TRUE BEAUTY FOR REAL GIRLS
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Queen Bee Beautifully You is launching a new article and we need YOU! In this article, we want to recognize a queen bee in your life. Someone who has been an inspiration - a light in dark place; a creator, a leader, an entrepreneur, a giver-- you get the point. Someone who you feel deserves the recognition. Whomever is selected will receive a photoshoot with all the perks, and an article focusing on them & their “queen bee” uniqueness. All we need from you is the name, age, location, a pic & why you are nominating the “queen bee” in your life. The winner will be selected before the next issue release. Details to follow. Please submit your nominee to beautifullyyoumagazine.com
If I had to choose one word to describe the last 9 months of my life, I'd use "insightful." It's taken me 7 years, but I feel like I'm finally heading in the right direction musically and artistically. It's not that I was going the "wrong" way. I was just on the path to being somebody else… someone not myself.
‘ DANCE WITH ME’
Moving to a new city and not knowing many people allowed for some serious alone time. That alone time forced me to answer questions like: who am I, what do I love, what do I want to create, and what do I want to be known for? Being honest with yourself is an art! The easiest person to lie to is yourself. I got real. I got tough. I questioned almost everything. At times, it was difficult. But, for the most part, it was liberating. It was inspiring. It was everything I needed it to be.
"Dance With Me" is a pretty good indicator of where I'm taking my music. It's borderline "bubblegum" pop, and I'm totally okay with that. Sad songs are cool, and they have their place. But, I want to be known for writing songs that you turn up as loud as you can, you roll your windows down, you dance in front of your mirror, and you forget about all the things in your life that suck - even if it's just for a few minutes. That's the kind of music I want to make. You can find "Dance With Me" on any digital music platform. Watch the tracking of the single on YouTube at www.youtube.com/paulkleinmusic. Follow Paul on Twitter and Instagram: @pauljasonklein. For more about Paul, visit: www.pauljasonklein.com.
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EDITOR: MARIALICIA COATES CREATIVE DIRECTOR: KTO CONTRIBUTORS:
SARAH WEHRLI, MEAGAN BOYCE, SARAI OGANS, MAGGIE DONOHO, JORDANA HELDRETH, ALISSA FREEMAN, JANNE COUSSENS, ROSIE BOLING, BERN TALANCA, LINDSEY HOUSE, JULIANE ARIELLE
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DETOXING W AT E R S
Drinking water is what everyone needs in order to get rid of all the impurities in our system. We constantly hear that water is just plain good for you, but eventually it can get a little boring. That’s why we have found three things you can add to water to help the taste, and also help detox your body!
Cucumber Lemon Mint Detox Cucumbers have to be one of the most refreshing vegetable because the majority of it is water. When you add lemon to this you’re getting a citric acid that will help cleanse your digestive system. Mint also has nutrients in it that help give a fresh crisp taste.
Strawberry Detox Water I love strawberries! They are so delicious that it almost makes you feel like it can’t be healthy! But not only does it make water taste great, it also includes antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals to your body. To make it more enjoyable you can add watermelon to the mix!
Weight Loss Detox Water I bet your wondering what’s in this detox? Well I’m happy to tell you that it’s something delicious, and also one of the most overlooked fruits beneficial for detoxing, grapefruit! It’s full of Vitamin C which will help your body and liver get rid of toxins in your body.
Makes 1 gallon-size pitcher: 12 cups of water (3 quarts) 2 to 3 lemons, thinly sliced 1 small cucumber, thinly sliced 10 to 15 mint leaves
1 cup strawberries 2 cups watermelon, cubed 2 sprigs fresh rosemary Dash of course salt Filtered water
Ingredients:
Rinse lemons and cucumbers very well before slicing; slice thinly. Add lemons, cucumber, and mint to pitcher. Cover
Mix the strawberries and rosemary in a bowl.
with water and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight (the flavor will be stronger if you refrigerate overnight, but I like the lighter flavor, too). Pour in a large glass over some ice and Enjoy!
