Be Vivacious-Winter 2020

Winter 2020

Losing

my Daddy

+ Finding

my FATHER

Best.

Gift.

EVER! Devo

ATHLEISURE Editorial

The First Gift

feature story

Baby, it’s cold OUTSIDE Editorial

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Instagram @ashleyj_salon

Publisher’s Note

C

hristmas has always been my favorite holiday, not because of the gifts, but because of the traditions that my family has always held dear. Time has been our most treasured gift, and the Christmas season is full of intentional time for us.

Each year on Christmas Eve under the glow of tree lights in a living room so warm chestnuts could have roasted on the coffee table, we sat and listened to my granddaddy read the Christmas story from the Bible. It was a sacred time for all of us because we knew that the gifts under the glow of that tree represented so much more than the material possessions in each box. Those gifts under the tree represented the ultimate gift that Jesus gave to us by coming into this world as a baby born of a virgin, only to suffer and die on a cross to conquer death, so that we can be saved and live forever in eternity with Him.

Abbie Carter Franklin Publisher email: abbie@bevivacious.org instagram: @bevivacious.magazine

With that truth in mind, we nestled into our sleeping bags around my granddaddy’s bed dreaming of what we would find in the boxes under the tree the very next morning. Standing in the narrow hallway in my granddaddy’s house, very early in the morning, we waited very impatiently to run through the door to see what was in the next room! It was that very moment that I waited for all year long.

The anticipation was almost unbearable, but we had to wait until every person in our family was awake and ready to storm that door together. That moment felt magical - full of electricity and excitement.

As an adult, those memories are priceless to me. For 19 years, my entire family nestled into bed under one roof on Christmas Eve, and today I would give anything to be standing at that narrow door again. Time passes and the scenes of our lives change. Looking back I don’t remember the individual gifts that I received each year or the songs that we sang. I only remember feeling so very loved, cherished and absolutely adored. The hugs and words of affirmation reassured me that no matter what, I was important to my family.

I look at that narrow door attached to the narrow hallway that we would walk through to get to the gifts, and it paints a beautiful picture of the narrow road and the narrow gate that leads to the Kingdom of God. That path is your life, and it leads to the most unimaginable gift you could think of. It is a gift that I am so excited to receive - Heaven and eternity, full of love and worshiping God.

Whether your tree is empty or full of gifts, I beg you to remember that Jesus has already given you the ultimate gift of salvation for eternity, and all you need to do is accept it!

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WINTER VOLUME II NUMBER 2

The Word 8 Vivacious Girls 10 Be Creative 15 Baby it’s Cold 26 Testimony Story 29 Gods Plan 30 Identity 37 Gifts Under $20 39 Book Club 41 Labels 45 Athleisure Editorial 53 Around the way Gyrl 54 Best.Gift.Ever Devo 7

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CONTRIBUTORS

The

Talent Joyce Bii

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A Kenyan born American raised girl who yearns to wake up out of this box the world has put around her.

Day in day out we follow the rules out of the fear of the consequences.

“The world pushes people like me to the side because of things I can’t change. I’m Black. I’m a female. I’m an immigrant. I’m African. Despite all of these and more, there are people in all these categories that have broken through these barriers.”

This is her journey of fearlessly overcoming the barriers and speed bumps life has put in front of her along with standards the world sets on all of us shamelessly.

The beautiful and ugly - the pleasant and uncomfortable conversations we should be having. Follow her at biijoyce.com

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Karen Mutchler Allen

Karen is married and the mother of three children.

She has hosted a radio show, Acquire the Fire with Karen Allen, and a nationally recognized TV talk show, Talk of the Town. She also has done voice over work, tv and internet commercials.

Inspired by her love of children and teaching, she has written a series of children’s books about manners.

Karen was crowned Mrs Hoschton 2010 and takes her crown and sash into the elementary schools to share with the young girls a self-esteem & self-worth curriculum called “Beauty Within”.

For more information about Karen, check out her website at karenallen.weebly.com

Tara Jenkins

Tara Rawls Jenkins, Ed.D. is a creative communicator of God’s word. Her messages often infuse spoken word, music and dance, utilizing secular cultural references to explain scriptural principles.

With a passion to see women, wives and girls empowered,Tara enjoys convening faith-lifting events. Tara is also the founder of MinistryMates.org , an organization that equips ministers’ and pastors’ wives for ministry.

Tara resides with her songwriting/recording artist husband Charles and their three extraordinary children.

She can be found at tarajenkins.org

FINDS

THE

Word “

The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:14

”

(clockwise) - Teal Bible, Barnes & Noble $14.99 - The Jesus Bible, amazon.com $47.87 Beautiful Word Coloring Bible - $19.99

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V I VA C I O U S G I R L S

Meet Paris & Princess

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Paris Victoria Jenkins is a high school freshman who enjoys singing, serving and trying new sports. Her determination and fearless personality prompts her to try new activities each school season. So far she’s enjoyed participating in basketball, cheer, track & field, shot put and discus. Next on her list is volleyball and tennis this year!

Princess Alexandria Jenkins is a high school junior who enjoys cheer and all forms of dance!

She is most excited about mission trips. Last year she served individuals impacted by storms in South Carolina and Puerto Rico. She is now looking forward to her next mission trips in Hawaii and Jamaica.

