Today for the final day of my charity features, I am going to share a few things with you.... as you can see, I am involved in several different organizations. I am a part of 2 others that I am currently inactive in. I have my reasons for each, which I will explain ... and I am also going to share my OWN idea. Well, maybe it's not my own, as it came to me while in prayer.

First off is Red Thread Sessions: Red thread is an organization that does photos for adoptive families. I think this is great and important, and if someone eventually comes to me for one of these, I will happily oblige. I haven't stayed really active in this one because I haven't seen a great desire/need for it in our area. Not that no one is adopting, but not a lot of interest in the free session.

Second : NILMDTS otherwise known as Now I lay Me Down to Sleep (where we take photos of babies who are about to pass or who were stillborn so that their parents have something to remember them by) ... This one is very, very  important to me, and I actively served for several years. However, having 4 kids always going here and there and 2 young ones who can't be left alone yet made it extremely difficult. Sometimes you have to just GO right now or you miss the last few minutes of a baby's life... the last few precious seconds that a parent gets to hold their living, breathing newborn baby. You can't miss that. But I couldn't always leave RIGHT NOW.  I spread myself too thin and something had to go FOR NOW. As much as I hated it to be this one, this is the one that I can't say I'm sorry I can't take this one. This is the one you may have to leave in the middle of a ballgame or a bedtime story, so for now I had to become inactive, but when my little ones are a little older, I will definitely go back. It is the most heartwrenching thing I have ever done, but knowing what you are giving those parents makes every tear you cry all the way home 100% worth it. If you are a photographer and you have the time for something like this CHECK THEM OUT! You won't regret it.

Last but not least ... last year was a rough year for our family. We struggled financially, our daughter was diagnosed with a condition we had never heard of, she had brain surgery ... and I just kept praying and asking asking asking every single day for help, for provision for her health and total healing. God came through for us, just as I knew He would and one day I found myself praying and instead of asking, I asked Him what I could do for Him. I asked Him to use me to bless someone else ... and then the idea came to me. I love teenagers. I mean they baffle me at times, and drive me crazy, but I love them and I LOVE doing senior photos. I have such a great time, and I hate that any senior can't have them because they can't afford them. I hate the idea of a teen being teased and bullied all through school. I want to take them out and take amazing photos of them and show them how amazing they are! So each year I will be accepting nominations for teens who can't afford photos, who are or have gone  through something difficult, who are being bullied, teased or feel horrible about themselves... I have the stories sent to me, and there is NO WAY I could choose one winner (and no way I could afford to take them all on, though I wish I could!) so I pray over them, and then draw one out. I know every time, the person who gets this session is the person God intended for me to bless. Again right before graduation I will ask if anyone was unable to get photos and then I will do a day of mini sessions and gift one 8x10 to each kid.   I really want to make the full session BIG. If you or someone you know is interested in donating a Hair and Makeup session, clothing, a clothing allowance, print credits *at cost (I give a CD with the session. There is no cost to the teen ever) anything that  could make the session a big deal, shoot me an email or give me a call! I would love to team up with you on this!

Thank you so much for reading these this week. I am so thankful for every one of these organizations and really want more people to know about all of them! We can't give them if no one realizes they exist:)  I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!