A Need for Restoration

Hi there,

Please forgive my longer-than-expected absence from the blogging world. Lately, my life has consisted of a whirlwind of events that have all brought me to a state of tiredness and the longing for restoration and a bit of peace. It seems these days, that once I do get a "break", that it's only a few days of rest until the next curveball hits. Honestly, I wouldn't usually be too open about my sufferings but I just wanted everyone to know that I may continue to be MIA for a bit, while I regroup and find a healthy place to begin blogging again.

Those who would like to be updated on my life and/or ask how they can keep me in their prayers are welcome to reach out, though I may not be able to share every little suffering with you. I am learning about this thing called "sharing your burdens" with others. I tend to be much more comfortable listening to other peoples' problems than sharing my own but I am slowly learning and growing in this area. It truly isn't healthy to keep everything bottled away, only for it all to haunt you later and burst unexpectedly. I do believe God will bring good things from the "storms" in my life, but since I am currently in the midst of it all, I am having a hard time seeing the "light at the end of the tunnel" (not to sound too "emo"). Prayers and encouragement are most appreciated, as always. :)

All this said, I do miss blogging and feel like it is a wonderful outlet for storing and sharing my thoughts and feelings about things that matter to me. If there are any of you who have some ideas for future blog posts that I could write-please let me know. On a side note- I recently finished reading a biography on Princess Diana, and am currently reading one on Grace Kelly and her life with Prince Rainier. I may write a random post on that shortly since they have been rather intriguing reads for me (I never thought I would enjoy biographies so much-though they are sadder than I ever imagined).

Blessings,
Anna

God's Faithful Provision

Hello there! 

I will soon wrap up my "Keys to a Modest Wardrobe" series (for real-I know I keep saying this) but today I just want to share in my appreciation for something God has been teaching me this past year. 

I have almost been married for a WHOLE YEAR now! From what I've heard from other married couples, it seems to be split 50/50 on how they perceive their first year of marriage. About a half of married couples have told me that the first year was definitely the hardest, while the other half have said they cherish that first year.

 For me, I'd have to say the first (almost) year has been both something I will cherish greatly and look back on and realize that it was indeed a challenge! I cherish all the extra time I was given to spend with my husband, getting to know him, care for him, and learn to deal with challenges as a team. This has been such a blessing, even though the flip side has been the struggle of us both being unemployed for a longer time than either of us ever expected.  Though it's most definitely been tough at times (and we both have suffered moments of weakness where we felt like succumbing to evil thoughts/actions) we have been shown God's grace and favor over and over. 

When we were down to what seemed like our last penny, God stepped in and demonstrated his provision in the sweetest of ways-Through the generosity of others, through random jobs here and there, through unexpected Etsy store orders, through a large tax return, through a surprise check that is going to allow JD and I to attend my brother's wedding in June...the list goes on! Not once were we forced to starve. Not once did we wonder if we would be living on the streets next week. 

On a humorous note- We have had a few weeks where we had to be creative with our grocery list (sometimes it was ramen noodles and cheap hot dogs, which we tired of pretty quickly) or refrain from driving any farther than the post office or grocery store to save on gas. We've found that even during those times when we had to actively make choices to live more simply, we appreciated what we did have and we were happy to be overcoming these challenges together and with God's help.  

However-In my weakest moments, I struggled with trusting God. I worried over where the money for rent would come from, I worried about what the future held, I even had some fears about not being able to afford having a child one day! I worried, I worried, and I worried some more. God definitely smacked that worry out of me by providing faithfully every time we were in need. He is so very gracious, loving and merciful. 

God not only provided for us financially in miraculous ways, but he has provided us with so much more. He provided us with one another, to love, care for and solve problems together. He provided a new church family that welcomed us and gave us solid biblical teaching. He provided new friends for us both. He provided JD with a new job recently that will cover all our monthly costs from now on. Most of all, God provided us with living examples of his everlasting love, protection, grace, and provision for his children.

I just felt like sharing all of this with you all, to encourage you in times where you struggle with trusting in God's provision. Remember-Pray to HIM, trust, and believe that he will provide for his children as promised.

Have a blessed weekend, ladies!
Anna

P.S. Here are some of my favorite bible verses about God's provision:

"Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5

"And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19

"Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?" Matthew 6:26

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding." Proverbs 3:5

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." Philippians 4:6

"I have cared for you since you were born. Yes, I carried you before you were born. I will be your God throughout your lifetime—until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you." Isaiah 46: 3-4

Avoiding the title of "Gossip Girl"

Hello my beautiful readers!

