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T S 1 S E LADI
ON I T I ED
JOURNEY T H E
MAGAZINE
Young Women Working 4 The Kingdom
EXCLUSIVE
Evangelist Marissa Farrow
Passionate, Persistent and Purpose-filled
MIRROR, MIRROR Summer Style for the ladies
AUGUST 2012
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Table Of Contents
JOURNEY T H E
! MAGAZINE N O I IT D E ST August 2012 Volume 1 Issue 2 1 S E ADI
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www.thejourneymagazine.wordpress.com editor.thejourneymagazine@gmail.com
@the_journey_mag
VIP (Very Important Purpose): EXCLUSIVE
the.journey.mag
PHYS. ED 101
SOUND LOUNGE MIRROR, MIRROR
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Letter From The Editor When discussing what it means to be a woman, we often reference Proverbs 31. A virtuous woman. After reading this issue, I want each woman to channel what makes her virtuous. At the ripe age of 24, I have yet to experience all that it means to be a woman, however, I can truthfully say I’ve danced on the crescendo of what it means to be a girl. The journey begins. I wanted this issue to spotlight young women of the Christian faith doing powerful things for the Kingdom. This issue is for the young girls, the seasoned women, the knowledgable mothers, the sophisticated ladies and the queen inside us all. The issue is meant to inspire, to liberate and to justify. We have stood behind, beside and in some instances in front of our men, our families, our country, and our churches. There is no limit as to what we can achieve if we believe and have faith in God. I appreciate all the influential women who have played a role in my life. To the women who have labored, prayed and fasted for victory for all women, I salute you. This issue is to help all the young women along their journey.
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Vision It is with expectation to bless each reader with phenomenal testimonies by awesome men and women of God. The goal is not to entertain or merely leave you with a compelling story but to allow you a front-row seat to watch what God is doing in the lives of people just like you. Inspiration and motivation is key, as well as deliverance and the onset of breakthroughs. The Journey is not to be viewed simply as a magazine but as a tangible representation of God working through His
children. With negativity amidst, the goal is to unclog your spirit and fill you with goodness. The Journey is purposed to be a platform to chronicle the lives of others in addition to assisting you with yours. We want to take you where you need to be. God is not to be forgotten or only called upon when needed; He is meant to be revered, respected and most of all represented. The Journey’s sole purpose is to be a representation of something Godly for the world to see.
When given this vision by God, I was hesitant, scared, tired and unsure and still I am walking in faith concerning all that God is doing along my journey. No matter the age, ethnicity or economic degree, we are all God’s creations on a journey in this thing called life. Shwanda P. Jones Publisher Editor-in-Chief
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Mirror, Mirror 1 Peter 3:3-4 “Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing gold, or of putting on apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.”
H
ello Beautiful People,
I’d like to formally introduce myself. My name is Tiffany Hatton and I’m the new Fashion/Beauty Correspondent for The Journey Magazine. God has given me a passion for helping people enhance their self-perception and to help them express who they truly are on the inside through their outer appearance [wardrobe, makeup, hair, etc.]. I’ve taken that passion and turned it into my career as an Image and Wardrobe Stylist. I strongly believe your outer appearance says more about you than you may think! Sure, you want people to get to know who you are on the inside, but if you don’t look like anything on the outside, you aren’t giving your true self a chance to shine! My goal is to inspire you and to aid you in finding an image that fits you and most importantly one that represents the Christ we serve! Let it be known that all transformations begin within. Before you concern yourself with your outer appearance, you must know that your soul requires purification. Having an amazing wardrobe means nothing if salvation hasn’t taken place first. Knowing Christ is the first step of being the best you. All else comes second to that. Love God. Live Healthy. Style Always.
Tiffany Hatton
Owner/CEO Lovestyle Image & Wardrobe Styling Love.Live.Style.
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Mirror, Mirror This Summer’s Sweetest Shade! MINT GREEN
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Mirror, Mirror
Summer 2012 is full of Hot Hues! But when you’re ready to cool down, indulge yourself in this summer’s sweetest shade...Mint Green. Mint is refreshing and versatile. Wear it playful or keep it conservative. Not sure how to sprig your mint? Here are a few examples:
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Agape Lane John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” In order to experience the fullness of love, at some point you have to learn to be without it. Being able to let something go or give someone up, so you can understand the essence of really having love and appreciating love. A love that won’t ever leave.
