Let’s be honest—Easter, for many, has become just another holiday on the calendar. Bright pastel ads, last-minute retail runs, and overflowing candy aisles often drown out the deeper meaning of the season.

Some people leave a mark on your organization. Others leave a mark on your heart. Pastor Ricky D. Floyd did both. It’s hard to put into words what this man meant to me, to Kings & Priests, and to so many others who were blessed to cross his path.

Beverly Jenkins is a dynamic and inspiring leader whose impact spans across the spheres of family, faith, and community. As a devoted wife, mother, entrepreneur, and businesswoman, she brings an unwavering commitment to service and transformation.

January 3, 2021, at Blessing Hospital in Quincy, Illinois, after over six hours in the ER and numerous blood draws and testing, I was informed by the doctor.

I was seven the first time I hid a crack pipe. It was used, still warm, and I slid it under the big blue sectional before my big brother could open the door. He was at the front, shaking. “My mom said not to let anybody in,” he kept repeating.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and an opportune time for us to examine where we are as a people as well as a church when it comes to the stigmatization that continues to follow this critical area of our well-being. While society overall has begun trending toward more awareness, there has not been that same movement in churches, especially congregations that are historically houses of worship for people of color.

“For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”

Marriage is ministry. It’s not about who leads, who follows, who talks louder, or who works harder. It’s about two people walking in agreement under God’s covering, carrying the weight of life together, and building a love that honors the Lord.