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Add the mixed ingredients and the watermelon to a large pitcher. Pour water over the ingredients and stir. Refrigerate for 4-6 hours, and enjoy!
1/2 gallon water 6 wedges grapefruit 1 tangerine, sliced ½ cucumber, sliced 2 peppermint or mint leaves Directions: Rinse grapefruit, tangerine, cucumber and mint leaves. Slice cucumber, grapefruit, and tangerine (or peel). Combine all ingredients in a half gallon pitcher. Allow the ingredients to sit for one hour for maximum benefits. Drink throughout the day. Enjoy! Words: Rachel Osterloo
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as kindred spirits often do, the pair collaborated in creating a tradition to keep in community with each other. “One day Lou (Lauren) sent me a photo of a crown braid she had done, and so of course I did one too and we posted them to Instagram.” In keeping with their newfound tradition, other friends soon caught wind of what they had begun and wanted in. It caught like wildfire. As C2C continued to grow, they created a blog and girls started writing in from Egypt, Israel, West Africa, and England. It quickly became clear this was no meager undertaking. C2C was an exploding canvas of possibilities.
Glancing over my plate of raw kale salad, I see a face smiling back at me with all of the confidence in the world, and eyes brimming with hopes and dreams for the future. This is Lindsey Clark, co-founder of Coast to Coast Central. Coast to Coast (or C2C as we’ll call it here) was an idea dreamed up by two friends trying to find a creative way to keep in touch with each other as they moved to opposite ends of the country. Twice a week, its “#coasttocoastchallenge” inspires women to explore new styles in the fashion world. From “Pattern on Pattern” to “Glam-Grunge”, women across the globe can post their interpretation of each challenge to Instagram as well as view the unique stylings of other “coasttocoastchallengers”. In under a year, C2C has erupted from a single idea between two friends, into a multi-dimensional organization that has partnered with names like H&M, reaching women all over the world in the name of self-confidence and fashion. So starting at the beginning, Lindsey grew up on the sunny west coast in San Diego, CA. Her eyes shine big with wonder as
‘a young girl, in the awkward stages of adolescence...’ she remembers being a young girl, in the awkward stages of adolescence and completely despising the often relished treat of shopping. Fashion seemed to never be her “niche”, and trips to the mall were something to be avoided. She found herself crippled by the worn pages of the cult tragedy “A Woman’s Tale of Woe and Comparison” like so many of us do, never feeling quite as pretty or as skinny as those around us. “What really blows my mind is how The Lord used my weakness. Like Moses in the Bible being used by God to lead millions of Hebrews out of slavery with a speech impediment, He is using me to use fashion to impact the world.” Now before me sits a beautiful, confident woman radiating with God’s love and tackling life as it comes. This is an inspiring and true testament of the life of a dreamer. Fast forwarding a few years, Lindsey Clark and Lauren Palomares met in Tulsa, OK while interning together at Go International - a non-profit organization originally based out of Tulsa. As life moved on, Lindsey moved back to San Diego, and Lauren moved to Orlando, FL with her husband. Longing for each other’s company,
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“Empowering women. It’s so cool to see emails come in with girls telling us about how they had always been afraid to dream, and now they feel empowered to dream.” As C2C celebrates their very first birthday, countless opportunities opened and projects accomplished they could only have dreamed of, I asked Lindsey what the highlight of their first year had been for her. “Empowering women. It’s so cool to see emails come in with girls telling us about how they had always been afraid to dream, and now they feel empowered to dream. It’s so cool to know that one idea can change everything. Being faithful to pursue one idea can completely change how things are and how things are viewed. How the dream of one can become the dream of many. These women were scared to walk out their front door, and now from the community of C2C they feel empowered and confident. To me that’s worth everything in the