Simply Radiant Magazine: Winter

WINTER 2016 

GRAFTED IN 

TO FAMILY 

PAGE 18 

Diagnosis: 

Cancer 

PAGE 06 

SIMPLY FIT 

TO SERVE 

PAGE 10 

PEACE & 

PSALM 23 

A RADIANT HEART 

PAGE 16 

+ WE WENT TOO FAR 

PAGE 14

Angel Cantrell 

Letter from the Editor 

SISTER, IT’S COLD OUTSIDE! Christmas has passed 

and a new year has come. Winter is in full effect. We pray 

your holidays were filled with the love and presence of God 

and that you have entered 2016 with great expectations for 

receiving His power and peace. 

Our Fall 2015 issue challenged single women to deeply 

examine themselves to see if they were ready for dating. 

We heard from women’s leaders who used the articles 

to teach their women’s groups and from couples who 

are dating who used the articles to better assess their 

relationship. The responses were great -sisters were 

empowered to walk in power, purity and holiness. 

This issue is filled with very personal testimonials that 

will touch the heart and warm the soul. The writers have 

shared their very intimate life journeys that will encourage 

anyone who reads them. We pray the photos that 

accompany each story stirs your imagination and brightens 

your spirits. 

From cancer, to abandonment, to impurity… read every 

article and watch the power and love of God radiate 

through each story. We pray you press as hard as our staff 

and writers have. You will experience a life of abundance. 

Choose to live out your freedom in transparency and 

vulnerability, so that you too will be a blessing to your 

sisterhood. 

With great expectations for a radiant life. 

ANGEL CANTRELL, EDITOR IN CHIEF

03 

STAFF & CONTRIBUTORS 

ANGEL CANTRELL 

EDITOR IN CHIEF 

BRITTANY WALLACE 

MANAGING EDITOR 

WINTER 2016 | WWW.SIMPLYRADIANTMAGAZINE.COM 

RUBI Z 

PHOTO EDITOR 

SONIA RODRIGUEZ 

DEPARTMENT EDITOR 

MARTHA LEON 

EDITOR, MARKETING 

JADA CANTRELL 

DEPARTMENT EDITOR 

AURORA GREGORY 

MARKETING/CIRCULATION DIRECTOR 

RANÉ FRANKLIN 

MARKETING/CIRCULATION DIRECTOR 

JENNIFER LUXTON 

ART DIRECTOR 

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04 

10 16 

THOSE WHO LOOK TO HIM ARE 

25 

06 

Radiant 

Stories 

EDITOR’S LETTER 02 

WHEN LIFE HURTS 

DIAGNOSIS: CANCER 06 

SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL 

HELLO, MY NAME IS ACNE 09 

HEALTH 

SIMPLY FIT: FIT TO SERVE 

SIMPLY SNACKING: COZY CUP 

OF COMFORT 

10 

12 

LOVE & DATING 

WE WENT TOO FAR 14

18 

22 

14 

05 


12 

A RADIANT HEART 

PROTECTION AND PEACE, NOW 16 

INTO-ME-SEE 

GRAFTED IN 18 

POP QUIZ 

THE PERFORMANCE TRAP 22 

HEAR MORE VOICES 

AND READ THE MAGAZINE 

ONLINE AT 

SIMPLYRADIANTMAGAZINE.COM 

PUBLICATION SPONSORED BY 

LIVING VICTORY CHURCH 

LIVINGVICTORYCHURCH.ORG 

WHAT AM I WORTH? 

FILIPINO—A FUNNY WORD 25 

PLAYLIST 26 

SALVATION 

FOR REAL THIS TIME 34

06 

WHEN LIFE HURTS 

BY LETIA MCCLARTY 

LIFE WAS GOOD. 


I was 32 years old, married, 

with two young boys - 

ages two and four, and a 

career that was taking off. 

God had done amazing 

things in my life. But one 

day, I got some bad news. 

“YOU HAVE BREAST 

CANCER.” 

The words stunned me. Why 

was God allowing this to happen 

to me? Why was I chosen to carry 

this pain? Was I being punished? 

Had I done something wrong? 

Since my diagnosis, this giant 

called cancer has appeared more 

than six times in my body. My 

breasts have been removed and 

reconstructed. I have undergone 

chemotherapy and radiation. I 

have lost my hair. And I have 

endured several painful surgeries. 

My body has been cut up over 

the years. My beauty has been 

stripped from me. I will never 

be desirable again. If something 

ever happens to my marriage, 

who would want me? Exhaustion 

and fatigue kept me from tucking 

my little boys in bed – I am a bad 

mom. Am I even saved? I’m afraid 

to die. Am I ready to see God? 

