Inspiration in the Nations Joy Teague Matienzo

Inspiration in the Nations: Suzanne from South Africa

October 1, 2020 Joybells

The first time I met Suzanne, when she and her husband graciously hosted us in their home in the UK, we literally LAUGHED for hours. She oozes energy, fun and kindness and has a serious determination to change the lives of both adults and children all around the world with the love of Jesus and physical fitness!

Joy: Suzanne, please tell us how old you are and what country you are from?
Suzanne: I am 38 and South African, but have lived in the UK for 13 years.

Joy: How did you meet Jesus and how did that change your life in practical ways?
Suzanne: I met Jesus at University in my second year. I went to Uni not knowing how I was going to pay for my tuition. The week my first payment was due I thought I would have to drop out of school as I had no means of paying it. But God did a miracle and provided a special loan for me. That is where I realised something greater was at work. At that time I was being consistently pursued by a hostel-mate to attend church. They eventually persuaded me to go on a camping trip, which turned out to be a church camping trip. I wanted to die when I realised what she hoaxed me into, but thankfully she knew what she was doing and I dedicated my life to Jesus that weekend!

I was never to be the same again. I had been a big party girl before that weekend. With an unending appetite for harmful behaviour, whatever the flavour of the month was, I was doing it. I was also dragging many others down the same road with me. It felt like my whole life changed the instant I met Jesus. It was very strange, I had no idea who I was or where that other person went. After giving my life to Christ, I did have moments of relapsing into substance abuse or harmful behaviour, but God’s power always came to bring me back to Him and His ways.

Joy: How did you meet your husband and how did you decide to move to the UK?
Suzanne: Just before I left University I was writing in my journal and God started speaking to me about my husband. Little did I know what I was writing down was a life saving prophecy about who my husband was and what he would look like. After I wrote down the words God inspired, I read them back and I realised God had this person for me. I was a bit upset as it was very specific and I realised this eliminated almost every other man on the planet. But it was such a saving grace as that description of Greg, my future husband, helped me to not look at or consider anyone else till I met him.

I eventually met Greg at an all night prayer event where all the student connect groups, including the ones we were in, got together to seek God. Needless to say, we were both a little distracted. Greg asked me on a date that week and the rest is a beautiful and ongoing “madly in love” story.

Joy: Tell us about your business. What is it like being a Christian business owner and what drives you to do it? What are some of the joys and some of the challenges?
Suzanne: My business is first and foremost a vehicle for turning people towards God. My philosophy is that we need to stay active, but that it is a small part of the big picture of health. My job is to help you to have fun while you work to the best of your ability when exercising.

I started “The Fitness Studio” in 2014, offering a variety of exercise classes each week. I also contract trainers out to local schools in order to help kids move in a fun and exciting way.

The community we created with the studio became like a family. The biggest success for me has been the friendly environment and feeling of acceptance it has created to all who walk through the doors. My greatest motivation is that my clients would hear about Jesus, or take a step closer towards Him in some way.

As I look for opportunities to pray for and with any of my clients, inevitably there are moments when people need a listening ear and a prayer. The challenge in these moments, of course, is to be bold and confident to know that God wants to connect with them and that I can be His vessel. I have had the joy of leading one of my clients as well as one of the gym managers I worked with to accept Jesus as their personal Saviour. Another challenge is my growing concern as I see that exercise programmes with roots in eastern religious practices have become commonplace within schools and gyms. I am passionate about offering alternative workouts.

God has also used this business to establish believers into a church community. One young man, Nigel, was not fond of church, but he loved Jesus. The Fitness Studio was his woo back into the body of Christ. Five years later he is an active member of our church, leads a connect group and serves on the hosting team. It’s safe to say he now loves church!

I really value community and aim to facilitate smaller groups that are friendly and open which in turn creates a feeling of belonging and safety. Subsequently these communities have started meeting outside the gym. In March 2020 during lockdown I took my business online where clients can subscribe and sign up to do workouts from home. We offer workouts for both kids and adults at Bodymoves.co.uk.

Joy: How do you handle the Work/Home balancing challenge?
Suzanne: Having my own business is actually a help, not a hindrance to my maintaining a healthy work and family balance. I love my job, and I also love having to keep the business evolving and growing. I love knowing I am giving my clients the absolute best I can possibly give. Sometimes there are obstacles in the way that you can not help when you are working for someone else. But when it is your own business, you decide how high the bar goes.

The challenge is keeping the right balance in the time you spend on working on the business. I have learnt to structure times and not to compromise on it as the business will always try and take more from you. I have decided to only give what I can in the allocated hours and if the business does not succeed within those parameters, then I am happy to let it go. Another challenge is also to know that God provides, He can use the business and other very creative ways to provide. The business is not my provider.

Another part of balance is relationships outside the family and work.

Joy: Can you tell us about a time when your female friends were an encouragement when you needed it the most?
Suzanne: A few months ago was one of the toughest months I’ve ever had. Our friend passed away and left her daughter behind and just like that we had a 4th older child. Our house is small, our capacity even smaller. But we knew God had appointed this over us. In this time I have never felt as much apart of a wider community. We received meals, phone calls, money, and helping hands. We were showered with compassion, love and support. What I noticed in this time, was that each individual used their gifts to bless us. One lady brought cake to us weekly. Another kept bringing food (Thank God). We had so much help clearing the home of our deceased friend. Some people came around to take one of the kids for a walk. Others drove hours to bring us furniture. The list goes on and on. Most of all, prayers. We have felt strong and the only way that could be possible is much prayer. My heart is overflowing with gratitude and thankfulness.

Joy: Do you have a life verse or a verse that means a lot to you right now?
Suzanne: Psalm 91- He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty I will say to the Lord, My refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust.

When we are in His shelter, I see it as we are in His shadow. This means we are in close proximity to Him. My life can only succeed, in being His child, a wife, a mom, a pastor’s wife, a church leader and a business owner if I am close to Him. Close to Him is the only way,

Joy: What’s your favorite thing to do when you have a free afternoon?
Suzanne: I love going to a coffee shop and reading a book. I also like to be completely alone with no sound around me. In these moments I recharge super quickly. I usually end up speaking to God which is always very restorative.

Oh, and plucking my eyebrows, there never seems time for that. When I have an afternoon off, which is almost never with a 2 year old, I pop over to my neighbour who threads my eyebrows.

Joy: What is one thing that you wish people understood about South African people or culture?
Suzanne: We aren’t angry, we are just passionate and say it how it is.

Joy: Do you have a favorite recipe to share that we can add to our recipe stashes?
Suzanne:

Super Quick Banana Bread
140g butter (you can use much less butter and sugar depending on preference)
140g sugar (I play around with different sources, coconut sugar is my favourite)
140g self raising flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
2 bananas
dash of vanilla

Mix the dry ingredients separately from the wet ingredients
Pour the dry into the wet and mix thoroughly
Pour into muffin tins or a bread tin and bake at 350.