I remember eight years ago, it was a Wednesday night, and I came home high. And man was I baked… with smiles, with love, with peace, with UTTER HAPPINESS. I remember my roommate started to ask me, “WHAT is it with you? You come home and you’re on fiiiiiaaa?!” “youthhhhhh grouppppp!” Those Wednesday night highs lasted until about two and a half months ago. But tonight, I experienced getting “baked” in a whole new way, kind of…
I just got back from shooting a pre-prom dinner. This place was seriously magical, and full of genuine smiles and laughter. It held the absolute, most precious happiness of teenagers, young adults. In less than a month they’ll be graduated but for tonight they were living in the moment of being kids. It needed to be captured. So I did. and when before I was even close to finishing, I realized, my high is back!
I love that when I am shooting, my cheeks start to hurt because I’m smiling so much, beholding happiness. And I finish, I walk away, and I can’t stop smiling, because I just beheld my God and his work in His creations, His beautiful creations. I realized tonight, that while shooting I say this, “love it, LOVVVEEE IT!” Have I mentioned how I love to love? (there’s a blog post in the making…)
People have been asking me, “why the name, ‘Beholding You Photography‘?” Let me answer that for you all:
If you haven’t stopped by the discipline page yet, check it out. Beholding You is just that, it’s a discipline to sit, wait, and watch for Jesus in every area of our lives. It’s been the theme of my blog for years. And since I’ve committed to this disciple, my life has changed. It’s been transformed. And it’s time for others to be transformed too. So I sit, and I wait, and I capture the real essence of smiles, acknowledging that the people I’m shooting are God’s masterpieces. I behold His masterpieces and I praise Him for their lives.
I love that my business is still very much a ministry. I can’t stop smiling right now. There’s a part of me that wonders if it’s because I just spent 3 hours with some pretty amazing teenagers, or if it’s really because I was doing something I love. The newest something that I am so, sooooo passionate about. Either way, I beheld Him. Either way, I thank Him for calling me to a new sort of ministry, one that gives me purpose and an opportunity to pray for transformation in others. It’s a beautiful gift, this high of mine.
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