Bold Transition...

Stepping into uncharted or unfamiliar territories can be frightening.
But, most of the time, it's scary because we're concerned about the social consequences for being DIFFERENT.

Thoughts like, "what will people think?" or "people might laugh at me," may cause us not to take the risk of being uniquely different and set apart.

But, when we become bold and realize that there will NEVER come a day when we'll be able to please people, we'll realize that the only thing that matters is doing what God wants us to do.

God sometimes chooses the most unlikely person to fulfill GREATNESS for Him.
Why does He do this?
He does this because He seeks out the heart and not physical appearance.

God chose Mary, a young, poor virgin, to carry His son!
To avoid the consequences of having a single mother situation, He could've easily chosen a 2 parent family, with a kid and a donkey (did they have dogs back then? - LOL).
But, He didn't!
He chose Mary...
Don't you think He knew she'd be ridiculed and that she'd face torment by her village people?
God chose Mary because He knew her heart and the Bible says that He favored her!

He knew she loved Him and that she'd be grateful for the GREATNESS that would be fulfilled through her.
Mary's cousin, Elizabeth even called her blessed because Mary truly believed that what God said to her would be accomplished. (Luke 1:45)

So, as I transitioned into my natural hair, I realized that I'd get some odd stares, some negative comments from some of the people in my life and face some ridicule.
I had women who said to me, "oh, why would you want to do that, you have such beautiful hair," or "I like your hair straight better, it fits you better."

And, the entire time, I'm thinking to myself, so you like the artificial me better...you have accepted this image as who I really am?
You have no clue who I REALLY am...and I am not THIS hair!

But, I didn't worry about PEOPLE and what they thought.
I believed what God said to me would be accomplished.
I believed that through this intimate hair walk, God would do a new thing in me and that old things would pass away and ALL things would become new.
I believed that God would use this journey to bring women closer to Him through this unexplainable, divine connection we have with our hair!
I believed that God would strengthen my spirit as He ministered to me through this hair journey.

I am willing to place the world's view of my "beauty" on the line to fulfill the GREATNESS that God wants to do through me.

It takes boldness and courage but it's worth it...

preparation...the "ugly" phase.

I was thinking today about my facebook status post from yesterday...
"In order to change, we have to go through some changes."
This is a very profound statement because sometimes we want change in our lives but we want it to come instantly or in a way that will be comfortable for us.
But, we quickly realize that in order for change to really happen, we have to go through some changes. Some of those changes aren't very happy or comfortable.
They are often difficult and challenging.

So, as I decided to make this physical change from my relaxed hair to my natural hair, I had to go through some changes.
This phase was quickly named, "the ugly phase."
It was ugly because my hair was becoming something that I didn't recognize and I didn't like it.
Mostly because I didn't really know what to do with it.
There were days when I wanted to just go get a relaxer (go back to what was comforting and looked good).
Then, there were other days when I wanted to chop all the relaxer off (something easy to skip the process).

But, I began to understand that it was part of the preparation process.
And, preparation for a greater purpose is sometimes VERY uncomfortable and requires patience.
I had to start paying attention to my hair and spending more time on my hair to come up with styles that looked good.
In this same way, as we prepare to reach our destiny in life, it will require more effort, greater observation to what's going on in and around our lives, and more time spent on actually working to improve our current state.

So, I started researching about what to do with my hair.
At the same time, on this spiritual journey, I began reading my Bible more, talking to God more and asking Him to lead me in all areas of my life.

My hair was growing and so was I...and it was happening quickly.
Normally, your hair grows about 1/2 inch every month.
Mine was growing twice as fast...about 1 inch every month.
At that same rate of growth was my spiritual life.

I was gaining insight to the things of God and I was getting a better understanding of my purpose and who He created me to be.
But, God was also preparing me for the trials that I would face in the months to come.
How can we endure and go through our storms?
By knowing, believing and standing on the very Word and Promises of God.
He was planting His word in my heart so that I would have the strength to endure.
He got my attention through my hair.
As I paid attention to the new growth, I was also paying attention to my new spiritual growth.

This is one of my prayers for those following this blog.
To allow God to prepare you for the destiny He has for you...

From the Root....

In preparation for a wedding back in August 2008, I got what would be my last relaxer.
During that visit to the salon, I felt odd and awkward.
I had been getting relaxers for a looooong time...and usually, it was a painstaking process, because I have thick hair and a sensitive scalp...so that basically meant longer processing and a scabby scalp after it was done.
And, I NEVER really liked my hair bone straight, but my hair was so "unmanageable." (So I thought).

So, anyway, that was the last time I got a relaxer, but I hadn't intended for it to be.
After that relaxer, I decided to wait until the new year to get another relaxer and let my hair grow out a little bit.

So, in December 2008, I was sitting on the sofa in my living room and I was on my laptop looking up hairstyles...
I came across a website that talked about "transitioning" from relaxed to natural.
As I read that article, it because APPARENT to me in a revelatory way that I needed to "go natural."
It was like the Spirit Himself was letting me know that this was not just about what to do with my hair, but this would be a journey towards spiritual transformation.

You see, I was also "in transition." There were some things about to change in my life that I didn't even know about...a spiritual transformation would take place at the same time as this natural/physical transformation.
God knew I would need the strength and the perseverance to endure what was to come...

So what better way to increase strength and perseverance than to put a WOMAN (who struggled with low self-esteem, self-image issues, etc...) through the PROCESS of growing out a relaxer (a comfort zone, a safe place for my self-esteem) and thrust me into wearing my hair in its natural state (a condition where confidence and strength would be needed)?

So, many people will ask, why didn't you just cut it all off?
The answer was part of the purpose.
The purpose of it all was to help me see who I was and who I was to become.
The transition from relaxed to natural involves patience, observation, maintenance, creativity, and endurance.
I would've skipped the PURPOSE of the process just to get to the end result.
That is NEVER what God intends for us.
Sometimes, He desires that we make DRASTIC changes in our lives, however, even then, there is PURPOSE.
But, sometimes, God wants us to go THROUGH the process so that we may see His glory on the other side and appreciate the path that got us there.

This is the beginning of new growth...