Friends in Storms

Would you carry me when life is a burden to great to carry?
Would you be a friend who wouldnt judge when I make mistakes?
Would you be a friend who would follow me to the ends of the earth, just to show me you love me?


Or would you,

Tell me that it is my burden to carry, and you have enough burdens yourself?
Judge me, and gossip about my problems behind my back?
As soon as the going gets tough, you leave me to trudge on alone?

Which friend are you?

 

How Much Do You Trust God?

Hi everyone! I hope you all have a fabulous weekend! Prepare yourselves for another honest offload.

So this morning in my families morning devotions we were reading from Mark 10. As we read through we came across the story of the wealthy man who wasn't willing to give up all his possessions and take up the cross of Jesus. What does taking up the cross of Jesus even mean? Well, my personal interpretation is that if we take up Jesus' cross, we have given up everything for his cause and to completely trust and follow him. This usually means a sacrifice. If there was no cost, everything would be too easy. But if we are willing to pay the price, take up Jesus' cross and receive salvation, God knows who His true followers are.

Here is the story of the wealthy man, found in Mark 10:17-22:

 

     " Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, 'Good teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?' So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No on is good but One, that is, God. you know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder', ' Do not steal', 'Do not bear false witness', 'Do not defraud', 'Honour your father and your mother'.'

And he answered and he said to him, 'Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth.' Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, 'One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.'

But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions."

 

(Other versions in the Gospel's say he never took up the cross.)

 

 

Some of you may have realised by now that I am from Australia, but have been living in Cambodia for the last 19 months with my family, working with girls that have been sexually abused or exploited. I am constantly facing hardships. My biggest one being that I left all of my friends and family (even my oldest sister) behind. If you knew me you would know that when I lived in Australia I was very 'friend orientated', I was always spending time with them I loved helping them out with their problems. I would pray for God's wisdom to be with me and through his wisdom and love I was able to help and give wise advice to my friends. My circle of friends weren't Christian so I was able to constantly be an example to them at school. I love helping people, I never forced my faith on them but tried daily to make it evident that there was something different about me and them. I haven't yet seen them turn to Christ but God was able to use me to plant seeds in all of them and now it's up to Him to bring the water and sunshine they need to grow in Him.

 

Here I haven't had that same opportunity. There is a different language and the problems these girls had and have are much more deep then the 'easy fix' ones that my friends had. I find that I'm not able to help them in the same way that I did with my friends. The only thing I can do is smile and love them, with my heart and with God's. Sure times get super hard here, especially with the stories of these girls that just break your heart into a million pieces. But you know what is amazing? God. Because I have him in me, I can be a carrier of His love and spread it all around. It's something that is universal and if you have Him inside you too, who gives a rats about a language barrier! His love language is the only one we need to know.

 

I miss my friends continually, not a single day goes by that I don't miss them. I pray that God will make it easier on me, but I feel like I'm in the middle of a trial. Although I don't and can't play the same role I did with my friends, He has brought my family here for a reason. I can get all upset and snooty about all the things I miss, or I can trust Him and believe that He makes all things work together for my good. Although it's difficult and trials still come, I have chosen to take up His cross.

 

'Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths." - Proverbs 3:5-6

 

The bible is full of great promises that tell us if we follow God, nothing can break us, no evil has a hold on us, and we will reap our rewards with our Father in Heaven. How much do you trust God? Do you trust Him enough to take up His cross and leave all earthly things behind?

May God bless and challenge you today.

~ Taleisha
 

Honour thy father and mother

Hello everyone!

This morning I started my new routine of waking up early to do my exercise and have my personal time with God before my family is up and the house is full of noise. I was reading Proverbs 6 and here are a few verses that caught my attention.

"My son, keep your father's command, 

And do not forsake the law of your mother. 

Bind them continually upon your heart; 

Tie them around your neck. 

When you roam, they will lead you; 

When you sleep, they will keep you; 

And when you awake, they will speak with you. 

For the commandment is a lamp, 

And the law a light..."

- Proverbs 6:20-23 (NKJV) 

I didn't fully understand what these verses meant so I looked at the footnote in my bible and it explained it for me. This is what it said: 

     "The mother is described as a teacher of her children (Proverbs 1:8). God's Word is a lamp to your  

     feet and a light to your path (Psalm 119:105). Parental commands. like the Word of God, are a lamp    

     and a light, giving wise guidance to the child's life. This analogy shows parents the importance of 

     teaching accordance to God's Word. That parents can only teach their children what they themselves 

     know and are applying in their lives is a sobering fact!" 

We won't always get along with our parents or agree with what they say or decide. But they're our parents and God has placed them in our lives to help guide us and direct us in the way God wants us to go. They are God's teachers to us and we should always be grateful for them. Everything they do is for our safety and well being. 

Today I challenge you to take a moment out of your day to make a list of things your parents have taught you or why you are thankful for them. Try and think of as many things as you possibly can! Then thank them for what they have done and sacrificed for you and then thank God. In future I hope you will treasure and understand how precious the words and counsel of your parents. They brought you into the world and played a huge role in helping shape the person you are today. And most of all the love you unconditionally and want the best for you. 

Thank you Jesus for my parents and for the constant blessing they are in my life! 

God bless everyone, 

~ Taleisha 

Lighted Lamps

Hello everyone!

I would like to let you all know a really great magazine that is very encouraging in our walks with the Lord. And its free!

Fellowship is something that is stressed a lot for scripture. We have to be there for each other. To encourage each other, challenge each other, share truth with each other- are you making sure that you have good fellowship with other believers each week?

