I believe in Jesus. He is why I am. Although I have concerns about my legacy, the ultimate decider of that is the Son of God.
My legacy of faith is that I trust God. What I have learned is that even though I make plans, His plans always beat mine because He makes His plans knowing the future. He has always had better plans for me than I have for myself. He has shown me this over and over again.
I love Him because He first loved me. He taught me what love was. He showed me what love was. He is teaching me to love like Him.
He has made me His forever pupil. I never arrive. There is always so much more to learn. I am good with that.
My faith will be trust, love and continuing to learn.
He uses his bicycle and collar to solve crimes, yet in this season he is facing some new beginnings, the Sistas have an opinion if these are good or bad beginnings.
Ira Frederick Aldridge was born in New York City on July 24, 1807. At the age of 13, he went to the African Free School in New York City, established by the New-York Manumission Society for the children of free black people and slaves. They were given a classical education, with the study of English grammar, writing, mathematics, geography, and astronomy.
Aldridge’s first professional acting experience was in the early 1820s with the African Company, a group founded and managed by William Henry Brown and James Hewlett. In 1821, the group built the African Grove Theatre, the first resident African-American theatre in the United States. The short-lived company was the subject of protests by neighbors, attacks by a rival company.
Facing discrimination in America, he left in 1824 for England and made his debut at London’s Royal Coburg Theatre. As his career grew, his performances of Shakespeare’s classics eventually met with critical acclaim and he subsequently became the manager of Coventry’s Theatre Royal. From 1852, Aldridge regularly toured much of Continental Europe and received top honours from several heads of state. Aldridge was known as a British actor, playwright, and theatre manager, known for his portrayal of Shakespearean characters.
As we draw close to the end of 2023, I am thinking about what kind of legacy I want to leave. What am I doing to speak to that legacy? What will I do next year to further define the intent of the life I am living? What’s important?
That is where we will go this month. Let’s explore what’s really important.
There is a lot of creep factor in this show. In the season of Beginnings and Endings, the Sistas talk about another series that was sliding into home plate, but was it safe or out? The Sistas discuss how this series finished its run.
Nzinga Mbande was born into the ruling family of Ndongo in 1583 in Central West Africa. Nzinga received military and political training as a child, and she also became an ambassador to the Portuguese Empire. She was a Southwest African ruler who ruled as queen of the Ambundu Kingdoms of Ndongo (1624–1663) and Matamba (1631–1663), located in present-day northern Angola.
She was the daughter of Ngola Kilombo of Ndongo. Her mother, Kengela ka Nkombe, was one of her father’s slave wives and his favorite concubine. According to legend, the birthing process was very difficult for Kengela, her mother; Njinga received her name because the umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck (the Kimbundu verb kujinga means to twist or turn).
Children of the royal household who survived difficult or unusual births were believed to possess spiritual gifts, and some saw their births as an indicator the person would grow to become a powerful and proud person. Njinga had two sisters, Kambu, or Lady Barbara and Funji, or Lady Grace. She also had a brother, Mbandi, who was heir apparent to throne.
The Portuguese first came to Ndongo in 1575 when they established a trading post in Luanda. By the 1580s, large parts of Ndongo had fallen under Portuguese control, who burned villages and took hostages who later turned into slaves. Nzinga’s father, Ngola Kilombo Kia Kasenda became the king of Ndongo in 1583. He had a difficult time fighting the Portuguese and other local kingdoms who tried to take over.
As an ambassador, Nzinga tried to negotiate peace with the Portuguese. She demanded that Portugal remove the forts built inside Ndongan territory and was adamant that Ndongo would not pay tribute to Portugal, noting that only conquered peoples paid tribute and her people had not been defeated. As a power play, the Portuguese would not give her a chair during negotiations. Members of her party would form a human chair so that she was always on the same level as her counterparts.
Nzinga assumed power over Ndongo after the death of her father and brother, who both served as kings, and she went on to conquer Matamba. To weaken the Portuguese colonial administration, Nzinga dispatched messengers (makunzes) to encourage Mbande slaves to flee Portuguese plantations and join her kingdom. This strengthen her kingdom as the escapees joined her kingdom.
She ruled during a period of rapid growth in the African slave trade by the Portuguese Empire in South West Africa. Nzinga fought for the independence of her kingdoms against the Portuguese in a reign that lasted 37 years. She died in 1663.
She is remembered as the Mother of Angola, the fighter of negotiations. Statues were made in her honor
I believe that God is good. I know He has a purpose for me because the Bible told me so. I am going to make sure I walk in that purpose. I spend time in prayer and bible study to make sure I am aligned to His purpose. I have found His purpose for me is always bigger than anything I have ever come up with.
The story of a young woman of color traveling across the country to marry a young man she had never met gave the Sistas a lot to say. Listen to hear if they are both all in.
Nzinga Mbande was born into the ruling family of Ndongo in 1583 in Central West Africa. Nzinga received military and political training as a child, and she also became an ambassador to the Portuguese Empire. She was a Southwest African ruler who ruled as queen of the Ambundu Kingdoms of Ndongo (1624–1663) and Matamba (1631–1663), located in present-day northern Angola.
She was the daughter of Ngola Kilombo of Ndongo. Her mother, Kengela ka Nkombe, was one of her father’s slave wives and his favorite concubine. According to legend, the birthing process was very difficult for Kengela, her mother; Njinga received her name because the umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck (the Kimbundu verb kujinga means to twist or turn).
Children of the royal household who survived difficult or unusual births were believed to possess spiritual gifts, and some saw their births as an indicator the person would grow to become a powerful and proud person. Njinga had two sisters, Kambu, or Lady Barbara and Funji, or Lady Grace. She also had a brother, Mbandi, who was heir apparent to throne.
The Portuguese first came to Ndongo in 1575 when they established a trading post in Luanda. By the 1580s, large parts of Ndongo had fallen under Portuguese control, who burned villages and took hostages who later turned into slaves. Nzinga’s father, Ngola Kilombo Kia Kasenda became the king of Ndongo in 1583. He had a difficult time fighting the Portuguese and other local kingdoms who tried to take over.
As an ambassador, Nzinga tried to negotiate peace with the Portuguese. She demanded that Portugal remove the forts built inside Ndongan territory and was adamant that Ndongo would not pay tribute to Portugal, noting that only conquered peoples paid tribute and her people had not been defeated. As a power play, the Portuguese would not give her a chair during negotiations. Members of her party would form a human chair so that she was always on the same level as her counterparts.
Nzinga assumed power over Ndongo after the death of her father and brother, who both served as kings, and she went on to conquer Matamba. She ruled during a period of rapid growth in the African slave trade by the Portuguese Empire in South West Africa. Nzinga fought for the independence of her kingdoms against the Portuguese in a reign that lasted 37 years.
I am learning purposeful doesn’t mean a long list of things to do. I will focus on what is important. Being purposeful also means taking good care of yourself.
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