We Have Only Just Begun: Get Together Because It’s Possible...Andrew “Andy” Young

“The hungry cannot eat hope. They can't drink inspiration. They need clean water. Yes, they need food. 

There is more money, there is more technology. There's more understanding of human need on this planet than ever before. 

And so I cling to the message of my African brothers that say the ancestors are still with us. And if that be true, we have nothing yet to celebrate. We can only thank God that they showed us that it was possible…to break down the barriers that separate the rich and the poor.

It's the first time the Congress got together and Democrats and Republicans voted sanctions and they overrode the veto and and the UN got together and England and France got together with Germany and Cuba and China  and the US.

 …we made it possible to get this far, but you have sung that there's no easy walk to freedom. And I hear Madiba saying, ‘we showed you the way’.

There is the capacity in this planet that the hungry can be fed that the naked can be clothed that the prophecy of Isaiah can be fulfilled in our lifetime if we keep on keeping on.”

--Andrew Young, Civil Rights Leader; Member of U.S. Congress; Mayor of Atlanta, GA; U.S. Ambassador; Minister and Businessman

(Excerpts from Andy Young’s remarks on the occasion of the Nelson Mandela Memorial Service at the National Cathedral, Washington, DC, 12/11/13)

A Prayer In Community…Jacqueline A. Thompson

Pastor Jacqueline Thompson, Allen Temple Baptist Church, Oakland, CA. Credit: Amir Aziz, Oaklandside.org

Preparation:

“We come to church in community because sometimes it takes more than just us. We are intergenerational because when I look at seasoned saints, I see how God helped them make it through. When I look at young people, I understand what my charge is: ...I have to help them make it through. But sometimes when you’re in the middle you wonder, ‘who is going to help me make it through?’ Lord, I believe, but help my unbelief.

“God is able to do just what he said he will do. He’s going to fulfill every promise to you. Don’t give up on God, cause he won’t give up on you. He’s able! He’s able!”

The Bible says if we come touching and agreeing concerning any matter...because sometimes you need to feel another real live human with blood in their veins to know that God is a keeper...

Prayer:

And So God we come right now as our ancestors would say, ‘in the onli-est way we know how’... We come to you because God literally, there is no other help we know.

You are the God of our weary years and the God of our silent tears. We come before you with bowed down heads and humble hearts because we don’t know what the future holds but we know you hold the future.

God, we’re tired. Some of us are tired of ourselves. But you told us that we could cast all our cares upon you cause your yoke is easy and your burden is light. So God help us! We don’t want to be inauthentic. Something has happened that has shaken us! And it’s because we don’t know that makes us concerned.

But God, won’t you remind us? You said you will never leave us, and you will never forsake us. Some of us are in deep pain. ...you are a balm in Gilead. We thank you for angels that are being dispatched to deal with their situation... We thank you, as the saint of old would say, ‘for being God, and being God all by yourself’.

Help us to keep our confidence in you, not just today but in the days to come. Give us to know that the best is still yet to come. Holy Spirit, fall fresh right now. Stir up the passion and the gift of God! Renew our spirits and our minds, and our body. Help us to seek after you and run on and see what the end is going to be.

And because we are a people of faith, we not gon wait till the battle is over. God, we’re going to shout right now. We are going to thank you for it right now. God is able!”

—Rev. Dr. Jacqueline A. Thompson, B.A., MDiv, DMin; Preacher, Author, Administrator and Senior Pastor, Allen Temple Baptist Church, Oakland, California 

*Please note this prayer has been edited for this medium, but can be viewed below in its entirety along with the sermon delivered by Dr. Thompson on November 10, 2025 in Somerset, NJ. —Nona Ogunsula, Principal Creative, Liberty Ink and Founder, womenatliberty and #LeadershipTuesdays 

#LeadershipTuesdays--Leading With Empathy...Stephanie C. Hill

“We've been working [with] our team on something called psychological safety. And basically, psychological safety is saying that in this organization, you're free to bring up your ideas, you're free to question, you're free to speak truth to power without fear of reputational damage or retaliation or anything like that.

And in order to create a psychologically safe space, you have to treat people in a certain way. You have to treat people with compassion, empathy, you've got to give them grace.

You can be tough and have compassion…a compassionate empathetic leader. Being empathetic means… [that your perspective toward the person is…], ‘I understand what you're going through. I feel what you're feeling.’ Compassionate leadership means, ‘Not only do I feel what you're feeling, but I'm going to help you.’

So if we're going to help the people that we're privileged to lead, we have to show up for folks that can't represent themselves or can't fight for themselves. We have to do that. And we also have to help people around us to be better. We have to give constructive feedback. We have to give people constructive feedback in a way they can hear it. So they can take it on board and they can be stronger for it.”

—Stephanie C. Hill, President, Rotary and Mission Systems, Lockheed Martin Corporation

REPOST: My Prayer

My Prayer in times when words fail us:

Re-posting a prayer that I wrote over 15 years ago. The sentiment of the prayer really blessed  me and I hope it blesses you as well.
______________________________________

Lord, there are places where we are not able to go, so we send your Spirit. There are hearts that we can not touch, so we pray for the power and comfort of the Holy Spirit to minister to them. 

We also pray for those that will have the opportunity to minister and pray for those who are in need and broken-hearted. Give them wisdom. Help them to minister in a spirit of love, truth and restoration. 

In the name of Jesus, Amen. 

*Dedicated to the memory of Pastor Paul E. Sheppard who inspired this prayer. He past away on January 25, 2025 and my thoughts are with his family and church during this time of grief and gratitude for his life and ministry. 

Nona Ogunsula

The Type Of Leaders We Need To Be Developing…Martin Luther King, Jr.

“May I stress the need for courageous, intelligent, and dedicated leadership... Leaders of sound integrity. Leaders not in love with publicity, but in love with justice. Leaders not in love with money, but in love with humanity. Leaders who can subject their particular egos to the greatness of the cause.”

—Martin Luther King, Jr.

We Are The Harvest…Gwendolyn Brooks

“We are each other's harvest; we are each other's business; we are each other's magnitude and bond.” 

—Gwendolyn Brooks, Author, Quote from the book, “Paul Robeson”

#LeadershipTuesdays: We Must Use Our Voice…Michelle Herrera Mulligan

“We must be impatient for change. Let us remember that our voice is a precious gift and we must use it.”

—Michelle Herrera Mulligan, Writer, VicePresident and Associate Publisher, Simon & Schuster

On Tuesdays, #LeadershipTuesdays presents a variety of voices and resources to develop, encourage, and strengthen women leaders. For more information and resources to broaden your knowledge of leaders, and also develop your leadership skills, go to @LeadershipTues on X.com, formerly Twitter.