becoming

Happy Girl

2012-01-30T17:46:00.000-05:00

Being friendly can go a long way. Seriously.

It was the end of a long day and I anxiously waited for my turn to order at one of the Starbucks on UF's campus. Thinking through all of the delicious caffeinated options in my head, I finally narrowed it down to a grande Raspberry Mocha with an extra shot of espresso. Perfect. My turn to order.

"Hey! How are you?" I said as the barista began to ask for my order. He stepped back in surprise (literally).

"No one has ever asked me that before! And you just asked me that so genuinely...like you really care," he replied.

"Well, I do care. Are you having a good night?"

"Yeah, it's going pretty good. Thanks. What can I get for you?"

"A grande Raspberry Mocha with an extra shot of espresso, please."

"Alrighty. Would you like a copy of your receipt?"

"Yes. Thanks! Have a great rest of your night."

"Wow. Seriously, thank you!"

And that's how the conversation ended. It wasn't anything crazy-out-of-the-ordinary to me...I have out of habit started making conversation with cashiers. Just a habit. But to this barista, it rocked his world. I know this because I saw him again. And he remembered me.

A week later, I was in line for coffee again (no surprise there) and when it was my turn to order, I stepped up to discover the very same barista who had rang me up the previous week.

"YOU'RE THE HAPPY GIRL!!!!" he almost screamed at me.

"Haha, I guess that's me!" I replied.

"I remember you asking me about my day and you were just so nice! My name's Matthew."

"I'm Emily. And of course I would be nice to you! You make me coffee that gives me energy to do my homework!"

"It's nice to meet you, Emily. I hope you have a great night!"

And with that, I made a new friend. Even if it's just to say "Hey, Matthew. I hope you're having a great day" to. I may never have a deep conversation or even hang out with Matthew. But I do know that our paths crossed and he reminded me of something pretty incredible.

Luke 6:36 says, "Live out this God-created identity the way our Father lives toward us, generously and graciously, even when we're at our worst. Our Father is kind; you be kind."

My Father is kind. I need to be kind. That's it. That's the secret-sauce. That special, added ingredient that can make all the difference. I have no idea what those around me are going through, but I know that I have crossed paths with them today for a reason. Our Father is kind; you be kind.

Greet those you sit next to on the bus, stop next to at a red light, the cashier who rings you up at Publix, the lady who checks you in at the gym, your professor, your co-worker....greet everyone with kindness. You just never know how a simple smile can impact an entire day.

what today could have been

2012-01-29T14:57:00.005-05:00

I could be writing an extremely different post right now. And I'm so thankful that I'm not.

This morning I was checking up on the latest news on my Twitter feed and saw an alert from the Gainesville Sun that 441 & I-75 had been completely shut down due to fatal accidents that were continuing to build up. With the mixture of fog and smoke from a fire in Payne's Prairie, visibility on the road was said to be zero. My mind immediately ran to my sister, KT. KT was supposed to be headed out for an event at UF this morning. My family & I immediately called her and discovered that she hadn't left yet.

The "what ifs" ran through my mind. What if she had left just five minutes earlier? What if I hadn't checked Twitter this morning? What if her event had been scheduled for earlier in the day? What if?

And then just two words stood out in my mind: thank you. Thank you, God, for sparing my sister--my best friend's life today.

In this moment, I know that someone's sister, someone's mom, a daddy, a grandma--someone's best friend died this morning. And they're wondering "Why, God? Why?"

God, I will never understand why. But I do know WHO my source of strength is. Please show your strength, peace, grace, and abounding love to the families involved in today's tragedy.

For updates on this story, read gainesville.com.

A Funeral Intersected

2012-01-21T00:02:00.004-05:00

I was walking to my own funeral. Seriously. For the past five months.

Sure, my outer exterior displayed a cheerful smile and sweet hello, but I was dying inside. I'm beginning to see that life really is the sum total of our thoughts. If only I could rewind and start off August 2011 on a different brain wavelength. But I can't. So I'm starting 2012 off fresh.

At Passion 2012's opening session, Louie Giglio made a statement that not only instantly caught my attention, but confirmed that Jesus was specifically trying to speak to me, Emily Beth Cummins.

"Is there anything in you that needs to be brought back to life again?"

Well, yes, actually. Everything. Is that a possible answer? At that moment, my attention span went from simply being excited to be at Passion 2012 to full-fledged note taking and soul searching.

"God has come in this moment, this season, and He is intersecting our funeral processions."

Wow. I knew I felt numb inside, but I hadn't really thought of it that way before. I was a walking funeral procession. Inwardly depressed, dark, & dead, while outwardly trying to give condolences to the world by putting on a mask that attempted to scream, "I'm ok!"

"Luke 7:11-14 tells us something about Jesus. Verses 11-14 say, "Not long after that, Jesus went to the village Nain. His disciples were with him, along with quite a large crowd. As they approached the village gate, they met a funeral procession--a woman's only son was being carried out for burial. And the mother was a widow. When Jesus saw her, his heart broke. He said to her, 'Don't cry.' Then he went over and touched the coffin. The pallbearers stopped. He said, 'Young man, I tell you: Get up.' The dead son sat up and began talking. Jesus presented him to his mother."

I was the procession in the village of Nain. What was dead inside of me? My emotions, my passion, my will to try, to love. I was dead. And I need a Savior to step into the mess of me and say, "Get up."

After Louie finished teaching, he invited us to stand up if we needed Jesus to intersect our funeral processions. For the first time in months, I felt every fiber of my being stand. From my physical body to every breaking emotion running around crazily in my heart, I stood and worshipped a God who is FOR ME and was willing to step into the mess of me. I worshipped that night with every bit of emotion still inside me freshly awakened, feeling the God of the universe saying to the depths of my soul, "Emily, I tell you: Get up."

