring people into their living rooms. They might order pizza and have,
• 8:43
  you know, snacks. There was somebody who hosted a brunch and invited ladies for a brunch. And I showed up with, you know, to speak, um, just other things, a coffee shop, wherever, you know, people would have me, I would go because I was so convinced that I needed to do my part in helping my brothers and sisters and Christ to understand that there was absolutely never a reason
• 9:14
  validated in some of the, just the ways of thinking and the perspectives that we had that were not of God. And so in those spaces, there are often people of all different backgrounds, races, but also different upbringings, cultures,
• 9:31
  men or women or people who are of different socioeconomic statuses, who have all bring different experiences to the table. And when you open the word of God, there's something that happens when you make Jesus a part of a conversation. And I would say that I believe that's what we've been doing wrong for so long when we talk about this topic is that we leave Jesus out and we read books to help us to think about racial reconciliation. But I'm of the belief that
• 10:00
  If a book was not written by someone who has the spirit of God inside of them and they can write words that are downloads from heaven and put on a page, then how is it that that book is going to help to bring about any form of transformation? I don't believe it can because I believe that the only way we can love one another, truly love one another, is by us experiencing love.
• 10:24
  the love of God and looking into his scripture and saying, teach us how to love like you love. And so it's just been interesting that many of most of the work I've done has been with Christians. Every a couple of times a year, I hold a biblical equity symposium. And I'm not kidding you. One day I just sat on my bedroom floor and I said, God, what is it that you want me to do
• 10:46
  And in a moment, he downloaded this idea. I don't think I'd ever really heard the word symposium. I don't know that I had, but I just wrote it down and I wrote my notes and I made an entire workbook in one night based on just these ideas and concepts that are written in the word of God that we could use as I brought together people of all different backgrounds into a space to talk about this topic. And actually the first one was titled, What Does God Say About Equity?
• 11:14
  And it was a Thursday afternoon, or I'm sorry, a Thursday morning from about 10 to 3.30. And I thought, you know what? I'm just going to do it. I'm going to plan it.
• 11:22
  Lo and behold, 25 Christians showed up who wanted to talk about this topic. And I was like, oh my gosh. And just the fact that we were able to have such discourse in a very loving and gentle way, in an environment where we worshiped and we prayed, and then we got into the Bible and we had conversations with our neighbors. It was so transformative. And after that, I thought, I have to keep doing these.
• 11:47
  And so every year I host a couple of these events where I gather people together. And it's been one of the most impactful things I've experienced and I've seen in my life with how God can take something that has become such a, when I say something, I think about this DEI topic. It's become something that is just for many people, just not a topic they're comfortable talking about, but it has become something.
• 12:16
  that we are now, and I've been allowed to see people engage in conversations and walls come down and people are healed. I had someone share a testimony recently just about how when she was able to talk and share and receive from God, she said, I don't know what happened in my heart, but it was a miracle.
• 12:40
  the things, the hatred I've held onto. And she said right out of her mouth, she said, I hated white people. And she said, and I'm sorry, that's so bad for me to say because I'm a Christian, but there were some things that happened to me that I kept this little place in my heart where I thought God can't touch this, but I'll let him touch everything else, but I'm entitled to this. And she said, and then through the worship, through the word, something happened. And I had a miracle that transpired in my life. And I know I'm so free.
• 13:10
  And I said, what word would, or how would you describe that? And she said, I would say I once was bound and now I'm free. And that's why I feel like we have to include God in this conversation, because that is the only way that we will move beyond where we are to the place that he wants us to be. I love how you're talking about even including worship into that arena, because there's something about it when we worship the God.
• 13:36
  that we have a place where we are recognizing that God has all authority. Like we're saying how great you are, God. And then if it wasn't for you, you know, the sacrifice of who you are and what you've done in my life, you know, I wouldn't exist here. And I think what we've learned too in Acts 3.19 is we know that when we then enter into his presence, it says he brings refreshment.
• 14:03
  And there's something that happens in that place. I know that when I'm in that attitude, when I'm really focusing on the Lord, when I'm worshiping him, and it doesn't have to be with singing, but it's when I'm attentive to him and thanking him and giving him praise over even little things. I've got my thankful journal that I've been really trying to be more diligent this year of writing. I'm like, what if I'm mindful of what God has done?
• 14:26
  How is it an example of exactly a principle of the word of God that you've been able to use to bring into a conversation when you're meeting with a group of people? Can you give us a scenario of a topic you said and God's scriptures or the word of what you spoke into those topics? Yeah. Well, one of the things I think about is unity.
