SPRING ISSUE | 2014
MAGGIE’S STORY MY NUMBER ONE A heart-gripping story of true love
SPRING TRENDS New trends for the SPRING you’ll love!
YOU PROJECT
What we’re up to and how you can be a part
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR New Everything! We are in the first trimester of 2014 and transitions are basically the main events happening in many people’s lives at this time. Just the fact that we are currently transitioning seasons weather-wise makes us feel an expectation about the “new”. And of course! Why not crush on “new season trends”, “new season’s fruits and veggies”, “new seasons for our favorite shows on TV” and so on? Transitions are not always easy though. Some of you might have read the first paragraph and thought, “Well I’m not enjoying my transitions”. Yup, been there too. Sometimes transitions are difficult because it takes re-adjustment, getting out of places we were already comfortable at, new places, new people or even just different weather. Or sometimes it’s just that the new season turned out to be different from what you expected. Let me tell you something: every season is important. I honestly hate the winter. I always long for it to end as soon as possible because I hate the cold and I hate that I eat
every 2 seconds so I can stay warm and of course because I don’t get out since it’s freezing outside, all I find fun to do is bake and have some hot cocoa- EVERY DAY. Now don’t get me wrong, hot cocoa is a blessing from heaven! But, if you have it every day, you will have to give some jeans away after a month or so. So anyways, you get me right? Some seasons are not the most fun, but we need them. If there was no winter, there wouldn’t be a spring. Actually, here’s an interesting fact. Plants need nutrients in frozen water or snow so that they can grow healthy in the next season. How crazy is that? And yes, I know, you are not a plant, but whatever you are going through or wherever you are has a purpose, it is preparing you for the next season.So brace yourselves because this adventure of change is making you grow and helping you be a better person! Enjoy looking at the positive! This is us, this is you. We Are Beautiful. Much love, -Marialicia
YOU PROJECT If you haven’t heard about it yet, let us introduce to you the
“#youproject”!
Join us every Tuesday as we challenge you to create a new movement among the women of this generation by encouraging others and encouraging yourself! Make sure to follow @_beautifully_you on Instagram or Beautifully You Magazine on Facebook to keep your eye out for each project, and hashtag
PG 2
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#youproject with your post to get some awesome giveaways! To reference more images like this, be sure and check out our Instagram page at: instagram.com/_beautifully_you or search ‘#youproject’ to see what others have posted!
+++ BEAUTIFULLY YOU MAGAZINE 2014 EDITOR: MARIALICIA COATES Creative Director: Katie O’Toole Marialicia Coates Maggie Donoho Jordana Heldreth Julie Scott Stacie King Meagan Boyce Brittany Norris Moriah Tovar Stephanie Taylor Rachel Osterloo Sarai Ogans Photography: Amanda Watson Photography - “Spring Trends” Bern Talanca Photography - “Maggie’s Story” Juliane Arielle Photography - “A Great Catch” Christy Childs Photography - “My Number One” Hannah Knoedl - “Spring Orzo Salad” Models: Grace Clavijo, Hannah Knoedl, Sylvia Carrillo, Marialicia Coates, Suraksha Kunwar, Moriah Tovar, Marielle Johanson, Stephanie Taylor & Jordana Heldreth Makeup & Hair: Elizabeth Fitzpatrick & Amanda Elliott Special Thanks to: Pinkitzel Cupcakes & Candy and Emy Couture
COPYRIGHT 2014 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED PUBLISHED IN THE UNITED STATES VISIT US ON THE WEB!
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MAGGIE’S STORY pg. 12
+ RECIPE pg. 7 SPRING ORZO SALAD A quick and tasty recipe for eating healthy while still enjoying your food!
+ GUY TALK pg.8
Be the first to hear it from our guys.
+ MY NUMBER ONE pg. 10 An inspiring story from Stacie King on how she overcame one of her biggest challenges in life.
+ TEST! pg.21 Get to know yourself better by finding out how you mind, body and spirit work as one.
+ GET INVOLVED pg.20 Read how you can be apart of giving back to the community around you.
