Memoirs, particularly those penned by marginalized ministers, have the capacity to challenge and uplift our faith in profoundly personal ways. This is the case with today’s Belief Behind the Book—Dr. Charisse Gillett’s This Little Girl: Memories, Challenges, and Reflections on Black Girl Dreams.
Belief Behind the Book is a feature that gives readers a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the beliefs—or what I call “the why”—behind books written by progressive spiritual leaders. Inspired by the Ministry from the Margins Books program, Belief Behind the Book shines a spotlight on why authors write the books they write, offering up practical tips for readers to apply to their own belief systems.
Little girls come from somewhere. Gillett shares heartfelt memories of growing up in a large family on the south side of Chicago, recalling the circle of people, friendships, and family who loved her and the multiple ways God was revealed in these relationships. She grapples with the insecurities presented by the unknown and the pressures of childhood and adolescent expectations.
Gillett brings us a slice of her narrative through memories that affirm she comes from a loving, close-knit, resilient family and community that was an incubator for her “Black Girl Dreams.”
Dr. Charisse L. Gillett, EdD, is the first woman and African American to lead the historic Lexington Theological Seminary. Under her stewardship, the 158-year-old institution is living in an era of sustainability.
She received a Reflective Leadership grant from Leadership Education at Duke Divinity to take balcony time to enrich her leadership. In 2021, her essay “Reflections on Leadership in an Era of COVID-19 and in the Midst of a Reckoning on Racial Injustice” was published in the Journal of Higher Education Management.
When asked why she wrote the book, Dr. Gillett responded, “I wrote the book to capture my own thinking, feelings and hopes for my life as I remembered them. I also wanted the people who encouraged me, shaped me, and prayed for me to understand that I now understand what it meant for them to invest in me. I am grateful for them and their prayers.”
When I asked about the practical takeaway for readers, she added, “God shows up in many shapes, forms, symbols and words. So listen for the voice of God in times of deep joy and sadness. This deep listening is a way of activating and growing one’s faith. Simply put, ask for the personal and professional help you need and trust God for the outcome.”
In a world that so often tries to silence Black girls and dismiss their dreams, Dr. Gillett’s This Little Girl is testimony and tribute. It reminds us that faith is not forged in perfection but in the everyday acts of love, prayer and resilience. May this book call us all to remember the communities that formed us, to listen for the divine in every season, and to invest deeply in the next generation of dreamers.
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Award-winning author of ten books, including The Authorpreneur Handbook. Founder and CEO of Tehom Center Publishing, a nonprofit press publishing feminist and queer authors, with a commitment to elevate BIPOC writers. Rev. Dr. Yarber’s work has been featured in Forbes, HuffPo, NPR, The Advocate, Ms. Magazine, the television show Tiny House Nation, and more. She travels the world speaking, preaching, publishing, and writing, but she can always be found at www.tehomcenter.org
