Name Brand Clothes You Must Have
I often stand in my closet and ponder, what will I wear today? I flip through the racks of clothes hoping to stumble across something new. Something I forgot I had.
This one looks good, but it doesn’t fit. That one fits but there’s a stain on the front I can’t ignore. Wrong color. Wrong size. Too dressy. Too slouchy. I pace in and out of the closet. Why is this so hard? Just put something on, I demand of myself.
But somehow, in a sea of clothing, I have nothing to wear.
I know why, and I’m not proud of it. The cultural ins and outs swirl around in my thoughts, handicapping my ability to decide. Style says squish your toes into a patent heel or squeeze into the same skinny jeans every other girl in America wears.
Comfort cries please don’t! Reason reminds me of the long day ahead and the little ones to chase. So I teeter back and forth and back again attempting to combine comfort and reason with what the world says looks good.
Now I just want to stay in my pajamas. But before we all crawl back into our sweat pants …
I found the perfect fit that never goes out of style. Anybody else want one?
She is clothed with strength and dignity,
and she laughs without fear of the future.” Proverbs 31:25 (NLT)
God started His own fashion line! And it’s call Jesus Christ.
He’s guaranteed to fit every time. He promises to cover all your imperfections and enhance your beauty. No squishing, squeezing or spanxing. And, in case you haven’t heard, it’s FREE.
Our friend in Proverbs 31 tried out His style and garnered rave reviews.
Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last;
but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised.
Reward her for all she has done.
Let her deeds publicly declare her praise.” Proverbs 31:30-31 (NLT)
She wakes up each morning with a smile knowing full well what she will wear. She takes strength off the hanger and invites God’s to turn her weakness into His power. She pulls dignity off the shelf and puts on God’s image, rejecting all other opinions as false.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
my soul knows it very well.” Psalm 139:14 (ESV)
She laughs because of how she dresses.
In the Bible study What Happens When Women Say Yes to God, Lysa TerKeurst unveils our image crisis. She describes the masks we all take up on our way out the door.
Our happy faces and perfect spaces. Our tucked in tops and bags to match. We walk with enthusiasm and say all the right things. We work hard to project the assumption, It’s all good.
Let me pause for a moment to say a put together gal does not mean she’s a pro-mask wearer. I myself love a good pair of heels when the time is right!
But, too often, all that work to project an image, actually protects the desperate mess behind the mask. A mess that drowns our Spirits and deafens our ears to the truth.
They can’t judge what they don’t see. I’d rather sink in this ship than let someone else see all the holes.
Why do we work so hard?
let us drop every extra weight, every sin that clings to us and slackens our pace, and let us run with endurance the long race set before us.” Hebrews 12:1 (The Voice)
Every time Luke takes the field for a football game he wears the same outfit. Except they don’t call it an outfit. It’s their uniform. Every player wears the exact same thing.
And there’s a reason for it.
Years of studying how to seize every opportunity led football teams here. Leaving no extra fabric on the pants removes an opponents advantage to drag a man to the ground.
Spikes on the bottom of shoes make men more effective when they speed up and slow down. Helmets keep players’ heads attached to their bodies. Jerseys clearly identify where they belong.
When we saddle our lives with sin and shame, we sacrifice our promised place of strength and honor. We give the enemy a leg up. We surrender God-given opportunities and advantages.
Ever heard the expression, clothes make the man? Though not intended this way, I have to say I agree.
Clothes make the woman … God’s woman.
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” Colossians 3:12 (NIV)
Read that verse in Colossians over and over this week. Every morning as you get dressed for the day ask God to show you one of these things that will clothe you with the brilliance of His presence. You will look fabulous, I know it!
The perfect fit that never goes out of style. And it’s FREE! You can’t afford to miss it.
This Friday I will give away another custom-made Proverbs 31 Fashion & Compassion “She Laughs” necklace! And as a bonus I want to give away a copy of Lysa TerKeurst’s book, What Happens When Women Say Yes to God.
To enter the contest, Leave a Comment! by Thursday, May 22 and tell me one thing from Colossians 3:12 you will use to clothe yourself this week. Then stay tuned for next week’s giveaway and the final post in the “She Laughs” series!
*This is the 3rd post in the 4-part “She Laughs” series.
What a great illustration…I too find myself standing at my closet and struggling, especially on Sunday morning!! Oh to remember the only brand of clothing that matters!! Praying I can pass this lesson on to my daughter who is just starting to understand the name brand thing! Today I’m continuing my prayers to put on humility so that I can walk in obedience and rely on God! Blessings to you!