+ A GREAT CATCH pg.9 Advice by Sarai Ogans that every girl should read.
SPRING TRENDS pg. 14
BEAUTIFULLY YOU SPRING ISSUE
DO IT YOURSELF
Placemats in Minutes! I was cleaning my house one day and all of the sudden I ran into a bunch of wedding leftovers. Nope, not cake, just a bunch of crafty materials and thought, “I need place mats!”, so here is a super easy DIY to make your own place mats!
Here’s what you’ll need: - Burlap (enough for 4-6 place mats) - Glue gun & glue sticks (at least 10) - 1 thick ribbon (we chose gold for ours) - 1 thin ribbon (try to remain in the same palette as your thick ribbon) -Scissors
You can begin by cutting the burlap in place mat sizes. (We used plates with ours for a good size comparison.) You’ll then cut the thick ribbon to place on the top border. Start putting the glue along the border so the thick ribbon can stick. Flip the place mat with the just glued ribbon.
Glue and fold the extra ribbon on the sides. Repeat the same on the sides with the thin ribbon. And then work on the top border. And vavavoom!
SPRING PLAYLIST, BABY! 1. Gone Gone Gone | Phillips Phillips This is one of those songs that leaves you with a warm fuzzy. 2. Gold | Britt Nicole If you are coming down on yourself and not feeling the greatest, listen to this song. Be inspired and be YOU ‘cause there is no one out there who can be you better than you can. 3. Still Into You | Paramore This is one of the cutest songs ever! The song talks about a couple who has been together for quite some time but they are still into each other and still love each other just as much as when they first fell for each other. 4. Back to Life | Hillsong Just simply a good song all around. It has good lyrics that leave you feeling good and revitalized.
5. Best Day Of My Life | American Authors Do you have a dream? Well the American Authors sure do and they wrote this song about it. We hope the “dancing with monsters all night” line means dancing with The Cookie Monster because we would! 6. Happy | Pharrell Williams Having a rough day? We know just the song for you! No matter what kind of day you’re having, you should go listen to this song and BE HAPPY!!
9. Stronger | Kelly Clarkson Best song for a workout EVER! When feeling like you can’t lift one more pound anymore.. SING IT! When you feel one more ab crunch will kill you, SING IT! 10. Treasure | Bruno Mars Oh we just loved his performance at the Super Bowl and, of course, who doesn’t like to hear that you are a treasure?
7. Brave | Sara Bareilles Say what is on your mind and let the world know! Be brave and not afraid of what the world might think of you! 8. Home | Phillips Phillips When feeling a little lost, listen. It reminds you everything will be ok.
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PG 5
Driving Practice Gone Bad
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hen I was seventeen, my mom was wanting to teach me how to drive. One day after school we decided to do a little test drive. My mom drove to the cemetery {I know its weird just hear me out} where they have wide pavement for cars to drive on. She thought it would be wise because no one is really around. {ha ha} While driving she kept telling me “to make wide turns”, I was doing pretty well when I saw a huge puddle and wasn’t for sure if I needed to drive through it or not...she said Make a wide turn! My nine year old sister was being annoying in the back seat which made me really stressed out, and then I had my mom on the other side of me saying, Remember make wide turns!! When all of the sudden I made the wide turn but SO wide that I hit a tombstone. Yes you read that correctly a tombstone! I tried to back up so that I could get off of it but I couldn’t. You see...it rained the day before so everything was still muddy. Every time I kept backing up the tombstone sunk deeper into the ground. We couldn’t move, and to top it off it was freezing cold and the sun was beginning to set. Finally my mom contacted my neighbor who came out to help us. He hooked tow strap onto
PG 6
