Hi.
Welcome to my blog. I document my faith journey, to help you commit to yours. Jesus cares about your dreams, your relationships, your hopes, and your future. Happy reading!
Welcome to my blog. I document my faith journey, to help you commit to yours. Jesus cares about your dreams, your relationships, your hopes, and your future. Happy reading!
Clothing that’s cozy and a testimony.
My name is Alecsandra Abreu and I founded Rapha design December 2021 with the help of my beautiful and kindhearted mom Viviane Abreu. Growing up I had eczema that intended to grow up with me. The beginning of 2020 was when my skin was constantly in extricating pain and irritated. I tried covering up my neck, my arms, the back of my legs, basically, any part of my skin that I saw as a burden. God didn't see it as a burden, but rather my testimony. In October 2020, a close friend and mentor invited me to a prayer night for my eczema. Mind you it "so happened" to be the day the power was out and the one who invited me couldn't make it last minute so I almost didn't go in. My mom was with me and encouraged me to go not for answers but to seek the answer, God. The pastor that was praying over me told me that the Lord had healed me. Regardless of the red and open wounds, the Lord called me healed. That night was the beginning of me walking in that truth and with faith that the Lord was going to use me for His glory. I started showing my eczema, saying "gotta show the before so people believe the after,” talking about it at bible studies and witnessing the Lord's healing in my life not just physically but emotionally as well.
Now in 2024, by His power, I am walking in the healing the Lord spoke over me. Mostly on my forearms, you can see how my skin is a bit stained by the medicine I had used but I see it as a reminder of how I am stained by the Blood of Jesus. He healed and continues to heal me. Being brought up in a Christian home by two amazing immigrant parents, I was always taught to use my gifts for the Lord's glory. What I didn't expect was for Him to actually use my gifts...let me explain. My love language to others as always been acts of service and gift-giving. At Christmas I always made gifts for close friends but in 2021, having a Cricut machine at home, I decided to make custom apparel as Christmas gifts. When my friends had told me their favorite bible verse/phrase, the Holy Spirit gave me a vision for a design for each friend. After seeing how touched people were by their apparel, I realized I had to use this gift for design for the Lord's kingdom and glory.
In December 2021, I told my mom how I wanted to start a clothing brand and she told me the phrase "Jehovah Rapha.” The Hebrew verb means "God is my healer" or "the God who heals". The Holy Spirit then touched my mom and I with the name Rapha design. It was never a coincidence a grew up loving graphic design or that I had to learn to trust in the Lord's healing...His perfect timing. In May 2022 we launched the website and since then created tons of designs for the Creator, sold at three nonprofit conferences, collaborated with a women's ministry and youth ministry for merch and have seen the Lord's comfort and healing power in every detail.
Rapha design is a Christian brand established with the desire to glorify the Lord and be a reminder of His love, comfort, and healing power through custom apparel. It is a family owned business founded by myself, Alecsandra, and my mom, Viviane. The name of our brand stems from the Hebrew verb Jehovah Rapha meaning the God who heals/God is my healer and graphic design. We create designs for the Creator through apparel like tees, sweatshirts, hoodies, sweatpants, and tote bags so far. Rapha design is a brand and a ministry, all for His glory and His Kingdom.
It definitely hasn’t been easy but it has been so worth it. When I launched, I was in the second semester of my first year at Kennesaw State and learning the process of owning a business. I learned how to manage my time with school, serving, and running Rapha the hard way but the Lord has so graciously been with me in every tear, every worry, every jubilation, and every step of the way. In saying yes to the Lord I have learned to surrender every part to Him. God blessed the process of designing, the shipments, the models, the social media, and the brand as a whole. I would get in my head a lot and overthink a post or design but the Lord reminded me that He was and is with me, working through Rapha design, and is the reason for the brand. Through Rapha, the Lord has renewed my spirit, my love for Him grows abundantly, and I walk in His authority that He has given me with this platform to honor Him.
Our brand is open to anyone, (We even take custom orders on our website!), but I would say those who need a reminder of the Lord's comfort and healing power. We sell comfortable clothing so others are reminded of His comfort and peace. He calls us to not stay comfortable and to be His hands and feet. He is our comfort in the uncomfortable, so why not wear comfortable apparel while spreading the Gospel ;) the Lord is our healer, physical or emotional. He can provide and will provide in His perfect timing. He is Jehovah Rapha.
