Put Some Clothes On

     The other day I was in a dressing room with 6 dresses. I tried each of them on.... in the appropriate size.... and none of them worked. Why? Because if I bent over the whole world would know what color panties I'd have on. Granted.... if I stood up and did the fingertip rule I would [barely/hardly] pass. But when life would hit me in that dress and I would one day chase a plastic bag in Walmart's parking lot..... or lean down to tie my shoe (Laced shoes and dresses are in style) more of Brennen would be revealed than what is necessary or appropriate.
     The fact of the matter is.... modesty is a difficult way to dress these days. It's almost easiest to cave in wear my dresses a little bit shorter... and my shirts a little bit lower. I mean, what's a little extra skin showing gonna hurt? Let me tell ya...... It's gonna become a battle for a man of God. So beautiful ladies..... take a stand... and put on some dang clothes.
    
     A few years ago... I didn't care what in the world I wore. I'd run out of the house as quick as I could because I knew my momma wouldn't approve.... but I wanted to be "hot". But somehow, the Lord has placed a passion for modesty, purity, and holiness upon my heart. And I've been silent for far too long. I'm here to say... or write.... Even in 2011 you can dress modestly.
     For what it's worth, I thought I'd share a few tips. :)

Modest is Hottest Gorgeous, Beautiful, and Stunning Class 101:
1. Praise Test in every outfit.
     First.... Lift your hands.... and come on now... lift 'em high. He's worthy right!?    
     Second.... Kneel... do every type of kneeling.... Is yo' booty hangin out? How's your shirt.... can you see straight down it!? Watch out!
     Third... Jump a few times... just in case life hits ya today. Does it swoosh and show too much of ya'self?

2. Layer. Invest in a few camisoles that come up pretty high. No cleavage. Cleavage is simply not fair to any man. Men are visual and as Godly as they can be.... you don't want your cleavage to be their stumbling block. You also want camisoles that are longer. So if your shirt comes up your back, side, or belly doesn't show.

3. Dresses.... pick wisely. Don't buy a dress that's too short. It may be the cutest dress there is.... but it's not worth it. You can always add leggings if it's appropriate.

4. Balance. I am not suggesting that you wear a ugly/ out dated clothes, no make up, and the only thing you can see if your face. You can still be absolutely gorgeous without showing tons of skin. If you're shirt scoops down and shows some skin up top (a Godly amount) then pair it with something that covers you up on the bottom. And vis versa... many times if I wear a skirt- I will choose a t-shirt style blouse or a shirt layered with a jacket. It simply balances you out.... and shows that you can tastefully look beautiful.

5. High Heels. Heels can be hott, but they can also be pretty skanky. If you're wearing a skirt that comes a few inches above your knee.... I'm not so sure heels are going to be the best choice. I would wisely choose a pair of flats or cute gladiator sandals. If you're wearing jeans, or a longer skirt.... go for the heels. You can rock a great pair of shoes modestly.

6. Accessorize. I'm not so sure that this is a Modesty tip... but it is a fashion tip. Many times the only modest things I can find are plain items... but it's totally okay if you accessorize yourself. Change it up with your color.... I always try to throw in a surprise accessory that most people wouldn't think would go with it. :) It's like a game!

7. Be you. From head to toe. Don't try to impress men with your skin. Think if what you're wearing is what attracts a man to you... dress for a man that you deserve. If he is only attracted to you for your mini-skirt, cleavage, and long legs.... I'm not so sure he's the Godly man that you desire and deserve.



Men- I apologize for what you go through every day. I can't imagine the inner battle you go through with the way that we dress. I vow to always keep your inner man in mind when I dress. Always making sure that I am dressed modestly and appropriately.

Girls.... be you. That's the best advice I have for you when it comes to life. Be the best you that God created you to be. Dress modestly and wear a smile and some confidence. ;)

Blogging.... about Blogging. Nitty Gritty Truth.

     As a blogger I sometimes want to just throw my problems out into the world because writing is an escape for me. I want to vent and yell and cry all through my blog with the frustrations of life. I have decided against it. And will continue to. Not because it wouldn't be fun and feel good, but because 1. it's not tasteful, 2. it won't help, and 3. it drives me nuts when other people live their life through social media. So I refuse. But a bad habit that I have developed is not writing what is in my heart- simply because it might step on some toes. What I know as truth, and as black and white, has yet been revealed to some of those around me. (Or they have yet to listen.) I openly admit that I am sure there are some out there that think the same thing about me. And, the best part about it..... it's okay. We're human. We make mistakes. We couldn't be better people if we were already perfect. We have to simply brush ourselves off and get up and try again!
     So, I, Brennen Gaddis, promise to never withhold Godly wisdom or advice because I'm afraid it might step on one's toes. I also promise to not hold back from writing something I'm not an expert on. I have something to offer. Just like every single one of you.