• 14:50
  And how good it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. That's what the scripture says. And so when I talk about how we have unfortunately been duped by the enemy to focus so much on how we are so different than one another, when we are so much more alike than we are different.
• 15:11
  But it is a tactic of Satan to make us really think about our differences and maybe what we don't like about each other or just to keep us divided. There's so much power in unity. And so when I get to share and talk about that topic in particular, I bring up the building of the Tower of Babel and just of people in the scripture where we know when they
• 15:39
  came together on one accord, how the Holy Spirit, you know, God fell in Acts. Or just times where being unified in heart and in mind and in spirit,
• 15:51
  can totally bring about change. And I've encouraged people to unify on the belief and the understanding that when we talk about equity in particular, we're talking about fairness for all people, but we're also talking about equity in a way that lines up with the word of God, because there were things that Jesus did that people would not have seen as fair. They would have said that's not fair.
• 16:15
  This woman caught in the act of adultery. What should happen to her? Stone her, right? She should not be okay. You should not be okay with that. There should be a consequence to her actions. And Jesus said, well, you who are without sin, why don't you cast the first stone? Many people saw that as unfair. When the workers were in the vineyard and they came late and some of them still got paid
• 16:36
  the same amount. And the other workers were saying, hey, well, we've been here all day. He said, but what I'm doing is fair because I'm paying you what I said I would pay you. But other people saw that is not fair. And so I often remind people that fairness and the world's perception of it and all the hundreds of thousands of definitions out there of what equity is or fairness, they are not fair.
• 17:01
  often a reflection of the heart of God. And I remember just praying and I said, God, because people would say to me, well, Myesha, what is the definition of biblical equity, biblical equity? And I felt this pressure to produce something, but I thought, no, I want to know what it is that God says about this. And I just, I prayed and I prayed and I sought out scripture and I went to scriptures on that term and that word. And I just, and I always like to kind of read this
• 17:27
  just verbatim. But this is what after many, many times of just being with the Lord is that he said, biblical equity is fairness that is in direct alignment with the word of God. It governs the way we treat all humans and influences how we determine what is equitable. And so after, you know, just sitting with that, I said, okay, God, I can understand that. I can understand now then why we have to be led by the Holy Spirit
• 17:55
  and even our companies or our schools and, you know, with our families, our children, when we're thinking about this concept of fair, because it doesn't always come across as black and white as we're trying to make it in our world right now. And so we have to focus in on what is God saying about this? What then is my part if I do or I witness inequitable situations, injustices happening in our society? What do we do then? I often remind people you always start with prayer
• 18:24
  And then after that, you ask the Holy Spirit, what part do you play in bringing about change? Because I believe as God's people, we have the solution to the world's problems because we have Jesus. Whenever we're told to do something, there's that natural inclination of putting a wall up and like, I just don't want to do it because you told me to do it. I'm interested in seeing how.
• 18:51
  How we're hearing, how did you have the conversation with them that once you shared, this is what the word says, is how do you get them to like, oh, yeah, of course, I'm just going to go ahead and forgive these people and I'm going to have a different perspective. I mean, there's, to me, unless the Holy Ghost comes down and all of a sudden transform you, which he can do.
• 19:13
  But how do you help someone who has felt a wound for a long time? Like we know a wound, when it stays there, it can fester to the point where, you know, the scriptures talk about a root of bitterness can take place. We talked about that in our previous last episode. We were saying if we don't allow the Holy Spirit to work in our hearts, we're
• 19:33
  And we don't release people and forgive people as the Lord shows it to us. It begins to root down. And then it's like a stronghold in our lives. And it festers and it causes us to react to things that we normally would not have done prior to that. But when we continue to live in a place where really, you know, from what the Scripture said, we don't forgive.
• 19:56
  It is something that hinders us. How are you able to talk with people and get them to respond in a way that they're able to release and literally choose by faith? Because we've dealt with people where we try to lovingly encourage them. Like, God has given us a life of freedom. Yeah.
• 20:18
  It's over here. But when we hold on to our grudges and our offenses over here, we trap ourselves, potentially the other person, but more of ourselves. We suffer the cost and the consequences of us holding on to our anger and hatred towards the uneven fairness and the justice that we don't see displayed around us in our life. You know what?
• 20:46
  One of the things I've found is that I never put pressure on myself to do the work because there are some things that are so, so deep, deeply rooted that I could never fix. No matter how eloquent of a speaker I could be on a stage, I can't. And so I surrender that so much to the Holy Spirit. But then after that, one of the other things I do is I am a storyteller. And so I often share practical real life examples of things.
