Friends.

Yesterday, I celebrated my birthday with a few of my closest, dearest friends ( a couple of them weren't able to make it, but they were there in spirit).  I always feel reflective around my birthday...I find myself lost in thought, thinking back over each year...how things change, or don't change, or how I have changed.

I like my thirties.  I like being in this age, becoming more sure of who I am, what I want for my future.  But, this post is not about self-reflection, it's about friend reflection...

I want to tell you why I adore these ladies, why they are my sisters...

 They make me laugh.  A LOT.  Seriously, they are ridiculously hilarious.

They are all Godly, mature women, who each brings to the table unique talents and gifts.  They are strong where I am weak, they are supportive, they are encouraging, and they are each in a specific walk of life in which they can share wisdom and advice.

We all have common interests...yes, you might be thinking this is an obvious building block of friendship, but I find myself surprised at times that we really do have such common likes and dislikes.  We all tend to spend time together as a larger group because of this, rather than breaking up into smaller groups to do whatever we each like to do.

We've celebrated joys and heartaches together, over the course of a number of years.

So, to my friends, thank you for adding love and laughter to my life.  I feel blessed, and I look forward to many more years of crazy road trips, movie nights, parties, long talks, weddings, babies, and looking for 'rock goats'....

Photography Announcement.

Hello all!  First off, can you believe the holidays are here already??  Where did the time go?  I don't know about you, but I feel like the past few months have been a complete blur, and I am looking forward to some time off over Christmas to catch my breath, enjoy time with my family and friends, and bask in the ending of another year.

I wanted to let my dear, faithful clients know that I am not doing Holiday sessions at this time...

As of now, I will be taking a sabbatical from photography, indefinitely.  I've wrestled with this decision, but found it a necessary one to make.  I do enjoy photography, and am so blessed and grateful for my lovely clients.  However, I am finding it difficult to find a balance with photography, painting and my full time teaching job.  I just do not feel like there are enough hours in the day to book sessions, edit photos, and deliver them in a timely manner, especially during the Holiday crunch, when I am at work full time. 

From the bottom of my heart, I thank each one of you who has believed in me and encouraged me to pursue photography, and I thank you for your understanding regarding it being put on hold for now.  

I will post as soon as I am able for upcoming photography news.  In the meantime, I appreciate you, and want to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving and a very Merry Christmas!  

Enough.

In February, 2012, I wrote this post.  

In February, 2012, my life path was forever altered by people...by events...by joy...by sorrow.  

I've wanted to write about the various experiences...the trials and the great times...but I could never find the words.  I still can't quite find the words.

But it weighs on my mind, on my heart.  

God used a year (Feb '12-Feb '13, roughly) to change my life in a way that I have never truly expressed to people...in the course of a year, I reopened my heart to Him, to pour into me and expose in me the dark places that needed some housekeeping.  In the midst of the whirlwind of emotion, of experiences, of happiness and despair, I finally understood what He wanted me know:

That He is enough.  

He is my portion.

Daily, I struggle with fears of rejection, of feeling like I just don't fit in.  I worry that I am not perfect enough...that I don't give enough, that I don't try hard enough, that I'll never ever be good enough...daily, I have to surrender these issues to Him.  

And daily, He shows me He is enough.  I don't have to be enough, because He is.  

And in a year, and every day since, He has proven His faithfulness, His goodness, His unfailing love.

He has proven that He is surely enough.

Before February, 2012:

I never knew I'd meet and care so deeply for man so very different from myself.  But God did, and He gave me enough grace to do so.

I never knew I'd counsel another young woman, broken and whole, a friend and an enemy.  But God did, and He extended to me enough mercy to do so.

I never knew I'd have to say goodbye to the people who had become so integrated into my life.  But God did, and He gave me enough courage to walk away.

I never knew I'd experience such agonizing heartache.  But God did, and He gave me enough strength to survive.

I never knew I'd leave the place of worship that had become my home and start over somewhere else. But God did, and He gave me enough time to heal and make the transition.

After February, 2013, and on to this day:

I see God's plan more clearly for my life...I may not understand it, but today is enough.  Tomorrow will be enough.  

I will never be enough for other people, and they will never be enough for me.  It is the Lord alone who is enough.

I will most likely continue with my daily struggles, unless the Lord takes them away altogether.  But in the meantime, His grace is sufficient enough.

When trials come at my own hand, and my sinful nature takes hold, I find comfort in knowing that His forgiveness is enough, and that He will guide me to the place of reconciliation.  

Today, I want to live like my God is enough for me.

Tomorrow, I want to live like my God is enough for me.

I will daily have to surrender to Him, and seek His face, and His help, and it won't be easy...but He will be enough for me.