Awaken to Your Beauty

“The splendor of the rose and the whiteness of the lily do not rob the violet of its scent nor the daisy of its simple charm. If every tiny follower wanted to be a rose, spring would lose its loveliness.”
~ Therese of Lisieux

Beloved, be who you are today, from the top of your head to the soles of your feet, inside and out. Please do not allow others to convince you that any form of social blindness is good—color blindness, sexuality blindness, body blindness, or whatever. Instead, be conscious of who you are, because the God who formed you is fully conscious of who you are. You are seen. Live seen and awaken to your beauty.

As for those who want to bury their minds in some form of social blindness, pray for them that one day they too will awaken to beauty.

These are the flowers my wife and son gave me for my birthday. I love flowers. They tell many stories of beauty and mystery.

About Fred

Fred came to serve greater Williamsburg and WCC as lead pastor in October of 2010 and is grateful to be a part of the family. He is a husband, father, certified trauma professional, S.T.A.R. (strategies for trauma awareness & resilience) practitioner, community organizer, TEDx alum, founder of 3e Restoration, Inc. and co-owner of Philoxenia Culture LLC. He received his B.S. in Ministry/Bible at Amridge University and his Master’s of Religious Education in Missional Leadership from Rochester University. Currently he is a candidate for a Doctorate of Ministry in Contextual Theology in at Northern Seminary in Chicago. Fred has also served as an adjunct professor for Rochester University and Regent University where taught courses in philosophy, ethics, leadership, pastoral care, intro to Christianity, and ethnography. He has also served as a guest lecturer on the subjects of racialized cultural systems, poverty, and missiology at various universities, such as William & Mary and Oklahoma Christian University. Fred has authored on book (Racialized Cultural Systems, Social Displacement and Christian Hospitality) and several curriculum offerings, including The FloorPlan: Living Toward Restoration & Resilience. Fred enjoys hanging out with his family anytime, anywhere. He is deeply grateful for how God graciously works through the Church in all her various forms, despite our brokenness. He is passionate about seeing the last, least, and lonely of every neighborhood, city and nation experience God’s in-breaking kingdom, and come to know Jesus as King. Oh, and his favorite season is Advent and Christmas. Fred serves on the advisory boards of Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center, Bacon Street Youth & Family Services, and FreeKind. He is also a founding member of the board of directors for Virginia Racial Healing Institute, a member of Greater Williamsburg Trauma-Informed Community Network's Racial Trauma Committee and Training Committee.
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