Keep praying for Benji.
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If you want to make a difference...You have to be a little different.
I'm not talking about being StRaNgE like 2 left thumbs
But marching to the beat of a DIFFERENT drum.
Don't let this world press you into it's mold,
Go ahead speak up, Stand, and be bold!
Follow The Lord, trust in His Word,
Buck the crowd and be a little different. (Ron Hamilton)
Ladies, our lives are influencing those around us. None of us are an island to our selves but are being watched via the Internet.
I love the Holy Way . . . the IHC crowd is mine! My voice is small and attempts are minimal but I must use it to express the sadness of my heart by the changes that I see. (You know it's hard for us as parents to see the changes in our children because we are with them... (how much they have grown, matured, changed) but to those who haven't seen our kids for awhile, they can really see the CHANGES!)
So those of us who aren't there in the US are SADDENED by the changes we see. New Christians at home and on mission fields are seeking and walking in truths as God leads them. My
effort is to point out that these “little ones” that are new to the
faith and the more careful life are curious what the Holiness church in our
homeland is like and hungry to follow “as they follow Christ.” I
must stand back and watch while these our national ladies walk in their
new Light only to see links or posts on FB, blogs, Pinterest, etc. that
what God has led them to leave behind (jewelry, make up, Tight SHORT
skirts, CLINGING LOW tops, etc.) those on the home front are starting to put on. Yet
these appear to be a part of those connected to a church that would
claim Holiness is their message. Their hearts ask, “How can this be?”
One of our ladies put it this way to me.
"What our Holiness people define as modest is changing a little more each year...or I'm just seeing it more the older I get. I truly think, that 99% of our ladies have no intent or desire to to be blatantly sensual or enticing. There is just such a peer pressure within our group to keep up style wise with each other. The limits get pushed and pushed in the name of being stylish, until it's unbelievable what is becoming normal and acceptable.
It's easy to take off down that trail and spend a large amount of time focusing on styles and trying to look cuter, more fashionable etc. We buy things thinking we can "modestify" it, and then we end up justifying a neckline, sleeve line or hem, because overall the rest of the outfit is modest, and it is "oh so very cute!" I have had to learn (with God and my husband's help) that if one little part of an outfit is immodest the entire thing is immodest.
The more time you spend examining style and clothing and accessories the more your mind slowly adapts to the world's viewpoint. Like the frog in the pot on the stove top. The water that gets heated up slowly...just doesn't seem that hot, until it's too late.
Showing that much skin just doesn't seem so bad after all. Its all the little "insignificant" (so we think) changes that move us further and further away from Biblical guidelines."
(I just got done watching an excellent message by James Plank here on Hobe Sound's website. (Scroll down to his sermon "What if I let Go" (2/9/2012) and he starts preaching at 58:41.)
Ladies, we have NOTHING to be ashamed of. We can dress carefully yet Classy and hold our heads high...knowing that we are Daughters of THE King of Kings...and we bear HIS SMILE of approval!
My PRAYER is that God will help us to be totally committed to Jesus and be Pure Reflections of HIM!
21 comments:
So happy your parents made it safely. Please say hello to them for us. Very good post Heather. We are surely living in a sad day. I know it is not in the dress, but if it is in our heart our dress will prove it. Fox took a poll and only 11% of Americans believe there is a hell. No wonder people are living, and doing all the wicked things they are doing. Love and appreciate your life. love you tons
Great thoughts, my Anne of Green Gables friend ;o)! (Thanks for the comment on my blog!) Nathan makes the point that we spend way too much time defining worldliness by the world. We're definitely at least 10-15 years behind them, so it's 'ok'- modesty and 'standards' HAVE to be held up against Scripture alone! Otherwise, we'll just drift along. I'm all for classy, I love when the 'in' colors are flattering to me, I love looking beautiful for my husband. I'm against frumpy and 'letting oneself go to pot.' But all that must come under being pleasing to the Lord. Keep encouraging your ladies back to the WORD, as I know you do already!
Excellent post, Heather! It breaks my heart to see ladies/girls that I really respected start changing. What is the point?! Does it really matter so much to "fit in?" Seriously, what are they trying to fit in "To?" Styles are anywhere from gothic to classy and Lots of variables in between, so Anything GOES, so why can't modesty be as much "IN" as anything else. To me MODESTY is "IN" and I get a lot of respect and comments when we go out as a family dressed modestly.
