Wrapping up National Women’s History month, Christina DiMari, author of Ocean Star: A Memoir and keynote speaker at the Ruby Slippers events, led a group of Biola women to the sand and surf of Huntington Beach for a Bible study focusing on healing and their significance to God.

Katie Powell, Resident Director for Horton residence hall, coordinated the opportunity for female residents to hear DiMari speak.

“This year, the female RAs in Horton Hall wanted to come together and plan one big event for all of the women in our community,” said Powell. “Our hope was to celebrate together as sisters in Christ in a special time and learn more about what it means to be a daughter of Christ.”

Powell partnered with DiMari and Christian Surfers of Huntington Beach to put on the workshop. The girls of Horton found themselves enjoying the sunny weather while building friendships and spiritual growth.

The workshop kicked off with a sea star search where each of the girls walked around the sand and through the waves to find sea stars. DiMari explained how the sea star serves as a metaphor for healing and growth. Sea stars have the ability to regenerate any of their limbs that need healing. DiMari used the example to show how women heal and grow through mending their wounds by building a relationship with Christ.

“The event focused on God being our source of life and being able to not only heal us from our brokenness, but also use us in great ways in our brokenness,” said Powell. “She also addresses the idea that each woman is unique and is of great value and has a lot to offer other women.”

After sharing her life-transforming testimony, DiMari gave each person a Hawaiian freshwater pearl. She wanted the pearl to serve as a reminder of the beauty and uniqueness that God sees in every woman.

“I often compare the journey of the pearl to our journey with God,” said DiMari. “He takes us as we are and through the irritations and conflicts we encounter…He coats us with His grace, refines us and molds us into something of beauty that reflects His love to the world.”

The workshop left an impact on students as they walked from the event feeling motivated to share the message of God’s love with fellow women.

“It was a great time of fellowship and inspiration on a beautiful day at the beach,” said Powell. “Some of the women even want to go through the study with other girls to empower them.”

Serving as an artist and a writer, DiMari uses her creativity as a motivational inspiration for females who are going through difficult situations in life. She found peace at the beach and sought refuge there when dealing with issues of abandonment and brokenness as a young woman. Now, it is a place of hope and inspiration for her, a place she now shares with other young woman.

“You’re Designed to Shine” workshops are held around the country to inspire women of all ages.  DiMari is also the founder and president of Ocean Star Gifts, an inspirational line of beach-themed greeting cards and gift items.

Learn more about DiMari’s story in Biola University’s student newspaper, The Chimes, article “Biola women get renewed perspective about beauty and pain.”

Written by Jennifer Thach, Media Relations Intern. Jenna Bartlo, Media Relations Coordinator, can be reached at (562) 777-4061 or through email at jenna.l.bartlo@biola.edu