Princess enjoys traveling both domestically and abroad. Last year, after participating in a mission trip to Ecuador, she was a part of a team that launched an effort “From Sole To Soul” to send shoes back to those in need in Ecuador. This year she looks forward to her next mission trip to Romania.

Her dance training includes Homer Bryant’s Chicago Multicultural Dance Academy as well as intensives taken at New York’s Dance Theatre of Harlem and LA’s Debbie Allen Dance Academy.

We will be highlighting these two vivacious girls on our social media for the next three months.

Follow along to see how much fun life in Christ really is!

Instagram: @bevivacious.magazine Facebook: Be Vivacious Magazine

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B E C R E AT I V E

by Abbie Franklin

“

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.’

”

– Luke 2:13-14

B E C R E AT I V E

I

sat on the edge of the hill overlooking the water below our house one night completely alone under a million stars dancing in the sky. The reflection of the moon rippled in harmony with the beat of my heavy heart as silence surrounded me. When the words of an old, familiar song began to play in my mind, I laid my weary head in the grass and began to sing along.

“Oh Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder consider all the worlds thy hands have made…”

There is something that I have never been able to fully understand about those words that seems to calm my mind and put the hard days into perspective for me.

As I gazed into the heavens and sang “How Great Thou Art” by Carl Boberg, I realized just how much my spirit needed to worship God oneon-one. No band, no lights, and no one else to distract me from fully praising the one and only God. My God!

Head down, eyes closed, and hands raised.

Walk into many church services these days and this is the posture that you will see during praise and worship. But, what does it really mean to “worship” through music, and why is it so important?

The Bible tells us that musical worship fills the heavens. Revelation 4:8 (NIV) says that “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come,” echoes through the throne room.

Sometimes I envision that I am literally standing in the throne room when I pray and sing to God. The overwhelming bright light (Revelation 21:23), the colors that reflect off of the sea of glass (Revelation 4:6), the intoxicating perfume that fills the room (Revelation 8:3-4), and my Father looking

down at me with a smile so big it makes me want to run up to Him, put my head on His chest, and let Him wrap His safe arms around me while I tell Him over and over how much I love and adore Him. My focus is His and His alone. That is worship.

John 4:21-24 says, “‘Woman,’ Jesus replied, ‘believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.’”

I have had times when every little distraction feels like there are atomic bombs exploding all around me: The lady sitting next to me with a distracting cough, the mistake the drummer made, or the kid who will not stop crinkling the bulletin. Then, thoughts begin to invade my mind like “What are we having for lunch?” or “Man, I’m really cold,” all while the words to the song on the screen are coming out of my mouth in perfect harmony with the band. (Ok, maybe I sound a little more like Kermit the Frog, but God thinks I sound like Carrie Underwood, alright!)

This is not worship.

In Isaiah 29:13, the Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.

Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught.”

Head down, eyes closed, hands raised.

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B E C R E AT I V E Worship is bowing down low in order to lift God high. That takes humility, submission, and love. Worship is taking the focus off of myself and what is going on around me to give ALL of my attention and praise to the only God of the universe.

In the Bible, God appoints specific people to lead armies into war through music. He set music to go before the Ark of the Covenant. When the temple was established in Israel, King David declared praise and worship to continue day and night, and Luke 2:13 describes that on the night that Jesus was born three shepherds saw the heavens open to “ a multitude of heavenly hosts singing…”

Our worship is important to God.

In this issue we would like to introduce you to high school and college-aged girls who are already using their God-given talents to usher in the presence of the Holy Spirit through musical worship.

Shelby – @shelbyvercekortega

Salem – @salemvelina

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Kelsey – @kelseymae._

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B E C R E AT I V E

Arlie – @arlie_ard

Dory – @doryhatchett

Jasmyn – @jasmyndyarbrough Halle – @hallevercek

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baby, it’s cold

OUTSIDE photographed by Abbie Franklin styled by Karly Herring hair by Ashley Jarrel makeup by Megan Powell model Natalie Simmons

Sweater: Free People ($98)

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EDITORIAL

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Girli Girl Boutique Gown by Sherri Hill Velvet Cami Jumpsuit: Forever 21 ($27.99) Chevron Faux Fur Coat: Forever 21 ($64.99)

EDITORIAL

Burgandy sweater: Free People ($148) Sherpa Coat: Forever 21 ($64.99)

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EDITORIAL

Green top: H&M ($19.99) Mustard denim: Free People ($78) Leopard print shoes: JC Penney ($55) Clutch: H&M ($34.99)

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EDITORIAL

Sherpa Jacket: Forever 21 ($64.99) Green Corduroy: Altar’d State ($69.95) Flats: JC Penney ($55)

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EDITORIAL

Plaid Blazer: H&M ($49.99) Sweater: H&M ($24.99) Pants: Alter’d State ($23.88) Boots: Forever 21 ($39.99) Bag: Forever 21 ($7.50)

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Velvet Cami Jumpsuit: Forever 21 ($27.99) Chevron Faux Fur Coat: Forever 21 ($64.99)

EDITORIAL

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EDITORIAL

Green top: H&M ($19.99) Mustard denim: Free People ($78) Leopard print shoes: JC Penney ($55) Clutch: H&M ($34.99)

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EDITORIAL

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Plum Dress: Alter’d State ($79.95) Heels: Steve Madden ($130.95) BE VIVACIOUS | BEVIVACIOUS.ORG

Losing

my Daddy

+ Finding

my FATHER

by Katie Beth Johnson

TESTIMONY

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TESTIMONY

H

i, my name is Katie Beth. I’m 16 years old - the oldest of 7 children. This year has been a very hard one for our family.

