Issuu

Issue 60 £1.99

Films, Interviews, Real Life Stories and More

Contact details:

Credits: Editorial Team:

Design:

Peter Bell Sara Bell

JAM Magazine

Contributors:

Other thanks:

(In alphabetical order)

Emails: peter@jammag.co.uk : sara@jammag.co.uk Tel: 0161 439 5175 website: www.jammag.co.uk twitter: @thejammag facebook: jammaguk Instagram: jammaguk

Disney Enterprises Inc Marvel Studios Warner Bros Pictures Nintendo & Universal Studios for the use of photos Front cover photo: Antoine LE on Unsplash

Benik Afobe Peter Bell Sara Bell Blessing Annatoria Chitapa Rachael Silvester

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Welcome to our new edition of JAM! We hope you will like it! The theme for this issue is ‘VALUE’ & is covered in the interviews & editorials to hopefully make you think & encourage you! Follow us on Instagram or Facebook

Back copies available...

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Answers for pages 4 & 5 1. 53p, 2. 30p, 3. 36p, 4. 71p, 5. £121,700 6. £4.29, 7. 46p, 8. £2.00, 9. £1.20, 10. £1.65, 11. 64p, 12. £2.40, 13. 46p, 14. 74p, 15. £1.08, 16. £6.75, 17. £260,000 18. 165p

CONTENTS Click the home button at the end of an article to return to the contents page

VALUE! Can you work out the VALUE?

Don’t let others define your VALUE

The Little Mermaid

Interview with footballer Benik Afobe

12 14 15 16 17

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What has VALUE...?

. 0 0 0 0 0 1 . 0 0 0 0 1 . 0 0 0 1 . 0 0 1 . 0 1 . 1 1 . 1 0 . 1 0place 0 . VALUE on yourself...? Do you 1 0 0 0 . 1 0 0 0 0 . 1 0 0 0 0 0 . 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .

Place VALUE

Is the Bible VALUABLE...? What do you think about the Bible...?

Where do you find your VALUE?

You have VALUE Do you know that God loves you...?

What is the VALUE...?

How do you. 0spend 0 0 0 your 0 0 1 time...?

What are you doing with yours...?

Interview with The Voice winner Annatoria

What do you think is most VALUABLE...?

Wordsearch - Do you know the VALUE...?

VALUE of Money...?

34 36

SHAZAM! Fury of the Gods Don’t be tempted to compare!

Add VALUE Do you add or reduce VALUE...?

VALUE Others Quiz! Do you VALUE others...?

Knowing Your VALUE! Interview with Rachael from ‘RESPECT ME’

Page 1

VALUE of Time Quotes - Time is VALUABLE!

What is InVALUABLE...? A look at the film Quantumania

42 43

The VALUE of Friends... A look at the film Guardians of the Galaxy

The VALUE of Practice... A look at the film Super Mario Bros

£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£

£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$

VALUE...?

The price we are willing to pay for something indicates how much value we place on it! If we are only prepared to pay a small amount then it is of little value to us even if there is a high price tag. Before going back to uni my daughter ordered loads of pairs of shoes to try on & sent back the ones she didn’t like. One pair she tried on were quite heavy so I said I’d take a look at the website & see if I could see a lighter looking pair. I was gobsmacked to find they cost £190 - she did get a discount but even that left the price at £160. For me there was no way that they were worth that. They might have been a particular brand but that didn’t determine their value in my eyes. Shoes just need to be comfy & weatherproof if I am to buy them, whereas for many people the brand adds value. They’d rather wear something that costs a fortune than a pair that aren’t branded. Their image is more valuable than the fact that they are paying way too much...! They would buy them even if they cost more because they think it is worth it! I am not convinced! But did you know that in the Bible it tells us that God thinks we are priceless...? He was willing to pay an incredible price for us to be able to live with him forever! What is amazing is that we could never ‘afford’ our place in heaven because we have all messed up but God thinks we are valuable enough to pay the price himself. He sent Jesus to die so we could live - now that really is something that is valuable! John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He sent his only son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life! Take a look at the pictures & see if you can work out the value...? Correct at time of writing! Answers on page 2

Average price for a loaf of bread in 2002...?

Average price for a Mars Bar in 2002...?

Average price for pint of milk in 2002...?

a) 43p

a) 30p

a) 36p

b) 53p

b) 40p

b) 46p

c) 63p

c) 50p

c) 56p

Average price for a litre of petrol in 2002...?

Average price for a house in 2002...?

Average price for cinema ticket in 2002...?

a) 51p

a) £111,700

a)£2.29

b) 61p

b) £121,700

b)£3.29

c) 71p

c) £131,700

c)£4.29

£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£

Average price for baked beans 2022...?

Average price for a chocolate orange in 2022...?

Average price for sausage roll in 2022...?

a) 36p

a) £1.00

a) 80p

b) 46p

b) £1.65

b) £1.20

c) 56p

c) £2.00

Average price for tube of Pringles 2022...?

Average price for pasta in 2022...?

Average price for 12 eggs in 2022...?

a) £2.20

a) 64p

a) £2.00

b) £1.95

b) 74p

b) £2.40

c) £1.65

c) 84p

c) £2.80

Average price for pint of milk in 2022...?

Average price for a Mars Bar in 2022...?

Average price for a loaf of bread in 2022...?

a) 40p

a) 64p

a) 108p

b) 46p

b) 74p

c) 50p

c) 84p

b) 128p c) 148p

Average price for cinema ticket in 2022...?

Average price for a house in 2022...?

Average price for a litre of petrol in 2022...?

a)£6.75

a) £180,000

a) 145p

b)£7.50

b) £220,000

b) 155p

c)£8.25

c) £260,000

c) 165p

c) £1.60

15 18

$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£

$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$

£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£

Benik Afobe

DON’T LET OTHERS DEFINE YOUR VALUE! Benik Afobe’s life & football career have had many twists & turns. When Benik’s mum was pregnant with him she was told by medical professionals that scans had shown he’d be born with no legs. God miraculously intervened! He joined Arsenal’s Academy at 6 & signed his 1st pro-contract with them at 17 in 2010. That year he was also part of England’s under 17 team that won UEFA’s under 17’s Championship. Untimely injuries led to a series of loan moves until signing for Wolves followed by Bournemouth in the Premier League. Fast forward a number of years & clubs & Benik now plays for Millwall in the Championship. Benik’s Christian faith is central to his life & has been crucial in dealing with the highs & lows of life, particularly the tragic loss of daughter 3 years ago. Read on to find out more....

Please tell us about your family background...?

My parents are from the Democratic Republic of Congo & they came to the UK in 1990 when mum was pregnant with my older sister. They settled down in Leyton, East London & I came along in 1993. Mum didn’t speak much English but she worked as a cleaner & dad was a painter/ decorator. They both worked hard to put food on the table. I have always been around East London, Leyton & Dagenham. I was born into Christian family which is an awesome blessing!

Your birth was somewhat of a miracle...?

Yes, my dad wasn’t really living a full on Christian life at that time. He believed but it didn’t really affect his day to day life. I guess he was ‘on the fence!’ But when mum was pregnant with me, at her first scan, they

told her that the baby wasn’t developing properly. In fact they said I would have no legs. They weren’t sure mum really understood what they were saying. She was obviously devastated but kept saying, ‘He will be fine!’ She had a very strong faith in God & went home where she fasted, prayed & waited for a miracle! My dad was concerned because he knew that fasting probably wasn’t good for her or the baby. The doctors had talked about an abortion & they had discussed it. But then one day on his way to work my dad stopped at the traffic lights & he heard a voice say, in Congolese, ‘Who creates people...?’ He found himself answering, ‘You do, You do!’ Then he heard the voice say, ‘Don’t worry, all will be fine!’ He rushed back home to tell my mum that there was no more need to consider an abortion because God had told

him that all would be well! The doctors still thought she was crazy & when her waters broke a few months later she was left with a 17 year old student trainee because they thought nothing was really happening! But I arrived safely weighing over 8lbs which is quite big! My dad got it on film & it still makes me cry to watch it! He made a banner to put over my crib which said: A Star is Born! He knew that my birth was something special & fast forward 17 years I signed a professional contract in a sport where my legs play an essential part! My parents first told me about this when I was 7 or 8 & I started thinking God must be real. I’ve seen so many things in my life; some big, some small & some miraculous that have shown me that God is real & this has helped me massively.

