She Talks Life: The Armor

ANotefromthe

Founder & CEO

SheTalksLife

I’ll never forget waking up that morning and being met with the gentleness of the Holy Spirit's whisper! There was nothing unusual about the timing nor tone. Only, instead of a confirmation word of some-sort, I was met with directions that would prove to be the tipping point of my life’s calling.

“I want you to start a magazine!”, I heard very clearly Simultaneously in my mind's eye I could see a short 3 page magazine being flipped through before me I had always wanted my own magazine in my pursuit of an Oprah-esque career I quickly wrote it down and shared the news with my husband

The initial excitement was honey-moon quick as the stark reality of uncharted territory over-shadowed me. Me, start a magazine? Do I have what it takes? Now, in the middle of a world crisis? What about my journalism pursuit? I began to write down all the questions I could think of. Amounting to two plus pages, I only stopped due to pure exasperation and an inward decision to halt. Was I sure I heard the Lord correctly?

Weeks had gone by, and an undeniable confirmation had come before I gathered the courage to revisit that notion and jump back in. Jump back in to what now feels like the destiny I never thought was mine I would quickly learn that it was necessary for me to let go of the future I had mapped out for myself in permanent red ink It was the surest way to fully embrace the future that enveloped the woman I’ve always been This journey of launching a magazine has felt less like a shift in perspective and more like a laboring woman giving birth to an unexpected child Much like a laboring woman, I am blessed with God-given co-laborers that have stood right beside me to help me push, breathe and nurture all of what’s to come!

Thank you first and foremost to God for entrusting me with this platform turned ministry! Thank you to my amazing & good lookin’ husband, intelligent son, and loving family that will forever be my biggest supporters! Thank you to my wonderful team members that have labored in faith and love right alongside me.Thank you to my content curators, subscribers, and supporters that continue to engage with and support the She Talks Life LLC brand on a monthly basis...Thank you!

Jae Teague

She Talks LifeTeam

STL's

Chief Editor: Allysse Hawk

When JaeVonne first told me about She Talks Life Magazine and it’s mission I was instantly onboard The idea of creating community and bringing women together through literature immediately drew me in.

I know the power of words, and I just knew that I had to be a part of what she was pioneering. I knew it would be more than just coffee table decor I felt it would be something that would create a space for women to come together and be our authentic selves

We need more opportunities for women to explore people and experiences different from their own. Through that exploration we actually discover how all those differences bring us together. Now more than ever, it’s imperative we create space to explore uncomfortable conversations that are necessary for us as women to move forward together I believe the culture of STL Mag is one that will facilitate that

Women are the most powerful beings on the planet. Building communities of women with the same vision for the future would become an impenetrable force. I’m excited to see how the brand transcends the pages of the magazine out into the tangible world.

- Allysse Hawk

She Talks LifeTeam

STL's Faith Defined

Author: Candace Roberts

Purpose in community is a divine design made up of relationships. Relationships are essential keys in your life to unlock your purpose, while daily living out your destiny. Who can weather a storm alone? Aren’t 2 better than 1? Community strengthens the bands of your life to bend and not break Community is communication, encouraging you to do what you may not have the courage to do on your own. Community is the breath of life that reminds you to serve others before yourself.

She Talks Life is that growing community inviting you!

The voices you hear while reading the words on each page will powerfully engage you, and pull you into a mindset of your God given gift of choice. The vivid articles help you step into the unique journey of entrepreneurs, influencers, and dream chasers. I am glad to be a part of She Talks Life. I get to do life with CEOJaevonne Teague and Chief Editor - Allysse Hawk They were my friends before She Talks Life was born and will forever be! I am in awe of this unfolding reality and with a heart of gratitude, I thank my Lord, Jesus Christ.

- Candace Roberts

Olivia Laine

Together they fused their passions and commonalities to bring a unique and individualized approach to wardrobe and fashion styling. With Elaina’s background in clinical counseling and Janell’s in communications, a thoughtful yet practical approach to styling was developed The pair ensures their client’s wardrobe is consistent with who they are, where they are going, and what they choose to communicate to the world.Elaina and Janell’s focus has been on developing head to toe looks for their client’s everyday life; as well as create unique and figure flattering looks for photoshoots and production work. With Olivia rooted in the word "Peace" and Laine short for Elaine meaning "Joy", their hope is to bring a level of peace and joy to each and every client they encounter; while offering a highquality experience because everyone deserves a stylist.

Elaina & Janell

Elaina and Janell are the sister styling duo behind Olivia Laine.

There is more that unites us than separates us.’’

Mauricio Macri

THE ARMOR OF GOD A Fresh Look at

ARMOR OF GOD A fresh Look at the

God's Protection Spiritual Protection

I’ll never forget an accident I was in when I was a teen still in high school. My parents were relocating us from Atlanta, Ga to Sierra Vista, Az. My mom and youngest sister had already moved a couple months prior, and now the remainder of my family and me were on the way! Journeying to the Wild West, we carried all of our belongings in a Uhaul meticulously strapped behind our family car.

