09.05.2019 Views

Identity Edition (May/June 2019)

Who are you? Who are you in the dark at night when you're at your most vulnerable? Who are you behind the Instagram filters, the texts, the put-together wardrobe? It's time to discover who you are. Who God has made you to be. Open to learn more about your roles as daughter, sister, Christian, helper, follower, and more.

Who are you? Who are you in the dark at night when you're at your most vulnerable? Who are you behind the Instagram filters, the texts, the put-together wardrobe? It's time to discover who you are. Who God has made you to be. Open to learn more about your roles as daughter, sister, Christian, helper, follower, and more.

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

volume 8, issue 3<br />

may/june <strong>2019</strong>


MAY - JUNE <strong>2019</strong><br />

CONTRIBUTORS<br />

- writers -<br />

OLIVIA NICKERSON / REBECCA CARAWAY / LISA ELIS / JULIA<br />

FINDLEY / SARAH CNOSSEN / EMILY SEAVER / KATIE FRENCH<br />

/ BETHANY RUSHING / RACHEL BONENFANT / VICTORIA IGE /<br />

LINDSEY BOMGREN<br />

- head photographer -<br />

LEAH BUFFALINO<br />

- illustrations -<br />

EMMA FORDHAM / CAMI FORDHAM<br />

- design -<br />

AMANDA BROWN<br />

Volume No. 8, Issue No. 3<br />

WWW.OHBELOVEDONE.COM


THEME: IDENTITY<br />

kingdom creative: lindsey bomgren 06<br />

daughter 10<br />

JOURNAL ENTRY NO. 3 43<br />

helper 45<br />

friend 13<br />

on<br />

being<br />

a sister<br />

34<br />

unfixable<br />

52<br />

JOURNAL ENTRY NO. 4 49<br />

unfixable 52<br />

comparison 57<br />

artist 18<br />

christian 23<br />

JOURNAL ENTRY NO. 1 26<br />

follower 27<br />

JOURNAL ENTRY NO. 5 61<br />

helper<br />

45<br />

sister 34<br />

JOURNAL ENTRY NO. 2 37<br />

student 38<br />

visit<br />

WWW.OHBELOVEDONE.COM<br />

to purchase previous magazines<br />

cover: photo of Emily Furtney by Leah Buffalino


EDITOR’S NOTE<br />

Amanda Brown<br />

EDITOR - IN - CHIEF<br />

I love writing bios. Yep! You read that right. I just think it's so cool to<br />

see what people say when they have less than 60 words to introduce<br />

themselves. What would you say? How do you sum yourself, your life,<br />

your personality, YOU in just 60 words?<br />

My bedroom walls aren't white and covered in succulents. I don't own<br />

a pair of Birckenstocks or overalls. I still don't use texting lingo. I used<br />

to be ashamed that my walls are hot pink because that isn't what's "in"<br />

right now. But then I realized . . . my walls are ME. They're covered in<br />

stars cut out from plain old printer paper and pages cut out from a Nat<br />

Geo magazine featuring NASA and space ship launches. The walls are<br />

bright pink because I have a loving mother who thought it was a good<br />

idea long ago.<br />

I'm the girl who celebrates the advent of spring by eating a bowl of fruit<br />

loops outside our school's cafeteria. I love music from the '40s and '50s,<br />

but also modern acoustic. I'd rather wear a tulle skirt and t-strap heels<br />

than plain old jeans. I forget people's birthdays but remember what<br />

their life goals are.<br />

I'm a combination of the people that have loved me, the books that I've<br />

read, the songs that have spoken to me, and the flowery embroidered<br />

dresses I wear daily.<br />

Who are you? If you could only use 60 words, what would you say?<br />

We can't wait to meet you within these pages.<br />

amanda brown + team


I AM ME<br />

i think i forgot that i knew that<br />

chipped nail polish is aesthetic<br />

and that messy bed head hair<br />

flying in the summer breeze<br />

is freedom<br />

that acne scars<br />

aren't something to be ashamed of<br />

but rather to be proud of<br />

imperfections aren't ugly.<br />

they're treasures<br />

i think i forgot that<br />

and focused on pretending to be perfect<br />

when lol that's not me so dude<br />

slap on that makeup if you wanna,<br />

but don't cover up the jewel you are.<br />

— julia ryan


MAY/JUNE <strong>2019</strong> OHBELOVEDONE.COM ARTICLE TITLE HERE<br />

buy other print<br />

editions of OBO<br />

by scanning this<br />

barcode thingy<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 4


MAY/JUNE <strong>2019</strong><br />

OHBELOVEDONE.COM<br />

a note about the artwork //<br />

throughout the magazine, you'll find random facts hidden in the background of<br />

pages. these were collected from our readers and are all true.<br />

(at least, as far as we know.)<br />

at first, many of them labeled themselves "uninteresting."<br />

but soon we busted that myth.<br />

we also asked readers to submit one noun or adjective they feel best fit them. the<br />

results were so inspiring. see page 50 for their answers.<br />

i don't have a<br />

middle name<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 5


MAY/JUNE <strong>2019</strong><br />

OHBELOVEDONE.COM<br />

k i n g d o m<br />

c r e a t i v e s<br />

meet lindsey bomgren<br />

FOR THE GIRL<br />

STRUGGLING<br />

WITH "FIT"<br />

Finding your identity in being fit is a<br />

slippery slope. Here's what has helped me<br />

put things in perspective: I believe that<br />

God created each of us to do amazing<br />

things. And in order to do those things<br />

we need to be at our best physically<br />

and mentally. For me (and for most<br />

people) that involves daily movement +<br />

wholesome nutrition. Staying healthy<br />

and being at my personal best is all part<br />

of doing the Kingdom work we were<br />

designed for.<br />

an active take on creativity<br />

CREATIVE<br />

OUTLETS<br />

My creative outlets include writing<br />

both workout plans for the group<br />

fitness classes I teach, as well as<br />

writing content for my blog. I also<br />

teach group fitness + film workout<br />

videos. I love a good walk listening<br />

to an inspiring podcast, typically<br />

dreaming up new business plans. I'm<br />

always so inspired by hearing other<br />

entrepreneurs' stories.<br />

Photography by Alma Films<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 6


MAY/JUNE <strong>2019</strong> OHBELOVEDONE.COM ARTICLE TITLE HERE<br />

GOD-GIVEN<br />

TRAITS<br />

how God has<br />

prepped me for<br />

my purpose<br />

ADVICE<br />

for fellow<br />

creatives<br />

I firmly believe that you can do anything<br />

you put your mind to . . . but I also<br />

believe that not all “passions” are meant<br />

to bring financial benefit. The moment I<br />

took financial gain and pressure off of my<br />

passion was the moment my passion came<br />

back to life. obo<br />

I'm a passionate go-getter and<br />

hard worker. I love getting to be an<br />

energizing and upbeat part of people's<br />

day through group fitness. Before<br />

every class I say a quick prayer that<br />

as I lead class, others would see a<br />

glimpse of Jesus in me, my words,<br />

and actions throughout class.<br />

follow lindsey at www.nourishmovelove.com or instagram @nourishmovelove<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 7


hello<br />

my name is<br />

broken<br />

unfixable<br />

i truly believe this<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 8


MAY/JUNE <strong>2019</strong><br />

OHBELOVEDONE.COM<br />

me in 60 words or less<br />

remember—almost every girl in america likes starbucks<br />

and netflix. be original. what makes you different?<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 9


