Goodbye to a name

You know in those moments when God tries to gently direct you into a direction and you fight against the current that the more time that goes by, your whole self gets heavy because you know you’re fighting against something good even though it doesn’t feel like it. As silly as it may sound, God has had His hand in a change and a BIG one!

Three years ago when I started this business, the first thing I had to do was pick a name. My husband came up with A Thousand Words Photography and I thought how cool it sounded, so in my excitement I pulled the trigger on the name and registered it with the state. ATW Photography has been a stepping stone. I’ve learned to take a hobby and make it a profession. I’ve learned how to interact with other’s children to bring out natural reactions. I’ve learned manual mode. I’ve learned how to run a business. How to use quick books. I’ve learned the proper and safe way to pose newborns. I’ve learned that shooting seniors is not my thing. I’ve learned extensive editing techniques. I’ve learned how to say no and make time for my family. Acquired an actual studio outside my home. I’ve gotten lots of cake on me. I’ve made little buddies and lasting friendships. I’d say the name A Thousand Words Photography has been good to me. It has been the start to a dream I’ve been dreaming for years.

Little did I know when I started, how popular this business name was. Not only are there hundreds all over the country, there were two others in Ruston alone. This got confusing when people would ask me “when they were getting their child’s prom pictures”. I don’t take prom pictures at all so quickly I realized I was not the only photographer with this name. So within the last year it has become clear that I was being steered into a different direction.

So now the hard part. A name. Many people recommended I use my own name. I don’t know why but I’ve never been fond of using my name, I mean I love my name but just not for my business. I knew I wanted this time to be THE ONE! So I needed something that meant something. That was close to my heart. About a year ago I gave complete control of this business to God so I feel this is His. Since it is His to do with what He wishes, shouldn’t the name be his too? So how do you hear from God? Prayer and reading His word.
Right now I’m in Matthew, so on I read. Nothing jumps out until I started reading the parable about the farmer scattering seed. If you’ve never read it, it’s in chapter 13.

So Jesus tells a story of a farmer trying to grow crops. First the farmer throws the seeds and some falls onto a footpath and the birds come and eat the seeds, they never live or take root. Second set of seeds fall into some shallow soil and take root and bloom only to wither away quickly under the sun because the thin amount of soil was not enough to grow deep roots to keep them alive. The third set of seeds fell among thorns, the crop grew up only to be strangled by the weeds and wither away. The fourth set of seeds fell among good fertile soil and grew to be 30, 60, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted.

I really love this story cause it challenges your mind to what it means. When we are faced with the decision to follow Christ we are like this seed?

• The seed among the footpath is when someone hears about Jesus but doesn’t understand so they never take root.
• The seed among the shallow soil represents someone who hears about Jesus and gets excited, accepts Him. But when the going gets rough they return to the life of sin.
• The seed among the thorns represents someone who hears and understands, but the riches and wonders of this world become their god and they make idols of things instead.
• The seed among the good soil is a life that hears and understands. They follow Christ and tell others, leading those to Christ as well thus produces a plentiful harvest.

This parable also reminded me of Matthew 9:37 “Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few”. So God continually compared the mission field as a harvest.

For me I’ve always felt that I have my own little mission field as I come into contact with people. My life is much more then a photography business but it is a place to interact with people, to live a life worthy of representing Christ. To love when it’s not worthy of being given. To forgive when it’s not fair. Because my life should produce a harvest of other believers. I should be the last seed. How easy is it to be the third? Seriously?

So harvest was a winner. It meant a great deal to me, I liked the meaning. Harvest Photography??? Didn’t chime. Bells didn’t go off. It didn’t flow to me. So I thought about a crop. Wheat? Nahhh didn’t like it. What about a pretty flower? Lavender? I liked it because honestly I just love the look and smell of it. It sounded kind of cool but it didn’t have a meaning to me. Until….I looked up some facts about lavender. Did you know the lavender flower symbolizes purity? I didn’t! Learn something everyday right? Well before we decide to follow Jesus, our lives are as filthy rags, Isaiah 64:6. We are not pure or good. Jesus who is pure and good becomes the sacrifice so we can be pure and righteous.

So we are being made ready to be harvested to be made pure (lavender).

God has a funny way of showing up doesn’t He?

So I’d like to welcome you to the new name. Same me, same business, just a new name. I’m pretty excited for what this new season of life will bring. With a new name does bring new things. So a new facebook page. I will continue to keep A Thousand Words Photography facebook page up for awhile until the word has completely gotten out but if you want to get the latest news on my current work, sessions I offer, new stuff we’re doing I’d appreciate and highly suggest you like our new facebook page at www.facebook.com/lavenderharvestphoto. We will also have a new instagram page www.instagram.com/lavenderharvestphoto so be sure to follow our new IG too.

As fair warning you’ll probably see some things still say A Thousand Words Photography for awhile while we get everything transferred over to the new name. Please bear with us as it’s going to take time. We hope you love the change and please spread the word! We want everyone to know we haven’t left!

Until then! From us at

LAVENDER HARVEST PHOTOGRAPHY
what seed are you?