I didn’t know. My thoughts and 

feelings were like giants. They 

overwhelmed and confused me. 

Lies! Lies! Lies! Your giants 

may be different from mine, 

but a giant is a giant. They 

come through the trials of life

07 

SLAYING THE GIANT 

DIAGNOSIS: 

CANCER 


like sickness, abuse, betrayal, losing a 

loved one – through death or a broken 

relationship, financial devastation, 

crushed dreams, a false image of what 

beauty really is, rejection, etc. 

These painful experiences usually come 

with false messages and lies. Our lies may 

be different, but do you know what yours 

are? You can’t fight what you don’t admit 

or know is there. You must call those lies 

out and kill them with the truth. And the 

truth can only be found in God’s Word, the 

Bible. John 8:31b-32, says, “If you hold to 

my teaching, you are really my disciples. 

Then you will know the truth, and the 

truth will set you free”. 

It’s been over 20 years since that first 

diagnosis. Since then, I have experienced 

more loss. The death of my father and the 

end of my marriage. And yes, more lies 

attacked me. But the Word of God rose up 

within me and slayed ALL of my lies. 

My beauty isn’t in having perfect 

breasts. My identity isn’t in whether I’m 

married or not. My strength and grace 

of being a good mom was found in more 

than being able to tuck my sons in bed 

at night. I am still alive and I walk in the 

strength of my God. 

I live in the truth of what God says 

DO NOT BE AFRAID OF THOSE WHO 

KILL THE BODY BUT CANNOT KILL 

THE SOUL. 

MATTHEW 10:28 

about me. The beauty of Christ radiates 

through me. I am the apple of His eye. 

He takes great delight in me. He rejoices 

over me with singing. And God has 

blessed me with sons who have become 

amazing young men that love our God 

and make Him famous. I am blessed 

and highly favored. And I continue to 

build the Kingdom of God at my church 

and wherever I go. I am thriving not just 

surviving. 

This life is not about me or you. It’s 

about bringing a world of hurting people 

to a Savior who sees, loves and cares 

deeply about them. And He wants to use 

us. Even in your struggles, He wants you 

to be the testimony, that no matter what 

you face, EVEN DEATH, you will tell of 

the goodness of an amazing, loving and 

powerful God. 

God has spoken to me so intimately

08 


through this journey. In May 2015, I 

learned my breast cancer had spread 

to my lungs. One day before a doctor’s 

appointment, fear began to paralyze me. I 

looked up and saw the number 1028 on a 

product in my bathroom. In my spirit, the 

Lord spoke the word Matthew. So I looked 

up Matthew 10:28 in my Bible. This is what 

I read: 

Do not be afraid of those who kill the 

body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, 

be afraid of the One who can destroy 

both soul and body in hell. Are not two 

sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of 

them will fall to the ground outside your 

Father’s care. And even the very hairs of 

your head are all numbered. So don’t be 

afraid; you are worth more than many 

sparrows. (Matthew 10:28-31) 

I went to the doctor that day in peace, 

knowing my Father sees me and I have 

high value. I wasn’t afraid. And as I 

continue to receive chemotherapy today, 

still scarred and hairless, (smile ladies, I 

am), I walk with His promises deep in my 

soul. He will never leave me or forsake 

me. He will protect me from all harm. His 

love is great toward me. 

I encourage you to face your giants, 

ladies. Our God is with you. You are of 

great worth. Don’t be afraid.

SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL 

Hello, My 

Name is Acne 

BY STEPHANIE VALDIVIA 

H 

ave you ever awakened in the morning 

to find a giant pimple on your forehead? 

If you have, how did you feel? Did you freak 

out? Did you stare into the mirror trying to pop 

it while searching Google for home remedies? 

You try everything to make it go away or if you 

come from a Hispanic home like me, you try 

1,000s of leaves, weeds, teas, or lotions that 

your mom said to try, hoping one will work. 

This was my life for two years. Every 

morning brought a new pimple. My face was 

covered in acne. 

At the age of 19, I felt as if my whole 

world was falling apart. I was diagnosed 

with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), 

but even worse for me, I had acne like I 

have never seen before. I was a sophomore 

in college dealing with my OCD and dealing 

with overwhelming spiritual warfare. 

Everywhere I went, people stared at my 

face. Public outings were not 

appealing to me because I felt 

like such an ugly duckling. I 

did not feel pretty. I did not 

feel worthy. I did not feel 

my life had purpose. 

This was a really dark 

time and in certain 

moments, I felt like I could 

take my own life. I was 

lonely, depressed and I 

hated the way I looked. I 

knew who God was but 

I didn’t know my true 

identity in Christ. My 

identity was defined 

by make-up, clothes 

and money. But all 

these things left me 

feeling empty and 

rejected. 

