Thankful Again - Personal

I'm sitting here at the table with most of my family, so basically the people dearest to my heart. This house is full of memories. In all of my adventures, I've managed to come back to this house and for the most part its still the same. Time passing kind of messes with my head a bit, I just can't wrap my mind around it. A year ago I was sitting in the same house learning different lessons. Working through different struggles. Experiencing different joys. There's absolutely no way I can sum up the past year that brought me to where I am now. 

But what I have noticed looking back is that its been a long time since I've felt very alone. Loneliness and isolation used to be an every day living and breathing existence for my heart. God has so freed me and filled my heart with an awareness of how much I am loved, I hardly visit that place anymore. So that's one of a million (literally, a million) things that I am grateful for this year. I'll spare you the exhaustive list, but...

I am so so so so so so very very very blessed. 

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. 

Hall Wedding || James & Kandis

James + Kandis 

What God has brought together, let no man put asunder. 

I was so blessed to be able to attend the wedding of a dear friend of mine to her husband. Every part of their special day was a testimony to God and His goodness and blessing on their relationship. I am so excited for them as they embark on this new phase of life. 

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!