world.” And the road doesn’t end here for the dreamers of C2C, or for Lindsey. There are still victories to be had, lives to change, and undiscovered territory to conquer. “I’m no small dreamer. We want Coast to Coast to be the front runner in everything from fashion to humanitarian work. We don’t want to create something small. We want to create something that at the end of the day brings God the most glory. One day I’d love to be able to partner with orphanages and rescue homes. I’d love to have a storefront, a magazine, books, conferences, events, and fashion shows. I want us to have an influence in the fashion world. People see fashion as vain, but it can be something used to evoke change in the lives of people. And that’s what we’re going to do.” WORDS: Meagan Boyce IMAGE: KTO
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always to be genuine in everything I do. How I am perceived is forever on the forefront of my mind, and I struggle to always communicate myself intentionally and with tact. When trouble arises I try always to remember to examine myself first, because that’s what I’ve been taught. The thing is, that in all my seemingly sound strategies of communication and goodness, there has remained an invisible villain crippling me. There’s some evil and mysterious gremlin taking my legs out from under me, keeping me pacing around the same old lion cage. Occasionally scratching at the door of opportunity, but scolding myself when I do. I’ll call him the Me-Monster. Me and Me-Monster go way back. You could even say we were BF4Ls (“best friends for life” for those less savvy on high-tech lingo). We’ve been hanging out every day for years. The things that we do together however, are usually not things that I’d like to post on my Instagram accompanied by a thousand excited emoticons. No, my relationship with Me-Monster has been something very secretly hidden way back in the closets of my mind since we first met.
words: Megan Boyce
I’ve had an epiphany. One of those “I’ve known the answer to all along, but didn’t know that I already knew the thing I should have known” epiphanies. Seems silly, and maybe a little childish and I don’t know if there are other girls out there like me who can relate to my elementary struggles, but here it is: I’m real. What? I know, it’s pretty mind blowing…and completely vague. So here, let me start from the beginning. High school was a tumultuous time for me. I underwent some seriously heart wrenching mental battles dealing with my self-worth. It was a violent, faith-testing fight; but I learned some invaluable lessons about thought life that carried me to sweet victory, and have continued to aid me throughout the years. Leaning on scripture and what God has to say about me, I retrained my brain to think positive thoughts – and if nothing positive could be found after digging around inside my disorganized mind, I learned to simply change the subject. Bringing life to the timeless Bambi-ism that charges halflings with “if you don’t got something nice to say, don’t say it at all”. I learned that it is equally as important to be nice to yourself as it is to others. As that popular Pinterest meme says: “Be nice to yourself. It’s hard to be happy when somebody’s mean to you all the time.” After this, having full control over your thoughts sort of developed into my life’s anthem, my “theme” so to speak. As girls, our thoughts and emotions can spiral very quickly out of control, and I wanted to share with others my new found revelations. I wanted to start a revolution where girls took back control over their minds. A generation of women who instead of feeling trapped inside a mental box of tormenting selfdegradation, we felt strong and confident in ourselves, knowing that with God backing us up, we could be the boss of our own thoughts and not the victim of them. But something didn’t add up with me, and I just couldn’t figure it out. So fast forwarding to present-day, I’d come a long way since the dark days of high school. I think I’d say pretty confidently that I’m a nice girl. I strive
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Me-Monster is this: You’re so fake. Nobody believes anything you say. Everyone is always second-guessing your motives. How could you think you could be qualified for a position like that when you have such terrible thoughts? Don’t raise your hands during worship, you don’t actually mean it. Stop pretending. You can’t lead.