My mind 

was filed with 

negative thoughts that just lowered my selfesteem 

even further. I was physically and 

spiritually exhausted. People were praying 

for me but my miracle wasn’t coming fast 

enough for me and I was ready to give up. 

Finally, one day, I fell to my knees and said 

“God, I can’t do this anymore. I need you, God.” 

I turned to Him and gave Him full control of my 

life. It started my journey of learning who I was 

in Christ and that my identity was not defined 

by what I wore or how I looked. I am a daughter 

of the King of kings who knit me together in my 

mother’s womb. 

God loves me. I have value because of 

Jesus Christ. I was created for a purpose. I 

am not alone. God was and is with me. 

If not for this season of life, I would not 

know my true identity today. I am a warrior 

princess of the One True God. Satan has 

been defeated in my life and I am victorious 

– I am free! And when moments come when 

I don’t feel pretty, I remember the truth 

of who I am in Christ. No weapon formed 

against me will prosper because I am a 

daughter of the King. 

Here are some tools that helped me 

through my journey: 

• Your mirror can be your friend or your 

enemy. Choose friend! 

• Put notes on your mirror that say positive 

things like “I am beautiful” “I am worthy” 

and “I am God’s princess.” 

• Replace every negative thought with three 

positive statements about yourself like, “I 

am caring, I am smart, and I am funny.” 

• Find a scripture you can memorize 

that will remind you of who you are 

to God. Simply Radiant’s theme 

scripture is a good one to start 

with: 

“Those who look to him are 

radiant, their faces are never 

covered with shame.” Psalm 

34:5 

• Call a friend or a mentor 

and let them know what 

you’re going through. 

They are there to help. 

• Listen to worship 

music. It will 

change your 

mindset! 

Hello, my name is 

Beautiful! 

What is yours? 

You choose. 

09 

WINTER 2016 | WWW.SIMPLYRADIANTMAGAZINE.COM

10 

SIMPLY FIT 


Fit to 

SINGLE-LEG 

serve 

BY THERESSA QUARLES 

PLANK-UP JACK 

TARGETS SHOULDERS, 

BACK, CHEST, TRICEPS, ABS, 

GLUTES 

1. Start in forearm plank position 

on ground, balancing on 

forearms and toes. 

2. Lift left arm and place left 

palm on ground directly beneath 

shoulder, straightening arm; 

repeat with right arm until you 

are in full plank position. 

3. Reverse motion back to 

forearm plank and repeat, this 

time pressing up with right arm , 

then left 

4. While in full plank position, 

jump feet out wide, then back 

together twice to complete 1 rep. 

Do 8-12 Reps. 

CRAB 

TARGETS TRICEPS, GLUTES, 

HAMSTRINGS 

1. Sit on floor with knees bent, 

feet flat, and palms on floor 

beside hips; lift hips a few 

inches so that body is balanced 

between hands and feet. 

2. Lift bent right leg off floor, 

then press hips up until body 

forms a tabletop; squeeze left 

glute. 

3. Lower to start position, hips a 

few inches off floor. 

Do 8-12 Reps; switch sides and 

repeat. 

CONSULT A PHYSICIAN BEFORE 

BEGINNING ANY EXERCISE PLAN

11 


Developing strong glutes can decrease 

your risk of injury in the knees, lower 

back, hamstrings and groin. Weak glutes 

can cause an imbalance in the hip, 

which can potentially cause knee pain. 

Strengthening your glutes decreases 

your risk for back injuries in exercises 

such as the deadlift and squat by taking 

some of the pressure off your lower back. 

Weak glutes can also contribute to pulled 

muscles in your hamstring or groin. 

Strong shoulders make most arm 

movements easier, whether you’re 

throwing a ball, passing food across the 

table, or lifting a suitcase that’s a little 

too heavy. Almost every upper-body 

exercise involves your shoulder muscles 

to some extent, so strengthening your 

shoulders enables you to lift heavier 

weights for chest and back exercises. 

Our bodies are a gift from God. We 

want the healthiest body we can have 

to maintain and improve our service to 

people. 

Be a lady who “serves by the strength 

that God supplies—in order that in 

everything God may be glorified through 

Jesus Christ…” 1 Peter 4:10-11

12 

SIMPLY SNACKING 


Cozy Cup 

of Comfort 

BY JADA CANTRELL 

VANILLA CHAI TEA LATTE 

For this warm, winter beverage, you’ll 

need just a few things: 

• a tall mug 

• a small pot 

• a chai tea teabag 

• 1 cup vanilla unsweetened almond milk 

• ground cinnamon 

• nutmeg 

• 1 tsp vanilla extract 

• any sweetener of your choice (I.e. agave 

nectar, honey, sugar, etc.) 

