Millennial March 2022

JOIN THE DOZENS WHO'VE BECOME CHRISTIAN COACH-PRENURS SCAN ME

4 EDITOR'S NOTE 6 HOLY SPIRIT

Centered Self-Awareness

10 LETTING GO OF

Contents

12 COVER STORY:

Drought Breaker Chantel O'Brian

19 EXAMINE YOUR

22 COVER STORY:

Limiting Beliefs

Circle

Legacy Builder Lincoln Deal

TABLE OF

27 MILLENNIAL MONEY Building Wealth As a Young Person

+more

EDITOR'S NOTE:

Millennial March Hey my millennial faith friends this month is all about you! Millennials are innovative, passionate, reslient and confidently creative.

Your spark can light a revolution that sees the world forever changed, don't forget how special you are.

I'm excited to about this issue because its all about you! Hope something you read encourages you to remain fearless and faith filled.

C. Jillian Gray

www.faithoverfearmag.com

Meet The Team

Jhanae Winter @thewriterspenbah

Kaysheena Collins @_kaysheenaj

Shauna Joseph @shaunajoseph242

Scharlee Thompson @scharsmind

Daniah Miller @daniah.writes

evidence of, and personally experienced the transformational power that comes with allowing who and how He is to impact who and how we are.

For a world that’s so skeptical about change, we spend a lot of time discussing change. Social media is saturated with self-help and personal development gurus.

For example, we open Instagram and TikTok and are inundated with inspirational messages about how to get more done in the day, hustle harder, succeed more, and get rich faster.

"The deep work that true change demands won’t fit into those 2,200 characters that Instagram allows."

Millennials grew up in the thick of the hustle culture. We’re the poster children for productivity and diversification. If you want to optimize something, hire a Millennial.

But our proclivity for efficiency coupled with the influence of social media means we also have a tendency to skim when we should be seeking.

The deep work that true change demands won’t fit into those 2,200 characters that Instagram allows.

Personal development, the kind that brings you closer to who you were created to be, can’t be curated for social media as easily as the superficial stuff. It’s much, much, deeper than that.

Walking with Yahweh is deeply personal, and you’ll find that as you journey with Him, you begin to notice the parts of yourself that contradict who He says you are. It’s true that we’re products of our decisions, but we’re also products of circumstance, and we don’t always get to choose those. From the time we’re born, we begin having experiences that reshape us, encounters that misalign us, conversations that interrupt the truth of our identities.

The human experience is an abrasive one – we’re buffeted and bruised on a daily basis. The seemingly small and mundane can have a complex and profound effect on our outlook and perspective, completely coloring the way we see ourselves and the world.

HOLY SPIRIT CENTERED SELF-AWARENESS

fact cannot, change. But as a blood-washed, born-again Believer, I don’t believe that someone walking in a close, genuine relationship with the Holy Spirit can remain unchanged. In my thirty years of life, I have heard testimonies about, seen

by: Daniah Miller

I’ve seen a ton of arguments in support of the belief that people do not, and in

Things like words spoken to us in childhood by frustrated or irresponsible adults, persistent taunts by peers, failure, family betrayal - the before and after moments in our lives that insert violent page breaks in our stories, the parts where we’re different afterwards.

There are at least a million ways to be injured in this life before we even get the opportunity to choose violence for ourselves. We may not even realize who or what we’ve become in response to things spoken or done to us because not all defining incidents are dramatically traumatic.

The Holy Spirit is vocal, and sis o His conviction. Walking with Him means constant examination at more than just the surface level. He asks questions that beg thoughtful, often brutally honest answers about those things that changed you. He challenges us in a way that makes the skewed parts of us shake, and break, rip, and bow in response.

His probing is always purposeful, and He exposes to help us heal.

But relationship with Him demands maturity, growth, humility, transparency, and progress.

This is the way I define personal development: a collaborative process between me and the Holy Spirit in which I choose to engage the parts of me that are misaligned in response to His prompting. We can work away in the fields of our own hearts for sure, but there are some things only He knows, hiding places only He can find. There are aspects of our personhoods that have been so deeply deformed by our lived experiences that we may not even know what our healed versions look like. We need His insight, His wisdom, His grace to examine ourselves thoroughly.

Personal development from the purpose perspective is about more than just glowing up for the Gram, it’s about maturing for the part you play in the Kingdom, and that work is messy, painful, takes significant trust and a lifetime. But it’s the most worth it work you’ll ever do.

"We need His insight, His wisdom, His grace to examine ourselves thoroughly. "

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LETTING GO OF LIMITING BELIEFS TO ACCOMPLISH YOUR GOALS

By: Scharlee Thompson

We all have goals and dreams for

our lives. While we are in pursuit of achieving these dreams, have you ever considered the impact your mindset may be having on you?

