MER AKI
2017 Meraki Publication Published by Dayfold Printers
Printed in the United Kingdom All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, without prior written permission from the original creator of content. For copyright request, contact Meraki at the address below. For submissions, advertising and subscriptions please contact @merakipublication merakipublication.co.uk
Editor-In-Chief - Ruby Baldry
MER AKI Volume No.1
editors introduction
So here I am trying to write my first letter as your Editor. I’ve been writing for what feels like my entire life, but this short piece I am attempting to craft holds far more weight than anything I have ever written before. I want to introduce Meraki with as much authenticity, joy and love as possible. I want you, the women, the sisters and the community of Meraki to hold this publication in your hands and breathe in the sweet smell of truth, encouragement and God-given vision that is printed on every single page. This publication exists for you; a place where you can be encouraged and empowered. As your editor, I believe we need to gather together as a community of women from all different cultures, backgrounds and ages to cheer one another on in the race set before us. I believe we need to celebrate the victories of one another and stand together in the adversity life brings. I believe in the sisterhood we are all craving. This underlying theme of love throughout Meraki is rooted from my belief in Jesus. I believe that we are loved by Him with a sacrificial, relentless and unending love and to express this through fashion seems only natural. Faith and fashion can be woven together in perfect partnership and is something to be celebrated. As you turn through the pages of Meraki, my hope is that you will not only learn more about the love Jesus has for you, but that you will also inherit new inspiration and vision for fashion and design. This issue is all about the women that have said “Yes I Can”. It’s a celebration of the inspiring, strong and simply radical women we all have around us. As you get to know the women within these pages my prayer is that you will understand this truth- you, as a woman, are a world changer. For some the word ‘world changer’ might put images of Emily Wilding Davidson into your mind, or perhaps you immediately think of Mother Theresa, both of which have indeed changed our world as we know it today. However, what I am referring to here is a doorstep world changer. The world changer that changes her community, her workplace, her home. The world changer that loves, encourages and empowers those around her. The world changer that allows herself to be interrupted by God. So, without any further hesitation I introduce you to Meraki. Friends, sisters and family. Thank you. With love always, Ruby Baldry.
“We must be ready to allow ourselves to be interrupted by God.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Meraki
contributors
Editor-In-Chief Ruby Baldry Contributing Photographers Harry Cooke Nuru Dorsey Andras Kim Jack McCausland Joshua Parker Tom Redman Keith Trodd Flo Westbrook Contributing Writers Caitlin Lord Carrie Lloyd Lydia Mormen Elyse Murphey Micah Orsetti Farida Pashi Sarah Jakes Roberts Simon Ward Ellie Watson Featured Chrissie Abbott Susie Flashman Jarvis Denise McCausland Maxine Moore Becky Playfair Karen Rampersad Lizzie Redman Bev Smith Katie Sprague
Meraki
thank you
Debbie Smith & Janet Cooper. The most inspiring women I will ever know. Thank you for always demonstrating strength, determination and courage. Thank you for teaching me that I am beautiful, and able to do all things. There are so many more thanks for you two and I have no doubt that I will spend the rest of my life finding more. Thank you for all you are and for helping me to be all that I am. My Sisters. There are so many of you, far too many to mention each one by name. Thank you for championing me and believing in me. There is so much of who you are as women living within these pages. You have contributed to my inspiration, my motivation and my passion. You have journeyed with me through the highs and the lows, continuing to show me grace, love and so much of Jesus. Jesus. The one whom all of this is truly for. Thank you for the way you allowed this dream to unfold. Thank you for equipping me, thank you for opening doors that I never would have knocked, thank you for every single woman in these pages and thank you for showing me grace and favour. Thank you for it all. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Meraki
11
Bev
17
Filters and Facades
19
Denise
25
There is Power Within You
27
Chrissie
35
World Changing Women
37
Karen
41
Tell Me When You’re Ready To Laugh About It
Meraki
43
Lizzie
51
The Character of Fashion
53
Katie
61
Becky
67
Just Be
69
Susie
71
Maxine
77
The Vision
I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Psalm one-three-nine ; fourteen
Meraki Life
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Meraki Life
BEV
Author, comedian, youth worker and cancer survivor Bev is never one to turn down a challenge. She is an advanced Padi Scuba diver and has enjoyed a Great White Shark dive off of the coast of South Africa. Along with always saying yes to adventures and taking risks, Bev also loves seeing young people understand their identity in Jesus. Bev is a woman of strength, determination and joy, which was so clearly shown when tackling breast cancer head on with God by her side. She is known for her optimism, and would always describe her jar as halffull. Always the first to crack a joke, she is frighteningly authentic, beautifully warm and the true definition of a warrior woman.
Words: ELLIE WATSON Photographs: JOSHUA PARKER
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Meraki Life
This is Bev’s story. To start, she’s one of those people in life you just can’t help but love. Not in a Marmite ‘you either love her or hate her’ way, in the kind of way that you just love her. She’s unmissable, with her rose pink pixy cut hair, enviable style and grace, and a personality that reminds me of popping candy. Exciting, fun, a bit crazy and always makes you smile. Bev effortlessly radiates Jesus, she loves immeasurably, she’s funny, she’s caring, creative and determined. She’s witty and authentic, and has a huge heart for young people. Meeting her, you wouldn’t guess the trauma she’s experienced, she’d never let on. She’ll make you feel comfortable around her immediately and tell you a joke with a confidence and flair you suddenly aspire to. You’ll only hear about her trials when she’s telling you about how good God was to her through her pain. Last year, Bev had an incredible job lined up in France with the Christian organisation Spring Harvest. It was her dream job, the job that gave her the push to leave a long term career in teaching, the career that she’d flourished and succeeded in hugely, but was no longer right for her. There was a real ripple of excitement for this next stage in her life, everything was fitting into place. Bev went for a mammogram in January last year, not expecting anything to come of it. There was nothing about Bev’s lifestyle that would obviously encourage anything nasty health wise and she has healthy family roots. However, not long after the mammogram, she received a letter, advising that ‘something’ had been spotted, and she needed to go back for further testing. Bev described the shock she felt at the call back; “I was definitely shaken.” At the appointment, they did another mammogram, scans, and a biopsy, which confirmed there was a lump. Bev advised us that at this point, the lump could still have been benign, but she had a very experienced professional performing the biopsy, who took her aside and told her “I would want to know, and I’m telling you that this isn’t looking good.” Being so sure in her judgement Bev wasn’t asked to go back to the breast cancer unit, but was booked straight in with a surgeon the following week as he would be able to answer any questions. “So you’re saying I have cancer?” Bev questions, describing the moment that the blood started to drain from her face upon the realisation. “I’m going to France, I’ve given up my job. How can I have cancer?”.
“Does it run in the family?” “Yes”, she replied,
“We all have breasts!”
She received no official confirmation then, which Bev explains was the real problem. The wait. The scary, unpleasant waiting game that happens in between appointments. She explains how blessed she felt that she had the woman she did doing her scans, as her pro-activity meant that Bev had essentially skipped a week of waiting. The surgeon asked Bev at her appointment a week later; “Does it run in the family?” “Yes”, she replied, “We all have breasts!”. This light-hearted moment embodies Bev entirely. There are not many people that could crack a joke like that in such an intense moment, and it’s a beautiful part of her character. The surgeon then confirmed the unthinkable, the four words no-one wants to hear. “You have breast cancer”. “Nothing comes to mind in that moment” She explains, “It’s shocking. Very weird. I was in disbelief ”. Not long following the confirmation, Bev attended a Christian event called ‘Naturally Supernatural’, an event that encourages Christians to engage with the Holy Spirit. At the event, the speaker at the front called out for someone diagnosed with breast cancer to go and receive prayer. Never one to turn down a prayer, Bev jumped at the opportunity and received prayer from a lady named Jean Morgan. Jean prayed over her, and questioned Bev on the way she was speaking, as she sensed a real bitterness pushing through. Bev confirmed she felt angry. WHY ME?! The most prominent question her mind. “There are people everywhere who smoke and drink, and here’s me, having lived like a nun for the past 20 years, why me? I follow the Lord faithfully, why me?” It was there that Bev realised, “God is God. You can’t pin the blame on God, it’s just nature. It’s impossible to understand, but should we even be able to?”. Bev received prayer for the anger she felt, and describes the daze she felt following such a prominent moment in the journey she was embarking on. The admittance that she felt angry at God was like breaking a barrier, the conversation had been had, and her trust in God through this particular journey was planting its roots. The next morning, Bev tells us about waking with a song in her head. ‘Casting Crowns - Who am I?’ Was what she heard. She wasn’t sure if the song even existed, or the band, as they both sounded unfamiliar. She looked the song up anyway, and sure enough, it existed. She describes how the song broke her heart. It put her situation into a new
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perspective for her, “I have cancer, but who am I not to? There is sin and decay in the world - who am I to NOT have cancer? Life is fleeting, who am I to say I don’t deserve this?”. Bev ponders. “Though this feels like a harsh realisation, I was so aware that I am in God, and reassured of His promise, I am SAFE in the palm of His hands.” Bev emphasises how God spoke to her through this song. “He was putting me in my place, but in a nice way. I’d been going round saying that I’ll be around for years, I don’t do anything wrong. He told me that as special as I am, I’m not immune to the world, and this was a really humbling experience. I’m only who I am because of God.” What followed was a three week wait for the operation to have the tumour removed. Again the wait was not a pleasant experience, but the surgeon reassured her that it would make no difference waiting three weeks or taking the tumour out there and then. Bev had a 17mm tumour removed (20mm being the danger zone). She found out she was at stage 2/3 in regards to how the cancer had spread. Stage four being terminal cancer. She also found out that the cancer she had, though not terminal, was fast growing and aggressive. On her way to see the oncologist to find out if she would be undergoing chemotherapy, Bev felt a sense of “Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged. I am here with you.” Brushing it off as her own mind, she sat down and waited to be called in. During the wait, Bev pulled out her phone and opened the Bible app. The verse of the day was exactly the verse she had felt spoken to her as she walked in.
Isaiah 41:10. So do not fear, for I am with you; Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Bev was told that day that she would need to undergo chemotherapy, but had felt God tell her, “I’m here with you. You’re going to go through this chemo, and I’m here with you. You will come out of this alive and well”. The chemotherapy caused havoc in Bev’s bodyher temperature plummeted and rocketed, and she experienced excruciating stomach pains to the point where she was lying on the hospital floor screaming in pain.
it like someone had waved a magical wand over her. She still had the occasional stomach upset, but never again like the pain she had initially experienced. A pivotal moment in the journey for Bev, was the day after her operation. She woke up early, unable to sleep, and went to make a coffee. She stopped to look out of the window, as she lived in a beautiful flat with a sea view, and out of the window was something Bev says she has never seen before in the morning: a big beautiful rainbow. That rainbow was more than just a rainbow in that moment. Rainbows are common, but this one was not any old rainbow. Bev describes feeling a real sense of God. She knew He was promising that she would not go through this ever again. “That year, it was dreadful, and wonderful.” Bev exclaims. “Dreadful for the obvious reasons, but wonderful because I BEAT CANCER!” Bev finished her chemotherapy on the 5th August 2016, and her radiotherapy on the 3rd October 2016. She isn’t officially ‘clear’, as you can’t tell a cancer patient that they’re clear, but Bev has a faith rooted in Jesus Christ, who she believes pulled her through the ordeal from day one. “My name and my days are written on his hands,” she explains, “When I’m due home [heaven], I’ll go. Now is not my time.” 2016 was a year that Bev well and truly conquered. Through the battle with cancer, she continued to teach and inspire her adoring children. As well as teaching, she was also juggling a Masters Degree in Creative Writing. Alongside cancer, the teaching and the masters, she also started to write her first book. This year, Bev is going to France with Spring Harvest, as originally planned. She is graduating from her masters, having just completed her dissertation, and she has nearly completed writing her first book. Not only this, but she heads up the youth work at a new church plant in Bournemouth. There are no words for the awe felt by those surrounding Bev, witnessing her take the world on with such power, dignity, courage and pizzazz. She is what you would call, a power woman.
One day, she woke up and thought “What if I just stop eating gluten?”. A thought so random, it could only be of God, Bev told us. From that moment, she stopped consuming anything containing gluten, and described
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Meraki Words
F I LT E R S
AND FACADES Elyse Murphy is a writer, pastor, and international speaker. She is driven by her passion for Jesus, the local church and knowing the lyrics to every Taylor Swift song. Elyse has ministered globally in both church and secular settings, inspiring people in their life and challenging them in their faith. Her experiences of life as a pastor’s kid and it’s lessons have led to Elyse writing her first book“Confessions of a Church Kid.” Elyse now resides in Los Angeles as one of the pastors at Oasis Church in Downtown Hollywood, ministering to people with her message of hope and grace found in Jesus Christ.