our van and his van then started backing up to pull us out. When the tombstone was under the van and as he was pulling us the tombstone started moving. The tombstone completely flipped over when we were being pulled out. Finally we were off of the tombstone, I went outside to look under the van to see if there was any damage. My neighbor unhooked the strap and when he did the van jerked and started going forward. My mom screamed, “Rachael!” I moved out of the way wondering why she screamed at me and then she told me that the van was coming towards me. We tried our best to move the tombstone back to its correct spot...no damage was made but I can tell you it was a humiliating event...now I can just laugh about it...thank goodness”. - Rachael
Drunken Noodle’s AfterEffect
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guess I’ll start this story with drunken noodles. My best friend’s grandma, who is a great cook, decided to make drunken noodles for dinner. It was delicious as all get out, but unfortunately gave me bad gas. After dinner we decided to do
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some shopping around during some sales and see what we could find. We got to a JcPenny and began our adventure. My friend and I were in the Teens section while her grandma was in the Ladies. I noticed that I needed to pass some gas (well fart!) So, I would casually step away so she couldn’t hear them, but she finally questioned on why I would walk away every few seconds. I then told her why and we giggled about it and kept shopping. Well, not but a few seconds later I preceded to fart that the whole store could hear! I tried walking it off, but it looked as if the fart was pushing me along! My friend and I, of course, started dying of laughter and what do you know, I pee my pants. Right there in the middle of JcPenny, an 18 year old just peed her pants. Her and I ran to the bathroom and I tried covering as much as I can with my sweater. We continued laughing and told each other that we would never forget that story, and we haven’t! So, needless to say, don’t eat drunken noodles and go shopping!” - Anonymous
RECIPE!
What you’ll need: 1 avocado Fresh spinach 1 tomato 1 cup of orzo pasta Water Salt Pepper Directions 1. Boil one cup of orzo in 3 cups of water. Add a little bit of salt to the water. 2. After orzo is boiled and soft, drain and rinse in cold water. 3. Put orzo in a bowl with spinach. 4. Slice one avocado and 1 tomato then add them to the orzo and spinach. 5. Mix all ingredients together, add salt and pepper to taste. For the Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing: - 2 tablespoons olive oil - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice - 1 teaspoon honey - 1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds - 1/8 teaspoon salt - 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1. In a small jar, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, poppy seeds, salt, and pepper. Shake until mixed well. 2. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Enjoy! BEAUTIFULLYYOUMAGAZAZINE.COM
PG 7
GUY TALK WE GET UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH SOME OF OUR FAVORITE GUYS! Question 1: What are your views on modesty? Dustin: “From a guy’s perspective, I would say that it is an important responsibility for men not to objectify women no matter how someone dresses. With that being said, modesty is an attractive quality in both men and women.” Glenn: “You can look good and be completely covered up. Guys are all about a challenge, so if you’re like ‘workin it,’ whatever, you look awesome, I see what you’re working with. But if you’re covered up, we’re just like man that girl is beautiful, she knows how to dress, cover up, and still be modest.” Loren: “You don’t have to dress immodest (trashy) in order to get a guy’s attention or look good. Don’t feel like you have to expose “things” to look good.” Paul: “You want to bring the attention to who you are vs. what you look like. You can be fashionable and be covered up at the same time. If I’m looking at “stuff” and not paying attention to you, and we get in a relationship and you get on my nerves, then I really wasn’t paying attention to you anyway. I was paying attention to ‘use’. “
Question 2: What is one piece of advice you would give to a girl about dating? Loren: “Guys don’t know what you’re thinking, you have to communicate. Communication is the key to a healthy relationship.” Mitchell: “I think it’s important to have a life outside of dating. It’s not healthy to concentrate all of your focus on a single person. You need to have an identity outside of your relationship.”