• 21:14
  that have happened in my own response to them. Things that I have been, you know, unfair treatment. And that often is so helpful to people because they can see like, wow, there is a way that I can respond that would be honoring to God, even in the face of something awful. Also, I try to be led by the Holy Spirit. And even if I have something planned to say, and if that's not the direction he's taking me, I will pivot.
• 21:45
  One of the examples of that is I was speaking to a group of people and many of them, I was invited, didn't really know what I was getting all the way into, but it was kind of, I was visiting a city and they said, Hey, can you come? We have Bible study tonight, but I said, the Bible study would love to have you as a guest speaker to talk about biblical equity. And I said, sure, of course. And so I wasn't quite, you know, all the way sure as to what I was walking into. But one of the things I did find out was that some of the people there who had been formerly incarcerated.
• 22:14
  and have been trying to get their lives back together and get back plugged into community. And they were also part of this group. So during the time I was up speaking at the front of the room and I was talking about biblical equity and fairness and what God's word says about that. But I could see because Jesus cares so much about the one and I felt like he had highlighted one person to me. And I could tell that he was not wanting to receive anything I was saying. The body language said it all.
• 22:43
  There were times where he was, you know, kind of leaned back in his chair and just kind of looking over, shaking his head and seemingly in disgust as some of the things I was saying. Now, this was a Christian organization, so it was normal for him to come there to hear about the word of God. And so I see him at the back of the room. And it's interesting because I usually try not to focus on one person when I'm up speaking.
• 23:07
  I just try to kind of look around. But this day I just kept I kept noticing and I felt like the Holy Spirit was highlighting it to me. And in my spirit, as I'm talking, I said, Jesus, you have to give me something for him. What is it that you're you're wanting to say through me? And in that moment, something I had at the very, very, very bottom of my notes, very last page was to just extend for an apology to those who have been treated unfairly.
• 23:33
  And in that moment, Holy Spirit said, and mind you, I'm only a few minutes into my presentation. I think I had a little over an hour to talk and it moves all the way up to the top. And so I said, you know what? Let me just stop and say that I am so sorry if you have ever been on the receiving end of unfair treatment. That was never God's will. That is not a reflection of the heart of God. And I just said whatever the Holy Spirit gave me in that moment.
• 23:59
  Well, as I'm saying it, I'm not looking directly in this person's eyes or at him because I didn't want to seem like I was targeting. But I noticed there was a huge change in his disposition. The person who was kind of leaned back in his chair with this look of disgust on his face and kind of shaking his head at me started to lean forward and lean forward a little more. And then at some points seemed more engaged. So then I apologized. I kept going, moved on.
• 24:28
  And now the rest of my presentation, he's smiling, he's sitting up, he's shaking his head, like in agreement with some of the things I'm saying. And I thought, oh my Lord, like he has probably been on the receiving end of some unfair treatment. And right in that moment, the Holy Spirit began to do a work. And so there are times where I just, I have to flow with the Holy Spirit because every time I go somewhere and I speak about this topic, I consider it an assignment, a divine assignment.
• 24:56
  that whether there's one person or a hundred people there who need what God has, then I want to be a part of making that happen. I want to be a vessel that is used by God to bring about the message of love and of truth around this. Truth meaning and being that even in the times where there has been any kind of fair treatment and justice is done toward a human being, and it was not God's doing. And also that
• 25:24
  you know, reminding people of just how deeply loved they are and how valuable they are. Because I often say to people, the reason why I want to talk about equity, the reason why I want there to be fair treatment is because of the inherent value of every single human being on the face of the earth, because they were created and made in the image and the likeness of God. And that alone, that alone is why they are deserving of their treatment. And when I say
• 25:55
  You know, that perspective. And even in, you know, in secular audiences, the Holy Spirit has used me to talk on this topic in a way where I never bring up Jesus, but I talk about the value of humans, the value of children, the value of, you know, yes, people in general and the human race and really
• 26:15
  helping people to understand that we, when we talk about who we are, we are part of the human race. We don't need to focus on our race. I always say like, I love my beautiful brown skin, but it is probably the most superficial part of who I am. Like who I am is who, you know, who I am in here and who has created me to be. And so I don't focus on that. Neither do I want another person to focus on that. I want a person to get to know me or to love me or appreciate me and value me just because of who I am.
