Holy Rollers

Holy Rollers.

This is what I've called my set of hot rollers for years.

On days when I want Texas hair.

Or Holy hair.

Or Sunday School hair.

You know what they say "The bigger the hair the closer to God."

Or when "I want to be Southern Baptist Blonde."  In color and style. I may have mentioned that...

He knew the exact shade.  

With six children in this family, I don't get the chance to execute my Texas hair very often.

Most of the time I'm sporting the librarian. All pulled back in a tight bun at the nape of my neck.

But this isn't really a post about hair styles.....

It's more about those two little words at the top of this page.

I felt led to write about it just in case anyone attending The Pearl Event is worried that some of that

holy roller business is going to be going on from the front of the room.

The type of stuff that makes you feel "less than" as soon as they get started.

The type of stuff where teachers and speakers share about how perfect there life is.

How perfect their marriage is.

How holy and sanctified they are- and their marriage is.

How we are all going to hell if we don't do x,y and z.

It feels bad. Really bad.

Our heavenly Father is love. He is love personified. Love exemplified. He is love every which way including Sunday. He pours and woos and draws and calls us unto Himself....with L-O-V-E.

And that is all that should be coming from the front of any place talking about Jesus.

It is the LOVE of God that breaks every yoke....

So to ease any fears you may have, this event is going to be nothing but love, pearls and personal testimony.

And after I get done telling you about all the stuff God has brought me through- you are going to feel great about your own life.  I promise.

I used to despise my testimony.

I refused to embrace it.

I wanted a new one. A different one. A better one.

I longed not to have the scarlet letter, so to speak,  on my chest.

The girl who came from a broken home. The girl who was this or that. The girl who -----fill in the blank.

I wanted my testimony to be written in a happily ever after pink collection set.

Honestly.

But God had different plans.

In recent years I have become extremely grateful for my experiences in life.

For my chapters if you will.

When He prompts me to write a blog post...I draw from a deep well.

I have hundreds of crisis, experiences and unfortunate circumstances to draw from. :) Go Jesus.

I had to learn life the hard way and now I am grateful for my many life lessons.

Are there still pieces of me that long to be a Daddy's girl or a Mama's girl.  Oh yes....

  I was made to be somebody's girl.

But I'm His girl. His pearl. And that revelation alone has brought forth tremendous healing in my life.

Part of the reason it took me such a long time to realize this is I had some church experiences that left me feeling less than.  I met some holy rollers. And I'm not talking about hot rollers this time.

I love the church and the Christian faith and God's people. So this is not meant to be offensive in the least. This is just one of my personal experiences and it must be for somebody because He isn't going to let me hit publish until I write it.

I remember one experience that kept me out of the church for quite some time.  But worse than that-
It kept me far away from Him. Because I assumed that this woman in particular was right and if she "didn't know where to put me".......

Then a Holy God didn't either.

Many years ago as a young single mama, I  somehow managed to scrape up the courage to attend sunday school.

This was huge for me.

I must have just gotten paid or something - always a good day for me- because I have no earthly idea how I had the confidence to do such a thing.

I filled out the forms and they handed me off to the chief Sunday School lady.

Serious business.

She walked me down one hall and then another and then stopped and looked at me and said in total disgust....

"I don't know where to put YOU!"

"You can't go into the married sunday school class because YOU are NOT married and you CANNOT go into the singles sunday school class because you are NOT single, you have a CHILD!"

I hated the church at that moment.

It crushed me.

To add salt to an open wound she decided it was BEST to go ahead and PUT me in the singles class.
Where the "lesson" that day was "What to wear to church and why".........

Crickets.

I wanted nothing to do with their Jesus.

Because if He really cared about what I had on then we were in big trouble.

And if they didn't know where to "put" me then I was certain He didn't either.

And I had enough problems already.

I spent years running from Him , then searching for Him and running again...

As God would have it....Eventually He wooed me unto Himself and I was able to see and feel and know and experience the wonder of His love.

And when you experience the real thing.....nothing can take that away from you.

Not a church lady. Not a holy roller. Not a church service. Not a friend or a family member.

Especially when it took you over half your life to find it in the first place.

So I am sharing these pieces with you today just to encourage you. To calm any fears you may have about the upcoming event. To confirm that this is nothing but love.....

God loves you so much He had me call Paige,  Edie,  Sarah,  Jane  and Brittany to be with you that day.

They are real life Steel Magnolia's. Steel Magnolia's who love Jesus and who love you....

I know every, single one of them and they absolutely exude the love of the Father.

There isn't a holy roller among us.

Come as you are. Wear whatever you want.

Paige and Edie wear cowboy boots so please, wear yours too.

Set all fears aside and know that you will be embraced. We are huggers and squealers....

We know where "to put you" sweet friends...and that is right smack in the midst of His love.

We are also planning to absolutely make a big 'ole southern fuss over every single one of you.

So brace yourself.

I am praying for you all and I'm praying that His love will absolutely saturate your hearts that day....

Two more weeks.

Love you so.....