My New Journey...

It has been a while since I have written a post. I think I start most of my posts with that sentence or at least feel the need to say that. To be honest, I haven't had much to say lately because I haven't felt like I had anything worth saying. I have been trying to stay busy (successfully), trying to get past our most recent loss. But I finally feel like I have something exciting to share.

Photography is something that I have been interested in for a long time now. The things I have learned so far, I have learned from friends, family and the internet. I mainly got into it because I wanted to be able to take my own decent pictures of my kids. I love documenting their lives. Recently, using photography as a ministry has been on my heart. I didn't really know what I would do, or how I would do it, just felt a tugging at my heart that I have felt since Eli died, to help people who have lost a baby. I really wasn't sure how those two things would fit together. A couple weeks ago I had the chance to help a friend and photograph her new baby. This day opened my eyes to a way that I could do what I had been longing to do. This friend had also lost a baby. I was able to take pictures of her rainbow baby, and bless her and myself.

This is it! I can help people who have lost a child by taking pictures of their family (for free) and get a chance to minister to them, pray for them and love on them. Someone did this for us after we lost Eli, and it meant so much to us. I don't know all the details yet, and I am a ways off from beginning. I don't feel like I am up to the standard of photography that I would like to be to offer this service to people. To do that I need to take some more classes, get some more equipment, etc. These things are expensive. However I believe the Lord provides always, if we are doing what is in His will. The same week that I took these pictures an opportunity came to me that I didn't expect. I don't know if it's the answer, but there is something in me that believes that the Lord brought it to me for a reason. I wasn't seeking it out, it just sort of found me.

I am so excited to say that I am going to begin selling ThirtyOne!! I think that the extra money earned from this can help me get my photography ministry going! Yay! I love ThirtyOne. I love so many things about it. I love that it is a Christian based company, I love their products, and I love their people!

So how can you help? Most of all please pray for me and this new adventure. As I said it is a long way off. I have a lot to sort through and a lot to learn. One thing that I feel especially called to do is to go to hospitals (when asked of course) and take pictures of babies who might not get to come home, or who are spending most of their newborn days there. This will be extremely emotionally challenging for me. The things we are called to do are sometimes the things we think we could never do. "But with God, all things are possible."

Second buy some ThirtyOne, host a party! I will be offering a special incentive to whoever hosts my first home party. You can go to www.mythirtyone.com/brookefolden to check out the new fall catalog, which is awesome!! I will be posting more about ThirtyOne later, but please check it out and let me know if you would like to party!

Thank you for your prayers during this exciting time. I am so excited to help people who I feel called to help. Please pray for the Lord's blessing.

Brooke