Majesty and Mystery; The Freyenberger Family: NWI Lifestyle Family Photographer

Majesty

There are pieces we can never understand, 

Concepts and ideas that will remain a mystery. 

The wonder of Your glory, 

The victory You claim over our lives, 

The freedom You bring, 

The peace You wash over us, 

Your majesty is far beyond what we could ever fathom, 

Your grace is a marvelous mystery. 

Majesty and mystery, the beautiful collision. 

Undeserved, misunderstood, yet forever grateful. 

There is no one like You,

There is no love like Yours. 

Full rescue, full freedom, full surrender, fullness complete and without want. 

You are our greatest joy, our purest blessing, our richest reward.  

Majesty and mystery.  

There could be no greater collision. 

Joy in Chaos 

Friends, you would never even know it, but it was crazy cold on the day of this session.  Yet, the Freyenberger family was just amazing!  Something that was crazy evident throughout my time with them, was their fight for joy despite what the circumstances looked liked. It was not only cold, but it was also misting when our session began.  And yet, this is how they showed up, full of joy and beautiful grace despite the chaos occurring around them.  Despite the crummy circumstances outlying the day, they fought for joy, and they won.  If you know them, than you know what I am saying is true, but they truly fight for people. They are honest and loyal and genuine. They are calm and at peace.  They are true to themselves, and they are able to enjoy being together.  That is enough for them.  I so wish this for all families. To be able to appreciate and soak in the beauty found in the mundane.  For there is where majesty lies, right there in the mystery of the mundane. 

Want to create your own beauty from the seemingly mundane? 

Letter to the Freyenbergers

The Freyenberger family. Goodness, you guys were such a delight and a joy to be around.  You totally made 35 degrees and mist feel warm that day.  There is this light that shines from you guys, this aroma of contentment to just be and soak each other in.  And what a powerful testament that is to your faithfulness to each other and the way that you love each other.  Thank you so much for blessing me above and beyond what I could have ever imagined by giving me a larger glimpse into your beautiful life. 

Luke- You are a servant at heart to be sure.  You protect Joel well and make sure everything is in order.  And  yet, everything is done with kindness.  You extend all of yourself and the outpouring of that is the richest connections with others and compassion for others.  Never lose that fight you have in you for others.  It is going to lead you to great places one day! 

Joel- the sweetest thing I have ever seen.  Even as I was editing your images, I couldn't stop smiling as I looked over you.  You have a way of bringing joy to all that you touch.  Carefree and full of life, you whisper joy into the life of those around you.   Thanks for just being you Joel! 

Craig- Quiet, Firm and Steadfast.  You quietly lead your family well Craig.  It doesn't take a lot of words, and yet, you can lead in joy through action.  The boys just long to grow up and be like you some day, and what a great example you are providing for them. Not only in leading well, and loving well, but also in serving well.  Serving them, and even moreso serving Rachel.  The way you tenderly look at her, the simple eye glance check in to make sure everything is all right, the warm embrace, and gentle kiss on the forehead.  There is a strong gentleness about you, and it is such an encouragement to see.  Thank you for serving your people so well and being a great example for other men to look to. 

Rachel- oh dear Rachel, where to even begin. There are some people that just stick with you, and you are one of them.  Not only because of the countless ways that you have shown up for and supported my family, but also in all the unseen ways that you serve, love and encourage others.  You are an amazing encourager.  You speak life into your boys and Craig.  You are not caught up in nagging or strife, but rather you intentionally build up in love.  The way you approach your boys in gentleness and love.  It just radiates compassion from you.  Luke gets his compassion for others from you, surely.  You are doing such a great job Rachel, mothering, serving your people well, and being the firm root they can come to when needed.  And not that you are perfect, but rather, that you point them to the One who is, and that is where the true compassion lies.  So grateful for you and for our friendship, and forever grateful to be able to take these images for you guys! 

Fighting for Joy 

Friends, I hope that this week you fight for joy in your life.  That you are able to see the majesty of our creator, and the mystery that lies in all His goodness. We will never fully be able to comprehend the complexity of all He is, or all He has done for us, but I do think that we can worship Him for the faithful God we know Him to be.  And although life is not always easy, most of the time filled with hardship and pain, we can rest in knowing that He is faithful, He is good, He is true, and He is where we can rest.  He can provide overwhelming joy no matter what the circumstance.  Are you ready for it?! 

~Rooting for you dear one! 

~Laura 

Looking to tell your own story?  Ready to advocate a rich story of hope? 

Waking up and Going to Bed with Intention

Intention 

Intention.  Our determination to act a certain way.  Resolve.  Significance.  What one intends to bring about.  - Merriam Webster.  

