Work, Work, Work

Colossians 3:23, 24 ~ New International Version ~

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart,as working for the Lord, not for men,since you know that you will receivean inheritance from the Lord as a reward....It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

 For the last 6 years, I have been a stay-at-home mom.  My job description has consisted of bottle making, feeding, cleaning, diaper changing, snuggle buddy, cook, laundry doer.... you get the picture.  I tell ya, there is nothing more rewarding than to be able wake every morning and know that you child is where he needs to be, being taken care of the way you want him to and knowing that he feels secure and safe and loved.  I got to be there for all of his firsts.  I did miss him roll over for the first time, but we will just say he really didn't really roll over at the sitter's house.  It has been truly amazing watching my son grow every day.  

 Dan and I never thought we would ever be able to afford for me to stay home and raise our children, but God provided a way.  There were times it was not so pretty when bills came due but God always provided a way for them to be paid.  We were always taken care of.  

Reese has entered a stage in his life where I am not needed as much in his life.  Don't get me wrong.  I am there in the background and watch every move he makes but he's growing up.  He is in school now and playing sports.  He is wanting to play with his buddies and not his mommy.  And that is ok.  It is the natural flow of things.  I am proud to know that Dan and I have raised our children to want to be independent in some areas of their life.  We are proud that they are perusing life and taking in all it has to offer.  So it's time for me to do the same or find another job if you will.  I still have my job(s) as wife and mother, but it is time for me to add to my resume.  

I am so excited to begin this venture in photography.  I have dreamed of this for several years and prayed that some day it would come true.  And now it is happening.  I have booked a couple of sessions and it is so humbling to know that the work I do not only captures the moments and stages of ones precious life but to capture an event that may never happen again.  But to know that it will always be available to look at and remember the happiness that can come from this ugly world we live in.  I have so many ideas and dreams of what I want to do with this business.  I feel free behind a camera.  But I also feel passion not only for the beautiful subject but for the fact that with every snapshot, I am helping save a life or helping prevent someone from getting Cancer.  And hopefully one day eliminating the disease completely.  It's not just about making money or finding something to occupy my time.  It's about fulfilling God's demand for me to work for him and give him the glory for that is good and bad.  I have put a lot of energy and thought into this venture I am heading towards.  I am striving to build this business so that we can make a difference.  I have seen too many people suffer from this disease including myself and I am ready for the suffering to end.  

I also want to use this business to capture the lives that are touched by Cancer.  I would love to follow a Cancer Survivor through his or her battle and document the bravery that has to come along with fight Cancer.  I would love do portraits of those who are in the middle of their treatment and capture the beauty they can't see.  I regret not documenting my journey with pictures.  During my treatment, I ran from a camera and wanted no memory that.  But now as I look back and as I begin to heal emotionally from the trauma of my diagnosis, I wish I had documented it better.  I have it all in words, but I wish I could be able to go back on those days I feel down and not wanting to get out of bed and see how far I have come.  I wish I could go back see the strength that I now know I had that was from nothing other my support system and God.  I wish I had a picture of my bald head and scared chest.  Those are my survivor scares, my badges of honor.  Yes they are painful to look at sometimes, but I am alive and I am ready to work.  I am ready to take my experience and turn into Hope.  

I have given all I have to my family , aka my employers, as God commanded me to do.  And now it is time for me to give myself to this cause as well.  I am ready to use the gifts that God has given me to use them to Glorify him.  

I ask that you pray for me and my family as we throw ourselves into Julie Hudnall Photography~Shooting for a Cure.  I ask that you pray that word gets out of what my mission is.  This isn't for me.  This is for God.  This is for you and your mother, and sister, and the child that may never see their birthday.  

I am ready to get busy.  Let's get to work.