Dericka Canada Cunningham, GBW Founder
January 27, 2025

This Week's Anchor
“But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.”
Isaiah 40: 31 (NKJV)
It’s a new day, a new week, a new year, and a new beginning. We’re excited to reconnect with you as we enter year five of GBW! With our growing community, we look forward to exploring and sharing new opportunities to move deeper in connection with each other this year. What more imperative time do we need each other than now? I don’t know about y’all, but the present sociopolitical landscape has been challenging to wade through. For the first time in all my decades of living, I entered a new year with more reservation than celebration, as I anticipated what 2025 would bring for our society and country.
Simply put, the weight of the world has felt heavy these past few weeks. From raging fires to shaky ceasefires to transitioning into what feels like a rewind of hundreds of years socially, we, unfortunately, find ourselves in a collective season of darkness. As disappointing and discouraging as these times are, we can rest assured this isn’t God’s first (or last) dark rodeo. The Bible beautifully narrates many stories of seasons such as this. If we pause and dig deep, we can find a glimmer of hope as we read these stories and are reminded of the profound breakthroughs that often follow massive breakdowns.
As I mustered the courage to reignite this community and deliver encouragement, I couldn’t help but allow God to speak to me as He often does—through my everyday life and interactions. If you’ve had the tiniest connection with media the past few months, I’m sure you read the title of this week’s devotion and caught the reference to a very popular movie (no pun intended) that has swept many off their feet and served as a welcomed distraction from the ongoing chaos of our world, the Wicked movie. For those who are not familiar, Wicked is a “villain” origin story following the life of Elphaba Thropp, the future Wicked Witch of the West (based on the story of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz)—a humble person with a challenging upbringing and life story, marked by persistent teasing, bullying and discrimination due to the color of her skin and her unique powers.
Now, I’m not here to get into theological debates surrounding witches; however, in learning more about the main character of this story and the meaning of one of the premier songs of this movie and stage play, Defying Gravity, I couldn’t help but draw parallels between the fictional story of Elphaba, and the real-life message of Jesus. Similar to Elphaba, Jesus was misunderstood, mischaracterized, and mistreated. He had power that most found threatening and a reputation that many feared, and despite His heart for love and convictions for justice, like Elphaba, the misperceptions regarding who He truly was and what He really stood for left Him targeted and ultimately crucified. Many of us can relate to the story of Elphaba for the same reasons we can relate to the symbol of Jesus. The histories of undeserved and unnecessary hatred and persecution are very real for our communities and span across generations. And in times like now, when evil seems ever-present, our personhood is unfairly vilified, and our rights are threatened, yet again, the accounts of both Elphaba and Jesus resonate even more.
Nevertheless, this is where the hope of defying gravity enters the room…In the first half of the Wicked story, Elphaba demonstrates defying gravity by rediscovering and trusting herself and honing magical powers that allow her to escape and overcome her enemies, but for those of us who are the least bit familiar with a man named Jesus, what better example of defying gravity than Christ Himself? The moral of defying gravity is that the story doesn’t end at persecution. But I imagine that when those who loved Jesus witnessed Him die on the cross, they were unaware of what was to come and convinced it was over. They wept and grieved for what felt like a final moment of death and defeat when little did they know that what they experienced as an ending was actually a transition to a new beginning. Jesus displayed the most profound defiance of gravity through His resurrection—an awakening with the purpose of giving us abundant life. In this way, Jesus defied gravity so we, too, can resist and persevere through times that weigh us down.
Our anchor scripture this week encourages us in this. I appreciate the expansion that the Amplified Bible Version of this verse provides:
“But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] Will gain new strength and renew their power; They will lift up their wings [and rise up close to God] like eagles [rising toward the sun]; They will run and not become weary, They will walk and not grow tired” (Isaiah 40:31; AMP).
This scripture provides meaningful wisdom for navigating our current climate and embracing the defying Power of Jesus. This verse reminds us that:
Despite the chaos around us, we can expect God to show up in unexpected ways.
When we seek God (through prayer, devotion, worship, connection, community, and more), we are anchored in hope.
It’s on Christ the Solid Rock we stand (Matthew 7:24-25, NIV), so when we wait for the Lord and wade with the Lord, we are rooted in a strong foundation and have power, real Power, that supersedes any manufactured socially-constructed power of this world.
Being grounded in God not only allows us to weather and sustain through dark times but also emboldens us to elevate, evolve, and grow in ways that are for our good and for the good of the world around us.
We can’t deny the weight of this moment, but as I continue to process and sift through every valid emotion in response to the events of our present times, I choose to believe this is not the end of our story. Jesus died so we could have life; He rose so we could soar, and He dwells within and among us so that we can persevere. With the Holy Trinity, we can Divinely defy the gravity of this world together. So, as we enter this final week of what feels like the longest month ever to exist, may we radically thrive. May we rise in unshakable hope. And may we purposefully persist.
Reflection
What is resonating for you about this scripture and/or this devotion?
What do you need from the Holy Trinity to wade through this season of collective unrest?
What intention(s) do you want to set to connect and/or reconnect with being grounded this week?
Related Scriptures to Ground You Through this Week
Tuesday: Psalm 27
Wednesday: Lamentations 3:25-26
Thursday: Romans 8:28-30
Friday: 2 Corinthians 4:8-12
Saturday: 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
Sunday: James 1:2-4
My Through-the-Week Reflection Guide
A Song of Inspiration
Quote of Love & Liberation
“When I dare to be powerful—to use my strength in the service of my vision,
then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.”
Audre Lorde
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