Magazines are great for this. Lighted Lamps magazine mission is to...

"To encourage and strengthen Christian teens to love and follow God with their whole hearts, souls, and minds; and to glorify God. "

Magazines Each issue has inspiring articles on how to live out our lives for the glory of God, poetry, quizes and short stories. They come out monthly, and are easy to read and understand.

The best part? This magazine has been written and made by Christian teens like you and me. They know what we all have trouble with. You can read there magazines online at:

www.lightedlampmagazine.yolasite.com

 

Give it a go!

 

~ Meggie

The Void in Their Hearts

Once, back in the far edges of time, there was a world, a plant. There lived a people on this world. A race that had a hole, a gap in their very beings. Inside of them was a heart, but there was only a black void when it came to love.

These people longed for a relationship, a bond with someone who would fill that void in their hearts. It became there only wish. It was all they wanted, nothing else would compare to being filled. They craved for the ache to go away.

So, that race on that world started searching for love. And it consumed them. It became a crazy obsession- because they realized that without love, they would never be truly happy, and they would die without their life having meant anything.

The inhabitants started writing great stories about the perfect romance. They began to sing songs and ballads about what it would be like, what it would feel like to be in love. They began to script movies couples gazing into each others eyes, about people like them, who had found love.

The women of the species began to try everything to attract love. They dressed, dieted, designed and styled themselves to look like the women in the movies, in the songs and in the stories.

The men began hopping from women to women, looking for the one that would fill their void. They tried to do everything just as the songs had said, but it was always the wrong person.

Everytime a man and woman found eachother, they would think that they had finally found 'the one'. A time of blissfulness would follow, but each and everytime it would only fall apart. Because they would look within themselves and realize, they still had the void in their hearts.

The world lived on. It became complicated and depressed. The beings started killing themselves- the ache became to great for them, and they gave up.
They all believed there was no hope.

Yet, Faithful Love sat but a call away. He was the god, the creator of the world. He was the piece of the puzzel that was missing. He was what they all longed for.
Did he just stand there, and watch them slowly discourage themselves?

No, he reached down to help. He showed them that he was love. He called them, and told them that he would fill their void. He asked for them to give themselves to him.

But they were so busy searching for 'the One', that they missed him completly. They did not see him. Whilst searching for love, they missed it entirely.

 

 

Do no put your trust in princes,

Nor in a son of man
In whom there is no help.

 

~ Psalms 146:3

 

 

Written by Meggie. Copyright 2012. Do not copy, protected by copyscape.

 

What message are you sending?

Just a quick challenge...

Have you made anyone smile today? Have you brightened anyones life?

Have you preached the gospel through all of your actions today?

Preach the gospel at all times, and if necessary use words.

 

Personally...

 

Yes, I have made someone smile today.

 

Let God search me and know my ways, to see if I have. I cannot judge.

 

 

Blessings,

Meggie

'Just Friends'- the responses

So, it sounds like we all agree that it is better not to hug our guy friends, but if we do, that we should be careful about it. I want to share an expierence with you all that has shaped my thinking on this subject.

I have grown up homeschooled, and in the last few years, have not had many relationships with guys my own age, and even if I had they have not been very close. Anyways, at my workplace, I worked with a guy whom I enjoyed joking around with. He is not a Christian. Anyway, I got closer to him than I had to any guy I had with before. I got excited. I finally knew a guy well, that I thought I could hang out with and really get to know. Of course, I would reason, we are 'just friends'. I started looking forward to seeing him. I started hugging him when I said hello and goodbye. I could not get him out of my thoughts. Then, another person I worked with made the comment that I was flirting with him, instead of just normal joking around. That shook me awake.

Was I really flirting? Surely not, we were 'just friends' after all, I said to myself as I hugged him again. I got home that night, and God broke through and opened my eyes. I realized how much I fantasized about him, how much I was leading him on. I fell on my face towards God. How could I have been so foolish? So stupid? How did I not see it? I had all these lofty ideas about dating and marriage, and then I had gone and given my heart away.

Thats when I started looking for answers. I went to my Nan and asked her what she thought about it, and my Nan told me that, honestly, she felt uncomfortable when she hugged other men.

Now, with other 'brother and sister' relationships, I have realized where I went wrong, and what not to do with the other relationships I have.

1) Do you think hugging is appropriate?
I do not think hugging is appropriate. There are some situations where it is natural in a brother-sister relationship, but that only happens once in a blue moon. Like Taleisha said, she was moving overseas, and when she said goodbye, her guy friends closest to her she hugged goodbye. But these situations are really quite rare, look at what your attitude is, what your thoughts are. Why are you doing it? Would it give the wrong impression to the guy? I liked what Moriah said, that if we think that that guy is someone elses husband, I think that would help a lot.

2) What is the difference between friends and romance?
Friends let each other know how their feeling. They carry each others burdens. They pray for each other. They are always there for each other. They are always guarding each others purity.
In romance, they cannot stop thinking about each other. They are always wondering what the other is doing. They play over in their mind the last time they saw that person. They hold hands. They open up to each other more than they need to.

3) What things do you not do in a brother relationship?
You dont flirt. You make sure you restrict all physical touch.

4) Should we worry about what other people think?
This one made me really think. I think Moriah is right. Whatever people think, we should hold it up and ask us if there is truth in it. And ask, is it just gossip, or is it the truth? Is the person saying it worthy to be listened to?

