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EDITOR IN CHIEF JACQUELINE ANI ASSISTANT EDITOR TAMIKA PUSEY-SQUIRE CONTACT US magazine@empworedwoman.org.uk VISIT OUR WEBSITE www.wewmagazine.com
SUMMER 2021 WOMEN EMPOWERING WOMEN
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Hi Ladies, I am pleased to bring to you our Summer 2021 Issue of WEW Magazine. Though it’s out a little later than expected, it promises to bring you stories and articles of women around the world that will empower, inspire and build you from the inside out. Our feature cover of Women Stepping Out is on Meagan Good an American actress and model. Beginning her career very early, Good has appeared in numerous television shows, films, and music videos and we are delighted that she has graciously opened her world to our readers, she has so much to say about being a woman of God with substance. We have articles on deliverance, transformation, identity in Christ and much more. We are also looking for writers in the area of Christian Women In Leadership so if you have a voice to empower women to move beyond their limits, send an email to info@
jacquelineaniinternational.org.
Finally, we at WEW Magazine wish you and yours a wonderful summer break.
Jacqueline Ani Prophetess Jacqueline Ani Editor-In-Chief Women Empowering Women Magazine
Letter From
THE EDITOR
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Contents 7
WHOLENESS 7 New Season, New Era 10 The Importance of Deliverance 14 Transformation 18 Imagine Life Without Trees
SPIRITUAL ETIQUETTE 20 How I Became a Woman of Balance 36 Living From the 4th Dimension 41 Our Identity in Christ 42 Vision Board
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LIFESTYLE 46 The Brilliance of CPD 50 Being Intentional 54 Saying Goodbye to Someone You Love
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COVER FEATURE
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25 Stepping Out With Meagan Good
SPECIAL FEATURES
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58 Deborah School of Prophets
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N E W New Season
ERA By Jacqueline Ani
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henever we start a New Year, we hear well-wishers, wishing others “Happy New Year”, or “Congratulations, you’ve crossed over”. All this and more, like these comments are ways of letting you know you’re in a new season and as such operate like it. The pandemic that started on 23rd March 2020, brought so much upheaval, uncertainty, fear and anger to many of us; many businesses were shut down, the economy stopped and to this day, some are still finding a way back to normalcy. 2021 ends lockdown in some respects and in some parts of the UK and the world it also brings in an expectant change of heart that things will go back to normal, but even as I write this, I can’t see normal or what use to be; I can only see a new normal. People who lost their business during the pandemic can’t go back to it ever again, they can only rebuild with what is left standing, and even in that it can never be the old normal. When lockdown ended, I heard the Holy Spirit whisper to me “you have not walked this way before”. Joshua 3:4 I realise that even though what I do looks the same, the business I have looks the same, certain parts of my life looks the same, but truly it isn’t the same. What we have and what we used to do looks the same, but it isn’t and we must not go back to our old ways of doing the same thing because this isn’t the same. We are in a new era and equally a new season. What is a New Era? Let me explain An Era is a period of time marked by distinctive character, events, etc.: The use of steam for power marked the beginning of an era. ... a date or an event forming the
'I heard the Holy Spirit whisper to me “you have not walked this way before”.
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8| beginning of any distinctive period: The year 1492 marks an era in world history. In this present instant the new era I’m referring to has been marked by the events of the pandemic that hit the whole world, many people died, people lost loved ones, and hearts and emotions changed amongst those who survived it, the pandemic brought in a new era and 2020 marked the beginning of a new era. For the people of God, this new era has changed guards in leadership the messages we heard in the last era though relevant and built us to steam ahead in this new era; the messages in the last era may not be as relevant any longer. It went out in the last era, God has raised a new generation of people, a new church with a new message of the gospel to prepare His People for the great Harvest. Romans 8:19 speaks to me profoundly for this new era For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. Those who have been prepared for such a time as this have been positioned as vessels for God to use them, that means you and I are sons of God being positioned for His creation. When the Israel’s were freed from Egypt, God was taking them to their Promised Land, a land flowing with milk and honey, a land that had all the makings of promise, though they stayed in the wilderness and God fed them, it would be different in the Promised Land, it would look the same, but it was different, though they had to build, put up systems, create opportunities and bring in infrastructure, they couldn’t approach it as they did in the past, the Promise Land was where God brought them to cease from striving and to build in rest. If you remember, though Moses and the Israelites did not see that land, because they did not enter into the Rest of God, where they would cease from striving. Moses’ emotions got the better of him when he struck the rock out of anger, instead of speaking to the rock as God instructed, he died in the wilderness. Also, the Israelites continued to moan, they didn’t see God and where He was taking them, they felt that what they had left during their period of slavery was better to where God was taking them and as a result they died in the wilderness. It was their children who entered the Promise Land. God swore an oath in His Wrath they shall not enter My Rest. Hebrews 4: 3 But God has prepared another time to enter His Rest. God again set a certain day, calling it "Today."
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This he did when a long time later he spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts." Hebrews 4:7 When God said Today…He meant this day! Therefore, we have another opportunity to enter His Rest, and that opportunity is Today; the Kingdom of Heaven is here with us Today. In this New Era, we have been reset to enter the Promise Land in Rest, this rest means we must cease from striving, to cease from works and allow the Holy Spirit in us operate in the Promise Land obeying as God has instructed so that we receive His Promises in the Land flowing with milk and honey (whatever you’ve identified your promise land to be) and we build His Way.
New Season If we know what a New Era is, what does a New Season in the New Era mean I hear you say. In life there are different seasons, Ecclesiastes explains it like this. There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. - Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 There are different seasons in life and they can vary between a month, a quarter, 6 months or even a year and perhaps longer, however it’s not the same as an era, even though we are in a new era with a new message and new leadership, we are also in a new season which enables us to get our balance right and prepare strategy to forge ahead, learn to understand
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what the world needs from us so that we can get our footing and get into position to conquer. The new era brings a new period, while a new season brings a new way of dealing with what looks like the familiar. You can’t put old wine into new wineskins, equally you can’t sew an old cloth onto a new cloth, the new wineskin with the old wine will burst and the new cloth sewn with the old cloth will tear. Do away with the old thinking, old mindset, and old perspective to move into the new with a different point of view. Whatever you did in the last era that didn’t work; this time yield to the Holy Spirit in you and move as He directs and leads come away form striving,. Creation waits in earnest expectation for you to your place and it’s wating for you to get into position. Do you know where you are with God? What about your season, do you know how to move circumvent in this season? Are you ready to use all that you’ve been taught in seasons past in this New Era and New Season? When you understand where you’re at with God, then you can move forward with Him in rest. The Lord told Joshua leading the Children of Israel into the Promise Land However, there shall be a distance between you and it of about 2,000 cubits (3,000 ft.) by measurement. Do not come near it, so that you may [be able to see the ark and] know the way
you are to go, for you have not passed this way before. Joshua 3:4 Though their experiences may have looked familiar, yet the Lord says they have not passed this way before, I pondered on this for a while. In this new era and season, the experiences we’ve been through before may look similar, but yet we’ve not passed this way before; God wants us to have a different attitude moving into the Promise Land, He wants us to yield to the Holy Spirit in us so that we can move in with success of His Leading, in not passing this way before means we must work with the Holy Spirit and cease from stiving, we go in rest and not striving. This new era and new season demand we operate in maturity, everything we’ve learnt in the past is to rule and reign in this season, but we must be in right standing with God. This new era isn’t something we’ve been through, our senior may have but we haven’t and just like the Children of Israel who went into the Promise Land on dry land through River Jordan, history repeats itself with us, the next generation of Kingdom people to move into the Promise Land in rest. In this new ear and season, “today” when you hear the word of the Lord do not harden your hearts.
Jacqueline Ani, is an author, prophetic mentor, lecturer, and inspirational speaker. She is a forerunner, creating opportunities for others. Jacqueline has written 3 books and is the founder of Jacqueline Ani International and managing director of Ani Recruitment Selection and Training Consultants Ltd. Jacqueline has an online group on Facebook called The Mentoring Group of International Women. Jacqueline Ani can be reached via www.jacquelineaniinternational.org.
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The importance of
By Shannon Hodges
DELIVERANCE By Shannon Hodges
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he front door slammed shut with intense force! Before I could comprehend that my daughter was leaving home for good, I was watching her as she drove off. A lifetime of negative emotions and wounds that had been stuffed down my entire life came erupting up and out of me like a volcano. Every mask I had in place was instantly off and my anguish and pain could no longer be hidden. I started wailing. I’m not talking about crying hard but ugly crying. I didn’t realize a human could make the sounds that came out of me! The negative emotions spewed out. I didn’t want to stop them for the first time in my life. I didn’t care if others were uncomfortable because of my emotions.
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What are the deeply hidden wounds and negative emotions I’m talking about? A lifetime of rejection, shame, fear, insecurities, worthlessness, heartbreak and church hurt. I was angry and brokenhearted! Growing up in a religious home and faithfully serving in the church, I could not understand why my life was a broken, hot mess. I took a journey with God and began to understand why. You see, the -majority of churches focus on our spirit and the world focuses on the flesh. The soul has been ignored and it shows in the life of many believers. I hold the personal conviction that every single believer should go through deliverance. As a Deep Inner Healing & Deliverance Minister, one of the roadblocks I come up against is when a believer is
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struggling and needs help but refuses to believe they have a demon. When we receive Jesus as our Savior our spirit is made completely new and clean. Any demons that were in our spirits are kicked out; however, they can still have legal access to our souls (mind, will, and emotions) and body. Many people argue that Christians cannot have demons. I used to be one of them until God opened my eyes. How does a demon gain legal rights in our life? The answer is simple, sin! There are three areas Satan uses to gain legal access into our lives. The first is Generational Sin. The Bible says that the sins of the fathers are visited upon the third and fourth generation. These sins create curses and pass down through the bloodline in the womb with demons attached to these curses. The Second is sin committed against you.