How would you describe yourself? I think other people would describe me as very friendly, approachable, respectful, loving & caring.

Was being a footballer always your goal?

I was lucky enough to be signed from 6 years old & in my head that was it. I was always going to be a footballer, not even 1% of anything else! At school I loved interacting with others & did well but it was always going to be football. I left school a year early to pursue my career; my parents’ friends were asking whether that was the right thing to do but mum was OK with it. We’d prayed about it & I was doing well at Arsenal & playing for England under 16’s so I went for it. I just wanted to get to the pro level ASAP.

Looking back it was a massive risk, step of faith, but it all worked out OK!

How & why did you become a Christian – was it a ‘moment’ or a journey or both?

As I grew up in a Christian family I went to church & Sunday school from a very early age. But that doesn’t mean anything if you don’t start to have your own relationship with Jesus & start taking responsibility when you are away from your parents. When I was in my early teens I could see how some of the things my peers were getting up to weren’t right. So I decided it was time to stand up & step up for my faith. I started praying because I didn’t want to be tempted down the wrong path. I did slip up a few times but every time

I did I didn’t feel right; I felt disappointed for my parents & myself. I continued praying & reading my Bible & the more I did the easier it became to resist temptations. I found peace & happiness in my relationship with God that other things just couldn’t provide.

Can you please share some of the highs / lows of being a footballer & how your faith in Jesus has helped? Lows – Well, my injuries have really messed up where I think I could have been. I’ve had 2 ACL injuries, one on each leg, & a tear in my hip area! I was just about to break into the first team at Arsenal when my hip got injured. I was just 19 & had played really well in a pre season match in the Emirates Cup. I was man of the match & looking likely to be in the following week’s match against

Man United! But I got injured & I was gutted. For me the timing seemed so bad & it took me a long time to get back to the same level. So yes injuries are difficult! Highs – Well, these are the ones that people come up to me & talk about! Scoring two goals for MK Dons against Man United in a televised match! I had been out for a year so was still quite rusty but scored twice & I was back on the map! We were League One & they played a strong team. Scoring my first Premier League goal for Bournemouth was also a definite high! Being a Christian I always try to be the same whether life is high or low because my value isn’t based on circumstances but in Jesus. I know I am just as valuable to God when I am playing well & when things aren’t so good. God’s love

doesn’t change so I can trust him whatever the situation – but that doesn’t mean that it is always easy to do!

Do you have any favourite Bible verses & why? The first one is why I manage to stay calm in whatever circumstance I find myself & is found in Psalm 46:10 Be still & know that I am God. It reminds me that whatever is happening God has got me & so I don’t need to worry! When I was at Bournemouth, when Eddie Howe was the manager, he asked the media guy to put a positive quote on everyone’s locker because he is a big believer in the positive mindset. Mine was ‘Don’t worry, Be happy! A few of the others laughed

because they had quotes like ‘Be a champion’, ‘Work hard, talent is not enough’ whereas mine seemed unusual. But I think that sums up the Christian life – we don’t have to worry because we can trust God & be happy!! That realisation has helped me through a lot of trials & tribulations! I also like Matthew 7:7 – Ask, & it shall be given you; seek, & you shall find; knock, & it shall be opened to you! Lastly John 3:3 – Unless a person is born again they cannot enter into the Kingdom of God! This reminds me that there is no salvation apart from Jesus.

How have you learned to trust in Jesus when ‘life’ doesn’t always go as you’d like?

The worst time of my life was just over 3 years ago when my daughter Amora died. Time is a healer but it is still tough. I think that it was somehow all in God’s plan though because I wasn’t playing due to an injury. God knew I wouldn’t be able to play at that time. Also, the ex Arsenal physio, Colin Lewis, set up a clinic right near me so I was able to go there for therapy rather than going into the club at such a difficult time. Me & Colin were able to have some deep chats every single day. My wife obviously found it tough too. We had an 11 month old baby girl to care for still but it was hard to stay positive whilst grieving too. My wife doesn’t like to talk things out whereas that is how I process things so it was tough but we made it! Now we have

a balance of talking & crying & have been blessed to have family, church & football to help us through. Things might not always go the way we’d like but we have to trust that God knows & has a plan even when we can’t see it or understand it.

Have you any answers to prayer that you can share with us?

My wife has been pregnant twice since Amora died & we now have two sons. It might seem odd but I prayed for sons because I didn’t want a replacement for Amora. It might sound a bit selfish but God answered those prayers. My first son looks exactly like her & his middle name is Amor!

How do you keep your self value when others are critical or with transfer values etc?

The honest truth is I couldn’t care less about what other people think my value is – it’s not down to them! I have gone through stages of being criticised or being told I’m the best thing since sliced bread & it is just too emotional if you let it get to you! This sport is so odd because it can make you a star & then just as quickly forget about you. I have been moved for £10 million 3 times but it doesn’t mean anything, I am still just Benik Afobe from Dagenham. My value isn’t based on what someone else will pay! It is based on what God says about me so I’m not bothered by the changing opinions of others. As long as I’m giving my best that is what’s important. Value isn’t determined by how well you are doing because you can soon lose that when the next crop of youngsters come along! So try not to be swayed by what other people say or think

of you, in the end it is what friends, family & most importantly what God thinks that matters! I have to admit when I was younger it was much harder to have this attitude. When I was out on loan a lot people could be critical & you can feel insecure. You can end up reading things about yourself even when you know you shouldn’t, which feeds that insecurity. Because I’m generally a ‘nice’ guy other people’s negativity can be difficult, some top players use that anger to drive them but I’m much better when I’m calm, that’s when everything seems to click.

What is your most valuable possession?

Family 1000% - they are my life – everything I do is for them – play football for them – but Jesus is my life, my Lord!

If it was an actual possession though it would be my first professional match shirt, my first professional hat trick at MK Dons & my last ever match shirt when I eventually retire!!

Has it been useful to be in contact with other Christians through Ballers in God (BIG)?

I was there when it started all those years ago. I was still quite young & it can be easy to follow the crowd & be led astray at that age. There is a lot of temptation & bravado etc in a changing room, it is easy to egg others on or fall into stuff that in another environment you wouldn’t even consider. So having BIG where you can speak to players who are in exactly the same situation is vital. They know what you are going though & the challenges this arena entails. They understand &

have the same mindset. The Bible talks about ‘Iron sharpening Iron’ & that is what we are able to experience because no one is perfect but we can all learn & develop our faith together. You can follow Benik @benikafobe Benik is part of ‘Ballers In God’ (BIG) – an organisation that aims to bring Christian footballers together & support them in their day to day lives, as well as reaching out to other players to introduce them to the Christian Faith. You can check out BIG @ballersingod or to find out more about their work go to : www.ballersingod.com

DON’T LET OTHERS DEFINE YOUR VALUE! 11

The Little Mermaid is the latest live-action adaptation of a previous Disney film. The original, in 1989, was loosely based on the 1837 story by Hans Christian Andersen. It is the story of Ariel (played by Halle Bailey), a beautiful, adventurous mermaid who also happens to be a princess in the kingdom of Atlantica. Her father, King Triton (Javier Bardem), is a little overprotective & definitely wary of the humans who dwell above them. Ariel is joined on her adventures by her friends Flounder (voiced by Jacob Tremblay) & Scuttle (voiced by Awkwafina), whilst they are kept under the watchful eye of Sebastian (voiced by Daveed Diggs), a crab & the King’s servant.

