Sensual Faith: The Art of Coming Home to Your Body

by Lyvonne Briggs, Briana Boyd (Foreword)

An invitation for women to discover a healthier approach to spirituality and sexuality that centers pleasure rather than shame, from body-and sex-positive preacher and author Lyvonne Briggs

"Home is not an address. Home is where you feel safe. And your body is aching to be your home."—Lyvonne Briggs

How you view your body and your sexuality is informed and strengthened by spiritual practices, but how many of us can say that religion has drawn us closer to our bodies? That's because worship spaces that are intended to be spiritual safe houses have not historically been welcoming to our bodies, forcing us to leave our flesh at the door. This ideological amputation is at best a disservice and at worst a sin. The remedy? Radical self-hospitality.

In Sensual Faith, Lyvonne Briggs charts a path for us to practice spiritual wellness that aligns and harmonizes our bodies with pleasure and sexuality. By centering the rich traditions of ancient West African spirituality, Sensual Faith offers a radically inclusive model of companioning one’s self. Filled with wellness rituals, journal prompts, affirmations, and practices, Sensual Faith shows us how to celebrate our bodies as our very homes.

"Pleasure is your birthright," writes Briggs, so whether it's accepting your flesh, nurturing your intuition, learning the language of consent, or sumptuous self-care, let radical self-hospitality guide you to healthy sexuality.

Genres: Spirituality, Nonfiction, Self Help, Feminism, Sexuality, Religion, Faith

210 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 21, 2023

Reviews

[Nelda · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, I really didn’t have any idea what I signed on for with this book. The tag “The Art of Coming Home to Your Body” spoke to me on many levels, so I clicked “request.” Overall, the book isn’t bad, and I really enjoyed seeing a quote from a friend. I did enjoy the different facets of Black Womanhood that was highlighted and the personable approach.

However, I didn’t realize the author was a preacher, and it definitely felt preachy at times which didn’t sit well with my tastes. I also wanted more focus on the Black Woman’s Body. She did a bunch of building up to the “Coming Home to Your Body” which made me feel a bit cheated when we only got about two chapters on the body.

I do think this will work beautifully for people in and out of the church. I loved the inclusion of reflection pieces as well as biblical text and context of the biblical quotes. It’s a really good book; it just didn’t meet all of my needs.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Dwylene S Butler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the opportunity to review an advanced copy of Lyvonne Briggs’ book, Sensual Faith: The Art of Coming Home to Your Body, which is set to be released this week. I think it is an important work, necessary for me and anyone else who is in the process of unlearning some long held beliefs taught by well-meaning churches.
Rev. Briggs, a self-described “Sex Positive Pastor”, sets out to provide space for readers to:
1) Uncover our spirituality; 20 Recover our sensuality; and 3) Discover our sexuality. With her her down-to-earth, transparent, and powerful storytelling, she succeeded. Early on, she defines womanism and intersectionality, terms that are often used but not always understood. She quotes renowned womanist scholars, including my beloved Rev. Dr. Katie G. Cannon. Each chapter ends with a reflection, celebration, and affirmation. Don’t skip over the footnotes!
In the chapter, “But the Bible Says…Acknowledging What Church and Society Got Wrong”, she notes how Song of Songs 1:5 is written in various translations. Then, she points out that changing one word drastically changes how that verse is received, especially by Black women. As a survivor of sexual assault, my heart hurt as she described being sexually abused by her father in “#MeToo, Sis: Healing Sexual Trauma and Fostering Resiliency”. The statistics given serve as a reminder that this is too frequent an occurrence and the silence that surrounds rape, incest and other sexual traumas must be broken. Grateful for new language learned by way of the term she coined, surthrivor.
Briggs’ take on grief was also soothing. This quote was especially meaningful, “The Bible says, ‘Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning.’ don’t take that to mean that if we lament all night long, when the clock chimes at midnight or when the sun rises at 6:00 A.M., we will be instantaneously whole. Joy does not always come with the morning. No, joy comes with the mourning. If you invite grief across the threshold and into your home, joy will come alongside it.”
Reading Sensual Faith was just what I needed in the winter of 2023. Lyvonne Briggs’ journey is one that many Generation X and Millennial Black Christian women will be able to relate to. Her thoughts regarding the church and society’s views on regulating our bodies will having you shaking your head in shock or agreement.
In the end, Sensual Faith does give you a path to come home to your body. To come home to yourself. To see your body as fearfully and wonderfully made in God’s image and likeness. To see that you are God’s good creation. To see yourself as God sees you.
P.S. After reading the book, I wanted to hear more from Lyvonne Briggs. Found her Spotify Original podcast, Sanctified, which she hosts with Deborah Joy Winans. The first episiode, “Purity Culture is a Scam” is something you should go listen to as soon as you can!

