Category: Faith

Defining “White Privilege” and Why We MUST Care.

.Reading time 11 minutes.

I’m just going to jump right in. This was a hard post to write and I’m sure, for many, it will be hard to read. I don’t have all the right words and phrases and I know there will be many posts this week that are much more eloquent and thoughtful than mine but I can not stay silent. It has been an ugly week in social media land and it will continue to get worse. So read this post, or don’t. But please, read something.

I was ignorant and had unknown racist tendencies until beginning the adoption process. It wasn’t until I began to really listen to the comments people were making towards our adoption of a child of color that I began to wake up. Read More

This Is A War, Not A Competition.

.Reading time 6 minutes.

“No one is pushing her. There is no doubt she could do more, and that’s frightening.” The announcers words bounced around in my head all night. I had just watched Simone Biles dominate with her floor routine at the US Gymnastic Olympic Trials. If you haven’t watched the video of awesomeness, here you go. The woman is untouchable. Her skills and strength are unlike anything the sport has seen before.  She even has her own signature move (that no one else has been able to duplicate) and she executes it with such finesse, she makes it look as simple as a somersault.  She clearly has had amazing coaching and I don’t think the announcers were implying that her trainers are in some way “slacking off” when he said she isn’t being pushed. I think he meant that Simone’s current best is the best and, yet, she could do even more, and that’s insane.

It’s going to seem like I’m jumping ship with this next paragraph but stick with me. I couldn’t figure out a smooth transition so, hang tight, and I promise I’ll link it all together soon.

I wonder what the enemy says to his demons about us? Read More

When Saying “Yes” Takes You To China…

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I am so grateful for the opportunity to share our adoption story on www.ChristenSpratt.com. Please read and share. God is good and life is hard. Reading stories of His faithfulness is good for our souls. 

My adoption dream began around age seven after accidentally finding a picture in one of my mom’s Women’s Health books of a screaming lady with a baby coming out of her “lady parts.” I was traumatized and asked my mom what my options were. Sure I wanted to have kids someday but, dear Lord, not like that. She humored me and, after putting the book on a higher shelf, talked to me about adoption. A seed was planted in my little-girl-heart that day.

Fast forward about 20 years. I’m married to my high school sweet-heart with two young kiddos who entered this world just like that Women’s Health book said they would. My husband had finished school and was working as a Prosthetist, building legs and arms for amputees. We were settling into life nicely.

Continue reading at www.christenspratt.com…

His “Yes” Legacy: Happy Father’s Day, Dad

.Reading time 10 minutes.

Much like that piercing I got my freshman year of college, I probably should have asked my parents permission to write this post before going through with it. Oops.

Also, much like my post on the time I took on my school’s uniform policy, there are a few people who will read this post and want to make it about the “uniform policy” rather then the lessons learned from the risk I took to take it on. Please, please, please, I beg you. Let my words, dedicated to my father on Father’s Day, be about the lessons I’ve learned from my dad and not about your defense of a “policy.” Trust me, you don’t want to go there with me.

Deep breath. Here we go. Read More

My Snow Story: That Time God Made It Snow In Summer

.Reading time 10 minutes.

I am always hesitant to share my snow story. It’s very personal and, other than my journal entry of the event, I have no physical evidence of the miracle. It’s outrageous and unbelievable, actually. But I swear to you, it’s true.

When I was 19, I spent a semester studying abroad in San Cristobal, Guatemala. I had just wrapped up my freshman year and I was hungry for an adventure. I wanted to travel but I didn’t want to just move to another college location out of country, I wanted to really immerse myself in the culture I was visiting. So, in true “Amber” form,  I created my own “study abroad” experience and got it approved by my school. Through the friend of a friend of a family member, I learned about a home in San Cristobal for severely abused and neglected girls. Read More