Words by: ELYSE MURPHY -17-
Meraki Words
Hello. My name’s Elyse, and I have a fear of missing out (also known as FOMO). I remember a few years back some friends of mine went on a vacation to Bali, because that’s what you do when you live in Australia--you fly to Bali and pay to have your hair braided so tight that you can almost see your brain thinking. You then take photos and caption them with ‘just another day in paradise,’ with the hash tag #TheStruggleIsReal. So my friends came back a week later with their suntans and stories, and I was so jealous. You know the crazy thing? I had just been to Bali a few weeks before them with a good friend of mine, and we had the best time ever… Suntans and stories of our own! So why was I so upset? Because I wasn’t on their trip. I didn’t have their memories. I wasn’t included in their photos. The way I saw it, I missed out. I get it. It sounds selfish. It totally is. Youngest child, remember? And it wasn’t the only time I’ve felt that irrational pang of jealousy or emptiness, and you know what I’m talking about. When you hear about that event you weren’t invited to, or you see another Facebook status of someone else getting engaged, when you’re just trying to get someone to ask you to coffee. It’s that sting of pain that hits your heart before you can give yourself a pep talk of perspective. Whether we want to hear it or not, it’s true. Aren’t we all just scared of missing the moment? I don’t want to be left out of the Instagram photo. I want to be included in all of the statuses and tagged in all of the photos and invited to all of the events. I don’t want to have to ask what I missed; I want to be the one people ask. As a generation, as humanity, we have such a fear, not of over-committing but of under-committing. We think that saying no to an invite somehow means saying no to life. We assume we will regret rest because we won’t be seen on ‘the scene.’ So we hold our breath and refresh our phones and spend our night checking to make sure their night didn’t include a post-worthy moment. Because that would mean we missed out. And that would make us feel anxious, lonely, and rejected. Am I right? I’m totally right. When did we get so obsessed with being everywhere, with everyone, every time we’re asked? Social media. I love it and hate it so much. It’s the popular group at school -- I’m fine to tell you how pathetic it is, but what I don’t want to admit is that I still want to be apart of it. And so here we are, with our Instagram approval now determining our inner approval. But I think if we could pause for a moment, you and I would tell each other the same thing. Our fear of missing out is just another manifestation of something deeper: comparison. We all struggle with it, and we all wish we didn’t. We’ve all had moments of comparing ourselves with the people around us, instead of accepting the person within us, and looking to the One who created us. The truth is comparison affects us all. Before we were Keeping up with The Kardashians, we were Keeping up with The Jones’s, and yet the Bible warns us against both. In 2 Corinthians 10:12 Paul says “… but when they measure themselves with themselves and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding and behave unwisely.” Comparison is written about so much in the Bible because it is not a selective issue, it has affected us since the beginning. In Genesis, God placed Adam and Eve in the most beautiful garden, with everything they could desire. They were so full with joy, until they realized there was another option, and that other option would steal their joy. Comparison. The thief of joy. This comparison came along in the form of a serpent in Genesis chapter 3, and he began to question the boundaries God had put in place for them. He began to tell Eve of the things they were “missing” and Eve listened to him. She disobeyed God because she didn’t want to miss out, and yet that decision actually caused her to miss out on all God had for her, for her husband, and for mankind. How ironic. So it started with Eve, but it continues with us. The same issue of comparison Eve had in the garden, we have in 2016. Different temptations. Different technology. Same fear. And yet perhaps the more we commit our emotions to Him, our Creator; the less we need the emoticons. The more we are completely honest with our feelings, the less we need a filter. I want to learn to embrace myself, filter free. I think you should too, because you are the beauty behind the post, and you have been created in the image of the Master. We are His masterpiece. And our validation doesn’t come from a Valencia filter, or Mayfair, or Nashville. Our validation comes from Heaven. So post that photo, but not at the expense of the memory. And once you post it? Put your feet up, relax and smile. You haven’t missed out on a thing. Today, be FOMO free. Be filter free. Just be free.
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Meraki Life
Meraki Life
DENISE
Flower Farming, countryside walking and eating breakfast in the garden on a summers morning are a few things Denise loves to do. Denise has been growing and selling sustainable flowers for four years, along with having ten years prior experience of being a selfemployed gardener. It is no coincidence that she has pursued a career that immerses her in all of the beauty of nature, describing creation as something that shows her so much of who God is. She is a woman of grace, gentleness and creativity.
Words: RUBY BALDRY Photographs: JACK MCCAUSLAND
Meraki Life
For readers not familiar with your farm and business, start out by sharing a little bit about how you got started. How did it all start? I guess a number of circumstances came together and deciding to develop a micro flower farm was a light bulb moment for me. I had been working as a self-employed gardener for ten years, which I absolutely loved and didn’t want to give it up but I was ready for a fresh challenge. Then four years ago we were given the opportunity to move into the most beautiful “chocolate box” National Trust cottage with a large garden and orchard. It was a dream come true for me and I believe a gift from God, (which, to be honest, I found difficult to accept for a while). As tenants of the National Trust we became custodians. It was so exciting to be part of a long line of history, and daunting too. We set to work restoring the garden and about the same time I stumbled across Sarah Raven’s “Grow Your Own Cut Flowers” book in our local charity shop and a friend gave me some flower snippers for my birthday. These two simple items stirred something in me. I realised I had the space to allocate an area in the garden where I could grow flowers simply for cutting and not deplete the flower boarders in anyway. I could be scissor happy, guilt free and receive an income from the harvest too. I soon discovered that there was a fast growing movement in Britain to bring back the British cut flower to our tables after years of cheap imports from around the globe had flooded the market leaving our own once flourishing flower industry in tatters. There was also a growing trend to rediscovering the delights of sourcing our food locally and sustainably, eating in tune with the seasons and so the demand for the flower industry to reflect this was also growing. I realised I so wanted to be apart of this so I decided to develop my own micro flower farm, growing seasonal British flowers for my community. I’m so grateful to the friend who bought me the snippers! Sadly after a lovely few years we had to re locate for my husbands job so I no longer have a cottage garden. However after re-establishing the business, the move provided me with new opportunities to sell my flowers to a wider audience and farm a small piece of land about a mile from our new home. When we moved I up rooted as many plants as possible to bring with me and I have been busy replanting and sowing . I soon discovered a number of small local community shops lacking flowers and florists who were also keen to support British flowers. So there are many signs of healthy re growth in all sorts of ways, although uprooting was painful.
“I love working outside where I am constantly reminded of God’s hand in His creation and His presence with us.”
For the benefit of anyone not familiar with the term “Slow Flowers” how do you define it? Georgie Newbury in her book The Flower Farmers Year writes about the small revolution that is happening worldwide which we would call slow flowers. She writes “People are beginning to realise the environmental impact of their cut-flower habit. The same people who worry about where their meat comes from- how it was raised, what it was grazed on; the same people who’d rather not buy out of season green beans or strawberries flown in from the other side of the worldthose people are looking at the bunches of flowers they have, until recently, added unthinkingly to their supermarket trolleys, and they’re leaving those bunches on the side”. Flowers flown in from abroad are put through a fungicide bath to air vacuumed cold storage and then kept alive with frequent pulses of bleach and sugar. There has also been a lot of poor publicity recently about the poor working conditions for those working in these flower production lines. Buying fair trade flowers from abroad will ensure good working conditions and a fair price for the workers, something I feel very passionate about.
What your
is the set up planting areas?
of
your garden Any growing
like and how tips you’d
do you lay out care to share?
I follow an amazing woman who grows flowers in the Skaggit Valley in Washington state USA, she has grown a huge cut flower business on just two acres of land. It just goes to show you really don’t need much growing space to produce lots of flowers if you plan carefully. The area I use is not at all large: I have one good size poly tunnel which extends the growing season at both ends of the year and several raised bed areas. I plan carefully making sure I use the land wisely. My top tip would be to avoid sowing a whole packet of seeds in one go. I try to successional sow every two weeks to elongate the season of that particular flower. I also plant closer together than suggested on the seed packet and avoid growing too many space hungry flowers. Cut and come again flowers are the real work horses of the cutting garden, the more you pick the more they want to give you, such as sweet peas and cosmos. Sadly a good cutting garden will never look that beautiful as once a flower has fully bloomed it is passed the cutting stage.
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What have you found to be the biggest challenges to getting more floral designers to use domestically-grown flowers? And what about consumers in general? Many florist are also waking up to the benefits of using British flowers and it has been made easier by many brides now wanting the English garden ‘just picked” look in their bouquets. Of course there will always be a demand for flowers that we here in Britain can’t grow, and red roses on Valentine’s Day will never be British. However, we can grow flowers all year round in Britain and ranunculus and anemones are just stunning for Valentine’s Day if you want to use British .
What new flower varieties are growing in your garden this year? Any new surprises? Every year I love to try new varieties as well as keeping some of my old favourites. Having the luxury of a poly tunnel has enabled me to grow flowers that I know will love the coziness of being grown undercover, such as anemones and ranunculus , and later I will be filling it with celosia and some cafe au lait dahlias . Although I keep an eye on the current trends of popular flowers and colours I also think it is so important to grow what you like, otherwise your heart just won’t be in it and the joy will be gone.
How
do
you
feel
when
you’re
gardening?
How do I feel when I’m gardening? To be honest that depends a lot on the time of year, the weather and the particular job I’m engaged in at the time. I love that no day is ever the same and in gardening you are always preparing for the next stage. I also never stop learning , I am always learning from my mistakes, and it’s okay when plants die, it happens . I always feel a sense of excitement and anticipation in the Spring, it is always so welcome after the darker, seemingly endless days of Winter. And I have had to embrace the fact that nature needs the Winter so that there can be Spring.
How
does
your
faith
affect
your
work?
My faith in God affects every aspect of my life and not least my work. Most people in my community know that I go to church as my husband is the local minister at the Baptist church. So I feel that in some way I want to represent Jesus and I hope that they see in me, in a small way, the person of Jesus. I have always sought to be someone who keeps to their word, which is why I think carefully before I commit to anything.
What are your thoughts on flowers and nature from a Christian perspective? I consider my job to be a huge privilege and I love working outside where I am constantly reminded of God’s hand in His creation and His presence with us. I often think of the passage in Romans 1 v20 “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” When I read this I am reminded that we can see the nature and character of God from what he has made, I just love that.
What flower
would farm?
you Or
say to any start any
women wanting new business/idea
to in
start a general?
I would encourage anyone, if they dare, to grow their own flowers for cutting. I remember a dear friend of mine set aside a small area in her garden to grow flowers for her son’s wedding. She gained a huge amount of satisfaction and said to me ‘ Now I get it !’ As with anything , whether it be a small area just for cutting flowers or a larger flower farm or any other new business idea I would always recommend doing it slowly, little by little. Watch and listen to others doing what you would like to do and learn from their mistakes and successes. And finally, I have always said to my children do what you love to do because often you find that’s what you are good at.
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Meraki Words
THERE IS POWER
within you
Sarah Jakes Roberts is the daughter of megachurch pastor, bestselling author and film producer, Bishop T.D. Jakes and Mrs. Serita Jakes, author, media personality and business executive. Sarah is an astute business woman and has been integral in the success of many major initiatives at TDJ Enterprises. She currently serves as the senior editor of eMotions, an online inspirational magazine designed to embrace, educate and empower women. Alongside her husband, TourĂŠ Roberts, Sarah pastors a dynamic community of artists and professionals at their church One Church LA in Hollywood, CA. Together they have five beautiful children and reside in Los Angeles, CA.
Words by: SARAH JAKES ROBERTS
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Meraki Words
A woman’s influence over her environment dates back to the beginning of time. Eve’s ability to persuade Adam to eat from the forbidden tree is a tale that's been told for thousands of years. Many women have allowed the mere thought of pain in childbirth to be a point of contention that they will one day take up with Eve, should heaven allow such a thing. While we know that it was ultimately Adam & Eve’s disobedience that caused God to cast judgment on them, my studies have identified another issue. Eve did not recognize her power. It was in the sway of her hips, the curve of her smile, and the sweetness of her words that she was able to convince a man who knew better to go against what God said. Adam’s response to God reveals the culprit from his perspective “the woman you gave me.” The woman God gave Adam influenced him to go against God. What if Eve would have been born knowing her power? What if she realized that she was not created as a lesser being, but one full of internal power and strength? What if Eve was capable of realizing that she could and would change the world? What if you realized it? I was not born with this innate knowing that I could be a force. I stumbled into unstoppable. I didn’t know when I was sitting on the church pews feeling isolated from what was going on around me that I would one day take the sacred stage. I didn’t know when I was rubbing my swollen stomach as a teen that one-day books would be birthed from my misery. No, I started much like Eve in a garden of naïveté tempted by forbidden fruit. I indulged in the forbidden until it ended in heartbreak. I tasted enough salty tears to fill an ocean. It wasn't until I hit rock bottom that I realized every pain I experienced were the perfect ingredients of promise.
