There I was, just a young girl in elementary school, sitting at my desk and filling out the blank boxes inside the cover of my marbled composition notebook. I write my name down, trying—hard as I may—to scribble it out in script, all messy and illegible. I write out my grade and my teacher’s name. Then, for my address, I write between the lines:
Brazil.
I write no street name, house number, zip code, or actual address—just Brazil. And, truth be told, I did not actually live in Brazil…nor am I even Brazilian.
This memory comes to me from time to time, and I think about the exact moment I wrote Brazil. I think about the young girl I was and how desperately I wanted to simplify my story, to hide the complexities of confessing the truth about who I was. The truth about who I am.
I am a mixed woman of African American, Native American (Ramapough Lenape Nation), Irish, and Dutch descent. With that, I carry many stories—of how my family came to be, of speculation and fact, of knowing what it feels like to fear that you don’t belong. I carry hand-me-down histories, the inherited tensions and traumas of being Black and White, and everything in between.
So that young girl that I was, writing inside the cover of her black and white composition notebook? She became Brazilian; she bent the truth and tried to become something that she thought would be easier to recall, easier to retell—and, therefore, easier to welcome.
This Advent, we reflect on and receive the sacred truth that the One who is the desire of every nation is also the One who delights in every nation.
We turn our eyes to see our Savior, Jesus Christ, the One who shed His blood for every beating heart, no matter the language, no matter the accent or dialect (Revelation 5:9). This love, this longing for all of us—even, especially for those foreign and far from God—echoes throughout eternity, from Genesis to Revelation, from creation until the second coming, and beyond (Isaiah 56:3–8).
His heart is a house for all nations. His hands are stretched out for all people of all places (Isaiah 56:7–8). From Jew to Gentile (Romans 9:22–26) and male to female, He is for every eunuch (Acts 8:26–39) and everyone seemingly unseen. Beyond every country and continent, He welcomes us to His table (Mark 7:24–30) if only we have ears to hear and humble hearts to receive Him. For we are all His children, bought and brought into this family—into His family.
For this, we celebrate and center ourselves around Him, this season. We come out of hiding and step into hereness, declaring our desire for Him and knowing that, as we do, He, too, desires us—delights in all we are.
His bloodline goes beyond blood, beyond the bronze, brown, and blush of our skin. He has saved, is saving, and will always be saving us all. Amen.
What a beautiful reminder that we all belong in Gods kingdom. Jesus reminds us of that in so many of his works and the way He continued to fight for us now, even when we feel we least deserve it. God desires to love us, no matter what.
It is so sad to think about a young girl trying to change her truth because of shame or stress. It’s a giving that you shouldn’t judge someone because you don’t know their truth. Yet, I have to ask for forgiveness all the time for making judgment calls. Lord, help me to live like You. Don’t let me ever add to any shame someone feels because I judged them with no right.
This resonates with me. I am also of mixed descent, with roots in the Pacific Islands, Aotearoa, and across Europe, and sometimes it’s tempting to opt for an easier story, a simpler explanation. But God loves every nation, every people group, every language, and each one is such a blessing. He gives us an identity story stronger than that of our ethnicity or ancestry: He calls us His children. For that, I am beyond grateful.
I pray that I would accept and love all people, as Jesus does. ❤️
Salvation is for EVERYONE no matter what we have done, what our background is, where we come from. Jesus died for all of us and one day we will meet our Savior ❤️
In the midst of holiday to-do lists it is good to sit quietly and reflect on His plan for this world and, in particular, His plan for my life. How wonderful to be reminded that He sees me most honestly and loves me still. How good it is to be fully transparent, with no pretentiousness, before the one true God. I have 5 brothers and 2 sisters so it was easy to feel overlooked in a house of 3 bedrooms and one bath. It was a challenge just to be heard! How comforting to know that in God’s family I am always heard and never overlooked.
❤️ Prayers lifted.
Loved this devotional today! Knowing that we are loved and cared for by God know matter our circumstance is heartwarming. The advent season is so special but also so hard. The older I get the harder the holidays are for me because I feel like I compare myself to my friends and all their excitements over the holidays. Praying for all your requests!