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Lady Lee

Healing A Broken Heart

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We’ve all had our share of heartbreak. Maybe a relationship went sour or maybe someone simply betrayed you. How does one cope with this and move on?

Is there hope for healing a broken heart? Something or someone has just broken your heart. You were caught off-guard by a betrayal, a shocking behavior, or loss of a loved one. Suddenly you are feeling like you’ve lost all hope…you can feel a physical aching in your chest that leaves you wounded and scarred. How can you ever hope to recover or discover what steps will end this suffering?

We all know that emotions are a vital part of the way we are made. Yet we can’t understand why it takes so long to heal from emotional injuries. We would never prematurely remove a cast or sutures until the broken bone or skin was fully restored. We must realize complete emotional healing requires time. The book of Psalms offers great comfort when experiencing long-term emotions like sadness, fear, and grief. “He heals the brokenhearted, binding up their wounds”.

Our human tendency is to avoid painful situations, even burying them. Can we ever trust those who hurt us so deeply? There are steps to healing a broken heart.

Release – “. . . First forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against…” (Mark 11:25).

Refocus – “. . . By [God’s] mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope” (Ephesians 3:20)

Receive – “[God] comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When others are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us” (2 Corinthians 1:4).

We would never choose to have a broken heart! The agony and recovery time is just too unbearable. There is Someone, however, who had a flawless heart and chose to have it broken. In every way, Jesus experienced a broken heart. He understands betrayal, temptation, and loss. He is our Comforter, Counselor, and Companion who fills our heart’s empty spaces.

Peace begins when you let go of the hurt and anger.

Content contributor: www.allaboutlifechallenges.org

Nelson Mandela Release

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25 years ago today, Nelson Mandela was released from Victor Verster Prison in the Western Cape and made his way to City Hall in Cape Town to deliver his iconic speech from the balcony of the building. This day marks the 25-year anniversary of Mandela’s release from prison. He was imprisoned for 27 years.

Speaking of the day, President Jacob Zuma said: “11 February marked a decisive advance towards the achievement of our noble goals to create a united, non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and prosperous society based on fundamental human rights and the restoration of dignity for all.”

Here’s a video of  Nelson Mandela on the day of his release.

Hashtags to look out for on social media #MandelaRelease #NelsonMandela #History #Freedom #RainbowNation #Peace #Speech #CapeTown #LongWalkToFreedom

2015 Grammy Award Winners

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In case you missed the Grammys, here’s a full list of the winners of the 57th annual Grammy Awards, presented on Sunday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Record of the Year

Sam Smith – Stay With Me

Song of the Year 
Sam Smith – Stay With Me

Album of the Year
Beck – Morning Phase

Best New Artist 
Sam Smith

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance 
A Great Big World With Christina Aguilera – Say Something

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga – Cheek To Cheek

Best Pop Solo Performance 
Pharrell Williams – Happy

Best Pop Vocal Album 
Sam Smith – In The Lonely Hour

Best Rock Performance 
Jack White – Lazaretto

Best Rock Album 
Beck – Morning Phase

Best Rock Song 
Paramore – Ain’t It Fun

Best Alternative Rock Album
St. Vincent – St. Vincent

Best Metal Performance 
Tenacious D – The Last In Line

Sam Smith

Best Rap Performance 
Kendrick Lamar – I

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration 
Eminem Featuring Rihanna – The Monster

Best Rap Song
Kendrick Lamar – I

Best Rap Album 
Eminem – The Marshall Mathers LP2

Best R&B Performance 
Beyoncé Featuring Jay Z – Drunk In Love

Best Traditional R&B Performance 
Jesus Children
Robert Glasper Experiment Featuring Lalah Hathaway & Malcolm-Jamal Warner

Best R&B Song 
Beyoncé Featuring Jay Z – Drunk In Love

Best Urban Contemporary Album 
Pharrell Williams – Girl

Best R&B Album 
Toni Braxton & Babyface – Love, Marriage & Divorce

Best Contemporary Instrumental Album 
Chris Thile & Edgar Meyer – Bass & Mandolin