As we passed through the farmlands of Texas, on day two of our three day trip, a tornado warning had caused all cars on the freeway to pull off to the side I still remember being scared of the violent wind consuming our car and the zero visibility for miles Nonetheless, the storm eventually subsided and we continued on our way

The very next day was beautiful As my stepdad pumped our gas for another stretch of the trip, I can remember staring out my window at the puffy white clouds propped ever so sparingly in the dense blue sky. As we pulled off from the gas station, I remember taking a pillow and proping it between my head and the window, before quickly drifting off to sleep. I awoke to the feeling of our vehicle being jolted, and I only opened my eyes fully after the car stopped on the side of the road.

One of our tires had blown causing us to lose control As my stepdad struggled to gain back control, a semi truck attempted to pass us With little to no room to spare, the truck caused us to slam into its side and spin off the road I could hear the sound of our car horn blaring as I tried to come to terms with what had just happened The damage from the accident was extreme The entire front of the car had been mangled and pushed inward

Surprisingly, my sister, stepdad, and myself were unharmed - just minor scrapes and bruising. To our dismay, our pet bird had succumbed to the crash and laid lifeless at the bottom of her crushed cage. Even with that, there was no doubt in our minds that God had protected us that day!

There would be countless other times in my life where I knew God’s protection was the only thing keeping me and my family. I’m sure you don’t have to think too hard to find a few personal examples in your own life of God’s miraculous protection.

01

I used that illustration of God’s protection to bring us to this point: God created our physical body as a masterfully orchestrated casing, and then breathed life into us as spiritual beings as described in Genesis. (Genesis 2:7 - Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.) While he protects our physical bodies more than we’ll ever know, he‘s also given us spiritual armor to protect us from all hidden dangers that threaten our very existence

God carefully and methodically created this armor as both defensive and offensive gear, making sure we are covered from every attack that comes our way. He directs us through the Apostle Paul’s teaching in Ephesians to “put on the FULL armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood {people}, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm.”

It’s easy to forget about our spiritual safety as it isn’t something we can see with the natural eye However, don’t be fooled! The spiritual realm is very real, very powerful, and beyond necessary to protect! Maturing in my faith has caused me to be more aware of attacks against my spiritual being, and thus more aware of the importance of applying Gods armor daily

Keep flipping to read about each piece of Gods armor as it is written in the Word of God!

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Ephesians 6:10 - 13

THE HELMET OF SALVATION

Protecting One of Our Most Precious Assets!

To understand this piece of armor, I invite you to see it in two parts to grasp its full meaning First, the Helmet! A helmet in any sense of the word describes a piece of hefty material formed to the shape of ones head It’s sole purpose is protecting one of the most valuable parts of the human body - the human mind. The Helmet of salvation is no exception It helps to aid us against any spiritual attacks sent to pervert, or corrupt, the balance of our thought-life Secondly, this piece of armor references our Salvation - or the acceptance of our Lord Jesus Christ as written in Acts 16:30-31 By referencing both the “protection” and “salvation“, it is inviting us to put on a renewed mindset that focuses on the attributes of being a daughter/child of God Putting this practice to work daily will help offset the thought patterns that come with an unrenewed mind

REASON: An unbalanced thought life is consumed by thoughts that don’t align with Gods perfect will for our lives. Those thoughts leave us vulnerable to attacks from the enemy. We cannot fully walk out our Godgiven purpose without Gods true protection over our minds and the thoughts we think.

M o d e l C a n d a c e R o b e r t s

THE BELT OF TRUTH

Emotion and Temperament Protection

istorically speaking, the midsection of a person was thought to be the place where emotions and temperament came out of. (As mentioned several times in conjunction with sacrificial offerings all throughout the Old Testament.) Guarding our emotions and temperament with the truth is a way of submitting all such things unto God. He’s the ultimate guide and regulator of our emotions and temperament. This is a hard thing to do on our own and can cause plenty of trouble in our lives if we aren’t guarded properly.

We sometimes have a tendency to make important decisions based on how we feel at that given moment. The enemy knows this, and uses tactics geared to trigger us emotionally at the most inopportune times. By putting on the belt of truth, we are inviting God to be our ultimate emotion and temperament regulator.

REASON: God knows our hearts and individual weaknesses. He, instead of condemning us or leaving us to fend for ourselves, protects us! He doesn’t allow the enemy to use those weaknesses against us. What an awesome father He is!

M o d e l C a n d a c e R o b e r t s

THE SHOES WITH THE READINESS OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE

Spiritual Shoes Built For Every Season of Life.