This morning I was reading in 1 Samuel about David and Goliath and verses 38-40 stuck out. Saul outfitted David in his armor, but David took it off realizing he wasn’t use to it…as I read this I thought about the things I wear or want to wear. I shouldn’t put on what others wear because God has something for me…I don’t know it brought your post here back to mind as well. You have me thinking – thanks!
I love this! And I LOVE it when God gets you thinking!! Thanks for sharing, Jill!
Oh, the daily battle we women go through to impress everyone but ourselves. This post really spoke to me, as I have a closet full of clothes, but always find myself defeated and put on the mom uniform (I believe we as a collective keep Lululemon open :). I will read this verse over and over, until it becomes a part of my everyday mantra. Currently focusing on patience, as I’m 15 weeks preggers and experiencing complications. Knowing that I am to “wear” my patience, puts things in a whole new light. He’s got this! xo
Your faith is a beautiful example to us all, Katrina. “I will read this verse over and over, until it becomes a part of my everyday mantra.” We can all do this!
I look forward to posting this on the closet door tonight when I get home from work and also on the mirror for good measure so that I read it every morning…..what a wonderful way to remind me that I am clothed in Strength and Dignity and for me this week, I will focus as well, on kindness and gentleness. I have a closet full of clothes that are more like tents for the body. Up until recently they were purchased to hide the extra weight. I lost a little though, and now, I have a closet full of things that now make me look big and insecure. The very few items that I have purchased for my new size, are much closer fitting and I am finally beginning to see the “pretty shine through the “size” from the inside out, again. The clothes are smaller but not that much smaller, but it is the mind that has changed more than the body. I don’t have to hide behind yards of fabric and too much make up to try to feel pretty anymore. This is a battle that I wage every morning, but have begun to win instead of failing on an epic scale. All the pretty colors that are me……..they aren’t a size 6 but it is Jesus inside of me that makes those colors and makes the beauty shine through. The size ladies………..is a 16 but somehow feels like a 6 now when I look in the mirror. In my mind, the 6 is the “pretty size” but something has changed in my spirit and most days, I am beginning to feel pretty again because I am focusing on the inside and the spirit instead of the outside and the size. I will be kind and gentle this week and clothed in what is important to my heavenly father, not the scale and the size of the clothes. I will humbly walk hand in hand with Jesus this week.
Have a blessed week.
Your words are powerful and true. It reminds me of what God says in 1 Samuel 16:7, “For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.”
I am a bible rookie………so I didn’t know that verse. Thanks Katy. I really like that one! Now that I have found you…..there will be days that your comments are the only bible that I read. BUT, you have me turning the pages right now!!!! I am a sponge…..I have the love for Jesus in my heart, but the scriptures are all brand new to me! Each day is like opening a present and these verses lead me to more……thank you so much. 🙂
I will clothe mysef in laughter because it helps all of my stresses melt away. I love to laugh and need to do it more often. God gives me so many opportuniites to do so through my husband, my children, and my students and so many times I let those times pass me by because I am too preoccupied with all that I have to do. I pray that God will not let me miss those moments by giving me the nudges I need daily to recognize them.
I need to do it more often, too, Lacy! Thanks for the reminder and the challenge to remember to laugh!!
Hey Katy, I will clothe myself with patience. With our crazy, busy schedules and ongoing demands, in all areas of life, I tend to let patience take the back seat. I want to make a mindful effort to try patience first. I expect others, including God, to be patient with me, it shouldn’t be such a task to be patient with others, including God. Sometimes I need to be reminded to step back, be patient and let Him work!
I have thought these same thoughts many times. And I love how the only real way to learn patience is to be put in positions that require it. Tough training! Thanks, Traci
I can relate to this! I too have a sea of clothes and wear the same old things because the others just don’t fit right or feel right. This week I will clothe myself in compassion for the woman in my closet mirror. I will be gentle also with my thoughts in regard to her. Then, when she laughs and when she smiles it will be a reflection of the inner truth that she is loved. She has the greatest love of all. Her Father loves her and she knows. Compassion feeds kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. I will begin with compassion.
“gentle also with my thoughts in regard to her” … I think we can all apply this to our lives! So good, Brenda. Thank you
As I read that verse, and ponder compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, the thought struck me ‘what a wonderful mom that would make!’ It sounds more like Mother Theresa than me, but that’s where the Holy Spirit does His best work, in people like me, who often don’t naturally possess these attributes but desire to ‘wear’ them! (With the Holy Spirit’s help), I’m going to try to put them all on! They really match!