What is our Sacred Intent as we become Women?

I decided to go back to the archives today and re-read some posts and was convicted once again. I thought somehow that when I got married things would get better and life would be ,well, not quite perfect but almost-you know things that many young, dreamy girls believe.

Now I am not saying that I am not blessed with an absolutely amazing husband and marriage, but-it was an adjustment (and I am sure will continue to be for my whole life). When you go from being single minded and one person to all the sudden having a husband to support and love and be a help-meet to things change!

Sometimes I feel as though the house will never be clean enough. Or I get discouraged because I am unable to have piping hot, home made meals three times a day (although I am working on that one!), or the laundry is just a mountain that seems unattainable or...well, you know the things that are every day things for a lot of people.

Sometimes it is easy to forget Jesus.

I get so so busy trying to be the "perfect wife" I have in my head that I do not go to my Savior and spend time with Him in the Word and in prayer listening to what He wants from me.

So what is our intent?

What are we supposed to do as we move from girlhood into womanhood. What an amazing, scary, emotional, uncertain time of life that can be! Sometimes it is hard to even remember amidst the housework and the laundry and the phone calls and work what we are really here for.

I am going to share with you a quote from a post that I wrote on July 14, 2009. Two days before my 19th birthday.

A few years ago and yet, it still challenged me as I re-visited it this afternoon:

"I love this quote from Leslie Ludy and thought I would share it with you girls out there as an encouragement and a challenge:

'God's sacred intent for us goes far beyond just saving

sex till marriage, wearing one-piece swimsuits instead of

skimpy string bikinis, or idolizing Christian bans instead

of secular ones. It is not just making sure we tack on some
Christian morality to our self-indulgent lives.

His sacred intent for you and for me is nothing short of

absolute abandonment to Jesus Christ, entire separation from

the pollution of the world, and ardent worship of our

King with every breath we take.

Yes, it's a huge vision-one that is contrary to everything

our culture presents. In our modern world, we as young

women seem to be presented with only two options for our

femininity-we can either embrace the sensual, sexed-up

version of womanhood glorified by pop culture or we can

go the opposite direction and trade in perfume and makeup

for grit, grunge, and guy-like behavior.

But both of these options cause us to completely miss out

on the glorious pattern God designed for our femininity. We

were created to shine with heavenly beauty, to radiate with Christ-
like feminine loveliness, and to sparkle with the lily-white
purity of our Prince (Jesus). We were created to be set-apart
for Him.

-Excerpt from 'Set-Apart Femininity'"

We were created to be set-apart for HIM. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Who CHOSE to lay down His life for each and everyone of us on that old rugged cross. What a glorious freedom that brings! Is it really a sacrifice to surrender our lives (even the little parts we don't want to let go of) to HIM considering He willing laid down His entire life for us?

Absolute abandonment. Total separation from the pollution of the world. Ardent worship of our King.

This post is more a challenge to me than anything else! I want Jesus! In all areas of my life! I want to radiate HIM. And I want to stop saying that and move forward to take steps towards that end. I no longer want to fit Him into my life when it is merely convenient. No. I want my entire life to be completely centered and revolving around Him.

So what is our true sacred intent?

Oh Jesus, may You continue to teach us each and every day of our lives may we become more and more like you and fall deeper in love with You.

So what about you ladies? Are you living out what God would have you to live out? The intent that HE has for your life?

Just some thoughts that the Lord gave me today and I thought I would share.

What are your thoughts?

115 Days!

(Photo Credit)

 So 115 days till I become

Katy Hollands!

I am so excited!

 I have been thinking about

what it means to be a wife.

Ever read Proverbs 31?

I have been reading it in a new light

and would have to say that it 

is a little bit scary

in all honesty!

So here is my question for you all:

I am studying through Proverbs 31

and the first word that caught my eye was 

virtuous.

A virtuous woman.

What do you think of when you think of a virtuous woman?

Beauty?

                                     

                                     "Charm is deceptive,

and beauty is fleeting; 

but a woman who fears 

the LORD is to be praised." 

-Proverbs 31:30

When you think of beauty

what do you think of?

Who is the most beautiful person you know?

Do you focus on your outward beauty

instead of cultivating your inward beauty?

"Your beauty should not come from outward adornment,

such as braided hair 

and the wearing of gold jewelry 

and fine clothes.

(Note: Not that is is wrong to look pretty and feminine,

in fact we can bring honor and glory to God in and through that, 

but that should not be the focus of our lives.

