Shea Brianne

Winter Bridal Inspiration: Shea Brianne Styled Shoot

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby Brianne) — Tue, 05 Jan 2016 16:30:00 +0000

Hello, friends! I am so excited to share this styled session with you. It was such a creative breath of fresh air to work on this shoot from start to finish–from concept to final product! I am obsessed with cool blue hues this winter. A little touch of ethereal goddess, a hint of winter wonderland, and a sprinkle of romance–this is my winter bridal inspiration for 2016!

The inspiration for this styled shoot came from a desire to provide inspiration for winter brides who need a fresh, lighthearted twist on your typical winter wedding; for those brides who are getting married in the winter, but don't want to incorporate the usual "Christmas-like" bold color themes of reds, burgundy, greens, and gold. The inspiration for the day of shooting was to create scenes that were icy in color, but soft and romantic in essence. We based the styling choices off of the sweetest ideas of winter: snowflakes, sugar plum fairies, and soft winter stoles. With a touch of whimsy, gobs of sea-green tulle, and happy details like teal macarons, this styled shoot provides the modern bride with a softer, creatively romantic side to cold weather weddings.

I chose Jenny as our model for this shoot because of her stellar locks. While she usually sports the on-trend look of granny chic silver hair, for this shoot, she added a lovely and subtle blue color. This gives the images a special ethereal feel that will grab the creative bride's attention! Our hair stylist, Bri of Diamonds and Do's, created a soft braid for Jenny's look that makes both a effortless and beautiful statement.

I chose an Allison Parris Heirloom Dress for this shoot for it's stunning color and soft tulle, but also because I wanted to show brides that you don't have to choose a traditional full-length white gown to look gorgeous for your bridal or engagement photos! This dress went perfectly with our cool color palette, but also popped against the wintery outdoor backdrop of pine trees and oak branches, as well as with the more neutral indoor shots. As for the details of the outfit, I chose some snowflake-inspired earrings and with it a paired a silvery-taupe faux fur stole.

For the bouquet, Charity of He Loves Me Flowers opted for an organic look to compliment the romantic feel of shoot. She chose a base of white stock and peonies and paired it with some silvery-colored filler and blue berry stems. With a silk silver ribbon tied around the base, this bouquet split up the blue elements of the shoot and added a pure feminine touch.

We decorated a wooden cake table with a simple buttercream frosted white naked cake and some teal macarons from Springfield's Elle's Patisserie, as well as with some silver tapered candles. To show off the stationery inspiration, we experimented with a silver charger and aluminum tray with some baby blue ribbon. Here and there I thew in some antique white lace pieces to give the images more of a snowflake-inspired feel. Simple, understated, and yet the different textures and similar hues pull everything together to feel varied while still cohesive.

Vendors and Credit:
Photographer: Shelby of Shea Brianne Photography
Flowers: Charity of He Loves Me Flowers
Cake: Kelly Hill
Earrings: Forever 21
Dress: Allison Parris c/o Rent The Runway
Stationery: Shelby Lung
Hair: Bri of Diamonds & Do's
Fur Stole: Forever 21
Macarons: Elle's Patisserie
Venue: Shea Brianne Studio
Makeup: Shelby Lung

Jacy: Styled Blogger Session

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby Brianne) — Mon, 30 Nov 2015 03:56:00 +0000

Hey, friends!

If you know me, you know I'm a blogger wannabe. I love reading blogs, reading blogs about blogs, and getting inspiration from various bloggers. Well, am so excited to say that I finally got to work with one of the bloggers I follow and adore!

Meet Jacy of Love, Lenore, a chic and stylish fashion blogger right here in the Midwest! What is so amazing is that Jacy and I knew each other way back in high school, and we were able to recently reconnect and have an amazing, beautiful session together and talk photos, fashion, blogging and life!

There are some serious reasons I love these photos.

1. Jacy is a fashion babe.

2. I love these photos because while they each outfit and location were styled around a theme, they are also relaxed and not so "posed." I'm trying to get away from my same old model-posing ways and incorporate more natural movement into my photos. I think this shoot helped me a lot with that!

3. They're just fun! One thing that I love about fashion is that it is so self-expressive. Whether you're girly and into fashion or not, how you dress says a lot about who you are and what you love.

I hope you enjoy these photos! Be sure to check out Jacy's blog or follow her on Instagram at the handle @lovelenore to see more images throughout the month and also to check out her fashion tips and style advice!

-Shelby

1:1 Styled Workshop with Jordan Brittley Photography

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby Brianne) — Tue, 17 Nov 2015 03:46:00 +0000

Guys! I am so excited to share these images. I have to say that these are some of my favorite photos I have ever shot.

I had fawned over images produced by Jordan Brittley Photography for a couple of months; I discovered her after I had gotten engaged and was well-into my season of wedding planning. Her images are dreamy, light, and just have a pure essence of beauty. So naturally, I booked my bridal session with her a few months before my wedding! During the session, I was taken by Jordan's kind, young spirit. She was truly excited and completely loved what she was doing. In my five years of assisting local photographers, I had never watched a professional photographer shoot film before. I noticed how she put thought into each shot, taking her time and working at an easy pace. It was actually relaxing, and she made me feel very special. It wasn't just another session, but a sweet memory.