• Frother 

(If you do not own a frother, inexpensive 

and effective handheld frothers can be 

found at almost any store*) 

*Frothers are used to create the foamy 

texture of a typical coffee shop latte, 

however, frothers are not needed to create 

the delicious taste of this cozy beverage. 

1 

2 

3 

Boil a cup of water, and pour into the 

mug. 

Steep the chai tea bag in the water 

for about 1 to 4 minutes. 

Once the tea has steeped, add a 

few shakes of ground cinnamon 

and nutmeg, a teaspoon of vanilla 

extract and whichever sweetener 

you choose depending on how sweet 

you’d like your beverage. 

4 

5 

Place one cup of almond milk in 

the pot in order for milk to warm 

up. Remove just as the milk begins 

to boil and slowly pour milk into 

the mug. (If you own a handheld 

frother, before pouring the milk into 

the mug, use the frother to create a 

foamy effect in the warm milk first, 

then pour) 

Sprinkle with ground cinnamon and 

enjoy your winter beverage!

13 


14 

LOVE & DATING 

WE WENT TOO FAR 


BY BRITTANY WALLACE 

A 

ll it took was space and opportunity. We 

texted too much, hugged too long, and 

took every idle moment we had as a chance 

to be alone together. Whenever I knew my 

roommate would be out of town, he was 

the one and only call I made. “Come hang 

out!” was code for “let’s see how far we can 

go without going too far”. I knew better, he 

knew better. I should have guarded my heart 

and his, but I didn’t do that. The temporary 

high that we felt while kissing seemed worth 

it at the time, but I didn’t know what it would 

cost me. 

We tried several times to harness our 

emotions and to set boundaries on our time 

together. But time and time again, we failed. 

It wasn’t until I crept back into my apartment 

at 3 a.m. that the little voice I had been 

ignoring for months became a blaring alarm. 

“What are you doing?” I cried out to God and 

confessed my sin. Although we hadn’t gone 

MY CHOICES TO GIVE IN TO MY DESIRES 

CAME WITH A BILL – AND IT WAS MUCH 

HIGHER THAN I THOUGHT.

all the way, we went much farther than we 

should have. During the days that followed, I 

confessed my sin to my close group of sisters 

(who I should have been accountable to in 

the first place). I also had to consistently 

remind myself that I was forgiven by God 

when lies began to swarm around me saying 

things like “Look at what you’ve done! You’re 

a fraud. You don’t really want to follow Jesus 

like you say you do.” 

In the same way that a bill comes after 

ordering and eating food at a restaurant, 

my choices to give in to my desires came 

with a bill – and it was much higher than I 

thought. Some of my friendships changed, 

my reputation was tarnished, and I broke 

two hearts; his and 

my own. Although this 

situation was painful and 

expensive, I grew closer 

to the Lord and learned 

lessons that turned out 

to be blessings. I learned 

that I am not my mistakes 

and that God’s love for me 

is not dependent on what 

choices I make, He loves 

me completely just as I 

am. 

I understood why it’s 

so important to guard 

my heart and my purity 

until I am ready to be a 

wife. My women’s pastor 

at my church teaches 

that we shouldn’t go 

into dating relationships 

until we are ready for 

marriage, and that the 

best way to protect our 

hearts is to reserve them 

for courtship. I strongly 

encourage you read the 

article and take the quiz 

in the Fall 2015 issue for 

a more in depth look 

at courtship. Although 

there will be hurt 

feelings if the courtship 

is cut short, it doesn’t 

compare to the pain that 

would be felt if physical 

boundaries are crossed. 

My dating experiences 

have taught me that 

when I date someone 

before being ready for marriage I run the 

risk of getting too emotionally attached and 

going too far physically. It’s kind of like when 

you put glue on a piece of paper and stick 

another piece of paper on top. The longer 

they’re stuck together, the harder it is to 

separate them. I stayed stuck to someone for 

too long and when we parted ways, we each 

walked away with tattered hearts. 

My advice: Guard your heart. Spend your 

single years developing your relationship 

with Jesus and serving at your church. Trust 

that God is good, and that He isn’t holding 

out on you – He loves you and will give you 

everything that He has planned for you when 

you’re ready to receive it. 

IT’S KIND OF LIKE WHEN YOU PUT GLUE ON A PIECE OF 

PAPER AND STICK ANOTHER PIECE OF PAPER ON TOP. THE 

LONGER THEY’RE STUCK TOGETHER, THE HARDER IT IS TO 

SEPARATE THEM. 