More often than not, we allow the thoughts in our minds to stop us from pursuing a goal even before we actually take action to attempt to achieve that goal. I recently read a quote that said, “The number one thing standing between you and results, is your mindset.” Everything starts in the mind. How is your mindset?

Limiting beliefs is definitely something that is not discussed enough. A limiting belief is a state of mind or belief about yourself that restricts you in some way. It is so easy for us to get caught up in limiting beliefs and begin to doubt our abilities. To combat limiting beliefs, follow these simple steps:

Remember what God says in His word: In life, we have moments where we feel like we're not good enough, not qualified enough, not smart enough and the list can go on and on. In those moments, remind yourself what God says about you. God’s word says that you are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14), you are God’s masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10), God gives you the spirit of power, love and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). Also, never forget that God is always with you, He will strengthen you and He will help you (Isaiah 41:10). With God on your side, limiting beliefs don’t stand a chance.

Keep reminidng yourself of what God says and that you have what it takes to accomplish your goals.

Speak life into yourself: An underrated activity that can really help you to silence limiting beliefs is reciting words of affirmation. Remind yourself of all the amazing things about you, all the great things you have accomplished and are going to accomplish. Remind yourself that you are loved, you are qualified, you are enough, you are special, you are God’s chosen vessel. By reciting positive words to yourself on a consistent basis, the limiting beliefs will have no choice but to go away and, in those times when they start to creep back in, combat them with the words of affirmation.

Put in the work: In order to prove those limiting beliefs wrong, you need to put in the work. If you can see yourself actually doing the work, you would be proving that the limiting beliefs in your mind are all lies. What do you need to do to accomplish the goal that you set?

Maybe you need to spend an extra hour on a project. Maybe you need to work on your discipline and consistency.

Maybe you need to put yourself out there more. Maybe you need to go out there and take the opportunity instead of waiting for someone to give it to you.

When you are in action, limiting beliefs won’t stay around long. “Action is the antidote to despair.”-Lisa Nichols

Better yourself: It is important to ensure that you are constantly on a mission to better yourself. Fill your mind with knowledge so that you can improve your skill set. Read books, watch YouTube videos, take courses. People think it's expensive to better yourself, but the internet has so many free resources. There may even be a free online course that someone is offering. All it takes is you going out there to find it. Never stop learning. Never stop growing. Never stop bettering yourself.

With these steps, you are well on your way to silencing limiting beliefs and achieving your goals!

M I S S

B A H A M A S

U N I V E R S E

2 0 2 1

DROUGHT

C H A N T E L

O ' B R I A N

BREAKER

TOP 10 MU FINALIST SHE'S A HISTORY MAKER

FAV PHRASE

PERFECTION IS A MYTH

A STORY OF FAITH AND FORTITUDE by: C. Jillian Gray

IN DECEMBER 2021 CHANTEL O’BRIAN BROKE A 57- YEAR DROUGHT FOR THE BAHAMAS AT THE MISS UNIVERSE PAGEANT.

She became the first Bahamian woman to place in the top 10. While her success was historical her journey to get there was not a fairytale.

After resigning from her job to pursue her passion and business of coaching young women in pageantry, etiquette and runway, Chantelle was thrown a curveball during the pandemic. Chantel faced homelessness and was challenged at almost every point in 2020. Entering 2021 she did not see pageantry on the horizon as she said she thought she had an already completed that part of her life after winning Miss Bahamas World in 2015 and competing in that international pageant.

“I did not have any inkling, feelings or emotional connection to being on stage again or going through the process. So when early last year it settled on my heart to do it again, I was pretty upset about it because I felt why are we doing this again. I felt I’ve given a lot of years towards pageantry and essentially, I tried out for this title in my first pageant in 2013, when I placed first runner up. It was kind of like I’ve been there and done that why go back to it? But I don’t think I had a choice in the matter I think it was purposed and timed to happen this way.” She said.

Six years after competing to win each prestigious title twice, both miss Bahamas universe and miss Bahamas world, Chantel not only won the Miss Bahamas title but rose to international acclaim when she claimed a spot in the top 16 then top 10.

The beauty queen said, “Firstly when I made it to the top 16, that was incredible because for so long we’ve been trying and for so long people thought it can’t happen. And in that moment, I was reminded that it absolutely can happen. Being called into the top 10 was a continued feeling of gratitude. I am absolutely humbled by the opportunity. Any opportunity that you have to represent your country on a global stage, that’s a privilege and for it to be highlighted in the ways it was, it’s a feeling I won’t ever get over.”

There were moments when Chantel said she felt fear but had to remember that nothing good comes easy. She said she had to realize that fear is inevitable.