When I saw the images she produced, I couldn't believe the art she had created. The colors, the texture and softness--I wanted to know how she developed her style. I was inspired and wanted to learn how I could incorporate this style into my own work.

I began reading the business and photography resources that Jordan provides on her blog; her blog posts range from how to capture that perfect shot to how to book a wedding. I began to look at my own business, and realized that I would love to see my photography take on a milestone of growth in 2016. I began practicing shooting in film after the wedding craziness calmed down, in August, and oh man... I fell in love. There's just something about creating with beautiful light, sweet people, and thoughtful details.

I had talked to Jordan a bit about how much I wanted to learn to shoot in the film style, so of course when she informed me that she was going to start doing workshops, I said I was in!

We did a 1:1 workshop, talking about our businesses (and eating chocolate chip cookies Jordan baked) and also went through a Q & A session, discussing everything from branding to off-camera lighting to working with clients! Afterwards, Jordan did some head shots of me, which I cannot wait to see and share. In the late afternoon, Jordan planned our styled session with our models around a six-month anniversary theme. It was doused in fall glamour, total sweetness, and an organic bouquet of passionate colors. Oh, and a dog with a floral leash! We had such a great time switching off shooting and styling and I learned so much--and had a blast shooting these images!

We finished off the evening with dinner (a delicious, local Chinese buffet--this is my kind of girl!), went over culling and editing techniques, as well as blogging motivation tips (which I badly needed) and processes.

And what you see below is just the beginning of what this workshop is bringing to my business! There is exciting news and updates to come!

A big thanks to all of the amazing vendors, who are all listed at the end of the post, who made this shoot beautiful! And of course to Jordan Brittley Photography! If you're looking for a great, local 1:1 workshop, check her out!

Take some time to enjoy this sweet couple. These photos were taken for their six month wedding anniversary, and everything about the details adds the perfect sentimental touch. The passionate red and pink hues mixed with the soft rose ribbon and organic floral design gets a girl's heart thumping. If you're looking for some inspiration for your next fall-themed shoot, drizzle some of this goodness on top!

Photography – Jordan Brittley
Designer – Laura Hankins
Floral Design – Charity of He Loves Me Flowers
Personal Stylist – Larissa of Dress Fresh
Hair – Brianne of Diamond’s and Do’s
Makeup – Nikki Smith
Cake – Tanya of Style By the Slice

How Photography Has Humbled Me

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby Brianne) — Mon, 07 Sep 2015 03:19:00 +0000

A few days ago I got back three rolls of film from a photoshoot I did just for fun with a friend. This was only my second time shooting film. For a long time, like months and months, I have put off trying to learn to shoot film. I have made plenty of excuses about being too busy or how I need to wait until I'm experienced. Getting them back, I'm so glad I finally took the plunge and just started shooting.

In all honesty, lately (like--the past two years cumulatively) photography has humbled me. God has used it to change me, use me, and teach me. What I thought was just my job/hobby has become something of God's handiwork in my life. Here's how it's affected me.

1. It has made me realize that success is a balance of God-given talent and hard work.

I heard a friend say the other day that you can’t just say to God, “Ok God, I’m all yours… Now make it all happen!” You have work to do in your own life just as much as God does sometimes. Success doesn’t happen just because you’re talented. It happens when you mix that talent with hard work—hard work that is consistent and authentic. Pursuing photography has made me realize that either use my talent for my own fun and to share with family and friends, or I can put in hard, consistent work and grow.

2. Photography has humbled me by making me realize that I have to make mistakes, look stupid, and experiment openly to grow.

My dream is to always produce something that is perfectly beautiful, 100% on spot in technique, and at the same time, completely unique and totally new. My dream is far-fetched… Especially when I put this dream on myself after not shooting for about 6-8 months. So, I’m learning to embrace the not-always-so-fun feeling of putting myself out there consistently, making new things that might totally look stupid or out of style (because that’s the only way to learn your style).

3. Photography has humbled me by teaching me that sometimes I will fail—but that doesn’t mean I’m a failure.

I’ve had so many blows to my photographer-ego the past few years that I’ve contemplating giving it up even as a hobby. So just recently, I decided to go back to my roots and to do what I used to do: shoot what I want, and shoot for fun. And from that, I’ve realized that I still love shooting. I love learning. I love working with people. My failures as a photographer do not make me a failure, necessarily. It just seasons me and teaches me what not to do next time.

4. Photography has humbled me because it’s made me realize how little I actually trust God.

I should trust God with my photography work. Sometimes that’s hard because I feel like since I’m the one running the business, it’s my burden to carry. I should get to call the shots. But I’ve discovered that when I let God be the one in control, much better things than what I could have done on my own happen.

5. Photography has humbled me because I realize now how lucky I am to get to pursue this career.

Photography is a popular hobby. There are a lot of professional photographers out there. To even get to PURSUE this as a career OR a hobby at this level is a total gift. I’m so thankful I even get to have fun with this kind of stuff and to capture special moments.

Yes, God has used photography as a tool to humble me more than I ever thought possible. And I’m so glad he has, and I hope that he’ll continue as I keep trekking on this journey.

10 Things I Learned While On the Daniel Fast

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby Brianne) — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 22:22:00 +0000

As of today, we ended the Daniel Fast.