     So be prepared.... my blogs might get a little bit more honest. I might even turn into one of those bloggers that you say, "Did she really write that!?" But... the truth must be revealed. I am a messenger. And a messenger that is learning right along with you. :)

     Modesty, Dating, Marriage, Parenting (I said I wouldn't hold back from writing about something I'm not an expert at.... I forgot to add- not experienced on there as well.) I'm excited to get parts of my heart out there. Even if just one person reads it and is touched.... I have done my part. It excites me to write even this blog. I never imagined I'd write a blog... about writing a blog. :) So fun.

     Hold onto your skinny jeans and grab a Coca-Cola. ;)

The Journey.

     The other night I was so blessed to watch a few couples be prayed and prophesied over. As I watched one particular couple hold hands, lean on each other, and receive the Lord's word over their life together- tears came to my eyes. Tears of happiness and rejoicing for the most part. But in that quiet part of my heart, I ached for that very scene in my own life. It's what I pray and dream of, it's what I write about, it's what I love. Love. Marriage. 2 individuals living life as one. Selflessness. A Holy Matrimony.
     In that moment, my mind raced back and I could see myself laying in bed on lonely nights and praying for my husband. I saw moments when [it seemed] everyone else had someone to love and I had no one. The moments where I had been overlooked for the superficial girl that wasn't even the real deal. And my heart ached... it ached for that bond I will one day have with my husband. I simply cried out to the Lord that I wanted that but only in His timing. In my little mind, the perfect time for me to meet my husband is in the next 5 minutes, (giving myself time to get myself together).
     But ultimately, The Lord knows the perfect timing. I may not understand it, I'm sure you all could come up with plenty of reasons for me to not get married. Probably the fact that I'm 20 being #1. But I know that He has it all under control. (And 20's a perfect age..... lots 'o babies or lots o' time before having babies!) He's writing a beautiful story for me. One that I will cherrish for years to come. And a story that is a reality. One day I will have a husband to "do life together". To have a family with and to serve Jesus together.
     The whole point of this blog post isn't to share with you my heart for the man God has for me but it is this: The time spent in waiting will only deepen the amount of gratitude I will one day have for what God has given me. Life is not about the end result. It's about everything in between. It's about the journey. And this journey that I am on of preparing myself for my man is beautiful. I'm not always perfect and I will ALWAYS be growing. And I am okay with that. The thing to remember is that waiting may not be fun, but it's worth it. Every moment of waiting is worth it if you're waiting for what God has for you.

     Be encouraged. Love your season of waiting. I don't love it yet.... but I'm at least beginning to like it. ;)

What is Sizing You Up?

     This (crazy) woman has a pet boa constrictor. A snake that she absolutely loves. Loves so much that it sleeps with her at night. She noticed that he hadn't been eating for a while and that when he was sleeping he was sleeping in a straight line, when he normally slept curled up in ball. She decided to call her vet and ask him about it. As she tells him all of this he immediately says to get rid of the snake as soon as possible. Come to find out..... The snake had been fasting so he could save enough space to eat his owner. He had been sleeping straight up and down because he was sizing up his owner. And when he reached a certain length then he knew that he had enough space to eat her.
     Pretty dang gross right? I absolutely hate snakes, so I really hate this story. I thought about doing some research to find out more about this "sizing up" thing that they do, but refrained because I knew I'd have nightmares, and constantly be on the snake look out! However, I couldn't get this story out of my mind for quite a while. Because it floors me that the woman would sleep with a snake. That is ridiculous. As I began to think on this it hit me that we do the same things.
     We allow things in our life that can potentially harm or kill us. Addictions, ungodly relationships, ungodly habits and behaviors, etc. We know that it isn't what God intended for us- but we go ahead and let it sleep with us, size us up, and give it the opportunity to eat us alive. And that is exactly what sin will do. satan will use every opportunity that we give him to get into our lives. He can manipulate it to where in the beginning "it's not a big deal". The sin is so small that why would it even matter? (Sin always matters, that's a lie. It's from satan so don't listen to that!) But as time passes we get more comfortable with that sin in our life... and it grows... and before you know it, it's just like that boa constrictor. Waiting for the moment to take our life away. Sin is crouching at our door, and we must rule over it (Genesis 4:7).
     So, what do we do with this massive, life-sucking, killing, monster of a sin!?
1. We cut it off. Get rid of it. Give yourself no access to it. This is not a time to show yourself that you can be strong and just say no. No, do not even give yourself the opportunity to get into that area of sin again.
2. Get an accountability partner. It is too easy to go back to the things we are comfortable with. Having someone that will hold you accountable to your decision to go God's way over your own will be extremely helpful.
3. Replace it with something Godly. Find something that you can do for God.
4. Pray against that struggle. It is from satan- therefor it doesn't stand a chance. Rebuke it and replace it with the truth. For example, if you have trouble with body image- rebuke the lie that you aren't pretty. And replace it with "the King is enthralled by my beauty" (Psalm 45:11).
5. Dust yourself off and keep moving. Your past does not define you. You still have an opportunity to be the best you that God created. It's never too late.



     Take a look at your life and ask yourself the question, "What is sizing me up?" or "What am I trapped inside from allowing myself to "sleep" with ungodly harmful things?


