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Simply Radiant Magazine: Summer

The Simply Radiant Collection Psalm 34:5 Those who look to Him are radiant, their faces are never covered with shame. Welcome to the Simply Radiant Collection. Our collection consists of four issues that revolve around the four seasons of the calendar: Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring. Simply Radiant is designed to encourage women to embrace the love and beauty that Jesus has already deposited within them. The result is women who walk out their lives complete, fearless and free. Our radiant staff consists of women who press hard to walk in the truth of their identity and power in Christ. And because we look to Him for our beauty, we are continuously evolving and changing more into His image and our shame slowly and steadily fades. It is our prayer that you read each issue and that the articles help you to know the radiance that lives within you. We pray that you be inspired to get closer to Jesus and live your radiant life – one that reflects God’s beauty, love and power; one that shines His light onto others.

The Simply Radiant Collection
Psalm 34:5 Those who look to Him are radiant, their faces are never covered with shame.

Welcome to the Simply Radiant Collection. Our collection consists of four issues that revolve around the four seasons of the calendar: Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring.
Simply Radiant is designed to encourage women to embrace the love and beauty that Jesus has already deposited within them. The result is women who walk out their lives complete, fearless and free.
Our radiant staff consists of women who press hard to walk in the truth of their identity and power in Christ. And because we look to Him for our beauty, we are continuously evolving and changing more into His image and our shame slowly and steadily fades.
It is our prayer that you read each issue and that the articles help you to know the radiance that lives within you. We pray that you be inspired to get closer to Jesus and live your radiant life – one that reflects God’s beauty, love and power; one that shines His light onto others.

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SUMMER 2015<br />

STEPS TO A<br />

PERFECT LOVE<br />

PAGE 26<br />

Taking<br />

My Beauty<br />

Back!<br />

PAGE 12<br />

SIMPLY<br />

SNACKING<br />

PAGE 10<br />

LEARNING<br />

HOW TO<br />

HEAL<br />

INNOCENCE LOST<br />

PAGE 20<br />

+ FINDING YOUR VALUE<br />

IN GOD’S EYES<br />

PAGE 08


FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED ON THE NEXT PAGE<br />

Letter from the Editor<br />

THIS IS TOO COOL—<br />

welcome to our very first<br />

issue of <strong>Simply</strong> <strong>Radiant</strong><br />

<strong>Magazine</strong>!<br />

I have to say, life is a trip.<br />

I have experienced some very<br />

fun and amazing times, and<br />

also some very discouraging<br />

and depressing times. The<br />

creation of this magazine<br />

has been one of those<br />

amazing times. However, in<br />

my past, I have experienced<br />

painful times, and have<br />

learned so much over the years because of<br />

them. I made many costly mistakes along<br />

the way and hurt myself and others. Though<br />

painful experiences are sometimes how we<br />

learn best, there is no need to seek them. If<br />

they do occur, the best thing to do is learn<br />

from them—as I did.<br />

For over twenty years I have been driven<br />

to help young women walk in freedom,<br />

wholeness and victory, and away from past<br />

mistakes. And though I am still growing and<br />

changing myself, I have come to realize it<br />

is through my exposed frailties and flaws,<br />

and being transformed and renewed on an<br />

on-going basis, that God works best. His<br />

radiance shines best through us when we<br />

allow Him to heal our wounds and we share<br />

how He healed us with others. We let His<br />

love and light radiate through our healed<br />

hearts as we look to Him for identity.<br />

Angel Cantrell<br />

This message is now being<br />

spread from those in my life, to<br />

you and all the beautiful young<br />

ladies who read our magazine.<br />

The staff is a powerful collection<br />

of strong women with ages<br />

spanning 18 to 51 years old,<br />

married and single, and a variety<br />

of ethnic backgrounds. These<br />

ladies have surrendered their<br />

hearts to Jesus and desire to<br />

please and serve Him with<br />

abandon. Their desire is the<br />

same as mine—for all young<br />

ladies to know that their true<br />

worth and beauty are found in Christ alone.<br />

<strong>Simply</strong> <strong>Radiant</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong> has five sections:<br />

Health and Beauty, Love and Relationships,<br />

When Life Hurts, Intimacy (Into-Me-See), and<br />

A <strong>Radiant</strong> Heart. It is a quarterly magazine<br />

for you to grow from, be encouraged by, and<br />

experience healing through. We pray that as<br />

you read <strong>Simply</strong> <strong>Radiant</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong>, you are<br />

inspired to live a radiant life—one that reflects<br />

God’s beauty, love, and power, and then pass<br />

His love to others.<br />

We are so excited for your participation on<br />

this amazing journey to a free life, and we are<br />

so happy to have you as a reader of <strong>Simply</strong><br />

<strong>Radiant</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong>.<br />