If you step up, it would be prideful. If you pray over that girl it would be prideful. If you sign up for worship team it would be prideful. Stay quiet. Stay back. This is my Me-Monster. A thief of life and ambition disguised as “humility” or “spirituality”. Wearing a cloak of goodness, he runs around your head pulling up every root of developing dreams claiming fits of “pride” or “attention-hogging”. Well dreamers, I’m here to say otherwise. I’m here to tear off the coverings of goodness and humility and expose your Me-Monster for the devil he is. Because that’s exactly what he is; the devil. I once heard from a great speaker that if Satan can’t turn you into an anti-Christian, he’ll turn you into a silent-Christian. He’ll dash your dreams, and any aspirations of being great in attempts to contain the almighty God-power shut up in your bones. So here’s the truth: we were created to dream! We were created to strive and grow, to learn and climb, and be ambitious! God created us to be great and to be prosperous! And it doesn’t make you bad, prideful, arrogant, haughty, self-obsessed, self-centered, or selfish to think so. Why? Because we are great, we do have potential, and we have been designed pre-programmed with a world-shaking destiny handcrafted by the God of the universe! So what is it that’s keeping you from going to the next level? Maybe it’s thoughts like mine, a chronic self-doubt. Maybe it’s something else. It’s time to let go of your Me-Monster, and start sprinting up the path towards greatness that God’s laid out for you. It’s time to be a dreamer.
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Red Light District
Written by Carly Wells It’s dark and drizzly as I slip through gloomy side streets and push past a huge, dense crowd of drunk, lost, broken people. I keep catching smells of piss and vomit, making me gag. Twisting and turning through the place I know so well, nothing can detain or deter me. I’m on a mission; I can see only one thing ahead of me. As I turn the corner I make out their shadows in the distance. A line of perfect silhouettes stand out against a cement wall under a dingy street lamp; the inhabitants of Quito’s Red Light District. As I approach, their heads turn and I hear their stilettos clicking on the ground as they run towards me. I exhale a sigh of relief. I’m back, yet again, in the darkest place I know, but with more peace than my earthy frame can hold. Their eyes light up as they greet me and my team with kisses and hugs all around. And then comes the moment that happens every visit, every week, as one of their soft hands slips into mine: “ I missed you. I’m so glad you came back.” Come back? Of course I come back. How could I not come back? These girls are my heart, my life. I wake up with them on my mind, and fall asleep with prayers for them on my lips. They have become a part of me, with their deep brown eyes so full of stories and memories. Layers of shame linger in there as well. Their sweet, gentle smiles are slow to begin but once they form, are ceaseless. Their constant love and affection is an expression of their tenderness and vulnerability. Wrapped in their presence I forget there are gang members all around, lurking in the shadows, watching my every move. I forget that every man that drives past associates me with them and normally asks, “How much?”. I forget that we’re different, because together, in our joy and love, we are sisters, we are friends, we are family. This is my life in Ecuador, with these women of the night. I’ve made their haunts my stomping ground, claimed it as my property and decided this will not always be a hell. Someday it will be redeemed and restored. These sisters are too precious to throw to the curb, which is exactly what the police and church have done - thrown them away like garbage. Yet they are such lovers, in the purest sense of the word. Yes, they are broken, they have issues, they are prostitutes. But above all else they are lovers; they are daughters of Jesus and they need me, my team, the world, to call them precious, not whores. My team and I are building a movement, a program, a new life for these women. A few weeks before I left for the States to work this summer, two of the girls came to me and said, “We are ready to get out of this life. But we only trust you as our boss. Please help us.” And in that moment a movement was birthed. We are building a rehabilitation program for these girls where, when they are ready to get out of that life, we will employ them as our “personal assistants.” Within that 40-hours-a- week job description they will go to classes, get counseling, have a private tutor, learn self-defense, get medical care and become a part of our family. We are also in the process of starting a night-care facility; a place where the children of current prostitutes and drug dealers can drop their children off at night when they go work the streets, and we will feed them and give them a bed for the night. It’s a prevention program, a safe place for the children. The statistics of children being raped and abused at night, are high. These children need us, even if their mothers never choose to leave that life style. We want to protect them and influence them. None of this will happen overnight. It’s a process. Some girls won’t want to leave what is familiar to them. Some may come out and then return to it. But some will move forward and become new women. We’re holding our breath and believing in our God who saves and redeems and restores all things. It takes a team of dedicated people, it takes a good budget, and it takes the Holy Spirit to lead us and guide us through this messy process. Souls are always a messy process, but beautiful at the same time - and always, always, always worth every heartache and triumph. For more information, on our projects, donations, staff and updated blogs please go to www.selah618.com.
