Engagement: Matt & Kellie

A few days ago, I had the pleasure of taking my brother and future sister-in-law's engagement photos. Everything worked out perfectly. I was able to borrow a friend's DSLR camera (due to my lack thereof) and we found the perfect location not to far from my parent's house. 

Matt and Kellie such a lovely couple and they made it so easy for me to capture these images. They looked so natural in every pose. I know they are so excited about getting married this December. I am so glad I've been able to see their love story unfold...it's a sweet southern romance. They are absolutely perfect for each other!

Matt wanted to make sure we got these ring shots! :) The story behind how he got the ring is pretty amazing. Matt has been traveling with a ministry group called Life Action for the past two years, which meant saving money was practically non-existent. Well, it just so happened that the pastor at one of the churches they visited was a retired jeweler. Matt told him what he was looking for, and a few days later he showed Matt this ring! He was able to get it for a great price. It was such a blessing.

 Ah, young love. {Swoon} Can't you tell how in love they are? I can't wait to see where these two will go!



PS: I will be without a computer for a while because my mac had to go to the doctor. :( I will miss you guys until it comes home to me. I hope you all have a great weekend!

A waterfall adventure...

While we were in the mountains, we decided to go on a little adventure. (I love adventures!) We drove on a little winding road through the mountains until we reached Gatlinburg. Just a little outside the town there is a hiking trail to Rainbow Falls in the middle of a beautiful forrest. I am so glad that our country has preserved such beautiful wildlife. I'm sure we would have commercialized all of our national and state parks if it was left up to the general populous!

You just can't recreate the feeling of being in the middle of nature, far away from the hustle and bustle of life in our media driven world. It is good be with the rocks, trees and moss...away from it all for a while.

As Mary Bennett said in Jane Austen's novel Pride and Prejudice, "what are men compared to rocks and mountains?"

Now, this hike was not for the faint of heart...or the out of shape! None of us hike a lot by any means, so it was very challenging indeed! There were 3 miles of going up hill on a very rocky (and often wet) path.  We passed some people who had given up half way and others who were trekking right along.

Despite the challenges, the journey was beautiful. The farther we went up, the air became cooler and more delicious.

At last we reached the falls! Can you tell how sweaty we are? All of my clothes were seriously drenched. Jonathan put his shirt back on just for the picture too! (Pardon my granny shorts and sweaty make-up less face! Ha! Hiking isn't very flattering!)

These photos don't even come close to doing it any justice. It was magnificent. It is also said that on days when the sun is shining brightly that there is a rainbow in the waterfall. I wish we could have seen it!

And now I leave you with this! Haha! My hubby and brother in law discovered that they were wearing the same underwear. Apparently is some special you-can-wear-it-for-weeks-and-it-won't-smell kind. Some guys hiked the whole AT in them and took a picture like this...thus this picture. Ha!

On a more serious note, this little hiking adventure reminded me of a book called "Hind's Feet on High Places." (I don't know if anyone has read it or not.) It is an allegory about a girl named Much-Afraid who follows the Chief Shepherd who is helping her grow as she climbs the mountains to the heights. It is especially profound to me these days as the Lord is teaching me how to climb over rocky, not so fun places with Him.

"The sovereign LORD is my strength;

He makes my feet like the feet of a deer,

He enables me to tread on the heights."

(2 Samuel 22:34)

PS: I am also over here today!

Spotlight on Sponsors

Without further ado, I would like to introduce my wonderful sponsors for this month. I can honestly say that each of them are beautiful women who seek to follow Christ. I have been following each of them for a little while now and they are always encouraging to me. You won't be sorry to add them to your list of reads! 

Hello friends! My name is Natalie and I am the potter and blogger behind NS Pottery. I have a heart for taking dirty clay and turning it into something beautiful and useful in everyday life. I strive to live for Christ  every, and hope that I can inspire other to do the same. On my blog, I talk a lot about my faith as well as my life as a potter. I hope that you'll join me in my journey.

Check out her blog here! 

The blog of a girl who is a lily among thorns. She gave up living for herself so that her Lover could live through her. She owes Him her life. I'm pretty much your ordinary girl with an extraordinary hunger for beauty, which can only be found in Him. This blog is pretty much a diary of my life through His story.

Check out her blog here! 

I'm a twenty-year old undergrad studying english lit and history, who fell into blog design by frequently redesigning her own. I seek to create custom, classic designs that put the focus on the content while maintaining the aesthetics of the whole. I love Jesus, reading, writing and the color orange. You can also find my personal blog here.

Check out her blog here! 

Vibrant Grace is a reflection of the blessings and grace God has bestowed on us. A reminder to glorify Him in all circumstances. To see God as the master artist of the beauty all around. To recognize that the life He has prepared for me will be far more interesting than anything I could ever imagine for myself.

This blog is both a creative outlet and a means to glorify God through my words and photography. It is an attempt to slow down my frenzied life. To capture treasured moments through my camera lens. To soak in the quiet and truly appreciate the beauty of God's creation. It is the chronicle of my journey for balance and understanding of faith and I sincerely hope that it blesses and encourages you.

Check out her blog here! 

Hello! I'm Hanna Singer. Wifey to Patrick and mama to Elijah Grey. The relentless grace of Jesus is something I strive to be daily grateful for. What a journey this life is! Two years agao we moved from Maryland to North Dakota. Though the many changes we've experienced as a family, we have become more closely knit to each other and the Lord. On my blog Happy Days, you'll find the eclectic mix that is my life. Old hymns, hip-hop, favorite finds, adoption, homemaking, cupcakes, coffee and encouraging words. Stop by and say hello! "I will sing to the Lord, because He has dealt bountifully with me." (Psalm 13:6)

Check out her blog here! 

Portrait of a lady

The other day I got to snap a few pictures of my 'ole college buddy, Amanda. She needed a few good photos for her music business and I was more than willing to get a little more practice, despite my lack of a nice camera. I really do love the creativity involved in framing a good photograph. I'm no where near good, but I get a thrill from pulling out my little camera. There's just something about creating something isn't there? Creating with your friends is even better.

It was great to catch up on life as we frolicked through the field. (Ok, it was more like carefully trying to avoid stickers.) We actually had a funny experience with my in-laws alarm, braved the sweltering heat and had silly-stupid fun.

So what have you guys been creating this summer?


PS: Thanks for the love about Compassion's Cry. Keep checking back! We've got more stuff you guys to get involved.

I'm a mountain woman

Do you ever feel so immersed in the beauty of nature that it takes you to a dreamy sort of state? On our vacation I almost felt like I could inhale the mountains with the breeze. I don't think I could ever become so accustom to the sound of a babbling brook or a cascading waterfall that I didn't take a few moments to soak in the beauty and peacefulness. Sure, I love the beach but there is just something about the mountains that leaves me so refreshed and so in awe of the Creator.

One thing is for sure, I'm a mountain kind of gal. After this vacation I'm convinced we should move to the mountains. This summer has flown by so quickly (can I get an amen?) and this trip was just what we needed. I needed to clear my head with the cooler air. I needed to hike a mountain to reach a waterfall. I needed to simply be still, instead of always on the go. Everything I needed to do was left behind and I took the time to be free with the ones I love.

Jonathan's Dad's side of the family goes to the same spot Smokey Mountains and now I see why! I hope we can make this our family's summer tradition!


What about you guys? Are you a mountain or a beach person?


Oh, stay tuned for our our mountain trek to a gorgeous waterfall!