Hair Testimony #2: Chelsyea

Hello there everyone! Meet Chelsyea :) We met by way of email and she was very interested in natural hair. She told me, "I just wanted to say thanks for taking a stand and helping others within the black apostolic community to treat and do styles with our hair. A lot of us aren't taken care of hair and it's not growing and it's falling out and we put weave in it to cover it up instead of taking care of our hair." Check out her testimony. Click here to read Chelsyea's personal testimony.

1. When did you make the decision to go natural and why?

This is a clip from the email that I sent Sis. Kendra after I decided to go natural:

Oct 2, 2010; 11:38 pm

"Thanks so much!!! As an update: I've spent some time in prayer and I've been impressed by the Holy Spirit to go back to the natural state. When you said that my hair won't be as strong as it will be struck me. Yes, since the last time we spoke (specifically yesterday. Isn't God something else?). It's not only spiritual but also I'm doing it to be an example to the younger ladies in my assembly that black is beautiful because there is a negative connotation with natural hair within the African American community and even outside stemming from slavery days. It's time to be radical and God has chosen me to make a difference.

You would be surprised to know that many of our people associate natural hair with ugly and "bad hair". I say this not only from experience but from reading books and also from an episode on Tyra Banks that I viewed one day about black hair. Tyra asked a young black woman (~in 20's) with relaxed hair when she see's natural hair, what she thinks and the young lady responded, "monkey". Also, I just read on a website that some are being fired from their jobs because of wearing braids or twists, which is ABSURD!!! It makes me very angry to hear this negative things that the world is associating with our hair. Even myself, when someone suggested speaking to me about natural hair, I would say to them, "Yeah. It's good for you since you have good hair, but if I go back, I will look like kunta kente.".

Sis, again I want to thank you for beginning this ministry because that's what it is. You're helping many african americans whether saved or UNSAVED to get back to the natural order and help us treat our glory that God has given us. And you're also helping us to appreciate the BEAUTIFUL locks that God has given to us. Thanks for allowing God to use you in such a powerful way!"

2. What has been the most difficult part of wearing natural hair?

It's been only 1 mo. and ~3 wks that my hair hasn't been relaxed and since there's new growth, it's kind of hard with combing that or trying to style my hair. The maintenance of my hair can be challenging. It's A LOT of work. I've actually gotten frustrated, but as the song says, "I'm pressing on the upward way, new heights I'm gaining everyday...". I really enjoy trying the natural products in my hair and seeing what works best and sharing my experience with my other church sisters. Aside from maintenance, it's hard for some close to me to accept at first, but they're getting with it and being more supportive!!! Thank God (prayed about it).

3. When someone says your hair is your glory, what does that mean to you?

When someone says, "Your hair is your glory", to me that means that I glorify God with my hair. My hair shows the glory of God. And because of the glory that God has given me, I have power when I pray. Things happen because of the blessings of the glory of God. I have special benefits because of my hair. The devil has to flee when he looks at me because of God's glory. There's a radiance of God when people look at me because of my hair. I have "favor with God and with man" (Proverbs 3:4) because of the glory of God. Wow. God is awesome! My hair is a protectant against evil since it's my glory. God is awesome!


4. With all the hype in the natural world about the big chop, and constant/routine trimming, how do you handle not partaking in these things?

I handle it by reminding myself of who I am and whose I am. I am a child of King Jesus and He has given me a mandate that I should not cut my hair. There is a temptation and others in christendom may be doing it, but I have purposed in my heart like Daniel to "not take portion of the kings meat"...(the things of the world). I have decided to follow Jesus and there is no turning. I want to be in the will of God. That's all that matters.

5. What is your daily hair regimen? Anything special?

For right now, I don't have a specific daily regimen since I'm experimenting with different things to see what my hair likes and dislikes. I make sure my hair is moisturized with some sort of oil everyday.

6. What style do you love to wear the most?

I absolutely love my updo's (all I did when hair was relaxed), but since I'm trying different things very recently (like last week :)), I really like to wear flat twists in my hair as an alternative hair protecting hairstyle.



7. How has this decision to have happy, healthy and long hair changed your life?

It's completely changed my life. I'm trying different things and I feel great. Spiritually, I want to pray and fast more. I feel more free for some reason. I have learned soo much through the internet by looking up what works and doesn't work and Sis. Kendra's blog has been such a blessing! Last night, I did a blend of avocado, tea tree oil, olive oil, shea butter oil, and aloe vera gel (right from the aloe vera plant), which was inspired by Sis. Kendra's blog (Personal thanks to Sis. Kendra for her Apostolic Black Hair Blog Ministry. Your labor is not in vain)! It's very relieving to know that you're in the will of God more than before. I can hear Him clearly. I have been blessed with a job because of my obedience to going natural, which I haven't had for a long time. Once, you yield yourself to God in yielding your "members to righteousness", and by submitting all on the altar of sacrifice, God will back you up! He will bless you in ways unthinkable because of your obedience. It may not be easy and may not make sense, but God is looking for some real people, true worshipers. He is preparing His bride for His coming and it will be a GLORIOUS church that doesn't have spot or wrinkle.

