Learning to Love What's Good For Me | A Blog Post Series | #1

This year I didn't make a lot of New Year resolutions.

But I've been thinking.

There are so many things about myself that need to change; spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically.

Life is a journey. Our relationships take time to cultivate. Sanctification is a slow process.

There is so much beauty in the waiting... so I've been told. Im not really good at the waiting part. Im not really good at processes. They make me impatient and I often get frustrated and leave an idea behind if things aren't working out the way I want them too.

Far to often in my own life I will have a great idea to better my life but lack the perseverance and courage to go through with it. Or maybe the road looks hard and I am too ... Lazy.

Learning to love what's good for me.

The idea was formed after being back at school for 2 weeks.

Both my roommate and I have decided to make healthier decisions with our eating habits. It's not a set of rules saying we can't eat french fries and chocolate, but thinking through better alternatives for those in the long run. I've been told it's a good discipline to have as I get older.

Some good things are hard to love though.

It's hard to choose veggies over chips for snack.

It's hard to skip caffeinated coffee in the morning and go for tea or a smoothie.

It's hard to make changes in life when we are so accustom the old ways.

Im finding that statement to be true in other areas of my life too.

It's hard for me to change my attitude about certain situations.

It's hard for me to sacrifice an hour to go to the gym.

It's hard for me to stay on top of my assignments when I just want a break to watch netflix.

It's hard for me to follow God's voice when it seems different from what the world is telling me.

It's hard for me to be present in a day and age where technology has advanced so much.

It's hard for me to save money.

It's hard for me to admit when I am wrong.

etc.

So often I am finding the very things in life that are good for me, truly good for my growth, are in fact... hard. 

This series will share my thoughts on the hard processes and hopefully we can find a lot of grace together navigating hard things for our good.

Junior Year Goals

Its the day before classes. The campus is alive with freshman activities. Truthfully, I am still in denial a bit about this being my junior year and that I am officially classified as an upper class man. I feel like I was more excited about that in high school rather than in college.

I've been walking the campus meeting new people, praying, and thinking over this year.

My Little Yellow Mug

Does anyone remember my little yellow mug?

Becky Frances Photography

Today there are some exciting things on the BLOG. YAY.

Ive been dreaming and scheming for a while now. What will my photography business look like?

2 years ago I thought I was strictly photo in the creative department, but through my major and blogging I am finding that I actually LOVE the graphic design and branding side of a business too. 

Here is my online portfolio. I am so excited to be Becky Frances Photography ( and no longer Captured on Camera) . 

I am looking for some new clients to add new and updated work to my site so please let me know if you are interested!!

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE PAGE!!!!

Little Victories.

This summer has brought a lot of unusual challenges Id never thought I would have to face, and in light of all the negativity social media has taken I have decided to celebrate little victories in my life.

LIKE...

1. Today I learned of areas of life the enemy is deceiving me. A plan to move forward in action AND CRUSH THIS NONSENSE has been implemented. 
2. I found a #ShareACoke with Rebecca on it. [ I love them ]
3. I discovered some left over gummy bears AND ATE THEM WITH JOY.
4. I bought my new planner for school a month early. It is really cute and I am so excited to organize my life with it.
5. Today I danced in the car all the way home from starbucks to Taylor Swift. Its been a long time since my spirit has felt so free to do so.
6. My hamster, Lucy, is home with me for the summer. So far I have stuck her in as many objects possible to see how cute she looks... she has NOT bitten me yet.
7. My Aloe plant is finally thriving and I have hope I won't kill it.
8.  I have forced my dog many times to selfie stick with me... and she hates it but I love it.
9. My friend Rachel is growing daisies and she sent me a text this morning saying they are GROWING, with a picture of cute little baby bud daisies. YAY FOR NEW LIFE.
10. Ive struggled with Anxiety and other issues the past 4 months and today I moved one step closer to conquering this beast in my life.
11. I finished designing my photography website and the link will be up soon!!! 

HOW CUTE IS SHE. <3

If there is one thing I am learning in life right now its that sometimes we have to go back to having child like faith. Sometimes we have to step back from taking life to seriously and celebrate the small things because it is so easy to get bogged down in the negativity of the world these days. 

Image Maker

One of the campus ministries I attend has been doing a series on our Image Maker. Despite the fact that I have sat through many bible studies, sermons, and devotionals on self worth and finding our identity in Christ his approach took a new perspective to the familiar scripture. Its funny how scripture can do that. His concept and view jumped out to me and kind of smacked me in the face.

He pointed out that God is creative. He is an artist.

He pointed out that In the beginning God made man AND woman because one gender was incapable of adequately representing him.

He pointed out the familiar scripture in Genesis that states that we are made in the image of God.

I am creative. I am an artist. I am a woman. I represent Christ. I am made in the image of God.

"And he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, with intelligence, with knowledge, and with all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold and silver and bronze" - Exodus 35:31-32

Since the day I left for college and started attending Winthrop I've listened to the world tell me that I am not good enough. I have listened to them tell me that I am not smart enough. I have listened to people on many occasions try to convince me to change my major.. to change who I am for the sake of "being successful" in life. I watched people casually gloss over the conversation of my major to another topic. I have searched for a way out… a way to appear to have something worth respecting attached to my name and career. I have beat myself up and often whispered my own sets of lies and eventually I started believing them. I have desperately searched for someone or something to tell me that there is worth in being an artist and a photographer whether I choose to shoot weddings or produce work for a gallery, for someone to tell me that I am not wasting my time & money because I want a college degree in Photography.