“When adversity surrounds, a woman’s strength is wrapped in glory and made to shine”
I don't know where you are on your journey. Maybe you were born knowing like so many women I know or maybe you've been struggling to believe like me, but I know there is one universal truth that exists for us all: your life is a seed. When Eve was busted red handed and God began to pass out his judgment He did not just give Eve pain, he also gave her a promise. Certainly, there would be moments when Eve may have wondered how her promise would be delivered. There's no way she could have known that the joy she later discovered was only just the beginning. The Promise that existed within her would last for generations upon generations. That rhythm of that promises heartbeat is the undercurrent of every woman. It is the beautiful defiance we demonstrate when we feel our worlds are being threatened. That heartbeat is a reminder that the strength of a woman is not diminished by the mistakes she's made or the hurt she's felt, no a woman’s strength comes from the depths of her soul. When adversity surrounds, a woman’s strength is wrapped in glory and made to shine. Every now and then we must remind the world and ourselves of our strength. For some it may happen with public protests, for others strength arises when kissing the head of her baby after a long day’s work. For me, it came when I chose to believe that life could still be sweet even after it had been bitter. When I chose to love my scars and embrace my flaws I learned that a life of being unstoppable would await me. Never be fooled into believing your worst days will define your future.
Every brick life has ever thrown at you was meant to be used as a tool to build an unshakeable tomorrow. I pray you step into your promise and never look back. All that exists of the past are the lessons that will help you master your present and perfect your future.
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CHRISSIE
A woman with drive, ambition and a true “Yes I Can� spirit, Chrissie is a woman on a mission to play her part alongside God in the transformation of the fashion industry. She loves diamonds, has driven a Lamborghini at 160mph on a race track and prides herself on being an avid declutterer. Chrissie has a fountain of knowledge when it comes to the fashion industry. Having gained twenty-five years experience ranging from modelling, personal shopping and dressing The Royal Family, she now runs an organisation called Fashion For Christ. Chrissie has a heart for seeing the fashion industry transformed by a loving God, to see every person know their identity in Jesus and to see a generation rising up in the fashion industry that are bold, brave and unashamed of sharing their faith in the workplace.
Words: RUBY BALDRY Photographs: KEITH TRODD
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Faith and fashion aren’t often found in a sentence together, however the combination of the two is not only more common than assumed, it is something that works wonderfully. In fact, there is an entire community of people that gather and meet regularly, under the banner of something called ‘Fashion For Christ’ which was born out of a prayer group in Anglican London Church, HTB in 2007. I got the opportunity to sit down with founder Chrissie Abbott as she talks about her experience, the community of Christians within the fashion industry and how she hopes to see the industry transformed. Chrissie sits comfortably opposite me with her hands clasped around a hot cup of tea as she begins talking about the organisation she runs; Fashion For Christ. As she takes me on a journey from the very beginning I can’t help but feel bubbles of excitement rising in my belly. Chrissie’s wide range of experience in the fashion industry spans over twenty-five years, beginning where most people do, on the shop floor. Chrissie launched herself into the industry by working at Browns Boutique in London, and with time and hard work managed to work her way up. Soon enough she was putting the first pieces of John Galliano in the window with John himself, whilst being trained on a one to one with Donna Karen. “Working at Browns was like my university of learning everything. To work under Joan Biestien I learnt everything, she was like the mother of fashion. We would look after all the celebrities, Tina turner, Diana Ross, Harrison Ford, Kings and Queens, all sorts of people. I worked there for four years in total, until I was about 24, but learnt everything. When I ended I was managing the whole of the ladies store, so I had a team of people at a very young age that were a lot more experienced than me, and that had the most incredible ‘black books’.” Leaving Browns was just the very beginning of what would go on to be a great career in the fashion industry for Chrissie, as she then went on to work for David and Elizabeth Manual as a couture assistant working closely with the Royal family. Over the years, Chrissie has built up an impressive portfolio showcasing a range of things such as: dressing for front of camera, setting up Prada for Harrods with the running of their international room and re launching Harvey Nicholls personal shopping business. Chrissie also speaks fondly of dressing for programmes such as “Friends” and “Ab Fab”, as well as dressing The Spice Girls, Westlife, Take That and Melanie Griffiths. As Chrissie looks back over her time in the fashion industry she smiles, recalling, “It has been a real journey, I’ve done every facet. I’ve done PR I’ve done marketing I’ve done wholesale. It’s been great”
“God, call the Christians out of the shadows in the fashion industry”.
Chrissie eventually went on to work for luxury fashion brand Burberry, with a career that lasted over eleven years where she set up their “VIP’s that spend” business. Whilst working for Burberry Chrissie worked the last three years of Downing Street with the Blairs, dressing Mrs Blair for events such as meeting the Pope, leaving Downing Street and G8 summits. She then set up a team that looked after affluent clients at Burberry, which went on for over seven years before she decided she didn’t want to travel long haul anymore. Coming up to the end of her time with Burberry, Chrissie recalls praying “Lord I’m ready to get out of the boat in February”. Little did Chrissie know that a few months later Burberry would see a big company re org which would make Chrissie and several hundred others redundant. Some might say a short straw, but for Chrissie it was an answer to prayer and the start of a new adventure; an adventure that allowed her to put more time into the running of Fashion For Christ. The very beginning of Fashion For Christ is found in the days when Chrissie was returning to her faith. Chrissie tells me that it was during this time that she had it on her heart to be available to be used by God where she was, which prompted the beginning of a prayer group for Christians within the fashion industry. Chrissie shares how her heart has always been for prayer, and how Fashion For Chris’ started with one simple prayer: “God, call the Christians out of the shadows in the fashion industry”. Chrissie tells me Fashion For Christ is there to pray for people, to encourage and to inspire, to give them community and to give them a network of people”. The underlying current of community is something we love about Fashion For Christ and hope to see more of in the industry going forward. Being available to be used by God has allowed Chrissie to see the positive impact that comes with that.
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With a smile, she tells me how she has seen God move in softness and kindness “I am a living testimony of seeing how God has worked in the fashion industry. I have seen what He has done with other Christians in the industry. I’ve seen His favour and I’ve seen the way He’s moved with people and for people.” Having a relationship with God has enabled Chrissie to walk through situations with authority and peace, rather than conforming to the stress around her. “I was working for a company that season after season showed at London Fashion Week, as one of the biggest shows. It was very stressful with lots of things going on, however being able to walk it with a strong peace in my heart and an understanding that God is in control completely changes things.” In an industry where there is such an emphasis on the physical attraction, it can be very easy to feel like you don’t have any place. It can be easy to feel alienated because so much of your identity is placed in what you’re wearing, what you’re eating and what party you’re being invited to. However, when you’ve got God in your life your identity is in Him so all of the pressure is lifted and something shifts. Despite that underlying understanding, work environments aren’t always easy, and Chrissie tells us that you have to be aware and ready for moments of hostility. It was during those difficult moments that Chrissie recalls the importance of praying her spiritual armour on every day. She remembers times of great opposition within the workplace, and how she would walk around the building praying, or disappear to the loo throw her hands in the air and just say “Lord something is really coming against me today”. Along with her personal prayer life being crucial, Chrissie also stresses how essential it was for her to surround herself with people she could call on in times of need knowing they would cover her in prayer. “You wouldn’t run a marathon without training, and I don’t think faith is any different. Prepping ourselves prayerfully and having people on board with us is so important” Prayer has been of high importance all throughout Chrissie’s journey with ‘Fashion For Christ’, and as she speaks of moments where she has seen parts of the industry shaken as a result of prayer I can’t help but feel inspired. Life can present us with obstacles, but facing them head on with God, prayerfully and assured of his faithfulness will always see us victorious. “We have shaken parts of the fashion industry, I know that. The more we stand up for the Kingdom the battle will get fiercer. So you need your community of your church, you need the community of like-minded people making sure you’re covered in prayer. These things will still happen but at least you have all of the tools.”
“We will talk about the bible and scripture in a way that encompasses fashion terminology. In the Bible we read that God is the creator, and there are countless references to cloth and craft in the bible. So we will reference it, and it’s interesting because this causes a lot of people to respond in surprise, having never realised that’s how we view fashion.”
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Despite the many negative stereotypes a person might associate with the industry, fashion is undeniably an extremely powerful industry that can be, and is being used as a platform for good. Fashion isn’t just about Channel bags or skinny vanilla lattes. Although both of those things are good, fashion is more than that. Fashion is an industry of value, authority and impact and an industry that God wants to see used for his glory. When speaking about the importance of the fashion industry Chrissie says “I totally respect the industry. I respect the amount of people it has in it, the people it employs and the influence it has. It’s a huge global industry we can’t deny that, but I hold it lighter in the respect that I can say to you I enjoy it more because my identity isn’t in it.” She then goes on to say “Fashion can very quickly become serious, due to the fact that it’s wrapped up in so many peoples identity. People can see who they are in fashion, but there is something about holding it lighter when you’re a Christian. This doesn’t mean you devalue it. It just means you are more secure with your identity so you can really enjoy it and have more freedom with it.” The reputation fashion has within the church is becoming increasingly more positive with thanks to organisations such as Fashion For Christ. Chrissie wants to educate Christians in the understanding that fashion isn’t just vanity, silly and glamorous, but actually it can be an industry that stood for something beneficial. God and fashion do go together and He absolutely cares about it. Chrissie has spoken at a lot of events within the church, educating church members about how faith and fashion can be merged together “We will talk about the bible and scripture in a way that encompasses fashion terminology. In the Bible we read that God is the creator, and there are countless references to cloth and craft in the bible. So we will reference it, and it’s interesting because this causes a lot of people to respond in surprise, having never realised that’s how we view fashion.” Fashion For Christ has educated the church with persistence and endurance, and in return they have seen growth and blessing. There aren’t many industries that pray at industry events the way Fashion For Christ do at London Fashion Week. This demonstrates to the church that there are Christians in fashion that are maintaining a global ministry that is pushing boundaries and bringing glory to the Kingdom of God. “We live in a day an age where as Christians we need to be a bit noisier, we’re too flippin’ polite. The only one we should be scared of offending is God, and if he’s not offended then why should we be scared of offending anyone else?” It is this courageous and unapologetic attitude that has allowed Chrissie and the Fashion For Christ team to see breakthrough in the industry. At its core, Fashion For Christ is promoting doing business in a kind way and bringing back some morals. To have the fashion industry as an industry that was known for doing business well and having integrity is something Chrissie and the team at Fashion For Christ long for. Her prayer at the beginning of Fashion For Christ was for God to bring Christians out of the woodwork, to encourage and engage them within the industry so that they can play their part in transforming the industry into a place of honesty and transparency. Chrissie’s advise for those wanting to peruse a career in fashion is “Go into it with your eyes open and have a good network of people around you because it’s really important to have community. Also, understand before you go into it that probably five percent of the industry is glamorous, but the rest of it is real hard work. A lot of people fall at the first hurdle in fashion because they often find it is not what they expected it to be. The parts of fashion you see in the magazines are the glamorous bits, and a very thin slice of the industry. The people that have survived in fashion have had to work really hard. You need strength, you need perseverance and you need to be resilient.” She also advises to not change or forfeit your true self, but to be rooted in who you are. Chrissie used to go to work and struggle, but changing her mind set to “I’m just going to stand because God will not let me fall” helped her massively. “Sometimes all you can do it stand, and even with standing you still carry the presence of God. Fashion is an interesting one because you are going to be walking into situations where you are the only light, so stand firm in those places.” Chrissie is an example of a woman of drive, ambition, passion and endurance. She encourages us that with God we are able to achieve anything we dream of and to have Chrissie as a presence within the fashion industry is nothing short of a comfort. It means that we can be certain that the love of Jesus is being taken into the industry, not only in prayer but in practice as well. Chrissie, you’re an inspiration and we are cheering you on in this race you’re running.