“There is always the fear that you will not succeed. I think that success is only possible with failure and with the lessons that come along with it. Sometimes failure isn’t an enemy.

So yes, I definitely was afraid. I think that was my initial thought when I decided that I was going to compete. I thought, okay I’ve completed before and people have seen me in competition and we’re not a country that understands that pageantry is something that is important around the world. Other countries encourage their girls to continue to re-enter and compete because they see what it does for them. Being able to stand in front of thousands and millions of people is not easy but with enough pageants you will get used to it. So I think that’s important to know, success is only possible with failure.”

Her advice to young women or anyone with a dream is to see it through. She says it would be sad to not see what is on the other side of your goals, dreams, mission or potential.

“I want every young girl to just imagine what it could look like if they did chase their dreams or if they did overcome. What if you didn’t allow other people’s thoughts or opinions to get in the way of what you know you have been called to do or what you know you want to give a chance? I think that it is so important to know that while we don’t live our lives for each other, the things that we do will impact each of us. So, if you don’t go after your dreams and do what you have on your heart to do you are setting back someone else that would have needed to see you do it. Someone that would have needed to see you in that light to say that I can actually do this. Representation in all facets matters. What it is that you feel that you want to do, no matter the career, industry or field you are necessary! You are an integral part to another young lady advancing so your story matters and you have to tell it. You have to do this journey you don't have much of a choice.”

What is your go-to -comfortbinge TV show?

My go to comfort binge show I’d say is a different world. I love that how. I think I will never get over it. The dynamics with all of the different characters and what they went through from romance to college issues to friendships and just navigating life I love it I watch all the time.

What is your favorite word or phrase Perfection is a myth. I don’t think I say anything else. It’s a mantra, it’s something that day to day I say to my clients and to different people I have the pleasure to interact with.

Chantel described her Miss Universe experience as a beautiful one. “I don’t think I could’ve asked for anything better. Being in my second international pageant, I think that this time around I was much more self-aware and you want to have that self awareness going through this journey because it’s like a sport. Mentally, you’re going non-stop every day in different ways. You’re connecting with so many different women from around the world. Obviously connecting to another culture so for a period of time you are out of your comfort zone, but I think I appreciated this journey because of the fact that I had done it before and I had the experience beforehand with my pageants and I think that that was definitely an asset for me.”

Message (242) 823-2962 to join a class today

By: Jhanae Winter

MEET LASHEA SAINT LUC Influencer Highlight Lashea is a bright and fun 22-year-old Christian influencer with a cumulative following of over 160,000 on her social media platforms, with her biggest following being on TikTok. To better explain, her videos can be described as faith/ Christian based content that’s filled with re-enactments of Bible stories and relatable Christian posts.

While Lashea has achieved must traction on social media, she was not always this sure about her video content. Before she turned to faith-based content, she was ready to quit TikTok entirely because she felt unmotivated and posted random videos.

It wasn’t until she received divine insight from God on how to approach her videos, that a fire ignited within her and the journey to walking out her purpose began.

HAVE YOU HEARD OF LASHEA SAINT LUC?

You can follow Lashea on; Tiktok: @itsheabutter Instagram: shea_._butter Youtube: Shea Butter

“Usually, I don’t read the Old Testament Bible stories. I like to read Psalms, Proverbs and the New Testament. I was surprised to see so many complex, real and interesting stories in the Bible that speak to the world we live in today. I got inspired and I felt like God instilled purpose in me. I love acting and I heard God said, ‘Use your gift of storytelling (acting) to tell my stories. Use your talents for me’. And although I was hesitant at first, I went with it and it began”, Lashea said.

Now Lashea has fully accepted her purpose, as a social media missionary - a better terminology if I do say so myself- with the ability to reach thousands around the world and share the gospel of Christ.

“I love the fact that I can reach so many people both young and old, all by using my phone. I want to be an example to others not only to other Christians but to unbelievers as well”, Lashea exclaimed.

And an example she is. Lashea said she is proud to be viewed as a woman of God and many people have confided in her concerning various topics. She is no counselor but she is glad to help in any way she can and be a “beacon of light” that others can feel comfortable and safe with.

She admits she doesn’t have a particular strategy for ideas and no planned schedule for posting at the moment. When the ideas flow, she is grateful to God. However, she does notice trending videos and while reading her Bible, she is filled with ideas.

Lashae said her peers had this to say to her, “A lot of them asked why I switched to making basically only Christian content but they didn’t ask in an offensive way. All my peers already knew I was a Christian beforehand, so it didn’t come to me as a surprise. They ‘get off’ sometimes but it’s nothing offensive, just for fun.

They are all so supportive”, she expressed.

For those who desire to create or use their platform to promote Christianity, but are afraid to do so because of what others may think, Lashea says, “Go for it 100%.

