What does Jesus have to do with Shelly-Ann’s Olympic win?

Jamaican athlete Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce clinched an extremely close victory in the women’s 100 metre final on August 4. Her eyes were glued to the board after the race to see whether she or USA’s Carmelita Jeter would take the coveted gold.

Then, when her name appeared in the top spot, she fell to the ground and shouted, "Thank you, Jesus!"

As a Christian, I thought this was a remarkable reaction. I’ve seen athletes (and their trainers/parents/partners) happily taking credit for their success, but it’s rare to see such an open reference to faith on the world stage.

But wasn’t her success down to the early morning starts, the gruelling training sessions, the sacrifice of all things tasty and the mental determination to cross that finish line?

What could Jesus possibly have to do with it?

Well the apostle Paul famously talks about running “with patience the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1). Now I think he was seeing the Christian life as a race, rather than entering the Grecian Games back in the day, but the basic principles are the same.

It might seem obvious, but Paul points out that if we’re not in it, we can’t win it: “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. 

“And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. 

“Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:24-27).

So what are we ‘running for’?

To win the ultimate prize: fellowship with God on earth, and eternity with Him in heaven when this life comes to an end. “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus,” Paul says in Philippians 3:14.

But what if I’m not very ‘athletic’?

That’s ok, because Paul says: “I can do all things through him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13); moreover, we are at our best when we admit our weaknesses and allow God to come through for us (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Ok, so if God’s going to do all the work for us, can’t we just sit back and let it all happen?

Well, it’s important that we understand the rules and avoid being wrongfooted by technicalities. 

Is there anything worse than seeing an athlete booted out of a final because they haven’t followed the letter of the law? A life’s hope thrown away because of a moment of bad judgment?

Paul makes it clear that “An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules” (2 Timothy 2:5).

This doesn’t mean we have to be perfect; God’s grace is incredible and the price has been paid for all our sins – past, present and future. But following God’s rules (laid out in the Bible) is key to living a fulfilling Christian life.

“Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable” (1 Corinthians 9:25).

Whether we are athletes or not, we are expected to show endurance, perseverance and determination. We are called to keep our eyes on the prize (Jesus) wherever our ‘race’ take us. And we also need to give glory to God while we run, acknowledging that without Jesus, we could never finish our race or enjoy our everlasting reward.

Thanks to Shelly-Ann for reminding me that Jesus has everything to do with her (and my) victory. 

On a separate note, Shelly-Ann’s victory marked the 50th anniversary of Jamaica’s independence from Great Britain. On August 5, 1962, the Union Jack was lowered for the final time at National Stadium in Kingston. In a twist of fate, the Jamaican flag was raised in the UK on August 5, 2012 to commemorate her excellent achievement. It was also the day some guy called Usain Bolt clinched the men’s 100 metre gold. 

Fifty Shades of Grey: what’s all the fuss about?

Guest blog from Sophia Grace

With global sales running into tens of millions, Fifty Shades of Grey and its two sequels by EL James are not so much books as a publishing phenomenon. 

Why have these books been so successful?

For a start, they follow a tried and tested formula straight out of Mills & Boon: take one slightly clumsy, socially inept, plain and virginal girl and one cool, handsome, incredibly rich and powerful young man – put them together and eventually, despite trials and tribulations (you guessed it), it all works out.

The novelty in EL James’ books is a fairly explicit eroticism. This is of a very feminine kind: despite ‘gentle’ sadism and bondage being major themes there is little sense of genuine threat and the encounters are (rather tiresomely) always orgasmic. 

It is interesting that there are also limits to the sexual practices: the author is clearly aware of not just what turns women on but also what turns them off. The fact that these books were simultaneously published in digital format and can be bought and read in secret also helped to drive sales.  

The sexual nature of these books has aroused a storm of criticism in Christian circles and the eroticism is certainly problematic. Yet deciding where acceptable boundaries lie in this area is very difficult; after all, throughout history the Church has frequently found Song of Songs to be too hot to handle. Yet at the risk of sounding puritanical and even legalistic, I don’t think these are books for singles.

However, the issues of sex disguise deeper, more subtle and possibly more dangerous problems and they also present a challenge to women. These books are sheer fantasy; indeed there are Pixar cartoons that offer a greater sense of realism. The real world, dear readers, is not like this. 

If you are waiting for a similar Mr Right (did I mention his helicopter?) you may be waiting a very long time. Once more we get the myth that all you really need in a good relationship is lots and lots of sex. 

Another desperately dangerous idea is that sadism is pleasurable. Frankly, if any man starts to suggest that he’d like to tie you up and beat you, get out very quickly; possibly passing the local police station on the way home. There is also a disheartening materialism present throughout the books: a ‘possessions-pornography’ of things and brands that repeats another lie: that wealth and power are ultimately significant.