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WORLD CHANGING WOMEN Caitlin is a second year politics, philosophy and economics student. She is particularly interested in the shockingly common occurrence of human trafficking and is passionate about ways to fight it and bring healing and restoration to those who have been victims to this crime. Charities, such as A21, exemplify these goals and her heart beats alongside theirs. Caitlin also loves seeing women and girls team up, support, and cheer each other on whilst knowing their own sense of worth, beauty, and influence.
Words by: CAITLIN LORD
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Eleanor Roosevelt, the longest serving First Lady from 1933 to 1945 in addition to being a diplomat and activist once said, “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent”. The feeling of inferiority is something that I believe to be a huge barrier to many women in all areas of life, not merely the political sphere. People may view you as inferior, seek to make you feel ‘not good enough’, or overtly prevent you from doing what you are called to do, yet it is only with your consent that these things can impact you. The fact is you are good enough, you are more than good enough, and you are fearfully and wonderfully made - it is your choice whether to believe this, or consent to feelings of inferiority. We as women are called to lead in all aspects of life, and excitingly, this is extremely tangible in the current political climate. We have political leaders such as the UK prime minister Theresa May, the former First Lady Michelle Obama, the Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel, as well as political activists, namely Malala Yousafzai, and Aung San Suu Kyi who seek to inspire others, make a positive change in their world, and are role models for women, young and old, today. The thing that strikes me when considering these women and their contributions to our world is their unfailing strength and compassion. Theresa May highlighted the Modern Day Slavery Bill, which was ratified in 2015 making the UK a pioneer in tackling these human rights abuses; Angela Merkel, despite fierce negative political backlash, has persevered in keeping Germany a place for refugees to call home; and Malala Yousafzai who, despite only being 19, inspired millions when she boldly and defiantly fought for the privilege of education and was prepared to give her life for this cause, so that other girls may one day benefit from her bravery. These characteristics of strength blended beautifully together with compassion can be observed not just in leaders, but in everyday women like you! One remarkable woman, who sacrificed much, loved deeply, and showed endeavouring resilience, is Corrie Ten Boom. She was not an MP or a world leader, and didn’t particularly achieve any seismic political progressions, yet she showed practical, sacrificial, and breathtaking compassion to people in a desperate situation. She lived in Haarlem with her father who was a watchmaker. During WWII, Corrie and her family decided to act. They used what they had (which was not a lot) to bless others around them. They created a false wall in one of the rooms in their house to create what was known as the ‘hiding place’; this was a place of sanctuary for Jewish refugees. Not only did they offer a place of protection but Corrie was able to acquire extra ration cards to give to their secret guests. Unfortunately, in 1944, someone informed on Corrie and her family resulting in the entire Ten Boom family being incarcerated. Corrie and her sister Betsie were placed in Ravensbrűck concentration camp, where they were still encouraging others by holding bible meetings from a bible they managed to sneak in, always endeavouring to be the light in the darkest of places. The full story is even more intricate and miraculous but the point that I was aiming to emphasise is that, like Corrie, God is calling you to use what you have, with your abilities, just as you are, for His purpose. Corrie Ten Boom used her home and fully relied on her God, willingly putting her life on the line for the freedom of others. This exemplifies compassion and strength; she was an everyday woman doing something extraordinary for others. This is the kind of woman we are meant to be. These stories are intended to encourage and not lead to comparison. This is another area that limits our potential, as comparison only leads to pride or insecurity, both of which hinder us in achieving our goals. There is nothing more beautiful and powerful than seeing a group of women band together and celebrate each other’s’ talents and successes. We do not have time for comparison to stop us from achieving the work that is set out in front of us. In the words of Eleanor Roosevelt, “comparison is the thief of joy”. We are to be women who can laugh at the days to come, celebrate and collaborate with each other! Do not let feelings of inferiority or your comparison with others limit you from achieving your purpose. We should celebrate the achievement of other women, and with a strong sense of self and our identity we know that we are strong, compassionate, equipped and irreplaceable in achieving what we are called to. Michelle Obama said, “There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish, whether that’s in politics or other fields.” You are good enough, you are more than good enough, you are fearfully and wonderfully made. Are you willing to believe that “yes you can”?
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KAREN
The world of modelling. Arguably one of the hardest industries to crack; let alone when you are trying to juggle your career with a strong faith. In a world that is focused purely on appearance and can often be cut throat leading to compromise of personal values how could a young Christian woman possibly stand by her morals and come out the other side a success? We caught up with Models 1 own Karen Rampersad whose done just that, to talk fashion, faith and how to survive and thrive in an industry where your moral values aren’t usually on the interview schedule.
Words: LYDIA MORMEN Photographs: NURU DORSEY
What was the hardest part about breaking into the modelling industry? Straight away people ask you questions about what you would do to get ahead and going into the industry I was really naïve. I’ve never really been a girly-girl and I knew no designer names. I guess I was just naïve thinking I could make it big just by being me. I had to keep reminding myself that if it’s what God wants it will work out. How do you cope with maybe having to turn a job down because it doesn’t fit with your moral ethics? It got to the point where I was like you know what I believe God has me in his hands and so whatever he has got for me that’s where I want to go. I never want to do anything that will jeopardise my integrity or my character. What are the biggest strains that the industry puts on your faith? There are times when you lose sight of who you are in God. You might be at work four or five days a week. You’re constantly being told you’re beautiful and it messes with your head. What do you find is the best way to fight against that? Well, you are working with people who don’t really know who you are. You can get lost in the need to maintain a certain persona because you think maybe they won’t like you if you show too much of your true personality. You really have to be firm with who you are. To know that there’s more to you than just wearing pretty clothes and looking good! It’s about speaking to God and constantly renewing your mind. What do you find the most challenging about the industry? When you start in the industry at a young age age, a lot of the time you haven’t got that firm belief in who you are yet. A lot of the young girls in the industry begin to think they are just what they look like and not who God really made them to be. That’s the challenging part to see all these young girls who don’t really know who they are, trying to portray this image to conform to who the world wants them to be. How would you define beauty? Beauty is far more than the way you look. It’s a smile from the heart and you can see it in persons’ eyes. It’s a person who is free to be who they are in a loving and kind way. -38-
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What was your favourite shoot so far? I had a waterfall shoot. It was so cool and beautiful but so freezing! I was literally shaking but the pictures came out amazing. It really was a beautiful occasion and the final result looked amazing. How do you prepare for a shoot? You have to get in the zone. It depends on what I am shooting. For beauty you have to be more sensual whereas catalogue is more bubbly. One of my favourite parts of modelling is that you get to be different characters. There have been times when I have felt blocked because I didn’t understand what the client was looking for but it just takes practice. What advice would you give to women trying to break into the industry? Just keep going at it. There are seasons where it doesn’t work out well but then there are good seasons so you just have to be persistent. Don’t give up. I’ve tried to give up so many times but every time there’s one job that brings me back. What is your dream modelling job? I just love the Victorias Secret runway shows. They are so fun and there’s so much energy. I feel like once you’re an angel you’ve really made it in the modelling world. Although I am mentally asking myself whether I would want to be involved as a Christian. Is it okay? I guess that’s one to ask God! What do you think you’d be doing if you weren’t a model? I came to London in 2010 for three months and I was watching a show about kids in Africa. I remember crying because it broke my heart. I wanted to raise money and so when I got home I set up a charity to try and help. It’s called One Purpose. It’s still in the making but that’s what I’d want to do full time. I’d like to help homeless people. Is there a message you’d like to give the women reading this magazine? The industry and the influence of the fashion world is affecting women tremendously now. We see it when we walk around the city and women are covered up with fake stuff on an everyday basis. I think it’s causing us to lose track of what beauty really is and who we are and I am hoping that there are people in the industry who can change. We need to get people to appreciate who they are and the way their body looks and just to be comfortable in their own skin. -39-
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TELL ME W H E N
you’re ready to laugh about it Carrie Lloyd is an author and journalist from the UK, writing for Grazia, Company Magazine, Huffington Post, Christianity Magazine, Magnify, Alpha Life, The Daily Mail and more. She is the author of ‘The Virgin Monologues’ (Authentic Media). Her experiences have covered pregnancy crisis counselling, to pastoring young adults as an intern at BSSM in Redding, California. Her passion is for abolishing sex trafficking, helping Unlikely Heroes, as well as speaking to teenagers and young adults about healthy relationships. Her blog on the trials and tribulations of Christian dating can be found at herglassslipper.co.uk
Words by: CARRIE LLOYD
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I became a joy addict somewhere from being named after a 1980 Cliff Richard single to the time my father pretended to have a wooden leg, walking down the high street behind me, shouting ‘but Carrie, it hurts!?’ I learnt from an early stage that I couldn’t take myself too seriously. Like papa, like daughter, we became a duo of delectation, finding the comedy in any observational opportunity. Whether he was pretending to be a Jamaican railway servicemen when the phone rang, or me dressing up as Ophelia, hitting myself with a bunch of garden herbs, swimming about in a pond pretending to re-enact that scene from Hamlet, my mother would usually find us holding onto a wall for stability as we struggled to find air. Mum would be nearby ready to slip my father his inhaler, holding off an asthma attack. Dad was a hard worker and despite the responsibility and pressure on his level of the game, the one thing he did manage to do was keep up the humour, no matter how heavy the cloud. When life threw me curve balls – alcoholic relatives, redundancy, tragedy, a disordered eating habit or Jedward – I didn’t see just how influential my perspective and my decision on that perspective was. Perspective and ownership of how we react to things, is the game changer of all life events. Some things I had attracted, some things had been experiences I didn’t like. Either way, I was responsible for my reaction, I just didn’t know it back then; the victim mentality played an interesting part for some of that time, thinking I was powerless in my emotional management. Cut to ten years later, disembarking on that pain, wounds are a matter of the past (I got my refund for the victim mentality show around 2008), lessons are the page references of my present and tomorrow stages the joke pranks I’ve been dreaming up today towards those I love. When we take away the comparison of others, when we make ourselves un-offendable to people’s behaviours, when we can be honest with others in a gentle manner (if they get defensive – let them get on with it and know you had to be honest), when we can build around us a culture of honour, accountability and truth, there’s not much else to do other than work your ass off to bring joy to yourself and others. Joy isn’t a wall to hide behind in tough seasons. It is the necessity for the breath of life when circumstances are trying to suffocate you. Don’t sit in the pub moaning about your woes, get up and fight again for the freedom of a new perspective. Gain a lesson, rather than a hurt. Run from confronting problems and you’ll sprint into another. Face it head on and you’ll leap frog over the same issue again, possibly this time to a merry tune. It’s the ultimate stress-ball. There have been days working in advertising where the negotiation has got tense, managing miscommunication left, right and off-centre, wondering how the day will resolve. I remember one day pounding up the fifth flights of stairs walking into an edit suite, where an editor, a producer and director had pensively planned for my arrival – with chairs upturned, waste paper sprawled from it’s bin, phones off the hook – all of them lying on the floor with their tongues out, playing dead. I burst into laughter and crease up against a wall, as do the peers, who tell me they’ve been playing dead for 10 minutes and wondered if I was ever going to arrive. It’s joy that brings light to over-analysis. It’s joy that breaks the ice, fixes a missed note, and keeps the right hand side of the brain creative. It’s joy that keeps brave communication from back firing or getting hurtful. It’s joy that brings humility to the ego, self-deprecation to the defensive and hope to the lost. Last Tuesday night, I found myself enjoying the night life once more of London. Nothing beats the feeling of placing yourself in the red velvet seat of an old historic theatre. I was invited to watch Luke Jermay – highly recommended by Derren Brown and Dynamo, he’s labelled as ‘the man who can read your mind’. You’re not going to get a review, you’re going to get my aberrant thoughts. It wasn’t the magic that got me thinking, it was the philosophy. Somewhere between him telling us the colour of a girl’s underwear on row D and the hidden childhood secret of a man running naked through the snow on row M, he talked about the importance of keeping an open mind amongst what we see as reality, following this was a Charles Bukowski poem.
Your life is your life don’t let it be clubbed into dank submission. be on the watch. there are ways out. there is a light somewhere. it may not be much light but it beats the darkness. …… you can’t beat death but you can beat death in life, sometimes. and the more often you learn to do it, the more light there will be. your life is your life. know it while you have it. Talking to Luke Jermay after the show, we spoke of many different concepts of philosophy. Tattoo’d up to the ear lobe, I noticed one which read ‘Love will tear us apart’. Not so I thought. Love however, can tear fear apart. Laughter is a translation of love, it flicks the bird to fear, stamps on its’ destructive intentions and keeps prescriptive medicine at bay. Like a doorman keeping out the wrong clientele, joy explains to fear in a low tone voice – ‘your name’s not down – you’re
not coming in’.