On the morning of February 27th, my daddy and I went out for a run, as we had many times before. He never made it back home. We had been out for about 20 minutes, and I was a little ahead of him. I thought I heard a car coming up behind us, and as I turned to see if there was, I witnessed my dad collapsing to the ground.

I ran to him, thinking it was probably nothing too serious, until I saw his face. At that point I started freaking out. I remembered what my dad ALWAYS told me “Intellect over Emotion”, and got myself together. I called 911 and thankfully, someone stopped to start CPR. While on the phone, trying to get the closest address, I handed my dad’s phone to another person that had stopped, and asked her to call my mom. The first responders arrived with my mom followed by an ambulance close behind. There was a small group of women that had gathered, and I remember asking if we could all join hands to pray for my dad.

My dad suffered a sudden cardiac arrest, the paramedics worked to revive him for 26 minutes before they were able to regain his pulse.

He was left with a brain injury due to a lack of oxygen, and he was in bad shape.

I didn’t go see him for the first 3 weeks. I just wasn’t ready to see him attached to life support, and mom agreed we should wait. Once they moved him out of the ICU, and he was only on oxygen through his tracheostomy, I finally went to visit. It was so much harder than I ever imagined it would be, but each visit got easier. He was in the hospital for 18 and a half weeks and in a nursing home for 3 weeks.

During those 21 and half weeks, we saw him daily, sometimes multiple times daily. We told him all about our day, read our daily Bible reading with him and had nightly family prayer together. He would look at us, make eye contact, move his toes when we asked him to do so! Sometimes he would even squeeze our hands. Though it was vastly different than life before the cardiac arrest, we still had him.

Once he was moved to the nursing home, he got an infection that caused him to go septic, and on August 9th, 2019, my best friend, my daddy, went home to be with Jesus.

Never be afraid to “ trust an unknown future to a known God ” —Corrie Ten Boom

You always hear people say “it happened so fast, it’s all a blur”, I wish it were just a blur sometimes. I remember every vivid detail of them performing CPR and shocking my dad. They were desperately trying to revive him, and I was begging God not to take my best friend from me.

At some point, the officer told my mom she should take me home. When we got home, my mom had to tell my siblings how bad things were. I remember her telling us that no matter what happened we wouldn’t be mad at God because His plans are perfect and good even when they don’t feel like it.

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Throughout the entire journey, I felt an unexplainable peace, realizing if it was God’s will to heal my dad, He could fully do so in an instant; but, if He had other plans for my dad, I trusted Him to know what was best. Over the last 6 months, God’s presence has been very real and felt. Our extended family has been here to help in so many ways and countless people in our church and community have been the very hands and feet of Jesus to us. They cut our grass, bring us food, take us fishing and just love us. God has met all of our needs before we even knew we had the need. Our family van

TESTIMONY started having issues and someone gave us a newer, albeit smaller van, my mom was off work a total of 17 weeks without pay and God always sent what was needed to cover our bills. These are just a few of many examples of the ways God has shown us that He is right here with us.

Everyone asks me if I’m really okay. Am I mad at God? Do I still trust God? These questions are understandable and probably even expected. I answer them as honestly as I know how. I’m okay, as okay as a girl that just lost her daddy can be. I did get nearly 22 weeks to love on him, and slowly adjust to daily life without him.

It’s still incredibly hard to think about all the things my dad won’t be here for. I’m not angry at God. I am a bit angry and terribly sad about the fact that I have to face the rest of my life without my daddy. He won’t be here for my graduation, to walk me down the aisle, or hold my children. I’ll never hear him call me PeeDee again or get another birthday dinner at BoneFish grill with him, but God has promised to be a Father to the fatherless and I know He always keeps His promises. He has given me joy in the middle of the heartbreak. I am so grateful for all of the fun memories we have of our time with our daddy. He taught us so

much, and those memories and life lessons will be with me forever.

While I have faced the incredibly hard, heartbreaking reality of losing my daddy, I have also had the incredible experience of coming to know the heart of my Father in a way that I never knew I could. While He didn’t do what I begged Him to do, and He called my daddy home, LONG before I was through needing him, He has wept with me and walked with me through the deep dark valley.

I’ve heard my mom say it a thousand times, “My circumstances don’t change God’s character.” He is good, and His plans are for our good and His glory.

I find peace in knowing that even though my heart is still very broken, He promises to never leave us or forsake us. I believe that there is never a tear or pain that goes unnoticed. He is using it all to prepare us for the purpose He has planned for us.

God is writing my story and making Himself known in the process.

“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable.”

(Matthew 6:26) and “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”(Matthew 10:29-31).

In the bible the sparrow is mentioned numerous times.

The sparrow is just a bird… but the bible indicates that we are worth more than many sparrows to the Lord. So, if His eye is on the little bitty sparrow, then you can know without a doubt that HE watches you. He loves you.

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A

d

GOD has a PLAN 1. Micah 6:8

“And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

2. Psalm 34:18

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

3. 1 Corinthians 10:13

“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

4. Deuteronomy 31:6

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

5. 2 Timothy 1:7

“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline.”

