Independence Edition (July/August 2019)

volume 8, issue 4
july/august 2019

JULY - AUGUST 2019
CONTRIBUTORS
- writers -
REBECCA CARAWAY / OLIVIA NICKERSON / SARAH CNOSSEN /
LISA ELIS / EMILY SEAVER / MARY GRACE / KATIE FRENCH / JULIA
FINDLEY / AMANDA BROWN
- special contributor -
ROBIN JONES GUNN
- head photographer -
LEAH BUFFALINO
- illustrations -
RACHEL BROWN / EMMA FORDHAM / CAMI FORDHAM
- design -
AMANDA BROWN
Volume No. 8, Issue No. 4
WWW.OHBELOVEDONE.COM

THEME: INDEPENDENCE
kingdom creative: robin jones gunn 06
self care 08
strength in weakness 43
JOURNAL ENTRY NO. 3 47
made to 10
a
social
situation
26
depend
38
appendix 48
i can 17
how to love being alone 20
JOURNAL ENTRY NO. 1 25
a social situation 26
for the independent girl 32
JOURNAL ENTRY NO. 2 37
depend 38
appendix
cover: photo of Chloe Buffalino by Leah Buffalino
48
visit
WWW.OHBELOVEDONE.COM
to purchase previous magazines

EDITOR’S NOTE
Amanda Brown
EDITOR - IN - CHIEF
I am a self-proclaimed independent person. I've always told myself I
don't mind being by myself—EVER. I used to take great pride in this
and saw any kind of “dependence” as an enemy.
But sometimes we need people. Okay, a lot of times we need people.
And people need us too! It's time for us to put aside our petty #bossbabe
mantras and realize that yeah: I need you and you need me.
God created us to be in a community. Creation was proclaimed to be
"good," but Adam was missing something. All the other animals had
friends, but Adam was all alone. That was “not good”!
A big part of our testimony as Christians is that we do depend on each
other. We are all so beautifully diverse yet unified in a supernatural
way that brings the glory back to God. When tragedy strikes, we can
know we always have a shoulder to cry on. We have a Netflix account
to binge-watch movies, a buddy to sit with at required events, and a
listening ear when we just need to talk it out.
God does everything for a reason. There's a reason each of us were
designed and then placed on ONE earth. Loving others isn't easy, but
neither is anything important in life.
So, discard the world's wrong take on independence. We can't hold
our own! It's time to drop the egos and link arms in a community of
encouragement.
amanda brown + team

you have to be brave
to let people in
to trust them
with your story
and heart
and love
you can't just run away
bc you are scared
fear is real and terrifying
yes
but so is living alone
for the rest of your life
be brave
trust in God
and then
my dear friend
you will find beauty
— julia ryan

JULY/AUGUST 2019 OHBELOVEDONE.COM KINGDOM CREATIVE
k i n g d o m
c r e a t i v e s
meet robin jones gunn
Author of “Becoming Us” (an extension of the Christy Miller Series)
CREATIVE
OUTLETS
One of my outlets is journaling. That
might sound odd since I’m a writer.
But journaling feels different than
storytelling and is a much different
process than the skills used to write a
novel. I love the rare mornings when
I can sit outside and write heartfelt
prayers and poems in my journal or
explore verses that call out to me.
I live in Hawaii so getting outside
and enjoying the beauty of these
extraordinary islands is always a
favorite outlet.
PERSONALITY TRAITS
how God has
prepped me for
my purpose
I call myself a high-functioning introvert.
When I’m with people, I’m engaged and
love the fellowship. When the visit is over,
I need to be alone to get recharged. It’s
during the alone times that I process the
conversations and traits of the people I
was just with. This has helped me write
about a variety of personalities in a way
that feels authentic to the reader.
We are called to love others. To love
deeply. To care for them. Writers who do
this become more than just an observer
and reporter of human nature. When a
creative person invests in relationships,
they become more intuitive about
all the layers of human nature. The
depth and dimension of understanding
that comes from loving others and
cultivating rich relationships shows in
the art we create.
OH BELOVED ONE | 4

ADVICE
for fellow
creatives
JULY/AUGUST 2019 OHBELOVEDONE.COM ARTICLE TITLE HERE
The most necessary character qualities
an artist needs to develop are tenacity
and courage followed by humility and
a teachable spirit. Do you see why? It’s
because only the artist can do the hard
work to create the art and not give up in the
process. But, in order for it to be seen and
enjoyed, the work must be entrusted to
those who do a better job promoting than
the artist ever could.
OH BELOVED ONE | 5

JULY/AUGUST 2019 OHBELOVEDONE.COM KINGDOM CREATIVE
not a ONE WOMAN PROJECT
Even though writing for a fulltime
career might seem like an
independent endeavor, it is not. I’m
so grateful for the team I work with
in order to do my job well.
I have an agent, an editor, a
publisher, a marketing director, a
publicist, an assistant, a designer
and an intern. I work with a
fulfillment company because I have
an online shop that sells my books.
(ChristyMillerShop.com)
When my Father Christmas books
were made into 3 Hallmark
Christmas movies, I began working
with a screenwriter, an agent, a
producer and executive producer,
a director, the actors and the
network’s publicity team. When
the Christy Miller books went into
audio book production, I worked
with a narrator, a sound studio
engineer, a distribution company
and a designer.
Telling a story – the process
of getting an idea from my
imagination into words on a page
– is something only I can do. That
process takes discipline. I must shut
everything out in order to listen and
write and get the book turned in on
deadline to the publisher. Making
that story available to others is not a
one-woman project. obo
Telling
a story
is something
only I
can do.
OH BELOVED ONE | 6

JULY/AUGUST 2019 OHBELOVEDONE.COM ARTICLE TITLE HERE
i low-key
need this magazine
in my life.
buy other print
editions of OBO
by scanning this
barcode thingy
OH BELOVED ONE | 7

