iBelieve

YOUR BRILLIANT NEW MAGAZINE CREATED WITH YOU IN MIND

iBelie e JULY 2012 • Issue 6 • £2.90

THE CHRISTIAN LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

ADVICE Agony Aunt Mandy Smith Medical questions with Dr Ben Smith

Fiction is my life!

TOP AUTHOR MIR ANDA DICKINSON

Kristin

Chenoweth TV, MOVIE & STAGE STAR ON HER LIFE OF GLEE!

ALICE SPRINGS A SURPRISE

JOYCE MEYER STARTS A BRILLIANT NEW COLUMN

y(7HC0E9*MKMKKO( +z!_

Summer parties for less cash

EASY CHEESY RECIPES

Contents

iBelieve July 2012

INTERVIEWS

54 I swore not to take part

Kristin Chenoweth is a smalltown sweetheart, but there’s much more to her life than fame

REAL LIFE

in TV Show Comic Syd Little on why faith helped shape a decision

12 ON THE COVER

11 Docs said I’d be

20 ON THE COVER Caked

paralysed Weje Sekara reveals how she made a miraculous recovery after suffering a major stroke

in fake blood, gruesome rocker Alice Cooper has a secret

43

40 ON THE COVER Fiction helped me escape to reality says Sunday Times best-selling author Miranda Dickinson

32

My girl is proof that prayer works Claire Burton explains how far she was prepared to go when her daughter was ill

48

The preacher with cross purposes British evangelist Mark Ritchie is determined to put the cross back on the map in the UK

FASHION

24 On your marks for

the Olympics Fashion has gone sporty, so let us help you get the look during this summer of sport

26 Beauty is skin deep

Make-up artist Paddy Harris explains why the beauty industry is fake

12

Joyce Meyer’s new column

My life is full of Glee!

8

Sizzling gift ideas for summer

45

Choosing a smartphone & accessories

35 Sweet recipes

24

Sport a new look for the Olympics iBelieve

5

FOOD

35 ON THE COVER Easy

cheesy! Strawberry cheesecake

36 Simply the zest! iBelieve chef

58

Time’s right to keep things simple Cheap retro may upset fashionistas, but Carl Beech is loving it

FEATURES 8

Emily Roberts gives you a lemon tart recipe to bring sunshine to your mouth

Gifts The perfect purchases for the month of July

ADVICE

15 Rest days Get a ticket to Ryde

28 ON THE COVER Party hard

for less The barbecues are coming out but don’t let money spoil the fun!

and enjoy an Isle of Wight break

16 Here we grow Despite media

reports, the UK Church really is growing

23 ON THE COVER Mandy

19 Favourite things We’ve not

39 ON THE COVER The

Devotion Rejoicing is commanded in the Bible

Smith Our resident agony aunt helps you solve your problems

surgery Dr Ben Sinclair advises you with your health problems and issues

VIEWS

9 Only cheating themselves

We look at the athletes who fell at the first hurdle and are pleading for mercy

34

Why I Believe Nicole Watts, who manages a homeless project

seen much of it, but we love the sun

30

43

ON THE COVER Joyce Meyer starts her brilliant new column

45 Gadgets We look at

smartphones and accessories

46

iReview We choose the best books and CDs on the market

42 Motoring The new Honda Civic 52 Puzzles Two packed pages

15

Get a ticket to Ryde

iBelieve Magazine is published by New Life Publishing Co, PO Box 777, Nottingham, NG11 6ZZ. PUBLISHING Tel: 0115 824 0777 Email: info@ibelievemagazine.com www.newlifepublishing.co.uk Editor: Peter Wreford All content is copyright and must not be reproduced without prior written permission from the Editor. All rights reserved Printed by Buxton Press, Palace Road, Buxton, Derbyshire, SK17 6AE. The acceptance of advertising does not indicate editorial endorsement.

We welcome your letters and comments regarding any of the issues raised within these pages. Write to the Editor at the above address.

Back copies are available while stocks last, at cover price plus £1.00

NEW LIFE

6

iBelieve

from the editor Christians come in all shapes and sizes.

Some are cute and cuddly, some are a little less easy to be around – and then there’s Alice Cooper.

