My Grampa & Me

Amanda – [Latin] worthy of love

Michelle – [Hebrew, fem. Michael] “Who is like the Lord?”

Jones – [Hebrew, var. John] God has favored; gift of God

I have spent most of my life exploring various avenues of “self-fulfillment”.  During the course of my journey, I realized that there really is no such thing as “self-fulfillment”.  No; to truly accomplish anything worthwhile in life, a person must seek the advancement of others.  The seemingly elusive state of “self-fulfillment” is inevitable when we aim to nurture others.

Considering what I’ve learned, I find it interesting that all three of my names have something to do with God, or qualities of God.  I hated my name for years, until I looked up the meaning.  I finally asked my mother about her choice and learned that her desire was for me to always feel loved, knowing that the only eternal source of that love is God.  She didn’t know about our last name, but I’m glad she kept it, as the three together make a wonderful story.  Once I pieced everything together, I began a journey to discover and fulfill what I believe is the destiny spoken over my life.  This destiny, albeit only three words, I have found is really the story of my whole life.

My life goal is to open Out The Boat Ministries, Inc., a faith-based nonprofit that aims to provide homes and healing to homeless youth ages 12-24 and their families through housing, supportive relationships, and a network of service providers catering to the needs of the whole person.  I am currently working toward this goal by pursuing an M.S. in Human Services Administration and advocating for youth-friendly policies and funding practices.

In keeping with who I am and what I am to do, on my blog, you’ll find a little of everything including pieces about the current state of nonprofits, updates on youth homelessness initiatives, rants about the environment, and my perspective on interpersonal issues, particularly as it relates to Black folks.  I also like to post opportunities and events that I feel are relevant to my passions and all the things I just listed.  In case you’re wondering, I have tried on multiple occasions to limit this blog to one topic or another, or even a just a couple of topics.  That didn’t work out because, well, that’s not who I am.  Some posts will use proper punctuation, others won’t.  If you’re the observant type, you’ll be able to use that to learn a little bit more about me.

At any rate, welcome! I hope you find my blog informative, entertaining, and helpful in some way.

-Amanda