JULY/AUGUST 2019 OHBELOVEDONE.COM SELF CARE
self-care
by rebecca caraway
Self care is a phrase we hear
a lot. There is a whole "self
love, self care, be yourself"
movement going on right now
and has been for a while. When I
hear the phrase “self care” I think
of myself alone in my room eating
pizza, watching Netflix, wearing
a face mask, with a candle in the
background. But the self care
movement is a lot bigger than
that.
When I look at quotes about self
care, the big thing that people
say is that you need to put yourself
before anything else. Let's be
honest: I would love to wake
up every morning and take care
of myself, get breakfast, go on
a walk; but in a family with ten
other people that would honestly
be selfish. A lot of people don’t
have the luxury of putting
themselves first, and that's okay.
OH BELOVED ONE | 8

JULY/AUGUST 2019 OHBELOVEDONE.COM SELF CARE
Do nothing in
selfish ambition
or conceit, but
in humility count
others more
significant than
yourselves.
Philippians 2:3
This means that we shouldn’t
think that we or our needs are
more important than anyone else.
Now I'm not saying you
shouldn’t take care of yourself.
You absolutely should, especially
since the Bible says our bodies are
a temple. If you struggle with
with mental or physical health
then please take care of yourself.
This verse is about making sure
you don’t think of yourself more
important than others.
James 3:16 says, “For where
jealousy and selfish ambition
exist, there will be disorder and
every vile practice.”
Let's be real for a moment: no
one likes to think of themselves
as selfish. But it's very easy to fall
into selfish ambition. No one
wants to be selfish but it just happens.
The stress from everyday life can
become to much to the point where
we forget to care about the people
around us. We’re all guilty of it. I’ll be
the first to admit that after a long day,
I’d rather sit alone in my room than
help my mom around the house.
I know it's hard but we can't let
ourselves fall into selfish ambition.
Mark 12:31 says “The second is
this: ‘You shall love your neighbor
as yourself.’ There is no other
commandment greater than these.”
Next time you're in a situation where
you're struggling to put others needs
before your own, ask yourself to
treat that person as you want to treat
yourself. I guarantee you if we treated
others the way we’re told to treat
ourselves, the world would be a much
better place. obo
meet the
author
Rebecca lives in Southern California with her eight younger siblings. She is currently a senior in high school and plans to study
journalism and English in college. She loves spending time with friends, listening to music, and writing. You can often find her
in a coffee shop hanging out with friends.
OH BELOVED ONE | 9

made
to
by lisa elis
OH BELOVED ONE | 10

JULY/AUGUST 2019 OHBELOVEDONE.COM MADE TO
“Rock of Ages,
cleft for me,
let me hide
myself in Thee”
INDEPENDENCE. It’s the thing
that teenagers are famous for
wanting. We want to be free to do
our own thing our own way. And for
the most part, it’s all right. It’s part of
growing up and becoming an adult.
But as with all other things, there’s a
balance to strike. Before you go on to
become a fully functional grown-up,
I want to tell you something. There’s
one way in which we should never be
independent: independent of God.
Why not?
OH BELOVED ONE | 11

“Not the labor
of my hands can
fulfill Thy law’s
demands”

JULY/AUGUST 2019 OHBELOVEDONE.COM MADE TO
we
are
not
First of all, WE
ARE NOT ENOUGH
by ourselves to
do good or find
meaning in life.
“As the branch cannot bear
fruit by itself, unless it
abides in the vine, neither
can you, unless you abide
in me.” John 15:4 ESV
These days, you see the
message YOU ARE
ENOUGH everywhere.
I think that shows us
something: how much
people feel that they aren’t,
and how much they need
to be told they are before
they start believing it.
When humanity—or, to be
precise, Adam and Eve—
tried to be independent
and define good and evil
themselves, we discovered
we were not enough.
When Israel tried to be
independent, abandoning
God in order to rule and
live their own way, they
discovered they were not
enough.
When Solomon tried
to find the meaning of
life in every earthly thing
possible, independent of
God, he found it was not
enough.
enough
OH BELOVED ONE | 13

JULY/AUGUST 2019 OHBELOVEDONE.COM MADE TO
But that’s all right.
Because God IS. That has
been the whole idea since the
beginning. We were meant
to be connected to God in
such a way that His fullness
made us enough. That’s why
Paul said, “I will boast of
my weaknesses . . . that the
power of Christ may rest
upon me.” (2 Cor 12:9 ESV)
We cannot be independent
of God because we are not
enough to save ourselves.
We are not enough to follow
the straight and narrow way
of Jesus. We are not enough
to accomplish the purpose
that God has set before us.
Only because of Him, only in
Him, we CAN.
OH BELOVED ONE | 14

JULY/AUGUST 2019 OHBELOVEDONE.COM MADE TO
Secondly, we cannot be
independent of God IF WE
WANT TO KNOW HIM.
“And this is eternal life, that
they know you, the only true
God, and Jesus Christ whom
you have sent.” (John 17:3
ESV)
we
want to
knowHim
There’s a difference between
knowing ABOUT God and
KNOWING God. Those
who know God know Him
by experience. But how can
you obey, experience and know
God if you are independent? If
you can
do everything you need to do
have everything you need
are enough for yourself
how can you know him?
When Moses led the children
of Israel through the wilderness,
they got to know God as their
merciful provider because
they were not enough to feed
themselves.
When the Assyrians attacked
Israel in the days of Hezekiah,
the people got to know God
as their deliverer because they
were not enough to defend
themselves.
When the rich young man came
to Jesus and asked how to earn
eternal life, he was told that he
should, first, become poor and,
second, follow Jesus—and I
think it was so that in his new
poverty he could get to know
God and Jesus in person and
therefore FIND ETERNAL
LIFE.
They say “a friend in need is a
friend indeed.” I think that can
be applied to God. He’s the
ultimate friend, and the best
time you can get to know Him
is when you need Him.
meet the
author
Lisa Elis is a busy high school junior from Canada who spends her free time chasing many literary interests. She's also into art
and design, orchids and sunshine, plus all things that grow her wanderlust. Find her scrambling to post every week at
www.thisinkwell.blogspot.com.
OH BELOVED ONE | 15