What God thinks about you is far more important than what anyone else can say about you. Peridot! G.” But there is always an interesting side to fame.

Lashea recounts that at the peak of her Old Testament Bible re-enactment series, she received a large following from the Muslim community. She said many questioned her on her beliefs - as a Christian - with positive and negative connotations.

Lashea said she lost 10,000 followers most of whom were Muslim or followers she had before her Christian niche began.

Nevertheless, Lashea isn’t stopping, she is in love with what she is doing and desires for it to be a full-time career path for her in the future.

Through her content creation journey and popularity Lashea said, the biggest lesson God has taught her is this, “I myself may not feel confident enough or even perfect, that He can still use me. He can supply me with all the confidence I need, even if it’s step by step”.

It is with this mentality, that Lashea remains humble.

“I consistently ask God to humble me even with the slightest thing. I definitely don’t want pride or arrogance to infiltrate my attitude towards what I do. So, I pray a lot and remind myself that what I’m doing is not for me but for the glory of God.” On Lashea’s social media platforms you will also see a mixture of humor and lifestyle, but her predominant niche is faith based. As a young woman walking for Christ in a public way, some may find what Lashea does as brave and courageous or questionable; because who wants to be a Christian content creator, as a 22-year-old?

Although she doesn’t feel burnout or wants to give up, Lashea continues to pour out, through her videos, listening to those who confide in her all while continuing to build her relationship with Christ. So, to fill herself back up, she faithfully attends church, uses devotionals, surrounds herself with godly people, watches inspiring Youtubers and listens to podcasts, gospel music and also online sermons.

But the most important thing Lashea keeps a focus on is reading the Bible and spending time with God for herself. Because of the nature of her videos, Lashea honestly expressed there were times when she read her Bible solely for the purpose of making a video. However, she intends on changing this.

“The most challenging thing would be spending time with God for the sake of building my relationship versus just spending time with Him for social media. I want to be genuine and sincerely fill myself up with the things of God before trying to fill somebody else's cup. So, with that being said I need to work on consistently spending time with God for the sake of spiritual growth so that I can consistently share it with others in a genuine way”, she admits.

Lashea is using her platform to fuel her God given purpose. She is able to deliver God's message in a relatable, creative and humorous format that catches the likes of both believers and unbelievers.

Here is why she loves what she does, “The best part about creating Christian content is the community that comes along with it. It’s heartwarming and so encouraging to hear people say that they read their Bibles more, to see some of my followers share the gospel, connecting with people from different parts of the world and seeing the impact that it all has. It’s beautiful.”

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EXAMINE

YOUR CIRCLE by: Kaysheena Collins

FRIENDZY OR NAH? Hey there millennials! It’s officially a Millennial March and what better topic to address than one that holds significant weight in our lives – Friendships!

I’d like to go down memory lane, sprinkle a little bit of razzle-dazzle to some of your high school memories, and give you some déjà vu. Journey with me to seventh grade math class, the teacher has the board headed a little bit like this: Name: ____________________ Date: Monday March 7th 1000BC Subject: Mathematics - Pre- Algebra Topic: Circumference of a Circle You’re sitting in class, next to your friend, doodling some sort of abstract image in the back of your book. You’re either rocking your seventh-grade hairstyles, slicked with gel and banana peels or you’re the guy with gunning pants and the black leather bag. But do you realize seventh grade is similar to your presentday adult life?

How is that so, you may ask?

Well, let’s start with this, as adults, many of us still struggle with math and haven’t figured out the importance of knowing pie’s value to our everyday life. The same with our friendships.

Secondly, making friends and understanding those friendships was probably difficult in the seventh grade and even more so difficult as an adult! Friendships are certainly not a piece of cake (or pie). At least in Math, the value of pie is always …π =3.14. While the value of friendships is a much more complicated subject than math, especially as a youngster; whether you were the popular socialite with everyone gravitating toward you or the withdrawn introvert who repelled from everyone, this was a time for establishing the persons closest to us.

FRIENDSHIPS ARE NOT ALWAYS A PIECE OF CAKE (OR PIE) By the time most of us made it to 12th grade, we would’ve probably had many “fall outs” with friends, experienced a whole lot of drama, betrayal and misunderstandings. However, these were the friends with whom we did homework, studied, navigated through body changes with, helped us with experiences of grief and even figure out our “puppy love” relationships.