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W
hen my husband Caleb proposed to me about 11 years ago, he took me up in a helicopter over the city of Tulsa, Oklahoma. As we were enjoying our helicopter ride, I realized that things looked much different from that perspective than they did on the ground. On the ground, I could only see a mile or so ahead, but when I got up in the helicopter, I could see the big picture—the whole layout of the city of Tulsa. Later that night, I thought about this experience in relation to my own life. I realized how easy it is to get so caught up in the temporal things right in front of us that we don’t see the “big picture” of all that we were created for. But just like with that helicopter ride, if we’ll rise up to see our lives from a different perspective, we’ll find we have a purpose greater than we could’ve ever imagined.
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awaken. Several years later, I had a dream that really woke me up to the importance of living with this greater perspective. In it, I was standing in a circle of people waiting for direction. Each of us was being given individual assignments to fulfill. As I glanced to my right, I noticed the girl next to me was curled up in a fetal position, asleep. I thought, “Why is she sleeping? She needs to wake up! We have a job to do!” When I woke up, I sensed that there was a reason I’d had this dream. I felt in my heart that each individual in that circle of people had a unique assignment to fulfill. Yet just like the girl curled up asleep in my dream, there are those who are living “asleep” to their God-given purpose because of tragedy, hurt, or fear. The Bible says, “Awake Daughter… Clothe yourself with strength… Shake off your dust; Rise up…Free yourself from the chains on your neck.” (Isaiah 52:1-2) I believe this is a call to each of us to awaken to our divine purpose, put on our strength and shake off whatever would hinder us from living life to the fullest. We are all valuable to God. The question is: Are we fully awakened to our assignments? my wake up call. I personally experienced a time in which I had to “wake up” to my assignment in the midst of a difficult circumstance. When my father, Billy Joe Daugherty, passed
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away in November of 2009, it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever dealt with. I was close to my dad, and looked up to him in so many ways. He was my hero. It would have been easy for me to curl up in depression and confusion; but thankfully, I remembered the dream I’d had three months earlier. I knew I still had a purpose and a great life ahead of me. Five days after my dad’s funeral, my husband Caleb and I were scheduled to fly back to Cambodia for missions work. I didn’t feel like going or that I had much hope to offer, so I debated on whether to go or to just stay home. But my mom encouraged me, saying, “Sarah, I believe if you will go in the midst of your own pain and loss and love the precious people of Cambodia, God will do amazing things through you.” That is exactly what happened. Through the generosity of many people coming together for this outreach, hundreds of people were impacted by the love of God we brought. a hope fulfilled. There was one night on that trip that I will never forget. I walked into the church and saw orphans sleeping on the floor because they had nowhere else to go. Right then, I knew I had to do something about building an orphanage for the children of that area. As I shared this vision with others, all the funds came in to build the first Hope for Children Home in Cambodia. Today, these children living in the home are being educated, have food, and clean drinking water. In fact, this year, three of the young people have started furthering their education through a university. I would have never met these precious children nor been a part of making a difference in their lives had I not chosen to “awake” and rise up with a different perspective. Sometimes, all we can see is the pain right in front of us. It makes us feel like giving up. But if we’ll press through and seek God for direction, He’ll give us the strength we need to wake up and rise up. your true value. Let me tell you a story about a girl who did just that. This girl was sexually abused by her father 200 times between the ages of 14 to 18. She grew up in fear and shame, not knowing her true value. As she began to read God’s word and understand His love for her, she received healing and restoration. She rose up out of difficulty and awakened to her purpose. Today, she’s on TV every day, all over the world, telling others about the lifechanging power of God’s word. Her name is Joyce Meyer. Like Joyce, you are alive at this point in history for a specific reason. You are here now, just the way you are, because God knew the world would need you. When you too realize that God loves you and has a purpose for you, your life will take on a whole new meaning. No matter what society says or does, the Bible shows us where our true value lies. It says, “We are His masterpiece, created new in Christ Jesus to do good things which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10). Now is the time to wake up and rise up to the purpose God has for you. Don’t let fear, bitterness, or tragedy from your past keep you from fulfilling it. It’s your time to awake! words: Sarah Wehrli images: Bern Talanca
