There was an event in my life that rocked me to the core. I was 14 years old or so, and I woke up at my normal 5AM wake-up call to prepare to go to school…but this day was different. Rather than preparing for school, my mom told me to pack a bag of things I would need for a week.
In a state of confusion, I did as I was told. Later, my siblings and I were told we were moving out for a little while.
Whaaat?!?! Moving out for a little while?
But wait, what about Daddy??!!
But Daddy wouldn’t be coming with us on this trip. It was just us children and Mom.
I immediately broke down in tears and began to wonder why. I even asked, but I couldn’t get answers at that time - I had to pack for a week.
So I packed…crying uncontrollably. This was the hardest thing my mom had ever asked me to do. Questions filled my youthful thoughts. Most of these thoughts were opposite to the reality I was seeing.
Well, my parents hadn’t been getting along, and really, I kept myself in the fantasy world of some book so I was completely unprepared for this. Naturally, my mind could not encompass what I was hearing, but I continued to pack.
And finally, before loading up the car, my mother sat us down to tell us the first hardest thing I’d heard in my life (everything before this was minuscule compared to this). We were leaving my Daddy!! Things had gotten so bad, we had to leave.
Wow! My world collapsed in those few seconds and in a panic, I ran back to my bedroom. I searched through my things and found what I was looking for: a picture of me. I gently placed this picture in my top drawer and cried some more.
Now, I know things weren’t good. Sometimes my environment penetrated my world of whatever I was currently reading, but I pushed the reality out. I closed my eyes and ears to what reality was. I shut down my senses, keeping my fantasy in tack, and removing myself from the present.
That’s when it hit me! Reality came crashing in on me; the truth was exposed!
When I was in third grade, we had to take our folders of weekly work home for our parents to review, see our grades, and sign. I always had both of my parents sign my folder, leaving it where Daddy could find it the next morning before he went to work. My mom asked me one time why I insisted on having both sign the folder. Well, I answered, I wasn’t a statistic (or was I??). I was a little, black girl who lived with both parents, and we all had the same last name.
Now this is not to judge anyone who did not have this, but in our society, someone had decided that if I didn’t have these fundamental qualities, my chances of being something great were slim to none. Not only that, children who had two parents (all with the same last name) were treated ‘special’. They had a level of ‘respect’ from their teachers (especially those who did not look like me), so I wanted my teachers to always know there were two parents in my household, and maybe, just maybe, I would get the extra favor I needed to make it to my destination in the future (oh, how we have ruined generations by stereotyping them and tossing them in a box based on check boxes that ‘categorize’ them).
So as you can see, living with two parents was really important to me. But not only that, I was super close to my Daddy. He was different to my mom (who, until recently, mostly annoyed me - I LOVE YOU MOMMY!!!!!). He was more lenient and left me alone to my thoughts - nothing really was required of me. We’d spend all weekend watching American football together. Those were our special moments. Just laying or sitting around watching a good football game. Years of this formed a relationship I love and cherish to this day.
But the day we left, I left a small piece of me along with that picture I hid for him to find.
Because he was the missing parent, I soon began to despise and even hate him. Whenever we’d visit him, the others would be super excited to go see him, but I was adamant I didn’t want to go. I was forced to go, and boy was I rude and disrespectful. All through high school, this is what he got from me…as well as an occasional ‘gimme some money…’, and he never held any of this against me
When I went to college, this behavior continued, except my mom could no longer force me to visit him, so I didn’t. And our relationship continued to grow apart.
Fast forward a few years later… One Father’s Day, during my sophmore year in college, I was convicted by God (it could only have been God, as I held onto my spite for years with no desire to change this), and I wrote to my Daddy a long letter apologizing for the YEARS of disrespect, rudeness, lackadaisical attitude when it came to seeing or talking to him. It was my hope that I could renew my relationship with him. I mailed him a Father’s Day card with the letter and called him a few days later (imagine his surprise - I hadn’t spoken to him in a while).
He answered the phone, and I asked him if he’d received my card and read it. He confirmed he had and shared with me the tears he shed because of it. This, of course, brought me to tears, and I confessed and repented to him and asked for his forgiveness. He gladly accepted. He held nothing against me. He forgave and completely forgot my actions. Even today, he has never brought this up to me. On Father’s Day, when we spoke, we chided on how he and my husband are the same age. He sounded so young! It’s like he has gone back in time since turning 70.
On his 70th birthday this year, we spoke for over an hour on the blessings he had received by reaching this promise of God: three scores and ten. To my surprise, he exclaimed ‘HALLELUJAH’ at this revelation, and I quietly had a praise break of my own: I don’t ever recall hearing those words from my Daddy.
I sit here now, replaying our many conversations and interactions over the years (post repentance): the first time he hugged me, the first time he said he loved me, the first time he ‘assured’ me he would fly out to my house (where’s the Valium?!?!)… So many firsts!
But isn’t that like coming to Jesus? One day, it hits you: I need to confess and repent. And when you do, you become amazed that He forgave you just like that (snaps finger)…never bringing it back up…never looking back…only moving forward to further your purpose in Him…allowing you access to all of His Kingdom promises. No regrets. No take backs. He gives it to you freely!
With this, have you asked God to come into your life and be your Daddy? For some reason, people think this is so hard. But it isn’t. It’s super easy.
For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son [Jesus Christ] that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life” John 3:16 (KJV)
Simply believe he died for your sins, repent (change your heart/mind, be remorseful), and go forward.
For those who know this is the easy part, but avoid salvation because you believe you have to make a miraculous change all at once. And this, believe it or not, is VERY possible, but it is not a requirement either. The Bible states:
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God. Romans 12:2 (KJV)
Renewing your mind (changing the way you think and process things) is a process. You have been brainwashed for how many years? So take a step forward each day, renewing your mind each step of the way. If mistakes have been made, don’t wallow in the mud like a pig. You are a sheep. In the words of Apostle Curnal P. Fahie of Transformation Church International: ‘Get up, dust off, and bus’ off’.
When satan comes to condemn you (reminding you of all you have done), remind him that you
- Have been justified by faith through His blood:
Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Romans 5:1-2 (KJV)
For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. Romans 5:6-11 (KJV)
- Are the righteous of God:
Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ: Be reconciled to God. God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:20-21 (KJV)
- Been forgiven through his blood shed:
In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Ephesians 1:7 (KJV)
Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. 1 Corinthians 6:7-11(NIV)
The Word says:
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7 (NIV)
Don’t let satan condemn you for things Christ Jesus has forgiven you of. Use the Word (Sword) and cut him down, for the Word is sharper than any two edged sword!
Let’s pray:
Father, I recognize I am a sinner. Forgive me for…(name them - repent as you think of things later) and come into my life. I believe that you died on the cross for my sins, and that I am made righteous and justified by you, Christ Jesus. I thank you for my salvation and finishing the work you were sent to do. In Jesus name, I have salvation through Christ Jesus. Amen.
Your Sister,
Keiyia JOYet George
Maybe you have a family member or friend that you have held bitterness against. I’d like to pray with/for you. Leave a comment below and we can come into agreement that you will be released from this bitterness and forgive and release the person.
Have you prayed for salvation? I’d like to personally pray with you. Please send me an email at info@justmekjg.com. Also, testify below of your salvation so that others may be strengthen in Jesus name!