Jesus Child magazine (formerly known as ‘I Love Christian Music’ has become the first Christian magazine for all sexes and denominations to be stocked by WH Smiths.
It is also the first ever Christian music/lifestyle magazine with international coverage, being available to buy at selected newsagents and WH Smiths across the UK and also at selected Barnes and Noble stores in the USA from Monday 13th August. The next issue (out in September) will almost be available to purchase in Europe.
The magazine aimed at young Christians (around 16 to 30), almost didn’t make it to the shops, when their previous distributor of the magazine, Native, went into administration. This meant that Cardiff based Owner/Editor and single mum of 3, Dee Blackmore, lost everything she had put into the business. “I was devastated. This came as a climax to a series of setbacks I had experienced in trying to launch the business (Saint Michael Studios) and the magazine. But despite all this, I knew God wanted me to continue. I would never have got this far without His Help”.
Jesus Child magazine can currently be found in the mainstream music section at WH Smiths. Dee comments, “I’m happy about this, eventhough the magazine is not strictly a music magazine anymore. It is now more of a lifestyle magazine, with sections such as bible study, meditation, worship, health and beauty, travel, and gardening. The concept of the mag is that of a ‘comfy sofa’ – a place in which anyone, Christian or Non-Christian, can learn about God, be entertained, challenged etc. There is also a sizeable Contemporary Christian Music scene out there that people may not know about, which is reflected in the magazine. We, as Christians, are called to be ‘lights in the darkness’ and there aren’t that many Christian magazines out there. So it’s about time a magazine like ours was available to buy on the High Street”.
She further adds, “After this issue I have decided that the company will become a charity and will fundraise to keep the magazine going. We do desperately need sponsors and people to advertise in it, so if anyone is interested, please get in touch”.
The name Jesus Child originated out of a time of fasting, mediation and prayer. Dee explains, “I was undertaking a beverage fast for the ’40 Days of Water’ campaign by the Charity ‘Blood:Water Mission’ (http://www.bloodwatermission.com) and generally seeking the Lord’s Guidance with the magazine. Not everyone had been keen about the magazine’s previous name ‘I Love Christian Music‘ and as the magazine was my ‘thank you offering’ to God, it had become obvious to me that I could not offer the magazine as a gift to God that wasn’t actually about Him! I asked the Holy Spirit to help me come up with a new name and after a few rejections Jesus Child was born.”
“The name came out of a few bible references. Our Slogan ‘out of the mouths of infants may You find perfect praise’ comes originally from Psalm 8:2, which Jesus repeated when the children were praising Him as He rode into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday). In Matthew 21:16 it reads, ‘And Jesus said to them, “… Have you never read, “Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise?”’ . The other main passage was: ‘”Let the children of God come to me, and do not forbid them, for such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it”’ (Mark 10: 14-15). “The praise of a young child is genuine and heartfelt and we are told to come to God as children. That’s basically what Jesus Child magazine is all about – celebrating and loving the Lord with no inhibitions.”
 Jesus Child Magazine Cover |
 Editor, Dee Blackmore |
 Dee and her family |