I end this post with a quote from Kris Vallotin, "You have not been put on earth for the devil to tormet you, you have been put on this earth to torment the devil."



  

Blog Business!

My wonderful and faithful blog readers,

     Have I told you how much I love you? And how much I appreciate that you take time out of your day to read my thoughts? Because I do. It means the world to me. Which is why I trust you with some advice I need. 

     One of my dreams is to write. I've had this passion and desire since I was younger but have always watered it down. I remember writing short stories as a child and the teacher always telling me that I had too much in it for a short story. So I quit writing. Well- I'm writing again- and it makes me come alive. I absolutely love it. I love that people understand what I'm saying. I love that I'm able to put into words what is in my heart. So I want to make my dreams come true. 

     I'm beginning to work on a book about purity. But I also have been encouraged and have been thinking about pursuing writing for a newspaper or a magazine of some sort. I am definitely not the best writer around but I refuse to believe the lie that I have nothing to offer. Because, I do. Just like YOU have something to offer.

     I need some help picking out some blogs to edit and send in to a few places. So- let me know what your favorite blog posts are! Also- what would you all like to see me write about? Is there anything that you would like to request me to do/write/ showcase? I am always open to ideas and need your help in being the best writer that I can be. 

     Also- if you know of a magazine or somewhere that my writing would fit in that I could send in a blog let me know of that to! 

There you go lovely people of God! Time to help a girl out achieve her dreams! :) And that girl- just happens to be me! :) I love you all!

You can post your suggestions as a comment or e-mail me at brennen_gaddis@yahoo.com, or facebook me a message!  Here's the link to my facebook: http://www.facebook.com/brennengaddis

smile. :)

Life Lessons with Brennen:
a.k.a.-- a post to quiet my mind.... so much going on in it right now :)

• be who you are. pretending or "watering down" yourself does nothing positive
• be the best you while doing this, don't make excuses for ungodly behavior by saying "this is how I am", be Godly and be who God's called you to be. 
• love people limitlessly. give them grace. if you are wrong in being frustrated/angry- make it right. 
• show and demonstrate mercy. 
• cute clothes really do make a difference in your day
• stay thankful for the things in your life
• win. win. situations- in every aspect of your life
• try new things. try things you aren't good at. it's always fun learning about it.
• find the unique things about people and help bring it out of them. encourage uniqueness.
• smile. there is nothing better than the feeling of a true and genuine smile on your face.
• have fun in life. there's a time and place for everything. immaturity can be allowed sometimes ;)
• take time to invest in people's lives. get to know them. 
• talk less than other people. (I need this written so I see it all the time)
• live out your passions. if you find something that makes you come alive- don't abandon it. 
• love yourself and who God is molding you into

God is so beyond amazing. I am so glad that hope and peace are a part of my day. I am so thankful for what God is doing and am beyond excited for the things to come. 

I love Jesus. Yes, I do. I love Jesus. How about you?

Not Noticed.

     I have this new obsession. And it truly is an obsession. One Tree Hill. It's a tv show that has been airing for quite some time. I am not very good at watching shows every week and planning my schedule around it. (I think it's a good thing.) However, my friend has loaned me the entire seasons. So that makes it easy to escape and spend hours watching this show. At the point of the show I am in, they are in high school. And boy, does it make me want to go back to high school.
     That's a big statement for me to say. But really, if I could, I 'd go back at least for a week. And I would eat lunch with the ones who have been left out. I would walk down the hallway with the young man who always gets made fun of, and I'd get to know the slightly awkward girl who never speaks. I would make a difference. 
     When I was in high school, I was wrapped up in how much I hated it that I didn't even look to see what I could do to make it better for someone else. There are students and people that go to school and work who despise their lives. Who go unnoticed. Who miss school for weeks and no one ever notices. They live with pain and depression. And why didn't I do anything about it!? Why don't I do something about it? 
     I don't have to be in high school to change someone's life. There are still lonely people. I want to find them. And I want to love them. Why? Because that's what life is about. Life isn't about the coolest new trend, or having the coolest things..... Life is about making a difference. It's about sharing Jesus' love. 
     I hate to admit it, but I'm not sharing His love these days. I'm in my safe "clique" of Christian friends, I've lost my heart for the lost, broken, and down-hearted. But through a television show, the Lord has opened my eyes to them once again. I sat on my couch and cried for them yesterday in shame. Because my heart had never heart for them like that in way too long. My heart is in process of being broken. Broken for the things it should be broken for. And for that, I am not ashamed. 
     Life isn't about me, life is about Jesus and the hurting. Make a difference. Begin today. 

Isaiah 58 says it best,  ⁶ “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: 

to loose the chains of injustice 

   and untie the cords of the yoke, 

to set the oppressed free 

   and break every yoke? 

⁷ Is it not to share your food with the hungry 

   and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— 

when you see the naked, to clothe them, 

   and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? 

⁸ Then your light will break forth like the dawn, 

   and your healing will quickly appear; 

then your righteousness^[a] will go before you, 

   and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard. 

⁹ Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; 

   you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.