So, I have more questions for discussion.

What is the best bit of advice you have recieved for this?
How do you stop your thoughts from becoming obsessive?

:)
Meggie

Guy Friendships?

 

 Is it possible to be friends with a guy without falling in love? Can you love a guy just as much as you love your girlfriend without having a crush? Is it ok to hug guys, or should I not even touch them? Am I flirting with so-and-so, or are we just friends?

I am finding it so difficult at the moment with friendships with males. Keeping my emotions in check is not the hard part- the hard part is trying to work out what a friend does, and what someone with a crush does. I am so annoyed when people imagine up a romance between you and a close guy friend that just makes both of you awkward. (But I know I do this too).

I am a bookworm, and I love old books. It was not weird for a girl to love a guy (in a brother-sister relationship) and be as close to him as she would a girlfriend in history. I am not saying that there was no boundaries, there has and always will be boundaries that you just do not cross. But today you cannot talk to a guy without other people looking on and thinking that you are in a romance.

Where did good brother-sister relationships go? What happened to them?

Friendships have changed, and though I wish I was born ten decades ago so I would not worry about it, it is different nowadays. So how on earth do you just be 'just friends'?

I want to open this up for discussion in the comments, I want to see what you all think, what your boundaries are in different-sex relationships. Answer some (or all if you really want to!)  of these questions:

Do you think hugging is appropriate?
What is the difference between friends and romance?
What things do you just not do in a brother relationship?
Should we worry about what other people think?

I will answer these questions myself soon.

Meggie

Busy Bees...



 

How many of us have ever been too busy to focus on God? How many of us struggle to find even a hour of our day to talk to Him when He should be our closest friend? How many of us have a list of things to get done and say that we will talk to God once we're finished? We know that the list is never complete, and that there is always something to do, something to distract us from turning our eyes to Him. I know that I am completely guilty, especially lately. I had my last week of the school term last week and of course in my eyes I could see no time for God. I can talk to God anytime, but these assignments are due this week!

Now I am on holidays but I still have work to do for my childcare course. When will the business end? And when I have free time to relax, I'll be honest, I don't think of spending time with God. I think of watching a movie, reading a book or sleeping. How can I consider myself a faithful servant when I treat God like this?! I should get excited when I get the opportunity. Excited about the fact that the Creator of the Universe is listening to me! He's that friend that is waitig to hear from me, don't I at least owe Him our attention?

I can stress just how important it is to spend with God. He loves you unconditionally and wants the best for you in life. Finding the time of day can be a challenge, but it's a challenge that I encourage anyone who feels the same to walk with me. Of course not every single person will feel like this. Maybe you're on a spiritual high right now, and that's awesome.

One of the beauties about God is that we don't need to have battery on our phones, or credit, emails, Facebook, Twitter and all the other stuff to communicate with Him. God doesn't cost money and you don't need internet to speak to him. He's there, right beside us 24/7, ready to listen to whatever it is you have to tell Him.

"For God so loved teh world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him, shall not perish, but have everlasting life." - John 3:16

God gave His son, what will you give?

If you have ideas of how to get fired up for God again, please comment below. Share your thoughts, it won't only be me you're helping, but other readers out there too.


God bless,
~ Taleisha
 

UNFADING ELEGANCE IS OFFICIALLY A YEAR OLD!!!

Hello all readers and followers! I know there have been about three posts in the last week but I just wanted to announce that one year ago today, Meggie and I started Unfading Elegance. Time has flown by so quickly, and we couldn't have had any success without you. We are so glad that God has decided to use us to reach out to other teens around the world. Never did we imagine that we would get hits from the Ukraine, Canada, Germany, Russia, United States and these are just the countries I can think of off the top of my head, there are more. With the help of you all we have had over 2000 views and it's more then we could have hoped for.

We would love to hear what you want us to write about in the year to come. Comment on this post and tell us what topics you would like us to cover. We'd love to hear from our audience and what they think of the blog. If you have something you'd like to say or a suggestion to help improve our blog, please leave us a message in the comments. Your thoughts matter!

Thanks again and may God be with us all in the year to come.


~ Taleisha & Meggie

Not dry and empty, but passionate!

I just had to add my two bobs worth on 'God wants you'.

Something I have been learning is that, being a Christian isnt supposed to be dry and empty. It isnt supposed to be lifeless. We are called to love God with all our hearts as the biggest commandment, and to love the people around us. We are supposed to do everything out of love.

When I read books, I dont read them because I think it will teach me something, I dont read because a friend said I should read it. When I read a book  I do it for the thrill of reading. I love stories, meeting new friends in different places and going on adventures, I read because I love it!

Instead of being dry and lifeless in my walk, why cant I do everything out of love to God? Why cant He be the only reason I get up in the morning? To read His word because I love it like David. To be generous because I want to. To pray because I have to let God know whats happening in my life.

God doesnt want us to do things just because we think we have to. He wants us to do it out of love for Him.

And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains,
but have not love,

I am nothing.

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor...but have not love,
it profits me nothing.

 - 1 Corinthians 13:2-3 NKJV (paraphrased).

~ Meggie

God Wants You!