Learning to Live Without But being satisfied with There’s something in a woman’s chemical make-up that desires to be loved. She longs to be cared for, to be consoled and to feel like the most important person in the world, especially to her man. Then, there are some women who are devoid of emotion and have no preference whether the love of a man comes along or not. To the woman that longs to be loved, she must first learn how to live without. When I say live without, I don’t necessarily mean living without love because there will always be God’s love, but learning to live without the attention of a man. Some women search high and low for satisfaction and they believe their completion will come with a man. That is not true. In order for a woman to be complete she must first be satisfied with God and God alone. She must understand that when there is no one else, when there is no physical, emotional love from that of the opposite sex, that there is the spiritual, unfailing, unconditional love of God. Sometimes if we get certain blessings out of season, it will hinder our relationship with God. Some women, if they were to be blessed with a husband or a boyfriend, they would neglect their relationship with God. The woman must be established in herself and strong in her spir10 THE JOURNEY | AUGUST 2012
itual man to understand that a man doesn’t complete her, yet he enhances her. So many people get in relationships and they have confrontations and trust issues but therein lies self-esteem and confidence issues. They should pray for a spirit of peace, trust and seek to have Godly characteristics of love, 1 Corinthians 13. To the woman that disregards the love of a man, she must examine her fears or inhibitions. Often women will neglect love due to past hurts or inabilities to get beyond their own selfish tendencies. Love involves sacrifice, compliance and agreement. Some women do fully understand that those things don’t necessarily mean losing an identity but simply identifying with someone else to be stronger because agreement and oneness is powerful Matthew 18:19. To each of these women, love is hard to come by. It is something that takes time to fully evolve and grow into. Now some of you may know I recently got engaged and may say that it is easy for me to say this because I have my fiance. Au contraire. Love is like a car, it must be washed, inspected, cared for and filled with fuel. Just because I have a fiance now, prior to, he was my boyfriend of 11 years. We
had to grow and understand each other. Above all we had to establish our relationships with God. We had to get that foundation before we could fully be one. Even now, we are still growing and the thing is, growth doesn’t stop. We no longer seek the world, although tempted, but we wholeheartedly try to be satisfied with God which in turn makes us understand the mystery of love and working to always be satisfied with each other. I had to learn to be without him, meaning let him go beyond me, evolve as a man, an individual and as a child of God before the next step. I had to understand that if it wasn’t in God’s will there would possibly be a day without him and I had to be ok with that. I had to understand that before him was Him and he wasn’t my establisher but God really created me as who I am. Soon enough I would be united with him and in our union we would honor Him. When I started to understand that, things got better and the next thing I knew, we were engaged. This article may not provide steps to bring you closer to finding your mate but it will hopefully shed light on the fact that the biggest step is being satisfied with God and through God, all love will come.
Phys. Ed 101 Mark 7:15 “There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man.” In this month’s issue of The Journey, I had an opportunity to sit down with a friend of mine, Veronica R. Yarborough. Veronica, a 24-year old Registered Nurse who practices at Rex Hospital in Raleigh, NC gives us the scoop on living healthy, spiritually and physically. BY: SHWANDA P. JONES PHOTOGRAPHY BY: SHWANDA P. JONES
work on my personal relationship with God. SPJ: How is the progress? VRY: It’s tough. Time. I try to get better with taking up more time. It’s like me eating healthy. SPJ: Explain. VRY: “Make it a priority” just a healthy lifestyle in every way. If you’re not healthy and taking care of yourself (physically and spiritually), this other stuff you think is a priority won’t get done. You can’t take care of anybody else if you can’t take care of yourself.
