February Photo Challenge {Day 8}

{Day 8} Sun

The sun.

Try for a moment to imagine life without it.  There would be no light.  Nothing would be able to grow.  You would never see a friend's smiling face or your reflection in a pond.  There wouldn't be shadows.  Just darkness.

God really knew what He was doing when He created greater and lesser lights.  And it's really no surprise - He Himself is light.  I am thankful for the light that the sun gives.  But I'm even more thankful for the Light that shined through the darkness into my life!        

And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: He made the stars also. 

- Genesis 1:16

Then Jesus spake again unto them, saying, "I am the Light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."

- John 8:12

February Photo Challenge

I'm back from a very fun, but full weekend - including a church dedication in Port Orange, taking some of my Senior Pictures (I'll be posting some of my favorites soon!), a new church schedule, and just hanging out.

Sooooo... here is my catch-up post for the challenges I missed over the weekend...

{Day 4} A stranger

In the carpenter shop at Barberville -
doesn't he look like Mickey Rooney??

{Day 5} 10am

Michael Bublé :)

{Day 6} Dinner

Wings with Potatoes, Onions, and Carrots

{Day 7} Buttons

Buttons and Bokeh ♥

Blessings,

February Photo Challenge {Day 3}

Hands

She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.  (Proverbs 31:13)

She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.  (Proverbs 31:27)

February Photo Challenge {Day 2}

Happy Groundhog Day!  

This year, for a Groundhog Day special, Chick-fil-A gave away free breakfast. Yes. Free. and Chick-fil-A. 

Can anyone say "YUM"????!!!!

So, since today's Photo Challenge is all about words, I thought I would share a pretty awesome word with you:

Chick-fil-A... you just might be my hero :)

So in honor of the cows, 

Eat Mor Chikin,

February Photo Challenge {Day 1}

Happy February!

I love entering a new month - there is just something about flipping the page on my calender first thing in the morning  and planning what I'll be doing that month.  

This month, one of those plans is a Photo Challenge... One picture a day for 29 days.  Hopefully, this will help me to grow and see things in new, fun, and unique ways.   

Here is the Challenge:   

Today, I'm kinda cheating because I'm posting two pictures... Just couldn't decide which I liked better :) These were both taken at my church, The Pentecostals of Apopka.

And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. (Psalm 1:3)

What do you think? Do you have a favorite?

If you want to join me in my photography challenge, leave me a comment with a link to your blog... I would love to see what you come up with!

Blessings,

Nikon Love

On my eighteenth birthday I got the biggest surprise of my life when I opened my Nikon d3100...  

I couldn't believe it - years of waiting and hoping and wanting a dSLR had ended and I couldn't wait to start photographing everything in sight!  

Since then, I've been learning so much... And I still have so much to learn.  I'm loving every second of the process!  

Here are some of my favorite photos from the past few weeks:

Photo credit to my Marmee...
I just loved how this one turned out!

At Barberville:

Bokeh :)

Pretty jars and bokeh

The picture that became my new header :)

 At a dear friend's house:

The day was perfect, so I did an impromptu photo shoot with MaKenna... :)

Blessings,

Our God Is In Control, Growing Pains, and A New Look

Notice anything different?  Yup, I've changed my blog design!  This was my first time creating all the elements for my blog and I enjoyed it so much!

What do you think?  Do you like the new design?  Personally, I like the clean, crisp look that this design brought.

I also, created a Facebook page and added a link to my Pinterest account.

...

Since my 18th birthday, I've been going through some "growing pains." No, I'm not getting taller... I'm destined for shortness :)
Rather, these are growing pains of character.  These kinds of growing pains build depth and maturity - something I wasn't really prepared for, but am thankful for, anyway.

Just like physical growing pains, this hurts for a reason.  Simply put, these growing pains are growing me in spiritual, emotional, and relational ways.  It's bringing many changes, and changes are never easy, however necessary they may be.

I still don't know for sure why we go through seasons of trial and pain in our lives... Perhaps just to keep us humble and make us more like Christ.  But I know one thing... Our God is in Control.  And that is all that really matters.  Because when He has control of our lives, we know that everything will turn out right in His time.  What a blessing to know the One who holds the whole world in His hands... and, yet, still has an intricate and distinct plan for each of our lives!

And you know what??

It is through these times of "growing pains" that God reveals more of Himself to us.  He sustains us, and keeps us... and we learn it more in trials.  Because it is when we realize that we are frail, insecure, and unable, that we realize that He is ALL this and MORE!

There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman called Our God is in Control.

Yes, it was, indeed, the inspiration for this post...  Why do you ask? :)

Anyway... this song came on my Pandora (seriously, God's gift to music lovers! :) ) the other day and I immediately fell in love with it.  Sometimes, the right song, at the right time is just what you need.  And that's what this was to me.

I'd like to share the lyrics with you, in the hope that it may help you, too.

This is not how it should beThis is not how it could beThis is how it isOur God is in control
This is not how it will beWhen we finally will seeWe’ll see with our own eyesHe was always in control
And we’ll singHoly Holy Holy is in our GodAnd we will finally really understand what it meansSo we’ll singHoly Holy Holy is in our GodWhile we’re waiting for that day
This is not where we planned to beWhen we started this journeyThis is where we areAnd Our God is in control
Though this first taste is bitterThere will be sweetness foreverWhen we finally taste and seeThat Our God is in control
And we’ll singHoly Holy Holy is in our GodAnd we will finally really understand what it meansSo we’ll singHoly Holy Holy is in our GodWhile we’re waiting for that dayWe’re waiting for that dayWe’ll keep on waiting for that day
And we will knowOur God is in controlHoly Holy HolyHoly Holy HolyOur God is in controlHoly Holy HolyOur God is in controlHoly Holy Holy

Blessings,