The Daniel Fast is a 21-day fast that excludes foods declared "unclean" by God in the Law of Moses. Basically, it means that you abstain from eating all forms of meats, sugar, dairy, and bread and only consume vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes. It's what you would call a "partial fast" because only some foods and not all foods are restricted.

It sounds easy enough. When I heard of the Daniel Fast, I even thought it sounded trendy, like one of those paleo diets or like three weeks of clean eating that gives you shinier hair and more energy.

But it's actually a whole lot more than that.

I've learned over the past 21 days. Not just about my body, but more about my soul and mind, which is what the Daniel Fast is meant to do. So, here are 10 things that I learned while on the Daniel Fast.

1. The Daniel Fast is not a "diet." It is a CHOICE.

Or at least, it shouldn't be. (Refer to item number two). Fasting means that you are withholding yourself from something that you usually have. By doing this, not only are you exercising your skills of self-discipline, but it makes you more conscious and aware of your body and even spirit. The Daniel Fast is a choice. You can either choose to focus on what you aren't eating, how hungry you are, what you're being deprived of--or, you can focus on the spiritual and seek to experience the Lord in a deeper way and depend on him.

2. If you only take part in the physical side of the fast (the actual fasting of certain foods) and ignore the spiritual side (praying, seeking God for strength, reading scripture, meditating), you will not get much out of this experience and it actually will become just a diet that isn't very fun.

I actually enjoy the occasional diet; I've tried clean eating, going raw for a few days, juicing, and paleo cleanses. But as the fast went on, I really started to resent that we were going through it. It began to feel obligatory, as opposed to before I started I felt excited and expectant as to what God would do in my life through it. Looking back, I know that this is because I stopped looking at the fast as a spiritual offering to God and got too logical about it. It became about meal plans and grocery shopping (so much grocery shopping) and whether or not I was "doing it right." That's not what God cared about. That will never be what he cares about. It's very simple; He just wanted me. He just wants us. He didn't care if I made all of the recipes in the Daniel Fast cookbook. He just cared whether I spend time with Him, asked him for strength, humbled myself, prayed, or got into the Word. Without the spiritual growth aspect of fasting, honestly, it's not fun nor rewarding. It's nothing special. It's just a diet.

3. Fasting is entering into a period of extended prayer and so that you can draw nearer to God.

This is something that I knew from doing other fasts, but I had never done a fast before that lasted this long. Having this extended period of time to fast, I learned in a deeper way why they say a fast draws you near to God. Not having food, though I don't know how to explain completely how, allows one to become more focused and single-minded. Maybe it's because you're not distracted by your cravings or fleshly desires as much, but what I know is that it makes things, in a way, more simplified and easy to reach out to God and stay near to him.

4. Fasting humbles us before God, and allows us to receive favor on our lives.

This fast allowed me to reflect on myself and what I idolize and put before God. It's important to me to have it all together and life fully 100% of the time. But during this fast, there were nights when I just DID NOT want to go to the store AGAIN and make some kind of vegetable soup or potato dish or bean cake AGAIN. I didn't want to chop more vegetables or spend an hour making something. I would complain about how much easier it is to just grab some frozen goods out of the freezer on busy nights when I can't cook. There were nights where I didn't even make dinner and just let my husband eat out the jar of salsa (sorry, honey). All of this led me to a place where I NEEDED God. Hungry, tired, and especially tired of trying to make new meals of substance out of the same vegetables, I found myself humbled by God. He spoke to my heart on being a good wife, daughter, encourager and even student by putting forward my best even when my resources are limited and my emotions are low. When I didn't have strength, he gave it to me. I learned SO MUCH about my weaknesses, and how they are what gives me my strength, because without them, I wouldn't need God. (BUT I DO.) Fasting says, "I'm getting out of the way so that God can work. I'm going to put my humanness second and Him first." This, I believe, pleases God and gives him room to allow the Spirit to move in us and thus, bless us!

5. We give our bodies more control over our lives than we think.

I have never craved a donut so badly as I did on the fast. I had no idea my body could irk me with thoughts of glaze falling over fried dough on a daily basis for weeks. We cater to our bodies, which isn't always a bad thing, but couldn't it be if our bodies are put on a higher pedestal than our relationship with Christ?
Not to be even better fasters, but just because we didn't actually NEED anything. We were able to truly hear our bodies, know that we weren't actually hungry, and be content.

6. Time changes things; staying dedicated and focused in a single mindset can make amazing things happen.

This fast wouldn't be bad for a week. 21 days... That's different. That's almost a month. It's also the amount of days that many say it takes to form a habit. There were many times when I thought to myself, "C'mon, Daniel. Twenty-one days? You couldn't have underachieved and done like, ten days or something?" But there is something about sticking at something challenging like this for a longer period of time that really changes things. And then, add prayer and fasting to that kind of dedication, and I believe that's when miracles could happen. It's like creating a big space of fertile ground in your life for God to work. It's awesome!

7. There are so many things you can make with beans.

Too many things, actually. Bean patties, bean cakes, bean chili, bean soup, bean everything. Beans are definitely on the list of things that we do not want to eat for the next like, six-to-twelve months.

