So…How Do I Do It? 15 Modesty Tips

People talk a lot about the importance of modesty. But, we then ask, how do we do it? What does it look like in "real life"? I'm not going to give you a modesty check list or set of guidelines, but I do want to share 15 practical tips of things that I've learned over the years. Feel free to send me yours!

1. When you get dressed each day, remember that you are dressing for the Lord, as His treasure, for the purpose of serving Him and reflecting His light inside of you!

2. Buy camisoles, leggings, and thin shirts with varying necklines to layer under clothing and help to ensure modesty.

3. Wear boots and leggings with your skirts in the winter.

4. Shop at resale shops for modest, less expensive styles.

5. Purchase a bigger size if the article of clothing is too tight, but make sure that it doesn't bulge in the wrong places! :)

6. If you find a brand/style of clothing that is modest and fits you well, invest in a bunch of them because styles and brands are always changing.

7. If you aren't sure about it, don't buy it. Just because an outfit is modest doesn't mean you have to get it. And if it is borderline modest and you keep second guessing yourself, skip it! Only buy clothes you think you will actually wear (and I mean more than once!).

8. For swim suits, shop in the active wear section for moisture-wicking tops and bottoms.

9. To dress up plain tops, use scarves, short necklaces, and long necklaces.

10. Use jewelry that isn't really big and gaudy. It should accessorize your outfit, not take over!

11. Simple yet pretty hair styles can be accomplished with some bobby pins, heat (curling iron or straightener), a pretty clip, gel, mousse, etc. God gave you hair that looks good on you! Don't be extreme and change it too much!

12. Make-up isn't for everyone. I know lots of girls who look great without it! If you do wear it, be natural. Don't wear very bright, dark, or obvious colors anywhere on your face. Find products that look good with your skin and features. (Ask your mom for her advice!) Keep your look fresh and sweet.

13. Before you go somewhere, think about what you will be doing. Will you be around little kids? Make sure your outfit is conducive to sitting on the floor, bending over, etc. Will you be on stage? Make sure that there are no eye-catching aspects of your outfit that will distract from your performance. Will you be exercising? Make sure that you can be modest in all positions. You get the picture! Ask yourself if you will be comfortable and modest with what you will be doing in your outfit!

14. As we talked about in our last post, draw attention to your face. Make sure that your outfit doesn't draw people's eyes to your body, but lifts them upward toward your smile!

15. Don't forget, have fun! There is so much freedom and joy in modesty! We'll keep digging into it in the weeks to come!

Blessings,
Christina

Soli Deo Gloria ~ To God Alone Be the Glory!   

Proverbs 31:30

"Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, 
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised."

~ Proverbs 31:30

Photo Credit: Leanna B.

Your Smile

There is one thing that makes every single one of you beautiful. It’s your smile! Even if you don’t think you have a perfect smile, it really is the prettiest feature of your face because it makes you light up! It transforms you and radiates your joy and happiness from within.

I’ve met many people over the years (including many of you!) and realized that a smile makes an incredible difference in a person's face. People who don’t smile or have their face in a constant sour expression are…well….ugly. I remember watching a movie with a bitter, feministic woman as the main character. She always had a sour, proud expression on her face and I didn't think she was very pretty. But when she was interviewed in the special features of the movie, she was smiling as she talked and she looked so beautiful. What a change! She looked like a different woman! 

When we smile, there is a beauty that shines out from within, for our joy comes from the Lord and we get to share it in our faces. As daughters of the King, our faces shine with His radiance and it is no more obvious than in our smiles: “Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed” (Psalm 34:5). We have no shame in Christ, but only the radiance of lives that reflect the beauty of God. As we are looking to Him and His face is shining upon us (Numbers 6:24-26) and His light is shining in us (2 Corinthians 4:6), our physical faces and smiles can radiate His light and beauty.

I think a smile is one of the most beautiful things God created! I love it when I see someone's eyes light up and crinkle in the corners, dimples or smile lines pop out of their cheeks, lips turn upward, teeth burst through, and delight spread across their face. It's a wonderful thing to be able to smile and express the joy of the Lord! And it's contagious!

Did you know that dressing modestly draws attention to our smiles? When we are dressed in a way that takes the focus off of our bodies and points upward, toward our faces, people will be drawn to our smiles. Let's draw attention to our faces by the way we dress, revealing the light which is inside of us. Then we can smile with the joy of the Lord and let Jesus’ light shine through us onto everyone we meet!

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16

Blessings,
Christina

Soli Deo Gloria ~ To God Alone Be the Glory

Matthew 6:26-33

"Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?

And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 

But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 

Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."

~ Matthew 6:26-33

Photo Credits: Leanna B. and Christina B.

Maybe Looking Young Isn't So Bad

Not long into a conversation, I have begun to expect the question. "What grade are you in?" With a practiced smile, I respond, "I'm actually in my second year of college."

I guess I look young. People tell me I do. And I'll be honest, I've been indigent about it. Growing up, people always thought I was older than I actually was and I was flattered because it took it to mean that I looked older and acted mature. That was until I turned eighteen. Now, it seems that I haven't grown up since I graduated highschool.