6. Joshua 1:9

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

7. Philippians 4:6-7

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

8. Luke 10:27

He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

9. 1 Timothy 4:12

“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity.”

10. Psalm 138:3

“In the day when I cried out, You answered me, and made me bold with strength in my soul.”

11. 1 Corinthians 13:4-5

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.”

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IDENTITY

by Joyce Bii

Driving down the road one day God told me something that opened my eyes and will change

a lot of people’s lives as well. He told me, “You know how to really make the devil mad? You discover your identity. You want to know how to really set him off? You help others discover theirs.” This meant a lot to me because I wrestled for years with who I was and who I am called to be. I found myself compromising and comparing myself to others, which caused me to try to be someone I wasn’t. I didn’t feel like I was good enough. I thought I had to be someone completely different to fit into a certain crowd and tried to model myself after others in my career path to feel like I “fit the part.” But one day, I woke up and realized that I was extremely unhappy about the life and person I was. I felt empty. I searched everywhere to find peace, and then I found my fulfillment in a real, personal and vulnerable relationship with Jesus. When I went back to my relationship with Him, I realized I was in this cycle of identity struggles because I hadn’t let Him truly love me. I hadn’t gotten close enough to allow Him to love me because I didn’t think I was lovable. I didn’t know why He would even love me after the decisions I had made in the past. After some serious emotional and self-evaluation, I discovered the root cause was that I did not truly understand the power of and love behind His death on the cross. He loves me because I’m His daughter and that is enough. I didn’t have to become someone else or have a perfect record for Him to love me.

His grace comes with His agape love. No matter how many times I make mistakes, He is there to love me forever. I am His child and that’s the only identity that matters. That is the foundation of the

30 relationship He gives when we accept Him. BE VIVACIOUS | BEVIVACIOUS.ORG

I

dentity is not something that we put on ourselves. It is given. It is given by the one who created us, God alone.

What is identity? “A fact of being who or what a person or thing is” - google dictionary. Identity is a FACT. The fact of the matter is, God knew you before you were even a thought.

“Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, and before you were born, I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” - Jeremiah 1:5.

Nothing about you was a mistake. Form the hair on your head to the shape of your nails, to the way that you walk and talk and comprehend things. It was purposeful. I’m speaking to the person that feels like something is missing or they were an accident, or you don’t look like this or that. You are set apart!

CONTRIBUTOR

This cancels out someone feeling like they were born a different gender. That wasn’t a mistake. That was with purpose and love and you won’t find that reason and purpose in the world but only in the truth of the word that’s declared over your life.

I felt for the longest I wasn’t pretty because I didn’t look a certain way. I also thought I couldn’t amount to anything much and was limited because I was an Immigrant. I look at it now and I realize I was coming into agreement to the lies the devil wanted me to believe to get me down, so I don’t rise up and purpose my destiny. For so many years silly lies like that crippled my dreams and put a block in my full potential. I always thought I had to change myself in order to be somebody when God was saying “Daughter you don’t have to put on shoes that wasn’t made for you. I pre-custom made shoes for your shoes.” When I say shoes, I mean different characters, personalities, careers, accents, clothing style, etc. Anything that you can try to do that would make you different from the original. We tend to be identified by what we are known for when God identify us for what we are created for. You are born in this era from the background you grew up in is only a setup for the greatest story of your life. Esther 4:14 You are born for such a time as this.

The Lord was speaking to Jeremiah about his identity and purpose. Your Purpose is attached to your identity. Isn’t that just awesome. I always held this verse dear to my heart. This season of my life God has been showing me that every lie I had come into agreement with was the opposite of God’s word and was targeted after my identity and purpose. God spoke this to me on a drive “You want to make the devil angry, help someone discover their God given identity. You want to really sets him off, disciple someone to reach their full potential” Your identity is not defined by your mistakes. It’s not defined by your sins. It’s not

defined by your daily battles, your daily addictions. It’s sure isn’t defined by whose daughter you are, whose wife you are or will be. Who’s related to you. Who you will become according to your occupation or life title? It isn’t and it won’t ever be defined by your past, present or future. Your identity isn’t an earthly measure. Its eternal. No amount of success or failure can change that. It’s never going to change depending on you being successful or not successful.

God always has a plan because he already knows what is to come. You’re his child that’s your identity. So, trust he’s got your blindside.

When we are born again our identity is redefined. Re-defined. Defined again. It was always there you just hadn’t caught the revelation of it. Not newly refined.

The devil tries to put a label on us with shame and guilt. Feeling guilty and convicted are two different things. When we are convicted about something from the holy spirit it is guiding us to make good decisions with love to pursue our character. When we are redefined, born again. We are given our attributes of what makes us who we are.

Those are what our teacher the holy spirit gives us. That’s the fruits of the spirit that’s mentioned in Galatians 5:22-23. “But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, gentleness and self-control.

We do not have to try to be holy. We are holy. That’s already a part of our DNA that’s installed after you are born again. We must stay true to who we are. Once someone gets that, the cycle of sin is broken. The more of God you put in, the more of who you truly are begins to manifest. We put in the word, so the word takes out the lies of the enemy.

That changes our thoughts. Our character is what bleeds out of our identity that then starts to become strengthened. Who are you? The answer is in the words of your father. The bible is a road map to finding who your destined to be.

