Issuu

MAGAZINE

July 2023

Casey Arthur Rochester artist and community advocate shares about herself and her art studio!

David A. Jackson

Rudolph Valentino

Stand-up Comedian and actor shares about his journey

Professional actor talks about pursuing his dreams!

No. 3 w w w . B E B R A V E M A G A Z I N E . c o m

Credits

Faculty: Kijana Crues - Publisher/Designer/ Editor/ Director of Editorial

Writers: Kijana Crues- Interview writer/ Editor

Photography: Kijana Crues- Lead Photographer *Photographer for all features in Rochester, NY Tanisha Jackson- Photographer for David Jackson Stock photos from Pixabay.com

Graphic Design: Kijana Crues- Director of Graphic Design Graphic Designer

Artist From Gallery: Carla Coots- Photographer Katrina Gaspar- Poetry

Sponsors:

Minister Robert Matthews

If you’d like to sponsor Kijana Crues Imaging, LLC and Be Brave Magazine, Contact Us! BeBraveMagazine@gmail.com All featured stories were written by the warriors being featured. All stories edited by Kijana Crues with Kijana Crues Imaging, LLC.

Letter From The Editor Welcome to the 2nd issue of Be Brave Magazine! Be Brave Magazine is an online magazine that spotlights everyday people, warriors, that pushed through life’s struggles and refused to be stopped. These are articles and stories of warriors sharing about their triumphs through adversity, sharing advice for those that need it, and are all showing the importance of having Faith and never giving up. After a whole year of putting things in order it’s finally here! The journey was long and hard but I pushed forward and continued to listen to the Lord. God put this project on my heart to complete. So I HAD to keep pushing... no matter what and be obedient. I’ve been through a lot in my life. From a massive weight loss journey beginning 2014, resulting in losing over 270 lbs... and my getting “healthy”... to then finding out I had Stage 4 NH Lymphonma Cancer in 2018. I found myself in a position of having to fight for my life... and even more later. I know all too well about the importance in valuing every day like its your last, because anything can happen. Since battling and BEATING cancer and becoming cancer-free, I’ve made it a priority to go after everything I’ve ever wanted or dreamed of. Time to make pipe dreams a reality. I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me. I’ve also made it a priority to use my life as an example to others... to hopefully inspire them to keep pushing too! Know that you too can achieve whatever You put your minds and actions to. This magazine is about just that! People sharing their stories so that others can relate and get through their struggles as well! These warriors talk about the real parts of life that are sometimes swept under the rug and/or are hard to talk about. They give real advice meant to truly help you get through your life and get to your goals. Also this magazine has an amazing Art Gallery section that showcases amazing artists from all over the United States. If you are an artist and you want the opportunity to share you talents on this platform contact the magazine! Be Brave Magazine is continuing to build its team. If you are interested in joining the team and feel you have a skill that could help push the magazine... contact us! Lastly... No, This isn’t a “Christian Magazine” but it IS A CHRISTIAN’S magazine. So I always have to give reverence and praise to the Lord. Its because of Him that I am here today! Thanks to everyone that contributed in this first issue. You all are truly appreciated and loved! With Love, Kijana Crues Magazine Creator/ Editor/ Graphic Designer/

Table Of Contents

4 Credits 5

Letter From The Editor

Make an Impact

People who make an impact. Featuring: Rochester artist and community advocate, Miss Casey Arthur as she talks about her art studio and how it impacts the community! Rochester, NY

What is Faith:

Kijana Crues poses the question “What Is Faith?” She talks about what it means to have faith in God.

Rochester Comedian and actor Rudolph Valentino shares about his journey.

Make Dreams Happen:

For The Love Of Art

People who fight to achieve their Dreams. Featuring: David A Jackson as he shares about his journey in pursuing a professional acting career.

A place to appreciate art of all kinds from photography, to paintings, to fashion designs... and the list goes on! This is a place to truly appreciate each others amazing talents and unique creations!

Table Of Contents

Cover Story:

Miss Casey Arthur Rochester, New York

My name is Miss Casey and I am a local Rochester artist, community advocate and Creativeprenure. I am most known for my paintings and performance art around our city and beyond. My art is a simple expression of the love I have for the life in front of me. As an artist, I try to create moments for people to pause and rest in the gentle imagery that my paintings offer. I try to carve out moments of silence and stillness to allow a creative opening for the viewer. My job as an artist is to provoke your sense of mystery, open-mindedness and inner-silence.

fleeting, so seemingly unimportant to the problem or solutions. It is in the moments when I sit in absolute loss and desolation with another person, that I come in contact with a profound love for humanity. I know for certain no one is better than anyone else. Everyone is making life up as they go along. Each person, everywhere, is connected to all others. My aim as an artist is to reach people and connect them back to their own humanity. When people are connected to themselves and their core, they can connect with others in a far deeper way- and that will change the world.

