A Child is Born

By: Sarah Joyner

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" –Isaiah 9:6

During all of the chaos of Christmas season—putting up the Christmas tree, buying and wrapping gifts, sending out cards, Christmas parties, volunteering, etc—it is easy to forget the real reason for the season. All the things I listed above are great and have good intentions behind them, but they all serve as distractions. I remember as a little girl it was a rule that we could not open up our gifts until after my dad went over the Christmas story and I didn't appreciate it or see the significance in it. I could not wait to play with my new Barbie dolls and try on all the new clothes I got (I was quite the fashionista as a toddler)! The anticipation drove me nuts waiting for my dad to finish his prayer so that we could all run and slide underneath the Christmas tree to open all of our gifts.

Now that I've grown up the gifts are not as exciting as they used to be and I've actually been able to sit back and observe everything around me during the "most wonderful time of the year." Very little attention is given to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He is the very reason why we exist and the focus of our lives but yet we put Him on the shelf and completely forget that Christmas day, better yet every day, is all about Him. In Isaiah we read about the precious, most valuable gift we could ever receive. Wonderful Counselor- a ruler whose wisdom is beyond our own, Mighty God- the title of the one true God, Everlasting Father- a benevolent protector who cares for His children, Prince of Peace- one able to establish peace between the nations.

As you celebrate Christmas with friends and family remember the true reason for the season and know that there is no possible gift underneath the tree as great as He is.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL FROM FEARLESSLY CHIQUE!

 

Temporary Home

For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. 2 Corinthians 5:1-6

If you had the choice to go to Heaven right now to be with the Lord or continue living the life you’re living, which would you chose? Be honest with yourself. Are you enjoying your life here on earth? Do you have great family, loyal friends? Do you know exactly where you’re headed in life? Would you give up all of those things to be able to have an eternal home in Heaven and be forever with God?

Paul says that, “So we are ALWAYS confident, knowing that while we are at home in the BODY we are absent from the Lord.” The body that we are in right now is only temporary. The life we are living right now will end. The things we cherish here on earth will no longer be important in eternal glory with Jesus Christ.

“We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.” What if we were all craving to be absent from our present bodies and desiring to be present with our Heavenly Father? In light of that, think about what would then be important in our lives. In the words of Carrie Underwood don’t ever forget that, “this is our temporary home.”

Fearlessly Chique Launch & Male Panel Event

What: Fearlessly Chique Launch & Male Panel Event

When: Thursday, November 10, 2011 8:00PM

Where: DeMoss Grand Lobby

We are so excited to announce Fearlessly Chique's first campus event! Join us next week for a time of worship and discussion on the topic of modesty....from a male's perspective. Ladies come with your ears and hearts open to hear about what our brothers in Christ have to say about the issue of modesty. It is our desire for this event to be a time of personal reflection and motivation for young women to pursue a modest lifestyle. Let's set the record straight. See you there!

Refreshments provided.

Quick Modest Fix: Bye Bye Midriffs

Is it just me or does it seem like everyone is showing their midriffs? The most recent trends, such as cropped tops, bandeau tops, and low waist jeans, encourage young women to do so. As young women seeking modesty we should not reveal parts of our body that under normal circumstances should be covered. Here are 3 QMFs:

1) High waisted skirts - Whether you decide to go with an A-line or Pencil, every girl should own a high waisted skirt! A shirt that would normally reveal your midriff can easily be fixed by being tucked into a skirt. Have fun with this ladies! Try color blocking with bright colors or go vintage and shop at local thrift stores. Add a skinny belt, blazer, and a cute pair of flats or pumps and you’ve got yourself quite the outfit! J. Crew currently has a No. 2 Pencil skirt as well as other retailers!