Photo credits: Disney Enterprises, Inc

Unfortunately Ariel’s fascination with the world of humans gets her into trouble. She falls in love with Prince Eric (Jonah Hauer-King) when she rescues him from drowning. He is equally besotted with the ‘girl’ with the beautiful voice who saved him & is determined to find her. Ariel’s father warns her to have nothing to do with humans but she turns to the sea witch Ursula (Melissa McCarthy) for help. In exchange for her beautiful voice Ursula grants Ariel human legs so she can pursue Eric but he has no idea who she is & she can’t tell him... In the story Ariel places more value on meeting Eric than on keeping her voice. She makes a choice without really understanding the

value of what she will be losing. Without her voice Eric doesn’t recognise her & Ursula can use Ariel’s voice to promote her own selfish plans! It can be like that in life too. We see something & feel we must have it even if it requires giving something else up. It might be money or time or even friendships that are sacrificied so we can have that all important thing of value. The trouble is that often the thing that we think is so valuable & essential often turns out to be rather disappointing & not worth what we have ‘paid’ for it. It is good to strive for better things & to be better even but it is also good to be grateful for what we have!

The Bible puts it like this in Philippians 4 v 12

I’ve learned to be content I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in Jesus who makes me who I am.

Another verse puts it like this in Mark 8 v 36

What good would it do to get everything you want & lose the real you? What could you ever trade for your soul ?

Don’t be so caught up in trying to gain what ever it is that you think is so valuable that you lose sight of who God thinks you are and what he thinks you are worth!

What is the VALUE...? If you play cards at all you will know that sometimes an ace is high & other times it is low. We play a game where you certainly don’t want to be left with an ace as it counts for 15 points against you, but in other games it can trump any card & is therefore worth having.

without ‘...’, whatever it might be. In the grid below there are lots of hidden words to do with things that we might think of as valuable. There are plenty of precious stones & metals on the list. But are these the things that are really of value...?

The same can be true in real life. Some things have value to some people while others don’t see the need for them. They are happy

M U

There are also things like friends, time, kindness, memories, family & love. I

M S O R E S

Can you find the words listed below in the grid...? Sheet1

S E E H

U M D E R N M C D

T Z

J U L D R A O A L

S V

E D

T T H K

We need enough material things to get by but accumulating more & more ‘valuables’ won’t necessarily add to our happiness. Whereas if we have love etc we can survive with very little material possessions.

L O V E T O

F Q B G T E M H M L M A C C V

would suggest that without these whatever else we have is of little value.

O A A A E E A

S N O H B M D G P M V L

F N P O R U B

E S E M S D

O A H W M T Y R O M T U S Z X K V Q A O

Y L

D X M Y

M A F

P P

I S

E H N E R L I

C S O T O H P D

O S T D E Z

E R

R T A N N U

P A T

H P P A S I

W S G N

E N C E Y

E B P K S

G N O L

E L

D L I

J A D E W O R T H S O V X A W amethyst belongings diamonds emerald faith family friends

garnet gold iridium jade kindness lapis lazuli love

memories osmium patience peace pearls peridot photos

platinum rubies sapphire self/worth silver time topaz

What has VALUE? I think I’ve heard it said that what or who you spend your time on is what you value. So if that is the case what does an analysis of your time show you value...? Do you spend your time on gaming, sports, shopping, friends, music, family, netflix, social media, school work..? None of these things are bad in themselves but they can become a problem if they become our sole value base. What or who we spend our time on matters! As a Christian I know that who I spend my time on affects my day, my emotions & my mindset. In the Bible it talks about being wise with what we think about, what we spend our time on & how we treat ourselves & others. It is so easy to misplace value & spend time on things that really have no value at all. Things like memes & TikTok can make us laugh but they can also end up wasting a lot of time. I’ll just watch one more, or I’ll do it once I’ve seen this, or have you seen the latest...? become our world & we can lose sight of what has real value. These things can mean that we don’t spend time on our studies, our friendships, our families or maybe on keeping healthy. So whilst they are fun & seemingly harmless they can actually be very harmful... In the Bible there is a parable about sheep & goats. It talks about some people (goats) who do not take time to value & look after others, in contrast to other people (sheep) who show they value people by what they do. I know which category I’d like to think I would be in... What category would you be in...?

Place VALUE

Place Value is a term you will probably have learnt at school. It is to do with getting numbers in the right place so that you can add or subtract correctly. 10 + 10 = 20

whereas

1+ 10 = 11

But the way I have written it you could say 20 again because the first 1 isn’t in the correct column. Where things are affects the outcome! So what has that got to do with life or anything...? That is a question I often thought about in Maths lessons! A lot of stuff they cover in school may not matter too much but being able to do basic maths is very

important in many areas of life. We need to work out how much things cost & whether things are ‘value’ for money! If you can’t add up the prices of what you are buying you don’t know if you can afford it all! It is equally important to know our value & where we belong for our mental health & well-being. Some people are naturally more positive & assume they have value & importance. For others it is more Page 1of a struggle to accept that they have any value. For some they will think they have value but fail to see that others have value too.

Place VALUE

. 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 . 0 0 0 0 0 1 . 0 0 0 0 1 . 0 0 0 1 . 0 0 1 . 0 1 . 1 1 . 1 0 . 1 0 0 . 1 0 0 0 . 1 0 0 0 0 . 1 0 0 0 0 0 . 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .

How we see & value ourselves will determine how we act & how we treat ourselves & others! I would suggest there is a balance between knowing our value & over estimating it. It is good to know that God values us & has a plan for us & at the same time it is good to realise that others have value too! It can be easy to slip into thinking that we are the only ones that matter but we are not the most important all the time! So why not have a read of the Story of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10 v 25-37 to see what the Bible says about valuing others... And ask yourself how you are doing...?

Some people would say that the Bible is just an old book; something to be read to children in Sunday School but having no relevance to today. Others say that they read it but don’t really follow what it says & still others have bits that they like & bits they choose to ignore. Yet others would say that it brings them comfort, guides them, shows them how to live & is a vital part of their life! I wonder what would be your description of it...? I like to think of it as the ‘Maker’s Instructions’. Not there to make life difficult but to make life easier & to give clear guidance on what

is the best way to achieve a good result!

to a lot, for others it changes over time.

If you have ever had to make ‘flat- pack’ furniture, follow a recipe or do something new, you will know the benefits of clear instructions. Trying to figure stuff out for yourself, or having very little guidance can be frustrating & even at times dangerous!

For me I would say my favourite is Isaiah 61 v 1 The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because He has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives & release from darkness for the prisoners.

The Bible describes God’s words as being more valuable than silver or gold, as a light to our path & bringing guidance to our lives. We often ask people that we interview what their favourite verse is because it is great to get an insight into what God has been saying to them. Some have one verse that they go back

It reminds me that God has a plan for my life...

Do you have a favourite verse...? Why not try reading God’s word & see what it says to you...

Is the Bible VALUABLE...?

People might think that riches or property or status are of value but what about time...?

Photo credit: Sonja Langford on Unsplash

Time is our most precious commodity but so often we waste it! We think we have all the time in the world so we don’t value our time. But what if we realised that none of us know how much time we have...? Would that change how we behave & how we value our time...? If you knew you only had a limited time then it would be more valuable. You’d want to spend it wisely instead of wasting it. You’d want to make sure you made the most of the opportunities rather than putting them off for another day. Do you need to re-think the way you spend your time...? Could you put your time to much better use...? Time is precious - so let’s not waste it! Take some time to look at the quotes below about value & see if you agree...

