There's No Place Like Home (Part Two)

As promised, here is Part Two of what I love about Detroit. This will be a more personal section than the last, but I hope you will enjoy it nonetheless.

Cornerstone Baptist Church
When I was in first grade, my family started attending Cornerstone Baptist Church and we will never be the same. Cornerstone is led by godly, gospel-driven men and women and is filled with some of the most caring and generous people you will ever meet. I could fill a book with all the experiences I have had there - from being baptized to youth group mission trips to marrying my wonderful husband - but the biggest impact Cornerstone has had on me is the preaching and teaching that has shaped my spiritual walk in indelible ways. Even when I was a child, the lessons I have learned are etched into my heart (I can still sing the "10 Commandments" song if you want me to) and I will forever be grateful for my home church. Led by Pastor Robert Johnson, II, if you are ever in Detroit, you should make it a priority to come to Cornerstone - you won't be sorry.

Cornerstone Baptist Church

The People
The people of Detroit are wonderful. Strong, resourceful, and friendly (unless you cut them off in rush hour traffic). Included in this section are my neighbors, my grandparents, and my parents.

Typically, neighbors get a bad rap. There have been countless television episodes and movies about nightmare neighbors. I am happy to report that my neighbors - Darlene, Jay, Kyle, and Katie are some of the most special people you will ever meet. When we moved into our house, Kyle and Katie were 2 and 3, respectively. Now, they are both in college and I couldn't be more proud. Darlene and Jay have opened up their heart and home to us and they are very dear to us. Even from afar, I still am blessed by them through coupon-filled cards of encouragement. They aren't blood relatives, but they are certainly part of our family.

My grandparents, Tony and Irene, are incredible. My grandpa was a tiler by trade and some of my fondest childhood memories include going to jobs with him. He has tiled a lot of homes and one of my favorite stories involves Aretha Franklin calling my grandparent's house and being indignant that my grandma didn't really know or care who she was. He also was a merchant marine in World War II and has some pretty great stories to tell. My grandma is a pistol. Sharp and witty, she always has a smart comment for my dad (which is where he gets it). My favorite thing about my grandma is her love for her family. Every time we visit, she always tells us she loves us and is proud of us. My grandparents embody Detroit's hard-working, family-loving spirit and I am so grateful to be their granddaughter.

My grandparents and Ethan

When I was younger, I was listening to the Mitch Albom (a famous Detroit sports columnist/radio host and author of Tuesdays with Morrie) show on the radio and they were discussing who has a greater impact in a child's life - their friends or their parents. I decided to call in to give my opinion, which was that my parents had a greater impact on my life than any of my friends. Mitch didn't agree and hung up quite abruptly, but I still stand by my answer. Apart from Christ, my parents have been the most important influence in my life. They taught me that there is such a thing as right and wrong, to shut my mouth if I have nothing nice to say, and that there is nothing I can do that will ever make them stop loving me. The spiritual truths they taught me have also been invaluable and they continually humble me with their Christ-like love for our family through their encouragement, prayers and support. Any fellow seminarians reading this blog can attest that seminary can be an amazing place of learning and growth. It can also be the most emotionally, physically, and spiritually difficult time you will encounter while you are trying to balance work, family, and school. There have been many times when God has used my parents as an instrument of grace in our lives, and I am sure there will be many more times in the future.

Nani teaching Emma to make cookies




Papa and Ethan looking handsome for church

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That is what I love about Detroit. In the book, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Dorothy tells the Scarecrow, "No matter how dreary and gray our homes are, we people of flesh and blood would rather live there than in any other country, be it ever so beautiful. There is no place like home." I couldn't agree more.