Keeping it Real

May 10, 2013
See more posts in Faith, My Heart

Thank you all so much from the bottom of my heart for your amazing words about my new brand and website. I am overwhelmed by your goodness and sweet words. Again, Thank you.

 

Yet, I can’t help but be authentic and mention this. There are times in my life where I look at others websites, new brands and new announcements and feel incredibly discouraged. I feel not good enough. Not together enough. Not (fill in the blank) enough.

 

I don’t want ANY OF YOU to believe that lie. That perception. Especially in my case. A new website doesn’t equal happiness, awesomeness, or perfection. While I am utterly grateful and excited that I have this amazing new space to write and to share my images with you, today I still had one of the hardest days I have ever had on so many levels. Too many struggles and emotions that made getting out of bed hard today. That made opening up to the Lord hard today. This day was filled with situations that made me just want to curl up in a ball and put up my white flag of surrender.

 

I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I AM IMPERFECT.

 

I want to be reminded of that daily. Reminded that I don’t have it all together and won’t until I get to heaven.  Because otherwise I will spend my life chasing pride, perfection, and my worth in worldly things.  Like I have in my past, trying to make more and more money, to have more followers, to have more stuff. I have learned I don’t need any of that. I just need more Jesus. Even though sometimes my heart falls back in to old ways, I want a website to be a website. That is why I purposely left some goofy imperfect pages  and made crappy iPhone videos to have a place on this site, because I want to remind myself again that imperfect is ok. It’s who I am and ONLY by His grace I am made whole.

 

So please. If any of you had one ounce of sadness enter your heart viewing this site or thoughts thinking you are not enough. YOU ARE ENOUGH.

 

It is one of my biggest goals to keep it real here on this blog, for you to see the good and the bad. I want to connect with you. I want to get rid of all the fluff.  I want to love and serve and encourage you here.

 

So here I am, BRAND NEW WEBSITE, SAME OLD GINA.

14 thoughts on “Keeping it Real

  1. I love you dear friend and just so you know…I needed this more than ever today:) I so need to remember I’m imperfect and stop comparing myself to all the mamas out there!

  2. Gina, thank you so much for this! It’s so easy to let those thoughts creep into my head and it means so much to know that I’m not alone thinking these things! Your new site is gorgeous and so are you! Thank your for keeping it real!

  3. You are a light even through the dark things he is bringing you through. Thanks for continuing to bring us into that process – it blesses us. Me especially.

  4. Oh gosh, Gina. I just love you. Your honesty and real-ness is so refreshing. And it’s just so true — a shiny new website, or house or accomplishment for that matter, certainly doesn’t mean you have it all together all the time. And yet it’s so easy to fall into that trap and think, I’m never going to get there. I’m never going to be able to afford to do that or have that. But you’re right, it’s all lies. And it’s all meaningless and useless if it doesn’t ultimately serve the Lord. And while I do like the new website, I love the old Gina even more. xo

  5. Natalie wrote that “your authenticity is absolutely intoxicating” and I could not agree more. Her words are perfect. I had a hard day, too, and I’m beyond grateful for your honesty and your courage to post that you had a hard day today. When you said, “…that made opening up to the Lord hard today,” I felt grace pour into my heart. I’m not the only one that struggled today with my dependence on God through these challenging moments, others are struggling, too, and giving themselves grace through being honest. Gina, I am so grateful for you, your heart, and this beautiful website that will only attract more people to see your authentic and genuine self. It’s intoxicating and I love it. Praying for you!

  6. It’s posts like this {on gorgeous new blogs} that remind me that it’s worth it to be real and true instead of fluffy. Love the new look and the same ole honesty that was there before… Job well done, friend!

  7. Thank you for your honesty and approach in sharing about your stories. It definitely resonates with me and I’m sure a bunch of others.
    ps: could be my old eyes…but the script font for the blog is a bit hard on the eyes.

  8. Hello Gina!! Wow words cannot express how badly i needed to read and understand this. I live in Montreal (Canada) and I love people & God and i just want to live out his plans for me! It gets so easy to compare and contrast myself with others who seem to be living my dreams. THANKS FOR YOU REAL-NESS and dispelling the Lie <3 p.s I LOVE YOUR PHOTOS AND WEBSITE!! — I feel encouraged and reminded again of whats Important && for that I thank you!!! <3

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

 
Gina is a Minneapolis based wedding and lifestyle photographer that loves bringing the LIFE out of people & capturing that energy on camera. Contact Me