[Martha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I highlighted many things as I read this book. It came at it from a completely different culture than my own, but I could relate to so many things she talked about. The struggles with the battle between our faith and sex is not a new one. This book, written by a pastor was unique in its biblical approach to what the bible say about our bodies, our sex life, and scripture tying it together, diminishing cultural contracts we have from what we have been taught it says. I am still mulling over much of it. I felt privileged to be able to learn from this author, sit inside the inner circle, so to speak, on a journey of healing.

[Hannah Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Forgiveness is inherently confrontational. One who has been cut cannot forgive anyone or anything if the offender and the surrounding community members do not acknowledge the laceration.”

“We unravel in therapy and crumple in prayer.”

[Coralie · Rating 5 out of 5]

some of the religious aspects weren’t to me but still enlightening with useful reflections and affirmations

[Shelves · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5🌟

[CJ · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is not a good book. It was written to help heal trauma for a specific population, but sadly, as a Christian book it falls way short. If this weren't marketed as Christian then that would be a different story. This book is loaded with syncretism and a laissez-faire attitude towards scripture and orthodoxy. I feel empathy for her pain as it is clear so much of her journey is trying to heal from deep childhood trauma. The problem is that it preys on the vulnerability of Black women. Using all of the right buzz words (white supremacy and decolonization being chief among them) and slang to draw them in, the author then leads her readers as far from Jesus as possible while peppering in a little scripture here and there in the name of liberation. In the end she invites her readers to enter "Christian adjacent" spaces and I think that's exactly what this book is: Christian adjacent. It saddens me because a book like this is much needed but this ain't it.

[Alexa Esperanza · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a Black Woman who grew up in The Church, I felt so seen and understood by this authors writing and would definitely recommend this to any other Black Woman who may be interested in reconnecting with their body/sexuality or just healing from religious trauma in general. This book is written from a Womanist Theological standpoint which aims to center Black Women’s experiences.

TW: There are mentions of Sexual Abuse but the author put appropriate warnings ahead of them so if you’re not comfortable reading them you can skip ahead.

[Denise K. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A new look at black women and faith.

This was a new, fresh look at how faith affects black people, women in particular.
The Bible shouldn’t do away with our sensuality, only heighten it.

[IquoImoh Terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Lyvonne for writing this book. Being raised in the Pentecostal church it surely taught us how to demonize the body of a woman. This book has help me to challenge my faith and know that this body God created is good. Let’s do a Bible study using this book.

[Temi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not what I expected at all. Filled with alot of really good positive affirmations for black woman. Allowing us to envision a God who loves us wholly, completely, and just as we are.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

The content in this book could guide Black women to come home to their bodies. The author explores how women can express their sexuality in a pleasurable way and notes that "sensuality is the ultimate practice of mindfulness." “Self-love is the absolute first step to loving others.” She also addresses topics like work, stress, healing our inner child, learning to recognize and trust our intuition, and how generational trauma affects women today at home, work and in society.
Although I am not the target audience, I did appreciate most of the content.
The author's overuse of words like "beloved, chile, sis" annoyed me. This tactic made it seem like she was trying to form an artificial emotional connection with the reader and felt gimmicky.
Some of the content will be challenging for some readers. For example, she discusses her experience with sexual abuse and masturbation. However, she does offer a warning at the beginning of one of the chapters, and she advises readers at the beginning of the book to personalize the journey, take what they want from her story and go at their own pace for healing.
Some of the chapter content jumps around and is not cohesive, which confused me. But each chapter includes a Reflect, Celebrate and Affirm section, which is helpful to embody the contents.
Ultimately, "Now is the time for you to unlearn any religious, social, and cultural conditioning that makes you think your body is unholy and release any insecurities you might have about your body-temple."