The VALUE of time? Rough diamonds may sometimes be mistaken for worthless pebbles. Thomas Browne A man who dares to waste one hour of time has not discovered the value of life. Charles Darwin Knowledge is of no value unless you put it into practice. Anton Chekhov Know the true value of time; snatch, seize, & enjoy every moment of it. No idleness, no laziness, no procrastination: never put off till tomorrow what you can do today. Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield The value of experience is not in seeing much, but in seeing wisely. William Osler Time has more value than money. You can get more money, but you cannot get more time. Jim Rohn

It’s not just about winning or losing, but to learn about teamwork, learn about sportsmanship, learn about discipline. The value of working together for a common goal. Have the emphasis on fundamentals, not just games. Erik Spoelstra To add value to others, one must first value others. John C. Maxwell Until you value yourself, you won’t value your time. Until you value your time, you will not do anything with it. M. Scott Peck Your ordinary acts of love & hope point to the extraordinary promise that every human life is of inestimable value. Desmond Tutu Too many people today know the price of everything & the value of nothing. Ann Landers

If you don’t know your own value, somebody will tell you your value, & it’ll be less than you’re worth. Bernard Hopkins

It’s about respect & the morals & the value of life. Treat people how you want to be treated. A. J. Green

If you truly believe in the value of life, you care about all of the weakest and most vulnerable members of society. Joni Eareckson Tada

We learned about gratitude & humility - that so many people had a hand in our success, from the teachers who inspired us to the janitors who kept our school clean... & we were taught to value & treat everyone with respect. Michelle Obama

One’s life has value so long as one attributes value to the life of others, by means of love, friendship, indignation & compassion. Simone de Beauvoir What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly; it is dearness only that gives everything its value. Thomas Paine Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows. Luke 12:7

We curate our lives around this perceived sense of perfection, because we get rewarded in these short term signals: Hearts, likes, thumbs up. We conflate that with value, & we conflate it with truth, & instead, it is fake, brittle popularity that’s short term & leaves you even more vacant & empty. Chamath Palihapitiya

Value is what people are willing to pay for it. John Naisbitt

There’s nothing I value more than the closeness of friends & family, a smile as I pass someone on the street. Willie Stargell

Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value. Albert Einstein

I’d rather have roses on my table than diamonds on my neck. Emma Goldman

When you are older you will understand how precious little things, seemingly of no value in themselves, can be loved & prized above all price when they convey the love & thoughtfulness of a good heart. Edwin Booth

Don’t be seduced into thinking that that which does not make a profit is without value. Arthur Miller

I am a partisan for conversation. To make room for it, I see some first, deliberate steps. At home, we can create sacred spaces: the kitchen, the dining room. We can make our cars ‘device-free zones.’ We can demonstrate the value of conversation to our children. And we can do the same thing at work. Sherry Turkle

The feeling of insecurity is inimical to our sense of wellbeing, as it causes anxiety & stress, which harms our physical & mental health. It is no surprise then that, according to some surveys, workers across the world value job security more highly than wages. Ha-Joon Chang

I love my mother & father. The older I get, the more I value everything that they gave me. Liev Schreiber

It’s not that diamonds are a girl’s best friend, but it’s your best friends who are diamonds. It’s your best friends who are supremely resilient, made under pressure & of astonishing value. They’re everlasting; they can cut glass if they need to. Gina Barreca

What value is it to gain the whole world & forfeit your soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? Matthew 16:26

The excellence of a gift lies in its appropriateness rather than in its value. Charles Dudley Warner

Photo Credit: Jay Maidment @ Marvel Studios

This is the third installment in the Ant-Man saga following on from Ant Man (2015) & Ant Man & the Wasp (2018). It sees Paul Rudd return as Scott Lang, aka Ant Man, alongside Evangeline Lilley as Hope Van Dyne, aka The Wasp. They are joined by Michael Douglas & Michelle Pfeiffer as Hope’s parents Hank and Janet. Also making an appearance is Kathryn Newton as Scott’s daughter Cassie. When Cassie creates a satellite for connecting with the Quantum Realm they are all drawn into a new adventure which sees them come up against, Jonathan Majors as, Kang the Conqueror. Janet was lost in the Quantum Realm for over 30 years & has already had dealings with Kang before she was able to escape. Will they be able to defeat him before he escapes the Quantum Realm...?

Photo Credits: Marvel Studios

We all face difficulties & problems in life, no one is exempt. What is important is how we get through them & how we respond. I think that our response is partly down to our view of ourselves; How do we value ourselves...? What is that value based on...? Other people might tell us that we have little or no value but the Bible tells us that we are loved & that God has a plan for us. If we can keep hold of those thoughts it makes getting through tough situations easier. It doesn’t guarantee we won’t be faced with awful or what seem like insurmountable difficulties but it does mean we have God to turn to & ask for help. In my life I have found that invaluable!

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VALUE of Money...?

Photo credit: Josh Appel on Unsplash

Luke 21 v 1-4: Jesus looked up & saw the rich people dropping offerings in the collection plate. Then he saw a poor widow put in two pennies. He said, ‘The truth is that this widow has given by far the largest offering today. These others made offerings that they’ll never miss from all that they have; but she gave extravagantly from what little she had!’ This account is from the Bible & shows us how Jesus valued money & giving. He saw that although the widow only gave very little in terms of actual money, she gave far more than the rich people who wouldn’t miss their offering at all. She didn’t have much but what she had she used to bless others. So whilst the Bible isn’t saying that it is wrong to be rich, it is saying that we need to be aware of how we spend our money!

Do we use it to bless others or do we keep it for our own benefit & pleasure...? It can be easy to look at rich people & think that they could do more to help people out of all the wealth that they have! But we also need to look at ourselves. We may not have a lot of money but we still need to be aware of how we use it. Instead of thinking, ‘It’s mine, I can do what I like!’ maybe we need to ask ourselves how we can bless others from what we have...?

Can we give to a charity...? Can we support someone who is less well off than we are...? Can we give & share our time, talents or resources with others...? Whatever it is let’s do it with enthusiasm & without making a big show of it for others to see!

Annatoria: Where do you find your VALUE...?

The Voice is a ‘blind audition’ TV singing competition where judges have to turn their chairs if they want to have a contestant on their team. In 2020 Olly Murs turned for Blessing Annatoria Chitapa &, despite problems with recording the show due to the pandemic, she went on to win the series. We chatted to Annatoria to find out about her life, faith and music as well as how she is dealing with some of the pressures of fame. Read on to find out how her faith in Jesus has helped her stay grounded & strong... How would you describe yourself?

I’d say I am quite fun, bubbly, & a bit weird; a lot of my friends would say that! I’m also passionate & very driven. If I want to do something I will make sure I get it done. I can be a little bit loud but can also be reserved. I’m just a weird individual!

Please tell us about your early life?

I was born in Zimbabwe & I lived there till I was 6 in 2009. We lived in Harare, the capital: I don’t have a lot of memories apart from knowing that I loved it. Every year we would

visit Zimbabwe in the summer holidays. Unfortunately the school year there is January to December so our visits didn’t always coincide with family being off school too! I have enjoyed seeing both cultures. I now live in Dudley, near Birmingham, & am at university in London doing music so am commuting every week.

Did you enjoy school? What subjects did you like best/ worst?

I loved primary & high school. My favourite subject was Maths, I just loved it. I also loved Biology & Chemistry

grew on me. I liked all the science type subjects apart from Physics! English wasn’t my favourite because the teacher didn’t appear to like me, they seemed to give me the same mark however hard I tried! I also had a liking for Textiles & did knitting at junior school. I loved the design & fashion side of Textiles. So I guess my top 3 would be Maths, Biology & Textiles. But at uni I am doing music because it made sense to be more aligned with what I am doing in life!

