Black Women Have It Going On

Hello from Colorado, where the peaks are tall, and my perspective is finally settling into a deep, quiet truth! Today is Wednesday, July 1, 2026, and my faith is securely anchored in Christ Jesus! I’m so thankful you’ve joined me today, even though my heart is incredibly heavy as we look at how fragile this life really is.

June was an absolutely brutal month. My sister’s daughter—my niece—celebrated her 52nd birthday on June 1st. Just three days later, on June 4th, she was diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer. The very next day, June 5th, she passed away. It happened that fast. And as if the sudden grief wasn’t enough, family drama showed up right on cue. Why can’t people just let the hurting grieve and let the departed rest in peace? Honestly, it’s a question that doesn’t even have a rational answer.

Between the shock, the grief, and the chaos, July completely snuck up on me. I was so disoriented I completely lost track of time. I could have sworn June had 31 days! I actually had to stop and check the calendar. But nope—June only has 30 days, and ready or not, summer is moving forward.

While I wasn’t exceptionally close to this niece, my heart aches because 52 years is just too short. She deserved more time. Her sudden passing is a harsh wake-up call, and this post is an urgent plea for both the women and the men reading this today.

Ladies, we have to stop skipping our annual checkups. Ovarian cancer is notoriously quiet and incredibly hard to detect early, but routine medical care gives you a fighting chance instead of finding out when it’s already too late. And while we are talking about health maintenance, women and men need to be doing regular breast self-exams. Yes, you read that right—men can get breast cancer too.

Fellas, this applies to you just as much. You need to start chatting with your doctors about prostate cancer screening between the ages of 45 and 50 if you are at average risk. This hits incredibly close to home for me: my dad had prostate cancer, and so did one of his nephews. If you have a father, brother, or uncle who has faced this disease, please hear my heart: I am not trying to scare you, but you need to get your yearly exams.

Life is far too wonderful, and God’s grace is far too sweet, for us to cut our time short simply because we failed to do basic maintenance on the temples He gave us.

The Takeaway for Us

• The Fragility of Time: One realizes that life can change in a single day, reminding us never to take our health or our days for granted.
• The Necessity of Temple Maintenance: One sees that scheduling routine doctor visits isn’t an act of fear; it is an act of stewardship over the physical body God loaned us.
• The Legacy of Family Awareness: A believer learns that knowing your family medical history is a powerful tool to break patterns of delayed diagnosis and protect the next generation.

Community Challenge

This week, I challenge you to look at the “receipts” of your physical health. When was the last time you actually scheduled a routine doctor’s appointment, a mammogram, or a prostate exam? Are you avoiding the doctor out of fear, or are you actively maintaining your body? Write down one screening you have been putting off and call to schedule it before this week ends.

Scripture & Prayer

Scripture: “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” — 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (ESV)

Prayer: Father, thank You for the precious gift of life, even when it feels incredibly fragile and heavy. We lift up our family in this time of sudden grief, asking for Your peace that surpasses understanding to quiet the drama and comfort our hearts. Forgive us for the times we have neglected our physical health or let fear keep us away from the doctor. Give us the wisdom and the discipline to maintain our bodies as holy temples. Keep our families safe, sharpen our awareness, and grant us many healthy years to serve You. Amen.

The Spiritual Seal

Remember: True faith doesn’t mean ignoring medical science; it means using the sound mind God gave you to take care of yourself. Your life is valuable, your purpose is heavy, and your worth is already signed, sealed, and delivered by the King of Kings.

See you tomorrow, Thursday!