Photo Lerve.

I. love. pictures.

My house is covered in all kinds of photos- framed photos, photo collages, polaroids, gallery wraps, photo Christmas cards still on the fridge...you name it.

Whatever the occasion, my iPhone is in my hand, ready to snap a pic of the moment. You know, for Instagram purposes!

But can I be honest?

It's rare that I like myself in photos.

You know- it has to be taken from the left side, because that's my "good side".

I need the angle taken from above- that way it's slimming.

I need you to count to three, so I can get ready.

Forget candids; they're a nightmare.

(Any other sisters feel what I'm sayin'? Why do we do this to ourselves?!)


Recently I asked my cousin, Katie, to take some headshots of me. I needed some shots for work, for my blog, my LinkedIn (oh, I sound official now!), but also just for fun. I was excited that she was excited for the shoot.

We met downtown, on Nashville's Pedestrian Bridge, after work one night. Let me tell you something- we had so much fun. She is so great to work with, and she's crazy talented! She makes the session fun, calms you, encourages you, helps you, and really has an incredible talent for capturing the best you in the moment.

She's. Amazing.

Yes, she's my sister-cousin, so of course I'm biased.

But check out her website and see for yourself!

katewhitmore.com

Nashville friends, WHEN you book her, tell her Mal sent you. :)


Here's some eye candy for you.

When He speaks freedom.

The following has been The Lord's Word for me during this past season of change. The entire chapter comes off the page at me. 

It's. so. good. 

I invite you to read it- in its entirety. For this post's sake, I have highlighted my most favorite lines.

Psalm 37

Of David.

5 3 Trust in the Lord and do good;
    dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
4 Take delight in the Lord,
    and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the Lord;
    trust in him and he will do this:
6 He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,
    your vindication like the noonday sun.

7 Be still before the Lord
    and wait patiently for him;

17 

The Lord makes firm the steps
    of the one who delights in him;
24 though he may stumble, he will not fall,
    for the Lord upholds him with his hand.

2539 

The salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord;
    he is their stronghold in time of trouble.
⁴⁰ The Lord helps them and delivers them;
    he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
    because they take refuge in him.

This passage is where my scripture memorization is coming from these days. Pulling this passage about, piece by piece; I can't get enough.

You see, for about a year now, I felt God prepping me for something. I didn't know what- but I knew it would be totally different than what I was used to. I knew He was calling me to get ready. 

At the end of May, an unexpected opportunity was presented to me. It was something that I was truly so excited about; almost to the point of not believing it could be true. They were asking ME to accept this position. Me! And at such an unexpected time!

I took the next month to make my decision- Jon and I prayed, we crunched numbers, we dreamt about a different future for our family, we made plans. As the excitement fluttered in my heart, the fear also billowed up in my stomach. Fear of change. Fear of provision. Fear of... health insurance?

You see, I have Type 1 Diabetes. One of the perks of teaching in my county was the incredible health benefits. For diabetic teachers, they covered all cost at 100%! That was unheard of, and I knew that no other career (or county) would provide that.

I audibly heard God say to me, "Am I not bigger than BlueCross?" Sounds silly now, right? But at the time, the fear was very real. And this new opportunity revealed just how deep that fear ran. 

Have you ever prayed for peace over a situation, but it didn't come right away? Have you ever asked God for His guidance, knowing all the while He was already leading? Has God ever asked you to just trust- commit to Him first and foremost?

Now that I'm able to look back on the situation, I realize God was speaking the whole time. I was praying over and over again, but my prayers were drowning out His words. 

"Be still, and know that I am God."

"Wait patiently for me."

"Commit your way to me, and I will do this..."

"Delight in Me. I will make your steps firm."

My God began to flood my mind with memories of times when He had provided, been faithful, guided. He reminded Me how GOOD He is. And He challenged me to trust Him.

Trust.

Commit.

God, I need peace about this situation!

Give me your desires.

I want to follow You!

Commit your way to me.

I need your peace!

Recognize I am who I say I am.

One afternoon, when I knew it was time to make my decision, I spent a couple hours on the phone with health insurance companies. The numbers and jargon had finally got the best of me. Here it came- anxiety began to flood my body.

In a refusal to let the enemy take me down, I put everything aside. I turned on my worship music, and I began to sing. I prayed. I sang some more.

Through tears running down my cheeks, I whispered, "Okay God. You've never left us hanging before. You are the Provider. You are Faithful. You are Good. You are Gracious..."

I began to relive life experiences when God knocked my socks off. My whisper grew louder. Stronger.

"I trust you, God. I commit my way to You. I believe this opportunity is from you, and I accept it. We will go where you're calling us. Yes, God!"

And you know what? That peace that I had prayed over for a month, but had yet to experience it- that peace came over me. It flooded my living room. My somber prayers became a moment of dancing for my Lord, all over the house!

That fear that had taken over my mind was released. Freedom! 

When God speaks freedom over His people, it's not just over the unsaved. He speaks freedom over the bondage that we place over ourselves every day, sometimes unknowingly so!

I so loved my years as a teacher. I was blessed beyond expectation with coworkers, administration, students, and parents. I changed my career without malice intent or regret. God had been prepping; He was moving in me. 

And I accepted this new life change with true peace and abandonment of fear.

He's still prepping, you know. I realize I have not arrived yet. This year I am the newb. I am learning. And I am loving every minute.

God, I don't know where we're going. But I trust You completely.

There is such freedom in those words.