I have a background in international humanitarian aid. I have worked with refugees in Washington D.C and Bangkok, Thailand. I have witnessed a lot of human suffering, and it has taught me everything I need to know about the nature of life. I was often powerless to change the situations I found people in. Trafficked people, and people running from state inflicted violence, countless stories of children and parents being separated- not knowing who was dead and who was alive. It all made my life problems seem so small. I was a part of a global crisis I alone could not solve. Children, orphaned babies and elders wandering tirelessly to reach some semblance of safety but too afraid to rest. I was so temporary and

When we all learned we would be living in lockdown for COVID-19 I quickly moved home to Rochester and my international work transitioned to remote work. I was living out of a backpack, and did not have permanent housing- a total free fall. I moved into an art studio and quickly became immersed in my art work. I spent hours daydreaming and dreaming up a better worldwith major change comes great possibilities for reimagining life as we know it. It was in August 2020 that I decided to dedicate my time, efforts and energy into Rochester. The same concerns we were facing overseas, were issues in my own backyard. I knew I needed to come home and tend to our social garden.

What Is Faith?

Written by: Kijana Crues

Rochester, New York

In this world where so many people are hurting, i keep hearing people tell me that things feel so bad, they aren’t sure God exists anymore. Many of you feel this way now. But my question to you is this: did you ever really truly believe in Him? What was your reason when you did? Was it something He did for you? Because He has done a LOT for us even when we don’t recognize it. He woke you up today didnt He? You still have His breath of life in your lungs. Think about it for a moment honestly.

worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

Here is a question I pose for you: What is Faith?

Matthew 17:17- 21 (KJV) says: 17 “You unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” 18 Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed at that moment.

No, stop... Not what is Faith to YOU... what exactly is the definition of Faith. Let’s break it down. (Because society is quick to change a definition to what we feel at that moment) Webster’s dictionary says: “2. A (1): Believe and trust in and loyalty to God. (2): Believe in the traditional doctrines of a religion. B (1): Firm belief in something for which there is no proof. (2) Complete Trust” The Bible says that: Hebrews 11:1 (KJV)

But what does that really mean? When we have faith, we are choosing to believe in what we are NOT SEEING YET in the physical realm. It means knowing and believing that things will work out in our good in the end even if it doesn’t look or feel like it at that moment in time.

19 Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” 20 He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” [21] [a]

We can’t expect things to work out if we 11 Now faith is the substance of things don’t believe they will work out. How can hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. you expect a result from something that you dont believe in? Think about the logic of 2 For by it the elders obtained a good report. that. Makes no sense right? 3 Through faith we understand that the

Most of the WORLD can accept and believe

in having faith in SELF, positive thinking, willing positivity and using meditation to help manifest what they desire in life. Most of the WORLD feel deep inside that if we believe hard enough, and put the work in, we can achieve and manifest what we need and want. All important things as well... But many of the world call it reaching out to the Universe. So many people are willing to believe in the Universe to serve them and believe it is alive, but can’t accept that God is alive, that He created the universe. That the heart beat and intelligence they are sensing in the universe IS that of God. They recognize his power, but refuse to give Him credit for it. it is God’s power that runs the universe and makes the gears turn. That it is Him that powers our very bodies. Flows through our very cells making them work. It’s the same with faith. Rather than recognize that God fixed a situation for their good in the end, the world tries to make excuses, or takes credit for themselves and give the rest to “luck”. Anything to not acknowledge Gods hand in the situation. Believing in God means TRUSTING Him. It means trusting that He is going to take care of you even when things are hard. And for things to be “hard”, it would mean that things feel like they are going extremely badly for you... right? So how can we say we ever believed in Him if we give up on Him the second things go south?! That means that you don’t believe He will see you through the uncomfortable situations. We seem to have things backwards. We tell God to prove He exists contantly... and when He does repeatedly prove it... then what? We dont even acknowledge it. We keep walking and we act like it never even happened... better yet, we have the nerve to take credit for it ourselves, then cry the next time and say, “You’re never here! Where are

