Dear Readers,

I have not disappeared, even though it has been over a month since I last posted. A new season in my life has begun, I am preparing for a door that will be opening in the future… marriage to Levi. A season of my life is also ending, a door is shutting. Blogging was a blessing to me in it's season. Blogging is how I met Levi, Lacy and other friends of mine. Through blogging and reading other's blogs I received encouragement. But I have come to the conclusion that it is time for my season of blogging to come to an end. I have decided that I will not be blogging anymore and will be "shutting down my blog", so to speak.

For those of you who commented on my last blog post announcing my courtship to Levi, thank you for all your congratulations and prayers. I appreciate it very much.

Thank you to everyone who read my blog, and to those in the "blogosphere" who have been an encouragement, blessing, and friend to me.  For now, I am not completely leaving the interent, so for those of you would like to keep in contact with me, you can find me on facebook here or you can email me at megan@obeyingthetruth.com.

May the Lord bless you as you walk on His narrow way.
Revelation 22:14 ~ "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may
have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city."

His Handmaid,
Megan 

Deuteronomy 22:5 ~ The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God.

According to the Bible, women are to wear women's apparel (dresses/skirts) (and men are to wear men's apparel (pants), and to not do so would be an abomination to God).

Yet, there are Christian women who wear culottes as an alternative to wearing skirts. So let's evaluate culottes in the light of Scripture.

Maybe some of you may have never heard of culottes before, so here is a definition:
"Culottes- Trousers, usually knee-length or calf-length, cut full to resemble a skirt. Originally, the word was used to refer to trousers worn by men. Women's fashion appears to have appropriated the word in the 1800s, when women started wearing culottes so that they could ride astride instead of sidesaddle. From French, literally: breeches, from cul bottom"

Although, there are patterns of culottes that actually might resemble a skirt from some angles of viewing, the fact remains that culottes ~are~ pants. Pants are men's clothing. Culottes is just another word for trousers. Culottes are just full, baggy pants. They have two legs. When we think about it, what makes pants, pants? Is it not the fact that they have two legs? The definition of trousers (pants) are thus:

"Trousers are an item of clothing worn on the lower part of the body from the waist to the ankles, covering both legs separately (rather than with cloth stretching across both as in skirts and dresses). English-speakers in areas such as Canada, South Africa and the United States often refer to such items of clothing as pants. Additional synonyms include slacks and breeches."

The fact of how wide the legs on a pair of pants are, does not change the fact that they are still pants. Baggy pants do not cease to be pants, just like no matter the width of a skirt, how narrow or wide a skirt is, the fact remains that it is still a skirt.  So, therefore since we know that culottes are a type of pants, and pants are men's apparel, then according to Scripture which says its an abomination for women to wear that which pertains to men, it is wrong, Biblically, for women to wear culottes.

So then comes in the argument that says, "but I need to wear pants to do a certain task". Dear sister, you should ask yourself, if I cannot do this modestly in a skirt, should I be doing this at all? And if the situation is absolutely unavoidable, then you can wear leggings underneath your skirt. Women have been wearing skirt/dresses for centuries, they lived their lives without ever wearing pants. As far as activities like taking walks (in the woods or such), bike riding, and riding horses goes, I have been able to do all such tasks (modestly) in a skirt. It can be done, you just must pick the right fullness and length of skirt for each task like that. You would not want to wear a skirt that is at your ankles going walking up hills, you would not want to wear a really full skirt while bike riding as it will get caught up in the tires.

On a website talking about culottes, I saw the catch phrase "And when you just can't wear a dress? Click here". But, as a woman you need to be able to find a way to do all things (modestly) in a skirt, or not do it at all. If a woman can't do a task in a modest dress/skirt in a modest way then the answer is not to wear pants to get that task done.  Dear sisters, there is never an excuse for disobeying God. If a woman wears pants, then they are committing abomination by wearing mens apparel.

His Handmaid,
Megan

Are you thankful that God created you female? You should be very thankful! God has made you for a specific purpose. The Bible in Genesis 2:18 says And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. Females were created by God to be a "helper" to the man. Being a helper is a wonderful position to have. We do not have the same duties that men do. Our Heavenly Father created us to be "wo-man", the man's helpmate.

Unfortunately, Many marriages of today end in divorce because daughters are not being trained to love their husbands or their children. They are not being taught how to be a homemaker. They are not being a Biblical help meet for her husband. God's ordained career for women is that of homemaker. This is what God commands Christian women to be. But every career needs careful supervision and training. Would you go to a doctor who had not been trained in his skill? Would you go to a dentist who had never been trained in dentistry? It would be a bit scary!

It is very frightening to think of young men today marrying young ladies who have not been taught the skills necessary for their careers! Can you imagine the chaos that follows when a man would marry a woman simply because she looks pretty on the outside? Her looks will fail, and soon she will become old and no longer be pretty on the outside. What will happen when he finds out that she cannot take care of a home?

There have been many stories told where the lady was not taught any homemaking skills and disaster followed.

For example, there was a young couple who had been married for about a year. The wife had never been taught how to clean, cook, organize, to be frugal, or any homemaking skills at all. The only things she knew were how to buy frozen foods and cereal. She had never been taught how to clean anything, and soon dirt accumulated.

The problem only accelerated when their first child came. She hadn't known how to care for a baby. She didnt' change the diapers as she should, and the baby developed terrible sores all over his bottom. She didn't change the baby's sheets, and the baby became ill. The hospital informed social services and they went to check the home. Because the home was so filthy, they took the baby away from the mother and declared the parents unfit to care for the child.

This is a very sad but true story, and it has happened to hundreds of thousands of parents across the nation. Because young ladies are not taught to work and to do the important duties of running a home, many marriages are in a total state of chaos.

