• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Dorina Lazo Gilmore-Young

Chasing God's glory down life's unexpected trails

  • About Dorina
  • Speaking
    • Events
  • Books
  • Podcast
  • Running
  • Culture + Travel
  • Blog
    • Freebies

Book Review: Shalom Sistas: Living Wholeheartedly in a Broken World

When I was widowed in 2014, one of the most difficult things I did was step away from the missions work I was a part of in Haiti. My late husband and I directed a non-profit, which included for me running a social goods jewelry business. Our work was demanding, fulfilling, creative and challenging – not to mention lots of travel back and forth between countries. After my husband’s death, I knew I needed to step down from my leadership roles in the organization in order to care for my children and make space for our grief.

It was tough.

To walk away from my mission and community in Haiti was humbling and hard. It was a secondary loss for me. Looking back, I know it was the right decision. I also know God has kindled a surprising new sense of mission and purpose for me right here in Fresno, California, where I live.

My ministry focus is my family, my kids’ school, my church and my city. I’ve grappled at different times with what it means to stand up for peace and justice while sitting in the front seat of my SUV with a bunch of kids in the back.

Osheta Moore’s new book, Shalom Sistas: Living Wholeheartedly in a Broken World, reached out to me right where I am today – heart-weary, wanting more shalom in my life, and wondering where I can contribute in this chaotic world.

One night Osheta prayed a brave prayer: “God, show me the things that make for peace.” The book unpacks the answer Osheta received as she studied peace for forty days.

Osheta describes a “shalom sista” as a woman who loves people, follows the Prince of Peace, and never gives up her sass.

By that definition, I’m in. You?

Osheta is a Los Angeles-based writer and podcaster. She is a mother of three and wife to an urban pastor. In other words, she’s got street cred.  Osheta ushers readers in like girlfriends linking up for coffee. She’s a gifted storyteller but still packs a punch with theological prowess on this topic.

Shalom Sistas is divided into five parts: Shalom After the Storm; Shalom with God; Shalom within Ourselves; Shalom in our Relationships; and Shalom in our World.  Each section of takes readers through Osheta’s 12- point “Shalom Sistas Manifesto.”

I resonate especially with this line: “Don’t get me wrong: while shalom brings peace, it is also active and alive. In my forty days of peace, I became convinced that peacemakers are not pliable, passive, or permissive.”

I appreciate Osheta’s perspective because sometimes talk about shalom and peacemaking is misconstrued. The most memorable peacemakers in history were not passive people, but rather souls marked by courage, grit, passion, and deep conviction.

Another chapter that really hit home for me was “This Brown Skin: We Will See the Beauty.” Osheta unfolds her own story of learning to see beauty in her brown skin. Osheta serves her readers with her vulnerable and honest story of how she came to a place of peace with her own body. This is an aspect of shalom I have not thought about before.

The beauty of Osheta’s book is that she challenges us to expand our views and practices of shalom, but she does it in a way that feels inspiring and manageable. The pages of this book are brimming with practical ideas of how to sprinkle shalom like confetti in all directions.

 

**I have had the privilege of being a part of Osheta Moore’s launch team. I did not know her before but she talks to everyone like they are insiders aka BFFs. She also hosts a podcast called “Shalom in the City,” which I highly recommend checking out.

 

Share
Tweet
Share
Pin
0 Shares

September 29, 2017 Categories: Book ReviewsTagged: compassion, courage, flourishing, justice, justice journey, margin, peace, self-care, serve, shalom, sharing faith, social justice

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Meet Dorina

Aloha, friend! If you love stories, you are in the right place. I write about grief, glory, running, food, and more. I hope these words inspire you to chase after God’s glory in your life today!

Find me on Social Media

Categories

  • Book Reviews
  • Culture
  • Featured
  • General
  • Guest Blogger
  • Navigating Grief
  • Podcast
  • Recipes
  • Running

Recent Posts

  • We Can Bear Witness to the Glory of God in Each Other December 21, 2022
  • Rejoice Advent Devotional: How strength rises when we wait December 19, 2022
  • Learning to trust the Potter and the process November 11, 2022
  • Fall has fallen! It’s time for Pumpkin Chili October 22, 2022
  • Unexpected branches: An invitation into God’s family tree September 21, 2022

Popular Posts

  • Celebrating a Heaveniversary: 10 ways to honor a loved one’s death
  • 10 meaningful sympathy gift ideas for widows and families
  • My refuge: Resting under the shadow of His wings
  • 10 creative ways to honor a loved one’s memory (and clean out the garage)

Tags

abundance behold brave christian blog christianity christmas community compassion cooking courage creativity culture death dorina lazo gilmore family life fear finishing well flourishing food stories friendship gifts Grief haiti hope identity Incourage essays inspirational kids laughter Main dish margin marriage parenting passion relationships rest self-care serve sharing faith social justice struggle transitions wonder world travel writing

Before Footer

🏃🏽‍♀️As you are settling into the new year, are you looking for a way to incorporate more movement in your daily habits? Walk Run Soar is ...