8. Fasting to gain God's favor is an act of holiness and humility; not a challenge that wins us a prize.

In these last few days of the fast, I've been praying even more about God's favor on my life and what he wants me to gain from what we just went through. It should be enough that I feel closer to God than I have in a long time, but I have found myself almost feeling like this fast was a quarter put into God's vending machine of blessings, and that my blessing-prize should be tumbling out into my hands any day now. I've decided I don't like this way of thinking about it. Instead, I'm happy with the growth God has given me. Am I still praying that he leads me to new insight, answers, and blessings? Of course. And I will continue to. But I've learned that God is my Father, not my vending machine or nutritional coach who gives me gold star at the end of this because I abstained from pizza.

9. Fasting and prayer truly does CHANGE things.

Referring a bit to what I wrote above, I think our first impression of fasting is like, "okay. Let me get this straight... I don't eat and then magically good stuff starts happening?" It sounds almost like an experiment, or a fashion website that has clothes so cheap that you know it has to be a gimmick. But it's not. And the only way my human brain knows how to semi-explain it at this point is that it's supernatural. It's something that we do in the physical life that impacts our spiritual life and changes our emotional life as well, and then can even come back around to change our physical life/situations for the better. My head has been clearer, I've been able to focus better on what God is calling me to do, I have been more confident and aware of things, I feel like my relationships have deepened and my fear of the future has lessened. I naturally have been drawn to the Word more and have daily received insight from God about my life and ministry. And I truly do because that this fast jumpstarted all of this.

10. The Lord allowed pizza to be invented so that one could properly celebrate the conclusion of a fast.

I'm not going to lie; I'm excited to conclude this fast. But it's not just because now I can eat donuts (but you best believe I AM GOING TO). It's more because I feel like God and I have a new memory together now. It's something that we did together, something that brought us closer together, and we have even more to look forward to! If you look in the scriptures, it wasn't until a few days until after his fast that Daniel's prayers were answered. This could just be the beginning.

If you have never participated in a fast, I highly suggest it, especially if you are wanting to reshape your life with Christ or grow spiritually! To learn more about the Daniel Fast, click here.

The Secret Place

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby Brianne) — Wed, 19 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the LORD: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him. For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease. He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.

-Psalm 91:1-5

This Psalm was read at my Great-Grandfather’s funeral. At the time, when it was read, I didn’t like it – it just didn’t resonate with me, or maybe I was too upset to really take notice of it. But as I read it tonight, I began to understand why people in my family like it. My favorite idea of the passage is “the Secret Place.” The vision of God’s wings shadowing over someone, bringing them shelter and peace and protection…

Mondays are my biggest days. I usually put my creating choregraphy job that I have to have done by 4 o'clock every Monday until about 3 hours before I leave for work, and on top of that I’m helping my homeschool family clean and cook and learn and I'm making sure my dog doesn’t run over into the neighbor’s yard/bark too much and I try get some workout time in and if I’m feeling ambitious I even do my Photoshop homework… Anyways, it’s insane. But, always always before I head to work, I lay in bed for 10 minutes so I can just calm down before going into the fray of little girls and echappes. Today while I was lying down, I picked up my copy of Streams in the Desert by L.B. Cowman and read today's devotion.

It was about “The Secret Place” – the place that where you can come so close to God in prayer and spirit that you know it’s just you and Him. No distractions or anything. This was the leading verse: “He took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as beight as a flash of lightning… Peter and his companions…saw his glory.” - Luke 9:28-29, 32. Earlier last week, I read a verse similar to this in Exodus (I think); it was the verse that talks about how radiantly Moses’s face shone when he came down from Sinai because he had been in such close contact with God – it literally blinded people. It just got me thinking about prayer and God’s presence and how it affects us. When we draw near to God, he draws near to us, and his light consumes us, and then we shine radiantly…it’s just mind-blowing, you know? One of my favorite lines from the devotion was:

“Who of us in certain moments of meditation and prayer have not caught a glimpse of the heavenly gates? Who has not in the secret place of holy communion felt a surging wave of emotion – a taste of the blessed joy yet to come?”

I don’t view prayer the way I know I should. I have access my Creator every moment of every day, and yet I consider a morning and late night prayer “enough.” Why do I settle for that when I could find my soul in the quiet Secret Place where God will tell me the unknown things and show me what I can’t see?

I know for some people (sometimes me), it feels like every day is one of my Mondays. It doesn’t seem logical to think that you could fit in closing your bedroom door to pray for half an hour when you have so much to do in one day. But I know I have to commit myself more to finding the Secret Place. Martin Luther had the “upper room”, I just need to find my place and time of quiet I guess. Even on Mondays. :]

For he will conceal me there when troubles come; he will hide me in his sanctuary. He will place me out of reach on a high rock.

-Psalm 27:5

This Is Not My Home

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby Brianne) — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 17:46:00 +0000

You’re my home. When I’m alone and no one wants me, you take me in. You carry me across the threshold and set me by the fire until the coldness is gone from me. You shelter me and calm my raging storms. Your voice is the thunder that wrestles the sky in my name. You reassure me and cover me with grace; you say my name. You lift up my face and show me what I cannot see. You are the hiding place for my heart. You call out the stars every night, and allow me to watch your work. You are my highest and you are with me at my lowest; tower, fortress, and protection. You will not fall or forget me. You cannot crumble or leave. You are my rock and my salvation. You’re my home.

