After receiving the Holy Ghost in 2007 I realized there was so much more to serving God than I had known before. Something had drove me to a place where questions needed answers and I would do what ever it took to get them. Long nights of reading the Bible, reading commentary, and many days asking questions. It was like I was investigating a crime and every bit of fact was worth the conviction! I broke apart all I could just to understand. You see this time was different than any before! I had a little extra drive in me, which being the Holy Spirit, and I had a hunger that consumed me. During this process I began seeing things differently. God had removed the scales from my eyes about many things and through His marvelous wisdom He was giving me much understanding on what we would call Christian standards. This was the big reality check!
I remember Chad talking about Gods covenant with His people and how we are to be saved and I remember him asking me to not wear pants anymore. He said that a woman should wear skirts and that it was more appropriate. I looked at him and told him I will wear what I want and he was not changing that fact!! I could not see where this had anything to do with God! "God loves me just as I am! I can wear whatever and He loves me." 'Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to
separate
us
from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.' Romans 8:38-39 (KJV). He will love us no mater what but that doesn't mean He will approve of everything we do!
While working at Kroger a guy there would come to me and whisper comments in regards to my butt. It was humiliating and his words were of sick thinking. I hated it. Ugh! What was I to do. Before I found God I didn't mind filthy communications from those whom I was seeking attention from, but over time as God healed my mind I knew that is was not right! I was 14 and out walking in town wearing a new pair of Levi jeans! Maybe it was my attitude that I thought I was 'all that' in my 'sexy' jeans. Maybe I had just a little more bounce in my steps, but either way there were men working that did not hesitate to whistle and make remarks in regards to the shape of my body. I was a child for Heavens sake! These were men at least in their 40's and I remember wishing I could disappear. My intent was not to attract their attention, but in did. So here at Kroger I am feeling the same way. My entire life was a rerun and felt no way of escape.
I never told Chad about this out of fear that he would blame me for what this man said. I felt in some way it was my fault. How do you handle these things? Is there any way to prevent it? I mean, is it fair that young ladies are treated like prostitutes because they develop young? This is exactly how some men would make me feel while simply communicating with them. Fear, doubt and many thoughts began to enter my mind about my own girls. Would they find themselves at this very place in life? How can I protect them? God what can I do? The what 'if's' came in my mind and I don't know if this is normal for a parent but I know that your way of thinking should naturally change when your children are born. At this time they were only 4 months old and I was already worried that some lost, perverted man would say things or do things to them that could jeopardize their innocence!
Little by little God began dropping "clues" for me, but I was a stubborn sleuth, so I didn't always find them right away. My husband suggests how lovely and lady like it would be wearing a dress or skirt. Yeah he was losing his mind I thought, but something in me wanted to feel very beautiful and the thought was striking my fancy more and more. God showed me scriptures, 'the women shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on womens garment, for all that do so are an abomination unto God.' Deuteronomy 22:5. and 'that women adorn themselves in modest apparel.' 1 Timothy 2:9. Yeah I still wasn't getting it! So one day I prayed and cried out to God for solution to this problem.
Not only was it that I was battling a spirit of insubordination but I was also ignorant to the understanding of modesty. For some reason I could not grasp what it meant. Webster's Collegiate Dictionary 5th Edition defines Modest as lack of boldness; not forward or boastful; lack of display; moderate as in amount; and decent! God spoke in my mind and asked this one simple question. 'If a parent lets a child walk from the house dressed in tight clothing that reveals all their assets or in clothes that barely cover their skin, and this child is raped whose fault is it? The person who raped the child or the parent who allowed the child to reveal so much of their bodies?' What?! Why would God be so blunt? I can tell you why! Because it is that important to God! Modesty is so important that not only is it for our benefit but for our children as well! Was this enough to convince me that changing the way I dressed would change my situation?
LASCIVIOUSNESS
This one word in my meeting with modesty really began opening my eyes even further! I bet 85% of the people reading this have absolutely no idea what this word is. I didn't, but knew I read it at least in six different verses. I knew it must have been very important for God to really direct and pull me towards it. Webster's Collegiate Dictionary 5th Edition simply defines Lasciviousness as wanton; lewd; lustful; Tending to produce lewd emotions. So lets further look at the word lewd. Lewd is defined as lustful and unchaste. Okay, now we are really getting somewhere now but I was not sure really what unchaste meant so once again lets look at the definition to further understand. Chaste means celibate and amazingly Pure in thought and act; modest. So to be unchaste is being immodest and lewd. So in Mark 7:22-23 Jesus says Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit,
lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man. He was saying that lewd, lustful, those producing lewd emotions, and immodesty is in the same category as theft, wickedness, blasphemy and pride which defiles the man! In Galations 5:19-21 the Bible says, Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness,
lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Once again lasciviousness has been categorized with evil and in this scripture it clearly states that those who are lascivious, shall not inherit the kingdom of God!
My body was on display wearing jeans! I was causing many men to see the shape of my butt and thighs and even worse causing them to lust! I was producing lewd emotions in men and this was against Gods word! I had been a lascivious woman and God loved me enough to reveal this to me so that I would have the opportunity to repent from this sin and change according to His word. We should examine ourselves and make it a point to correct anything that would cause men or women to falter. This would even include, but not limited to women wearing shirts that show all her 'baby feeding goods' and even men wearing the A shirts showing ALL their masculinity! God did not make us to look like hoochies and prostitutes, or even desire for us to tempt one another. I seen this very clearly and realized I was needing to listen to God, so a 'skirt girl' I became!
Time has elapsed and I have been ridiculed and made fun because it is considered 'weird' in society for a woman to look like a woman! I consider it 'weird' that some women look like men. God set guidelines to distinguish men from women and I won't even go in the history of everything, but I will simply state that until the 1920's it was taboo to see a woman in anything other that a dress or skirt! God never changed His guidelines, only rebellious mankind did. I am thankful I chose to listen to God and wear that which pertains to a woman! It is liberating to me as a woman to have a new since of self worth and to know that only my husband will be entertained by the beauty of my being. I am highly respected by strangers now because of my appearance and another added bonus is that when someone see's me in the stores or offices they know me to be a Christian by my 'uniform'. We are to look and act differently from the world and I count it a joy to worship God in the way I dress. I know He is pleased!
Do not be blind to the clues God gives to you and for those who have taken a stand and proudly claimed their modest heritage, God bless you! Their is NO shame in not revealing yourself! There is NO shame in looking like a lady! There is NO shame in respecting yourself in a way to protect yourself from the perverse spirits in this world! You defend yourself and say to that devil...I AM NOT FOR SALE! You see I no longer fear what perverted men think about me because I give them no reason to think anything! I came to Christ packing much garbage in my life. He took it all away and so why in the world would I continue to wear what would remind me of the old me? I am Princess Emily Mary Elizabeth Manica and I am now clothed in royalty and in a new image because my Father is The King! Now looking back I laugh thinking "why didn't I get it the first time?". I guess maybe God wanted me to dig deeper and to fully appreciate Him planning my meeting with modesty. He just likes to know He is still the greatest and like any dad, becomes proud when His children make wise choices!
I love you all and please post an idea you have for future posts! I would love to see what the world would like to know about the Bible, me, or my family! Lord bless.
