Portland Oregon Photographer: Savannah

Savannah and I have been friends since first grade. We can say everything to each other and nothing to each other. We can just be ourselves. We can share what God is doing in our life and our ache to grow closer in our relationship with Him. We can talk about our struggles and our desire to glorify Him in every single aspect of our lives. i love being able to live in freedom.

The morning of the workshop, we had about five minutes before we were leaving for coffee so we ran across the street and we laughed about everything.

happy Tuesday!

thoughts and then more thoughts

today i had a thought that was followed by another thought. this typically happens, but for some reason these thoughts were more significant than the last thoughts.

with every piece of me, i want to tell the truth. it's not just that i don't want to believe lies or speak lies: i want to tell the truth to women. because it is something that we need to hear...because it's true! i want to live in this truth and own this truth and be refreshed daily by this truth. i want to defend the truth. because it's worth it. because He calls me to do it.

after a long day at the pursuit 31 workshop, i can't sleep. and it's definitely not the time change because i am writing this at midnight here, making it 2 in the morning in missouri. trust me, i don't adjust that quickly. i just keep thinking about the visions that God has given me for women and for myself. i keep thinking about it because it makes my heart joyful.

He moves in my heart with great joy to the point of tears. because He is good. because He is bigger. because He makes the impossible possible with His command. i am moved by Him. and i want so, so very much.

to Portland we go!

Savannah and I are headed to West Coast for a few days. She is looking at grad schools and I am going to be working it at a photography workshop with Karen Stott and a bunch of over fabulous ladies that I have yet to meet. If you haven't checked out what God is doing through Karen, you definitely should!

I am looking forward to traveling (although it is a bit stressful without my husband) and reading and resting and running and making memories! Throughout the day I have had to decide to enjoy this gift that God has given me - this week away. It's hard for me to understand why I would have to choose to enjoy a gift.. but that is where I am right now: disciplining myself to enjoy a gift. And amidst this great challenge today, my heart is full of joy because He is so good! And because all things are possible in and through Him. 

If you know of anything spectacular to do in Portland, Oregon leave a comment below! 

I am so thankful for each and every one of you!!

I can't even tell you.

As I went into this weekend I realized the need to trust God more and more and rely on His strength to accomplish what had been set before me. It's funny because I always think that I am done learning in this area, as if it was something to check off a list and now it's done. Well, I am reminded daily that a relationship with God is not about checking something off a list or even accomplishing something. It is a relationship where He delights in me and I delight in Him. Trusting in God is an overflow of my relationship with God. And let me tell you something: I need more overflow.

I plan on reflecting on this weekend more and more over the next few weeks: What was beneficial? What do we need to do differently? These questions will help us to move forward as we seek Him even more. The most amazing thing? He took every piece of us and made it beautiful. God is faithful! And He uses us to bring Glory to Him!

I will be blogging more about the vision, process of planning, and execution of the event since I have received so many emails from you guys! I can't tell you how thankful I am for your support, encouragement and curiosity!

"I'm Your beloved, Your creation, and You love me as I am."

More Questions? Email me!

Beauty?

I want to be real with you. Because His grace is sufficient for me and His power is made perfect in weakness. God has challenged me over the past few years to become honest. To become real. Because pretending like I am perfect is insane. I will boast in what the Lord is doing and in what He has done!

Beauty. It's something that every girl struggles with. We have this desire to be beautiful and desired and worthy. Well, I didn't even wonder if I was beautiful in high school because I knew that I wasn't. I wasn't even concerned about it because I knew that there was no way that I could change it: I was never going to be beautiful. You see, I had read about what God thought about me in Psalm 139 and I knew that it was truth, but I did not choose to live by that truth.

It's crazy to me how quickly I accepted this lie and let it become etched into what I thought about myself. Praise the Lord that His truth is what defines me and not these lies! He says that I am His and His love makes me beautiful: He doesn't love me because I am beautiful, but because He loves me I am BEAUTIFUL. and I am even more than that. I am redeemed and free and valued and He delights in me. He, the King of kings, delights in me. this makes my heart rejoice!

A week or so ago, I announced an event happening with our youth. These girls are going to paint their nails, bleach tshirts, and replace lies with truth. We are going to fellowship together and talk about who He is and who He says we are. We are going to enjoy Him and He is going to DELIGHT in us. forever. and ever. 

