Joining another blogging loop. What a challenge to add my thoughts on this quote.
We women must realize how visual men are, and because of that we should wear modest clothes. Not because we don’t have the right to wear what we want, but for the benefit of the spiritual life of our brothers in Christ.
Heather Arnel Paulsen, Emotional Purity: An Affair of the Heart
In my twenties, I wore revealing clothes. And by that I mean, a tank style cotton red dress that clung to my every curve. I also entered leg contests at nightclubs. All in effort to be noticed. To feel pretty. To be seen my men. And to be honest, I liked the attention. I liked to tease men. It gave me power. And being a victim of sexual abuse, I wanted power over men, considering they had power over me as a child and teen. I loved and hated men.
I’ve changed a lot since then. Thank you, God. Today my heart aches for the woman who reveals her body in an effort to feel beautiful or valauble. That is both sad for her and hard for men. I want to apologize to the men for the way women can taunt them. I want to love on the half-naked woman and tell her she’s significant. I want to tell her that she does not have to unveil her breasts to be loved by a man. I want to introduce her to a God that notices her. A God that heals.
A God that loves even the woman in a tight red dress.
**Thank you to Loni for hosting this week’s In Other Words. Visit Loni’s blog for a chance to win the book Emotional Purity.
This is most refreshing post on this topic yet – HONEST and real. Thank goodness God sees beyond the external to our hearts! It saddens me that so many women use their bodies to find acceptance, attention or even to control men.
Your honesty was a blessing…and Praise God HE sees through it all…maybe just maybe, we CAN put our arms around that girl who has no idea “WHY” she is doing what she is doing and be the arms of Christ to her. We are called to do it..and your story convicted me to try.
Thank you for sharing so honestly.
peace,
lori
Oh yes, I can remember those days too. What a feeling of power when we can get men to notice us or even oggle and desire us. Thank God we know that’s a counterfeit feeling. Thanks for your honesty here!
Thank you for sharing your heart in this post.
Thank you Tiffany for sharing about yourself and how this so relates. I appreciate your honesty.
If you’d like, mention about my book drawing on your blog to be a part of the drawing. I think you’d like the book as well. 🙂
Wonderful insight into the rampid, social/heart/knowledge problem. I know many girls/women, like myself, live and dress and act with no understanding of this problem. For a LONG, LONG time, I had NO idea of the struggle men/boys have with the visual. I’m so glad that God enlightened ME, but I must confess it took a LONG time for that fact to really sink into my naive heart and mind. A LONG time. So, not all girls/women really know what they are doing. Did I say a LONG time?!?!
Hey there! I love your blog! I will come back to visit when it’s not 11:36 pm and my eyes are half closed! Got any Earl Grey?
Thanks for sharing this, very powerful teaching.
I love that last line. . . “A God that loves even the woman in a tight red dress.” God looks beyond our outward appearance and sees our heart!
Thank you, thank you for the words of encouragement! They mean so much.
This is a topic that fuels my fire. Our culture teaches us sex sells. And so woman strive to being sex symbols, thinking that will bring them happiness and love.
There’s a better way!
I’m so glad God has brought you healing. Thanks for sharing.
hi tiffany, CONGRATULATIONS on being chosen the winner for loni’s giveaway book. what a beautiful testimony you’ve shared here. i used to be the same way before i became a christian. i had such a void in my life, but i didn’t know it back then when i dressed the way i did. now i understand. thank you for making it plain for people to understand. i’m so glad we serve a God who loves us unconditionally.