Becoming Worldly.

Recently, something had been brought to my attention , of which I was completely unaware. As I usually am about most criticism, (work in progress, am I, right?), I tend to get a bit defensive and immediately snap back. This time was no different. I was on the phone with my parents, who are my investors, completely irritated by the whole conversation. They were both pretty sad regarding the recent progress of the business; not in a sales direction, but in an overall direction. Originally, LeviTicus Fashions was an instrument I was using to bring people to God. According to my parents, this mission had apparently suddenly shifted into not exactly the entirely opposite direction, but it was obvious (to my parents) that it was well on it’s way there. I immediately was taken aback and insulted by their accusations. I even called my sister to have someone else backing me up. I couldn’t believe what they were saying to me. “See, you may be providing content, but your content has become empty. It has no substance and God hasn’t been mentioned for at least 50 posts. I’m sorry, I don’t want to bring you down but we are just very sad by this.”

I don’t usually like to admit things like this, but I totally started crying after hearing that. "I had failed" was literally all I got from that conversation. I was furiously wiping at my tears when I decided to take a deep breath and look over my work, even though it was the last thing I wanted to do, I tried, begrudgingly, to see my work through new eyes.....through my parents’ eyes. To see what they saw. And they had been right. All I saw was just some girl in a pair of boots. While the photos had been shot beautifully, it lacked serious substance and purpose even. I began asking myself “Why are these here?" "Why does it appear to be all about me, me, ME?" That wasn’t my plan That wasn’t my intention! The tears only got worse after that. I had fallen for the oldest trick in the book. I didn’t just live in the world anymore, I had become OF it. Dwight L. Moody said it perfectly: “Christians should live in the world, but not be filled with it. A ship lives in the water; but if the water gets into the ship, she goes to the bottom. So Christians may live in the world; but if the world gets into them, they sink.” That’s how the enemy gets you. He allows you to get comfortable and unbothered because when you’re content and comfortable, you begin to start walking in the wrong direction . You stop reaching for greatness and instead, have no qualms with the term mediocre. In fact, mediocrity and ego are welcomed unabashed and with open arms. You hit a level of acceptance for apathy. But I want this to be understood: this realization has been paramount for me and starting now, this business is getting a total reformation. I’m a very nice person but I am done being concerned with offending people because I believe in the God of Heaven. We all need a nice wakeup call similar to the one that I was given. What I didn’t realize is just how shameful it is to be afraid to express my unwavering faith in the Heavenly Father, the Creator of Heaven and Earth. So without further ado, I’m going to preach my little heart out with this truth; I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was crucified, died, and was buried....for OUR sins. OURS. Let that sink in. For all of the sins of the ENTIRE world. That’s a whole lot of undying love if you ask me. When I think about that, I start kicking myself for being even remotely concerned with “worldly things and problems”.