With great expectations for a radiant life,<br />

ANGEL CANTRELL, EDITOR IN CHIEF


STAFF & CONTRIBUTORS<br />

ANGEL CANTRELL<br />

EDITOR IN CHIEF<br />

BRITTANY WALLACE<br />

MANAGING EDITOR<br />

RUBI Z<br />

PHOTO EDITOR<br />

SONIA RODRIGUEZ<br />

DEPARTMENT EDITOR<br />

KALYN VALENTINE<br />

DEPARTMENT EDITOR<br />

JADA CANTRELL<br />

DEPARTMENT EDITOR<br />

AURORA GREGORY<br />

MARKETING/CIRCULATION DIRECTOR<br />

RANÉ FRANKLIN<br />

MARKETING/CIRCULATION DIRECTOR<br />

JENNIFER LUXTON<br />

ART DIRECTOR<br />

CONTRIBUTORS<br />

JACKIE WRIGHT, COURTNEY EARNEST,<br />

BRANDY BRADLEY, WENDY CRUZ<br />

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU<br />

TO GET INVOLVED OR CONTACT THE<br />

SIMPLY RADIANT STAFF, CHECK US OUT<br />

AT SIMPLYRADIANTMAGAZINE.COM<br />

DREAMS DO COME TRUE<br />

S<br />

imply <strong>Radiant</strong><br />

started out as<br />

an unattainable<br />

dream for me.<br />

Since I came<br />

to know<br />

Christ, my<br />

deepest hope<br />

was for God<br />

to allow me to<br />

bring His truth<br />

to His daughters<br />

all around the world.<br />

It wasn’t until I met Angel that I<br />

realized my dream could actually<br />

be reality. Angel’s passion for<br />

young women to know who<br />

they are in Christ is deeper and<br />

more charismatic than anything<br />

that I have ever seen. It blew my<br />

mind that she, too, wanted to do<br />

something big for the kingdom of<br />

God. Shortly thereafter, I began<br />

to notice how God was placing<br />

different people into our lives to<br />

help make this dream real.<br />

The heart of <strong>Simply</strong> <strong>Radiant</strong> is<br />

Psalm 34:5: “Those who look<br />

to Him are radiant and their<br />

faces will never be ashamed.”<br />

Our primary prayer is that our<br />

readers would come to know<br />

who they are in Christ and know<br />

that they can look to Him in<br />

every situation in their lives. My<br />

life and the lives of our staff are<br />

all different, but the common<br />

thread is that at some point,<br />

we didn’t know who we were<br />

to Christ and it wasn’t until we<br />

understood how precious we<br />

were to The Father that we were<br />

able to boldly move forward in<br />

our lives. That is exactly what<br />

we want our readers to get from<br />

this magazine.<br />

Be bold. Be radiant.<br />

Brittany Wallace<br />

MANAGING EDITOR<br />

03<br />

SUMMER 2015 | WWW.SIMPLYRADIANTMAGAZINE.COM


04<br />

11<br />

THOSE WHO LOOK TO HIM ARE<br />

12<br />

06<br />

18<br />

<strong>Radiant</strong><br />

Stories<br />

EDITOR’S LETTERS 02<br />

A RADIANT HEART<br />

EXPOSED—INSIDE AND OUT 06<br />

WHAT AM I WORTH?<br />

YOUR VALUE IN GOD’S EYES 08<br />

HEALTH & BEAUTY<br />

SIMPLY SNACKING<br />

SIMPLY FIT<br />

TAKING MY BEAUTY BACK<br />

THREE WAYS TO BE SIMPLY RADIANT<br />

10<br />

11<br />

1 2<br />

15


05<br />

20<br />

26<br />

SUMMER 2015 | WWW.SIMPLYRADIANTMAGAZINE.COM<br />

36<br />

15<br />

INTIMACY (INTO-ME-SEE)<br />

HELLO, MY NAME IS PERFECTIONIST 18<br />

WHEN LIFE HURTS<br />

INNOCENCE LOST 20<br />

LOVE & DATING<br />

STEPS TO A PERFECT LOVE<br />

ENVISION A GODLY HUSBAND<br />

FLIRTING WITH DARKNESS<br />

26<br />

30<br />

32<br />

HEAR MORE VOICES<br />

AND READ THE MAGAZINE<br />

ONLINE AT<br />

SIMPLYRADIANTMAGAZINE.COM<br />

PUBLICATION SPONSORED BY<br />

LIVING VICTORY CHURCH<br />

LIVINGVICTORYCHURCH.ORG<br />

PLAYLIST 36<br />

INVITATION TO RADIANCE 38


06<br />

THOSE WHO LOOK TO HIM ARE<br />

A RADIANT HEART - DEVELOPING A HEART OF DEVOTION<br />

Exposed - Inside and Out<br />

BY AURORA GREGORY<br />

H<br />

ave you always wanted to be radiant?<br />

To be so beautiful, your face glowed<br />

with a light that is out of this world?<br />

To look so amazing, people gazed in awe?<br />

It is possible to be that beautiful, that<br />

lovely. It is possible to be radiant.<br />

Do you want to know how? It starts with<br />

your heart.<br />

Your heart is the center of who you are. It’s<br />

where who you are, how you are, and what<br />

you are all come together to make up the<br />

person that shows up every day at school<br />

and at church, with family and with friends.<br />

The problem is, sometimes we don’t like who<br />

we are. We don’t think we’re good enough,<br />

smart enough, or pretty enough, so we take<br />

WHEN MOSES CAME DOWN FROM<br />

MOUNT SINAI…HE WAS NOT AWARE<br />

THAT HIS FACE WAS RADIANT BECAUSE<br />

HE HAD SPOKEN WITH THE LORD.<br />

(EXODUS 34:29)<br />

on the impossible job of trying to cover up<br />

who we are so no one sees the real us.<br />

But there is someone who sees you, sees<br />

the truth of who you are, and that someone<br />

loves you, just as you are.<br />

God sees you – all of you, inside and out.<br />

He knows the doubts you have, the worries<br />

you carry, the fears that live in your heart,


and the lies that trouble your<br />

mind and keep you anxiously<br />

awake at night.<br />

God wants to change this. He<br />

wants to exchange those doubts,<br />

fears and worries for His peace<br />

(John 14:27). This trade happens<br />

when you to spend time with Him.<br />

The Lord invites you to get to<br />

know Him and let Him transform<br />

your heart. He has incredible<br />

things to tell you and when you<br />

hear them, you will be changed.<br />

He will make your heart radiant—<br />

and when your heart becomes<br />

radiant, you become radiant.<br />

CALL TO ME<br />

AND I WILL TELL<br />

YOU GREAT AND<br />

UNSEARCHABLE<br />

THINGS YOU DO<br />

NOT KNOW.<br />

(JEREMIAH 33:3)<br />

07<br />

SUMMER 2015 | WWW.SIMPLYRADIANTMAGAZINE.COM<br />

MY PEACE I LEAVE YOU, MY<br />

PEACE I GIVE TO YOU…DO NOT<br />

LET YOUR HEARTS BE TROUBLED<br />

AND DO NOT BE AFRAID.<br />

(JOHN 14:27)<br />

Moses learned that when he spent<br />

time with God, he looked different.<br />

When he talked with God, Moses<br />

learned how much God loved<br />

him and how much He loved the<br />

people He had brought out of<br />

slavery.<br />

When Moses was done spending<br />

time with God, his face glowed. He<br />

was different. He was radiant.<br />

Let the Lord tell you how much He<br />

loves you. He wants you to have a<br />

heart that is confident in who He<br />

says you are—not anxious over what<br />

you or others may think of you.<br />

If you’ll accept His invitation, He<br />

makes you a promise. He will give<br />

you a radiant heart, and when your<br />

heart is radiant, you will be radiant.<br />

Will you come and meet with Him?<br />

PONDER, JOURNAL, DISCUSS<br />

• What are your biggest fears?<br />

• How do your fears make you feel? How do they<br />

make you act?<br />

• Do you believe that God can make you radiant? If<br />

not, why not?<br />

• Is spending time with God a priority to you?<br />

• What can you do to increase the time you spend<br />

with the Lord?<br />

THREE WAYS TO SPEND TIME WITH GOD<br />

• Wake up 20 minutes earlier to read your Bible.<br />

• Read a short devotional at lunch time.<br />

• Spend 10 minutes in prayer before going to sleep.