We should not be consumed with just

our outward appearence)

Instead, it should be that of your inner self, 

the unfading beauty of 

a gentle and quiet spirit, 

which is of great worth in God's sight."

1 Peter 3:3-4

The Feeling Feminine Challenge-Day 6

Day 6 is here! 

Can you believe that the challenge is almost done?

Ok, so my outfit for today:

 Skirt-From Anne Taylor Loft. I got it at a thrift store for under $5
Cami-Yet another $5 one from Rainbow
Over-shirt-I have had it forever. It is from Fashion Bug
Necklace-from my missionary friend again
Hair-I diffused it this morning and then brushed it out so it looks...straighter for some reason.
Shoes-Clogs

What outfits did you wear for Day six?

You are welcome to link up :)

The Feeling Feminine Challenge-Day 5

Day Five is here!

 I am still sick so please pray for me if you think of it. 

I did manage to get pictures for today though!

Skirt-From American Eagle. I got it at a Goodwill for $5
Cami-Yet another $5 one from Rainbow
Overshirt-I honestly do not know were I got it. So thrift store.

Shrug-I have had it forever
Necklace-from Walmart
Hair-Up (I actually took a picture of it)
Shoes-flip flops

This photo is completely un-edited!

I did my hair like this. 

Started with a french braid and just...twisted! :)

So has the Lord been teaching you anything in the past five days? 

I would love to hear about it! 

Feel free to link up!

The Feeling Feminine Challenge-Days 2,3, and 4

 

My apologies!

I have been sick the past few days so things have gotten behind with the challenge.

I did not forget I promise! 

Here is catch-up from the last three days:

Day 2:

DISCLAIMER: I have been sick for the past few days so didn't get pictures so I just put on the outfits today so my hair was different each day! :)

Skirt-Jean skirt from the Thrift store for under four dollars.
Cami-$5 from Rainbow
(I love these cami's because they are adjustable to they come up high on the neck and they are long so they cover everything they are supposed to!)
Shirt-Again, from an amazing lady at work :)
Necklace-From my dear missionary friend in Congo
Hair-This day I had it in a ponytail
Shoes-sneakers (did a relay for life and then outreach)

Day 3:

 

Skirt-$5 from Walmart
Cami-$5 from Rainbow
(I love these cami's because they are adjustable to they come up high on the neck and they are long so they cover everything they are supposed to!)
Shirt-from my sister Abby
Necklace-from my amazing friend in Congo
Hair-Like in the picture except some was actually down
Shoes-boots.

This day it was SO SO SO COLD! So I was in leggings and boots.

 

Day 4:

 

Yet another DISCLAIMER: I am sick hence the reason I look so spaced out in these pictures! lol :)

Skirt-hand-me-down
Bottom Shirt-thrift store I think
Poncho-I have had it FOREVER
Necklace-from my friend in Congo
Hair-Up
Shoes-flip flops

Ok, so now I am completely caught up! 

I apologize again! 

Feel free to link up! :) 

I can hardly wait to see your outfits.

The Feeling Feminine Challenge June 2010-Day 1

I am SUPER excited!

Today is Day One of the Feeling Feminine Challenge (click here)!

As many of you know, I was asked by Miss Jocelyn (click here to go to her website)

I was asked to host this months challenge! The challenge is from June 4th-June 10th. Basically you wear skirts and dresses (GASP yup no pants) for 7 days (hence the name) and do your hair in a different hairstyle each day as well.
I believe that we are all called to bring honor and glory to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and I believe that dressing modestly and feminine is so important.
Do I believe that it is wrong to wear pants sometimes and the only thing that we can be modest in is skirts? Absolutely not! 

I have realized that is not about what I am or what I am not going to wear (obviously to a certain extent).

It is about an attitude of the heart. 

That is where it all stems from!

From wanting to honor and glorify Jesus in that area of my life. 

When people look at me I do not want them to be distracted by what I am (or am not) wearing (especially my brothers in the Lord).

Instead, when people look at me I want them to not see me but instead to 

see my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ shining through me

whether they have known me two seconds or 12 years.

 So here is my outfit for Day One:

 Notice the fact that I am once again counting down the days :)

This outfit is a little more dressier because I have a funeral to attend later this evening.

Skirt-$5 from Goodwill
Cami-$5 from Rainbow
(I love these cami's because they are adjustable to they come up high on the neck and they are long so they cover everything they are supposed to!)
Shirt-Free from one of the amazing ladies at work
Necklace-I have had it forever
Hair-The way I wear it every single day
Shoes-BAREFOOT (It is that country girl in me!)

So today I want you to really try to notice what people's reactions are. 