It’s strange to think that a full-grown man like Alice could have injured himself pretending to fall into an oversized toy box as part of an on-stage ‘nightmare’ and get people to pay to watch. That’s a great career choice!

As worrying as the make-up may be, Alice Cooper’s testimony of fi nding Christ in a place where many don’t see him is an inspiring story that shows God truly does work in mysterious ways. It also tells us once again to avoid judging a book by its cover.

One book whose cover you should judge ‘Faith is though is iBelieve’s! about more We certainly wear our heart on our sleeve than a and you know what moment you’re in for when we tell you up front. Faith on Sunday is about more than a whether moment on Sunday you’re a top whether you’re a top rocker or a superstar rocker or a actress – like Kristin Chenoweth. superstar She’s worked actress’ alongside Nicole Kidman and starred in cartoons and serious TV series, like the West Wing, but this simple southern girl is all about the God you fi nd at church on a Sunday.

Not that she wants him to stay there though.

Like iBelieve, Kristin is convinced that God is too good to keep to yourself, and she’s an outspoken Christian voice in the wonderfully weird world of Hollywood.

If Kristin can contend for the faith among the glitz and glamour of Tinseltown, where cameras track every move of the famous faces we know and love, we can surely live a life of love without the constant scrutiny. And that’s why we’ve got great columnists like Mandy Smith, Carl Beech and now Joyce Meyer – to help.

Interview

My life’s full of

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iBelieve

ABOVE: Kristin Chenoweth (centre) starring alongside Vince Vaughn, Reece Witherspoon and Mary Steenburgen in the movie Four Christmases

ABOVE: Kristin’s biography. BELOW: The singing star published a Christmas CD

Kristin Chenoweth is an all-singing, all-dancing, all-American girl, whose starring turns on Broadway and on the big screen have turned her into a star.

But there’s more to this small town sweetheart, as Mark Wreford found out

N

ext door to a witch is not the first place you’d look for a Christian in Hollywood, but it is exactly where you’d find Kristin Chenoweth – if you were watching Bewitched.

Not only has she been Nicole Kidman’s neighbour in that cheeky comedy flick, Kristin’s also had star turns in a film adaptation of the musical Annie, The Pink Panther and Stranger Than Fiction. The bubbly blonde Oklahoman has come a long way from her adoption.

Raised in the inventively named town of Broken Arrow, Kristin was brought up as a Bible-believing Southern Baptist, and it was in the church that she got her first taste of the fun of performing.

“I auditioned for a solo in church and got it,” remembers the star of hit US show Glee. “I was about seven and I sang a song called Jesus, I Heard You Had A Big House, and I remember getting a standing ovation at the end and me thinking, ‘Oh, I

think I’m going to like this.’ That’s how it all began. It sounds funny to say you got your start in church, but I did.”

Despite her success in an image driven industry, Kristin’s convinced that Christianity is both important and relevant to society. In fact, she’s on a one-woman mission to turn what she sees as the popular perception of a preachy, pleasure-banning set of rules on its head with a message of love.

“I think it’s important to remember that Christianity was based in love, tolerance, forgiveness and acceptance,” she says. “I don’t want Christianity to be a negative word anymore. I want people to understand that there is a group of Christians out there who want to be more open and understanding and tolerant and loving of all kinds of people, even the people that don’t believe in God at all.

“I guess that’s one of my purposes in this life – to make sure people know that Jesus would have taught the same thing

Kristin as Olive Snook in the TV show Pushing Daises

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13

Interview Caked in black eye shadow and fake blood, gruesome rocker Alice Cooper has a secret few would guess. James Hastings found out more

Alice springs a surprise 20

iBelieve

ABOVE: Alice Cooper on stage belting out his particular brand of rock ‘n’ roll!

OPPOSITE PAGE: A less gothic look for a red carpet event shows another side of Vincent Damon

I

t’s the question that would stump even the most fanatical quiz fan.

What is rock star Alice Cooper’s religion? Sorry, but no points for Satanism. Deduct five points if you answered the Ancient Cult of Snake Biting.

The man, who has combined boa constrictors and baby dolls in the same stage act as guillotines and electric chairs, is happy to answer for himself: “I am a Christian, I make no bones about that.

“I’m not a carnal Christian either. I totally believe every single word in the Bible.”

