Author: Amber Kanallakan

Why “Women’s Equality Day” Matters

.Reading time 13 minutes.

July 19th – 20th, in Seneca Falls, New York, men and women gathered for what is now known as the first women’s rights convention. The gathering was organized and hosted by a group of Quaker women from the area, with the goal of discussing “the social, civil, and religious condition and rights of woman.” There were 300 in attendance.

During the convention, a document was submitted, debated, edited, and, ultimately, made available for those in agreement to sign. This “Declaration of Sentiment” was then used in launching the women’s suffrage movement. Of the 300 convention attendees, 100 signed their names to the document, with a majority of signatures belonging to women.

I have added the text of the “Declaration of Sentiment” to the bottom of this post and I’d like to ask you to take five minutes to really read it. I dare you not to tear up as you consider the heaviness of life carried by the authors as they penned each word. 

Fast forward over 150 years and today is “Women’s Equality Day.” The blood, sweat, and tears that so many brave women poured out as they fought for women’s rights in our country are to be remembered and honored.  Political affiliations aside, there is a woman running for the office of President and that reality is freaking awesome. We’ve come a long way. Read More

Living With At-Risk Faith | Michelle Napier

.Reading time 11 minutes.
My friend, Michelle, is writing a beautiful “yes” legacy with her life. Watching her family’s story unfold has been inspiring. I asked Michelle to tell a bit of their journey and I am thrilled to share her words with you. I pray your soul is encouraged as you read of God’s faithfulness to my friend.

What does living with “at-risk” faith look like to you? I’m honored to share our story of what that looks like for our family.

My name is Michelle and I am married to my high school sweetheart (cliche, I know). I feel very blessed to be able to say that we have been married for 15 years. We have six kids: 3 girls and 3 boys.

Our journey to walking with faith started five years ago. We were your typical American family: Craftsman style home, golden lab, and three little girls. We had toys to use on the weekends and lived life very comfortably. Then we read a book called “Crazy Love” by Francis Chan. This book changed our lives. Read More

When Risking Leaves You Robbed and Disturbed

.Reading time 10 minutes.
On January 12, 2010, the nation of Haiti was hit with a powerful 7.0 earthquake that resulted in massive destruction and countless deaths. Upon hearing the news of the devastation and the many people who had lost limbs as a result of the fallen debris, my husband and I felt God asking us to go and serve the wounded using his skills as a Prosthetist and my skills as his team-mate. We kissed our 16-month-old son “goodbye” and left him with grandparents as we headed to Haiti for 11 days. “Mission of Hope,” an incredible ministry just outside of Port-au-Prince, had (just weeks before the earthquake) opened one of the only prosthetic labs in the country in an empty room of their hospital, originally designed as the morgue.  The experience was life changing and played a significant role in our decision to pursue the adoption of a child with limb difference. I recently came across a blog post I wrote shortly after our trip. We returned home from the airport and discovered that, while overseas, our apartment had been robbed and all of my heirloom jewelry, including my wedding rings, had been stolen.  I wrote this post, over six years ago, as a sort of altar to the Lord as I was processing our time in Haiti. It continues to serve as a powerful reminder of God’s heart and faithfulness every time I read it. I hope that it blesses you also. 

Disturbed– May 3rd, 2010

I have sat down at least four times to write about our recent trip to Haiti. Each time I make an attempt, I go blank on what to say. When I try to organize my thoughts I find myself distracted with moments of trial and victory in Haiti, followed by feelings of violation with the home break-in, and ending with the overwhelmed reality of us moving in three weeks. Read More

Hey America, Simone Biles Doesn’t Need to be Our “Cinderella Story”

.Reading time 3 minutes.

We all love a good “up from the ashes” story. Rooting for the underdog is just plain fun. Watching the “come-back kid” drop the mic is thrilling.

Simone Biles does not deserve to be cast as a character in our fairy tales.

As the parent of a kid from a hard place, I get the desire to see a “cinderella story” emerge. I also understand that desire is mostly gross and incredibly unfair. My child doesn’t owe me or society anything. He doesn’t need to prove himself to anyone. He is not responsible for changing the statistics or topping the charts. He certainly doesn’t need to “come out on top” in order to validate some weird made up idea of what it means to have a “successful adoption” story.

We must be careful with our definition of “success.” In fact, let’s just nix the word altogether. Let’s replace it with words like “kind” and “compassionate” and “thoughtful.” Let’s let those labels define our kids’ stories.

If you think I’m making this up, just look at a few of this week’s headlines regarding Simone Biles: Read More

Coffee in Heaven: Living This First Life Well

.Reading time 10 minutes.

I just bought plane tickets for a funeral this weekend. Friday morning at 4 am I’ll hop on the train to the airport and fly to California to celebrate the life of my Aunt Sharon, who I am sure is now sipping coffee with Jesus at some corner cafe in heaven.  Sharon Runner was an incredible human being whosharon made a beautiful and lasting impact on her community. She spoke out against injustice and stood up on behalf of the weak and vulnerable. She spent her life working in both the private and public sectors, serving as a California State Senator from 2011 till she passed away this month. She was unashamed of her faith and was so much like Jesus in how she proclaimed truth in love, without passing judgment. She loved her husband and children and grandchildren well, and she loved Jesus the most. Her resume was as lengthy as it was impressive and her voice was important. I am honored to call myself her niece and I am so grateful for the legacy of love and boldness and service that she left for the women in our family to walk in. Hers was a life well lived.

This morning I saw an ad on social media that read, “Stop acting like you live twice. Make your days count.” The fancy, bold script sat in the middle of a beautiful, coastal scene with a long, winding road following the edge of the green cliffs. Beautiful. Inspirational, even. I used to subscribe to this way of thinking.  This fear of wasting what little time we might have on earth hung over me like a cloud. What if I miss something? What if there is this great opportunity that God puts in front of me and I didn’t see it or I said no because I was too busy with something else? Read More