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Paul: “You also don’t want to add friction to those ‘don’t do that areas’. Just chill out. A guy hanging out, doing other things, or going after his career, does not mean that he doesn’t want to be around you.” Gustavo: “A girl doesn’t need to pretend to be something she’s not. Just be yourself and the right guy will like you for who you are. I have 2 sisters and sometimes they think they have to pursue the guy, but they don’t. It’s the guy’s job to pursue.” Paul: “Some women might say men don’t step up. A lot of men don’t so we’ll give women that, but if you’re about your business we will notice. I remember with my wife there were so many times I questioned whether or not she actually liked me, but that made me step out and pursue her.” Glenn: “There is nothing more attractive than a girl who is passionate about something. There is security and safety in a girl who is always there to hang out; but there is something about knowing that she is pursuing her dreams that makes her more attractive.” Loren: “Don’t consistently search for a guy’s approval. Consistently looking or longing for someone else’s confirmation or validation will ultimately come to nothing. Once you start seeking approval from others, you’ll go anywhere and everywhere to get that confirmation.” Paul: “When you’re starting to get to know each other, watch your statements and don’t read into them too much. For example, a guy saying ‘Hey, you look nice today,” does not mean he is going to marry you. Just chill. Don’t read into everything so strongly.”
Question 3: What to do when a guy is pursu-
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ing you, but you’re just not into it? Loren: “If there is a guy that is pursuing you, and you come to the realization that you don’t like him, tell him. Just say no, I don’t like you like that. Just tell him, and don’t beat around the bush. Be nice, but be blunt.” Paul: “You have to say something.” Glenn: “Yes. we’re guys, and we’re supposed to be strong, but we do have emotions. You’re not going to be effective if you’re not being real. “
Advice from the mouth of a guy: -“The first thing I notice about a girl is her smile. What do I look for when I’m pursuing her? How she interacts with others.” -“If you’re looking in the mirror and you have to question it, don’t wear that.” -“Just because your friends are in a relationship doesn’t mean that you should be in a relationship. Also, if someone gets married at 19 or 22, that doesn’t mean that you have to be. Your process is different than the process of other people. Even if people put pressure on you to do things just because that’s what’s popular, that doesn’t mean that you have to do it. There is something for you to learn in every season of your life.” -“Do not wear leggings with a shirt that halfway covers your butt. Wear something that covers it. You’re drawing attention to yourself. Don’t do it!”
A GREAT CATCH WORDS BY SARAI OGANS
L
ast week I started reading this incredible book by Kinda Wilson, Confessions of a NonBarbie. Let me just say that if you need to be encouraged, if you want some advice from someone who’s been there done that, or just someone who understands; don’t look any further because this is it! I am not really one to read these guide to life kind of things; but I was a little intrigued, and once I started, I could not put it down. One of the things that Wilson talks about that really hit home with me was the chapter, I’m a seven pound bass in a vegetarian restaurant. (I’ll expound on this more a little later.) I have felt like a fish out of water pretty much my entire life. I just didn’t seem to fit in. People never seemed to accept me for well… me. Because of this, I spent a lot of time growing up trying to be someone else. Always feeling like I had to impress other people, always feeling like I had something to prove. It took almost 10 years to figure out that I don’t have to prove myself to anyone. I don’t have to try to impress other people. I don’t have to try to convince people to be my friend, or convince a guy that he belongs with me. (And it’s okay I’ve danced around to that Taylor Swift song by myself too.) Here’s a crazy thought though. Have you ever thought that maybe...just maybe you are the way you are for a reason? That maybe it’s not always you with the problem? As women we get a little wrapped up sometimes, especially when it comes to guys.
It doesn’t take very long for us to get all emotionally attached and infatuated, and then the creeper comes out. Don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about. We like a guy and all of a sudden we start to change. We start spending an extra 20 minutes trying to do our hair just right, or maybe try to catch the end of that OU vs. Texas game just so we can say we saw it. Maybe we even get a little stalkerish on facebook by checking his profile like 5 times a day. But let me tell you the conclusion I came to, and it wasn’t on my own. It was all thanks to Kinda Wilson. “What if who you are right now is perfect? What if someone is looking for those exact qualities that you have?” Chew on that for a bit. There are a lot of reasons or theories why every guy you become head over heels for doesn’t ask you out. I won’t tell you all of them, you’ll have to read the book for that; but here’s one: you are so awesome just the way you are, and if a guy or anyone else doesn’t notice that then it’s their loss. Girl you are a catch, but
sometimes you’re just a twelve pound bass in a vegetarian restaurant. “You’re a great catch, but just not appreciated where you are.” Here’s what you need to know: YOU ARE AWESOME! Yeah that’s
right, I said you’re awesome! Maybe say it to yourself a few times so you can truly be convinced, but know that it’s true. There are some guys that might not notice, they might be totally oblivious to your awesomeness, but there is someone who will. So don’t freak out, don’t worry, just wait. Be True. Be You. Be Beautifully You.
