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Be Still And Know

It feels good staying busy from daytime to night time. Go to bed and do it all over again. Keeping busy means being in a constant state of Energizer bunny mode.

We were not made for this. You cannot heal when you won’t be still. Restoration requires revelation. And revelation requires meditation. Simple. Do as this crewneck says. Take a BE STILL and know moment SO YOU CAN HAVE a come to Jesus moment. And be blessed!

Wear it year round on cool nights, or in the fall on cool days.

I know that it is FALL. You are ready to cozy up by bonfires, with books, great movies, and blankets. How about cozying up with empowerment? Flourishing? Resilience? Rooting. Grounded in comfort and the love of the Savior in every piece of clothing that you wear?

THE VALLEY OF GRACE SHOP is open. Check us out. Live in comfort.  LOVE in comfort.  Walk in comfort.  Live in love.

https://thevalleyofgrace.shop

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Education, Empowerment, Toxic Relationships, And Taking Ownership of Our Healing & Emotions

The Valley of Grace Podcast
The Valley of Grace Podcast
Education, Empowerment, Toxic Relationships, And Taking Ownership of Our Healing & Emotions
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Everyone strives for being educated and empowered. But different words mean different things to different people. Listen 🎧 in to the conversation between Dr. Shali Mukherjee and I as we dissect education, empowerment, toxic relationships, and taking ownership when it comes to healing and emotions. Katina Horton-Valley of Grace Ministries been granted rights and permission by performing artist , Timothy Horton GR8, to use Valley of Grace as its theme song. #educators #education #healing #healingjourney #ownership #empowerment #emotions

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Episode 133: Interview with Therapist & Coach Ashley Cutler Part 2

The Valley of Grace Podcast
The Valley of Grace Podcast
Episode 133: Interview with Therapist & Coach Ashley Cutler Part 2
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How do I reclaim my power and identity? What is the issue behind black women wanting other black women to keep their hair contained?  How important is it for black women to accept other black women? What does it look like for us to project our own insecurities onto other people?  How should I deal with microaggressions at school and church?  How does being created in God’s image play a role in the acceptance of ourselves?

If you need a place that is relatable, where you can pull off your masks, be real, dig deep, embrace your hair and skin color, release your emotions, and reveal your true identity and worth as a black woman, then listen to Part 2 of this candid interview between Ashley Cutler and me in a new series of The Valley of Grace Podcast entitled, “The Black Woman Experience:  Talking Through Our Stories” to find out the answers to these questions and more.    Be blessed! #ashleycutler #authors #blackwomen #blackmarriage #blackrelationships #reclaimyourpowerandidentity #youareenough #blacksuperwoman #blackskin #blackhair #blackauthors #theblackwomanstruggle #racism #traumas #blacktraumas #acceptance #puttinghairinacontainer

Podcast Topics

  • Accepting Ourselves as Black Women
  • Reclaiming Your Power and Identity
  • Embracing Being An Introvert
  • Racism
  • Microaggressions at School & Work
  • Black Women Issues

Until next time,

Katina Horton

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The Art of Resilience

Everybody has their own way of defining resilience. This poem explores my definition of resilience. It comes from years of being knocked down in the wrestling ring, so to speak, and having to get back up again and again.

resilince, kicked down, adaptation, healing, healing our brokenness, christian blogger, podcaster, lifetsyle, get back up, christian coach, christian podcaster, katina horton, valley of grace
Photo by Burst at Shopify

Resilience

It’s resilience.

brilliant.

built within.

Our failures.

Our sins.

Our kickdowns.

and all arounds.

Getting back up once

we have been pinned.

Pinned down on the mat.

The mat of injustice, oppression,

desertion, osbsession,

homelessness, and trauma,

and poverty, and drama.

resilience.

brilliant.

built within.

healing.

adaptation.

It’s willing.

It’s resilience.

Podcast Episode : Let it all out

Podcast Episode: I’m Stuck

At Valley of Grace, we believe in thriving. In order to thrive, we have to begin grounding ourselves in our identity. The first step in making this happen, is dealing with the effects of our childhood wounds. Click here for Online Therapy today.

This is an amazon affiliate link, where a commission is paid to offset the cost of providing this information to you.

I’m tired of being stuck in this position! You’re tired. And confused. You keep sitting there comfortably, uncomfortable waiting for your situation to change. You don’t have to sit in a state of confusion any longer. Broken Pieces does the work for you. This course walks you through with personalized videos, getting you to the heart of the matter. This is an amazon affiliate link that assists in paying for our blog expenses.

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Black Folk Don’t Do Therapy

One of my goals this year is to dive into black poetry and literature at a whole ‘nother level. Doing so has helped me in healing, as well as being able to aide me in one of my current book projects: writing a 300 page poetry book.

As with any particular group of people, you can’t assume that what works for one, works for all. As a whole, there is a stigma behind black people doing therapy. This poem deals with that stigma, and hopefully will get some of us to open up at a deeper level. Due to blacks having to suppress their emotions way back from slavery times, it is both difficult, and deemed as unsafe for them to show their emotions in front of others.

The reality of the situation is that when blacks show emotions, particularly that of anger, we are labeled as the angry black man or woman, having a higher chance of the police being called. What is natural for others is a luxury when it comes to black people, and demonstrating emotions goes along with that.