SPJ: Did you always know you wanted to be a nurse? VRY: Well my first major in college was biomedical engineering. *laughs* I knew I wanted to stay in the health field, thought it would open up different opportunities...I also wanted to help people. SPJ: Describe your nursing experience. VRY: You develop a really
strong relationship with certain people, like your patients... you’re able to be there fore them and provide for them. Some people are difficult but then you have ones that will remind you why you do what you do. SPJ: What is your relationship like with God? VRY: It’s a work in progress. I go to church and do all the regular stuff but I’m really trying to
SPJ: So do you incorporate God into your work day? VRY: I talk about God when my patients open the door but I do pray for them every night.... SPJ: Do you accredit your success to God? VRY: Definitely. I’m the first person in my family to go to college and have a career. It’s been tough and if it hadn’t been for Him, I would’ve gave up a long time ago. SPJ: Let’s talk a little more AUGUST 2012 | THE JOURNEY 11
Phys. Ed 101 about your physical progress. VRY: You know, working with a trainer, trying to eat healthier. I was border-line under weight. And getting more rest because I work on night shift, so it’s hard. *laughs* I bake chocolate chip cookies at 3am. Just trying to eat the right things. SPJ: Can you explain why young people are so unhealthy? VRY: Young people are so caught up in their careers and life. Sleep seems to be less of a priority. Then you add in the drugs and alcohol. Some young people think they’re invincible when it comes to health. But you know I’ve seen 20-some year old dialysis patients...anything can happen...life can turn. SPJ: What is your advice to young people trying to start a healthy process? VRY: Take it one day at a time. It ain’t gone happen over night. If you start out working on your spiritual relationship with God, I feel that everything else will fall into place. And also having an accountability person to check in on you and make sure you’re doing what you’re supposed to be doing. And make it a priority. SPJ: Give me one word describing you in your process. VRY: Optimistic.
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Veronica R. Yarborough, R.N.
VIP: Exclusive
Passion & Purpose BY: SHWANDA P. JONES PHOTOGRAPHY BY: SHWANDA P. JONES
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VIP: Exclusive
I didn’t know exactly what
time it was but I could tell by the sweltering North Carolina heat and high sun, it was just about midday. I was right on schedule. As I walked up to the entrance of the chic yet welcoming hotel, I met the lady of the hour ascending from her car with bags. Evangelist Marissa Renee Farrow, a 23-year-old from Baltimore, MD, born and raised. A powerful woman of God who has sparked many dances, preached many breakthroughs and labored tirelessly to uplift our youth of today. Although Farrow is only 23, she has been preaching since she was 14 but had her first encounter with her calling at the age of 12. “Hi,” we both let out a highpitched greeting, well Marissa was more alto, reminiscent of the mature mother voices in the church who always read the scriptures. She and I exchange greetings, hugs and friendly banter and it was time to get down to business. Before we entered the interview zone, Ms. Farrow headed up stairs to get ready for the photo shoot. I waited. I pondered, while sitting on the terrance of the hotel surrounded by the beautiful lake, I wondered the questions I would ask, the vision of my photo shoot. You’re probably wondering, why didn’t I have all of this planned? Well to be honest, I was nervous. Never a person known for lack of words or extreme discomfort, but this time I was nervous. I mean this was Marissa Farrow. I’d seen her minister a few times and I’d known of her ministry 14 THE JOURNEY | AUGUST 2012
for a couple years and this is a woman on fire. I never thread lightly around God’s called and I definitely never want to be too flaccid in the presence of such a dynamic individual. Although one year my junior, I respect who she is and all she has done, so the young folks would say, I wanted to come correct. “So where do you want to get started?” A voice and figure appeared from the corner of the terrace. It was the lady of the hour. Adorning a linen ensemble with vibrant colors to accommodate the season, it was time to shoot. As we walked the large acred area, snapping pictures here and there, the nervousness left me and we exchanged conversation about life, goals, future plans and made new discoveries. Marissa is afraid of bees. When attempting to get the last shot I swooped past the bee with ease, having knowledge from my country upbringing instilled that “he won’t bother you unless you bother him.” My advice seemed to just hit the surface, as Marissa ducked and dodged, dipped and dived, her alto changed to a soprano and we changed locations. It was time for the interview. Slightly slouching in her chair and twiddling with her iPhone, Marissa seemed relaxed and ready to go. “Tell me a little bit about Marissa,” I asked. Marissa smiled and paused. “Marissa is a lover of God, of fun and of people,” she explained. As I allowed her to delve deeper, she transitioned from speaking about the fun of faith but not neglecting to disclose that it is