My City

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby Brianne) — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 17:40:00 +0000

God, you are my city. You surround me like a full landscape, ever-moving and pulsing and breathing like a lively street. You are the skyscrapers above my head, living in the clouds, extending into where I cannot see. The clouds and stars and sun reflect you, mirror mirrors your beauty and perfect creation. You know every detail of everything– from the largest town to the smallest home to the eldest resident to the yet-to-be-born. You know the people in my city: every person. Every word they have said to me– every loving touch they have put on me; every hurtful scar. You are the road my feet are on. You are the trail I have tred in my past. You are my childhood home, my fondest memories. You are my father who wakes me up early in the morning with a surprise behind your back. You are with me when I go uptown, you are following me when I go downtown, when I travel far away. When I sleep at home or run in the woods, you are there. You are my everlasting city. I reside in you, and you in me, and someday, I will get to see your city.

Excuses

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby Brianne) — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 17:38:00 +0000

“I can’t bear it.” I say.

“But I can.” He replies.

“It hurts.” I argue.

“I will heal you.” He supplies.

“I’m falling.” I insist.

“I’ll catch you.” I know he will.

“I can’t do this.” Yet He believes in me.

“But I can.”

My excuses amount to nothing.

We all know the saying, "with God, nothing is impossible." Within that verse, we imagine that mountains can be moved, sickness can be healed, and huge addictions can be recovered from. But sometimes I forget that though he is a strong God, he is not so strong that he cannot handle my small pain, daily emotional strife, or minuscule issues. Anytime that I cannot be all that I need to be, he is there. Always.

Wholly Living

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby Brianne) — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 17:30:00 +0000

There’s a common saying that goes something like this: “Whatever you do, do it with all your heart.” Everyone has a passion for something, whether it’s sports, art, or just being a good friend. Once you find your passion, you want to learn about it, immerse yourself in it, and focus on it. This is the way that God planned for us to live–with one exception– He wants to be the passion we chase after. God gives each and every person in this world gifts and talents, but it is up to you to bring Jesus into the center of the things you love to do. Ephesians 3:20 says that if we allow Jesus to work through us and our passions that we will be able to do immeasurably more than we can even imagine. Living your life to the fullest doesn’t mean dedicating your life to an earthly passion or even chasing after your dreams like the world may make us think sometimes; those things only work when God is working through you. To truly live wholly, you must first wholly give yourself to God.

*Published in Devozine, Fall 2013

One Wish

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby Brianne) — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 17:17:00 +0000

If I had one wish, I would wish that I was selfless. I would wish that I would never think about myself again; never use the term “I” or “me”; I’d wish I’d never want except to want for someone else; I’d wish that I’d have enough humility to give everything away; I’d wish to wake up every morning only to die to myself.

Searching

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby Brianne) — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 17:12:00 +0000

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” – Matthew 11:28

Right now, I'm in a season of searching. I'm grappling to figure out what God wants me to do next, what step to take, where it's leading to, and how to prioritize my time to get there. Naturally, I think that when we are in a season of searching, we tend to feel panicked or confused, maybe even disillusioned. I can catch myself thinking, "God, how come THEY know what they're doing with their life?" Or, "I must be backsliding in my faith because I don't know what's next in my life." Our human nature desires safety and comfort; not knowing what is next in life is not the most comfortable thing in the world. I like knowing what is coming ahead of me so that I can prepare for it. But, in this season, I have learned that there is a deeper reason why God is allowing me to search.

He is allowing me to search for Him.

And to be honest, it's a privilege. Actually, it's also an adventure. In fact, it's much better than knowing what comes next. In my searching, my relationship with Christ deepens because I feel lost and know that I need to draw near to him to gain understanding. My prayer life expands as I call out to the Spirit for wisdom. My humility grows as I finally accept that I can't do it on my own, and I slowly learn that peace can only be given by God as I place all of my hopes, dreams, and future in his hand, learn to find rest admit the search.

If you're also in a season of searching--relax. God knows what he's doing.

And also, keep searching. I know, it gets tiring. Sometimes I get fed up and really want God to just give me a pretty neon sign that says "go this way." But staying in the process of searching and growing I know will produce a much better outcome than if I used my own shortcuts or stopped searching for Him.

Remember God's goodness. He doesn't lead his people where He does not go.

Art & Faith

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby Brianne) — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 17:06:00 +0000

“However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me–the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.” -Acts 20:24

Everyone has a different passion. Our hearts and desires are conjured and sewn with sinews unique to ourselves, chosen specially and carefully by God. In Jeremiah 29:11 God says, “I know the plans I have for you.” God has a plan for every single person, and so, he designs our hearts in a specific way, that we might yearn to follow something that we love. And, in turn, he will employ us as his hands; as vessels for his plans and wishes to make a difference in this world. Everyone has some passion that can be used for God. In my heart, there is a special enthusiasm for art.