JULY/AUGUST 2019
OHBELOVEDONE.COM
ARTICLE TITLE HERE
I
can
by olivia nickerson
OH BELOVED ONE | 16

JULY/AUGUST 2019 OHBELOVEDONE.COM I CAN
There is a lot of talk about
being independent. And
yet some people argue
that they ARE independent when,
in fact, they don’t know how to
do some of the simple things
in life that can help grant their
independence. Things such as
changing a baby’s diaper, changing a
flat tire, and learning how to cook
and bake are great ways to prove
that you can be independent and
do thingson your own. It can also
be a way to help others and spread
the gospel. I’ll tell you how.
No. 1 / change a baby's diaper
What if one day you have to babysit a child who still needs diapers? Or
think of it this way: you may get married in the future and have your own
children. Knowing how to change a baby’s diaper would be an extremely
useful skill. And it’s not hard. You can do it!
No. 2 / change a tire
My dad is a mechanic. Even so, I am not the biggest fan of cars or even
very knowledgeable of them. I am slowly gaining more information about
them, but it’s not something that is my passion or comfort zone. You may
be the same way.
It can be easy to avoid the things that we think we don’t need to learn
about. However, changing a flat tire, though perhaps not the most
interesting thing to learn, will be helpful and maybe even life-saving in
certain situations.
For example, when I visited a few states in the U.S. last year with some
of my family, there was a day on which we traveled for miles and miles
through Death Valley, in Arizona. There were no gas stations, no food
stops—nothing. There were no signs warning people of the duration of the
oncoming trek. An unprepared traveler could easily find themselves in a
bad situation if they broke down or ran out of gas along the way. In that
case, knowing how to change a flat tire could definitely be life-saving.
OH BELOVED ONE | 17

JULY/AUGUST 2019 OHBELOVEDONE.COM I CAN
No. 3 / learn to bake and cook
​There are plenty of cases in which you will use this skill, such as living on
your own one day, getting married, bringing something to an event or a
friend’s house, making dinner for your family or a sick friend, preparing
a meal for children whom you babysit, and so much more.
From a young age, my mom let us help around the kitchen. She would let
us watch her as she made dinner or a sweet treat, and she would allow us to
pour things in and stir the food. She also taught us how to make the dishes
and desserts, especially when we grew older. I am so glad that I was taught
that knowledge as I grew up. It has never been something that has not been
useful.
Even if you have not had that opportunity growing up, I highly encourage
every girl and guy to learn how to cook and bake ​now.
a beloved bundle will have
recipe cards {here}
​These three things that I’ve discussed
are just a few of the things that I would
encourage girls, especially as teenagers,
to learn. There are so many people
who don’t know how to do some of
these things, and you never know
when God will use those specific skills
in a specific situation.
For all you know, learning how to
change a flat tire could grant you an
opportunity to help someone in need,
and in doing so, tell them about Jesus. Isn’t
that cool?
I hope you can go and accomplish some of
these things today, and therefore become
more independent in this world. But don’t
forget! We can’t conquer daily challenges or ​
anything ​really, without ​God. ​So continue
to follow after Him, and remember to do
things in His strength and not your own.
meet the
author
Olivia Nickerson is a high-school student, growing writer, and a Christian saved by grace. She loves Lindt chocolate, being an
aunt to little Jasper, spending time with her family and friends, and dreaming. Besides writing, Olivia loves spending time with
her family and friends in almost any way, playing board games, sports, and music.
OH BELOVED ONE | 18

JULY/AUGUST 2019 OHBELOVEDONE.COM HOW TO ARTICLE LOVE BEING TITLE ALONE HERE
how to
love
being alone
by emily seaver
OH BELOVED ONE | 19
OH BELOVED ONE | 19

JULY/AUGUST 2019 OHBELOVEDONE.COM HOW TO LOVE BEING ALONE
I'm a social introvert, basically
meaning that I both love and am
exhausted by being around people.
I need my alone time, which can be
tempting to use selfishly or to waste.
When I give into those temptations, I'm
forgetting a very important truth: our
time is not our own. Time is a gift from
God to be used for His glory. By using
my time selfishly, I'm not protecting the
gift He's given me. Sometimes all we
need is a little reminder to use our time
wisely, and sometimes we need to be
told exactly how to do it.
OH BELOVED ONE | 20

JULY/AUGUST 2019 OHBELOVEDONE.COM HOW TO ARTICLE LOVE BEING TITLE ALONE HERE
01. use your talents
We all have talents, gifts given to us by
our Creator, and we are called to use them
wisely. While being around others is a great
opportunity to use those talents, alone time
can be used to develop those gifts. Do you
love to be hospitable? Work on a new recipe
or try making a new table arrangement. Enjoy
arts and crafts? Hand letter a Bible verse. If
you can't think of a specific way to use your
giftings, attempt something new that you've
never done before! You might just find that it's
super fun.
02. r e l a x
You don't have to be constantly doing. Yes,
our to-do list might be piling up, but as long
as we're not simply procrastinating, there's
nothing wrong with taking a break to read or
listen to music. Sometimes the best thing after
a busy day is to simply relax.
OH BELOVED ONE | 21
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JULY/AUGUST 2019 OHBELOVEDONE.COM HOW TO LOVE BEING ALONE
03. grow your relationship
That sounds awfully strange, right? How
could one use her alone time to grow her
relationship? Well, I'm not talking about
human relationships. I'm talking about our
relationship with our Creator. Sometimes in
the chaos of our daily lives, one of the most
important relationships can get lost and
forgotten. Use your alone time to pray and read
the Bible. If you find your thoughts wandering
during your prayer time, I've found it's often
helpful to pray out loud. These simple times of
investing in our relationship with God can be
so impactful in your growth.
04. let your thoughts drift
I have to admit it: sometimes I have no idea
how to use my alone time. Sometimes my
thoughts wander too far to reign them back
into whatever I'm attempting to do. That's
honestly okay. When our thoughts wander, it
gives us the opportunity to be creative or to
think through problems we've been facing.
Taking a walk in nature or exercising or
journaling are all great ways to start letting
your mind wander. I've even done a “stream
of conscious” doodling game where I draw
whatever I think of.
OH BELOVED ONE | 22