“When we receive Jesus as our Savior our spirit is made completely new and clean.”
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12 | This could be through trauma, sexual abuse, verbal abuse, emotional abuse, spiritual abuse, mental abuse, or any way someone hurts you. The third is through our own sin. You see, we are a three-part being. We are a spirit, we have a soul, and we live in a body. The soul is the seat of our feelings, desires, affections, and aversions. The Gates of our soul are imagination, conscience, memory, reason, and affections. These connect to our five natural senses: seeing, smelling, hearing, tasting, and touching. The Gates of Our… 1. Imagination connects to our seeing (eyes). This enables our soul to see. 2. Conscience connects to our smelling (nose). This helps our soul detect the presence of good and evil. 3. Memory connects to our hearing (ears). This helps our soul recall or remember what we have heard. 4. Reason connects to our tasting (mouth). This helps our soul compare facts as the taste compares foods. 5. Affection connects to our touching (hands). This helps our souls feel and connect. In 3 John 2, “Beloved friend, I pray that you are prospering in every way and that you continually enjoy good health, AS YOUR SOUL IS PROSPERING.” Our hearts and the condition of our hearts are extremely important to God. Jesus came so that we may walk FREE. God cares deeply about wounds. Psalm 34:18 in The Passion Translation, “The Lord is close to all whose hearts are crushed by pain, and He is always ready to restore the repentant one.” Other versions say
“brokenhearted” and “crushed in spirit.” Demons are attracted to the wounds on our souls. It opens the door to create similar wounds. Have you wondered why a particular event keeps reoccurring in your life or your family’s life and the frustration that you feel? Many times, sickness is healed when the soul is healed. The Bible says that the enemy comes to kill, steal and destroy. Are you experiencing any killing, stealing, or destruction in your life? God tells us that we are to guard our hearts which is part of our soul. We are to renew our minds, which is part of our soul. Our will is either bent toward Satan or bent toward God. What about the “gates” I mentioned? These gates are used as entry points through sin. What are you using your imagination for? What are you watching? What do you listen to? What about what you’re touching? Every time we defile these “gates” it allows the enemy access and over time, strongholds are created. Does my story sound familiar to you? Is your family a hot mess? Are your emotions all over the place? Do you have a lot of mind chatter or negative self-talk? How is your health or your finances? I work with Christian clients weekly and every single one of them has been delivered from demons. I didn’t think I had demons until I went through deliverance. I was shocked by what was allowed to come and go freely in my life. Afterward, I experienced heaviness lift off of me and striving stopped! I also experienced a major shift in my identity, soul cleansing, freedom, confidence and authority in Christ! In John 14:30 Jesus referred to Satan saying, “But he has no power over Me, for he has nothing to use against Me.” There were no wounds in Jesus’ soul. The importance of deliverance is so that Satan has no power over us either and we can live free to rule and reign!
Shannon Hodges is a certified deliverance minister, author and speaker. She is a FREEDOM-BRINGER who specializes in helping others overcome their traumatic past! Her life passion is to partner with Jesus to see many people step into the highest level of freedom possible. She began pursuing her passion by becoming an author of Simply BeYOUtiful: Discovering God, Find Your True Identity & Healing from Toxic Christians. In this book she shares her story of feeling like an outcast filled with shame, fear, brokenness, religious lies, and many forms of bondage.
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Transformation By Theresa Skinner
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ccording to Merriam-Webster dictionary, transformation is defined as an act, process, or instance of being transformed. However, the bible’s meaning of transformation, “change or renewal from a life that no longer conforms to the ways of the world to one that pleases God”. Romans 12:2 explains it this way, this is an accomplished by the renewing of our minds, an inward spiritual transformation that will manifest itself in outward actions. We can view transformation as a need or as a want, I desire both. I long for the manifestation of both equally divided in my life. Ephesians 4:13-15 Paul states “until we all attain to the unity of faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. As a result, we are no longer children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking
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the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ.” I believe Paul is saying Believers need to come to a spiritual maturity and be more like Christ. According to the explained knowing Jesus, its about the finished work of Jesus and the progressive sanctification. The biblical meaning of sanctification is to set apart. The way I view transformation is seeing a flower seed change into a beautiful flower, an infant growing into adulthood or a head of black hair changing into a head of beautiful gray hair. It’s a process from beginning to end. When God starts something in us, He means to bring it to completion, God never starts the process and then abandons it. Although it is a painful progression, the result is worth the wait. Looking back over my life and the pain of living out the abandonment, rejection and lack of love the enemy tried to kill me years
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ago, but God was always been there to protect me. What was so harshly implanted in me as a child manifested in my adult life. Life is a learning course a schoolroom where there is no graduation, only advancement. However, there was times I had to repeat the same grade, another trip around the mountain. God gives us seasons: A Time for Everything For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose;
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a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8 Seasons are like steps towards advancements, seasons can also be long. Seasons move us towards a goal, when we look inward and upward. I have had many growing pains; I have had my life and heart issues revealed. Everything I thought was a secret God shone a light on the darkness and the darkness within me was exposed. But everything exposed by light becomes visible-and everything that is illuminated becomes light (Ephesians 5:13 niv). When God was transforming me into His son’s image, He used the very thing that I idolized the most, yet I couldn’t see that this person was an idol, taking the Lord’s place. I was blind to the truth therefore God had to uncover what was a deception.
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Exodus 34:14 (ESV) For you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God. I became the trees in the forest, the plank in my eye and the mountain in my path As I continued to believe I knew what was best for me, the fiery furnace got hotter and pain grew deeper. I continually disobeyed God. I didn’t know how to be a daughter, growing up without examples, searching for love. Making up and borrowing other peoples views and parenting skills. It amazed me, being in a life learning storm, my sovereign God, with all His love, mercy and grace, began to do the work on me. As I fought the Lord for many years, I finally surrendered knowing that fighting God was silly how could I win? God was telling me to let go, oh how I did not understand those words. I held onto everything tightly, control, resentments, anger, unforgiveness, people, etc. which gave me no joy. The days that I rendered happy were days I manifested in my head and the lies that came from my mouth, destroyed any hope of happiness I had. I couldn’t see that I was giving up every part of me to win unguaranteed love. I was asking silently for people to love me, I was met by abandonment, rejection and lies. How could I ask someone to love me when they obviously didn’t love themselves, as I didn’t love myself? How selfish was I? The real question was how to let go? Sometimes we can hold on to things so forcefully, God sometimes has to take it from us. I didn’t want to let go of things that kept me safe, truthfully, it only made me sink deeper into obscurity. Only shadows of self-left. Defeated by the goliath in my conviction. I shattered and damaged relationships
throughout my life. Left to my own devices, none of which were working. I suffered from a condition of weakness and disparity, lack of motivation, remaining in a state of idleness with no change. For God hath not given me the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). To be transformed into the person the Lord has called me to be, means I have to let go of past hurts of unforgiveness, shame and guilt, allowing God to make the necessary changes in me. Forgetting what is in the past and moving forward to what lies ahead (Philippians 3:13). Finally, through the journey I have learnt valuable life lessons, my journey towards my destiny is a long and winding road, as is everyone’s. Paul states in 1 Corinthians 3:2 “I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready”. Letting go and trusting God and knowing I can trust Him was the hardest experience I have been through this far. I have come to the realization, when I try to alter and control people, places or things, I hinder my growth and keep others in bondage of my control. I had to surrender the control I thought I had over my life and circumstances and begin to live free from self, that others may be set free. But this can only be achieved by letting go and allowing God through His Son, Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit to have full control over my life to transform me into the person He wants me to be.
Theresa Skinner, USA is a CDCA in addition services A part of a ministry through music 18 years delivered from addition. Theresa also enjoys reading and writing.
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Imagin e Life without Trees By Katherine Ani Imagine life without trees There would be nowhere for bees. Nothing will be the same Everything will change Leaves will grow Flourish and flow So, don’t waste paper, If you hate labour Branches will reach out! Apples will shout! Oh, look at the treetop! There, flowers blooming POP! Trees are here, to help us breathe, Don’t cut them down we need them please. Keep the trees. For the birds to be! Robin, hummingbird, bluebird, dove! Life without trees A harvest of groves!
Katherine Ani is an award winning published poet.
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How I Became a Woman of Balance By Vicki DePasse
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nd the award for the Music Teacher of the Year goes to….! (applause, applause). It is the annual state music convention. The most important event of the year for many music teachers, an opportunity for professional growth and to acknowledge the hard-working teachers throughout the state. Reasons for the award are given before they call the person up to the stage for their walk of fame. “She was the first to arrive and the last to leave.” “She went above and beyond by attending her students’ extra-curricular events outside of the school day.” “She gave hundreds of extra hours to her school and organization.” I was a young twenty-something teacher just starting out and couldn’t wait to learn from the best of the best. This is who I wanted to be. An award-winning choir director. My mentor from college expected it from me. I immersed myself in the organization. There were years that I was in demand as a young choir director. Being a part of a statewide organization which held its conventions in the very city I lived in, made it easy for me to become the “chair” of several committees, year after year. I was climbing the ladder to eventually be ranked as outstanding in my field. However, what I had been actually observing at these conventions were tired, overworked musicians, who were being acknowledged for depleting themselves of their energy and for giving more time to their jobs than their families should have to endure. I worked a full-time job as a music teacher. I had no choice. Since I could not be a stay-at-home mom, I gave my daughter priority at night. She wanted to be home with me to color, read, and play. I could sense her need to feel grounded by receiving my full attention. So knowing I had to keep my daytime teaching job, I slowly dropped out of chair positions, dropped my role as a community children’s choir director and turned down many requests and offers for extra income and community recognition. I was a mother first, and then a teacher. My actions had to prove this.
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I didn’t struggle with letting go of my extra duties. My role as a mother and wife were really who I was. It bothered my college mentor. Colleagues were shocked when I left a prestigious high school choral position for an elementary music position with less evening activities. Where was I headed? Why have I changed? Success can be defined in many ways. One view from Kekich’s Credo states: “You’re successful when you like who and what you are.” I liked being a “friend” to a bully in high school. It made me feel good about myself because I was accepted by her, until I realized that this was toxic. What was I seeking? Acceptance? Validation? It took me many years to define “real” success. I have come to discover that success is living a balanced life. Moderation. Saying “no” more often. Nowadays, I think carefully before I say “yes” to an offer that might flatter me. Receiving acceptance and validation from being busy is toxic. How do I know? Because even when I used to finish everything on my list, it still wasn’t enough. Busyness with false priorities leaves you feeling empty, whereas balance allows you to feel at ease with your real priorities. Omid Safi writes: “This disease of being ‘busy’ (and let’s call it what it is, the dis-ease of being busy, when we are never at ease) is spiritually destructive to our health and wellbeing,” Safi writes. “It saps our ability to be fully present with those we love the most in our families, and keeps us from forming the kind of community that we all so desperately crave.” (from On Being). Being a woman of balance doesn’t mean to add more to your plate for the sake of selfcare such as spas, pedicures, massages, bubble baths, even naps. It means to take things OFF your plate. That is the reset we need. We wouldn’t need all of those other costly and time-consuming self-care activities if we just become less busy. If more responsibility doesn’t mean time away from who should come first in your life, then that can be your definition of success. Balance can look different for every individual. We’ll never forget the year 2020. Schedules were brought to a sudden halt through stayat-home orders. People either enjoyed staying home or struggled with the adjustment. Was God showing the world something through this worldwide shutdown? There were no conventions to be had. No evening activities, weekend tournaments, shopping trips, or business trips. It
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took a worldwide event to finally stop the busyness. We can look at the shutdown as merely a season in our lives, but hopefully we have learned that once we feel well-rested, we won’t desire to go back to being “crazy busy.” Now here we are in 2021 and I’m nearing the end of my career. I never did receive an award for going above and beyond in my organization. But I did receive a reward for learning how to be a “woman of balance.” The results are seeing my daughter live a balanced life as she becomes a wife and starts a family. I can be with my husband at night and truly enjoy having a conversation without limiting our time for my next project. Lightening my busy schedule didn’t take away my identity. It helped me find it. My definition of an award -winning teacher has changed to “one who can model BALANCE for their students.” There is no award certificate for balance. But balance is an earthly reward that God is pleased with. Rom. 12:1-2 says “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” We live in the age of grace. Is His message from Eph. 2: 8-9 received loud and clear? “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, let any man should boast.” No amount of doing can get us to heaven. Jesus has done it all for us. Being too busy can’t steal our salvation but it can steal our path to a closer relationship with our Lord who speaks to us in the quiet moments. We should be a reflection of our God, not of this busy fast-paced world. Let us not get our identity from being busy but rather pray daily that the Lord shows us how to prioritize our families and our faith. A woman of wisdom and discretion is a woman whose heart is quiet in its passions. Because her soul looks to the Lord and trusts in him, she can live with or without the things of this world. Matters of position, possession, and passions fail to unnerve her or control God's woman of wisdom. She finds all she truly needs in the Lord and rests in him. As the Proverbs teach, "a sound (or tranquil) heart is life to the body." Prov.14:30 (Elizabeth George)
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Vicki DePasse’s Vision Board
Vicki DePasse considers herself a lifelong learner with a desire to find the “best practice” in all areas of her life, including her faith, her job, her role as a wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend and as a spiritual and professional mentor. Her experiences of overcoming challenges in her life have made her a woman of faith, by the grace of God. Vicki has been a teacher for 29 years and is currently teaching Music at Houdini Elementary School in Appleton, WI. She earned her Master’s Degree in Teaching and Learning and serves as a cooperating teacher for future music educators, having mentored over 10 college students in the last 11 years to begin their teaching careers. When she reaches year 30 as a teacher, she will explore a different career in which she can learn something new. She prioritizes hospitality and looks forward to hosting people in her home. Her favorite roles in life are those of mother and wife. She likes to go on nature walks with her husband to admire God’s creation.
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FEATURE INTERVIEW
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Stepping Out with
MEAGAN GOOD
Meagan Good is a woman that I have always wanted to meet and interview. I’ve loved watching every movie she’s appeared in (coupled with the fact that she is an amazing actress). My opportunity came recently, during lockdown. It’s funny, the opportunities I have embraced in this season alone are so amazing, no one needs to tell me God is real, right? Meagan was everything and more, which didn’t surprise me. Meagan is an extremely strong, beautiful, and talented Kingdom Minded Woman, who exudes spiritual confidence in her relationship with God. Even though we met virtually, the presence of God was strong in my office and, I’m sure, in her surroundings. The lessons from her life experiences are testimonies that I know women will glean from and want to emulate. My interview with Meagan reveals how purposeful she is and how Purpose governs all that she does as a woman, wife and actress. She is passionate, friendly and -- above all -- a woman of substance. I trust my interview with Meagan will give you a glimpse of the true person she is, which is why she is our Woman Stepping Out for Spring/Summer 2021. WEWM: Who Is Meagan as a young girl between the ages of 10-15 years? What advice would you give this young girl now? MG: I grew up in Santa Clarita, a predominantly white neighborhood where I dealt with a lot of racism. This included a teacher in my 5th grade year (when I was www.wewmagazine.com
26 | 10 years old) who was awful towards me. My mother put me in acting when I was four years old. It was a safe place and an outlet for me to express myself. By the age of 11, I knew this was something I wanted to do for the rest of my life and something that I was passionate about. Though I was still learning about myself, I knew that I wanted to seriously pursue acting. When I was 14, I landed a part in Eve’s Bayou. I knew that was the coming-of-age decision. I didn’t see it as part of my Purpose just yet. I just knew that I was connected to art and freedom, and felt challenged by people who said that I couldn’t succeed, and it wouldn’t work for me. I was confident in proving them wrong and believing that, if I did the work and trusted God, then the sky wasn’t the limit. I didn’t embrace acting as a tool connected to my Purpose until I was about 19. If I were to give someone of that age advice, I would say, “find what you’re passionate about and see why God has put that passion in your heart.” If it’s from God, it’s likely that it’s connected to your Purpose. I would also suggest praying specifically about it. When God says “yes” it doesn’t matter what anyone else has to say about it. WEWM: Who was Meagan as a single woman finding her way through life? What advice would you give this single woman now?S MG: Though I experienced a lot of racism as a young woman, I also got saved when I was 12. I was always reading my Bible and the word I would get was, “love your enemies,” (1st Corinthians 13) which always stuck out to me because it talks about unconditional love. It’s easy to love people who are nice or good to you, but can you love people who don’t treat you right? Can you love people who don’t have good intentions for you? Can you love people who try to bully you? I think at that age, I started building my character and determining who I wanted to be as a Christian. The experience of getting saved was intense because of how it all unfolded. In junior high there were two very popular girls in school that were a grade older than me, they were 13, Alicia and Barbara. Barbara’s older sister Jokeima was also friends with my older sister who was 14. Another friend of theirs named Gina who was 15, who was babysitting a 4-year-old girl named Jessica when they all got into a car accident. Jokemia died instantly.
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Gina died hours later. Jessica who was on life support died a week later. Barbara suffered severe brain damage. Alicia made it out the least scathed, but she suffered the most emotionally. She also had bad injuries. Her eyelid was ripped off and she had to use skin from other parts of her body to replace the skin. I remember a few months later we went on a retreat and Alicia came, and we were on the top of the mountain, and I remember Alicia crying out to God and getting saved. I thought, “that’s so interesting, because what she had just gone through would make me think she would stray away from God, but instead, she pressed into Him.” I was so encouraged by her and as she was someone who looked out for me, that it inspired me to get saved. That experience changed me as a young girl. WEWM: What happened to the girls who survived the accident? MG: I saw Alicia probably about 14 years ago. She was working on a movie studio set and we talked for a minute. I didn’t get the chance to tell her that she was the catalyst for me getting saved, but I try and talk about it more, now hoping it will get to her. In a big part, I am a lot of who I am because she set an example. I haven’t seen Barbara since the days of youth group following the accident, but I remember that her family was taking incredible care of her. WEWM: What was life like for you as a single saved young woman after that experience? MG: First, I was ultra-religious, a bible thumper, very judgmental. I knew that I wasn’t going to have sex until I got married. When my older sister LaMyia lost her virginity, I cried thinking she was going to hell. Although I was very religious, I’m also in the same breath very wild. Hanging out at my best friend Amy’s house, not necessarily getting into trouble, I was more mild than other girls who were sexually active. I loved sneaking out - hanging out late and having a drink. But I was still the girl who was having a drink, dancing around, and then talking to someone about how worthy they are and how much God loves them. I’ve been a little bit of both, with Christ leading the way, a wild child and a free spirit. When it came to relationships, I think I had a lot of baggage. My mom and my dad separated when I was very young, which didn’t make sense to me because they never really
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| 29 argued. It made me weary of trusting men. I approached every relationship reserving protection over my feelings so no one could hurt me. Every relationship that I went into, I gave a percentage and saved a percentage. In dating, I think I was more like a boy, not over emotional and able to recover quickly. By the time I was 26, I had a few serious relationships. There was one relationship from I had from 26 to 29 that made me realize I wasn’t allowing myself to be loved fully. I had foregone my rules of protection and to be honest it didn’t end well, but my experiences have taught me a lot. It’s been quite the spiritual journey with relationships, starting from my first love, the one I thought for sure I’d marry and because of that, ultimately lost my virginity to at 19. I always remember my godfather Jim Brown telling me, ‘you’re in love now, but you’re going to fall in love many more times in this life’. After my first serious relationship I realized that Jim was right: this was a journey. During the few amazing relationships I was able to have along the way, it was good to remember that, “this may not be forever, but I can learn something and teach something.” Whether it was a year, two years, nothing was in vain because you always learn and take something with you that teaches you either what you appreciated or what you don’t want. As a young Christian woman, growing up, this was what my single life was like. I did my best to get the lesson God allowed and to give however I felt led. However, I will say that a lot of that experience was shaped by my parents. Protecting myself was paramount and, the one time I didn’t, the relationship left me with a lot of trauma to work out, and I’m thankful for even that. That experience transformed me into a better woman for the man I now get to call the most incredible on the planet!! WEWM: What would you say to another single woman or even a single black woman who was in your shoes back then about relationships? MG: I would say that we are strong, resilient, and capable. Adapt to attitudes knowing this is a season in your life. It may not be a lifetime -- and that’s okay. Let’s allow ourselves to grow in this season, let’s allow this to be an awesome chapter in our lives, if it’s God's will. Then let’s do our best to make it worthwhile and get the best that we can in that moment, without it necessarily having to be forever. I would also add know your worth,
know that you are perfectly imperfect, and God adores you and you deserve His Best. Don’t settle, or do anything that’s beneath what you deserve, but also be intentional and be thoughtful about what you want to accomplish. WEWM: Who Is Meagan as a Christian Married Woman? What life lessons have you learnt in this journey so far? MG: In the beginning I struggled with the idea of submission. I was like, “what does that exactly mean?” Learning to submit was a process, because I began to learn overtime that the reason that God gave me to this man is because he is here to help me grow, help me love purely, unconditionally, bring healing, and help me better understand God’s Love for me and be my truest Purpose-partner as I become the woman that God has called and created me to be. When the bible talks about a helpmate, I think we miss that we don’t have to get married. It’s not a necessity, it’s a gift. It’s a blessing and in terms of staying in a marriage, no matter what season you’re in, it’s really about, “this person was sent to help you live up to the highest potential of who God has called you to be; the fullness of who you are and all that has to do with love, relationship, growth, self-love, healing, connection in Purpose, it’s all of those things. When God brings your partner in Purpose, there’s so much to get out of it. It’s not just about having great days, it’s about being challenged, it’s about someone saying “I’m going to hold you to the highest standard and help you get there. That’s what’s been so amazing for me and learning that submission doesn’t mean just doing what my husband tells me to do, it’s really about being there for him, supporting him, being his backbone, covering him, praying for him, allowing him to protect me, to give me good advice, allowing him to challenge me and tell me the truth, and knowing that I don’t stand behind him, I stand beside him, but letting him be my king underneath my King. It’s fun to know even 9 years later, I continue to learn and understand the fullness of what that is in a marriage. It’s been great, it’s healed me, helped me massively, revealed how much God Loves me beyond what I could even comprehend that I thought I knew. I’ve never known love this way: it’s not like mom love or sister love; who I can’t help but love so deeply or the people you cherish who have known www.wewmagazine.com
30 | you from the moment you entered this earth. It’s someone entering your life and “choosing” every day to love you unconditionally. WEWM: What advice would you give to a newly wedded bride? MG: Do not lose yourself. Know that God is First and Foremost. Understand that after God comes your husband before anyone else. Crazy as it sounds, before your mother, sisters, before everyone. Guard and protect your marriage, do not talk to people who are not married about your marriage issues, because their goal is going to be about protecting “you” and to make sure that you’re okay. There’s a big difference when you talk to people who are married about married stuff: they want to make sure the marriage is okay, they want you both of you to win, they understand that you are a unit, and that together you’re one. It’s not about you or about him, it’s about both of you. WEWM: How can a woman not lose herself in marriage? MG: A woman in marriage must have ownership over her Purpose and know that God has called her to fulfil that as well as fulfil the corporate Purpose that she has with her husband. Knowing that she came to earth alone and will one day leave earth alone, and one day God will ask her what she did with her life. He won’t ask her mother, her friends, or even her husband. She has a responsibility to the Purpose in which she was created. Even if part of that is being a wife, she still has a responsibility to her life’s calling. Also knowing that even though you are one with your husband, you’re also one with God. WEWM: What is your understanding of a Kingdom Minded Woman? MG: Kingdom mindedness is making God first and every day seeking to know Him better, and seeking to hear Him clearer, seeking to know His will for your life, being in a true relationship with Him and being so connected that you help or encourage others. Being confident in your walk because you know Him as much as you can know Him and you know for a fact that He truly knows you. Have a deep relationship with Him. It doesn’t matter what anybody says, it only matters what God says and that you’re clear on what He’s saying. WEWM: How do you marry your relationship with God and your role as an actress, when there is so much pressure to conform in the movie industry?
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MG: I don’t conform. I have very strong convictions. I don’t want this industry or success by the world’s standards more than I want God. When I stand on Him and when I say “no” because of Him, I believe people respect me more. I believe I get to do great things in the field of art that I love because of God, not in spite of Him. Whenever I say no, God always brings me something better. Earlier in life, when I was 19, still trying to discover my Purpose and transitioning from a child actor to an adult actor, I literally had to ask God whether this is what He wanted for me. I was in this weird season of in-between. I wasn’t booking jobs. I was watching people around me working and I realized that I never asked Him if this is what He wanted me to do. I want what God has for me, more than what I want for myself and that was when I had a clear revelation that this is what God wanted me to do. It’s not about the work, nor is it about the industry, it’s about using the platform that He has allowed me to have and given me to build the Kingdom. To talk about Him and use every single part of my life to glorify Him and to point people to Him. There are more attractive people and talented people than me, but He has allowed me this platform to honor Him and I will continue to honor Him and to use the platform to build the Kingdom in whatever way He says I should. WEWM: Do you feel that Christian Women can live up to that image of a Kingdom Minded Woman? MG: One hundred percent. I think it’s not simple. It’s very much about seeking the Kingdom of God first and everything else will be added to you. I’m not saying it’s easy to get the answers, I’m not saying seeking doesn’t take effort and pressing in, praying, getting on your knees and being very intentional. But when you don’t make it about seeking the job, or seeking the fame, or seeking the man or the husband, but about seeking God, all the right things get added to you. WEWM: What has been some of your wilderness moments and how did you get through them? MG: There’s been lots of wilderness experiences. When DeVon and I first got married, there was a lot of backlash about the dress I wore to the BET Awards, that was definitely a transitioning moment in my life. I was used to being bullied as a black girl
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32 | growing up in my neighborhood, I was used to being bullied because I’m an actress, but I’ve never been bullied by the Christian community and I was not ready. I didn’t see it coming. Of course it wasn’t the whole Christian Community - there were those who prayed and covered me, and loved on me one hundred percent - but the reaction I got that night was traumatizing and painful, because the Christian community was my safe place, and I was being assaulted in my safe place. It wasn’t about right or wrong, it was about how they handled me. I don’t have a problem with someone having a problem, I have a problem with how we handle other people as Christians. It took years to walk through the trauma because it was so intense for me, so painful and shocking and I did not feel safe being a part of some of the community. It made me not feel comfortable attending church -- not because I was angry or that I couldn’t stomach potential correction but because I basically had PTSD. I just didn’t know who was going to say something, because so many of those attacks lacked any love or a true intention of being helpful and some were just completely brutal. I just needed to do what was necessary to keep my heart from being broken and becoming bitter. I needed to protect my spirit so that I could continue to love them properly regardless of how some treated me. I had to get to a place where my focus wasn’t on what others said but rather what He says and thinks about me and letting that be the only thing I focus my energy on. I needed to protect myself, my space, my marriage and keep my eyes on God and not on what other people say or think, because they don’t know me, but He does. They don’t know my heart, but He does. That period was a process for sure, but it was also a shift because if anything it only brought me closer to God. He was the only one I could depend on to protect me;
He was the only one who could heal me and provide a safe place of refuge. It made me have stronger convictions of who and why I am called to be who I am. I know I’m not for
"As a Christian, and as a black woman, it’s part of my responsibility to use the platform God has so graciously given me;"
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everybody and everybody is not for me and that’s okay. It’s also been wonderful through the process to have my tribe revealed, to connect with women and men that don’t quite fit into any box and are not going to be appropriate to some people, but they know for a fact who God has called them to be. Those who are supposed to get it will and those who don’t, that’s okay, love them even harder because it just builds the character of who God created you to be. WEWM: I know you’re very passionate about racism and the social ills that black lives experience daily, as a role model, how are you addressing this and how does that align with your faith beliefs? MG: That’s a deep question and there are so many layers to it, but the core or the bottom line is, when people are being oppressed and abused and there’s no justice, those are the people that we must fight for. That’s what God‘s Word calls us to do and it’s something I’m intricately connected to as a black woman. It could be as simple as the racism I experienced growing up or the racism I go through every day as a black actress - being paid significantly less than my white counterparts; it could be being told that we would like to hire you for this part, but we don’t want the lead to be black, so we’re going to give you the best friend role. It could be something like that. Or it can be
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34 | all-consuming like someone being senselessly murdered because of the color of their skin. As a Christian, and as a black woman, it’s part of my responsibility to use the platform God has so graciously given me; to be out there and be spirit led on how I can do my part, because we can get angry, we can get sad (which we are warranted to feel), but it’s about being productive and not just talking but doing what you can to make a difference. It’s so important to make sure that I’m God-led because I do get very angry, hurt, and frustrated. However, my overall thought is to lean into, “what would God have me do?” Lord, how do you want me to do it? Is it okay to post this? I really feel like I want to write this, but I don’t feel like that’s what You’re calling me to do. And just being specific and intentional and knowing that He has given me this platform and it belongs to Him. WEWM: What was it about acting that attracted you to the profession? MG: When I was younger it was a safe place for me to express myself and to have an outlet. When I got older, I loved challenging myself and seeing how I could grow as an actor, seeing what other skills were in my toolbox, which ones I needed to learn, what terrifies me and where I need to grow. Comedy is one of those things. It’s a scary challenge. I don’t know if I’m going to be funny, I can only hope so. I’m that person who loves to tell jokes, but I also can be terrible at them. I look forward to exploring that insecurity and ultimately finding freedom to trust myself with what God has put inside me. In acting I love discovering who this character is, building the back story, finding out what they went through before they got to the moment of when we get to live and breathe them in the movie. I like lessons in movies. I love that, when I was a kid seeing certain movies, they really painted the way I saw the world. They showed the possibilities for me. I want to do that for others. I honestly enjoy acting: it’s fun, freeing and often therapeutic. WEWM: What kind of characters do you enjoy acting? MG: Right now, I really want to play a vigilante in an artistic activism project, where I can do something for us, getting justice, something that makes your soul and your spirit full just watching it. I’ve done a lot of drama, but I’m loving physical comedy like Lucille Ball right now. WEWM: I love the films you’ve acted in,
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especially Think Like a Man; The Intruder (which I watched on the plane). How do you decide to choose the films you act in? MG: It really comes down to whether I’m excited about the character or project as a whole. Will it stretch me? Is this something I haven’t done before? And then ultimately just feeling in my spirit that this is something I feel like God is leading me to do. There’s a permissive will and a submissive will; there are things I feel in my spirit that He wants me to do and there are some things I feel in my spirit that He allows me to do. I’m always trying to find something that I’m excited about or something that I feel is important because the Spirit of God is leading me to do it. WEWM: Tell us about Good Girl Wrap and the idea behind it? MG: I wear dreads a lot and, when I worked out, I realised that every time I jumped up and down during training, my hair would fall in my face. I found this old wrap that I got when I was about 12 or 13 and I started wearing it to help me contain my hair. It wasn’t too tight and it didn’t come off. I realised that I could wear it to sleep, too, and my braids would not go all over the pillow and I found that I could sleep comfortably. I started doing work out videos and people with long hair would watch me on Instagram, wanting to know where I got my wrap. I decided to redesign it. I choose protective materials that compliment me - they don’t overheat and keep me cool. I then started making them available for everyone. As black women, our hair needs are very specific. It is hard to sleep with braids, twists and dreads and it’s also hard to work out with them. So I wanted to create something that was a gap in the market and for people to use to make life easier for them. WEWM: Where can our readers access your Good Girls Wrap? Readers can access Good Girl Wraps at: meagangood.myshopify.com WEWM: Have you ever thought of starting your own production company? MG: I do have a production company called “31 ENT.” I’ve also produced quite a few films and recently just produced, co-directed and costarred in my directorial debut “If Not Now, When?” The film was released in January 2021 and is available on-demand on Apple TV, iTunes, and all platforms. God is so good. It’s crazy to think I truly believe this is just the beginning.
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Living From The 4th
DIMENSION by Sanyade Okoli
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SPIRITUAL ETIQUETTE
G
od has such a sense of humour. I had resigned myself to the fact that there would be no blog post this week as I didn’t have anything specific laid on my heart and I wasn’t about to make something up. I try to remind myself regularly that Just As I Am is not about me “pumping out posts” but about sharing what I believe the Lord would have me convey. And then, Gbam! The facilitator of my School of Prophets* group asked each of us to share what we had taken from today’s class. As I scribbled and scribbled the penny dropped – this is today’s blog post! Here goes! This one is Bible study o; but if you catch it and allow it go from your head to your heart, it will transform your life. Therefore, please read it prayerfully and meditatively.
Made, Created, And Formed During today’s class, the speaker, Tomi Arayomi, woke me up to the fact that there are different words used in reference to human beings coming into existence. Upon further study, I learnt that there are three Hebrew words: • Asah – To make (Genesis 1:26) – To make or do something and can be by God or man. • Bara – To create (Genesis 1:27) – Usually by God and mostly refers to the act of creation out of nothing. • Yatsar – To form (Geneses 2:7) – Best understood as the process of pressing clay together to form an object and can be by God or man. I can’t lie for you; I don’t yet have a good understanding of the import of God using these different words but what is clear is that it is significant, and I need to do further study to get to the bottom of it. God is not haphazard so if He uses three different words, He must have done so intentionally. Our role is to “search out the matter” and apply it to our lives. What I do take from it, however, is that God first created us in heavenly realms (His thoughts and words have creative power), then formed our shell here on earth, before going on to breath His life into us. Therefore, we have the very essence of God in these our earthly vessels. Pause.
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Our Multi-Dimensional Nature In class, an analogy was used of a music album – the CD is the format whilst the sound is the content. With this in mind, God is the content within us, and our being forms are simply the format, the container or vessel which the spirit of God inhabits. Just because the content isn’t visible doesn’t mean it isn’t there. Of what use is the CD if it doesn’t “release” the content, its music? We can choose to live life and operate in this world based on our content or based on our format, the Spirit, or the flesh. Truly we are all multi-dimensional beings – in addition to our physical lives here on earth, there is a spiritual dimension to us. Too few people live with this understanding, and fewer still do so to the glory of God. Which one am I? Pause.
Seated In Heaven From Ephesians 2:6 and Ephesians 1:20-23 we understand that we are seated with Christ in heavenly places far above all principalities, powers and spiritual wickedness in this age and the age to come. Essentially, by virtue of our position in Christ, we straddle heaven and earth (i.e. multidimensional). We can therefore either live from heaven to earth, or from earth to heaven. From what direction am I living? Pause. Our Dominion Nature We were made for dominion (Genesis 1:28) and we can only truly operate in this capacity when we live from a heavenly perspective. Bottom line? It’s all down to choices – our choices. Our decision to either live from the place of our true identity – one made in the image of God with His very life in us (i.e., a heavenly perspective), or from a worldly, carnal perspective (what men and the systems of this world say about us and how they define us). Whose definition of me am I basing my life on? The Lord’s or the world’s? In reality, a heavenly perspective on things will always supersede an earthly view. Pause.
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38 | Operating From A Higher Dimension If in order to exercise our dominion, we need to operate on a higher dimension, what does this look like? • Aligning my thoughts with God’s • Aligning my words with God’s • Only doing what I see the Father doing. But then, how can I align my thoughts, words, and actions with His if I don’t know what He thinks, says and does? How would I know what He thinks, says and does, if I don’t spend time with Him – in His Word and in His presence? Not merely coming to Him to inform Him of how I feel and what I want but, instead, sitting at His feet to hear His heart – how He feels and what He wants. God so desires that of us. We truly need to have a deep revelation of who God is, who we are, and who He is to us in order to be and do all God has purposed for us. So, what does He want to say to me today, if I would only linger with Him a little? What does He want to say to others through me, if I would only take time to listen and hear? Pause.
Christ living within us gives that added dimension to our lives. The extent to which Christ lives within us, determines the extent to which we operate in the fourth dimension, and we have dominion here on earth. May we daily align with the words, “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21 NKJV) Pause
Decision Time Therefore, going forward, let us choose to live from the place of our true identity – ones made in the very image of God with His Spirit dwelling within us. Let us purpose to live as our true selves – ones seated in heavenly places with Christ, exercising dominion on earth. Any thought contrary to this is a vain imagination and must be pulled down – day after day, after day!
Reflections •
Go Deeper To Live Higher
•
It all boils down to going deeper. Going deeper to go higher. We need to go deeper in the things of God in order to operate from a heavenly dimension. This reminds me of a seed which must first die before it can live. To live, we must continually die. We must be able to truly say, “My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So, I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20 NLT).
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What has the Lord been saying to you as you have prayerfully read through today’s post. Please journal it. Ask Father God what He wants you to know today about your identity. Pray for the Holy Spirit to shine His torch on the thought patterns you have which contradict all what the Lord has spoken to you today. Ask Him where you learnt those limiting thought patterns and who you need to forgive. Forgive the relevant person(s) and hand the limiting thoughts to the Lord. Ask the Lord for His truth on the matter(s).
Sanyade Okoli is the Chief Executive Officer of Alpha African Advisory Limited, a financial advisory business based in Lagos, Nigeria. She has over 25 years of financial advisory; private equity; corporate, commercial and management finance; and auditing experience. Sanyade is in the inner healing ministry and recently started an inspirational blog, www.justasiam.ng. She is particularly passionate about helping women to fulfil their potential. Sanyade is married with four children.
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OUR IDENTITY IN CHRIST by Heidi Breiner
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hether you are a Christian or an unbeliever we are all searching for who we are. This Life is a journey of searching. We take our identity from our family, our traditions, our past experiences, our friends, our culture, the media, what is trending, what others say about us. When we meet Christ, everything Advertisment changes. We try to fill the emptiness we experience with relationships, people, substances, material things, instead of filling it with Christ. The minute He meets us, our lives change; we are chosen vessels. One of my favorite scriptures is Isaiah 43:1 which says “but now, that says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, and he who formed you, O Israel: fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are mine.” Just those last three words fill my heart with such joy. “You are mine.” When we receive Christ as our personal Savior, He fills that emptiness we have been trying to fill ourselves. We are now sons and daughters of the Highest God. “But to all who did receive Him, believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God, who were born, and not a blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but I’ve God.” John 1:12-13 As Children of God, He gives us His protection, provision, and spiritual authority. He lavishes His love on us. Isaiah 54:17 gives us a picture of God‘s protection it says: “ no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall confute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants
of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord.” He puts His covering on us. Luke 12:24 we see God‘s provision: “ consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no store room or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are then birds!” How beautiful the passages, we are more valuable and precious to Him. Matthew 18:18-20 gives us a good picture of our spiritual authority through Christ. “Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven, and whatever you loose in the earth shall be loosed in Heaven. Again, I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by the Father in Heaven. For where two or three are gathered in My, Name here I am among them.” How powerful! We must know who’s we are. God’s fullness and goodness surrounds us the more we seek Him and walk close to Him. Let Him show you who you are. He has called you by your name, you are His.
Heidi Breiner is an ambassador for Christ, mentor, writer, loves to help others in their walk with God, mother of two beautiful girls, a wife and coffee lover and a leader of The Mentoring Group for International Women.
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SPIRITUAL ETIQUETTE
Vision Board by Lisa L. Trujillo
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I By Lisa Trujillo
he Bible teaches us to be mindful about all we do. It says in all you do get understanding and you will be held accountable for idle words spoken and for your actions. The Lord, your God had a vision, a plan and was mindful, intentional and was not idle with time nor His actions. You will find example after example in the Old and the New Testaments. We read stories in the Old Testament, how God Himself led the way by cloud by day and fire by night. He gave verbal instructions to those who listened to Him, intently and willingly. And for us to get a vision we must be intentional. The Book of Job was about a man who went through a very trying, difficult and painful time. He was a very well to do man, rich in many ways, family, business, financial means and FAITH. He wanted for nothing, but the most way he was "WELL TO DO" was in his faith. He was a man of God and that faith was tested; allowed to be tested by God,Himself. If you read the book of Job, you will read the enemy had to get permission to even begin to mess with Job (his circumstances). Yes, the enemy must first obtain permission from God to touch your circumstances when you are a child of God. God and the enemy had a serious conversation, about Job.
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am paraphrasing....God said to the enemy "have you considered my servant, Job" the enemy said Job is only about you because you have a hedge of protection around him and all that concerns him, remove that and let’s see what he does" touch his circumstances and he will no longer follow you" ...God said try him, but do not lay a finger on him; the man. Again, keep in mind Job was a very wealth, man in every aspect of his life. He wanted for nothing. When God told the enemy to take his best shot, God knew who His servant was and how strong Jobs' faith in Him was. God does not protect us from never going through anything, in fact He allows things and even orchestrates something's. Why, if we never go through anything how will our faith in God continue to grow? Would we even need faith if we have no challenges? Through the trials and the testing of his faith and being accused of sin, Job stayed strong in knowing God was still on the throne and he was not going to be abandoned. Jobs’ foundation in God was deep, impenetrable. No matter what the enemy did to him and what he lost...Job pushed through and persevered. JOB 22:28 ESV You will decide on a matter, and it will be established for you, and light will shine on your ways. In this short scripture, so much is being said. Job is saying make up your mind...stand
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"With the board being a visual reminder it becomes easier to keep God before you."
for it, believe that you can have it and it will be yours. Job is highlighting our God and his promises to and for you. God wants to reward your faithfulness, your love for Him, but we must believe that He is. Vision boards assist us in bringing that "MATTER" to fruition. It is a constant reminder that we can have established what we desire when we bring it before the Lord. God wants us to have the desires of our hearts, but first we must know what those desires are. What do you want to see come to pass? Are you looking for direction, are you praying for someone's salvation? What, what are you trusting God for or who are you trusting God with?
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44 | Vision boards really do work.... How, you say, well it literally allows to you speak that thing into existence and work toward it daily. With the board being a visual reminder it becomes easier to keep God before you with your trust and belief and giving God the praise each day. We must praise God, not just for what he can do or is going to do, but for what He has already done. God does inhabit the praise of his people. Praise Him! There is another scripture that speaks to this very thing Habakkuk 2:2-3 ESV 'The Righteous Shall Live by His Faith And the Lord answered me: “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.'
When we spend time in His word, we will begin to see and get nuggets from those who came before us and the lessons they have learned directly from the hand of God being their guide. God wants us to learn these lessons because it will make for a less chaotic life. I did not say easy, I said less chaotic for the enemy will continue to prowl around but when you know strategies and have a plan and a vision, when you keep God first the trials and tribulations will not always be so long or difficult and even if they are, God will still be on the throne guiding and directing you at every turn. Create your vision board and begin to live your life with purpose.
Lisa L. Trujillo is a believer in Jesus Christ, a published author, Writer and Blogger. Lisa operates in the office of a prophet and the gift of healing and deliverance. She is a mentor, mother of 3 children and is based in Texas, USA.
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THE
BRILLIANCE OF CPD By Jacqueline Ani
"Today’s highest achieving business women all share one common theme, the humble concept of being a student for life." SUMMER 2021 WOMEN EMPOWERING WOMEN
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f there is one thing every business woman should do, it is CPD. CPD stands for Continuing Professional Development, and is defined as: Intentionally developing the knowledge, skills and personal competence to perform professional responsibilities to be the best you can be at work’. In its simplest format, CPD is a structured approach to lifelong learning. It is a formula that can be applied to any industry, and every discipline. Ensuring that professional individuals keep developing their competence, and growing their expertise.
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CPD is present in all forms of workplace learning, whether its online training courses, coaching programmes, digital webinars, or self-directed learning through video or reading. When a blend of proactive learning activities is undertaken throughout a year, it provides relevant, memorable and interesting information. Hence, it is a vehicle that keeps us up to date, and stops formal qualifications becoming obsolete.
CPD for Business Women & Leaders Today’s highest achieving business women all share one common theme, the humble concept of being a student for life. The savviest, most successful, business leaders are aware that there is always more to learn, and appreciate their strengths and weaknesses. By intentionally setting time aside to train and
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learn, they can both hone mastery on existing skill and knowledge sets. As well as, stepping out of their comfort zone to explore, and harness, new professional constructs, technologies and working practices. In today’s pandemic world, individuals in the workforce have had to be agile, and flexible, finding new ways to communicate and work. Without realising it, we undertake CPD nearly every day, however the key to unlocking its brilliance is to check in and reflect on our learning outcomes.
Our accredited providers each display a digital trustmark. A formal blue CPDSO provider badge signals they have completed our rigorous assessment process, and are authorised to provide official CPD certificates to their learners.
Finding Great CPD
Over the past decade, the CPD Standards Office has accredited 100’s of providers in over 40 counties. We have worked with a wealth of organisations, across all industries including Rolls Royce, Google, the NHS, Pitman Training & The Open University. We are delighted to welcome Jacqueline Ani International to our prestigious, global CPD training community, and looking forward to endorsing their CPD provision for client success.
Every day in the online, digital world, there are masses of misinformation and fake news shared, as well as poor quality CPD training. The CPD Standards Office is a world leading accreditation service that verifies training providers offer authentic and useful content, that genuinely provides positive and successful learning experiences. Our awards are highly respected by Governments, professional institutes and regulatory bodies.
You can find our providers here:
CPD Standards
Who we work with
Jacqueline Ani is a life coach, transformational leader and social entrepreneur, she is an author and has written 3 books with another 2 yet to be published. She is the founder of Jacqueline Ani International and mentors’ others to launch their idea; www. jacquelineaniinternational.org. She is the Managing Director of Ani Recruitment and Training Consultancy and the pioneer of online group The Mentoring Group for International Women on Facebook. You can connect to her via email, Instagram or simply emailing her at info@ jacquelineaniinternational.org
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And whatever you do [no matter what it is] in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus and in [dependence upon] His Person, giving praise to God the Father through Him. - Colossians 3:17 AMPC SUMMER 2021 WOMEN EMPOWERING WOMEN
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Being Intentional By Lisa L. Trujillo
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ake the decision that the Lord, your God will be first in all things, beginning today. When we wake up each day, we should know that we are blessed to have another chance to be better than the day before. We should be intentional to thank God for blessing you with another day, another day to be a blessing to someone else, another day to be nice, to smile at someone, to say a kind word. Another day to be and make a difference. It all starts with a thank You God....it starts with being INTENTIONAL. When God has allowed us to see a new day, we should devote the first moments, minutes, hour of our day to God, given Him praise, given Him honor and glory. Blessing His name. We should be intentional with our time and knowing we are not responsible for waking up each day but privileged to have the opportunity to do so. This practice, I think fits well with this scripture...in all things whether in work or deed do everything unto the Lord. Start your day off with praise and thanksgivings.
When we start our day with God and ask Him to direct our steps each day...You will find that your day has a smoother flow than a day without God directing your steps. Praying for God to bless your day as well as others will always cause more peace and comfort in your day. In addition to being intentional indeed, our words require intentionality, as well. When we allow just anything to come out of our mouths, you are allowing, just anything to happen in your day...good, bad or indifferent. This should not be the kind of day we want to have. We should desire to have peace in every area in our lives, to be able to shine the light for others. When we chose what words, we allow to come from our mouths we set the stage of what will manifest. We are commissioned to be the light on the hill...the salt that adds flavor for others. We truly need to lead by example. Matthew 5:14 AMPC You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.
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52 | Matthew 5:13 AMPC You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste (its strength, its quality), how can its saltness be restored? It is not good for anything any longer but to be thrown out and trodden underfoot by men. No, it's not always easy to be in the forefront of cautiousness of word and deed, but we must continually make every attempt to live the life according to the word. It really is written that we will give an account for every idle word spoken and we will give an account of our actions Matthew 12:36-37 AMPC But I tell you, on the day of judgment men will have to give account for every idle (inoperative, nonworking) word they speak. For by your words you will be justified and acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned and sentenced. Romans 14:12 AMPC And so each of us shall give an account of himself [give an answer in reference to judgment] to God. Being intentional comes with a desire to want to do the right thing. When the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within us, it is a good thing because then He will sound the alarm when we have veered off the path of where we are striving to go with God. He does gives us a nudge to help us get back on the right path and that helps because as the Holy Spirit lead, we then become slower to react and are intentional about our words and actions. It is such an amazing experience to have the Holy Spirit dwell within.
God has given us the ability to stop doing a certain thing before we do it, to save us from creating a huge mistake that He will have to clean up after given us a consequence. Let us be aware of the words we speak the actions we take before we speak and take them. The word does say be slow to speak James 1:19 NIV Listening and Doing My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, If we are intentional about our everyday work schedule, family schedule, tv schedule, we should be equally, actually, even more intentional about our God schedule, because without God we would not be here to have an everyday. Take the time to read a scripture, commit it to memory, write it on the tablet of your hearts. Give God praise, give Him permission to order your steps to make you day a whole lot better than it would be without Him have full reign over your day. For a beginner start off with God while taking a shower, making breakfast, driving to work...Whenever you have a few minutes, spend it with Him and notice the difference when God becomes involved in your day. In Jesus name, be blessed.
Lisa L. Trujillo is a believer in Jesus Christ, a published author, Writer and Blogger. Lisa operates in the office of a prophet and the gift of healing and deliverance. She is a mentor, mother of 3 children and is based in Texas, USA.
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LIFESTYLE
FITNESS for the Soul
By Rhoderline Kyeme
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hen I reflect on my school years I remember always being on the larger side, most probably due to overindulgence of mother’s amazing Ghanaian home-cooking. I developed a passion in my teens for sport and found an aptitude for athletics, even making the cut for our school’s athletic team to compete across our borough. Despite my enthusiasm for sport, I had an ongoing battle with my weight and would often refer to myself as “big boned” probably as a means to excuse my size and weight. The start of university life sparked my desire to take control and do something about my weight, so I joined a well-known diet club. Through sheer determination (and if I am honest frustration of being a plus size) I lost three stones and have ever since managed to keep it off. That was twenty odd years ago! Losing the weight was the easiest part, keeping the weight off or “maintenance” as some call it, has been the greatest challenge requiring consistency and self-discipline. For many years I was fixated with my weight and size, it felt as though my identity was centred on this and nothing else. The dawn of my thirties saw a more confident me, I became truly comfortable in my own skin and didn’t allow external influences to determine my identity. This also coincided with the rebirth of my spiritual life, becoming more connected to my faith and my relationship with
God. I no longer cared how others might have seen me nor allowed negative self-perception a stronghold, but rather focused on how I felt inwardly and how I knew God saw me. The following scripture from Psalm 139:14 comes to mind as I write this: I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful; I know that full well. Life begins at forty they say, a few years ago one of my pals suggested that given my passion and dedication to keeping fit, why not study and gain a qualification in fitness. Weirdly though a real passion, I had never seen myself as someone that could influence others to lead a fit and active lifestyle nor did I feel I epitomized that physique. However, being a real academic, I enrolled on a course. It was challenging, but I was driven. In the summer of 2016, I qualified as a Level 3 Fitness Instructor and Personal www.wewmagazine.com
56 | Trainer. This passion has now become a parttime occupation I love and now see as more of a vocation. I teach group classes and train one-one. What I love most is the noticeable change in people post class/session. There’s an exuberance and energy that is priceless and heart-warming. In 2019, I decided to study further and qualified as a Nutrition Specialist, which provides a more holistic approach to my own personal fitness journey as well as the service I provide clients. I still keep busy with my 9-5 as a consultant, though have achieved a good work-life balance by splitting my time equally between my day job and my PT work. For me, the essence of fitness is that it must be holistic; it is all-encompassing and includes health of the mind, body, and soul. Therefore, equal time and energy should be invested in every one of these areas to make for a wholesome human being. As a woman I know too well how our hormones play such a significant role in our perception of self and can distort our selfimage. Our identity can often be wrapped up in the superficial, and yet there is so much more to us. The ever-growing popularity of social media has much to answer for in this area of “health & fitness” and I write this in quotes as I feel that many people are saturating their minds and forming beliefs which may not be 100% accurate. I have learned over the years not to rely solely on the obvious measuring systems (e.g. the dreaded bathroom scales). Example case: over the past three months I have increased the level of weight training I do and yet the scales have stayed the same. However, many people have commented on how trim I look, and my clothes fit better. The answer? Increase
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in muscle mass and reduction in body fat. This flies in the face of what my twenty-somethingyear-old self would have believed. My advice to anyone reading this article who might be struggling with “weight loss” is to think about varying your training regime, nutrition, and adopting good sleeping habits, for these are all contributing factors to how our bodies look and feel. Spend time daily to meditate, show appreciation and gratitude to your body for all that it enables you to do, and then set about your day. What does the next decade look like for this forty something female fitness professional? Well as we get older our fitness goals should look different, my focus will be on increased mobility and flexibility training. I hope to compliment my gym-based work with alternative exercise such as Pilates and perhaps take up swimming or cycling. I’ll continue to teach and train for as long as my body will allow me. And perhaps s A career in Management Consulting and Project Management over the past twenty plus years gave me such breadth and depth of experience in the commercial arena. A profession which provided opportunities to work across varied and interesting industries sectors such as Aerospace, Banking, Pharmaceuticals and Agrochemicals to name but a few. Over and above the work itself are the people I have had opportunity to work with globally, exposing me to diverse cultures and experiences, some who have become close friends. Work often entails travel and on each trip, and I ensure to pack my essential items of sports kit and trainers! Fitness and well-being now permeate every sphere of my life. Study some more, after all we’re never too old to learn something new!
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Saying Goodbye to Someone You Love By Monera Takla
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rief, it is a word that we will never quite understand until it is our turn to grieve. We can try to emphasise with someone's pain or feelings. We can even attempt to make suggestions or offer advice to a loved one or friend who has lost someone close. People will offer us a shoulder to cry on. however, we all grieve differently. We may not all feel like grieving openly. We may not all like to show our emotions. Grief is a very challenging time for anyone who has experienced it. It is easy to feel alone or isolated from other people when we are grieving. We are certainly not alone when we feel as if our heart has been ripped out and our world turned upside down. It is then that we really must trust God on this unknown and unexpected journey. When the jigsaw falls apart as well as seemingly, everything else it is then that we must call on God. We can try to explain how it feels to others, but they can't always understand. God does understand how
much our heart hurts or if we have lost someone very dear to us. It is easy to feel frustration or even isolation when death knocks on the door. We can cry or speak to different friends, but they won't necessarily understand how we feel. If we speak to the right person, such as a kind, caring friend or relative, they can be there for us and offer a helping hand. They may not be able to feel our pain, but sometimes we just need support from someone who truly cares. We all grieve differently; this is the most important thing to remember. We will all experience the grieving journey differently. The death isn't something that we can 'get over'. It is something that I have learnt to live with. I wouldn't really say that everyone could accept the loss of a loved one. There is the natural longing to be with the person that comes and goes. I like to remember my brother through making the most of my life no matter how hard life can be at times. I know that God
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still wants me to live on and do good in this world. I would like to celebrate and remember my brother by having cake in his memory. I also made a memory book of him. I put pictures in it and I wrote down my memories of each picture. I also wrote and dedicated some poetry to him on some of the pages. Poetry started off as a way of speaking to him about how I felt at the time. Later, it became much more than that. Poetry is now a wonderful creative passion of mine. I write about different subjects, feminism, children, life, positive inspiration, and Christian poetry. Having a hobby or passion to channel into is a great way to help with grief. It doesn't have to be anything extravagant or out of the ordinary. Sometimes a walk in the park is all we need to feel healthy and in touch with nature. Another thing that may help you is writing some comforting biblical quotes and putting them where you can see them every day. It is a simple thing, but it really helps to see God's message to us that we are not alone with our grief or loss. 'The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds', Psalm 147:3.' 'The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit', Psalm 34:18. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted, Matthew 5:4 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go’. In 2016, my youngest brother died suddenly. He was 21 and the fifth child, me being the first born. I would say that my life has never been the same since the day. Suddenly, the realisation came upon me that I’m not making the most of my life. I felt sadness and shock, but an overwhelming need to live life to the full. I had been playing it safe in certain areas of my life and not taking enough risks. I had always wanted to learn Spanish and creative writing as well as poetry. Subsequently, I researched courses and I enrolled on one. I
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found the poetry course to be a kind of therapeutic outlet to me. I would write poems about him and for him to release some of my pain. I would also write poetry directly to him. Without these creative outlets, I wouldn't have been able to manage my grief. I am also an outdoor person, but I hadn't been going for walks anywhere near quite enough. I decided to exercise in an outdoor gym. We always hear that exercise is good for us and can be exceptionally good for those grieving a lost loved one. A robin perched silently is a comforting presence to my soul as I watch it fly off; also, the sweet sound of the birds singing, or a flock of birds rising swinging to and fro brings fond memories of my brother. I see the fragility of life. Whenever the golden sun sets, or the moon is full and bright gazing upon me mysteriously also reminds me of my brothers memory. When the sky is full of stars shining bright, I see him there. When a loved one goes, they don't really go completely, they are still in our heart and their memories and deeds live on through us and their families. It took me about a year after his death to come back to myself. The truth is life changes after we suffer a massive loss. Life as we know it is never the same. We may look the same and sound the same, but our heart can change and our outlook on life and then we start questioning the essence of life and our purpose. We start to question our existence, or 'what I should be doing in my life. This may not happen to everyone, but it did with me. I think the reality that this isn’t forever, is what really affected me. I would say it was a shock and a wakeup call that life is a gift from God and that He would help me to get through the worst parts of the grief and that one day I could even be strong enough to help others too. After my brother died, I started living my passion, I started to see life as a precious gift and a blessing. Every year I grow older I thank God for celebrating another year. I am not searching for lines or counting greys, I understand that there's a purpose for every living being in this world. Life isn't something to be
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taken for granted, there will always be hard times, we are living in a global pandemic and this has taught me to live in the moment. The pandemic was never something that any of us could have imagined or prepared ourselves for. Nothing seems to be set in stone anymore and even making the simplest plans can be a challenge. My brother lives on through me and I try to make the best of a difficult situation in life. I keep positive, uplifting prayers in my kitchen to encourage me and I derive pleasure in writing poetry. These days my brother lives on in my heart and I remember him, but I have released him back to God. The Lord is always there to listen to us if only we dare to speak the words He already knows and hears through us. He is always
there when we need Him. I thank Him for everything and getting me through the past year. I believe my grief taught me to trust God along the winding and bending roads, the twists and turns. The secret unknown, this is life, nothing is ever guaranteed, this is why we must seize the moment, we must remember to live and not merely exist; we may be stuck inside or have lost a lot of our freedom but being alive means God has a purpose for our life. Put your hand on your heart and you can feel the love you have for the person you lost and remember true love never dies.
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SPECIAL FEATURE
SUMMER 2021 WOMEN EMPOWERING WOMEN
SCHOOL OF PROPHETS
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he DSoP was instituted in 2017 for those with the Deborah anointing but did not know how to use it; it is for women who have spiritual weapons of warfare but don’t know how to use it, for those who have a voice, but don’t realise it and how to use it, they are called to deliver the next generation but need godly strategy and wisdom to do it. They hear from God but do not have understanding and finally they are called to deliver their homes and sometimes including their spouses from bondage but need direction to breakthrough. The DSoP prepares women with the Deborah
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anointing to build her confidence in hearing, understanding, and walking with God prophetically, the process enables her gifts and prophetic utterances to grow and through this she understands her nation and how God wants to use her as a vessel for them. It is with great pleasure that I roll out some of this year’s recipients of the Certificate in The Prophetic Strategic Positioning Leadership Programme of The Deborah School of Prophets.
“I have received a God inspired, well rounded comprehensive education through this programme” – Gina Michaels. Gina Michaels
In August 2020, I enrolled in Prophetess Jacqueline Ani’s Deborah School of the Prophets and just completed the course in May of 2021. There was so much I wanted to know about the prophetic, so I decided to take this course. There were many different instructors that were all very informative and taught on various topics of the prophetic. I have really enjoyed learning from all the instructors, but I personally really received so much from Prophet Dexton Davies, Shannon Hedges, Pamla LaDon Kenclar & of course not only a prophetess but a spiritual mom, Jacqueline Ani! During this course I have learned so much. Topics regarding the Prophetic covered were the prophetic gift, office, ministry, mantle, mandate, marketplace, process & administration. I learned about deliverance and how to access the courts of heaven. Dream interpretation was also covered which included how to interpret symbols, colours and numbers biblically. The Nine gifts of the Holy Spirit which are the Power gifts, the Revelation gifts, and Vocal gifts were also discussed in depth. After completing this course, I have to say I have received a God inspired, well round comprehensive education through this programme and I more aware of how to hear and see what the Holy Spirit is doing around me. www.wewmagazine.com
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“The course has enabled me to discover and explore the prophetic gifts and call in my life like never before” – Linda Mambo Linda Mambo
The DSOP training has been instrumental and a life changing experience in my spiritual journey. I enjoyed the course thoroughly and I recommend it to anyone who believes they are prophetic or have a prophetic call on their life. The course has enabled me to discover and explore the prophetic gifts and call in my life like never before, also it has helped me to understand certain areas of my life where I needed clarity. I am so glad I was able to take part in this training and I am thankful to God, to prophetess Jacqueline, and all the men and women of God who poured out so much love, knowledge and wisdom on us and I am also thankful to the women of God in the group, it has been an amazing experience.
“I thought I knew just about all there was to know on the subject but each and every class taught me so much” – Tracy Goffe Tracy Goffe
Attending the Deborah School of Prophets has been such an incredible journey. I thought I knew just about all there was to know on the subject but each and every class taught me so much. I also got an explanation for my life. Why it has gone the way it has, why I was the way I was, who I am. Having those questions answered was priceless. The support and teaching were top notch, and I would recommend this school way over all the pre-recorded impersonal stuff out there. I come out of this feeling equipped and validated as a prophet.
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“I am amazed at how much I have learned and grown and feel equipped to walk in the office of the Prophet” – Ngozi Nwaozuzu Ngozi Nwaozuzu
I was very encouraged to learn that God is interested in the entire being – Spirit, Soul and Body. Life experiences can result in Christians having wounds in their ‘souls’ (mind, will and emotions) and if not addressed can hinder that person from being all that God has called them to be. There were classes on ‘deliverance’ which gave me greater insight into the importance of ‘healing’ at the soul level (inner healing) as demons are often attracted to wounds in the soul. God wants His people to be ‘whole’ in their minds, will and emotions and is always willing to work with us through His Holy Spirit to bring about healing. I am allowing the Holy Spirit to heal me as only He can but also understand that healing is a journey and not a destination – it can take a whole lifetime! Each of the students on the programme had a ‘one to one’ session with Jacqueline, where we discussed what we had learned and our next steps after the programme. I found it very useful as Jacqueline gave her insight based on God’s leading, her personal experience and knowledge of each of us. Having almost completed the DSoP, I am amazed at how much I have learned and grown and feel equipped to walk in the office of the Prophet. Also, I have formed invaluable and lasting friendships with other women on the programme. I would highly recommend the DSoP to anyone who believes they have been called to the prophetic ministry.
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“DSOP indeed stretched me. I used to wake up at 1am to prepare for the class for 2am because I live in Kenya” – Pastor Maureen G. Wanjiku
Pastor Maureen Wanjiku
How did I join? First let me say that God never makes mistakes and knows what one needs. I joined DSOP by divine appointment. I had never heard of it and neither had I ever met Prophetess Ani. All I knew is, I was in a season where I needed to learn and study about the life of Deborah. I met Prophetess Ani on FB, and I saw the e-flier and there was a witness in my spirit to join the course. I then reached out to her and she called me back.
Why did I join? I needed to hear from someone who’s been there and done that. I needed to hear, I needed to study, and I needed to move with the Spirit. Many at times Christians we miss out on the appointed time because we do not move as the Spirit of God moves.
What did I learn? In 2020, I had a dream where I was watching the courts of heaven. When I woke up, I knew I needed to study about the Courts of Heaven. In DSOP we had a session on the courts of heaven and I actually engaged with the Courts of Heaven. I have been going through a tough season and I decided to do a petition to the courts of heaven. Interestingly the most Senior Judge did wonders over my life and I saw victory on my side. DSOP has made me build my faith on another level. I will never forget when I was joining the class, Prophetess Ani made a statement during her lecture in class, “the clarity of the prophetic includes the process and the wilderness season of training.” This to me answered so many things that I was facing at the moment and gave me hope not to give up. It has also given me a deeper confidence with and in God, to be able to speak and act in obedience. It is in this class that it was prophesied to me the voice God had given unto me, must be heard. Another thing that stood out is the class on 30th January. Apostle Tracy Waterford made a statement that left me with butterflies. She stated, “You can be called and not chosen. First, I stared at her in shock because our theme for this year 2021 in my home church is CHOSEN. Then she comes
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with the statement on chosen and I knew very well God needed me to be chosen. How can I serve Him when I am only called but not chosen? Yes, we’ve always heard the scripture many are called but few are chosen, but on this night, the bell was very loud and clear. DSOP indeed stretched me. I used to wake up at 1am to prepare for the class for 2am because I live in Kenya. I thank God for the opportunity to be in DSOP, it was an investment that I will always live to treasure. My prayer is for GOD to release financial blessings over me that I may be able to even stand with someone who would want to go through the course and give back. Thank you, Prophetess Ani, thank you to all the facilitators. God bless you truly. Founder and Visionary Woman to Woman Ministries Kenya
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SUMMER 2021 WOMEN EMPOWERING WOMEN