[Traci · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Home I’ve Been Longing For Was Here All the Time and Sensual Faith Helped Me Find It

I’ve always been a person that longed for home. I always felt it was somewhere I was not. That is, I did until I read Sensual Faith.

This book by author Lyvonne Briggs takes the reader on a journey to the home of their body. Yep, you read that right, the home we’ve been looking for is right here. It’s where we’ve been living our entire lives. It’s just that many of us haven’t been invited to explore it or to embrace it fully, especially those of us who grew up in the church.

Lyvonne explains beautifully how many who grew up in Christian spaces grew up alienated from their bodies and were made to feel like their bodily functions were shameful, nasty, or just downright sinful. She seeks through this book to present a new view of our body as blessed, sacred, beautiful, and holy. By extension from that, she invites the reader to get intimately acquainted with their own bodies. She does not shrink back by giving flowery names for body parts. She calls everything that most of us do not as it were and it’s helpful to see it put out that way in black and white on the page.

It’s especially helpful to those who grew up, like me, being sexually repressed and not being able to say those names out loud or to even hear them said by people in their homes or in their churches. Once Lyvonne gets us clear on the proper names for our body parts, she guides us to explore our relationship to our first sense, our intuition, which so many of us have been taught to ignore in favor of logic. She helps us to see how honoring our intuition is honoring our body, which is what God intended.

Next, we are shown how the Bible was misinterpreted by the church and people because the body was deemed as unholy or sinful and ultimately, glossed over by preachers and church leaders alike. I was elated to see that she quoted from the Song of Songs, which is a beautiful poem of romantic love found smack dab in the middle of our Bible. Her emphasis on the line by the beloved, who states, “I am Black and beautiful,” was something that rang in my ears for days after seeing it. I was taught from the King James growing up and I always remember that line as I am black but comely, but I am Black and beautiful is more powerful and truer. So many of us need to hear that and need to repeat that to ourselves each and every day because many times we haven’t heard it from those around us.

Lyvonne then moves into two chapters with heavier subject matter, that of sexual trauma and of grieving and healing to honor the body’s truth. These two chapters were especially potent for me. In the first, Lyvonne gives information to spell it out clearly that anything sexual without explicit consent is sexual assault. In the second, even though my experiences of loss were different than the one she shared, I thought her chapter detailing the grieving process and healing through grief were especially helpful and something that so many of us need especially in light of the pandemic.

Hearing that nothing can be changed until it is faced and that grief is a process that must be embodied and that it is not linear but comes in waves were all so reaffirming to me as someone who has been on a grief journey for over 3 years now. When Lyvonne said, “How do you grieve in a culture that does not embrace mourning? How do you grieve in a society that does not know how to sit with pain, anguish, and lament?” I felt it. Her answer is to grieve and heal anyway. The only way things will change and grief will be normalized is if we make space for it by showing it. She acknowledges that we have a long way to go, but that we can each do our parts in our own community by affirming that “joy comes with the mourning.”

The next two chapters dive headfirst into pleasure being our birthright and how masturbation is a gift from God. I was emboldened hearing Lyvonne speak about how we should embrace pleasure and why it was sacred to do so and honored our ancestors. We are descended from a people who were routinely denied joy and pleasure because they were being used by others for labor. The work ethic of our people is unparalleled with so many of us growing up in households where like Lyvonne we felt achievement-induced worthiness. Many of us do not know how to rest, how to not grind, and how to not hustle, but Lyvonne guides us in these two chapters to rest and leave the hustle mentality behind. She advocates for rest and encourages seeking out pleasure in our bodies.