JULY/AUGUST 2019 OHBELOVEDONE.COM HOW TO LOVE BEING ALONE
However you use your alone time, it
can be used wisely or foolishly. While
we all make mistakes and waste time,
one of the most practical ways to not
is to make a plan. You can have an
idea of what you will use to make the
most of your time, and before you
know it you'll be refreshed and relaxed
and using your alone time well. obo
meet the
author
Emily lives in sunny, ever-humid South Carolina and co-blogs at growingintofriends.com. She spends her days being creative
and dreaming up impractical yet exciting ideas when she doesn't have to deal with reality. She is a freshman in highschool, uses
as many big words as she can find, and reads every book she can get her hands on.
OH BELOVED ONE | 23
OH BELOVED ONE | 23

JULY/AUGUST 2019 OHBELOVEDONE.COM ARTICLE TITLE HERE
journal entry
It's time to make a plan, Sam! Write a litst below of THREE new skills you want to learn in
the next month (check out our appendix for more ideas about skills to learn).
life
Well done. Now, make actionable steps. Plan out what courses you need to take, what time you
is
need to make, what money you need to save.
background: vecteezy
a
group
project
OH BELOVED ONE | 24

JULY/AUGUST 2019 OHBELOVEDONE.COM A SOCIAL SITUATION
Picture this: you walk into a
convention center for a friend’s
anniversary celebration with
your parents in tow, or rather, your
parents enter with you in tow. That
said, you still anticipated this event with
excitement. I mean who doesn’t like a
fun atmosphere, good food, and being
with lots of people?
While few would argue with the first
two items I mentioned, it is likely that
the latter is more controversial. For
instance, perhaps the only reason you
were willing to attend this event in the
first place was because you were going
there with your parents.
In my opinion, this reason is completely
legitimate, especially concerning the fact
that I have used it myself.
A SOCIAL
SITUATION
by katie french
OH BELOVED ONE | 25

JULY/AUGUST 2019 OHBELOVEDONE.COM A SOCIAL SITUATION
Parents are great for providing
introductions, starting
conversations, and even serving
as a shield that some choose
to hide behind. However,
regardless of whether or not
you choose to use your parents
as this so called “shield,” there
is a day that comes (for pretty
much every individual on the
planet) when you no longer
have to option to take your
parents with you into the social
sphere.
For many, this occurs when
they go to college. For some,
earlier; for others, later.
For me, loss of parental
protection in the social sphere
most definitely occurred when
I started college at a university
thousands of miles away from
my home. While I was not
one to hide behind my parents
or fully rely on them in social
situations growing up, I still
had to adjust to life in the
social sphere without them.
They were no longer there
to introduce me to people,
clear an awkward pause in
conversation, or maintain a
conversation that I no longer
wished to be a part of (selfish I
know, but admittedly, I think
most of us have been there).
Let's learn how to enter the
social sphere singlehandedly
while communicating and
interacting effectively.
OH BELOVED ONE | 26

JULY/AUGUST 2019 OHBELOVEDONE.COM A SOCIAL SITUATION
1. Be open.
By openness, I do not just mean that
you must be willing to talk (that should
be obvious *insert laughing emoji
here*). Rather, be willing to talk to
anyone. I can think of many instances
in which I ended up conversing with
people to whom I never expected, and
I had to maintain openness to do so. A
friend’s parent, a previous acquaintance
who I never thought I would encounter
again, a professor or someone else
of higher authority, and even a
transgender who stepped into a church
I had the privilege of visiting.
Obviously, you just never know who
you might cross paths with or what
conversations may come up (adults do
talk about more than just the weather,
folks), so be ready!
2. Be resilient.
Before explaining this, I will admit that
I had to look up the definition of this
word before using it to ensure that it
was the right one.
According to dictionary.com, “resilient”
is an adjective that means “springing
back; rebounding.” Other definitions
define this word as returning to one’s
original state after some kind of
fluctuation.
Ultimately, by saying “be resilient,” I
mean that you should be able to stand
up for what you believe, resist gossip,
and avoid the negative influence of
others. Yes, listen; yes, take advice. But
don’t let others’ words get you down
and have a greater affect on you than
they should.
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JULY/AUGUST 2019 OHBELOVEDONE.COM A SOCIAL SITUATION
3. Be interesting . . .
(but more importantly, be interested).
Whether or not you are one to
initiate conversation, you can always
bring something to the table. Think
creatively. Ask others about their life
and what is going on in it. When they
respond, listen carefully to what they
are saying.
Regardless of how much you may have
in common with another person, you
can always take interest in them. I have
often found that just asking someone
about their day or about a recent event
in their life can produce oodles of
conversation. Will this always work?
No. But it’s a good start, a springboard
for potential areas of subject matter
that could be brought up later in the
conversation.
4. Be mindful
When it comes to how long a
conversation lasts or what impression
it makes, this is probably the most vital
aspect.
Mindfulness is essential to conversation
because it provides breadth and depth.
When a person is not mindful, he
tends to ignore how much he talks
about himself, the length of time for
which he talks, and perhaps even the
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JULY/AUGUST 2019 OHBELOVEDONE.COM A SOCIAL SITUATION
volume at which he is talking.
On the other hand, when a
person is mindful, all of these
scenarios are flipped. And when
consideration of the other person
comes into play, both parties are
refreshed after the conversation
comes to a close.
We have all been part of
conversations that are selfcentered
and obnoxious. We can
all attest to the fact that they
can leave people feeling quite
miserable afterwards. So think
and don’t fall into this trap.
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JULY/AUGUST 2019 OHBELOVEDONE.COM A ARTICLE SOCIAL TITLE SITUATION HERE
All of this to say, I hope that my four “tips” have given
you a glimpse of what I have learned from my first year
of “social independence.”
Surrounded by hundreds of unfamiliar faces, I definitely
had to learn how to find my way through deep waters.
However, in doing so, I was privileged to meet many
great people and be part of conversations that I never
would have expected to take place.
So, what should you do? What is your next step towards
“social independence?” Whether or not you are in a
position that requires you to be completely socially
independent, be willing to step out of your comfort
zone. Be open, resilient, interesting, and mindful
in order to effectively use your mouth, a powerful
instrument that God has given you, to converse with
others for His glory.
After all, God independently spoke the world into
existence, so why shouldn’t we be willing to step out
independently and speak in a capacity that is minuscule
compared to His?
“O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your
praise.” (Psalm 51:15)
obo
meet the
author
Katie French, a Washington state native, is currently a freshman at Bob Jones University in South Carolina with a
major in Journalism and Mass Communication. She enjoys writing, and hopes that that may be a means by which
she can relay truth to others.
OH BELOVED ONE | 30
OH BELOVED ONE | 30

