The blog

Being married by 24 was a certain for April’s cover star, Julia Strachan. So when she approached 40 without either, it took digging deep to find contentment where she was. Julia shares with us her journey of embracing singleness, trusting for things yet unseen and the reality that hard work doesn’t stop when our prayers are answered.

Broadcast Journalist, Gia Peppers has hustled her way from day one to today. But, when paving a new way or pursuing a career goal, energy is required for the long haul. When our calling demands so much from us and disappointments tire us, how can we continue to get back up and thrive in our work long-term?

While it’s incredible seeing a vision come to life, each building block is shaped by personal sacrifice, financial challenges and plenty of conviction. Going from sleeping on her friend’s floor and writing herself a cheque for $1,000,000 to building and maintaining a nine-figure organisation, entrepreneur, Emily Ford knows this well.

The energy of DJ, Rachael Anson is infectious. She’s someone who makes you want to be bold in life. But, her journey from supermarket worker to DJing the biggest venues and events across the UK, is not by chance. It’s taken discipline and hours of practice. Here, she shares exactly how she took her passion full-time, and how her faith keeps her spirited when the challenges of life, and the responsibilities of work, collide.

Is it even possible to disagree with someone and still be friends? In a world where a tweet can turn tens of thousands of people against you, how can we hold true to our beliefs and disagree well?

None of us would have asked for the challenges that this year has brought, but how we speak about 2020 matters to our future.

We are each in possession of something personal and valuable: our character. Whether or not we have considered it, this is a potential strength being developed every day. It can be our guide throughout life and a source of hope at all times.

In any age, public standing is a source of constant critique. The way that individuals and companies handle their platforms can cause an uproar, as can the responses to them. How do we address both in a way that prioritises lasting change?

We all have times where we hope to be further on in our story, or perhaps even on a new journey. How can we embrace where we are now without losing our pace?

We have all experienced disappointment and had people let us down. When that happens, do not forget – we let people down, too. It is important to reassess our expectations, and remember it is more blessed to give than receive.

In this week’s episode of The Magnify Podcast, we met with David and Eli Gardner. David has worked in the gaming industry helping grow EA sports from 0 to $1bn and is now the co-founder and general partner of seed capital company Lvp. While also being the chair of Generous Journey, a business dedicated to helping people understand how we should give and the Bible’s teaching on it. Eli is a clinical psychologist and has founded a charity called Kids Matter about parenting in the city. Below are some of the key highlights from the conversation.

‘Quiet quitting’ is the buzz phrase of working life right now, but what is it and who benefits from it?

We might believe when it comes to work, our purpose stays the same throughout life, but Serena Williams is proving otherwise.

Hard work and ambition are no strangers to us, but our view is shifting. More than ever, driven women are choosing differently than they have before to find fulfilment and balance over a higher pay band. Has the aftermath of 2020 rewired how we see our career or dreams?

The soaring costs of food, fuel and bills are affecting all of us directly. With many of us seeing a change in our financial positions, how can we cope with financial fears?

For many of us, drive and discipline in our work are second nature. A career featuring a side hustle is commonplace for Millennial and Gen Z women. Why, then, is our work ethic being called into question?

If turning a vision into a reality was simple, there would be more people to tell the story. Actualising dreams requires courage and risk.

Our world and lives can be incredibly busy. Everyone seems to be ‘on the go’. With everything going on around us, we can easily settle for mediocrity or work ourselves into the ground. But God’s will for us is not just survival, or burnout! Here are some tips for you to thrive in this busy world.

It is natural to project what we believe others would like to see: confidence, poise, talent. These are admired and so we may have a desire to ‘fake’ them on occasion. But the best projection, the one that most uplifts us, is the one that is true.

What we see when we close our eyes and what surrounds us when we open them can be two different visions. The dreams we hold for our futures may seem far from our present reality. Both are valuable, so how do we balance the two?

Realising your vision and bringing it to fruition is hard. Whether it is insecurity, busyness or simply a lack of motivation that is holding you back, here are three helpful reminders to keep you on track to achieving your vision.

In our last Talk Tuesday, we were joined by Bola Sokunbi, founder of Clever Girl Finance, one of the largest personal financial platforms for women in America. She spoke to us about her journey to this and tools we can use to help us achieve our own financial independence.

Regardless of who you are, how hardworking you are or how strong you are, most of us end up feeling burned out and exhausted at some point. This can be physically, mentally, emotionally or spiritually. We can all get to a point where we feel overwhelmed and it can become almost impossible to function normally. Check out these verses to see what the Bible says about burnout and how God is able to get us through these times.

Ambitious women have long been misunderstood and misrepresented with ambition portrayed as only a means to gain status. Yet, if we look at how vital ambition is to each of us, we can retell its story.

‘Take control of your own destiny’. This kind of motivational phrase is one we hear a lot, especially at this time of the year. But can we truly have control over the twists and turns of everyday life?

Has your confidence ever been affected by the opinions of others? Do you ever feel powerless when witnessing all that’s going on in the world around you? You are not alone. In life there will be many times when we either question our strength, or find it hard to be strong. At Magnify we know that being ambitious and conscious women can also bring doubts and weariness, so we’ve put some tips together to help you when you’re feeling less than your normal self.

Even as our world feels never-changing in the midst of lockdown, change is the rhyme and rhythm of life. How then can we navigate these seasons of change well - purposefully and with intention?

It is an affirming experience to be confident and certain. But how do we handle the urge to shrink back when we are unsure of who we are? Finding security in ourselves and beliefs is a process founded on a strong sense of identity.

In a world that is becoming increasingly busy, our schedules can sometimes feel unmanageable. How do we work towards building habits that will help bring balance to the busyness of life?

Data detox: How to be mindful of what information you take in

Life has a way of getting on top of us. Issues arise that stop us dead in our tracks. What do we do when it feels as though our lives have been put on hold?

Our world is so fast-paced, it can feel like everything is coming at us all at the same time - and we can’t do it all. Here are some tips on balancing a busy life without feeling overwhelmed or burned out.

Peace is what we are all craving in this storm. And it’s possible, but it requires that we follow an ancient spiritual blueprint to get there.