by Rebeca M. Radillo

Here is an insight into and a reflection upon a non-physical event crucial to becoming a mature spiritual and socially responsible human being. From the time of our birth, we are surrounded by cultural, political, philosophical, and religious forces. We tend to internalize our milieu and often become comfortable with the status quo. Our risk is to become complacent and self righteous if we fail to thrive in our own social and spiritual development.

by Karla M. Kincannon

A midwife tells mothers that there are three things they need to know about labor. “It’s hard work, it hurts a lot, and you can do it.” That’s good advice for those on the Christian journey. The birth of the true self into the world requires effort and openness to God’s grace. We each have a true self, a deeper identity that lives in the heart of God and is united to God in Christ.

by Amy Yeary Holmes

Most birthing narratives are embedded within a masculine journey which is external and involves leaving the ordinary and leaping into the unfamiliar, having adventures, over-coming obstacles, and returning as a hero. In contrast, the feminine journey is an internal journey of reflection, solitude, and self care. Often the chapters of the heroine’s life are seedbeds from which she draws energy and creativity when addressing a problem whose solution lies within the heroine’s being. Handless Maiden tales provide a path to uncover the intricacies of humanity’s feminine side.

Moddie Breland

Gideon’s leadership traits are developed through a process analogous to physical birthing. The author makes a case for Acts 1-15 being an archetype of the physical birthing process, thus asserting that these New Testament texts symbolically describe how Christianity was born from Judaism.

by Reginald Brantley

One of the great ironies of Christian history in America is that slave masters taught their black slaves a racialist form of Christianity, hoping to keep them docile, but instead the story of the Exodus taught them that the God who rescued the Hebrew slaves and brought them out of Egypt was their God of liberation. Men like Demark Vesey and Nat Turner preached a liberation theology that rescued America from its baser self.

by Nicole Duncan-Smith

This is a personal story of how Angelou’s writings and life influenced the author to such a degree, that she credits Maya Angelou with her gaining self-confidence, and teaching her how to navigate some difficult periods in her life. Angelou as poet/author/ humanitarian inspired her readers and listeners many positive ways.

by Dae Jung

Dae Jung credits Angelou’s book, All God’s Children Need Traveling Shoes, as defining endurance as “what happens as a resistance to death by life itself.” He also uses the experiences of Theologian Jürgen Moltmann as a teenager in Germany to show how hope is a strong motivator for life.

Collected by Darla Turlington

A collection of quotes from Maya Angelou.

by Baruch A. Levine

The author relates today’s concept of endurance to how it was demonstrated in the Hebrew Bible. For example, he uses Deut 4:3–4 to show how the Israelites who remained loyal to the Covenant with YHWH were not seduced by Baal-Peor, the Moabite deity. There are many interesting examples of how the Old Testament Israelites demonstrated faithful endurance.

by Pam Hasegawa

Here is an example of how one person realized that the poor peasants in Asia who had been cheated by unscrupulous middlemen could change their lives and the lives of people in their villages by attending a nine-month training session that required extreme endurance. This is a wonderful, true tale!

by Kevin Yoho

How do the actions of a local, inner city church square with the concept of endurance? They do if the subject is Mission Endurance. Here are the experiences of a pastor whose church had endured but was facing new unpleasant realities. Successful endurance often requires new thinking. Here is how one church overcame the revered dying past to establish a new future.

by Donald L. Odom

There are many examples of people overcoming obstacles through endurance. Sometimes endurance is a physical attribute, but it can also reflect mental toughness. The author shares his own need for endurance when he was diagnosed with cancer and he wondered, “Why me?” And later he learned that our growth in God depends on continuing to mature in faith to overcome our challenges.