Your Light

Many of you know, but maybe some of you don't, that I started a non profit two years ago (this January!) We do events partnered with other organizations giving free family photos to those in need. (and if you'd like to read more about the journey that lead to the beginning of it, click HERE) I don't post about it very much at all, which is probably weird. But it's actually a huge part of my life. Even if I'm not always doing an event, or even working at it from home like I should be, it is constantly on my mind, sometimes weighing down my heart and other times lifting it higher than ever before. 

These past two years have galloped by- and what a journey it's been! To be honest, there's been more hard than not but the end result of seeing all the portraits makes, in all it's clique glory, worth it.

It's not just about giving families in need professional photos, either. It's about giving people a place to volunteer and give back, especially fellow artists. It's creating friendships based off of shared service. It's creating a space to teach each other and learn from one another. 

And it's a whole lot of connecting to as many fellow humans as possible.  We all get to come together and enter into others' stories. I love watching the photographers/volunteers and families laughing, joking, talking, learning. A lot of times we let the kids take a photo of their sibling or let them help in some way. In certain settings, volunteers and families cannot speak the same language, but that never seems to stop everyone from communicating.

I can't even begin to explain why it's also been so hard for me. But, in short, it's felt a lot like drowning. haha! I left a shore for better land, full of hope and energy, but then I found myself in the middle of deep, endless water, alone. It's been hard to keep treading water and staying alive. There's been a lot of self doubts, a lot of doing things alone and a whole lot of not knowing how to do any of those things alone. But recently someone threw me a buoy and I'm feeling some more hope again. And I know that this is a journey I need to be on, and one I'm not to give up. I may not know where I'm going or how to get there, but I do know that I am not to go back to that once familiar shore. So on ward I go.

And I'm probably making this all sound so much more dramatic than it would be if it were someone else's story. There are many many people who would have done a much better job than me, people who would have not struggled with such simple things like I do. But yet, here I am. 

And it's not all so bad. We've had 11 events so far and have four already planned for 2018. We gave $42,000 worth of free photographic services just this year alone! I've made incredible connections with other giving organizations. It's somehow still growing. I've found some people who also care about its success. I think it just might be okay as long as I keep swimming.

Visit our website! Follow us on social media! Spread the word! Love you all!

http://www.yourlightinternational.org/