I love this word intention.  Not only does it talk about having a determination or a drive, but it also addresses our own significance.  Do you ever find your significance lacking through the comparison game, or the feeling of never measuring up?  Me too.  I totally creep down that path some days.  But, something that I have begun to implement this year are a few things that I have started doing as I wake up and as I go to sleep that I do with a heart of intention to help me focus on the right things in life. 

Waking up with Intention

Every morning, before my feet hit the floor, I have started trying to do these 5 things.  4 of which I heard from Jenna Kutcher and her amazing podcast.  But here they are: 

1. Think of 3 things that I am grateful for. 

2. Pray.  I pray for have a heart of service, a heart of freedom, and that I would enjoy the day, that I would fight for joy, and be able to notice the small places of joy He brings before me. 

3. List out the top 3 things I need to accomplish today.  (I actually list these out the night before, so I simply think upon them so that I bring them to my attention). 

4. Drink a glass of water.  I always have water beside my bed, but Jenna reminded me of the importance of drinking a large amount of water in the morning so as to jump start your metabolism and help with brain function, and I would have to say that I have noticed a difference in my drowsiness in the morning with drinking a large amount first thing in the morning. 

5. Finally, stretching.  If I am able I try to also do a couple of stretches in the morning.  Typically I will do some hamstring stretches right in my bed, or I will stand up beside my bed.  

All of this together takes me less than 5 minutes.  Typically closer to 2-3 minutes, and it really has been changing the way I feel in the morning. 

Why Living Intentionally Matters 

Why is this so important to me?  Why does it matter?  For me, a couple of reasons.  First, I want my life to be the best picture of the gospel that I am able.  And because I am incredibly selfish, (which now shows up more than I could have ever imagined being a mother), I need practical steps to help me focus my attention and desires off of myself and to that of my creator.  I want my life to be reflective of fresh water pouring out, and this is only slightly possible if I first reflect on the goodness of the Lord.  And secondly, I have to remember to take steps to take care of myself physically and mentally as well.  I am so bad about putting everyone and everything else about myself and my own needs.  And while this can be good in some aspects, such as care taking for my children, I have to also remember that I cannot run or pour out from a dry cup.  I have to make sure that I take care of myself so that I can be equipped to take care of others.  I have to remember how to enjoy the Father and this body He created if I am to teach that to others as well.  I have to come first sometimes.  And that is where these steps to waking up with intention come into play. 

Going to Bed with Intention

Here is where I confess my true struggle.  The social media scroll.  Goodness, why is this so incredibly hard for me?  So many of my evenings are wasted away from scrolling for far too long.  But something I have started to implement at bedtime are these 3 things: 

1. Write out my list of what I need to get accomplished the next day.  This helps me prepare what I need to the night before to be ready to actually accomplish what needs to happen the next day.  This eliminates so much stress and helps my brain to turn off at night. 

2. Every night I put on my coconut oil with lavender moisturizer.  I LOVE this! It is a simple way that I can pamper myself, and not only does it help my skin, but it also helps me to relax and helps me to sleep better! 

3. Read.  I have gotten into the habit, instead of scrolling on social media (not that I don't still do it at all, but I set a limit of about 10 minutes), I make sure to end my evening with a couple of pages in a book.  It literally is only 5 minutes some nights.  But, someone once told me that whatever you intake right before going to bed, will also be what your mind thinks of first thing in the morning.  Which I think could be true. When I scroll, thats the first thing I also want to run to in the morning.  But, when I read and activate my mind, it seems that is the first thing I also want to do in the morning.  And not only that, it brings my heart more peace and clarity as I think on things that are true and enlightening right before bed, versus comparing myself right before bed. It leaves me on a positive note rather than negative.  

(The moisturizer I use each night before going to bed.) Can be found in our shop here: 

https://www.lauradugglebyphotography.com/the-advocate-hope-shop/

How will you live with Intention this week? 

So, are you on board with me?  Do you feel like there are some areas you could adjust and tweak to live your life with more intention?  What I truly believe happens in this process is that we are able to have more joy.  We are filing our hearts and our minds with more truth, and less compassion and doubt, and I truly think that is such a beautiful thing.  If you want to take it one step further, I also created an amazing guide: 5 Steps to Reducing Stress that you can get here if you would like.  

Let's choose more intention this week, so that we can lean more fully into the spaces the Lord has for us.  I can guarantee our lives will be more full experience His goodness over our selfishness. The intentional life is the fruitful life. 

