Love for Real: A Soulful Invitation to Wholeness

For Black women, love has often been complex—sometimes conditional, sometimes withheld, sometimes demanded but not returned. But the love God calls us to isn’t performative or punishing. It’s real. It’s healing. It’s a love that restores what’s been broken, strengthens what’s been worn down, and lifts us into the fullness of who we were created to be.

The Love for Real series is an invitation to explore what it means to live loved—and to love boldly in return. It’s not about getting it perfect. It’s about getting honest. About letting God’s love meet the deepest parts of our story and shape how we live, lead, and love others.

Why This Series Matters

Many of us were taught to love from a place of striving. We were told love had to be earned, that it meant sacrificing ourselves endlessly, or that it was unsafe to receive it. In this series, we’re unlearning those messages and embracing a deeper truth:

Love is not just something we give. It’s something we receive, something we become, and something we embody.

Through the stories of five women in Scripture—alongside the lived experiences of Black women like Maya Angelou, Tarana Burke, Harriet Tubman, Michelle Obama, and the legacy of mutual aid networks—we remember that real love is active, healing, empowering, and communal.

The Heart of the Journey

This series is inspired by Luke 10:27, where Jesus calls us to love God with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind—and to love our neighbor as ourselves.

Each episode pairs a biblical woman’s story with a modern reflection from Black history or culture, highlighting how love meets us right where we are.

Here, love isn’t abstract or sentimental. It is real, embodied, and often hard-won. Each week, we enter into a sacred conversation between Scripture and the soul, drawing strength from the stories of women who remind us that:

• Love calls us back when we’ve run from our worth
• Love seeks healing when harm has been done
• Love empowers us to lead with courage
• Love honors our convictions and boundaries
• Love builds community where all are seen and valued

This is love that makes room for your full humanity.

Inside the Series

1. Loving God with All Your Heart – Gomer
The Love That Calls Us Back
With wisdom from Maya Angelou and the story of a woman who ran from love but found her way home.

2. Loving God with All Your Soul – Dinah
The Love That Seeks Healing
Reflections on reclaiming voice and dignity after harm, inspired by Dinah’s silence and the #MeToo movement.

3. Loving God with All Your Strength – Deborah & Jael
The Love That Empowers
A story of courageous leadership and faith, alongside the legacy of Harriet Tubman.

4. Loving God with All Your Mind – Queen Vashti
The Love That Honors Conviction
Standing firm in self-worth and boundaries, with echoes of Michelle Obama’s wisdom and grace.

Soul Care Invitation

This week, take a few quiet minutes to reflect:

• What story have you believed about love—especially as a Black woman of faith?
• Which part of your heart is still learning to receive love instead of perform it?
• Where is love calling you to return, heal, rise, speak, or give?

You are not alone. You are not too late. You are already loved.