JULY/AUGUST 2019 OHBELOVEDONE.COM ARTICLE TITLE HERE
for the
independent
girl
by mary grace
OH BELOVED ONE | 31

JULY/AUGUST 2019 OHBELOVEDONE.COM FOR THE INDEPENDENT GIRL
Are you independent? I sure
am! When I was a baby, I
didn’t even want to be held,
but instead I wanted to crawl
around on the floor. How crazy
is that? I’ve been pondering
what being independent really
means this past week so I
looked up the definition of
being independent on Google
and this is what I came up with:
1. Free from outside control;
not depending on another's
authority.
2. Not depending on another
for livelihood or subsistence.
Being independent doesn't
mean that you need to do
everything alone. I would hate
being independent if that's
what being independent meant!
A girl can be independent and
like people at the same time.
(That’s a good thing, right?)
Our society is starting to
realize that being independent
is a good thing. Before, girls
and women were expected to
depend on men and boys. One
of the reasons that society has
started to realize that being
OH BELOVED ONE | 32

JULY/AUGUST 2019 OHBELOVEDONE.COM FOR THE INDEPENDENT GIRL
independent is good is that a
lot of girls see their parents as
people who just feed them, not
a protector or a comforter.
Fortunately, most Christian
families are very protective
and caring so as Christian
girls we can dwell in that rich
environment. However, that’s
not always true, especially for
non-Christian families.
Society is finding out, however,
that girls being dependent is a
good thing.
But, it’s also hard for us girls
not to take being independent
too far and tell ourselves that
we don’t need anyone to be in
control of us, inlucluding our
parents (someone that Christ
has set over) or even Christ
himself!
Sometimes we tell ourselves
that being independent means
that we can’t ask for help when
we’re struggling. I was dealing
I don’t want to ask for help, because
if I don’t, I’m not being brave.
OH BELOVED ONE | 33

JULY/AUGUST 2019 OHBELOVEDONE.COM FOR THE INDEPENDENT GIRL
But it seemed to hurt
worse because I’m a big
talker, whether I’m hurting
or not. I like to spill my
feelings out to mentors and
friends.
But recently, my mom and
I were talking about being
independent and my mom
mentioned how we can be
independent, but we have
to make sure that we are
also remembering that we
need to be dependent on
God. I started to realize,
the more we talked, that I
have been trying to depend
on myself and no one else.
Psalm 37:5 says,
Depend on
the Lord;
Trust him,
And He will
take care of
you.
Yes, it’s a pretty simple and
short verse, but it makes
you think a bit.
Trust in the Lord
means that you need to
trust the Lord, no matter
what is happening around
you or who are you are.
So, if you are independent
(like me!) then that means
that you need to seek and
trust the Lord. You will not
regret it!
And the second part of the
verse speaks a bit to me as
well when it says, “With
all your heart”. That
means that you should be
trying to set God first in
your life, not yourself.
Sometimes it’s really hard
for me not to look at
OH BELOVED ONE | 34

JULY/AUGUST 2019 OHBELOVEDONE.COM FOR THE INDEPENDENT GIRL
family, friends or even God and
put myself first in my mind. I often
think about how much better I can
do this or that.
1 Peter 5:6-7 reminds me that I
need to humble myself before God
and others. (Family, friends, and
even those we don’t know).
Humble yourselves,
Then, under God’s mighty hand,
So that He will lift you
Up in His own time.
Leave all your worries with Him,
Because He cares for you.
We need to humble ourselves so that
God can take us and mold us into
who he wants us to be. If we act as
though we don’t need anyone to
help us and guide our lives, we are
refusing God’s help automatically.
We can be independent yet dependent
on God at the same time. I
love being independent, and being
dependent obo on God . . . what about
you?
meet the
author
Mary Grace loves being an extroverted daughter and big sis to five (amazingly silly) siblings. When she isn't goofing off with
her friends or family you can find her writing, reading, dancing, or exploring the big wide world. Visit her online at her blog
https://hopesandjoys.wordpress.com/ to see how crazy this girl really is!
OH BELOVED ONE | 35