I am going to be completely honest, not only because I want to but because I'm sure I'm not the only one out there who is feeling like this. I've been going through a rough patch in my walk with God for about the last month. I don't know what caused it but I just didn't feel excited about God anymore, and to be even more honest, I kind of wish my family would stop talking about Him. I knew that there was nothing wrong with God, and that it was 100 percent to do with me and my heart attitude. It was me who had drifted away, not God. He was still walking right beside me, waiting for me reach out to Him, acknowledge He was there and pour out my heart to Him with everything I was feeling and say I'm sorry. I have been praying at night, when I remember, but I can't help remembering how empty my words were. Did I even mean what I was praying for? Sure I want my friends to be safe and protected, but I wasn't praying sincerely. I knew something had to change, and that change would have to start with me.

While my dad was away for a few days my mum read to us from her devotion book, word4U2day. I really liked the idea that I didn't have to be spending hours by myself praying to God, but that I could start my relationship with Him again in a way I was comfortable. Sometime within the last week I decided to wake up twenty minutes earlier then usual and finally read the small devotion book that Meggie had given me when I visited Australia, word4U2day. So I woke up, and started reading, not just for that day, but for the 15th, 16th and 17th of August as well. And by the time I came out of my room, I was feeling a joy. A joy I had been lacking for a while now. But that seemed to only last a day because the weekend came.

My alarm went off this morning at 7:30am, but instead of getting up I turned it off and went back to sleep. Then I was woken up for our regular family devotions at 8am. We were reading in the second chapter in Mark. But afterward my mum picked up her devotion book and read the message for August 20 because we had finished prayer early. And immediately I was glad she did. I have been dealing with something (well a few things) in my life right now that have brought me to a place of asking lots of questions, mainly why. I've been talking to my mum and just cried because I didn't want to see the good in what was happening around me. I was super emotional and having trouble dealing with my situation. The devotion was about offloading what you feel. Yeah, okay, I've done that with my mum. But the devotion went on to talk about offloading to Jesus.

Even though I had chosen not to read my devotions this morning, God found a way to make sure I heard His message to me anyway. It made me smile and even laugh a little because I was just so happy and thankful that He played that little trick with me. I have no doubt that it was God speaking to me saying, "You can try and get rid of me, but I am your Father, I love you and I'm not going anywhere."

I just wanted to share that with you all. Hopefully it was an encouragement to someone out there as much as it was to me. I know there is someone out there who, through reading my little story, had God speak to them or convict them like He did me. Whoever you are and wherever you are, may God bless you and be with you today. I know He wants to be.


"Turning to God isn't about looking for an on/off switch turn off your pain. God gives us strength needed to push on through it, to get closer to the best He has for you...So talk to God, put your confidence in Him and look to Him for all your answers."
                                                                                                         - word4U2day, August 20

~ Taleisha

What if I had given everything?

I know we have been posting a lot of video clips of late, but this sums up my heart cry at this very moment. I thought I would share if anyone else feels the same way and needs some encouraging. :)

This might hurt, it's not safe
But I know that I've gotta make a change
I don't care if I break,
At least I'll be feeling something
'Cause just okay is not enough
Help me fight through the nothingness of life

I don't wanna go through the motions
I don't wanna go one more day
without Your all consuming passion inside of me
I don't wanna spend my whole life asking,
"What if I had given everything,
instead of going through the motions?"

No regrets, not this time
I'm gonna let my heart defeat my mind
Let Your love make me whole
I think I'm finally feeling something
'Cause just okay is not enough
Help me fight through the nothingness of this life

'Cause I don't wanna go through the motions
I don't wanna go one more day
without Your all consuming passion inside of me
I don't wanna spend my whole life asking,
"What if I had given everything,
instead of going through the motions?"

take me all the way (take me all the way)
take me all the way ('cause I don't wanna go through the motions)
take me all the way (I know I'm finally feeling something real)
take me all the way

~Meggie

A Fun Finish To Our Modesty Articles...

Barlow Girl is a Christian girl band made up of 3 sisters - Alyssa, Becca and Lauren. They have been a favourite of mine for a few years now and I thought that because we've just finished covering all parts of modesty in our modesty series, we could top it off with a fun song about clothes and what the world around us is like these days. Enjoy!!

~ Meggie & Taleisha 

Do I heed the Saviours Call?

The Beauty Beneath has come to a close. And Taleisha and I just want to leave you with one last thing.
It doesn’t matter what we have said on this topic. It doesn’t matter. You need to read the bible yourself and decide what is right and what is wrong. You need to hear from God and obey what He tells you- yes, especially if it is different from what we have said!
Ask God what He would have you do.
Not what you want to do.
And Obey Him.
~ Meggie and Taleisha

Make-up and the Gospel

I brought the brush to my nose. The foundation puffed into the air as I brushed it over my face. I felt like I was hiding, that somehow, I was covering up the real me.
Honestly, I still don’t know what I believe about make-up, I am still trying to work out if it is bad or good. But, we all think differently. So many good Christian girls wear make-up, and some of them strictly don’t wear it. I think it is what is in your heart.

Here are some quotes and bible verses that I have been really thinking about:

For we know that if our earthly house, this tent [our body], is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house [body] not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. – 2 Corinthians 5:1

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. – 2 Corinthians 5:10

Make sure what’s on the outside reflect the purity of the inside. – A Young Women After Gods Own Heart, by Elisabeth George.

Our goal should be to make ourselves presentable; remove all distractions; draw attention to our face, eyes and smile; and let our outward appearance showcase the inner joy, peace and love Christ is cultivating within our soul. – The Lost Art of True Beauty, by Leslie Ludy.

Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised. – Proverbs 31:30

But when make-up ceases to accent the face and begins to cover the natural beauty God made, then it reflects the mixed-up priorities of the wearer. – Uncompromising, by Hannah Farvar.