It's funny how life works. I so often get caught in the trap of thinking it's all about me, when in reality, that's the farthest thing from the truth. There are 27 million people trapped in the bondage of slavery, yet I think life is about me. That thought disgusts me--and it should. After my funeral procession was intersected on the second day of 2012, I began to really listen to what Jesus was saying. And when I began listening, He spoke with clarity and purpose into my life.

This semester has started on a completely different note than how the Fall semester began. I'm on a different brain wavelength. I'm not in the middle of my funeral procession anymore. In fact, I've never felt more alive. It all comes down to one word: Jesus. On my own, I'm a walking funeral procession. But then the God who created the stars in the sky and that crazy, beautiful ocean roaring against the sandy shore, stepped in and intersected my funeral procession, reviving the deepest, darkest places of my heart that I swore no one could ever see.

I'm ready for 2012. I'm ready to immerse myself in God's Story. Alone, I'm dead. With Jesus, I'm ALIVE.

27 Million Faces

2012-01-11T15:53:00.004-05:00

Today is a day recognizing 27 million people.

27 million people trapped, caught, chained, enslaved.

27 million people. Someone's daughter, a little girl's Daddy, a struggling son, a single Mother. 27 million PEOPLE. People like you. People like me.

And this is what they wake up to every, single day. Darkness surrounds them. Hope seems impossible to even dream of, but hope is here. Hope is NOW.

We are a generation taking a stand for FREEDOM.

More than any other number in history, today, in the 21st century--2012--we have the LARGEST number of people trapped in slavery. This must end.

Today--this National Human Trafficking Awareness Day--decide to take a stand. Raise your voice. Use the resources around you. Listen to God's voice. Research what is happening to the people around you...people just like you and me. Do something. And do something NOW.

We've waited too long.

Adios, fast-food mentality

2012-01-09T17:23:00.004-05:00

Sometimes I think it's the little things in life that make the biggest impact. Case in point: a plastic plate put a huge smile on my face the other day.

Let's rewind a little bit, shall we? I was headed home from Passion 2012 in ATL, and stopped at Chick-fil-A to grab some lunch (best road trip food ever). Many of you have been on my jaw surgery journey with me over the past three years. I didn't write about it over the past few weeks, but I had my last surgery a few weeks ago! (To read more about my journey, click here.) Being in recovery, I am limited on what I can eat. So, tiny bites of really soft things are my best friend at the moment. Going to Chick-fil-A, I knew I would need to break up my lunch into little pieces....and typically, Chick-fil-A food doesn't come on a plate. So what did I do? I asked the server if he had any plastic plates I could have. He said he would check, but really didn't know. No big deal. I went on, found a table with my friends, and forgot about even asking for a plate! The next thing I know, the server came and found me to give me a plate! I was literally so excited I wanted to give him a hug!

"OK, boring story, Emily. What's your point?" Yes, yes, I hear you. I'm getting there! This little story may seem inconsequential, but in that moment it's like time froze in my mind. Jesus used a server at Chick-fil-A to teach me something extremely important: don't treat people like fast-food meals. This guy could've gone on with his day without following up with me. He didn't have to find a plate and give it to me--he didn't even know that I had recently had surgery and couldn't eat normally. He just saw me as a typical customer asking for something extra. But he helped me anyways.

In Psalm 14, God searches for just one man--one woman--ready for God to move. Verses 2-4 in the Message version says, "God sticks his head out of heaven. He looks around. He's looking for someone not stupid--one man, even, God-expectant, just one God-ready woman. He comes up empty. A string of zeroes. Useless, unshepherded sheep, taking turns pretending to be Shepherd. The ninety and nine follow their fellow. Don't they know anything, all these impostors? Don't they know they can't get away with this--treating people like a fast-food meal over which they're too busy to pray?"

Last week, I heard the Word of God in an unmistakeable way. He has good works for me to do right now--TODAY. I don't need to wait to do great things until I have my career nailed down, have a family, or find that perfect BFF. I can do good NOW....I just have to step into God's story today. I don't want to treat people like fast-food meals over which I'm too busy to pray. I want to walk slowly with a smile on my face, showering love and grace onto everyone God places in front of me right now, today.

Adios, fast-food mentality. God, I choose to step into your story NOW, today. I don't want to wait until I perceive that I have this thing called life figured out--because quite honestly, I don't think I'll ever even get there. God, I choose to live today, inhale deeply, and love abundantly.

Here's to 2011

2011-12-29T22:50:00.018-05:00

It feels like yesterday that we were ringing in 2011. And now it's time to welcome a brand new year filled with sparkling opportunities, fresh resolve, more room for grace & the promise of renewed hope. Hello, 2012.

While my mind has already started fast-forwarding into what I want 2012 to look like, I'm reminding myself to slow down and savor the last few moments of a year that I can never get back.

So here's to 2011...a year filled with some incredible memories, seasons of growth, new friendships, surgeries, graduations, and a whole lot of living in-between.

Passion 2011. The jump-start to this year. Incredible. Really, is there any other way I could describe it? Standing in a room worshipping the God who put the stars in the sky with over 20,000 of my peers. Four days of teaching, growing, dreaming, planning and hard-core worshipping. I am STOKED to kick off 2012 the same way.

And let's hear it for NEW YORK. Such a fun family trip to NYC. From cupcake shops to the bright lights of Times Square, New York was definitely one of my favorite trips.

Miss CF 2011. I distinctly remember sitting in the audience during the 2010 Mr. & Miss CFCC Scholarship Program and leaning over to my Dad to whisper, "I'm going to win this next year." And I did. I am honored to have been able to represent the College of Central Florida this year and look forward to crowning Miss CF 2012 in February!

WICKED and New Gators. To celebrate my sister & I being accepted to the University of Florida, we saw Wicked on Broadway--and let me tell you, KT and I are still jamming out to the soundtrack...and counting down the days 'til we can see it again!

Halfway there! In May, I graduated from the College of Central Florida with my Associate in Arts degree. I transferred to UF to finish my Undergrad in Advertising!