He defines me. and you. and us. Live that way today. 

a little bit of us

i love decorating and organizing and being completely creative, but I am not sure that you would know that by looking at my house right now. Isaac and I moved into a new apartment earlier this fall and our spare bedroom is packed with boxes, among other things. it's time to unpack, or at least organize, even if we are moving again in a few months for grad school.

it has been a while since isaac and i have had our pictures taken, so we headed out tonight to make it happen. i sit here and i am beyond excited because i can decorate with these pictures! i'm thinking canvases in the bedroom. pics later for sure. enjoy!

Blessings!

coffee + cupcakes + reading

Finally, after many years of practice and hard work, I like coffee. Yes, it's true. A good friend of mine invited me for lunch and coffee and it was at that moment I realized that a single serve coffee maker wouldn't be so bad.Yes,  is quite delicious.

Isaac has been out of town interviewing at a grad school for the past few days and I am excited that he is coming home tonight! I decided to head down a bit early so I could grab some coffee (COFFEE!!!) and surprise him with a cupcake. mmm cupcakes.

It is nice to sit here and read and soak up this special time that God has given me to rest and love and dream and hear Him. I love that He has chosen us as His own and that we don't have to do anything in order to earn His love. He freely gives it to us and I rejoice in this. I can live in freedom and today I am choosing to do just that. I am living in the freedom which is mine in Christ Jesus. 

this is me. my eyes change colors sometimes because I'm awesome or something.

and as it turns out, I have NEVER told you about how much I love blurred lights. love them.

beautiful sunset tonight :)

the CUTEST cupcake shop I have ever been in.

get some rest tonight and be refreshed! that's an order (big smile)!

a little bit of rest

who would have thought that relaxing would be so hard? normally when i sit down to rest, i realize that there are a ton of other things i "have" to do. even though there are many projects in the works, i am realizing that it is still possible to breathe. and even necessary or burnout is inevitable. even Jesus rested. and i want to reflect Him in everything i do. 

i have spent the day doing normal activities: reading, writing, driving, editing, branding and marketing. but today was different; it was restful. it was as if i accepted the freedom, which is already mine in His name, to rest. and i have enjoyed every minute of it.

tonight i am spending some time with my darling sister, Jaelyn. we enjoy each other's company and the giggles that come from late night conversations. i really love this girl and i am so thankful that God has blessed my life with her.

it definitely snowed today. soOOO excited. :)

Blessings to you!

vintage inspiration

we were celebrating Christmas at my grandmas drinking coffee, sharing stories, and snooping through my grandma's belongings. it was when i walked into her closet that i realized we were going to do a themed shoot... in one of my grandmother's dresses. we added pearls, curls and a basket of bread to top off the theme. 

jenna is so lovely.

i love that laugh of hers SO MUCH!

simply adorable!

heart's desire

Isaac and I are headed to eat some delicious (i hope) chinese food. this week i have reflected on God's calling on my life and whether or not His plans are enough for me. and of course they should be, but we all come to these crossroads in our life (even daily) where we choose God or we choose ourselves. I am seeking Him with all my heart and He promises that I will find Him. 

I am going to delight in Him and He is going to delight in me. and i want what He has for me to be enough. this is my heart's desire.

enough

i picked up softball my junior year of high school. mostly because my dad was coaching and i wanted to spend as much time as possible with him. we worked on hitting and we worked on fielding and we worked on running. i knew what exhaustion was like. i knew hard work. and i knew the desire to see it all come together.

i would stand in the dugout ready to hit and go through every mental step needed for preparation. i would think about perfect form and deep breaths and timing. i ventured out to the on-deck circle and worked on more timing. and then anxiety would hit. because there was the possibility that i would fail. so afraid to fail.

i am afraid of failing.

i want to write something meaningful. i want to say something inspiring, but sometimes i just sit here stumped and those words won’t form. because i am afraid of failing. i am afraid of saying the wrong thing or not being cohesive. and sometimes it keeps me from writing. what if it’s not perfect?

and then i realize i don’t have to live in this fear of imperfection. i can live in the joy which is my hope in Jesus. for God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and discipline. i have freedom in Him. and His words are inspiring. i don’t have to write something new and profound because His word is enough.