By: Sarah Collie
Jacqueline Holness, an African-American journalist and writer from Atlanta, Ga., challenged Milligan College students to discover their God-given talents and use them to interact with common culture in chapel on Thursday, Nov. 21.
Holness extracted seven lessons that dealt with developing and using God-given talents and abilities from the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25.
“I feel like people always teach what they have to learn,” she said, when asked why she chose this particular topic. “God will bring experiences to us that he wants us to really look at ourselves and say, is this really something I’m incorporating? One of my flaws is that I’m constantly comparing myself. I have to constantly remind myself, ‘OK Jackie, you have your own qualities, your own gifts, be thankful for what God has given you.’”
Holness considers her knack for writing and her love of pop culture her own personal gift from God.
“I’m a pop culture fanatic,” she said. “I love all that’s going on in the media and the world. It can seem like a lot of Christian people are very close-minded and in their own little box in their own little community. Personally, I’m very interested in regular life — people who see me don’t think I’m some weirdo Christian in the corner somewhere who’s afraid to be a part of regular life.”
Holness said college was an ideal time to develop an open mind and connect with one’s God-given talents. She encouraged students to take advantage of their current position, in which they are “exposed to so many different personalities.”
“You can learn about anything; you can learn interpersonally and in traditional academic avenues,” she said. “I think you should just be open about what you learn and what might interest you. The smallest thing you learn about you may decide you want to investigate further.”
Patricia Magness, director of Milligan’s Goah Diversity Scholar Program, recommended Holness as a chapel speaker to Milligan College Campus Minister Brad Wallace. Magness became acquainted with Holness by reading Holness’ column in The Lookout magazine and her blog at afterthealtercall.com. After the Alter Call is Holness’ first book, which is a collection of testimonies by African-American women. Wallace researched Holness’ writings and invited her to Milligan.
Wallace said Holness brings diversity to an ordinarily caucasian male lineup of chapel speakers at Milligan, and he noted Holness’ “unique voice and thoughtful perception on controversial topics and struggles, both in pop culture and the church.”
After speaking in chapel, Holness held a question and answer session for students and faculty in SUB 7 on Thursday, Nov. 21. She answered several questions on various topics from marriage and singleness, to blogging and journalism, and pop culture and current events.
Anyone interested in reading more of Jacqueline Holness’ work can check out her website and blog at www.afterthealtarcall.com.
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