you? You must not exist.” Yes, we have it wrong. Some people dont want him to exist, because then they’d feel justified in their own self pity and anger. It should be us proving our loyalty to Him in the end... not ther way around. We already got proof. Stop and beathe for a sec... that’s your proof. Many of you feel as if God isn’t hearing your prayers because He hasn’t answered them YET. And I Emphasize the word “yet”. Many of us have felt forgotten, so we questioned even His existence. When we do that we are throwing the baby out with the bathwater. God didn’t give up on you... YOU gave up on Him. Yet He’s still riding for you and helping you even through that. No, I’m not excluded in questioning God’s reasons for why certain things hadn’t happened when I wanted or expected them to. I’m very quick to ask him personally “why”. But then it becomes time to be in “Listening Mode”. Thats the time for me to shut up, stop talking back to God (bc that’s what ultimately fighting His will is), and SUBMIT TO BEING OBEDIENT TO HIM. There’s that word that stings so many people... makes so many suck on their teeth. Submit. The question of why should I submit to ANYONE? A question that exposes the pride of humanity. I’ve heard many ppl say this. Many of us can even fathom submitting in a relationship more than with God. But we aren’t just submitting to anyone, its to GOD Himself. If He literally blew breath into your lungs giving you life, how could you not?! How could WE not. That’s my logical response. If you actually realize that He is real, and that He has a hand in things going good in your life...

if you actually know He created you, how can you not give Him praise? Even in the rough of it (and I’m speaking from experience)... there’s a comfort in knowing that God is with me no matter what. When God is in your life, and you are submitting to His will, you are playing on a different game field as the rest of the world. A different game board. We dress up in the full armor of God and tackle the problem in the spiritual realm. Getting to the real true root of the problem. Truly knowing God is filling your spirit with The Word of God. Knowing Him is knowing His love so deeply that you can walk into a rough situation and know that even though things are hard, it’s going to work out... Why? because again... you are on a different playing field. Also, because God promises in the Bible that He will not give us more than we can handle. The part of the challenge that’s too much to bare, He is willing to take that from us... if we are willing to let go of it. If only we truly wanted to let the reins go. He would gladly pick them up. Many of us have the nerve to try to put a timer on God. Many of us believe that if He loves us, He’d help us in our timing, or would do things in the way we want them to be done. No that’s our own human narcissistic need to be in control of everything. Our way of putting everything into a box that we want control of when we aren’t the ones in control. God is. Your problems may be a result of wrestling God for control. God always answers our prayer... in His time, and with HIS answer. Also, Many of us have received His answer. The answer was NO. Are we going to turntail and have a tantrum bc we didn’t get our

way... or are we going to go to Him, submit genuinely and ask “why”? then listen to His answer. Some of you won’t accept His answer of no, and would rather decide he turned his back... when all they need to do is go to Him and ask Him: “Why?” If you are genuinely truly open to listening to Him, you may be very surprised. It was for you good in the end. And if you had just followed His plan from the beginning, it may never have gotten as bad as it did. That time that we spend occupying the ideas that He might not be there, is the time that defines faith when we exercise it. What is having faith if nothing stressful is happening in your life. What is Faith, unless the future has questions? That’s the time to show it. Or it means literally nothing. If you can’t exercise it in the heat of it, then where is your faith? Before you give up on God, remember that He has never, and will never give up on you. You are never alone. So believe and have faith in that.

Special Thanks First I thank my heavenly Father. Thank you Lord for guiding me to do this... and thank you for leading me every step of the way. I can do nothing without you. Thank you to my mom for being with me throughout this whole journey. I love you so much. You believed in me and helped me in so many ways throughout the journey of getting this journey started. Thank you to all the people who contributed to this project. To all the featured warriors who shared their stories, thank you for sharing such personal and meaningful experiences and being willing to share to help and inspire others to keep pushing forward. You truly are warriors. And I have so much respect for every last one of you. Thank you to the artists that contributed their work to the magazine. Every last one of you are so amazing in your crafts and gifts. Your art is so inspirational and touches so many people. Im honored to have you in Be Brave Magazine! Thank you to Min. Robert Matthews for sponsoring the magazine, and thanks to everyone who paid for a promo ad. Your contributions help this magazine to be able to fund itself. Thank You to my friends and family who were ears for me to talk to and shoulders to cry on when I had a hard time pushing through. You spoke life into me when I needed to hear it. Those of you who were truly there, please know that I love you so much. I truly appreciate you. 44

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