Best Dance/Electronic Album
Aphex Twin – Syro

Best Dance Recording
Clean Bandit Featuring Jess Glynne – Rather Be

Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media
Frozen

Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media 
The Grand Budapest Hotel – Alexandre Desplat, composer

Beyonce

Best Song Written for Visual Media 
Let It Go from Frozen – Kristen Anderson-Lopez & Robert Lopez, songwriters (Idina Menzel)

Best Country Album 
Miranda Lambert – Platinum

Best Country Solo Performance 
Carrie Underwood – Something In The Water

Best Country Duo/Group Performance 
The Band Perry – Gentle On My Mind

Best Country Song 
I’m Not Gonna Miss You – Glen Campbell & Julian Raymond, songwriters (Glen Campbell)

Best Bluegrass Album 
The Earls Of Leicester – The Earls Of Leicester

Best American Roots Performance 
Rosanne Cash – A Feather’s Not A Bird

Best American Roots Song 
Rosanne Cash – A Feather’s Not A Bird

Best Americana Album 
Rosanne Cash – The River & The Thread

Best Folk Album 
Old Crow Medicine Show – Remedy

Here are some of the 2015 Grammy performances featuring Kanye West, Rihanna, Sam Smith, and more. Click here.

Big Up Africa: Taofick Okoya

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Today on our Big Up Africa feature, we celebrate a man who took matters into his own hands when he couldn’t find a black doll in the shops as a gift for his niece so he decided to create his own.

In 2007, Taofick Okoya, created his own dolls that Nigerian and other African girls could identify with by recreating their skin colour and style – and it is now so successful that it is outselling Barbie.

African dolls

The doll, which is called Queens of Africa, comes with traditional outfits and accessories and costs around $6.90. The dolls’ look is modelled on three of the country’s biggest tribes and aims to promote strong feminine ideals like love, peace and endurance.

The doll is now so popular that, according to Reuters, it is selling up to 9,000 units a month – a staggering 15 per cent of the country’s toy market. But the Queens of Africa aren’t just selling in their home country.

Thanks to the doll’s online presence, customers are coming from as far as America, Brazil and Europe.

Speaking to the media about his dolls out-selling Barbie in his native Nigeria, Okoya said: “My mission is to make the Queens of Africa a symbol of hope, trust, and confidence by promoting African history, culture, and fashion”.

Content courtesy of www.dailymail.co.uk

3D Printed Makeup

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Maybe you’re wondering what 3D make up looks like or what it’s all about. Well, I was curious too until I researched more on it. Grace Choi is an inventor who is taking on the $55 billion make-up industry by giving women the power to have what they want, when they want it and also with a variety of colours. Imagine this: you choose the kind of colour you want best suited to your skin colour and, in less than two minutes, you can print a lipstick or eye shadow in that exact color. And you’ll do it at home with Mink, your personal 3D printer.

You don’t need to know how to code, you don’t need to understand 3D printing and you don’t need lots of money.

Grace Choi is a graduate at Harvard Business School and creator of Mink. CNN spent some time talking to her and her story is bigger than being the brains behind the machine – she’s an activist who is using 3D printing to empower women.

If you would like to see how the make-up is printed and more on the interview, watch the video below.

Why Me?

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Why me? This is likely the most common question you have asked yourself when going through life challenges. You somehow feel that you all alone in this battle, you feel like you are the only one going through this.

Somehow you may feel that you being punished for some reason. You can’t even explain what is happening and try to figure out how you can get through this. I can relate. I’ve been through situations like that; where I felt like it was the end of the road – no light at the end of that tunnel. It looked dark and grey and it didn’t look like I would ever see a brighter day again.

I have gained some nuggets of wisdom through my personal experiences. My encouragement to you is this: don’t be afraid of pain, of failure or of making mistakes. Don’t be afraid to fall because whatever you endure now will only last for a season and your joy will come in the morning.

