Spiritually Closing Avenues

In the past few months, possibly even a year, I've become increasingly convicted about what I watch and listen to. There were certain shows I had become addicted to that were slightly crude, however I justified watching it because it was funny. Or secular music I listened to that I told myself was okay because it was catchy and the lyrics weren't that bad. But I found myself feeling more and more guilty. And the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. I had already decided to stay away from R-rated movies, which I think is a pretty common preference among Christians for obvious reasons. But I was feeling the need to purge the things I let enter into my mind even further. I find it really hard to promise myself that I'm going to stop watching a show or listening to a catchy song. So I realized that I had to promise God.

In case you were wondering, the show I am specifically referring to is New Girl with Zooey Deschanel. The show is hilarious. But there is a lot of sexual content as well as the use of profane language. This show was like my guilty pleasure, but the more I watched, the guiltier I felt.

And based on past experiences in my life, when I'm feeling guilty it's really the Lord working on my heart and convicting me in areas of my life that I need to change in order to glorify Him.

It was a sacrifice to give up that show. But the thought that finally convicted me enough to tell God that I was done with the show was that those ideas and words wouldn't be in my mind if I weren't letting them enter in. Have you ever found yourself repeating a curse word in your mind? Or thinking a thought that you wished had never entered your mind? That's where I found myself. (Side note: New Girl was not the only show I gave up, it was just my favorite, the one I watched the most, and consequently the hardest to give up.) I absolutely hate when words I would never say, or thoughts I hate thinking seem to be on repeat on my mind because I heard it somewhere else. And I realized I was doing it to myself. I was letting it happen.

I personally believe that having these thoughts and words circulating in my mind is just as bad as saying them out loud in God's eyes. The Bible says that if you murder someone in your heart, it's just as bad as murdering them in real life. And if a man is considered to have committed adultery just by looking at a woman and lusting after her, then I'd say thinking a word in my mind is just as bad as saying it out loud.

I have to close the avenues that the devil can use to enter into my life.

I found myself praying and asking God to purify my heart. But how can He do that if I am letting impure thoughts, images, and words enter into my mind? He can't. That part is up to me. So I took a leap of faith, knowing that God would bless me for making that sacrifice, and gave up all R-rated movies, crude or inappropriate shows, secular music, books, et cetera. I am trying to close the avenues, or the paths, that the devil uses to try to get into my life and distract me.

Here is a statement recently made in our Sunday School class at church that I thought was worth sharing:  

"You can't help it if a bird flies over your head, but you can stop it from building a nest in your hair."

At first I was like, "huh?" But then it was explained to me. When bad thoughts enter your mind, you can't help it unfortunately. Sometimes they just pop up, offending your own self that you would even have such a thought. But you do have the power to decide whether you are going to feed and nurture that thought, or if you're going to shoo it away. I think that allowing media of any kind that contains thoughts I wouldn't want to think of myself, is feeding and nurturing those thoughts. I'm inviting them to come build a home in my mind. And if I let those things make their home in my mind and heart, there's less room for God and His Son to have a place because they are being overcrowded. And competing with God is a very scary thing.Choosing not to watch or listen to certain shows, movies, or music is like telling those thoughts that this road is closed; they can't travel down this avenue.

I heard a statement several years ago that has stayed in the back of my mind ever since. It has sort of become my "WWJD" statement in my own life. In a youth class at our church in Louisville, KY, a man said that everything you do should have something to do with eternity. If it doesn't, it's not worth it. That statement alone has guided so many decisions in my life the past couple of years. One little sentence has convicted me on multiple occasions. I ask myself all of the time, does this benefit me? Does this glorify God? Does this please Jesus? Does this have anything to do with eternity? 

There are so many things that I find myself getting caught up in, whether it's a TV show, a game on my phone, or browsing Facebook and Instagram for way too long, and then that thought enters my mind. What does this have to do with eternity? I rarely have to answer the question, because if I have to ask the question in the first place that's not a good sign. And once I do, if the answer is nothing to do with eternity, I have that sinking feeling of guilt which answers the question for me. And the sad thing is that sometimes I ignore that feeling and just give into whatever the guilty pleasure is. But when I don't give in, and I stop what I'm doing and open up my Bible, or begin to pray, or pop in a church DVD, or listen to recording of a Bible study, I NEVER regret it!