Heather, I completely get what you are saying and agree whole heartedly. We have had many conversations on this topic around our dinner table. We are doing our best to raise careful living Christians and it is NOT easy due to our own people sometimes. My prayer for our young ones is a tender heart towards God and He will direct them. We as parents must know what we believe and why with our whole hearts and NOT waiver when teaching our younger ones. We serve a Holy God and that gets lost in the message of love I think. Keep the faith and know that there are believers out here doing what we can along side of you. Have a great day!
Heather, this post brought tears to my eyes because this has also been a huge burden on my own heart the last few years as I watch my own dear friends, family, and peers go that route! Please know that you are not alone in these thoughts and prayers for our churches because there are many who are praying fervently for revival of the good "old-fashioned holiness way"! I pray that my own heart will always only seek Him and His desires for my life and "outward appearance"!
Sharon Knight
Thanks, Heather, for expressing my heart, as well. I say little in regard to this because I don't want to be considered judgemental, and I know that God has given different amounts of light to different ones. But...it is so important for us to be examples...inside and out! I think what gets us in trouble with passing down our heritage is that the outside is all lined up, but the inside turns ppl off! Nothing worse than a conservatively dressed crabby woman! Lol, but it's true! :-) I'm doing my best to raise my daughters to be free from worldly trappings and to find inner beauty to be the goal. I'm encouraging my boys (who are looking at girls nowadays) to appreciate inner beauty, rather than something that is just visually stimulating.
I'm asking God to make me beautiful on the inside so that others who I am in authority over will desire to be like me (free from worldliness, yet "beautiful") and in turn, like Jesus!
Keep up the good work! We need your wisdom here in the USA! :-)
Can I share this?
Heather: I agree with you. My heart is saddened by the way the ladies are going backwards. That modesty and godly standards aren't important anymore.
Ladies, Thank you for all your sweet and encouraging comments! I agree with what y'all had to say. I showed my girls a dirty coffee cup the other day and was telling them that I could wash the outside till it SHONE but that if I later handed them the cup to use they would say, "Mommy, The inside is soooo YUCKY! I don't want to use that cup." I applied this to our lives as well. That we just can't dress like Jesus wants us to on the outside but need to keep maintaining our relationship with HIM on the inside too!
Yes, Nicki, you may share this.
Blessings and (((HUGS))),
~Heather~
Great Post!
Thanks for sharing it, A. Heather.
It is definitely something we all need to be reminded of!
nh~
Very good post, Heather! I completely agree! It's my heart's cry that I will be exactly who God wants me to be...and pass my heritage on to my children!
Merrilee Luther
Your little message rings so true with me. I see this happening in holiness churches all around.
Heather, thanks for sharing. I don't have kids of my own, but I do have nieces and sister in laws that my heart breaks over. They were brought up the Holiness way, but are now dressing like the world. Last winter I was at an event with my younger nephews and of course had my skirt on, and one of them said to me "Aunt Becky you should have worn your pants since it is so cold." I told him that I do not wear pants, and he was surprised that I didn't. And then just the other day I had one of my nieces and we were going to ride bikes. She had a skirt on, but told me she should have worn her pants to ride the bike. I told her that I ALWAYS wear a skirt when riding my bike. I pray that God would help me to be an example to them. I love them dearly and want to see them make it to heave.
Amen, Heather. God help us to be careful/watchful wives and mothers!!!
love ya and enjoy your time with Moma and Daddy!
Laura
Thank you for your post--I agree. With two girls, 6 and 2, I want to pass down these things to them. Do you have any ideas since you have older girls? It's easier said then done, especially if you have friends and family who live quite differently. Some of the holiness "standards" are Biblical principles, but not always black and white, and not always easily taught (maybe that's just my idea!) Any advice welcomed!
Heather, you are a dear. Thank you for this post..for calling us to modesty in all areas and a pure heart towards the Lord. Lots of love to you, Carla
Thanks for sharing Heather! If we are seekers after truth, why must we argue against those who still live carefully (no matter what the issue)? I have talked with new Christians, sinners who know very little about Christianity, and Muslims about our carefulness in living. When I explain the principals of why we live as we do, regarding lifestyle issues, there is no argument. Some of them may not change their way of living, but they see where we are coming from and appreciate our carefulness.
Your loving Brother-in-law
Daryl
Thank you Heather, for this timely post! This has been a huge burden to me lately, too. The more changes we see the sadder we get. One has to wonder just where it will stop, and how far it will go. Like someone else mentioned here, I don't say much for fear of being called judgmental, but my hearts' cry is for us to get back to Scriptural modesty, and dress like ladies, and to teach those principles to our children as well. Thanks for using your voice - Bless you!
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