PRUNE IT,DON'T CUT IT, IT WILL GROW: I wont quit attitude...RESILIENCE!!

You are probably wondering why I make such a fuss on my hair. I will tell you why.

About 5 years ago I went through what I perceive to be the hardest time of my life. I lost my job, my only source of income, a relationship that I believed would end in marriage…at first it was cool because you know I am thinking something will turn up, Something always turns up. Having been a Christian for only a year, my new found faith would keep me a float for some time...until my savings ran out after which my 'faith' wasn't so faithful. I survived on baked beans and broccoli which did not work well with my stomach but for nutrition’s sake I ate any way. Then electric company cut off my lights and later I would get the dreaded eviction notice. Slowly I depleted the contents in my faith tank and before I knew it I was running on empty.

I have always done my own hair. Being the perfectionist that I am I always was very unhappy when I visited the American Salons. I got tired of half-baked relaxer treatments and on other occasions a fried scalp so I went on a “do it yourself” rampage.

Even though I toyed with the idea of going bald, I never could get myself to do it. Mostly because I feared the negative feedback I imagined I would get. In my mind my peers would  definitely make a spectacle of my shiny scalp. Plus after an ongoing relationship with my hair lasting about 22years, lets just say it was difficult to let go...our bond too strong.

It happened after my lights got cut off. Broke, no power for my equipment…maintenance became an issue. In the summer heat of the hundreds in Orlando, FL, the last thing I needed was to wear a hot wig. I mean my life was hot as it is, the air conditioning in my car didn’t work and with no lights it dint work in my apartment either. So I made the decision, it was looking ugly and unkempt and frankly there were bigger and more important things to worry about like PAYING MY RENT, so I decided to cut my loses. I let go of my baggage, the bald eagle become my new counterpart in the world of hairstyling.  That fateful afternoon I took a deep breathe, closed my eyes and put the clippers to the task. A follow up with a razor and shaving cream would complete the great master piece of my beautiful, now naked head...Michael Jordan style ;-).

I got mixed reactions from my audience, my pastor literally ran away from me, shocked at the discovery that his “daughter” as he called me, now looked like a boy. I still laugh at the memory. Like many African men he made it clear he disapproved. I learned, African men value a woman’s hair. I did get numerous compliments from my ladies...can I get a Whoop Whoop... and the American male population. They said I looked eccentric. I could go on and on talking about the feedback but that’s another story for another day. After this event I went about my life and after some time the event was just but memory until two years ago.

I was at a much better place financially. I had stable income coming in. My hair had grown out enough to create a pony tail. It happened my friends and I had just had an amazing time of prayer and fasting during the week prior to our friend's wedding. I am prepping for the occasion when all of a sudden I just feel this dense atmosphere. I recognized it, I have been in it the whole week, it was the Holy Spirit. What was strange is there was sadness in His persona which boggled me at first as I did not understand why. My hair was in my hands, I was trying to hold it up in a pony tail. Memory of my bald head came to me so vivid. At this moment His expression of sadness became stronger, then I was able to associate the two, His sadness and my bald head. It was clear to me what made Him sad. I come to a place of such despair my option, to cut off my glory. Please don't misconstrue this for me saying God hates bald heads, No. God finds us beautiful no matter what. However, to every man/woman is a path they must follow and my path demanded that He bring my hair to my attention in this moment.  He said to me, “ Don’t cut it, prune it, it will cascade down your back”. I began to weep, it never occurred to me my hair mattered to Him let alone my actions bringing Him such grief. Its just hair for crying out loud, my thoughts.

After I was done fixing my hair, I stepped out of the bathroom and co-incidentally my roommate walked out of her bedroom. In a very cut tone she said, “never cut your hair again”. Naturally it took me aback, I mean was she eavesdropping on me? It would be impossible for her to do given the relationship between a man/woman and God is so private. No person can ever interfere. Curious, I questioned why, her response, “ I just felt I needed to tell you that”. I knew it was no co-incidence, there was a message I needed to heed to. It would take me two years however to really understand the lesson behind the instruction, "Do not cut it, just prune it and it will cascade down your back (it will grow)".

I must admit I paid special attention to its length. I adopted protective styling techniques, deep conditioning treatments every two weeks when its loose and yes I trimmed my ends regularly. The results, long bulky strands cascading from my scalp onto my back. My hair is the longest it has ever been. My mother, amazed at how beautifully it has grown. I almost made it a vocation to convince her I had no weave tracks.

