In Front of the Camera.

I’m a photographer. I’m still somewhat new to it all… but I’m trying to get used to saying that.

I’m a photographer.

The really funny part is that I’m SO not used to being in front of the camera, so a few months ago when I needed some photos of myself for a ladies conference that I was leading worship for, I asked my beautiful friend Yadira to take some photos of me! And she and I, we like to adventure. Especially around LA. So we took a day, and walked the Getty Villa and El Matador Beach.

Let’s talk about something real quick. If I can’t be mostly real on this here blog, than what’s the point right?

I’m insecure. I see myself in photos and I can very quickly find things that I don’t like, and if I’m not careful I can easily let my mind believe that other people will see those imperfections and become obsessed over them. What other people think about us… that’s such a big issue, isn’t it? I admit that there are some moments that the clothes that I wear on a certain day are chosen with thoughts of who I’m going to be with that day; Will they like it? The makeup that I apply and how my hair is done; Is it what other people are doing? The things that I eat; will someone judge me for eating  a cookie, an ice cream cone AND a churro at Disneyland today? (you can laugh its, ok. Carly knows what I’m talking about)

Sometimes, I walk in fear of not being accepted for exactly who I am. I think that insecurity stems from fear. So what do I do on those days that my insecurity is getting the best of me? I take it to the father. And really, I think, “Jesus, what do you think about this?”

And here’s what I find.

It all starts with love. 🙂 He is the originator of love, and we must first believe that God loves us and others.

1 John 4:7-8 (MSG); “My beloved friends, let us continue to love each other since love comes from God. Everyone who loves is born of God and experiences a relationship with God. The person who refuses to love doesn’t know the first thing about God, because God is love—so you can’t know him if you don’t love.”

And his loves exists in us. This love creates a connection between us and the father. This translates in us loving others.

1 John 4:16 (NLT); “We know how much God loves us , and we have put our trust in his love. God is love and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.”

And since his love exists in us, then fear (and judgement, and insecurity) cannot exist in us. (this part is my favorite)

1 John 4:18 (MSG); “There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life—fear of death, fear of judgment—is one not yet fully formed in love.

This post is going to be one that requires me to call on the love of the father that exists in me, to cancel out fear. Because now, I want to share a few of those photos that Yadira took of me:
(You can click on them to make them bigger)

What kind of things do you do to deal with fear and insecurities?