by Tannika Nikeya

Valley Hills Apartments Series: Sleeping With My Sister’s Man

Sometimes, the best wisdom comes from women who have walked through the valley and are still learning to keep their eyes on the hills. Welcome to our new series: Valley Hill Apartments!

Sleeping With My Sister’s Man

Written by Deandrea Moore

Her name was Carmen. She was beautiful on the outside and in–a homegirl to men and women. Men found her attractive and intriguing, but never knew what to do with her, so they always opted for the route of using her. They treated her like a shiny trophy, something to be won and placed on a shelf to collect dust. A thing that’s value was wrapped in bragging rights. Carmen had a habit of being picky while simultaneously being an expert in picking wrong. It was something she had down to a science. It was like they had a sixth sense that let them know that she didn’t really value herself or have high standards. Although, she was a master of ‘faking it til you make it.’

So here comes this guy showing interest in her and at first Carmen plays it cool, hard to get. She tries to ignore him and mind her own business. He’s persistent, cool, and collected. So he not only catches, but holds her attention. This was a big deal considering sometimes her attention span could be short. She decides to give him a chance. They start having more conversations which leads to them hanging out. After a few times of hanging out they eventually open the door to adult activities. Now she’s in what one would call a trance–a state of delusion if you will. It’s got her thinking she likes him more than she actually does. She’s ignoring red flags and not thinking clearly. The door they opened had different things waiting on the other side. For him it was the feeling of uninterest after getting what he wanted.

For her it was heartbreak, especially because he’ll give up on true pursuit and never get to know how truly special she is. So since he never had real intentions for her and her self-esteem was down by the river, he treats her like a secret. Lucky for him she can keep it. Mind you there’s nothing wrong with Carmen. She just didn’t value herself enough to make him commit and claim her. So she lets him get away with treating her like that.

Now this is where things get sticky. The whole time she’s sleeping with him she’s unaware that this man is actually her sister’s. Knowing her even if she knew it was her sister’s man her thought process would probably be: “What would you have me do? I was sleeping with him before I knew about you. I mean you’ve got eyes, you can see. You know what he looks like. Plus, I didn’t chase him, he chased me.” Silly logic, I know. It makes sense to someone though. It made sense to Carmen. She wouldn’t care that it was her sister’s man. Getting her needs met and having her ego stroked were much higher on her priority list. And you wouldn’t be able to tell her this man wasn’t hers–delusion had already settled in. Him leaving her with forehead kisses only sealed her delusion. What her sister didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her anyway.

I’ll let you in on one more thing: Carmen’s sister wasn’t related by way of biology. They didn’t share a parent of any sort. She was her sister-in-Christ. The same God died for both their sins, so that made them kin. Carmen’s ‘sister’ hadn’t even found the man yet. That didn’t matter though. God never intended for them to get together. That was somebody else’s husband. Her husband was out there somewhere, but God wanted her to wait and save herself for him. Many of us are out here moving like Carmen. We don’t value ourselves or our bodies, so we allow men access that wasn’t truly earned. Opening doors that are harder to close than we think. We are sleeping with our sister’s man and delaying the process of not only the man meant for us to find us, but of him finding our sister. Once Carmen understood this she could navigate dating with intention and think of herself as something precious–to be treasured and stewarded over.

Sis, navigate dating with intention and remember that you are precious. Trust that you are not meant to be hidden, borrowed, or confused with someone else’s place. What God has for you will be clear, covered, and committed.

04.10.26

by Tannika Nikeya

Valley Hills Apartments Series: Come See About Me

Come See About Me
Written by Tannika Nikeya

Sometimes, the best wisdom comes from women who have walked through the valley and are still learning to keep their eyes on the hills. Welcome to our new series: Valley Hills Apartments!

“I’ve been crying
‘Cause I’m lonely (For you)
Smiles have all turned to tears
But tears won’t wash away the fears
That you’re never ever gonna return
To ease the fire that within me burns…”

“Come see about me”

My name is Amani and I just moved into Valley Hill Apartments. My mother used to play music every Saturday. It motivated her through mopping the floors, washing our laundry, and cooking Sunday dinner. But the song she sang along to the loudest was “Come See About Me” by the Supremes. I often wondered if she reminisced about good times with my dad, but the times I witnessed were not so good.

Today, that song popped up in my mind and I began to sing it just as loud as she once did. I sat in my oversized lounge chair with my cup of tea looking out of the window of my small apartment with unpacked boxes.

I find myself in a new place, in a new city, but I am still lost. I am tired. I am carrying mountains of debt. I owe myself exponentially. I am stressed. I have health issues for which my doctor apathetically prescribed pills I can’t even pronounce. And in fact, I need more medicine, the kind that only one doctor can prescribe. I sip my tea, breathing heavily through my nostrils reflecting on how no one wants to help me or even let me rest on their shoulders. But after all, no one knew I was hurting, mad, disappointed, in need. I always keep my mouth shut and regurgitate, “I’m fine.”