If you have ever painted picture, taken a photograph, written a story or a sonnet or ventured at all into the realm of the arts, then you probably understand the phrase, “art comes from the soul.” When we create, we grasp non-material elements like ideas, feelings, and thoughts and bring them into reality regardless of what medium we use. So, you will see, that it isn’t about whether you use oil paints or watercolor; it is about what is inside of us. Before the Mona Lisa, there was a vision. Before Hamlet, there was an idea. Art sprouts in our hearts before it comes to the canvas or paper, so consider this: if art comes from within, then whatever is in us will produce its self when we draw, paint, write, and create.

Have you ever seen a dance performance that took your breath away? Or maybe you’ve visited a painting gallery and suddenly felt the need to sign up for art lessons. Art speaks to us very directly. Every art is powerful because it comes from the heart and connects to the heart. Artists can touch peoples’ lives; we might inspire, encourage, change someone’s mood, or even bring them to Christ. As Christian artists therefore, we must carefully observe what is in our hearts – for what is within us will be produced by us when we create. If you feel that God has called you to have a passion for art, listen. Listen to what God is saying to you, and take his message. Then, put it on paper and share the greatest Artist of all with the world.

I have a passion for art because it connects my heart with others’ hearts, my ideas to others’ minds, my God to those who do not know him. Art is powerful. So draw, paint, sculpt, speak, dance, write, create, even if you think you don’t know how to– and use it to change and impact the world for God’s glory.*

You only live once, so why not use your life to express something while you have it?

*This is an excerpt from an editoral I wrote for a student devotional a few years back.

From Florida to the Carribean

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby Brianne) — Fri, 11 Jul 2014 18:07:00 +0000

Israel!

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby Brianne) — Thu, 22 May 2014 21:51:00 +0000

This is going to be a super long post because I have hundreds of photos from Israel! I was hoping to update my blog more often while I was away, but blogger didn't like working internationally, so I've compiled everything together here and will write my final thoughts on this trip in a later post. Enjoy looking through the adventures we had in Israel! I'm so happy to be home, but Israel definitely has a special place in my heart now.

The view from our hotel in Jerusalem.

I thought this was so interesting: a young boy (probably 11) was trying to sell us bracelets out of one hand, while in the other hand he was holding a juice box and cigarette.

My two favorite treats of Israel: Magnum ice cream bars and Bueno chocolate.

These are all from our rainy day in Samaria at a synagogue/mosque.

Within the North West Gate.

Kids would wait by our bus to say hi.

At Tel Azeka/Bet Shemesh, where the Ark of the Covenant once stood.

We visited the Garden Tomb and learned about where Jesus was most likely buried (it wasn't here).

A winepress.

Inside the tomb.

Gorgeous gardens!

Skull rock.

More landscapes.

We studied herodian buildings and went to the Decapolis.

Feet pic in the area where David killed Goliath.

In the area where David defeated Goliath, looking for five smooth stones to take home.

At the Mediterranean Sea!

After Nae fell into the Sea.

Visiting the Med. Sea was one of my favorite days.

At Jacob's Well.

Brian got "blessed" by the rabbi in the church.

Had the best meals of hummus and pita all over Israel.

I loved our stop in Samaria.

Two modes of transportation (;

Looking at the Temple Mount.

At the Jerusalem museum.

Studying with an excavator and Dr. Nunnally.

Me and Nae hanging out on some ruins.

John and Ree were so cute, holding hands all over Israel. (:

At a memorial for St. John.

Sitting in a manger!

This is our bus driver, Kamal. He was so generous and fun. He also likes hookah! Haha.

It felt a little like a resort when we arrived at En Gev because of these beautiful views.

Our little bungalow.

The Sea of Galilee was the most beautiful sight on the trip!

More groupie pics after dinner in En Gev.

Stones on the shore of the Sea of Galilee.

Heading to a museum on the Sea of Galilee.

Climbing a mountain!

Bus buddies for the whole trip.

Our little traveling group family.

A shot of most of our group after we finished navigating the streets of the old city of Jerusalem. The desserts and coffee we had were amazing.

Candles in the church of St. Peter.

People relaxing outside the church.

Ate so much falafel.

In Nazareth.

Different representations of Mary from various countries.

Our Israel pals.

Group shot by the sea.

Selfie with Sam!

We also got to ride camels! SO FUN!

Me and Jenae at the Wailing Wall.

The written prayer I laid in the bricks of the Wailing Wall.

Praying at the Wall.

Studying in Dan.

A fig tree in Dan.

The skies are huge in Israel.

Peacock in Dan.

Look at this view we had during lecture!

Olive oil press.

Stormy clouds.

So pretty! Dan was gorgeous.

Got to have a discussion under this waterfall.

Isn't he cute?

Ibex!

This was a big mountain we climbed near the Negev region. One of my favorite climbs because of the ravine below.

We made it!

Heading out to the Negev region, we saw baby camels up close!

In Bethlehem, sitting at a vineyard.

Temple on the Mount.

I love these guys!

One of the best pizzas and meals we had on the trip.

I loved these doors. Everything had such an old, beautiful, historical vibe to it.

Standing where Jesus stood on the temple wall!

From our last day.

Me and Kamal saying goodbye. I'm going to miss that guy!

AND THEN WE CAME HOME!

