Podcast: Play in new window
We all have Broken Records of some kind that we refuse to play. Narratives that we believed were true about life, love, God, relationships or even ourselves become the melodies that we marched to. Brokenness that we accepted as truth placed both visible and non-visible marks our lives.
Today I chat with Amena Brown Owen, spoken word artist and author of How to Fix a Broken Record.
In her newly released book, How to Fix a Broken Record, Amena combines notes of humor with tones of realness as she invites us to listen to some of her broken records. And then sits with us as we listen to our own.
Using words to both help and heal, Amena has learned to accept and articulate the beauty of brokenness. She says:
This is me in my skin
And I love her
And I accept her
And she’s strong sometimes
And she’s weak sometimes
In some places she’s healing
And some places she’s still hurting
But she’s learning to be okay with the “both-and”
Amena has embraced the tension that comes with beautiful music: a tension of wounds and failures. She is aware that the only way to fix our broken records is to choose to examine what we have recorded, both the good and the bad, and trust the God who makes broken things whole.
Are you only hearing the brokenness of your Record? As you listen in on my conversation with Amena, consider this truth: the music is still beautiful but you have to be willing to play the record to hear its beauty.
Highlight from Today’s Episode:
- Learning to love the skin you’re in
- Walking through healing
- Finding meaningful friendship
- The natural hair journey
Resources From Today’s Show
- Order How to Fix a Broken Record by Amena Brown Owens
- Find Amena on her website, Facebook, Instagram or Twitter
- Love the musical interludes from today’s episode? Check out John Coltrane’s rendition of My Favorite Things or spazz out on Coltrane’s entire Giant Steps Album. What can I say, Amena drew out the jazz lover part of the girl in me.
==> Click to Tweet
- “This is who I am and I can rest in who God created me to be.” – Amena Brown Owen
- “I may not be perfectly okay but I can choose to be fully present.” – Chrystal Hurst
- “You don’t have to prove your worth.” – Amena Brown Owen
- “Womanhood is a sisterhood.” – Amena Brown Owen
- “This is me in my skin. And I love her.” – Amena Brown Owen
==> General Links
- Did you miss my last bonus episode with Kat Lee? Click here to listen!
- Want to subscribe to the blog and grab a freebie? CLICK HERE
- Kingdom Woman by Chrystal Evans Hurst and Tony Evans
Let’s Talk!
After you’ve listened to the podcast, I’d love to continue the conversation. Be sure and leave a comment!
- What broken records in your life do you need to examine?
- On a scale of 1-10, how comfortable are in your skin today? What keeps you from a 10?
- What is one thing you can do this week in taking a step towards being fully present?
Connect with me…
How to Listen to The Podcast
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You have been so great to join me on the journey here on the blog, I hope you jump right in and do the same on the podcast!
Just got the chance to listen. SO GOOD! Amena and I have similar broken records but I was more “thirsty” for male relationships because of not growing up without a father in the home which came with it’s own set of trouble. I would say right now in my skin I’m at that 2 place because life is crumbling. When I moved into my current home I knew it was going to be a place of change. And then I was gifted with these butterflies that now hang on my wall. Going into a cocoon is scary and uncomfortable, so it’s hard to embrace my skin because it’s transforming, but at the same time I love who I’m becoming. You guys used the word tangled alot in the beginning which was a word that I just wrote about feeling, about feeling choked. And in the middle of my butterflies I have canvas that has the words “amazing Grace how sweet the sound”. For there are good days in this transformation where I look in the mirror and see His grace that helps me to embrace me and this face. One thing I am doing to be fully present is really watching a movie with the kids, not worried about the million problems in my life, or the dirty dishes and laundry and no phone.
Love the listen. I don’t have close close girl friends even bring in same small group for 13 years. I know it’s sad and sometimes lonely cause I can’t say what I want to say sometimes. Oh well…
I struggle with having close friends. I loved hearing that women that are accomplishing so much can still have that 2 day. I raised my kids I finish school and I’m struggling to find my “what’s next”. This is me in my skin. I love it.
I appreciate this podcast so much!! Thank you, Chrystal and Amena. Such good stuff!!