Ask Not, Have Not

Happy Thanksgiving folks!! Whew!! We have SO SO much to be thankful for! I don't know who might be reading this but there is ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS something to be thankful for. I just look up to my Jesus and thank Him for giving His life for me and my sins. I know that God has endless patience, but sometimes I feel like He looks down and shakes His head at me and laughs! Ha! I do believe Jesus has a sense of humor and loves laughter. But anyways, that's besides the point. Jesus has been teaching me so so much and I just LOVE sharing it!! I've been going through the book of James..well I actually just started, but what the Lord has revealed to me has been SO SO great!!!
Recently, I've just been struggling with lacking. You can say it..and I've been lacking it!! Money, time, and especially wisdom. Seriously..the time is about to come when I'm about to have to make big decisions..and homegirl needs wisdom. Sometimes, I feel bad just asking God this and that and so on..but do you know that He WANTS you to ask. You see when you ask God..He knows you have faith.
Read James 1: 5-8
"But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."

You see, Jesus WANTS to give you wisdom. He wants you to trust Him. He wants you to have faith in Him. Sometimes, we get what we didn't exactly pray for or exactly what we felt we needed at the time..but you see Jesus knows what we need now and what we need in the future. Over two years ago, I prayed that my Jesus would come through for me and take away a relationship if he wanted. At the time, I didn't want that relationship taken away, and I was DEVASTATED. But now, Jesus knew that was exactly what I needed. He knew how I would need Him. He knew How I would grow in Him. He knew that He would be my all in all. It's so cool. You see Jesus is our Father. He wants to provide for you. He still wants to cover you in His love.

Ask for wisdom..and Jesus will give freely. Just make sure there's no doubting..because there is no room for doubt with Jesus.

For He is Good

Every time I write one of these bad boys, I seriously feel like I start off by saying that life has been crazy and that I literally feel like I don't stop..and I really don't. So with that being said, life has been absolutely beautiful/crazy/indescribably good. I can't tell you how much I've grown in my faith this semester. I have seen my sin in my life more clearly than ever before and sanctification I feel like has been my middle name lately. It's just been so so cool. I seriously just look back and I would have never been able to do anything in this life if it wasn't for Christ. He has made me whole and seriously given me strength and so so much peace about this year. Anyways off of my rant, I read a wonderful verse the other day, and I just have to share it and what the Lord is teaching me in my day to day walk.


Psalm 85:12
"The Lord will indeed give what is good, and our land will yield its harvest."

God IS GOOD. We hear this every single day and say it even when our hearts are doubting those three words, but really even when bad things happen to us..it is a blessing. I've started to view life this way and man how it has helped me gain a whole new perspective on things. I just want you to take a minute and look back on your life. Think of all the bad things that have happened to you. I'll share one of mine. My parents divorce. Yes, it devastated me. It made me cry and sometimes I still cry over it. But you know what? It was one of the biggest blessings in my life. I would've never gotten to know the wonderful people that I know. I would've never gotten to see Jesus like I do or depend on Him like I do now. I think that sometimes whenever bad things come our way, we automatically think "why would God allow this? Why would a so-called "loving God" let me go through this?" You see, God does love us and therefore doesn't want us to stay the same way that we are and sometimes where we are. Before this year, I was NEGATIVE nancy. Always complaining, gossiping, not being honest in all my speech, but you know what Jesus changed me and brought things across my path to strive to be that woman of integrity..even though it wasn't easy. Another thing I learned from this verse, was that sometimes we think when things are being withheld from us, we are being punished. God knows best. Regardless of what you think or I think, He knows so much better than us what is good for us. We are so so clueless. God is IN OUR FUTURE. He sees what we cannot. You might be feeling like you are being left out on, but you so aren't. This summer I really struggled with that. All my friends were in relationships and although I'm sooooo young. (I'm 21) I felt like God was holding out on me because Mr. Right wasn't sent my way yet. Little did I know that I would view that now as a blessing. Crazy how we view things so so differently in retrospect. Ya'll I am so so thankful Jesus didn't send me a man during that time. I wouldn't be able to pour into so many girls like I have. I wouldn't have been able to truly learn what it means to rely on my Jesus like I have. I wouldn't have been able to spend so many precious precious times with my girlfriends like I have. Don't misread what I'm saying, being in a relationship GOD'S WAY is always worth it when it's in His timing. It's just when you're in a relationship your goals change and you really have to make an effort to serve and love that person, and honestly I wouldn't have been able to love my girlfriends and give them 100% like I have.  If I would've forced that I would've missed out on the blessings that God had for me at that time. I see Jesus now in a totally different light. He has shown me so so much. I wouldn't trade it for the world. God KNOWS what is good and when to get the "harvest". We must only need to trust Him. Putting everything in His perfect and precious timing. Anyways, I have had the AMAZING opportunity to photograph many great people lately..here's a few of them!!!