Israel: Traveling and Day One

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby Brianne) — Tue, 06 May 2014 14:40:00 +0000

Today has been our first full day in Israel! It's amazing to be here--to think that Jesus once walked here and performed miracles is so unbelievable! We've already started learning a lot, but we're just getting started. The weather is perfect here and we have had a lot of fun so far exploring and getting to know each other. Tomorrow begins our more intense studying, but for now, here are some of the highlights of our trip in photos so far:

Here's a picture of Jenae, Brian, and Aaron in Dusseldorf waiting to board our plane to Munich. These guys have been the best travel buddies. So much fun and laughing with them. I'm thankful God has brought us together!

I took this photo while flying over Germany. I would love to visit those mountains someday.

After about 15 hours of travel and 4 flights, we made it to Tel Aviv. Our first night was spent between Jerusalem and Bethany. This photo shows the Jerusalem side from the rooftop of the institute we stayed at.

All of the guys on the roof checking out the city.

The vegetation here is gorgeous, especially in the old city! Trees, flowers, and ivy grow in the fields and on buildings--it's beautiful.

After dinner, we all spent hours exploring and playing cards. One game went on for about 30 minutes. These guys are great. We've all gotten pretty close in a short amount of time.

A view of Jerusalem from the roof at night.

After a good nights sleep and recovering from jet lag, we had a great breakfast. It was interesting seeing what Israel usually eats for breakfast. Trying new foods has been a lot of fun.

The retreat where we stayed at was beautifully decorated with art and different plants.

One of my favorite pieces of art I saw.

After breakfast, we killed time with a two hour game of pictionary.

That afternoon, we left for Jerusalem.

After getting settled, we travelled into the Old City in Jerusalem.

All of the buildings and alleys had so much detail and character.

For lunch, we tried falafel. I absolutely loved it! I don't know why this isn't popular in the US! There's something like ground up garbanzo beans that have been rolled into a ball and fried in the bottom of a pita pocket, along with hummus (which they call "humous"), cucumbers, tomatoes, and pickles. So good.

Looking over at the Dome of the Rock and Mount of Olives after lunch.

Next, we went through the shopping area. There were all sorts of trinkets, foods, and produce everywhere.

And that concludes day one of Israel! Tonight the rest of our group comes in. We are all getting excited to start touring the rest of the Holy Land and listening to Dr. Martin and Dr. Nunnally's lectures. I still can't believe we're here where Jesus once walked! It's crazy, but so amazing. This is going to be a life-changing two weeks.

שלום,

Shelby

Easter Weekend in iPhone photos

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby Brianne) — Thu, 01 May 2014 17:49:00 +0000

The beginning of Easter weekend...

Spring is starting to show up

Went to visit extended family. Big man met my little great-grandma! :)

Inside of my Papa's deer stand.

Discovered some country toys riding around town.

Out on the Santa Fe Lake dock.

Easter morning!

Taking a ride on the 4-wheeler.

After the long weekend, we met up with the cutest Asian friend for coffee and Korean food.

And then the last day of classes finally came!

Then we went back on the road for another Easter celebration.

Got to ride a Honda Shadow... and then bought it!

Did some off-roading.

Took some photos in an old barn...

Hobo, the barn cat.

Had such a great time traveling and visiting family.

Country Town

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby Brianne) — Fri, 12 Jul 2013 01:24:00 +0000

Photos from a recent trip to Illinois. Felt good to be in country town.

T R A N S P A R E N C Y

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby Brianne) — Wed, 03 Jul 2013 19:40:00 +0000

On all of my reflective psychology assignments, my professor always writes, “thank you for your transparency.” Every time I read that, I’m kind of like—you don’t have to thank me for that. Everyone wants a chance to spill their guts now and then. Transparency is so over-rated. Honesty is dangerous. Vulnerability is terrifying. It’s a lot easier to pretend. To make up what we want to be and then papier-mâché ourselves with what we think people want to see. It doesn’t hurt as much as putting our selves out there.

We like control. I like control. It provides safety, certainty, and stability, and we all know life isn’t stable, so control is kind of helpful. It’s kind of our lifeline, just in case God doesn’t throw us the life vest if we go overboard, which we know we will at some point. The thing is, with hard work, we can control just about anything, or least we can give ourselves the illusion that we’re in control. I can manipulate my thoughts, the thoughts others have about me; I can change my image, control how I look, how I’m perceived. I’m in control of my words, my image, my feelings. If I’m sad, I can choose to cry or not to cry. I control that. If you’re being honest though, and you’re sad, you’d cry. You’d bawl like a baby if you felt so inclined. But crying is emotion and emotion is messy (plus, who might see you? What would so-and-so think about your running mascara?) and messy is hard to handle and the harder to handle a situation is the less control-grip we have, so we just smile and say, “Oh! I’m fine.”

Is honesty worth it? In a world of fakes and facades and wannabes inviting us to fade into the quiet, comfortable background, is it worth it to be transparent or real? I wrote down a quote once that said something like, don’t ask what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, because what the world needs is people who are alive.

Alive (living, not avoiding the hard stuff, being completely awake) = Transparency (being yourself, being real, being honest).