Sweet, sweet Sanibel. I literally can't get enough of this place. The sand between my toes, the sound of the waves crashing against the shore, the sun shining on my face, cherry limeade in my hand...yeah, life is good. Realllllly good.

KT graduated from FHS. I LOVED celebrating my sister's high school graduation with her--from Baccalaureate to graduation day and tons of parties, we had a blast celebrating beginning a brand new chapter together.

iGO. What happens when you take over 20 middle schoolers to Tampa for a week? A TON OF FUN. Let's just say that my car was definitely the BEST. I had a blast taking our 14forty students to iGo to serve on-mission this summer. We learned a lot, laughed a lot, and my love for each of them grew a LOT.

Hello, mountains. A week of fresh air, good books, flannel shirts, black coffee, lots of movies, and hiking was an amazing and relaxing time that I definitely savored.

Good Morning, world! I remember one day this past summer, I went to the beach with my parents. We literally left before the break of dawn. Way before...so we could get to the beach at the break of dawn! But it was so worth it. Watching the sun rise, warming the sky was breath-taking. And on the plus side, I had a great day filled with long naps to catch up on my sleep!

Alberta is my BFF. I finished my first semester as a Gator this year and absolutely LOVED going to not only the football games, but also some of the Women's Volleyball and Basketball games as well. From long study session in Library West to endless amounts of coffee at Starbucks, new friends & old friends, thousands of pages of reading material, and the beginning of many on-campus runs, I am really thankful for this semester.

AND. I was able to go to the AND Conference at Granger Community Church and meet one of my favorite authors & communicators--Kem Meyer. Trust me, I took lots of notes!

Telling stories. This year was the beginning of a new adventure in helping people tell their stories. I had the privilege of photographing my first wedding, maternity photos, Christmas cards, the beauty of nature, and graduation photos. Capturing a story. One picture at a time.

Just write. I think one of the things I truly cherish about 2011 was the

writing I did. I wrote, and I grew. A lot. Reading through past journals, I know that I struggled this year, but I wrote through those struggles. My saying has always been that writing is my therapy. And I think writing has really helped me discover a lot of who I am--and who I'm becoming. I wrote through the really exciting times as well. I put my hand to different types of writing and even began to dream big towards projects I've always wanted to do. Writing has helped me connect with God on a whole new level, sort through my thoughts, weigh the pros & cons of situations and gain perspective. Keep calm and write something. Yes.

Nothing Left

2011-12-20T09:30:00.000-05:00

I couldn't have read something that more perfectly describes exactly where I'm at--and what I've been searching for--right now. Rather than even trying to expound upon this truth, I'm tucking it away inside my heart, sitting in the presence of Jesus & asking Him to make me whole.

"I was coming to understand that what it means to be real is to love and be loved until there is nothing left. And when there's nothing left, and we feel we're all in pieces, God begins to make us whole. He makes us real. His love sets us free and transforms us." - Katie Davis, Kisses from Katie

To read more about Katie Davis, read my post, Kisses from Katie: My Life in the Red Dirt of Uganda

Leading in the Little Things

2011-12-19T18:13:00.004-05:00

Sometimes the biggest impact we leave on those around us comes from the little things we do--or don't do. Everything rises and falls on leadership and I believe that leadership begins with who we are when we think no one is watching.

In this video, Tim Tebow was mic'd up for the Broncos game versus the Bears. It's incredible to see how he chooses to respond to the little things--and the big things--both on and off the field.

Respect and credibility as a leader begin in the moments that don't seem that important or extraordinary. Leading others onto the playing field is determined by how we lead on the sidelines, when we think no one is watching.

Start Something That Matters

2011-12-13T15:28:00.003-05:00

When I was chosen to be a part of the Books for Bloggers Program for Blake Mycoskie's new book, Start Something That Matters, I immediately couldn't wait to get my copy of the book in the mail. I had heard of TOMS shoes and became more intrigued with the TOMS story when I heard Blake speak at Catalyst this past October.

Blake is the Founder & Chief Shoe Giver for TOMS. My anticipation to read Start Something That Matters was met with an absolutely incredible book filled with not only the TOMS story, but practical insights to literally starting something that matters!

When you look at the TOMS website or hearing about the TOMS story, it's really easy to think, "Wow. That Blake guy sure knows what he's doing. That was just a kick-start success. There's no way I could ever do something that really helped people like that." Trust me, this is certainly not the case. TOMS is a very simple, yet extremely successful idea: one for one. You buy a pair of shoes (and now glasses as well!) and a pair of shoes is given away. Simple, yet makes a huge difference.

Start Something That Matters outlines several steps to, as Mahatma Gandhi said, "Be the change you want to see in the world." After sharing the TOMS story, Blake talks about finding your story--

"Facts are neutral until human beings add their own meaning to those facts. People make their decisions based on what the facts mean to them, not on the facts themselves. The meaning they add to facts depends on their current story . . . facts are not terribly useful to influencing others. People don't need new facts--they need a new story." -Annette Simmons

What were key factors involved in the TOMS story that helped make it so successful? And how can those same principles be applied to your story? Broken down into six steps, we can start something that matters:

Face your fears
Be resourceful without resources
Keep it simple
Build trust
Giving is good business
The final step

Initially, I was excited to read this book because I wanted to learn more about TOMS. But as I kept reading (which by the way, I literally couldn't put this book down once I started!), I began to take ownership of my very own story...and I began to start dreaming and seeing possibilities take shape.

I am extremely excited to incorporate these principles into my goals for 2012. As I launch EC Photography & dream big about writing opportunities in this new year, I will be going back to my notes in Start Something That Matters frequently!

I HIGHLY recommend this book....so much that I am actually giving a copy away!

What do you have to do to win? Choose 2 of the following!