JULY/AUGUST 2019 OHBELOVEDONE.COM ARTICLE TITLE HERE
Read the statements below and circle them if they sound like you.
I don't want to have to depend on someone else for anything.
I don't want to look weak.
I've been let down before so I just don't trust anyone anymore.
No one can help me.
If I ask for help, I'm not being brave.
I'm strong and capable. I don't need a man.
journal entry
Do any of those sound familiar? Although there may be a thread of truth in each of these,
ultimately, they're just wrong! We are in a community for a reason. You aren't weak if you ask
a guy to carry something for you; you aren't pathetic if you have to have a cryfest in your
bedroom. Use the space below to keep writing down these "independence lies" you've been harboring.
OH BELOVED ONE | 36
OH BELOVED ONE | 36

JULY/AUGUST 2019 OHBELOVEDONE.COM ARTICLE TITLE HERE
D
EPEN
D
by sarah cnossen
OH BELOVED ONE | 37

JULY/AUGUST 2019 OHBELOVEDONE.COM ARTICLE TITLE HERE
w e a l l h a v e
s o m e o n e w e
t r u s t
We are not guaranteed that person
will never break our trust, however
intentionally or unintentionally, but it’s
safe to assume you have somebody (or
many somebodies) you depend on.
OH BELOVED ONE | 38

JULY/AUGUST 2019 OHBELOVEDONE.COM DEPEND
Who are they? A best friend? A
sibling? Your mom—dad? A
grandparent?
Is it good, is it
okay to depend
on such flawed,
imperfect beings?
Absolutely! God gives us such
lovely people to aid in our
life journey. If we did not
have families and friends, our
adventures would be incredibly
dull and prone to failure.
What would Frodo have been
without the faithful Sam? Or
Aragorn without Legolas and
Gimli? How would the Pevensie
children have succeeded in
defeating the White Witch
without the strengths (and
weaknesses) they each brought to
their family?
Have you ever wondered why
Aslan made each of them kings
and queens of Narnia, and not
simply the eldest, Peter? And
what of the Avengers? Granted,
even the lot of them had almost
no hope of defeating Thanos, but
there’s still more to the chapter.
In their defeat and the grief of
enormous loss, they step up and
band together even stronger than
before—with no guarantee of
OH BELOVED ONE | 39

JULY/AUGUST 2019 OHBELOVEDONE.COM DEPEND
victory, but the assurance
that they must try.
The people we depend on
are certainly not perfect in
any way. Neither are we!
That’s how we work
together so well—we build
off of each other’s strengths
and weaknesses to create
a well-oiled machine. It is
quite unfair to constantly
expect such a lofty thing as
perfection of them, but even
in their failings and flaws,
there is something rather
beautiful about how they
love us.
It is the people we depend
on the most who have seen
us at our darkest—and yet,
they never waver in their
encouragement and support.
I pray you are blessed to have
someone like that. And if not,
ask our King to send them to
you. Frodo needs his Sam!
I hail from a loving, Christian
home where I never had to
doubt the love of my mother
and father, nor my siblings, or
any of my extended family.
As the eldest of four children, I
felt the heavy burden of being
a good example to my sisters
and brother. I failed so very
often. But they never gave up on
me, and I’ve always seen them
as being stronger of character
in comparison—perhaps due
to my failings. I love them all
dearly and count them as my
closest friends, both while we
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JULY/AUGUST 2019 OHBELOVEDONE.COM DEPEND
were growing up and now that we
are adults.
Now, I am married to my amazing
Mr. Darcy and we have a precious
little boy. Come October, we will
celebrate three years of depending
on each other and the God who
sustains us. In those near-three
years, we have both learned SO
MUCH.
My husband is the person I depend
on every day to love and encourage
me as I tend to my duties as a wife
and mama. In turn, he depends on
me to have an orderly home, a joyful
attitude, and a diligent heart. And
more than anyone, he knows my
failures and the simple fact I may let
him down—often.
I have learned he is not perfect,
just as I am not, and that I cannot
expect him to read my mind or agree
with everything I want or say. It is
imperative wives should not place
their husbands on such a high
pedestal that once they fall—and
they will—the world goes to chaos
in their minds.
They are human, just as we are,
and they can’t be expected to be
a Superman, all-knowing and allseeing.
Only One being
is that.
obo
meet the
author
Sarah Cnossen is a stay-at-home wife to Evan & mama to Gabe. She’s a native Tennessean, a daughter of the King,
an aspiring writer, and avid reader & reviewer of books. She blogs at sarah-plainandaverage.blogspot.com, and is
99.9% sure she’s a Disney princess and that she married her Beast.
OH BELOVED ONE | 41

JULY/AUGUST 2019 OHBELOVEDONE.COM ARTICLE TITLE HERE
the room was full of
people and yet i was
completely alone.
strength
in
weakness
by julia findley
OH BELOVED ONE | 42