I hope your life has progressed

Center - God

such that you would’ve found

The center of a circle is also

your special community or tribe,

called the focus. It is “ a central

godly connections and

point inside a circle, the same

wholesome friendships. I’m

length away from every part of the

hoping that somehow, the

edge.” In your life, allow God to be

subject of friendship in your life

your focus and the center of all

today doesn’t mirror a roller

your relationships. Often, we

coaster high school experience

confuse center with self! We are

and that you have stability in the

self-focused, self-driven, self-

people in your life you call

oriented. It’s so easy to be self-

friends.

absorbed in today’s world that we miss who the center really is. We

In this article, we’re going to

must be focused on GOD, driven

allow a little bit of math to help

by GOD, and GOD-oriented. Don’t

us examine the friendships in

allow your passions and desires

our lives - examining our circle.

and even your friendships to be

Bear with me, Math isn’t my

misdirected and disoriented.

favorite subject either, but I do believe that this is going to add

Matthew 6:33 - “But seek first the

value to the relationships you

kingdom of God and his

have and subtract those that

righteousness, and all these things

hinder you.

will be added to you.”

There are five parts of a circle that we’re focusing on: 1. The Center 2. The Circumference 3. The Radius 4. The Diameter 5. The Tangent I know that you’re automatically thinking that you are the center and the people in your life are the circumference. But that’s not quite it my friend. In this illustration, YOU ARE THE CIRCLE.

Don’t try to take on life by yourself. Focus on God and the right connections will come.

Friendship ultimately comes from the core. God himself wants to be your best friend and give new meaning and value to friendship in your life. Great friendship with God results in wholesome friendship with man.

REFLECTIVE QUESTIONS: 1. What does “Full Circle” look like to you? Does it reflect God’s vision of “Full Circle” for your life?

2. Is God the center/focus of your life?

3. Is God the foundation of your friendships? Do the people in your life push you as a young Christian?

4. Who has been a tangent in your life?

What’s it going to take for you to get rid of the added weight from unfruitful relationships?

Maybe this wasn’t the typical approach to explore the friendships you have. However, we can definitely see that examining your circle is no different from literally, examining a circle.

Hey, at least we can say that Math Class actually taught us something we could apply to our lives!

Radius and Diameter

Jeremiah 29:11 - “For I know the

There are people we need in our

plans I have for you, declares the

lives who connect us to God (our

Lord, plans to prosper you and not

focus) and help us get to the

to harm you, plans to give you a

place that God has called us to

hope and a future.” Before we

(the circumference). The radius is

were even born, those umpteen

“the distance from the center of

years ago, God made everything

a circle to the edge” and the

full circle. Honestly, that’s enough

diameter is a “straight line across

for a praise break right there. You

a circle from edge to edge,

have full permission to pause and

passing through the center. The

simply say, “Thank you Jesus!”.

diameter is double the length of

The reality is, getting to the

the radius. Simply put, there are

circumference - the fullness of

some persons who will only be

who you are in Christ - is a journey

with you for a season of your life,

and we weren’t made to get there

however, they play a significant

on our own. Jesus had a purpose

role. Others may be there for the

and even he didn’t get to the

long haul and are much closer to

Cross on his own. Before his

you - the diameter. No matter

ministry even begun, he gathered

the length of time or the

his tribe of disciples to follow him.

proximity of a friend, ensure that

Jesus knew that he couldn’t do it

the relationships of your inner

alone.

circle are healthy and always connected to God. If there’s no God-connection, there’s a

Tangent

disconnection because they cannot identify with your core or

Last but by no means least, this

push you to a place they cannot

picture clearly illustrates what the

see for you themselves.

tangent is in our lives.

Burdensome. Extra. Disconnected.

Circumference The circumference is “the length all the way around a full rotation of the circle, the edge of the circle.” In this case, the circumference is your kingdom purpose and assignment – who God has ordained you to be

Weighty. In math, “the tangent is the straight line that ‘just touches’ the curve at a point.” It is on the outside of the circle. It doesn’t connect to the focus. It simply attaches itself to our destiny and weighs down on us. If you have friendships that reflect this, then certainly they need to be evaluated.

LEGACY BUILDER LINCOLN'S JOURNEY OF ENTREPRENURSHIP

by C. Jillian Gray

When it comes to business Lincoln Deal is no stranger to entrepreneurship. From a very early age Lincoln flexed his entrepreneurial muscle by selling lemonade, popsicle stick structures and homemade forts to his church members and neighborhood. Years later despite several challenges he started JetLink Adventures, a water sport company specializing in jet pack rides in the open water. Now with a desire to help The Bahamas develop food security another business was launched, Eeden Farms.

How it started It started in 2010 as a research project called “Project Eeden”, which analyzed the agricultural issues of The Bahamas. After a trip to Boston for the Forbes Under 30 summit in 2016 Lincoln’s idea began to sprout. He was introduced to Freight Farms, a global pioneer in hydroponic farms, and realized that this technology which uses trailers to grow hundreds of plants was the right ‘turnkey’ solution for the Bahamas.