Was singing always the goal?

No, it wasn’t the goal because coming from an African household I wasn’t encouraged to do stuff that wasn’t academic. Anything arts, sports or music based was considered to be a hobby rather than something to pursue as a career! In that setting it can take a while for people to believe in what you are doing creatively! So because I loved Biology I was thinking of becoming a surgeon & did Biology, Chemistry & Psychology at A Level. Music was just supposed to be a side hustle but my passion for it would often overshadow my studies & eventually became my goal.

How did The Voice come about?

It was weird because that year I had signed up for X Factor but then they stopped the show & I was so disappointed.

My mum suggested The Voice but I didn’t want to do it – because it doesn’t have such a big audience. She kept on about it & then I received a phone call from the show to ask if I would come along. I think they had heard about me because I’d done a lot of cover videos & singing on social media. So I went thinking I could at least learn something from the experience & the rest is history!

Did you find the whole experience a bit surreal?

In the beginning because there was an audience you would walk out & could see them all so that felt very real & somewhat scary! But due to the pandemic the show was done in two stages & there were 8 months where nothing was really happening & no one knew what was going on. When we started back there was no audience & that felt

weird. Each time I progressed to the next stage it was surreal because it almost felt like a rehearsal rather than the actual programme! Once we started up again it all went very quickly & even when I won it was hard to take in. Not being able to tell people meant that it didn’t seem real but the final aired just two days afterwards so I didn’t have to wait long. Then when people started celebrating me it became more of a reality – I won The Voice!

Was the attention hard to deal with?

It wasn’t necessarily the attention but the variety of people coming to me that was odd. I already had quite a large following on social media, beforehand, of people who enjoyed my content & were probably similar to me. After the show there were more people with maybe different

views & perspectives coming to me over social media. I didn’t let it affect me because I’d made sure before I went on the show that I was secure in who I was & confident in myself. I think the whole experience could be quite overwhelming if you are insecure.

What is your favourite song to sing from your album ‘Count My Blessings’ & why?

From the album the title song, ‘Count my Blessings’, really resonates with me. Especially when I released it because I got to be thankful for everything! The whole process & journey I’d been on, the people helping celebrate my success, I was just thankful for everyone & everything that had led me to that moment. So yes ‘Count my Blessings’ definitely takes the win.

Do you write your own songs? Where do you get your inspiration from?

Yes, I tend to write my own with the occasional input or consultation from others. I tend to write from world experiences & what different people have encountered. I also take inspiration from the Bible because it has so much to say about every day stuff. I like to take a story & relate it back to how God would respond or help in the situation. I want my music to be positive & hope filled. I always try & include the word of God because it has power to lift us & show us a solution.

What are some of the things you would list as blessings in your life right now?

My family are a blessing, it’s a blessing to be in the house that I’m in, to be sheltered &

warm especially when it is so cold outside. I’m grateful for being surrounded by love & for opportunities that I’ve had & different places that I’ve visited. I get to learn about different cultures & people & what they are going through which helps me be more compassionate. Those are just a few.

What has life been like since The Voice? Have there been any down sides?

It’s been OK for me. I guess if I was more sensitive there might have been downsides because people can find it hard not to react or respond to social media but I try not to let that affect me, so it has been only been positive! The Voice was done 2 years ago but it is good that people still celebrate that achievement for me. It is nice when people remind you of what you have done

because you can forget the achievement when you are trying to do other things. I guess there is a heavy expectation from the show because usually people don’t go on to do really well. It can be tempting to put your self down & not think about the achievement but other people keep you motivated!

How & why did you become a Christian? (Was it a moment or more of a journey?)

My parents are pastors so I grew up in faith & the church, with high expectations from everyone! For me it was more of a journey than a specific moment. I was always participating in & enjoying faith stuff but I wasn’t always an active believer if that makes sense... But in 2019 I went to a youth conference in Zimbabwe & at that moment it was like everything became

real. I realised Jesus was JESUS & that I wanted to live my life for God. At that moment life changed. Before I had believed but hadn’t felt I was meant to be in any way committed, it was just me & Jesus & I was OK with that level. But since then I have felt compelled to tell people about Jesus & his love for them. When I came back people noticed a change. I want to live my life for Christ, He is my reason for everything!

Do you have a favourite Bible verse & why? I have two! The first is the theme verse of that youth conference which was

Colossians 3 v 23 Whatever you do, do it whole heartedly as if working for the Lord not man! This is a really good reminder

to do everything well! Another one that has been speaking to me recently is Psalm 4 v 8 I will lie down & rest in peace because the Lord is with me! This has helped me because, like for everyone else, there is a lot of stuff going on at the moment & for a lot of people peace is elusive! But I can relax when I go to sleep & be confident in God when I wake up because I know God has everything in hand & I can trust Him. It is a good verse to repeat to yourself!

Have you any answers to prayer that you can share with us? It’s not a huge miracle but something that I have been praying about & God is still answering is that I would have a passion for souls, a real

heart for people. I can easily lose the heart & reason of what I am doing & why I started doing it. It can become about what benefits me rather than wanting to reach out, so that’s my prayer! In the Bible Jeremiah talks about being compelled to speak about God & I want to have that same passion for people to hear about Jesus. I’m often still a little shy when talking to strangers about Jesus but I’m a work in progress!

from a position of humility where he acknowledges who he is & in contrast who God is! The hardest part is probably dealing with pride especially when people praise you & you can think it is all down to you! Going back to God & seeing how great he is gives you a different perspective. Knowing you are not perfect & that you need God helps keep you in check! I need to keep doing that so I don’t rely on my own strength.

Has it been hard to stick to Christian/ faith values over the years?

Humility is something you need to continually ask for, it’s not a one time fix! With social media growing it is so easy to live from the adulation that it gives but it is then really tough when it doesn’t happen. I try not to value myself on what others say or do but instead look to the Bible & what God says about me, because that doesn’t change depending on my ‘output’! Comparing

I definitely think it can be a challenge. At one point it was getting to me & I had to go back into the Bible & look at people who were famous in those days & how they dealt with it. I looked at people like King David who was really well known but remained humble. A lot of his Psalms are written

yourself to others is harmful because you can always find someone who is doing better or has more likes, instead remember God loves you & he made you as you are!

How do you keep your self value when others are critical?

It can get tough in this generation when everything is about success & it can happen so quickly. Videos can go viral overnight & it can be hard to deal with the success & then the ‘failure’ when they don’t. You find yourself questioning your talent & wondering what was different. But the truth is that even if you put out good stuff it won’t always go viral or be ‘successful’. You have to learn not to measure your self worth & value from likes! People might be critical or silent, both can have the same effect. It’s great when people are positive but I remind myself that my voice is a gift from God & whatever people say, good or bad, that doesn’t change. God has given me a voice that sounds like this & I have to trust him with it. One hard example was when The Voice finished & Black Lives Matter was very prominent. Some people tried to imply that I only won as a sympathy vote, the token black person! That could have easily overwhelmed me & made me doubt my gift but I know I can sing & I had to hold fast to that! Remembering what you are good at & what God says, not others, can be hard but you just have to keep reminding yourself & not allowing it to affect you. What you say about yourself & what you allow others to say affects you because your body responds to it – so make sure it’s positive!

What is your most valuable possession?

I have a collection of individual books of the Bible. Each book is it’s own volume with space to write notes & they are just so cute. I love reading them!

What’s next?

For the coming year I’m excited to put out a lot more singles & work on some collaborations. I’m excited for the UK gospel scene too as I feel something is ready to burst out of it. I want a lot more young people to be able to relate to gospel music & I feel it is happening here in the UK.