serious. “Faith is serious. It takes a lot to be faithful.” “At the end of the day you can be doing all the dirt and still be used by God but remember the donkey (“ass”) he used when he rode in to Jerusalem.? The donkey was fit for use but after Jesus was done with it, the donkey went back to playing its same role, there was no reward and there is no reward for those type of people. Some people are just comfortable with mess. They haven’t submitted. Hebrews 13:17.” My eyes blinked repetitiously as I’ve never heard it put that way. I was ready for her to preach in the interview. At this point I grieved neglecting to bring a voice recorder. Marissa was adamant about living for God and being straight up. Even though she admitted it can be hard. “Being called will leave you by yourself a while. It’s not popular. We fight with unpopular decisions but those are the right decisions.” As a follow up, I asked if that’s why she thought young people were apprehensive about living for God and she stated that young people tend to follow trends. They’re heckled by peer pressure. But she advised them to never stop trying. “You have ups and downs. God doesn’t call you equipped, He has to equip you. Everything is orchestrated by the hand of the Almighty.” “Just do it,” Marissa stated. “When people contemplate stuff too much, they find a whole lot of reasons not too.” Marissa knows all about just doing it. She’s currently finishing her book “Kick It in Kinetic.” She’s hoping the book will be a
VIP: Exclusive blessing to young people all over the world. Not only that but Marissa is hoping for love and healing. “I’m hoping for God to heal my heart completely. Situations have really tried the strength of my heart but I know without any pain there is no gain. Things are going to weigh heavy but at the end of it all, the fact that it’s still beating…” As we prepared to wrap the interview, I slightly smiled and Marissa inquired of the origin of my smile and I explained, “I like when the people I interview are passionate.” And passionate she was. Marissa exclaimed that she’s been through things just like everybody else and she just really would like God to resort her heart in this season. Being in a car accident a few months prior to the interview, being elevated way from some childhood counterparts, and still growing as a young woman all the while continuing to preach the Word and go forth in her calling. Yes, I’d say Ms. Farrow is passionate, persistent and definitely, purpose-filled.
Marissa Farrow, 23-year-old Evangelist www.marissafarrowministries.com
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Sound Lounge
“I Sing Because I’m Happy” BY: SHWANDAP. JONES PHOTOGRAPHY BY: SHWANDA P. JONES
When I see names I wonder if their parents knew they were naming their children for their destiny. In this issue, the three young women I interviewed have names that are screaming to embellish an album cover. Angelita Bachon Dawkins, Jade Erin Shields and Kimberly Chante Fletcher. If the syllables in their names don’t boast that they are grand, then come to New Covenant Christian Church of the Triangle and hear them sing 16 THE JOURNEY | AUGUST 2012
because their voices sure do. “Music is a big part of my life. Music is such a vital aspect of life and expression,” states Angelita, called Angel by friends. Each of the young women insist that music is a form of expression and an expression they have been using since they were little. “I’ve been singing since I was little. Music is my life,” says Kim, 25 of Durham, NC. As we settled in to chat, I quickly noticed the commraderie amongst the young la-
dies. There were no divas to be found. Not only that but they were genuinely nice and not to mention hilarious. At the end of the interview, I had accumulated several tissue papers; however, they were to wipe tears of laughther. The young ladies admitted their love for laughter and jokes but when it comes to their ambitions and dreams, there are no
Sound Lounge JADE
ANGEL
KIM
games there. “I’ve been singing since I was four, but I’m also a stylist, seamstress and clothing designer,” implied Jade, 22 of Durham, NC. “She does it all,” interjected Kim. Kim, who stated earlier that music was her life is solely focused on music as a passion. “Hopefully I will have a demo soon, it’s a matter of preparation. I do consider myself as an artist, I feel like I’m going to officially come out as an artist when I start promoting more original material,” she stated as she let out a shout.
Although loving to sing, Miss Angel is more focused on counseling kids as her prime objective. “My ministry is with children and teenagers. Planting those seeds that God has given me to give them.”
As the conversation continued, we could not help but speak about the Man who blessed the young women with all their talents. “I’ve always been in the church, I got saved at 9 at a watch-night service,” said Jade. As they delved deeper into their relationships with God, Kim stated that He was her friend while Angel simply pinpointed that He was her everything, helping her get through her day. It is by no mistake that these young women are connected. They are set to do marvelous things for the Kingdom. With strong foundations in the Lord and the church, they are sure to reap all good things in due season.
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Daily Hues Galatians 6:9 “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Each day we deal with different emotions and feelings that we cannot explain. We are up, we are down but if we be in God, He is sure to establish order and peace. “I’m going to act how I want. It’s whatever because I know I’m going to be elevated. I won’t be here for long.”
