God's timing!

These past 2-months have been quite a ride for me.  When I stop and think about all that has happened, I wonder how they could have gone by so fast and yet dragged along at the same time.  If someone would have told me on December 1st of all that I would go through before the first of February, I would have thought them mad.  

Now, mind you, I'm not saying that things are going to stop as of the first of February, it's just that is the next milestone in the calendar that I can refer to.

It's simply amazing how the Lord brings people into your life for a period of time to get you out of a rut you have been, whether you have been in that rut your entire life or due to a recent trauma, if you have been around the mountain more than once you are in a rut.  I was in a HUGE rut!!

In early December, the Christmas program at church was the only thing I could see.  It was quite a challenge and really tested me.  I was relieved when all the edits were completed and the show was finally taking place.  

With my work done, I was able to enjoy taking photos of all the performances and got some great shots.  I sat on the step, hidden by the orchestra and fired away.

There was one person in the show whom the Lord would bring into my life and use him as an instrument of change.  Steven was one of the drummers in my favorite piece of the evening; good ole' bagpipes playing as he and two other drummers played live on stage.

I didn't know him then.  It was by accident that I came to know him at all.  I know it was not an accident, but God's direction that the two of us get to know each other.

I have never known a man like Steven before.  He pushed and prodded me for information about myself.  He asked me difficult questions.  Really made me look at my past as he tried to get to know and understand my present.  By him doing this, I have found freedom in a couple areas of my life where I had not known it before.  No one had ever taken the time to encourage me to open doors in my heart that had been closed and bolted shut.

We had our bumps in the road, everything from hurt feelings, to anger and frustration, but in the end I have someone with whom I will always be able to look back on this period of my life and know that the Lord used him to cause growth to happen in my life.

Steven was a catalyst for all that is happening now.  I'm not giving him all the credit, but I honestly don't know if I could be doing what I'm doing right now had the two of us not become friends.

His friendship is not the only big thing.  In these past 2-months one of my photo was selected out of over 10,000 entries for the Aperture Nature Photography Workshop, I took part in the workshop learning a lot and having a great time.  As a result, I'm trying to get my photography business off the ground and I'm finding a boldness I didn't know was within me.

This is by far the most exciting time in my entire life!!!