He adds with a smile: “But that doesn’t mean I have to live in a shell somewhere.”

Alice Cooper is the rocker with more eye shadow than Madonna and more fake blood than a box-set set of Vincent Price movies.

Once the man every mother wanted to keep away from their daughter, he is now eager to talk about the Son. “I have no shyness in speaking about my faith in public,” he explains.

“My lifestyle is what I believe. That means I’m not at the strip club but with my wife and it means my language is different from other rock stars. But my faith hasn’t changed my sense of humour and it certainly hasn’t changed my output in rock

’n’ roll.” Alice Cooper was born Vincent Damon in 1948. The son of a pastor – his grandfather was an evangelist – young Vincent was well liked at school and was known as a bit of a charmer. His life revolved around the church which he attended three times a week.

“I’m the perfect example of the prodigal son,” he says. “All my social life was based around kids in the church. It was great fun.

Then I got to high school and all of a sudden, the Beatles came out. I was a natural mimic anyway, so I watched the Beatles and I thought, ‘That would be fun to do.’”

Just as the Beatles were breaking up, the Alice Cooper Band was breaking into the music world. The early 70s saw their biggest hits with anthem songs like School’s Out, Elected and No More Mr Nice Guy. For Vincent’s new creation, Alice, this success was a lucrative and glamorous door into a whole new world: “Being in a hit band and getting hit records like we did and getting as big as we did is like winning the lottery three times. It just doesn’t happen.

“We were the underdogs the whole time and we kept thinking this is fun and we’ll never make it and one day we’ll go and get real jobs. But we kept getting bigger

Two faces of Alice

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iBelieve

21

Fashion

W

herever you are this summer, you won’t be able to get away from sport, as the country gets taken over by Olympic fever.

But even if you’re not a fan, you can still get involved in the action by introducing some sport-inspired pieces to your wardrobe.

Sports luxe fashion was big on the catwalk and will be all over the high street this summer. Although it might not sound like the most exciting of fashion trends, don’t let the sports tag put you off. We’re not talking about baseball caps or football t-shirts here!

The sports luxe trend is all about stylish, comfortable clothes and a fuss-free modern silhouette. This means that regardless of your shape, age or lifestyle, you’re bound to find a fashion piece that speaks to you.

To get the look, try teaming tailored shorts with a draped, racerback vest, or if showing your legs isn’t your thing, opt for loose jersey trousers instead.

Striped t-shirt dresses are an easy way to embrace the trend and make for a comfortable and feminine alternative.

The key to this trend is simplicity so think ‘fresh and soft’ and choose muted shades like grey and beige or if you want some colour, go for pastels. Keep jewellery to a minimum but do go all out on the footwear!

If you’re a fan of flats, try swapping your ballet pumps for plimsolls or on-trend wedged trainers.

And if you simply can’t live without your heels, fear not, because with this trend you don’t have to!

Team up towering heels with jersey dresses or loose trousers for a simple but stunning effect.

Finally, no woman worth her fashion salt would be complete without a fabulous bag. To top off the look, choose a bold clutch bag or look for one with exposed zip details.

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iBelieve

Go sports glam with wedges.

Francy Fuchsia from Apepazza. £106. www. rubbersole.co.uk

Casual and chic. Blue vest top from Beaumont Organic. £54. www. beaumontorganic.com

Comfortable but chic sports style. Navy blue silk shorts from Fleur B. £225. www.fleurb.co.uk

Sports chic at it’s best. Silver ‘Ash’ trainer from Virgo. £100. www.rubbersole.co.uk

Advice SHARE YOUR PROBLEMS WITH

Mandy Smith The teenage bride of Rolling Stones’ bassist Bill Wyman and former Vogue model Mandy Smith answers your questions

Music to his ears!

eration is sex. Teach your son to have respect for himself and for others. Sleeping around might be exciting at the time but can leave you feeling rather lonely. Not to mention the danger of disease and the risk of pregnancy.

If you have a healthy conversation with your son and explore all these topics in detail, then at least you have done what a good parent should do. This is where trust comes in; trust in him and in God to guide you both through.

I’m not sure about my son’s choice of music. Most of it has swearing in it, but when I suggest my Christian music to him he laughs at me and says it’s boring.