9 Cute Modest Workout & Swim Skirts

When I first began dressing modestly, there were still some activities that I justified in my mind as needing to wear pants. But really, the majority of those activities were ones where I just would've felt especially awkward to be seen doing in a skirt. Since then I've pretty much gotten over that, and I don't care what the world says about me! But one of those activities was working out - I thought doing it in a skirt was basically impossible so I kept wearing sweatpants. I did stop wearing shorts, however I did wear pants. And some of them were prettttty tight.

Then I also went on vacation with my family several times... and if you've read My Story then you know that my family does not attend church with me and therefore doesn't really understand or agree with the way I always choose to dress. So I chose to wear tankinis and one pieces, even though I definitely had that nagging feeling of guilt that told me I knew better and should've covered up more. So after a couple of vacations feeling increasingly worse, I knew I couldn't do it anymore. And ever since then I've been on a hunt for a cute running/swim skirt. And if you've ever tried looking, you know that there's barely any. So I have compiled a list of my favorites - the list is in no specific order.

{One thing to keep in mind, and something that I currently wear, is a cotton t-shirt like skirt with leggings underneath. The thing with cotton skirts and similar materials is that one, they do not dry quickly and two, if the leggings are made of a similar material the skirt continuously rides up and it gets to be extremely annoying. So I'm looking for a skirt that is made of a dry-fit type material that will "glide" over leggings and anything else I choose to wear underneath because that is a huge pet peeve of mine!}

{1} Patagonia Vitaliti Skirt $59
According to their website, this skirt “…moves freely and breathes, thanks to its blend of organic cotton, recycled polyester and spandex.” This skirt is 21 inches long, so if you're a bit on the taller side you may want to steer away from this option if you prefer to cover your knees. However I love how simple this skirt is and the mixture of fabric presented in this skirt is sure to not disappoint... doesn't organic cotton just sound so lovely?!

{2} Women's Running Skirt / Sports Skirt WithLeggings $42

"This running skirt with leggings is made with a light weight fabric with UV protection, is chlorine resistant, and quick -drying material. It is made from Polyamide/spandex for the most comfortable modest running skirt, aerobics skirt, or walking skirt..."

*I have heard many good things about Kosher Casual, however I have never actually ordered anything from them. The one thing I really like about this skirt is the subtle a-line shape; it's there, but it's not overpowering like some modest workout skirts I have found. I also love the legging length - not too long, but not too short.

{3} Black Spirit Athletic Skirt $70
"This below the knee a-line skirt with comfortable flat waistband sits above the hip, offering modesty and extra coverage in a super-slimming and flattering style. Attached mesh compression short and dual velcro hip pockets." This skirt just looks athletic to me! Plus it has pockets... need I say more?! But I love the shape of this skirt; a very subtle a-line and it is below the knee, which is pretty hard to find. I think if I owned this skirt I would become addicted to it and wear it every day. It would be my version of the world's yoga pant obsession ;)

{4} Running Skirt $60
This running skirt from Apostolic Clothing Company is a "professionally made running skirt with built in shorts for added comfort. Made of high quality, moisture whicking material for easy wear/ easy care! Deep pockets on sides!" The pictures on the website made this difficult to get a feel for what the skirt would actually look like to me. But regardless, ACC has a pretty large following and coming from an Apostolic store you know that the standards of modesty will be incorporated into this skirt. Plus, this skirt has pockets... deep pockets. Just think of all the possibilities!

{5} Athletic Skort / Ladies $48

"You can now have our skorts in fabric made just for exercise! The fabric is made of nylon micro mesh and has the wicking which holds the moisture away from your body. The skort has a skirt with shorts underneath. The shorts have been designed for comfort doing any type of exercise activity! This skort even has a zippered MEDIA pocket!" I love how light this material looks - most of the other skirts I have found seem to have a pretty heavy/dense material. So this may not be the best for swimming (it could get a little clingy). But, it has a zippered pocket! That is fantastic. Finally, this dress comes from Dressing For His Glory, so standards of modesty should not be an issue.

