Hopes, Dreams & Future

Gratitude time ☺️
As I type this, I should probably be packing..but like always, I am not. I am distracted by this feeling of gratitude, reminiscing to where all this started!

Fifteen years ago, I took my first SLR given to me by step-mom to NYC. I lugged that thing everywhere and captured one of my favorite building pictures to this date of St. Patrick’s Cathedral for my Aunty. Is it the best picture ever? No. But it has SO much sentiment behind it. I printed it and framed it and gifted it to my sweet Aunty who made the biggest deal over it making me feel like I was the best thing since sliced bread. She was so good at that.. making others feel special.

Six years ago I decided to try this little hobby out for real… but only taking pictures for family and friends. Then, I fell even deeper in love with all the moments you capture and the stories you tell through each image. 

August 2016, AKP Retreat, all of our lives changed. We made these sisterhood connections that weekend that only the girls who were there understand. This is also when Jeremiah 29:11 started to make an appearance, thanks to Kayla Maye <3 At this same time, I had no clue that I also met one of my bestest friends that would help me not only in both of my businesses, but life and FAITH…

The next couple years have flown by. Jeremiah 29:11 being a staple and popping up at the right moments to remind me that God’s plan for me was SOOO GOOD! Without my momma always supporting me and my boyfriend picking up every little piece (in a good way because I am so scattered brained: I NEED someone to ground me and unconditionally love all these scattered pieces of me, haha), I beyond a shadow of a doubt would not be heading across the U.S. to yet ANOTHER conference. I never dreamed that I would even be attending conferences that I paid for myself, not a company I work for, that are surrounded around things I truly love. I also never dreamed I would learn about God through business nor did I ever imagine that I could share my love for my faith with others through these same businesses. Because of this path, there is only ONE person who gets all the credit and glory. He knew how bad I was struggling with life circumstances, anxiety, fear, depression… and how badly I NEEDED Him. He had given me an amazing gift and was going to bring me to Him through that gift. He placed so many people on my pathway to Faith to guide me and love me – to show me that I am worthy & through Him, I had the ability to make a living doing something I love because He GIFTED the ability and passion for it to me.

This next week, my best friend I was talking about earlier, I get to spend the entire week with her because through photography, we met each other and started our makeup business together. You will find that as you age, your friends move. They will be scattered all over the place and time with them becomes so precious. This same friend is who started me on my journey of faith showing me that our God is so loving and my image of Him was not the way our Abba would want me to see Him. She introduced me to other dear friends where we all come together in a group chat to support and love each other. And in this chat, we have the freedom to express emotions and openly speak on anything and everything, where we pray for one another and learn from each other. I encourage you to surround yourself with one or two friends where you can do the same, trust me. I NEVER knew I needed it until now.

Had He not put us in these places, we never would have met the people we have met. Nothing is by chance. Every part of our lives was planned before our mothers and fathers thought us into existence. Even in hard times, GOOD can come out of it. Trust me. I have been there. I have also seen friends in much harder situations but they fix their eyes above and He sees them through it because His plan is SO MUCH GREATER than we could ever imagine! Since 2017, Jeremiah 29:11 made HUGE appearances in my life and captured my heart. This scripture intrigued me so much that I had to know more. I had to know what God’s plan for me was.. I wanted to know what was going on in this passage for Jeremiah to write this…

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

God, I am so undeserving but I am so grateful. I need to be in your word more, but I tend to make excuses or find things that distract me from you. I pray that I am a better student to your book and that I always glorify you. I pray that somehow, my story will touch someone and bring them to you so YOU can move mountains in their lives just as you did in mine. I also pray that each person who reads this, will hear your voice calling them by name to what you have gifted them. We don’t always know what you have gifted us because we fall in this trap of comparison to others, so I pray that each person’s eyes are opened to their amazing gift you have given them. I also hope and pray that I too, can find ways to use your gift to serve you!! We love you and thank you! Amen!

If you are interested why I was so broken and how God has been working in my heart, please email me! I would absolutely love to chat! You never know when paths will cross leading us to help others because of someone else’s story <3

xo, Kara