MAY/JUNE <strong>2019</strong> . OHBELOVEDONE.COM<br />

'cuz no one teaches you how to be a daughter<br />

by rebecca caraway<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 10


MAY/JUNE <strong>2019</strong> OHBELOVEDONE.COM DAUGHTER<br />

I<br />

am the oldest daughter (and<br />

child) in my family. I have<br />

always felt a huge amount of<br />

pressure from my parents to do<br />

what's right, be responsible, and<br />

be a good example to my younger<br />

siblings. The pressure of all this<br />

has sometimes been too much to<br />

deal with. I have often failed in<br />

what I'm supposed and expected<br />

to do.<br />

I think a lot of people struggle<br />

with being a good daughter . . .<br />

and I have a theory why.<br />

to focus on doing good in school,<br />

being a good sister, and being a<br />

good friend. It’s a lot to handle<br />

and than you have to think about<br />

being a good daughter. It’s too<br />

much and sometimes something<br />

just has to slip through the cracks.<br />

No one is perfect!<br />

I put so much focus on school,<br />

work, friends, and siblings that<br />

sometimes I just forget about my<br />

role as a daughter.<br />

No one<br />

teaches you<br />

how to be<br />

a daughter.<br />

One day you’re born or adopted<br />

and suddenly you are someone's<br />

daughter. There are hundreds<br />

of books and devotionals about<br />

being a good sister, mom, and<br />

wife; but not much about being a<br />

good daughter.<br />

I know this all sounds a little bit<br />

silly, but let's be honest: it's hard<br />

to be a good daughter. You have<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 11


MAY/JUNE <strong>2019</strong> OHBELOVEDONE.COM DAUGHTER<br />

so, how do we<br />

fulfill our role<br />

as daughters?<br />

Is it just respecting our parents?<br />

Well, I think yes. I think all parents<br />

really want from their kids is for them<br />

to succeed. They want us to succeed<br />

in school and work. They want us to<br />

be kind to our friends and be a good<br />

example for our siblings. I believe,<br />

above all else, that's all they want.<br />

Also, they want respect: for all they<br />

do for us, they just want to be shown<br />

respect and appreciation in return.<br />

Remember that our parents are people<br />

too, and all people just want to feel<br />

appreciated and respected for all they<br />

do. obo<br />

i adore llamas<br />

meet the<br />

author<br />

Rebecca lives in Southern California with her eight younger siblings. She is currently a senior in high school and plans to study<br />

journalism and English in college. She loves spending time with friends, listening to music, and writing. You can often find her<br />

in a coffee shop hanging out with friends.<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 12


MAY/JUNE <strong>2019</strong><br />

OHBELOVEDONE.COM<br />

a true + good friend will try to guide you back to the LORD<br />

by olivia nickerson<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 13


MAY/JUNE <strong>2019</strong> OHBELOVEDONE.COM YOU ARE A FRIEND<br />

We had known each other<br />

since we were three years<br />

old, and up until I was<br />

ten years old, we were best friends.<br />

Never would I have thought that our<br />

friendship would end.<br />

But it did.<br />

Long story short, something happened<br />

that changed how she treated me. I<br />

tried to be her friend many times, and<br />

a couple of times we did start to be<br />

friends again, but we didn’t mesh well<br />

anymore. I was nervous around her,<br />

and things had changed. We grew far<br />

apart after that, each becoming people<br />

with different lives and different<br />

interests.<br />

We were ​too ​different now.<br />

Fast forward to now. I have a close<br />

circle of friends who care for me<br />

and love me for who I am. They will<br />

correct me if needed and laugh with<br />

me over the silliest of things. These<br />

people are the friends who will last a<br />

lifetime (God-willing).<br />

To be honest with you, I haven’t had<br />

the greatest track record for having<br />

friends like these. I think it’s fairly<br />

normal for younger kids to be in and<br />

out of friendships, but stuff like the<br />

beginning story (where I thought I<br />

had a great friend forever) happened<br />

until I was twelve.<br />

I know in my heart I really wanted a<br />

best friend. To me, that was someone<br />

who I could talk to about anything.<br />

It was basically a sister who wasn’t<br />

actually my sister.<br />

Even if I had never voiced my prayers<br />

for someone like that, the Lord knew<br />

my heart and my desires. He sent<br />

along not only one friend, but over<br />

the course of a short period of time, a<br />

close group of friends.<br />

I believe that it’s ​so ​crucial for girls<br />

to have good friends, and more<br />

importantly, Christian ones. Here are<br />

some things I want to share with you<br />

that I’ve learned over the years (even<br />

up to this day!) from others, mistakes,<br />

experiences, and some flop friendships.<br />

i<br />

have<br />

used<br />

a<br />

to<br />

friend<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 14


MAY/JUNE <strong>2019</strong> OHBELOVEDONE.COM YOU ARE A FRIEND<br />

i n f l u e n c e<br />

Y O U R F R I E N D S I N F L U E N C E Y O U<br />

Your friends influence you. Whether<br />

you believe it or not, they do. I know<br />

I was quite ignorant for several years<br />

about that particular fact.<br />

Often, we think we can be safe from<br />

not-so-good influences. And yes, while<br />

it’s true that there are times when<br />

you can be a good influence on your<br />

friends, I know that they can still have<br />

a powerful influence on you.<br />

keep this<br />

in mind<br />

if you are starting to become close with a<br />

friend. That person will influence your<br />

attitude, your responses, and your<br />

thinking. If this friend is leading you<br />

down the wrong path, away from what<br />

you know is right, and ultimately what<br />

God says is right, you should distance<br />

yourself from being close friends with<br />

that person. A true and good friend<br />

will try to guide you ​back ​to the Lord,<br />

not try to keep you from Him.<br />

Be careful about deciding which<br />

friends will be close ones and<br />

which ones won’t. ​It’s okay to have<br />

discernment among friends.<br />

I think it’s good and normal to have<br />

some close friends and some “friendlyfriends.”<br />

While those particular<br />

“friendly-friends” may be great people<br />

to hang around with, they aren’t<br />

always the best to get close to.<br />

The reason for that is because their<br />

worldviews and opinions on things<br />

//those<br />

"friendly<br />

friends "<br />

aren't always<br />

the best to get<br />

close to.<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 15


OH BELOVED ONE | 16


MAY/JUNE <strong>2019</strong> OHBELOVEDONE.COM YOU ARE A FRIEND<br />

can be the wrong kind of influence for<br />

your life.<br />

The friends you will want to<br />

keep close to you will push you<br />

to be a young woman of the<br />

Lord, to strive after Him in<br />

all your ways.<br />

Who do you want in your bridal party? ​<br />

I’m serious! If I ever end up getting<br />

married one day, those girls in my<br />

bridal party are going to be my closest<br />

friends.<br />

always pushed me towards God rather<br />

than pull me away from Him.<br />

Now, of course no friend is going to<br />

be perfect. I know I am not, by any<br />

means. But you know Who is? Jesus.<br />

It’s so encouraging to have a faithful<br />

and loving Saviour Who will never fail<br />

us. We can always talk to Him about<br />

anything, and He’ll always be there. obo<br />

They are going to be the ones who<br />

have helped me to grow, who have<br />

helped to keep me from the wrong<br />

path, who have encouraged me,<br />

stabilized me, and really just been<br />

there for me through the good and<br />

the bad. They are the ones who have<br />

i speak italian<br />

meet the<br />

author<br />

Olivia Nickerson is a high-school student, growing writer, and a Christian saved by grace. She loves Lindt chocolate, being an<br />

aunt to little Jasper, spending time with her family and friends, and dreaming. Besides writing, Olivia loves spending time with<br />

her family and friends in almost any way, playing board games, sports, and music.<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 17