A few important guidelines when shopping for skirts:

*Length: If a skirt is high waisted but is extremely short doesn’t that defeat the purpose of it being modest? Whenever I shop for skirts I like for them to be to my knee standing and sitting. Several times I have heard so many girls complain that they can’t find skirts long enough…they are out there. If you truly are seeking to be modest, make the effort to find clothing that is modest….I promise you it’s worth it ☺

*Slits: When choosing a skirt always pay close attention to how high up the slit is in the front or back. But how do I walk around or up and down stairs if the slit is not high enough you may ask? Believe me I have definitely struggled with this before, but after playing around with different skirts I realized that a skirt with at least a 2” slit will do. You may not realize this but as you move your skirt moves with you and rides up. Before you know it the whole back of your legs are revealed to everyone that comes into contact with you.

*Tightness: If a skirt is long but extremely tight you can consider that a fail. If your figure is dramatically revealed you should consider going up a size. Going up a size or two doesn’t dramatically take away from the style of a pencil skirt but it does give you more of a modest appearance. Also, some fabrics are very thin so wear slips under your skirts to prevent the showing of your undergarments.

2) Sweaters - Now that the cold weather is setting in it is time to bring out the sweaters! Cover up that cropped top with a fun sweater. Bring together the whole look with a cute scarf or belt around your waist.

3) Layering - You can never go wrong when you layer. Try layering different colors for new looks. Tank tops are pretty cheap in price and you can find them just about anywhere!

Details:
Cardigan: H&M
Tank: Forever 21
Skirt: Forever 21
Scarf: Nordstrom
Belt: J Crew

Can I Afford It?

We’ve all done it. We’ve all seen that cute dress, pair of shoes or designer cell phone case that calls out to us, saying “I will make your life better.” Ok so maybe not in those exact words but ultimately that’s what goes through our minds. “It will definitely go well with that scarf I bought last week, oh and those earrings I saw in the last store would just be darling… and of course I’ll need to invest into some matching eye shadow! Hmmm… if I save X amount of dollars out of my paychecks, I’ll be able to purchase it within the month!”Sometimes we may even think things such as “Well I’ve had a couple of rough days I think God wants me to be happy so not tithing for a few weeks to speed up being able to afford it will be ok with Him. Oh and my friend going on that trip to Uganda, I’ll just give her the remainder of my paycheck after I make all these purchases” Sounds pretty extreme, doesn’t it? Here’s the shocker, we all do it and unfortunately this scenario is minuscule compared to some real life instances. And it’s not limited to just our money, our time is a valuable thing as well.

Point being, although there are many different lessons to be learned from this one example, we tend to let our materialistic desires become our first priority. They climb above giving to God, above helping to support ministries and end up taking away time to reach out to others. Is it awful to want nice things? Not at all, but eventually spending becomes our sun and before we know it everything revolves around our paycheck and it’s so easy for our priorities to switch places. You can’t afford to replace Christ with possessions.

What the Bible says:

“A person is fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.” (Luke 12:21, NLT)

“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasure in Heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” (Matt. 6:19-21, NLT)

“You can’t worship two gods at once. Loving one god, you’ll end up hating the other. Adoration of one feeds contempt for the other. You can’t worship God and money both” (Matt. 6:24 THE MESSAGE)

“Take care! Protect yourself against the least bit of greed. Life is not defined by what you have, even when you have a lot” (Like 12:15 THE MESSAGE)

How? What? When? Where? Why?
1) How can you yield your possessions to God’s control?
2) What will you do to demonstrate that Jesus is your top priority?
3) When can you give?
4) Where are you storing your treasures?
5) Why will money and earthly materials never completely satisfy?

New Resources!

Here are a few new resources for you all to check out recommended to us by our dear friends at Pure Fashion. Pure Fashion is a program that teaches girls about modesty and virtue. I have had the privilege of volunteering with them and it has truly been a blessing. Get involved in a chapter near you or recommend it to a young girl you know!