08<br />

THOSE WHO LOOK TO HIM ARE<br />

Discovering My Value<br />

IN PART FROM SECRET KEEPER GIRL BY DANNAH GRESH<br />

D<br />

o you believe God is there for you when you<br />

hurt? That He sees your heart, tears, worries<br />

— and He cares?<br />

Do you believe that God is actively involved in<br />

your life and is trying to bring you His best?<br />

If you do not believe or know how deeply God<br />

loves you, you will not be motivated to value<br />

what He values. You will make no or little<br />

attempt to pursue purity.<br />

THE KING IS ENTHRALLED BY<br />

YOUR BEAUTY; HONOR HIM<br />

FOR HE IS YOUR LORD…ALL<br />

GLORIOUS IS THE PRINCESS IN<br />

HER CHAMBER; HER GOWN IS<br />

INTERWOVEN WITH GOLD. IN<br />

EMBROIDERED GARMENT, SHE<br />

IS LED TO THE KING.<br />

(PSALM 45:11, 13 – 14)<br />

HOW DO YOUR ACTIONS SHOW HOW MUCH YOU FEEL YOU ARE WORTH?<br />

A STYROFOAM CUP:<br />

Cheap<br />

A CERAMIC MUG:<br />

No big loss if broken;<br />

easy to replace<br />

PRICELESS TEACUP:<br />

Expensive; not easy<br />

to replace<br />

Activity<br />

Fill in the box with the appropriate letter<br />

(S= Styrofoam, C=Ceramic, T = Teacup)<br />

In the way I dress<br />

In the places I am willing to go on dates<br />

In the movies I watch<br />

In the things I am willing to do on dates<br />

In the TV shows I watch<br />

In the things I talk about on dates<br />

Regardless of how<br />

you answered these<br />

questions, you are<br />

a princess. Your<br />

behavior and the<br />

choices you make<br />

must be governed<br />

by THAT value.<br />

You must present<br />

yourself as you<br />

would a priceless<br />

china teacup.<br />

In the material I view on the internet<br />

In the music I listen to<br />

.


09<br />

WHAT DOES GOD SAY IN HIS<br />

WORD ABOUT YOU?<br />

1<br />

2<br />

3<br />

4<br />

Look for Scriptures in the<br />

Bible that say this about you:<br />

He takes great delight in me…<br />

I am the apple of His eye…<br />

His banner of love covers me…<br />

My name is written in the palm<br />

of His hand….<br />

He rejoices over me with<br />

singing…<br />

He loved me enough to send<br />

His only Son to die for me…<br />

Find your own Scriptures that<br />

speak to your heart.<br />

Memorize these Scriptures.<br />

Speak them out loud<br />

throughout your day, every<br />

day, for as long as it takes,<br />

until you believe these<br />

Scriptures.<br />

Quiz:<br />

T / F If a young lady wears clothes that are tight<br />

or shows a lot of her body, a boy/man can see her<br />

and begin to have sexual thoughts.<br />

T / F It is my responsibility, in some part, to help<br />

keep guys (my brothers) pure in their thought life.<br />

T / F The way I dress (anytime) does not cause<br />

any guy to struggle to keep their thoughts pure.<br />

(A woman of God) is clothed with strength and<br />

dignity...- Proverbs 31:25.<br />

Dress like you believe and know He has given you<br />

His strength and dignity to wear.<br />

“I HAVE LOVED YOU WITH AN EVERLASTING LOVE;<br />

I HAVE DRAWN YOU WITH UNFAILING KINDNESS”<br />

(JEREMIAH 31:3)<br />

2015 | WWW.SIMPLYRADIANTMAGAZINE.COM


10<br />

THOSE WHO LOOK TO HIM ARE<br />

SIMPLY SNACKING<br />

EASY-TO-MAKE FOODS FOR<br />

ANY TIME OF THE DAY<br />

Health Done Easy (and Tasty)<br />

BY JADA<br />

CANTRELL<br />

A HEALTHY<br />

DELECTABLE<br />

SNACK<br />

F<br />

eel like eating, but it’s not yet<br />

lunch or dinner time? Check<br />

out these fun, delicious and easyto-make<br />

snacks for any time of the<br />

day, whether your feeling hungry<br />

or you’re in the mood for a fun<br />

treat - you can eat while still<br />

maintaining a healthy diet!<br />

CHOCOLATE—<br />

COVERED PB AND B<br />

To create this simple, bitesize<br />

snack, carefully slice<br />

two bananas and place<br />

them on a cookie sheet.<br />

Spread peanut butter on one<br />

side of half the pieces. Place<br />

another piece on top to make a<br />

sandwich. Once all of the banana<br />

slices have peanut butter between<br />

them, set the cookie sheet in the<br />

freezer for about 30 minutes to<br />

an hour, until they are almost<br />

frozen. While the bananas and<br />

peanut butter are in the freezer,<br />

melt half a bag of milk or dark<br />

chocolate chips in a microwave<br />

safe bowl and microwave on<br />

high for about 30 seconds. Stir<br />

and reheat at 15 second intervals<br />

or until the chocolate is melted.<br />

Remove banana “sandwiches”<br />

from the freezer one by one and<br />

using a spoon, dip the PB and B<br />

in the chocolate, making sure all<br />

sides are covered. Then set the<br />

pieces back on the cookie sheet.<br />

For extra crunch, sprinkle small<br />

peanut bits on top! Place the<br />

cookie sheet in the freezer and<br />

let them sit for two to three hours<br />

or until chocolate is hardened.<br />

Once the pieces are solid, remove<br />

from the freezer and enjoy your<br />

delectable snack.<br />

TINY TORTILLA TOTS<br />

Creating these Tortilla Tots is<br />

no sweat. Lay out a tortilla, then<br />

layer on ham, turkey, lettuce and<br />

any other tasty lunch items you<br />

typically enjoy on a sandwich or<br />

wrap. After very tightly rolling the<br />

tortilla, make the wrap bite-sized<br />

by cutting the roll to your desired<br />

width. The shorter, the better! No<br />

heating or refrigeration necessary<br />

before enjoying.