Honesty feels scary and kind of like skydiving because you don’t know where being real and messy is going to land you. People don’t always deal with real and messy very well and sometimes it's not that desirable—but that’s kind of what life is. Life doesn’t apologize for it’s crazy ride and death or traffic tickets or debt or mismatched socks or failing Algebra or falling in love. You don’t get to punch in a numerical digit into the Vending Machine of Life and pick out what you want. There’s good and bad, mud and poetry. Completely unapologetic and real and just what it is. When you think about it that way, it makes trying to fit our selves into puzzle pieces that are all going to fit together somehow eventually kind of stupid. Why are we trying to impress each other? Why are we trying so hard? Shouldn’t being real be a little easier than this? Shouldn't it actually be the easiest thing?

How valuable is honesty? Valuable enough to thank someone for it?

Sand, Salt, Ocean

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby Brianne) — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 03:26:00 +0000

So a while back I threw together a little bad quality video of our trip to Florida. I decided to play around with the editing instead of doing my bio homework tonight. I'm really enjoying learning how to take better video shots, even if I'm not making tons of progress... I'll always be glad I captured some of the memories from our trip.

C H A N G E

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby Brianne) — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 21:28:00 +0000

I've been thinking about change lately. It's not such a bad thing.

"If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude." -Maya Angelou

"For the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: 'if today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?' And whenever the answer has been 'No' for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something." -Steve Jobs

"Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one things of changing himself." -Leo Tolstoy

S E A H E A R T

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby Brianne) — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 03:47:00 +0000

I have two papers to write tonight, butttt I just didn't want to wait any longer to put these photos from the trip up! My family and I made so many good memories and I love the photos that we got while we were there. I know it's cliche, but there really is something almost magical about the ocean.

Can't wait to go back.

B E A C H A D V E N T U R E S (in Instagram photos)

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby Brianne) — Sun, 02 Jun 2013 19:46:00 +0000

Back from a little vacation in Seaside, Florida and I'm missing it already. I took a ton of quick phone photos along the way and decided I might as well post them on here, since I don't want to flood Instagram with shots of the ocean and sunset... It was such a relaxing trip and was so nice to get away before the end of summer school. I'm already ready to go back!

(This was the window in the study room I spent a lot of my mornings in prepping for summer school midterms. I wish I beach decor like this was acceptable in the Midwest, but I feel like it just looks awkward on a window sill in Missouri.)

(These sand dunes were so cool. There was tons of foliage just growing right on top of them.)

(We hiked to a couple of these rare lakes that actually lead into the ocean. And the sunsets were amazing every single night.)

(Vacation selfie with too many film affects applied...check.)

(Our view at the beach one night.)

(Last night on the beach.)

(Mossy tree at a plantation.)

(Ugh. I miss it already.)

(Spent one evening dancing around in the sand.)

(For some reason my hair was about 200% more manageable while away from home. I think it's a sign I'm supposed to live in the South.)

(Downtown Seaside there was a little square that was practically like a mini-Paris. I about died from happiness.)

(Instead of street lamps, there were just stringed lights everywhere. Um, so romantic. I love this beach town.)

(Our dock leading to the ocean. Mmm. That water.)

(With the broskies at dinner one night.)

(I only took like 12 feet photos during the trip...)

(In the plantation gardens.)

(Bought my new favorite Gatsby shirt in a little record shop before we left.)

I feel very blessed to have gotten to spend some great time with my family, rest on the beach, and have a good summer adventure before June rolled around. But seriously, I cannot wait to visit again. There are so many cool places to explore and the atmosphere of the town was so simple and refreshing! Definitely what I needed, and I am thankful for it.

F L I C K E R (a post about good movies)

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby Brianne) — Mon, 20 May 2013 23:08:00 +0000

So I’m taking an Intro to Film Theory class, which is an awesome class, obviously, because you get to watch movies. Granted, you have to write papers on the movies after you’re done, but it’s still a pretty good deal. The first movie I watched was Salmon Fishing in the Yemen. #1 because I’ve heard lots of people talk about it but hadn’t seen it yet, and #2 because it has to do with fishing and Emily Blunt, which I like both of. It was a super good movie, but the second movie I watched was even better.

Someday This Pain Will be Useful to You is kind of one of those artistic, funny, messy, personal I-feel-like-I’m-watching-a-good-book-movies. It’s about a 17-year-old boy who is struggling with his existence, identity, and what he wants to do with the rest of his life. I’d recommend this movie just because at the end it makes you want to think about hope and good stuff. I like movies like that. (#imsuchasap) It reminded me to be lighthearted about even the hard stuff. So rent it and give it a watch. Definitely worth it.

Side-note: I also watched Anna Karenina, but it just made me depressed (even though the cinematography and production design was ah-may-zing). Haha. Only watch that one if you're in a cynical-depressed-love-is-war-tortured-artistic-soul-Victorian-hoop-skirt-Keira-Knightley mood.

Also, I've been trying my hand at typography (see above). Hoping my handwriting will become decent by the time I'm 42 or so...? Maybe.

G R E E N L I G H T

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby Brianne) — Wed, 15 May 2013 03:48:00 +0000

I can't believe how fast time has been moving lately. I started summer school classes last week (as everyone else is/was finishing their finals) and have been keeping busy shooting weddings and senior sessions. I was pretty happy to actually finish my homework before midnight tonight and get to finally post some of the spring photos I've taken within the past month. These are some of my favorite. Accelerated summer school is crazy, but I love what I'm studying, have a beach vacation coming up, and will be one semester closer to graduation. Pretty happy news in my book.

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