Over the weekend, I went to the mall (which really should not come as a shock to anyone, given my love for the retail arts). As I walked the corridor, I was rudely awakened to the fact that summer is coming. And with this new season, modesty is apparently taking a vacation.

Despite the chilly, rainy weather outside, all I saw indoors were girls dressed in itty-bitty shorts and low cut tank tops. Window displays showcased skimpy suits and skirts that look like they should fit a toddler. I actually started to dread the coming summer months.

In hopes that modesty doesn’t have to be absent everywhere, I’d like to encourage each of you to take time to remind your girls about the importance of dressing modestly. Here are a few ideas:

• Go shopping. 1 Thessalonians 4:4-5 (NIV) says, “That each of you should learn to control his [or her] own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God.” The problem is that we shop at the same stores as the heathen. Unless we all start making our own clothes (which is a viable option) we’re still going to have to shop at the mall. So, why not take a trip to the mall and show the girls how to shop with modesty in mind. If you find yourself to be a little trend-challenged, enlist the help of an older girl who consistently dresses modestly.

• Make it clear. Sometimes, girls just aren’t aware of the boundaries for modesty. At the beginning of the summer, it doesn’t hurt to let girls know what’s expected (specifically for church/church events). Make sure you address it from a loving standpoint without making any girls feel singled out.

• Demonstrate. Have girls choose some of their favorite modest outfits to wear in a fashion show. Have fun with it. This could be incorporated in a sleepover or retreat. Consider inviting a special speaker to come in and talk to the girls about the importance of modesty and purity.

• Call for backup. Invite a male pastor or youth pastor to talk to the girls. Recently, our youth pastor came and talked with our girls. We called it “Everything a Christian Girl Ever Needed to Know from a Christian Guy Who Isn’t Her Dad or Brother.” We let the girls ask questions. Sometimes it helps just to have the things female leaders say repeated by a male leader. (A couple of weeks later, the female leaders did the same with the guys small group. We had a lot of fun. I was pleasantly surprised by some of the questions the boys asked.)

OK, I’m starting to look forward to summer again.