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SECRET KEEPERS written by Alissa Freeman
H
ave you ever secretly had this thought? “I wonder what they would think if they ever found out.” For as long as I can remember, I have whispered those exact words to myself. Secrets... Some are more weighted down than others, but we have all had them. Secret fears and insecurities. Secret friends and relationships. Secret addictions and lifestyles. Secrets of struggles we are living with right now. Secrets of our past, that are of our own making or something done to us. Secrets that haunt us as we lay in the dark in the quiet of the night. Secrets that we try so hard to keep pushing down just to find them making their way to the surface again...Secrets of the heart. Has there ever been something in your life that you wish no one would ever come to know about you? If you answered yes, your heart is probably racing and your palms are most likely sweaty right about now. But take heart! You are not alone! I myself had a secret... A secret that I kept for 17 years... A couple months after I went away to college in Texas, I found out 2 things. I found out that my boyfriend wasn’t living the life that I thought he was and that I was pregnant. I remember walking around campus just in complete shock and disbelief. I remember being SO angry. SO angry at the guy who had lied to me, SO angry at myself for letting it happen. SO angry at my parents for being right. and even SO angry at God. So in the midst of my anger, I made a horrible decision. I chose to have an abortion. In that one moment, it sent me into a downward spiral. So when people say that, I know exactly what that means. On the outside, I tried to pull it all together and act like I had never made that choice.. But on the inside, I was a wreck. I was an empty shell, longing to feel something. So I tried to fill that hole with anything... drinking, smoking, boys... One wrong decision led to another, and I became pregnant again. I remember just crying for days, feeling so lost and alone, wondering how this could be my life. But I still drove myself to the clinic and made yet another horrible decision again. I felt like a robot. Numb and emotionless. I hated myself for all that I had done. I didn’t even want to go on with my life anymore, but I was too scared to do something about it. The shame, the guilt, the despair, the depression, the loneliness, and the horrible nightmares of what I had done were unbearable, suffocating and so overwhelming that I made a decision... I decided not to ever tell anyone. Not my roommates, my parents, my siblings, my best of friends, not even my husband. I buried my pain deep down, shut the door on that part of my life and threw away the key.
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For 17 years, I tried to walk through life like it never happened. I became a nurse, married a wonderful man and had 4 beautiful children. As we all do at some point in our lives, I began to question my purpose here on this earth. There just had to be more, something else out there, waiting for me to snatch it up! The more I pursued God and the answer to my question, the more my past kept coming up in my thoughts. The more I tried to shove it back down, the more I was reminded of it. Commercials, elections, rallies, sermons... you name it, it was in my face. The more I thought about it, the more it consumed me and I began to hate it. I mean I HATED the power that this secret held over me. When I began to hate it, I knew then that I would do WHATEVER IT TOOK to be free from it! 2 years ago, God decided to answer the deepest prayer in my heart, one that scared me, but one that I secretly longed for.... my freedom! In His timing, God led me on an amazing week long journey, where He took me by the hand, held my heart and out of my love for Him, I was able to share my story with my connect group (who are my best of friends), then my husband and then my family. Was it hard, yes! Was it scary, absolutely! I cried a lot, I couldn’t look at anyone, I ripped up my kleenex into