There is a certain honesty and vulnerability in a clean, unembellished face. It shows humility and draws attention from the merely external to the soul shining through the eyes. – from the article, The Eye of the Beholder, by Bethany Patchin Torode. .

Take some time over these questions:

Why do I wear make-up?
Is make-up glorifying God in my life, or is it distracting me from Him?
Do I draw attention to myself, or to Jesus?

This is what Myra, a sister in Christ, thinks about make-up:

Why do we decorate houses or put flowers on our table or take anything and make it more beautiful? I believe that God made us to want beauty and crave beauty because He loves it. There is a beauty in Christianity, and I don't think it is wrong to take our physical appearances and make them more beautiful anymore than it is to take those things around us and make them more beautiful…if we are purposely masking our appearances because we are discontent with them, then we need to deal with our hearts. Our true confidence and our true beauty should come from knowing that we are daughters and servants of Jesus Christ and not from dressing like the latest models or wearing a pound of eye make-up.

…It's just that we have to remember that who we are on the outside isn't everything. There is so much more beyond the surface of our skin!...

~ Meggie

True Beauty - Leslie Ludy

~ Meggie

But don't guys have a responsibility too?

I looked down at what I was wearing: a cute purple shirt with a singlet underneath, protecting the low neck-line of the shirt; a purple, blue and pink flowery mini skirt with black tights. I bent down in front of the mirror. Good, the shirt didn’t seem to gape. Then I let my arms hang down. The shirt opened right up. Well, if I stood up straight and didn’t bend down without holding my shirt down I would be all good…right? Oh, and if my skirt didn’t fly up, I would be fine too. If I don’t have to run a race or anything, I will be fine. I thought.
But I frowned as I looked down at myself again.
Honestly, if I wanted to make sure I was perfectly modest, shouldn’t I ditch fashion and wear ankle long dresses that have a rectangle shape and a neckline that sits tightly around my neck? If I want to be a hundred percent modest, do I need wear that sort of thing?
Most days started off like this. Looking down at my clothes, and thinking how if this happened, and this happened, then I my shirt would gape, or my lower regions would be in the spotlight. I had to start thinking, if I am really out to not be a temptation, should I make sure nothing can be seen? I jumped onto the Modesty Survey, and I noticed they had the question posed at guys: What is your responsibility? Read one of their responses.

As a guy, what is your responsibility in this area? What is your role in guarding your eyes and mind (as opposed to the women's role of dressing modestly)?

If we seek to meditate on the sexual elements of her appearance, we're sinning and they're fine. If we have to make a conscious effort to avoid it more than usual, it's likely immodest. - from a fifteen year old guy.

Ultimately it is a guy's responsibility whether or not he is going to keep himself pure. No one can be forced to sin. However, a lot of girls don't realize how very diffucult it is for even the most godly guy to resist temptation in this area. It is so easy to let your eyes go to the wrong places, especially with the way our culture is today. It is the guy's decision whether he is going to sin or not, but a girl can make it a lot easier, or a girl can make it incredibly difficult. - from a fifteen year old guy.

(Modesty Survey, Survey Results, Open Questions, As a guy, what is your responsibility in this area? What is your role in guarding your eyes and mind (as opposed to the women's role of dressing modestly)? http://www.therebelution.com/modestysurvey/browse)

I realized that even if I wore a dress that covered everything, guys walking down the street, or in a shopping centre, would still think sexual thoughts. I realized that guys have a responsibility too; that they must try just as hard as us girls to keep their minds pure; and I realized that anything can happen, and I will never be prepared for everything the way I dress.

Takes a weight off your mind, doesn’t it?

In a nutshell: we dress modestly, and remove any stumbling blocks, but guys have a responsibility too.

~ Meggie

What I Believe about Modesty...

And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us,
And establish the work of our hands for us;
Yes, establish the work of our hands. – Psalm 90:17

I believe that my clothing must glorify God.

I believe that if what I wear is making me be someone I am not, then I am not glorifying God.

I believe that I wear the clothes that I wear so that guys, and others will notice and compliment me, then I am not glorifying God.

I believe that if I choose my clothing on the basis that I want to fit in with the fashion trends, then I am not glorifying God, but going after fashion as my idol.

Basically, when I choose clothes, anything that is tight, and shows every curve of my body shape, if it has a low neckline that shows any part of my breasts in any way and any action (bending down etc.), if it is shorter than my knees, than it is immodest.

But don’t drop me out as a ‘frump’! I still like to look beautiful, I just know that beauty isn’t everything. I like wearing ankle long beach dresses, knee-length skirts with tights underneath, and I love my boots.

God isn’t telling you that you cannot be tasteful, that you have to be unfashionable and wear bland clothes that cover every inch of skin. He is saying He has an even better way. That by being modest, at the end of the day, is more beautiful.

Love others more than you love yourself. We are here to serve others, even in our clothing.

~ Meggie

Check out Christa Taylor, a young woman who has embraced modesty with her blog: http://www.empoweredtraditionalist.com/  where she posts about modesty, and where you can find some great modest clothing.

Clothing and Modesty

Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. – Luke 12:23

Today instead of writing a proper post, I want to share some quotes and bible verses. Clothing is something that you must ask God for yourself what you shouldn’t and should wear. You need to talk to God alone about this, and decide what your boundaries will be. Because I know if I don’t have strict boundaries and I see a really cute top, with a low neckline, I will buy it anyway.

