If you've ever read the book Up From Slavery, you now know a little bit about what it was like to overcome. The slaves couldn't read or write which of course kept them from progressing in LIFE. They had "skills" but lacked knowledge. The slave masters wanted it that way, because without knowledge, the slave never knew his worth. So if we fast forward to now I'm sure you can think of a person (or two) who just doesn't want you to progress, move forward, and would keep you from recognizing your worth.
I came from something called RELIGION. I have since been freed and the life you witness now is me trying (and succeeding) to leave and pull away from what I feel is a slave mentality. I didn't know my worth. And to tell you the truth, sometimes I struggle with recognizing it now. You see I was conditioned to think and feel that I was small. How Sway??...
I've been seeing a lot on social media of the word Religion. I've seen books titled '"No More Religion", there have been songs written about being free from religion and I never understood it until now. I thought "no more religion" meant the person was just simply tired of whatever religion they were in and they decided to (ditch) their so called beliefs. Oh but once I realized I was a (victim) of the WORD religion, I too was like um imma let that go also.
What is Religion to Me?
Leandria Johnson wrote a song called "Jesus" and there's a line in the song that says "Look at myself in mirror, religion looking back at me". I've always sang it and thought she was saying that she was just spiritual and she could see that spirit looking back at her! But, if I may,I think what she was saying that she was singing and living a life that wasn't true, that wasn't her, that wasn't completely honest. Now I could be wrong so let me just say what I feel the word religion means in this manner. I was living a life that wasn't true, that wasn't me and that wasn't completely honest! Like I briefly stated in another blog, I was raised very traditional. We didn't wear makeup, we went to church three days a week, we (my siblings and I) didn't party, we wore dresses only, no nail polish and so on etc, etc. You get the picture. So when I got older I felt that NOT doing certain things granted me a special place in heaven and in LIFE. Yes I thought I was more priveleged than the next because I "refrained" from certain things and I only wore clothes a certain way. I got a HUGE wake up call right before I met my husband and then it REALLY set in once we got married. Now I'll elaborate more on this but let me get to the point, I wouldn't want to lose you attention. GOD, JESUS does not care.... care about what? I'm glad you asked. From what I've learned during my time with God and personal experiences with Him, I've come to learn that He doesn't care about what I wear. I was put down so bad growing up for wanting to wear make up and for wanting to get my nails done. And now living in the twenty first century this things seem so small. But when you are CONDITIONED to believe that He doesn't love you or accept you when you want to do things outside of RELIGION... it can have a very negative affect on the way you grow, the way you see yourself and the way you live your life. I have so many SCARS and wounds that are being healed right now because I now know my worth. I know that being myself, an individual is what God wants for me. I had a slave mentality because I was ignorant to what God says about me. He says He loves me unconditionally without the show. There was a show that I was putting on because I was dressing a certain way, that wasn't me, acting a certain way that wasn't me, and pretending that I liked it! I made myself tolerate everything I was doing in order to fit in the Religious box that was cut out for me.
There is so much more to come as far as religion goes but as for now I must go... Wifey duties! But please remember we are not slaves to what others think or say about us and what they dictate to us. We gotta be ourselves and learn what it is that He wants us to do for HIM. I speak only from experience and I'm STILL learning daily. Be blessed and until next time...
(September 11, 2018)