Fifteen years ago, Christina Foxwell arrived in Australia with two young children – determined to recreate her life.
Having grown up in South Africa as the daughter of a Pentecostal minister, Christina had endured abuse as a young child and went on to experience domestic violence, trauma and divorce. Scarred by her past, but not willing to give up, Christina pushed through to find a new path in life, one of gratitude, forgiveness and love.
Now a successful entrepreneur and author based in Sydney, Christina founded Ignite Purpose, a personal and executive coaching practice that focuses on helping people find purpose and joy through building life and professional skills. She has published children’s books, fictional novels and non-fiction self-help books, drawing from her life experiences to inspire others.
Christina is launching her new book, The Glass Angel on October 18, which follows her life journey in finding self-love, forgiveness, hope and compassion. Part story, part biography and part self-help workbook, The Glass Angel aims to help people break free of the barriers they’ve put up in their lives, leading them gently towards overcoming shame, while also learning the importance of forgiveness and letting go of the past. “Through the book, I’d like to encourage women to rewrite their stories, rebuilding the way they see their life and themselves in order to unlock their full potential.”
According to Foxwell, The Glass Angel has taken years to bring to fruition and an inner courage that motivated her to share her life journey in order to help others. In the book, the engaging author discusses how women can break negative cycles of behaviour, overcoming burn-out and emotional exhaustion to create mental fitness. She talks about how women who are surviving major challenges, including PTSD, racism, domestic violence and divorce, can get back on their feet, deal with judgement and find a strong sense of self-worth, quieting the pervasive inner critic to truly heal.
The book opens with an allegorical story of a glass angel falling and shattering. Though broken, the angel journeys forward, trying to find a way to heal. As part of this healing, she becomes the warrior angel Shabina, who masks the angel Tehila whom she used to be. Tehlia has to learn the gift of grace to overcome her brokenness. Then only can she embrace peace, love and gratitude.
In the second part of the book, Christina leads the reader through her life. At times harrowing in its despair, her poignant life story does not skim over how cruel life can be. Surviving abuse, rejection, domestic violence and adultery, she creates an armour around her as her only way of protecting herself and offers insights on how to break free it. It is only when you break free that you can transform and transcend.
In the final part of the book, Christina leads the reader towards breaking free of their personal shackles. Providing ample space for readers to write their reflections, this workbook section of the book is in fact a journal towards self-help, self-forgiveness and finding new self-purpose.
“In The Glass Angel, I write about an angel made of glass falling and breaking. It’s a metaphor for my life. I have lived through domestic abuse and violence. Gaslighting in relationships takes the shape of manipulative abusive tactics and really undermines your ability to form your own reality,” Foxwell said. “I’ve dealt with abuse, divorce and being a single mother. The Glass Angel is really about how to find the strength within yourself to survive and heal, because it is possible. Forgiveness is a big part of moving forward.”
Already reviewers are calling the book gut-wrenching, inspiring and remarkable, and a piece of work that is impossible to put down until the last page is turned. From the depths of despair, Foxwell has managed to find a way to see the positive in life and carve out a pathway forward of opportunities, growth, happiness and acceptance.
“I would like my readers to go on a journey with me. I’ve given them space to write their thoughts and reflections, their ideas and their feelings,” says Foxwell. “Life is incredibly complex and you need to take the time to think and reflect. The journey to self-love, forgiveness, hope and compassion begins with looking inwards. Writing things down can give you the clarity and direction that you need. If you change your perspective, you can change your life.”
The Glass Angel is currently available on Kindle and can be ordered via Loot in South Africa.
Register here for the launch event on 18th October at 11am.
PODCAST:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/1eDjMyyJ2gqC6CHooqS6jp?si=aUF3FYQMQ2mns_e_9–Wdg
