CLEO'S DRESS REFORM JOURNEY

Why the sudden change Cleo?

Many of you may be asking yourselves that question, especially those who grew up with me or those who watched me as I grew.

Let me start by saying, "It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not." Lamentations 3:22.

As I mentioned in my previous post that God has the appointed time for us to know and understand certain things. As we seek Him, He will be found of us, that's what He has promised us in Jeremiah 29:13.
Miniskirts, pants, spaghetti/string tops were ever in my wardrobe. They were all "normal" to me. To me God was just for church not for my wardrobe or food and habits. When I started attending the Adventist church, I had only 3 skirts and one of them was just above the knees and the rest were the knee length. So one Sabbath I wore the shorter one and a mother from church called me(in a very nice way) and said to me, "we don't wear mini skirts to church" and I said ok. Soon after that I had a battle in my mind,  should I heed her words or should I ignore them, after all who is she to tell me how to  dress. But I just forgot about it and carried on in my skirts. 

Let me mention this -in case I forget- fashion is no friend to anyone,  she may be winning you fans and you may be adored by almost all but trust me,  when she is done with you, the only place suitable for you(according to her) will be the grave and eternal destruction together with her.

When I got to high school and made friends,  I was almost hooked into fashion, but I thank God for my mother who did not buy me clothes because fashion says, "this is the in thing". Although I wished to look as "hot" as some of my school mates,  circumstances forbade me. I had many clothes but I was just not satisfied! I wore short shorts knowing fully well that some brother's head would be turned just to look at my beautiful legs (oh how I am disgusted,  even at the thought of it).

As I look back now I realise that though I did not know God, he protected me from a lot of harm. I remember some women telling mom that I had a beautiful slender body and she should allow me to do modelling and she always refused and I got upset about that, I tried entering some designing competitions (I designed clothes as well but somehow I was lazy to publish them) but the doors were CLOSED! So I only dreamt. 

Let me fast forward to beginning of my dress reformation. One day we were talking with my sister and brothers from church and one brother said that my wife will never wear pants unless she rebels.  And that struck me! And I had a battle once more, but I love pants so much! I can't survive in SKIRTS! I can tolerate it just for Sabbath but not the whole week! Aah no ways! 

At that time my sister was all skirts and I wondered how she did it and her dressing was piercing me inside because I knew it was right, I regret to say I tried discouraging her. I just did not want to give away my clothes now, not yet!

One day as I was reading my Bible I came across this verse: Matthew 24:18 "Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes."
And I thought what! Should the time of trouble begin and I'm in my pants, I will not be able to make it to heaven. At that moment I knew my wardrobe had to change.

I then began wearing my skirts even during the week and I loved my new look. Then in 2013 I heard about modesty and I thought I wear skirts so I'm modest,  little did I know that I was still wearing "fig leaves"{Genesis 3}. I then began to search the writings of Ellen White to know just what is this modesty and God began to work in my heart,  He can not have me speak about heaven looking like a worldling, nay! To clear my confusion on on other issues on dress, he placed before me women,  who through their lifestyles I learnt how to dress for the glory of God.  And I have never been so happy and satisfied about my dressing as I am now. 

There's a group on Facebook called: Dress reform rises from the ashes, that I joined sometime last year. There's a lady who posted a presentation on dress reform and as I read, I could not help but tremble at the thought that I wasn't dressed before God! I felt naked and as I finished reading, there was a link at the bottom: www.sistersinskirts.com 

What I read from the linked changed my life forever. I remember reading one of the testimonies there and I was convinced without a doubt that my wardrobe needed to change. I wept and pleaded with God to forgive me and to provide clothes for me that glorify Him. I only had 3 modest clothes, the rest were aprons. I started with my church wardrobe, then went to the one of during the week and I'm pleased to say God has been and continues to be good to me in this area of my life.  :D

Concerning my head covering, I was introduced to a group of missionaries late 2013 and one thing I noticed with the ladies is that, they always covered their hair and that used to trouble me a lot because, from the cultural view only married women cover their heads but now I was confused because the missionaries were varsity students and were not married. I prayed about it until one day when someone asked me, "have you ever thought of covering your head" and I thought, could this be God speaking through the individual so that I may study the matter. I prayed even more and asked a missionary sister who always covered her head to help and she did and her help changed my life for good!

Somehow this reform demands respect from brothers, being called with inappropriate names has ceased too.

And my reasons for changing my dress keep increasing, not only is God glorified but my health improves as well. 

In conclusion I'd like to say that,  many of our sisters die, are dying and will die because of being slaves of fashion when they know how God will have them dress like. And by die I mean the death that we die now and the eternal death. My dear sisters in Christ,  Pride should not be nourished in your hearts by your obedience to fashion, the end thereof is death. 

1 Timothy 2:9 - 10

9 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;
10 But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works. 

The path to eternal life is steep and rugged. Take no additional weights to retard your progress. AH 67.2

Finally one friend says, "dress the way you want to be addressed".