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PG 9
MY NUMBER 1
Words by Stacie King
I was only 15 years young when I lost my virginity to my boyfriend that I had been dating for four years. My previous plan to wait until marriage was null and void at this point. The guilt of my failed plan led us to eventually break up. Nevertheless as the years went by, my number, which was supposed to remain zero until my wedding day, grew from one to three – three guys that I had given myself to sexually. I was a freshman in college when I met number three. He was PG 8 10
charming and within weeks our relationship became sexual, but by this point I was too numb to feel any guilt. Eventually he cheated on me, had unprotected sex with another woman, and begged for a second chance. I welcomed him back with open arms. Our sexual relationship from this point on was a careless game of Russian roulette that I didn’t even know I was playing.
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Luckily, I was already committed to a summer internship at a church in my home state. Our relationship became longdistance and during that internship something changed inside of me. It took me five weeks to muster up the courage to break up with number three. He had always called the shots, so naturally he was furious with me; so much so that he called my parents to tell them about my sexual history and that I needed to get “tested”
because he wasn’t the only one, he was number three. I was humiliated, ashamed, mortified, you name it. But deep down, I felt a very small sense of relief that I couldn’t yet explain. My mom took me to her doctor and we discovered that as a result of unprotected sex, I had contracted human papillomavirus (HPV). This meant I had pre-cancerous cells on my cervix, and had it gone unnoticed I would have cervical cancer today. Shortly after receiving this news I had a surgery that eliminated every trace of this virus and potential cancer.
November 11, 2011, I married Chad Louis King. The man who I never thought existed not only exists but chose to love me unconditionally and no label of “virgin” or “exvirgin” would ever change that. Because I was and will always be his number one.
Three years later I was on a date and completely terrified to tell my boyfriend, Chad, about this. I didn’t think he would be willing to forgive me or even want to continue a relationship with me. For some reason he seemed to care about me even more once he knew what I went through. He loved me and forgave me without hesitation. I soon realized this relationship would be very different from anything else I knew. On BEAUTIFULLYYOUMAGAZAZINE.COM
PG 11
MAGGIE’S STORY HER JOURNEY ABOUT MOVING TO TULSA AND FINDING TRUE LOVE
express their feelings, and I would already be flirting with someone else. I know, this sounds awful.I grew so cold to the idea of love, that I stopped believing that love was a good thing. I was holding it hostage for all of the heartache that followed every painful goodbye. The thought of someone loving me, and me being able to reciprocate that love, was a fantasy. A man who could love my flaws, my ugliness, and my pain didn’t exist. A love that transcended beyond my appearance, and reached into the pit of my soul seemed foolish. Unreal. The plain truth was, I just wasn’t good with relationships. Any relationship for that matter. Father-daughter relationship, forget it. Close girl friend relationships always ended up with me saying or doing something I would regret, and not having enough courage to make amends. Boyfriend relationships were described as above, and as for my family, we were a mess; but we loved each other the best way we knew how.
“I was dating guy after guy...”
