I think a little backstory is needed to understand exactly how faith and fashion go together, but for time’s sake, here are the bullet points:

· I loved fashion and Jesus from an early age.

· I went to college for fashion and thought I would be a big fashion exec in NYC with a corner office. But I forgot to ask God what He wanted for my life—whoops!

· Four years after college, God pulled me out of fashion and into ministry inside the church walls. I walked around in a daze for about a year.

· About six years into ministry, God began to put fashion back on my heart, but it looked really different—in the form of a faith and fashion magazine that would feature faith-filled articles and relevant fashion for Christian women. Pretty cool!

Now you have the backstory. But actually, back then I understood very little how God was taking these two things—which on the outside seem so different and even opposite—and would bring them together so that women could understand who they are created to be, both inside and out!

You see, I had come from this world of fashion where so many women were empowered to lead and were stylish and confident—only to then find myself in ministry where I would see a lot of those same women completely broken on the inside.

On the flip side, I also began to notice women who knew the Bible, had a strong relationship with Jesus, and were mighty prayer warriors. But it looked like they were the last to be taken care of. And what I found was that the reason they were the last to be taken care of was they didn’t feel like they were important enough to take the time for themselves.

It was like going from one extreme to the other.

On one hand, women would spend hours and a whole lot of money to maintain the outside only to be broken inside.

Then on the flip side, in the church women were serving, loving, and teaching so many but didn’t feel valuable enough to take care of themselves.

It didn’t make sense. At all!

That’s when the Lord started showing me just how faith and fashion would go together. It would be a journey for women. Some needed healing on the inside, while others needed to understand that we are Ambassadors of Christ, that God has given each of us a personality that was a reflection of Him. And we are his bride!

Once we know who we are—our identity and our purpose—then our fashion becomes a reflection of who God created us to be. It’s how faith meets fashion.

Of course, what I also love is how God uses two of my passions to help other women.

He didn’t take anything away from me when He called me to leave the fashion industry to go into ministry. He was just training me for my next season. A season that I’m in right now where I get to use my gifts and talents to point people back to Jesus.

He can and will do the same for you, too, because you are part of his bride. You are valuable, worth it, and oh so beautiful! So embrace who God created you to be, and allow it to be a reflection from the inside out.

Reflection

Do you find yourself empowered by your style or is it a struggle to take time for yourself? Why?
How can you begin to bring faith and fashion together in your own life?
What gifts and talents did God plant within you that you are not using to serve others? Why not start using those gifts today?

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. (Ephesians 2:10 NLT)