Is there a difference in the way people treat you and relate to you?

Also remember that whether or not you have a skirt or jeans on should not be the only deciding factor in whether or not people notice a difference in you.

If you name the name of Jesus Christ then that should be the difference every single day whether or not you are doing a challenge.

He should be the difference.
I can hardly wait to see your pictures :)

Feel free to link up on the linky below. If you do not have a blog but do have facebook

make a photo album and post your pictures there.

 

I love doing this kind of thing!

 

To God be the glory :)

One Day till the Feeling Feminine Challenge June '10

Super excited about the Feeling Feminine Challenge that is starting tomorrow!

My thought for today is actually a question and I would love some input from you all:

Why is it that we as women sometimes struggle with the temptation to dress immodestly?

Why do we expose parts of our bodies that no man, besides our husband, has the right to see?

Why do we buy into the lie that the only way to get guys to notice us is by us showing off more and more of our bodies? 

What has happened to feminine mystique?

Something to think about...

Two Days till the Feeling Feminine Challenge June '10

 Two Days till the Feeling Feminine Challenge Begins!!!!!!

For the thought for today I found this over at Is This Modest which has some amazing resources for modesty that is not only modest but not frumpy. Anyway I was reading an article that included this open letter from a Christian guy to all Christian girls about modesty and I thought I should share it with all of you:

“Dear Girls,

There are two kinds of men: Godly men, and worldly men. What kind of man do you want? I’m betting most of you said “a Godly man.” Someday, you want to marry a man who loves God with every fiber of his being because he will be an excellent husband and father. He will honor and be true only to you. Most women want a Godly man or at least think they do. Well, I think I have found a way to tell you exactly what kind of guy you will get. I don’t even have to know you! All I have to do is look at you. The kind of guy you want or will get is advertised by the clothing you wear. I know what men want. Trust me, I am a guy. I know more guys than you do and I know them better. I know what we think, what we talk about, what we want, and what we look for, and it is different for each one of us depending on our relationship with God. I’m sure you already know this, but men were created differently than you. We have different desires and priorities. Our eyes and minds react very differently to some things than yours do. It isn’t disgusting, perverted, or wrong; it is wonderful and good! It is how God made us. It’s how we handle these differences that separate a Godly man from a worldly man.

A worldly man doesn’t control himself, rather, he looks at anything that attracts his attention or gets him excited. A worldly guy has no problem when girls wear clothes that show off skin, like boxers, high or low cut shirts, low rise jeans, and “cute” little swim-suits. He’s a fan of tight-fitting shirts and pants that show off your form, he thinks they’re fine! Worldly guy watches a lot of TV and R-rated movies, isn’t really offended by sexual content or nudity and secretly dabbles in pornography. He’s a “Christian” and makes up a significant portion of your church and youth group. He’s a really nice guy and sees you mainly for your body. If you were to marry worldly guy, he’d bring lots of baggage into the relationship, have intimacy problems, entertain thoughts of other women, and possibly cheat on you.

A Godly man is in control of his drives and desires. He constantly seeks God and reads his Bible. He “walks in the Spirit” and isn’t set off by everything he sees. When immodestly-dressed girls, magazine covers, or risqué advertisements come into view, Godly guy quickly “bounces his eyes” away from the image. He’s constantly guarding his thoughts and what he allows into his mind. He hates being around girls that disrespect him and his struggles by wearing inappropriate attire. Godly guy doesn’t watch much TV and is selective about the movies he sees. He views you as a person, knows you and respects you. He has your best interests in mind and guards against inappropriate thoughts of you. If you were to marry Godly guy, he would give you the emotional attention you need, he would ignore other women and remain faithful to you no matter what.

Unfortunately, there are more worldly men than Godly men. And to make matters worse, to the untrained eye, a worldly man can look a lot like a Godly man. So what can you do to only attract a Godly man? An important way of delineating between them lies in how you dress. As mentioned before, the clothes you wear advertise what kind of guy you are looking for. If you dress immodestly, you will attract worldly guys and scare away the Godly ones. It all comes down to the kind of man you want to spend your time around and eventually marry. You cannot afford to be complacent in this area of your life! You will pay the price someday.

This issue isn’t limited strictly to you and your future relationship. The way you dress directly affects other men and women and their relationships. You don’t see the struggles, the pain, the tears and the sin that you cause, but I can promise that you would be shocked if you did! Ask any Christian young man; we’ve all seen it. It’s kept hidden but it is definitely there. By dressing immodestly, you effectually spit on the struggles of our weaker ranks, appearing to care more about toying with us than helping us. You’ll never know how many broken relationships and lifestyles of sin you’ve contributed to simply by the way you dress. You want to marry a Godly man someday, well so do many other women. Don’t just help yourself and your future, help all women and their relationships by showing discretion in your dress.

