40 days at last!

Okay so I have to admit, that I have a huge lump in my throat and on the verge of tears.  I have been in the  http://www.prospercommunity.com/  for a little over 40 days.  I just finished the devotional and am sad that it is over.  This book was such an inspiration to me as a Christian, photographer and photog newby.  I feel like I am going to be lost now, not without my God, but a source of encouragement that was daily put in front of me. I am truly thankful to Scarlett Lillian and her Husband Stephen Knuth (  http://scarlettlovesstephen.com/ ) for the great work they have done in this devotional and all of the wonderful people I have met at the prosper community.  So many recourses and words of encouragement as a Christian and a Photographer.  I have decided to start this 40 day journey over again, but this time add some elements to it.  I am 38 (39 in May and probably for the next 5yrs...lol) and as most women struggle with weight, so I am going to start my devotional with a new diet and exercise regimen that includes healthy eating and a triathalon at the end.   Never Quit ( http://neverquitnever.com/  ) will be the event I am going to participate in and with the Lords help ( cause I definitly cant do this on my own) make a great time and accomplish a great feat.  So, today I am going to post my before picture, and weekly I will post a new one so with Gods strength I will "Get it Doooone"  Here we go!

No Makeup, Hair pulled back...ready to go.  Starting weight....huh....honesty, honesty....182...HUH!  

Lord I give it to you and my 40 days of a new me!

     So it has been awhile since I have posted anything on my 40 day journey, or my photography.  So let me play catch up!  My Son had to get a cast on his entire arm for breaking his thumb, so we had that removed the week after Spring Break which was supposed to be relaxing, but I was doing something everyday.  I also did the MS Mud Run with my friend Jamie Halstead, of J.Halstead Photography.  That was so much fun and amazing.  I also did fit some photography in there.
     My Prosper journey has been amazing though.  I have been reading through the devotional and somewhere in every chapter it seems like you are being reminded to tithe your 10% to God.  I have not always been faithful in doing that.  In fact I really stink at it!  The money that I make I consider fun money, so I never thought to take 10% and give it to God.  My thought process was "I am going to be giving it away to the kids and the Hubby, so why do I need to tithe?"  Maybe because he says so!...lol  So I recently started to put back my 10% and it feels good.  As soon as I walk in the door from work the first thing I do is take that 10% and place it in an envelope.  My plan is when I get more than 100.00 I will tithe it to either my local Christian Teen Center or my Church.  I may even split it down the middle.  Either way I am giving it back to God!  These last few weeks has been an eyeopener for this and I know that God always provides my needs, so why not be faithful to his word and give as he asks!
Malachi 3:10
"Bring to the storehouse a full tenth of what you earn, so that there may be food in my house.  Test me in this says the Lord All Powerful.  I will open the windows of Heaven for you and pour out all blessings you need."
Lesson Learned!

Here are a few pictures from my recent sessions and my MS Mud Run!

So I have been on my 40 day journey, and my devotionals are exciting and eye opening.  This week I covered about busyness, truth vs lies, our judge, losing it, thank you's, how God provides and protects and praying for our ememies.  That last one really hit home for me this week, not that any of the others didn't either, but that one did.  I received and email in the middle of December that discouraged my heart.  I was giving my all, giving ideas, helping build and even marketing a great cause.  When all of a sudden the director told me that I was trying to receive personal gain and was not doing it for the good of the company!  WHAT!!! I felt as if I had a new enemy.  I have given 20+hrs for several weeks of my time, money and experience to help.  It was a cause I was very passionate about and felt like God was leading me there.  So for every accusation, I had a reply and answer.  "What is she thinking" is what I was thinking.  I responded to the entire email in haste, not seeking God for the answer, just a hurtful reply, but very truthful.  Now that I look back on that response I think even though I didnt seek God first ...he was in my words and told me exactly what to say.  I didnt speak to the director for over a month.  Then one day she stopped me, and said that she was sorry, but that this was her baby and very protective and has never had anyone want to help her so much for free.  That she went about it the wrong way.  Satan had me down for so long that I was swaying away from what I knew God wanted me to do.  I strongly beleive that God gives you challenges to make you stronger and I was not holding on to him completely thru this, but you can guarantee I learned from it.   I pray this helps someone today that is struggling with this type of situation and that it will make them refocus on the Lord to guide you through your trials.
 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.  