• Down East Basics
• Shade Clothing
• Put Something On
• Beautifully Modest
• Christa Taylor
• Shabby Apple
• Soon Collection
• Funky Frum
• Layers Clothing
• Rey Swimwear
• Mika Rose
• Nothing Bare Clothing
• Divine Modestee
• Eternity Gowns
• Modeling Christ

Natural Beauty

“And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are.” Matthew 6:28-29

The Bible teaches us not to worry about what we wear. God has created us all in His image, and we are beautiful! Looking at this verse, we are compared to the lilies of the field. They are beautiful without any additional adornments, because that’s just how they were made! If we can be confident in the natural beauty that God gave us, we will look and feel fantastic in anything. That new dress or pair of shoes is just a bonus! So instead of using makeup to change your features, or using your clothes to make a statement, just use them in moderation to enhance your true and natural beauty. This allows for your personality to shine through! So when picking out an outfit, remember not to conform to the extreme standards that the world has set, but instead humble yourself so that others can see the work of God in you.

Seeking God

“I want you to experience the riches of your salvation: the Joy of being loved constantly and perfectly. You make a practice of judging yourself, based on how you look or behave or feel. If you like what you see in the mirror, you feel a bit more worthy of My Love. When things are going smoothly and your performance seems adequate, you find it easier to believe you are My beloved child. When you feel discouraged, you tend to look inward so you can correct whatever is wrong.
Instead on trying to “fix” yourself, fix your gaze on Me, the Lover of your soul. Rather than using your energy to judge yourself, redirect it to praising Me. Remember that I see you clothed in My righteousness, radiant in My perfect love.”
~ Sarah Young, Jesus Calling.

This is a daily devotional I have been reading for the past year. This day, in particular, stood out to me because so often we, as females, tend to judge ourselves based on how we look or feel that we look. Psalm 34:3-5 says,

“Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together. I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. They looked to Him and were RADIANT, and their faces were not ashamed. “

When we seek out the Lord, when we turn our faces to Him, the Bible says we become radiant and unashamed because our focus is on our magnificent Creator, the “Lover of your soul.” We become outwardly radiant when we turn our hearts inwardly to the Lord who supplies our joy and affection.

Inward Beauty

“Do not let your adornment be merely outward- arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel- rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.” -1 Peter 3:3-4

Think about that day when you rolled out of bed and got ready for your day, but your hair did exactly what you DIDN’T want it to do, your make up seemed to start running as soon as you put it on, you couldn’t make any outfit work, and on top of it all you shaved one leg, but not the other…AWESOME! Any logical female would assume that the rest of the day would follow suit, right?

According to God, none of that should matter. Yes, easier said than believed- I know! It can be hard to recover from such a terrible morning, but it can be done, I promise. On mornings such as that try taking a second to stop and re-adjust your attitude. Take a few seconds to ask the Lord to help you focus on what is eternally important--your heart and spirit. Peter says “rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit…” The “beauty” that the world sees is corruptible and temporary but the beauty that is incorruptible and eternal is one of a “gentle and quiet spirit.”

Not seeing “beauty” through the world’s eyes is something that is very hard to grasp. It is hard for our sinful hearts to look at ourselves when we’re having a terrible hair day, or can’t seem to find anything in our closet to wear, and say “Wow, I am gorgeous.” – That isn’t something we can just say and believe. Believing that takes putting aside our pride and asking God to change our hearts and realize that our beauty should be seen through the hidden person of our hearts.

I challenge you, pray that the Lord will help you to focus on making your inward beauty shine brighter than what the world sees on the outside. Maybe take a week to just throw on a t-shirt, jeans, and the joy of the Lord instead of your Steve Madden pumps and a fancy dress. I promise you, any women with incorruptible beauty can rock a plain outfit just as well as a ball gown!

By Caitlin Bradt

Plunging Necklines

An issue with clothing for women of all sizes is plunging necklines. V-neck t-shirts, tops, and sweaters plunge extremely low causing cleavage to be shown. Here are 3 quick modest fixes that will enable you to still rock your v-necks and be modest:

#1. Camis are your best friends! 