Words by Maggie Donoho
F
or me to sum up the events of my life, and expose them, is so against who I thought I was three years ago. I was a confused, lost, and unlovable girl. Trapped behind a fake smile and an attitude of sass. I smoked, I drank, and danced the night away anytime I wasn’t working a 10 hour shift. I lived with my best friend in an apartment close to the city. And what St. Louis didn’t know, was that I was on a mission to find someone to love me. Anyone. I was dating guy after guy, finding reasons why I would never end up with them, and eventually…I’d dump them. They would fall in love, get invested, PG 12
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“The Cooksey Cabin” was a house where rage and chaos made themselves right at home. There were words thrown around like daggers of hate between any lucky takers. Sometimes, we would get a show and the parents would brawl. My mom was not someone to mess with. Give her enough lip, and she would have you pinned to the ground before you could bat a lash. She would follow you around the house and pick you away with her words. She wasn’t a joke. She was a fierce lioness, and she was hurting too. Escaping the house, when I was a kid, meant trying to keep up with my brothers and their friends. I was the youngest of everyone, and of course, a girl. I wasn’t good at swimming across the lake, or outrunning Sherakon, Mrs. Green’s psychotic german shepherd, or even baseball. Sam, my brother, made friends with a kid around the corner from our house. They played little league baseball together and in my eyes, Sam and Randy were baseball heroes. They made Randy’s backyard into a baseball field. It was the social gathering for all the neighbor kids after school every day. And every day after school, I was forced to sit and watch because I was absolutely terrible. I remember this one particular day, clearer than any other day from my childhood. The cool breeze, the crisp spring air, my purple shorts and flowery tank top. My brothers were laughing in the back yard at Randy’s house, as someone missed the pitch. Randy’s dad walked toward me asking me to come inside. I remember getting that same feeling I had when the intercom in class would come on, and tell you to go to the principals office. I remember walking inside the front door and knowing something was wrong. The room was dark, and there was an eeriness in the air. He locked the door behind me as he made his way into the kitchen. I was standing as still as I possibly could
in the living room. I thought, “maybe if I don’t move or breathe, he won’t see me.” I remember him coming into the living room with cookies. He offered me one. I accepted. I remember a lot of things that followed this pathetic attempt at hospitality. Things too gruesome to type. To remember. He filled me with lies when he was finished with me. Lies that said, “Your mom will think you are terrible if you tell her what you did today. She will never love you again if she finds out. She will probably pack up the family and leave you to be alone.” I was never the same after that day. Long years of silence passed. I didn’t tell anyone. It almost seemed like a dream. It felt as though being a rape victim was a foggy memory that was uncertain, and probably not true. I couldn’t cope with it. I just wanted my mom to stay, and I wanted my family to heal from all of it’s ongoing pain. I couldn’t bring this up. Especially if I didn’t know the quality of its truth. I didn’t want all of the things Randy’s dad said would happen to happen. Instead of trusting that my family loved me, I protected them from the ugly cloud lurking above my head. I was nineteen when I admitted to myself that I was a rape victim. It took everything in me to say it out loud. It was the ugliest cry I think I have ever produced. Raccoons had nothing on the massive black circles around my bloodshot eyes. In that same moment, I reached out into the unknown. I had experienced the church and all of its wonder. I had dated my way through every youth group in town; which left me dry, and even more broken than before. I read the Bible, knew Scripture, and I could give you the best advice for months and months. Acting it out was another story. So I gave up. The most authentic moment I’ve had with God was in the dining room of my St. Louis apartment three years ago. I was standing face to face with myself. Recapping everything that I had done. Playing out every lie, every heartbreak, every selfish thought, every bad decision on repeat. It was a weight weighing heavy on my soul. The pressure building, and building, and building, until I finally broke into tears. I remember saying something like, “God, I want to know you and walk with you. I want to know your favorite color and what makes you laugh. If you want me, I’m here.”
”Now let me tell you, this is a hush-hush type of issue!”
From that moment, things quickly changed. I felt a tug on my heart for Tulsa. I had ties to Victory and the In Ministry Training program through Victory Bible College. Honestly, I knew I needed to get away from St. Louis. I knew that it was going to take a culture shock to get my life where it needed to be. So, I spent a year of my life living with the best people I’ve ever met. Making the best friends I’ll ever have and having my life radically flipped upside down by God and IMT. My healing process had begun. It was like God started ripping things out of my life. My past was dug up and on display for anyone and everyone to see. I used my story as a weapon against those same lies I once believed, the lies that I started seeing in other people. I met sexually abused women who believed they were worthless, unclean, and used.
