I am not Brené Brown. I am not an expert on shame. What I have is life, lessons, and ears that have listened long enough.

Honor came home with 99th percentile math scores and I wanted to jump across the table and dap him up.

She came to the well at noon — when the sun was hottest and the crowds were thinnest. Intentionally.

I said those dreaded words: 'OMG I haven't seen you since you were little.' I prefaced the cringe with how much I used to hate when people said that to me.

I clicked through Instagram stories to land on Northeastern's graduation content. About seven mentions of '2025' in, it dawned on me.

I was raised Pentecostal, but educated Catholic from Pre-K through 12th grade.

I think about why more people don't rush toward Christianity. My answer usually comes down to the same reason I'm not running toward any other religion.

'Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation?' So... poetry from Psalms, right? Nope. This is Job.

I was not rushing to read the book of Numbers. It's hard to read — and this is from someone who doesn't love to read anyway.

I really don't like to be misunderstood. As an introvert and an adult who hasn't mastered the art of talking, to be best understood I write.

I can't swim. Water can kill me. And yet I started a business about hope called 'water' — OMI.

Writers don't only write because it's the only way they feel heard. Sometimes writers write because it's the only way they feel anything.

To know love like friendship is what inspired my break from a relationship where there was no love.

I envy writers who can react instantly. I needed a few days with this one. Not because I didn't know what to say — because what Kendrick did on that stage deserved more than a hot take. It deserved this."

Great writing is three parts — and they're not equal. One part is skill (about 20%). One part is idea (another 20%).

My problem is that it takes me too long to reach my boiling point. Truth be told, I'm blessed.

I sought therapy determined to unpack my need for perfection. At the very same time, I've tried to write this single blog post three times. Stopping each time because it wasn't 'it.'

'When are you going to get the stains off your teeth? Don't you think it's embarrassing?' The text came from a random number.

I've always been the defender. When my friends needed someone to stand up for them, I was there, ready to speak up.

It's an ordinary night to end an anything-but-ordinary day. Jarrett Billups is a hilarious churchy teenager who makes videos being himself.