The enemy is always devising tactics to get us off track. He lives to “kill” your precious time and energy by having you focus on things not relevant to your life’s mission. He lives to “steal” your joy and leave you robbed of experiencing the peace God freely gives to us as believers. He lives to “destroy” the right path that Jesus has exemplified for us as the “correct” path. We know that God’s path leads to life (enjoying the fruits of the spirit as described in Galatians 5) and not death (as in Romans 6:23). God’s shoes, with the readiness of the Gospel of peace, keep us on track. They ensure that we follow peace with everyone (Hebrews 12:14), no matter how difficult it may be Everywhere we go we stand steadfast in peace, and it never leaves us

REASON: Just as you wouldn’t wear hiking boots to a black tie event, or stilettos to go hiking, our spiritual shoes correspond with our mission as believers. The point? To make sure you are always moving forward with Christ, no matter what season of life you find yourself in.

THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT

TThe Undefeated WORD of God.

his is referencing the Word of God, and is the only offensive piece of armor we are given In Hebrews 4 it states that “ the word of God is alive and active Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow ” Jesus is seen in Luke 4 using Gods Word in a spiritual battle between him and Satan Jesus’ persistent use of the scriptures to combat every attack the enemy was throwing his way was how he was able to resist the enemy Likewise, we are to use the word of God as a weapon to defeat the enemy

REASON: The enemy is a spiritual being. Fighting a spiritual being alone (without backup) and with the wrong tools is useless and down right dangerous. But fighting him with the weapon that God created to defeat him, not only ensures that we are not fighting alone, but as in Jesus’ case, it’s a sure way to win the battle, no matter what form or fashion he is attacking you in. Resist the enemy and he will flee. How do you resist? By putting on the Sword of the Spirit and using Gods living and breathing word as a defense.

THE SHIELD OF FAITH ‘‘I

n addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” The enemy is the father of lies and false accusations (John 8:44) As daughters of the king we face many trials with the root cause being false accusations and lies about our true identity, and a false reality of Gods goodness and love towards us God gives us the shield of faith to act as an invisible shield against all such attacks By continuing to use our faith in Christ as a shield, we learn to easily and quickly dismiss such attacks before they can enter our area of influence Remember, even Faith the size of a mustard seed is enough to move mountains

Reason: Maintain our confidence and True Identity in Christ.

Don't Let the Father of Lies Win.

THE THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

Maintaining A Godly Heart Maintaining A Godly

The area of the breast is generally thought to be the place that holds the soul The soul is the place where the heart resides and thus all of the matters of the heart It is a common notion that when we are in love or have a deep connection with something or someone, we can become partially or fully blinded by reality This is a dangerous thing, being that our reality is based on Godly principles and morals All of which can easily and quickly be placed on the back burner when our heart is compromised by ungodly relationships, desires and conditions The enemy wants nothing more than to use our hearts against us in deception, that is one of the reasons why

Heart

God instructs us to put on the breastplate of Righteousness on daily, to have a strong shield against such attacks. The writer of Proverbs declares, " Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life." (Prov. 4:23 NASB).Matthew 15:18 ESV But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person.

Reason: To protect our heart (soul) from all seen and unseen dangers, by applying righteousness as a garment. (But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.)

PAUSE SIS’

With all that rippin’, runnin’ & rollen’, it may be time for a quick moment of rest. No one said it’s going to be easy, but taking even a small pause in the middle of a physically or emotionally hectic day may be just what you need to finish the day off strong. Pause sis, you ’ re worth every minute (or hour) of it!

Jae Teague

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S T L i s b r i d g i n g t h e g a p

2020 brought more racial divide and tension to the forefront of our nation than we’ve seen in many years.

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Signs of the Times: A Pandemic Year

Last year meant different things for different people. The world around us can experience one season, while an individual experiences an altogether different one. Knowing what time it is in your life can cause you to discern your divine assignments; and see windows of opportunity where others can only see walls.

How do you discern the season? Summer is ending when I notice the sun setting at 6:30PM rather than 8:30PM. My allergies flaring up with a painful sinus headache is usually the first signal of spring for me!

Similarly, God will give us signs in our life to help us know what personal season we are walking into with him What do you find repeating itself in your world? What unusual, random or coincidental happening does your mind keep going back to? Did you hear yourself say something that surprised you or caught your attention? This is not an all-inclusive list but asking yourself these types of questions can help to discern the season of life you are in What difference does it make? No matter what season God has ordained for your life at this time, start by thanking Him for it Next, identifying your personal current season of life will help you respond efficiently to the events of God in that season For example, no one brings an umbrella to make angels in the snow; but a hot summer day will make any one reach for sunscreen Likewise, if one is in a season of Trust with God; then a global pandemic is an invitation to cast all your

cares upon Him You may find God proving Himself faithful to you in ways never before experienced If an individual is in a season of God’s pruning; then that same pandemic can be used by God to bring about great loss Still, some may be in a season of rest; God allowed the pandemic to slow everything down for

them Yet others are experiencing a season of tremendous growth! God used the impossibility of pandemic times to usher in long awaited answers to prayer so that He alone is glorified Final Thoughts: Although we can discern a season we cannot change the seasons We also cannot establish the length of time a season will be But yielding to God’s perfect timing, surrendering to His will, and setting our minds on all that He is doing; we can go from glory to glory even in the midst of a pandemic year To everything there is a season!

