Year Six

Sideways photo because sometimes life is messy and not the way you planned... but you gotta throw the confetti up and squeal like your teenage girl self anyway! ;)

Today marks 6 years since I wrote the first words on this blog. Craziness right?!

I remember going back and forth... delete, write, delete, write. I didn't know whether this was something I should begin or not. 

I mean what could I possibly share that would add meaning to anyone's life?

I was interested in photography and loved to write, so after a long battle with self-doubt... I just hit publish. 

I'm so happy I did. This little blog of mine has grown me and lead me into so much more than I ever even imagined it would. 

I've met so many wonderful people and got to be a little part of their story, pushed myself beyond my comfort zone, and got to be part of some pretty amazing things. 

It's scary to put yourself out there. Show others your true colors, because that means you run the risk of some people not liking you.

// This is perhaps the greatest risk that any of us will take... to be seen as we truly are. // ~Cinderella  
 
It's something I've battled since I was a little kid in school, and I still do.

But then someone said something that really got to me, "If you don't have an outlet for your intake... you will stagnate."

Meaning if you keep learning, seeing, hearing... but never putting that potential anywhere, eventually you will stop moving altogether. 

To me that is the biggest risk and scariest thing of all. If God created me with a unique character and gave me specific gifts... I want to use them all.

Even if you think it won't lead anywhere, or your words, ideas, heart can't reach anyone... do it anyway!

Create something to grow yourself and to keep learning. Who you are can't ever be replicated... so share it. 

And whatever you do, never stop learning. Always remember even the expert was once a beginner. 

It's been 6 years... but it's only the beginning. Thank you so much for those of you that continue to follow along my words, the photographs, projects, and ideas I post. 

Even though I can't see who you are... this little home means the world to me, so thank you from my whole sappy-cries-for-everything-I-wish-I-could-give-you-a-big-hug heart of mine to yours. 

Here's to never giving up on your dreams, and most of all on who you were created to be. ♡

Sussex County Sunflower Maze

I love exploring new places. I had heard about the Sussex County Sunflower Maze for a while but never made the trip, so this year I finally decided to go before the end of September (they are usually gone by then) with my mom and sister. 

It's a perfect place for portrait sessions, engagements, and family shoots. Although the bumble bees definitely had us running at some points... but nonetheless was so pretty to walk through. If you have time, take a visit and frollick your heart out (we definitely did)! ;)

Back to Why

My cousin sent me a sermon by Pastor Steven Furtick the other day, and it sent my mind into a thinking spiral.

He spoke about passion. How everything in life often involves how much passion we have.

It all begins with passion.

When we first fall in love... there is passion for that other person and wanting to spend time and getting to know them.

When we begin a really cool project... there is passion and a whole storm of ideas and excitement.

When we first begin a business... there is a passion to help us start.

But what happens if we just don't feel the passion anymore?

Does it mean that it's just time for us to move on?

Contrary to what we may think, this verse speaks the truth loudly:

// Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. // Revelations 2:4
 
In this verse, Jesus was speaking about our first love for His Word.

The reason we don't have the passion anymore, is because we're the ones that left it.

We stopped doing.

We stopped loving. We stopped learning. We stopped growing.

We stopped doing the things of why we began it in the first place.

I can imagine that this is where many dreams die, marriages fail, and great ideas get buried.

"The proof of passion is perseverance." 

We need to go back to why we first began.

We need to do the things we did at first! Even if we don't feel like practicing... practice anyway.

Even if we don't feel the love for that person anymore... love anyway.

Even if we don't want to... do the things anyway.

In a society that tells us to act on feelings, we need to fight for what's right and act upon that instead.

Ultimately our passion serves our purpose.

Let's go back to the why and have the courage to start over and do the things, do the things.