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The FIRST GIFT

by Nora Almazan

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F E AT U R E

I

remember the tiny room where I first met her - faded, lifeless walls, desperately in need of paint, smelling damp and old, housing her and 24 other babies – 3 to a crib. A tall, stout woman, wearing a white lab coat handed her to me in torn, overly used clothes that belonged to the orphanage – not her. She had no personal possessions. Nothing she could call her own. And up until the judge’s gavel fell, appointing us as her family, she belonged to no one. A lost little girl, with only a name, given by the Russian Federation on her birth certificate.

We stood in that tiny room, a room she had never left since the day she was born, staring at one another.

And I promised her, as we walked out of the children’s home in Kashira, Russia, into the open cold air heading to the United States, I’d never forget where she came from or the moment she became mine.

As the weeks and months passed and my sweet daughter Hart became more and more familiar with our family, she evolved before us, loving in a way I had never known, capturing life through eyes of wonder.

The first time she heard a bird, smelled chocolate, tasted salt, or touched a bunny were all moments I savored and tucked away in my heart.

On her first Christmas, we decided to drive down to my parent’s home, about three hours south of ours.

My Dad loves Christmas, loves putting up lights and Santa Claus and Elves. Hart “oohed and aahed” over every blinking, noise making, twinkling part. She shrieked at the sight or mention of Santa and ran from room-to-room clapping her hands each time my dad pulled out something new. The joy of the season contagiously consumed us seeing it through her first-time eyes.

A tradition in our family since I was a little girl is piling in my Dad’s oversized suburban and taking in the Christmas sights. We have a favorite home we like to visit. People come from all over to see the Christmas Spectacular. You know the type, I’m sure, with every tree and corner of the house covered in lights.

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F E AT U R E Wooden reindeer, lighted reindeer, and blown up reindeer scattered randomly throughout the yard.

Santa Claus doing everything from putting out a fire, making toys, and kissing Mrs. Claus to directing his sleigh. In the yard surrounding the house stood soldiers, glowing candles, painted snowmen, and Minnie and Mickey Mouse decorating a tree. Giant gift boxes in all colors adorned with lavish bows, flashing red and green, trimmed the driveway. My dad excitedly pointed out all the decorations, not wanting my children to miss a single thing. But my Hart, her eyes were fixed in the far corner of the lawn, on an unpretentious wooden shelter, covered in hay. Three wise men fully dressed in colorful robes walked slowly toward it carrying gifts. A goat and a cow stood beside a shepherd wearing only sandals and a thin white, knee-length tunic. Other shepherds knelt in front, holding staffs in their hands.

Surrounding the make-shift manger was Mary and Joseph gazing down at the beautiful baby it housed.

My sister asked my dad if he’d known it was a live nativity, as my mom answered her as to how long this family had been doing it. But I stared at my daughter, who couldn’t take her eyes off the scene before us.

Her eyes caught mine as she pointed, “Look Mommy! A baby!”

A baby…

Mary, who kept Him warm with straw and hay, eternity opened its doors to you and to me.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whosoever believeth in Him would not perish but have eternal life” – John 3:16.

The first gift of Christmas offers to you salvation – a world without end – the ability to live with those you love for eternity. When Jesus Christ came to earth as a baby, He did so because His love for you was so deep and consuming, He did not want to have eternity without you. Christmas is about you – about the love God has for you – so tremendous He would send His Son – His Only Son – so that He could have you, His precious girl. You are the apple of His eye. He does not want to be without you.

The gift lying in the manger had no color and the package which held it looked lifeless, faded, and in desperate need of paint. Yet the light of the world was its center.

In all the commotion and festiveness, my daughter found the true gift of Christmas. And there was no glamour or glitz. It had nothing to do with reindeer or glowing candles or Santa. The gift lying in the manger had no color and the package which held it looked lifeless, faded, and in desperate need of paint. Yet the light of the world was its center.

If you do not know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, we want to offer you the opportunity to receive the greatest gift of all, a place in eternity. By accepting Christ as your Savior, you receive God’s name on your birth certificate, designated as His. Praying this prayer begins your new life journey in Christ.

“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” —Romans 10:9-10, ESV

While we want to make it about the tree, the lights, the packages, the lists, Christmas has nothing to do with any of it. It is about a light that came into darkness, sadness, loneliness, fear…it came into a world that didn’t know it was coming, that wouldn’t receive it, and would try to extinguish it. The light brought with it ownership – belonging – acceptance – unconditional love. And as the baby cried for his mother

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Girl, you work hard for that cash?

If you don’t, then your parents do. In todays culture it is so easy to feel the pressure to spend more and more money on individual gifts for people in our lives year after year. It is our responsibility to spend what we have been blessed with wisely.

GIFTS under $20

With that in mind we challenged ourselves to choose one store to buy great gifts for under $20 each. Helping us step into everyday glamour with ease this Winter. All gifts are from HomeGood/TJ Maxx combo store.

Floral Journal - $5.99 Laura Ashley Slippers - $7.99 Water bottle - $7.99 Sunglasses - $12.99 Hair Straightener - $19.99

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Bee Necklace- $19.99 Luxury throw- $16.99 Hoop earrings - $12.99 Hoodie- $16.99 Trina Turk Make-up bag - $7.99 Necklace carousel - $12.99 Picture frame - $13.99 Scented Candle - $14.99

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C

BOOKCLUB

heck out these inspirational and healing books this winter to see what Price and her relationships are all about despite real life struggles, how to give yourself Grace in the imperfections of life, and what it means to release rejection when you understand that you are chosen

by God!

