What Ruth and Boaz Taught Me (That Church Never Did)

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Shades of Strong® | From “Strong Black Woman” to Supported Black Woman

Shirl

232 episodes

3 days ago

The Shades of Strong® podcast is your weekly invitation to stop carrying it all alone.
Hosted by Shirl — the friend who sees through your “I’m fine” mask and gently says, “Let’s talk about it” — this space is for Black women ready to redefine what strength looks like and finally feel supported.
Through honest storytelling, soul-stirring conversations, and the Support Languages™ framework, we unpack what the “Strong Black Woman” trope has cost us, and explore what support can actually look like in real life.
If you’ve been doing the most, feeling unseen, and wondering when it’s your turn to exhale… you’re in the right place.
This is where every shade of strong is welcome — and every Black woman is seen, heard, and held.

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What Ruth and Boaz Taught Me (That Church Never Did)

Shades of Strong® | From “Strong Black Woman” to Supported Black Woman

14 minutes 33 seconds

3 months ago

What Ruth and Boaz Taught Me (That Church Never Did)

We love to romanticize Ruth and Boaz like it’s the ultimate love story — but what if it’s really a story about being supported... for once? In this first episode back after my summer break, I’m digging into the part church never talked about: the quiet power of being chosen without earning it, being cared for without proving you deserve it, and receiving without struggle.
This episode isn’t about marriage or fairy tale endings — it’s about softness, legacy, and what happens when you position yourself to be supported... and then pass that support down.
In this episode I share:• Why support is often missing in the way the church teaches Ruth’s story• What Ruth teaches us about positioning ourselves to be supported• Why Boaz’s role wasn’t savior — it was support• What it looks like to pass support down through generations

Resources to Support You:

* Schedule a 1:1 Support Session
* Get the Guide: "You Know Your Support Language—Now What?"

* Take the Support Language Quiz. and learn how you actually receive support best.

* Get Support Right in Your Inbox: Gentle words, real-life reflection, and soft reminders every week

* Join Shades of Strong on Substack for deeper convos that don’t always make it to the mic

* Be a Guest on the Show

* www.shadesofstrong.com