{6} Power Walk Skirt $59.95

This skirt actually comes from an Islamic modesty website and is described as having an elasticized drawstring waist, two front side pockets, trim detailing, and is made of 100 percent cotton. (So yeah, I picked one made out of cotton - but this would be for more relaxed activities, not harder workouts).

{7} Modest Swim Skirt (Knee-Length, Black) $50
This "basic black long swim skirt [is] perfect for just about anything, especially swimming. Special swim fabric makes it non-clingy in water, dry extra fast and is more breathable for warm weather. This 24 inch long swim skirt looks perfect for swimming to me, with it's straight design I can imagine swimming easily without the skirt becoming too "flowy" in the water.

{8} Nadadora Triangle Spliced Long Swim Skirt with Swim Leggings $81

"Available with built-in longer length leggings that fall mid-calf for ultimate coverage. Swim modestly in style and never have a worry about color fading, our chlorine proof triangle splice modest swim skirts maintain color and shape. Lightweight material keeps you cool, and the special chlorine proof material keeps your colors strong, all summer long." I love the look of this skirt - very athletic! However it does seem to be a little short, so if you're taller like I am, this may not be the best option.

{9} Calamity Jane Skirt $55

I love this skirt! I don't think I'd wear it for more rigorous exercise, but walking, hiking, yoga, tennis... definitely! The "dense, Dream fabric" this skirt is made of allows the skirt to drape in a flattering manner with a very smooth and soft feel! Plus the skirt comes in four different colors ("Deep Purple" is pictured below).

So there you have it! Nine, adorable modest workout skirts! While conducting my research for this post I found several other skirts that fit the modest bill, but in my opinion, was just not cute. So I did not include them. Please leave comments below if you have ever purchased any of the skirts I listed and your opinion on them or if I left out a great option!

**If you represent any of the websites I have listed and would like me to review your product to post a complete review on the blog, please contact me: jscheks13@gmail.com**

16 Fashionable Modest Clothing Sites

When I first started coming to church with Michael (read my story here), finding a cute knee length or longer skirt was nearly impossible. I had one from beforehand, and it was pretty casual, so I quickly set out to look for a new skirt. In the entire mall I found two skirts and they were both expensive, so I had to pick one. I remember feeling stressed and annoyed and I had no clue where else to look. It would’ve been nice to find an article or blog post with a comprehensive list of places to find modest clothing. So here is one I have compiled:

(Keep in mind that the resources listed below are not all solely modest clothing companies, 

some clothing that you may not consider to be modest.)

{1} Shabby Apple

I have two dresses from Shabby Apple (the Alice Dress and a royal blue dress that was discontinued). My bridesmaids wore the I'm Late! I'm Late! Dress in my wedding and they were perfect! These dresses tend to be a little pricey, I would say the average price is between $80 and $100, but they are perfect for a wedding or special event. When ordering be sure to use the sizing chart as it is very detailed. One thing to be aware of, though, is that every dress tends to be a little different - my bridesmaids' dresses each varied slightly whether it be the lace, color, pattern, or the coverage underneath the sleeves. And even though it's a little pricey, there are occasional sales that I have seen go up to 20% off. You also get a coupon on your birthday!

{2} Mikarose 

This company's tagline is, "Reinventing modesty," and I'd have to agree! Their site features adorable dresses, tops, skirts, and accessories. Their website also has a nice sizing chart to help you order. These dresses have reasonable prices considering how expensive some modest clothing sites tend to run. The Alexis Dress pictured below is one of my favorites from their site - I LOVE stripes and this dress is only $49.99!

{3} Jen Clothing

I own two different dresses from Jen Clothing and love them both (the Renee Dress in black lace (pictured below) and the Ariana Dress in mint). I am in love with the Renee dress - it is perfect for weddings and around Christmas time, plus it is very comfortable considering how formal it is. Jen, the owner of Jen Clothing is Mormon and gives her testimony on the website. I ordered both of my dresses at the same time because shipping is free when your order is over $100. 

