12/06/2022
And this concludes year #2 of doing the thing I love most! I made it! Barely…🤣 JK.
This year, looked very different for me in a lot of ways. When I first started taking pictures, I wasn’t working full time and I had just got married, and graduated college. This year, I got a full time job that I love which means I had limited time trying to cram everyone in for a session, experienced a very tragic loss, started my second year of marriage, and needless to say, through it all I’ve learned a lot! I wouldn’t necessarily say this year was as good as when I first started taking pictures. It was busy, overwhelming, emotional, and I’ve adjusted to a lot of change. However, I am thankful for God. Between juggling weddings, sessions, full time job, marriage, all the while trying to take care of yourself can be absolutely draining. BUT - if it weren’t for God I’m not exactly sure how I continued to show up. I owe everything that I am to Him, because it hasn’t been easy. As I close this year out, I just wanted to highlight that because you may look and wonder I wish I had what she has, or I wish I could do what she does, but trust me, I have struggles of my own. I have doubts of my own, and I am sometimes barely hanging on.
A few things I’ve learned this year I’d like to share maybe this will help you in your own journey:
1. Maybe we weren’t mean to know the “why” part of our circumstances. Think about that. Would knowing the answer really change our perspective or our peace about a situation?
2. Life isn’t always what it seems. I think many of us have a picture in our minds of what we think life should look like, but unfortunately it doesn’t always go the way we want it. But I can promise you, God has a better plan.
3. You never know a persons perspective/journey until you walk it yourself. I think many times we can say how we would react in a certain situation, but the truth is we don’t know what we would think, say or feel like until we experience that ourselves.
4. Love people. I can’t express how hard but yet rewarding when you just simply love someone for who they are, not just what they have done. Celebrate that person, and be there for them. Show up.
5. Don’t ever doubt what God can do in your life. I would have never said two years ago, I’d be where I’m at in my career, my marriage, or my photography business. I’m very blessed. It’s humbling.
6. Read books that help you grow in your faith. There are some amazing God centered books that have helped me through some hard times and have given me a different outlook on life.
7. Take care of yourself. Don’t over do it, because when you do you will definitely feel it. Allow yourself a movie night, a spa day, or time to just rest. It’s extremely important. But when you do rest, get right back up and continue on. Don’t just give up. Use it as an opportunity to be stronger and more better than you were before.
8. God will bring you through something to show someone else it can be accomplished. There are many times I have looked back and I was like ok God, I see why. Many times I feel, it was to give me the strength to be compassionate to someone else and help them through their own journeys. When you’ve been in that same spot, it’s easy to relate to someone else who has too. You tend to have a softer spot for them. I’ve learned that is the purpose of our pain, to remind others they aren’t alone.
9. Keep your guard up. Now when I say this I don’t mean what the world means. I mean, don’t let the devil take over your thoughts, your emotions, or your mind. Fill your mind with God’s words and God’s promises, and have the strength to say nope, not today. I choose God. I choose joy, and I choose to stay away from anything that will hinder my faith. It goes along way.
10. Last but not least, forgive. Forgiveness shouldn’t even be a question. It’s a commandment from God. I don’t know why, but to me, it’s so amazing that even though I don’t deserve anything, God still forgave me. I can’t wrap my mind around that. The way I look at it, is if God can forgive me and everything I’ve done, why can’t I forgive someone else? It’s not my will, but His. It’s what He did for me, and if I truly believe that, then I will forgive and reconcile the way he did for me on the cross. It’s a beautiful thing.
All of this to say, I have just learned a lot. I’ve been humbled, and I’ve seen God work in different ways. But to see God work isn’t necessarily to see sunshine and rainbows every single day. It’s to ultimately see the disappointment, the ugly, and the hurt of life’s struggles. But most importantly to see what He can do through it, and how he can use you to glorify him and reach someone else who has been there too.
I am thankful for another year to learn, and grow. Thank you, for always supporting me, and I look forward to starting fresh in January! Have a merry Christmas! I pray you find your joy in Him.