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LIZZIE
Mother, wife, identical twin, photographer, mentor. These are a few words that might be mentioned when describing Lizzie. Along with; faithful, steadfast, joyful, gentle and wise. Lizzie not only opens up her home for this story, but her heart too. As she shares the heartache and pain she and her husband faced when trying to conceive, we learn very quickly that Lizzie knows Jesus deeply by the way she endured hardship. Through one of the toughest battles of her life to date, she speaks fondly of those five years because of the lessons she learnt and the way she grew in her relationship with God.
Words: RUBY BALDRY Photographs: TOM REDMAN
Lizzie sits comfortably on the playroom floor of her cottage surrounded by bright coloured toys, whilst her two gorgeous toddler boys find amusement in stacking blocks. As we sip our tea she gives me a brief overview of her morning so far and I can’t help but giggle. She tells me how one of her boys climbed up the back of the sofa, on to the window-sill and knocked over a mug of hot tea whilst Lizzie was on the phone to a health visitor. Following that, the Asda delivery turned up at her front door whilst the boys were both crying, making it feel like one of those mornings when everything seems to be going wrong. This was all before ten AM. As a twenty three year old childless woman I can’t begin to imagine how these days feel for mothers of babies, but I couldn’t help but adore the authenticity of it all. It was refreshing to see behind the scenes into life; real life. We can sometimes assume we are the only person on the planet going through our current situation, but in reality we are all so often in the same boat. In reality, many of your babies have spilt your hot drink everywhere. In reality, the Asda shop more often than not arrives at the worst possible time. In reality, most of us women are experiencing similar moments that allow us to relate and connect with one another. Lizzie is creative, driven, gentle, wise, kind, warm, strong, faithful and loving. She is an encourager at heart, telling me “I love to love people and make people feel loved”. Having a strong interest in people, she has a beautiful way of asking all the right questions to get through the surface level small talk and down into the deep soul stuff. She has a heart for the church and co-leads a women’s ministry and is on the senior leadership team at St Swithun’s Church Bournemouth. Her and her husband Tom have been together for nine years and currently live in a delightful cottage with their two twin toddler boys, Joel and Judah. Together, Tom and Lizzie run a wedding photography business, along with Lizzie running her own baby photography company. They are lovers of God, lovers of people and lovers of life. However, like the mug of tea incident that took place that morning, things haven’t always been plain sailing for them. -43-
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Lizzie and Tom met ten years ago, and after being married for four years they decided they wanted to have a family. “We just did what everyone else does when wanting to have a baby- we started trying. You assume it’s all going to happen really quickly, you never think there might be a chance of it not happening for you.” However, they didn’t find themselves falling pregnant quickly, and so unfolded the beginning of what would be a long journey ahead on the road to starting a family. For Lizzie, the earlier years of trying for a baby bought her and Tom feelings of isolation and separation from their friends. “In those early years of not being able to get pregnant, the struggle was that all of my friends were hanging out in the daytime with their babies and I was still working full time. In social situations Tom and I wanted to have dinner, stay up until midnight and play games, but everyone was going home at half ten because of their babies or not coming out at all. So we just felt completely isolated and cut off from our friends and family because we weren’t in that pace and it was hard. It was really tough.” After what felt like a lifetime of trying, Lizzie and Tom made the decision to begin fertility testing. After learning nothing was wrong with either of them, that put them on track for fertility treatment. “We did a thing called IUI which is a stage before IVF. We did three rounds of IUI and you have to leave three or four months in between each trail. They all failed so we went onto IVF and we eventually did the first round of IVF in January 2014. That failed and we went onto the second round, which also failed, and then the third round was successful.”
“ As a woman you think about it daily. Every single day for five years I thought about it. Not a day went by that I wouldn’t think about it ”
From my conversation with Lizzie, I learn the average time of a woman falling pregnant is nine months, “You just think it happens within one year. But when you’ve been doing it for eighteen months, which then turns into two years, you have to realise something is going wrong. It was at that point Tom and I sat down and we said to each other, with or without children we are in this together. We choose each other first, we choose to put our marriage first above anything else and we will not be affected by not having children. We are going to hold each other rather than deal with it on our own. We are going to make a point of doing things together and talking about things together. I was and still am so grateful for Tom, because I know lots of people don’t have a companion to get through life with. I had him, which helped me to look to the positive things. As a woman you think about it daily. Every single day for five years I thought about it. Not a day went by that I wouldn’t think about it or be aware of it, Tom knew that was hard for me and he was sensitive to that.” “I remember really dark times; one being finding out that the fifth round of treatment had failed. By nature I am not an angry person in any way, I don’t struggle with it, I don’t flip out at people and I never loose my temper. But when I got the phone call telling me the third round of IVF had failed I lost it. I lost it and I picked up all my pregnancy books from the shelf and threw them at the wall and Tom had to hold me to stop me from being violent. I was so frustrated, so disappointed and so gutted. I can’t explain it. We just had to both had to hold on because what else can you do.” Despite the journey of fertility being a lonely and confusing one for Lizzie and Tom, she recalls never stopping reading her Bible. “I’ve always been a real avid, committed person for reading my bible everyday even if only for ten minutes. I’m not holier than any other person I just read my bible.” Every morning over her breakfast she would read a devotional written by Inspiring Women. As a committed Christian Lizzie believes the Bible is Gods voice speaking to us “It’s His wisdom, it’s His manual for life and I believe if you make the time to read it He will speak to you.” During the years of not being able to get pregnant, her quiet times were -45-
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nothing short of amazing. She can recall God speaking so profoundly during that time, allowing her to never loose hope. One morning during Lizzie’s Bible reading, God directly promised her she would not be childless. “I sat down to read my Bible with a feeling of despair as the day before the first round of IVF had just failed. The bible reading that day was from the book Deuteronomy which read “He will love you and bless you and increase your numbers, he will bless the fruit of your womb, none of your men or women will be childless” Some people might call that a coincidence, but as a Christian Lizzie believes it was a promise from God that she was not going to be childless. The following June the next round of IVF began, which was the same time Lizzie and Tom first met Tim and Debi Matthews, who at the time were just starting the HTB church plant, St Swithun’s. What Lizzie recalls as the perfect timing, her and Tom were asked by Tim and Debi to be on the executive leadership team of the church “They asked us the day before the second IVF failed. I had recently read Psalm Forty that speaks about God putting a new song in our heart, and like I had read, God had given me a new song. At the time I didn’t know that the IVF was going to fail, but He gave me something new. Something that was focused on Him. It was like He said, “Lizzie it’s okay. You’re not having a baby and you’re not having your own family yet, but I’ve got other things for you to do and I want you to be able to focus on this.” During this time God was prompting Lizzie to learn more about the Bible story of Hannah, which speaks of Hannah’s desperation to fall pregnant. The daily devotional Lizzie was reading chooses Bible passages for her to read on that specific day, which Lizzie recalls as even more incredible and believes there is no way it could have been anything other than God speaking into her life. All of Lizzie’s Bible readings during the week following her IVF failing, were based around the topic of infertility. Lizzie describes understanding this as God teaching her how to wait well in the face of hardship and how to rely on the faithfulness God has always shown her. “So, He put a new song in my heart and we started the church with Tim and Debi. Then the third round of IVF worked in the following January. The morning before going to the hospital the most beautiful thing happened. I had IVF two weeks before and that morning I was due to go to the hospital to have a blood test. I sat down to read my bible and I said “Lord, I can not do this again, I don’t know how I’m going to cope if I get to the sixth round of fertility treatment and it comes back negative. I believe I am supposed to be mother, whether its having my own baby or in another way, but I don’t know how emotionally I’m going to be able to cope with this. I need you to give me something” I then read my Bible reading which said, “After Rachel had waited she became pregnant and gave birth to a son” I called Tom into the kitchen and told him to read it. Tom gasped and we both looked at each other and said you know what, if that’s not a message from God then I don’t know what is!” Lizzie’s struggle with infertility, among other things, taught her how to wait well, how to not be bitter and how to love and celebrate other people when they got pregnant. “Yes it was hard to go to baby showers, yes it was hard with my 16 nieces and nephews having to attend their birthdays constantly, yes it was hard to go to christenings and dedications and being God parents to eight children. But I kept a soft heart, I wasn’t bitter and I learned to celebrate. To truly celebrate with other people rather than to think that it’s not fair.” Gently and humbly Lizzie explains how she was able to remain so graceful in the face of adversity “The only reason I learned was because I kept my eyes fixed on Jesus. I read my bible everyday to make sure that His word, His truth, His promise, His love, His direction, His guidance and His softness stayed within me. That is how I did it and it’s like God was saying ‘You have been faithful to me, I am going to be faithful to you. I want to tell you that you are pregnant, not a blood test or the hospital or anybody else’ As Lizzie had already heard from God that she was pregnant, her blood test confirmed the miracle: she was pregnant. “People have often told me that it is at that point you begin to worry about whether you are going to keep it, and about the risk of miscarrying. But I never once worried about that or considered the possibility of having a miscarriage because God had walked with me so closely, and had said ‘You will become pregnant’ At the time I didn’t know I was having twins but after seven weeks of tests, I found out I was carrying twins. It was like a double blessing.” Lizzie speaks about pregnancy with a huge grin on her face. “I just loved being pregnant and I loved having a big bump. I was carrying twins so I was really quite enormous by seven months, and I was very uncomfortable but I loved it. When they were born everyone wants me to say it was amazing, I felt blessed, I felt so over the moon and completely in love with them. However, the reality of it was I didn’t feel like that. The wait had been so long by that point at a total of six years; I was utterly shocked. I just couldn’t believe I had two babies to look after. I remember lying in the hospital looking at them and thinking that our lives had completely changed.” Having been married for seven and a half years by the time their boys came along, Lizzie and Tom
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were used to it just being the two of them. With the arrival of two sons came immense change and a real shock. “The babies weren’t hard they were amazing, they fed well and slept well and they were absolutely brilliant. The difficulty came from how I looked at it. It wasn’t romantic it was hard, really hard. I felt like all of my freedom had been taken away from me. So my story with my boys is that I’ve fallen more and more in love with them as every week has gone by. The first few weeks there wasn’t an over the top fascination, it wasn’t the instant love that lots of people find. My love for them grew and now I absolutely adore them, but getting to know them was the key.” Lizzie remembers feeling strongly that they would have at least one boy, and now having two is a blessing in abundance. They are now seventeen months old, and Lizzie juggles them with church, work and everything else life brings. “It was an extremely hard journey but you know what, I would do it all over again and I would never ask for you to take that experience away from me. Would I want my life to be easier and to just get pregnant straight away? No way. That would take away the richness and the fruit that came from what I learned about how to wait for something, knowing that God is in control and that He is faithful. Learning that He loves me just as much as He loves everyone else. Understanding deeply that He has my life mapped out and it doesn’t matter what other people are doing, or at what speed they’re doing it. God has a plan for me and all I have to do is keep my eyes fixed on him.”
“At the end of the day you put your faith in Jesus, because He knows what He is doing”
Lizzie’s story can translate to many other things. Her journey was through fertility, but disappointment can happen in any area of life. In life things go wrong and a lesson to be learnt from Lizzie is how you choose to respond in the face of disappointment. “God is in it and is going through all of it with you. In all of your disappointments He is there. It’s about choosing to learn from something rather than wallowing in something. Going through difficulty with God also gives you room to grieve. You have got to have time to cry and be sad because you cannot be positive all the time. You have to give yourself room to feel all your feelings, but at the end of the day you put your faith in Jesus, because He knows what He is doing.”