• 26:42
  And so that often gets me in the door for secular audiences because I feel like everybody wants to feel valued. But I remember speaking to this group of teachers about equity. And at the end of my presentation, people started clapping and cheering and crying. And I was a little stunned because I'm sitting with teachers. But as I was talking, I kid you not, I felt the Holy Spirit of God flowing off of my tongue. Like the words came out. It was just like,
• 27:11
  And I'm talking to them about teaching strategies and relational practices and things that they can do within their classroom to really be fair and to show love toward children. But just the response from that, I thought, wow, God, this is a message that you want people, all people to hear and I get to be a part of delivering it. So yeah, it's been quite a journey, but I feel like there are many stories that I have that I can share about how God, you know, just to kind of,
• 27:41
  use a story or an example or something to really help people to have their eyes open and have their hearts change. You know, what I'm hearing you say, Myisha, too, it's really about it's Holy Spirit led, no matter it's the same application.
• 27:57
  You know, wherever you're at in having a conversation with someone, it's validating someone. It's acknowledging. And I've learned that, too, over time is sometimes when I'm more task-oriented and I kind of forget about the people around me because I'm just trying to hurry up and get my stuff done, we lose touch with the reality of someone's going out of their way and they're doing something. And I need to stop and acknowledge, hey, thank you for...
• 28:27
  making sure you stayed and completed something or, hey, thank you for, you know, being so thoughtful and doing something, whether you were appreciated or thanked or whatever. I think it's when we start to learn how to go out of our way and recognize the other person on the other side. And I'd love for you even to help to give us some real good pointers. Yeah. I think a lot of it just comes with immersion, right? Just getting in spaces where there are people who might not look like you or
• 28:56
  And it might not just be race. It could be, you know, your age group or just different backgrounds, different experiences growing up. That's definitely always, you know, a way to start. I also think that people really admire and appreciate authenticity. And we don't have to try to even be something that we're not to fit in in any kind of way. And so I know for people who, you know, try to befriend me or have conversations with me, whether I'm at the grocery store or whatever, I...
• 29:27
  really can usually tell when it's a person just genuinely being nice or just starting a conversation. I was in the store the other day and the lady said, what do you think about this dress? I'm going to a wedding and she kind of invited me into her life. And then I felt invited. So I was like, you know what, maybe not that one, but this is great for a wedding and just have this conversation. She didn't look like me, but that didn't matter. And I don't think most of the time it does matter. I think we've made it matter. And it's,
• 29:53
  we're making it matter more every day because none of us and are doing, but I feel like everything around us is constantly telling us that we're so different and that we should focus on, or we should be divided. Maybe I should say, because we're so different. And the reality is that it that's not true. And I don't think that's even what most people want. I think oftentimes it sounds like, you know, um,
• 30:17
  People who are minority, I'm not saying minority in race, but just like a number. The people who sometimes are the minority have the loudest voices. And then the majority might be just people who don't say anything. And so it sounds like those who are, you know, kicking and screaming or doing kind of the most in whatever they're declaring or believing or narratives that they're pushing or anything like that. They sound like then they are the...
• 30:47
  prevailing narrative or thought pattern of people, but it's really not that. So I feel like, you know, just immersing yourself in spaces where there are people who look different, being just authentic in yourself and knowing that people won't always receive you. And that might not have anything to do with your skin color. It just may be that you just, the personalities, or it's not a person that God wants in your life or any of those things. But I think we can though
• 31:16
  kind of hanging out or meeting for coffee with people of a certain socioeconomic status or people of a certain race or people of a certain or a particular way of being, you know, I think we can do some self-reflection and look at our friend circles or look at our calendar and kind of see who we're spending time with, what we're doing, what we're engaging in, what we're watching, who are the voices that we're listening to? Could those voices be perpetuating any kind of
• 31:46
  you know, separation or division of us, you know, just by that mindset being developed based on what we're taking in and in our through our ears and floodgates. So I just think that we really yeah, we we really I feel like want to be more together and people keep telling us that we shouldn't be.
• 32:06
  And we don't want to listen to those voices. There's times where I almost wonder is if if on the other side, are they always welcome? Because I've heard sometimes I've talked to a friend and she says, well, you know, sometimes they're really not really interested in making amends.
• 32:25
  with my kind, you know, I mean, I'm like, what do you mean? I'm like, they, they're happy being offended by, with you. And I'm like, so I'm sure that you have a lot of ways in which you, and obviously it's Holy Spirit leading you, but I'm, um, when you're in that challenge, what do you do? You just kind of pray into those things and just believe that God's going to help whatever it is, what it takes for restoration. I think that that's where, that that's where I was saddened because I'm like, my heart is,
• 32:55
  as what I see in the word is, you know, we lack living the God life that he desired for us all. He didn't pinpoint a race. He didn't pinpoint a culture or a status. He didn't say the rich or the poor or somebody in between, whatever your race was, it was, or denomination. It is when we are not,
• 33:18
  when we are fussing and we're complaining, we are literally missing out on the fullness of what God intended for us in our individual life. Like we're totally missing out. Like how would you encourage someone to continually walk and try to bring restoration for that?