-Amazon Reviews

Cole & Sav Millions around the world followed the fairytale love story of viral YouTube stars Cole and Savannah LaBrant and watched as they said “I do.” Their subsequent YouTube channel, dedicated to family and faith, garners more than 100 million views each month. But now for the first time ever, Cole and Sav invite you beyond the highlight reel and into the beautiful and messy, funny and tender story of how God brought two unlikely people together in a surprising, unexpected way.

With their signature charming and engaging style, Cole and Sav take you behind the camera and open up about past heartaches and mistakes; painful secrets and difficult expectations; the joys and challenges of raising their daughter, Everleigh; and the spiritual journey that changed their hearts—and relationship—forever.

A Love Letter Life As Jeremy and Audrey write, if you can fall into love, you can fall out.

True love is something you choose to live out each day through your actions, decisions, and sacrifices. To find and still seek, now that is love.

From the moment you meet your potential spouse, you can be intentional about shaping a beautiful love story, uniquely written for who God created you both to be. Whether you’re single and searching, in a serious dating relationship, or desiring to love your spouse better, Jeremy and Audrey equip you to pursue an intentional, creative, and faithful love story by sharing theirs.

In these pages, they encourage you to stop settling for convenient relationships, offer perspective on male and female differences in dating, tackle tough topics like purity, give their nine rules for fighting well, suggest fun ideas for connection in a world of technology, and provide fresh advice on how to intentionally pursue a love story that never ends.

Grace Not Perfection Emily Ley came to a point when she suddenly realized she couldn’t do it all. She needed to simplify her life, organize her days, and prioritize the priorities. She decided to hold herself to a standard of grace rather than perfection. This mantra led to the creation of her bestselling Simplified Planner®, a favorite among busy women everywhere—from mamas to executives and everywhere in between.

Grace, Not Perfection takes this message from a daily planner to an inspirational book that encourages women to simplify and prioritize.

Designed with Emily Ley’s signature aesthetic, this book gives women tangible ways to simplify their lives to give space to what matters most.

With a focus on faith, Emily reminds readers that God abundantly pours out grace on us—and that surely we can extend grace to ourselves.

Uninvited The enemy wants us to feel rejected . . . left out, lonely, and less than.

In Uninvited, Lysa shares her own deeply personal experiences of rejection from the perceived judgment of the perfectly toned woman one elliptical over to the incredibly painful childhood abandonment by her father. She leans in to honestly examine the roots of rejection, as well as rejection’s ability to poison relationships from the inside out, including our relationship with God. With biblical depth, gut honest vulnerability, and refreshing wit, Lysa will help you: Stop feeling left out by believing that even when you are overlooked by others you are handpicked by God.Change your tendency to either fallapart or control the actions of others by embracing God honoring ways to process your hurt. Know exactly what to pray for the next ten days to steady your soul and restore your confidence in the midst of rejection. Overcome the two core fears that feed your insecurities by understanding the secret of belonging.

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by Dr. Tara Jenkins, author of enoughness

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LABELS

P

retty, not-so-pretty, smart, not-so-smart, thin, not-sothin, athletic, not-so-athletic – if you are breathing and moving around – you are labeled. Labels attach themselves to us from day one, when our parents decide if we are fussy babies or easy. While we don’t understand why we are called this or that when we are young, somewhere around first or second grade, we become aware of the words which are a part of society’s definition of who we are. If we could only see ourselves as God does, beautiful, unique treasured creations – who are absolutely, imperfectly perfect ENOUGH for Him. I distinctly remember being the only person that looked the way that I looked in Mrs. Stanley’s first-grade class which was a split class with second graders. From the first day of first grade when she went on and on about how cute my outfit was and let me walk around with her all day, I had a goal of getting that compliment from her every day. I began to imagine her voice when I was getting dressed in the morning. I recall one morning when my mom had dressed me in a peach polo style shirt that had one tiny flower on it. I immediately thought that this outfit was too plain. I then said to my mom, “Mama, Mrs. Stanley is not gonna say that I look cute today.” See, even then, as a first-grader, I knew that Mrs. Stanley was important. Not only was she the first & second-grade teacher at Andrew Jackson Elementary School in Jackson, Tennessee, she was also the wife of the superintendent of the entire city school system. My awareness of this at that age is surprising to me now even as I trace my own steps of searching for Enoughness. Perhaps this early memory is when my appetite for approval was awakened.

There is something so much more to you than the labels that have been attached to you. The Bible tells us that God was speaking to Jeremiah, and He told him, “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you; before you were born, I set you apart…” – Jeremiah 1:5. This isn’t just for Jeremiah but for you and for me. Before we were a zygote, God knew WHO we were. He set us apart for a specific task, a particular purpose, a distinct role in His story. You are not an accident.

While you may have been a surprise to your parents, you were no surprise to God. You have a unique spot in the universe that only YOU can fill. You matter. You alone matter. You matter today…right now. No decision or mistake changes the fact that you matter. You have a place, matchlessly suitable for the time in which you are living.

And, most importantly, you matter to God.

“He set us apart for a specific task, a particular purpose, a distinct role in His story.”