At the end of the post there is some questions. Think deeply about these questions, and ask God to show you the answers.

Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. – Philippians 2:4

If any interest draws our eyes [away] from Him, it’s sin. – Uncompromising, by Hannah Farver

Upper chest, thighs, stomach- these might seem like harmless areas to show off, but if you were married and wanted to stay that way, you wouldn’t allow another guy to touch you in any of those places. So why would you allow another guy to have the privilege of looking at what was meant for your husband’s pleasure alone? – The Lost Art of True Beauty, Leslie Ludy

Ladies, do you relate to your guy friends in a way that would make their future wives want to seek you out and thank you for being a sister to their husbands? – I Kissed Dating Goodbye, by Joshua Harris

The way we dress sends a message to those around us, whether we mean it or not. – The Lost Art of True Beauty, by Leslie Ludy.

There is a website called The Modesty Survey, which is a survey that hundreds of guys around the globe have filled out, giving us girls some help in choosing modest clothes. To find out what guys find immodest jump on there. Here are some quotes from this website.

 

The honest truth is this: We're not telling you what to wear -- we're just telling you what we, as guys, have to guard against. It is God's Word, your own heart and conscience, and your parents and godly friends who should help you decide what to do about it. But, to help you reach your own conclusions we've provided some excellent resources that strike a balanced, non-legalistic tone.

 – The Modesty Survey, http://www.therebelution.com/modestysurvey/overview

If you could say one thing to your sisters in Christ about modesty, what would it be?

Please don’t take modesty lightly. As your brother in Christ I value the relationship that I will have with my wife someday. When I am tempted because of you I lose a part of myself that I am trying to save for her. When I’m tempted because of you I become that much more accepting of the perversions in the world. When you remain pure and modest, my life is made so much easier. Instead of watching to ensure that I don’t sin I can focus on you as a person and fellow follower of Christ. I appreciate modesty more than you’ll ever know. Please, show respect of yourself and of me and be modest.  – From a sixteen year old guy.

Embrace it. Even though it always seems like guys only "want one thing," I, being a guy myself, can speak for most guys when I say that deep down inside most guys really just want a girl that has the confidence to not cheapen herself by dressing immodestly. It is time for both guys and girls to rise above the age-old stereotypes thrown at us by the media, adults, and each other, and take modesty to heart! – From a seventeen year old guy. - Modesty Survey: http://www.therebelution.com/modestysurvey/browse On 'Open Questions' and then 'If you could say one thing to your sisters in Christ about modesty, what would it be?" What does your appearance say about you? Do you look for compliments from others? Do I spend more time each day on dressing, than spending time with God? Do you draw attention to yourself, or to Christ? What would God have you do? Are you dressing how you want, or have you asked God to reveal to you how He would have you dress?

~ Meggie

Battle for Life

Edward could barely hold the sword; it was slippery with his own blood. He yanked it out of his enemies’ body and pointed it towards the next foe that had arisen out of the forces.
“You will not have me!” he screamed as he slammed his sword against the fire-coloured man, coated in glowing coals.
The fire-man drew back his sword and with great swing, knocked the sword from Edwards grasp. Immediately Edward drew his dagger and threw it at the fire-mans chest.
It made a stabbing noise, but the man just pulled it out, and dropped it onto the dead surrounding them.
“So, you can’t die either?” Edward pulled an axe from the ground, and lunged at him.
A throaty hiss issued from him, he shoved Edward back, sprawling on the ground, then with a scream, pushed down the sword.
Edward rolled away and onto his feat.
“Tell me your name!” Edward shouted.
The coals on his face lifted into a disgusting smile.
“Doubt.” He flung down his sword, and then reached out, and easily plucked the axe from Edwards hands.
“No!” Edward clutched his head. “You will not enter! YOU WILL NOT ENTER!” he screamed.
The creature was trying to enter his mind.
“You can’t win,” the fire-man hissed. “You have no chance. Why bother? This is all too hard. You won’t win through. If you keep going you will die.”
“NO!” But slowly, Edward was being pushed backward, the fire-man walked slowly towards him, whispering and hissing.
He needed to find his sword, he had to kill doubt before it could take over his mind and turn him into one of them.
He glanced around. There were plenty of swords, but where was his?
A glimmer of light stole his eye.
It was there, the fire-man stood in the way.
“Your friends are all lying to you, it will not come out right!”
Edward gazed into that face for a few moments. What if they had all been lying to him? What now? How would he even know this was all a lie? He would find out too late.
“…too late. It will be too late!”
“No!” Edward ducked between the hot legs, and pushed through, grabbing his sword and swinging it around.
The fire-man shrieked, then jumped at him, pushing his sword away and whispering in his ear.
Edward pushed him off, and turned his sword.
“Give me the strength!” he whispered, and then rolled onto the fire-man, feeling the coals heating his armour, but not burning through.
“While he gives me strength, I will not give in!”
Edward stood, doubt went to stand, but with a war cry, Edward stabbed him through.
He dropped to the ground.
Then another came at Edward from behind.

~ Written by Meggie. Protected with Copyscape. Please do not copy without permission.

Modesty

Modesty

Ladies of the past springing from novels: Elizabeth Bennet, Jo March and Jane Eyre. They were all so beautiful, and so elegant. But did you ever read a detailed sentence on what they were wearing? It didn’t matter what they were wearing! It was their characters that really spoke to us about who they were. I want you to remember that as we have a look at modesty, that clothes are not going to make us beautiful, only a beautiful heart will.

