Heart to Heart: Lulu Nxozi



As a daughter of the King, we sometimes forget how much power, authority, virtue, and value that God has given us. In this Holy Spirit inspired interview with actress, Lulu Nxozi, you will be empowered and reminded of who you really are!  Lulu is famously known for her roles on Generations, White Wedding, Release  and has been nominated for a SAFTA in 2014 and was a finalist in the New York Festival's Best Films & TV 2014.  Yet, her passion is not only acting. Jesus is her Heart, literally. As she speaks about Him you will strong strongly sense her passion which is so tangible, so real.  I pray that as you read this blogpost you will experience Jesus.

Inside Woman: In what ways do you see God guiding your journey?

Lulu Nxozi: I see God's hand in my every day life. From simple decisions to complex ones, to what people deem as unexplainable "coincidences". In Him I live, I move, I have my being. Knowing and having a relationship with God gives me a sense of peace that everything in my life is precisely the way He intended it to be.

Inside Woman: How did you come to know Christ as your personal Saviour? Can you explain a bit of the journey that led you to this point?

Lulu Nxozi: I was raised in a Christian home by a strong woman. My brother joined a Pentecostal Church started preaching when he was very young. He used to tell us about God all the time. He would make us read the Bible and pray. I started visiting His Church and soon accepted Christ as my Lord and Saviour. Pretty much our whole family followed on the same path. That decision completely changed my life. We practically lived in Church. There were so many opportunities to be molded and shaped into God fearing young people. There were youth camps during school holidays, we were deeply entrenched in the things of God. We were able to use our gifts and talents for God's glory. We were a part of many youth outreach programs that were targeted at other young people in our neighborhoods. We learnt how to sing, dance, act and we were taught from an early age about the spirit of excellence - in everything we did. We were a generation of young Christians who knew we were going to change the world!

I look at that experience as the best thing to have ever happen to us. It basically informed the kind of a woman I was to become in adulthood, so many seeds of greatness were planted in us during that season.

Inside Woman: Who is Jesus Christ to you?

Lulu Nxozi: Jesus is my Lord and Saviour. He's the one who paid for my freedom. He's my heartbeat, I can do nothing without Him. He truly is that friend who sticks closer than a brother. He is my gut feeling and sixth sense. He orders my steps.

Inside Woman: And what is the Bible to you?

Lulu Nxozi: The Bible is a manual through which I am meant to navigate this life. It's not just a book it is the Wisdom of God on paper. A wisdom in which I am so deeply entrenched, it's my lifestyle.

Inside Woman: What gives you the courage and tenacity to keep moving forward with life?

Lulu Nxozi: Knowing that God lives in me, and that my path is predestined by Him. Most importantly, it is the knowledge that I am more than a conqueror through Christ Jesus. We tend to rely a lot on our emotions, but these change every second. I am able to move forward because I know I am in God's will and that there is NO failure in Him. Even things that are meant to harm me, God turns them around for my good - I can never go wrong. I'm not afraid of the future because God is already there.

Inside Woman: What’s it like being a Christian in the entertainment community, especially in today’s social/political climate?

Lulu Nxozi: I look at it as a blessing. It's the platform that God has given us to effect change, spread His love and help those that are less fortunate. It's about knowing who you are in Christ and not being swayed by the industry. At the end of the day this is my mission, some days are easy and others are difficult - but that doesn't change the mandate God has given us - to go out and be the salt of the earth and leave a legacy of God's grace and love. It's about knowing that you were born for such a time as this, and that our voices need to be used to promote good not evil.

Inside Woman: What are the biggest challenges associated with your work and how are you learning to overcome them?

Lulu Nxozi: The biggest challenge in our line of work is people losing themselves to all kinds of influences. People are afraid to declare that they're Christian because they don't want to "lose out" on certain deals. I'm fortunate that I came to know God when I was really young. That helped me to establish a really strong sense of self entrenched in God. I'm always aware that He is my Source and that whatever He has intended for me will be mine.
I think with any kind of work, the voices surrounding you tend to be really loud. It's about staying connected to God and allowing His voice to be the loudest voice in your head. The work we do can turn us into all kinds of people, it's important to stay connected to the source in order to stay grounded and humble. Knowing that the glory is not yours makes it easy - because you know it's all about Jesus, I'm simply an instrument in the Master's hand.

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Inside Woman: Do you feel that your faith influences you work, and if so, how?