15 


16 

A RADIANT HEART - DEVELOPING A HEART OF DEVOTION 

Protection 

&Peace, 


NOW 

Psalm 23 


Green pastures. Cool waters. 

Goodness. Love. 

Life can come sometimes 

feel like it is coming at you so 

fast. Things like challenging 

relationships, hard situations 

at home or hard thoughts and 

feelings that overwhelm your 

heart and mind can make fear 

and anxiety surround you. 

When times like this come, 

you probably feel that you 

would do anything to get 

relief. To find peace and rest 

for you soul.

That peace and rest exists. The Lord has 

this and more for you. 

Psalm 23 was written by King David, a man 

who had seasons of life that were anything 

but peaceful. Sometimes these situations were 

of his own making and sometimes they were 

brought on by others who wanted to do him 

harm. But all the time, David’s heart trusted in 

the God who promised to lead his life every 

step of the way. 

King David writes about the promises of 

God that encouraged him through times 

that wanted to steal his confidence in God. 

Those promises? They are for you, too. 

When you heart is overwhelmed by hard 

things, you can trust that God will lead 

you the way a faithful shepherd guides his 

precious sheep. 

There’s probably nothing as restful and 

peaceful as sitting in a lovely, cool meadow 

beside a beautiful, calm pond of water. As 

you follow and obey the Lord, He will give 

your spirit rest and peace. Your confidence 

will be built up, knowing that He goes before 

you, fighting your battles and protecting you 

from harm. 

Remember that your fears are no match 

for the love the Lord has for you. His love 

for you is powerful and able to protect you 

from thoughts, feelings and lies that would 

make you doubt your security and identity 

in Christ. You are one of God’s precious 

sheep and He loves, values and cares for 

you in a way you can’t imagine. You don’t 

have to walk through life in fear because 

God is with you – “I will fear no evil for you 

are with me” (verse 4a). 

God’s promises and protections aren’t 

just for your hard times, they are for all of 

your life. Forever. “Surely goodness and 

love will follow me all the days of my life” 

(verse 6). 

Do you know who is goodness and love? 

The Lord. This is His character, this is who 

He is. And He will follow you all the days of 

your life, leading you to green pastures and 

quiet waters whenever you need Him to. 

Take some time to read through Psalm 

23 and commit to memory the promises 

God makes to you in the verses. When you 

need them, you’ll be able to bring them 

to mind when you need them most. God’s 

Word will be what He uses to lead you to 

the quiet, peaceful places He has for you 

where He will remind you of His goodness 

and the love.

18 

INTIMACY 

(INTO - ME - SEE) 


GRAFTED IN 

BY AURORA GREGORY 

t three days old, my father abandoned me 

and my mother. 

When I was two, my step-father, who 

AI’ve been told adored me, died. 

At 14, my father and I would meet for the 

only time. He would disappear from my life 

again for good three years later. 

In my mid-twenties, my mom, who raised 

me and my sister as a single parent, died. 

Throughout my life, losing people you’re 

not supposed to lose made a huge impact. 

God’s perfect order is that we are born into 

families that love, protect, nurture and care 

for us. It’s how we learn to 

be secure in relationships 

with other people and how to 

offer security to people who 

are in relationship with us. 

Security in relationships 

didn’t happen for me. 

Because I lost such important 

people very early in my life – my father 

and my stepfather – I never felt secure 

as a child. My mom was amazing and did 

everything she could to love and support 

us. But the damage had been done by the 

losses I suffered. By the time my mom died, 

I had spent my life feeling I was never safe 

in my relationships. 

When Jesus rescued me after my mom 

died, so much changed! One of the first 

Bible promises I became aware of was 

Psalm 68:6 – God places the lonely in

19 

families. That was me – I was lonely and 

I needed family to fill the gaps that were 

created by the losses that had hit my life. 

God began the process of grafting me 

into families. He gave me the most unlikely 

person for a sister. He turned people who 

had been present most of my life into 

parents. He gave me church friends who 

became spiritual sisters. I got another set of 

parents and sisters and brothers and more 

friends. I went from having very little family 

to having more family than I ever could 

have imagined! 

It didn’t happen all at once. But over time, 

I wasn’t lonely anymore. And because of 

Christ, I was free. Free to enjoy the families 

I had been placed in. Free to love and be 

loved. Free to be who Jesus created me to 

be and free to be accepted, imperfections 

and all. 

GOD PLACES THE LONELY IN FAMILIES; 

HE SETS THE PRISONERS FREE AND 

GIVES THEM JOY. 