Follow me on Twitter (@emilybcummins) and tweet this article with a tag for me (@emilybcummins) and TOMS (@TOMS) in your tweet.
Leave a comment on this post, sharing what one of your biggest dreams is.
Share this post on Facebook & send me an email (emilybc91@yahoo.com) to let me know that you did!

A winner will be chosen randomly & announced on January 1st!

Kim & Jeffrey

2011-12-13T11:01:00.005-05:00

I love meeting new families and capturing their stories. I had the privilege of meeting one of my friend's Mom, Kim, this past week and taking pictures for her, her fiancee, and son, Wyatt.

Full of beautiful smiles, exotic scenery and an obvious love for one another, this family is excited to share a wonderful Christmas together!

To see more photos, click HERE.

Merry Christmas from Team Cummins...and the BEACH!

2011-12-12T20:32:00.009-05:00

This scene describes us perfectly. Katie & I have grown up on this beach...each summer sharing our dreams, secrets & fears along its sandy shores.

Sanibel Island holds a special place in our hearts. And this year, we captured some of our special moments to share with you!

Katie is a freshman at UF, studying physiology & is actively involved on the Spirit Squad where she spends a lot of time with her friend, Alberta. She is a lifeguard at the YMCA & also serves in Hope Kidz & mentors young students at Church of Hope. She is not only my sister, but she is my best friend.

Mark & Linda (better known to me as Dad & Mom!) unpack life with long convertible rides, walks on the beach, & black coffee. This past year, Linda was Mark's coach, cheerleader & therapist as he finished the USMC marathon. They are looking forward to being in Kenya in January 2012. They love being a part of the community of Christ followers known as Church of Hope!

As for me, I am a junior at UF, studying Advertising and English. I serve on several teams at Church of Hope & am investing in 14forty's middle school girls. I am currently training for a half marathon and have launched my own photography business, EC Photography!

Join us this Christmas Eve at Church of Hope!

Friday, December 23 at Diamond A Farm at 6 PM (directions at www.hopeinocala.com)

Saturday, December 24 at Church of Hope at 3 PM & 5 PM

From my family to your's, I am praying that this Christmas season & New Year will be filled with grace, peace, hope & new beginnings.

A Mommy & Daughter Christmas

2011-12-10T11:34:00.004-05:00

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas--even in sunny Florida!

Amber & Cloey are one of the cutest Mommy/Daughter duos I know! I had so much fun capturing their smiles & joy as they are getting excited for Christmas!

Click HERE to see more pictures!

Is the criticism really about football?

2011-12-05T20:17:00.005-05:00

So much hype has surrounded Tim Tebow over the past several weeks--well really, I mean, when hasn't there been talk surrounding Tebow?

But from the negative all the way to the positive, Tim Tebow keeps raising the bar--doing better, setting higher standards, and giving God all the glory.

"One of the great lessons you learn in football is courage to keep fighting. When you get knocked down, are you gonna get back up?" - Tim Tebow

I think I've learned one of the best kept secrets around: Praise in public. Criticize in private. It goes back to our elementary school days...if you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all. Criticizing others not only relinquishes your leadership, but it also diminishes your credibility.

The real question that has begun to bubble to the surface though is why do people criticize Tebow so much? His stats are thoroughly backing up his athletic ability. So why does the media continuously communicate this negative bent towards Tim Tebow? The USA Today flat-out conquered the answer to this question. Check out their amazing article, "Anti-Tebow bias isn't about football."

At the end of the day, Tim Tebow wins football games. End of story. But far beyond touchdowns & scoreboard victories, he is winning BIG TIME in things that really matter...and that's what it's truly all about. (For more information on the Tim Tebow Foundation, click here.)

Fast Company's "The Case for Girls"

2011-12-01T14:53:00.004-05:00

I've always been extremely interested in studying society's influence & effects on girls. For as far back as I can remember, whenever I've been assigned to write a paper (from elementary school all the way through now, my junior year in college) I would always choose to highlight a female author, aspects of the feminist movement, advertising's effects on girlhood, and media's portrayal of women. It fascinates me...and breaks my heart.

When I was in middle school, I vividly remember several college-aged girls intentionally investing into me. They would take me out for ice-cream, send me packages from college, and have movie nights with me. They didn't act superior. They loved me and modeled what a strong woman in the 21st century looked like. No, it wasn't the modern feminist kind of "strong." It was a strength rooted in confidence in Christ...not whether they were on top of the world or not.

Now, it's my turn. I'm that college-aged girl and I have middle school girls looking to me for help....how are we defining girlhood? What does an effective female leader look like? We are setting that stage right now, today.

Fast Company published "The Case for Girls"--the basis for the study was that "most would-be parents prefer boys, not girls. Is part of the trouble, dare we say, a branding problem--one that advertising could solve?" GREAT READ. And this case is on to something....

"My daughter will be brought up to understand her true value. That's a promise. As for all the little girls to be born around the world, the creation of these ads is an effort to show how imagination can change the conversation around their lives."

What do you think...how are you setting the stage for a rising generation of girls?

The downside to Twitter...and probably why I like it so much.

2011-11-30T20:43:00.005-05:00

Most people that know me pretty well would tell you that I LOVE Twitter. I'm not even exaggerating. I've been told to stop tweeting (which is why I take breaks from time to time!). But, I just love it. If I had to choose one social networking site, it would be Twitter, hands-down. Twitter keeps me updated on what's going on with my favorite teams, news on campus, deals at Starbucks, social causes around the world, and throws some major, life-altering truths my way.

That is what I LOVE about Twitter. I learn and engage in some really good stuff.

But sometimes, that's a downside too.

I read awesome quotes & immediately hit "Retweet" without first pausing & allowing it to sink in and change me. I treat it like a "pin" on Pinterest....pinning the things I like without really diving into them (one of these days I will make all of the recipes I've pinned & actually do the DIY projects I find...one of these days!).

It's easy to portray on Twitter who I want to be & what I want the world to think is going on inside of me. It's not always easy to stay true to being authentic--to the girl who's becoming me.