My biggest complaint, though, is simply that I find the theme of a woman’s submission to a dominant man  extraordinarily depressing. Is this where women’s rights have brought us? There is a tragic irony here that although some feminists have labelled Christianity as male-dominated and oppressive to women, what our post-Christian society is producing looks infinitely worse. These books fly in the face of everything that this magazine stands for: give me Liberti not bondage.

Have you read it? Tell us what you think. You can read more about this 'literary' phenomenon in the upcoming issue of Liberti magazine. 

Creating Space

I went to a ‘gathering’ last weekend. Organised by Spring Harvest and Sophia Network it was a meeting up of women from all kinds of backgrounds who want to see women released to be all that they were created to be. I took along two of my own little women who, as they played on the iPad and read Little House on the Prairie quietly in the corner, got to hear women talking about how we could help little girls, just like them and maybe older, to dream big dreams and fly.


There's been something buzzing around my head since I left:  We talked about making space for people, thought about how we can make sure that we don’t get so protective of our own positions that we don’t empower other women. We faced up to the fact that it can be hard to step aside and allow room for competition and were tasked with thinking in groups about how we can create pathways for those who come after us.



It was a crucial thing to discuss but, in my group it became apparent that some felt a constant tension in their life at work. Not knowing how to create space or whether they should step down from their role or go part time so someone else gets a chance. It’s been going round in my brain since.


I think it's really important to recognise potential in people and encourage it, to mentor that person and help them take opportunities, to make sure that we don't do things out of selfish ambition BUT I don't think that means everyone has to fall on their sword after a couple of years and retire early or change jobs so that other people get the chance.


I think that the whole thing about church - if that's what we're talking about - should be about creating new space - our aim, to coin a phrase, is expansion. That should need more leaders, not just a quick turn around.


I think that in all our talk about not being selfish with our space - which is totally correct - we must be careful we don't end up feeling guilty that we have a space in the first place. Jesus handed over his task to the disciples at 33 because he had finished. At 33 most of us are just starting. And he handed over to 12, not just because they weren't actually the son of God and it would take 12 of them to do what he did but because they had to go to the ends of the earth. They led until they died, but they appointed and annointed new leaders (male and female) as they grew the church. They created space through evangelism and the simple need for more leaders. 


So I think creating space is about creating vision - saying - what Tearfund, Spring Harvest, Schoolswork etc do is great, lets do more. Leading churches is great - lets start new ones, speaking on a platform is important - go to the ends of the earth and speak to people who have never heard the news before. It’s about seeing our role, not as the destination but as the springboard for new projects with new people. 

The crucial thing is enabling women to dare to have vision in the first place and the courage to see it through. We still have to challenge bad theology and traditions and I personally think quotas have a place, but throughout history, bold women have gone and done the things men told them they couldn't and they have done them so well people noticed.

As a brethren girl myself, I was struck by how many women in the room yesterday were from the same background - who had grown up being told they couldn't but who did it anyway. Let's raise a generation of bold women with big dreams and empower them to turn those dreams into reality.

Thirty is a dirty word

I have a secret to share, and it’s not something I’m particularly comfortable telling you… I turned 30 last Saturday (sssh!).

This was a milestone I have been dreading since I turned 20. No matter how many people tell you “you’re still young”, it is one of those defining moments in your life where you can’t help but look back and think about what you have (or haven’t) achieved.

My devastation peaked when a friend who turned 30 a day or two after me posted the following on Facebook: “In the last 10 years I've become a teacher, bought a house, got married and had 2 gorgeous little girls! Wonder what the next 10 years will bring????”


I realised with a horrible, sinking feeling that I haven’t done ANY of these things. I didn’t even own a car until earlier this year, let alone a house. I’m not married and the only pitter patter I can hear is the incessant raindrops on my bedroom window.

To compound my pain, I googled “things to do before you’re 30” to find out what else I should have done and haven’t.

I even resorted (horror of horrors) to reading a Daily Mail list of suggestions on the subject.

Interestingly, the whole list was about things women shouldn’t and mustn’t do once they hit 30.

From chewing gum to wearing above-the-knee skirts and texting, I felt at least 30 times worse after reading these rules. I took small comfort in the fact that I no longer bite my nails (well hardly ever) and don’t have any tattoos (mainly because I’m a wimp) – which were big no-nos on the list. 

After a short pity party (probably something else I’m not allowed to do now I’m 30), I decided to pull myself together and stop dwelling on these shallow, prescriptive rules. If there’s one things I’ve learnt in life it’s that the Daily Mail shouldn’t be your guidebook for life.