PSALM 68:6 (NLT) 


20 


God is the giver of good gifts (James 

1:17). The thing about a gift is you have to 

be willing to receive it. To accept it. Early 

on, that was the hard part of getting the 

gift of family. When you’re grafted into 

a family, adopted by people who choose 

to love you, it can take time to believe it. 

And it can take time for them to believe 

you love them the way they love you. 

Eventually, I had to make 

a choice. I had to choose 

to accept the gift of family 

God was giving me. To 

embrace the people who 

were embracing me. It 

didn’t change the losses I 

had experienced earlier 

in life. But in choosing 

to be grafted into new 

families, I was accepting 

God’s provision for one of my greatest 

needs – the need to belong, to be loved, 

to be cared for. And to give those things 

in return. 

Maybe you’re like me. Maybe you’ve lost 

important people in your life. People that 

should still be in your world and aren’t 

anymore. Maybe you’re lonely. 

Know that your feelings are real. Know 

also that God sees you and cares 

deeply about you. 

Don’t despair. Turn to the Lord. 

God has a family for you. Look for 

people you can embrace and who 

will embrace you. And when you 

find them and they find you, 

receive the gift. Give yourself to 

your family with confidence. 

You’ll find freedom and you 

will find joy!

21

22 

The Performance Trap 

BY ANGEL CANTRELL 

(PARTIALLY TAKEN FROM THE SEARCH FOR 

SIGNIFICANCE BY ROBERT S. MCGEE) 


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

POP QUIZ 

Read each statement and then write the appropriate number in the 

blank space next to each statement according to the possible answers. 

1 ALWAYS 2 VERY OFTEN 3 OFTEN 4 SOMETIMES 

5 SELDOM 6 VERY SELDOM 7 NEVER 

Because of the fear that I 

won’t do well, I often avoid 

joining in certain activities. 

When I sense I might fail 

in some important area, I 

become seriously nervous 

and anxious. 

I feel anxious for no reason. 

I am a perfectionist. 

I have to defend my 

mistakes. 

I get depressed when I fail. 

I get mad at people who do 

things that make me look 

like I don’t know what I’m 

doing or like I’m stupid. 

I do certain activities in an 

effort to earn or prove my 

worth (at home, church, 

school, work, etc). 

TOTAL 

(For those of you who have a low 

score, choose today to get out 

of this trap and live free. And for 

the rest of you who don’t struggle 

with this, please read on and see 

how you can help a friend who 

struggles in this area.) 

The Performance Trap is the 

false promise that success and 

achievements will bring ultimate 

satisfaction and happiness. Those 

who buy into this lie build their 

lives and base their actions on this 

destructive belief. Some examples: 

I feel good about myself if... 

• I make the honor roll 

• I score high on my SAT/ACT 

• I lose 10 pounds 

• I get a certain job 

• I serve in a ministry at church 

• I manage my home well 

• I belong to ________ ethnic group 

• I volunteer at ________ place 

• My children are able to ________ 

• I have a boyfriend/husband 

What do you do or believe to earn 

your worth and value? 

These actions and goals, in and of 

themselves, are good and are not 

wrong. But they don’t define you. 

Whether you excel in them or not, you 

ALREADY have great worth. You are 

precious and honored; you captivate, 

by one glance of your eyes; you are 

greatly delighted in. And there is 

nothing you can do or not do that can 

change your worth, because all of our 

worth comes from God. Ultimately, 

you were worth dying for.

23 


24 


Therefore, let us change our thinking and 

say, “I feel good about myself because God 

sees me as precious; because God delights 

in me, because I captured His heart with 

once glance from my eyes. I feel good 

about myself because Jesus loved me 

so much, He died for me. And it has 

nothing to do with my performance. I can 

choose to live free and complete or in the 

performance trap; it’s a choice I make. 

Does that mean stop trying to do things 

in excellence? No, not at all. However, it 

does mean that you define your worth by 

what God says and not by what you do. If 

you fail at something, it doesn’t mean you 

are a failure. It is just another opportunity 

to learn and that is all. 

HERE IS A TOOL TO HELP FIGHT 

THIS FALSE BELIEF SYSTEM: 

• Choose your favorite ‘breath’ scriptures 

from below or choose one of your own 

• Make it personal (ex. I am precious in 

Your eyes – Isaiah 43:4) 

• Memorize it 

• Write it on a note cards and put in 

the bathroom mirror, rearview mirror, 

your purse, bedroom wall, closet, door, 

beside your bed, screen saver on your 

phone or computer, etc 

• Repeat them, every day, out loud, over 

and over, until you believe what you are 

saying. NO MATTER HOW LONG THIS 

TAKES or how crazy you look (days, 

weeks, months, years) - DON’T QUIT. 