Finally, we return home knowing that there is “nothing [we] can do that will make [us] unlovable.” We learn that in order to love ourselves we must fully accept ourselves and that includes our scars because those scars didn’t break us, they show where we are made more beautiful through our healing of these wounds. I also love that she holds us accountable for our healing, stating: “your woundedness is not your fault, but it is your responsibility to heal.” This is a beautiful call to action to all of us who have experienced pain to not stay in a victim mentality, but to heal so that we can live empowered.

She gives the reader permission in this book to love God and to love sex even outside the confines of marriage, to recognize that our body is not only our home but a sacred sanctuary that we must honor and embrace and that like God who lacks nothing, we lack nothing and therefore, we are inherently worthy, inherently good and inherently sacred and holy.

One more thing before I end this review is to highlight the many journal prompts and exercises at the end of each chapter. They were so valuable to explore. I even added some more of the rituals she shares to my repertoire.

Just as I did with Candice Benbow’s Red Lip Theology, I wish this book had been around when I was scouring Christian bookstores in college. It would have saved me a lot of heartache and would have allowed my healing journey with my body, my sensuality, and sexuality to begin sooner.

In spite of this, I’m glad that the book will be available for all soon, and I’m so grateful I was able to read it in advance. I have just preordered the audiobook version. I’m sure it will sound just as much like my homegirl down the street as reading the book did. This book spoke to me, taught me, and helped to further my healing. I’m so, so eternally grateful.

[Tobi J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not sure what I was expecting from this book, it was a good read!

I appreciated the author’s honesty about her personal life experiences and growing into the best version of herself - she’s fully human in the chapters and doesn’t try to hide it. She makes great arguments against the pressure of “Black Excellence” - we are worthy simply because we exist. There’s no need to prove our value or work twice as hard to meet the expectations of a racist and sexist society.

The author does a good job of explaining why Black women should be proud of their bodies and sexuality. Addressing and debunking hurtful and demeaning religious and social narratives about the value of the female body.

From discussions about rape, other forms of sexual abuse, menstruation, miscarriages, STDs, and masturbation, the author tries to cover a range a topics and offer insight to affirm and celebrate the beauty of Black women.

I have some criticisms of the text, but that might be my own triggers/ reaction to some of the topics discussed.

[Olivia Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trigger warning: sexual assault, miscarriage.

It was such a kind uplifting book even though it covered difficult and triggering topics. The author had me laughing, screaming and cheering. I said preach on it more times that I can count.

I did not grow up in the American black church but as a catholic in Jamaica and SOOO much of what she shared was relatable. How I now feel about church and how it treats and talks about women and the issues we have were so well captured. Her suggestions for addressing them were so simple but powerful.

I particularly loved her encouragement for the personal approach not just to our sensuality and faith but our overall health and self love.

This was a beautiful piece of literature to read that I think every Christian should read and ponder.

Thank you for being brave and doing the work. And for answering the call to pen this book. You are so worthy Lyvonne 🫶🏾

[Josie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has been on my TBR since I was introduced to Briggs on the Sanctified podcast she co-hosted. After reading The In Between newsletter on Substack by Hello Bryah and how she balances being a spiritual and sexual woman, I felt like now was the perfect time to listen to this book. I’mma need to buy a physical copy to highlight and reread though. Briggs was spittin’ so many facts. I appreciate her transparency in sharing her story as body and sex positive multi-spiritualist woman preacher. Really shows we are multi-faceted.

She made me tear up a lil at her affirmative language. The chapters on pleasure and masturbation especially resonated with me! Overall, I can tell that this is her life’s work because that passion was evident.

I feel empowered to do the work of getting more comfortably at home in my body.

[K · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you are someone who has been raised in a purity culture or received the message that your body and pleasure is to be ignored or dampened or saved only for your spouse, then this is stunningly freeing theology.