Pilates That Count<br />

BY JADA CANTRELL<br />

I<br />

SIMPLY FIT<br />

t’s no surprise that our<br />

bodies are useful for<br />

getting things done and<br />

taking us places, but Joseph<br />

Pilates also saw the human<br />

body as a complex piece of<br />

artwork and a masterpiece.<br />

Our hands, wrists, arms,<br />

shoulders, feet, ankles<br />

and neck—just to name a<br />

few—are all elaborate and<br />

carefully designed. Joseph<br />

Pilates created some exercise<br />

techniques in order to enhance<br />

each unique body part, their<br />

intricate movements and<br />

limitless abilities in everyday<br />

life. Each move was specifically<br />

designed to begin and end with<br />

the concentration of the core,<br />

the spine and the oneness of<br />

the entire body as a whole.<br />

CONSULT A PHYSICIAN BEFORE<br />

BEGINNING ANY EXERCISE PLAN<br />

“THE HUNDRED”<br />

• Lay on your back, with hands<br />

to your side.<br />

• Lift legs off the ground to<br />

“tabletop” position or until<br />

they bend at a 90-degree<br />

angle.<br />

• Lift your head off the ground<br />

until you’re looking at your<br />

waistline.<br />

— Your back should not be<br />

arched and lower back should<br />

be touching the ground.<br />

• Lift your arms off the<br />

ground with palms facing<br />

down and begin pumping<br />

them up and down<br />

— Your arms should be firm and<br />

straight. The movement should<br />

begin from your shoulders.<br />

11<br />

SUMMER 2015 | WWW.SIMPLYRADIANTMAGAZINE.COM


12<br />

BECOMING THE MOST RADIANT YOU<br />

Taking My Beauty<br />

Back—Finding Me<br />

THOSE WHO LOOK TO HIM ARE<br />

BY SONIA RODRIGUEZ<br />

<strong>Radiant</strong> (ra·di·ant) adj.: sending out light;<br />

shining or glowing brightly<br />

Sonia<br />

Rodriguez<br />

ORIGINALLY FROM<br />

AUTHENTIC BEAUTY<br />

BY LESLIE LUDY<br />

(FROM THIS<br />

POINT FORWARD)<br />

A<br />

re you sending out light,<br />

shining and glowing<br />

brightly? If not, then what<br />

are you waiting for…<br />

it’s your time to be<br />

RADIANT! The word of<br />

God says, “Those who<br />

look to Him are radiant,<br />

their faces are never<br />

covered in shame.” As we<br />

look to God, we become a<br />

reflection of Him, and that’s<br />

why He calls US radiant. We<br />

begin to shine His light, glowing<br />

brightly in the fullness of God! God<br />

makes it so simple! Imagine it now…<br />

as we look to Him, the beauty of<br />

heaven, the beauty of God in all his<br />

LOVE and MAJESTY becomes what<br />

we reflect to others. God’s glory<br />

and love surpasses any other type<br />

of beauty… Nothing compares. Be<br />

BEAUTIFUL in the presence of God!<br />

If we are honest with ourselves,<br />

we all want to know that we are<br />

beautiful. The truth is that we ARE.<br />

No matter how beautiful you are,<br />

you’ll never think you are beautiful<br />

enough if you’re measuring beauty<br />

by the world’s standards.<br />

“ideal” body for yourself, but also<br />

that you are only valuable if you<br />

do. Young ladies, you possess so<br />

many wonderful qualities that the<br />

media ignores. Movies, television,<br />

music, magazines (the media)<br />

reduce you to what you wear, how<br />

you diet, what makeup you use, or<br />

how you smell. They are basically<br />

telling you that nobody cares if you<br />

are generous, kind, funny, creative,<br />

loyal, or friendly.<br />

True beauty, purpose, and<br />

satisfaction come only in<br />

discovering God’s TRUTH.<br />

The message from the media is<br />

not only that you should reach the<br />

So how do we stand up against the<br />

media? I’m glad you asked. We take<br />

it back to the TRUTH. The Bible<br />

says, “Don’t be so well-adjusted<br />

to your culture that you fit into<br />

it without even thinking. Instead,


13<br />

SUMMER 2015 | WWW.SIMPLYRADIANTMAGAZINE.COM<br />

fix your attention on God. You’ll<br />

be changed from the inside out.<br />

Readily recognize what He wants<br />

from you, and quickly respond to<br />

it. Unlike the culture around you,<br />

always dragging you down to its<br />

level of immaturity, God brings the<br />

best out of you, develops wellformed<br />

maturity in you (Romans<br />

12:2, MSG).”<br />

Look up this verse, Romans 12:2,<br />

in your favorite translation and<br />

write it down. This verse is the KEY<br />

to knowing that you are beautiful.<br />

Negative messages get into your<br />

MIND. They tell you what is wrong<br />

with the way YOU look. When you<br />

recognize these false messages,<br />

Readily recognize what He wants from you, and<br />

quickly respond to it. God brings the best out of<br />

you, and develops well-formed maturity in you.<br />

you gain POWER over the impact<br />

they have on your life and you<br />

begin the journey of transforming<br />

your mind. Ask the Spirit of God to<br />

help you in this process.<br />

The only lasting cure for negative<br />

body image is spiritual. Are you<br />

ready to discover real beauty?


14<br />

THOSE WHO LOOK TO HIM ARE<br />

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER, AND<br />

WE BELIEVE IT’ S TIME YOU<br />

THINK ABOUT THE REALITY<br />

OF THE MEDIA AND THE<br />

IMPACT IT HAS ON HOW YOU<br />

SEE YOURSELF.<br />

How has the media (commercials,<br />

movies, music, magazines)<br />

undermined you and kept you from<br />

accepting the brilliant, wonderful,<br />

beautiful girl you are? What are you<br />

going to do about it? Knowledge is<br />

power, and we believe it’s time you<br />

think about the reality of the media<br />

and the impact it has on how you<br />

see yourself.<br />

Activity<br />

THINK OF ONE THING YOU<br />

LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF.<br />

It could be that you like your<br />

laugh, your creative edge, your<br />

smile, hair or feet. Think of that<br />

part of you, acknowledge that God<br />

made that part of you, and receive<br />

it as His gift to you.<br />

Say aloud or to yourself, “I am<br />

beautiful and wonderfully made. I<br />

really like my ____________ (eyes,<br />

feet, hair, etc.).<br />

Repeat this activity every day and<br />

add to the list… embrace yourself,<br />

you are God’s masterpiece!<br />

Was that hard to do? Why?<br />

Now take it one step further… pray<br />

for a friend who you know could<br />

join you on this journey. Tell your<br />

friend how awesome she is and<br />

encourage one another as you walk<br />

in the radiance of Jesus together!


Three<br />

Ways to<br />

be <strong>Simply</strong><br />

<strong>Radiant</strong><br />

ORIGINALLY BY<br />

SAM LEVENSON<br />

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For attractive lips, speak<br />

words of kindness.<br />

For lovely eyes, seek out the<br />

good in people.<br />

For poise, walk with the<br />

knowledge you’ll never<br />

walk alone.