Four years and three partners later Lincoln launches Eeden Farms in the midst of the pandemic. Lincoln and hisfounding partners Gilbert Cassar, Carlos Palacious, and Scott Blacquire felt that despite what seemed to be an economy retracting June 2020 was the perfect time to launch their business.

Their first Hydroponic container stationed at the BRON Business Center and began growing.

The Journey Continues For some the pandemic was a time for them to scale back, save money or pull out their life-saver for their business. But here’s what Lincoln had to say. “ ‘Project Eeden’, as it was first called, was a cause that I held closely. I knew the importance of pursuing a venture of this sort, and that the timing would be crucial. No one expected the chain of events that COVID-19 brought on.

With all of the uncertainty that loomed, I thought that the most fitting pivot was to finally mobilize what today is Eeden Farms.”

Now just two years later Eeden Farms is planning to expand to “Eeden Acres”. Eeden Acres is a partnership between Eeden Farms and 80 Acres and is pegged to be the a top-class revolutionary commercial indoor hydroponic farm. The 80,000 sq ft indoor facility will grow over two billion pounds of fresh produce a year using the best in AgTech, renewable techonology, robotics, artificial intelligence and 97% less water than outdoor traditional farming.

The farm will grow produce indoors without GMOs or pesticides, providing a healthy diet to Bahamians and visitors.

LEGACY GOES BEYOND WEALTH

building legacy

It’s safe to say that Lincoln’s experience with entrepreneurship has been inspirational to many. When asked what he’s learnt through it all he said, “I’ve learned that it takes both rain and sunshine to make a rainbow.

There’s no such thing as an “overnight success”. You must be willing to take risks, and even if you fall or fail, try again. This has been my truth in entrepreneurship.

It’s not how many times you fall, it’s how you rise and keep on going.”

For Lincoln, resilience is key. Starting a new business during the pandemic was a matter of depending on what he knew. See his business Jetlink Adventures took nearly seven years of closed doors and a legal battle before it came to be. He said, “It took resilience to wade through the litigation period and finally launch Jetlink. Likewise it took patience, an optimistic perspective, and resilience to realize the prime opportunity that was presented in the form of a pivot toward Eeden. In the face of adversity, resilience is key.”

His advice to a young person looking to start a business, don’t discount it. “If there’s a pull you’re getting from a particular idea or Business, don’t ignore it.”, Lincoln said.

Who is your favorite person in the bible and why?

My favorite person would be David. David, although having many imperfections, was a man after God's own heart. He was a strong but unassuming shepherd boy who later became a king.

Since about 2014, I’ve coined in my social media bios “an imperfect man, after God's own heart”. As an anchor to my life.

David, filled with his faith and power of God, defeated Goliath, who was recorded as a gigantic and mighty warrior of the Philistines. What I loved about David was, when he defeated Goliath, he lifted all the praise to God. None about him. He knew that everything he achieved was from God. Likewise, in all things I give God all the honor, glory, and praise. I’m not afraid of the big challenges or obstacles of life. When I feel led by God, I’m comforted knowing that no matter the size of the battle, there’s nothing too big for Him.

“Take some time out to figure out what makes your ‘dreamer’ come alive. If it’s what you are already doing, then keep going. If it’s not, do your due diligence and figure it out. Remember, you were made to do great things in this world. Get started. Get to know yourself.

Dream again. And as you do, be thankful that you live in a country where, once you know what you want to try, you can actually take concrete steps toward it and eventually be whatever you want to be.”

As a family man it’s courage that he most hopes he passes on to his kids. “I hope that they will always chase their dreams fearlessly. I try my best to let my life be an example for my children, to show them that with hard work and courage your dreams are attainable.”

For him building a legacy isn't only about leaving what you earned, but also what you learned.

“I love my family, and I love my kids. They make me see life from a whole different perspective. I hope to instill in them a fear of God, acknowledging that there is nothing you can do in this world without him. I also hope to instill character traits of integrity, faith, and empathy.”

What is the trip you most want to take, but haven't yet?

At the top of my list is New Zealand.

What is your go-tocomfort food?

My comfort food is definitely a good pizza!

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HADASSAH'S HEART'S CRY

by:Shauna Joseph

“God our last encounter it wasn’t enough We are empty vessels please fill our cups We’re yearning for your glory, please hear our cry Fill us from the well that never runs dry”

Artist Highlight These are lyrics from the newly released song by 23-year-old Eleutheran native and gospel recording artist Hadassah Thompson. While Hadassah is softspoken, you can still hear and feel a passion and fire for God within her.

In today’s climate, there’s so much negativity about our youth. Many people think our youth are lost, which can seem true. Indeed it is discouraging when we turn on the news and see the consequences of their negative choices. However, it’s time we help them flip that script, bringing a balanced narrative, with more positive reports. Our youth are not lost; Hadassah and so many others are showing us that this is far from the truth.