enjoy who I was. And I, him. And boy, did we fall in love. My life had come full circle. Seeking love, losing love, finding God’s love, and finally… feeling a man’s true, no strings attached, I just love you love. None of which I would have ever guessed. It’s crazy to think that a poor, victimized, small town girl could be living in the fullness of life. But here I am. I mean, isn’t the greatest thing you’ll ever learn is to love and be
Now let me tell you, this is a hush-hush type of issue. People don’t blurt it out in the streets and alleyways that they’ve been sexually abused. No, this is hidden. It’s shameful. And what do we do? We hide our shame, but not me. Not anymore. Serving at the church, attending Bible school,interning for a ministry team, and attending a young adults church service; I was bound to catch some attention from the “churchgoing” bachelors. One in particular caught my eye and kept my gaze. His name, Austin Donoho. He was unlike all the rest. He didn’t draw attention to himself even though he was the guitarist for just about every Victory service. Which, I thought was the most attractive quality, ever. I never caught him flirting with another girl after I would “randomly” bump into him after service. He always approached me, never vice versa. He was intent on getting my attention. But what he didn’t know, was that I was already sold. No one, I mean no one, that I had ever dated sought out my attention solely to have it. He was the only man that just wanted to enjoy my presence without the expectation of anything physical. He simply wanted to
loved in return? Everything I’d ever hoped for has come to pass and now I’m living my life with hope in my heart, encouragement on my lips, and a giant smile on my face. I’m here, ready to love. Come and get it!
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PG 13
SPRING TRENDS!
SPRING TRENDS!
The sun is shining, the birds are chirping and the flowers are in full bloom. It’s finally springtime!
FASH
PG 14 10
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FASHION Below: Moriah Tovar shines in her pretty pastel, perfect for the spring weather.
HION A
fter a long, bitter winter, we definitely appreciate all the sweet things that spring has to offer. We grabbed some of our Beautifully You team and some great models to show off this season’s trends at Oklahoma City’s Pinkitzel Cupcakes and Candy. Mixed with sugar, spice and everything nice, this season’s trends are sure to pop just like your favorite sweet treat. Appeal to your innocent side with pretty pastels like mint green, lilac and champagne pink. Look sharp and crisp by pairing contrasting blacks and whites in one ensemble. Get fun and festive with this season’s big print craze. BEAUTIFULLYYOUMAGAZAZINE.COM
PG 11
FASHION
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he models show off their favorite neutral colors in different prints! From left to right: We match a basic, black tee with black and brown striped high-waisted pants. Next, we show a more dressy look with a heart shaped cut dress and black pumps. If you like prints, opt for something like the nude and black vest or the cross pattern, black blouse on the far right. PG 16
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FASHION
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ordana keeps it bright and fun this spring with a bright, teal fitted blazer.
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PG 17 13
FASHION Below: Stephanie wears a big smile with this black, fringe top and white, tiered shorts from Emy Couture.
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hether a bohemian, aztec flare or an elementary school geometric chic, don’t be afraid to have some fun with different prints this season. Just like our readers, we are everyday women of all different ages, sizes and ethnicities. In hopes of inspiring our readers, we have styled each girl to fit her shape and personality while following the latest spring trends. Get ready to raid your closet or your nearest shopping center, as we prepare to roll out the red carpet on the sweetest spring must haves. For more looks and trends, follow our blog: beautifullyyoumagazine.com
Grace is ready for a fun night out with the girls in this black and brown striped, metallic dress!
Right: Hannah looks fun and confident in this black, bodycon dress and finishes off the look with a chunky, statement necklace. PG 18
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FASHION
D
enim was a big hit in fall and winter’s lookbooks. It has carried over to the spring. Pair it with fun leggings, like the black and white printed leggings pictured here.