My big brother, Latham, (OK, I adopted him, but he's an amazing rapper...check out one of his recent rhymes here.) said something that really hit me & defined what I've done a lot with my life:

"A big smile confuses them all."

Ouch. It's easy to make people think everything's alright...that you have everything together...that you are so good & great. But really, it's just a facade. I'm not saying that everything on Twitter is fake. Here me on this: I'm saying that I've found it's really easy to hide behind what I desperately want my life to be saying, rather than authentically being real with who I am.

Am I leaving Twitter? Um, NO! But I am going to allow things to sink in before I tweet them. I want to become the woman God created me to be and actually have the things I'm learning & tweeting BE who I'm becoming.

Filming for Change

2011-11-20T13:52:00.008-05:00

Today, I heard a number that just completely shocked me.

"There are at least 100,000 American kids a year who are the victims of child prostitution & child trafficking. The only way to not find this problem in any city is simply not to look for it." Check out the video HERE.

I'm not oblivious to the fact that sex trafficking goes on in the United States. I just hate knowing that it does--and that it is happening worldwide. This is not a number from some history book, written on pages of days gone by. This is today. 100,000 is NOW. And that is just here, in the U.S. What about the rest of the world?

You know what I love about my generation? We thirst for truth. We crave something real, something that will fill us with a passion that is so much greater than ourselves. We long for justice.

"Many young enterprising Christians are combating sex trafficking, and a wide-angle lens and Macbook Pro are the weapons of choice for a new breed of abolitionists who want to bring the flesh trade to a grinding halt. For a generation making its mark through volunteerism and activism, to be passionate is a prerequisite."

Check out the following article from Reject Apathy, "Filming for Change," by Bret Mavrich:

You’ve got to be a little bit crazy to join the circus. But you’ve got to be a lot-a-bit crazy to join a Mexican circus, travel from Juarez, Mexico, all the way down to Santiago, Chile, through some of the world’s most dangerous country overrun by drug cartels and notorious for guerrilla resistance, all in the name of exposing the sinister truth of child sex-trafficking in Latin America.
Brittany Lefebvre is a lot-a-bit crazy.
Lefebvre is a young filmmaker whose résumé includes training at a YWAM missions base, a stint at a film production company and now (thanks to the circus company that allowed her and her crew to travel with them for safety while making a film) she is a producer of a feature-length documentary called The Volviendo Pursuit.
Lefebvre is not alone. Many young enterprising Christians are combating sex trafficking, and a wide-angle lens and Macbook Pro are the weapons of choice for a new breed of abolitionists who want to bring the flesh trade to a grinding halt.
For a generation making its mark through volunteerism and activism, to be passionate is a prerequisite. Passion, after all, was one of the hallmark traits of another abolitionist who contended with slavery in his own day—William Wilberforce, a major force behind the abolition of slavery in Europe. Wilberforce once said, “If to be feeling alive to the sufferings of my fellow creatures is to be a fanatic, then I am one of the most incurable fanatics ever to be at large.”
Morgan Perry found the template for her film Sex + Money: A National Search for Human Worth in the Quaker revival that gave rise to William Wilberforce and other reformer movements. For Perry, any Christian effort to raise awareness should flow from the biblical narrative of God’s consistent pursuit of freedom that is fully displayed in Christ on the cross. Wilberforce was following what he felt was the logical response to the exact same conviction. Benjamin Nolot, the producer of Nefarious: Merchant of Souls, saw in Wilberforce a direct parallel from a bygone age to inform the challenge before him. Nolot’s three action points for would-be abolitionists (prayer, awareness and giving) all reflect the lifestyle Wilberforce led in his pursuit of the end of slavery.
Faith has compelled these filmmakers to answer an injustice, but they also have been forced to develop a Christian ethic even in the way they address this important issue. For Nolot, a distinctly Christian awareness effort leads to prayer and sacrificial giving. Lefebvre has a deep conviction that Christian journalism must tell the stories of the victims in the way they wish to tell their story, or otherwise run risk of exploiting them again. Perry’s activism philosophy can be summarized as “intimacy [with God] unto advocacy,” by which she means keeping love for Jesus preeminent to any social activism. And across the board, they are all conscious of the fact that healing the brokenness that is endemic in each member of the human race must precede any call to action. All of these concerns shape the way they tell their stories.
Ben Stamper, the cinematic visionary behind Horse and Rider: Freedom for the Daughters of India, capitalizes on the power of telling a story to give audience access to sex trafficking at a deeper level. His initial response to the magnitude of the issue was just to ignore it. “I said, this is way too big for me to care. And I am a Christian, but I will not go here. I cannot give my heart to something that is futile.” But all of that changed when he heard of the organization Freedom Firm, an organization that focused on restoration of girls who were coming out of sex trafficking in India. While Nefarious and Sex + Money both feature interviews with an impressive list of experts, authors, officials and ex-victims, Stamper’s film focuses on just two survivors who have found healing through Freedom Firm. “The only way the issue is touchable is if it ceases to become an issue, and you see stories of individual lives, individual daughters,” Stamper says.
Most of the abolitionist-filmmakers have been affected in profoundly personal ways through the story of a victim. Nolot’s life got put on tilt when he heard of a 15-year-old girl abducted outside of her home and then sold repeatedly for sex. Perry (and other members of her team) was completely shocked when she read about a sex slave kept in a cage in her Phoenix, Ariz., after spending nine months as a photojournalist documenting injustice in 20 different countries. Rachel Carey, president of the Sold Project, was initiated into the complexities of sex trafficking through a single conversation with a prostituted woman in Mumbai. Stamper’s plan is to market Horse and Rider (slotted to be released by the end of January 2012) through a grassroots distribution method, which, in his estimation, has the greatest potential to give others access to the issue. “My goal is to create more storytellers, people who can tell this story well.”
Nolot and Perry are doing exactly that, and have adopted the strategy of hosting screenings across the country in churches and at universities.TheNefarious campaign is called the “Incurable Fanatics Tour,” after the Wilberforce quotation, and Perry is leading her team on a 50-state tour to raise money for an aftercare program. Carey has also organized screenings of her film around the country to raise money for preventative efforts in Thailand. “Prevention isn’t sexy,” she quips. “Cat [an at-risk girl featured in the film] has taught the world that she deserves freedom, and that her innocence can stay intact simply by offering her an opportunity.”
Whether traveling undercover by circus, waltzing into massage parlors (read: brothel) with hidden cameras or confronting a pedophile on the streets of Cambodia (as Nolot does in a scene in Nefarious), these filmmakers are not short on moxie. Which might explain why they stride right into the quagmire of a question at the heart of any effort to end sex trafficking: Is prostitution slavery?
The filmmakers take different approaches. Nefarious, by allowing a litany of experts in the field express their convictions, takes the stand that prostitution, especially when legalized, is simply a ruse for the vicious industry of sex trafficking. Sex + Money, a film that is as much about the journey of the filmmakers as it is the issue, allots for a degree of uncertainty. In what is the most incendiary scene in the film, an advocate of legalized prostitution goes toe-to-toe with a former prostitution victim during a street corner protest outside of the Craigslist corporate offices (Craigslist at the time was hosting an adult services section of its popular bartering site that had turned into a convenient shop front for pimps selling girls).
If there is one thing on which the new-abolitionists are a united front, it is this: the Church must do something. Lefebvre has been targeting the Church in Latin America exclusively. She sees the Church as the only entity in a society riddled with abuses that has a serious message of hope, and she would like to see local Christians get involved in a hands-on way. Perry sees the need for another repentance movement, like the one experienced by the Quakers when they freed their own slaves, that must begin in the Church. And Nolot calls for a wholehearted response that gives everything. “The crisis of modern-day sex slavery does not need interested observers,” he says. “It needs incurable fanatics.”

