I choose to LOVE radically

I knew this day would come, a day that in our current political environment I would be faced with a decision as a conservative Christian woman should be a "struggle" for me. I should stand up for my faith and I should turn away clients that are LGBT... as a "good Christian" I should be a warrior for my faith!! Help guide them away from their sinful lifestyle. Take advantage of the opportunity to stop this "sin" in its track!!! I should furiously defend the teachings!!! YES here is MY chance to be a martyr!!!Here is MY chance to prove my faith!!!  So I did just that, I took this opportunity I was faced with and made a choice!


I choose to love and to love radically, I was driving into my studio and ask myself accountability questions as I was questioning myself (don't read into this that I felt wrong about this, I felt at peace but I KNEW others will judge me) and I always ask myself accountability questions.  I turned on the radio to FLN to  the speaker, right as I was asking myself those accountability questions I hear theses words "I want you all to continue what I have started , how can we love like Jesus did" Love people and love each other as he has loved us! How can we love as Jesus did, Any who has faith will do as I have been doing I want every person to know that I have come and died for you and they are forgiven and your job is to communicate that to them and by your words and your actions you will do great works" How can I love the way I am supposed to truly love. Jesus was loving people in radical ways and our job is to continue the mission! HOW can I do this, we are to love people and love each other the way he loved us. I am certain I am going to have huge backlash, I am certain I am going to get hate mail and maybe even lose business... while that makes me sad. Not everyone will choose to take the same stance as I do. I just choose to love everyone where they are. That is the task God has given me and while it honestly isn't the task I would have chosen I always dreamed of being a missionary but that wasn't my calling. Love is the gift I was blessed with.

What the heck does all this religion have to do with boudoir photography? Here is the back story
A few months ago I friend requested or was friend requested by this tattooed beauty, she post lots of provocative image and cleavage and seems like the real life of the party! You can tell  her friends like her and she is the center of attention. We messaged a few times before she decided to book a session. Now you may be wondering how this all fits together!? I tend to be the kind of person who doesn't ask questions that aren't my business... like "so what is in your underwear?" I have never asked any woman before that question so why would I start now... She is a pre-op in transition. She came to me as a client and as a female.... I had been told she wasn't always a she by mutual friends. I thought for a minute Holy Crap!!! How, Where? this is boudoir... lingerie not erotica... WHERE does all of everything go???? (please fill in the blank and don't make me type it) But I decide to love radically, show my faith in the greatest commandment of all "Love each other as I have loved you" I do NOT claim to be a biblical scholar but what I do claim is that above all the teachings I found that my mission my duty given to me in this life is to LOVE and accept others... who they are, where they are... how else can anyone ever feel the love Jesus has for all of us. I am far from perfect and fail daily as a person of faith, I try daily to love and move forward and do better... Everyone is give one gift in life and we are commanded to use them to improve our world.

I chose to Love, Love radically, love the unlovable the cast outs the addicts, the sad, the lonely, the abused. Why do I work through boudoir photography, real quick, we are the most vulnerable when we are exposed emotionally or physically... the nudity or the scantily clad images allow for vulnerability and for the moment we begin self acceptance... these images have nothing to do with the viewer. These images I produce are for the individual they are taken of... with every session I find out who she is and how she wants to be seen. All women want to know we are beautiful we all want to know that we are loved by another and one of the greatest desire is to know and be known by our spouse.

Rikki came to me as a timid lady wanted to discover herself and to see herself as a beautiful person..,and I want to (as a Christian, woman, human, mother, friend) Love her and as a photographer help her produce body positive images... Feel free to view the images from our session, if you would like to leave words of admiration those are welcome, while I could stop negative comments on this thread I am not going to. the reality is many people just don't want to see this or read this... I have to say I don't care this isn't about you and your opinion or why I am a failure as a Christian or as a person; but if you are compelled to make negative comments I am leaving the commenting open.

Last I want to thank Rikki for being open and allowing me to write this post and for TRUSTING me with this session and trusting me to be part of her life.
*For those of you who are going over my post with a fine tooth comb and are looking to point out how my thought process is wrong, I expect that and I know you are exactly who I am talking about so your opinions and your judgment is meaningless to me... I am stating what my feelings are.... Love and acceptance.