~Rooting for you, from my home to yours this week, 

Laura 

How a Simple Life is the Good Life

Simple and Free 

As we have launched into this new year, something that has really been laid upon my heart has been to simplify our home.  And, I know a lot of people start cleaning out and reorganizing in the new year, but this year has been different for me.  The heart behind it has been different.  Instead of just wanting more organization, less clutter, all of those things, this year for me, it has come from a heart of simplification, so that we can have more time to be intentional where it matters.  For, in the past, honestly my heart was mostly more in it for me to have a more organized house, but this year we have been able to give away more, and simplify more out of an intentional heart that as we have less, 1. we have less to distract us, and 2. we can have more focus on what matters.  

For me, this means getting back into reading scripture every morning. It sounds silly, but when I do not have everything set out and ready to go for the mornings, I simply will not take the time to open and read scripture.  It just doesn't happen.  So, this year I spray painted a beautiful tray from my mother in law, set it in the kitchen, and placed my Bible Study materials on top, using the bottom for organization of all the kids crafting supplies.  This has done 2 things for us.  First, it allows me to see my Bible each morning as I am making breakfast.  It's on my mind.  Secondly, everything I need to entertain the children so that I can do a Bible Study is right there as well. It makes it doable and easy.  And this is how simplification has gone in my house this year.  It has gone beyond, how can I freshen up this space and make it looker  cleaner to the eye, to how can I make this space more intentional for how I want our family to live this year?  And its working.  

Another big reason we have been simplifying is due to our adoption process.  We went through some online training as we prepare to bring a child from an environment of lacking to an environment of plenty when it comes to material things.  We were educated that even the aspect of a bath, fresh, clean running water in our home might be a lot for our child to take in at first.  They suggest that we simplify the amount of "things" we have in our home when we first bring our child home and that we gradually introduce things as our child adjusts to culture.  But, as I have been working on simplifying our home, I am also reminded of how much we do not need so many of the things we hold onto. Really, when we are stripped down,  I can fix my eyes back on the creator and remind myself of all the blessings we truly do have.  Thinking over the blessing of running water, clothes to fill our closets, food in the pantry, electricity, heat, the list goes on.  And, not that possesions are bad at all, but the heart behind WHY we need things at times can be.  I want to constantly live in a state where if everything materially was stripped from me, I could still know joy, because my emotions were not completely tied to them.

Materials Becoming Idols 

I was recently listening to a blog where she was talking about things becoming idols in our lives.  She then went on to say that anything that causes complete devastation for our lives in whatever facet has taken the throne of God in our lives.  This is not to say that we should not have grief, pain or hard seasons, for surely those will all be present in our lives, but I was able to think back over areas where I became completely devastated over something that should not have been.  The answer, I was putting too much trust in that thing and not trusting that God is sovereign and good and His plan is best for me.  He is above all the things. And I think that our view of God honestly begins in our homes, how we live our lives and the importance that we place on things that no one else sees. How we design and structure our home is becoming more and more important to me.  And not in the aspect that it needs to be "magazine staged", but rather that it is set up and intentional to make treasures of the gospel important.  For example, its important to me not only that I have an easier way to get into the Word each morning, but also that our home is easily designed to have people over, to be able to extend hospitality.  That we have a way to set up more than enough seats at our table, or a space to have friends over for a play date.  For none of this is truly ours, we are simply using what the Lord has given us, so I want to do my best to make sure I am investing it well.  

Simple and Less Stress

What I have found as I have simplified our home is that it has reduced the amount of stress in our home.  There are less toys to pick up and a better rhythm within our home.  I am certainly a person that tends to get stressed out.  As a type A driven, introverted mother it happens a lot.  BUT, I have started to try out 5 different things to help me reduce stress in my life, and over all it has been helping.  I even created a little PDF all about it if you too are someone struggling with simplicity and stress in your life.  You can find that resource here: 

I hope this week you are able to simplify your home, your life and your heart so that you can fully launch into the calling God has for you, His magnificent purpose filled with full satisfaction and joy.

Because truly that is what this is all about.  This is why simplicity matters, because it draws us back to our need of Jesus and allows us less distractions to be able to see Him more clearly.  I recently heard a person talking about how we may not be in a season of answered prayers right now, but instead, we may be in a season where the Lord is building grit in us.  This way, down the road we too can be of encouragement to someone else in our current season of life now.  So, to all my momma friends with littles, and really to all my friends, I so deeply believe that if we can start simplifying and finding ways to reduce stress in our lives, our faith and our callings will have more space to grow.  And this is what matters.   

~Rooting for you dear friends! I would love to know how simplicity and reducing stress is going in your life this week.  Tag me or chat with me over on your favorite platform!  Grateful for you! 

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~Laura