Reading something like this can be somewhat overwhelming, leaving you with that gnawing feeling at your heart--what can I do? There are many things we can do to partner with those fighting for justice:

Pray for them daily. Pray for the twenty-somethings who are trusting God, stepping out, and capturing the stories that can set innocent children free from the bondage of sex trafficking & prostitution.
Share their story. As seen in the startling number I shared at the beginning of this post, "the only way to not find this problem in any city is simply not to look for it." Help share stories that are bringing freedom & hope to literally millions of children. Check out the videos linked in the article above, read articles from Reject Apathy, follow the mentioned abolitionists on Facebook & Twitter, and share their stories on your social networking sites. Together, we can raise awareness and be the change we hope to see in the world.

EC Photography

2011-11-18T21:14:00.006-05:00

I am so excited about this journey I have been on! A year ago I passionately began pursuing my love for photography--and uncovering stories through the lens. Now, I am officially launching EC Photography! Thank you to everyone who has traveled this journey with me!

To check out my work & find out information on scheduling a photoshoot, click HERE.

"To be an artist, to be a photographer, you have to nurture the things that most people discard." - Richard Avedon

lessons learned from a drummer on the side of the road

2011-11-17T14:36:00.003-05:00

It wasn't the comforting sounds of rain tapping on your window. No, not at all. I woke up to a torrential downpour. My first thought as I began to open my eyes was what I would wear with my rain boots. After shaking off the cobwebs lingering in my brain, I poured a quick cup of coffee, grabbed my backpack, slid into my boots, and ran out the door. Quick. Easy. And attempting to motivate myself for the day.

I commute to the University of Florida and have really begun to enjoy the 40-minute drive to Gainesville. Driving down country roads has a calming effect...country music blaring and windows down with the wind blowing through my hair (well when it's not raining!). I was probably about 30 minutes into my drive, lost in thoughts of everything I wanted to accomplish today and hoping that 103.7 would play all my favorite songs, when I hit Paynes Prairie.

Paynes Prairie is this strip of wildlife right before you hit Gainesville--I like to think of it as nature's way of welcoming you to Gator Nation because you are literally driving through a gator nation! It isn't abnormal to see cars pulled off to the side of the road as onlookers take in the scenery, but today I saw something really different.

A white truck caught my attention on the left-hand side of the road. As I began to pass by, I noticed something very unusual--a drum set. And not just a drum set, but a young man playing that drum set with everything in him--with all of nature waking up to the melodies he was creating.

That's when it hit me like a ton of bricks: he was giving today all he had. It didn't matter what people thought as they drove by or that it was a gloomy, rainy morning. It didn't matter to him. He wanted to wake up with the world at his fingertips.

I don't know this man or his story, but what I saw grabbed my attention. What would it look like if I chose to play drums on the side of the road with God's creation as my audience? What would it look like if I chose to write passionately, speak the truth unashamedly, follow my convictions boldly, and loved extravagantly?

Romans 8:15-16 says, "This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It's adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike, 'What's next, Papa?' God's Spirit touches our spirits & confirms who we really are."

What if I woke up each day ready for an adventure? What if I lived like I wanted to wake up the world? I think if I truly lived like that guy jamming out in Paynes Prairie, the world couldn't help but notice.

this season is about becoming.

2011-11-16T22:08:00.005-05:00

What's this thing, "becoming," all about? I love this excerpt from Shauna Niequist's book, Bittersweet. This, my friends, is embracing becoming:

This is the thing: when you start to hit twenty-eight or thirty, everything starts to divide, and you can see very clearly two kinds of people: on one side, people who have used their twenties to learn and grow, to find God and themselves and their deep dreams, people who know what works and what doesn't, who have pushed through to become real live adults.

And then there's the other kind, who are hanging on to college, or high school even, with all their might. They've stayed in jobs they hate because they're too scared to get another one. They've stayed with men or women who are good but not great because they don't want to be lonely. They mean to find a church, they mean to develop honest, intimate friendships, they mean to stop drinking like life is one big frat party. But they don't do those things, so they live in kind of an extended adolescence, no closer to adulthood than they were when they graduated college.