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PG 19
GET INVOLVED
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an you imagine a life where you didn’t know where your next meal would come from? Can you imagine a life where you were forced to beg on the streets for money, only to give it over to your “owner”? For many children on the streets on Thailand, this is a reality. This is their life. In November, I had the opportunity to travel to Thailand and work in a rescue home for children. These children were all from an environment where they had no love, no encouragement. These children came from backgrounds of physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, and the list goes on. These children had no hope. I was expecting to see children who were sad or angry. I knew that these kids had all been through so much, so I expected them to have behavioral and emotional issues. What I saw there was amazing. It was beyond anything I could have pictured in my mind. I didn’t see children sad or heavy hearted. I saw children that were happy and playing with other kids. I saw kids that were carefree and playing as if they had always been raised in normal circumstances. I believe that this shows what love can do to the human spirit. One little boy I met was about 3 years old when he was rescued, but looked like he was still an infant because of his severe malnourishment. He wasn’t able to walk or talk. He had severe deficits. During the course of his time in the rescue home, he is now able to walk and talk and play with the other kids. It is a true testament to what a healthy environment can do for a child. Several of the girls I met were rescued out of situations where they would be sold into prostitution by their families. You see, in Thailand, the world of sex trafficking runs rampant. Any young girl is at risk to be trafficked, but especially girls who have no family to look out for them. Once a girl is sold into this lifestyle, it becomes very difficult for her to get out of it. If by chance, she is able to get out, she is usually shunned by the society in which she lives. Many of the girls I met in Thailand were saved from having this
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lifestyle be their fate. I will never forget the faces of these children. The children who have been rescued from the worst situations that a human can endure. I don’t remember them with sadness, but I remember looking into their eyes and seeing hope. The children who I did not see in that rescue home are my motivation. I will live the rest of my life trying to help the children who “I believe that you don’t aren’t yet rescued. I feel that I have been given a voice and have to go all the way to heart for this topic and I will Thailand to change some- aspend my days reaching out, one’s life.” raising awareness and doing whatever else is in my power to help these children who cannot help themselves. When these kids were taken from their bad circumstances and placed in an environment where they could grow and learn-they flourished. I stand in awe of the people who have dedicated their lives to run this rescue home. I know that it is not an easy task, but I can’t imagine them doing anything else. Their mission statement is “change a life, change the world”. They truly live up to this statement. I want to spend the rest of my life living this as a reality in my life as well. I believe that you don’t have to go all the way to Thailand to change someone’s life. You have the power to change someone’s day, and maybe even their life in your everyday world. I have found that sometimes the things people have said to me or done for me, mean more than they will ever know. In the case of these children, they are given love from the staff, the volunteers and from the other kids and they are responding back in positive ways. So, I encourage you to live your life with purpose. You have the power to help or hinder someone with your actions, and with the words you speak. So, make your actions count, make your words worth something. Live intentionally. You have a purpose, so live like it.
If you would like more information about the organization I worked with in Thailand, the link to their website is: www.lifeimpactintl.org.
S
o many times we lose the value and essence of the true meaning of a word when it’s used so frivolously. What do they actually mean? Why were they created? How should they actually be used? These two words are often used to describe similar events but contain completely different definitions. “Change” defined: to cause, to turn from one state to another, to alter, to make different, to cause difference, to quit one thing and start another, substitute. “Transformation” defined: a process by which one figure, expression, or function is converted into another that is equivalent in some important respect but is differently expressed or represented, alteration, conversion, reshaping, renewal. Most people do not see change in their lives because they won’t allow themselves to transform over time but rather expect a change overnight.
Mind: A: Do you mentally punish yourself when you make a mistake? When something goes wrong in life, do you blame yourself? B: Do you allow yourself room for failure? Do you see yourself at your potential and work toward it? Body: A: Do you give up on an exercising if you don’t see immediate results? Do you buy into dieting pills? B: Do you set realistic goals for your body? Do you work one day at a time towards your physical goals?
B: Are you comfortable with who you are, and who you’re becoming? Do you view life as an unfolding journey? If you answered yes to any questions in the sections listed with an A, be easier on yourself. Rome wasn’t built in a day! Set tangible daily goals, reach them, and reward yourself. Everyone needs a little breathing room. If you answered yes to any questions in the sections listed with a B, you’re on the right track! Transformation will result in change, over time. Continue to give yourself some slack! You’re on the right track!
Spirit: A: Do you wish you could have someone else’s life? Do you think there is no escape from yourself?
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