Watch this video below of a young man who had to learn to forgive all the hurt and disappointment he had experienced in his life. He decided to forgive those who hurt him and start afresh because he knew that God still had greater and bigger plans for his life.

Perhaps you feel that you are being punished for some reason. Why else would this be happening to you? Be assured. You are not alone. Whatever you are going through or feeling right now, God’s promise is that He will see you through and give you the strength and direction you need. God wants you to know that He understands how you feel and that He knows more about your situation than you do. He saw it coming before you did and will give you the help you need if you call out to Him.

In whatever you go through in life today, know that you are loved. If you have questions about God and want someone to chat to about them, we would love to hear from you!

Big Up Africa: Tara Fela- Durotoye

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Tara Fela-Durotoye  is a Nigerian make-up artist, lawyer and businesswoman. She is considered a pioneer in the bridal make-up profession in Nigeria. She launched the first bridal directory in 1999, set up an international standard make-up studio, and established the first make-up school in Nigeria.

Today on Big Up Africa, we salute and honour this amazing woman; the founder and CEO of House of Tara International and creator of the Tara Orekelewa Beauty range, Inspired Perfume and the H.I.P Beauty range.

She graduated from the Lagos State University with a degree in Law and proceeded to establish the House of Tara International. She has won numerous awards and was named among the Forbes Magazine’s 20 Young Power African Women.

Fela-Durotoye is the Managing Director and Creative Director of House of Tara International, a Nigerian make-up company. The organisation has grown into a franchise enterprise with three main lines of business: the Make-up Studio, the Makeup School and the Tara product line comprising beauty products and professional make-up kits. She started her make-up business whilst an undergraduate in the Faculty of Law.

Fela-Durotoye is a trained and certified make-up artist of Charles Fox, Convent Garden, London. In a series of firsts, she launched her bridal make-up business in 1998. Thereafter, she launched the first bridal directory in Nigeria in 1999. In 2000, she facilitated the first-ever series of bridal seminars, drawing for the first time in Nigeria celebrated professionals in the bridal industry to speak to brides.

Tara studio

She has franchises spread across Nigeria (branches in Lagos, Ibadan, Port-Harcourt and Abuja) and with emerging footprint on the West African coastal countries of Benin, Ghana and Senegal.

This woman is an inspiration to young African women everywhere.

For more on her company and the make-up school, go to her website www.houseoftara.com

5 Bad Beauty Blunders

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There are beauty blunders that we need to address before it’s too late. Here’s my list of the top 5 top beauty blunders we need to avoid.

Mistake 1: too much make-up
Applying too much foundation and mascara are common mistakes. Foundation must never give the impression you are wearing a mask – too much can also emphasise fine lines and wrinkles. Too much mascara can look unnatural and become messy by the end of the day.

My tip: Invest in a good foundation or concealer and apply only where and when necessary. Give your eyes and lips a natural look by day, and ensure that your mascara doesn’t leave clumps.

Mistake 2: not blending make-up properly
When it comes to eyeshadow, the rainbow effect is taboo, as are hard lines around the eyes and lips. If you try to create ‘contours ‘ with bronzer or blusher, or try to emphasise your cheekbones in this way, chances are the result will be a grubby- looking face.

My tipTake a critical look at your made-up face: Are any lines visible? If so, blend them for a softer effect. Avoid liquid eyeliner unless you are able to apply it extremely neatly. Alternatively, use a small, stubby brush to apply eyeshadow instead of eyeliner for a softer effect. When applying blusher, concentrate on the apples of your cheeks – the colour will emphasise the rounded part of your cheek and naturally accentuate the hollow beneath it.

Mistake 3: neglected teeth
Your smile is often the first thing that people notice on meeting you. Teeth that are well cared for are not only healthy but will take years off your appearance.

My tipFloss and brush regularly, and have broken or chipped teeth attended to. If your teeth have yellowed, consult your dentist about whitening them.