I hope that this poem gives you some food for thought. I would love to start a discussion down below on your experience growing with emotions, and how it was handled. Be blessed!

Black Folk Don’t Do Therapy

Black folk don’t do therapy

We pray and we cry

Yep we cry in private

But in public our tears run dry.

Black folk don’t do therapy

We’re strong as a people

We just slay in the Spirit

Till our Prayers hit the steeple

Black folk don’t do therapy

We just hope and we pray

That our unhealed

Brokenness

Will up and leave us some day

Black folk don’t do therapy

‘Cause we think it’s a sin

If we bring down from

bondage

Generations had to win

Black folk must do therapy

‘Cause then we can negate

Ev’ry game that’s been

Played

‘Gainst the enemy

Called hate.

Black folk must do therapy

Till we break all devices

That’s been sewn

Into seeds.

Then planted

With preciseness

Black folk must do therapy

So our kids

Will one day see

That our growth,

Faith, and healing

Was a bicycle

Made For me.

Black History Part 2

Black History Part 1

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The Traffic Light

How many of us can stop and think about a time that we felt like we were sitting at a traffic light forever? I know with myself , it’s usually during a time that I didn’t plan my time well prior to leaving out of the house, and thus, have no margin whatsoever as a cushion. Every light seems longer. Sitting and waiting seems more drawn out and daunting. But, what about the traffic lights in life? Read the poem below to catch a glimpse of how that works.

The Traffic Light

Racing.

against time.

against cruelty.

against uncertainty.

against the monotony

of

the songs played

on the piano,.

that whisper,

“You won’t make it.

Can’t take it.

you’ll always be

here at this red

traffic light.”

But then, the light

turns green,

and God says,

“Go dream, and

make those dreams come alive.

Thrive in every area now.

No holding back!

Go forth!”

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My Blackness

On tomorrow, I will be celebrating the heavenly birthday of my grandmother, Beatrice, affectionately known to her family as Mudear. There isn’t one day that goes by that I don’t think of her “figures of speech, quotes, words of wisdom, or just a matter of fact response to any kind of drama that is going on. I got my first lesson on community from living in her tiny apartment in the projects. Her place was filled with smells of fried chicken, grease popping and cabinets that displayed it, hair pressing, and the love that she had for her family.

I wrote the following poem ” My Blackness”, this past week, after dropping my car off for an oil change, and then waiting for my son to pick me up. I read the poem to my son, and he was surprised that I was able to write it so fast. His response, “Hmmm, I’m surprised that you didn’t need to have the perfect writing conditions present”. My response: “Yes, I know. Totally a God thing.” Me standing there on the sidewalk typing a poem into the Notes app on my phone? I then explained to him that I had read a blog post by a black blogger on the Black Lives Matter topic, particulary Juneteenth, and was immediately inspired to write poetry that helped to express my feelings about everything. Feelings about why we judge, what we judge, and what we think when we just don’t understand.

Well, here goes. Mudear, this is dedicated to you:

My Blackness

Is it the sassy in my voice?

Is the hips I’m given by choice?

Is it the knots that’s in my hair?

That makes the crowds shake heads and stare?

Is it my eyes that’s filled with grief?

Above the teeth that’s clenched by thief?

Is it the music that makes me sway?

That helps me heal from day to day.

Is it the movies that recall drama

Of taken lives and baby mommas?

It’s part of blackness.

Oh, can’t you see?

My Godly image, “identity”.

Have a blessed Sunday!

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Season of Uncertainty

We are definitely living in uncertain times. During these times, it is important to keep ourselves anchored in God and his promises. It is also crucial to establish a creative outlet for ourselves, and our kids if they are still at home. Practicing self-care will help our souls and our ability to be resilient when everything around us is on shaky ground. This poem “Season of Uncertainty”, deals with our life as it is right now worldwide. I am currently reminded of God’s goodness as I type this because there are several birds singing their tunes right outside my kitchen window. To God be the glory! Blessings my friends!

Season of Uncertainty

The sun and birds.

The walks and talks.

Slowdown and family time.

There’s a growing whine.

When at home we dine.

In the midst of uncertainty.

It’s the unexpected.

When you feel neglected.

And a need to be hugged and seen.

When our faith is tested,

and the fear has rested,

in our hearts and in our souls.

It’s a time to trust.

Trust that God is good.

When the picture’s not whole, looks bleak.

When we search for others,

There’s no need to look further,

When his kingdom we will seek.

Last poem: Triggered

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Triggered

The word “triggered” has become so overly used in this day and age. For those of us who live with trauma/PTSD, triggers are real. And when they occur, gaining solid grounding is what’s needed in order to get past the episode. This poem, entitled, “Triggered” paints a vivid picture of what it’s like.

Triggered

Triggers-everywhere.

Sights and sounds.

Beyond compare.

The bad seems worse.

The good seems better.

Triggers in all forms-

By Good “Ole Friend” Weather.

One word. One sound. Tilts you off the ground.

One look paints a picture.

Identity in Christ-Our one and only fixture.

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Completion

The Completion

He died.

Upon that tree.

He moaned. And groaned. Then bent the knee.

He said his last words.

Through the earth and through the nation, the completion was heard.

“It is finished.”

Yes, he said it.

It was for you and for me.

The conniving and all the striving…

The shedding of blood…

Broke it free.

After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst!” 29 Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. 30 So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.

John 19: 28-30