like a million pieces... but I did it even as I was shaking so bad in fear. But you know what, when I finally looked up.. I never once saw what I had always thought I would... I never saw disappointment, disgust, judgment....All I saw when I looked into the eyes of my friends and family was God’s love. And the physical feeling I felt after, was breathtaking. I truly felt the weights of 17 years slide off. I FELT freedom! When I took those uncomfortable steps of sharing my story, something huge happened. A barrier that I didn’t even realize I had, shattered! I stepped out of darkness that I didn’t even realize I was living in and stepped into the light. God’s light. All of a sudden, I was noticing His love, His mercy, His grace, His peace, His amazing goodness, His forgiveness like I never had before! I was able to finally grieve the loss of these 2 precious children and an extraordinary healing began to take place in the darkest part of my heart. God didn’t love me any more because I shared my story or was free from my past, He has always loved me this much... but now, with that barrier gone, I was finally able and allowing myself to receive all that He wanted to give me! I was finally beginning to learn who I was in Christ, not just in my mind, but more importantly in my heart! I don’t see myself as a mom with a secret anymore, now I see myself as God’s precious daughter who was fearfully and
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wonderfully made! I don’t see myself as unworthy anymore, I see myself as called and chosen! I know that I have a purpose in this world and that I have a specific assignment for my life. Sharing my story is part of that assignment, and the more I share it, the less my past will ever have a hold on me again!! I have made the choice to start listening to the truth! To who God says I am! I am not going to allow those chains to be put back on! Freedom is a FIGHT- it’s a choice that I make everyday. Sometimes, we don’t want to have to face the pain, or the embarrassment, or whatever is that our secrets hold, But it’s worth it! Because you stay awake to the TRUTH and the truth is what sets us free. Shame, guilt, depression, loneliness from any secrets you might be carrying can lock you up into a dark and invisible prison, one that you may not even realize that you are in. Whether it was something from 20 years ago or just yesterday, shame and guilt keep you stuck from moving forward into the life that you were created to live. Our creator already knew everything about us before we were born... the great and awesome things, but also all the crazy, hurtful, sad and disappointing as well. The amazing thing is that He still chooses us every time! No matter what type of past you have! No matter what type of secrets you are carrying! No matter what type of things you are dealing with even right at this moment. His love is unconditional and nothing can ever separate you from it! He not only loves us, but He LIKES us too and HE is the only one with the master key that will lead you into TRUE freedom! Freedom that you feel in your bones. Freedom that explodes on the inside of you! Freedom that has such a strong voice in your life that all you think about is helping others be set free! If there are things in your life that you are secretly holding onto, I encourage you to share them with someone close to you! There is power in confession! When we embrace this turning point in our lives, what we gain and step into is beautiful, precious and amazing! Let Him unlock that door and lead you into the GREATER things that He has for you! And BE DETERMINED not to lock yourself back up again!!! Make your mind up, move forward....step into the confident, empowering life that He created for you to live!! Its so worth it!! Live Free. If you are in a similar situation or going through something that might need someone to hear up and give you some advice, email me at alissafreeman77@gmail.com
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WINTER TRENDS
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Winter Trends Winter is definitely here, and we are entering a season surrounded by beautiful fall & winter colors! Pulling out my boots, cardigans, comfy sweaters, and blazers; brings me great excitement. Personally, I love all four seasons, but after a hot summer here in Oklahoma, I’ve really been looking forward to fall and winter. We at Beautifully You have put together some of our favorite outfits and colors for the coming fall trends. At Beautifully You we don’t use professional models; our models are real women of all different shapes, sizes, and ethnicities. Here, you will see outfits specifically designed for their own style and shape, in line with fall trends. We hope you will be