Romans 8:28

The 40 days....
So I started this journey on Friday, and you would know that Satan wanted to intervene.  My husband and I got into an argument,of course over dumb stuff, and the shoot I had with beautiful Ashtin seemed like it shouldn't have happened.  My photog friend J. Halstead was coming with me to do the shoot and it was like nothing could fall into place.  I ended up shooting it without her and I felt like I couldn't get my lenses right, or the lighting wasn't right, too much sun, not enough sun, it was just a mess.  I stopped and thought to myself "I bet he is having a ball".  I decided to go to another location and start fresh.  It's great how God knows exactly how to put us at ease when things get all jumbled up!  I continued the shoot and it was a success.

These past couple of days that I have committed to this journey have made me realize that the Lord is in my dreams and wants me to succeed in what I do as long as I put him first.  I am so thankful that he gave me an eye for the art that I love, and a family that supports me to the fullest.  He is my strength and my shield when I need him the most.

Here are some beautiful shots of Ashtin ...she loves the Lord with all of her heart and is an inspiration to other young ladies.  She recently took a stand on her FB page and told other young teen girls to stop all of the hate and backstabbing amongst  each other and quoted this scripture:  "If Any One Of You Is Without Sin, Let Him Be The First To Throw A Stone At Her." John 8:7  Ashtin you are incredible and keep doing what your doing!

Today I have started a new journey.  I am a Mom, Wife, Friend, Co-Worker and Photographer.  I recently stumbled upon a post that a local photographer here in Jacksonville posted yesterday.  I always love going to her blog, web-page and instagrams.  Everything she does is inspiring and intriguing, I am on her newsletter list, and somehow missed my advanced notice of things to come.  She has wrote a book and started a blog for photographers....Christian photographers to be able to speak freely about the business, clients and Jesus.  I was so excited to see this, not only for the great ideas I will be receiving, but for the wonderful 40day challenge I will be experiencing with so many other photographers in my area and around the country.  There was even one from Australia!...so cool.....So I started a blog to document my journey and my struggles throughout this process.  Jesus is the reason I have so many blessings in my life.  I have 4 BEAUTIFUL children and a Husband that all my friends envy me for.  He is pretty great!  I am a stay at home mom, so I do the household chores plus go to school events, but I also maintain a part time job as a waitress.  Quick easy cash that I can spend on anything.  My husband doesn't seem to think its fair, but of course I do.  Whats mine is mine and what's his is mine! :)  Photography is my number ONE passion though.  See my youngest daughter is 3 and I had her after the others were self sufficient...very sufficient.  There ages run from 19,17,13 to 3.  When she came along everything changed for the better!  My husband and I do not have to many date nights without her, but that is okay with us.  She brings so much Joy and fun to our family that I would not have it any other way.
So back to Photography....I decided to begin taking pictures of this New Beginning....hence the name of my business, because this is exactly what it was.  Starting a new beginning with a new baby, new adventures and new ways of balancing life with teens and a baby!  God is so good though...isn't HE!   He has blessed me with a family that loves that I do photography and is there to cheer me on.  I started about a year after she was born really getting into it...bought a nicer camera and started going.  I was discouraged so many time though, because I didn't have the right equipment nor did I want to spend that amount of money on it.  Every time though God provided.  I upgraded my camera this year and upgraded to a new PC for free!...Yes Free Computer.....only God does that!  So now that I have talked your ear off, I will be starting this new 40 day journey with photographer, author, and incredible business savvy woman Scarlett Lillian and her husband Stephen Knuth.  I have a very special prayer request that I know God will fulfill in 2012, so stay in tune with my new blog to see the pouring of blessings and struggles that I will be going through.  I know that the next 40 days are going to be difficult because Satan is not going to be happy with so many of us shouting praise to our Lord, but to bad WE will always win out in the end.  I hope you come back to visit and Welcome to New Beginnings Photography where God runs my business, my family and my dreams!