POSSIBLE SCRIPTURES TO 

PERSONALIZE AND MEMORIZE 

THE LORD IS ON MY SIDE; I WILL NOT 

FEAR. WHAT CAN MAN DO TO ME? 

PSALM 118:6 

YOU HAVE STOLEN MY HEART WITH 

ONE GLANCE FROM YOUR EYES. 

SOLOMON 4:9 

THE LORD YOUR GOD IS WITH YOU, 

THE MIGHTY WARRIOR WHO SAVES. 

HE WILL TAKE GREAT DELIGHT IN 

YOU; IN HIS LOVE HE WILL NO 

LONGER REBUKE YOU, BUT WILL 

REJOICE OVER YOU WITH SINGING.” 

ZEPHANIAH 3:17 

BEHOLD, I HAVE ENGRAVED YOU ON 

THE PALMS OF MY HANDS. 

ISAIAH 49:16 

THE STEADFAST LOVE OF THE LORD 

NEVER CEASES; HIS MERCIES NEVER 

COME TO AN END; THEY ARE NEW 

EVERY MORNING; GREAT IS YOUR 

FAITHFULNESS. 

LAMENTATIONS 3:22-23 

I HAVE LOVED YOU WITH AN 

EVERLASTING LOVE; THEREFORE I 

HAVE CONTINUED MY FAITHFULNESS 

TO YOU. 

JEREMIAH 31:3 

BECAUSE YOU ARE PRECIOUS IN MY 

EYES, AND HONORED, AND I LOVE 

YOU, I GIVE MEN IN RETURN FOR YOU, 

PEOPLES IN EXCHANGE FOR YOUR 

LIFE. FEAR NOT, FOR I AM WITH YOU. 

ISAIAH 43:4-5

Filipino 

A Funny Word 

BY CHARMAINE ABASTA 

G 

WHAT AM I WORTH? 

od created us and made us in His image. The 

Bible says: “For you formed my inward parts; 

you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. 

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully 

made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it 

very well. My frame was not hidden 

from you, when I was being 

made in secret, intricately 

woven in the depths of the 

earth.” (Psalm 139:13-15) 

It took me a while 

to understand, but 

reflecting on this 

verse gives me peace 

knowing He created 

me just the way He 

wanted me to be. I am 

not made to be the 

same but unique and 

embrace that I am His. 

When I was 

younger, being 

different was hard for 

me to understand. 

Growing up as a 

child, I denied my 

Filipino roots. I was 

ashamed of my race and 

culture. I was as naïve as the 

people who asked about my 

ethnicity. Kids at school would 

ask, “Are you Chinese?” No, I would 

answer. “Are you Mexican?” No, I would reply. 

“What are you then?” I don’t know, I would say. 

There were not a lot of Filipinos at my school and 

being different was hard. 

Filipino was a funny word. I didn’t want to be 

made fun of. As I got older, the way I saw myself 

changed. I learned to love and embrace my roots 

and take pride in my heritage. 

When I was a freshman in college, I attended 

a cultural performance put on by the university’s 

Filipino Club. There were skits and 

beautiful traditional Filipino dances 

in the show. I was in awe. I wanted 

to be a part of what I saw. I wanted 

to know more and I wanted to have 

more Filipino friends who shared my 

cultural identity. 

I went to the club’s first meeting 

the following year and was greeted by 

so many friendly faces. I felt at home 

and comfortable around everyone. 

We laughed at the same jokes and 

understood the same stories. We all 

wanted to learn about our Filipino 

roots. The club brought us together 

and for the first time, I didn’t stand 

out as the “Asian girl”. 

Eventually, I became an officer and 

then was elected president of the 

club. Who would have thought the 

girl who once denied being Filipino 

would become the president of 

her university’s Filipino club?!? 

The girl who was inspired by a 

performance about Filipino 

culture was now leading the 

group! I was now helping 

others learn and appreciate 

their Filipino heritage. One 

night changed my life forever 

and from that experience, I 

have come to fully accept 

myself and appreciate 

my culture. I’m no longer 

ashamed of who I am. 

I thank God for showing 

me I was made for a purpose. 

The journey of finding 

myself was an answered 

prayer that has shaped me 

into the woman I am today. I 

learned that being different from 

everyone else is the best thing 

about me. My hair, the color of my 

skin, the food I eat, the shape of my 

body and that I speak more than one 

language is pretty cool. I learned that 

having a culture that is so rich in love is 

a blessing. It is who I am. 

I will instill my culture into my 

children and teach them about their 

roots so they can be proud of who 

they are and where they came from. 

Most importantly, I will teach them 

to know and understand God created 

them differently but perfectly and 

wonderfully at the same time. 