Follow Annatoria on : @annatoria_

You have VALUE

We are bombarded on a day to day basis by images of what we should look like, what we should own, how we should behave & what we should think.

The truth is though that we are all different, we all have different skills & abilities, we are all unique. So trying to be just like someone else should never be our aim.

We are shown the ‘perfect life’ & told it can be ours! What they don’t often show are the bad days, moments, choices & thoughts that have also been part of the journey!

Our aim should be to be the best version of ourselves not a copy cat, imitation of someone else. There is no one else like you & no one else can be the person you are designed to be!

We aren’t shown the fact that even with a lot of hard work & effort not everyone achieves their dream, not everyone ‘makes it!’

So don’t fall into the trap of comparing yourself with others all the time. Don’t think you have to be a certain way to have value!

Remembering that we have value & that God loves us should lead us to showing that same love & concern to others.

The sad thing is that we can be made to feel like we have failed or are ‘less than the best’ because we don’t have the same things or look the same way.

God has a plan for each one of us. It may not be exactly as we imagined it but we can know that God’s plans & purposes for our lives are good.

Everyone has value & deserves our kindness. You matter & so does each person that you come into contact with, whether you are like them or not!

Photo Credits: Courtesy of Warner Bros Pictures

We watched the first Shazam movie & really enjoyed it so we are definitely looking forward to this next installment. The first film saw a foster kid, Billy Batson, given various superpowers by the ancient wizard, Shazam. All he had to do was say, ‘Shazam’, & he transformed in to a superhero. Along with his foster brother, Freddy, he comes up against the evil Dr Sivana who is determined to release the Seven Deadly Sins! His foster family comes to the rescue & together this new group of superheroes triumph! In ‘Fury of the Gods’ Billy & his foster siblings are back in action. This time they are up against the daughters of Atlas, played by Dame Helen Mirren & Lucy Liu, who are keen to regain the power of the gods! The trailer sees Billy talking to a psychiatrist about his feelings of inadequacy. Instead of valuing what he has to offer he compares himself to heroes like Batman & Aquaman & feels useless. But the wizard, Shazam, is back & encouraging Billy to fight for his family & the world. They must join forces again & face the onslaught together. Complementing each others strengths, not comparing & feeling insignificant...

In the first film & in this one family & family values play a huge part in the outcome of the story. Billy has to learn what being part of family is really about & that we are supposed to be helping each other rather than competing & comparing ourselves all the time... The Bible puts it like this in 1 Corinthians 12:12-20 The body is one & has many parts, yet all the parts of the body, though many, are just one body, so it is with Christ... For the body does not consist of one part but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am

not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body... But as it is, God arranged the parts in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were all a single part, where would the body be? Like Shazam we were all created to be unique, not a version of someone else. But it can be so tempting to compare ourselves & feel inadequate, to feel we lack what others have & miss what we actually contribute. So next time you start to compare & put yourself down STOP & look up. Ask God to show you how special he thinks you are & what he wants you to do!

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We can all add value or worth to others or we can do the opposite & take it away! How we speak to people & treat them will either leave them feeling valued or valueless. Our words & actions matter!

Add VALUE?

I’m sure we can all think of times when we have been made to feel valueless because of the way someone else has treated us. Their words or actions have not added to our sense of value but made us question it! What we say & do can have lasting effects on people so let’s make sure we are adding value to people not taking it away! The Bible says in Proverbs 18:21

The words you say can create life or destroy it; so you must accept the consequences of your words.

Let’s not be people who destroy people’s value with our words but instead let’s build them up! Hopefully these jokes will add some fun to your day! How do you double the value of a used car? You fill the tank An artist asked the gallery owner if there had been any interest in his paintings on display at that time. “I have good news & bad news,” the owner replied. “The good news is that a gentleman enquired about your work & wondered if it would appreciate in value after your death. When I told him it would, he bought all 15 of your paintings.” “That’s wonderful,” the artist exclaimed. “What’s the bad news?” “The guy was your doctor.” What is the favourite boat of a sailor who really values the people in his life? The friend-ship Sometimes a denominator & numerator are very close in value. But there’s a fine line between them. If shops sell things at 3.14 times their actual value They are Pi-rates.

Photo credit: Autumn Martin on Unsplash

My boyfriend bought me a diamond ring The stone was cut in the shape of a four leaf clover. I wore it all the time to show how much it meant to me. One day I got curious & had it valued at a jeweller’s. Unfortunately they told me that my boyfriend had been swindled, as the diamond was actually a cubic zirconia. It was a sham rock. Velcro is not an item of value It’s a rip-off! A family of mice were out walking, & were suddenly surprised by a large cat. Father Mouse stood his ground, drew himself up to his full height, & shouted BOW-WOW-WOW at the cat. The cat, alarmed, ran off. The small mice were very impressed. “That was fantastic, Dad! How did you do that?” “That,“ explains Father Mouse, “shows the value of learning a second language.” I was going to get a bust of my likeness made just in case I become famous in the future & it becomes valuable. But I decided I shouldn’t get ahead of myself.

A guy sees a sign in front of a house: “Talking Dog for Sale.” He rings the bell & the owner tells him the dog is in the yard. The guy goes into the backyard & sees an old dog just sitting there. “You talk?” he asks. “Yep,” the dog replies. “So, what’s your story?” “Well, long story short, I discovered my gift of talking when I was just a little guy, & knew right away that I wanted to help the government. In no time, I was working for the CIA, jetting from country to country, sitting in rooms with spies & world leaders. I was the best at eavesdropping & one of the CIA’s most valued assets.” The guy is amazed. He goes back in & asks the owner how much he wants for the dog. The owner says, “Ten dollars.” The guy says, “Ten dollars!, He’s fantatsic, he must be more valuable than that! Why on earth are you selling him, so cheap?” The owner replies, “Because he’s a liar. He’s never done any of that stuff!” How do you make the value of seven even? Subtract the S.

A 16 year old boy arrives home & says “Dad, I bought a brand new Bentley.” “What? Those cars are valued at more than $200.000 & you don’t have a buck.” “Look at it parked there: it cost me $50.” The father looks out of the window & sees a brand new Bentley Mulsanne. The father grabs the boy by the ear & takes him to the house where he says he bought it, a big house where an old lady is having a cup of tea in her garden. “Excuse me, ma’am, Is it true that you sold this great car to my son for $50? “Yes, indeed” she answers very calmly. “But that can’t be true, the car is far more valuable than $50.” She replies “My husband went on a work trip to Switzerland a month ago, but it turns out that he was cheating on me with his secretary & he was going to stay there, never to return. He took everything but this car with him. But yesterday he called me saying that his secretary had stolen everything & he ran out of money. He wanted me to sell the car urgently & send him the money..... So that’s what I did!

Photo credit: Antoine LE on Unsplash

Photo credit: Hyunwon Jang on Unsplash

Photo credit: Belinda Fewings on Unsplash

Photo credit: Erik Odiin on Unsplash

It is all around us; the idea that you & your thoughts, ideas, possessions, family, interests & so on are all that matters. But are you really the centre of the universe...? We need to value others & see that our value isn’t diminished by doing that. Some people would tell you that if you value others you will suffer but there is a balance between letting others walk over you & always pushing your own agenda. When you undertsand that you are valuable then you can begin to see others differently too! You can stop thinking that if someone else is valuable then your value must be less. God asks us to love our neighbours & see their value. There have been many campaigns in recent years to try & reverse the mounting ‘me first’ tide of opinion. They have often been brought about by an atrocity that has really made people sit up & consider what & who they value. It is astounding that there have had to be movements like ‘Black Lives Matter’. Surely this is just common sense, we all have value & worth, our gender, colour or economic status shouldn’t be a factor. In the Bible Jesus tells the story of the Good Samaritan, you can read it in Luke 10 v 25-37. In it he shows the difference between looking good on the outside but not doing good, compared to actually doing good even when it doesn’t benefit us. He calls us to value others & treat them with kindness & respect. Why not take the quiz & see whether you value other people or whether you are too interested in what suits you...?

