Back in 2013, there was this girl who had just graduated from university. She decided that she wanted to make use of her voice. That she wasn’t happy with how the fashion industry was encouraging skimpier and skimpier outfits. That she needed to find a way to combine her love of alternative styles with her desire to dress modestly. So she started a blog.
As time went on, this girl realised that she also wanted to write about the things she loved. So she started to review recipes, share her bible studies, and talk about issues on her heart. She even went so far as to study what the Bible had to say about menstruation and female health. However, her blog had originally been about fashion and suddenly she wanted to talk about everything else too. She wanted to talk about life and what it was like to be a Christian woman living it.
That girl was me.
Hi, I’m Katy. Over the past five years, I’ve been exploring what it means to be a Christian woman in this crazy, mixed-up age. From debates about gender through to whether or not green smoothies are good for you, I couldn’t help but explore them. And then I made the mistake of talking to my girl friends about it. Then I looked online to see what more I could find about all these different topics from a Christian perspective.
The answer was not a lot. I could find loads of sex, singleness, relationships, and even a little on gender. But on female health, the environment, shopping ethically, and even healthy eating, I found it increasingly hard to find something that explained what this meant to a Christian. What the Bible had to say about it.
So I decided to find out what the Bible had to say about it. To find out what the full life mentioned in John 10:10 really looks like. Not just a Sunday life where we spend our entire time with our arms raised, singing worship songs. But a life that was full of the mundane and the extraordinary. One where I could experience something of God’s creation when I drank my spinach and berry smoothie. A life where I didn’t want to swear at Eve every month because I was in such pain. And one where wearing a maxi skirt was as much a sign of defiant worship as praying in a coffee shop was.
That’s why I started Finding Chaya. Because I didn’t think I could be the only one with these questions. I knew I couldn’t be the only person who was questioning what a full life looked like. And the fact that you’re here now means you had those same questions too.
But because there is always more to someone than what’s on the internet, here are 10 facts about Katy.
- I’m a sucker for anything a bit different to the high street, from charity shop maxi dresses through to oversized shirts and jumpers. I definitely have too many chunky knits
- I cooked my first meal somewhere between 8 and 10 years old (it was a long time ago), although I had a little bit of help from my mum.
- I’m a bit of a history geek (I have the degree to prove it), so fell in love with Old Testament stories when I was a kid. Predictably, Esther was my favourite because who doesn’t love a bit of Biblical girl power?
- I’m a tiny superhero geek, complete with all 10 seasons of Smallville, a couple of comic books, and my awesome, slightly-too-big Batman top.
- I have repetitive strain injury in both of my wrists, which is a literal pain when you spend time online.
- I have had some problems with my mental health in the past. I won’t go into detail here but will happily answer any questions you may have.
- I’m originally from an area in Britain called the Fens, because it used to be marshland. It’s the main reason why I love a good sunset so much.
- I am officially a Master of Arts in Public Humanities. What this actually means, I’m still not 100% sure but I can analyse several documents at the same time digitally.
- I try to only buy jewellery that is ethical, fair-trade or from charity shops. A couple of years ago I read about mining practices and haven’t been able to buy brand new jewellery from standard shops since.
- I love dressing in denim, drinking interesting tea, savouring dark chocolate and reading fantasy. Possibly too much.
Photo Credit: Stephanie Walton (Stephanie Dreams Photography)