Loving LOVE!

Okay, so over the past few weeks I have had the biggest honor and privilege to capture some beautiful couples and their awesome engagement sessions. It's so sweet to see love. While I got to photograph two of my friends, JJ and Leah, I just came across something so so sweet. I have photographed MANY MANY couples. Over my five years of doing it (still have a lot of improving to go) the couples that have Christ at the center and forefront of their relationship are always the sweetest to me. Many times we believe love is something that we see in the movies that is mixed in with all sorts of things that is sin. God doesn't hate people, he loves us unconditionally, but there are some relationships that God hates because we are sinning against God and breaking His heart. They have shown me through their love for each other that with Jesus in the center of it all..the love is truly sweeter!! Thank God, Jesus has given me these wonderful people to photograph!!  Well anyways, it's been such an honor to be apart of these four peoples lives. The example they lead separately and also together is the BIGGEST blessing to not only me but to countless others around them!! I pray for examples of what a good Godly relationship looks like, and Jesus gave me these people..but also He gave them to me as friends. So thankful for ya'll and that I got to be apart of these pictures. I seriously have shed tears over editing them seeing the love that ya'll share with each other. I can't wait to ya'll to see the rest!!! 

You Keep Me

Who keeps you? Have you ever asked yourself this question? What keeps you going? Is it your friends, family, boyfriend, etc.? The past month of my life has literally been a roller coaster, and I literally feel like I cannot keep up. Seriously though. It's been the funnest, hardest, and probably most rewarding month thus far...so I really can't wait to see what's up the road. Although it's been great..it's definitely had its low moments and moments where my imperfections have been magnified to the extreme. I have been humbled and just completely thrown on my face because well, I need Jesus' grace and mercy every second of every day. Praise Him that He can supply..cause homegirl is lacking. But anyways, what I want to get at is a beautiful verse in Genesis. So many times, we look over books in the Old Testament. I know I do anyways because it's mainly just stories and I just want my world to be rocked and me to be convicted, realize what I need to change, and then go on with life. I've been doing a great study on the Patriarchs of Scripture which includes the stories of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It has been ROCKING MY WORLD and totally convicting me. Jesus has taught me so much and revealed so much to me..it's crazy. The verses I want to share with ya'll is Genesis 28:15-17. It says:
"Behold, I am with you, and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land: for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you. Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, "Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it. He was afraid and said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven."
Let me give you a little background on these verses. First of all, Jacob has seriously just gotten done with deceiving Isaac his dad by pretending to be Esau. Because of this Jacob had to flee because Esau wanted him dead. Yet, isn't is so beautiful that Jesus still reminds Jacob that He is with him? There is nothing in this world that is sweeter than Jesus and His grace. Have you ever felt like you've done something that you thought Jesus could never forgive you for? Maybe you've done things over and over again and think that Jesus couldn't forgive you. You see, our God doesn't work like that. He still comes to Jacob and reminds him that He is there..and He will keep him. God wants and does the same thing for you. So many times I wish that God would speak to me just like He's speaking to Jacob here. So many times, we wait on that amazing moment where we just sit and wait for God to speak with us. However, we have that in our hands at any moment in time. We have the Holy Word of God. They didn't have that back in the Old Testament and how often do we not pick up our Bible and read it. Another point I wanna get out of this verse that Jesus just keeps on reminding me of (obviously I haven't learned the lesson I'm supposed to yet) but that He is going to keep us in a place even if it's not the place where we wanna be until He has done what He has promised in us. This doesn't have to be a literal place like Dahlonega. It easily could be..but it could be God is keeping you in a specific relationship, in singleness, etc. He doesn't do anything without a purpose or a cause. Sometimes, we don't think what God is doing in our lives right now is purposeful or if we should be here. This is when we get frustrated and shake our fists at God. I do this all the time..but then months down the road I realize what Jesus was doing and that it was GOOD. Just know Jesus keeps us, he loves us, He cares for us. It's so easy to forget. You can never do anything whatsoever to push you away from the love of God. Even when we think what we did was unforgiveable..Jesus still shows us mercy!! Well anyways, that's my thought for the day! Here's some photos of recent shoots I have done!!

