EP. 41: Beauty in the Midst of Despair (with Ruth Naomi Floyd)

It’s probably safe to say that we’ve all experienced “the blues” at different times in our lives. But as Christians, how are we supposed to walk through those seasons of sadness, discouragement, or worse? Our guest for this episode, jazz singer Ruth Naomi Floyd, shares both the practical and the artistic ways we can find beauty in the midst of despair.

About our guest: 

As a vocalist and composer, Ruth Naomi Floyd has been at the forefront of creating vocal jazz settings that express theology and justice for over 25 years. Also a committed music educator, Ms. Floyd is Director of Jazz Studies at Cairn University in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, and an Adjunct and Artist in Residence at Temple University. Before that, Ms. Floyd taught music for 20 years at The City School.

In addition to her musical talent, Ruth Naomi is also an award-winning fine art photographer specializing in black and white portrait images. She continues to make the city of Philadelphia her home, where for over 25 years she has been devoted and active in providing compassionate care and spiritual support  to people infected and affected by HIV and AIDS.

Notes and Quotes:

• “We don’t get where we are without those before us and surrounding us pushing us onward.”
• “There is beauty in the midst of darkness. There is light.”
• “In the beginning of Genesis 1:1, God presents Himself as an artist: ‘God created.’”
• “Jesus is the greatest blues singer.”
• “What kind of God can I not believe in? For me, I cannot believe in a God that hasn’t suffered.”
• “Sometimes continually showing up is activism.”
• “Each generation has a responsibility to take what’s best from the generations that preceded them and to build on it.”
• “On her way back to her cabin [after being dehumanized], she would search for beauty.”
• “Lean on our biblical sisters, and in each example we can find a way to reflect light.”
• “Sometimes, really, a radical act is committing to pray, committing to lament . . . remembering your sisters.”
• “It starts inward. So if we as sisters would value each other, if we would see beauty, if we would empower the kind words, if the world could see Christian women come together and be united and speaking over them with truth and love, they [the world] would be knocking our church doors down.”

Links/Books/Resources Mentioned in Show:

• Show Notes on godhearsher.org
• God Hears Her website: https://www.godhearsher.org/
• Subscribe on iTunes!  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/god-hears-her-podcast/id1511046507?utm_source=applemusic&utm_medium=godhearsher&utm_campaign=podcast
• Order God Sees Her: 365 Devotions for Women by Women on Amazon.  https://amzn.to/32lYSgh
• Ruth’s website: https://ruthnaomifloyd.com
• Elisa’s Instagram: elisamorganauthor
• Eryn’s Instagram: eryneddy