“Amen: a declaration of affirmation; it is so.”
Cue: “Let the Church Say Amen” by Andraé Crouch and Marvin Winans 🎶
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This week I found myself repeating one word over and over again.
Sometimes whispering it.
Sometimes out loud.
Sometimes with tears.
Sometimes in pure relief.
Amen.
A word we often reserve for church pews and Sunday benedictions.
But now I see it as everyday language for the soul.
Amen simply means:
“It is so.”
That’s it.
And this? This is my season of Amen.
I’m No Longer Arguing With What Is
This isn’t a season where I’m fighting the facts.
This isn’t a season where I’m questioning the good, the bad, or the indifferent.
It’s a season of:
Receiving.
Releasing.
Surrendering to what’s real.
It’s the understanding that wherever there’s an ending, a new beginning is already unfolding.
That no matter how hard the truth is — if God allowed it, I can say:
Amen.
Because on the other side of that Amen is something new.
Even if I can’t see it yet.
Even if I don’t feel ready.
Even if all I have is the faith to say “it is so” and trust that God meant it for my good.
The Hike: A Parable in Real Time
I went hiking this weekend.
At first, the group was full of energy — laughing, talking, excited about the destination.
The pictures we were gonna take. The scenic moment at the top.
But the closer we got, the harder it became.
Breath got short. Feet started hurting. Spirits got quiet.
The journey stopped being cute.
And when we finally made it to the bamboo — the destination — I looked around and thought:
“Damn… this is it?”
And then it hit me: the journey was the story.
The climb. The struggle. The pacing. The breaks.
That was the lesson.
Because even when you get to the place you were trying to reach —
you can’t stay there forever.
You get a few photos, a deep breath, and then it’s time to move.
Message.
The Shortcut Was Harder
On the way back, we chose a shortcut.
But what we thought would be easier was actually more intense.
Steeper. Rougher. Less marked.
But we got to the cars faster.
And that’s when God dropped this in my spirit:
“You’ll get there faster this time…
But it’s going to be more intense.”
Whew. That’s a word.
That shortcut wasn’t easier, but it was necessary.
It was a new route. A new way to move forward.
But in order to take it?
I had to say: Amen.
To the discomfort.
To the unfamiliar path.
To the new lesson.
What the Alchemist Taught Me
One of my favorite books is The Alchemist.
It reminds me that in our obsession with destinations, we often forget the beauty and purpose of the journey.
The conversations. The breakdowns. The miracles in motion. The healing in hidden places.
We want to “arrive” so badly, we forget to say Amen for what we’ve endured along the way.
And that’s why I’m writing this.
Because we don’t always need a new answer.
Sometimes we just need a new agreement.
Say Amen to:
What you’re releasing
Who you’re becoming
What didn’t work
The job you outgrew
The friend who drifted
The version of you that kept playing small
The opportunity that passed
The next season that’s calling
Let the church say Amen.
Let your spirit say Amen.
Let your fear say Amen.
Let your healing say Amen.
So if you’ve reached a moment —
A quiet pause between what was and what’s next…
A bamboo clearing after a hard climb…
Just breathe.
Take a beat.
Look around.
And say:
Amen.
Because new beginnings are up next.
And it is so.
At the Table with Ronisha is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.