Don't be like that. Don't get stuck. Move, travel, take a class, take a risk. Walk away, try something new. There is a season for wildness and a season for settledness, and this is neither. This season is about becoming. Don't lose yourself at happy hour, but don't lose yourself on the corporate ladder either.

Stop every once in a while and go out to coffee or climb in bed with your journal. Ask yourself some good questions like, Am I proud of the life I'm living? What have I tried this month? What have I learned about God this year? What parts of my childhood faith am I leaving behind, and what parts am I choosing to keep with me for this leg of the journey? Do the people I'm spending time with give me life, or make me feel small? Is there any brokenness in my life that's keeping me from moving forward?

These years will pass much more quickly than you think they will. You will go to lots of weddings, and my advice, of course, is to dance your pants off at every single one. I hope you got to very few funerals. You'll watch TV and run on the treadmill and go on dates, some of them great and some of them terrible. Time will pass, and all of a sudden, things will begin to feel a little more serious. You won't be old, of course. But you will want to have some things figured out, and the most important things only get figured out if you dive into them now.

For a while in my early twenties I felt like I woke up a different person every day, and was constantly confused about which one, if any, was the real me. I feel more and more like myself with each passing year, for better and for worse, and you'll find that, too. Every year, you will trade a little of your perfect skin and your ability to look great without exercising for wisdom and peace and groundedness, and every year the trade will be worth it. I promise.

Now is your time. Become, believe, try. Walk closely with people you love, and with other people who believe that God is very good and life is a grand adventure. Don't spend time with people who make you feel like less than you are. Don't get stuck in the past, and don't try to fast-forward yourself into a future you haven't yet earned. Give today all the love and intensity and courage you can, and keep traveling honestly along life's path.

*Excerpt from Bittersweet: Thoughts on Change, Grace, and Learning the Hard Way by Shauna Niequist. Check out her blog and follow her on Twitter.

Proceed With Caution

2011-11-15T17:24:00.003-05:00

Warning: Only read the following statement if you're ready for a heart-wrenching, prospective-altering, throw-you-upside-down kind of truth headed straight for your heart & soul.

Ok, now that you've been fairly warned (and if you're choosing to proceed), check out the statement that keeps tumbling around in my head like a ton of bricks thrown into the clothes dryer:

"I want to have fewer rules & fewer conditions on how other people should live. Instead, more understanding, more space, more grace." - Shauna Niequist via Twitter

Wow. Really, that's all I've got to say. Rather than try to come up with something clever to expound on this statement, I'm going to just sit & allow it to permeate my heart. God, help me become a woman who overflows with grace.

Love, When You Least Expect It

2011-11-14T18:24:00.004-05:00

As we drove to our photo shoot location & their future wedding spot, I loved hearing Matt & Esther's story unfold.

Through a series of events, Matt & Esther ended up in Ocala. Not looking for a relationship, they were just pursuing their dreams, goals & relationship with God. They met at Convoy of Hope this past summer while passing out bags of food to families who were looking for hope. One thing led to another and eventually Matt & Esther realized that they had met that day for a reason. "When you least expect it, you can just expect it to happen," Matt said.

Now, several months later, they are looking forward to their wedding on March 10, 2012. I am excited to see their story continue to unfold!

Check out more of my work HERE.

I'm Giving HOPE this Christmas

2011-11-13T11:47:00.002-05:00

I am really excited about doing something very different this Christmas.

Usually, I give my parents ideas of different things I'm "wishing" for and have fun picking out fun gifts for my family & friends. But this year, I'm turning Christmas upside-down and making room under my Christmas tree.

At Church of Hope, we are partnering with local partners in Ocala & two global partners to give HOPE this Christmas, not stuff.

Below, you'll see a video from Advent Conspiracy that really outlines the WHY behind this whole idea. Imagine with me for a second...what would our world look like if we choose to truly give something that mattered, rather than stuff that doesn't even last?

How is God calling you to give HOPE this Christmas, not stuff? Check out two websites below to see some opportunities...

Samaritan's Purse

Living Water International

Goodbye, Quarter-Life Crisis

2011-11-09T17:33:00.004-05:00

Let me just say, I have definitely felt loved over the past several days. Several friends have texted me asking if I am ok & letting me know they are praying for me based on my recent posts and tweets.

First, THANK YOU. Thanks for checking in on me!

Second, I want to explain a little reasoning behind my posts lately. And no, I'm not discouraged, in a crisis, depressed or hating life. Quite the contrary!

There's this phenomenon that many twenty-somethings go through right about now...a quarter-life crisis. Don't believe me? Check out these RELEVANT articles, The Proverbial Twentysomething and 11 Things to Know at 25(ish).

In short, there is this idea that once you hit your twenties, you need to have all the answers...know where you're going, what you want to do, and where you want to be in life. The questions of "what are you majoring in?" and "what do you want to do after you graduate?" become burdens rather than exciting adventures. A few weeks ago, I got caught up in these lies and started to let the pressure begin to push me under. However, over the past several weeks, I've discovered something: the freedom of being real.

For so long, I've succumbed to these pressures, embraced them and allowed them to dictate my life. And quite frankly, I'm done. I'm done with the notions of going through a quarter-life crisis. And in realizing that, I've walked away from trying to figure it all out.

No more trying to have the answers to all of life's questions. Why do I even need to know them anyways? I was getting so worried about planning out my next three semesters of classes that I missed out on enjoying planning THIS coming semester. Trust me, it's time to throw away the 5-year plan, 10-year plan....goodness, throw out the 30-year plan! GET RID OF THAT STUFF!

At Church of Hope we are going through a story right now called not a fan. This study has really impacted me personally...forcing me to dive into the question, "Am I a fan or a follower of Jesus?" This question alone has shaped my decision to walk away from having a quarter-life crisis...