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Every morning I stand before my mirror and remind myself of “Who I Am” and who am I? ENOUGH! No longer conforming to who others say I should be but finding fulfillment in who God designed me to be. Right now, take out a piece of paper and write the labels people have called you. Write the labels you’ve told yourself apply to you.

Circle the ones you like, cross out the ones you do not like. Each morning, when you face the mirror, call out the ones you’ve circled. God created you to be so much more than you believe you are.

I want to encourage you to take a journey with me – a journey to find the person within you who God designed and purposed you to be before you were ever born.

LABELS

“God created you to be so

much more than

you believe you are.”

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“

Knowing Jesus is the greatest gift that we can receive.

Sharing Jesus is the greatest gift that we can give.

– Anonymous

”

EDITORIAL

Meet Sara, one of our favorite girls. She pulled together a few of her favorite go-to Athleisure looks from her own wardrobe.

Athleisure

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EDITORIAL

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EDITORIAL

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EDITORIAL

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EDITORIAL

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EDITORIAL SECURE

YOUR

ARMOR

|

DO

YOU

BELIEVE

IT?

The truth only sets us free if we grab hold of it and let it drag us out of the pit of selfpity, despair, hopelessness, and unbelief. I do not say this flippantly because I fully understand the weight of those seasons that threaten everything we know and believe. I say this with an image of Jesus sitting in the Garden of Gethsemane sweating blood and begging for God to give Him a way out of His own circumstances. I say this with the image of Jesus hanging in agony on the cross asking God why had He forsaken Him. What did Jesus believe in these moments?

I love how we get these glimpses into Jesus’ humanity, but even in His frailty, He had enough faith to say, “Nevertheless, not my will but your will be done.” I believe it is God’s will for us to consider what He said and trust Him with those truths when the lies of the enemy threaten us and our circumstances want us to believe that God is everything but good.

Reminiscing on the times I had to force myself to grab hold to the truth when my world crumbled, I know how difficult this can be. However, I’ve experienced just how freeing it is to walk in the truth of what God said and let that give me peace on the inside when everything on the outside was in shambles.

Believing lies about our identity or God’s sovereignty makes every bad situation worse.

Friend, won’t you believe God again today?

Won’t you start proclaiming the truth instead of laying down with the lies? Your heart will catch up.

I pray this devotional has been a catalyst for you to grab on to the grace and mercy found in God’s word and help you to hope again. I pray that you will begin to walk free from the limits of the enemy’s lies and allow God to lavish you with His love that knows no limits.

Let me lead you in a prayer to sum it all up and pray against the fear the enemy will try to instill in you the minute you put this devotional down:

God, thank you that you are my good Shepherd. Thank you for your guidance, provision, and care every day. Thank you for restoring my soul, giving me peace for today, and hope for tomorrow. Thank you for your protection and strength that surrounds what is surrounding me.

Thank you that I never have to fear. I'm so glad that your goodness and love follows after me and chases me down even when the lies I believe make me run away. Thank you, Lord, for being faithful yesterday and able tomorrow. In You alone are rest and peace. I praise you for the promise that I will dwell with you forever.

Be encouraged and filled with the truth that will set you free to live the abundant life that Jesus died for you to live.

Want more inspiration or to keep up with new devotionals and other writing to come? Follow me: Visit:www.madebeautiful.co Insta: @terashaburrell Copyright 2019 Terasha Burrell

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EDITORIAL

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AROUND

BLOGGER

THEWAY GYRL

I

am Chimee Ahaiwe. I am a full time HR Professional and I am a fashion & Lifestyle blogger. I live in Houston, Texas. In my spare time I enjoy traveling and trying out next restaurants. I started my blog, Aroundthewaygyrl.com to encourage women to be comfortable and confident in their skin. @aroundthewaygyrl

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GIFT.EVER

BEST.

by Karen Mutchler Allen

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D E VOT I O NA L

LOVE presents! In fact, I love everything ABOUT presents. The wrapping paper, the bows, the gift bags, the paper…everything. You can imagine how excited I get at Christmastime, right? Christmas is like a present paradise for this girl! Now that you know just how much I love presents, picture this: When I was in my early 20’s, I was dating this guy who I really, really liked. My birthday came around and guess what he bought me? You’ll never guess.

Never. Ya’ll, he bought me an Ab-Roller. For those who don’t know what one of these precious little things are, let me explain it like this…it was a piece of exercise equipment to rip your abs into a six-pack. Exercise equipment…for my birthday.

You will never, ever guess what he bought me for Christmas that year. An engagement ring? Nope, even though that is what I wanted, that is certainly not what I received. Are ya ready to hear about this Christmas gift? It.was.a.treadmill. Yes ma’am.

A flippin treadmill. You know, to exercise with. To use alongside my Ab-Roller. Needless to say, we did not end up getting married. I was really afraid of what my next gift might be!

Have you ever been given a rotten gift? One that leaves you shaking your head and wondering if that person even knows you? Have you ever been given an AMAZING gift?

One that leaves you convinced that this person knows you better than anyone else in the entire universe because it was the BEST.GIFT.EVER? Actually, we have all been given that “Perfect” gift. That ONE gift that will never top another present in the history of our lives. What could that possibly be, you might ask? Well, His Name is Jesus…and He is absolutely the BEST.GIFT.EVER!

