An excerpt from One More Sunrise, by Michael Landon Jr. and Tracie Peterson:
“I know what I’ve been living for, Ferguson,” said Joe. “I wanted the glory. I wanted to be the hero who came home to the cheers of my family and friends…everyone. I wanted to be the guy who got all the attention for saving the day."
“Living for your own credit and fame,” Ferguson said, “is something most men try to do, but few will admit to ---and it can make for an unfulfilling life.”
“I always thought my passion for flying was a gift from God, “Joe said.
“It is,” Ferguson agreed,” but most people want to use their gifts to glorify themselves instead of glorifying the One who gave them the gift in the first place.”
“Is it too late, Ferguson?” Joe asked, “Is it too late to use the gift He gave me for him…to glorify Him?”
I recently finished reading this book. An excellent read, by the way. However, the most remarkable thing about me reading it was how God used it to get my attention. This small excerpt really shows what God pricked my heart with.
You see, I love photography like Joe loves flying. I love the emotion it stirs. I love how it is timeless. I want to be good at it. No, I want to be excellent at it. I've always been like that...wanting to be good at everything I do. And, I've always been my toughest critic. I enjoy looking at other photographers' works and being inspired and humbled. It's natural {and beneficial} to know where I need to improve in my work, how I can get better, and what kind of photographer I want to eventually aspire to be. I believe it's even natural to compare yourself to others. But only to a degree. Only enough to know where and how to improve.
I found myself continually comparing myself to other photographers. "Am I good enough?" "I'll never get there." "Do people really like my work?" I even found myself begrudging photographers who were finding success! {I still struggle with this, honestly.} Oh, how Satan and jealousy work so stealthily.
Not only that, but I allowed pride to creep in. While it is fantastic that I can see improvement in my skills and love that others can see growth, as well, it is not fantastic that I wanted attention and credit for my pretty pictures! All this points to my "fleshy" heart: It's all about me. My glory. The insecurity, jealousy, and pride are all about me.
That is a problem.
I want my photography business to be for God's glory, not my glory. He is the one who has given me a gift, the time, and the resources to even do this professionally! If I am good, it's because of Him and the abilities He's given me.
So, I have decided it's not too late for me to return my focus {pun intended} on bringing God glory. Most corporations have a mission statement to guide and define their goals. Rather than a mission statement, I'd like to write a commitment: Brooke Hazard Photography exists because of the grace, mercy, and gifts of God. He shall be glorified. My commitment is to let every interaction with clients to reflect the love and hope of Christ. My commitment is to allow God to continually transform my mind and heart so that there will be decreasingly less room for "fleshy-ness," as I know this will be a work in progress.
Now, the question is how. How to make it tangible? How do I intend to give God the glory that He deserves? I asked the Lord to show me how I can reflect Jesus to my clients. He gave me a couple of ideas that I am quite excited about. First, I would like serve my clients who come to me for newborn sessions by providing a meal for them on the day of their session. I remember after our son was born, we thought the best gifts were a home cooked meal and diapers! Another way to shine for the Lord is through Preemie Prints. I’m so excited to announce that I’ve been approved to be a volunteer photographer. This Christian, Non-profit organization’s mission is to give hope and encouragement to families who are faced with premature newborns or babies with critical illnesses in the NICU. I intend on continuing to look for more opportunities to demonstrate the love of God.
So, to sum it all up, All glory be to God! J Thanks for reading.
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