When I was a little girl, I always felt alone. I often drifted into deep thought and got lost in my vivid imagination. I was a playful child who was curious and loved to laugh. Growing up in a rough environment for me came with hardships and confusion. As I grew into my late teens and early twenties, I felt lost and my life didn't feel as though I had purpose. I started searching for meaning and substance around me because I desperately needed to belong. The realization of the hardships I faced as a young child soon became overwhelming for me to tolerate as an adult.
I went through a grieving period that paralyzed my left vocal chord. I lost my voice. I was stuck and didn't know how to overcome my past. Even though this was one of the hardest times in my life, I found joy in my husband and children. They were a light in my life. My health declined and ended up in the hospital and my body started shutting down. It was during this time that my search for meaning in life brought me the greatest peace I've ever known. In the hospital, I thought I was going to die leaving 3 small children behind. But God had another plan for me. He lifted me up and showed me that He has been walking along with me since I was a little girl. He began to heal my body, my mind and eventually my heart. He restored my voice and I promised to never be silent about His unconditional love for everyone.
In 2013, Journaling one morning I was thinking about the impact I wanted to have with my life and how to bring value into my photography business. I wrote, "Lord, help me to see what it is I am supposed to do for you here on earth. Why do you grace me with your presence? Sometimes when I share my stories with people I want to cry because they don't understand how much you love all of us. How can I break through to them and help share the freedom in love you have shown to me?
During this time I felt these words fall upon my heart, "YOU ARE because I AM."
I paused for a while to take in the magnitude of this simple statement and after tears rolled down my cheek I understood clearly. Everything good in my life, all that I have within me, everything around me and even things I can't see have been given to me through God. This was a pivotal moment in not only my life, but in my business. Everything I need has already been given to me and now is my time to not only recognize it but bring it to the light. It's not about what I can do, but what has been done for me.
Join me on my journey as I reveal and open all the gifts that life has to offer. It could be through a message, an image, a story, a friend or just a feeling.
I hope that you too can experience the joy of discovering the gift YOU ARE.
Many Blessings,
Leslie
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