I don’t know about you, but for me, there is nothing quite like sitting face-to-face, listening as someone shares their story with you. As you look into her eyes, hear the uniqueness of her voice and feel the joy and pain from the story shared, you are sitting in a sacred space. This is exactly where I found myself a few weeks ago, in conversation with my beautiful new friend, Scotia Moore.
As we talked, Scotia shared with me her experience of growing up as a young black woman, raised by a strong and successful mother near the Washington DC area. She didn’t grow up feeling racial tension, rather Scotia had many role models in her community, showing her that she could be anything she wanted to be. Although she was not raised in a home where church was a part of her upbringing, Scotia was mentored and led to Christ as a high school student. She quickly embraced her new faith whole-heartedly, even accepting an opportunity while in college to serve students over the summer.
It was during this leadership opportunity that she heard God calling her to follow Him to Los Angeles and met her future husband, who was headed to the midwest with the camping ministry. As much as she tried to avoid this handsome young man, Scotia could not deny that fact that although temporarily headed to different geographical regions, their hearts seemed to be headed in the same direction… and a relationship began to grow.
Fast-forward over twenty years later, Scotia and Stephen have been involved in camping ministry together for two decades and had ten children in fifteen years! As a mom myself, I was so intrigued by the way Scotia runs her household, her intentional emphasis on finding rest in the midst of busy lives, and a couple of life-hacks she had to offer (how else could she keep up with the demands of 10 children?!).
Along with the ministry of motherhood, Scotia is also passionate about unity in our city. This is a topic she understands first-hand as she herself dealt with racial tension after moving to the midwest as an adult. Scotia is a woman who is intent on facing what could be difficult conversations with grace, love and boldness. Her desire is to see families and communities build bridges and, as she so beautifully shared with me, that starts around our own dinner tables.
I left this conversation determined to do a better job of listening and learning, excited to get behind their work at Shiloh Camp, and eager to pray for reconciliation in Oklahoma City and around our world. As followers of Jesus, we should be the first in line to uphold unity and fight for justice. Our tables should reflect loving conversations and faces different than our own and our homes should be safe spaces for refuge and love.
I hope you will listen to the entire conversation with Scotia here. I promise you will love her and leave encouraged to love your community better.
Click the podcast link to listen:
Meet the Author!
Heather McAnear is a wife, mom, author and speaker with a passion for sharing God's truth to help women understand their uniquely beautiful design and how to use it for God's glory! In fact, Heather hosts the Uniquely Beautiful Stories podcast on iTunes in hopes do just that! She loves teaching young married couples with her husband, homeschooling their three children, traveling the world, enjoying good chocolate and long conversations in coffee shops. CRBC has been her church home for two decades and she is thrilled to be part of the Women's Ministry team, helping women connect with each other and grow in their walk with Jesus!