A CROWN THAT LASTS

Author: Demi-Leigh Tebow

Publisher: Lux Verbi

Reviewer: Hazel Makuzeni

“Trophies and awards – even my Miss Universe crown – are not bad things; they just can’t be our everything,” so asserts Demi-Leigh Tebow in her self-help book, A Crown That Lasts. After years of dedicating her life toward the crown, she certainly knows what she’s talking about. This is a young woman who had been mesmerised by the Miss South Africa pageant since childhood and when she finally became one, Miss Universe was the ultimate next prize.  At the time, South Africa had not won the title in 39 years! In the book she shares her sacrifices and complete devotion toward that goal. She got a life coach, a pageant coach, a personal trainer, a public-speaking coach, and even stopped speaking Afrikaans for a few months to better her English.

“I hired make-up artists and hairstylists to teach me how to appear perfect every day,” she says. So, you can just imagine the shock to her system when her reign as Miss Universe came to an end. Her sense of purpose, her confidence, and identity was obliterated.  In the book she journeys with the reader by sharing compelling stories dealing with seasons of loneliness, feelings of hopelessness, utter trauma, and challenging circumstances. Even though she’s a firm believer in God’s eternal love, she’s earnest enough to talk about her faith being shaken throughout her teenage years and early adulthood. The thread that runs throughout the book is that of compassion. Having compassion for yourself and valuing every human being. For the author this is a lived-experience as an anti-human trafficking advocate.  She also believes that excellence is the absolute antidote to perfection. In fact, she encourages the reader to strive for excellence instead of perfection. Perfection, as she says, often involves an unattainable goal, while excellence encourages growth.

The book relies heavily on scripture from the Bible. I think this might be a deterrent for some who don’t believe in, or subscribe to Christianity. The author is explicit in her belief. As someone who grew-up in a Christian environment, I have no qualms about the book and its approach. I do wonder though – what if I did not grow-up Methodist? Would some of the insights offered be lost to me or irrelevant?  Either way, she has much insight to share.