Mistake 4: unkempt or over-plucked eyebrows
Eyebrow fashions change as often as hemlines do – don’t follow the latest eyebrow fashions slavishly. Never pluck your eyebrows too heavily – sometimes they don’t grow back or they grow back in all directions.

My tipMaintain eyebrows of fair thickness and pluck in a neat, natural line. Fill any gaps with brown eyeshadow and a fine brush, but ensure that there are no obvious lines.

Mistake 5: make-up that is too bright
Brightly coloured eye make-up and mascara may be the height of fashion but is not intended for everyday use, because it looks hard and unnatural. It can also make you look older. Forget about the old-fashioned idea of matching your eyeshadow with your eye colour. Shades of bronze and brown flatter all eye colours.

My tipLeave the bright-blue eyeshadow, eyeliner and mascara to the teenagers and rather go for neutral brown, grey-brown, beige and bronze, which always look more stylish. Experiment with different shades of lipstick, but avoid colours such as shocking pink and make sure that the shade suits your complexion.

Content Contributers: www.women24.com

P.S. I Love You

How often do we tell those we love how much we love them; how much they mean to us?

I come from a background where people don’t really tell you how much they love you, but through their actions you can see that they love you.

As a child growing up, I didn’t hear those words often. It was a phrase I would hear on TV or in movies, but never in real life. It was somehow not part of our daily interactions or even in our vocabulary. Then when I had a white friend, I would often hear her parents say it when we walked out the door or when we went to sleep. I somehow thought maybe it was a cultural thing. Maybe my black family was not used to saying it? But then I thought, hang on, it’s not a cultural thing at all – different people have their own ways of expressing love, and it doesn’t mean that when my parents don’t say it often, they don’t love me.

I am not complaining. I did not in any way feel unloved or unappreciated. As I got older, I wondered if we should throw around an “I love you” to each other every now and then. And that’s exactly what I did. I introduced that kind of vibe in the house. I would sms my mom, dad or siblings, and I would ALWAYS end my message with “Love You”. As time went by, I started noticing my family doing it as well. How amazing it is hearing it.

I know they love me, but every now and then I would like to hear it.

So often in life, we don’t realize that it’s the little things we do or say that make such a big difference in another person’s life. What are you holding back from telling someone in your life that they may be in desperate need of hearing from no-one else but you? Don’t withhold those words of love or encouragement from them any longer. Send that text and make that call. It will make all the difference in the world when you express that love.

The greatest expressed love known to us came in the form of a Saviour who lived and died for humanity. We firmly believe that a genuine relationship with Him will lead us to know true love and be able to express it to others because we’ve been changed within.

A video follows if you click on the pop up that follows this article. We’d love you to check it out.

 

Face Your Fear

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Every person deals with the fear of failure. Fear on its own is a problem, because it can damage everything. It ruins your productivity, destroys your dreams, and keeps you from achieving what you are trying to achieve. Fear robs you and keeps you from enjoying life.

Fear is destructive, kills dreams and hope; it holds you back.

I read a quote once and it said, “Don’t be discouraged by failure. It can be a positive experience. Failure is, in a sense, the highway to success, inasmuch as every discovery of what is false leads us to seek earnestly after what is true, and every fresh experience points out some form of error which we shall afterwards carefully avoid”-  John Keats.

As this quote says, failure can be a positive experience where it helps you deal with the fear of failure and helps you to learn about self confidence and courage. Facing fear with boldness and doing things you’ve never done before. It’s a personal exercise for you as an individual, helps you grow/mature and see things in a different perspective.

I came across a powerful video on youtube and it deals with the issues in this post. It’s had a huge impact on me so I decided to share it with you.

Maybe you have days when life just overwhelms you, certain things intimidate you and fear seems to be taking over your life. Click on the banner below and watch the video linked to it. In it, we share message that invites us to live a life free of fear. Perhaps, you’re in a space where you just want to anonymously talk to someone about some fears you have? Our team at 1Africa would love to hear from you. Till then, keep facing those fears!

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