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At The Picket Fence with Vanessa Hunt

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March 12, 2021

Lessons From Growing Out My Bangs

My hairstyle has included bangs for 95% of my life. But last year I decided that if I was going to be stuck at home that it would be the perfect time to grow them out.

If you’ve ever grown out your bangs then you know that it can be an agonizing process and that you will second guess your decision every day, especially when they’re still too short to pull back in a ponytail and you’re constantly trying to keep them out of your face. I’m at the mid-way point right now. Where they are blending in more with the rest of my hair and I’m getting used to my forehead being exposed and having to pay more attention to plucking my eyebrows.

Reaching this mid-way point feels like a milestone. There’s a part of me that wants to go back to what was familiar and comfortable. But the other part of me wants to see this through. And I realized today that my hair and I are no longer the same as we were this time last year. And I don’t want us to go back. Not really.

I know too much now. About myself, my family, my community, church, my friendships. I know now that I would have probably made a good pilgrim. Or maybe even been in the Revolutionary War if they’d had women soldiers then. I know that I’ve never been closer to my family and my Savior. I know that I have friends who will dig into the hard stuff with me and who will be the ones standing by my side in the face of persecution.

I know that my husband and I have discernment. I know that we won’t sacrifice the truth of God’s Word to please the culture (or a church) even when it costs us greatly. And it has cost us greatly.

My hair and I have been on quite the journey. And there is something about having this physical representation of what is happening in my soul that just seems…right. It’s awkward at times, hard and messy. But the truly beautiful things in life are, though, aren’t they?

So, I’ll keep growing out my bangs and I’ll keep growing in my faith. I may look back wistfully at how much easier it was before my forehead was swept free and my eyes were fully opened, but I wouldn’t trade this time of growth for anything.

6 Comments Filed Under: Devotionals, Good Thoughts

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Comments

  1. Rose Lefebvre says

    March 12, 2021 at 4:23 PM

    I have had bangs forever. No photo showing how it looked.

    Reply
  2. Lynn Mosher says

    March 12, 2021 at 4:28 PM

    Awesome! Way to go, Vanessa! May the Lord bless you for your stance in Him and His Word and may you continue to grow as your bangs do! ❤

    Reply
  3. Michele M. says

    March 12, 2021 at 5:02 PM

    Steer the course. You have your priorities in the right place.

    God bless you and your family continued growth.

    I loved your bangs – I have had them – I like it all back now, so there’s really something nice about no hair to get in your eyes. Hang in there.

    Reply
  4. Linda says

    March 12, 2021 at 6:02 PM

    I know how you feel. I’ve been a short haired OLD LADY for too long. So I’ve decided to grow it back out. Thank God I have thick hair even at my age, but not the natural curl that I hated all the 50 previous years. So this year at home has opened my eyes about alot of things…one being no matter what, I did it one last time. When the weather turns HOT, it will probably be short again!

    Reply
  5. Diane Lawrence says

    March 12, 2021 at 7:16 PM

    Thanks for standing up & standing out, Vanessa. God is using you!
    I’m growing out my bangs also. I can’t remember the last time I didn’t have bangs.
    Not having them is making my “oldness” look even older….

    Reply
  6. Your Dad says

    March 13, 2021 at 4:21 AM

    If/when you decide to trim your bangs DO NOT PRESS THEM DOWN ON YOUR FOREHEAD as I did for my twin sister when she asked me to trim her bangs. I pressed her hair down, cut, and…BOING!!! This was just before our parents took us out to dinner at the best restaurant in town to celebrate our 16th birthday. One of the great laugh & cry moments in our youth; I laughed, she cried. Fortunately our very resourceful mother was able to repair the damage.

    Reply

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