JULY/AUGUST 2019 OHBELOVEDONE.COM ARTICLE TITLE HERE
The room was full of sounds
and yet I sat in utter silence.
The room was brightly lit and
yet I was in pitch blackness.
My friends were talking to
me and I couldn’t say a single
word. It was summer and the
room was warm, but I felt like
it was winter. My phone was
in my hands and yet I couldn’t
even put in the passcode for a
friend.
I was scared.
I was fearful.
I was weak.
This past summer I broke
down. I shut down and I didn’t
know what to do. After a day
filled with fun with friends,
when it came time to sit for
a few hours, I got completely
overwhelmed.
I didn’t feel it coming. I had
an ice cold drink in my hand
and missed the warning signs.
Instead I remember the little
boy yelling. I asked him to stop
but he didn’t.
I remember the lady who sat in
front of me opening a bottle of
peppermint essential oil. The
smell burned inside my nose.
And then
I started
shutting
down.
All of the noise was muted. It
was suddenly dark. I remember
someone asking what was
wrong, was I okay?
No, no I wasn’t.
And then I remember arms
around me and a sweet voice
praying for me, over and over
again asking God to help
me. Then the tears started, I
couldn’t stop them. I realized I
wasn’t alone.
My phone started buzzing, my
OH BELOVED ONE | 43

friends sitting all around me
who couldn’t reach me, asking
if I was okay, saying they were
there for me.
Don’t be afraid, my friends!
It’s okay to ask for help.
It's scary, and it makes you
vulnerable. But it is okay. We
are not on this journey of life
or Christianity alone. But as
2 Corinthians 12:9 says “But
he said to me, My grace is
sufficient for you, for my power
is made perfect in weakness.”
Therefore I will boast all the
more gladly of my weaknesses,
so that the power of Christ may
rest upon me.”
But I’m
bothering
everyone…
No one wants to be around
someone who just wants to cry.
Your friends are there to
support you. Tell someone you
trust.
Find someone who will let you
talk about what’s going on in
your life—someone who will
pray for you, someone who will
send you text messages, who
will send you a Bible verse they
read and made them think of
you. Find friends that will go
OH BELOVED ONE | 44

JULY/AUGUST 2019 OHBELOVEDONE.COM ARTICLE TITLE HERE
out for coffee, or ice cream or
pizza; that will do a Bible study
with you to show you God’s
grace and strength and power.
Our weakness isn’t something
we should stay and hide in.
It's hard, trust me I know. Be
a phoenix and rise from the
ashes. Or be a hermit crab that
emerges from his shell.
I stood up and walked for a
bit to get some fresh air. As
I walked, I thanked God for
friends who were there for me
in my weakness. It wasn’t easy
but I found strength.
And you can too.
obo
STRUGGLING
WITH SADNESS?
it's ok.
get our free e-book "Low" by signing up for our mailing list by visiting
www.ohbelovedone.com/magazine.
meet the
author
Julia is a student who loves to travel and loves to use her words to impact others. When she is not working you can
find her sipping coffee, strumming her ukulele Bucky, studying or napping.
OH BELOVED ONE | 45

a
journal entry
JULY/AUGUST MAY/JUNE 2019 2019 OHBELOVEDONE.COM ARTICLE TITLE HERE
Read Romans 8, Lamentations 3, and 2 Corinthians 4. Write out the parts that really speak to
you. (These were some of my favorite verses to read when I was going through my own battle with
depression)
OH BELOVED ONE | 46
OH BELOVED ONE | 46

ppendix
JULY/AUGUST 2019 OHBELOVEDONE.COM ARTICLE TITLE HERE
a list of sassy how-to's for the modern girl by amanda brown
a list of sassy how-to's for the modern girl by amanda brown
a list of sassy how-to's for the modern girl by amanda brown
a list of sassy how-to's for the modern girl by amanda brown
appendix
OH BELOVED ONE | 47

JULY/AUGUST 2019 OHBELOVEDONE.COM APPENDIX
unclog a toilet
1. Turn the water off by removing the lid from
the top and closing the open flapper.
2. If you can't find a plunger (or need help
after), add hot water to the toilet bowl; this
may unclog the toilet without you having to
start to plunge. If that doesn't work, try adding
dish detergent.
3. Grab your handy dandy plunger. Run it
under hot water if you need to unstiffen it, then
begin plunging.
4. If the water starts overflowing again, close
the flapper and then try plunging again.
cook like a boss
1. Ask your mom, grandmother, or a friend to
commit to teaching you just one simple recipe
a week. Start with the basics, then go crazy!
2. If you need extra motivation, grab a
cookbook or follow someone you look up to
(like Joanna Gaines) for recipe inspiration.
3. Watch the cooking channel. You might pick
up on interesting tips that'll make you feel like
a pro.
4. Make things you like. Write down your
favorite dishes (maybe even restaurant dishes)
and then find recipes to follow.
OH BELOVED ONE | 48

JULY/AUGUST 2019 OHBELOVEDONE.COM APPENDIX
save a life
1. If you are helping anyone with a
cut, always wear gloves to help you
prevent infection in you and the
other person.
2. If you are in an emergency situation,
take charge. Instead of yelling
for someone to call 911 and someone
to bring you bandages, point at someone
specific and tell them to call 911
and point at specific people when you
tell them to do tasks. Otherwise you
will notice the bystander effect where
every single person will assume others
are doing the action. Take charge, be
assertive.
3. If you are waiting for EMS to
arrive on the scene of an injured
person, hold the person's hand and
tell them to squeeze as tightly as they
need to. Talk them through taking
deep breaths and try to keep their
mind of the injury. And while you are
doing this, keep your other hand on
their wrist to monitor their pulse, and
take notice if there are drastic changes
in their heart rate, as that is a vital
piece of information.
Special thanks to Steven Cross for
submitting this information because,
unfortunately, when it comes to saving
people I am not quite in the know.
speak with confidence
1. Maintain eye contact. If the human folk are
psyching you out, look above their heads.
2. Don't start speaking until you get up to the
podium or are facing people.
3. Bring note cards or an outline, but don't
read from a script if possible.
4. I have a love-hate relationship with
powerpoints. For one things, they get peoples'
eyes off you . . . but, then again, how do you
know they aren't just zoning you out?
5. Speak on things you know about. If you
don't know, do your research.
OH BELOVED ONE | 49