Okay, so I haven’t got a house and a family, but I’ve travelled, I’ve laughed, I’ve partied, I’ve cried with friends and I’ve loved, lost and loved again. I’ve worn some horrendous outfits and had a great time regardless. I’ve played chess with my 100-year-old granddad and managed to overlook his cheating ways. I’ve left the rat race to do something I love doing and I’ve met some truly incredible people along the way.

Even more importantly, though, I know that God has a perfect plan for my life; a plan to give me a hope AND a future. He doesn’t see me as a deteriorating 30-year-old with saggy knees (see Daily Mail list), but as a one-off designer piece that He himself knitted together in my mother’s womb.

I have gifts that no-one else on this earth has and am blessed to be able to walk hand-in-hand with Jesus every single day. 


So instead of looking back in horror at the mistakes I’ve made and opportunities I’ve missed, I’m looking ahead to a glorious future, on this earth and then in eternity.

In case you’re wondering, I will also be selecting the online newspapers I read much more carefully.

Could women's magazines be making matters worse for us girls?

I read a really interesting blog this week, and I felt it was extremely relevant in terms of our vision here at Liberti. 

Entitled “Women’sMagazines and the Cult of Hypocrisy”, Laura Bates complains of “a disturbing and growing trend of women’s magazines affecting a superficial stance of concern about issues that they themselves are often guilty of causing or exacerbating”.

I couldn’t agree more. I’ve said on several occasions that I avoid most women’s mags at all costs because they make me feel inadequate and insecure. One minute they’re deriding celebrities for their spots or cellulite and the next they’re showing airbrushed images of how they think we should all look. And woe betide you if you don’t look perfect, because you’ll never get that job you want or the man of your dreams…

Laura gives a great example of this. “Last week, two editions of Now Magazine appeared on newsstands in the UK,” she writes. “The weekly issue featured a dramatic photograph of model Abbey Crouch, emphasising her prominent collarbones and hollow thighs.

“The headline read ‘Oh no! Scary Skinnies’, while a caption warned: ‘Girls starving to be like her’. Inside, a feature revealed that ‘worryingly, pro-anorexia sites are using her figure as a skinny role model’.

“The other magazine was the Now Celebrity Diet Special. Its cover was emblazoned with a photograph of the same model in a glamorous bikini, under the headline: “Bikini body secrets…stars’ diet and fitness tricks REVEALED.”

According to Laura (and I fully agree): “There is an undeniable disparity between the caring, concerned tone magazines adopt, and the actual pictures and features they continue to publish week in, week out.”

The blog points out that 75% of teenage girls feel depressed, guilty and shameful after spending just three minutes leafing through a fashion magazine, and that a coroner recently held the fashion industry and photographs of wafer-thin girls “directly responsible” for the death of 14-year old schoolgirl Fiona Geraghty, who had bulimia.

“It is time for women’s magazines to stop pretending to advocate for solutions and admit they are part of the problem… Women’s magazines must pay attention to their legacy,” she writes.

When Bekah Legg took over Liberti magazine, her vision was to produce a women’s magazine that was interesting and engaging, but one that would build women up rather than tearing them down. It’s about empowering women to become all that God created them to be – regardless of how they look.

Most women I know have things about their appearance they would like to change, but Liberti encourages us to focus on faith, family and freedom for women across the globe rather than spending all our time wishing we looked like Abbey Crouch (or not!).

Liberti discusses issues such as eating disorders, domestic violence, racism, death, relationships, poverty, human trafficking and many others in a frank, informative way. Rather than focusing on me, me, me, it is designed to get us thinking about our God-given purpose within a world that has so many problems and prejudices. 

There’s no airbrushing or attempts to do others down to make our readers feel better about themselves (which clearly doesn’t work, anyway). Like Laura, we want to leave a lasting and positive legacy for our readers and they people they connect with.

If you're fed up with the typical women’s mags on the high street, why not give Liberti a read? It costs just £12 a year to subscribe and will arrive right on your doorstep every three months! 

Setting boundaries is biblical and liberating!

I’m just about to complete my first semester of Bible School, and it’s already beginning to change my life. One of the modules, in particular, has made me rethink the decisions I make on a daily basis. 

It’s called Boundaries, and its aim is to help people take ownership of their own actions. One of the first principles of this practical and thought-provoking course is learning how to say “NO!” to things. This in itself is a revolutionary concept to me!

I thought I’d share a bit of it with you to get you thinking about where the boundaries lie in your own life. I’m sure we could all do with ‘fixing up the fences’ around our ‘properties’ (bodies, minds and hearts) and making sure we protect ourselves from the many people and things that want to invade our space each day. So here are some of the basic principles…

A boundary is a personal property line defining where a property begins and ends. We are called to set physical, emotional and spiritual boundaries; distinguishing what belongs to us and what we are responsible for (Galatians 6:5-8). Establishing boundaries is about setting limits that protect us from harm, maintain order and help us to not to “stray” from (violate the boundaries of) God’s commands (Psalm 119:20-24).