2 Corinthians 6:14 “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?”
“I just need God to show me the way. I’m so tired and I feel like I’m lost, I’m confused and I just don’t know what way to turn.”
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Proverbs 27:1 “BOAST not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.”
“There are people in my life that conflict with my purpose and destiny. I’m not for sure what to do?”
Romans 5:3-5 “Not only so, but wec also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.”
The Writers’ block Jeremiah 1:9 “Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.” Truly a dynamic young woman, Miss Ashley Victoria Koonce is a graduate of UNC Chapel Hill. Ashley is a prime example that young women must press forth into victory and purpose regardless of circumstance or situation. In this edition of The Journey Magazine, Ashley shares a story dear to her heart. I hope her fills the hearts of young women around the world. BY: ASHLEY V. KOONCE PHOTOGRAPHY BY: SHERROD CARTER
Aliya On June 4, 2012, I sat in Mariah Purham Hospital in a maternity room while rocking my new born niece, Alliyah Elizabeth Carter, in my arms. I turned around and looked at my best friend Olivia as she rested in her bed. In 6th grade we vowed that we would be sisters for life. Now here I was, ten years later, helping to support my sister during this glorious occasion. As I held Alliyah in my arms, I was in amazement of how much my little niece depended on me. I had to hold Alliyah in a correct manner and feed her a special formula that was given to her parents from the hospital. After Alliyah was done with her bottle, I burped her by gently, yet firmly, patting her on the back. I also found myself making sure that she had the coziest spot in my arms, by placing her against my stomach as I became the first person to ever sing
Happy Birthday to my niece. While holding Alliyah, I was reminded of God’s relationship with each and every one of us. We are His children and we are totally dependent on Him to have life and life more abundantly. We would not be able to live if He did not feed us with His Holy Word. If nails had not been used to “pat” Jesus down on the cross, we would not be able to have the option of being set free from the burden of our sins by repenting to God in Jesus’s name. Lastly, when all is said and done for us on this Earth, I pray that each of us is able to inherit a cozy spot in Heaven and that we are privileged to hear God say, “Well done my good and faithful servants well done.” Alliyah’s name means to “ascend or to go up” in Hebrew. I have faith that one day my little niece will grow up to be a
strong woman of God. We all were once babes in Christ, like my niece Alliyah, when we first made the decision to be born again. We had to learn how to walk, talk, and live in a Godly manner in spite of the trials and tribulations that were acted as stumbling blocks in our way. I pray that the men and women of God that are reading this article are able to steadily “aliya” in their relationship with God. Ephesians 4:7-14 (You can cut this to 14-17 if you want to.) 7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. 8 This is why it[a] says: “When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people.”[b]
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The Writers’ block 9 (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions[c]? 10 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) 11 So Christ himself gavethe apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of Godand become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. 14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking
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the truth in love,we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
Real Talk Matthew 12:34 “...for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” You Tweet, We Listen...this edition of “Real Talk” asks: “What is #faith to you?” @the_journey_mag #faith is victory
@the_journey_mag 140 characters ain’t enough! Lol
@the_journey_mag The knowledge that I belong to my Father (even though I can’t see Him) all because His word says so!
@the_journey_mag believing in something I can’t see YET but being confident in my ability to know these things to be true. AUGUST 2012 | THE JOURNEY 21
Credits Publisher: Shwanda P. Jones Editor-in-Chief: Shwanda P. Jones Head Photographer: Shwanda P. Jones Guest Photographers: Sherrod Carter (The Writers’ Block) Kayle Williams (Letter From The Editor) Advertisements: Krista Stepney & K Dream Effects (logo design by Nicole Wyche) Randi Gordon & Sugareuphoria (ad design by www.msjainc.com) Fashion/Beauty Correspondent: Tiffany Hatton Agape Lane: Shwanda P. Jones Phys. Ed 101: Veronica R. Yarborough, R.N. VIP (Very Important Purpose Feature): Evangelist Marissa Farrow Sound Lounge: Angel B. Dawkins, Kim C., Jade Shields The Writers’ Block: Ashley V. Koonce Real Talk: Cliff Jones P.A.T. Junior Fred Reid Monique E. Smith 22 THE JOURNEY | AUGUST 2012
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