In Jeremiah 29:11-13, Jesus says, "I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I'll listen. When you come looking for me, you'll find me. Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I'll make sure you won't be disappointed. God's Decree."

And Psalm 139:16 says, " Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you, the days of my life all prepared before I'd even lived one day."

God's Word is telling me that He already has everything figured out. Life really just comes down to one thing: TRUST.

That's what my posts and tweets have been about lately. Stripping off the false pretense that I have it all together and embracing this journey of trusting a God who is so much bigger than I could ever imagine. I believe there is freedom in honesty...and in that freedom is a joy that is deeply unexplainable and so worth it.

I have come to realize that it is too easy for me to tweet and blog words that I desperately need to make true in my life....but more than just write these words, I need to embrace them--let them truly transform me. I'm on a journey of becoming the woman that God has created me to be, and that begins with me being real....not trying to impress people, not acting like I have it together or have all the answers, and not worrying about what this life has in store. It's all about TRUST.

So, I'm saying good-bye to the idea of a quarter-life crisis and saying hello to the reality of trusting the God who not only created me, but holds my days in His hands. He already has an incredible plan for me. I'm resting in that.

Do I have this all down perfectly? Nope. And I never will. That's what becoming is all about....daily choosing to become all that God created you to be--TODAY. Every. Single. Day.

Keep it simple. Trust in a God who is so much bigger than you are. Love with all you've got. And enjoy this grand adventure of life. That my friends, is a whole lot better than trying to figure it all out.

I'm done.

2011-11-06T20:31:00.002-05:00

I'm done.

Those are the only two words that seem to accurately describe how I feel right now.

I'm done.

Done with the masquerade and sheer facade I too often associate with living my life.

I'm done.

It's time to kiss perfection goodbye and wave as she walks out the front door.

Done with the lies, the games, the pretense I've been living.

I'm so done with this sickening feeling...this sense of trying so had to live, but really missing out on living.

Life is a dance, but instead of letting the music move me, I've been too focused on memorizing the steps.

So I'm done.

Too busy to love, too busy to laugh.

Letting my mind think that having a 5-year plan was a success.

Little did I know, little could I see, that having a 5-year plan wasn't God's plan for me.

"Trust," is what He whispered.

"In a minute," I replied.

"No. Trust Me know, before you lose today."

Standing at a crossroads, looking left and right.

Peeking behind my shoulder, trying to decide if I want to fight.

Fight for what I know in my heart is right.

Do I stay, do I go?

I'm done.

I know it's time.

Time to finally take a stand.

Embrace this journey, this path.

There is freedom in becoming, becoming this girl I know I am.

After taking that first step, I tasted the sweetness of surrender.

The sheer joy of finally letting go to make room to trust.

The bliss in finally losing myself and clinging to the One who made everything about me.

To choose to follow is hard and narrow, but so worth it.

I'm beginning to realize that fake praise isn't praise at all and that being a fan of Jesus just doesn't cut it.

I'm done.

I'm done writing, hoping that the words will change me. Now, every word I write, every character I tweet, is an anthem, a prayer...a battle cry to change.

God change me, transform me.

I'm broken, hurting, and wanting to run to everything that gives me comfort.

But you say, "Be done."

You don't call me to comfort.

You have called me to live abundantly & freely in your presence.

Renew me.

Fill me.

Shower me in grace.

Remind me daily that words mean nothing unless I allow them to penetrate my heart.

Guide me along this path of becoming.

God, I'm done.

Team Robertson

2011-10-29T21:22:00.006-05:00

When I first moved to Ocala, I met this AMAZING couple whose love for life was evident in everything that they did. From Sonny's dinner dates to hanging out with my sister & I on weekends, Jeremy & Erika became the big brother & sister that I never had.

I distinctly remember when Erika told me that she was pregnant with Nolan. We were at a conference looking at different t-shirts and she goes, "I'm going to buy this one, but I'm going to need an X-Large because I'm about to start growing a lot." I looked at her and immediately started crying tears of joy! Now, just about two years later, Nolan has that same zest for life that his Mommy & Daddy do...and more importantly, he is learning to love Jesus by watching his parents' example.

Today I had the privilege of capturing the joy & hope so evident in Team Robertson. Check out all of the photos HERE!

that girl i tried so hard to be

2011-10-27T22:38:00.002-05:00

That girl I tried so hard to be

and chased after repeatedly,

was really always inside of me,

begging to be let out.

That girl I tried so hard to be

lay hidden beneath the mask of insecurity.

Look at that, admire her,

gnawing feelings of imperfection and unsatisfaction

screaming, shoving...please, make it stop.

Perfection clawed her way out,

pushing authenticity out the door

and hushing the deepest depths of my heart.

“Become, become,” I said.

“Become that girl I want to be.”

“LET ME OUT,” she screamed.

Too deafened by the lies of my plastic counterparts

I tuned her out,

missing the joy and freedom that could have been mine.

What if, what if I would just shove Perfection’s unruly head down?

What if, what if I killed those gnawing feelings, aching inside of me?

My what ifs became reality,

that moment I chose the path of becoming.

No easy feat, no easy task,

killing off that which in my past had held me so fast.

Once, ensnared by thick cords of supposed-truths,

that girl inside of me is finally free.

Free to dance.

Free to sing.

Free to live.

Free to trust.

That girl I tried so hard to be,

well it turns out she’s always been me.

That moment I chose to trust the One who made this paper heart dream,

is the moment I finally became free

and broke free from those masks of perfection and insecurity.

It’s time to live,

as me.

A Story of New Beginnings

2011-10-16T19:38:00.007-05:00

Last week I had the privilege of shooting my first wedding! I have loved getting to know Carrie & Casey over the past few months. Even more special was taking pictures of their next step as followers of Christ in Baptism today...one week after the start of their new life together!

For more of my photography, click HERE.

Lord Jesus, come interfere with my life.

2011-10-11T18:21:00.006-05:00