It is so clear to see how Lizzie’s faith in God has kept her grounded, focused, faithful and patient. Time and time again in this story we read how there were times when all she could do was cling to the love of Jesus. “I would be a completely different person without God. I wouldn’t be peaceful within myself or have peace when things go wrong. I couldn’t imagine going through the journey of treatment without God. Whatever happens, having a faith in God allows me to know that He is the one looking after me, and I know that when things do go wrong He has got my back. My security completely lies with Him and what I mean by that is, even if something goes wrong I know I’m not alone because He is with me and when I don’t know what to do I ask Him for guidance and He directs me. Walking through life with grace, patience, humility and a love for other people is all to do with who Jesus is and what he orders us to do. I don’t feel bitter about waiting so long to fall pregnant because I believe God has given what He thinks is right for me and what I need. I believe that everything that has happened is because God has got me where He wants me to be, and I really trust in that and trust in Him. That’s not to say in any way that I get things right all the time, or I’m perfect, or I listen to him properly all the time, or I don’t suffer in the same way other people do because I mess up all the time. I mess up with Tom, I mess up with my friends, I mess up with the boys because of course we all do. But at the end of the day I know that I’ve got a provider, I know that I’ve got a God that’s going to look after me and he’s not going to let me go. I serve a God that is not going to let me fall into such darkness at any point because if I keep my eyes on Him then I know there is a right way with Him. He shapes who I am because I love who Jesus is. I couldn’t take him out of the equation; He is how and why, He’s the creator of all things so to me He created those little boys at that perfect time. My story is far from perfect, its messy. But I wouldn’t change a thing. My advise to any readers is read your Bible. If you don’t know Jesus, just pick a Bible up and have a look at a gospel or two. If you are a Christian just pick it up and read it, even if it’s five minutes a day. All you’re doing is allowing God to talk to you. He’s got so much to say about every situation of your life and it’s really worth listening. Carve out some time to read the bible because it’s really, worth it.” This story is a true representation of God’s faithfulness. All throughout Lizzie’s journey we can see how close Jesus remained during years of heartbreak. We can see so much of the character of God in these pages; His unfailing love, His provision, His perfect timing. Life will often present itself with seasons of sorrow, but like Lizzie has just shared with us, those are the times that God is ever present. Lizzie, you are a woman of faith, trust and obedience and you model to us what it means to follow God wholeheartedly, even in a storm.
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THE CHARACTER
OF
fashion
This article is based on the Introduction to Simon’s book ‘The Character of Fashion’ SIMON WARD MBE is a worship leader, songwriter, creative explorer and author of Riding the Tide and In the Footsteps of The King. His day job was running London Fashion Week, during his more than 30 years with the British Fashion Council, latterly as Chief Operating Officer. In 2016 he wrote and published ‘The Character of Fashion’, exploring the question ‘If God was boss where I work, how might He run things?’ The Character of Fashion is available from www.thecharacteroffashion.com
Words by: SIMON WARD
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If God was in charge of fashion, I have no doubt he would have some very different priorities to those governing much that goes on in the industry today. Nevertheless, there is a great deal that God would surely wish to endorse and applaud. Let’s start there.
The idea that consumers can enjoy endless cheap clothes, without it impacting the livelihoods of those working along the supply chain, and the viability of the planet we share, is ridiculous. Where’s the justice there? The idea that stylists creating looks for the catwalks and magazines, which idealise looks completely unobtainable by the vast majority of the massive audiences they reach, is irresponsibility on an industrial scale. Where’s the mercy in that? The idea that fashion might somehow be unreachable for the average Jo/e, drawing purely from the educated or privileged, is folly. Anyone heard of humility? The idea that people can be used as human fodder to work all hours, often without pay, or be spar out, is an insulting as it is short-sighted. How does that display love for thy neighbour?
Design, clothing, fashion…they are strewn through the Bible: from the act of Creation to Adam and Eve’s first wardrobe; from the design of the tabernacle to the first priestly robes; from multiple imagery illustration key principles underlying the life of faith, to the radiant garments clothing Christ in glory. Any suggestion that God and fashion simply don’t mix seems entirely off the mark. In fact, quite the opposite: I would be so bold as to suggest that God loves fashion, with all the complexities surrounding it. And, yes, I think He revels in the challenges fashion throws up, as they test our ability to combine individual creativity with teamwork to achieve goals that can transform the lives of millions across the globe… with benefit to all, if we can get it right. The stories shared in my book The Character of Fashion, reveal that there are many paths leading into fashion, and this is reflected in the rich diversity of talented people involved.
“I would be so bold as to suggest that God loves fashion, with all the complexities surrounding it.”
Forget the lazy stereotype of an industry inhabited solely by champagne luvvies and social media addicts who spend their entire lives swapping notes on the latest micro trend, unconcerned by how the rest of the world may be affected. There are a great many involved in the world of fashion who recognise, full well, that fashion isn’t everything, yet pour their best efforts into creating and selling clothes that can focus and convey identity, enhance individuality and help bring out inner beauty. Is it an industry I would recommend to a youngster looking for a vibrant and challenging career? Absolutely. There is much opportunity for those who are prepares to give it their best shot. And as consumers we can be involved - are involved through our purchasing decisions. We are all a part of fashion. Yet, speaking to a wide range of people working in and around the industry, along with my own thirty-five years experience, it is clear there are many ways that things are done which fall foul of what I believe to be God’s underlying heart for all human activity: “What does the Lord require of you? To act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8. “Love your neighbour as yourself.” Matthew 22:39
There is much that is good and great in fashion, and that must be celebrated. However, behind much of that which is wrong lie two false gods: money and self. Fast fashion, sweat-shop labour, unpaid internships, unsustainable use of the planets resources, the sexualisation (through age inappropriate clothing) of children, unhealthy body images, drivenness and extended long hours, disclaim for those outside the ‘in crowd’… all these have their roots in an uncaring accumulation of wealth and disregard for others’ welfare and opportunity. Unsurprising that many would consider fashion to be a brutal, exploitative and narcissistic industry.
The Character of Fashion does not seek to sort out all these issues, although it explores a number of them. What it does is to conclude the thing God might be most concerned about is the character of the industry and those involved with it, as employees and consumers. It also suggests that Christians, standing alongside all those, regardless of faith, who care about our fellow occupants of this precious planet, should be at the forefront, working tirelessly to see that justice and mercy prevail over greed and exploitation. The Character of Fashion does not give advice on how to evangelise work colleagues. Rather, it explores where and how God might already be at work in what we all do day by day. It aims not just to inspire Christians to see how they can be making a difference at work; it will also equip them with a new confidence and vocabulary to bring salt and light to their every day lives, unleashing fresh engagement with those they spend the majority of their waking lives with, regardless of there they stand on faith.
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KATIE
An illustrator based on the South Coast, it would be an understatement to say Katie is a woman of many talents. She surfs. She draws. She drives a Volkswagen van that her and her husband are converting into a moving home. She’s written a collection of chidlren’s books, runs her own business, teaches illustration and is studying for her Masters Degree. Using vibrant colours, playful patterns and a variety of medium, her work stems from her love of the sea, adventure, and travel.
Words: RUBY BALDRY Photographs: ANDRAS KIM
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Katie sits comfortably in her Masters studio where she is studying business is useful. how important is it for you to network and Illustration as she chats with us over lunch. We soon learn that connect with other creatives and other women around you? its studying isn’t Katie’s only occupation, she is also is the founder of really important i think you can build each other up, its quite Seablue Designs and a part time foundation lecturer graphics good forwant feedback to get other peoples opinions on if stuff When you meetinKatie, youand know she’s someone you to beswell friends illustration. As we chat, Katie takes us on aShe journey in ouranminds to coolness butis doesn’t working. i think would with. emanates effortless know it. it She has be a lot harder to do it just on your the big beautiful blue ocean, where she informs us thisblonde is where thecrafted by yearsown. i think you can learn beautiful tousled hair of spending hours in thefrom other peoples highs and lows as majority of her inspiration for her work comes from. Katie well andhas support eachgentle other in that way. ocean (the world’s best lovingly hairdresser, am I right?), And the most recalls growing up in the seaside town of Weymouth and is certain is dean creative? in a way yeah he is. he’s got more into personality. Along with this comes a fiery persistence, a fierce business that spending every summer in themind, sea hasa impacted theJesus way and she a beautifully woodwork and heKatie likessits designing and he’s actually always my passion for creative hand. creates today. Studied illustration at AUB. Had come from more of a second opinion. he’s who comfortably in her Masters studio at The Arts University Bournemouth,i’ll always ask first if something needs graphic vis com background and didn’t know I wasme going looking at. its where where shewhere chats with overbut lunch. Studying isn’t the only thing she you does.find inspiration to make new work. i wanted to do illustration and then after graduating the plunge like atopart be outside and i like to be in the van and travelling round Katie is also thetook founder of Seablue Designs, and time foundation and did freelance. i was more into children of and ofvamping and walking, lecturer illustration, in graphicsdid anda bit illustration. A woman many talents, you’d swimming. i think you get more greetings cards, over time people were asking do more design by you the feel outdoors think you’me d betointimidated, but nothing aboutinspired her makes of lessand nature rather than just behind based things. So I was going back intovalue. typography hand the lettering your computer screen looking at nature. as a creative your mind In fact,and it’s quite opposite effect. and i started to enjoy that as well so thats where sea blue came from. doesn’t really turn off, you’re always thinking about how you’ll How did you find the freelance world? work. iv’ e always had University Bournemouth do something change playful and i like to work Katiehard graduated from The Arts in or 2012 with something. a another job I’ve never fully made a BA living from being “As freelance. itsit has taken a long withtime patterns. vibrant and colourful. try to make things eco in Illustration. a creator to figure out where been good I’ve had a few creative friends who are alsograduating, self employed friendly. i try everything and be eco friendly in my I’m going. After I took the plunge and decided to to tryrecycle freelance os we can support each other and for havea bit. business chats which has studio as well. in terms of I was more into children’s illustration. I designed greetings cardsthe materials that i use and theres a been good. its grown, its taken a long timetime to figure where of waste, i try to reuse and over peopleout were asking me to do lot more design-based things.it or i recycle it. I do try, theres things I’m going.. seablue designs came outI started of… sogetting i was doing my own you lettering cant source all the time. the work for seablue is pretty much back into typography and hand which I really illustration work, i started to do more design so i thought i would all digital. but now i’ve got another side which is my illustration began to enjoy.” separate the two. it came from my love of mostly the ocean. so i was for kids. i colour digital. i’d like to continue with designing for making a lot of sea and surf related images. and you thenfind i kindthe of mixed people but i would How did freelance world?” I other enquire, inspired by thealso like to have time to go back to a that and the logos and things people courageous were asking independence me to do. and then new series of prints. of a designer insistent on standing outwhich from i don’t always make time for, i think i’ve done a lot of faith based prints as soon a bit a mix really. studying you don’t have a lot of time to do your thewell. crowd herofown accord. “Freelancing waswhile hard I’m work and I’veswell always love for the ocean comes from growing up by the grew up own work andmade whata living you want to do. do you ever feel like not had another jobsea. to support meinfinancially as I’ve never fully weymouth. spent every summer all from summer in freelance. the sea. all day me being creative? no it’s being Despite it being hard, it has been good and I’vepart hadof me. so much tea… i drink far too and my friends would go to the beach and swim. then i moved to much tea while i’m sitting a few creative friends who are also self -employed so we can support each at my desk.and i always have a nice bournemouth and met dean and he other was really into business surfing sochats, I got which has been smelling candle burning. and have great. After four years of into surfing.for personal work the sea is often the main inspiration freelancing it seemed right to re-brand and that’s when Seablue Designs and the driving force behind it. but ifwas it’s for someone they might not i sell on not on the high street and i would really like to push that born. ” want it to be ocean themed. I used to do a lot of surfboard art and and sell more on there. i do a little bit of selling in galleries and the prints would be inspired by the sea.how do you feel the when you’re behind the things, butofi don’t knowshe if i’d like my own store. you can get to As we chat about inspiration majority her work, in the water? its so hard to explain.explains very happy really came freeingfrom I her love of the howit’s Seablue the point ocean.where Her you owndon’t storyget to do a lot of creating, if you had a think. just being completely at one with just youinand shopblue you ocean, might not get to do as much making. takesnature. me on its a journey mythe mind to the beautiful something sea and thats it. And actually for a lot we of christians its a realpassion thing that have a mutual for. Katie lovingly recalls growing up in actually how can you like the comparison of the great vast oceanthat andhas impacted the i would love to be today. paid full Weymouth, and is certain way she creates “I time doing something that i love but gods great glory, its a time you might connect with God. I connect i think at the moment anything that I’m earning is additional to grew up in the seaside town of Weymouth, which meant that I spent every with God a lot when I’m out on the water. in Being a creative another income of teaching. summer the sea. All dayhow would be spent on the beach with friends, ultimately i’d love to do it full time. would you describe the feeling of creating something? doBournemouth enjoy a bit of teaching swimming until theyou sunkind wentofdown. I movedi to and met as well. i like working with people i get lost in it. you loose track of time. my if itsnow going well then its a really think its quite isolated at home on your own. husband, Dean. He introduced me to surfing which meant I working was amazing process. i think it can be alsospending quite challenging you’reinnot even moreif time the ocean. For my personal work the sea is sure where its going. you can feel like you’re round in circles time the foundation and i teach graphics and