How can I change his taste?

God made us all different, and each person is blessed with unique tastes and talents. You will find it hard to actually change his taste in music but if he lives at home with you then you do have a right as his parent to restrict the kind of music being played in your house.

You can try and ban him from listening to this kind of music but the likelihood is that when he’s with friends he’s going to listen to it anyway and then there will be no trust between you both.

Maybe you could set him a task for a week and get him to listen to some Christian music. It actually has many genres that he’s probably not aware of, like rock and even rap. Get him to explore this avenue and, you never know, he might actually like it. Do keep on top of this though, as it is getting harder and harder for parents to raise their children in a world where the youth are constantly being exploited in so many ways through fashion, TV and music. Keep in mind the message of what God said, “Do not conform any longer to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

Holiday worry My 19-year-old son still lives at home and wants to go on a lad’s holiday to Ibiza. I am so scared

Be safe, be sure

as I know what teenage boys get up to on these trips. Should I let him go?

It’s certainly not easy being a parent, but part of our role is to guide, teach, listen to and love our children, especially while they are still living at home. At some point we all have to let them fly the nest and watch them make mistakes, which is not easy, but it’s all part of the process in your son becoming a responsible adult. These are the times where you will have to call on God to grant you peace of mind and to pray that the Holy Spirit will guide your son.

Most parents worry about drugs and alcohol, but you can talk him through the dangers and the consequences if drugs are taken and if too much alcohol is drunk. Remember knowledge is power, so teach him; don’t scare him or shout at him. The other topic that needs consid-

I found a pack of condoms in my teenage daughter’s bag and it has really upset me. I was certain she was a virgin but now I’m not so sure. What should I say to her?

Be prepared that if you ask her straight out without thinking it through first you are going to get a defensive answer. She will ask you why you went looking in her bag and then she might lie to you, saying they are her friend’s.

If you want the truth, you must talk openly and in a caring manner towards her without apportioning guilt, blame or shame.

As a parent you must be confident when you discuss sex with your daughter.

Make her feel that you can talk openly and explain that it is a temptation and often a peer pressure that can have consequences. Remind her that it doesn’t mean she can’t have fun! It’s OK to hang out with members of the opposite sex but keeping it casual is best until she’s looking to marry. It really will prevent heartbreak and distraction from where God wants her to be.

If you have a question for Mandy, e-mail mandy.smith@ibelievemagazine.com iBelieve

23

Food

Simply the zest!

36

iBelieve

You just can’t guarantee the summer weather in the UK. It is a cliché, but early summer has been a washout. iBelieve chef Emily Roberts gives you a super recipe that will bring you sunshine to your mouth if not in the sky!

T

he joy of a British summer – we never know what to expect. That said, I have a dish for you that will be pure sunshine on a plate – a wonderful lemon tart 200g plain flour • 50g icing sugar • 120g butter • 2 egg yolks • 2tbs of cold water • 5 whole medium eggs • 220g caster sugar • Zest of 2 lemons • Juice of 4 lemons (has to be around 130ml of lemon juice) • 150ml of double cream 1. Add flour, icing sugar, two egg yolks, butter and water and give a quick blitz in a food processor until the mixture looks like it is turning to a dough.

2. Mould into a round and place into the fridge for 20-30 minutes. Sweet pastry hates heat.

3. Once cooled roll out the pastry to fit a 23cm loose bottom flan tin which is placed on a baking

beans or you could use rice or dried peas/lentils. Place into the oven for around 10-15 minutes.

6. Take out of the oven and remove the foil with the beans/rice or whatever you have used to weigh it down. Place back into the oven for a further 10-15 minutes until golden.

7. Remove from oven and reduce temperature to 160°C / gas mark 3. tray. Leave the overhanging bits for now and place back in the fridge for a further 20 minutes.

4. Heat oven to 180°C / gas mark 4.

5. Gently prick the base with a fork ensuring you do not prick all the way through to the tin bottom, so be gentle. You can trim the edges of excess pastry. Bake the pastry blind so you need to put tin foil on top of the pastry base then weigh it down either with ceramic baking

8. Whilst the pastry case cools slightly, you can start making the fi lling. In a bowl, gently whisk the eggs, double cream, lemon zest, lemon juice and sugar until combined. Pour into the pastry case until it almost reaches the brim.

