Podcast: Black Churches & Single Women

Nicole Cleveland always thought her marriage would be over if her husband were unfaithful. But then it happened. In her new book, So He Cheated, Now What?, she examines the reasons for infidelity and advises women that there's still hope for their marriages, even if he cheats.

In a controversial blog post, writer Deborrah Cooper argues that the Black church is a major reason why Black women fail to find good men. Sure, she's angry and misinformed, but is Cooper on to something?

Whether you're a teen mom, a divorced mom, a stepmom, a stay-at-home mom, a foster mother, a mother of a special-needs child, a mom who has lost a child, a mom who is struggling with addiction, or a perfectionist mom who's realizing she's not perfect, here's the most important thing you can do to be a good mother ...

Flowers, candy, and cards are nice, but for moms, the best Mother's Day gifts of all are the people who make us mothers.

Our culture often still doesn't know what to do with ambitious women who strive to be successful both personally and professionally, and many women are frustrated or confused as a result. Perhaps we need to go back to women like Ruth, Esther, and Mary for some insight and guidance.

Chris Rock's new documentary probes the world of black hair to humorous effect, but also forces us to confront disturbing questions about our prescribed standards of beauty.

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There's a shortage of enduring love stories in the black community. And if the dismal statistics released by the U.S. Census Bureau, the Barna Group, and others hold steady, the decline of African American marriages will only continue. Currently, African Americans have the lowest marriage rate of any group in the United States (41 percent), and research has found that among those few that do marry, as many as 36 percent end their relationships in divorce. The numbers are bleak, but Christian marriage experts Drs. Clarence and Ja'Ola Walker believe there are steps Christian couples can take to ensure they build strong healthy marriages.

I wonder if Roland Martin anticipated the reactions he'd receive regarding his commentary "Man Up and Be a Real Dad"? The piece appeared originally on CNN.com, then later on his syndicated column's website, and his blog at Essence.com. Through the first several paragraphs, the piece seems harmless enough. After all, it's basically a remix of a well-worn social message from pastors, politicians, entertainers, educators, Christian leaders, and others: Black fathers need to step up and take care of their children.

If you are a Christian woman and you are thinking about reading a thoughtful book about male/female relationships, Steve Harvey's Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man: What Men Really Think About Love, Relationships, Intimacy, and Commitment is not the book for you.

Yesterday I took a phone call from a 19-year-old African American woman who began the call by asking if I knew where she could get the abortion pill. I stopped breathing. I told her no, I didn't know where she could get an abortion pill. I explained that my organization helps women who want to have their children. She didn't respond. I thought maybe I'd offended her. My mind was racing, and I was praying. What should I say next? I didn't want her to hang up; I felt like a crisis negotiator trying to talk down a jumper.