By Sandra M. Borges | Special to the NB Independent
Newport Beach entrepreneur Luann McElroy, whose business ventures include her own magazine, Damsel, and Voyagers Rentals, a Newport Beach Duffy boat experience, had talked about launching a Christian-based company, but she was unsure what that company might be.
One day, her young daughter, Jude, asked for a Labubu—a plush toy that looked like an elf with exaggerated facial features.
“We walk into her school, and all of the kids have these creepy little dolls attached to their backpacks. I didn’t know what it was, and she didn’t know what they were, and she’s like, ‘Mom, I want one’,” said McElroy.
With this, her company, Holy Holy Holies, was born. It’s McElroy’s own form of ministry, aimed at providing each child with their own prayer angel.
“We have to create something more meaningful if we’re going to carry it around with us,” said McElroy. “It’s a reminder that God and His love are always with you.”
The prayer angel who initiated it is named Jude, inspired by McElroy’s daughter, and has striking baby-blue eyes and shiny blonde hair with bangs.
Launching a few days before Resurrection Sunday, McElroy didn’t sit in a room and plot every second of the brand’s strategy, but instead allowed the Holy Spirit who lives in her to guide every step of the process.
“The name came, the design… it all came together. I haven’t come up with any of this,” said McElroy. It was all derived directly from Scripture: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” Isaiah 6:3 accompanies the tag of every prayer angel.
It was evident that bringing Holy Holy Holies to fruition was what she was missing all along, and it came as a blessing through her daughter.
The Bible states in Matthew 19:14, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”
McElroy envisions expanding her prayer angels. A sub-branch of the faith-based company is fundraising to share the good news of Jesus Christ.
“We just finished [a fundraiser] in Texas,” said McElroy. “It was a St. Mary Catholic school. Any order that came in with the code St. Mary on it, that whole order is getting 20 percent back to the school. That’s how they’re fundraising.”
Looking ahead, Holy Holy Holies aims to launch the next prayer angel by this Christmas. This angel will be the second in what she hopes to be a line of six or seven prayer angels. This next one will have brown hair and brown eyes, with a tan complexion, in a light blue dress.
To acquire a Jude prayer angel, visit www.holyholyholies.com.