Today I woke up with the itch to write about something that's been on my mind lately. I am going to take a little detour from my "keys to a modest wardrobe" series and broach a somewhat uncomfortable topic...G O S S I P. I was recently challenged by this topic, after hearing our pastor Steve preach a message titled "Loving God With Your Words". Feel free to listen to his sermon here: 

http://www.gbcob.org/sermon/loving-god-with-your-words 
(copy and paste, and then you can download/stream it) :)

The verses he appropriately chose to focus on were Ephesians 4:29-32:

^{29 "}Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. ³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. ³¹ Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. ³² Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."

I particularly recall a part of Steve's message where he talked about the feeling of regret after you've said something you know you know you shouldn't have, which may haunt you for days after and cause you and others grief. Steve said he wished that speech worked in a way where we could visually see the string of words leave our mouth, so we could sort of "edit" or take back what we realize could be harmful to others. I can totally relate to this, for I can think of several instances where this could have saved me some future grief.

Most who know me well, know that I am often more of a listener/thinker than a talker. However, I do have some friends (and my mom) who I can gab off to for hours and hours. It is especially those times that I have to be cautious with what is coming out of my mouth. It saddens me that I would be the cause of grief to anyone, just from mere words that came from my mouth. God uniquely designed the human species to be able to use the mouth and tongue for speech and communication with one another...and yet we abuse it every day!

Gossip turns into slander when we purposely want to harm someone's reputation by spreading rumors about them. What instantly comes to mind for me are all the silly celebrity tabloids you see in the grocery store (or online). I feel sad for those celebrities, though same may argue that it's what they signed up for. Still, I can't bring myself to believe that even celebrities who get that all the time don't feel some pain over what is falsely said about them.

Speaking of celebrities, I've come to realize just how obsessed our culture is with DRAMA and gossip. Just flip through the television channels sometime, and I can assure you that you will come up with at least a few examples of this obsession. Shamefully, I have seen a couple episodes of those "Real Housewives" shows and also "The Bachelor". They are full of gossip, drama, slander, and all kinds of other junk. Yet, people are drawn to that stuff.  Why? I think one reason is because it's often more enjoyable to sit back and watch others involved in a drama. You don't (usually) suffer any direct consequences, and yet shouldn't we feel just as much guilt as those involved? I know what God's view would be...Yes, we are just as guilty if we sit back and soak in the drama.

Think of it this way...would you let your younger daughter watch those kinds of shows? Think about how her attitude might change towards her friends...towards you and family? If we are sitting around watching those shows, then we are also setting an example for our little ones. I am speaking to myself here too, because I am just as guilty to being drawn into those shows.

Thankfully, we do have the greatest example of forgiveness.

^{Ephesians 4: 32 "}Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."

 We can never full grasp the depths of the gift we've been given of mercy and forgiveness, but we can at the very least appreciate it and remember it as the ultimate guideline to dealing with forgiving others in our own lives. With gossip the consequences can include tears, hurt, sorrow, anger, thoughts of revenge, regret, broken relationships, and even terminated relationships. However, there is always the option of confession, forgiveness, and redemption. When we let our tongues run in an unholy manner, we are offending God. He is our maker and he desires (and commands) us to honor him with our words. Therefore, we must first confess to and seek forgiveness from God. Then, we are to ask for forgiveness from the one(s) we have gossiped about. To me, this is the hardest part. Often times, we may start a string of gossip without even wanting the person being gossiped about to ever know where it all started (we want our sin to stay hidden). We can't hide from God, and I've come to see that many times God will reveal the gossiper so that they may suffer the consequences of their actions. We must humble ourselves and make the first step in mending our wrong, no matter how hard it may be. In turn, we must be forgivers ourselves. If we hold a grudge against our friend for something they've said, then we are not demonstrating a christ-like forgiveness. How can we expect others to forgive us, when we can't forgive others?

Pastor Steve made it clear that "a happy christian does not gossip". I don't know about you...but I know I want to experience the fullest joy possible. I want to start by ridding myself of the sour words that plague my tongue. Granted, I will slip up from time to time because I am not perfect. I do know that I have a faithful savior who will forgive me when I do fall, which is a great assurance.

I challenge myself and my readers to consider how gossip/any unwholesome talk may be affecting your example of a modest, christian woman. Remember, words can stick with a person for a long time and people will start to question your character if your words don't match your beliefs/actions. My newest motto is "A truly beautiful, modest woman does not gossip or let any unwholesome talk leave her lips. Her words are sweet, pure and build up others while honoring God". Okay, so maybe that isn't a motto (since it's a bit lengthy) but this is what I hope to use (as well as Ephesians 4) as a reminder the next time I see an ugly stream of words in my head.

Let's strive to not pick up the title of "gossip girl", ladies. :)

Blessings,
Anna

Keys 8-10

Happy Tuesday!