• 33:38
  Yeah. Well, a couple of things. I think we have to always remind ourselves, and I have to remind this even through the work I do. It's not just that I want people to have a better understanding or a right understanding of equity. I want people to have Jesus, right? He that wins souls is wise. There is just some things that will happen, the transformative power of Christ in people's lives when they receive him, which means then that can lead toward us being reconciled one to another.
• 34:05
  So that's one thing. So we always have to keep in mind that we want to bring people Jesus. The other thing is, I think there are people who have the mindset, which you spoke of, of not wanting to make amends or be a part of a friendship or conversations or whatever because of the differences, because of things that have happened. But I will say, I believe that that is not the majority of the people.
• 34:34
  It can sometimes feel like it because one or two times of being rejected is enough to wound somebody. So I get that. But I do believe that if we just keep going in that, keep being vessels of love, keep
• 34:48
  treating people with kindness and honor, that we will see that there are people who are ready to open their hearts. And it could be very helpful and very healing to them. There may be somebody who you as a white lady will come in contact with who has been wounded by another white lady, but this person seeing and experiencing God's love through you could be the very thing that brings about a feeling and a restoration to that person's heart, right?
• 35:11
  And so I would just say, don't give up because people are people and people were designed for relationship. People were designed to be loved and not rejected. And so we want to just continue to be those vessels of truth and honoring God and all that we do and how we, you know, how we love one another and just live in according to scripture. That's good. I would like to.
• 35:37
  kind of summarize, but then I also want to show that one of the prayers I saw in Ephesians 4, I was just going to read, it's kind of more of like a prayer in Ephesians 4. I'm using the NLT version. In verse 23, it says, instead, let the spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature created to be like God, truly righteous and holy.
• 36:02
  And then, you know, and I realized when you, in the other version, I was looking at it too, is it says, let the spirit change your way of thinking and make you into a new person. You were created to be like God. And so you must please him and be truly holy. Like what a great prayer that the Lord's desire for us, you know, even in Ephesians 5, it says, do as God does or imitate God.
• 36:29
  You know, and God's heart for us is that we can always pray into it. We may not be able to do it today, but by faith, as you're saying, too, and being led by God and spending time together.
• 36:39
  in the presence of God, in worship, in prayer, in his word. I really believe, like you're saying, that there is hope for us to bridge the gaps and that each one has great opportunity for even when there's, and I have to say in one conclusion is in Isaiah 42, it talks about that even Jesus being the servant that refers to is that Jesus was going to come to bring justice.
• 37:07
  for all. I would like to highlight as a book that you have created, can you tell us as we're wrapping things up, Together We Stand is a book that you created. Tell us about it and then how we can get a hold of it. Yes. You know what? I've been feeling the call to write children's books, and this is my very first one. And Together We Stand came out of my desire to push back on the false
• 37:32
  wrong narratives that we have to be divided because of our skin color. And so this book is about two kids who are friends and a little black girl and a little white boy who happened to have my children's names, my daughter's first name, my son's middle name, but they are friends who love each other because of how they treat one another. And so as some of the other kids are thinking they should be friends, they were saying, yes, together we stand
• 37:59
  We're going to be united and let others know that it has nothing, who we are has nothing to do with our race. It has everything to do with who we are in our hearts. That's wonderful. You know, one thing I'm going to recommend is if you are, whether you're a parent, a grandparent, I would say both of you.
• 38:16
  is get a copy for your own bookshelf. But then I also encourage you to get another one to make a point of trying to get it into your school library. I think this is a perfect way that we can tell these stories.
• 38:34
  through what your book has, but then share it. Buy one for yourself, but then share it to loved ones. If you see someone's having a challenge, like this is a way to have a conversation. And our libraries need to have quality stories that really are going to bring hope to the young people in the future.
• 38:55
  So would you please tell us as we're closing, how can we find out how your different services that you offer, as well as how to get a copy of your book? Yes. So my company's name is Equity Lens Consultants. So I have a website, equitylensconsultants.com. I also have an Instagram page. And so that's where you can go to find out what workshops I'm hosting, read my blog, order a copy of this book, all of those things.
• 39:26
  That's wonderful. It's been a joy to hear everything what God is doing in you to use you to really help to unite each of us and really have a more open understanding and appreciation for what it means to have the right type of equity from God's point of view. Thank you. Thank you so much for having me.