Hadassah always knew that singing was a part of her calling, there was always a tugging and desire when she saw others ministering. She said, “It was something near to my heart. I was always singing, excited to sing. Growing up I remember watching others ministering and I would say. I want to do that, I want my voice to be used by God”.

“I want my voice to be used by God!” This bold statement jumped out at me as a beacon of hope to reiterate that all is not lost.

While Hadassah answered the questions I gave her, I loved how honest and sincere she was with her answers.

MEET HADASSAH

WHEN DID YOU ACCEPT CHRIST AS YOUR PERSONAL SAVIOR? “Officially?” [I, understood that official question because I went to the altar for salvation on numerous occasions like I’m sure many of you have].

“I always considered myself a Christian, but for a season I was lukewarm. In December of 2019, I recommitted my life to God and, the call on my life.”

AS A YOUNG CHRISTIAN DID YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE FEAR OF LAUNCHING OUT INTO WHAT GOD HAD CALLED YOU TO DO?

CONNECT WITH HADASSAH @HadassahNThompson Hearts Cry can be found on all streaming platforms.

“Yes. Transitioning from being more of the background person, I wondered if I really had what it took to launch into the forefront. I wondered if the song was good enough to bring transformation to the hearts of those that would listen to it. It was definitely hard at some points to believe what God believed about me.”

WHAT INSPIRED THE SONG HEARTS CRY?

WHAT’S IT LIKE BEING ON FIRE FOR GOD AS A YOUNG PERSON?

“I actually wrote most of the song in 2018, around that time I was going through a really stagnant stage. I wasn’t seeing much growth, I was tired of being the same. I was basically in a spiritual drought and I knew the posture of my heart needed to shift. I was in church and as the music played the word ‘more’ came to me. I began to sing the chorus and it became an anthem for me ‘I need more’, it was written from a personal perspective initially. I then wrote the verse in 2020 after I recommitted my life to God. The song is still a heart’s cry for me because there’s always more.

Always more of God, no encounter with God is ever the same…so when I wrote the words ‘God our last encounter it wasn’t enough’ it wasn’t from the perspective of God not being enough. It was more of, yesterday’s move was good enough for yesterday but TODAY I need a fresh encounter, I need MORE today than yesterday.”

“It’s a liberating/humbling experience. I’m grateful not only for myself that I’m walking in my purpose, but that my life can be an example for other young people.

I’m just honored to be a vessel that can bring souls to Him.”

HOW HAS YOUR FAITH BEEN TESTED ON THIS JOURNEY? “I would definitely say it was mainly tested in the area of trusting the process and what comes after the ‘Yes’. After every ‘Yes’ comes a test [that will process you]. Sometimes during the test of the yes, it can be hard to sustain faith in what you’re journeying to/through. There were times when I questioned myself and God. ‘Father is this really what you called me to?’ It can be hard to ‘remember the promise’ as my mom Pastor Clarice would often say to me.

But even through the test of my yes I saw his goodness surrounding me. He never left my side, which made it hard to throw in the towel.”

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO YOUNG CHRISTIANS TODAY ABOUT TRUSTING GOD? “After [you say] yes to Him, and during your pursuit to the manifestation of his promises, there’s processing that happens.

However, through all of this, understand that he is a man of his word and an intentional God. Whatever he allows is strategic and he’ll never leave you ‘high and dry’ as some would say. He’s a covenant-keeping God and because of this, you have an ASSURANCE that whatever he says about you is true. Every promise will come to fruition. No matter how it looks, remember the promise and remain steadfast! As I wrapped up my conversation with Hadassah I asked her what she wanted the listeners to take away from the song. Her response was that she wanted people to realize that there is always room for more. As long as you have breath in your body there’s an opportunity to grow. In our pursuit of God may the words of her song Hearts Cry become our anthem in seeking more of Him in every area of our lives.”

FINANCES

MILLENNIAL MONEY BUILDING WEALTH AS A YOUNG PERSON

BY: C. JILLIAN GRAY With over ten years experience in the financial services industry and even longer as a frugal female, Lakiesha is the perfect person to tell us about finances. Her journey started at 15 years old when as a college student she set her mind to establish a fully funded emergency fund, open a retirement account and save for her post-grad.

All goals she met by her senior year. Take a look at our convo about finances.

SIMPLE STEPS 01

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WHAT WOULD YOU SAY ARE SOME STEPS TO BEGIN BUILDING SAVINGS? After you’ve decided that you want to begin building your savings, the first thing you must do is establish an account specifically for the purpose of saving. Ensure this account is separate from where your salary is deposited and where your bills are being paid from. Here are 3 steps you can use take once you’ve set up your separate savings account!