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D E VOT I O NA L

Most of us have heard this verse in the Bible, John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” In fact, I’ve heard this verse so many times that it was actually easy for me to just breeze through it without REALLY seeing the value, the depth, and the power this verse held. God stopped me in my tracks one day and showed me this verse in a way that changed me, and I hope it will change you too.

The first thing God asked me to do with this verse was to change the size of two little letters that made up one little word. The word “so.” We read the Scripture to say, “For God so loved…” But God asked me to see it this way, “For God SO loved…” There is such a difference in the way I read that. For instance, I love chocolate but I SO love a triple chocolate cake! I love boots but I SO love leopard-print booties! I love coffee but I SO love a White Chocolate Mocha from Starbucks. Do you see it too? We can love something and we can SO love something! God SO loved you.

It’s easy to skip over the next word in this verse… “world”. The verse says, “For God SO loved the world…” The “world” sounds big. Huge. Ginormous. However, in realty, He was thinking of you…and me. What the Lord challenged me to do was replace the word “world” with my very own name. “For God SO loved Karen…” It changed some things for me. I could no longer think that this love, this gift, wasn’t for ME. He’s a very personal God and you matter to Him. You matter so much to Him and are SO loved that He did something about it! He loved you SO much that He gave…and the question is not, “What did He give?” but “Who did He give?”

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The Scripture tells us exactly Who He gave, “he gave his one and only Son”. Ya’ll…think about this for a second. God gave (and by gave I mean He allowed Jesus to suffer and die)

BE VIVACIOUS | BEVIVACIOUS.ORG

the BEST thing He had. God gave something that couldn’t be replaced. He gave the thing He loved the most. God gave His one and only Son. I have trouble sharing my Cheetos with people and God gave the very thing that He valued the most. Here’s the thing, ya’ll, God could have sent anyone else…anything else…to save us. But He chose His Son so we would know just how much He loves us… and He loves us SO much.

The next part of the verse is the only part of the verse that tells us what WE have to do, “that whoever believes in him”. Why do we have to DO something? Well, when I have a beautifully wrapped Christmas present sitting in front of me, I don’t say, “Wow, thanks so much for my beautiful present!” and then leave it wrapped, do I? Nope, not a chance.

I NEED to see what is in that box! I have to

take my hands and open the present in order to experience the actual gift. It’s the same way here. We have to believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that He died for our sins.

We have to believe that He rose from the grave and now lives with His Father in Heaven. Romans 10:9 says, “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” It’s pretty powerful to think that this is our only action, our only requirement, to receive such an amazing gift!

When I think of the last part of this verse, all I can think of is that this is the gift that keeps on giving…all year long. It says, “shall not perish but have eternal life.” When we receive the gift of Jesus, He hands us anoth-

D E VOT I O NA L

er gift…one that will last forever…unlike my treadmill or Ab-roller! When you receive the gift of Jesus, He hands you the keys to eternity. Yes, we will all physically die but our spirit, our soul, lives on. And when you grab on to Jesus, you will live with Him in heaven…forever.

How about celebrating Christmas a little differently this year? How about celebrating the truth that we have been given the BEST.GIFT.EVER in Jesus and His offer of everlasting life. I can’t look at this verse in the same way I used to, just as I can’t celebrate Christmas in the same way. This is LIFE-CHANGING, ya’ll…if you’ll let it be.

Jesus is WAAAYYYY better than any treadmill or Ab-Roller could ever be…wouldn’t you agree?

“For God SO loved ____________(fill in your name) that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

John 3:16

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D E VOT I O NA L

“Shall not perish but have

Eternal Questions to think about: How does knowing that God SO loves you make you feel?

Why did God give His Son to die for you instead of anyone or anything else?

What is the one thing this verse says that you must do?

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D E VOT I O NA L

LIFE!” We know that Jesus is the BEST.GIFT.EVER, but what does this verse say is the gift that “keeps on giving” according to Karen?

If you have never accepted this gift in Jesus, but would like to, you can say this prayer in your heart. Know that it isn’t the prayer that saves you but the cry of your heart that God will hear.

“God, I know that I am a sinner and that Jesus died for my sins. I believe that He rose from the dead and I am asking Jesus to come live in my heart and save me. I need You, Jesus. Thank You for saving me! Amen!”

Karen Mutchler Allen is an author and speaker who lives in Georgia. She is a former elementary school teacher, TV and Radio host, wife, and mom. For more information about Karen, check out her website at karenallen.weebly.com

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ABBIE FRANKLIN Publisher

AMY GARDNER Design Director

KELLY QUELETTE Social Media Director

CHIEF BEAUTY DIRECTOR ASHLEY JARREL

DIGITAL DIRECTOR ANNIE McCANE

TEXT EDITOR NORA ALMAZAN CATHERINE MILEY STAFF WRITER NORA ALMAZAN

For information on reprints and e-prints, contact Abbie Franklin at abbie@bevivacious.org Be Vivacious is published by Be Vivacious, LLC Copyright © 2019.

BE VIVACIOUS SUBSCRIPTION CUSTOMER SERVICE: Visit bevivacious.org

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D

ear Lord Jesus,

I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe in You. I believe that You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior.

In the name of Jesus.

If you said this prayer for the first time, we welcome you into the Christian family!

l a n o i t o v e d d e s a e l Newly re l l e r r u B a

by Terash

Available on Amazon.com for PRIME shipping or you can order a signed copy at https://madebeautiful.co/shop/brokenpiecesspeak