Of course, I understand the desire to look stylish, attractive, and “cute.” It’s important to fit in and get attention. Trust me, it can be done modestly! I also understand that it is easier for some girls to find stylish and well-fitting clothes than it is for others. This is an area where guys really don’t understand what you are up against. But just remember, for every sacrifice you make to honor God with your image, Godly men are making sacrifices in their lives that are just as hard, if not harder! They will and do respect you so much for choosing to be modest! A real lady is conscientious of the image she presents, and real men want a real lady. And you can forget about any guys missing out on how attractive you are because you don’t wear revealing clothing. You could wear a circus tent and we would still know; it’s a gift we have.

And so the question still remains: What kind of man do you want? Answer me with your clothes.

Devin Swecker”

Three Days till the Feeling Feminine Challenge June '10

It is four days till the Feeling Feminine Challenge (click here)!

Yes, the challenge is June 4th through June 10th (I apologize I got the dates wrong and thought that it started today). 
Sheesh talk about embarrassing! LOL :)

That is ok though because I have something that I am planning on posting about each day leading up to the challenge and I would love your thoughts on it!

First of all, I am so honored and excited to be hosting the challenge this month!
The last time I did this challenge was in March 2010.
I want to share with you the thoughts that I had when I started the challenge the last time:

"So you know that I love to wear skirts :) (Click here to read my views on modesty).
The challenge is from March 2nd-March 7th. Basically you wear skirts and dress (GASP yup no pants) for 7 days (hence the name) and do your hair in a different hairstyle each day as well.

I am not a "only skirts girl" and believe that it is possible to dress modestly in jeans BUT I also believe it is so important to be feminine and I know that skirts are a wonderful way to do this! I am so excited for spring to come because from that time on I tend to wear mostly skirts because to me they are so much more comfortable then jeans and even capri's.

I believe that we are all called to bring honor and glory to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and I believe that dressing modestly and feminine is so important.
Do I believe that it is wrong to wear pants sometimes and the only thing that we can be modest in is skirts? Absolutely not! I have realized that is not about what I am or what I am not going to wear (obviously to a certain extent). It is about an attitude of the heart. That is where it all stems from! From wanting to honor and glorify Jesus in that area of my life. When people look at me I do not want them to be distracted by what I am (or am not) wearing (especially my brothers in the Lord). Instead, when people look at me I want them to not see me but instead to see my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ shining through me whether they have known me two seconds or 12 years." 

As I was getting geared up for today
(yes, I had the wrong dates in my mind)
my thoughts were continually straying to the challenge
and how excited I was about it and what I was hoping the Lord would do through it.
I got up.
Went to my closet.
And started choosing an outfit
(taking care to make sure it matched perfectly because I knew I would be posting pictures).

I was planning my day in my head when all the sudden a thought stopped me short:

How can I ever expect the Lord to bless this months challenge if,
instead of making sure that time spent with my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
cultivating my inward beauty is priority,
I get so focused and caught up in making myself look good on the outside.

Truly-what would be the point? 

There would be none.

This months challenge I want to challenge others to, not only cultivate modesty, but also 
cultivate our inward beauty that reflects
our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

As a part of that goal I am going to be, Lord willing, sharing thoughts everyday that relate to cultivating our inner beauty.

So here is my thought for you ladies today:

I love this quote from Leslie Ludy and thought I would share it with you girls out there as an encouragement and a challenge:

"God's sacred intent for us goes far beyond just saving
sex till marriage, wearing one-piece swimsuits instead of
skimpy string bikinis, or idolizing Christian bans instead
of secular ones. It is not just making sure we tack on some
Christian morality to our self-indulgent lives.

His sacred intent for you and for me is nothing short of
absolute abandonment to Jesus Christ
, entire separation from
the pollution of the world, and ardent worship of our
King with every breath we take.

Yes, it's a huge vision-one that is contrary to everything
our culture presents. In our modern world, we as young
women seem to be presented with only two options for our
femininity-we can either embrace the sensual, sexed-up
version of womanhood glorified by pop culture or we can
go the opposite direction and trade in perfume and makeup
for grit, grunge, and guy-like behavior.