But just this week, I had a change of heart.

As I thought about how easily I connected with young women who are younger than me, finding it very, very easy to bridge the age gaps, I realized that my youthful looks and personality definitely help. If I looked and acted a lot older, these girls would probably be turned off or turned away. But they're not, because I can relate to them.

God has made me look young for a purpose: To better serve Him. So I accept and embrace this gift with joy now, realizing that I can be used in a fuller way to serve and love His daughters because of it. I wouldn't exchange that for mature looks and personality.

Then, I started thinking about looking young in regards to modesty. Dressing modestly makes us look younger in many ways. If we aren't heavily painted up with make-up and wearing revealing clothes, we may not look as old as we really are and probably won't look any older. Even in this, there is good purpose.

God has made you just as you are and you are beautiful to Him. Even if dressing modestly makes you look younger or get less noticed than girls who choose to dress less modestly, you are better able to serve the Lord.

Paul wrote to Timothy, urging him to encourage the women in his church to pursue modesty by dressing for God's service. He wrote,

"Likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works." 

~ 1 Timothy 2:9-10

In this passage, we are reminded that clothing ourselves with "good works" is more important and beautiful than fancy hair, valuable jewelry, or expensive clothing - all of which, I might add, would probably make us also look older. When we are clothing ourselves with good works, we are focusing on how we can serve the Lord, more than how we look or dress. And when we are doing so, we will most likely look younger. 

Another passage that speaks to this is Proverbs 31. All throughout the second half of the chapter, we read about a woman who works hard. She is a diligent, faithful, hard-working woman. Her praise concludes with these verses:

"Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates."

~Proverbs 31:30-31

Charm (which could include flirting, being overly friendly to get attention, etc.) is fake and outward beauty is fleeting, but a heart for the Lord is praiseworthy. Here again, we are reminded that "her works" are what will last. Being charming and outwardly beautiful would make us appear older, but that doesn't really matter in the end.

What matters is our faithful work and service for the Lord. That's what He desires of us and that is what will make a difference in the world and the people around us. 

"Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ."

~ Colossians 3:23-24

And remember, Friends, if you look young like me, whether because of your looks, personality, or modest dress (or all of the above!) people say that we'll appreciate being young-looking when we get older. I'm sure we will!

Blessings from a young-looking gal,
Christina

P.S. If you do happen to look older, enjoy it! And be sure to be modest!

Soli Deo Gloria ~ To God Alone Be the Glory!

1 Peter 3:4

"But let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty 

of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious."

~ 1 Peter 3:4

Why Are You So Happy?

A few weeks ago I was walking into church for orchestra practice and cheerfully greeted a couple of fellow orchestra members with a bright smile. Our flutist mischievously asked me, "why are you so happy?". Laughing it off, we walked into the church.

Later, I started thinking. Why am I so happy? What makes a difference in my life and gives me a deep joy? I'll be honest. I don't always smile and I don't always have a happy spirit. My little sister has asked me several times recently if I'm okay because she thought I looked sick and sad. But on the whole, when I look at my life and my smile, there is a depth to my joy that is deeper than the joy of the world. The world's joy is only momentary. It vanishes, just like that! But my joy is deeper and fuller because it comes from the Lord.

Yesterday, I worked long hours at both my jobs. The day felt like it would never end and I was sore, exhausted, and queasy. Inwardly, I hoped someone would say something about my smile, but didn't think that would be possible because I felt so tired and wasn't very happy. But while I helped a customer, she said, "Thank you for your smile…you beautify this place." As I was sweeping the floors when we closed that night, tears stung in my eyes at the memory. God's joy had still shone through me, even when I was at my weakest, saddest point.

Joy isn't dependent on how we feel or on our circumstances. The joy of the Lord is strength and it shines in and through us. "And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength" (Nehemiah 8:10b). For, what are we rejoicing in? Ourselves? Our feelings? Our circumstances? No! We are rejoicing in the Lord and there is so much to rejoice in through Him. "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice" (Philippians 4:4). Because of Him, we can be glad, no matter what: "Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!" (Psalm 32:11). This passage from Habbakuk reflects the beauty of joy in every circumstances, for even when everything else had failed, he could still find his joy and strength in God:

"Though the fig tree should not blossom,

nor fruit be on the vines,

the produce of the olive fail

and the fields yield no food,

the flock be cut off from the fold

and there be no herd in the stalls,

yet I will rejoice in the Lord;

I will take joy in the God of my salvation.

God, the Lord, is my strength;

he makes my feet like the deer's;

he makes me tread on my high places."

~ Habbakuk 3:17-19

Be happy in Jesus. Find your joy in Him. And when someone asks you, "Why are you so happy?" you can tell them that it is the Lord shining in and through you!

In His joy,
Christina

Soli Deo Gloria ~ To God Alone Be the Glory!

Luke 20:38

"Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for all live to him."

~ Luke 20:38

Photo Credit: Lindsey B.