LISTEN SIS’

Listening doesn’t come easy or natural to me, but I have discovered that listening truly is an art form all in its own. And, learning to listen rather than talk, has caused more growth in a short amount of time, than all the years I spent talking. My encouragement to you sis is thisListen! Your body is talking to you. Your family is talking to you. Your relationships are talking to you. God is talking to you. Your environment is talking to you. Listen - You’ll be very surprised at what they may be saying! -

Jae Teague

How to Become Unshakable When Everything Around You Seems to be Shaking

By Linda Brown

Right now, we are living in a world where everything seems so uncertain. Its like where did my old life go? I am having to adjust to a new way of life and it’s not easy. So, how do I do that Lord?

Well, before Jesus physically left this world, he gave us a few instructions because He knew this day would come. Before His ascension He said in St. John Chapter 14, verse 27 ‘’Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you (His personal peace), not as the world giveth, give I unto you.’’ Then He said in the same verse, “Let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid.” If I had been present at the time, I would have asked what are you talking about, what is coming and what are you warning us about?

Well, He was talking about our personal trials we face but also, He was referring to local, national, and international issues that we are facing today. He was referring to 2020 or the Jewish Calendar of 5780.

Who knew we would face a year like 2020 wherein things would be happening like gun shots almost daily, but Jesus did, and He said don’t be troubled by it. Well, Jesus how do you do that when its changing everything about how we live, function, and communicate? The real key to this whole thing is to live in the gift He left us of His personal peace.

I believe our answer is in Philippians Chapter 4 verses 6 through 8 I believe the Passion Translation makes this verse much easier to understand; “Don’t be pulled in different directions (listening to news and many other voices) and don’t be worried about a thing. Saturate yourselves in prayer so God can talk to you, then His peace will make the answers known to you through Jesus Christ. Keep your thought life fixed on things that are honorable, admirable, etc.” Following these Biblical instructions also keep the spirit of fear from dominating your life.

Sometimes if fear or discouragement tries to attack, Isaiah Chapter 61 Verse 3 says to put on the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. Your praise is a weapon against Satan! So, remember how Jesus lived. He faced some very trying times, but He stayed intimate with the Father, always looking to Him for answers, always making time to be alone with God throughout His day. Always caring for others wellbeing and not just His own and always loving toward humanity even to the cross. Jesus always exhibited peace amid storms and trials. He stayed steady in His faith in God and because of that Jesus Yeshua, our Savior was able to be UNSHAKABLE.

Faith Defined

New beginnings are the refreshing feeling that change is coming, change is here, and change is now!

The exhilarating expectation is likened to a supernatural motivation. You may find yourself doing things you do not necessarily do on the daily, in preparation for your new reality. I am here to help you when the new beginning feeling scurries out the door. When the change you entered becomes the loathsome routine you wake up to. Does this sound familiar? Does this feel familiar? What if I told you that you could experience a new beginning every day? It all starts with the willingness to take control of what you can control. Everything in God's Word is yes and amen. According to Proverbs 31:15 MSG - She's up before dawn, preparing breakfast for her family, organizing her day. The scriptural principal I want to focus on is: "organizing her [your] day "This is what we can take control of. Choosing to wake up with the intent of organizing our day. A more intriguing way to view this isThe privilege of creating the day you desire to have. While we cannot control the issues that come in a day, we can control knocking out to-dos. Those intrusive thoughts that swirl around in your head, after you have started to work. Listing your "to-do's" where you can visually see them, gives you a sense of satisfaction. There is nothing missing that you may have forgotten to do if you did not write it down.

Faith Defined (cont.)

There is nothing missing that you may have forgotten to do if you did not write it down. This can even help you to remember birthdays! I also believe the action of writing revives you, stirring the groundbreaking purposeful desires of your heart. These desires do not go away. They come up at the most random time. Generally, when you are doing something you are not destined to do forever. Organizing your day will highlight the path for the day. That's living a purposeful life. It creates a strong foundation for the day. Knocking out your “to-do’s” is the discipline. Your desires are awakened, processes and new steps will be taken.

Make a command on your day. Steps to success feel different in the morning. You're fighting off sleepiness. Use this blessed privilege and set your site on the feeling of accomplishment in the evening. The revelation is in front of you. Choose life and organize your day, today! This is your new beginning.

By Candace Roberts

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