Week 51/52 - Try

put your make up on, get your nails done

curl your hair

run the extra mile, keep it slim

so they like you...do they like you?

get your sexy on, don't be shy, girl

take it off

this is what you want, to belong

so they like you...do you like you?

you don't have to try so hard

you don't have to give it all away

you just have to get up, get up, get up, get up

you don't have to change a single thing

take your make up off

let your hair down

take a breath

look into the mirror, at yourself

don't you like you?

cause I like you.

I know you've all heard it before. 

But because the lies keep getting repeated, I think it's important that the truth is repeated even more. 

I don't have anything against using makeup or too much hairspray to get dressed up for fun. 

But that's not the issue here. 

The issue is we are trying to live up to a pointless standard. 

The issue is we are being told our worth is judged by our appearance, popularity, talents. 

The issue is that we have believed the lie that our identity is found in what other people think and say we are, and that could not be farther from the truth. 

The truth is that you're underestimating yourself and the beauty God created in you. 

The truth is that the people that cut you down or look at you scornfully don't know you. 

The truth is that even the parts of you that you think are ugly or broken, God wants to restore and use. 

The truth is that 

THERE IS SO MUCH MORE TO LIFE THAN WHAT YOU PERCEIVE IN THE MIRROR. 

Allow me to share some nuggets of truth that were shared with me from Ann Voskamp's blog post on this topic. (link below.) 

"The media’s fueled by changing the definition of beauty, romance, and love from what is true to what is trendy.

Media tries to define you with likes as a measure of your lovability.

Media votes you on or votes you off, as if a woman’s worth is a popularity contest instead of being permanently won by function of being made in the image and likeness of God.

Listen to His Voice: God is turning everything around to turn you into the beauty He knows you are.

The world has enough women who know how to do their hair. It needs women who know how to do hard and holy things.

The world has enough women who live a masked insecurity. It needs more women who live a brave vulnerability.

Go ahead, Girl, 

run your hands wild through your hair and smile unashamed and be at peace in the fullness of you and pour your beauty out like an alabaster perfume.

Beauty doesn’t live in your skin.

Beauty lives in the lining of your heart."

Please check out the rest of the blog post here: 

http://www.aholyexperience.com/2014/06/dear-women-daughters-when-youre-tired-of-media-voices-telling-you-what-beauty-love-is/

Trust me, it's worth it. 

I wanted to share this with all of you because I have been blessed to have people in my life who constantly remind me of this truth; for those less fortunate, I hope that at least for this day God will use this to remind you.

Thank you to Mandi for getting out of her comfort zone and modeling for me. 

She and I did a quick cover of this song together which you can listen to here:

http://youtu.be/8u3749T5mc8

And thank you for reading all the way to the end of this. I pray that it blessed or challenged you in one way or another. 

Have a beautiful day, beautiful people. You are loved. 

Troy & Justice - Engaged

So about a month ago, my friend from freshman year of high school messaged me with some BIG news - you guessed it, she's engaged! I could not be more excited for Justice & Troy. It was plain fun to be around them. They're one of those couples that I just tell to sit and they proceed to be cute and in love, which makes my job super easy. 

We managed to slip in this shoot during my short time back in AK this past weekend and I'm so glad we did. Thanks for being super flexible and going along with whatever was needed, you two! I hope you love these photos as much as I do and I'm super stoked for your wedding next spring! 

Week 50/52 - So In Love

your hand it fits

perfect in mine

the world has stopped

and so has time

cause we're so in love

we're so in love

we're so in love

I'm turning the tables

I'm changing the time

I'll do anything just to keep you mine

you're one of the angels yeah it's true

I'm standing in heaven when I'm with you

This post is kind of a breakthrough for me artistically speaking, because this song is something I've been wanting to shoot for a while now and I think it came out I imagined it for the most part. 

All I can think of when I look at these photos is how perfectly angelic she looks. My sweet friend Christy went out of her way to let me take these photos and I can't tell you how exciting it was to have an idea in my head and be able to shoot it for the first time in a while. You made this photographer very happy darling, and I hope you enjoy the photos too! 

Week 49/52 - Beautiful, Beautiful

don't know how it is You looked at me
and saw the person that I could be
awakening my heart
breaking through the dark
suddenly Your grace

like sunlight burning at midnight
making my life something so beautiful, beautiful
mercy reaching to save me
all that I need You are so beautiful, beautiful

now there's a joy inside I can't contain
but even perfect days can end in rain
and though it's pouring down
I see You through the clouds
shining on my face

like sunlight burning at midnight
making my life something so beautiful, beautiful
mercy reaching to save me
all that I need You are so beautiful, beautiful

I have come undone
but I have just begun
changing by Your grace

I've always loved this song, partly because of its reference to sunlight at midnight and my personal adoration of my home state where that phenomenon is a reality. But the other reason I love it is because of the glorious picture of the light of His grace in the face of our failures, His freedom in the midst of our bondage, His forgiveness bursting onto the scene and making all things new.

Model is my dear friend Kelly. These photos were taken a few days before I left home this summer and looking back through them reminds me of some of the amazing things that God did in each of these girl's and in my life over the previous months. 

Enjoy (:

Week 48/52 - Fix My Eyes

hit rewind, click delete

stand face to face with the younger me

all of the mistakes, all of the heartbreak

here's what I'd do differently

I'd love like I'm not scared

give when it's not fair

live life for another

take time for a brother

fight for the weak ones

speak out for freedom

find faith in the battle

stand tall but above it all

fix my eyes on you

I learned the lines and talked the talk

But the road less traveled is hard to walk

It takes a soldier who knows his orders

to walk the walk I'm supposed to walk

and love like I'm not scared

give when it's not fair

live life for another

take time for a brother

fight for the weak ones

speak out for freedom

find faith in the battle

stand tall but above it all

fix my eyes on you

I can't say how perfect of a reminder this song is amidst the college craziness.

This is my bro. He's pretty cool.  I miss him, and Alaska, and my family. College is fantastic though. Adventures. 

Week 47/52 - The Unknown

it's a little bit scary 

you're not sure what's up ahead 

so you try to bury 

all your fears

lock it up tight deep inside

out of sight, out of mind 

at least that's what you tell yourself

doesn't really seem to help

don't you know that you're right at home in the unknown

I'm already there, I'm already there

don't you know that you're not alone in the unknown 

I'm already there, I'm already there

Dark shadows, out of focus objectives, dark hues.  The future and all its questions. 

Yeah, sometimes a little frightening. 

But not so much, when you know you're not alone. It turns into more of an adventure. 

Here's to adventuring. 

Week 46/52 - Love Come to Life

bring Your love to life inside of me 

why don't You break my heart 'til it moves my hands and feet 

for the hopeless and the broken 

for the ones that don't know that You love them 

bring Your love to life inside of me 

a generation You're calling out 

living everything that we sing about 

a revelation right here and now 

of love beyond a shadow of a doubt 

love that's greater than our own 

won't remain unknown

love come to life 

love come to life

bring love to life inside of me 

I've got an announcement. More of a confession.
I have completely slacked on this project and am nowhere near on schedule.
 That being said, I still have to finish.
I've got 7 photos left and I intend to push myself to find different avenues of creativity & expression.
So here we go... more playing with light.