How Sweet the Wait

"I say to myself, 'The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him.' -Lamentations 3:24

"Wait."This is possibly the worst thing that could be said to me. Let's just put it this way, patience is NOT my middle name...and I'm very careful to ask God about patience, but I don't wanna go through what it takes to get it. Have you ever had to wait on something? In our fast food society, we're not expected to wait. We are expected to get what we want exactly when we want it. Sometimes it's even preached in churches. Pray to God and get what you want instantly. But is that what we should really be desiring as Christians? To get what we want exactly when we want it? You see I'm about to get really personal. I have been single for the year +. There have been times where I just wanna shake my fist at God and ask him what I did wrong. All my friends are in relationships. All my family expects me to be in a relationship. Even worse, every where I look and go all it is is love and couples. If I was seeking my own desires, I would mellow in self pity and self doubt that Jesus doesn't love me because He hasn't blessed me with a relationship. But ya'll, this is a lie that so many young single women..sometimes even Christian women believe. Anyways, there have been times of doubt in my waiting, but then Jesus made the waiting so beautiful to me and revealed something so sweet that it doesn't bother me to wait anymore. You see, I have gotten to know Jesus on so much more of a personal level. He has shown me He alone is the example of TRUE friendship. He has shown me that He cares. He has shown me His love on so so much more of a deeper level. He has shown me that He provides. He has helped me see and enjoy the little things that used to I would not have enjoyed or seen. He has shown me how much I love serving people and giving them everything that Jesus has so graciously given to me. I would not have seen this in any other way than in my waiting. Waiting helps us. Jesus is to us what we do not have and MORE while we were waiting. This doesn't just apply to singleness either. I also have no idea what I'm going to do for the rest of my life and knowing that Jesus is just getting me closer to Him makes it kinda sweet that I'm waiting to hear what I'm supposed to do for the rest of my life. There is a beautiful song by Bethany Dillon that is at the bottom of this! Listen to it if you get a chance. Take heart though. If you're waiting, you are in for the ride of your life.

To Those Who Wait - Bethany Dillon

I am waiting on You,
I am waiting on You.
You say You’re good to those who wait.

My heart’s discouraged,
So I come to You expectant. 
You say You’re good to those who wait. 

Lord, today You know what I need to do,
But You can do more in my waiting than in my doing I could do.
So I won’t run anymore.
I’m waiting on You.

Oh, wretched man that I am!
Free me from my distractions.
You say You’re good to those who wait. 

Then confession and repentance
Find me in the quiet.
You say You’re good to those who wait.
Now I know You’re good to those who wait.

Lord, today You know what I need to do,
But You can do more in my waiting than in my doing I could do.
So I won’t run anymore.
I’m waiting on You.

Oh, my soul,
Wait upon the Lord.
Keep your lamp filled with oil.
Oh, my soul,
Be not deceived!
Wait for Him.
Don’t be quick to leave.

Lord, today You know what I need to do,
But You can do more in my waiting than in my doing I could do.
So I won’t run anymore.
I’m waiting on You.

