"…And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" (Micah 6:8)

I few years ago, I participated in a Bible study at work that provided some wonderful insight on the topic of pride and humility. I have always been a person with a high sense of self esteem, and I believed that it was this confidence in self that allowed me to be successful in life. As I matured, I acknowledged that it was also my ego and pride that fueled me.

The topic of thinking like a man was first presented in a book by Steve Harvey and more recently in a move titled with the same name.  On Saturday, May 18th at the Hotel Ivy in downtown Minneapolis, Dr. Karen Flynn, assistant professor in the Department of Gender and Women’s Studies at the University of Illinois presented the keynote message questioning the topic of thinking like a man. I was asked by LnL Consulting to be on the panel for the discussion that followed the presentation, and I was excited to be a part of the powerful discussion.

With the recent death of Junior Seau, former professional football player, the subject of black suicides has again reared its ugly head. With other notable suicide deaths by Don Cornelius, Donny Hathaway, Phyllis Hyman, and Frankie Lymon, not including the untold number of those who never make the headlines, we are no longer able to deny its existence in our community. Suicide is an ugly reality in the black community that must be addressed through all of our public and private conversations and dialogues.

He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD.(Proverbs 18:22) True value begins with the individual and is transcended by those who are around them. Some people add to us, while others take away. Some women attach themselves to men who constantly put them down, creating in themselves a reflection of a negative image. Others, more fortunate, become close to men who see them as more than they are, making it easy for them to reflect this positive image.