Therefore I want men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing. I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety , adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expiensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God. – 1 Timothy 2:8-10

Modesty: 

1. The state or quality of being modest.

2. Reserve or propriety in speech, dress, or behavior.

3. Lack of pretentiousness; simplicity.

( From The Free Dictionary: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/modesty)

Guys are different from us. (Obviously!) They have their mind wired in a different way. Guys thoughts and feelings turn naturally to the marriage bed. These thoughts come into their mind so easily, that a guy that cares about purity has a lot of trouble fighting against those thoughts. Sitting in a guys lap, talking about touchy subjects and dressing indecenetly, does make it harder for them to keep themselves from lusting. Are you the sort of person a guy can hang out with and get to know without their eyes going to the wrong places?
Also, if we are keeping ourselves for our future prince charming, then why are we flaunting our bodies to every passerby? The Bible teaches that sex is for marriage, but so are the other private parts of your body. Those parts are especially for your husband, keep them that way!
By being modest in our actions, speech and fashion, we can help guys stay pure, and also stay pure ourselves.

If you are a girl who has given her life to follow Christ, show that through how you dress, what you say, and what you do. Dress, talk and walk who you are. I am not saying that you wear a t-shirt saying Jesus Loves You, or always talk about church. I mean that you reflect Jesus’ purity in the way that you save your body for only your husband by dressing modestly and that your speech shows you are not leading any guy on. Modesty is another word for purity. Dress and speak with purity.

“Make it your goal that when a guy looks at you, he will notice the light of Christ in your eyes and the radiance of your smile, rather than being distracted by the outline of your body.” – Leslie Ludy in The Lost Art of True Beauty.

Modesty is keeping your clothing, words and actions compleltly pure. Modesty means not causing temptation for guys, it means covering up what is only meant for our future husband to see, and showing through all where your life lies- in the hands of the Creator.

~Meggie

Discernment: following the right paths

But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. - Hebrews 5:14 NKJV

She flung her hand angrily over the mosquitoes hovering in the black around her lantern, which was swinging madly around as she jogged onwards. The darkness did not let up; she could only see black shapes around her and the sandy path underneath her shoes. Where did this road finish?

Sighing she kept jogging along, but slowed to a walk when she noticed the path widening. She stopped and frowned. Looking around she found the path was branching off into two completely different directions. The left one looked interesting; the path seemed to veer down a hill and all around. She turned and walked cautiously down it.

Discernment is being able to tell if a thing is good or bad. Right or wrong. Biblically, discerning is when you are able to look at two different paths and know which is the right one and which is the wrong one. It is understanding what the two paths are, and understanding where they lead.

Discern – to distinguish; to see the difference between two or more things; to discriminate; to see or understand the difference. (Taken from Websters: American Dictionary of the English Language).

Why bother with discernment? Imagine you are her. You are pushing through with one lone lantern through the paths of life and hit a crossroads. A decision: a guy asks you out or you get a job offer. Do you go with what you feel like? Discernment sees each path and finds out what to take by reading the Word to see which is right and which is wrong.
Discernment sees the end result, the destiny of each road and makes the decisions in light of what is at the end of the finish line.

Here are some bible verses that have taught me a lot about discernment.

You know when I sit down and when I rise up, You discern my thoughts from afar.  

– Psalm 139:2 ESV

They do not know nor understand; For He has shut their eyes, so they cannot see, And their hearts, so that they cannot understand [ or discern]. – Isaiah 44:19 NKJV

God gives discernment. Like King Solomon, you have to ask God for wisdom, knowledge and discernment. He is the one who gives it, you can’t try and be discerning without being given it by God.

Where is the way to the dwelling of light, and where is the place of darkness, that you may take it to its territory and that you may discern the paths to its home? – Job 38:19-20 ESV

When making a choice of what to do, take a step back and see what the end result will be. Will this new job at the end of its path, bring honour to God? Will this job bring me closer to God in the end, more towards heaven, or will it draw me to the devil? Think of that roads destiny. Each road, path and choice has a destiny, by looking for its destiny you can usually understand if it is good or bad.

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light…finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. – Ephesians 5:8-10

Where do we find out what is acceptable to God? The Bible! When I didn’t know if I should be hugging my guy friends, I turned to the bible with a concordance and looked up verses on ‘friendship’ and ‘purity’. I soon realized what path God wanted me to take. You need to search out and dig up the truth so you can make right decisions. Should you go out with that guy? Go to your Bible and ask God what He thinks about dating. To make the right choices to live life on the path that God wants you to be walking, you need to forever be referring to His manual, and digging into it.

So, discernment is finding out if something is right or wrong by: asking God for discernment, looking at the end result, and by searching the bible for knowledge on that choice. Make the right choices by discerning what path to take.

She fell to her knees, briars clinging to her skirt and hair, the blood seeping from her arm and the mud flecked over her face. The path had turned into a little track and had finally vanished, leaving her with no way to go. “Oh, God. I went with what I felt was good, with what I thought was right. Please, please,” she whispered. “Please help me.”

He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set me feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. – Psalm 40:2 ESV

~ Meggie

Purity in Action

Hello girls!

I talked last week about how beauty comes from the heart, and we need to cultivate those things in our hearts that will show true beauty. The next three parts are going to be look at three very different things that can make us beautiful: Chasteness, Discernment and Modesty. But the most beautiful thing that can be in our hearts is Jesus Christ. If He is in there and is the love of our lives, then He will change us daily to be more and more beautiful- more and more like Him. If He isn’t there, then these three attributes won’t be there either.

