Black Women Have It Going On

Good morning from Colorado, where the peaks are tall and the truth sets us free! Today is Thursday, May 21st, and my faith is secured in Christ Jesus! Thanks for stopping by my blog as we look at “The Shattered Wand.”

Yesterday, I shared the sadness of seeing my brother’s “invisible tears” and wishing I could wave a magic wand to fix the past. As I look back, I realize that for a long time, I was that wand. As his big sister, I stood between him and the Iron Fists that ruled our household. I used my voice when he didn’t have one, and I took the hits so he could stay a little brother. But when I was redirected to Arkansas, that wand didn’t just move—it shattered for him.

I’m wrestling with the reality that my saving grace was his greatest loss. While I was in new soil, learning to breathe and grow, he was left behind to face those same unyielding forces without a shield. I see now that his smile didn’t just fade; it was stolen by the very people who were supposed to be his protectors. Whether they realize it or not, the weight of their grip was hard and cold, and a child forced into that kind of war eventually runs out of ways to hide.

It breaks my heart that I couldn’t be there to reassure him that his childhood mistakes weren’t a reflection of his soul. We often think healing is about fixing what was broken, but sometimes it’s just about admitting that we couldn’t fix it then. I may not have a wand today to go back and change his story, but I have a voice today to tell the truth about it. I am picking up the pieces of that shattered wand and using them to write a different ending—one where he is seen, he is loved, and his “stadium lights” finally shine, far away from the reach of those who once held him down.

The Takeaway for Us

1. The Burden of the Protector: Many older siblings carry a “saviour complex,” feeling responsible for the trauma they couldn’t prevent. One must realize that a child cannot be expected to stop an adult’s storm.
2. The Stolen Smile: When a child’s joy is taken by those in power, it is a theft of the spirit. We must learn to separate the “survival behaviors” of a sibling from the person they were meant to be under different circumstances.
3. Healing the “What-Ifs”: We cannot go back and wave a magic wand, but we can offer our current selves the grace we wish we could have given them. Speaking the truth is a form of retrospective protection.

Community Challenge

Is there someone you wish you could have protected from an Iron Fist in your past? This week, readers are challenged to write a letter (even if it is never sent) to that younger version of themselves or their sibling. Tell them what you know now that you couldn’t say then. How does it feel to finally stand up for them?

Scripture & Prayer

• Scripture: “The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.” — Psalm 34:18 (KJV)
• Prayer: Father, prayer is offered for the siblings who carry the weight of those they left behind. Healing is asked for the hearts that feel shattered by the things they couldn’t change. Thank You for being the ultimate Protector who sees every unbending hand and every “invisible tear.” Amen.

The Spiritual Seal

Remember: One cannot be the savior for a history they were also trying to survive. A sibling must realize that the “magic wand” was never theirs to hold, but God’s grace is a light that reaches back into the darkest corners of the past. The Iron Fists may have taken a voice, but they cannot keep the truth forever. See you tomorrow!