Must haves In this issue, we have featured some of this seasons must haves. Have you noticed the black leather leggings? This winter, you will see more of it. Not just leggings or fitted pants, but leather pieces as small accessories added to clothing. Other items include: oversized knitted sweaters, coats made in combination with leather and fur, black fit and flare dresses. You can add a hologram handbag to bring additional excitement to your wardrobe by providing a pop of color to darker looks. Jean on jeans is also another favorite. You can easily pair a denim shirt and jeans with a blazer or sweaters. For more looks and trends, follow our blog: beautifullyyoumagazine.com Words: Janne Coussens Images: Juliane Arielle Photography
This is a great color to add to your wardrobe. We styled Jomary in a deep red/purple color. A lace dress, bohemian hat, statement necklace, bangles, and beautiful deep purple/ red lip color. Hat:American Eagle, Dress: H&M, Accessories: NewYork & Company (right)
Pair a flared black skirt, with a denim shirt, and a black leather belt. Flared skirt, or a-line skirt is one of the winter trends. Denim shirts are easily accessible; you can pair it with jeans, and add a blazer or sweater over it. Wear any black belt with it. Skirt: Denim shirt: H&M, Leather belt: Vero Moda (Norway), Shoes: Kohls (left)
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Another favorite is the skater skirt. It’s been very trendy this past summer, and will continue into the winter as well. With a light brown skater skirt we added a blue jean shirt, light brown shoes, bold gold accessories, and brown bohemian hat to go with it. Skirt Lovely day (Costa Rica), Jean Shirt: Walmart, Shoes: H&M, Gold Necklace: H&M. (left)
Big Knit Sweaters Comfy big knit sweaters are a big hit this fall and winter. Natalie is wearing a big sweater, paired with leather leggings, ankle boots and a comfy scarf. Relaxing, but still, chic. Sweater and Leather leggings: BCBG, Scarf: Francesca’s, Shoes: H&M, Purse: Target. (right)
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Great color combination. Yellow-green shirt, with orange statement accessories. Necklace: Ily Couture (online), Shirt: Forever21. Wishing you a colorful and warm fall and winter, (below)
Aldo Purse Add a colorful handbag to your wardrobe this winter. A great color combination of yellow, orange, and pink – colors you find in the fall color pallets. Purse: Aldo (above).
Pattern - Edgy & Classy Camouflage pants (edgy/classy) Camo, or military patterns in deep green, is a big hit this season. We chose to dress two of our girls in two different styles. We have Rachel wearing a more edgy chic style with a black blouse, camo jeans, ankle boots and added a black dressy blazer, for a strong feminine look. Pants: Forever21, Blouse: Forever21, Blazer:BCBG, Shoes: Forever21 (left)
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Mix and match colors. Personally I just love these color combinations on darker skin tones. Rich colors, such as the jewels tones. On Sarai, we paired a light mustard yellow colored scarf with a longer green blouse, leather leggings, and black dressy blazer. Another little detail I love about the green blouse is the leather piece on the shoulders. Love, love, love it. Leggings and Blazer: BCBG, Blouse: Ross, Scarf: Ross, Earrings: American Eagle,
TIPS... Blazers are a great investment. I would recommend buying a quality black blazer. It is a must have in your wardrobe. It can go with anything - especially during the changes of seasons, when it’s warmer outside and cooler inside (Airconditioning). Blazers and cardigans are great pieces to wear and bring “on the go”.
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Green Jacket (classy) If you are not a big fan of the camo patterns – Deep Green is on of the “it” colors this season. For Sarai, we paired a green blazer, with cute accessories on the shoulders. You will see a lot of blazers and jackets with accessories and beading this fall. Paired with her jacket, she is wearing a black blouse with lace, and gold accessories. Again, adding bangles and accessories gives an expression of your personality. Shoulder pads are back again this season. For girls who have a pear shaped body, blazers with shoulder pads are great for you. Jacket: Grass Collection from 1/2 and 1/2, Blouse: H&M, Jeans: Tj Maxx, Necklace: H&M, Earrings: American Eagle.
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This is us, this is you, we are beautiful! This is us, this is you, we are beautiful! This is us, this is you, we are beautiful! This is us, this is you, we are beautiful! This is us, this is WeAreBeautiful_MagazineIssue2_Christmas1of2.indd 18
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