But both of these options cause us to completely miss out
on the glorious pattern God designed for our femininity. We
were created to shine with heavenly beauty, to radiate with Christ-
like feminine loveliness, and to sparkle with the lily-white
purity of our Prince (Jesus). We were created to be set-apart
for Him.
-Excerpt from 'Set-Apart Femininity'"

So ladies, there are four days till the challenge begins.
What are you hoping to learn from it this month?

The Feeling Feminine Challenge-Day 7 (Last One)

Yesterday was the
last day of the challenge.

So be prepared for
a lot of different
thoughts that have
been going through my
head.

First things first:

This is my outfit from
the last day of the
challenge:


Yes, I am still
counting up but
now I guess I do
not need to do that
anymore because the
challenge is done.
Sigh.
Anyway!
So here is my outfit
Day 7-
Skirt: Something I got
on sale at Walmart! I love
it because I can wear
a billion (ok maybe not
THAT many) different
shirts with it and it
is the most comfortable thing ever!
Shirt: I got for $5 at Sears
when I went shopping with
Mom AND it came with an
amazing scarf (which I
do not have on) so it
really was an amazing deal!
Over sweater: something
that I got at the...
thrift store. Has
anyone figured out
where I get most of my
clothes yet?
Hair: I originally
had it down with a
hair scarf in it but
at work I ended just
throwing it up in a
messy bun.

So that ends the Feeling Feminine Challenge 2010!

Day 1's Outfit
Day 2's Outfit
Day 3's Outfit
Day 4's Outfit
Day 5's Outfit
Day 6's Outfit

I have so so so many thoughts that I want to share with you all but unfortunately I really do not have the time to write them all out right now as I am quite busy writing out something else called a research paper. *COUGH* Ahem.

So in the meantime I will leave you with these pictures of my last day albeit a day late.

Blessings to you all! :)

The Feeling Feminine Challenge-Day 6

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT IS DAY SIX!!!

Well, today was
Sunday SO I dressed
up a bit.
Today was ABSOLUTELY
BEAUTIFUL OUT
and it was yet
another reminder that
SPRING IS ALMOST HERE!!!!
So in keeping with
the whole spring
theme I decided
to don one of my
spring outfits.
And yes I am
still counting up!


Ok so here is my outfit for Day Six!
Dress: This dress
is actually something I
got from a Walmart.
I admit it! It was
just too cute for
me to resist
(even though I did
still get it on
sale).
Cami: From Rainbow for $5
Lace sweater thing:
I think it was from
Deb's in the mall.
Not sure though...
I DID have shoes on
but...they were kicked off
before this picture was taken...
Hair: Welll you know the
whole "different hairstyle
a day thing"? I know I
have worn my hair down
before BUT then I had
actually blow dryed it
and applied gel. Today-
I just let it go crazy!

So that ends Day six!

I can not believe that this challenge only has one more day left! I really would love to hear your thoughts on it.

I also want to stress the fact that while it is so so so much fun to do these kinds of challenges and get inspiration from each others outfits that what we are wearing should not be our focus.

I know that so many people say this but I don't care and I am going to say it again! Truly girls it is the inside that counts. Are you beautiful on the inside? Do you take as much time and put as much effort into cultivating your CHARACTER and who you are IN CHRIST as you do on your outward appearance?

I will be talking about that in the next few posts but just thought that I would get you thinking now! :)

Also, I want you to go and read this amazing post done by my amazing friend Christy. To go to her post CLICK HERE. In her post she shares so lessons that the Lord taught her this past week as she was doing the challenge.

Ok, that is all for now!

Blessings to you all :)

The Feeling Feminine Challenge-Day Five

So, today was just...one of those day! Saturdays are my day to completely relax.
It is the one day that I have absolutely NOTHING going on normally and after the Bible study on Friday nights it is nice to be able to sleep in, catch up on emailing and just...relax!

So. Here are some things I did NOT do today.
I most certainly did NOT sleep until 9am because I had been up till almost 1am last night after Bible Study. Nope. Nuh uh. Not me!
I most certain did NOT stay in my pajama's till after noon. I am always dressed with hair done and make-up perfectly applied by 8am every day. Nope. Nuh uh. Not me! I most certainly did NOT finally get dressed and then decided that I needed to go
outside which meant that I needed to improvise considering it is March and this is a skirt only challenge but it is still cold outside. Nope. Nuh uh.
Not me.