Lulu Nxozi: My faith influences every part of my life not just my work. It influences how I deal with people on a day to day basis. I'm always aware that it's not about me, it's about what God wants to do through me. When people walk away from having encountered me, they should leave with a sense of non judgement and simply accepted for who they are, whoever they are. That's what Jesus did. He was all about people, He had a heart for people. I try to emulate that in my daily walk, in my daily encounters with people.

Inside Woman: As an actress, have you set a standard, a line you will not cross?

Lulu Nxozi: I completely believe in setting standards. I feel that certain parts of my body should be reserved for the person I am married to. There are things I simply won't do - I always keep in mind that before anything I am first and foremost a child of God. It's important for me to allow the Holy Spirit to govern the decisions I make. If my spirit is not ok with it then I'm not doing it.



Inside Woman: How have your life-changing experiences shaped or strengthened your life today?

Lulu Nxozi: In 2007 I was involved in a car crash that almost took my life. I was left with scars on my face and my body. At the time I was about to film the first season of Tshisa. I thought I was going to be recast but the producers waited for me to recover and I went to work. This is one of the many experiences that I have gone through that have shown me that God is with me, He has a plan for my life and that's why I am still alive. It is that intrinsic belief that no matter what happens I will be ok and when the Bible says there's nothing too hard for God - it's actually true. My sense of humility was strengthened. To this day I remain blown away by the mercies of God. A lot of people don't realize the unconditional love of God, like there is nothing I can physically do to make God stop loving me. And like any child who is loved, I am safe, I am secure, I am empowered, I am privileged, I am entrusted with such a big responsibility of making others see His grace and unconditional love the way He has shown me.

Inside Woman: What do you say to women who are struggling with the confidence to break out and be all that God has called them to be?

Lulu Nxozi: I would encourage them by saying that there are people whose destinies depend on you being who God has called you to be. Fear is an illusion. We only start to truly live when we allow ourselves to be all that we can be. Your gifts and talents, your story - matter, it could change someone's life - you matter. It's about putting your confidence in God. I truly believe that MY ability is in HIS ability, you just need to go for it and cease the moment. You have everything you need to be who God intended you to be - you lack nothing.  Jesus was 33 when He died, imagine if He didn't have the confidence to fulfill His mission on earth, our destinies would not be what they are today!

Inside Woman: Can you share with our readers some of your greatest seasons of brokenness and how Jesus got you through them?

Lulu Nxozi: I come from a family that had nothing, literally. My mother worked tirelessly for us to have a good life. But raising three children on her own on a measly salary was not easy. I cannot even begin to tell you the countless times God has shown Himself to be a Provider. From winning beauty contests, and having strangers and teachers showing me love and giving me things - that's God. To this day, when I think about my childhood, I don't see lack, I see the many many faces who were used by God to provide the basic necessities for me and my family. God uses people. I remain humbled by that.

Inside Woman: Do you struggle with being a single woman?

Lulu Nxozi: I think being a single is a great opportunity for young women to find themselves. Find out who you are, what your gifts and passion are. It's also a good season to be made whole and heal of everything that might have wounded you in the past. It's a season for you to discover what it is that you want from a partner, you can only do this if you know enough of yourself. We need to be whole as individuals before we can be one with "the one". Being single for me has been an absolute blessings. Through the Grace of God I have managed to establish myself in every sense of the word. I truly believe that it's not time until it's God's time. Live. Travel the world. Work for God. Focus on building yourself and being the person that you would want to marry. That's my philosophy on being single.

Inside Woman: How do you remain content during season when it seems like God is not moving?

Lulu Nxozi: The knowledge that we walk by faith and not by sight is EVERYTHING! My past experiences have shown me that God is ALWAYS at work, He truly doesn't sleep or slumber, He watches over us. It's about taking the Words in the Bible and making them your lifestyle. I look at all the scriptures that validate this fact and rest in that knowledge. We're human and we become restless, but deep down I know the truth that God is working on my behalf and only wants the best for me even at times where I can't see it with my naked eye.

Inside Woman: Who has been a significant influence in your life?

Lulu Nxozi: My mother has been the greatest influence in my life. With a faith that is unwavering. A prayer warrior. A village psychologist. A giver. She raised three strong individuals. With a mother like her, it was never difficult for me to believe in the concept of Unconditional Love. She moulded and shaped us to be the best we can ever be. She takes no credit for it, she credits God for teaching her to be so phenomenal at it. We share my mother with the rest of the world, my house is always full of people, she's extended herself to so many other people. She truly is love in action. A mother of the nation, truly generous spirit. God continues to use her to bless our lives.

