Who’s Your Daddy?

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Dear Child of God,

My dad never knew who his father was. Therefore, he made it a point to ensure that not only would his children know their father, but every person he came in contact with would know we were his kids. Like, everybody. Maybe it had a little something to do with the fact that he was in his 50’s when my sister and I were born and he didn’t like being mistaken  for our grandfather. Or perhaps it had something to do with the fact that he was a single white man raising 2 half black girls in a world with completely mixed emotions on biracial kids. I’m thinking it was a combination of things. Bottom line is he never denied his children and there was no way anyone could deny he was our father!

Guess what? That’s exactly how it should be with our Heavenly Father. He doesn’t deny His children and our relationship with Him should be evident to everyone we come in contact with. Whether others know us personally or not, they should be able to see our spiritual resemblance to God the Father. It should show in how we reverence Him and how we treat others. We often hear people say “God is first in my life”, but what does that really mean (and do they really mean it?)? When we truly put God first, the decisions we make will bear witness to our belief in God as our Problem-Solver, Protector, and Provider. Allowing other people and/or things to spiritually fill those roles will keep you crawling for cover instead of walking in confidence. Do you submit to God’s wisdom and authority or does your own pride get in the way of your spiritual development? Are you serving the Everlasting Father, or momentary pleasure? Tell me, who’s your Daddy?

God the Problem-Solver- It’s common for a child to run to his/her dad when something needs to be fixed. A trustworthy father has a track record of giving good advice, getting good results, and turning around tough situations. As a child of God, who do you run to when you have a problem that seems unsolvable? Do you have faith in the Word of God and lean on His promises, or do you have a bad habit of “helping” the Lord do His job? When it seems like God isn’t moving fast enough, do you turn to others to satisfy your needs or do you patiently wait on the Lord? Is He your Primary Authority or your last resort? Who’s your Daddy… your Father or your flesh?

God the Protector- My dad was a protector in every sense of the word. It was humanly impossible for someone to get away with doing us wrong… daddy wasn’t haven’t it! He once took his belt off and threatened to beat a boy in my 1st grade class because he stole the eraser off my pencil (I was utterly embarrassed and that kid never spoke to me again. But I got my eraser back!). Our Heavenly Father isn’t crazy like my dad was, but trust me when I tell you, He’s got our back! In the time of trouble, He will keep us safe (Psalm 27:5). When folks do us wrong, God will take care of them. No need to allow our hurt feelings or bruised egos to seek revenge (Romans 12:19). Tell me, who’s your Daddy… your Protector or your pride?

God the Provider- Philippians 4:19 tells us that God will supply all our needs. Not some of them. Alllllllll of them. And He’ll supply them according to His glorious riches, not our own. How wonderful is that?! Now, how many of you truly believe it? I’m gonna go out on a limb and say that most Christian Americans don’t genuinely trust God as their Provider. First of all, it’s estimated that only 3-5% of adult Christians actually tithe in the U.S. It’s hard to argue that God is first in your finances if tithing is an afterthought. Secondly, take a look at your spending. Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matthew 6:21). Do you have a pattern of racking up unnecessary expenses? How often do you pay with plastic? Every time you use a credit card as a personal bail out for living beyond your means, you are committing financial idolatry. Are you trusting that God will keep His Word and supply all your needs, or does your security take comfort in the familiar arms of debt? Are you working mad overtime or more than one job just to support an irrational lifestyle rather than eliminating the things that keep you in financial bondage? Tell the truth. Who’s really your Daddy… your Creator or your creditors? The Eternal God or your employer?

If you’re a “babe in Christ” (aka, a new Christian), you may not look too much like your Heavenly Father right now. When I was younger, I didn’t think I looked like my biological father. Now that I’m grown, I can not only see some physical similarities, but I also bear the fruit of some of the seeds of wisdom he sowed in me as a child. Likewise, the more you grow in the things of God, the more your spiritual DNA will mature into the person God created you to be. You’ll begin to bear the fruit of His Spirit (joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control). And others will know that you are a child of God. It’ll show in your prayer life (communication with Him) and your praise (communication about Him). Proud children love to brag on their daddy… and it makes others want that same type of relationship with their father. You pickin’ up what I’m puttin’ down? 🙂