But to those of us in Christ, we have a wonderful handbook to follow: the Bible! The Bible tells us we are to be taught skills for our wonderful career, homemaking! The older women are to teach the younger women homemaking skills.

Titus 2:3-5 The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

Something that ties into this is that we are called to converse and encourage one another. Every word you speak should be to encourage those who hear you. Now what would a young lady have to speak about in order to encourage those around her? Wouldn't it be wonderful if you could be an encourager in the Scriptures regarding Christian womanhood? In order to encourage others, you must have a knowledge of such things. This is where studying what the Bible has to say regarding this fascinating subject comes in. You must be well-versed and knowledgable on Christian femininity.

Do you remember reading just above the verse that said that older sisters in Christ are to teach you?:

Titus 2:3-5 The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

These things are what you are to be learning and what you are to be discussing with others. These things are what God's young ladies are commanded to be doing. (A side note to the "aged women" of whom this verse refers to: my dear sisters in Christ, mothers to young ladies.. According to the Word of God, you have a important responsibility to teach your daughters in such things. The Lord is faithful and will help you undertake this task. If you are not  training them in such things, then you are not following (obeying) the Word of God, and not only just that, but it says at the end of the verse "that the Word of God be not blasphemed". It is a very sobering thing to know that, that means if you are not doing those things/teaching those things, you are causing the Word of God to be blasphemed.)

Young Ladies, you are not married now, but you should be focusing on learning to be a good wife. Now is the time to learn these things, not after you are married! And what better way to help instill and seal these things in your heart, but to be able to converse with other young ladies like yourself. And not only with young ladies, but with your older sisters in the Lord, just as this Scripture teaches.

As a young woman, you are to be trained to become a future helpmeet and mother of tomorrow. Your duty is very, very grave and important, for you will be training the generations of people of tomorrow. The awesome responsibility of this could be overwhelming, but it won't be with the power of God's Spirit upon you! You will be quite capable of training your children. The thing you must remember, is that there is a reason you are in training right now! And that you can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens you.

Try to remember that all you are learning now is to help you for your future as a wife and mother. What a wonderful honor and blessing this position is. And it is up to you to be willing to follow God and His ways and learn everything you can to be pleasing to Him in this function of Biblical womanhood.

I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, 
guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.
~1 Timothy 5:14

*Note: This article was taken and edited from Personal Help for Girls and Preparing Your Hope Chest from PEARABLES Character training curriculm.

Your sister in Christ,
Megan

Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance. ~ Psalms 89:15 

Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds. ~ Psalms 149:5

Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart. ~ Psalms 32:11Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. ~ Psalms 16:11

And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation. ~ Psalms 35:9

But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee. ~ Psalms 5:11

Have you ever thought what "JOY" is? Joy means to be happy; it means to be full of gladness and having the ability to be content in every situation you are in (Philippians 4:11).

Does this mean that if you are joyful you will never have any problems? Absolutely not! Our problems are from the Lord in that they work out His perfect will in our lives in order to perfect us. (Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:6-9). It is our joy in Christ that allows us to make it through the problems we will encounter in this life.

A godly woman has a meek and quiet spirit. She has learned to accept the circumstances in which God has placed her. She has a contented spirit. Life does not have to be perfect for her to be happy. She will have a servant heart  (Mark 10:44, 1 Corinthians 9:19). A woman with this spirit radiates an inner beauty. She will speak pleasantly, with kindness (Proverbs 31:26).

Speak things that will edify (Romans 14:19). Speak things that will bring life and happiness and encouragement to other people. Make that a top goal in your life and you will find joy and happiness all around you, rather than gloom! Bitter people who usually have nothing to say good about anything or any one. They see everything through a negative, unkind, spiteful eye. Bitterness is what happens to someone who won't forgive. Forgive your enemies. Love your enemies. Do good to those that hate you.  (Matthew 5:43-48) This is the way of God. And with this way comes joy. It's easy to be kind to others when they are kind to you. But God has called us to a much more difficult task than that. We are called to be kind to our enemies, and to love our enemies. If you think of someone who is kind, what do you picture in your mind? Probably someone who isn't pretending to be kind because she wants someone to view her as a "nice person", but rather you think of someone who is inherently "warmhearted". They would think of being kind no matter what and be truly hurt by those being mean to someone else. This is what God would have you be.

Did you know that "kind" means to be very friendly, generous, hospitable, warmhearted, good. The next definition is important… It means charitable! It means helpful, showing sympathy, or understand for others.

Are you being kind and joyful now? If not, perhaps you are living a life that is only self-fulfilling. The secret of living in the joy of the Lord is to live a life for others. Joy and happiness comes to the person who lives their life for others. We are so blessed by God to be given a life full of unselfish duties. This is where true happiness comes from. Don't you love to help your mother? Don't you love to be able to be useful to others when they are in need? Females were created by God to give.

Every time you have reached the goals you have set in regard towards your home and family duties, you should be joyful! And even if you have found yourself not reaching those goals yet, you should be joyful that you can try again and that the Lord is there to give you strength to reach your goals. To be a happy, cheerful helpmeet, homemaker, and mother some day, you must be a happy, cheerful person now. What a blessed life and what a wonderful purpose we have as young women.

Dearest sister, finding happiness in life is easy. Its simply how we live our life. We either, "find ourselves", as the world advises, and be miserable, or find true happiness and joy in dying to self, living for Christ, and giving our life away to others through serving them in Christ!

If you find that you fall short of all these attributes, ask God to help you develop them in your heart. And He will! Seek God and His way, and you will truly find joy and peace!

*Taken and edited from Personal Help for Girls from PEARABLES Character training curriculm

Joyfully His handmaid,
Megan