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• transformation
• community

I feel a part of multiple communities or cultures. Even though I was not born to a Latina or Spanish-speaking family, I feel very much a part of the Hispanic community and as comfortable in it as I do with my own family.
Sometimes, I spend time with women who are only English-speaking. Today, I will spend time teaching Spanish-speaking women through three classes this afternoon at the Pepperdine Bible Lectures. If you, or a Spanish-speaking person you know, would like to participate in a live version of those classes, you can! Information and a link to the online classroom is available through the Texas International Bible Institute (IBIT in Spanish): http://ibitibi.org/es/las-conferencias-de-pepperdine-2017
And through Iron Rose Sister Ministries, God has given me the opportunity to form bonds between the two communities to which I feel a part. When we conduct a bilingual event, we see Christian sisters who had never before understood things from the perspective of another sister, joining together in worship, study, and prayer. Join us for an event in the Miami area, Saturday, June 3 at West Broward Church of Christ!

Thanks be to God for those opportunities and also the chance I have had to inspire some English-speaking sisters about what they can do to help cross those barriers, as well.
It is a two-way street and we cannot pretend that it depends on the other person to take the first step. Crossing pews and crossing borders is not about the physical barriers, but rather the ones we form by our perceptions and prejudices.
It is easier to point the finger at others as the problem and not see ourselves as part of the solution. What can you do to bring these two communities together as one in Christ?
I shared some specific ideas, solutions, and illustrations through two classes at the Harding Lectureship last year (audio available on our website).

• transformation
• community

This Saturday, Harding University will host its commencement exercises. Better known as “graduation weekend,” family and friends will flood the campus to celebrate the achievements of the students who have spent four or more years of their lives working toward a degree in their selected field of study.
Since I am at Pepperdine this week, I will not be there to celebrate with them, but I want to recognize several who are graduating and leave you with a thought for reflection.
IRSM’s former summer intern, Katie Lynn Finch, and other students who have been a part of local IRSM studies will be among those walking across the stage. Congrats to Katie Lynn, Megan Albers, Leahndrea Landrum, Elizabeth O’Briant, and Rosa Perez. Congratulations also to Debora Rodrigo de Racancoj, a blog contributor and friend, who will be defending her dissertation in Spain next week, and graduating with her doctorate, before returning “home” to Searcy, where her husband is a student.

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