Media and fashion industries have always idolised the young. When I started at Woman Alive I said I wanted more women on the cover who looked like they had a life before I was born. We’ve achieved that, and I love seeing the diversity of age – and also ethnicity – of the women on our covers. This month is no exception. Not all models are that interested in clothes or fashion, but I was always more inspired by individual style and Tina Rose Lawless, this month’s cover, embodies that sense of personal style so well. Her brightly coloured beads aren’t for everyone but her wardrobe – a mix of high-end fashion and vintage – had both the photographer and I open-mouthed in astonishment.
In my experience church people can be quite dismissive of outward adornments, quoting 1 Peter 3:3 in admonishment. But I can’t help but think, as I look out at God’s creation in full bloom at this time of year, that we often forget that we are stimulated by our surroundings and art and fashion play an important part in that. Tina prayed for us after the shoot and we left feeling encouraged and inspired. Hope you feel the same as you read my interview with her.
And now for some sad news! Amy Boucher Pye has been host of the Woman Alive Book Club for 16 years, but has decided to step back to pay attention to some of her other projects (she is also a renowned author, speaker, retreat leader and spiritual director). This will be her last issue but she will stay as part of the Facebook group [Woman Alive Book Club] and you can continue to post your book reviews – and read others – on there. We’re so grateful for all the wonderful work she has done building the brand!
Issue favourites: I decided to call it quits on having issue themes when many of you wrote in to say you weren’t enjoying them. But it’s interesting to see that both Veronica Zundel’s column and Elaine Storkey’s Bible Study talk about the concept of being ‘ordinary’ and why we can quite often feel like that’s not enough. And if you’ve got seven minutes, sit down with a cup of tea or coffee and read about Funmi Adewara who thought she was ordinary but God led her to build a global health brand right in the middle of a family breakdown.