With a very steady hand put it back into the oven for about 30 minutes.

The tart is cooked when it has a gentle wobble. Allow to cool and then serve!

A step by step video of this dish is on www.cookingwithemily.co.uk

Keep cool... and chill out How does the saying go? Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the mid-day sun! Seriously though, with skin cancer on the increase, I cannot highlight enough the importance of using proper sun protection, wearing a hat, making use of the shade and drinking plenty of water. It always concerns me to see young children sun

burnt and elderly people pushing themselves too hard.

Both groups of people are vulnerable to the effects of the sun. Other vulnerable people are those with diabetes and those who drink too much.

So how much water does the body need? The average is 1.2 litres per day, which is roughly six to eight

glasses, but that will increase in the summer. Adding a dash of lemon juice can make water more palatable.

Some of the effects of dehydration are feeling thirsty, being light headed and passing less urine.

Babies will often feel drowsy, have a sunken soft spot on their head and their nappy will be drier. iBelieve

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EASY CHEESY RECIPES

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Along with all your Fun, Family, Faith and Fashion

a man’s w rld with Carl Beech

The time’s right to keep things simple Cheap retro may upset the fashionistas, but Carl Beech is loving it

I

’m not quite sure why it is that us blokes love watches. Look at most men’s magazines and they are stuffed full of watch adverts and mostly at the high end. You’ll know the brands – Omega, Tag Heuer, Patek Philippe, Rolex etc. They’re spread across the pages, gleaming and glistening, with cut away pictures displaying intricate mechanisms that guarantee spot on timekeeping for the precision-demanding 21st century man.

The marketing boys know which buttons to press as well. Whether it’s racing drivers, jet jockeys or off shore yachtsmen, they appear on the pages to persuade you that what you really need is a watch that will survive an atomic blast, allow you to dive to the Mariana Trench (the deepest part of the world’s ocean at 6.78 miles), and do aerobatics in an F16.

The reality, of course, for most of us is that the biggest destructive force we need to ensure our watch survives is a drop from the bedside cabinet, and the deepest it needs to be able to go is to the bottom of the bath when we keep it on by accident. As for aerobatics, I don’t remember EasyJet ever throwing that challenge in our direction.

I got sucked in though. I fell for the marketing tricks three years ago when I needed a new watch. Being persuaded by an advert online I got myself a diver’s watch. I’m not sure why, because to

58

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this day I’ve never gone diving and I’ve certainly never needed the diving chart engraved on the back.

But anyway, after three years of promised bulletproof reliability, it stopped working. Now, a man faces a choice in moments like this. Do you send it off for an expensive repair? Do you replace it? Or do you live without a watch?

After a bit of thought, I decided a replacement was in order. I love knowing the time and I’m one of those guys who is never late for anything, so the thought of not having a watch killed me. Equally, the idea of an expensive repair might have meant a killer look from the wife.

It became clear that a radical and counter cultural solution was required.

It’s called Argos – and I’m now the proud owner of a Casio F-91W. It cost me £8,

has a stop watch, a light, an alarm, a plain black plastic strap, a very normal plastic case and it promises to be water resistant.

It looks like something out of the 1980s (because it is) and so far has survived the construction of a chicken run, the laying of a patio and a play fight with Flick, my German shepherd dog.

In fact, so far it seems to be outperforming the watches that normally cost north of a grand. It just doesn’t look as cool. Or does it? You see, to me, it’s totally cool. It rocks the norm and challenges the status quo.

You’ll know from previous columns that I believe with a passion that you’ve got to be your own man in this life, so never mind the fashionistas, I’m solidly going cheap retro and loving it!

It’s more than about fashion though, isn’t it? It’s about keeping it simple too.

The man whose teachings I follow (Jesus) told us not to define our lives by our possessions or to worry about them. He told us to keep it real and keep our minds and hearts on the most important things.

It’s a challenge but it’s also the path to a happier life. After all, if this watch ever breaks, I’ll just pop back to Argos for a new one. The money I’ve saved is going to the mission charity I work for and if I ever need to go to the bottom of the Mariana Trench after a spot of aerobatics in an F16, going by the performance so far, I won’t need a new watch.