Confessions of a Former Church Girl: What Does God Say?

My quest for sanctification without too much angst led me to three scriptures, two of which I call life scriptures and one of which I call my living scripture.

The life scriptures are those scriptures of promise that I needed in order to keep my focus on God and not on me. My living scripture is that scripture that I must continually refer to in order not to become distracted by the "isms" of everyday life.

My Life Scriptures
Philippians 1:6
Ephesians 1:6

Philippians 1:6 reminds me I do not have to be the quintessential church girl rushing about to make things happen. God's promise is that now having begun the work in me, He will continue that work until the day of Jesus Christ. All I have to do is submit to His will and His guidance and take my marching orders from Him. This frees me from performing, self-compelled to show off my great church girl skills even as I struggle internally with my imperfections. Ephesians 2:10 reminds me that I am God's workmanship, the field in which He works in order to prepare me for the works He has already designed for me. I don't have to make anything happen when it comes to my place or purpose as a member of the body of Christ. I am not an appendage to the church; I have been baptized into the same body like every other member. To decide that I have to be some kind of superwoman Christian simply because I am the First Lady is an extreme. I am called to follow Jesus and if I allow God to do His work in me daily, I will be freed from my church girl nonsense.

Ephesians 1:6 simply tells me I am accepted in the beloved. There have been more times than I like to remember when I have been deemed unacceptable. I was raised in a community that labeled my hair texture and my skin color as unacceptable. I was the consummate overachiever during a time when smart girls did not have boyfriends and they were not included in the popular crowd. My socio-economic status still denies me access to most high society events. I may want to go to places where everybody knows my name, but most of the time I am the obvious "Who dat?" surrounded by people who are going places and doing big things. In spite of what some may see as negatives, Ephesians 1:6 reminds me that regardless of how I am perceived in this life, I am accepted in the beloved. I am a part of God's royal family and nothing can separate me from His wonderful healing love. He knows me from the inside out, yet He has set a place for me at the family table where I am accepted, warts and all. His grace is still amazing to me.