A two week series on learning from the past and looking to the future…

Dear 28-year-old Izehi,

You are fresh off the plane from getting to live the life of a single twenty something overseas.  Living in a foreign country helped grow you up big time & a part of your heart will always belong to T-land.

But it’s time for a new adventure girl.  🙂

Remember that prayer you prayed about not wanting to live an ordinary life with a regular 9-5 job?  Well guess what? God answered it with a yes. 🙂  You, young lady are going to be a business owner.  You’ve got a casual lunch date scheduled.  You think you’ll get reacquainted with an old friend and chat about the possibility of maybe working as a photographer someday.

That lunch is going to change your life.

You are about to eat, breathe, and live photography.  It’s going to be flipping unreal.  As you lay in your bed night after night staring at the edge of this huge cliff, fear will want to imprison you in its iron grip.  But I’ve got one word for you: JUMP!

Baby girl, entrepreneurship is not for the fainthearted.  Taking the leap to start your own business is the only the first of many many risks you will take.   But YOU. CAN. DO. THIS.  Adrenaline highs like you’ve never known will confirm that photography is what you were born to do.  You’ll be at a wedding photographing for 12 hours and still feel like dancing on the dance floor when that song comes on.  That’s how you’ll know you’re doing what you love.

But it won’t all be roses.

You think all you need is a “nice camera” and a laptop to run your business.  Um, you’re going to laugh at yourself later for ever thinking this!

You will hit rock bottom lows that will leave you questioning your sanity and decision…many times.  But don’t worry; God is placing the most incredible people in your life.  Amazing mentors you’ve never met will soon be on your speed dial.  And your family; oh girl your family will become even dearer to you than ever.

I know that right now you are scared and excited.  News flash, those feelings aren’t going anywhere.  The good news is neither is God.  You learned to rely on Him alone “on the far side of the sea” and you’ll learn to rely on Him alone in this new adventure.  God will speak to you through His word, and He will confirm to you over and over that He is leading you. Trust Him.  He’s good.  I won’t lie, it’s going to be much harder than you think, but He’ll be with you.

And one more thing, please enjoy the last of your twenties.  Don’t let photography or running your business consume you.  Enjoy your family & your friends. Have fun and don’t feel guilty about it either! Take care of yourself, because at the end of the day while it’s awesome to have a job you love; it’s still just a job.  It doesn’t define you. You are a daughter of the King and that’s where your identity is.

Love you much,
Your Thirty-Year-Old self.

P.S. All that stuff about your life being over at thirty is some bull!  Honey, this is only the beginning!

Photo by Ashley Swallow of Live.Laugh.Photograph.

BIO
Izehi is a Wedding and Portrait Photographer in Texas.  She loves telling stories with her camera.

WEBSITE
www.izehiphotography.com