Do you try to keep your promises ...? A) Yes B) No C) Sometimes

Do you often push yourself forward for the best position ...? A) No B) Yes C) Sometimes

Do you speak without thinking about the effects of your words on others ...? A) No B) Yes C) Sometimes

Do you help without having to be asked ...? A) Yes B) No C) Sometimes

Do you find it easy to share your stuff with others ...? A) Yes B) No C) Sometimes

Do you let others go ahead of you in a queue ...? A) Yes B) No C) Sometimes

Photo credit: Antoin

Do you put others down so you look better ...? A) No B) Yes C) Sometimes

Do you find it easy to praise others ...? A) Yes B) No C) Sometimes

Do you value other people’s opinions ...? A) Yes B) No C) Sometimes

Do you arrive on time so people aren’t waiting for you ...? A) Yes B) No C) Sometimes

Do you put a lot of thought into presents & cards ...? A) Yes B) No C) Sometimes

Do you always have to win an argument ...? A) No B) Yes C) Sometimes

ne LE on Unsplash

Maybe you got a mix of answers or maybe one really stood out as your dominant response. Take a look at the answers below to see what you are like. If you answered mostly A – Well, you must be a great person to be around. You place value on people not only what they can give you. You aren’t just looking out for ‘number one’ but are trying to see things from other people’s viewpoint. You don’t just think about yourself & leave others to fend for themselves. You are genuinely interested in the best outcome for everyone not just you! Keep it up! If you answered mostly B – You seem to be only interested in yourself & are not bothered by the feelings of others. As long as you are ok then you are happy & not too interested in how other people are doing! As far as you are concerned the world revolves around you & your needs, other people can sort themselves out. The trouble with this approach is that sooner or later it comes back to bite! When you need help from others they may take a leaf out of your book & do what works for them not you! If you answered mostly C – Most of us will probably be in this category. We try to think about others & value them but sometimes our ego gets in the way. We try to show concern but if we are honest it is often just when it suits us. If it involves a cost in terms of time or effort we will probably value ourselves above others. But the good news is that we can always improve! We can learn to do & be better. Being aware of our failings is a good place to start!

Knowing your VALUE! Respect Me is part of The Message Trust & they go into schools to take lessons on a wide variety of subjects like bullying, self worth, sex & relationships, online safety etc. Rachael Silvester is a professional photographer/ videographer & also one of the Respect Me team. The theme in this issue is VALUE so we thought it would be good to chat about how her faith has helped her discover her value & worth in God’s eyes... How would you describe yourself?

I would say I am quite a sociable person, someone who is quite passionate about a lot of things & I like to think I’m fun!

What are you passionate about?

When I say passionate I guess I mean I don’t really do things by half. If I’m doing something then it’s full on. I’m very passionate about my faith, as well as creative stuff like my photography, videography & design work. I’m passionate about helping young people & in my photography work I’m passionate about making people feel welcome & comfortable in front of the camera.

Please tell us about your early life?

I was born in Hemel Hempstead but moved to Manchester when I was about 7 & my parents divorced. My dad remarried & high school was quite a difficult time for me as my step mum was quite mentally & emotionally abusive. My dad is a Christian so raised me to have faith & that was an anchor for me at a time where there were a lot of different difficult family dramas & complications. So my childhood wasn’t very straight forward & I am still dealing with some of the fall out from that.

Did you live with your dad?

Yes, well to be honest there was

a lot of movement to & fro after my parents divorced & I moved house 8 times! For most of high school though I lived with dad. It was difficult with my step mum & also financially as dad lost a couple of jobs. But that has all shaped who I am today in good & bad ways. I can see how God was there for me though & being plugged into a church all the way through was a great help.

Did you enjoy school? What subjects did you like best/ find worst?

My school years were difficult but I actually really liked school - it was a safe place for me, an escape from home! I had a great group of friends who kept me

positive & knew what I was going through. They looked out for me & I spent lot of time at their houses. So I actually enjoyed school & was quite a geek. I was involved in all the extra curricular activities & every club possible. I loved all the creative subjects like Film Studies, Media, English & Graphic Design.

Anything you didn’t like?

No, not really. Most of the girls hated PE but I was on most of the teams because I was a bit of a nerd & joined in with everything!

How & why did you become a Christian?

For me it was a journey not so much a definitive moment. I used to envy those who had those ‘wow’ moments. I was raised going to church & it was part of my life but when I was around 16 dad went through a really hard time & I wasn’t being taken. So I had to decide

whether I wanted to go for myself because no one was taking me. The choice was mine & so I made the decision that I wanted to continue going & stay part of my church family. They had supported me a lot & were a massive part of my faith journey. It is really important to spend time with other young people with the same beliefs! They were an anchor for me as well as going along to camps & events. So that was when I decided I wanted to be a Christian for myself, not just because I was being taken along to church. It wasn’t a specific prayer or moment but over that time I made a decision. No one was making it for me, it was my faith & my choice & it has become stronger & grown as the years have gone on.

What do you do now?

I work for Respect Me which is part of The Message Trust. ‘Respect ME has Christian values at its heart & seeks to equip,

empower, & build up young people to be the best they can be, breaking down the lies of the media to help them understand their value, giving them a hope & a future.’ We do this by going into schools to deliver RSE & PHSE lessons. I am a tutor but I also help to write the content that we deliver for years 7 to 13. We cover lots of different stuff like bullying, self esteem, abuse, sex & relationships; all the topics that teenagers have questions about! I really enjoy researching & figuring out what is relevant to young people. So at the moment lots of the stuff we cover is around Tik Tok & how that is shaping our views of self & relationships. I love being part of that team & I guess being the voice that I didn’t have at school. It is great to be able to take in another point of view & tackle these big issues that teens are facing!

I also run my own photography & video business. I shoot at Christian events like the Big Church Festival but have also shot for various fashion brands & even for Lamborghini! I do a lot of work with The Message Trust & their various bands & events but also do weddings etc. I love being able to capture joy & moments that can go by so quickly that it’s hard to remember without photographic evidence!

How did you get into those?

My friends at school used to get sick of me taking pictures of everything we did - I was like the ‘paparazzi’ at parties! It was something I loved doing & when it came to making a decision about uni I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. I had got a place to do English but deferred my place to go to Uganda for about 4 months & volunteer. I wanted to give myself time to think as well as helping others. When I came back Emma Owen, who

started Respect Me, suggested I tried the gap year programme at The Message. It is a course where you learn how to share your faith with other people & take time to figure out what God’s calling is on your life. Throughout the year I was the photographer for every thing we did on the course. I loved capturing those fun moments with course mates but whilst I was there I also helped photograph some of the tours & concerts The Message bands were doing. I realised I was living out my dream! When I had been to events beforehand I had always imagined being one of the people doing the shoots & here I was doing just that! So I still do that & have set up my own business. Then Emma offered me a job with Respect Me & so here I am!

Do you have a favourite Respect Me topic & why? It’s hard to have a ‘favourite’ when they are quite tough topics that we cover. It would

be odd to say my favourite is ‘abuse’ but I like teaching the ones that are closest to my heart. So that would include online safety because as someone who uses the internet for work & who used social media stuff when I was younger I realised that I made a lot of mistakes & made myself very vulnerable without even realising it! I want to help young people be really equipped to make good, positive choices. I also like sex & relationships because that is something that I know I would have appreciated as a kid with lots of questions. It is good to go into schools to talk about these topics & share our experiences. I made a decision as a teen not to have sex before I was married but it was hard when others thought I was weird. I want young people to realise that they do have a choice & that they don’t have to choose what everyone else does, feel pressured to conform or do stuff

to ‘please’ someone else! Respect Me wants them to feel informed & equipped to say, ‘No’, if they aren’t ready or wish to wait & feel confident to stick with their choice despite what others might say.

