Let’s get real for a second!
About four years ago, I decided to take a leap of faith and begin this photography business! I called my step-mom and said.. ok. We both love this so.. why not? What do we have to lose? Well.. guess what! NOTHING! We have gained so much from this journey! Friendships, Faith, Blessings.. I can go on and on about all the things. What started out as a hobby became a dream come true! The one thing I have learned since starting this journey is that this gift I was given is from the Lord above and I will constantly be trying my best to do right by Him! I was always a “God fearing woman”, but since January, that has evolved to a beloved child of our Father! I have learned that just like our mothers and fathers, we are God’s children and even in our bad times, sins, times of doubt or lost hope, that the Lord and Jesus Christ are there to guide us as long as we choose to believe!
This past January, I was at a point of self doubt. I had lost my way and was struggling something fierce. I KNEW what I needed but didn’t know where to even begin. I prayed. A LOT! Then, HE provided. I was at my lowest point and lost in the dark. I opened my heart and now, I see the light! I want to share with you something that I have learned. Statuses are nothing without purpose – but – what you use your life, your promotions, your hard work for, is EVERYTHING! I am reading A Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren for our small group at Church and have learned that God is using me every day to spread His word and to help others see that He is there. That His son died for each and every one of us and to love whole heartedly just as Jesus Christ did. So.. with that: I have set up some goals for myself. With each of these goals, I have HIM in mind!
- Empower: I want to empower women to believe in themselves and all the beauty they hold. To forget what society wants and to know that true beauty is not what everyone else thinks! AND.. to know.. just because you are a woman.. YOU CAN DO whatever YOU put your mind to! “I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me!”
- DREAM: Have God Sized Dreams! I am reading another book (because I don’t know how to do just one things at a time..lol) by Holley Gerth, You’re Made for A God Sized Dream and I have learned already in just the first few chapters that if you have a dream that came out of nowhere that you CANNOT explain.. that is probably a God Sized Dream and you should in fact ACT! Holley says, “You are created to change the world. Even on the days you don’t see it!”. God created each of us for a reason and that is to do His work and spread His love and your belief in Him! <3
- Debt Free!!: I mean.. don’t we all want this? Medical Bills, Car Payment, House Payment, Credit Cards, School Loans.. This one is pretty self explanatory.
- 10 Weddings in 2018: I work a full time job (excluding during wedding season bc my brides take precedence!) and I have this Lip Biz Team I am working full time as well so my Goal is to have 10 weddings in 2018!! I met my goal for 2017 and cannot believe it! I have been beyond blessed to have the best couples. I seriously don’t know what I would do without each and everyone of them and their faith in me! I have already booked 3 for next year with only 7 more to go! EEK! So exciting!!
- Greece: Because it has been a dream since I was 17 years old to visit such a beautiful place! I cannot even begin to imagine all the picture perfect opportunities. I was a huge Greek Mythology lover in high school and college – I loved all the romantic stories! I would most definitely have to visit all the locations mentioned in different stories I have read and to capture the beauty of course! Again, my GOD-Sized dream! I don’t know how just yet but somehow I will use this journey to spread my faith!
- Relationships: This is a very loaded one! From personal to non-personal.
- My immediate family and friends – building a better relationship with each and every person is most definitely a goal. I think you start to see how important it is to have these relationships as you enter your mid to late 20’s because these people love you for YOU and are the ones who will always be there to support you.
- My Boyfriend: We both are working on our relationship with God and getting closer to Him. In a relationship: you CHOOSE to love that person. And my friend, we know relationships are NOT easy! There are bad times and there are good times, but with the guidance of God, Love and FORGIVENESS, you can do so much! We struggle just like everyone. We have arguments, we fight, but.. we CHOOSE to love each other and that is the KEY! Faith, Hope, Love, Trust, Forgiveness and Prayer will make a relationship unstoppable! & Laughter!
- My LipSense Team: I NEVER in a million years imagined I would make friends with so many women and some I have never even met in person. They have taught me so much through these past few months and have guided me even closer to my faith and to BE MYSELF! Which is important! **BE YOU** <3 I have learned even more about myself since January. I don’t think I knew my full potential until signing up with this company. What started as a “leap of faith” and truly, what I believe to be a sign from God has turned into a mission. A mission to empower women and to show them their true beauty within as well as their potential to do the most amazing things!