The more we put God first, the more we’ll begin to walk and talk like Him. His Spirit is always there to guide us. Every time you follow God’s lead in solving your problems, have faith in His love and grace towards you, and trust Him to protect, care, and provide for you, you bring Him glory. He’s your Father, and you’re His child. He’ll never deny you, leave you, or forsake you. Don’t forsake His wisdom for your folly. Live a life of spiritual discipline by putting God first. Your life will be more fruitful when you truly honor Him as your Daddy. You’re a child of the King. Govern yourself accordingly. 🙂

Practically Yours,

~The Practical Chick

Make UP Your Mind!

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Dear Aspiring Beauty Queens,

Step right up and have a seat at the make-up counter (aka, the altar). Relax. Inhale. Now close your eyes and take a good look into the mirror of your soul. Do you like what you see?  Sometimes the shoddy situations of life cause us to see ourselves thru a magnifying mirror, with minor imperfections appearing majorly enlarged. Our perception of self is distorted. And so we become cover girls. Our beauty is skin deep… as deep as our ability to mask tear-stained faces and outfit the skeletons in our closets with churchy couture. But regardless of your unsightly past, the traumatic experiences that have beaten your self-esteem black and blue, or the sinful scars that challenge your spiritual growth, a marvelous make-over is awaiting you! Hey, why just look the part when you can be the part?! All you have to do is make up your mind to be the beautiful woman of God you were created to be.

To become a Beauty Queen in Christ, you must make up your mind to:

1.  Submit to Surgery (Salvation)- If you’ve never accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, your make-over has to start with a Spiritual Face Lift. Trust me, you need it as bad as I did.  Sin is ugly and disfiguring. It contributes to premature aging- leaving an unsightly rash of spots and wrinkles, forcing you to cringe at your own reflection. It must be done away with.  Here’s the Good News: accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior will redefine your spiritual anatomy. Jesus is the real deal and a dynamite physician. He loves you so much, He went ahead and paid for your entire procedure! It won’t hurt, there’s no down time and the results are lifetime guaranteed. This isn’t plastic surgery, it’s fantastic surgery! AND, you won’t even be ashamed to tell folks you had some work done. Girlfriend, if you haven’t done so already, I highly recommend you run to Jesus for your spiritual facelift. Get your fresh start today! Take it from me- you’ll love the results… they’re perfect!

2. Flush Your Face (Repentance)- You were fearfully and wonderfully made but you’ll never see it for yourself until you wash away the filth that litters your life. Just as you should wash your face a couple of times a day to remove the built-up dirt, you must also cleanse your spirit of sin through repentance. Do it as often as necessary. For a deeper clean, don’t be afraid to engage in a spiritual exfoliation (fast) every now and then. This will aid in your spirit’s rejuvenation process by ridding your system of the pore-clogging impurities that have  caused chaos to break out in your life. Gotta keep that new spirit fresh and clean!

3. Slather on the SPF Moisturizer (Holy Spirit… the ultimate Sin Protection Factor)- The purpose of moisturizer is to reinforce your natural skin barrier. Regular use of moisturizer lessens the occurrence of dry, rough, scaly, itchy skin and minor skin irritations. Likewise, submitting to the Holy Spirit will keep you aligned with God and lessens the occurrence of a dry, rough, unproductive spiritual life. And the integrated Sin Protection Factor (SPF) helps to reduce the likelihood of burning in sin and pre-mature aging associated with too much sin exposure.

4. Paint on the Primer (Prayer)- Primer is a makeup and skin care solution used to prepare the skin for foundation, powder and other cosmetics. Face primer has two main purposes: 1) to help achieve a smooth, even complexion,  2) enables makeup to stay on for an extended amount of time for a flawless, long-lasting look. Just like face primer, prayer is necessary to keep you connected to God. Without it, your efforts will be in vain and nothing you apply will stick.

