PROM NIGHT!

For most girls, prom is a pretty big thing. You need to have the perfect dress and date and have the perfect night. As a Christian, how should we dress and act at prom?

As far as dresses go, a Christian girl wants to look gorgeous, not sexy. There is a large selection of chic modest choices out there. Some girls will spend hundreds of dollars on a prom dress. If this is your price range, I suggest:
Twirl Prom
The Yellow Rose
A Dressy Occasion
Simply Elegant
Bridal Image
Lorna's Bridal
Kathleen's Bridal
Modest By Design
Beautifully Modest
A Formal Choice
However, if you're like me and want something a lot cheaper, JCPennys and Macy's have a variety of nice choices. My dress is a silver knee-length bubble dress from Macy's. (I'm going for an elegant look.)

The trend now days is the mini dress. What is this communicating to guys? I don't think girls realize the seriousness of dressing modestly, especially at places like prom (and homecoming). Guys are not thinking 'beautiful' when see see a girl in a mini dress; they are thinking 'sexy'. I know there are a lot of really cute mini dresses out there, but there are also a lot of really cute knee-length and floor length dresses too.

Another problem we face as girls is showing cleavage. Is it ever okay? NO! This is not helping our guy friends get to heaven. An attractive style that will pretty much guarantee not showing cleavage is the one-shoulder dress. Spaghetti straps, which are usually adjustable, are a great style to go with also. Modest strapless and v-neck dresses are trickier to come by. I pray that all of you will find your dream dresses!

What should prom be all about? Well, you go to hang out with your date and/or friends and to dance. What actually happens before, after, and during prom? Basically, this is when teens do whatever they feel like doing just because they can. Most teens will be grinding during the actual dance. How do you avoid this? Surround yourself with Christian friends who have the same values as you and are committed to being pure and dancing modestly. Before prom, recognize your weaknesses. Tell your friends and hold each other accountable. Another thing that I would suggest is to learn the basics of dancing (on youtube or by taking dance lessons). Learn the waltz, rumba, swing, cha cha, hip hop, etc. Dancing at prom can be totally fun and pure at the same time.

Pray about your decisions in going to prom and every detail of it. We are called to be lights in this dark world, but, in order to do so, we also need to guard are hearts and our purity. Christ may not want you to go to prom because He knows you better than you know yourself, and He doesn't want to see you hurt yourself and others by sinning. If you decide to go to prom, stand strong in your faith. In whatever you do, follow Christ's lead and He will take you on the dance of your life.

Another website article I suggest reading is
http://www.cbn.com/family/Youth/BattleCry_Prom.aspx

© Teresa Mattingly. All Rights Reserved.

Interior Beauty

"Charm is deceptive, and beauty fleeting; the woman who fears the Lord is to be praised."
~Proverbs 31:30~


Are you beautiful on the inside?? When God made us, he said we were very good, and we are. However, he also gave us free will to be or not to be beautiful on the inside. So often we miss this type of beauty and only see the outer appearance of people. What is inner beauty anyway???

One of the first aspects of inner beauty we see in others is their smile and conversation. If getting a smile from someone makes you feel loved, why aren't you giving one to everyone you meet? Smiles, as well as all your facial expressions, tell others a lot about yourself. Of course if your having a bad day, no one expects you to smile, but every other day, you should be smiling because God made you and loves you and wants to be with you forever! We have every reason in the world to smile. =) Not to mention people are definitely drawn to happy people. In addition to smiles, caring words like "how are you?" and "how was your day" can really impact others. But you have to really mean it when you say it and actually listen to their answer. Sincere loving words change others and point them to Christ whether they know it or not.

Loving deeds are the most significant sign of beauty. It makes people stop and say "wow, I wish I were like that." How often do you do kind deeds?? Beauty comes from love. It may just be helping someone with homework, sharing a piece of candy, holding the door, or saving a seat for someone, but everything we do for others we are doing for Christ Himself. Is that not awesome!! However, when we perform acts of kindness, we can't expect anything in return; otherwise, we are not truly doing it in love. "They made me see that the world was beautiful if you were beautiful, and that you couldn't get unless you gave. And you had to give without wanting to get." (488, The Once and Future King) True acts of kindness are a small reflection of God Himself who is love and has perfect beauty.

I have one last question. How often do we tell other people that they are beautiful? Every girl longs to know she is beautiful. People who think that they are ugly feel horrible. They feel like trash. They try everything they can to change the way they look. Encouraging others and reminding others of their beauty is so important. For a long time, I did not believe that I was beautiful. I was always comparing myself with other girls’ outer appearances and thinking to myself "she is so much prettier than I am. I have thick, curly red hair and acne. How could anyone think that I am beautiful?" Last summer, a guy told me I was beautiful, not because he liked me or anything, but as a friend. I cried afterwards for so long and I felt so different. He told me I was amazing and beautiful. No guy had ever said that to me before. I didn’t just know it anymore, I believed it. After that, I didn’t compare myself with other girls anymore. Tell someone they are beautiful. You may just change their world. The awesome part is that by doing so you are showing your inner beauty as well.

Beauty of the heart is demonstrated in many ways: smiles, kind words, charitable deeds, and encouragement toward others. At the end of the day, when you say your prayers, take a moment to reflect on the beauty you saw during the day and thank your lover for his gift to you. Take a moment to reflect on your actions and words. Were they beautiful? Did you do something kind for someone today? Did you say something loving to someone? The more we become beautiful on the inside, the more we shine on the outside.

© Teresa Mattingly. All Rights Reserved.