16<br />

THOSE WHO LOOK TO HIM ARE<br />

HOW GOOD AND<br />

PLEASANT IT IS FOR<br />

[SISTERS] TO DWELL<br />

TOGETHER IN<br />

unity<br />

PSALM 133:1


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INTIMACY<br />

(INTO - ME - SEE)<br />

Hello,<br />

My Name is<br />

BY KALYN VALENTINE<br />

G<br />

rowing up as a “pastor’s kid”<br />

and as the oldest child, I felt<br />

like I had to be perfect. I couldn’t<br />

make mistakes and I couldn’t<br />

reveal any flaws. During high<br />

school, I was the girl that was<br />

in 10 clubs at the SAME TIME! I<br />

was in honors and AP classes, did<br />

sports, leadership, kept my room<br />

clean and helped watch my little<br />

brothers. I was always afraid that<br />

if I wasn’t perfect, people might<br />

judge my family or me— or my<br />

little brothers might see me and<br />

repeat my mistakes.<br />

Unfortunately, my life was turned<br />

upside down when my step-dad<br />

(the now ex-pastor) turned to<br />

alcohol and drugs to solve his<br />

problems. In a matter of a few years,<br />

I lost a father figure, a stable home,<br />

income, health insurance, my car,<br />

along with countless other things.<br />

During the situation with my<br />

step-dad, my physical needs were


unmet and I experienced panic attacks,<br />

sadness, and severe physical ailments as my<br />

world was turned upside down. I felt alone<br />

and out of control. Much of my anxiety and<br />

physical issues were caused by the inability<br />

to look “perfect” or “put together”. I feared<br />

failure, or at least the perception of failure.<br />

I couldn’t get myself together because my<br />

circumstances were bigger than me — but<br />

not bigger than God.<br />

MY PAINFUL EXPERIENCES DID<br />

TWO THINGS:<br />

1<br />

2<br />

They showed me God’s love.<br />

They taught me that I can’t be<br />

perfect, no matter how hard I try.<br />

It’s ok that my life doesn’t look like the<br />

movies (big house, white picket fence and<br />

perfect family). To this day, I struggle with<br />

an obsession with perfection influenced<br />

by my upbringing. Now, I wake up every<br />

day and lean on God’s word that says,<br />

“…My grace is sufficient for you, for my<br />

power is made perfect in weakness…” (2<br />

Corinthians 12:9).<br />

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To this day, I have to wake up and<br />

choose to believe that no matter the<br />

circumstances, God’s got me. Despite<br />

the fact that I know the truth, sometimes<br />

I feel as if I’m not “good enough”…<br />

But the truth is, I will never be “good<br />

enough.” I will never be perfect, but<br />

God loves me regardless. As much as<br />

God loves me, He loves YOU with an<br />

everlasting, passionate and sacrificial<br />

love that cannot be paralleled.<br />

I know that He and He<br />

alone is the reason why<br />

I am still alive today.<br />

Out of this ash heap of a situation, God<br />

provided me with a place to live with a<br />

wonderful lady (who later adopted me<br />

as one of her god-children), a job that<br />

provided me with enough income to get<br />

a car, and a church home that has been<br />

loving and supportive. Through it all, God<br />

was there. There were many times when I felt<br />

His presence holding parts of me together<br />

like glue. I know that He and He alone is the<br />

reason why I am still alive today.<br />

IF YOU DON’T BELIEVE ME, CHECK<br />

THESE BIBLE VERSES OUT!<br />

JOHN 3:16, GALATIANS 2:20,<br />

ZEPHANIAH 3:17, 1 JOHN 3:1.


20<br />

WHEN LIFE HURTS<br />

INNOCENCE<br />

THOSE WHO LOOK TO HIM ARE<br />

LOST<br />

WALKING AWAY<br />

FROM SHAME


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22<br />

THOSE WHO LOOK TO HIM ARE


23<br />

Usually when we behave in ways to<br />

protect ourselves, we end up hurting<br />

ourselves and others.<br />

BY ANGEL CANTRELL<br />

S<br />

ometimes it is hard to identify when we’ve been hurt<br />

(physically, emotionally, or spiritually), because sometimes the<br />

hurt or injury is so normal, or common, we don’t think it’s a big<br />

deal. Therefore , we feel like we aren’t really hurt.<br />

One way to assess, or know, if we ever have injuries (wounds)<br />

from the past that have not healed is to examine our behavior.<br />

Look at the following list and see if you find any traits you<br />

struggle with regularly.<br />

SUMMER 2015 | WWW.SIMPLYRADIANTMAGAZINE.COM<br />

CIRCLE ALL THE ONES THAT FIT YOU:<br />

• Speaks harsh words<br />

• Judgmental<br />

• Controlling conversations<br />

• Passive/Withdrawn<br />

• Isolating yourself from others<br />

• Aggressive toward others<br />

• Difficulty maintaining friends<br />

who you can be transparent<br />

with and honest with<br />

• Surrounding yourself with many<br />

surface/superficial friendships<br />

• Unforgiving heart<br />

• Not trusting<br />

• Unable to enjoy being with<br />

people who disagree with you<br />

• Substance abuse and/or use of<br />

sleep aids (to take off edge)<br />

• Sexually impure thoughts/<br />

behavior (any sexual acts that<br />

are not with your husband)<br />

• Sarcastic/Snarky<br />

• Consumed with other people’s<br />

business, social media, reality<br />

TV, gossiping with friends,<br />

etc.<br />

• Excessive sleeping/eating<br />

• Dishonest with yourself<br />

and others about your true<br />

emotions and thoughts<br />

• Perfectionist (failing at<br />

anything is unacceptable)<br />

• Flirtatious<br />

• Attention seeking regularly<br />

• Martyr/victim behavior<br />

If you find yourself on this list, it’s a good chance you have<br />

experienced hurts in your life that have not healed. These<br />

behaviors are not healthy, loving, or free. They were developed<br />

to protect your heart, however, usually when we behave in ways<br />

to protect ourselves, we end up hurting ourselves and others<br />

(sometimes on purpose, sometimes on accident).


24<br />

THOSE WHO LOOK TO HIM ARE<br />

When we protect<br />

ourselves, we cover<br />

our light/ radiance<br />

(reflecting Jesus).<br />

I did this for a long<br />

time. I was covered<br />

with shame. As a five<br />

year old girl, I was<br />

(PSALM 34:5)<br />

sexualized(abused) and<br />

this experience put into<br />

motion a lot of unhealthy behavior that<br />

I developed which, in turn, brought me<br />

more shame. The definition of shame is a<br />

painful emotion caused by a strong sense<br />

of guilt, embarrassment or unworthiness.<br />

I did many things to make up for my<br />

shame and to prove my worth. I have<br />

since gotten help and understand this<br />

particular wound in my life and it’s effects.<br />

God has been walking me though a<br />

healing process. Regardless of the types<br />

of wounds you may have experienced in<br />

life, you never have to be covered with<br />

shame (Psalm 34:5). This scripture says,<br />

THOSE WHO LOOK TO HIM ARE<br />

RADIANT AND THEIR FACES ARE<br />

NEVER COVERED WITH SHAME<br />

“Those who look to<br />

him are radiant and<br />

their faces are never<br />

covered with shame.”<br />

And I have now tasted<br />

what it is to walk in His<br />

light and freedom. I’m<br />

not perfect...and I still<br />

struggle but not nearly<br />

as much as I use to. As<br />

we get to really know Jesus and spend<br />

time with Him, His truth will kill any lies<br />

and wounds that you have ever received.<br />

His Word and His love give us the courage<br />

and humility to get help and face our past<br />

and heal from it.<br />

If you would like to pursue healing and<br />

freedom from past wounds, I encourage<br />

you to:<br />

• Pray that God brings you a mature<br />

Christian sister (mom, sister, friend,<br />

counselor, mentor, pastor).


