More lessons from Proverbs 31!

Marianna — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 22:08:54 +0000

Part Two of the “Proverbs 31 and the Single Girl” journey.

The Lord has been challenging and encouraging me so much as I’ve been studying and sharing these lessons from Proverbs 31 over the past eight months! I encourage you to spend your own time before the Lord with your Bible open to Proverbs 31:10-31, seeking, asking, and knocking. His plan for women and girls is the highest and best, much better than anything you could hope or dream of. God always reward obedience. When you follow HIS plan for your life, looking into HIS Word, He blesses abundantly, and best of all He is glorified. It can be a challenging road at times, but it is so very worth it, my friends. Seek Him and His Kingdom first and foremost, and all other needed things will be added to you. Be encouraged!

“And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.”
~Psalm 90:17

Can Single Young Women/Girls Learn From Proverbs 31?

Marianna — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 08:10:11 +0000

Thank you all for the wonderful feedback we’ve been receiving! If you left a comment on one of the past blog entries, and asked a question, please know that I left a reply comment there. Unfortunately it doesn’t notify the person when I do, so please check back to the post you left the comment on.

Among the feedback, was a request from Natasha, asking that we write a blog about how to care for long hair. I am working on gathering all my tips (with four girls in my family, and all with long hair, we do indeed have a few things to share!), to share in a blog or vlog soon. Keep checking back for the continuations of the natural beauty tips!

In the mean time, and to follow up with my article from Joy’s blog, I would like to share an audio with you about the Proverbs 31 Woman. I lead a monthly group for young ladies called “Vessels of Honor” based on 2 Timothy 2:20-22 (“But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.“), where I share a Bible study and we learn a homemaking skill.

It has been such a blessing to me, having the privilege of visiting with a living room full of young girls once a month! You simply have not lived until you have been in the middle of such a group, laughing and chatting until you forget about any worries and problems that may be on your heart otherwise. For the past several months I have been sharing a series I’ve entitled “Proverbs 31 and The Single Girl.” It is by no means limited to single young women, but that was who I was speaking to, and sharing about my own challenges in discovering God’s message for me in Proverbs 31, specifically as a single young woman.

It was a hectic day,when this lesson was shared, so pardon the poor sound quality and random background noises, the dog barking, and my occasional scatterbrainess. But after all, the messenger isn’t what’s important, but I do believe the message is, because it is from God’s Word.

My earnest prayer is that not only will the young women in my Vessels of Honor group be all they can be in Christ, but that ALL women and girls will maximize their potential in Christ, and be known in their communities and cities as women and girls who fear and love God greatly.

Blessings,
~Marianna

Dressing Like a Daughter of the King

Marianna — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 17:37:18 +0000

My new friend Joy Forney, over at The Stay-at-Home Missionary Blog is having a week all about modesty, ranging from the practical to the heart aspects!

She has some fun giveaways, and has also featured Bellissima! as a guest poster. You’ll enjoy your visit to her site! I am also including our guest post here.

During my recent study of the dynamic and beautifully detailed portrait of the character of the woman whom God calls “beautiful” and having “surpassed them all”, I found it interesting to note that in the midst of the accounts of her hard work and diligent planning, God also mentioned what kind of clothes she wore! Often in God’s Word, we see that when women are specifically mentioned, details about their outward appearance are often included. I believe God created us as women to care about our appearance. Not so say that we should be vain or overly consumed with outward appearance, for a meek and quiet spirit is the greatest beauty we can possess! But I believe that how we dress and what we look like on the outside, is a reflection of what is in our hearts.

Proverbs 31 paints a portrait of the woman that God said “excelled them all” (meaning that her work as a keeper of the home excelled all the other women mentioned in the Bible!). The strongest lines and strokes on the canvas of this woman’s portrait, are of her fear of God, her love for Him and her family, her good work ethic and the use of her hands to bless others. But we notice in the details, that this woman weaves beauty and excellence into everything, including the way she clothes both her family and herself.

Prov. 31:22b (Amp.)
“Her clothing is of linen, pure and fine, and of purple [such as that of which the clothing of the priests and the hallowed cloths of the temple were made].”

This woman knows that she is not only a King’s daughter, but she holds a very valuable position as keeper and manager of her home, and she dresses to fit the job. Not to say that every day we always feel like a princess or that we should do our housework wearing a taffeta skirt and wearing a tiara on our heads, and it doesn’t even mean that we need to dress in expensive or fancy clothes as we go about our daily work. Is what it does mean, I believe, is that we should dress in a way that helps remind us that what we are doing is important, and that we are a royal people, a chosen generation (1 Peter 2:9) and that everything we do is to be done unto the Lord, the King of Kings (Col 3:23).