5. Express thru Eyeshadow (Faith)- Tastefully adorning one’s lids with beautiful, bright, bold eyeshadow is an outward expression of inner confidence.  And guess what? Your faith is a visible sign of personal trust and confidence in God. It expresses the depth of your belief. Without faith, it’s impossible to please Him (Hebrews 11:6). The more colorful and elaborate, the more abundant and believable is your faith!  A woman who dwells in the shelter of the Most High, has eyes that are decorated with the shadow of the Almighty. Her faith in God shines brightly. Her trust in Him enables her to walk boldly. Confidently. Her eyes are the windows to her Savior, not the doors of hidden disgust. How do you express your faith? It’s easier to see yourself as the Beauty Queen God created when you express yourself through faith.

6. Affix the Foundation (The Word of God)- You can build a beautiful work of art when the Word is your foundation. More often than not, the average person tries to apply God’s Word to their life without first plugging into their Power Source via the Holy Spirit and prayer (and they wonder why their spiritual foundation is shaky). So be sure to follow steps 2 and 3 prior to attempting to build a solid foundation. Don’t get me wrong- you can read the Bible 24/7… but your level of understanding and effective application won’t be firm until you apply your spiritual Moisturizer and Primer. And once you start applying God’s Word to your pretty little palette, you’ll wonder how you ever survived without it! Meditating on the Word of God and speaking it over your life will help you walk confidently in His unparalleled promises.

7. Consent to Concealer (God’s Grace)- God’s Word often challenges our flesh. It exposes some sins that we would rather keep hidden. But it is the grace of God that enables us to press on in spite of the weight of our sinful past. Just as concealer covers up your physical imperfections, God’s grace covers your personal flaws and blemishes from public embarrassment. The more you spend time in prayer and study His Word, the more you will understand His grace. It’s a gift He gives freely, as an expression of His love for us. Sin can scar one’s spirit with guilt and shame but accepting God’s grace liberates us from the disgrace of that duress. When the King of Kings gives you a priceless gift, don’t argue with His generosity- accept it! Walk in it. Be grateful and sin no more. Oh, and don’t be selfish with it. Your beautification process will be accelerated when you’re a giver of grace, not just a receiver. 😉

8. Brush on the Blush (Humility)- Humility keeps pride from sinking in and enables you to see and acknowledge God at work in your life. It keeps you from becoming so full of yourself that you live a life void of Christ. You can look like Miss Universe but an arrogant, nasty, stank attitude will cause you to more closely resemble Medusa. Ladies, “pride  goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18). Nobody looks goods good falling. Nobody.

9. Lay on the Lipstick (Praise and Worship)-  We serve a Mighty God… the King of kings and Lord of lords! Bless (speak well of) His Name at all times. Tell Him how much He means to you. Thank Him for His grace, mercy, and unmerited favor. Worship Him simply because He alone is God. The most beautiful words that will ever grace your lips are the praise and worship of your Lord and Savior.

10. Bask in the Bronzer (Glory of God)- Ahhh… the Glory of God. It shines brightly all around and about those who are in deep, intimate relationship with Him. It gives us that radiant, Son-kissed glow- proof that we’ve spent quality time alone in His presence. Don’t hide the Glory of God in your life! Smile about it! Bask in it. For it is the Glory of God that will attract both strangers and loved ones to lay at the altar of His operating room- to undergo their own spiritual face lift.

Woman of God, you are beautiful, loved, and lovely. You were created as such. Now it’s time to walk in that splendor. Hold your head up high. You are a child of the King! The more you grow spiritually, the more you should look like Him. Make up your mind to be the phenomenal femme you were destined to be. You’ll walk in more confidence (physically and spiritually) when you place more value on your spiritual beauty than your outer appearance (please don’t use this as excuse to let yourself go physically- that’s not cute! LOL). Being beautiful is a lifetime commitment that must be maintained. After undergoing your spiritual surgery, you must apply steps 2-10 on a daily basis. And as an aspiring Beauty Queen, you must also commit to being selective about what you feed your spirit (thru what you watch, eat, listen to, etc.). Be sure to feast on a well-balanced diet of God, Church, Bible Study, and prayer, and steer away from gossip, temptation, foolishness, and ugly conduct. You are what you eat… eat well, not hell. Be a beauty, not a beast. 🙂

Practically Yours,

~The Practical Chick

*Written as a prelude to my May 2012 'REAL WOMEN. REAL TALK.' session.