MAY/JUNE <strong>2019</strong><br />

OHBELOVEDONE.COM<br />

i'm a licensed nutritionist<br />

they say art is self-expression but i never really got that<br />

by lisa elis<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 18


MAY/JUNE <strong>2019</strong> OHBELOVEDONE.COM YOU ARE AN ARTIST<br />

Hi, I’m Lisa, and I call myself and artist.<br />

But what does that mean to me?<br />

my origin story // Drawing has always<br />

been a part of me, since before I could<br />

remember. I have my mom to give<br />

credit to, because she taught me, and<br />

she drew with me for my entertainment<br />

when I was a toddler. The story<br />

goes that every time she’d ask me,<br />

“What do you want me to draw?”, I’d<br />

reply, “A girl.” That seems legit, since<br />

I’ve been drawing mostly girls ever<br />

since.<br />

how art affects me // Artistic talent<br />

is something I get to be proud of. I<br />

get attention for my skills and I’m not<br />

going to deny–I like that. But I know<br />

what it means to draw for me too. Just<br />

because I enjoy it. Lately, my siblings,<br />

who also possess the artistic streak,<br />

have been catching up to me talent<br />

wise and I started realizing I’M NOT<br />

AS ATTENTION WORTHY AS I<br />

THOUGHT I WAS, but that’s okay<br />

–it does good to my humility.<br />

what i do // I’m mostly self-taught and my specialty is portraits in<br />

pencil. Actually, pencil is my best medium, and with it I’ve successfully<br />

tried still life, landscape, animals, and various other subjects.<br />

I have also experimented with color pencils, chalk, pastel, pens,<br />

acrylics, watercolors, mixed media, and some digital art. Personally,<br />

I prefer the mediums that are simple, not messy–but then I love<br />

expanding my horizons and experimenting with different things.<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 19


MAY/JUNE <strong>2019</strong> OHBELOVEDONE.COM YOU ARE AN ARTIST<br />

what i believe about being an<br />

artist // I believe being an artist<br />

isn’t strictly limited to drawing,<br />

or any sort of visual creation<br />

that we label as art. I think<br />

that everyone who creates is an<br />

artist, and that because we were<br />

made in the image of our Creator,<br />

every human is a creative<br />

and therefore an artist.<br />

I believe that everyone who<br />

does his job well and skillfully<br />

and finds joy in it is an artist.<br />

The dictionary says one definition<br />

of artist is “a person skilled<br />

at a particular task or occupation.”<br />

Everyone is born with the<br />

potential to be an artist, and if<br />

you chase your talent, you will<br />

be.<br />

what my art does for others // Call<br />

me ignorant and selfish, but I never<br />

intentionally made it my purpose to do<br />

good to others through my art, but it<br />

happened anyway. Encouraged by my<br />

parents, I have often drawn for people<br />

(especially their portraits, but also for<br />

birthdays and cards) and it brings me<br />

great satisfaction if it cheers them up.<br />

I like to say that I aspire to be a ray of<br />

sunshine, and I’m happy to think that<br />

drawing for people is a start to that.<br />

what art does for me // They say art is self-expression but I never really got<br />

that. I draw because it’s fun. I draw for the satisfaction of creating. I draw<br />

because it’s a relaxing, therapeutic hobby for me–it calms me down. It allows<br />

me to slow down (I’m naturally a very fast, hurried person)–and in fact, it<br />

makes me feel like I’m wasting time, which I love, because I’m still being<br />

productive.<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 20


MAY/JUNE <strong>2019</strong> OHBELOVEDONE.COM ARTICLE TITLE HERE<br />

an interlude story<br />

"How much for a cup of coffee?"<br />

I ask the barista over the<br />

counter. <strong>May</strong>be it would stimulate<br />

my artist's imagination.<br />

She fills my cup to the brim.<br />

"Don't worry about it."<br />

It makes me unique<br />

– gives me some measure<br />

of purpose and<br />

satisfaction – it’s a service<br />

I can do to others<br />

– it’s a gift God game<br />

– it’s a gift for me to<br />

give out – it’s a way of<br />

self care – it’s expression<br />

– it’s discipline<br />

– is a reason to push<br />

myself forward – it’s<br />

a way to grow – it’s a<br />

lens through which I<br />

can explore the world<br />

– it’s a way for me<br />

to find happiness in<br />

small things.<br />

And then inspiration strikes.<br />

My pencil flies across the paper.<br />

When I'm done, I rip out the<br />

page. "This is for you."<br />

"Thank you!" she says, face<br />

lighting up.<br />

I watch her photograph it and<br />

paste it on the wall. It shows a<br />

steaming cup of coffee and a paper<br />

bag that declares their tagline,<br />

"Drink the coffee you love.<br />

Love the coffee you drink."<br />

The next time I come, the owner<br />

waves me over. He thanks<br />

me for the picture, expressing<br />

how he likes that I included the<br />

slogan.<br />

“Coming up with that line took<br />

a lot of thought.”<br />

I grin. “My pleasure.”<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 21


MAY/JUNE <strong>2019</strong> OHBELOVEDONE.COM YOU ARE AN ARTIST<br />

FUTURE<br />

I’ve come to realize that as long<br />

as I don’t push myself forward<br />

I’ll stay right where I am. I’m<br />

not concerned about losing the<br />

talent, but rather of growing<br />

stagnant and lazy. I’ve realized<br />

that God gave me this gift, and<br />

so He expects me to use it.<br />

I don’t have an option of<br />

“Should I work on my art<br />

skilled, or shouldn’t I?” I want<br />

to grow and get better and<br />

discover what He means me to<br />

do with it.<br />

what i'd like to tell young artists<br />

Truth be told, I don’t have a lot of advice to give<br />

because I’ve only scratched the surface when it<br />

comes to art – but I can tell you this. What you’re<br />

doing matters. You might feel like you’re so small<br />

that it can’t possibly count – but small things are<br />

incredibly important. Keep on working, because<br />

as the song goes, “if you could only see, the way<br />

that you shine.” You can’t see the impact of what<br />

you’re doing now, and that’s good for you. But<br />

be faithful in what God gave you. Nurture that<br />

talent. Someday you’ll get it. obo<br />

meet the<br />

author<br />

Lisa Elis is a busy high school junior from Canada who spends her free time chasing many literary interests. She's also into art<br />

and design, orchids and sunshine, plus all things that grow her wanderlust. Find her scrambling to post every week at www.<br />

thisinkwell.blogspot.com.<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 22


MAY/JUNE <strong>2019</strong><br />

OHBELOVEDONE.COM<br />

i can't shake my reputation // it's followed me everywhere<br />

by julia findley<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 23


MAY/JUNE <strong>2019</strong> OHBELOVEDONE.COM YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN<br />

I<br />

am known as my brother's little<br />

sister.<br />

It's followed me everywhere. I can’t<br />

shake that reputation. Even after<br />

moving away from my home state,<br />

people knew my brother.<br />

But what if that's how my faith was?<br />

Following me everywhere, people<br />

always thinking of me as Christ's little<br />

follower, spoken of with awe.<br />

As a Christian, that's how our lives<br />

should be. We are supposed to be little<br />

Christs, and we should be unashamed<br />

of our faith.<br />

But like I have been ashamed of being<br />

known as my brother's little sister, we<br />

are ashamed to show what makes us<br />

the chosen children of God. We should<br />

stand out, stand loud and proud!<br />

Why? Because that's who we are.<br />

What if everywhere you went people<br />

called you “the little Christ”?<br />

i drink 6 cups of<br />

coffee a day<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 24


MAY/JUNE <strong>2019</strong> OHBELOVEDONE.COM YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN<br />