• Tell that sister the entire story<br />

of your life (the abuse, neglect,<br />

shame, abandonment done<br />

to you. And your dirty deeds<br />

as well).<br />

• Identify the lies you believe<br />

from the wounds you received<br />

and did.(ex. I’m ugly...)<br />

• Find Scriptures that tell the<br />

truth on that lie. (ex. “I am<br />

altogether beautiful...” Song<br />

of Solomon 4:7); write the<br />

truth on a card, repeat it out<br />

loud to yourself regularly, and<br />

memorize these scriptures.<br />

• Let that person see your heart<br />

and tears, comfort you, and<br />

speak into your life. Listen to<br />

their advice that lines up with<br />

the Word of God.<br />

• Join a girls/ladies Christian<br />

group and/or Bible study.<br />

• Regularly read your Bible and<br />

devotional books.<br />

• Listen to and sing worship music.<br />

• See a professional Christian<br />

counselor if necessary.<br />

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I DID MANY THINGS TO<br />

MAKE UP FOR MY SHAME<br />

AND TO PROVE MY<br />

WORTH. GOD HAS BEEN<br />

WALKING ME THOUGH A<br />

HEALING PROCESS.<br />

Walk in your radiance, your<br />

freedom, your healing. Be<br />

determined to shine His light<br />

on others and help them walk in<br />

their healing. His love is so good<br />

and life is really sweet!<br />

When life hurts, God heals.


26<br />

LOVE & DATING<br />

THOSE WHO LOOK TO HIM ARE<br />

STEPS TO A<br />

PERFECT LOVE<br />

HE EXISTS!<br />

BY BRITTANY WALLACE<br />

A<br />

t different times in my life, it seemed that just about everyone I<br />

knew was dating or in a serious relationship. After several failed<br />

attempts at dating and relationships, I wanted to find out what the<br />

Bible had to say about it. I was sure that Jesus, in all of His complete<br />

perfection, had something to say<br />

about the way that we were to go<br />

about dating; but He never did.<br />

After several failed attempts of my own dating<br />

and relationships, I wanted to find out what<br />

the Bible had to say about it.<br />

Instead, what I found were several<br />

examples of how to love others,<br />

how important it is to be selfless,<br />

what it means to be patient, and<br />

what it looks like to serve another<br />

person. None of these principles


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come to mind immediately when most<br />

people think about dating. Many think: Cute<br />

guy. Cute girl. Hand holding. Kissing. Cute<br />

Instagram photos. Having someone to do<br />

fun stuff with. Not being lonely.<br />

The truth is that Jesus gave us perfect<br />

examples of how to love people, regardless<br />

of their position or the nature of the<br />

relationship. When it comes to dating<br />

though, I’ve outlined some of the lessons<br />

I’ve learned and observed from other<br />

healthy relationships.<br />

1<br />

DEFINE IT<br />

What does dating mean to you? To<br />

some people, dating means an exclusive<br />

boyfriend/girlfriend relationship while to<br />

others, it means going on dates with different<br />

people without forming a deep attachment<br />

to any of them. Or it could mean that you’re<br />

simply getting to know someone.<br />

In my opinion, it’s most important to know<br />

yourself first and honestly assess whether or<br />

not you are ready for dating. Only you know<br />

what you can handle.


28<br />

that’s growing between them. Level<br />

Three is what a lot of people would<br />

call “exclusive dating” or “courting.”<br />

This is where the two are open and<br />

honest about their feelings, and<br />

their future life goals together; it has<br />

become the focus of the relationship.<br />

THOSE WHO LOOK TO HIM ARE<br />

Joshua Harris, author of the widely<br />

popular books “I Kissed Dating Goodbye”<br />

and “Boy Meets Girl,” expresses that he<br />

does not think it is wise to date for the<br />

sake of dating at all, but rather to only<br />

enter into a courtship with the purpose<br />

of marriage in mind. He explains that<br />

it’s good to have friendship, deeper<br />

friendship, and then courtship; but<br />

advises against entering into deeper<br />

friendship and courtship until you are<br />

spiritually healthy enough to do so.<br />

Maximize your singleness by<br />

devoting the time that you have<br />

to serving in your community,<br />

mentoring, or at your church.<br />

Some Christian authors who have written<br />

on the topic of dating have differing<br />

perspectives. For example:<br />

Chuck Miliam wrote “We’re Just Friends and<br />

Other Dating Lies”. In his book, he provides a<br />

chart that outlines different levels of dating<br />

and what they include.<br />

Level One is the low risk “dating for<br />

something to do”- This includes no<br />

physical contact and getting to know the<br />

other person in a group setting. Level Two<br />

involves a medium gauged risk relationship<br />

that is not exclusive. However, both parties<br />

acknowledge the attraction and interest<br />

Some of these theories were hard for<br />

me to grasp at first, because in my<br />

mind, it seemed right to date different<br />

guys to find out what you like and<br />

what you didn’t. Then, hopefully, one<br />

of those relationships would work out<br />

and you’d marry a great guy who had<br />

all of the good, and none of the bad<br />

you found in ex-boyfriends. I learned<br />

that this is a selfish way of thinking. The<br />

most important person in scenario is YOU,<br />

and that’s not at all how Christ loved. Jesus<br />

commanded that we love others the way<br />

that He loves us. Never once did He love<br />

us just to “try us on” or to find out what He<br />

doesn’t like. He just loves.<br />

THE PURPOSE FOR<br />

2 ENTERING INTO A<br />

RELATIONSHIP IS MARRIAGE<br />

There’s no point in wasting one another’s<br />

time if marriage isn’t where one or both of<br />

you desire to see the relationship move.