I made myself invisible so others could be seen, time after time. After all, I am to be seen and not heard, but somehow my toxic trait said, “go a little deeper and not be seen at all.” After all, you don’t want to be perceived as prideful. So, I refused help—thinking they would like me more.

I live in purpose and I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished, but I realized some of my achievements were starting to adorn my worth like a heavy gold chain around my neck. Then, one day, an old lady reminded me that my worth isn’t predicated upon what I do or the titles I bear. She reminded me that I am already valuable–fearfully and wonderfully made. I inhale, then I exhale.

I glance once more around my apartment. I may not have it all figured out. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed and tired because I keep trying to lift loads all on my own, without wisdom and in my own strength. And sometimes I think I have to keep moving without resting, feeling and being. I instinctively pick up my cell phone. “Call Lina,” I command. I need to check on my sister.

“Are you okay?” I ask. We end our conversation with a plan to meet up for lunch at a restaurant with our favorite food we enjoyed as little girls. I hang up the phone and tap the reverse button in the camera, flipping it to face me.

And I can hear the woman clearly as she stares back at me through the lens.

“Come see about me,” she sings with all her heart, trying her best to imitate the pitch of the lead singer of the song.

“I hear you just as clear as I hear the rain tapping on my window,” I compassionately inform her.

With hope and with clarity, I respond further: “I see you. I will love you as I love others. I will not neglect you. This next season is yours.”

Sis, stop trying to pour from an empty cup. It’s okay to see about you too. When you do, you show up to your God-given arenas more authentic, more capable, more grateful, and fully present.

Video Snippet: https://youtube.com/shorts/3-L3b65pdIQ?si=xsRQNJqjhaO4057w

Thank you for coming along this new series and stay tuned for next week’s story or poem!

04.03.26

by Tannika Nikeya

Introducing Valley Hills Apartments

Hey Loves,

Here is a new series for a new season!

In this new series, the ladies of Valley Hills Apartments share pieces of their lives through short stories, prose, and poetry.
Some moments may make you laugh.
Some may make you pause and reflect.
And each piece will leave you with a little encouragement.

Because sometimes the best wisdom comes from women who have walked through the valley and are still learning to keep their eyes on the hills.

Come on in and meet the ladies of Valley Hills Apartments!

Disclaimer: These short stories and poems are works of creative expression, written by writers, Tannika Nikeya, Deandrea Moore, and Saneatra Polk, and are intended to inspire and encourage young ladies and women. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or to actual events is purely coincidental.

Additionally, this series includes AI-generated visuals used for presentation, created by Tannika Nikeya, Saneatra Polk, and Deandrea Moore.

10.12.25

by Tannika Nikeya

Lessons on Unfulfillment & Growth

Sometimes what people say sparks judgment… or it sparks reflection. Here’s what Ayesha Curry reminded me about fulfillment, identity, and walking with God through it all.

Ayesha Curry is being dragged online for saying she never wanted to be married or have children — that she wanted to be a “career girl.”

It made me think of these statements I heard before: that a curly-haired person often wants straight hair, and the one with straight hair often wants curls. The single woman may envy the married one, and the married woman may envy the single one. You get the point — so many of us wrestle with some kind of discontentment, and we never really know deep down what is going on with someone or what is happening behind the closed doors of their homes.

So, instead of joining the dragging, I felt led to turn this into a moment of reflection — and encouragement.

Ayesha isn’t the first woman to express this kind of longing or unfulfillment. But she must be careful about oversharing and processing deeply personal pain in public spaces. She’s mentioned going to therapy, which is good — but I hope she’s also doing the heart work with God. Because therapy is helpful, but true healing happens when we let Jesus into the process.

When I’ve had to face my own pain, I’ve asked God to show me the root causes — the “why” behind the hurt — and to lead me forward. Healing with Him hits differently.

Here are a few lessons I’ve learned that I think we as women — especially Christian women — can remember when we feel unfulfilled or lost:

1. Only God can fulfill you. No person, title, or situation can do what only the Creator can.

2. Nobody can keep you happy forever. Happiness is fleeting. True joy is rooted in God, not in circumstances.

3. Know who you are outside of your roles. You are more than your job, your family, or your church position.

4. Rediscover what lights you up. Don’t get lost in others’ expectations. Find your God-given passions and purpose.

5. Don’t make “the good girl,” “church girl,” or “career woman” your identity. Those are titles, not your essence.

Note: this is not saying go out and sin. It is not saying go out and be wordly. It is not saying that “good girl,” “church girl,” or “career woman,” are bad. But what it is saying is your identity should not be wrapped up in these titles, positions, etc.
Your true identity is found in Christ. And if we fail to maintain perfection, some of us will be crushed under a false standard of perfection that can never be obtained. Instead aim to make right decisions, not forsake the assembling of ourselves with other believers, live life on purpose and in purpose. Aim to please God and not man. Aim to live a life that is full and enriched.