Oasis

Nobody likes to be thirsty. No one likes to be hot. With these two things, I'm not just talking about physically. I'm talking about emotionally, spiritually, and mentally. So many times in life we thirst after things that aren't good for us. We get in sticky situations, so we get hot and uncomfortable. Ever heard of the story of Hagar and Ismael? Well if you haven't, let me give you a simple summary. Hagar was Sarah's maidservant. Sarah couldn't conceive children, so she made Abraham go with Hagar and she gave birth to a son named Ishmael. Well years later, Sarah finally gives birth to Isaac and fufills His promises to her. One day, Ishmael is mocking Isaac and Sarah gets mad and tells Abraham that he has to send Ishmael and Hagar away. Can you imagine that pain of knowing you're never going to see your own son again? Well, that's exactly what Abraham did and God instructed him to listen to Sarah. While I was reading this story (it's in Genesis 21 by the way if you wanna read it yourselves), I kept on thinking how unfair it was for Hagar and Ishmael. You see, God is so sovereign. Sometimes in life, we are treated so unfairly and unjustly, yet God is working something out to our greater plan. We just don't know it yet. Back to the story though. When Ishmael and Hagar were sent out, they came to a point where death was upon them. Literally the Scripture says that Hagar went and put her son under a bush and went across the way, but far enough way that way she couldn't see him die. Can you even imagine the despair? The grief? Whew. I get tears in my eyes just thinking about it and I don't have children yet. Well it says in Genesis 21: 17 that God heard the lad crying. He sent an angel and came down and told Hagar to lift up her eyes and see and grab hold of her sons hand and there was a well that God provided. I know you might be thinking okay..awesome a well. But don't you see? When we are down and are at our lowest of lows, Jesus grabs our hands, tells us to look up, and gives us Him. Our one and only oasis. So many times in life, we are in the desert (hypothetically). We are in an area of life that's uncomfortable. We don't see how we are going to make it through or what we are going to do. We are thirsting for more and better than what this life has to offer us. It's when we are in these times and feel like we aren't going to make it through that when we look up Jesus has provided Him. You see, through Jesus we will thirst no longer. We wont want what this world has to offer us. We will have the true thing that matters.


Here's some photos from a recent shoot of mine :)

For He Has Promised

Jesus just blows my mind sometimes. Seriously. There are times when I am so selfish and just don't appreciate Him, yet He continues to be SO faithful to me. One of the things that God is teaching me in my quiet time is just to trust God that He will fufill His promises to us. I'm going through an AWESOME devotional right now. It's call the Patriarchs and it's by Beth Moore. Seriously amazing! If you need a devotional, I would definitely recommend it! But anyways, my lesson today just really hit home for me. It's about Sarah and Abraham. I know we all know about these two, but I'll explain their situation. Abraham was promised that his descendants would outnumber the sand on the sea and the stars in the sky..however, there's just one little problem with that. You see Sarah was barren and they were old. One day, three men came and told Abraham (with Sarah eavesdropping..typical woman I guess) that they would give birth to a son. Sarah laughed. I mean..if someone told me when if I was close to ninety that I would be birthing a son..I would think it's pretty hilarious as well. You see ya'll, God is so faithful. Sarah earlier had tried to take the matters into her own hands by making Abraham sleep with Hagar her maidservant so she could have a son. Everyone knows this had to have been a struggle for her. Back in these days, that's what women were mainly used for. Even though Sarah wasn't patient and messed up, God STILL fufilled His promise to her. Don't we all have things within our own lives that we take into our own hands end up screwing everything up? I know I do. Whew! Too many to count. I sit hear blushing just thinking of what a fool I have made of myself. As it says in 2 Timothy 2:13, "If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself." How beautiful is that? You see, we are frail human beings. Who are in DESPERATE need of Jesus. We fail. He continually picks us up and fufills the promises that He made to us..despite our impatience and sin to get to them. We might sit here and say..well I would never do that..but don't think so highly of yourself.  Have you ever tried to start a relationship that you thought was taking too long? Or maybe sped up a process because you were so impatient? Back to Sarah though. I think this verse is so so beautiful. It says in Genesis 21:1, "Then the Lord took note of Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as He had promised." Ya'll, God is a God who sees. He takes notes of us. We hear countless times in Scripture where God is said to have heard a petition. Can you imagine how sweet that birth was? God's promise was fufilled at His appointed time. Today, if you are waiting for something to happen just remember God has got you. He is in control. He will fufill His promises to us. Take heart and give it all to Jesus. I'm sure if we could talk to Sarah now she would tell us how sweet the promises of Jesus are and how it was TOTALLY worth the wait. No matter how long.


Here's some pictures that I took at a wedding not to long ago! Hope you enjoy!!