often the going main inspiration and the driving forcei work behindpart what I’m on creating. a lot of the time. how do you overcome a really thing art i and the prints illustrations. it’s a nicebycross I usedthat? to do a lot ofgood surfboard would be inspired the over between the two. i like working like to do if i can is sleep on it, if its still with people and you don’t get that on your own, apart from sea.not ” really working then i try to leave it and then come back to it.Katie how continues does your to faith life affect when you’re something for someone. it’s really satisfying explain that if her work is custom madedesign for someone, creative process? every morning i trythey andmight handnot it over you resolve something and you get it right. but theres wanttoitgod, to beafter ocean themed andwhen she accommodates for that reading the bible and praying I try and ask to have a productive day. i something nice about getting out of the studio and working too. The sea is where she draws her inspiration, but she is not restricted try to hand it over to him. i think thattooften a lot but of pressure off, to know more with theKatie’s students. the students i work with are at a point where it. I takes can’t help be intrigued about relationship if i get really bogged down by it i think notocean; the end of the world, working out what they want to do, i like being a part of withitsthe to the point of it inspiring her they’re career choice. theres a lot greater and more important things that I’m doing right seeing them transform into what they want to do. “How do you feel when you’re in the water?” I delve. now. i always listen to music while i’m hillsong, or “It’sworkingso hard to explain.bethel ” She smiles, “It’s really freeing I think. Just being something. Are you born creative? I didn’t ever want to be a creative, yourand faiththat’s impact completely at one with nature. It’s just you how and does the sea it. the way you teach and interact with i wanted to be a doctor. i got to sixth form for andailot realised i wasn’t it’s a really amazing students? a good teacherthe should be patient and loving. i wouldn’t Actually of Christians, thing to compare really smart enough. i was doing artgreat a level and itoftook and i God’s great glory. have It’s naturally embeded in me so much as i think vastness the over ocean and a time got youthat might lost all interest in science. my family really are musical so with i always had the christian connect God. I connect with Godbeing a lot when I’m does. out oni think the theres challenged as well because influences of creativity. Do you think water. god is”creative? yeah. sometimes its hardtowhen Katie goes onhetocreated talk about how it feels, as a creative, createyou see how important the studying us and beautiful landscapes and ocean. how would you encourage a is to particular students and how serious and upset they can something of your own; “You kind of get lost in it. You lose track of time. woman that wants to start her own Ifbusiness? all experience, its amazing process. get, and you just think it’s goingitswell then its a really I think it can be being also a christian you’ve got that comfort hard work to be honest. i don’t thinkquite it’s easy but i think if you really elsewhere. sometimes that can be challenging because you want challenging if you’re not sure where its going. You can feel like you’re want it and you love it then it will going comeround more in naturally. because them to see its not the end of the world and its going to be fine. circles a lot of the time.” you’re making that work anyway and i think you can the focus on driving it into a business rather than just your own work. i think with the children illustration i try to be involved with refugee having the right people around you to help with different areas of campaigns. i try to pick things that i agree with what the cause is. -54-55-
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“How do you overcome that?” I ask. “A really good thing I like to do if I can is just to sleep on it. If it’s still not really working then I try to leave it and then come back to it eventually.” She answers. “Following on from that, how does your faith life affect your creative process?” “Every morning I try and hand it over to God”, Katie responds. “God is so creative. He created us, and beautiful landscapes and oceans. After reading the bible and praying I ask to have a productive day. I try to hand it over to him. I think that often takes a lot of pressure off, if I get really bogged down by it I think it’s not the end of the world, there’s a lot of greater and more important things that I’m doing right now. I also listen to worship music while I’m working- Hillsong, Bethel or something.” “How would you encourage a woman that wants to start her own business?” I ask. “It’s all experience. It’s hard work to be honest, but I think if you really want it and you love it then it will come more naturally. I think having the right people around you to help with different areas of business is useful. It’s really important to network and connect with other creatives and other women. I think you can build each other up. It’s quite good for feedback as well to get other peoples opinions. I think it would be a lot harder to do it just on your own. You can learn from other peoples highs and lows as well and support each other in that way.” We begin to talk more about Katie’s personal life, and begin to chat about her husband Dean, a keen surfer and clean water advocate. “He’s got more into woodwork and he likes designing.” Katie begins, “He’s actually always my second opinion. He’s who I’ll always ask first if something needs looking at. The way we live our life helps us to find inspiration to make new work. I like to be outside, in the van, travelling round, camping, walking and swimming. I think you get more inspired by the outdoors and nature rather than just behind your computer screen looking at nature on the internet.” Katie and Dean’s love for nature has ensured that they both have a passion to try and be as eco friendly as possible. Much to my delight, Katie tells me how she tries to recycle and be as eco friendly as possible in the studio, as well as herself and Dean regularly taking part in local beach cleans in their spare time.
“I get through by drinking far too much tea and with nice scented candles on my desk.”
Katie currently sells her work on ‘Not on the high street’, something she is keen to push and grow. Ultimately the dream for Katie is to be paid full time doing something that she loves. “I’d like to continue with designing for other people but I would also like to have time to go back to a new series of prints. While I’m studying I don’t have a lot of time to do my own work and what I want to do. I never want to give it up though. Being creative is part of me. I get through by drinking far too much tea and with nice scented candles on my desk. I like working with people and you don’t get that on your own, apart from when you’re designing something for someone. There’s something nice about getting out of the studio and working with the students. The students I work with are at a point where they’re working out what they want to do, and I really like being a part of seeing them transform into what they want to do.”
As Katie speaks about her love for teaching I am intrigued to delve a little deeper into how having a relationship with God contributes to the way she approaches teaching methods. “How does your faith impact your teaching?” I ask. “A good teacher should be patient and loving. I wouldn’t have that naturally embedded in me so much if I wasn’t a Christian. It’s hard when you see how important the studying is to particular students, and how serious and upset they can get. Being a Christian, you’ve got a comfort elsewhere, knowing that your identity doesn’t lie in a grade. Sometimes that can be challenging because you want them to see its not the end of the world and it’s going to be fine.” Katie’s faith in God doesn’t only impact her as an individual and the way she chooses to live her life, but it is also impacting those around her in a positive and loving way. Katie is a prime example of women smashing stereotypes. She is running a business, inspiring students, creating beautiful art and above all, using the work of her own Creator to guide her. Katie, you’re a power woman, and we salute you. -58-
“You are altogether beautiful my darling, there is no flaw in you� Song of Solomon four ; seven.
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BECKY
Never one to give up, Becky is a woman on a mission to see her neighbourhood and community come to know a loving, living and real God. She has spent the last two and a half years living in a Christian Community with the Vineyard Church and is the very definition of a “Doorstep Missionary�. She has a passion for revival, a contagious smile and a laugh that leaves joy lingering in the atmosphere. She loves skiing, beach walks, sunsets, dancing and seeing other people happy.
Words: RUBY BALDRY Photographs: HARRY COOKE
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Joy café is a community café made up of volunteers who all live around the Boscombe area and are passionate about bringing a change and positive impact to it. Owner and Founder Becky, sits with me to chat about the beautiful journey she has been on from the beginning. Like so many of us, Becky wasn’t sure where her life was headed when she was eighteen. She recalls going for a jog one day and talking to God about her worries, asking for some direction. “God gave me a picture of a café, but I knew it was more than just a place where I would sell food and drink. Café’s are a great place for people to build relationships with one another, something I knew I wanted to be a part of ” Nearing the end of her tenancy of her flat she was renting in central Bournemouth, Becky recalls hearing God say, “I want you to move to a community house”. Having a few friends living in a local community house she decided to look into it further. Becky decided to initially only move in for two weeks, and two and a half years on she is still living there. It was very early on in her time living in the community house that a hut in the corner of the park in front of her house caught her eye. Becky remembers ‘constantly thinking about the potential it held and what an amazing place it would be to start a café’ After a year of living in the community, Becky noticed one of the local mums had set up a table selling sweets to the kids after school, and feeling inspired she decided to do the same thing. Becky began to fall in love with this small project she had started and decided to save enough money to enable her to quit her job over the summer to purse the tables in the park full time. “It was so much fun and it was amazing to see how many people from the community were loving it” After some time the hut in the corner of the park that Becky had been fondly admiring became vacant. She recalls it feeling like the perfect time to make the move from using tables to potentially using an actual building. As the excitement at this possibility grew, Becky began the process of biding to get the lease for the building, telling us “It was a long process to get the lease, but eventually being able to get the building was amazing” Joy Café lives right in the heart of a kids play park, meaning Becky and her team have a lot of interaction with children and young people. Becky tells us that having the opportunity of being a positive role model in the young people’s lives is one of her favourite things about Joy Café. “These young people get to be around some really positive role models when they might be from broken families and suffer degrees of neglect. A lot of them visit the café almost everyday, which gives me and my team an opportunity where we can speak positive and loving words over them, encourage them in their giftings and give them a creative safe space that they enjoy.”
Joy café isn’t only benefiting the lives of the people living in the community, it is also bringing positive change to its volunteers and opening doors for them that might not have been possible without the help of Becky and her café. “A lady on my team had been out of employment for a long time and was struggling with her English speaking skills. After being on team at Joy Café she improved her English language and gained a ton of experience, meaning she is now in paid employment; which is incredible and such a reminder of one of the many reasons Joy Café exists.” When dreaming of the future of Joy Café, Becky hopes for it to become more and more like heaven on Earth. That is the ultimate dream for not only the café but for the missional community that live in Boscombe. The aim is to bring love into a place that you might not find it and to be a beacon of light. Having lived in a missional community for two and a half years Becky recognises the challenges as well as the blessings, telling me, “Living in a missional community is both amazing and really hard. We encounter opposition in different ways and there are constant challenges, but the amount of fruit that we see is incredible. We get the honour of seeing lives genuinely changed for the glory of God.” Food is a great connector of people, whether it’s around the table at Christmas, grabbing lunch with a colleague or just having dinner with friends and for the community in Boscombe it is no different. In fact, food is a big part in seeing the community come to life. Becky smiles as she remembers moments of eating together, and how that has had an impact on the neighbours and community around her. “One of the houses that is part of this community host meals almost every night. They will cook dinner for the people that live in the house, but they will always make extra so anyone can invite someone along that day. Seven people live in the house but it isn’t unusual to have ten or twelve over for dinner. It creates beautiful moments where you get to see a tiny bit of heaven on earth. There really isn’t anything like the stuff that happens around the kitchen table. People come into a space where it is family. A place where they’re safe. It’s so powerful. There are some people that haven’t eaten round a kitchen table for seven years, or they are living on the streets so to be inside a house is amazing. Other times we will have “Dinners On Doors”. The idea behind this stemmed from doors being things that shut people out and create a barrier, or if they are open they welcome people in. We began gathering different abandoned doors from places, got legs from ikea and made a table. We put them on the park green, make loads of food, and invite whoever is around to eat with us. We’ve had up to 30 people before!” Becky is a woman with determination, vision and drive to see a local community impacted by a loving God. She relentlessly loves, generously gives and brings so much to her neighbourhood. How does she do it? With a whole lot of Jesus and a sprinkle of joy.
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What would you say to someone who was thinking about living in a Christian community? Something that has helped me massively is having a supportive church. Coastline Vineyard have been absolutely fundamental to the success of what we’re doing. They’re hemming it in in every sense, by implementing mentors, praying for the community and resourcing. To have each person that lives in our community as a member of the church is really important, it keeps you from going crazy or burning out and keeps you as part of a wider family. Also, the people you do it with are really important. You need people that are all in and are willing to stick with it for longer than a year. In order for you to build relationships and trust with your neighbours you need to give it the time. What is the community of people like in Boscombe? There is a real range of people here. The statistics show it is one of the most deprived areas in the South West and it is within the bottom three percent deprived areas of the whole of England. There are a lot of people on very low incomes, on benefits, unemployed, broken families, illness, addicts, people in recovery, a level of crime. What would you say if someone asked you why you want to live here? Jesus did a lot of these things. He hung out with the poor, He had a lot of dinner parties, He built relationships, performed miracles and gave a lot of teaching among that kind of people group. So it is very biblical and community is very biblical. In the book of Acts you see everyone living together and sharing everything they have- we are moving towards more of that. But on the flip side, we’re called to different things. Most people who are in this missional community had a really strong sense of calling, and God spoke clearly that was where he wanted people. Everyone has a different place in this world, so some people will be called to have a different lifestyle that will look more lavish. I don’t think that is wrong because they can reach out to a completely different demographic that when you’re living in Churchill gardens you alienate yourself from. Community living is a huge sacrifice and it’s not for everyone. A lot of people are only working part time in low paid jobs, so they only just make it financially month to month. They sacrifice a higher paid full time job in order to do this, which is hard but the fruit is worth it.