I always thought it was just God's way of showing me He cared. If He paid attention to such an insignificant part of me  in my eyes, how much more my destiny. However, on my way to church this morning I realized there was a greater lesson to be taught. A lesson on endurance. DON'T CUT IT JUST PRUNE IT, IT WILL GROW!!!

Pruning by English definition: to cut or lop superfluous  or undesired twigs, branches or roots from; trim. 

Lessons from my science and agriculture lessons taught me on the importance of pruning specifically in a tea plantation. At first I thought why not let the tea bushes grow tall so you get more tea leaves in return. This was until I learned, allowing the uncontrollable sprouting of already grown shoots would translate into less produce. It is the same with rose bushes. In the feat of survival, a lot of nutrition is wasted in trying to sustain the overgrown stem, depriving the new lustrous shoots of food. End result, low production. 

"I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn't produce fruit so they will produce even more". John 15: 1-2 (NLT)

 

Jesus verifies this in His teaching on the vine and the branches. He refers to all that follow Him as the branches and Him being the true vine. He also makes reference to the Father who dresses this vine. Making clear that if a branch does not bear fruit it is cut. The fruitful ones He prunes. Holding the word true to its English definition, the unwanted parts of this branches are removed, promoting better production. He then continues to say, "Remain in me and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me" John 15:4 (NLT)

 

Prior to cutting my hair it was there was potential to its growth. In turn it would produce a beautiful mane, my pride and joy... "Isn't long hair a woman's pride and joy? " 1Corinthians 11:15 (NLT). The minute I cut of off, I rendered it useless. Its potential for growth, its potential for beauty died the minute the shears hit its roots severing it from my scalp. My scalp was its source of nutrition, its source of life. As long as it was attached to the follicle there was hope. All that ended when I severed the two.

In times of adversity, it is not uncommon to question our hopes and ambitions. The most frustrating moments in my life are when I know I can do better but I am not. Kind of like what happened with my hair...I knew it could look better but it didn't. The only problem is I let it burden me, I focused on what it was not instead of seeing what it could be. In despair I gave up and cut it off. My question, how often do we dismiss our potentials as futile and choose to cut them off, capitalizing on how difficult, in some cases deeming it impossible to succeed? How often to we in desperate times refuse to succeed?

DON'T CUT IT- Don't give up, don't give in. Hold on to what you know its true, it might be full of growth. It might have some dead ends but it is still alive. As long as you are breathing there is still hope for tomorrow. You are not dead Yet!!! You are God's creature, " 'For I know the plans I have for you', says the Lord. 'They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope' " Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT). Don't give up, HOLD ON!!!

PRUNE IT- It's a learning experience. A vine dresser must take the time to study his vine so He distinguishes the useless branches from the fruitful ones. The fruitful branches He must further study so he breaks off any unnecessary buds, thorns etc. Giving the branch a better chance of producing better fruit. You and I my friend are these branches. Adversity prunes us to produce better fruit. This is an opportunity to build character which then gives us a hope. A man with great revelation wrote,

" Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete needing nothing. " James 1:2-4 (NLT) 

 I noticed there are times when my hair even though long, the ends were dead and uneven. I would then take a pair of scissors and nip off these ends. At times I'd be tempted to postpone a trim because I did not want to lose the length but I would remember the lose meant a better gain when it grew longer and healthier. Even though somewhat unwilling I would put my scissors to good use. The pruning season is painful but advantageous in the long run resulting in greater joys. We sharpen our skill in this season.

 IT WILL GROW-  The term "will" insinuates  "desire to". Right environment, right nutrition, removal of obstacles in the process of pruning, results in growth by default. If we revert to the gospel of John the fifteenth chapter, the words of Christ,

"You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you...Yes I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who remain in me and I in them will produce much fruit." John 15:3&5 (NLT)

I put it to you that as long as my hair is attached to my scalp and I am pruning it, I MUST experience healthy growth. Ladies, you want your hair to grow longer, keep it, trim it, wash it, detangle it, eat right, drink lots of water and the result....LONG, HEALTHY HAIR!!! The right conditions instigate growth. Jesus lets the disciples know that if they remain attached to Him they are bound to produce good fruit. In Him is the bread of life, water to hydrate them, peace to sustain them. Combine that with some attitude checks, a little rebuke and even reprimand, perfect recipe for empowerment.

 

 PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT: I choose to keep my hair...the episode of the bald eagle re-rerun scheduled for when I am 30 has been cancelled never to be aired again. I am committed to growth, not just in my hair but also in my walk with Christ. Keeping my faith in Him, embracing every moment of reprimand and allowing myself to shine for His Glory...MY GROWTH. I REFUSE TO QUIT, How about you?

Your's truly

~Penzi Amani~