{4} Apostolic Clothing Company

The Apostolic Clothing Company is really growing and is all modest! The Leann two piece set pictured below is $58.95 and you have your choice of either a black or mint skirt. This website has several pages of dresses, skirts, jackets, shirts, as well as an ADORABLE vintage section (however most if not all of the items seem to be vintage inspired, not truly vintage). 

{5} Corilynn

This is a shop I would own every single piece from if I were rich, but sadly I am not. Corilynn is the owner and designer of this shop and her business is amazing! Everything is made in the USA, which is pretty hard to find these days. The only downfall is the prices of these beautiful pieces - dresses run from $148-$175, skirts are $108, and blouses are $78. But here are a couple of her gorgeous designs:

 The Capri Dress comes in four different colors. ($148)

 How adorable and perfect is this Secretary Blouse for $78?!

I love, love, love all things mint and peter pan collars are the best.

So I'm in love with this Wendy Dress, which comes in three colors.

($148)

{6} eShakti - We design, you customize

I had never heard of this website until last week, and after looking through it for only a couple minutes I was excited because there are some amazingly cute vintage and retro-inspired dresses! The coolest thing I have ever seen while shopping for clothes exists on this site - after selecting the dress you'd like to purchase, you pick your size which gives detailed measurements and enter your height. Then you get to pick the length and neckline you want! So you can make every dress modest! There is a small additional fee to customize the style, but it is only $7.50 and not every single dress is customizable. If you choose to, you can enter in your own measurements and they are saved and applied to every purchase. I didn't look through every page, but I looked through many and everything seems to be below $100 on the site. This site also has an "Overstock" section with pieces at a discounted price, however you cannot customize the items in this section. 

I customized this dress by adding 3/4 length sleeves and 

I chose the mid-calf length. This dress comes with pockets,

as does many of their dresses!

{7} Junee

This modest website seems to focus on skirts (115 in total!) There is only one dress on the site, but the skirts sure do make up for it - there are dozens of simple, classic styles to choose from including the Simple Skirt shown below! I chose denim, however there are 10 other options to choose from for this skirt. I am always on the lookout for cute and classy denim skirts to wear and this site delivers exactly that! There are so many options it would be hard to choose! The prices also seem to be slightly lower than other modest clothing sites. All skirts are under $60.

{8} Metro Style

This site definitely does not contain all modest options, but I saw it advertised somewhere that they have a large selection of modest suites - perfect for the professional working woman or for church! However there are also many dresses to choose from, you just have to sort through the other items. The suit below was originally $59.99 but is currently on sale.

{9} Rusty Zipper Vintage Clothing

On this vintage clothing website, clothing is organized by the era it's from. So if you click on "vintage dresses" you then choose which decade you'd like to browse. Pretty cool! However there is also an option to view all dresses and choose different styles to view. Everything I have seen is in the $30 range for the most part. There are even vintage wedding dresses (with sleeves) for under $200! Below is this 1970s Hippie Prairie Style Dress for just $35. Can't you just see this in a photo shoot out in a field with tall grass and a flower crown?

{10} Beautifully Modest

This website has a lot of things to offer, including modest wedding gowns! All of the wedding gowns are short sleeve however, as opposed to 3/4 length sleeve or long sleeve. They also carry modest prom dresses, bridesmaid dresses, dressy casual dresses, and semi formal dresses. One of my favorite dressy casual dresses, the Lorna Dress, is shown below and is $59.99.

{11} Beautiful One

This site is all modest and all adorable! So many cute skirts to choose from! Including the two you see below - the Polka Dot Lace Skirt ($45) and the Black/White Striped Skirt ($25), which comes in several other colors as well. The site also offers several cute blouses, "layered maxis," and "layering dresses."

{12} Dainty Jewell's

This website has some adorable dresses! Prices are similar to Shabby Apple, a little more on the expensive side... but from the looks of it, it's worth it. Especially for this striped dress, The Chic Lady for $98:

But the thing I love most about Dainty Jewell's is their modest swimwear line. Usually modest swimwear and adorable do not go together in the same sentence, but they are best friends on this site! I mean how cute is this Paisley Swim Dress for $74.95?! If I were going on vacation this summer I can guarantee you this dress would already be ordered. The material is quick drying allowing you to swim, but it also looks like a dress so you can wear it pretty much all day no matter what the activity is. The leggings underneath are separate.