In this day and age we, see Christians<br />

backing away from conflict, afraid<br />

of what the media will say about us.<br />

We see a few people standing up and<br />

we admire them. Sure, we post on<br />

facebook or instagram, but that is for<br />

who? Our other Christian friends?<br />

What about living boldly for Christ?<br />

Is it uncomfortable? Oh absolutely!<br />

But is it worth the lost souls who could<br />

be saved by grace? Oh yes it is! What<br />

does your identity as a Christian look<br />

like?<br />

I’m known as my brother's little sister,<br />

but I want to be known as Christ’ little<br />

follower. obo<br />

Imagine the<br />

impact<br />

your faith<br />

could have.<br />

meet the<br />

author<br />

Julia is a student who loves to travel and loves to use her words to impact others. When she is not working you can<br />

find her sipping coffee, strumming her ukulele Bucky, studying or napping.<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 25


MAY/JUNE <strong>2019</strong> OHBELOVEDONE.COM ARTICLE TITLE HERE<br />

journal entry<br />

Who do you think people know you as? Are you the person who's perfect for class president? The<br />

girl with the ukelele? The wallflower? What are some ways you can instead be known as Christ<br />

follower?<br />

background: vecteezy<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 26


MAY/JUNE <strong>2019</strong><br />

OHBELOVEDONE.COM<br />

>>>><br />

followers are not overly submissive, indecisive sea-cucumbers<br />

by sarah cnossen<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 27


MAY/JUNE <strong>2019</strong><br />

OHBELOVEDONE.COM<br />

There are natural-born leaders &<br />

natural-born followers. There are<br />

times to lead, as well as times to<br />

follow. What is the role of a follower?<br />

Why should we submit to authority?<br />

In what ways are we followers?<br />

I<br />

am a follower. I would much<br />

rather someone else take the<br />

responsibility of making decisions<br />

and have control in all the necessary<br />

situations, then tell me what I may do<br />

to help. It’s so easy to throw the burden<br />

of decisions on someone else.<br />

All too often though, we grumble at<br />

the same decision now made because<br />

it doesn’t line up with what we expected/wanted.<br />

And then we obey however<br />

reluctantly, and with lack of joy. Sound<br />

familiar?<br />

There are many elements that make up<br />

this particular identity, but only two<br />

stand out to me.<br />

i've played violin for 17 years<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 28


MAY/JUNE <strong>2019</strong> OHBELOVEDONE.COM YOU ARE A FOLLOWER<br />

a f o l l<br />

o w e r<br />

{listens}<br />

They are humble—they are servant-hearted.<br />

But that doesn’t<br />

mean leaders are the total<br />

opposite.<br />

While leaders have the rather<br />

heavy burden of caring for and<br />

guiding their people, followers<br />

are simply to be humble &<br />

trusting. In order for a people<br />

to thrive, they must listen to<br />

the wisdom amd authority of<br />

those leaders.<br />

That said, followers are not<br />

overly submissive, indecisive<br />

sea cucumbers. They have<br />

minds of their own! And the<br />

diversity of a people, while<br />

it can cause division in some<br />

situations, is what makes them<br />

great. If everyone in the community<br />

were mindless sheep,<br />

what a dull life it would be.<br />

This flows right into the question<br />

of submitting to authority.<br />

Simply put, as Christians, it is<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 29


our God-given duty to obey those<br />

leaders God has put in place (whether<br />

we like them or not). Romans<br />

13:1 is likely the most common passage<br />

where we find this duty: “Every<br />

person is to be in subjection to the<br />

governing authorities. For there is<br />

no authority except from God, and<br />

those which exist are established by<br />

God.”<br />

Likewise, 1 Peter 2:13 and 17 say,<br />

For such is the will of God<br />

that by doing right you may<br />

silence the ignorance of<br />

foolish men… Honor all<br />

people, love the brotherhood,<br />

fear God, honor the<br />

king.<br />

Good or bad, God has allowed those<br />

who govern our cities, states, country,<br />

etc. to be in those specific positions.<br />

He alone knows the role they will play<br />

in this world, and we in turn know<br />

ours. Whether you’re a natural-born<br />

leader, or a follower, we are to comply<br />

with our authorities, and exercise<br />

humility & listening ears. In this, we<br />

are shining a light for our Lord, and<br />

showing the world the loving God we<br />

follow & serve.<br />

i'm addicted to goldf ish<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 30


MAY/JUNE <strong>2019</strong> OHBELOVEDONE.COM YOU ARE A FOLLOWER<br />

a f o l l<br />

o w e r<br />

{acts}<br />

Remember the sea cucumber?<br />

Followers are not idle. They<br />

have an important job! They<br />

are invaluable!<br />

If everyone were a leader,<br />

NOTHING would ever be<br />

accomplished. Jesus Himself<br />

requests of us to follow Him.<br />

That’s where our title Christian<br />

comes from, meaning “little<br />

Christ” or “Christ follower.”<br />

Being such is not easy. In fact,<br />

He says we must “deny [ourselves],<br />

take up [our] cross, and<br />

follow Him.” (Matt. 16:24)<br />

That’s quite a statement. And<br />

far easier to read here than to<br />

act on, am I right?<br />

In what ways are we followers?<br />

This could be in the classroom,<br />

at the job-site, even at home!<br />

As a student, we are under the<br />

guidance of our teachers—no<br />

matter the age.<br />

Throughout life, we will never<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 31


MAY/JUNE <strong>2019</strong> OHBELOVEDONE.COM YOU ARE A FOLLOWER<br />

cease to learn. And what good is<br />

learning something if it is never put<br />

into practice? As an employee, we<br />

are to follow the directives given for<br />

our particular position. That’s what<br />

we’re are paid for, right? No time<br />

put in, no paycheck!<br />

At home, we’re under the authority<br />

and wisdom of our parents, and<br />

once married, it transfers to our<br />

husbands. If the children of the<br />

home are humble, servant-hearted<br />

followers, what a peaceful, welcoming<br />

household it would be!<br />

+ a dash of obedience<br />

Obedience plays a huge part in the<br />

action of a follower in any and all<br />

of these positions. By obeying our<br />

leaders—government, employer,<br />

parents, etc.—we are ultimately<br />

being obedient to God. And that is<br />

quite possibly the greatest form of<br />

action!<br />

+ a smidge of joy<br />

So. What is the identity of a follower?<br />

They listen.<br />

They act.<br />

Simple, right?<br />

But I would add to both of these<br />

elements that they should do so<br />

with joy. Seems impossible at times,<br />

yes, and we feel the need to scream<br />

in frustration more often than not.<br />

But what a difference is seen in<br />

our characters when we do things<br />

joyfully!<br />

I believe joy is a habit to be made.<br />

Practice makes perfect, and striving<br />

to find joy in every action can<br />

change our perspective on life and<br />

leave a legacy for others to follow.<br />

In essence, by being a FOLLOWER,<br />

you are, in all reality, LEADING.<br />

A follower listens with humility.<br />

And acts with joy. obo<br />

meet the<br />

author<br />

Sarah Cnossen is a stay-at-home wife to Evan & mama to Gabe. She’s a native Tennessean, a daughter of the King,<br />

an aspiring writer, and avid reader & reviewer of books. She blogs at sarah-plainandaverage.blogspot.com, and is<br />

99.9% sure she’s a Disney princess and that she married her Beast.<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 32


MAY/JUNE <strong>2019</strong> OHBELOVEDONE.COM ARTICLE TITLE HERE<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 33


