{women and modesty}

"As women, clothing and appearance are some of the most powerful and important means we have of sending a message about our hearts and our values. So here’s the question. What do your clothes and your appearance communicate about you? What message are you sending? Unfortunately, this issue represents an area where too many Christian women have accepted the secular world’s way of thinking, with the rationalization that 'Maybe it’s okay so long as we just don’t go to the farthest extremes.' That’s why we have to go back to the Word of God and ask, 'What is God’s way of thinking about all this? What message should we be sending? And how can we send that message with our clothing and with our outer appearance?'” Nancy Leigh DeMoss

i was struck pretty deeply when i first read this quote.

i am a woman who has struggled since roughly the age of 5 with my body image.

i experienced about 8years caught in the traps of an eating disorder.

i learned over the years that my body and the clothes i choose to wear speak many

 words about my character.

we as women wear clothes to be noticed.

or not noticed.

i don't care who you are as a woman, you use your clothes to place an identity on yourself.

you wear them to say, "look at me.  i'm sexy."  

"look at me, i'm trendy."

"don't look at me, i'm insecure."

and so on.

i was (and still very much am) the girl who falls into the "look at me" category.

i know.  get over myself, right?

and it's this funny thing for me, because though i want people to look at me, it's not because i'm confident....it's because i'm immensely insecure.

i want to come off as girl who is trendy, and confident, and well, attractive.

i use my clothes to do so.

recently, though, i've been rather convicted on the choice in clothing i make.

the trend right now, is really one that lends to modesty.

most tops are loose and flow-y...

bremuda type shorts and far more popular then the short little hoochie ones.

i guess my big struggle is to wear those flow-y type tops and not feel fat.

or not want people to think i'm fat.

my insecure flesh wants to wear tighter fitting clothes, so i can prove "i've lost my baby weight, look how great i am!"

uugghhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

gross.

then only person who needs to know what my body looks like is my husband, and if he is well satisfied in me, then that's all that should matter!

i'm getting there.

really, i am.

what are your clothes speaking about you?