With this thought in mind, painful breakups<br />

and heartache can be avoided.<br />

*Note: I would suggest that you refrain<br />

from dating until you believe that you’re<br />

ready to be a wife. If you’re not there yet,<br />

that’s a perfect position for God to use you<br />

for His service. Maximize your singleness<br />

by devoting the time that you have as<br />

an unmarried woman to serving in your<br />

community, mentoring, or at your church.<br />

3<br />

KEEP GOD AT THE CENTER<br />

The purpose of a dating relationship<br />

shouldn’t be to make you feel good<br />

or to have someone to hold hands with;<br />

it’s to pursue Christ as the common<br />

goal and serve in building the kingdom<br />

together. I cannot stress how<br />

difficult it is to date someone<br />

who does not hold the same<br />

spiritual values that you do. If<br />

Christ is the most important<br />

thing in your life and the guy<br />

you’re dating or want to date<br />

has no interest in Him, it will<br />

be nearly impossible to pursue<br />

a life of kingdom building<br />

together. Paul (from the Bible)<br />

knew this too, and he explained<br />

it is impossible for a believer<br />

and an unbeliever to be together. “Don’t<br />

team up with those who are unbelievers.<br />

How can righteousness be a partner with<br />

wickedness? How can light live with<br />

darkness? What harmony can there be<br />

between Christ and the Devil? How can a<br />

believer be a partner with an unbeliever?”<br />

2 Corinthians 6:14-15<br />

4<br />

BOUNDARIES<br />

For me, this has been the most difficult<br />

because when I like someone, I want<br />

to spend time with them, and talk to them all<br />

the time. This can get tricky when time spent<br />

together gets physical and leads to dangerous<br />

territory. The best way to protect your purity<br />

is to maintain boundaries. For<br />

example, hanging out in a group<br />

setting and staying away from<br />

alone, one on one time together<br />

will allow you to get to know a<br />

guy in a healthy environment; it<br />

will also lessen the temptation for<br />

physical contact.<br />

5<br />

CHECK YOUR MOTIVES<br />

Most importantly, you have to make<br />

sure that your motives for dating are<br />

pure and not self-seeking. The goal can’t<br />

be for you to get your needs and desires<br />

met by hanging out with a guy or having<br />

his affection. You have to be sure, first and<br />

foremost, that you are as whole as possible<br />

and that you aren’t looking to a man to<br />

“complete” you. Also, it’s important to keep<br />

in mind that you have the responsibility<br />

of looking out for the guy you’re dating<br />

and protecting his heart so that deeper<br />

attachments don’t form if things don’t work<br />

out. You have to value the well-being of the<br />

guy you choose to date just as much as you<br />

value your own; and he should be doing the<br />

same for you.<br />

The purpose of a dating relationship<br />

shouldn’t be to make you feel good or to<br />

have someone to hold hands with; it’s to<br />

pursue Christ as the common goal and serve<br />

in building the kingdom together.<br />

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain<br />

conceit. Rather, in humility value others above<br />

yourselves, not looking to your own interests but<br />

each of you to the interest of the others. In your<br />

relationships with one another, have the same<br />

mindset as Christ Jesus.” Philippians 2:3-4<br />

I know all of this may sound a bit foreign<br />

because we’re overloaded with dating and<br />

weddings on TV and every form of social<br />

media out there. The truth is that when we<br />

date just to date, we waste our time and the<br />

time of the other person. The purpose for<br />

dating should be the same as every other<br />

relationship- to draw that person closer to<br />

Christ and to serve Him together.<br />

You have to be sure, first and foremost, that<br />

you are as whole as possible and that you<br />

aren’t looking to a man to “complete” you.<br />

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30<br />

Envision Your Husband<br />

BY ANGEL CANTRELL<br />

THOSE WHO LOOK TO HIM ARE<br />

REMEMBER: YOU ALREADY HAVE A<br />

PERFECT LOVE; ONE TRUE HUSBAND<br />

- NOW “FOR YOUR MAKER IS YOUR<br />

HUSBAND-THE LORD ALMIGHTY IS<br />

HIS NAME...”<br />

(ISAIAH 54:5)<br />

I<br />

f you aim for nothing, you’ll hit it.<br />

If you hope to be married one day, what<br />

does your future husband look like? What<br />

kind of marriage do you see for yourself?<br />

Is it like the home life you came from? Or<br />

better? Will he be a college graduate? Will he<br />

go to church? Will he serve in the church in<br />

some capacity? Will he work full time? If you<br />

have kids, what kind of Dad will he be? What<br />

does he look like? What kind of personality<br />

does he have? What are his dreams? Will<br />

they match yours? Is he a spiritual leader?<br />

Exercise<br />

DESCRIBE YOUR HUSBAND<br />

Action:<br />

HOW WILL HE FIND YOU?<br />

What about his list? One day there will<br />

be a Godly man who is looking for his<br />

Godly wife. How will he find you? Is your<br />

character what it should be? Are you letting<br />

your true personality shine through when<br />

you are around guys or are you putting on a<br />

show? Would he know, just by being around<br />

you, that your faith in Jesus is strong? How<br />

would you measure up if the guy who is<br />

waiting for you were praying and dreaming<br />

of you right now?<br />

Quiz:<br />

T / F<br />

I have been attracted to (and/or) dated<br />

guys who do not match this list.<br />

BECOMING THE BRIDE<br />

1<br />

2<br />

3<br />

4<br />

Spend more time in your Bible than in<br />

your mirror (everyday).<br />

Find someone to help and serve<br />

(everyday).<br />

Listen to Christian songs (that YOU<br />

like) at least once a week.<br />

Find a girlfriend who loves Jesus deeply<br />

and develop a sisterhood with her.<br />

T / F<br />

T / F<br />

I do not believe that the guy I<br />

described even exists.<br />

I believe I will have to lower my<br />

standards from this list to get married.


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32<br />

Flirting with Darkness<br />

H<br />

ow do you flirt with darkness? (Circle agree or disagree)<br />

ORIGINALLY FROM<br />

PASSPORT2PURITY BY DENNIS AND<br />

BARBARA RAINEY<br />

AGREE DISAGREE As long as you don’t cross the line, and go ‘all the way’,<br />

you are pure.<br />

THOSE WHO LOOK TO HIM ARE<br />

AGREE DISAGREE You can keep your actions pure, but not have a pure heart.<br />

AGREE DISAGREE True Purity is a direction – a persistent, determined pursuit<br />

of righteousness that starts in the heart and is expressed in a<br />

lifestyle that flees opportunities for compromise.<br />

ONE LITTLE STEP AT A TIME<br />

You cannot pursue (do) right and wrong at the same time. True purity runs as fast and<br />

as far as it can from sin and compromise.<br />

Read the story of King David in 2 Samuel 11.<br />

When did King<br />

David cross the<br />

line in purity?<br />

A When he saw Bathsheba bathing.<br />

B When he touched her and kissed her.<br />

C When he didn’t go to war when kings go to war<br />

(‘How far can I go’<br />

‘What can I get away with’)<br />

(God’s righteousness)<br />

As we can see from King David’s story,<br />

impurity isn’t something we step into<br />

suddenly. It happens when we lose<br />

our focus on God. Purity begins in<br />

our hearts, our motivations and our<br />

attitudes.<br />

Is there anything you are ‘trying to get<br />

away with’ or see ‘how far you can go’<br />

without sinning (tv, music, clothes,<br />

friends, boys)?<br />

If yes, ask yourself why and discuss<br />

your heart with your mother, mentor,<br />

youth leader (Christian female leader).<br />

I TELL YOU THAT<br />

ANYONE WHO LOOKS AT<br />

A “MAN” LUSTFULLY HAS<br />

ALREADY COMMITTED<br />

ADULTERY WITH “HIM” IN<br />

“HER” HEART.<br />

(MATTHEW 5:28)<br />

Do the exercise on the next page and<br />

assess how close you are to falling off<br />

the edge of God’s cliff of safety.


