"Reshape the identity of people back to that of their creator, instilling value and hope. "
Bringing People Back to Truth
This is it for me. This is why I step into the realm of photography time and time again for me, for my children, for my clients. I want to bring people back to the truth of who they are, their true beauty and amazing awe that makes them exactly who they are created to be. I want my clients to be able to see themselves, and say yes, this is me, this is my child, and this is the value I hold for my life. I stand behind advocating rich stories of hope, making extraordinary from the seemingly ordinary. This is my mission statement and what I do with my work. But, to go deeper, I advocate for these beautiful stories for the very fact of renewing hope into the lives of my clients, and truly anyone and everyone who may see my work. I remind each and every person that there is extraordinary resting within the ordinary they claim rests there. I teach people to hold firm to that which they have planted, and rise up into the bloom set forth in motion. I want my clients to resonate so strongly with their images that joy spills over, and love resounds in their soul. Love and gratitude for all that rests within their lives and the season that they are in, messy, broken and all. For beauty still resides. And I desire for my work to encourage connection. Art moves your soul. When you see something that you are drawn to, you naturally want to be more like it. And this is what I strive for in my work. My work resonates the hope of true, strong, valuable identity in Christ and for that hope to draw my clients in to a greater self-esteem and value, and thus moving them to more positive action within the world.
“ I want to remind each and every person that there is extraordinary resting within the ordinary they claim rests there.”
Let's talk self-esteem
Goodness friends, is this just me, or does self-esteem affect every single aspect of your life? I know when depression, self-hatred, anxiety and the doubt creep into my life, I also become self-absorbed, prone to cast people aside, I become more easily angered, and cut off people closest to me. When I have a false perception of my identity, everything else in my life shifts and my purpose is lacking. I am doing little or no good to bring hope to those around me and truly my purpose falls void. But, it is because I am not seeing clearly, my perception is off. But, when I truly see myself for how the creator God sees me, as holy, righteous, redeemed, valued, worthy, and beautiful. Well, then things shift for me, They shift into a place of confidence. I no longer need to beg for the approval of my husband, my friends, social media, or those around me to lift me up. I no longer need to rely on my children behaving a certain way in public in order to build me up. I no longer need to have everything fall the way I want it to in life in order to please myself and lift myself up. I can be ok with inconvenience. I can see my children as the joy that they are. I can see my husband as a delight instead of a servant for my needs. I can REST in the delights of the Lord, for when our perception is set straight, so is our ability to love and serve others well. And when our identity is seen for what it truly is, then we are overcome with the purpose set before us. We can dwell within the value we hold and pass that along to those around us. Because, more than anything else, I think we are living in a generation that is DESPERATE, I mean DESPERATE for hope. Desperate to rest at the feet of Jesus. A generation that is desperate to stop striving and running and going, going, going, and posting, and prepping and mothering and tidying, and baking and dressing for the approval of others, and simply to be seen. It falls flat and void, and is just plane exhausting. It fails it's desired task of being enough, being worthy and being of value. So, I am calling it quits. I am saying, be done with the fame game. Just let it go, and let's learn to rest in all the creative gifts you personally are given and the AMAZING identity that YOU personally sit within. Let that be enough, and my goodness, your mindset will change, and your life will be free and full of joy.
“ I no longer need to rely on my children behaving a certain way in public in order to build me up. ...I can be ok with inconvenience”
Joy to Fill the Days
And this is what I deeply want for my clients dear friends. And, you might think I am crazy to put so much expectation on a photo. But, I can tell you, so much can be pulled from a single photograph. Feelings, emotions, connection, imagination, documentation, hope, joy, sorrow. Photographs bring us to a special space. A space to reflect and sit in whatever emotion it folds for us there. Maybe it brings healing, maybe it brings hope, maybe it brings reflection or joy. But truth be told, it brings something. And there is value in that. Every life has value, every life has meaning and we are here for way more than self glorification. So, may we spend our days loving others well and reflecting on the true identity which rests over us. Let's make more images true to ourselves, true to our identity, true to the hope that rests within us, true to everything good and lovely and beautiful. I know it sits within you, even if you think you are ordinary, I guarantee there is extraordinary there. Let me show you. For the identity. For the love. For the hope. For the world. One clearer fixed identity at a time.
~Laura
*If you would like to have your family documented AND help support education costs for boys in need in Rwanda, walking alongside KEFA Project those are happening THIS Sat. Sept. 16th. on our property on the farm! 7:00am, 7:30am and 7:30pm timeslots are still available. If interested