When I started
to improvise I most certainly did NOT put a red vest thing on over my green hoodie. Why would I ever do that considering the vest would make me look five months pregnant. Nope. Nuh uh. Not me. Even if I did do that I most certainly did NOT put on sweats
underneath my skirt to keep warm and THEN put on bright blue mud boots over that.
We all know that you don't clash that many different colors together at one time
and especially not on one outfit.Nope. Nuh uh. Not me. Then there is ABSOLUTELY NO WAY
I would have my amazing sister TAKE PICTURES
of me and post them on my blog for all my amazing readers to see. Nope. Nuh uh. Not me. Even if I did post those pictures I
WOULD NOT EVER not smile at the camera.
Because I always smile when my picture is taken and never would do a crazy thing
like that.Nope. Nuh uh. Not me.

Day Five's Outfit:

Yes I am still counting up the days!


Skirt: I got it at Deb's actually.
It was about $10 so
it is one of my more
expensive ones.
Shirt: One I got at
a thrift store I think.
Course you can't see
it so it really doesn't
matter anyway.
Hoodie: AERO brand new
for $10! LOVE IT!!!
Sweats: Things I
have had forever.


Hair: I actually
took time to do my
hair today considering
that I was dressed
down.
So here is the back
of my hair today:



So that was my Day four.

And no.
Just in case
you fell for it
I really
DID DO
do all those
things that I
said I did not
do.
Just in case you
were wondering :)

God has been teaching me a whole lot!
So look out for a post about
what He has been teaching me lately...

The Feeling Feminine Challenge 2010-Day 4

I am so sorry.
I missed yesterday's post!
*Katy hangs her head in shame.*
Ok, well I do have
a good excuse.
Ok, so maybe there are more
then one.
Yesterday was absolutely CRAZY!
We had an amazingly
fun time at work with
the kids doing our
own version
of the Olympics.
It was so so
so much fun!
I have 254 pictures
that I took
to prove just
how fun it was!
By the time
we got home it
was about an
hour to go before
the girl's Bible
study that I lead
on Friday nights
while my Dad leads
the Spanish Bible study.
So in short.
I was running and didn't
have a chance to post these
pictures.
There.
Those are (some of) my excuses ;)
OK! So maybe I will stop
with excuses and just
move onto my make up post.



Yes.
I am still counting up the days!
Yesterday was a
very simple outfit
day.
Skirt: My old trusty
and true jean skirt
that I bought from
the good ol' thrift store.
Shirt: The light green one
was 0.99 cents from a thrift
store. The dark green one was
0.99 cents from a thrift
store as well.
The sweater was 0.99 cents
from the thrift store
as well (noticing a
pattern here?).
Necklace: From Claire's
and yes I have had
if FOREVER.
Hair: Just a simple
ponytail. I tried
to make it look
elegant though :)

And that is my Day Four!

The Feeling Feminine Challenge 2010-Day 3

Wow.
I am SO tired!
So consider yourself
warned! :)

Today is DAY THREE!!!

I really can not believe
how fast this challenge has been
going! I know I have been
really enjoying it!

Ok.

So here is my outfit for
DAY THREE:



Yup that is right.
I am still
counting up!

Ok so onto more of the specifics:



Skirt: Something I have had
in my closet for (seriously)
as LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER!
At least six years ago!

Shirt: From Fashion Bug.
My Grandma gave me a gift card

Sweater: Thrift Store for 99 CENTS!

Cami: Rainbow for $5 dollars.

Shoes: Heh. Heh. Notice
how you can not see my feet?
Wellll...I DID have shoes on.
Just ones that I have had forever.
I think I got them from the thrift
store to actually...




OH and now for the first
time in this challenge
I will give you a picture of
my hair.



I really did not do much to
it except throw it back in
some up and some down
and then I just put a
french twist thing
in it (although I can't
for the life of me
remember the actual name).






NOTE: All these pictures
were taken by my amazing
brother Danny and instead
of being taken at the beginning
of the day...they were taken
at the end. Hence the
somewhat not so perfect
appearance but you know
what that is ok because that
is real life! :)

So that is my day three in a nutshell.

I guess I could also let you
in on some things that the Lord
has been reminding me of today.

Like what surrender is.

Like the fact that I tend to take
people's burdens and help them bear
it but in the end wind up stressed
and burned out because I didn't
surrender them right away to the Lord.

Like the fact that no one is
going to be able to complete me
only CHRIST.

Like the fact that my Savior
is so wonderful.

So patient.

So forgiving.

So kind.

So worthy of my absolute everything!

What has the Lord been teaching you lately?

The Feeling Feminine Challenge 2010-Day 2

Well here we are!

DAY 2!

Yesterday was so much fun!

For those people that believe that you can't
really do as much in a skirt it really doesn't
make that much of a difference.

Example: Yesterday at work I got to go
and work with the five, six and seven year
olds.

