My Testimony.....
 I have loved photography from the moment I was given my first disposable camera, I begged for a new one each time I used up the allotted 24 photos. I worked increasingly hard at 14 babysitting and doing odd jobs to save up for my first digital camera. by 16 my passion grew fierce and I took a basic photoshop class at OCC where my professor encouraged me to keep going with it as she could see the talent was there. After having Ellie a friend of mine approached me about starting a photography business together as we shared a love of photography and I used her camera until I penny pinched to buy my first used dslr. Months after buying it, it was stolen at a beach and I was heartbroken. My Nana believed in me and bought me my first canon rebel (to those who don't know photography this is the most basic amateur camera) Even with the limited ability that offered I still worked that thing to its fullest capacity until I got my next camera, for 5 years I used that  camera, in one year it shot 22 weddings, 6 births, 14 homes and 99 photo shoots ONE YEAR. this camera had seen a lot of life, the dial was pealed off, the screen was cracked, its age shown on its wear. Not once did I let it hold me back. My go to lens was bought used and it too showed its age. I didn't have the best of the best to get where I am now, I had what I could afford and a passion to drive me. I didn't start with thousands of dollars I worked towards a dream I had as a little girl. The computer I would sit and edit on was a laptop that the screen was falling apart and impossible to calibrate. The functionality of that computer was less than par for someone editing. It added many hours to my processing time. I wanted to share this with you because you may be working hard at something, you may have a dream kindling in your heart nestled in your "what ifs" and you see those who have "made it" and you may even assume they got there over night, starting with the best equipment and easiest clientele. These struggles pushed me harder, the set backs and the rocks in the road built my endurance and strength to find new perspective and to work harder to make this dream become a reality.
9 months ago God asked me to stop photography all together, to put my dream aside for just a moment and trust him.... so I did. The requests and inquires flooded in as I was obedient to God, I call them tests of faith, was I truly obedient? I kept the contracted and talked about shoots and declined the ones I so desperately wanted to take in.
fall 2018, that same still small voice whispered "its time to start again, with a new view" 
Ideas flooded my mind, perspective changed and with my aging old camera and falling apart computer I was still able to overcome those obstacles and produce what I saw in my mind. Had I not stopped when God told me to chances are I would have continued with the mundane, posed and honestly photos I don't enjoy. This fresh new look is so freeing to be doing what I am passionate about which is creating magic and bringing imagination to life.
Don't you dare ever let any bit of an obstacle stop you from what you are called to do. The passions deep in your soul are there for a reason! ALWAYS listen to the still small voice, God knows what is best for you and sometimes He asks you to step away to save you from danger or to give you fresh new perspective. I started at the very bottom, we made less money than bills coming in, don't let your current circumstances stop you from your future. Take a step back and get new perspective! And DO NOT EVER forget the POWER of prayer and following the ultimate creator! God alone is the only way I have gotten where I am in life and lately He has been telling me "the journey has JUST begun!!"
There will be people who will try to discourage you, they will tell you, you can't, but that's just another obstacle in need of new perspective!
“Whether you think you can or whether you think you can't, you're right.” - Henry Ford
As my dad always said "Can't is not a word"