I will go ahead and get right to the meat and potatoes of my post for today, which focuses on the next 3 keys of a modest wardrobe. Keys 8-10 are listed below:

8. Layer it on

9. Don't Judge

10. Be Confident but Save the Sexy

Key #8: Layer it on

Key 8 is all about finding ways to work with what you have to create a more modest look. Admittedly, there can be some pretty cute tops that have a fun pattern or look, but are missing the important modesty aspect. I have a few tops and dresses that (if worn alone) could be considered low cut, too short or immodest. The easy solution for this is to use layers. Coordinating tank tops/spaghetti strap shirts worn underneath are an excellent way to solve the issue of a low-cut or short/cropped shirt. I have several of these in various colors, to go with a lot of my wardrobe. A white and a black tank are the basics you might want to start off with, and then experiment with other colors to match your wardrobe. 

Sweaters/cardigans are another favorite layering item of mine. I personally don't care to wear spaghetti strap shirts or dresses on their own, but I will still find cute tops or dresses with small straps that I fall in love with. The solution- throw on a sweater or cardigan! I know, summer can be more difficult especially when you want to be wearing the least amount of layers as possible...but there are lighter sweaters, cover ups, short sleeved boleros, etc. available out there for those of us who choose not to expose that area of our bodies. I think some women CAN pull off spaghetti straps or even strapless clothing beautifully and still maintain a modest look, but it just isn't for me. I personally save those items for just wearing around the house. 

A few other wonderful layering items are leggings/tights and scarves. For colder weather, these are especially nice for keeping warm and they are fashionable as well. Leggings have really made a come back lately, so it isn't like you have to feel like you're in an 80's movie when you go out in them. :) I like to wear leggings with both short and long dresses usually with a pair of my favorite boots. This results in a look that is trendy, warm and modest. Scarves are a super fun accessory, they can be worn in many different ways, and they are also fairly easy to crochet/knit. Scarves can jazz up a basic sweater, or can make a cute head covering, or even cover up an immodest neckline. Oh, the 80's. 

Key #8: Don't Judge

Okay, so I will come right out and admit that this is one of the keys that I struggle with the most. As humans, it tends to be much easier for us to look at our neighbor and think or say something judgmental   then to see ourselves as the issue. When we judge others, we are being unkind and the Bible is pretty clear about God being the rightful judge of mankind. Matthew 7: 1-5 paints a pretty good picture of what God thinks about Christians judging others:

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.

Uh...yeah. Pretty convicting stuff. I have to go back to this verse quite frequently, as a humble reminder to be careful with my where my thoughts take me sometimes. I especially struggle with respecting celebrities/public figures who carry themselves immodestly or dress "trashy". It is easy for me to judge them with human eyes. On the other hand, I feel sadness and compassion for these lost souls, for I know they are trying to fill emptiness in the wrong ways. And yet I cringe whenever I see a Victoria's Secret catalogue lying around, or see a scantily clad woman in a movie, or a billboard bearing too much skin. We live in a world of lost souls who don't know that sometimes don't know immodesty is wrong and sinful, or rather they are lacking the conviction of the Holy Spirit. What is even harder for me, is to not judge those who do recognize the consequences of immodesty, yet still struggle to dress and act in a modest manner. It is too easy to look at these women and call them "hypocrites". However, I need to catch myself and ask for forgiveness when I am quick to judge and think poorly upon these women because every single one of them are seen as precious in my Savior's eyes. I think this may very well be one of my greatest flaws (and yes I realize I'm revealing this to the whole cyber world...those who read my blog anyway lol). I am praying that God continues to give me the gift of compassion towards these women, rather than allow me to carry on this thorn of judgmental thoughts. 

Some application? Rather than be quick to judge, I encourage you to pray and ask God to give you eyes of compassion for those you portray as immodest. Be kind and gracious, building others up rather than tearing them down. If you have a friend or family member who is acting or dressing immodestly, pray for wisdom in dealing with how you can be an influence on this person or be given the words to speak to them about their lifestyle. 

 Key #9: Be Confident but Save the Sexy

The last key for today is pretty self explanatory. Mostly, I just want women to know that confidence doesn't have to mean being sexy. I believe God designed marriage to be the rightful place for women to show off their bodies and "be sexy" but sadly we don't live in a world that often honors God's commands. As christian women, I believe it's important to be respectful with the body God has given us as well as show respect to our husbands, boyfriends and other men we encounter by dressing and acting in a modest manner. This goes back to one of the first keys I discussed, "think like a man". As women, I do believe we desire men to find us attractive, confident and beautiful. Some women take this to the extreme, however, by flaunting their bodies shamelessly to every man they cross. They may feel the best way to exude confidence and/or attract a man is to show off their bodies. Honestly, true confidence comes from within and how you dress doesn't necessarily mean you are confident or lacking confidence. When I think of a confident woman, I picture someone who is secure in who they are and what they believe and usually dresses more on the modest side. When I think of someone who is either over-confident (in a bad way) or one who is lacking confidence, I picture someone who dresses over the top and immodestly. I hope that makes sense? 