MAY/JUNE <strong>2019</strong><br />

OHBELOVEDONE.COM<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 34<br />

let's change the culture's perspective of sisters<br />

by emily seaver


MAY/JUNE <strong>2019</strong> OHBELOVEDONE.COM YOU ARE A SISTER<br />

I've been a sister since I<br />

was eighteen months old.<br />

That was when the sister next-in-line<br />

(and my best friend) was born. I've been<br />

told pretty much since that time that we<br />

would be best friends. I'm so thankful<br />

for that now. Never have I ever dealt<br />

with the elementary school drama of<br />

best friends forever, nor been depressed<br />

because my best friend is spending more<br />

time with her boyfriend then me.<br />

There's always a listening ear, because<br />

next to my mom, I tell my sister<br />

everything. She knows my hopes, fears,<br />

dreams, crushes, and nearly everything<br />

there is to know about me.<br />

When people hear that my sister is my<br />

best friend, I either get surprised looks,<br />

or an aw-you-don't-have-any-friends-soyour-sister-has-to-be-your-best-friend<br />

look. People seem to assume that if you<br />

have a "normal family" you and your<br />

sisters will always fight, all the time.<br />

That's not right.<br />

As Christians, we need to remember<br />

that God put us in our family, even<br />

when we don't always get along. I think,<br />

if it is important enough to us, that we<br />

can change the culture's perspective of<br />

sisters. We can show those around us<br />

that siblings were<br />

not created to fight, and use our<br />

relationship to be a light for Christ.<br />

i read only nancy drew novels<br />

until i was 14<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 35


MAY/JUNE <strong>2019</strong> OHBELOVEDONE.COM YOU ARE A SISTER<br />

How many of your current best friends<br />

will still be your BFF in twenty years?<br />

Probably none. Will you still be around<br />

your sister somewhat frequently in<br />

twenty years? That's a whole lot more<br />

likely.<br />

When thinking about sibling<br />

relationships from that perspective,<br />

it seems strange that we don't put a<br />

whole lot more work into our sisterfriendships.<br />

If you had just moved into a house,<br />

would you put more work into it if you<br />

were living there for one year, or the<br />

rest of your life? It wouldn't make sense<br />

to spend money on paint, carpet and<br />

hardwood, furniture, and decor if you<br />

were going to sell it almost as soon as<br />

you finished.<br />

Our friend relationships are like that:<br />

we'll be with our friends a little while,<br />

but when we move/go to college/start a<br />

new school, we naturally aren't going to<br />

be as close. But sister relationships will<br />

last a lifetime.<br />

sister relationships<br />

will last a lifetime.<br />

One of the ways you can pour into those<br />

relationships is time. I forget how much my<br />

little sisters look up to me, and love when I<br />

spend time with them.<br />

Whether it's just reading a book to them, or<br />

taking them out for a milkshake, I think every<br />

quality minute you spend with your sister<br />

will be pouring into them. Even if they don't<br />

seem to appreciate it, spending time is sowing<br />

seeds you will reap later. If you take them out<br />

to ice cream, then spend the whole time on<br />

your phone, that doesn't count as quality time.<br />

Ask them questions. Ask about school, and<br />

what they've been doing lately. Ask about their<br />

extracurricular activities.<br />

Spending quality time is only going to help<br />

your relationship, which will lead to a closeknit<br />

friendship, if not a best-friendship. Sisters<br />

can be your best friends or enemies, and it is<br />

our responsibility to make that friendship as<br />

strong as possible. obo<br />

meet the<br />

author<br />

Emily lives in sunny, ever-humid South Carolina and co-blogs at growingintofriends.com. She spends her days being creative<br />

and dreaming up impractical yet exciting ideas when she doesn't have to deal with reality. She is a freshman in highschool, uses<br />

as many big words as she can find, and reads every book she can get her hands on.<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 36


journal entry<br />

MAY/JUNE <strong>2019</strong> OHBELOVEDONE.COM ARTICLE TITLE HERE<br />

List five things you can do in the upcoming week to bond with your sibling(s). If you don't have<br />

any, choose someone in your church or at your school you can befriend and encourage.<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 37


MAY/JUNE <strong>2019</strong><br />

OHBELOVEDONE.COM<br />

come to education with a gratitude mindset<br />

by katie french<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 38


MAY/JUNE <strong>2019</strong> OHBELOVEDONE.COM YOU ARE A STUDENT<br />

i say that i believe<br />

in Christ.<br />

That my faith is in Him, that He is my all. Yet, I struggle.<br />

Struggle to see His hand in everything, struggle to submit to<br />

His will when things don’t go my way, struggle to rest in Him.<br />

This is me on a daily basis, when life is going fine,<br />

when things are relatively easy.<br />

When life gets hard, the struggles inflate to a<br />

practically unbearable level. They feel heavy,<br />

defeating, and impossible to overcome. We are<br />

often told that there is light at the end of the<br />

tunnel, but sometimes that tunnel just seems too<br />

long, too daunting, too dark to navigate through.<br />

This is how I felt when I started college—like I was<br />

entering a tunnel that I would never make it out<br />

of. Thousands of miles from home, surrounded by<br />

countless unfamiliar faces. And this would not be<br />

temporary. Three to four years. Class after class.<br />

Thousands of assignments. Endless cafeteria meals.<br />

All in all, this illustration leads<br />

me to touch on a very important<br />

issue—one’s identity as a student.<br />

Yes, as Christians, our first identity<br />

is in Christ. He is our everything,<br />

and His image should define<br />

our lives. However, many of us,<br />

particularly between the ages of 5<br />

and 25, have another identity as<br />

well—identity as students.<br />

We are called to listen, learn, and<br />

evaluate the world through a lens<br />

that truly sees. We are to explore<br />

and marvel at God’s creation and<br />

the many wonders He has made.<br />

I think we can all attest, however,<br />

that this mindset—submission to<br />

our identity as students—is easier<br />

acknowledged than actually lived<br />

out.<br />

Many of us go through our<br />

academic experience with a geter-done<br />

mindset. We are in school<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 39


MAY/JUNE <strong>2019</strong> OHBELOVEDONE.COM YOU ARE A STUDENT<br />

because we have to be, checking<br />

classes and credits off a list, on autopilot<br />

mode the entire time with<br />

little care to actually absorb the<br />

information that we are learning<br />

for more than the next test.<br />

This is a sad reality. Learning is an<br />

opportunity, yet we often view it as<br />

a chore or painful experience that<br />

we must somehow get through.<br />

So, how do we cope with this?<br />

How do we solve this seemingly<br />

impossible dilemma? Below are<br />

a few pieces of advice on how to<br />

strive to effectively embody one’s<br />

identity as a student.<br />

View education as your job.<br />

O<br />

N<br />

E<br />

While one does not get paid for<br />

his or her education (usually), it<br />

is most often equivalent to the<br />

workload of a full time job.<br />

One must get up and go to classes<br />

five or more days a week for seven<br />

or eight hours a day and do work<br />

outside of that in order to meet all<br />

necessary requirements. While seen<br />

as difficult and strenuous at times,<br />

this is REAL life, which is why<br />

viewing education as preparation<br />

for the future—working a job—is a<br />

game changer.<br />

With this mindset, students will be<br />

able to combat the temptation to<br />

view education in a negative light<br />

more effectively. Fortunately, this<br />

mindset was ingrained in me from<br />

a young age because the classical<br />

Christian school I attended (from<br />

kindergarten through twelfth<br />

grade) always encouraged students<br />

to view education as our vocation<br />

and calling from God, with the<br />

slogan “Loving and Learning for<br />

a Lifetime.”<br />

While this by no means implies<br />

that I’ve always had the perfect<br />

attitude towards school, it has<br />

helped me embrace it in a more<br />

meaningful way. To recognize that<br />

homework is an opportunity to<br />

reinforce what I am taught in the<br />

classroom, that tests are a platform<br />

for me to demonstrate how much<br />

I understand the information, and<br />

that projects are a means of putting<br />

into action what I’ve learned.<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 40


