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Chispa!

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Meet

Live.Beauty.Ful l Surv ivor Heroes, Tandy in Brazi l

magazine

RuinsThe

Chispa!Beauty

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140WinningProducts

IN THIS ISSUE

Editor's Letter 06

Your StrategyProfessional 08Mompreneur 18Windy Artist 14

SENIORita 22

Relat ionships Kinds of Friends That

Every Woman Needs 26

Conversat ionsBeauty From Ashes 30

She's Got ChispaJena Murray 34

FeaturesBeauty Expert Dishes on Age-Old Trick

for Perfect Skin 38Stick to Your Diet, Lose the Weight,

and Improve Your Health 40The Beauty of Kiddie Knowledge 42

We're Ejecting Beauty Myths 44Meet Pevonia's Live.Beauty.Full

Survivor Heroes 46

Cover StoryThe Ruins Tell All 60

Cover Photo by Matt Baxter

A Bet ter YouFashion + Style 68

Health + Beauty | Annual Chispa Beauty Awards: 140 Best Beauty Products 92

Smart + Homey 106Travel + Culture 110

Through The Lens 114Bookworm 138 Must Haves 142

Mi Chispa 145

46

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Editor-in-ChiefMavian Arocha-Rowe

Lifestyle DirectorRomina Nabhen

Execut ive EditorMia Guerra

Managing EditorsPaola Ramirez and Milo Senallé

Associate EditorLucia Rodriguez

Social Media ManagerLauri Bonilla

Creat ive DirectorChristian Ruben

Director of SalesScott Rowe

Writers Cena Block Brett Danielsen

Dr. Sanam Hafeez Daniel Henderson Doug Lemov Chris McMahan Maggie Sabatier-Smith

Steve Siebold Dr. Shoba Sreenivasan Karissa Thacker Karin Tierney

Dr. Linda E. Weinberger

Advisory BoardPaola RamirezVivian Reina

Maggie Sabatier-Smith

Advisory BoardJohnny Arocha

Pam BlackMario Luis

For information on advertising and/or subscriptions, call 404.793.7743 or email sales@chispamagazine.com.Editorial questions, submissions, and/or pitches, email editor@chispamagazine.com.

Vol. 2, Issue 4 ©Chispa Magazine. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use, without permission of editorial or graphic content in any manner is prohibited. Photo credits are not given to improperly identif ied photos.

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Chispa Magazine

EDITOR'S LETTER

As I was cleaning out the basement this past weekend I found my only copy of Vallarta Today Daily Newspaper f rom April 19, 2004. On page seven, the writer included a quote from a previous editor?s letter from 2004. And then she wrote the following, ?It?s an amazing journey in a magazine, it?s written by an enlightened alien, who has landed here to take everyone to the place where freedom and creativity and being exactly how you want to be is how you should be and it?s a fabulous world.?

This newspaper article was published right after f inishing the f irst issue for a famed Miami publication. But, let me take you a step further: The morning after ?literally? f inishing the issue, I was on my way to work, driving north on the Turnpike when I was hit by a drunk driver and rolled over three lanes with my then Ford Sport Explorer. This accident came during at t ime when I began to question my purpose at this magazine, which of course, let me to question my purpose for my life. Many in my position would have enjoyed the nightlife and all its tantalizing spirits; however, something inside of me rebuked it.

Should I have been insulted that I was identif ied as an alien? Actually? it was a praise and I got the answer to my questions. It was a confirmation on my purpose. You see, as a lover of Christ, I somewhat feel out of place in this world. The Psalmist said, "I am a stranger on earth" (Psalm 119:19a). The phrase, "wherever I lodge," in verse 54, l iterally means: "in my temporary house." According to Hebrews 11, the "heroes of the faith" "admitted they were aliens and strangers on earth" (verse 13). Fast forward to yesterday. My best friend called to encourage me. She knows my parents, who are very close to my heart, just moved 12 hours away. She knows that my son underwent two surgeries four days ago. Because of these life trials, I have procrastinated, one more time with another Chispa app edition. And, here she was reminding me that each app edition comes with a life trial. Wowzers I thought. She was right. But, why?

Going back through my editor?s letters I came across a journey of seasons: fear, worry, stress, death of a child, anxiety, depression, and now I am trying to be stil l; trying to

Mavian

Ti me t o Remember

Chispa Magazine

Editor's Letter 7

remember how many times and in how many trials my Heavenly Father has come through. Going back one more time, Facebook just reminded me that in 2011 I wrote the following in my status: ?Jesus portrayed struggle as the entry point into the Christian life, stressing that it would be a daily reality of our faith...? Is this just a coincidence or fuel to spark my current season of remembrance?

Today, Vallarta Today sits on top of my desk as a reminder. Today, I recur the words my best friend said before we hung up: A calling doesn?t make you happy, it?s meant to make you holy. C

Chispa Magazine

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Your Strategy | Professional 9