It’s written for Black women as the author speaks from her experiences and to the experiences of Black women who grew up in the church in America.

As a white woman, I am so glad I picked up this book to learn more about the Black experience and also recognise how white-Jesus-teaching Christianity has left a deep etch in my body and spirit and how I can continue moving past that in healing and freedom.

[Ashleigh Vaughn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book after winning it in a give away and hearing the author speak at an author chat. It was not what I thought it would be based on the subtitle and how the author spoke about it, but it was still an interesting read. Very easy to follow, and if you’re someone who appreciates headers and passage separation, this is good for that.

I do wish there was more talk about the actual body and the process of coming home to it. Most of it just felt like dragged on opinions or random facts.

As a PK and former Christian who was heavily involved in purity culture, a lot of the author’s plight resonated with me, I would read future work by her.

[LeKeisha Harding · Rating 4 out of 5]

What wonderful read to start of both 2025 and my own body work. I resonate with many of the stories and could feel my own experience as they were being described in the book.

I appreciate having the intersectional historical context of what led us to experiencing our bodies the way we do. I appreciate the reflection questions at the end of each chapter.

I walked away feeling like I need to re read the second half of the book and take my time on some of the reflections. I’d like to move into action rather than idealism…the steps towards action (getting out of our head and into our body) really showed up towards the end of the book. Maybe I needed a bit more of that.

[Lindsey Haffner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book impulsively at B&N knowing nothing more of its content than what the title implies. I didn't realize, until about halfway through reading the prologue that this is not a book written for me, but for Black women. I still got a lot out of it though! Lyvonne Briggs is a trailblazer in many ways, and conversations she is having are firsts for many, I'm sure. This was a beautiful, healing read for women who grew up in purity culture.

[Nikki Bramwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read!!!

I enjoyed reading Lyvonne's journey and the practical steps she provides to re-learning how to honor and enjoy your body.

This book is like smelling salts to wake those of us who were raised in religious communities and learned to live disembodied as a way of being righteous/religious/pure. It's invigorating to be reminded of our birthright and how we are naturally wired.

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent read, a great way to broach the subject of religious affiliations and body practices. I loved the way Pastor Briggs guides you through each topic, while I wish some things had been focused on more. Sensual faith ultimately was a beautiful read. This work of art was created with clear intention and had not only scripture but research and the understanding of an open heart backing it.

[Greyson · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐️ This book is so inspirational. So many highlight-able moments. Noteworthy, and an amazing conversation piece for everyone. The book reads like how conversations with friends go! Some of the Bible and religious aspects can be a little off-putting for non-religious folks, and upsetting for some who are religious. Eat the meat leave the bones.

[Kamariah Buckner · Rating 5 out of 5]

So necessary

This book is filled with wisdom and information that every black woman desiring to lean more into her sensuality should read, especially those raised with Christian upbringing.

[Kptheot · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a sacred text. Buy this book! If you’re a black woman who’s a Christian and your deconstructing/decolonizing your faith OR curious about it, this book is life-changing and Divinely charged.

[Osa Benjamin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Coming home to this book

Has been such a treasure trove of great affirmations. I feel less insane in this world that devalues black women and then gaslights us into thinking it’s our fault. This book makes me feel seen and validated.

[Jacinta · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not a book that you can read in one sitting. This is a book that you need to sit with and meditate on. She challenges what you have learned and there is much unlearning in here.
I enjoyed it and it will definitely reread it some more in the future.

[Tawni Winns · Rating 3 out of 5]

On paper I should have been the exact right audience for this book. The author mentioned a Christianity adjacent, African centered faith as a goal. Well I found the book just a tad too adjacent, if you catch my drift.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was an amazing book and read. Lyvonne managed to captivate my attention from the beginning with her vulnerability and openness. This is a book for anyone needing and wanting to return home to themselves and their body.

[Jordan Douglass · Rating 2 out of 5]

The authors interpretation of God and some scripture are not how I would have interpreted them. I appreciated her confidence and self love. #GoodreadsGiveaway