JULY/AUGUST 2019 OHBELOVEDONE.COM APPENDIX
fix a flat tire
You should have a jack, lug wrench, fully
inflated spare tire, and a vehicle owner’s
manual. Bridgestone suggests you keep
these additional items in your car for a
flat tire situation: flashlight with working
batteries, small cut of 2"x6” wood to
secure the jack, gloves, and wheel wedges
(don't ask me what this is).
1. Find a safe place to set up camp. Make
sure to turn on your hazards and parking
brake because you don't want this thing
to roll away or for people to think you're
sketchy.
2. Put your wheel wedge in front of the
front tires if you're fixing the back tires,
or behind the back tires if you're fixing
the front. You could also use bricks,
stones, or a 24-pack of Pepsi.
3. Remove the hubcap.
4. Loosen the lug nuts with the—gasp—
lug wrench. Helpful. Don't remove them
all the way.
5. Raise your car with the jack about six
inches.
6. Remove the lug nuts.
7. Get that tire off the hub and replace
with the spare tire.
defend yourself
from villains
1. Scream and make as much
noise as possible to disorient
them.
2. Use the butt of your palm
for a hit to their chin or nose,
your fingers to poke their eyes,
or there's always the trusty
knee to the groin.
3. If they grab you, thrash side
to side or drop your weight
(like a mad toddler.)
4. YouTube is your best friend.
There's plenty of videos out
there! I particularly like this
one: https://www.youtube.
com/watch?v=CKaa19kpqzM.
8. Tighten the lug nuts twice: before and
after you lower the car.
9. Replace the hub cab. EASY, RIGHT?
OH BELOVED ONE | 50

JULY/AUGUST 2019 OHBELOVEDONE.COM APPENDIX
write like dickens
1. Take out uneccesary adjectives and
annoyingly repetative adverbs.
2. Watch your tricky words like their/there/
they're and its/it's.
3. Stay away from passive voice. You can usually
spot it by finding a past tense helping verb
with a word ending in -ing. Ex: That guy was
helping her.
4. Realize just how important good writing
is. It's often a first impression! (I see you guys
flinging tomatoes at me)
5. Do it often. The best way to get better is to
just do it!
have a budget
if you purchased our bundle this
time 'round, you get access to a
budget planner! The QR code will
be HERE.
1. Figure out your expenses for every six
months. Make sure to add a buffer for those
unexpected costs (use 10% of your actual
expenses).
2. Write down your income. This is the nice
part.
3. Start setting savings goals. What are you
saving up for? New furniture? A trip? Make it
something exciting to encourage yourself.
4. Figure out a way to record your spending,
saving, and income.
OH BELOVED ONE | 51

JULY/AUGUST 2019 OHBELOVEDONE.COM ARTICLE TITLE APPENDIX HERE
get healthy
1. Write down weekly plans for food and
workouts.
2. Find your resources. We aren't born
knowing how to perfectly implement a
workout routine! There's plenty of free
videos and tutorials online. some of my
favorites are nourish move love, ballet
beautiful, sweat love fitness CHECK ME,
and popsugar fitness.
3. Get familiar with types of workouts
and what best fits your schedule/preference/body
type. There are HIIT (high
intensity interval training), ballet barre,
cardio, and others. You can also target
certain parts of the body (generally).
write a resume
1. Include all your contact information,
previous work experience, relevant skills,
information about your education, and
anything else you think could give you a leg up
on getting this job (like Fruit Loops for bribing
purposes).
2. Make it look good. You don't have to get
fancy. There are plenty of online templates, and
Microsoft Office Word even has decent ones.
Check out Canva.com for really lovely free
templates.
3. For the experience or skills section, start
each one with verbs. For example instead of
"customer service rep," say "assisted customers
in taking returns and listening to feedback."
4. If this is your first job, for the previous
experience section can instead include
information about student organizations you
were involved in, athletics, internships, or
volunteer events. Also, put this section before
the education section so they don't write you
off.
5. For the education section, place your highest
degree first.
OH BELOVED ONE | 52

JULY/AUGUST 2019 OHBELOVEDONE.COM CREDITS
hang out with us at
www.ohbelovedone.com
DISCLAIMER
Oh Beloved One is not responsible for any inaccurate
information in its magazine pages. Additionally, we are
not responsible for plagiarism on the part of our writers.
We accept their work assuming that it is their own. Please
contact us if you have any problems.
Current reading material in our world today has been
tainted and darkened. In our pages, we strive to share clean
and positive articles that leave readers feeling blessed.
We will not stand down for our faith; however, we will not
push our beliefs on others. You are free to accept or reject
things we say and we will not discriminate against you for
any reason. Additionally, just because our pages are filled
with positive articles does not mean we will not stand up
for what we believe in. However, we believe that at this
time it is best to look at the glass as half full.
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laws. Please contact us if you have an issue.
The ESV Global Study Bible®, ESV® Bible
Copyright © 2012 by Crossway.
All rights reserved.
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SHUTTER BUG
a special thank you to Leah for the
unbelievably good photography
you are one of a kind & beloved
MORE AMAZING PEOPLE
who drew amazing things
Emma Fordham—pgs. 13-14, 16, 18-19, 38, 41-42
Rachel Brown—pg. 8, 9
Cami Fordham—pgs. 27, 31
GEEKY PRINTING INFO
for the creative nerds
body text set in Adobe Garamond Pro with special apperances
from Reenie Beanie, Monteserrat, Memorium Pro and Didot
OH BELOVED ONE | 53

JULY/AUGUST 2019 OHBELOVEDONE.COM ARTICLE TITLE HERE
ohbelovedone.com
next issue, let’s talk
ALTRUISM
The Bible says that love is the greatest virtue, and ya know
what love is? Kind, which is exactly what our next issue is all
about. "Kind" is such a generic word, so we're commited to
fleshing it out as a practical tool in our Christian belt. Tips,
tricks, and more great content coming your way in our next
issue for September 2019.
OH BELOVED ONE | 54