Inside Woman: What advice would you give about living life to the fullest?

Lulu Nxozi: The fact that we only have one life to live. The fact that each day will never be repeated. The fact that we need to leave a legacy should be enough for us to live life to the fullest!

Inside Woman: What is your message of hope to broken women?

Lulu Nxozi: Our destinies and the plan of God doesn't come to a stand still in our moments of brokenness. Our biggest tests in life make for the biggest testimonies. Dust yourself up, and know that you are the child of the most High God who wants to put you back together again. Allow yourself to grieve, take the lessons, believe that it will all work out for your good. God remains in control.

Inside Woman: If someone has never prayed before or never asked God for help before and would like to start now, how would they go about doing that?

Lulu Nxozi: Whether you are kneeling down, sitting on a chair, sleeping on a bed, walking down the street - God can hear you and most importantly He sees your heart. Just speak to Him, He's always ready to listen. God is always within reach. I have always believe in a God who's tangible.

Inside Woman: Can you know God outside of Jesus?

Lulu Nxozi: Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. That's what the Bible says. There are many religions in the world, it's our job as Christians to look at things that unite us as opposed to our differences. We are also not in a position to judge other people's belief systems. The mandate is for us to love one another as Christ has lived us.

Inside Woman: There’s so much confusion about what’s Biblically correct. How do you clearly, unmistakably know that it is God speaking to you, not the devil or your own voice?

Lulu Nxozi: Faith, like everything needs to be exercised and cultivated. Over time you learn to know the voice of God, it is unlike any other voice. It is the voice of truth. Some people call it the gut feeling, or your sixth sense. It also comes with spiritual maturity, and that doesn't mean maturity in years. In God there is no confusion.

Inside Woman: We're in a new season. What season are you in now in your life?

Lulu Nxozi: The days of believing in a God that is up in the sky are over. I believe in a God that I can touch and feel, one who walks with me - literally. Ever since I changed my thinking, I have seen God move in astonishing ways in my life. In my life, this is currently harvest season where I am reaping the rewards, where God is making every single dream of mine come true.

Inside Woman: What lies have you believed about being a woman and how did God help you to overcome them?

Lulu Nxozi: It is the oldest lie in the book, that women are the inferior species. The things I have seen God do through women have been a huge testament to the fact that this is simply not true. God uses whoever is willing and available. From the days of Kathryn Kuhlman to Juanita Bynum, Joyce Meyer etc women have proven this lie to be a myth.

Inside Woman: When you close your eyes and see and empowered woman in Christ, what do you see?

Lulu Nxozi: A blank canvas - an empowered woman paints what she wants to see and be. A blank cheque - an empowered woman puts in the exact number of zeros she wants to see and have. We have the power to create and be absolutely anything we want to be. We have the power. One of my favorite songs from Hillsongs "Same power that conquered the grave lives in me...". I believe in this wholeheartedly. Being empowered means having the POWER with no limits, power to change things, power to have anything you want. It's time for women to take their power back by forgiving those who have wronged them, letting go of situations that strip us of our godliness and sense of self worth. Holding on to old hurts and toxic relationships not only holds you back from fulfilling God's purpose for your life, but it also strips you of your God given power. An empowered woman in Christ knows her power and uses it for God's glory. An empowered woman lets go and lets God.

Inside Woman: How did you first become interested in performing and how did you develop that passion into a solid career?

Lulu Nxozi: When I was 5 years old, I told my mother I was going to be a newsreader. I would later write my own news bulletins and have generally always been interested in what happens in the world. I developed such a passion for radio dramas and wanted to do that as well. I joined a drama group at my Church when I was 13 years old. We used to write our own plays and perform at church events. We were all passionate about using drama to impact the lives of other young people. On our second year we won the regional finals of the Surf Drama Festival which used to air on TV 1 (now known as SABC 1) . For the first time we were on TV. We performed at the Rhodes University Theatre and I just knew - that's where I belonged, that's what I wanted to do with my life. I was blessed to be surrounded by people who saw and nurtured my talent. I owe that to my youth leaders and pastors who gave us the platform to experiment.  I later went to study Speech and Drama at Rhodes University, relocated to Johannesburg. The rest is history. I've seen God literally move me from one level to the next. I currently work as a Film Producer and Actress and I am precisely where God wants me to be. My steps have been ordered from one point to another.

Inside Woman: Do you see what you do as call/ministry? Please explain?

Lulu Nxozi: It is my purpose in life. It's my calling, it's my ministry, it has enabled me to reach people in ways I never thought were possible.

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