Black Women Have It Going On

Good morning from Colorado, where the peaks are tall and the tomb is empty! Today is Wednesday, and my faith is secured in Christ Jesus! Thanks for stopping by my blog, where we discuss life, faith, and the long walk toward healing.

Have you ever wondered where your “Hercules strength” comes from? As I’ve been researching my genealogical book, I’ve discovered that my ability to carry a heavy load didn’t start with me. It was passed down through a lineage of survivors. When I found the surname Lemelle in my DNA matches, I wasn’t just finding a relative—I was finding a “Windfall” of evidence for my own resilience.

While I’m still in the process of confirming the direct links, I strongly suspect that I come from a line of free people of color in Louisiana, like Marie-Jeanne and Celeste Lemelle. They were visionaries and property owners who managed hundreds of acres and built a foundation of wealth in a time when White people were constantly trying to erode their rights. They knew how to stay at the forge of their own lives and keep their “many irons” hot, no matter how heavy the load.

People might look at your current struggle and think you are “overwhelmed,” but they don’t see the “hidden riches” (Isaiah 45:3) of your bloodline. Every time I had to be the “strong one” for my mother or my brother, I felt the pull of that generational grit. You aren’t just “winging it” in your life’s journey; you are operating with the suspected strength of ancestors who already proved that the load can be carried. You come from property owners, visionaries, and survivors—and that is a crown no critic can take away.

The Takeaway for Us

• The Windfall of Evidence: One realizes that a DNA match is more than a name; it is a “BINGO” moment that connects personal traits to a broader history. Suspecting a royal or resilient lineage provides the fuel needed to keep pushing through the “blurry” parts of the present.
• The Power of the Property Owner: Understanding that one’s suspected lineage includes visionaries who owned land helps shift the narrative from “victimhood” to “stewardship.” It gives the adult child the authority to own their current “plot” of life with confidence.
• The Hercules DNA: True healing happens when a person realizes their “Hercules strength” is likely a family trait. It turns a heavy burden into a badge of honor, proving that the family tree is rooted in victory, not just survival.

Community Challenge

When you look at your family tree, do you see “stumbling sheep” or “strong shepherds” who knew how to carry a load? How does the “windfall” of your DNA matches change how you view your own ability to build a dream today?

Scripture & Prayer

• Scripture: “I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron.” — Isaiah 45:2 (KJV)
• Prayer: Father, we thank You for the broad shoulders of our ancestors. We ask for the strength to carry our own loads with the same vision and grit as those who came before us. Thank You for the “windfall” of discovery and for the hidden riches You have placed in our DNA. Amen.

The Spiritual Seal

Remember: You are not defined by the years the locusts have eaten, but by the new thing God is doing in your life today. The tomb is empty, and your story is rising. See you Thursday!