I just officially had the best weekend of my life.
Yes, my bachelorette party has come and gone in the blink of an eye — and it was absolutely the most fun I’ve ever had.
Right now, I’m at the airport waiting on our delayed flight to fly home to Cincinnati.
Miami was absolutely the most fun, ever. We stayed right on the beach in Miami Beach in one of those iconic art deco buildings with the cafes on the street level and apartments above. We were literally across the street from South Beach’s “Muscle Beach.”
There’s something really incredible about having all of your best friends in one place. It was surreal to have all the friends who have each helped shape who I am throughout my life, all coming together to celebrate this exciting new chapter in my life.
I am very grateful.
OK — pivoting here…
I wasn’t the only one out here in Miami having a good time.
Nope, Ultra Music Festival was ALSO happening, just across the bridge in Brickell, which is a neighborhood that is only a 5 minute drive from South Beach, Miami.
Miami was absolutely crawling with festival goers. Ultra Music Festival is the largest EDM “House” music festival in the world. (Think techno). Swedish House Mafia, David Guetta and a slew of other famous DJs performed. And people came from across the globe to convene right here in Miami for a three day weekend of loud, pulsating electronic music, hypnotic light shows, and…let’s be honest here: drugs.
EMD — aka Electronic Dance Music — is known for being the music you listen to when you’re on drugs, because it’s suuuuper repetitive, ear-worm type beats that is consistently high intensity, high energy, and almost hypnotic. And the light shows that go with it are amazingly impressive, multi-million dollar spectacles…however seizure-inducing.
Clearly, I don’t listen to EDM…because I don’t do drugs. (Nor have I ever). And frankly, listening to that music when you’re not on a trip is just…I’m over it in about 7 minutes.
**Caveat here** — I am not insinuating that ALL people who like or listen to EDM are pro drugs. I am only speaking about the very specific sector of the EDM culture to whom EDM and drugs go hand in hand.
Now…this festival.
Let’s just say…I got an eyeful.
EDM festivals are a place to see and be seen, quite literally. I saw more nipples and butt cheeks than I care to discus on here.
And we’re not talking like…a few random, gutsy girls decided to go against the grain and put their goods on display in public.
No, this is 98% of the women in attendance.
Festival standard attire for women is basically lingerie with neon fishnet tights, combat boots and face rhinestones.
When I say I saw more buttcheeks…I mean A LOT. Women just parading in thongs.
I know, I know, I sound like some scandalized church lady right now…but it was jarring to see that this is what women wanted to wear.
Leather bondage gear. Pasties, barely covering their breasts and that’s it.
It left me feeling really sad for humanity.
And now look, it’s not like I’m some saint that wears a turtle neck at the beach. I was walking around the beach in a bikini and cut-off jean shorts.
But the intensity of these sexual outfits these young women were wearing…I just couldn’t help thinking about how our society has fallen so far that this is acceptable now.
There is a beauty in modesty. And to be honest, I’m talking to myself: I need to hear this, too. I know that I can wear some things that are a little too short or a little too this or that. But there is a beauty in modesty.
As you know, I have saved myself for my husband. And I’ll try not to get too far into the weeds here, but Steven’s eyes are the only ones who will get to see those parts of me.
And that’s not because I’m some kept woman or part of some fundamentalist extreme religious cult that treats women like property, shunning them from the world. But it’s something that I have chosen to do.
And again…**caveat here** I know that is not the mainstream choice. And to each their own, there is absolutely zero judgment here. This is just how I’ve chosen to live my life.
But my decision to wait for Steven is out of respect and love for him.
I have been praying for my future husband ever since I was about 14 years old. And it has always been my commitment to myself, to God and to this mystery man (at the time) that I knew God was preparing for me, that I was going to save those intimate parts of my body/soul for him, in marriage, as an expression of love, commitment, and openness to life, and as a physical expression that I completely give all of me to him.
That is the beauty of modesty: it’s expressing simply thorough the clothes I choose to wear (or avoid), aka — through action — that I respect this man and myself enough that there are parts of me that are not just for anyone to enjoy.
And I know, like I said, everyone is entitled to their own beliefs on that. But personally, seeing all the bondage lingerie walking around in Miami this weekend, I just felt really sad for these women that they feel they have to dress like that to be attractive, or to be “normal” or to be desirable to men, or to fit in.
I just wanted to say…”Love, if you’re trying to attract a man, the ones that want you to wear that in public, is the wrong man for you. You’re barking up the wrong tree with that one.”
Our culture has become incredibly numb to scandal.
As Steven and I have been consuming more and more faith-based content, it really illuminates the stark contrast between the holiness of Jesus and decay of the world around us.
I kept thinking to myself…what would “The Chosen’s” Jesus think or say if he was walking around downtown Brickell this weekend?
But my first thought was, “Jesus just simply would avoid this scene all together.” My next thought was that He would “wrap these women up in towels.” But I realized I was wrong all together. And that what He would really do is love them.
It’s really easy for me to sit here and think this and that about the outfits — or lack there of — worn by these women. But at the end of the day, I’m not called to do any of that.
I can do my thing and they can do theirs. And in the meantime, pray for the culture that we return to a place where respect for women is given in abundance.
At the end of the day, this world is not our home: Heaven is. And though scenes like this weekend made me yearn for that which awaits us, our job while we’re here on earth is to love everyone and live our lives as a way that points to Christ.
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