“The Ultimate Mission Trip Style Guide.” – tips and tricks from Praying Pelican Missions lady missionaries on how to look good, feel good and take the pressure off of packing your suitcase for a new culture, climate and lifestyle. Our heart is to remove the anxiety and focus from timeless questions like: “What do I wear?” and give you a few tips that we’ve learned throughout the years. Ultimately, we pray that these posts would be a resource for you as you prepare for your trip. We want to provide you with a few tools that can help you remain focused on what God is teaching you and doing around you during your time abroad, instead of the length of your shorts, the style of your still-wet hair or how much make-up is appropriate. But of course, throughout it all, we must have fun in the process!
The heart of what we do is ministry to the heart. So while it's fun to talk about mission trip fashion and looking good while serving, that's probably the least of our worries on a trip. Our concern is that you, our lovely missions participant, are seeing people and places and our glorious God the way we do. So here are my tips and tricks for how to dress your heart for missions.
1. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6:11-12)
Even before you leave your home, while you're packing, clothe yourself in the armor of God. We can get caught up so easily in the way we present our outward appearance. If you're like me, satan will use that at times to take your attention off of what really matters. This is the MOST IMPORTANT thing you can wear while on the mission field.. even more important that deodorant or sunscreen! I wrote a post a while ago on what I was learning about spiritual armor, so if you're interested check it out!
2. Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. (Proverbs 4:23)
Let's face it. We live in a world where media dictates "worthiness." You have to be tall, pretty, skinny, wear the right clothes, say the right things, keep from saying/wearing the wrong ones.. man! That is tiring. Like I said before, it's easy to get caught up in that mindset, too. So along with wearing your spiritual armor, specifically guard your heart. In James' letter, he writes:
Religion that God our Father accepts are pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. (1:27)
Yes! That's what we aim to do on these trips! To seek and love those in distress! Now if we could only get a grasp on keeping ourselves from being polluted by the world.. That part seems a little harder to me, especially because sometimes we don't even recognize the way lies make their homes our hearts. That's where more prayer comes in.
3. Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! (Psalm 139:23-24)
I do not want to fall for any of the lies that satan tries to manipulate me with, and I do not want to place others under that weight either. I assume you're with me on that! As we prepare for service today and every day, on this soil or that in a foreign land, let us lift each other up in prayer.
Father, I thank you for all the women who are on this journey with me, those I've met and those I haven't. I pray now that you show us the lies that we've been believing about ourselves and our beauty. Release us from the fear that accompanies a bad hair day. Let us walk boldly in your name to love the lost, no matter what we look like. Remind us to enjoy beauty because you created it, but to guard our hearts, Lord, that we may not become obsessed by it. We place on every piece of the armor of God so that we may stand firm today and everyday. In your wonderful and holy name, Amen.
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