MAY/JUNE <strong>2019</strong> OHBELOVEDONE.COM YOU ARE A STUDENT<br />

T<br />

Come to education with a<br />

gratitude mindset.<br />

still fail to thank God for<br />

There are a lot of people on<br />

that.<br />

this earth who do not have<br />

the opportunity to receive a<br />

proper education. They may<br />

live in third world countries<br />

that do not have access to<br />

education, or they may live<br />

in regions where education<br />

isn’t allowed (example: girls<br />

in Saudi Arabia).<br />

W<br />

We (or at least I am assuming<br />

that this is the case for<br />

most Oh Beloved One readers)<br />

have multiple education<br />

options at our fingertips yet<br />

Additionally, we should<br />

merely be grateful that we<br />

have something worth studying<br />

and learning about—the<br />

beautiful world around us<br />

and everything in it. We live<br />

on an intelligently designed<br />

planet, filled with countless<br />

species and other created<br />

things. We will NEVER run<br />

out of things to find out<br />

more about, and that is truly<br />

astonishing.<br />

O<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 41


MAY/JUNE <strong>2019</strong> OHBELOVEDONE.COM YOU ARE A STUDENT<br />

THREE<br />

Jesus valued His education so we should too.<br />

Jesus Christ, while embodying<br />

the form of a man on<br />

earth, received an education<br />

in the temple. Luke 2:46-47<br />

describes Christ’s academic<br />

experience, highlighting the<br />

moment when Mary and<br />

Joseph found Him after<br />

much searching:<br />

After three days<br />

they found him<br />

in the temple,<br />

sitting among the<br />

teachers,<br />

listening to them<br />

+ asking them<br />

questions.<br />

//<br />

And all who<br />

heard him were<br />

amazed at his<br />

understanding and<br />

his answers.<br />

Obviously, Christ strove to get<br />

the most that He could out of<br />

His education. He desired to<br />

learn and understand what He<br />

was learning, which He was<br />

able to do perfectly because HE<br />

IS GOD.<br />

Furthermore, when asked why<br />

He remained in the temple,<br />

Christ’s response demonstrates<br />

His submission to His identity<br />

as a student.<br />

“And he said to them, "Why<br />

were you looking for me? Did<br />

you not know that I must be in<br />

my Father's house?” Luke 2:49<br />

Since we are made in God’s<br />

image, why shouldn’t we desire<br />

education as fervently as He did<br />

and submit to our identity as<br />

students as He did? The answer<br />

to this is that we SHOULD<br />

have a Christ-like mindset<br />

towards education, striving to<br />

learn and submit like He did.<br />

So, my friends, many of<br />

whom are high school<br />

or college students with<br />

seemingly impossible<br />

workloads, infinite amounts<br />

of homework, and much<br />

more on your plates than<br />

what seems reasonable or<br />

manageable; I give you<br />

this charge, a piece of<br />

encouragement that you can<br />

take with you as you strive<br />

to complete your academic<br />

journey, as you live out your<br />

identity as a student—<br />

continue to press on, do not<br />

give up, accept the calling<br />

God has given you. obo<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 42


journal entry<br />

MAY/JUNE <strong>2019</strong> OHBELOVEDONE.COM ARTICLE TITLE HERE<br />

Use the space below to plan out next semester. List all your classes and extracurriculars; then<br />

write next to each one how you can use it to be a blessing. This might be something as simple as<br />

encouraging a science teacher or signing up for an outreach activity you feel you won't have time<br />

for.<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 43


l e t<br />

us<br />

RUN<br />

with endurance<br />

the race<br />

s e t<br />

bef<br />

o r e<br />

us<br />

looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith


MAY/JUNE <strong>2019</strong><br />

OHBELOVEDONE.COM<br />

my goal should've been holiness + serving God wholly<br />

by bethany rushing<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 45


MAY/JUNE <strong>2019</strong> OHBELOVEDONE.COM YOU ARE A HELPER<br />

Throughout my teenage years, I<br />

was obsessed with weddings<br />

and would constantly dream<br />

about being a bride one day. I wanted<br />

to find the right guy of course; but I<br />

almost sacrificed waiting for the right<br />

guy so that I could have a big beautiful<br />

wedding as soon as possible. I'm so<br />

thankful that God gently drew me back<br />

to Himself, and in the process taught me<br />

that I was seeking to be the wrong kind<br />

of bride.<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 46


MAY/JUNE <strong>2019</strong> OHBELOVEDONE.COM YOU ARE A HELPER<br />

Thy Maker<br />

is thine husband;<br />

the LORD of<br />

hosts<br />

is his<br />

name; and<br />

thy Redeemer<br />

the Holy One<br />

of Israel;<br />

The God of<br />

the whole<br />

earth<br />

shall he be<br />

called.<br />

Isaiah 54:5<br />

There is nothing necessarily wrong<br />

with dreaming about your wedding<br />

day. The Bible frequently discusses the<br />

concept of marriage. In fact, Jesus' first<br />

public miracle happened at a wedding.<br />

God knows weddings are a big deal! It is<br />

the start of a new covenant, and of a<br />

new family.<br />

The "cause" or reason for this leaving<br />

and cleaving was mentioned in the<br />

verses just before: marriage is to be a<br />

picture of Christ's love (the husband's<br />

love) for the church (His bride). Marriage<br />

is an incredible gift to us as God's<br />

creation, but also a heavy undertaking.<br />

And I was totally missing that.<br />

To me, marriage was just what happened<br />

after a perfect, fairy-tale day of<br />

celebration.<br />

It is certainly not difficult to be<br />

reminded of romance and weddings<br />

in the world we live in. Every girl has<br />

a Pinterest board full of photo ideas,<br />

wedding gown designs, and cliche<br />

framed quotes. Nearly every movie<br />

has a romantic relationship in it, if<br />

the plot itself isn't centered around a<br />

wedding. You can go on Instagram and<br />

tap the hashtag #relationshipgoals or<br />

#weddinggoals and suddenly you're<br />

surrounded by unrealistic expectations.<br />

Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 7:34-35,<br />

"The unmarried woman careth for the<br />

things of the Lord, that she may be<br />

holy both in body and in spirit: but<br />

she that is married careth for the things<br />

of the world, how she may please her<br />

husband. And this I speak for your<br />

own profit. . . that ye may attend upon<br />

the Lord without distraction."<br />

As an unmarried young person, my goal<br />

should have been holiness and serving<br />

God with my whole heart. But as a wife,<br />

I now have another task. In addition to<br />

my pursuit of the Lord, I am responsible<br />

for the care of my husband.<br />

I wish I had made the most of my time<br />

as a single person, instead of constantly<br />

seeking romance. Wedded bliss should<br />

not be the goal; holiness should be<br />

the goal. When God finally brought<br />

my now-husband into my life, we each<br />

had to ask ourselves, "Will this person<br />

aid my ministry and help me become<br />

more holy, or hinder my ministry and<br />

my journey toward holiness?"<br />

Our wedding day was one of the best<br />

i didn't lose my<br />

first tooth until<br />

i was 8<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 47


MAY/JUNE <strong>2019</strong> OHBELOVEDONE.COM YOU ARE A HELPER<br />

"For this cause shall a man leave<br />

his father and mother, and shall be<br />

joined unto his wife, and they two<br />

shall be one flesh," Paul wrote in<br />

Ephesians 5:31.<br />

days of my life. Marriage is a gift. My<br />

husband is a romantic and I love him<br />

for it. But even now, as a married<br />

woman, I have to make sure that my<br />

goal is not to continually draw happiness<br />

from our relationship.<br />

If I build my life solely on how happy<br />

my husband makes me, I will be disappointed.<br />

He is wonderful, but he is not<br />

perfect. However, if I constantly pursue<br />

Christ and rest in the fact that He<br />

loves me, these truths will impact how<br />

I love Him and love others. It takes the<br />

focus off of me and the romance and<br />

happiness in my life, and turns it to<br />

Jesus and the people He has brought<br />

into my life.<br />

If I find my identity in being the bride<br />

of Christ, then I will no longer follow<br />

meaningless pursuits. My focus will be<br />

on Christ, what He has done for me,<br />

and how I can serve and know Him<br />

better. obo<br />

meet the<br />

author<br />

Bethany Rushing is a wanderlusting, chai-latte-drinking minimalist introvert always looking for new folk music. She<br />

writes at her blog Made to Mindful. When she's not brainstorming for a new blog post, you can find her playing her<br />

guitar, creating in the kitchen, analyzing personalities, or taking pictures of her plant babies.<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 48


