Australian youtuber Zoe shares her story about battling depression and anorexia and finding God.

Mellissa: People would tell me I looked like a boy

Mellisa is a 22 year old Sports Coach and Youth Mentor for Coventry and Warwickshire YMCA. She graduated with 2:1 honours in Sports Therapy (BSc) from Coventry University.  Mellisa was the Miss Zimbabwe UK 2^nd Princess. Mellisa enjoys singing, writing, playing the guitar and playing Basketball.

Everything that you go through, good or bad plays an important part of building your character. I struggled with low self-esteem and lack of confidence from such a young age.  Living in this world felt like I was in a prison, robbed away of my freedom by negative thoughts that I chose to entertain. I never thought I was good enough or pretty enough and it really hurts.

Words are really powerful as they either build or break. The voices from the media, friends and family, sounded really loud in my ears and caused the voice of God to mute. People would say things like, “you look like a boy”, “your feet are too big”, “you look like an ironing board”, the list goes on. I just hated the way I looked and I started eating a lot, hoping that I would have bigger boobs and hips.

I moved to England when I was 13 years old and my  parents still lived in Zimbabwe. It wasn’t easy not having them around and I always felt like I wasn’t loved and in believing those lies I shut down myself. I lived my teenage life carrying a burden which I created myself. Most of the times I preferred my own company. I found comfort in writing stories, writing songs, singing, drawing, reading and playing sports. This allowed me to escape from reality and also to bring me happiness that I didn’t find in my life, but still it didn’t satisfy me.

I am grateful that my mum taught me how to pray. After I turned 17, I started having an interest in learning more about God. In doing so, the scales were removed from my darkened eyes and I began to understand the love of God. I knew the truth and my identity.

The word looked a thousand times brighter and I felt a thousand times lighter.

I would be lying if I tell you that all the pain and the hurt completely vanished but the thing I knew was that it was the beginning of a new journey.  Some days it was even harder than before.  Just like silver, it has to go through the fire. With time, I learnt to love myself and most importantly, I believed it in my heart. It felt like a heavy burden was being constantly being taken away. Freedom!!

  

To help me with my confidence, I started coaching Basketball in schools as a volunteer and later on I was offered a job by YMCA as a Sports coach and a Youth Worker. I never thought I would be in a position where I will be inspiring young people. Working with the YMCA gives me the platform to mentor and support young people. I have been privileged to deliver sessions on, body image, risks of smoking, healthy eating, mental health, sexual health, bullying and substance misuse. One of my greatest accomplishments, was winning an award as a Young Worker of the year and I was featured in the local newspaper (Coventry Telegraph) alongside the Mayor of Coventry.

  

I am grateful to God that I can truly be myself and I have been able to build positive relationships around me.  Let us learn to love one another, to pray for one another and to encourage one another. Each day I want to be an instrument to bring the truth to young people who are going through the same situation I went through, to give them advice and to empower them.

Michelle: They say I'm his next baby mama

Michelle is a Zimbabwean residing in Luton. She is a young woman hoping to empower you with Self Love. She shares her thoughts on the esteem issues Zimbabwean women face everyday.

They say you're too skinny for a black girl
They say you have to many scars on your face
The say you need curves
They say the way I dress is provocative
They say I just go from one man to another
They say I'm his next baby mama
But what they have forgotten I'm a woman
I struggle with my weight
The scares on my face are the one he gave me
I don't have those curves because this is my shape
I dress this way to get his attention
I don't want to be jumping from one man to another it's just that I'm looking for love
My self esteem is so low I feel like if I have his child he will love me even more
They forget that I am woman
Lost,broken,abused and scared to be alone . 

My prayer is to a woman who feels like this everyday Love yourself as God loves you. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

By Michelle 

Ivy Bennett: She Taught Me to Pray

Miss Zimbabwe UK, first princess Ivy Bennett shares how her mother taught her to pray and helped her find her faith

She is a mother,father ,aunt ,friend and my mentor actually she is everything.

 She taught me to pray at the age of 5 .We had our place of prayer that we used to go and pray together 6pm. When I grew up I realised she went there to pray 6am, midnight and 6pm.
She taught me that The fear of the Lord is the beginning of Knowledge. 

 I am happy she introduced God to me at an early age.This woman I call my mother makes me feel special though at times I'm mad at her hahaha at the end of the day all she wants is for me to succeed in every thing. 

When I'm struggling she's there to push me. giving up does not exist in her world ,she is the one who molded me to be the person I am. 

I may not be a perfect child but I promise to good in your eyes. 

I love her to bits.
Smile if you have a  mother or a woman you call a mother in your life

By Ivy Bennett

Jacquie Moyo: Why do I love God? Because he loved me First.

Former Miss Zimbabwe UK, Jacquie Moyo shares her experience growing up in a Christian household and discovering and living in her own spirituality and truth.

I was born and raised in a Christian household, my grandparents both maternal and paternal were/are devout Christians so they played a big role in my Christian faith. I remember being dropped off in Sunday school, singing, dancing and the Bible stories that somehow seemed to leap off the page and invite me to learn more, so my love for reading was born. Going to church influenced a lot of aspects of my life even from a young age, however I still had to know God for myself and make the decision to become a Christian.

I gave my life when I was 13, this was when I decided that I wanted my own faith, I couldn’t share my families’, I had to grow and learn for myself. Someone asked me how I manage to stay focused on God when we live in a “turn up” generation and where faith is somehow not part of the equation, my answer grace. I know I am not perfect and I never will be, however I always try my hardest to follow the teachings that have been instilled in me and I love God with all I am. I also have people that I know I can talk to, people who will guide me when I am going wrong. My family is very big and it is made up of loving people, I know they always have time to listen to me and they will be the first people to gentle reprimand me and also remind me that I can never go far from God.

I chose to be a Christian at 13 and every day I choose to walk with God, my faith grows every day, even when I stumble, I stand and continue walking. The greatest commandment is “Love God” and the second is “love people” (Matt.22:37-40), that’s why I choose to help other people, support organisations that recognise people living in the fringes of society and walk alongside those who feel alone. Why do I love God? Well that’s simple, because He loved me first.

By Jacquie Moyo