{13} Jade Mackenzie Apparel

Jade Mackenzie is another all modest site with some cute skirts, shirts, and a couple dresses. My favorite dress is this striped number, the 'Kate' Black & White Knit Dress for $78.

{14} Junie Blake

I am in love with these Junie Blake dresses! Each one is bright and cute! Floral and lacey seem to be their go to designs and patterns, which I'm totally okay with. The Giselle floral maxi shown below looks perfect for summer and is $63.99. The Paige ($59.99) casual striped dress is one I'd love to have in my wardrobe, another perfect summer dress! I will be excited to see their fall and winter lines as it seems like their new arrivals are very season appropriate.

{15} The Virtuous Closet

The blouses on this site are perfect; classy with high necklines! What more could a girl need? There are a lot of skirts and dresses on this site (some really cute maxi dresses that are a little dressier). The Petal Dress shown below is, in my opinion, perfect for summer and is $79. This website is a little pricier compared to others in this post.

This Jeweled Tulip Blouse in Blush is so elegant and glamorous and also

comes in white. ($55)

{16} LulaRoe
LulaRoe can be purchased in two ways - online or through a consultant/at a party (similar to Arbonne or Pampered Chef). But regardless, their dresses and skirts are adorable and so versatile because they can be dressed up or down. They are also made out of a super comfy looking material. The dress shown below is the Nicole Dress in black and white chevron dot ($42), and I love it... especially with the chambray shirt underneath!

Phew! That was a long post, but I am feeling inspired to shop now (when am I not?!) Leave a comment if you've ever purchased something from any of the sites I've listed or if I missed a fantastic site, let me know!

**If you represent any of the sites I have mentioned and would like me to review your product and post a complete review of it on the blog, please contact me: jscheks13@gmail.com**

A Short Post About Yoga

Like the vast majority of the population, I really struggle with an extreme lack of motivation when it comes to working out.

In high school I ran track and cross country, which definitely was enough exercise. But ever since then, I go back and forth with becoming motivated for awhile and then losing it all for a couple months. But the other day I went running and I wanted to do yoga afterwards because it's supposed to be so good for runners. So I looked up a video on youtube and it felt great! So I kept browsing through other yoga videos and stumbled upon the 30 Day Yoga Challenge with Erin Motz through DoYouYoga.com. So I did day one and LOVED it!

I'm currently on day 11 and going strong. Erin's videos are so easy to follow, she's very real and down to earth, and gives several options to make stretches and poses harder or easier depending on the level you are personally at. Her philosophy behind yoga definitely shines through her videos:

"For me, yoga has never been about strict adherence to tradition or rules that preceded me. 
I believe that yoga is a tool we can use to help us make our bodies work better for us. 
It’s a tool that creates space and allows for fluid, efficient movement. 
I believe that yoga is for everyone: from the kale-loving vegan
to the prize-winning deer hunter. I believe that there’s no such thing as 
“advanced” poses, just difficult or less difficult ones. Yoga isn’t about labels 
(the ones we put on ourselves or the ones on our pants) or classification and should be 
inclusive regardless of beliefs, lifestyles, diets or any other choice. It’s that simple."

The goal is to feel good, and her videos have not only done that for me, but her day 4 Pilates inspired ab session is crazy good and I keep repeating the video and I'm definitely noticing results!

I love it because I can complete the videos in the comfort of my own home and not have to worry about trying to do yoga in a skirt. The videos are all about 10-20 minutes long - the perfect length in my opinion. And to get a full workout in, I just repeat some of my old favorites from previous days. Erin now has a 10 day ab challenge and just announced on her website that a new challenge is in the works! 

It is seriously amazing! Don't knock it until you try it... You will feel so good, and it improves your strength, balance, and flexibility! Plus she doesn't get all "yoga" on you if you're not into all of that yoga talk ;)

My {Modest} Story

The first thing you need to know is that I got married to my high school sweetheart on March 22, 2014. We met back in sixth grade (and we both had a crush on each other) but we didn’t begin dating until the very end of our sophomore year.

And this is where the real story begins.