Any personal stories on ‘VALUE’ that you can share?

I think in terms of value I tend to have quite a positive self esteem now but that wasn’t always the case. A lot of what you go through as a child shapes how you feel about yourself & my step mum was emotionally & mentally quite abusive. She put me down a lot & I think that affected my self esteem & damaged the way I viewed myself. I lacked self confidence & was quite an insecure person for a while. I really worried what people thought of me & needed to prove myself to everyone. I made a lot of silly choices at school to fit in with people & get them to like me & be popular. Going down that route you can

lose yourself & your true friends because you are trying to please the wrong people. I regret that now. One big regret was that we had a school year book that we took round for others to sign & I was desperate to get everyone who I thought was cool & popular to write in it. I thought my friends could do it later but I never got round to them because I wanted messages from other ‘more popular’ people! We even joked about it recently because I still have the same core group of friends who didn’t actually get to write in my book. I was looking for love & acceptance in the wrong places. I can laugh about it now & they are still my friends which says it all really! Over the years as I have matured in my faith I have learned to value myself & see myself through God’s eyes, not what everyone else says. I’m not saying that I don’t care what people think now, that’s very hard not to take on at all, but it

is important to know who we are & believe in ourselves! We need to be our biggest encourager & not our own biggest critic!

Do you have a favourite Bible verse and why? Psalm 46 v 10 Be still & know that I am God,

is really important for me. For about 7 years now I have been very busy with Christian stuff, helping with my church, doing so much whilst telling myself that it made me a good Christian. But although doing stuff, serving & giving are all good things they need to come from a personal relationship with Jesus. Being so busy doing but not spending time with God to develop that relationship is counterproductive. You need to be spending time with God to know what he wants you to do. My granny used to call me ‘the girl in a whirl’ but I don’t want to be known for being in a rush & always frantically busy.

I want to be known as a person who spends time with God & you can only do that by taking time to be still; listening to God rather than just talking at Him! This generation isn’t very good at waiting & taking things slowly but in our relationship with God it is vital. We all need to learn to slow down & listen not just be rushing into our day.

Have you any answers to prayer that you can share with us? A while back I was praying & asking God, ‘What is my story?’ because I don’t have this big faith moment that some people have, where they had a massive turn around & follow God. A lot of young people have told me the same thing, they feel that they haven’t got a great story, they aren’t special. When I prayed it was like my life was flashing before my eyes & God was revealing that He does have a plan for my life. Seeing all the things that have happened

on my journey & recognising that He has always been there, that is my story! All the things I learnt & went through I can now use to help others going through similar stuff. But my story goes further than that because God showed me that it started even before I was born. My dad was adopted & his birth mum insisted he was given to a Christian family. So my grandparents adopted him & grandpa was a vicar of a large church in Manchester. He was therefore brought up to be a Christian & because of him so was I – even before I was born God was putting things in place! God loves to show us things if we take the time to ask. I don’t & you might not have what you think of as a ‘wow’ story but each of us is special & God has a plan for us!

Has it been hard to stick to Christian/ faith values over the years?

Less so now but it definitely was

at school. I have never struggled with believing in God but when I was at school I was embarrassed to admit that! I didn’t want to be known as a ‘Bible basher’ so if people asked what I’d done at the weekend I’d never mention church. I was too concerned about being popular but I regret that now because I’ve seen that if you say with confidence that you went to church people generally are quite interested & might even want to know more. School can be a really difficult place & it can be hard to stand out from the crowd but I wish that I had. God is such a great part of my life that I wouldn’t want to hide Him now. I did find it easy to live by Bible principles though because even from an early age I didn’t see them as a set of rules that I had to follow. I understood that God has put ‘laws’ in place to keep us safe & help us live our best lives! Many people think that God is just trying to spoil our fun but it is always to do with stuff that God

knows will lead to pain & heartache. He wants what is best for us.

How do you keep your self value when maybe others are critical etc?

The way you speak to yourself is important because it really does affect you & the way you respond to others. If you are your biggest critic & always telling yourself that you aren’t good enough, can’t do something or no one likes you then that is what you start to believe. Sticking Bible verses or positive affirmations round your mirror or somewhere you can see them is a great way to remind yourself how God sees you. Yours is the voice that you hear the most so try & make sure it is positive. Words are powerful & contrary to the saying about sticks & stones they really can hurt you! The Bible doesn’t promise that we will have it easy; people will be mean so we need to be equipped & ready to deal with it. Surround

yourself with people who build you up & care for you, read the Bible & learn to see yourself as God sees & values you! It is the same for other people, learn to look at them as God does & you will find it easier to be caring & kind. There is a saying that I think is really worth remembering: ‘Your worth is not determined by someone else’s inability to see your value.’ The Bible says we are God’s masterpieces & the number of ‘likes’ we get doesn’t affect our worth in God’s eyes. If you can hold on to that truth it makes it easier not to listen to any negative stuff that comes your way!

although that is monetarily the most valuable. That can be replaced but you can’t buy back things that are memories or of sentimental value; like the little sausage dog ornament from my granny or the cards & stuff that people have made me. Those things that are from people you love are irreplaceable & therefore the most valuable.

You can find out more about RESPECTME @respectmeuk Or for Rachael @rachsilvester

What is your most valuable possession?

I’m quite a sentimental person so for me it wouldn’t be my expensive camera gear

I am looking forward to this coming out in May. The Guardians are back for a third installment. They are back to work together to stop evil wiping out millions of lives. Yet a quote from the trailer says: ‘When I look at us I see a thief, two thugs, an assassin & a maniac.’ Not what you would think of as the dream team! But they are friends & there is great value in friendship. Even as far back as Creation the Bible says God made Eve because it was not good for Adam to be alone. We all need people around us we can count on & we need to be those people for others. Your friendship group might be a real mix like the Guardians or you might all be fairly similar, but whatever your group is like be thankful for them. Be the best friend that you can be whilst standing up for your beliefs & ideas! That might mean having to challenge our friends occasionally & even being willing to admit that we are wrong. Whatever our group is like the best friend to have in our lives is Jesus. Having him in our lives makes all the difference & enables us to face any circumstances, however hard...

Photo Credits: Courtesy of Marvel Studios

The VALUE of Friends...

Photo Credits: Nintendo & Universal Studios

The Super

MARIO BROS. Movie

Following on from the game this film sees a plumber named Mario travel through an underground labyrinth with his brother, Luigi, trying to save a captured princess. I wonder how this will look on a big screen & how it will come across when you have no control over the characters. I have watched my kids play this numerous times over the years & they got really good at it because they practised all the time. On the other hand I was pretty pants at it because I didn’t play much! Life can be like that too. The more practice you put in the

better you get at something. Things aren’t always easy to start with but most of the time you will see progress if you keep putting in time & effort. In the case of the game I didn’t see much value in getting better but at other things I can see the point. I started doing couch to 5k this term & although I’m still not great I have made considerable progress. I can now run 5k - not very fast but I can do it!

performance.

It was something I wanted to do & I really saw the value of practising. When it was icy & cold I didn’t get to do as much & I could really tell the difference in my

What can you be better at?

In the future I will have to keep up the training or I will find I can no longer do it. The effort has to be maintained! There is a verse in the Bible Colossians 3 v 23 that says: Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as though you were working for the Lord and not for people.

Are you willing to put in the practice to improve at something?

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