6. Embrace all of life’s seasons. The dull and hard ones often teach us the most about ourselves and about God.

7. Evolve and grow. You won’t be the same ten years from now as you are today. Let God continue shaping your heart to reflect His Son.

8. Reinvent yourself if you need to.
If you know you want a simpler lifestyle or to grow more confident, take steps toward creating the life you need — one that also honors God. Maybe you want to freshen up your wardrobe, travel more, or step into your “rich auntie” era — do it! Just check your motives.

Are you doing it to seek validation only, prove something, or outshine someone? If so, pause and reflect. But if you’re doing it because you’re healing, growing, and wanting to live more fully, go for it.

And don’t allow people to box you in. You don’t have to stay stuck in who you used to be or in the image others have of you. Grow, evolve, and glow up — with God leading the way.

9. Develop a heart of gratitude. But don’t neglect the room for grieving the life you thought you should have had, or wanted, or have yet to experience within your healing journey. Sometimes we don’t know what we truly want when we’re younger. Grieving is natural and necessary, but there are things, some so small yet so monumental, to be grateful for.

10. Be quick to listen and slow to speak.
And get back to living. Sometimes we need to hear our own pain. And sometimes we need to refrain from constantly rehearsing our pain and get back up and live — living the life that allows us to breathe again. Not perform. Not live in someone else’s image of us. Not constantly going and never stopping to rest and enjoy that which or who is around us.

So be encouraged, Ayesha — and to the rest of the ladies who may also feel lost, unfulfilled, or just need to get off the spinning wheel or out of the box of the world or others’ expectations.

09.01.25

by Tannika Nikeya

The Undesired Woman

I started reading the Old Testament recently, and today, I made it to Genesis 29. In it, we learn about Leah, who basically isn’t the woman Jacob was going for. He wanted Rachel and so badly that he worked seven years for Laban, his uncle on his mother’s side. And when Laban tricked Jacob and gave him Leah, the older sister of Rachel, he agreed to work another seven more years for Rachel.

Let me tell you a little something about these two women. Rachel was the younger sister who was “fine” and most likely fit the standards of that time, also I suppose. The Bible said that Rachel had a beautiful figure and a lovely face. Ok, Rachel!!!!! And Leah was the older sister and had something going on with her eyes. According to the King James Version, she was “tender-eyed.” Some believe this meant her eyes had a weakness or even a defect. While Rachel was praised for her beauty, Leah’s most notable feature was a flaw. Poor Leah.

Do you ever feel like that? Like your biggest insecurity is the only thing people see? Do you feel overlooked, like you’re standing in someone else’s shadow, or that you’re simply not good enough?

Do you feel like they are pretty, but you are not? Do you listen to the messages that say, “You have hit the wall? “You’re too old.”

Leah probably felt all of these things.

But here’s the truth that changed everything for her:

God saw her.

In Genesis 29:31, it says, “When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, he enabled her to have children, but Rachel could not conceive.” Leah’s first son was named Reuben, which means “The Lord has noticed my misery, and now my husband will love me.”

It went on to say: So Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named Reuben, for she said, “The Lord has noticed my misery, and now my husband will love me.”

Leah didn’t feel loved. If we are honest, many women want to feel loved and desired, especially by the one she loves.

She kept having sons, and the names she chose for each expressed just what she felt, was experiencing, and desired. When she had her fourth son, Judah, she gave glory to God, for she said, “Now I will praise the Lord!” She had moved from despair to gratitude.

Your Value isnt Defined By Others

We can find encouragement in this story: Yahweh sees us all. He acknowledges the one who is considered beautiful and desirable, and He also tends to the one who is not. Your worth was established when God created you and was confirmed when His Son took your place on the cross. Your value doesn’t increase or decrease based on external circumstances, what others think, or how many years you’ve lived.

When Others Forsake You, God will not

Leah was given children even though Jacob loved Rachel, and through Leah’s line, God’s plan unfolded in a big way. Similarly, God can bring purpose and blessings into your life even if people don’t see your value.

Unloved or Overlooked

When you feel unloved or overlooked, remember: God notices you, values you, and has a plan for you. Your situation doesn’t define your destiny—God’s love and purpose do.

To every woman—rich or poor, black, Asian, or white, disabled or able-bodied, educated or not, desired or not—you are valuable and loved. God says you are “fearfully and wonderfully made.” Walk in that truth and become all that God has purposed you to be. Don’t look down on another woman, and don’t think of yourself as less than. Instead, love her as you love yourself.

Prayer:

God, thank You that You see me. Forgive me for the times I fail to see You or acknowledge Your presence, even during times of hardship. Help me to embrace the fact that I am wanted, seen, and loved by you. Help me to realize I am enough and thank You for Leah’s story that shows You acknowledge every woman— the ones desired and the ones who don’t feel good enough and You love us both the same. Thank You for Your unfailing love for all of Your daughters. Help us to embrace Your love and to receive it along with Your providential care. In Jesus’ name, amen.

——————–

Check out the accompanying encouraging video: