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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
WINTER 2019 WOMEN EMPOWERING WOMEN
Editor's Message | 3
Hi Ladies, Though the end of the year is fast approaching we still have a bit of time to achieve final goals and think about how we navigate our lives through 2020. As America celebrates Thanksgiving in November, and the world celebrates Christmas in December, why not use this festive holiday period to read some of the exciting articles published in this seasons WEW Magazine. Wai-yee Schmidt is our Woman Stepping Out! She discusses Who We Are in Christ and how knowing our true identity is the basis for a successful life moving forward. Allen McPherson gives insight on what he went through as a Prodigal and how his wife’s prayers led him back home. We have some great articles on the prophetic and why The School of Prophets is as important as it was during the Elisha period. A new season is fast approaching and I would like to encourage you as women to think of new ideas that you would like to develop in the New Year or even now. What are these ideas? What strategies should be in place to navigate these ideas to produce successful initiatives for the Kingdom? 2019 has been a very eventful year for me, what about you? Why not reflect on your year and what you would like to take forward into 2020, lessons you’ve learnt about yourself in 2019 and what promises of God you have been waiting for and now ready to manifest in the New Year. Finally, I would like to thank all our contributors, readers and supporters. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Letter From
THE EDITOR
Jacqueline Ani Prophetess Jacqueline Ani Editor-In-Chief Women Empowering Women Magazine
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CONTENTS
7
WHOLENESS
Chasing After God 7
Doubt, Unbelief & Fear 10 Forgiveness 15
SPIRITUAL ETIQUETTE
Confidence in The Living God 18 The Role of the 21st Century Prophet 31
Why is the School of Prophets needed in these times? 34
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LIFESTYLE Going For Gold 36 The Masks are Falling 40 Healthing Living Lifestyle 44
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SPECIAL FEATURES
Stepping Out with Wai-Yee Schmidt 23
When I Fell She Stood 48
The Old Pot Belly Stove 52
Successful Women after 50 56
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The Mentoring Group 60 Forgiveness 15
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Chasing After By Gina Respert-Elrod
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GOD! But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. - Matthew 6:33
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e all either are or have had to face tough situations with our husbands, children, friends, or our co-workers! We have past hurts from childhood, past hurts with family members, and maybe church members, all of which have affected how we feel and think. When these things seem to cause stress and/or hurt in your life, when these things break down your plans, what do you do? What did you usually do immediately when tragedy struck? Did you seek God? What did you do before tragedy struck? Did you know that we are guaranteed to have trouble or storms in our lives that we have no control over? Because of the existence of God and Satan and flesh, we will not live in this world without suffering. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. - 2 Corinthians 1: 3-4 The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all. - Psalms 34:19 This is due to the fact that we were created for a purpose. We weren’t created for our parents, friends, children, husbands, or job. You were made, created, and formed for the purpose of God. We, as people, are not always taught that from the time we are born. We were formed in detail: For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of www.wewmagazine.com
8| the earth…all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.- Psalm 139:13-16 It is human nature to seek out satisfaction. Even children do it from the time they begin begging their mother for milk. We look for satisfaction because it is an innate characteristic. People chase fulfilment and happiness throughout their life. We sometimes place this satisfaction and fulfilment in other people and things. For example, a young child can’t wait to give you their wish list for the holiday or birthday written in crayon because they feel that these particular toys or things will bring them complete happiness! When the toy arrives, it is fun and invigorating for a days, weeks, months, or even years. But eventually, that joy fades, and that child looks for new toys longing for complete fulfilment. This is a dangerous character trait for an adult and for those who must deal with you and this natural desire you possess. Nothing satisfies you for good; this goes for everyone you know and don’t know. First, you need to understand you weren’t just a random act of science or your parent’s sex life. Understand that you weren’t a mistake! We search for happiness, fulfilment, and identity in things and people but have yet over time to find it there. We, therefore, replace that “thing” with something new, something better only to find that there are the same or new issues at hand. Problem is that you won’t ever find balance out in the world. The answer is within you. Our identity, purpose, joy, and renewal can only come from our Creator! I can backup this ideology with the fact that Christ is in us. Repeat. Christ is IN us! We see this in Romans 8:10, where it explains that Christ lives his life in each of us. God’s Spirit is in us, and because of that we can be resurrected, too, and be fully accepted by God! “…You need first-hand evidence, not mere hearsay, that Jesus Christ is in you. Test it out. If you fail the test, do something about it…But if it comes to that, we’d rather the test showed our failure than yours. We’re rooting for the truth to win out in you…" 2 Corinthians 13:5-9 MSG It says here to test it
out, see if he is in you. You see, when we chase after God, we begin to learn about His character, His heart, His power, His purpose for this world, and His history. We begin to see our story and situations in those that occurred in the Holy Word thousands of years earlier. As we pursue Him, we begin to mature from that childlike mindset and principles in searching for gratification. We are filled through our pursuit with wisdom that is beyond understanding in the flesh. And as we pursue and we test out God’s wisdom and power, He shows up! We come to learn that a trouble-free life is not reallife. And the feeling of his love begins to make us feel complete. In the midst of your troubles, we must focus on gaining knowledge. You may try to memorize the Old or New Testament book order. You can take a topic and begin researching it through Scriptures and Google. Just make sure that topic is not always focused towards your troubles. One of the most important things you must do is to search for what God says specifically you have been created. Pray more and pray more prophetically, we don’t have to be so formal. The troubles we are going through, well, they’ll always be there in different forms. Yet, it is through these troubles that we are strengthened in our mindset, emotions, wisdom, and character. So, that same child, who was searching for something or someone to give them complete happiness, begins to see that knowing who they are, and their purpose is the key to recognizing and knowing true happiness. It’s where their power comes from, instead of from self. Selfish desires, self wants, and self-needs. You learn to give up “self” for knowing the power and wisdom of God that is in you. This child, now adult, begins to recognize that love, fulfilment, identity, purpose, and joy come from the Lord. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.- Hebrews 1:9
Gina Respert-Elrod Wife to Maurice Elrod, mother of 3, and Teacher of 14 years living just outside of Houston, TX. She grew up in Detroit, Michigan, USA with her parents and 2 brothers. Regina is currently working on 3 books: 2 fiction and one devotional. She enjoys coaching, mentoring, creating wood furniture, painting, and physical fitness.2 fiction and one devotional. She enjoys coaching, mentoring, creating wood furniture, painting, and physical fitness. WINTER 2019 WOMEN EMPOWERING WOMEN
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DOUBT, UNBELIEF & FEAR By Lisa Trujillo
The words Doubt, Unbelief and Fear are three of the biggest lies told by the enemy to all who chose to believe in God. As, Christians we are primary targets of the enemy. If you are walking with God whether a new Christian or a seasoned one, you will experience adversity and if you are not constantly, consistently in your word these emotions will overtake your mind and cause you to stumble. Why are these feelings so powerful, how can they cause so much turmoil in our minds? Simple answer, we give them too much power. Like anything else that has control over us we simply allow it (them) to rule our lives. Doubt, unbelief and fear are weapon’s the enemy uses against us to keep us OUT of the will of the Father. We need to understand these emotions are what, the enemy uses against us. Doubt is such a heavy emotion it can cause stagnation in our movement in life, we must learn how to overcome this emotion. The book of James specifically speaks to this behaviour, gives direction and consequences if we allow it to continue in our lives. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do. - James 1:6-8 NIV When we make a request or a decision stand firm on the results: We will see the glory of the Lord Jesus said to her, Did I not tell you and promise you that if you would believe and rely on Me, you would see the glory of God?- John 11:40 Amplified
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Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Unbelief is such a big deal, we swing back in forth sometimes daily believing and then not in something we so desperately want to come to pass in our lives. We are all guilty of this and even in the bible it speaks of this...of a father, of a demon possessed boy Jesus said to him, “[You say to Me,] ‘If You can?’ All things are possible for the one who believes and trusts [in Me]!” Immediately the father of the boy cried out [with a desperate, piercing cry], saying, “I do believe; help [me overcome] my unbelief.” Mark 9:23-25 Amplified Bible (AMP) This is why it is extremely important to focus on all things God because He is our motivator, our Saviour, our everything and when we take our eyes off of Him (God) and onto the natural, we are immediately swallowed up by the things of this world. Jesus, fusses at us about our unbelief: “You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.” - Mark 9:19 New International Version (NIV) There must come a time in Christian lives to plant your feet in firm BELIEF in what the word says, for if we do not, we will miss out on many blessings. If these principals were not important there would not be so much focus on it in the word. As you read the Bible, you will find many repetitive stories told, WHY, because it important for us to get it, God knew that we need to hear a thing more than once to fully grasp it or even remember it. He created us and He knows what his children need.
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12 | In my journey, Doubt and Unbelief had been my biggest struggle, it never dawned on me that they were simply emotions, strong emotions, that manifested from my life journey. Once I got that revelation, they were just emotions I got delivered from them in my mind, I was set free in my thinking and was able to see the lies, as they were, the enemy was feeding me. DELIVERANCE, well that's another topic for another time. Fear is probably the most identifiable emotion of all, the enemy uses. It can be the most crippling or debilitating emotion one could ever carry around. We all had to deal with this emotion on our journey AT LEAST once. God is telling you in his word DO NOT FEAR for I AM WITH YOU. If He led you to it, trust and believe he will bring you through it. 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.�- Joshua 1:9 New International Version (NIV) DISCLAIMER: I called Doubt, Unbelief and Fear emotions because if I identified to you what they really are you may have not read
this whole thing, but the truth of the matter is they are spirits. But we do not have to be afraid, however it is important to know what is working against you and how to overcome the attacks. When we identify what is going on in our minds’ we have to recognize it has a name and we need to call it by its name to be able to take authority over it. Remember this always, Jesus' name is above all names and every name must submit. Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth... Philippians 2:9-10 New Living Translation (NLT) I know it sounds funny to hear that these words are names of spirits, but that's exactly what they are, the enemy assigns spirits to us to cause delay of God's promises to manifest in our lives.
"Do It Afraid" -Joyce Meyer
Lisa L. Trujillo is a Mom of 3, Writer, Cell Group Leader and Mentor for The International Group for International Women. I operate in the gift of exhortation and discernment.
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FORGIVENESS
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orgiveness; what a word. It can be one of the most difficult things anyone has asked us to do. We say, "why should I forgive them, they don't "deserve" my forgiveness." "If you only knew what they did to me", on and on and on we say. We have all been guilty of this line of thinking, however, as a Kingdom Woman, this line of thinking is incorrect. Why, because God says it is. There are many scripture references that speak to this mindset of unforgiveness. Would
WHOLENESS Her Style
it make a different to know that forgiveness is more about you than the other person? Forgiveness brings forth, freedom. You are no longer allowing circumstances to control you. Yes, being in bondage of unforgiveness is a stronghold the enemy has over you and gives control to the one who has hurt you. Not convinced? Let’s take a look. For He has rescued us and has drawn us to Himself from the dominion of darkness, He has transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption because of His sacrifice, resulting in the forgiveness of our sins and the cancellation of sins’ penalty. Colossians 1:13-14 Amplified Bible (AMP) Gods' word is very clear in this scripture about rescuing us from the stronghold(s) of the enemy, but His word is also very clear that He forgave us. If we are deserving of forgiveness, from our Heavenly Father, what makes us right to hold unforgiveness against our brothers and sisters? Whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him
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drop the issue, let it go, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions and wrongdoings against Him and others. Walking in unforgiveness can literally take years off our lives it’s like taking time release poison eventually, it will kill you. Let's not make the mistake of saying; "I forgive, but I won't forget," let’s be honest here, we have not forgiven. If we truly forgive, our hearts are purged of any wrong doings. Grace. We do not keep a record of wrong doings. When we walk in forgiveness, love is the overflowing response we will begin to operate in.... Let’s look briefly at the LOVE scripture...Love the very essences of our Father Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled;
"When we walk in forgiveness, love is the overflowing response"
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16 | where there is knowledge, it will pass away. - 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 New International Version (NIV) We cannot say we walk in love if there is a hint of unforgiveness. No, matter what anyone has done to you, whether it be in the physical or verbal; choose to forgive them. As, Jesus said on the cross about those who were responsible for his crucifixion “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.� And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.- Luke 23:34 New International Version (NIV) Let us really look at this scripture. Jesus, was beaten, whipped, spat on, forced to carry His own cross nailed to the cross; via hands and feet. He was CRUCIFIED, yet he called out to the Father to forgive. We have been through a lot, some even have gone through horrific physical abuse that may "seem" equivalent to what Jesus suffered through, yet he forgave. There have been some horrible acts committed against Gods' children by Gods' children, but as Christians are called to be like Christ in every area, not just the ones that fit our ideas. The difference is he went through all of this for you and me SINNERS and yet he NEVER sinned. He never said a negative word against anyone. He never looked at anyone cross or thought less than that's my child and
I love them. We are fallible we are not perfect but the perfect one took on our sin so we could spend eternity with him and the Father. Begin to spend time with the Holy Spirit and allow Him to minister to you. Allow Him to take you deep into the recesses of your heart and receive inner healing, either with God or a representative of God but go through the process...go through the deliverance and becoming whole in Christ Jesus. There is no shame or condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus who walk after the spirit and not in the flesh. This is where we begin to become one with God and to truly receive all that Christ died for us to have, the abundant life, but first we must die to the flesh of unforgiveness and love unconditionally. We are the righteousness of God, the adopted heirs to the throne. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's descendants, heirs according to promise. - Galatians 3:29 The Promise "As for Me, behold, my covenant is with you, and you will be the father of a multitude of nations. "No longer shall your name be called Abram, your name shall be Abraham; For I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. "I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you, and kings will come forth from you. - Genesis 17:4-8
Lisa L. Trujillo is a Mom of 3, Writer, Cell Group Leader and Mentor for The International Group for International Women. I operate in the gift of exhortation and discernment.
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SPIRITUAL ETIQUETTE
CONFIDENCE in The Living God By Hanah St Rose
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ou might have looked all over to find people or even material items to solve any spiritual issues you are dealing with. I want you to look no longer for the Lord has already solved any spiritual issues and issues of the heart you may have. Sometimes, you may look all over for anything or anyone to help you get the confidence you need. The confidence you need can only be found in the living God and nothing can compare to true godly confidence (Hebrews 3:14). You can find your authentic self in Christ by learning who you are in Christ, getting any character issues resolved and learning that your uniqueness is a powerful gift from the living God. Confidence and authenticity go hand in hand. In order to walk fully in your authentic self and walk in confidence, pride must be pushed out of your life. The living God is available to help you, but you must use daily tools from God to push insecurity out of your life. You must know that God has given you the confidence in Christ to walk in the fullness of your calling and to walk in full authority. Take time to think about what is making you not feel confident. Take time to reflect and get to the root of the issue. Take time to think and evaluate what God is telling you daily. Take hold of who you are in Christ, which is the first step.
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20 | Have you allowed negative circumstances or negative words to diminish your confidence? Get into the word of God and look at what his word states about you. Meditating on his word and learning that you are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus will bring complete healing. The next step is to look at your childhood and see if there were times in your life where you felt not good enough. Review your past and don’t be afraid to ask God the questions you want to ask him. Ask God to heal each area in your life and to heal negative experiences that you faced in your past. You might not even realize it but you can keep thinking self-consciously of stuff that has caused trauma or pain. If you don’t get to the root of the issue you may rehearse each circumstance repeatedly. This can cause severe damage to your identity and you may even act on what you have witnessed. Character issues can be resolved when you look back and replace any wrong thinking you may have. When you expose issues in your life, it can help you get real and free in the Lord. God can handle any question you have for him because he wants to be involved in your growth and your maturity. You must know that God is with you and you have everything you need to fulfill the destiny and the purpose God has for you. I have noticed that sometimes in this single season you can feel left out or you may even be battling feelings of deep fear. Although, this is the case through Christ you can walk in confidence in your workplace and in every area of your life. When you take time to get healed in the most difficult places than you will be able to walk in each part of your life with a better perspective
on yourself and your purpose. The third step is to look at how unique you are. God has made each of us unique and nothing can take away the special qualities that the Lord has given you. When you stay in this mindset you can view any situation with the right focus, and you won’t feel like you are missing something. You will also realize that no one can take away what God has given you or placed inside of you. You must know that God has given you everything you need to take on anything and you are well able to use the gifts he has given you with no problem. When you use the unique qualities and characteristics correctly you will see how special you really are. Dive into your qualities and develop them. You will be able to grow in confidence because you will start to see the positive assets you do have. Each season especially your single season gives you time to develop your confidence in the right way and as you do this you will realize that your time can’t be taken for granted. You need all the time God gives you to work on yourself and heal correctly. When you see how amazing you really are in Christ you will see there is no need to compete or think that you are losing out. Your single season is full of development and knowledge. Don’t take it lightly by focusing on what you think are weaknesses. Take each point that was given and allow it to develop your confidence in the Lord (Isaiah 32:17). You can’t rely on your own confidence for it’s temporary. The only confidence you rely on is the confidence of Christ for he is eternal.
"you have
everything you need to fulfill the destiny and the purpose God has for you"
Hanah St.Rose is a writer, dance choreographer, and Christian speaker. She has a passion for writing, helping women of all ages, and she loves God. She loves to praise dance, volunteer, and inspire others. She started her own personal ministry called Single Roses That Are Waiting. Her ministries focus is to help women during their season of singleness and to let them know God loves them. She has created her own blog page for her ministry, and she is working on completing a 31-day devotional. She has a writing ministry called Christian Women Who Adore Writing. Hanah St.Rose is currently working on creating new ideas and expanding the visions God has given her.
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Stepping Out
i a W with
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FEATURE INTERVIEW
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t d i m h c S -Yee Founder of Everyday Evangelist
Wai-yee Schmidt is an evangelist and teacher based in Frankfurt, Germany. She pioneered Everyday Evangelist, a ministry dedicated to developing Christians and to reaching the lost through the supernatural, and teaching them on key topics such as Identity in Christ, Sonship, Inheritance and Kingdom Wealth. She is also a property and stock market investor and is ordained as a minister under the Apostolic TRIBE Network led by Apostle Ryan LeStrange.
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watched Wai-yee’s interview with Apostle Ryan LeStrange on Identity in Christ and Wealth Creation on Facebook Live early this year, and I knew she was a Kingdom Woman who understood the importance of knowing our Identity in Christ with this in mind, I connected with her to interview her as a Woman Stepping Out! WEW: Tell us a bit about your background? WYS: I grew up in Singapore in a slummy, rundown neighbourhood. My family was into Chinese pagan idolatry mixed with the occasional dab of Buddhist practices. My father was into all the big vices … drinking, gambling, infidelity, wife-bashing, jobhopping … so I grew up making constant vows to break out of these cycles through wanting to do well in school and making something of myself in life. Looking at my life today, I am
living the dream life that I never even have the courage to imagine. Strangely, as proof of God’s goodness, despite the fact that my dad was really messed up, it didn’t stop God from using him to speak life into me, think Balaam’s donkey. My mom used to tell me not to dream big, be content with jobs that are not too demanding, like secretarial positions or half day teaching jobs (not a slur against teachers or secretaries, but that’s how Chinese people thought back in the day…), whereas my dad had a completely opposite approach. He said to me pointedly one day when I was about ten years of age, that since I was such a talker, I should become a lawyer when I grow up, otherwise it would be an utter waste of my ‘talent’! Side note - my dad got saved at 79 and baptized at 82, after having worshipped idols his whole life. I did end up studying law in one of the
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24 | best universities worldwide and practising corporate law for almost 10 years before having children. My post-law career while being a staying-at-home mom consisted of running an au pair agency, leading women’s ministry in a Baptist church, leading numerous Bible studies, being a power/prophetic everyday evangelist, running a revival group from home, baptizing people in my bath tub, developing my own materials on identity issues and teaching them, writing/publishing prophetic articles on kingship/wealth and investing in real estate and the stock market the last several years. Just in case people are wondering, I am a minister ordained by Apostle Ryan LeStrange, founder of the apostolic/ prophetic TRIBE network. He’s my spiritual father. We have been in covenant relationship for at least 4-5 years now.
me, witnessing to me, encouraging me. One day I was dramatically ‘rescued’ out of this destructive relationship, just like in a hostage crisis situation you see on TV … literally as well, by two law school friends, one a believer and the other a Jew. Still, because I had a legal mind, the gospel message didn’t make a lot of sense to me, but it had a certain emotional appeal. I remember studying for the finals with one of my best buds, Alan, in the library one day and knowing that he grew up in church, I decided to ask him about his Christian faith. He was going through a wilderness phase at that time. However, he was the first person that could articulate life with God in a way that reached my core. He said picture walking through a dark forest. You have lost your way and you don’t know when and how you are getting out of the forest. However, you find yourself on this trail. Even though you don’t know where this path is leading you, as long as you stay on this path, it will eventually lead you out of the woods. That was his analogy of journeying through life with God. Not long after this conversation, I was invited to a mega church where an altar call was made. I responded and gave my life to Jesus.
"God, if you exist and can hear me, please come and get me..."
WEW: What made you accept Jesus Christ into your life? WYS: Even though my parents split up when I was 16 and I never saw him for 9 years after that, I latched on to his words to get into law. In my mind, that was the only way to break out of those cycles … through education and a good job. Remember those vows I kept making? They came back to haunt me as a young adult. In my third year of law school, I had a boyfriend that was just like my dad … I suddenly found myself in the same position my mother was … trapped, victimized, terrified. I realized my academic abilities and talents were of no use to me … and I needed to be rescued. One fine day, in the college dorm where we were cohabiting, we got into another violent impasse and he pushed me forcefully onto the carpet. I was bruised and couldn’t stop sobbing for a long time, thinking of how bleak and black my future looked at 21 years of age, all the while contemplating suicide, not wanting to live. All I could do was to scream silently, ‘God, if you exist and can hear me, please come and get me...’ something to that effect. Oddly, in the weeks following that incident, many of my Christian friends from law school reached out to me, extending friendship and kindness to me. I started opening up, showing them the bruises on my arms and legs and that I needed help to get out of my situation. They were there for me tirelessly, loving on
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WEW: What has life been like for you after receiving salvation? WYS: You know how people always say they got saved and they never looked back? Well I constantly looked back! Multiple times! And you would have thought Lot’s wife had it bad. First off, my foundation in my infant years after I got born again was weak. I backslid as soon as I met my German husband, then boyfriend, in 1996, who was a determined unbeliever and hater of the church and things of God. I prayed for him for 7 years for him to get saved. Thank God he did! Long story short, I went through 5 years of extreme backsliding, as in… gave away my Bibles and Christian literature for fear of offending my boyfriend/husband and walked away from Jesus by choice. Even after I came back to the Lord, I was still in the wilderness for another 7 years before I had a breakthrough
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| 27 in 2009. In all of this, God proved Himself faithful and gracious, didn’t matter how badly I messed up, ran away, He came after me relentlessly, never gave up on me. WEW: What is your understanding of purpose? WYS: It is the WHY … why we have been created and what our role is in the greater scheme of things, that is, His eternal plan for creation of mankind and of time and when all this is said and done. WEW: When did you realise you have a purpose? WYS: In 2009, when I had my ‘AHA’ breakthrough moment. That was when God TV came into Germany, which had a dearth of spiritual feeding or healthy churches back in the day. After going through a couple years of receiving inner healing ministry, my mind cleared up, became less foggy. I was hooked on the 24/7 preaching available on God TV. I recall Joyce Meyer talking about the book of Deuteronomy and that it took the Israelites 40 years to get to the Promised Land when it could have been a mere 11 days. That was a like a sledgehammer wake up call for me. I recall digging into Deuteronomy 8 after Joyce Meyer made a passing reference to it. When I got to verses 2 to 3, I almost pass out from the sheer light coming off the page … ‘remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, … So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know … that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.’ Somehow, I knew it was my time to cross over and move into my Promised Land. I was turning 40 that year and I have had enough of my forty years in the wilderness. WEW: You have just completed the Kings & Wealth Conference 2019, congratulations. Tell us, what was the idea behind the Kings & Wealth Conference? WYS: As I mentioned, I was educated and trained as an attorney, basically to function well in the business/corporate world. God created an innate desire in me to make money as well as to be excellent and successful in life,
no matter what He had me doing, whether it was being a legal advisor, running an au pair agency, teaching the Bible, evangelizing or renovating or selling real estate or making money off the stock market (which honestly gives me the greatest kick!) While I was doing churchy activities like teaching the Bible or evangelizing, my husband and I have simultaneously been led by the Lord throughout the past decade to invest in real estate. By 2016/2017, the Lord was wanting to shift the focus of my ministry. I was doing a lot more teaching and a lot less evangelizing or running my revival group, Isaac’s Wells, out of my home. It was like a natural phasing out. He was taking me back to reflect on my business/ corporate roots, DNA, the knowledge and skill sets that I possess. He was wanting me to teach and impart my knowledge, skills and anointing back to the Body of Christ so that believers can learn to shed mindsets of failure & lack … something that is beyond the grasp of many, although it is ours to possess & manifest. In my Identity class, I teach on 12 key aspects of the identity that God gives us when we become born again, one of which is kings and priests. My personal favourite is kings due to the heritage I have as an attorney, being very at home in the financial/legal/corporate world. Further in 2018, He released a plethora of revelations and visions to me in the area of kingship, including clear visions on the raising and coronation of an army of kings. My published articles (see below for links) detailed the prophetic visions I received relating to the kings. In a nutshell, as we’re made in His image, we can manifest the kings’ DNA to rise up and take back the territory in the earthly spheres of influence for Kingdom purposes and have DOMINION. This is His original plan before the Fall as set out in Genesis 1:26-28. I dig deep into all these areas at the Kings & Wealth Conference and break down what it means to be a king and assignment/functions/purposes of a king. My view is essentially this: once you realize who God created you to be – to be a king, that is, a STRATEGIC LEADER in a chosen field, whether it’s in business or politics or education or medical fields, you naturally start to flourish and prosper in your calling and abundance and wealth will be unlocked as part of your
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28 | calling. During the conference, I also teach and equip people with strategy and testimony how to elevate people to whole new levels of operation and functionality. Here are my published articles where I detailed the visions I saw regarding the coronation of an army of kings as well as the prototypes of kings God is looking to raise and gather. •
Wealth Transfer (Jan 2018)
http://www.elijahlist.com/words/display_ word.html?ID=19527 •
Calling Out the Emerging Kings (October 2018)
https://www.elijahlist.com/mobile/display_ word.html?ID=20999 •
Search and Rescue for Lost Kings (June 2019)
https://www.elijahlist.com/words/display_ word.html?ID=22255&fbclid=IwAR1IW7CsKk R0gGjcEfB44qnMFrIjxhNk5vLHuJgoQT6TulJj0 2YJCW8T1Jo#word-truncate WEW: Why do you think having your own business is crucial as a Kingdom ambassador? WYS: I don’t think it is crucial to have your own business in order to be a Kingdom Ambassador. I believe the Word as is. You are an Ambassador and represent the King no matter whether you have your own business or not. It’s great to have your own business, but it’s not crucial for the purposes of being a Kingdom Ambassador. First off, what is crucial is to REPRESENT the King of kings and His Kingdom WELL in your chosen field or God-given realm of influence. This is crucial. It doesn’t matter whether a believer owns a business or not. If he or she is a leader of a team in a big corporate entity or for instance, I have a girlfriend who’s an economist in the European Central Bank, wouldn’t you agree that both the team leader or department head or my girlfriend is a Kingdom Ambassador? Or a Christian artist that is very successful, wouldn’t this person be a Kingdom Ambassador as well? The point is -- to succeed, excel and at
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some point in time, grow to become a leader in your field. When you are successful in your field, that is the best testimony you can attest to unbelievers as they will be dying to know your secret sauce, that’s the time to brag on God. I tell people at the conference over and over again not to evangelize at work (even though I love to evangelize myself), unless they have become very successful at their workplace. That’s what they have been paid to do – a good job, not to be an evangelist. WEW: How do you think God wants business to be handled here on earth? WYS: Successfully, i.e., with increase and multiplication. In Matthew 25, which we explore in depth during my teaching session, the master clearly expected the servants to double their talents i.e., the master’s investment. That’s a pretty harsh standard set by Jesus compared even with today’s hedge fund managers. Most investment funds aim for 8-10% annual growth rate. WEW: Many Christians go into business to make money, whilst there is nothing wrong in that, do you think money is important to God and the Kingdom? WYS: Of course, money is an essential tool for Kingdom activities. Churches, crusades, building fundraisers, pastor salaries, meetings, conference venues, media teams, all forms of ministry activities require funding. That’s a fact and a necessity. Kings have to step up to be Kingdom financiers. Think OT kings bringing spoils into the temple. During my teaching, I route everyone back to Matthew 6 to seek first His Kingdom. I repeatedly tell people you cannot serve both God and mammon, but you can serve God’s purposes with mammon. WEW: Why is knowing your identity in Christ so important in today’s dispensation of the Kingdom? WYS: It’s always been important. Our identity as a new creation is gifted to us when we become born again. That eternal truth hasn’t changed since Jesus resurrected 2000 years ago. It’s just only been in recent years that the spotlight is finally on the issue of identity. Same goes for salvation – that by grace we have been saved through faith. That fundamental tenet of Christianity was lost for over 1000
| 29 years until Martin Luther came along and started the reformation. This basic doctrine of salvation was recovered so that people can get saved. Now we need to receive revelation of our identity in Christ so that we can be renewed and finally be effective to walk in our calling and help ready the Bride in end times. WEW: What has been a defining moment in your life and how has your identity? WYS: See my answer to question 5. To add, one of the issues that impacted me gravely, was why I backslid so severely as a young believer. The root problem was simply -- my foundation in the Word was weak, my mind was not renewed and I had no revelation or clue what I had in Christ. When I finally had my ‘Aha’ moment in 2009, the Lord turned my weakness into my strength. With my legal mind, I quickly and effectively rebuilt my foundation in the study of the Word. I then applied the Word in my own life and experienced powerful results. I then started teaching the Word. People need to know this actually works! This is the reason why my teaching is foundational, fundamental to a strong walk in the faith. Knowing who I am and what I have in Christ have brought stability and immutability in my core. Nothing can peel me from Jesus ever again and I dedicate my life making Him famous henceforth. WEW: Why do you think many in the Kingdom seem not to know their identity? WYS: Most believers grow up with emotional wounding or false identities or bloodline curses. The enemy has been very successful in making believers ineffective for Kingdom purposes either through fear issues or abandonment/rejection issues. In relation to the identity of kingship, the focus of my conference, people suffer from inferiority complexes due to wounding and past hurts. In my article from October 2018, I outlined the vision I saw. Jesus was standing in front of a huge crowd and started throwing crowns towards the masses. Instead of catching the crowns Jesus was casting, the crowds started dodging the crowns like they were playing dodge ball. Many let the crowns fall on the
wayside and into the mud and fear picking up the crowns. They felt UNWORTHY to wear the crowns. A few, though, were lunging bravely forward to catch their crowns like a bridesmaid catching the bouquet thrown by the bride. WEW: Can you tell us if at all how your husband’s death has changed your perspective, if at all. WYS: My perspective is simply this: Redeem our short time on this earth, more urgently than ever before!! That’s how his death has impacted me! We only have these few decades to kick into high gear and fulfil our calling. No more time to waste, wallow or second guess God’s will. Get the job done! Life can be over in a blink of an eye. Personally, I HEAL in the MOVING forward. This is how I am wired. I am not saying this is for everybody. A friend was speaking to me in January when I was still grieving and paralysed by the sudden loss in late October 2018. I was still frantically trying to piece our life together, financially and administratively. Instead, he kept asking me callously (I thought at that time) when was I going to begin planning for the Kings & Wealth Conference so that he could start making plans to come to the conference. Initially, I had no intention to even continue ministry work this entire year, let alone the Kings & Wealth Conference which is not only time-intensive, but expensive and is selffunded. So many things in my personal life were up in the air at that time. Therefore, my first response to him was -- I wasn’t sure if I were going to do it at all. He replied that I would start healing once I get back into doing ministry work. I couldn’t believe his audacity in saying what he said. Every other person, including my spiritual leaders, didn’t have the courage to tell me something like that as they knew I was hurting. A month or so later, I had confirmation from the Holy Spirit to start organizing. True enough, I grew from strength to strength and the healing accelerated as I KEPT MOVING FORWARD. This friend became my Co-Speaker at the conference.
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e h t f o e l The Ro
PROPH 21ST CENTUARY
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SPIRITUAL ETIQUETTE
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here is much that has been spoken on the office of the prophet within the past ten to fifteen years. Many church leaders have tried to encapsulate the fullness of the office but no matter how sincere they are the Office of the Prophet seems far too elusive for any one person to fully grasp and convey, for we see in part. Many hold great revelation on the Office of the Prophet but until we come together and combine that which we have learned from the Godhead and see in Scripture and historical data we will be slightly shortsighted in our understanding of the prophetic office and function.
HET By Prophet Tracy Pelt
A good definition of prophet is one who is sent by God with the authority to speak on His behalf. Inherent in this definition, is 1) the prophet must be sent by God 2) He walks in an unusual authority and 3) He has a message from God. This simple definition will eliminate many of whom have been labeled prophets, either by themselves or others. A prophet without inherent authority and a message beyond repent is no prophet. I know that ruffled a lot of feathers. Many think because they preach repentance they have the right to the title prophet, unfortunately, that is not the case. Repentance is the baseline of every prophet’s message but the message must move
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beyond repentance to an equipping message for the Body of Christ. Simply put, prophets are equippers and they serve to equip the Body of Christ in a variety of ways. The intent of this article is to provide some understanding for the 21st century prophet concerning their role and function. For the sake of brevity, I will limit my discussion to four aspects of prophetic functioning. Please understand, that even though one may be a prophet, the grace will be determined by the measure of the gift that has been given to that prophet, according to Ephesians 4:7. All will not operate in the same measure and grace.
Equip, Identify, Raise, and Train other prophets Even the briefest glance at Ephesians 4:714, allows the astute person to see that prophets should be helping to equip and mature the Body alongside the other five-fold functionaries. As we follow the ministry of Samuel, the prophet, we find that prophets have the ability to identify other graces and usher them into their respective roles. This aspect of the prophet’s mantle works through well under the auspices of relationship. This is why many prophets mentor other prophets through Schools of the prophet and the like. They delight in raising up prophets and watching them flow freely as a prophetic vessel. One con of this prophetic type is that they can be somewhat controlling if they don’t fully submit their gift to the Holy Spirit. These are the governing prophets.
Lead others into the Presence of God For most prophets, there is no place they would rather be than in the Presence of the Lord. This is where we thrive. This is where we make our home. Most prophets possess musical ability to some degree. But there are those who are simply graced to lead others into the Presence of God. It truly is where they make their home. They sing, they worship. They draw others into an intimate place with the Lord. A singer will sing and go but these prophets will take you with them as they ascend the heights of Heaven in worship. They understand that particular sounds release the prophetic into the atmosphere and that is where healings, deliverance, and breakthroughs happen.
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32 | These prophets have the tendency to easily be drawn into pride because of the applause of the people. Therefore, they must spend hours in God’s presence lest they be puffed up because of the people’s response. These are the Psalmists and the Minstrels.
Work the Marketplace This particular prophetic grace has left many prophets confused about their identity and function. But rest assured, they are needed in this dispensation. These prophets’ vocations lie outside of the ecclesiastical order. They don’t particularly thrive trying to function in typical church ministry. In fact, it may frustrate them. But, these are they which yearn to possess their mountain. We see them in business, arts and entertainment, media, and even government. They are business owners and have a strong grace to build from the ground up. They work to influence these regions for the Kingdom of God. These are the Marketplace Prophets.
Supernatural Power Acts Prophets still conduct supernatural excursions to deliver and cover God’s people. These prophets often conduct warfare and spiritual battle at a higher level than most because they are warring for Christ’s purchased possession. They may be loud in worship
because in worship the Holy Spirit begins to show them where the enemy has tried to place bondages, obstructions, restrictions, and chains. These are the prophets that go into the camp of the enemy and snatch out souls, deliver families and ministries, and lead people out of caves. These prophets can be somewhat overbearing as a part of their prophetic construction. They are no nonsense and don’t usually play around. These are the militant prophets.
Conclusion Needless to say, there are many more aspects to 21st Century prophetic functioning unfortunately, it cannot all be encompassed in such a short article. Prophets work on a grace system. It is up to the prophet to identify their greatest place of grace and to function therein. There is also the possibility of cross functionality, where a prophet may operate in more than one area of grace. You may easily see yourself in more than one of the above descriptions. The principle thing is to know where Christ has called you to function. There is evidence of where He has placed you all around you: your passions, your secular vocation, confirmations from others, and much more.
Prophet Tracy Pelt is a powerful prophetic voice for our time. As an Apostolic Prophet her focus is on training and equipping the Saints of God. Prophetess Tracy delivers a relevant and revelatory word which brings forth deliverance and spiritual breakthrough in the lives of God's people. She flows under a unique Apostolic, Prophetic, and Teacher anointing which is effective in breaking barriers and false paradigms in order rebuild, establish, equip, and prosper those to whom she is called and sent. Prophetess Tracy is the founder and Visionary of Coast2Coast Prophetic Network, Above Reproach Ministries, ARM Apostolic Equipping Center, and Streams From The River Prophetic Conference and Symposium. She is the anointed author of Prophets: Ordained by God which was released in 2016. As a leader in the Body of Christ, she believes in being submitted to authority. She eagerly submits to her Apostolic covering Apostle Ron Tolliver of Kingdom Revealed Global Alliance of which she serves on the Apostolic Council. Prophetess Tracy resides in Fayetteville, NC with her four sons where she attends Grace and Truth Ministries under the leadership of Pastors Eddie and Sandra Ford. Tracy Pelt Sr. Governing Prophet Coast2Coast Prophetic Network Above Reproach Ministries Abovereproachministries.org
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34 | 34 | Her Style
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WHY IS THE SCHOOL OF PROPHETS NEEDED IN THESE TIMES?
he School of Prophets has been in existence since the days of Elisha. In 2 Kings 2:3, we read that the sons of the prophets who were in Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over you today?” The sons of the prophets where students who happened to be trained in the School of Prophets they didn’t just attend the school daily, they lived there until they completed their training and then they would leave and shadow a prophet for a season before they were allowed to launch their administration and fully operate in their mandate. 2 Kings 4:1 “A certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha”….. This woman whose husband died, was able to go to Elisha for help because he was a student in Elisha’s school and Elisha was able to direct her.
WINTER 2019 WOMEN EMPOWERING WOMEN
By Prophetess Jacqueline Ani
SPIRITUAL ETIQUETTE Many times, I’ve heard people wonder whether they should attend a School of Prophets to develop their prophetic gift or their office, they question whether such a school is called of God and why would they need to go to a school to learn about their gift. The answer is YES! You must attend formal training to develop your gift and fully operate in your prophetic mandate. For example, if you’ve studied 3 years in graduate school to gain a law degree, you can’t operate fully as a lawyer until you go to Law School to learn the skills and techniques of being a lawyer and representing clients. Would you question whether you should attend Law School to practise law? The School of Prophets isn’t a new phenomenon, it’s been in existence before you and me, however it is new this a new generation. Many in this generation unless studied don’t realise that it is essential to attend formal training to know how to operate in the office or the ministry. God is raising a new breed of prophets and those operating in the prophetic ministry. Unless the local church has an equipping centre to develop the Body of Christ and to mature the saints, the church cannot develop a prophet. The Church is like a hospital where many with different spiritual ailments attend to be healed, to fellowship and to be delivered, the School of the Prophets, needs the time to equip and develop the prophet. The School of Prophets is a necessary resource for the building and equipping of prophets, those who have been chosen by God as His specific messengers for the Body of Christ. The School of Prophets, teaches, equips, develops and builds the prophet in every area of their gifts and abilities, so that they are clear and can interpret what they hear from God through visions, dreams and His Word; they understand the prophetic process, a journey
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an individual must go through to become a prophet.
Why Is the School of Prophet Needed In These Times? “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets; some evangelists and some pastors and some teachers”. - Ephesians 4:11/12 Why?
1. For the Equipping of the Saints 2. For the Work of the Ministry 3. For the Edifying of the Body of Christ The reason for the School of Prophets is to equip, to equip others for their ministry and to bring the Body of Christ to maturity. It is important to note that people who believe they’re called to the prophetic ministry and the office invest in their development so that they are also suitable to build others and prepare them to build the Kingdom. That is why the School of Prophets is a necessary resource in this period and for the building of a new breed of prophets being raised in this dispensation.
Jacqueline Ani is a lecturer, author, transformational leadership coach, inspirational speaker and prophetic mentor. She is the pioneer behind the Deborah School of Prophets and The Mentoring Academy and the Overseer of The Mentoring Group for International Women and online media ministry.
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LIFESTYLE
GOING FOR
GOLD By Abbiih Oloyede
G
rowing up, l was surrounded by high net worth female relatives who invested heavily in gold jewelleries. Every so often they would discuss with me the best gold sets to wear to special occasions, be the best dressed. I was awed by these women who knew how to collect and use Gold fashionably. These are my earliest memories of gold jewelleries. In my early teens l remember that my mother travelled to Naples in Milan with her sister to buy lots of gold jewellery for herself, my sister and l. True to her words she came back with a stash full of beautiful gold pieces. One day deciding l was old enough to keep my gold pieces, I crept into my mother’s room picked up all my pieces put them in a tin jar and took it outside to play. By the evening when it was time to go back indoors l couldn’t find the jar. All my gold was lost! I obviously didn’t know the worth of the precious metal l innocently took charge of. I have always been fascinated with Gold and jewellery. So, over the years I have spent a small fortune buying and collecting gold. Five years ago, while flicking through the TV channels l came across a program on Pawnbroking, this caught my attention and I ended up watching the series and followed the next few seasons of the program never missing any. I leant so much from the special on
WINTER 2019 WOMEN EMPOWERING WOMEN
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38 | pawn brokerage. The programs stoked my interest in Pawnbroking. Shortly afterwards l went checking to see if there were any stores around me and sure enough there were a few. I visit one had a first-hand experience of Pawnbroking. Parallel with my foray into Pawnbroking was my quest to help people invest in Gold through an initiative buying physical gold bars, as a long-term investment option. In addition to this was to appeal to those within the Black Community in particular to have appreciating assets rather than depreciating assets. From my perspective I believe that since God owns the gold His children should make an effort to own some.
The silver is mine and the gold is mine,' declares the LORD Almighty Haggai 2:8.
Gold is revered as the world’s mos precious commodity. Gold’s tangib functionality lends itself to be an ide investment. The benefits of owning ph gold over electronic gold or paper gol numerous, some are as follows:
•
Wealth Control & Preserv • Assets Preservation • Low risk Investmen • Personal security
Some Be Owning Ph •
For anyone interested in investing in physical gold bars and coins I decided to set up this project and spent considerable time researching the industry. l began educating the women within my network and at speaking engagements to consider this reliable saving scheme. Within a year of embarking on this assignment, l gained employment within a leading Pawnbroking store where l learnt so much about gold, diamonds and highend luxurious items. The in-house training was brilliant coupled with the unending opportunity to deal with customers. This helped to solidify my knowledge of buying and selling investment gold bars to anyone who might be interested.
WINTER 2019 WOMEN EMPOWERING WOMEN
You OWN th coin • You KEEP in a sa arrange for the refiner minim • BUY/SAVE fo • Pawn only what interest on borrow long-term aim i the next g
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| 39 Starting Point If you earn £100 for example 50/60%
Pay your bills say around 50/60%
10%
Tithes/Corporate Social Responsibility
10/20 %
Savings/investments (5 to 10% of your portfolio should have gold)
10%
‘Play money’ (buy whatever you want with it)
The above from my perspective is one model of been balanced with our financial resources. We must be practical with our funds and allocate it wisely. As a company we have tried to make investing in bullion bars accessible to anyone interested. There are two main ways:
• Set up a standing order for a minimum • • • • • •
amount of £50 with no maximum amount or Outright buy any quantity of gold. Within 2/3 days of payment you will receive the physical gold. Item will be posted out to you via special delivery with tracking. NO transaction fee will be charged for buying the bullion bar/coin Postage will be borne by the saver/buyer. Item/s will be posted by Special delivery ONLY usually price starts from £6.99 An itemised receipt will be emailed to the Saver/Buyer
If you are interested in buying or selling investment bars and coins and need further clarification get in touch with us today. https://abbiih.com/pages/investment-gold contact@abbiih.com Facebook Abbiih.com Instagram Abbiih.com
Abbiih Oloyede is a Pastor, Prolific Speaker, Prophetic intercessor and Entrepreneur. She is very passionate about mentoring and coaching women to fulfil their purpose and maximise their God given gifts. She runs Mentoring with Pastor Abbiih, a holistic personal development program for women. Abbiih has worked as a Consultant for Tearfund & BGEA Christian Charities. She ran a Bed Linen & Toy Online Business and was a regular presenter on Revelation TV’s “She Matters”. She also ran her own TV show Womenz World on OHTV. Alongside her husband Dr Jonathan, Convener National Day of Prayer London, she pastors City Chapel a Multi-Cultural Church in East London. She is actively involved in the Newham Food bank. She is the CEO of Abbiih.com an online jewellery and gold investment company. Jonathan and Abbiih have a vision for wholesome families and are blessed with two gorgeous children. www.wewmagazine.com
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THE MASKS A
Mental Illness and Suicide
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n September 9, 2019, Jarrid Wilson, associate pastor at Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, California, ended his life by suicide. This author, mental health advocate and church leader struggled with mental illness for a very long time. He co-created a non-profit called Anthem of Hope, which is a Christian mental health organization that was created to assist those battling many mental health issues to include depression, anxiety, self-harm and suicide. Pastor Wilson lost his battle to the very issue that he had helped so many to overcome.
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LIFESTYLE
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Depression, anxiety, brokenness, self healing to others, but many don’t realize harm and suicide. These are all issues that that they must first heal and bring hope to may be associated with someone that works on themselves. Wall Street or unfortunately many high school There is a saying, “The Mind is a students; however, these issues are affecting Battlefield.” This is truly an honest perception. many of our clergy today. Not only are they Before we can bring, healing to others, we affecting the clergy, many are must first bring it to ourselves. struggling with mental illness One key element is spending in silence. There are countless enough quite time with God. " 57% of pastors pastors that have decided that Our faith and trust in God is suicide is the only alternative acknowledged that key to our healing. Giving Him for the daily struggles that they every aspect of our brokenness if they had other on a consistent basis leads to are facing. In the past ten years, many The main issue is qualifications they healing. prominent pastors of churches believing that there is nothing here in the United States have to hard for God to heal. would quit" taken own lives. Leaving their Another issue that can families and congregations lead to depression and anxiety asking so many questions. Why did this among clergy is financial instability. Many happen? How did we not see this coming? pastors don’t receive a salary, and some have Where do I stand in my faith? These are only a other full-time jobs. Trying to balance home, few of the questions that many have pondered. family and ministry can be very daunting. However, so often these questions have gone Financial issues can add a mountain of stress to unanswered. a pastor. Some receive receive salary, but they In 2010, the New York Times published and don’t receive emotional support from their
RE FALLING
e Among the Clergy article with some very startling statistics. 57% of pastors acknowledged that if they had other qualifications they would quit their current profession as a pastor; 45% said they suffered from depression due to the inability financially to take a vacation or even being able to express to their congregations the need to take a much needed break; 33% have experienced burnout, while 25% stated they had no support system to discuss their own personal issues. These numbers may astonish you, but it is indicative of why many pastors experience breakdowns, thoughts of suicide, and ultimately take their own life. They are attempting to bring hope and
By Mary Elam
congregations. Pastors deal with the spiritual and emotional maturity of their members and yet they have no one to share their hearts with on a daily basis. They don’t have anyone to talk to in regard to their walk with God. Church members often feel that their pastor is superhuman. They have a skewed view of their leaders. Pastors have struggles. They need support and they need prayer. Unfortunately, many suffer in silence for fear that will be misunderstood. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide has increased by 30% since 2016 and in that year alone over 40,000 people took their life. Mental illness is www.wewmagazine.com
42 | a growing issue among children, young adults and adults. However, very few adults seek treatment. The job of a pastor is very stressful and most of the pressures are internally inflicted. The desire to meet the needs of the congregation and to push through the issues of life can cause even the most resilient person the have mental illness. Depression due to the pressure to serve others as well as feeling very inadequate through comparison to other ministries is a major issue that can lead to suicidal thoughts among clergy. Navigating through the day to day struggles of a pastor could be hampered by receiving pastoral counseling as well the support of their congregation. Volunteers that are committed to serving. Periodic vacations that are scheduled
without interruption by congregants. Pastoral round tables with others clergy where they can discuss their issues without judgement or preconceived notices are also ideas that can assist pastors in working through their struggles. However, more than anything knowing that mental illness is not taboo will help to establish some normalcy in assisting clergy. Stressors of life can affect anyone from the loan officer in the bank to the pastor of the corner church. Once society recognizes that individuals are in need of treatment and internal healing the numbers of suicide victims should decrease. Until then pastors will still wear their masks hiding their pain in silence.
Mary Elam is a writer, women’s ministry leader and ordained evangelist missionary. She has dedicated her life to ministry and serving others. For over 20, years she has traveled the globe with her retired military Spouse serving in various capacities under the umbrella of the Church of God In Christ. From Japan to New York, she has touched the lives of many by sharing the good news of the gospel and allowing God’s grace to shine through her. She truly lives to “Seek Ye First the Kingdom.” Mary resides in Hawaii with her husband Ricky and she is the mother of 4 and grandmother of 4.
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ALK
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NUGGETS FOR A
Living HEALTHY
LIFESTYLE By Alison Stockton
L
iving a healthy or healthier lifestyle can mean 2 very different things to 2 very different women. And that’s totally acceptable, if we allow it to be without judgement from either! What do I mean different and non-judgemental! I mean if your living your best life as you know how, be mindful not to judge another if they are not living the way you perceive a healthy lifestyle to be, they may be doing the same of you. Many women who are busy being busy and exercising like crazy are often increasing their stress hormones, Cortisol. Cortisol is naturally produced in the stomach and yet if we feel that we are constantly stressed, or swimming upstream, too many tasks and not enough hours, then by increasing high intensity exercise can also increase high cortisol and can increase our body weight. That said, our body also needs to sweat to assist in illuminating toxins! Confused!!! Don’t be. If you’re working out like BILLIO, highly stressed yet seemingly seeing no change in your body, you may need to SLOW DOWN!!! Yep slow down to create more. Seriously, let’s think about it, If I am pushing my body all the time , because I’m not loving it Yet there are in my view 5 baseline pillars to having the In the form of a joyful and happy life, spending time with people who lift you, support you, encourage you healthiest life. and embrace your dreams too. Surrounding yourself with energetic people who have a greater element of positivity about them is like having a Vitamin IV shoot, you feel instantly energised and on a higher vibration. Ensure you set a few boundaries, like a vortex, that don’t allow negative energy in and you focus on being around positive people and places, this is also exceptionally important if you are an empath.
1. External Nourishment
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2. Internal Nourishment From nutritious food, often when we get busy and we are finding a repetition of excuses such as “I don’t have time”, “healthy takes too much effort”, “healthy isn’t always available”, these can easily be exchanged for “ I love to make time for my healthy food” “cooking healthy is so rewarding” “there is always a healthier alternative that I can find for myself. It is always optimal to eat a plate filled with vibrant colours (and for that it isn’t a pink doughnut with a million sprinkles or lucky charms!!!) Foods with rich colour, beetroot, tomatoes, greens etc which means that your plate is filled with great nutrient and mineral value to heal and protect your body. The great Geek physician “Hippocrates” knew in 365 BC that food is our medicine and medicine is our food, there are many foods that can heal us, and yet there are so many “food’s” that can harm us. Where possible opt for organic foods and wild caught salmon for essential fatty In this busy and convenient world we have become so used acids as well as pasteurised eggs to, is either a lack of or on the opposite spectrum many and grass-fed beef, and if you are women become addicted to and over exercise to aid stress vegan, supplement with protein release!! Yet if you remember from earlier, when stressed rich plant foods and we over exercise the chance of increasing the stress
3. Movement
hormone “cortisol” increases…… So, what and how should we move our body? Again, this is very individual and if you love high intensity workouts it’s also important to balance that with some less intense activity. If there is lack of activity it is important to at least participate in 30 minutes of movement that increases your heart rate, and has you sweat a little. Sweating is our natural detoxification system. Try a mixture of movement and find something you really like then you Is a natural healer, yet how many hours are you allowing may learn to love it, and yourself to have? Sleep is an irreplaceable necessity for our always workout because human body, and yet often over - rated!! “I’ll sleep when I’m you love your body rather dead”, “I don’t have time to sleep” when our eyes our over than hate it. stimulated with technology, social media, catching the last email before we try to sleep, the brain is not actually able to switch off because there is too much to do or to get done, and this triggers stimulants in the neurotransmitters that simply leaves us unable to SWITCH OFF. Sleep allows us to rest, recover, regenerate on a cellular level and rebuild ourselves. Not only that it keeps us youthful and aids in weight loss, opposed to weight gain, due the relaxation time we allow our body, and also when we are well rested we become more energised, opposed to not rested and feeling a lack of energy and so resort to an over consumption of caffeinated drinks and sugar to sustain a “false” energy! This ultimately can see an increase in weight if prolonged, it can also increase inflammation the body.
4. Sleep
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5. Water Is essential for all living cells, and we simply couldn’t survive without it, yet many are struggling to even reach a minimal amount daily. Depending on height weight and exercise levels, a minimal amount one should be drinking is 1ltr, 34 fl oz. Our body needs water to enable us to function and detoxify our body, allows us to excrete unwanted toxins and enable our body to balance nutrients and minerals. Imagine a garden with beautiful flowers that is nourished with water, and then imagine a garden that has been neglected and all the flowers are dying or have already shrivelled…. Enough water helps to keep us youthful and our skin fresh, so if you are currently not drinking enough, try to increase a little more each day until you are reaching your There are many components to health and wellness and sometimes it can seem overwhelming to make drastic optimal water goal. changes to your life when you are busy. So my gentle advice to all women who are creating a successful business, an online entrepreneur, a game changer and or leader, even " 57% of pastors moms, is, if your way of living hasn’t been the best way of living , do 1 thing each day that can and will make huge acknowledged that shifts in the future of your health, longevity and legacy.
if they had other qualifications they would quit"
Health is a birth right that we often take for granted, we must work on our health the same that we must work on everything. Plan today to make a difference.
Alison Stockton is an International certified holistic Health & Wellness coach supporting women globally. She draws upon her own personal challenges with health and wellness including battling and overcoming anorexia, bulimia, depression and anxiety as well as her own autoimmune recovery and a rare symptom known as Vasovagal Syncope. All of which she has been able to overcome with her holistic and no stopping her approach. Alison’s mission and passion is to help other women to be their healthiest self physically and mentally and by improving overall wellbeing with the physical and mental health, every woman becomes unapologetically invincible. For more information see: www.vibrantbalancedhealth.com https://www.facebook.com/Vibrantbalancedhealth Alison Stockton (@vibrant_balanced_health) • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ vibrant_balanced_health/.
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WHEN I
FELL SHE STOOD By Allen McPherson Jr.
WINTER 2019 WOMEN EMPOWERING WOMEN
KINGDOM MAN
I
always wanted to be married. From the time I was old enough to understand that a man is supposed to be the head of his household, I wanted to be that for my future wife. I grew up in a world, my own little part of it at least, where men did not honour their wives. They did not honour their commitments. I KNEW that I would be different. I knew in my limited view of life that I would be the husband to put all other husbands to shame. It was my full intent to learn from the sins of most of the men I knew, and never repeat them. They were the standard of what I should never be. Or at least, I thought so. In my mind, there was never anyone more equipped to handle adversity than me. Husbands would cheat on their wives, but never me. Never me. Never would I ever. Men would " leave their homes for other women. They would disappear from their responsibilities. They would run away from each of their responsibilities. But, I would never. I could never. Until I did. Until the enemy came for my home, and I allowed my home to be corrupted. I lived a new life in a world where God was a mystery, not a friend of mine. I told my new “friends” how happy I was, and how I am finally where I was supposed to be. I listened to all of the “happy” people around me who were so in awe of my strength for leaving my wife and choosing “happiness.” The devil will never come to you obviously, he will sneak into your mind and absolutely alter your reality without your understanding. This was no exception. I lived a “joyful” life away from my home with a new woman, new friends, and a new and very fresh hell on earth that I had absolutely no idea about. Ignorance is bliss, until it isn’t. Even while in the middle of this hell I created for myself, I would always find unbelievable ways to justify every one of my actions. I would pray to God to save me if I was wrong, and if he didn’t bring me running home with 75 dozen roses and 5 apology letters, I would tell myself that I was supposed to be gone. I would pray daily. I would ask God to bless my new “relationship” because obviously HE wanted me here if he let something this
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devastating happen to my marriage. When the enemy comes for your soul, he does not just come in clear, concise ways. He comes to kill and destroy. Satan comes to corrupt the mind, not just with blunt impact, but with the subtleties of darkness that we are powerless against without God. I didn’t see it then. It was never real. I was never real with myself. When I first heard that my Godsend of a wife, Christiana, was “Standing” for our marriage, I had no idea what that meant. I had no clue that it meant that she was interceding on my behalf and praying for the restoration of my soul FIRST, and then our marriage second. It never resonated with me that she had decided in her heart, with the relentless grace of our God, that she would remain in that state for as long as it took for the promises of our union to be restored and renewed. When I truly started to grasp the reality of her stance, when I stopped and focused my mind on what she was doing for not only our marriage, but for my soul, three very simple but " very elusive words began to overcome my entire world: I Was Wrong. I was wrong. In every single way. Unequivocally. Inarguably. When you are living in a way where you know at the core of who you are that you are taking God and disregarding him, as well as taking your wife and disregarding her, there is absolutely no room for ever feeling any of it was right. For each of the husbands who want to truly begin a road to redemption, understanding the level of wrong we were is the beginning. To be clear, of course redemption is the goal. We of course want to be appreciated for climbing out of the hole we were in. In a nutshell, we were tempted and overpowered by such evil that we took all we knew about being a good, strong, loving man, and bastardised it for our own selfish desires. But we were wrong. We stopped fighting. We. Were. Wrong. I. I. I was wrong. My sisters in Christ, YOU are not the cause of your husband's sin. You are enough. You are fearfully and wonderfully made, as we are too, but you are the embodiment of what true Godly love looks like. You are standing when
I lived a new life in a world where God was a mystery, not a friend of mine.
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50 | few others would stand. You are praying when few others have prayed. You are loving when so many others would hate. God will bless your faith. You are a Godsend to the man you married. And his soul will cry out and thank our God for you every day when he is released from his hold. I am a sinner. I have sinned and I fall short of the glory of God daily. But I am a man who knows in his soul that the vows taken in front of God are not to be broken and disregarded. I am sorry every single day that I lost sight of that. But I will never again. My angel of a wife kept her faith and helped rescue my life. You will do the same. You WILL do the same. God is not dead. God is NOT dead. He is with you. He is fighting when you are weak and is fighting when you are strong. As a man who has been in the wilderness with absolutely no hope of escaping, that truth is more real than it has
ever been. YOU ARE NOT ALONE. Sisters, I am in awe of your strength. I am in awe of how unbelievable my wife has been and how steadfast and unwavering she has been through what was a living hell. Your faith will be rewarded as hers was. I say this as one who lived the way your husband is living, and as a man who will die before he ever goes back, God is GOOD. He is wonderfully, radiantly, transcendently, unshakable, relentlessly true to EVERY one of his words. Your faith will be rewarded. I do not think this to be true, I know this in every solitary fibre of my soul. Be bold and courageous. Know that I am now standing in the gap with you and will rejoice with each and every one of you until your marriage is renewed. God is good. Always.
Allen McPherson Jr. grew up in New Jersey where he spent much of his childhood and youth. Allen now lives on Long Island, New York with his wife Christiana and their two cats. His desire to help others and ability to multitask have lent themselves to his current career in the customer service field and his previous experience in the hospitality industry. As a man greatly affected by the redeeming power of the grace of God, Allen has committed his life to serving others. In his free-time, Allen enjoys volunteering with the Christian and Missionary Alliance Bible Quizzing program as well as following the New York Giants.
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The old
y l el B t o P Stove
By Theresa Skinner
T
he Potbelly stove was invented in the 1800’s it is a cast-iron wood burning stove. The stove was designed to heat large spaces, such as train stations and one room schoolhouses (Wikipedia). The potbelly stove could also be found in homes, in the kitchen area. I recall my family’s potbelly stove that sat in the corner of our small kitchen, the family would gather around the stove on cold winter days and enjoy the heat that radiated from the old stove. As the temperature dropped below freezing, snow swirling about, commanded by the breath of the Almighty. The small window in the kitchen of our 2-bedroom house, which held two adults and eight children, would begin to freeze, outside the sun shining so brightly against the backdrop of a clear blue sky. As morning turned into noon, frosty dew windows would slowly melt away proclaiming the beauty of the Creator’s marvellous handiwork work (psalms 19:1).
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As my siblings and I gathered around the old potbelly stove to enjoy the emanating heat that circulated from the floor beneath us. With blistering temperatures, wind chill factor reaching -20, turning exposed piping into a solid mass of ice, causing pipelines to burst leaving families without water. As we sat in silence the only sound was the thud of a dripping faucet, our only meditation was the hope of waking up the next morning to running water. The whispering of the winds, a gentle whisper from the Lord, reminds me of Elijah when he heard a gentle whisper from the Lord, he then pulled his cloak over his face (1Kings 19:13 NIV).
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Like Elijah, covering ourselves with old woollen blankets, wrapped so tightly as to shield our bodies from the outer cold that seeped through the cracks of the small window frame of our family kitchen. Like God’s love, the old potbelly stove warmed our chilled bodies. Who can fully understand the love of God, yet he demonstrated his love through the Cross. For God so loved the world, as to give his only begotten son; that whoever believed in him should not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16). Although the brisk cold winds of December raged outside, inside family gathered keeping one another warm. God’s love was truly in each of us.
The potbelly stove wasn’t just a coal filled vessel, it was a place of conversation between family and friends, a time when life seemed better. When love abound (philippians1:9). Paul writes in Romans 5:20, “where sin abounds, grace abounds much more”. The bible says for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23) The bible was discussed by that old potbelly stove, where the true foundation was laid. For no one can lay ANY foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 3:11) NIV Many stories could be told around the old
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potbelly stove, stories of pain, struggles and joy. Jesus said “in this world we would have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” We live in a world that is changing every day, from old pot belly stoves to gas and electric furnaces and high-tech cell phones. Although, the old has passed away; behold the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17). Just like the old potbelly stove has now transitioned into a new thing, through a phenomenon occurrence, the power of the
Holy Spirit, we also transition into a new thing (person). The world may change but God’s word remains the same, Hebrew 13:8 states “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever”. Therefore, God’s love for us never changes! May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you (1 Thessalonians 3:12) NIV
Theresa Skinner, RA/CDCA at CHC Addiction Services Delivered from alcohol and drugs 16 years, Theresa is a member of Cocaine Anonymous, where she volunteers her service to help other to recover from addiction. Theresa was given the ministry of music; she organizes fundraisers and free gospel concert for those who are lost but not alone.
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SUCCESSFUL WOMEN
Are Starting Businesses. Yes, Even After 50. By Elizabeth MacBride
A
rthur C. Brooks, the departing CEO of the American Enterprise Institute, wrote a long researched essay in The Atlantic this month. It says that your career peaks at 50, and woe to those who don’t accept their decline gracefully. While I was reading it, drawn by the fear-inspiring headline “Your Professional Decline Is Coming Sooner Than You Think,” I felt how little the bleak worldview and the sense of loss reflect the reality of women I know as they near and pass 50. The women I know aren’t declining. They’re getting stronger and more engaged in careers, often second careers they love. They are starting businesses. Some are taking greater risks, often to make a greater impact. Some wealthy women at this age are stepping out from the shadow of their families to become leaders of new movements. I think three things are going on. Brooks’ view is deeply informed by life inside an institution. Women leaders haven’t ever been able to get a foothold in institutions, which has its downsides and upsides. There’s a less a sense of being at the top of a narrowing hierarchy, with younger people jostling to push you off your perch. www.wewmagazine.com
58 | Second, the investments women made in relationships and community earlier in their careers have started paying dividends. Women of professional stature over 40 have wide and deep networks, and the sensibility to use them. If you didn’t have that, you wouldn’t have survived. And third, the context has changed: The #MeToo movement and a more entrepreneurial economy are opening up doors, windows and cracks for women. Held back, they’re moving in. My sense is anecdotal, but it’s backed up by some stats and other reporting. Over the past 20 years (1997–2017), the number of women-owned businesses has grown 114% compared to the overall national growth rate of 44% for all businesses. " Women-owned businesses now account for 39% of all U.S. firms, employ 8% of the total private sector workforce and contribute 4.2% of total business revenues. And, contrary to what Brooks’ wrote , the average age of the founders of the highest-growth startups was 45. Given that caring for children generally causes women, on average, to lag a few years in their careers, I think it’s a safe bet that more older women are starting successful companies than in the past, and that they account for a growing share of the top startups. There also is a growing number of womenowned investment firms seeking and finding experienced women entrepreneurs. There is, in fact, a whole ecosystem of women who have achieved a certain level in their career who are now supporting other women of all ages, but especially the ones they know, who tend to be older. This doesn’t fit with Brooks’ view of a decline after 50 — but that may be because the world of successful professional and entrepreneurial women is growing up separately. The institutional worlds dominated by men have proven hard to crack — so we have carved a separate space a short distance away, a fast-growing space, where the rules are little different and age isn’t such a big deal. Think of the dinner parties you know: The best
conversations happen in the kitchen where people, many of them women, are washing the dishes. The kitchen is the entrepreneurial sector.
The Impact of #MeToo I’ve been thinking about this lately as I’m examining the question of what I should be doing with my time, as a woman journalist with an expertise in finance and business. A year or two ago, I wrote about a piece for Quartz about how disappointed I was that many powerful men were ducking and covering instead of grappling with the way women have been harassed and excluded from business institutions. Me Too didn’t change many men I know. But it has changed women, including me. I’ve written recently about two women entrepreneurs over 50, Sallie Krawcheck and Mary Stuart Masterson. Krawcheck’s Ellevest is a women-focused " financial advisor that is seeing double-digit month-over-month growth; Masterson, an actress, is starting a film studio and production company, Upriver Studios, in upstate New York with a small team that’s devised an interesting hybrid investment model. The project also includes a nonprofit training program. I did what I’ve always done as I reported the story: I called around to see what people thought of these two entrepreneurs. Were they reputable players? Were they successful? In both cases the reporting calls and talks with three or four people turned up a vague sort of what I’ll call, for lack of a better word, chum. When I reached out to their male peers, the rumble I heard was that Krawcheck’s business was small, and she made too much of herself in the media. Similarly, Mary Stuart Masterson was a carpetbagger hogging the limelight. Had these two powerful women been men, I don’t believe the doubts ever would have been voiced. Men talking about other men, especially in a business setting, give each other the benefit of the doubt. They start with “he’s a great guy,” “Heckuva job, Brownie,” “bright
Me Too didn’t change many men I know. But it has changed women, including me.
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| 59 man.” They call each other “brother.” Where men give other men the benefit of the doubt, especially when class, race and school are shared, that’s not always extended to women. If I were a younger reporter I’d probably have let those off-handed negative remarks color my coverage. It is a human behavioral tendency, perhaps born out of pride in our own intellectual abilities, to give more weight to subtle cues than they deserve. I might have devoted more time to digging out a negative narrative, instead of investing that time to look at the Ellevest numbers on file with the SEC and considering the details of the financial plans Masterson and her business partner, Beth Davenport, have drawn up. The substance of their track records far outweighed the vague comments. MeToo brought to light the breadth and systemic nature of the discrimination that women have faced. I don’t know why so many men don’t see it, or don’t seem to care. When I began to focus on what I’d experienced in the context of what other women reported happening to them, I could begin to see more clearly how women are held back and hold themselves back. I can make an active decision now, when I see it happening, to give other women what men have long given each other: the benefit of the doubt. In Brooks’ story — the one with that terrible headline: Your Professional Decline is Coming Much Sooner Than You Think — he writes this scene about a man he overheard on the plane.
“It’s not true that no one needs you anymore.” These words came from an elderly woman sitting behind me on a late-night flight from
Los Angeles to Washington, D.C. The plane was dark and quiet. A man I assumed to be her husband murmured almost inaudibly in response, something to the effect of “I wish I was dead.” Again, the woman: “Oh, stop saying that.” I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but couldn’t help it. I listened with morbid fascination, forming an image of the man in my head as they talked. I imagined someone who had worked hard all his life in relative obscurity, someone with unfulfilled dreams—perhaps of the degree he never attained, the career he never pursued, the company he never started. At the end of the flight, as the lights switched on, I finally got a look at the desolate man. I was shocked. I recognized him—he was, and still is, world-famous. Then in his mid‑80s, he was beloved as a hero for his courage, patriotism, and accomplishments many decades ago. It wasn’t lost on me who the stronger character was in that exchange. So maybe some men are faltering in their careers as they reach 50 and beyond, or always have faltered, and maybe, in part, they want to. Working in those hierarchical institutions as you age is indeed a daunting prospect. The women I know are getting stronger with age. We developed all those muscles carving our own paths and holding each other up along the way — and those muscles stand us in good stead now.
Elizabeth MacBride, A business journalist for 20 years and a freelancer for more than 10 of that, I write about turning points in the lives of entrepreneurs and their companies. Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website https://www.timesofentrepreneurship.com/.
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p i h s r e d a e L e h T Team How has TMGIW developed your leadership qualities?
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The women in the leadership group of TMGIW have been such a great support to all the women in the group. I would like to acknowledge each one of them for their selfless support. I appreciate you!
i n A e n i l e u q c a J
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Debbie Flores Arizona, USA
The Mentoring Group for International Women (TMGIW) has been the training ground for truly developing my leadership qualities. In my opinion, it is a group that has provided a platform for the application of discipleship and wisdom of the Living Word, which reflects in the relationship between a solid group of women that all desire growth in all areas of their lives. When I joined the leadership team as a moderator, mentor and administrator, I had the opportunity to be challenged in a way to grow as a leader mainly through the observation of other leaders, namely Jacqueline Ani, my personal mentor. The modelling of a leader in close contact, behind the scenes, in the development of the group itself, has allowed me personal insight and learning opportunities that are valuable in the personal growth as an individual and leader myself. Being able to grab a hold of a vision and execute in the ways that focus on building a solid foundation and maintaining that through consistent discipline, administration, and prayer has been invaluable. The application of wisdom is the most important leadership quality that I believe TMGIW has allowed me to not only apply to my own personal life, but also demonstrate as a leader in the group. All the teachings in this group have focused on this – no matter the teaching on marriage, discipleship, healing, deliverance, prayer, life management – this has been the major development for me as a leader, where I can glean from what I learn through the Word of God, a prophetic message, and a teaching from those gifted from God, and that it is applied in myself, in my home, in my relationships, and in the TMGIW group. The group has also allowed me to develop relationships among the leadership and women as a whole that taps into various personalities, spiritual gifts, and different lifestyles and perspective. Due to its international focus, this opens up my viewpoint to not only see differences in personality,
"It has been my training ground"
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but also culture and lifestyle differences. At the same time seeing the differences, show me the commonality across the board, and that is the power of God’s love and message counter to any culture. This allows me to have exposure as a leader that is truly special in the sense that we make connections and relationships around the world that adds to my understanding of people and relationships in the context of our lives to be empowered and overcome. Lastly, the TMGIW group has allowed me to pay forward what I gained personally through mentorship. Through the development and growth of mentorship from Jacqueline Ani and the other relationships among the leaders, I have been challenged to take what I am mentored on in my gifting, skills, processes and experiences to pay forward and learn how to powerfully convey it in a way that opens up avenues of expression which I did not have before – through speaking, writing, and training, I have been able to mentor other women to overcome and grow in their own lives as well, and eventually to continue to be raised up as leaders in their own communities as well.
Deb bie
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Akashnee Richards Durban, South Africa
"As a Cell Group Leader I have learnt about teaching and leading"
Being part of the leadership team has empowered me to develop my relationship with God and be part of a sisterhood that is not like any other. Jacqueline Ani has headed a team that is Holy Spirit led and has a deep intimacy with God. I've had the opportunity to be mentored by Jacqueline Ani on a one on one basis for a very long period which I will forever be grateful for. I've learnt through being a cell group leader all about teaching and leading. I feel excitement and a thrill at the information being shared and the knowledge being brought out. Being a cell group leader has been a challenge due to the time difference but every time I delivered a session, I felt fulfilled it’s like God had poured more into me. I have been privileged to also be a significant part of leading and being active in the Prayer Call. It has been so rewarding that it has become a daily priority. I’ve learnt discipline, commitment and obedience. God has to be given all the glory. This opportunity has shown me that God has chosen us, and we will make an impact not only in our own homes but in many homes locally and internationally. This has blessed and will continue to bless me immensely.
Akashnee
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Mary Elam Hawaii, USA
The Mentoring Group for International Woman (TMGIW) has truly been a blessing to me. Being a leader in the group has propelled me in my leadership abilities beyond my wildest dreams I have always worked in a leadership capacity both in ministry and in secular environments; however, there were certain qualities that I lacked that I have gained since being in TMGIW One would think that because I was a leader in ministry that compassion, mercy, as well as an understanding of people would be in the forefront of my skill set, but it was not. God has shown me that I lacked these skills and I have now gained these since being part of TMGIW this is because my relationship with God has also gone to a deeper level. Being a part of the TMGIW has also allowed me the opportunity to be a facilitator and mentor for a virtual Cell Group Ministry. This more than anything has been very exciting and has stretched me in ways that I can’t even fathom. I love teaching. Being able to impart knowledge and insight into these beautiful Women of God and watch them blossom and grow into their purpose has been just exhilarating to say the least. It is really impossible to put into words just how this group has changed me. However, I will say that being among this wonderful group of women has caused me to search deep within myself to allow God to change, stretch, equip, and empower me. I have grown tremendously and come into agreement with God to become the leader that He has always wanted me to be. Thank you, Jacqueline Ani, for affording me the opportunity to become a leader in this amazing group. It truly has been life changing for me.
"Being a leader in the group has propelled me in my leadership abilities beyond my wildest dreams"
Mary www.wewmagazine.com
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Lisa Trujillo San Antonia, Texas
Being a part of TMGIW Leadership has awakened a part of me that I never knew existed. I never saw myself in a leadership role, the confidence in being able to lead a person let alone a team was not something I aspired to for I didn’t think I was effective in my speaking ability to communicate. In this group I learned who I really was and whose I really was, and this changed my opinion of what I can do, because I was no longer doing it for me but for God. My leadership qualities began to surface almost instantly once my understanding and placement of letting God guide me was in place. I would not have considered anything remotely close to leadership if I had not joined this group and have been open to the teaching and guidance by my Mentor, Jacqueline Ani, as she allowed the Holy Spirit to speak through her to me.
"In this group I learned who I really was and whose I really was."
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Lisa
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Lisette Balangue California, USA
TMGIW has had a tremendous impact on my leadership skills. Before joining the group, I would be very apprehensive to taking any leadership role. I felt a tug on my heart from the Lord that the time was now and I was to be trained up. When Jacqueline called me, I was ready without knowing what it would entail. I just knew this was the Lord’s leading.
"Since joining the leadership team, I have developed a whole new set of skills"
Since joining the leadership team, I have developed a whole new set of skills. I have been working on my time management and allocating time to spend with the Lord, my daughter, and helping the group. Jacqueline also had done a live video on time management. In this new season I am in, I have noticed how much of the time management skill is being used because the Lord has now added more to my plate. I am not stressed about it all, but more so allowing my cup to overflow with the Lord by the training I received.
I have also learned a lot about relationships which is a great quality to know as a leader. This group has helped me create such a positivity in life with encouraging others. I have always been a caring person but once I started to know my purpose, I was able to grow in it more. I am working on active listening, empathy, moral compass, accountability. Relationships are in every aspect of our lives. It all starts with working on your relationship with God, then serving others which leadership has enabled me to do.
Lisette www.wewmagazine.com
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Christiana McPherson New York, USA
Prior to joining the Mentoring Group for International Women, I had experienced some considerable emotional trauma in my personal and professional life. When asked to lead a small group I felt unsure if I could be of any help due to my own recent emotional scars. Thanks to the encouragement, support, and leadership from the Mentoring Group for International Women I was empowered to not just sit with what I had experienced (the good, the bad, and the ugly) but to allow God to use it as a healing salve not only for myself but for others as well. I simply could not have been able to move on, step up, and lead without the support of the sisterhood that I have found in the leadership team of this group and its founder Jacqueline Ani.
"God has used TMGIW as a healing salve not only for me but for others in the group."
WINTER 2019 WOMEN EMPOWERING WOMEN
Christinana
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LaToya Davies Arizona, USA
TMGIW LEADERSHIP TMGIW has developed my leadership skills by first bringing to my attention the awareness that I have leadership skills. It has taught me to research the qualities and characteristics of a leader and has birthed a sense of responsibility to aspire to embody or further develop those qualities and characteristics reflective in a leader. It has served as a constant accountability partner that leadership comes with a set of responsibilities spiritually, physically, educationally, nutritionally, psychologically, mentally, and emotionally. TMGIW has been a scale that causes me to understand the importance of balancing the responsibility of a leader and the accountability of acquiring whatever is necessary to strengthen the areas of weakness. TMGIW has taught me that leadership isn’t only to be utilized in a mentoring group but should transcend to every facet of my life. TMGIW has most importantly taught me the extreme importance of camaraderie. TMGIW has help me to understand that leadership is an evolving skill and that the choice to continue to develop and utilize interaction, behaviour, power, vision, values, and charisma as tools to empower each other is priceless and rewarding.
"TMGIW has most importantly taught me the extreme importance of camaraderie."
LaToya
www.wewmagazine.com
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Angel Lynch Dallas, Texas, USA
As a leader I am loyal to committing myself to the spiritual growth for a group of women. I seek God first in everything I do. Showing compassion and love for each woman is in important within our group. I encourage them through loving communication and help them to meet their needs by listening. They become stronger as individuals as well as I through the reciprocated love and compassion. My bond with each individual woman today is more trustworthy than in the beginning as we have proven ourselves to each other through time. We all understand that any situation they are in, they are not in it by themselves. I am here to impact and change lives. In our group it does not matter from which walk of life you come from but which path of God’s you choose to take. I have learned different approaches for effectively handling different situations. I have also strengthened my emotional intelligence as a better leader. By building and investing myself into our sisterhood I have received great gifts from God. I have become more compassionate, a more effective communicator, and I have found my purpose. Giving me strength to be myself in everything I do. Having a strong and powerful voice with passion and purpose is a great gift. It’s a feeling, a desire and a love for the work for the kingdom.
"I have learned different approaches for effectively handling different situations."
WINTER 2019 WOMEN EMPOWERING WOMEN
Angel
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s ' e e t n e M l a i n o Testim
Through the Program I am learning that I have a purpose here on earth and that the situation I am going through does not define me. Today I am not carrying that victim mentality anymore, an image of myself that I have carried for so long. Instead I am growing and heading towards becoming everything God has created me to be- whole, healed, delivered, victorious, strong, bold and positive. I am already seeing the positive impact it’s all having on the ladies around me and I thank God for that. To sum up the Leadership Mentoring for Purpose Program is helping me to "press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:14, NIV)
Shirley Julien Australia
WINTER 2019 WOMEN EMPOWERING WOMEN
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Copyright Š 2019 Women Empowering Women Magazine, All rights reserved
WINTER 2019 WOMEN EMPOWERING WOMEN