When I was younger, my family went to a Presbyterian church. My parents became “burnt out” after several years of attending and being asked to do more and more and feeling like they were getting nothing in return spiritually. So we stopped going and never went to another church consistently after that. Around the age of 14 or 15 I started to develop a desire to have a home church; somewhere where I felt comfortable, got to know the people, and could deepen my relationship with God and His Son. Not to mention I would feel embarrassed anytime my friends from school would talk about church when I would have to explain that my family didn’t attend a church. But I was pretty young and the rest of my family did not have that desire so what could I really do?

But long story short, as soon as my now husband, Michael, and I began talking he told me how important his church was to him and that I had to visit before we actually started dating. I felt like I had hit the jackpot! Michael never cursed, had no desire to drink alcohol or "party," and was just a nice guy - hard to find in high school sophomores. So I started attending church with him and quickly learned that while his church (which is now my church) states that they are nondenominational, they lean very closely towards Pentecostal. And every single woman wore skirts (to church, not all have the conviction in their lives to wear them everyday).

At first I hated it, I’d grown up wearing pants and I couldn’t imagine wearing skirts full time, let alone to every church event. But as you could guess, the Holy Spirit began working in my life and gradually I became okay with the fact that we had to wear skirts to church. Then I kind of started to like wearing skirts to church. And finally, I felt like I could see myself wearing skirts as a lifestyle. But I was a senior in high school at this point and the thought of starting to wear skirts was way too intimidating to me – my friends would’ve thought I was crazy! So I didn’t. But then it came time for college. I moved into a dorm at a nearby university and I was starting to feel more and more guilty about not wearing skirts. (Side note: When you’re feeling guilty it’s often the Holy Spirit convicting you). But none of the girls in my youth group, besides maybe one or two, wore skirts all the time. So I kept quiet.

Then one day, my friend mentioned to me that she was starting to feel like she should wear skirts and I felt like a big boulder had been lifted off of my shoulders. Another friend heard us excitedly talking and asked us what we were discussing, so we told her. And with a big sigh of relief, she explained how she had been feeling the exact same way. But that wasn’t the end, we didn’t just throw every pair of pants away that we owned never looking back.

Deciding to wear skirts everyday is a very hard, life changing decision, and I wish I could say it happened over night. But it was a struggle for all of us. For about a month we wrestled with it, not exactly sure if it was what we were being called to do, coming up with ridiculously lame excuses to justify ourselves, questioning God, and complaining. We prayed about it, too, of course. But I secretly hoped the answer would be what I wanted, not the Lord’s will. After praying for about a month, we heard the testimony of a girl from our sister church in Des Moines, Iowa. She described how she felt like she was at a spiritual plateau several years earlier, and knew that she needed to make some lifestyle changes starting with the way she dressed. She felt very convicted about it. I was convicted, but I either didn’t realize I was or didn’t care to admit that I was. And she said this simple statement,

“If you don’t have a conviction, pray for one.” 

Especially if you know it’s something you should be doing, pray for a conviction! That statement, for some reason, settled it for me. I realized that it didn’t matter what I wanted, or if wearing skirts everyday made me feel slightly uncomfortable. Because it’s not about what I want, it’s about what God wants!

Several other things that really helped to sway me came from my cousin-in-law, Abby, who grew up in an Apostolic church and has always worn skirts. As my friends and I were complaining that it’s unfair that girls are the ones who have to be uncomfortable and wear skirts, yet guys get to wear pants, she said that she found it to be a “privilege.” We get to wear skirts. I had never viewed it that way, but she went on to explain that as women, we have the privilege to shine our light just through our outward appearance. Men don’t have that privilege quite as often. So slowly, I began to feel honored that God had called me to change my lifestyle to ultimately glorify Him.

It’s been almost four years since I decided to wear skirts, and now I can’t imagine my life any other way. I have truly been blessed for following the calling the Lord put in my life! However that does NOT mean I think any differently towards women who do not dress the way I do. I have many friends who wear pants or shorts, and I’m not here to judge (remember, I’ve worn pants the majority of my life). So yes, my lifestyle may be different from yours. But that is what I love about blogging. I get to know women who have passions for different things, and understand why their passions exist. My hope for this blog is to share my passions and inspire you to do the same.