They had these parachutes and were running
around the gym chasing each other and this
adorable little blue eyed, blond haired
boy with an irresistible grin claimed me
to be on his "team". I spent about
15 minutes running away from about eight
little kids. AT THE SAME TIME!

It was so so much fun!

And did I mention?

I was in a skirt.

IT IS POSSIBLE! :)

So, here is my outfit for Day 2!



No, I am not doing the peace sign!

I am counting up the days.

Hence, the two fingers ;)

I did not do a full length shot with my
outfit yesterday so I wanted to make
sure that I got one today.

Confession: The reason I didn't get a full
length shot yesterday was because I did
not have shoes on.

(Katy hangs her head in shame.)

BUT, TODAY I HAVE SHOES ON!

'Course they are my sister Abby's *ahem*.

BUT they went great with the outfit! ;)

So, here is my FULL outfit:


Skirt- THRIFT STORE. Not sure how much it cost.
Shirt- THRIFT STORE.
Poncho- THRIFT STORE
Shoes- Abby's amazing boots THAT I LOVE.
Hair- Just hanging loose down my back.

I am so excited to see how many of you have
been doing this with me!

I am off to eat an amazing lunch.

Remember that the inside is what matters
more than the outside.

Are people seeing Jesus in YOU today?

SPECIAL NOTE:

My sister Abby has started a blog.
She is heading to Mexico this summer
Lord willing for 8 months of language
training at a school.

She started a new blog to record her journey
and I think it would really be neat if some
of my readers would stop by and check
it out (click the link below):

Mexico Bound 2010

Blessings :)

The Feeling Feminine Challenge 2010-Day 1

Well this is it! Day one! I am so excited :)

So lately I have found one of the neatest accessories
known to...well...woman!

Scarves.

Not just winter scarves mind you.

Any kinds of scarves.

Not only are they really fun
but they also can make a plain outfit
look much more fun and all in a modest way.

Ok, So here is my outfit for Day 1!



Skirt-Thrift store under $3 dollars.
Shirt-Sears sale for $5 dollars AND that included a color coordinated scarf!
Hair-Just a normal up-do. Nothing to it I just shake and clip.
I did add a headband however today.

So this outfit is pretty good. I mean, it is MODEST, includes a SKIRT (what the challenge is all about) and is COMFORTABLE.

But, it is a little bit blah.

SO.

I added a scarf.



Definitely made the difference! And did I mention, IT CAME WITH THE SHIRT!

*Contented Sigh*

I love clearance shopping! :)

Notice me counting up the days?

Yes that is why I am holding up ONE finger. Because, well, it is Day 1.

So, this is going good so far. Of course I have not left the house yet.

Today, I have to go to work.

I am wondering what people's reactions will be.

I wonder if they will even notice the difference.

So today I want you to really try to notice what people's reactions are. Is there a difference in the way people treat you and relate to you?

Also remember that whether or not you have a skirt or jeans on should not be the only deciding factor in whether or not people notice a difference in you.

If you name the name of Jesus Christ then that should be the difference every single day whether or not you are doing a challenge.

He should be the difference.

I can hardly wait to see your pictures :)

I love doing this kind of thing!

May Jesus be glorified!

Girls-Are YOU Up For The Challenge AGAIN?

Hey all,

So you know that I love to wear skirts :) (Click here to read my views on modesty). This morning I realized that the "7 days in a dress" challenge (hosted regularly by Feeling Feminine) is starting up again TOMORROW, MARCH 2ND and is hosted over at Simply Sarah-Anne.

The challenge is from March 2nd-March 7th. Basically you wear skirts and dress (GASP yup no pants) for 7 days (hence the name) and do your hair in a different hairstyle each day as well.

I am not a "only skirts girl" and believe that it is possible to dress modestly in jeans BUT I also believe it is so important to be feminine and I know that skirts are a wonderful way to do this! I am so excited for spring to come because from that time on I tend to wear mostly skirts because to me they are so much more comfortable then jeans and even capri's.

I believe that we are all called to bring honor and glory to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and I believe that dressing modestly and feminine is so important.
Do I believe that it is wrong to wear pants sometimes and the only thing that we can be modest in is skirts? Absolutely not! I have realized that is not about what I am or what I am not going to wear (obviously to a certain extent). It is about an attitude of the heart. That is where it all stems from! From wanting to honor and glorify Jesus in that area of my life. When people look at me I do not want them to be distracted by what I am (or am not) wearing (especially my brothers in the Lord). Instead, when people look at me I want them to not see me but instead to see my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ shining through me whether they have known me two seconds or 12 years.

