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Author Archives: carolyncustisjames
The Spiritual Blessings of Country Music
Marriage to Frank James came with a catch that I didn’t realize until it was too late. Early on, he mentioned he loves country music. But the full extent of that love didn’t sink in until the wedding was over … Continue reading
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The Beat of a Mother’s Heart
In the aftermath of my mother’s death last week, I came across this tender thought: “Remember, you’re the only person who knows what her heart sounds like from the inside.” In the case of my mother, I’m not “the only … Continue reading
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When Politics and Christmas Collide
A careful reading of the Gospels reveals that the birth of Jesus takes place amid dark political machinations. Despite generations of Christian efforts to make the story suitable for children in cheerful Christmas pageants, Christmas has a menacing subtext of poverty, marginalization, … Continue reading
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Tagged already-not-yet, King Jesus, Kingdom of God, Magi, politics
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The Men of Troy
Nothing pleases me more than seeing Ruth’s name in lights—especially when I know it is the ezer-warrior version of Ruth (rather than the Cinderella version) who is getting the attention. Ruth was in the spotlight again last week at Kensington … Continue reading
Posted in Blessed Alliance, Half the Church, Malestrom
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Heading to Troy, Michigan
No one has to twist my arm to get me to talk about the Old Testament book of Ruth. It has been a total game-changer for me. I live in the book of Ruth. Hardly a day goes by when … Continue reading
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Called and Courageous Girls!
The brave little climber in this photo is my four-year-old grand-ezer. She’s the same little ezer who, this past summer at a pool here in Philly, stood in line with kids twice her size and—armed with her floaties—jumped off the diving board … Continue reading
Posted in #MeToo, ezer, Lost Women of the Bible
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Coming to the City of Sisterly Love
4word’s Philadelphia Gathering Topic: “Minding Your Own Business as a Jesus Follower” Speaker: Carolyn Custis James Anyone seeking biblical guidance for how to follow Jesus into the workplace would probably never consider the Old Testament book of Ruth as a … Continue reading
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Something to ponder on Labor Day . . .
“At the beginning God didn’t deliver a finished product; rather, God provided a setting in which human beings, working with and enabled by God, could cause the created order to flourish. . . . As Martin Luther once said, as we … Continue reading
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Trauma, Resilience, and the Church
Note: This article was originally published in the Spring 2018 issue of Cultural Encounters: A Journal for the Theology of Culture, Vol. 13, edited by Paul Louis Metzger and is reprinted here with permission. As a young girl blessed with … Continue reading
Posted in #MeToo, Half the Church
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Take a Knee for the Children
When Dr. Colleen Kraft, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, visited a U.S. government shelter for immigrant children in Combes, Texas, what she saw undid her. A distraught toddler was crying inconsolably and pounding her small fists against the … Continue reading
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Carolyn Custis James 