View

Jan 26

Open
🏃🏽‍♀️As you are settling into the new year, are you looking for a way to incorporate more movement in your daily habits? Walk Run Soar is a devotional journal I wrote with my husband with daily encouragement, scripture, and coaching tips to help you walk or run. We care about physical health and spiritual growth. Find the 📖 anywhere books are sold!
26 6

One of my fave things about this season of ministry is getting to plan and speak at gatherings for women of all ages. Today I got some time with ...

View

Jan 26

Open
One of my fave things about this season of ministry is getting to plan and speak at gatherings for women of all ages. Today I got some time with @brynnmcilhatton planning for the Spring Thrive event for middle school and high school girls in Fresno-Clovis. 
Thrive is one of my favorite events hosted by our church for the city. This unique event is designed for young women by women. There’s teaching, worship, food, and all kinds of creative ways to connect!  I won’t give too much away quite yet, but if you’re a local young woman in the Valley save the date April 22. Details to come! 
👋🏽TAG a FRIEND who might like to join us and follow @wellchurchstudents 
☕️ by @yavabakery ♥️
72 18

Do you ever struggle with imposter syndrome? Feeling inadequate, ill-equipped, or too ordinary for your calling? Do you ever wonder why God didn’t ...

View

Jan 24

Open
Do you ever struggle with imposter syndrome? Feeling inadequate, ill-equipped, or too ordinary for your calling? Do you ever wonder why God didn’t choose that woman or that guy for the job? I’m with you. That’s why I’m sinking into these words from Galatians again. I’m remembering folks like Gideon, Esther, Moses, and Mary, who struggled with the same questions and thoughts.
70 11

🎊Part of living in a mixed-race family is bringing together new and old traditions from our different cultures. Since Shawn and I married, we have ...

View

Jan 23

Open
🎊Part of living in a mixed-race family is bringing together new and old traditions from our different cultures. Since Shawn and I married, we have been intentional to share our mix of cultures with our girls. 
🎏Today is the start of Lunar New Year celebrated in different ways by Asians from many different cultures. Shawn and I both have Chinese American heritage. My family is also Filipino and Polynesian. My dad remembers celebrating Chinese New Year growing up in a diverse neighborhood in Hawaii.
For lunch in Fresno, we supported our favorite local Chinese restaurant - Little Peking. We savored the heat of Spicy Eggplant, the tangy-sweetness of the Orange Chicken, the rich marinade Mongolian Tofu and Veggie Fried Rice for my Meilani. My Giada had her favorite potstickers 🥟 rolled by experienced hands. Zayla can hardly wait for the finisher: fortune cookies!
For family dinner tonight with my parents, I made Adobo chicken with bok choy & edamame. We gather and savor traditional foods to celebrate, to remember, and as a peaceful protest when violence still rages against Asian American brothers and sisters who are image bearers of God too. We eat, we laugh, we pray, we grieve. 
👉🏾How do you celebrate Lunar New Year? Is there a friend you could invite, a local restaurant you could support, or a book you could read to learn more? 🧧
#lunarnewyear2023 #veryasian #montereypark #aapi #chinesenewyear #foodiegram #familydinner #haveyoueaten #filpino #hapa #mixedrace
120 18

☕️ This marks year 12 of gathering with my “chai sisters” for our annual Word Party. This year, my dear amiga Yasmin hosted. Her mama is ...

View

Jan 21

Open
☕️ This marks year 12 of gathering with my “chai sisters” for our annual Word Party. This year, my dear amiga Yasmin hosted. Her mama is visiting and cooked up a traditional Salvadoran breakfast for us - complete with pupusa, tamales, fried platanos, chai and mimosas. 
Terry blessed us with her hubby’s melt-in-your-mouth arroz con lèche. I brought the mint chocolate cheesecake, and it was a party! 🍰 
Beyond the excuse for delectable food and heavenly chai, our Word parties are a chance to reflect on the past year and to look into the future with eager eyes. We each choose One Word to embody our year. We commit to studying, cradling, following, contemplating, dwelling on that word until we meet again. Some of us journal our discoveries. Others peck out late-night text messages to the group with discoveries throughout the year.
At the party, we each have the assignment of tracing what God has taught us about that word theme in the past year. With great anticipation, we also reveal our word for the coming year and pray over them together. This gathering has become sacred through the years.
Today I exhaled with these friends as we reflected on 2022 and embraced a new journey set before us for 2023. I love how our word themes always intertwine and echo each other’s. God is leading me back to His HESED, his grace, mercy, and loving kindness. ♥️ 
👉🏾Do you have people who help you reflect and point you back to the Spirit?! 
#hesed2023 #wordoftheyear
113 18
FOLLOW @DorinaGilmore

After Footer

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2023 • Dorina Lazo Gilmore-Young • Privacy Policy

Breathing Through Grief Resources