I am actually really excited for this opportunity to challenge myself to dress feminine (NOT frumpy) but with a chic ,while still modest, twist.

So how about it girls?
Do you think you would be able to go SEVEN DAYS without jeans?
Do you want to join me?

I will be posting pics of my outfits daily!

Note: this is my second time doing this challenge. Click here to read about what the Lord taught me through this challenge last time: "The Final Day of The Feeling Feminine Challenge".

Guest Post #2: Modesty

Hey all you fellow bloggers out there!
I am so excited to finally be getting back to this series of blog posts that I was supposed to finish last week but...things happened and yeah did not work out as well as I thought BUT God is faithful and today is the start of a NEW week and I am excited to get going :)
This is the second of four guest posts that range on topics from singleness to modesty to living a life of no compromise for Christ. Note: my words will be ITALICIZED and the actual posts will just be in REGULAR type. Now onto the series :)

This second post is written by Kristen. She is a 20 year old Mamma to Benjamin and a devoted wife to her pastor husband Carl. I love visiting her blog and reading about what it is like to be a young wife and Mother (since that is a dream that I have held close to my heart for...forever). She has been a blessing and inspiration to me and I am sure would be to you as well :) Just click on the button to visit her blog:



Please feel free to leave comments and/or contact with any thoughts, questions, or your real life experience with modesty. Also feel free to visit my article on modesty "Some Thoughts on Modesty" where I share how the Lord has worked in my heart in regards to dressing modestly. I have a section in my right hand sidebar that has some excellent articles and resources for dressing modestly yet attractively :) So be sure to check those out as well!

And now onto the post:

Appearance isn’t everything, but it’s something, and it’s important to keep in mind the subject of modesty when we choose to dress ourselves. It is so easy these days to get caught up in appearances, when we have magazines and television shows and commercials and movies, even songs, telling us we need to be fashionable, we need to be hip, we need to be trendy. Sadly, though, to be fashionable, hip, and trendy, so many people abandon modesty and with that, abandon important morals that only lead to deeper problems. Perhaps if we took more time to dress modestly, young people wouldn’t struggle so much with sexual temptations and desires. When we decide to dress immodestly, we not only do a disservice to ourselves and our image, but we also put our peers in danger of having worldly thoughts.

God through His inspired word commands us to live pure lives in I Timothy 5:22. When we choose what to wear, we should be choosing clothing that tells others that we live pure lives. Dress how you want to be perceived. If you wish to be perceived as a follower of God, then dress like one! Police men dress as police men and expect to be perceived and treated as police men. Doctors dress as doctors and expect to be perceived and treated as doctors. If you dress sleazy and inappropriately, you can expect to be treated that way as well. If we expect to be perceived and treated as though we are Christians, then we should dress like Christians. I Timothy 2:10 tells us that we should dress as those who are professing godliness.

How does one dress as one who is professing godliness? The Bible tells us that we are to keep impure thoughts from our minds (Philippians 4:7-8) and that we are to abstain from every appearance of evil (I Thessalonians 5:22). If our fashion choices promote worldly, impure thoughts in others’ minds, we should be choosing more carefully. God tells us to adorn ourselves with “a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.” (I Peter 3:3-4)

When choosing what to wear, keep in mind the wise words of this writer, who is unknown:



“No less than seventeen times the Bible commands us to be “sober,” “sober minded” or to continue in “sobriety.” These words are defined as “sound judgment”, “exercising self-control” and “curbing one’s desires and impulses” (Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament; p. 613). One can be sober in deciding how they are going to dress in public by asking the following questions.

1. If we could send pictures to heaven, would I pose in this garment and send the picture to Jesus?
2. Would Jesus be ashamed of me in this attire?
3. If I had a choice of dress at the day of judgment would I feel this is appropriate?
4. I Timothy 5:22 says, keep thyself pure – does this garment promote and portray purity?
5. Does my clothing cause me to be spiritually minded or worldly minded?
6. Does this clothing conform to the pattern set in Philippians 4:8? (Will others think true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, good, virtuous, and praiseworthy things about me?)
7. If the most respected person I know were coming to visit me, would I want them to see me dressed like this?
8. Does this swim suit, shorts, or tight fitting garment have an effect on the opposite sex?
9. What kind of influence do I have wearing this?”

It isn’t always easy to find things that are appropriate for modest attire, but one who is striving to please God will take all the time they need to be sure they are dressed modestly - For themselves, for others, but mostly to glorify God while we are here on earth.