p31 and a new level of confidence (also possibly the longest post ever)

i have talked before about how i have been conflicted with my feelings towards my photography business.

about the time that i started feeling so confused, i stumbled across a group called Pursuit 31. it was started by a woman who was feeling the same kind of conflict i was.

the pull towards forgetting her priorities (being a godly wife and mommy)

and pushing to better the business and make more money.

i found out about a retreat that this group has, and was shocked to see that there was going to be one in connecticut! 

what??

no one ever comes to the north east!

i had to go.

just had to.

i had to meet this woman who was living out what i wanted to be living out!

so this past week, i was able to spend 2 days with some incredible and amazing women.

women who are living lives to serve God, and working to keep their priorities with their business in the right place!

here's how it started.

thursday morning, i walked into a beautiful home 

(owned by desirea. another godly woman who lives to please God!)

and looked around a room of 14 other women, and thought.

"what on earth are you doing here, rachelle?"

but i stayed.

because, what else was i gonna do?

karen shared her story, and asked us to share ours.

so we did. tears and all.

she then challenged us to keep our marriages first.

our Jesus first, and to have the kind of faith that God calls us to have!

then we spent a couple of hours talking about the business aspect.

um.

ya. here again, i thought.

"what on earth are you doing here, rachelle?"

have you seen my website? haha...did you try clicking on that? i tricked you. as if i am going to show my blog "website"! ha

then i went back to my hotel suite.

with 5 other women, who i had never met.

it always amazes me how a relationship with Jesus can bring people so close, so fast.

it really is a family.

anyways...we stayed up for.ev.er.

talking. asking questions about each other, about the Bible, about our families.

it was amazing.

i seriously love these girls just like they are my homegirls.

no lie.

(seriously so much love for you anglesea, stacy, sharna, katie and beth!!)

then the morning came.

pretty quickly, i might add.

and here is where my same question came back to my head.

see...i am not a wedding photographer.

i am a portrait photographer, and the thought of being in front of other photographers and posing people all by myself terrified me.

for real.

i wanted to get in my car and go home.

when we arrived, i felt like i was back in high school all over again.

i pulled out my...cough xti cough...from my bag that i bought for 2 dollars at a cough thrift store cough...and tried to be all..

ya. wassup girls.

i'm cool

i know that the cost of my camera and all my lenses are not even close to how much your one lens costs.

but ya know, i got this!

and you know what? 

the girls didn't even judge me!

it was unbelievable.

and so with my new friends, and the confidence that they had in me.

i had the time of my life.

and here it all is.

oh, and even with all these images? i could have uploaded a million more that i have on my computer!

and just like that.

i went from being a portrait photographer

to just a plain old photographer!

who knew?

and i have to thank not only karen,

but also all the other girls that were there.

we all cheered each other on, encouraged each other, and gave each other more confidence.

and i gotta say.

it sure feels good!

so bring it.

whose wedding is next??

i'm totally in.

*hafta give mad props to the ones who made everything so beautiful!

the hair and makeup done by Simply Goreous by Erin and Professional Makeup by DeLieto

the planning by DeeDee and Heidi of Always and Forever, 

also, our hostess Alicia whose heart for God amazes and challenges me!

and obviously, karen. whose at fault for all of you reading this super long post!