8. If you were to give a word of encouragement to another sister, what would you say?

To my sister in Christ, I'd like to say as Samuel said to King Saul in 1 Samuel 15:22-23, "To OBEY is better than sacrifice...For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry". God told Saul to "utterly destroy" EVERYTHING that was of the Amalekites (the people and their things), but he decided to disobey and didn't destroy King Agag, "the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good" (1 Sam. 15:9). But you may say, "Well, the things were good and the "best"", but my question to you is: "What did God say?". Sometimes, we look things that God has told us to stay away from, to UTTERLY destroy out of our lives and we call them and we say, that it's "good" when God sees that it's a hindrance in our lives that needs to be eradicated. But what did God say? We look at the world and think the "grass is greener on the other side", when God has called us out of the world (which is darkness) to Him (who is light) to a place of separation from the things of the world. Sometimes, we look at others even within the church and say, "Well, they're doing it. so why can't I?" But, What did God say to YOU? As a result of Saul's disobedience, the Jews were almost utterly destroyed by Haman (an Amalekite) in the book of Esther. We do ourselves an injustice when we disobey the Lord. He has so much in store for us. In Deuteronomy 28, he has so many blessings for us IF WE OBEY (keep His commandments), but in the same chapter, God tells us that if we DISOBEY (not keep his commandments), we are cursed. God loves you and wants to use you in ways that your finite mind cannot comprehend. He has great things in store for, but will you decide to keep His commandments and LIVE free in Him or disobey and DIE. We have two paths before us, LIFE and DEATH. Please choose LIFE. In God, there is life and freedom. Let us be able to say that "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" (Joshua 24:15). Serve Him with no strings attached to this world. God is calling you to a place of consecration. He is calling you to return to the original and perfect state of your natural hair; To love yourself as He created YOU!!! The world, the devil doesn't want us to know who we are. 1 Peter 2:9 says, we "are a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people..".We are fearfully and wonderfully made. Your natural hair is beautiful. People within our own community thinks that our natural state is monkey looking. Yes. Monkey looking. Can you believe that??? We've allowed society to dictate to us what is beautiful and what isn't. Unfortunately, a lot of us are still in an enslaved mentality. We are beautiful! You are beautiful. Yes, your hair needs extra care, but it's worth it. To reiterate, "To obey is better than sacrifice". I'd also like to suggest two books that helped change my thinking and appreciate my black, beautiful, and glorious hair: "Her Ebony Glory" by Juli Jasinski and "Hair Story : Untangling the Roots of Black Hair in America" by Ayana Byrd (Author), Lori Tharps". God bless you and love you, love you, love you my sister!

9. How has this blog helped you in your personal hair journey?

Well, the blog has been a blessing as was stated before. I'd like to say thank you again to Sis. Kendra. Kudos to you! Where do I start? I first came across this blog one day when I was doing a google search about apostolic black hairstyles and Sis. Kendra's site was one of the sites listed. I knew that there were beautiful Apostolic hairstyles for the caucasian sisters, but I wanted to know if a black Apostolic sister had hairstyles as well as ways to treat the hair (I had already started my obedience journey by not clipping my ends). Being a "curious George", I clicked on the link and I was so impressed. She promoted lovely black hair and cute hairstyles, which was so great. It was very uplifting and impressive to see a positive veiwpoint of black, natural hair. Of course, most of the hairstyles was with natural, fluffy hair, but I still wanted to try them with my relaxed hair. I emailed her and thought she wouldn't reply back, but she did! Thank God. So I told my other church sisters and others about it and we've been using it as a reference ever since. We've had such a great virtual relationship. I continue 'til this day to email her, keeping her up-to-date with my natural hair efforts and she ALWAYS replies. She says on one of her youtube videos and on the blog that she's here for us and I have to say that she has not gone back on her word. Sisters, she's REALLY here for you. Can't wait to meet her one day. This blog has been hair-changing (LOL) to create a metamorphic life change. There are many cool ethnic hairstyles for us. Yes, I LOVE the pentecostal updo's, but our ethnic hairstyles are cool too. I have NEVER and when I say never, I mean NEVER flat twisted my hair. I didn't know how to neither wanted to know how to, but because of the cute and hair protective styles that Sis. Kendra showed on the site, I had to try it out (see video on youtube on how to flat twist). I never knew how to cornrow my hair too. You may say, "You're black and didn't know how to cornrow?" Yes girl. This black chica didn't know how to cornrow and I'm not afraid to say it. I didn't care to know how to cornrow especially if my hair was relaxed or I could pay someone to do it for me. To me, braids weren't too cute. I wasn't a braid person. I did have braids in my hair, but I would get the goddess hairstyle, which isn't braidy (so not a word) like micro braids. To me, braids and natural hair wasn't sophisticated as how relaxed hair looked. Yes, I had an wharped, enslaved, and worldly mentality, but as a result of seeking the Lord and the blog, my mindset has been changed. I haven't talked so much about hair before. Really. I haven't, but I'm always talking about hair to someone now. It's fun! Because of Sis. Kendra's fun facts on the site, I've researched a lot of the internet to make sure she wasn't just making it up. I had to be sure it wasn't like a random experiment (Yes. I was skeptical) so I did a search online about dry scalp since that's what I had (claiming it in Jesus name because I'm now using Hollywood Beauty's tea tree oil in my hair and it's supposed to work) and all the natural remedies she lists on the blog was really true! LOL. Sis. Kendra is right. The natural stuff is the BEST!!! The natural stuff is the best for our hair as well as the things we ingest. This blog, as stated before, was one of the reasons that molded my decision to return to my former state of my natural beauty. Overall, this blog has helped me to appreciate and be proud of the glory that God has given to me. I've never been so excited in my life. I've put so much action to what I've said in terms of trying out the things suggested on the blog. I can't say how much it's been a tremendous blessing to me and others that I have told. It will be a blessing to you. Pass the word along...