When we remember that, and dress as the daughters of the King, or as the Queen of the home that you are, it shows the world that, one, we take delight and joy in the job we hold as homemaker (or for some of us, as “homemaker in training”), and two, that we dress in a way that is pleasing to the eye of our family and ourselves. So throw out your bleach stained tees, and stretched out sweat pants (save them for your next painting project), and put on something that suits the position you have in your home as CEO. Like the woman in Proverbs 31 you’ll feel yourself ready and willing to take on your God given tasks with joy and pride!

Wearing a perky apron can help us remember that we have the privilege of being a servant like Christ was! (John 13:4, He “laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself.”)

So, that brings us to the topic of this post, how to dress in a casual way that is also modest and beautiful! I have found, firstly, that blue jean skirts are a wonderful wonderful thing (see two styles under our skirts section)! I don’t know who invented them, but I wish I could shake their hand and thank them profusely! You see, I’m one of those people who rarely wear blue jeans. I don’t have anything against them as long as they are not too tight (they certainly have their place if you ride horses, or something to that affect), but I have found that one, they are hard to find that aren’t too tight if you don’t have a board straight figure, and two, skirts, khakis or cargo pants are all much more flattering and comfortable! (remember, this is just my opinion!) So, I say don’t be ashamed to go through life without a pair of jeans, if you want to! I say instead, get a good blue jean skirt. They are often more modest and are casual enough so that they can be worn anywhere that you might wear blue jeans. The same with a good khaki skirt, they go with just about anything and can be worn on many many occasions. I am convinced that a flattering and modest khaki and denim skirt are foundational to a feminine and casual wardrobe!

Some other wardrobe pieces that are dear to my heart are cute printed skirts! I delight in having a closet full of feminine skirts that have various prints and patterns of flowers, stripes, lace, etc. I have found that these can be both dressed up (for church, a party, etc), by adding a blouse, heels, and jewelry; or they can be dressed down for casual wear, (like running errands, going to coffee etc.) by wearing them with a tee shirt or polo and flats. They are not only a lot of fun, but very versatile and you’ll feel both feminine and stylish!

There are those times when wearing a skirt just isn’t practical; if you have a toddler to be sitting on the floor with, or if you are going on a picnic, for instance. During these times, I have found the value in pairing pants or capris with a top that is a little longer than one you might wear with a skirt. The wonderful thing about having a bit longer of a top, is that the length covers a bit better where pants can sometimes show your form a bit too much, and also because you don’t have to worry about a gap between pants and shirt in the back when you bend down, or a gap in the front when you lift your hands up. They also help make your outfit feminine and stylish!

I would be amiss if I failed to mention one of my very best wardrobe friends, the often misused camisole or tank. I have a drawer of camis and tanks of various colors that I use continually. I have found that they are helpful for when I am going somewhere that I know I will be constantly bending over and don’t want my shirt to gap, or if my shirt is a length where I know that if I bend forward I could show my back unintentionally, or if the shirt I am wearing has a tendency to sag down lower than is modest. Wearing a tank ensures that none of these wardrobe malfunctions will be wounding to my striving to be a modest lady! Is what you do need to watch for, is that your cami or tank is not too tight or too low. We do sell modest under-tanks at Bellissima! in black and white for this purpose.

There are a lot of fun accessories that can be worn to add pizazz to your casual outfits! The long necklaces that are popular right now add spunk to your outfit, and they also elongate to help an outfit or neckline be more flattering. A fun necklace of any length, a bracelet, pretty earrings, a scarf or headband all help to add personality and sparkle to your outfit. They can be the simple step that takes your outfit from bland to beautiful. Remember, we want to show the world that we represent a God who loves color and beauty!

In closing, I believe that it is absolutely possible to dress modesty and beautifully for any occasion at any stage of life. Don’t be afraid to raise the standards by joyfully celebrating the gift of your God given femininity. Also, remember that whether you are a CEO in your home, or of a company outside of your home, dress with excellence, and let your clothes be a reflection and reminder that we do our tasks unto the Lord, and not unto men (Col. 3:23). Dress with discretion and a flair for fashion, be Bellissima!

And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it. (Ps. 90:17)

And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty. (Ex. 28:2)

So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for He is thy Lord; and worship thou Him.

(Ps. 45:11)

Bellissima! Blog » proverbs 31

More lessons from Proverbs 31!

Can Single Young Women/Girls Learn From Proverbs 31?

Dressing Like a Daughter of the King