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STEP #1: START SMALL. Saving as little as $5.00 a day for days a week amounts to $25.00 a week and before you know it, you would have saved $100.00 in one month.

STEP #2: SET UP A ROUTINE. Determine how frequently you will set money aside or make deposits to your savings account. It can be weekly, once or twice a month, but it’s completely up to you.

STEP #3: STAY MOTIVATED. Enjoy the journey and remember it’s your race. Team up with a group of family members or friends and use them as a source of encouragement and accountability, especially if you are new to saving or if you ever get stuck.

BUILDING WEALTH AS A YOUNG PERSON

WHAT SHOULD MILLENNIALS START TO INVEST IN?

WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE BIGGEST REASON PEOPLE MISMANAGE THEIR FINANCES?

When it comes to investing, it’s important

The biggest reason people mismanage

for millennials to understand two things –

their finances is due to high levels of debt

risk and patience. Investing is not meant

coupled with a lack of financial

to be a “get rich quick” overnight venture

education. Learning about proper

and if this is what investors are promising

financial management begins with

you, then you should seriously think twice

understanding the importance of making

about the investment product before you

financial choices that add value to your

dump all your eggs in that one basket!

financial future such as saving, starting an

Generally speaking, persons should be

emergency fund and setting financial

mindful of their risk tolerance before they

goals.

begin investing in anything, regardless of how harmless the investment may seem

Most of us are taught that credit is the

at first. Knowing your risk tolerance

“go to” option because it’s convenient but

allows you to take advantage of the most

we have no idea of how much it can

favorable investment opportunities given

cripple our financial future. We live in a

your current financial situation while

society where taking the easier route and

minimizing your exposure to risk of

applying for a loan while suffering the

financial loss.

effects of maxed out pay checks with numerous salary deductions is simply the

For starters, millennials can begin by

norm.

investing in Bahamas Registered Stock (BRS) offered by the Central Bank of The Bahamas and Mutual Funds which are offered by local investment companies.

The beautiful thing about both options is that is it very simple to get started and

WHAT ARE SOME STEPS A MILLENNIAL IN DEBT CAN TAKE TO GET OUT OF DEBT?

01

you are provided with all the details about the investment product and your portfolio upfront to help you decide if it will be a great fit for you at this time. It also allows for you to become familiar with what the investing and securities

02

markets are about before taking on much larger and risker investments. If you would like to learn more about how to get started with investing locally, feel free to reach out to me at The Financial Academy and let’s have a chat!

03

Write down the amount of debt you have outstanding.

This does not exclude money owed to family members and friends – they need their money too!

Set repayment goals.

Beside each individual and/or institution you owe, set a date for which you would like to complete all outstanding payments by.

Grab an accountability partner. Identify a close friend that will help you to remain committed to achieving your financial freedom goal.

BUILDING WEALTH AS A YOUNG PERSON

WHAT CAN PEOPLE DO TO AVOID GETTING INTO DEBT? The key to avoid getting into debt is

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saving or investing as much as you can toward the cost of an item. We must get in the habit of saving consistently for what it is that we want in life and depending less on family members, friends, and financial institutions (if it is a situation where can be avoided). Yes, credit is very convenient because it provides immediate access to funding, however, credit comes with a price.

"You must think about how much this will cost you and more importantly, how long it will cost you!"

WHAT ARE SOME STEPS A MILLENNIAL IN DEBT CAN TAKE TO GET OUT OF DEBT?

01

Start keeping a budget.

A budget helps you to discover areas in which your money may be working against you and provides an avenue of where you can contribute more money toward areas that can be of (greater) benefit. Ask yourself these three questions to get started with setting up a simple budget and see exactly where your money may be going!

What are my sources of income? (e.g. earned income, business income, rental income) What are my monthly expenses? (e.g. food, shelter, utilities, transportation) What else am I spending money on? (e.g. entertainment, impulse spending)

03

Read an article / Listen to a podcast.

Whether you would like to learn more about saving consistently, creating savings goals, setting small realistic budgets or controlling your impulse spending, reading and listening helps you to learn about additional methods you can put into practice to improve the way you think, feel and talk about money. Subscribe to a website or conduct a quick search of a “money topic” you struggle with.

Perhaps, you can set aside a few minutes each day for an entire month to learn about how to improve your weak spots or listen to a podcast episode while exercising, completing chores and even running errands.

Use the 30-Day Rule.

The 30-Day Rule is a great way to begin controlling your impulse spending habit.

Before you settle on grabbing that item off the rack and swiping for it, take a few weeks to reflect on the purchase you are about to make. Use the time to determine if this is a need or a want and if it’s an absolute need, take it a step further and use a few days to shop around for alternatives or even the same item at a lower price point.

Visit www.faithoverfearmag.com for even more from this interview.