So what is this word, ‘Chaste’? (Yes, it is a very old word!)

Chaste:
1. not having experienced sexual intercourse; virginal
2. abstaining from unlawful or immoral sexual intercourse
3. (of conduct, speech, etc.) pure; decent; modest
4. (of style or taste) free from embellishment; simple; restrained
- (Definition from The Free Dictionary: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/chaste )

 But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine: that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience; the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behaviour, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things— that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed. – Titus 2:1-5

The younger women are to be loving, homemakers, good, obedient, and chaste.

I wanted to look at this word, because it is not used now-a-days, but it holds a beautiful meaning. It’s a word that basically means ‘pure’. Sort of like pure, but not. The first and second meaning for the word ‘chaste’ is being a virgin or only having sex within the boundaries of marriage. It’s the third meaning I want to look at: (of conduct, speech etc.) Pure; Decent; Modest.

There is more to ‘keeping sex for marriage’ than most think. Being chaste is about letting that decision affect other areas of our lives. Can you remain a virgin, but flirt with guys? Can you remain a virgin until marriage, but in your mind obsess over your latest crush and be called pure? Being chaste means being sexually pure in everything: actions, words, conduct, thoughts, clothing, make-up and jewellery. Being pure, decent and modest in your actions means making sure you don’t lead guys in the wrong direction. It means loving guys by helping them by wearing clothing that is modest (I’ll talk more about this in another article).

Are your actions and thoughts revealing the decision you have made to remain pure? Do guys see low tops and hear flirtatious comments? Or do they see the heavenly beauty of a mind that lets herself dream, but not obsess, of a girl who is modest in her clothing, not fishing for attention, a girl who challenges and encourages those around her to live for God, not draw their thoughts in the wrong direction?

Let God into your actions. Let others see these decisions through what you do, not what you don’t do. Chaste: being sexually pure in every part of our lives. Not just the physical.

  ~ Meggie

Real Beauty: Outward Beauty versus Heart Beauty

Magazines, TV shows, celebrities, catwalks: they are all hiding behind there ‘beauty’ of their bodies. They tell us that we are not beautiful unless we do the same. But as Christians we don’t follow the world anymore. God says that actually, beauty comes from within.

Why are we talking about true beauty? As I am struggling with the demands of today with make-up, clothing, and jewellery not knowing if I should wear it, or how much I should care about beauty, I realized that I had given over my life to Christ, I am His, I need to do what He would have me do in this area.

For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ, that each one may receive…according to what he has done whether good or bad. – 2 Corinthians 5:10 NKJV

Take a step back and look at eternity, God made the world, and in the end those that believe on Jesus will go to heaven, and live in heaven forever, for eternity. Now think about beauty. I realized that beauty is not going to get me to heaven.

Therefore do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing [dying], yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. – 2 Corinthians 4:16 NKJV

Does beauty really matter then? I didn’t know. Does God think make-up is evil? Should I wear jewellery? Do I need to wear un-fashionable clothing to be a Christian? I dug into Gods Word, and He brought these versus my way.

Do not let your adornment be...

[just]… outward… rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible [undying] beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. – 1 Peter 3:3-4 (words in brackets mine.) NKJV

He is saying that a gentle and quiet spirit is beautiful. The good, pure God-given stuff in our heart is beautiful or drop-dead gorgeous. 

Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout, is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion. – Proverbs 11:22 NIV

Does a pig with a gold ring through its nose look pretty to you? God is saying that without the virtue discretion, a woman is ugly.  Without that good thing in the heart, we might as well be pigs with a gold ring. Ever seen a girl who is gorgeous, but then as you get to know her you realize she lies behind your back, she does whatever she feels like doing, she swears at her friends, and doesn’t keep secrets.  She is pretty to the worlds standards, but when you think about her, would the word ‘pretty’ or ‘gorgeous’ come to your mind, or would you think ‘horrible’?

And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands for us;… - Psalm 90:17a NKJV

God is good in every way. If He is in our hearts and changing our actions, then His beauty shines through us. Those pig-ish actions are chucked out and replaced with beautiful actions.

And the last one…

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment… - 1 Peter 3:3

My beauty should not come from the outside. My beauty should not come from what a wear, what my face looks like, or whether I have no acne (or pimples!) today.
REAL beauty comes from the inside. It comes from what we have in our heart, not what we wear!
True beauty is what shines through our lives through our actions, through our smiles, through our discretion and gentle, quiet spirit. Beauty comes straight from God living in our hearts and pushing beauty through us!

There is that beauty that the world thinks of; that outward beauty. But think: our bodies are dying and growing old. We might have beauty now as we are young, but as we grow old, what will we have left? Do we have the undying beauty that shines out no matter what we look like?

The world is selling us the fake beauty of outward appearances. It is covering up the fact that beauty actually lies within. We are made to be known for our good actions, not for our good looks.

Make sure what’s on the outside reflects the purity on the inside. – A Young Woman After Gods Own Heart, by Elizabeth George.

As I was reading those versus I learnt that God does care about beauty, that He wants me to be beautiful, but with a beauty that does not fade with age, a beauty that is the overflow of what is in my heart.

~ Meggie

Stay tuned for how we should put this inner beauty in our lives. How do we cultivate good things in our hearts? This beauty of the heart is good and all but how does that relate to clothing, make-up and jewellery?
Taleisha is posting next on cultivating modesty and chasteness in our lives.

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