So, just a few tips on how to be confident but save the Sexy: 

1. Accept who you are- a beautiful, precious creation of God

2. Love your body- Take care of yourself: physically, emotionally and spiritually

3. Let your attraction be your personality rather than your body

4. Respect yourself and men by dressing modestly

5. Stick with it- Don't let society, friends, family try and change who you are and what you believe. Your confidence should not be depend upon how others perceive you. 

Well, that's all I have for now :) I'll cover the next few keys when I get the chance (or feel motivated) to blog again, hopefully soon!

Blessings, 

Anna

Keys 6&7 Unleash Your Creativity

After a bit of a break from blogging (due to illness, having my laptop commit suicide and our internet deciding to act up)I am back once again. My sweet and smarty of a husband was able to find a way to get my laptop running on "life" support. He's really the greatest. I am suffering from a coughing, sniffling, body aching cold as of now (my body really seems to hate me lately, one thing after another...not the best way to start the new year off :P)Anyway, I can hardly talk but when I do I either sound like a dying whale, a pubescent male or a little whispering girl. Not the best but at least I get to drink lots of tea and I can channel what energy I do have into blogging. ;)

As I'm beginning this post, I'm starting to wonder what direction I'd like this blog to go in the future. I get pretty excited about the constant flooding of ideas swimming around in my head, but figuring out a structure/flavor to my blog is a bit more challenging. Until I decide where I go next in my blogging adventures, I will do as promised and finish up my "keys to a modest wardrobe" series. I am going to clump the next two keys together (6 and 7) because they are pretty similar and they're FUN! Today is all about fun and unleashing your creativity. 

So.....Here are Keys 6&7

6. Be Creative

7. Accessorize

Be Creative.

This key is pretty self explanatory, along with the next one. It's all about creating a style which helps accentuate the beautiful woman you are, while still maintaing a modest look. I love the idea of "re-vamping" your wardrobe whenever you feel the urge to run to the nearest mall, forever 21 or clear out every online store. When the budget doesn't allow an excessive clothing allowance, work with what you've got. At times, I'm tempted to start to dress atrociously just so that someone will recommend me for "what not to wear" and I can get that $5,000 credit card to update my wardrobe and get a fun makeover. However, I'm not crazy about the idea of my face being on everyone's television set. haha.

As an etsy store owner, I appreciate the ability to "upcyle" or reinvent clothing that you already own. Lately, I've been obsessed with making fabric strip banners with materials I already own (old tshirts, jeans, fabric, lace, jute, etc.) Easy, cheap and fun!!

Here is one of my etsy banners :) 

https://www.etsy.com/listing/119838446/shabby-chic-vday-fabric-strip-banner

I also have a pile of defective clothes (holes,faded,broken zippers,stained/bleached shirts,etc.) that I hope to find a creative use for. A sewing machine is definitely on my wish list.

A little TLC and creativity can turn almost any defective, "blah", outdated, or immodest outfit/item of clothing into a fun, new fashion statement. Anyone remember the disney show "That's So Raven"? I'll admit it was a little out there and outright silly at times, but I did admire the way she was able to design and pull off all her crazy outfits. 

7.Accesorize

This is also a fun, simple key to keep in mind. Like I said with Key 6, this is pretty self-explanatory and a great way to bring out your personality. I love accessories because there are so many options and they can add style and pizzazz to any outfit. Scarves, fun jewelry, and hats are my favorite accessories to look for. Below are a few hand selected items that I found while browsing all the lovely accessories online. Forever 21 has cute stuff AND usually has cheap prices. I also like Modcloth, Etsy and Dorothy Perkins. You can even find some steals on Ebay. I just got two really cute Forever 21 earring sets from a seller on Ebay for CHEAP.

Another option is to make your own accessories :) There are so many ways you can be creative in this area! Here is one of my handmade accessories I put up in my etsy store: 

https://www.etsy.com/listing/122292774/ivory-lace-applique-bib-necklace

So, these may not be the most important keys to remember but I do think it's good to keep in mind that dressing modestly should be fun and a way to express yourself. :) Feel free to share your favorite accessories and how you plan to be innovative in creating ways to revamp your wardrobe. UNLEASH YOUR CREATIVITY. 

haha. I love the pronunciation guide. 

Cheers to modesty and creativity!

~Anna