- My puppers: lol, I can’t leave my fur babies out of this equation. They help me so much when I am anxious, sad or cold. Hah. My Roxie girl came into my life at just the right moment. I say all the time, what I thought was me saving her, was just the opposite. She saved me! Then, my Benny (Bentli) Boy, saved Roxie. She was getting old and so mopey. I wasn’t planning on getting another dog but he happened. And… I swear, Rox’s life was prolonged. She plays, runs, cuddles. He cleans her and loves on her all day. It melts my heart!
- Crown Princess Retreat: With this company, the higher I rank, the MORE POTENTIAL I have to spread LOVE, FAITH and this amazing opportunity! So.. with that being said, I MOST definitely have a goal to reach Princess by December with the hopes that I can change more lives just as mine has changed in these short 9 months <3
To end this semi-personal post.. I want to know what some of your dreams are! Please, comment below, no matter how big or how small some of your God-Sized Dreams! Also.. I would love if you share your favorite scriptures. I am on a mission of faith and am looking for things to motivate me every single day to seek the Lord so I can spread His word <3 Plus, these scriptures could help someone else who may stop in to read!
Have an amazing day and weekend!
xo – Kara
I want to thank you for dragging me into the photography business with you. What you don’t realize is that you have always inspired and motivated woman. I had given up my dream of professional photography and you changed that. What I never told you was that shortly before you called with the wild business idea I had been praying. I felt stuck. You and your idea were one of my answered prayers. You are such an inspiration on a much bigger level now that I said in awe sometimes that I was lucky enough to be your bonus mom.
Ahhh… Melissa! I never knew that!! Just shows how He works <3 I am blessed to have you as a bonus mom as well! a
My God sized dreams include going to Australia, retiring from my day job, and being more available for my kids and grandkids! I love this post and Iβm so happy we βmetβ!
Ohhh Australia??? I have heard it is beautiful! Maybe I will go with you! lol! I am so happy we met as well! Can’t wait until we meet in person!
You made me cry sweet girl. I am so thankful for your decision in January! I am excited to see where God takes you! Goals get foggy once you get older I think so don’t let yours get that way. I have a few…I want to get a special HR certification…I have a degree but not that. I also want to go to all the states…I have about 14 more to go. I think God made all these wonderful places for us to see and I want to see them all. I long to be closer to God. I have been a follower of Christ for a long time but I feel I am in a slump of sorts. My biggest goal is to make Heaven my home someday.
Lisa, have you read either book I posted in the blog? They both are driving me even closer to God! A Purpose Driven Life is perfect for figuring out what God wants us to do with our lives and You’re Made for God Sized Dream is really good as well because it dives into those dreams and how God made you to carry out those dreams. I too have felt in a slump as well and they both are pulling me out of it <3 and Only 14 states to go! That is amazing! I agree that God created all this beauty and I feel so much more connected to Him when I am out in nature, taking a moment of silence and just letting it all sink it! So crazy all the beautiful things God created for us to see!
Beautiful goals!! Sounds like you are definitely a goal digger! Rooting for you as you make these dreams a reality! π
Thank you so much!!
I love this post! All your goals sound amazing. I’m thinking I might need to write mine out and put them on the blog. Maybe then I’ll stick to them more. I’m so bad at writing them down and then losing the random piece of paper I wrote them are.
Some of my dreams for now….Take a trip to Ireland. Visit my bestie and take a girls trip to Nashville. Pay off as much debt as possible and make my blog dreams a reality! Great post
Yes! I think writing this post is helping to keep me motivated and accountable! Ireland sounds amazing π And I Love Nashville! I lived there for a few months and didn’t want to leave!
I wrote several of my goals in my notes on my phone and then narrowed down to the ones I wanted most. That way it didn’t overwhelm me when I saw 50 goals, lol! Then I created this picture and wrote them on here for a quick reminder to motivate me daily π