“We get the honour of seeing lives genuinely changed for the glory of God.”
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JUST BE Micah works on staff with YWAM London Radiant. She specialises in acting, writing, singing, and also helps run The Lazarus Project, which focuses on mercy ministries. In her spare time she also writes for Narrative Muse, a website that reviews female-driven books and films.
Words by: MICAH ORSETTI -67-
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Yes you can be I don’t think that the first person who told me that I was dramatic meant to define my life. On the contrary, I think it’s been used as a negative description just as often as it’s been used as a compliment. I generally don’t like the attribute, because I don’t like drama off stage. That being said...It’s sort of true. When I was eleven I developed a chronic illness. At that point I was “sick”. When I was thirteen I began working at a horse ranch. Then I was a “cowgirl”. When I was in college I went overseas. A life-long dream. I was a “traveller”. When I entered grad school, I was an “actress”. When I left grad school to move to London, I became a “missionary”. Do you get where I’m going with this? I guess it is dramatic to define oneself by one thing (or perhaps up to three), but I don’t think I’m alone in this. That’s why I want to share what I’m finally just starting to grasp... Yes, you can be. Just be. I realised when I moved to London that acting is just a tool (one of several). It isn’t who I am. My choices don’t have to be defined by whatever set of quotation marks have been applied to me lately. I hope this isn’t news to you, but this subject is on my heart because I see so many women try to fit into moulds that weren’t built to handle their complexity. The media continues to make money off of telling us that we could be if. And we let them, because we believe it. I believe it. I rely on labels because they’re safe. If I rest on what I’ve been told that I am, then I don’t have to risk showing the world the truth. I have a fairly classic style...So imagine how difficult it was to get a tattoo. Even though I’d wanted one for some time, and I’d seen beautiful ones, I struggled. Because how could I be classic if I had a tattoo? I love pretty things. Sparkles. Sophisticated perfumes and light shades of pink. I also like Star Wars, Doctor Who, Marvel and DC (yes, both, which is apparently another contradiction). I’m working on allowing myself to be contradictory. If I see something I like while shopping, I don’t have to reason how it can fit into some aspect of my personality. If I like it, that can be good enough. I can be classy and do a construction project. I can watch Star Wars while painting my nails. I can like a movie better than the book it was based on. I can be an artist and do administrative work for my teammates. God made my heart big enough to hold all of these things. He made you and me uncontainable. We can’t be exactly like the person we admire because He made us original. We can’t be copied or placed inside of a box, and only He could make something that undefinable. And there is freedom in that. Take the compliment when someone tells you you’re “fill-in-the-blank”, but instead of wearing it like a badge, recognise that they only saw it because it’s already in you. You let it be seen. It’s a success, not a definition. God believes in what He’s placed in you. He thought the world could use someone who’s uniquely you, and don’t we all love seeing someone that’s uniquely themselves? So just be.
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God wastes nothing
My name is Susie Flashman Jarvis, I am a coach and I am a therapist. I am also a writer, mother, speaker and wife. All sounds great eh? All singing and dancing. Most people look at me and have no idea of my past. They see a fulfilled, happy woman and I am truly that, but the thing is, I also happen to be an ex heroin addict and model. My life story tells of a miracle and freedom. It speaks of a God who reaches in and rescues those who call out to him. My journey of drugs started at school with a quick cannabis joint smoked in my lunch hour. I progressed like many do onto LSD and Amphetamine. I was the only one of my school friends to go to church and was baptised aged seventeen, but by then was already caught up in unhealthy relationships, and was on a very slippery slope. I believed in God but at that stage I could not hear him talk to me. Age nineteen I left home and moved in with my boyfriend and on our return from a trip to India I asked a photographer to take some photographs of me. I have no idea why, but when he asked me to take off my top; I did. This was the start of my modelling career that, thirty years later would come back to haunt me. I only did this type of work for six months and went on to be a very successful model on TV and in magazines. And once again, as far as the world and my family was concerned, I was a success. However, alongside this I was sinking more and more into promiscuity and drug addiction. I would live with someone for a couple of years, never be faithful, and my use of drugs was becoming more extreme until I was addicted to heroin and living with my dealer. No longer was I on the cover of magazines or featuring in TV commercials. I was stick thin and living on curry sauce and chips. Finally, unable to function, I cried out to God. At a friend’s house one day, I took a Bible from her shelf (it turned out later that I had given it to her, even addiction couldn’t remove the evangelist from me) Opening the Bible on Psalm 32, I started to read what I recognised as my life. As I read, the room turned white and I asked God to help me. I left my friend’s house the next day and never took heroin again, I had no withdrawals, no cold turkey. God is the greatest healer. Many years later, found me married with four children, faithful to one man and leading worship in church. I was a trained counsellor working in a Christian counselling agency. Walking into work one day, someone told me that they had found me naked on the internet. I was in shock and felt such shame, I had been freed from so much and now it was back to haunt me. What do you do with pain and shame? I decided, after talking with friends that I would give my shame to God. Thus, my auto biography Potholes and Belly-flops was published. Don’t you think that it’s amazing that God can use our shame as an offering and turn it round and use it. My speaking ministry has developed because of the books I have written. It grew because I did not hide my shame but spoke openly about it. God has given me a baton, one to pass onto others. It’s a baton of pornography. Now I speak to men and women’s groups. I challenge this most addictive of behaviours. It’s true that I am trained to work with this issue as a therapist but in all honesty, the clincher is this, the thing that they say qualifies me to challenge them is this…. I am naked on the internet! Can you believe it? The thing that came back to haunt me was accepted by God as an offering, and now he is using to change people’s lives. What will you do with your story? Will you share it too?
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SUSIE Words: SUSIE FLASHMAN JARVIS Photograph: FLO WESTBROOK
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MAXINE
Maxine is known for her relentless positivity and radiates joy. Born with Cerebral Palsy , Maxine has always been determined to never allow that hinder her from achieving great things. Loving sport from a young age, she went on to compete in the 2012 London Paralympics. She shares with us her experience as a sportswoman and empowers us to follow our dreams.
Words: FARIDA PASHI Photographs: HARRY COOKE
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At birth, Maxine suffered from oxygen deprivation which led to cerebral palsy. Despite having this condition, everything she has done in life has been to the full. It hasn’t held her back. From a very young age Maxine had an interest in sport and began competing at 14 in school. Over the years Maxine has gathered a number of national records for athletics, including the club throw which she competed in the 2012 London Paralympics. “It was a bit tiring but still an amazing experience.” “I didn’t really take much notice of the people. There was 81,000 people watching, so you kind of have to block that out.” Although all eyes were on Maxine, she emphasizes the absence of nerves. “Weirdly enough doing sport doesn’t make me nervous.” And why should it considering the amount of time and effort she spent training in the run up to the Paralympics. Even before qualifying for the event, she attended competitions most weekends. The summer before the Paralympics her training session would begin with her waking up at 5:30am to be ready for a 2 hour technical session by 6am. “I had to change sleep patterns, had to take sleeping tablets early so I’d wake up early ready to be on the field training.” By lunchtime Maxine would be at the gym for about an hour and a half doing weights and cardio, then about teatime she would concentrate on conditioning e.g. stretches followed by an evening technical session. “Once I got into it, it was alright. The beginning of it was hard. I was told I would never walk or talk so I guess it comes from that. Now I can walk and talk. So after being able to walk and talk it was a bit like I can achieve anything.”
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Her family and friends have been very supportive of her throughout her sporting journey. “My dad has always driven me around the country for sports, friends encourage me to be who I am and push myself even if it’s scary.” She acknowledges how easy it can be to compare herself to others whenever she is feeling down. This was most prominent when she had her shoulder operation. She had to remind herself to not get dragged down and have a positive mental attitude about it. Guided meditation, breathing techniques, talking about worries, visually pushing anxieties away are useful for when she feels down. “Nobody feels perfect all the time so that’s a tool I use regular to tackle negative feelings which are usually bought on by social media.” There isn’t enough information around about the condition and unless you know someone it’s easy to assume certain things, which could lead to being patronizing about those who are diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy. “I’ve had a few people pat me on the head before, which made me feel annoyed and I never used to have the confidence to say anything.” But she’s found that going to university has definitely made her more confident. She’s found friends and is speaking to people frequently. The more she gets to know someone the easier it is to talk to them. Even though speech has been an issue in the past it is something she’s overcome. Maxine is now independent with a lot of things especially when it comes to education and she just passed driving test. “My advice for women is to follow their dreams. To try everything. You only live once and don’t worry what other people think.” Cerebral Palsy is not something that Maxine will ever let hold her back. Navigating through life for her will be slightly more challenging but still just as rewarding. She is a woman that is determinded to achieve great things and live her life with joy.
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the vision written by Pete Greig, 24-7 Prayer. 24-7prayer.com
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So this guy comes up to me and says, "What's the vision? What's the big idea?" I open my mouth and words come out like this…
The vision? The vision is JESUS – obsessively, dangerously, undeniably Jesus. The vision is an army of young people. You see bones? I see an army. And they are FREE from materialism.
They laugh at 9-5 little prisons. They could eat caviar on Monday and crusts on Tuesday. They wouldn't even notice. They know the meaning of the Matrix, the way the west was won. They are mobile like the wind, they belong to the nations. They need no passport. People write their addresses in pencil and wonder at their strange existence. They are free yet they are slaves of the hurting and dirty and dying.
What is the vision? The vision is holiness that hurts the eyes. It makes children laugh and adults angry. It gave up the game of minimum integrity long ago to reach for the stars. It scorns the good and strains for the best. It is dangerously pure. Light flickers from every secret motive, every private conversation. It loves people away from their suicide leaps, their Satan games. This is an army that will lay down its life for the cause. A million times a day its soldiers choose to lose that they might one day win the great 'Well done' of faithful sons and daughters. Such heroes are as radical on Monday morning as Sunday night. They don't need fame from names. Instead they grin quietly upwards and hear the crowds chanting again and again:
“C
O
M
E
O
N
! "
And this is the sound of the underground. The whisper of history in the making. Foundations shaking. Revolutionaries dreaming once again. Mystery is scheming in whispers. Conspiracy is breathing. This is the sound of the underground And the army is discipl(in)ed. Young people who beat their bodies into submission. Every soldier would take a bullet for his comrade at arms. The tattoo on their back boasts "for me to live is Christ and to die is gain" Sacrifice fuels the fire of victory in their upward eyes. Winners. Martyrs. Who can stop them? Can hormones hold them back? Can failure succeed? Can fear scare them or death kill them? And the generation prays like a dying man with groans beyond talking, with warrior cries, sulphuric tears and with great barrow loads of laughter! Waiting. Watching. 24–7. 365. Whatever it takes they will give: Breaking the rules. Shaking mediocrity from its cosy little hide. Laying down their rights and their precious little wrongs, laughing at labels, fasting essentials. The advertisers cannot mould them. Hollywood cannot hold them. Peer-pressure is powerless to shake their resolve at late night parties before the cockerel cries. They are incredibly cool, dangerously attractive inside. On the outside? They hardly care. They wear clothes like costumes to communicate and celebrate but never to hide. Would they surrender their image or their popularity? They would lay down their very lives - swap seats with the man on death row - guilty as hell. A throne for an electric chair. With blood and sweat and many tears, with sleepless nights and fruitless days, they pray as if it all depends on God and live as if it all depends on them. Their DNA chooses JESUS. He breathes out, they breathe in. Their subconscious sings. They had a blood transfusion with Jesus. Their words make demons scream in shopping centres. Don't you hear them coming? Herald the weirdos! Summon the losers and the freaks. Here come the frightened and forgotten with fire in their eyes. They walk tall and trees applaud, skyscrapers bow, mountains are dwarfed by these children of another dimension. Their prayers summon the hounds of heaven and invoke the ancient dream of Eden. And this vision will be. It will come to pass; it will come easily; it will come soon. How do I know? Because this is the longing of creation itself, the groaning of the Spirit, the very dream of God. My tomorrow is his today. My distant hope is his 3D. And my feeble, whispered, faithless prayer invokes a thunderous, resounding, bone-shaking great 'Amen!' from countless angels, from heroes of the faith, from Christ himself. And he is the original dreamer, the ultimate winner. Guaranteed.
“She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her� Proverbs three ; fifteen