MAY/JUNE <strong>2019</strong> OHBELOVEDONE.COM ARTICLE TITLE HERE<br />

journal entry<br />

What identity are you seeking after with all your heart? Take a little time to be introspective<br />

and take some heart inventory. Why do you want this identity? Are you lifting it above your ultimate<br />

identity?<br />

background: vecteezy<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 49


MAY/JUNE <strong>2019</strong><br />

OHBELOVEDONE.COM<br />

im learning korean<br />

i go through days of wanting to fix myself<br />

by rachel bonenfant<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 50


MAY/JUNE <strong>2019</strong> OHBELOVEDONE.COM UNFIXABLE<br />

we<br />

Comparison is the thief of all joy.<br />

We all like to compare ourselves to one another. As a girl I know I<br />

tend to bring a scale with me everywhere; this scale weighs how much<br />

better other people are, compared to myself. We think that we could be<br />

better looking, a better person, a better teacher, or a better friend or<br />

in better shape: in our minds, there is always more we could do with<br />

ourselves.<br />

are<br />

The worst person to work for is you. If our motivation is driven by<br />

our own hopes we will never reach it. Humanity always has the aim<br />

to be perfect, but that's not our job. The word perfection is only<br />

rightfully given to God.<br />

We are unfixable. I go through my days wanting to fix myself; wanting<br />

to fix my acne-filled face, my insecure thoughts, and my muffin-top<br />

belly. After our tries and fixings we will never feel satisfied. We might<br />

feel happy for a time, but that success and progress can all change<br />

with the snap of a finger. Only God can satisfy you forever.<br />

u n F ixa x bl e<br />

i have two<br />

different-colored<br />

eyes<br />

Though we may change in appearance, in words or in actions, He never<br />

does. His words, his presence, his work in our lives all add up to a love<br />

that will always be reliable.<br />

Love demands a deep compassion to serve and treat each other as<br />

family; the Lord loves us as if He was our human father. The world<br />

often says that God is a father of judgment which is true, but He is<br />

also the Father of love and grace. There is a huge pendulum of figuring<br />

out how we are enough or the complete opposite: saying this is me and<br />

others just have to deal with it.<br />

So many people in this world try their best, but yet never reach their<br />

goal: they call themselves not enough. Then we have the other side<br />

where people that think they can’t change. They use the phrase, “this is<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 51


MAY/JUNE <strong>2019</strong> OHBELOVEDONE.COM UNFIXABLE<br />

"Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my<br />

unfailing love for you will not be shaken." (Isaiah 54:10)<br />

me” as an advocate for their behavior. Their<br />

pride is the size of the Eiffel tower and they<br />

can’t even realize that they might be problem.<br />

The fact that we keep telling ourselves that we<br />

can’t change is actually telling ourselves we<br />

won’t change. We have to find the balance of<br />

finding out that Jesus is enough over the fact<br />

that this is just who I am.<br />

These facts about ourselves have captivated<br />

my mind because I know God didn’t make<br />

us to live on our own and put every ounce of<br />

work on our two shoulders.<br />

No, He gave us a desire His love and strength.<br />

God wants us to be victorious, fit, and<br />

beautiful; He just doesn’t want us to do it by<br />

ourselves. Include your heavenly Father in<br />

each trial and you will find satisfaction. We<br />

have to be content and humble to understand<br />

we need God’s love.<br />

1 Samuel 16:7, “The Lord does not look at<br />

the things man looks at. Man looks at the<br />

outward appearance, but the Lord looks at<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 52


MAY/JUNE <strong>2019</strong> OHBELOVEDONE.COM UNFIXABLE<br />

the heart." There are days when I want other<br />

people’s appearance or I want other people’s<br />

achievements, but in reality God only equips<br />

me for my good and for my bad. We so often<br />

want to switch places because we only see<br />

their good; we are simply not seeing their<br />

bad.<br />

You’re not seeing the work they have put in,<br />

the late nights of demeaning thoughts, and<br />

the long hours of questioning themselves.<br />

God has equipped us for our own battles.<br />

In 1 Samuel chapter one, it tells the beloved<br />

story of Hannah.<br />

In the beginning of Hannah’s story, she began<br />

with an empty womb; she was a woman who<br />

could not have any kids. Her husband had<br />

another wife, Peninnah, who had many sons<br />

and daughters.<br />

We can all be found desiring<br />

something we see the Lord<br />

giving to someone else. We<br />

always see Him blessing them in<br />

the very areas He’s withholding<br />

from us. We look at them and<br />

feel set aside. We feel forgotten.<br />

Although Hannah could have pulled away<br />

from God and thought well this is just how<br />

it is, instead she prayed. Hannah didn’t take<br />

matters into her own hands: she pressed into<br />

God and brought her desperate cries to Him.<br />

She had unflinching faith. When she felt<br />

empty and neglected by God, she could have<br />

lost heart, but she refused to stray from God’s<br />

words.<br />

She possessed a faith that was not contingent<br />

upon her circumstances but her faith was<br />

based on a good a faithful God.<br />

In 1 Samuel 1:20a, it stated, “In the course of<br />

time Hannah became pregnant.” She was not<br />

pregnant within her first prayer, but in God’s<br />

timing. God hadn’t made Hannah wait to<br />

punish her, but for Samuel’s purpose in God’s<br />

plan.<br />

He<br />

is<br />

enough<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 53


MAY/JUNE <strong>2019</strong> OHBELOVEDONE.COM UNFIXABLE<br />

He hadn’t been uncaring to her desires;<br />

He simply loves us too much to answer<br />

our prayers at any other time than the<br />

right time.<br />

God has a plan for each of us; it includes<br />

good and bad times. Even in the Old<br />

Testament there was comparison between<br />

one another. Our Creator has given us<br />

unique stories that only we can fulfill.<br />

Our insecurities, our battles, our questioning<br />

thoughts are a part of this story.<br />

Focus on your growth and what’s best for<br />

you rather than comparing.<br />

If I was secure in whom I was then I<br />

would never feel the need to be closer to<br />

God or closer to others. The Lord put us<br />

through trails so that we might feel the<br />

need for Him. We aren’t enough by ourselves;<br />

we need Him pushing through life<br />

with us. At times we may feel unfixable,<br />

but if we line up our desires with God’s<br />

grace we will find ourselves to be enough. obo<br />

i' am dyslexic<br />

but that will not make me stop<br />

reading<br />

meet the<br />

author<br />

One often will describe Rachel Bonenfant as being joyful and enthusiastic. She is a simple Michigander who loves<br />

to express Jesus’ love through writing! She genuinely loves kids and is currently looking into pursuing a job with<br />

one-on-one time with them.<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 54


comp<br />

aris<br />

on<br />

by victoria ige<br />

Some days you may sit with comparison.<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 55