End your love-hate relationship with camis and get them in every color! I will say that camis with built-in bras sometimes will not do justice because they slip down and still show your cleavage. You can choose to wear camis or just simply wear tank tops. Lately I’ve seen retailers featuring tank tunics that are longer in length.

There is also a quick test you can do to see if your cami is working for you. Bend down in front of a mirror and if you can see down your shirt you need to try a different cami.

Red-Orange Cami from Forever 21 - $2.50
Black V-Neck from Forever 21
Similar Cami's pictured can be found at Charlotte Russe, Express, and Target.

#2. Scarves, scarves, and more scarves!

Scarves are definitely a favorite in the wardrobe of every fashionista! Wear fun, colorful scarves in different textures, styles, and patterns to bring life to your outfit! They are one of my favorite ways to cover up plunging necklines. Not to mention, scarves can be used in all four seasons so they are worth investing in!

There are a variety of different ways to wear (long and square) scarves. Michelle Phan from YouTube shows us different ways.

Black and White Striped Scarf from Madewell
(similar ones can be found at Forever 21, and Target)
Method used on this scarf: Rectangular scarf made into a loop and the loose ends were put into the scarf loop hole.

#3. Accessorize like it’s your job!
When it comes to pulling together an outfit accessories are a must! A cute necklace and bangle can seriously accentuate your look. Recently long necklaces and elaborate beaded and floral jewelry have hit the fashion scene. If your v-neck top is not extremely low you can use accessories to bring attention to another area of your body rather than your neckline. However, I do strongly encourage you to wear a cami just in case.

May is wearing a breaded necklace made out of a cotton t-shirt! (Melissa Esplin). Be creative when it comes to your accessories…they say a lot about your personality and style!

Some top accessory retailers are Forever 21 , Charming Charlie , and H&M …find one near you!

That wraps up our QMF forum for this week! Follow us to stay connected and see what’s next!

Designer Genes

Jeans have a history that has evolved from lowliness to high status.  It all began with Levi Strauss. With his entrepreneur spirit he found a way to use his surplus canvas. He developed jeans which were basically for poor working men. They were rugged, wore well, and were made to last.  My dad shared with me that in the depression days, one wore his best jeans to church for that was all they had.

Entering into the 21st century designer jeans have a certain place in fashion.  Today designer jeans range from $200 to $500… http://www.articlesbase.com/antiques-articles/designer-jeans-922113.html . Everyone is crazy about top jean brands such as Hudson, True Religion, Joe’s Jeans, and 7 Jeans just to name a few. More affordable versions can be found in American Eagle, Hollister, Delia’s, and Nordstrom’s. A jean trend that is very popular is distressed jeans! The distressed jeans are put through chemical treatments that reduce the wear of the garment.  The chemical treatments create holes, tears, and discoloration of the jeans to make them have a vintage appearance. Distressed jeans are usually the first to sell out in the stores. They are so popular because they have a unique look and no two are exactly alike.

We are created individually unique by the Master Designer, God himself. In Psalms 139: 13-18 (NIV) we read:

For you created my inmost being;you knit me together in my mother’s womb.I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;your works are wonderful,I know that full well.My frame was not hidden from youwhen I was made in the secret place,when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.Your eyes saw my unformed body;all the days ordained for me were written in your bookbefore one of them came to be.How precious to me are your thoughts,[a] God!How vast is the sum of them!Were I to count them,they would outnumber the grains of sand—when I awake, I am still with you.

It is the Lord’s desire for our hearts to be transformed by Him, but it is the desire of the world to transform and destroy what God has made beautifully. When you really think about it, designer jeans are massed produced but God makes each person individually distinct. While each pair of jeans has to be destroyed on the outside to be accepted this is not the case for us. Each one of us has a need individually as daughters of the most high God to reflect the inward beauty He has given us and declare the great works He has done! Just that alone makes one wonder in awe.  The Creator of this mighty universe made you and had thoughts about you as He formed you.  Now that is designer genes!

By Ruth Gomes, Edited by Sarah Joyner & Caitlin Bradt