One Little Step at a Time<br />

ORIGINALLY FROM<br />

PASSPORT2PURITY BY DENNIS AND<br />

BARBARA RAINEY<br />

Imagine you are the princess at the bottom of a hill and you need to be carried to the<br />

top safely to your castle. This symbolizes you arriving sexually pure on your wedding<br />

day. The safest way to be carried is slowly and hugging the mountain; not fast and<br />

recklessly close to the edge.<br />

Put the following numbers on the blank spaces below ranking each activity from safest<br />

(closest to the mountain) to most dangerous (closest to the edge).<br />

1 – Lying down while hugging and kissing<br />

2 – Hanging out with groups only<br />

3 – Touching below the neck<br />

4 – Holding hands<br />

5 – Touching below the waist<br />

6 – Frequent one on one time (texting,<br />

Facebook, phone, dates, etc)<br />

7 – Hugging and kissing<br />

8 – Intercourse (sex)/any form of<br />

sexual arousal<br />

9 – Hugs<br />

10 – Taking clothes off<br />

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SUMMER 2015 | WWW.SIMPLYRADIANTMAGAZINE.COM<br />

As you assess your own life, how close<br />

are you to going over the edge? What<br />

changes, if any, do you need to make to<br />

arrive safely at the top of your mountain?<br />

We recommend group time only, #2 on the<br />

scale above until you are ready for courtship<br />

and marriage. This may sound extreme, but<br />

we will talk more about courtship in our<br />

next issue of <strong>Simply</strong> <strong>Radiant</strong>.<br />

What if I have already gone over the edge?<br />

It is never too late to repent and reclaim<br />

your innocence and purity or heal from<br />

the pain of someone who took it -- in the<br />

name of Jesus. Nothing you or anyone<br />

has ever done to you, can change the<br />

amazing beauty of your worth and value.<br />

NOTHING! Again, talk to your female<br />

leader or contact us if you want more<br />

information on this subject.


34<br />

BECAUSE HE BENDS<br />

DOWN TO LISTEN<br />

I will pray<br />

AS LONG AS<br />

I HAVE BREATH<br />

PSALM 116:2


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SUMMER 2015 | WWW.SIMPLYRADIANTMAGAZINE.COM


36<br />

THOSE WHO LOOK TO HIM ARE<br />

Our<br />

“TRY”<br />

COLBIE CAILLAT<br />

Angel’s pick<br />

“HAPPY”<br />

TASHA COBBS<br />

Brittany’s pick<br />

“YOUR GLORY”<br />

ALL SONS & DAUGHTERS<br />

Jada’s Pick<br />

“UNTIL I PASS OUT”<br />

UNCLE REECE<br />

Brandy’s Pick<br />

“OCEANS”<br />

HILLSONG<br />

Sonia’s Pick<br />

“SUPERHUMAN”<br />

ANDY MINEO<br />

Kalyn’s Pick<br />

“BROKEN SPIRITS”<br />

MALI MUSIC<br />

Wendy’s Pick<br />

“DANCE WITH ME”<br />

JESUS CULTURE<br />

Jackie’s Pick<br />

“I WILL PRAISE YOUR NAME”<br />

DARNELL EDWARDS<br />

Group Pick<br />

Playlist


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SUMMER 2015 | WWW.SIMPLYRADIANTMAGAZINE.COM


38<br />

INVITATION TO RADIANCE<br />

THOSE WHO LOOK TO HIM ARE<br />

I don’t really know who Jesus is,<br />

BUT I’M INTERESTED IN FINDING OUT…<br />

Y<br />

ou may have read a few things in this<br />

magazine and something in your heart<br />

told you that what you were reading was<br />

true. But you may be unsure about the whole<br />

Jesus thing. Maybe you have never gone to<br />

church or read anything in the Bible, yet your<br />

heart is pressing you to find out more. Or,<br />

maybe you were raised going to church, youth<br />

groups and camp retreats, but you have turned<br />

away from God and have been living a life<br />

away from God’s love and ways. You, too, may<br />

also be questioning if the whole Jesus thing is<br />

really true.<br />

Well, I want you to consider that there is an<br />

empty space in all of us that cries out to be filled.<br />

Our minds and hearts just don’t seem at rest<br />

and at peace because ‘something’ always seems<br />

to be missing. We try to fill that ‘something’<br />

with love and affection from guys , approval<br />

from people, ‘fixing’ ourselves to look pretty (as<br />

defined by magazines, TV, and movies), and/or<br />

success at whatever we can find -- academics,<br />

work, sports, dance, music, church/ministry<br />

-- the list is endless. And, for a while, these<br />

fixes work. But eventually, we wind up back at a<br />

restless and ‘peaceless’ place.<br />

The reason why is because there is a Creator<br />

– a God, that created that empty space to<br />

be filled by Him and Him alone. No other<br />

person, place or things can fill this space. I,<br />

and millions of others can tell you the change<br />

He has made in our lives. He gives a peace<br />

beyond all understanding. He is the missing<br />

piece that makes you complete and whole,<br />

lacking nothing.<br />

So let me challenge you. Try Jesus. Give Him<br />

100% of your effort to find out who He is. Try<br />

Jesus for one month. You have nothing to lose.<br />

With a sincere heart, seek Him and see if He<br />

responds. Ask Him to show Himself to you.<br />

Here are a few ways to seek: find a kind, Bible<br />

teaching church and attend; read the Bible<br />

frequently; read Christian devotion books;<br />

go to a kind, safe, Bible teaching small group;<br />

listen to your flavor of Christian music; find a<br />

mature Christian woman who is transparent<br />

and vulnerable who can mentor you and can<br />

answer your questions; pray – talk to God -<br />

daily. If you try these activities, with an open<br />

heart, then you have done your part. If you<br />

don’t hear or see evidence of a God that loves<br />

you, you haven’t lost anything. You’ll be where<br />

you started. However, if you see evidence<br />

of a loving God who sees you and cares, you<br />

should respond. Respond by accepting Jesus,<br />

God’s son, into your heart as your Savior. You<br />

do that by believing that Jesus died for your/<br />

our sins and that God raised him from death.<br />

Choose to turn away from a direction of sin<br />

and follow Jesus.<br />

Your life will be forever changed if you choose<br />

to surrender into the arms of Jesus. There is<br />

a team of ladies praying for you. And even<br />

though we don’t know your name, He does,<br />

and He hears and answers prayers.<br />

Don’t delay, start right away. Start today.<br />

Look to Him…discover your beauty. Seek Him<br />

and find your life.


39<br />

SUMMER 2015 | WWW.SIMPLYRADIANTMAGAZINE.COM<br />

NEED PRAYER?<br />

LET US HELP!<br />

Submit your prayer requests online at<br />

simplyradiantmagazine.com/prayers<br />

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WWW.SIMPLYRADIANTMAGAZINE.COM<br />

THOSE WHO<br />

LOOK TO HIM ARE<br />

RADIANT; THEIR<br />

FACES ARE NEVER<br />

COVERED WITH<br />

SHAME.<br />

PSALM 34:5

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