MAY/JUNE <strong>2019</strong> OHBELOVEDONE.COM COMPARISON<br />

person like you. I know it's the most<br />

cheesy thing ever; like the kind of stuff<br />

your mother tells you to make you feel<br />

good about yourself.<br />

But that's exactly the point.<br />

The number one thing that makes us<br />

forget who we are is comparison.<br />

I'm not sure why, but everybody has a bit<br />

of low self esteem in their bones. Some<br />

have lots of it (hands up here). Everybody<br />

has green eyes—we just compare ourselves<br />

with each other. It's one of the saddest<br />

thing about life.<br />

I love this whole idea of everybody being<br />

their own unique and special. How I got<br />

the idea is something I can't fathom.<br />

But I believe it. Not because I want to or<br />

because it feels good (it does feel good,<br />

though), but because it's true—fact or<br />

not.2:9).<br />

But sometimes we forget all these truths<br />

when we look at others and wish to be in<br />

their shoes. That is, Comparison.<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 56<br />

We are a royal<br />

priesthood, a<br />

chosen generation,<br />

a peculiar people,<br />

beautiful city on a<br />

hill (1 Peter 2:9).<br />

But sometimes we forget all these truths<br />

when we look at others and wish to be in<br />

their shoes. That is, Comparison.<br />

And if you're battling comparison. I think<br />

you should start right there—choose to<br />

believe it. Believe you're your own unique<br />

and special- peculiar. Believe all that God<br />

says about you. And that there is no other<br />

Feeling good about yourself is the<br />

only sign that says you don't wish for<br />

someone else's life—no comparison.<br />

Believe it and see that it's all beautiful<br />

when you wake one faithful day<br />

to walk out confidently and not<br />

understand why in the world anybody<br />

will feel like someone else is better<br />

than them. Because you love yourself<br />

and you would never even dream of<br />

changing any part of you in any way.<br />

Because really, there's nothing to<br />

compare about.<br />

Some days will be different though.<br />

> <<br />

>


MAY/JUNE <strong>2019</strong> OHBELOVEDONE.COM COMPARISON<br />

Some days you will sit with your friend<br />

and listen to her tell you joyfully how<br />

much better she feels, how much she's<br />

progressing. And you'll probably be all<br />

smiles, hug her and act really excited<br />

about the whole news. <strong>May</strong>be it will all be<br />

genuine celebration for her.<br />

Then it will get misty and comparison will<br />

come wearing a black caftan and a black<br />

turban over his head.<br />

how far she has gone in life. You're right<br />

where you were when you first met her.<br />

Look how high up she is. She's so cool.<br />

She has achieved a lot. Don't you ever<br />

wonder how you appear before others?<br />

You can't even stand next to her. She's<br />

better. She's better. You're never good<br />

enough."<br />

"Oh. I see your point." You'll say with<br />

your eyes on your feet.<br />

=<br />

=<br />

"I am comparison." He will say.<br />

I know the drill, honey. It's just a point<br />

in a downward spiral<br />

=<br />

towards low self<br />

"So?" You'll probably reply.<br />

esteem. It's not new. Some days you may<br />

converse with comparison. You may sit<br />

"I want to teach you what real living is opposite him at the diner and his sister—<br />

like."<br />

jealousy—will be right beside him. And<br />

it might make you love life less, cause<br />

"Do I not know how to really live?" You that set will talk all the love and joy out<br />

may ask.<br />

of you.<br />

And comparison will explain: "Well, it<br />

doesn't seem like it. Look at your friend,<br />

=<br />

i want to open a ceramics studio<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 57


MAY/JUNE <strong>2019</strong> OHBELOVEDONE.COM COMPARISON<br />

it's all field work,<br />

baby.<br />

=<br />

But then, it's going to be sunshine if you<br />

simply know and believe one truth: you<br />

are different. And different is a good<br />

thing. Different is unique and special in<br />

this world, a world that puts God on the<br />

side of life, instead of at the center.<br />

It's all field work, baby. Start with that<br />

belief and tell God what you're struggling<br />

with. God is the only one who will ever<br />

know what it really feels like for you to<br />

feel like you're not enough. He wants to<br />

help you understand that your life never<br />

should be a measuring tool in this world.<br />

He made you amazing. Nothing can<br />

change that.<br />

When comparison comes again to<br />

"lecture" you and brings jealousy as an<br />

assistant, you already know how to live<br />

life. Because there's only one way to live<br />

it: the way you're already living it, as the<br />

person God wants you to be.<br />

meet the<br />

author<br />

=<br />

No one else. obo<br />

Victoria Ige is a lover of email letters that spends her day writing and sending out inspirational and peppy email<br />

letters. She enjoys meal prepping for dinner parties, talking about dreams & ambitions, red, flowers and #lovely...<br />

Join the #lovely... right here: https://mailchi.mp/6def053b5290/victoriaige.<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 58


MAY/JUNE <strong>2019</strong> OHBELOVEDONE.COM ARTICLE TITLE HERE<br />

journal entry<br />

Get ugly for a minute. Write down all the things you dislike about yourself. It could be a your<br />

impatience, the way you laugh, the level of frizziness you have to deal with when it gets humid<br />

(same girl, same), or something you've done in your past.<br />

background: vecteezy<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 59


MAY/JUNE <strong>2019</strong> OHBELOVEDONE.COM CREDITS<br />

hang out with us at<br />

www.ohbelovedone.com<br />

DISCLAIMER<br />

Oh Beloved One is not responsible for any inaccurate<br />

information in its magazine pages. Additionally, we are<br />

not responsible for plagiarism on the part of our writers.<br />

We accept their work assuming that it is their own. Please<br />

contact us if you have any problems.<br />

Current reading material in our world today has been<br />

tainted and darkened. In our pages, we strive to share clean<br />

and positive articles that leave readers feeling blessed.<br />

We will not stand down for our faith; however, we will not<br />

push our beliefs on others. You are free to accept or reject<br />

things we say and we will not discriminate against you for<br />

any reason. Additionally, just because our pages are filled<br />

with positive articles does not mean we will not stand up<br />

for what we believe in. However, we believe that at this<br />

time it is best to look at the glass as half full.<br />

All photos and art not taken by an Oh Beloved One staff<br />

member were checked to ensure they do not infringe copyright<br />

laws. Please contact us if you have an issue.<br />

SHUTTER BUG<br />

a special thank you to Leah for the<br />

unbelievably good photography<br />

- sometimes funny, always thoughtprovoking<br />

posts<br />

- a free book about fighting<br />

depression<br />

- stickers for your laptop and stuffs<br />

- oh beloved one magazine in print<br />

- our first devotional<br />

- the reevaluation revolution, a<br />

monthly encouraging email full of<br />

Bible verses, freebies, devos, and<br />

more<br />

- access to past magazines<br />

- updates on new videos, magazines,<br />

blogposts, and merchandise<br />

- and more!<br />

you are one of a kind & beloved<br />

MORE AMAZING PEOPLE<br />

who drew amazing things<br />

Emma Fordham—pgs. 12, 17, 19-20, 22, 24-25, 29, 34-<br />

36, 55<br />

Cami Fordham—handlettered article titles, as well as pgs. 4,<br />

16<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 60


helloMAY/JUNE <strong>2019</strong> OHBELOVEDONE.COM ARTICLE TITLE HERE<br />

my name is<br />

SAVED<br />

LOVED<br />

i truly believe this<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 61


MAY/JUNE <strong>2019</strong> OHBELOVEDONE.COM ARTICLE TITLE HERE<br />

ohbelovedone.com<br />

next issue, let’s talk<br />

IN/DEPENDENCE<br />

We live in a world of I CAN and I WILL. That's not necessarily a<br />

bad thing . . . but what happens when we are independent out<br />

of fear of letting people in? Are we really taking a stand when<br />

we refuse to let a guy hold the door open for us? Is the future<br />

really female? We'll tackle all this and more in our next issue,<br />

coming your way in July <strong>2019</strong>.<br />

OH BELOVED ONE | 62

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!