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Jessica Bolyard

Journeying Home Together

Because It Was Never About The Clothes

March 10, 2014 by Jessica Bolyard 9 Comments

This is a snapshot I took of myself before leaving for church yesterday morning. It doesn’t look exceptional to you, probably, but to me it represents a major victory. The clothes I wore were the first thing I saw when I opened my closet. They were also the very same clothes I had worn to church the week before.

That was huge.
Huge.

I really cannot even tell you how major that is, but since I’ve begun my Lenten challenge of smashing my love idol, that kind of victory has happened a couple of times.

And can I just tell you how amazing it feels?

I know that sounds weird, and for you to fully appreciate the journey the Lord is taking me on, I have to tell you this: this challenge – of wearing only a few pre-selected items from my wardrobe for the entire season of Lent – was never really about the clothes. No, the clothes are just a symptom of the disease.

I’ve already shared some of the struggle with clothes for me. It’s complicated and brutal. Every day I face the barrage of thoughts and fears and the relentless race for approval. As an example – the one that stands most prominently in my mind and allows you the most accurate picture of my struggle – getting dressed for church is brutal. It begins the night before, with me standing in the doorway of my closet for thirty…forty minutes. Option after option of what I could wear stream through my mind, yet each is – for one absurd reason or another – woefully inadequate. Makes me look frumpy. Too out of style. Patterns mismatched. Not something I’d normally wear. Not pretty enough for church. Not something a mom should wear. Shirt is frayed….pilled…..holed. Too similar to last week’s outfit. Unseasonable. Unpopular. Unattractive. Unacceptable.

And eventually, my brain cannot discern whether the disapproving thoughts are about the clothes……or about myself. The process rarely ends well. I begin to panic, thinking everything and nothing all at once.

I hate the clothes…..myself……my life……and it spirals down and down and down, until I, like Alice, find myself in an unrecognizable place of fear and disproportionately large concerns that, outside of that context, make little or no sense. In that place, though, they are of utmost importance. It is a matter of survival.

This happens every week. The ritual has become one if dread for my husband. And, if it should be a week that I am speaking onstage, multiply the panic and dread by a thousand. More people will see me, so there are more people to please.
If I’m onstage to preach, the terrorizing pressure is unbearable. Preparation for that begins at least a week in advance. The scrutiny of my closet….scouring stores for something to make me feel like I look good…..envisioning myself onstage in this or that or the other thing, until finally I land on an outfit that to all outward appearances should have come easily.

This is so hard to admit.
It’s shameful. But it’s true.

So removing the clothes – removing the options – eliminates so many of the dangerous places my mind could go. It seems that narrowing the choices would make things more stressful, but to my mind – which desperately needs to rest – it is significantly simpler.

And leaving for church wearing what I wore yesterday? That was huge.

Tomorrow, I hope to share with you some more of why I think this is working….and why Satan is so very, very unhappy about it.

I’m smashing the love idol, friends. And it feels great.

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A Treacherous Idol
Because I’ve Already Opened the Door

Comments

  1. 1

    Katie Rolli says

    March 10, 2014 at 11:53 am

    Jess, I’m so happy for you as you travel this journey. You are inspiring. God loves us and loves us through the struggle. 🙂

    Reply
  2. 2

    Jody says

    March 10, 2014 at 1:13 pm

    Thanks for being so honest! Loving our blogs!

    Reply
    • 3

      Jody says

      March 10, 2014 at 1:14 pm

      I meant YOUR blogs! lol

      Reply
      • 4

        Jessica says

        March 13, 2014 at 12:11 pm

        Thank you, Jody!

        Reply
  3. 5

    eggthoughts says

    March 10, 2014 at 2:52 pm

    You’re amazing! 🙂

    Reply
    • 6

      Jessica says

      March 10, 2014 at 6:13 pm

      Well, thanks……but I prefer to think the Holy Spirit is amazing as He works in me. I’m just a big ol’ mess. ;)9

      Reply
      • 7

        eggthoughts says

        March 13, 2014 at 12:54 pm

        Touche! And very true for me as well. It’s a good thing!

        Reply
  4. 8

    Chris says

    March 10, 2014 at 3:58 pm

    How real, I mean real. It’s interesting what we wear makes a difference. We are not what we wear, but what wears us. I do my best to wear a smile and be forthcoming with a compliment. I have stopped more than one person on the street just to tell them they are beautiful. Just today I saw a woman in fine boots. I said,” You wear those boots well, Girl!” She smiled and walked away with a spring in her hips. I stopped another woman’s on the street just to tell her she was gourgeous. She said, “really?” She walked away from me with a spring in her step. Do think its wrong to compliment like this? Am I only adding to the problem you identified.

    Reply
    • 9

      Jessica says

      March 10, 2014 at 6:12 pm

      Chris, I’d say keep doing what you do. This isn’t an idol for everyone – or at least not in the way I deal with it. A compliment is always good. The issue is not in your words – it’s in their heart (and I can say that because it’s in MY heart!) One thing I do try to do, merely from my own place of struggle,mid to compliment the PERSON, not the ITEM, which it sounds like you do. (I.e. “You wear those boots well,” or, “you look gorgeous in those boots,” rather than, “I love your boots!” Does that make sense?

      Reply

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