God introduced boundaries right from creation (darkness/light, land/sea) and gave Adam and Eve clear boundaries (rules and responsibilities) in the Garden of Eden. Jesus had boundaries: He only ever did what the Father had instructed Him to do (John 5:19) and He often introduced physical boundaries between Himself and others when He withdrew to pray. Jesus says: “I stand at the door, and knock” (Revelation 3:20). He never invades our space without permission.

Boundaries define what we are personally responsible for and help us fulfil our God-given purpose. They also allow us to say no to things without feeling guilty. They prevent us from having our property (time/values/relationships) invaded or corrupted (2 Peter 1:2-4). They enable us to guard our hearts, minds and bodies (1 Peter 1:13), which are temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). Failure to protect and maintain our boundaries can lead to sin and the consequences of this sin.

Boundaries give us control and true freedom (John 8:32). They allow us to choose how to respond to provocation and offence. Effective boundaries help us to remain sin (“trespass”) free, which means we don’t hurt others or encroach on their property. Boundaries guard our “treasure” but allow us to live in communion with God and others, giving us the freedom to choose life or death (Deuteronomy 30:16-19; Romans 8:13). Ultimately, boundaries help us to become more Christlike.

If you are continually saying “yes” to people, when really you mean “no” or “maybe”, or you allow people to walk all over your life rules and values, I’d encourage you to take a Boundaries course or to read Boundaries by Dr Henry Cloud and Dr John Townsend. The principles are simple and it’s surprisingly liberating.

Read more from Joy in the next issue of Liberti magazine.

Body Image - through the eyes of a child...

I’ve just come back from delivering a workshop on body image at a local secondary school. I’m reminded again of how important it is that kids are given this information – in schools, at home and through the media. I'm delighted that Media Smart have developed an information pack for parents on the whole issue - it's a great resource and you can download it here.

The information kids are given – at school through their peers, at home through the things they hear their parents saying, often inadvertently about themselves, through the media both online, onscreen and in print – sets them an unattainable target for beauty. Adverts, TV programmes and even social media portray men and women in airbrushed, digitally enhanced perfection to the extent that young people no longer know what is real, but are left with the ‘knowledge’ that they don’t match up.

The result is a generation, probably now a second generation, of young people whose self-esteem is riding at an all-time low, and who are increasingly struggling with a range of eating disorders as a follow on to body dysmorphia. They have been taught that their value lies in their appearance, that achievement is about weight loss and that perfect hair is a thing to strive for.

I still find it astonishing to go into a classroom and realise how few children are aware that the images that they are bombarded with are not real – that so many are quite literally an artist’s creation – founded on reality but now the figment of someone’s imagination; a work of art, certainly, but not real.

I get great satisfaction from watching the students I work with develop an awareness; to see them begin to critically analyse the adverts I place before them, to hear them discuss and discover the messages in the advertisement, to dissect those messages and then reject them. I pray that they continue to develop these skills as they learn to filter the images that enter their psyche.

And I pray that mine will not be the last voice that encourages them to know that they are more than their body. I pray that as they return home, they find parents who can chat this through with them. Parents who will value their kindness, their intellect, their thoughtfulness, their skills, their humour, their patience, their tenacity, their stamina, their strength and their loyalty above their looks.

I’m a mum, I think my girls are gorgeous – there are days when I think they are so cute I could actually eat them. But this must never be the only praise I give them. I do tell them their hair is beautiful and that they look lovely in that outfit – but I also tell them how proud I am of their achievements.

I tell Meggie that I am blown away by her swimming, I spend hours chatting with Gem about the books she's reading. I tell Maddie that her creativity is a gift that she must cherish and Emmie knows how impressed we are that she is up at the stable in all weathers, mucking out and helping so that she can earn some time to actually ride. Amber could singlehandedly replace the entire Olympic Committee and still find time for fun, such is her skill for organisation. These are the things that make my kids unique; these are the things that I love about them; these are the things that I never want them to forget are important.

We influence the people in our lives by the things we say about them and about ourselves. When I talk about wanting to lose weight or complain that I feel fat I’m teaching my kids to look at themselves and wonder if they’re overweight too, like mummy. The thing is, my kids look at me and just see me. They don’t see the love handles or the cellulite or the sags – they just see mummy. They don’t see the ‘flaws’. When I disillusion them by pointing these things out I’m teaching them that they matter. I’m putting the thought into their minds that maybe there is something about them that’s not how it should.

Quite frankly I should keep quiet and allow myself a place where I am like Mary Poppins - practically perfect in every way! There aren't many people who think that about me, so while my children accept me just the way I am, I should enjoy it. Then, just maybe, it will enable them to grow up accepting themselves in the same way.