25 


27 

Our 


“GREATER” 

BY MERCYME 

Angel’s Pick 

“LOVE YOU MORE” 

BY KIM HILL 

Aurora’s Pick 

“NO LONGER SLAVES” 

BY JONATHAN & 

MELISSA HELSER & 

BETHEL MUSIC 

Sonia’s Pick 

Playlist 

“HE KNOWS MY NAME” 

BY FRANCESCA BATTISTELLI 

Brittany’s Pick 

“LEAN ON ME” 

BY CONSUMED BY FIRE 

Rubi Z’s Pick 

“SOMEDAY” 

BY JJ HELLER 

Jada’s Pick 

“TOUCH THE SKY” 

BY HILLSONG UNITED 

Martha’s Pick

28 


“You heavens above, rain 

down my righteousness; 

let the clouds shower it 

down. Let the earth open 

wide, let salvation spring 

up, let righteousness 

flourish with it; I, the 

LORD, have created it.” 

IS 45:8 NIV

29 


30 

THOSE WHO LOOK TO HIM ARE

31 

“ABOVE ALL, LOVE 

EACH OTHER 

DEEPLY.” 

1 PETER 4:8 NIV 


eautyTips 


32 

FOR BEAUTIFUL LIPS 

SMILE

33 

FOR BEAUTIFUL HANDS 

HELP SOMEONE UP 

FOR A BEAUTIFUL BODY 

PLAY WITH 

A CHILD

34 


For Real 

This Time 

G 

INVITATION TO RADIANCE 


rowing up, there was never a question 

about what I would believe in. My great 

grandfather was a preacher, three of my 

uncles were preachers, and just about every 

Sunday that I could remember was spent 

in children’s church. I 

loved Jesus, and knew 

that He loved me too. 

I was baptized when I 

was 12, and understood 

that baptism meant that 

I was making a public, 

symbolic declaration 

of my acceptance of 

Christ as my savior 

(kinda heavy for a kid in 

the sixth grade). I was 

used to hearing words 

like “salvation” and 

“filled with the spirit” 

but never knew what 

they meant, but that all 

changed when I was 15 

and went with a friend 

to a church camp in 

the mountains over a 

three day weekend. It 

was at that camp that I 

first encountered a real 

experience with God. 

Through the teachings 

of my youth pastors, 

and singing songs 

of love and worship to the Lord, I came to 

understand that salvation meant more than 

just going to church every Sunday. I learned 

that because of Christ’s obedience to dying 

on the cross to save the world, I had a choice 

to accept His sacrifice of love; a free gift that 

was being given to me that I could never 

earn in a million years. I learned that being a 

Christian didn’t mean that I had to be perfect 

or follow a bunch of rules to be loved and 

accepted by God, (He already accepted me) 

but that the most important thing was to 

develop a real relationship with the One who 

came to give me a life full of His love and 

abundance. On the second night of camp, 

I went up to the front of the room and told 

my youth pastor that I wanted to rededicate 

my life to Christ because I knew more at that 

time than I had known three years earlier. I 

stood there with about 10 others who wanted 

the same thing that I did, and we repeated 

after our pastor saying something like this: 

“Father God, I come to you as a sinner, 

knowing that I need a savior. I believe Jesus 

Christ died on the cross for my sins, and that 

You raised Him from the dead. I ask that You 

would come into my life, and be my Lord and 

Savior. I choose to live 

my life for You. In Your 

Son, Jesus’ name I pray, 

Amen.” 

After that moment, 

I remember feeling 

like a new person. I 

remember feeling like I 

was a part of something 

that was greater than 

me that would never 

be taken away. Today 

I want to offer that 

same experience to 

you. If you’ve never 

accepted Christ as your 

personal savior, take a 

few moments to pray 

the same simple prayer 

I did. The Bible says 

in Romans 10:9 that if 

you confess with your 

mouth that Jesus is 

Lord, and believe your 

heart that God raised 

Him from the dead, you 

will be saved. This is 

something to be excited 

about! All of your sins are forgiven, and you 

now have access to all of the promises and 

truths of God. We would love to hear about 

your commitment to a relationship with 

Christ, so please let us know at our website, 

simplyradiantmagazine.com

35 

NEED PRAYER? 

LET US HELP! 

Submit your prayer requests online at 

simplyradiantmagazine.com/prayers 

YOUR PRAYERS WILL ONLY BE SEEN BY OUR PRAYER TEAM 


WWW.SIMPLYRADIANTMAGAZINE.COM 

THOSE WHO LOOK 

TO HIM ARE RADIANT; 

THEIR FACES ARE NEVER 

COVERED WITH SHAME. 

PSALM 34:5

Simply Radiant Magazine: Winter

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