Somewhere between the lies and the people telling me what I should be doing with my life I started thinking I had failed God's calling on my life.

But I don't have to search.

I am good enough.

I am smart enough.

I have worth.

Because, I am made in the image of Christ.
… and you are too.

It is incredibly easy to lose sight of who we are called to be, who we are capable of being in Christ. The beautiful thing is that I don't have to be anything to receive his grace and love. I just get to receive it. Its an overwhelming concept sometimes because I do not deserve it at all.

What an awesome gift to be able to rest assured that as the worlds standards change and as fads fade God's standards don't.

...sometimes you have to end up at a bar to find good coffee.

This weekend I compiled a list of coffee shops in Charlotte that I want to visit through out my time here. 

Winthrop did not have classes today so I kidnapped Jesslyn.... Just kidding she was totally willing... and headed to Charlotte to walk around the mall and after that we plugged in this address off of google to a coffee shop that had 4.6 stars and great reviews.

As most people know with GPS devices they aren't always accurate and when we got in the general area of said coffee place (after taking a detour, missing the turn, and ending up in the ghetto) this coffee place was no where to be seen... great.

So I parked the car and we got out on foot to find it.

After walking the block... twice and taking an ally that looked promising (it was not promising) we found ourselves in front of a bar. 

Not to worry though it was right by a museum with a very nice lady who pointed our poor, lost, coffee deprived souls in the right direction. We were only a little bit off.

However, once we arrived to the coffee place, hidden in a building with natural foods and other assorted goodness, we fought for two seats. Okay, not really fighting but the place was pretty busy.

Not Just Coffee, Charlotte NC

They Served me the BEST latte I have ever tasted. It was worth the adventure and wait.

So some days you just have to get in the car with an address, your best friend, and no clue of where you are going and somedays you end up in front of a bar trying to find good coffee. Those days you make a memory and add a place to your list of adventures.

A Cup of Joe & Some Computer Code

If you haven't noticed yet the blog got an update. 

If you follow me regularly or view my post frequently you will know that my blog name has changed over the years, so has my URL. Ive also changed the design [mostly color schemes]. The URL is sticking so you can go ahead and save that to your favorites page if you'd like... however, there are no promises for the name or design.

This year I wanted improve my blog, along with other things. What that entails I am not quite sure of yet, but its starting with a completely new look and a cup of coffee.

2015... more jesus... more laughter... more memories... Immeasurably More.

A friend of mine who attends school in Charleston inspired this train of thought.
You can find her blog post HERE

These past two years I've seen much change, felt much love, and experienced a lot of Jesus.

My heart for the past year has beat nothing but more.

more Jesus... more laughter... more memories... more joy.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us. - Ephesians 3:20

I am so hungry, so greedy for more Jesus. I want to see him move mountains around me as I've experienced him move mountains in my heart. He is capable of immeasurably more.

2015.

Emily [her blog link is above] asked some thought provoking questions.

1. Where do you [God] want me to be at the end of 2015?

2. Where do you [God] want to take me?

In these last few days of 2014 I am asking myself these very questions. Where does God want to see me in December of 2015? Where does he want to take me? How does he want to use me in 2015? Am I willing to put my plans aside for his?

more.

Where will you let God take you this year?

Semester Recap

I like to reflect at the end of semesters.

It seems like the older I get, the faster life seems to go by and it only gets faster from here. Its nice to take a minute and remember the good things, learn from the bad, the things to carry over, and the things to let go.

So this semester... Fall 2014.

My heart still swells with love and appreciation at the thought of the past 5 months of my life. It hasn't been easy. There has been tough times, tears, lots of encouragement, discouragement, to many pictures taken, not enough taken, and a whole lot of love. There was exhaustion behind closed doors in the comfort of my room. There was journeys walked alone and journeys walked with people who keep me going.There was adventure.

My semester "story" is not one of perfection. I wish I could say that getting through this semester with two rods in my back was easy. I wish I could say I have never thought "I can't or I don't want to do this anymore". Maybe from the outside thats what it appears like, but from the inside it was full of a girl driving the struggle bus and a God in control of the wheel.

There were many times I said "I can't" and God whispered right back "You can, you will, and you did". There still are many times where I say "I am tired of dealing with this, no one understands, and Its annoying" and God said "come to me I give you rest, look how far you've come, and its almost over." Theres been much comfort in the fact that He knows exactly what my bodies doing when I'm fighting the waves of muscle spasms, nerve pinches, and just not even knowing what is going on.

There has been confidence, strength, and beauty.

There was adventure.

I went to a Clemson football game, a Nick Jonas concert, woke up and fought for Taylor Swift tickets, participated in making history with 100 other photographers, and drove to charlotte.

There was exploring new ministry opportunities of new things I am interested in.

There was ministry being done on campus and people who challenged me to be better than who I am now.

There has been so much Jesus, so much love, and so much healing.

Prayers were answered.

Pictures... There has been so many pictures both art, job, and personal. So. Many.

I fell in like [we haven't crossed the boarder to love yet] with tea... you know the kind that doesn't require a cup of sugar.

I baked over 100 cookies for my ladies bible study and for my roommate. We really like cookies.

I met a new friend whom I had the pleasure of living with this past semester [Emily you are the bomb.com] There has been a lot of Netflix and laughter in The FHAT House Room 269 [Thats our suite name]

I met a friend who is from Germany and 8 years ago she also had her spine fused.

And this is only the beginning.