Clothes

On Friday night, one of my dear roommates and I lined up alongside a few hundred other women to participate in the largest clothes swap that has ever been held in Atlanta (er, I think). The women of Passion City Church rolled out the red carpet and hosted this beautiful event, and it was absolutely brilliant. Seriously. I felt like a celebrity.

The Grove, PCC’s women’s ministry, spent weeks collecting gently used clothes, shoes, and jewelry from the women in their congregation (and let’s be honest, those trendy women know how to put an outfit together!). The event was free, and you didn’t have to bring any clothes to swap (read: I didn’t have to attempt to clean out my closet, and that’s always a win). They organized the items by color and size, and hung them on wooden racks all around the spacious room. There was a DJ, refreshments, and even a team of stylists ready to help you create a new look. How incredible is that?!

It was clear that they thought through all of the details, and they were so intentional about making us feel loved and beautiful from the moment we turned in to the parking lot. (No really, the sweet college guy who pointed us toward the empty parking spots just stole my heart. It may have been because he smiled and waved at us as if he knew us, which I find really endearing. I don’t know if he actually thought he knew us or if he’s just fun like that, but I loved it. It made me feel like an old friend.)

When we first walked into the church, there was a team of volunteers waiting to greet us. They gave us instructions and we were handed tokens with which we could “purchase” 5 items. And then they let us loose. It was like shopping in your sister’s closet - everything is cute and free! 

I wandered from rack to rack, totally overwhelmed by the number of people and the amount of clothes. I took a moment to soak it all in. They had a collection of clothes hangers strategically hung from the ceiling, and lit up so beautifully. Even the signs for the dressing rooms and the size dividers on each rack looked hand-lettered. Every little detail catered to a woman’s heart and exuded the love of Christ.

My eyes swept over the people, the clothes, and the walls, taking in every intentional detail, and then I saw the scripture in vinyl lettering on the floor: “She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future.” Proverbs 31:25. It has been one of my favorites ever since I journeyed through Beth Moore’s So Long Insecurity. I love it for many reasons, once of which is the word “clothed.” These are attributes that we put on and wear proudly as daughters of the King. Strength. Dignity. Fearlessness. We are not insecure; we are His mighty warrioresses, clothed in His strength, His love, and His joy. 

We can laugh without fear of the future. Can you hear it? You know the laugh … it’s the one where you snort a little, but hope no one noticed (even though they always notice). It’s that belly laugh where your voice disappears for a minute, only to return when the tears of joy start rolling down your face. Yeah, that’s the one. That laugh is a gift, and I’m convinced that those are the laughs Proverbs 31:25 is referring to. The kind that are unencumbered and free. 

What would the world look like if we shared our “clothes” more often? If we spent more time pouring His strength and dignity into those around us? If we allowed His abundance to fill us and overflow into those around us? I think this world would be different. I don’t think the hard things would disappear, but I think we would find it easier to walk through them, knowing that if we lose sight of that strength and dignity, we can trust that the Holy Spirit will speak through our brothers and sisters to remind us of who we are in Him. Because He will always remind us. He is good, gracious, and kind that way. He loves us, and He calls us to be His light in this broken world by loving others and glorifying His name. 

Maybe I will clean out my closet, after all …