Words of Faith: Emilie's story about obeying God

The Beauty in Obedience
A Words of Faith story by Emilie Anne Hendryx

Sometimes having faith means being obedient.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve never really liked the term “obedience”. I wasn’t a rowdy, rebellious child, but it isn’t so much obeying parents I take issue with but more obeying God. Now, before you go and get the wrong idea, I’m not saying I don’t want to obey God. I do! However, the thought that it’s something I “have” to do used to be (and sometimes still is) difficult for me.

Why is obedience hard? Because I feel like it’s a forced thing, something you have to do, like an obligation, and I don’t like the thought of my relationship with God being about obligation. I see my relationship with the Lord as just that—a relationship. It’s something I get the pleasure to enjoy, not something I force myself to do. But…what happens when I’m “not feeling it”? What happens when my sinful self gets in the way of the enjoyment of my relationship with Him?

Let’s be real: We sin and our lives are marked by the need for continual repentance. No matter where we are in our walk with the Lord this will always be true until He comes back, so that means there will be times when we “aren’t feeling it”. This realization pushes me forward which is where obedience comes in.

The dictionary says to obey is to: “comply with the command, direction, or request…[to] submit to the authority of.” When we obey, we are submitting to God’s authority in our lives. He has offered saving faith through His son Jesus but that comes with a command to have faith—to believe (Ephesians 2:8). And sometimes building our faith comes with the realization that we need to be obedient to his commands. At first glance this doesn’t sound as inviting as the thought of “just having faith”, but it is.

In example, there are times during my busy life when I don’t want to clean the house. I think, It can wait until tomorrow. But then tomorrow comes and I convince myself it can wait another day. I will keep doing this, but eventually living conditions will become unbearable. I’ll have to clean. If I were to take this attitude toward my relationship with God, I could easily put off spending time with him until tomorrow…or the next day…or the next, etc. If I didn’t realize how important time spent with Him is, I could lose sight of what belief in Him looks like rather than feels like.

This is tricky! I’m not saying you need to “force yourself” in your relationship with Christ, but I’ve noticed something about myself: I’m prone to slip into times where I “put off” good things. Cleaning, eating healthy, working out, sleeping enough, spending time with God…the list goes on. Especially in this New Year I’ve realized the reality of obeying then feeling. I don’t take this as a rule for my life, but I believe there are times when we are called to obedience, despite how we may feel, and then the Lord changes our hearts through the process.

I saw my lack of dedicated time with the Lord and realized things weren’t just going to magically change. I prayed and asked for His help, then decided I would do something about it. I started putting an alarm across the room so I would have to get up and out of bed to turn it off. Then, with that extra morning time, I focused on reading His word, journaling, praying, and spending time with Him before my day began.

I won’t say I’ve got it all figured out, but God has taken me from a place of obedience to a place of enjoyment! On most days I look forward to 6 a.m. (I realize that’s not early for some of you…but when you work from home and don’t have to get up, it’s a sacrifice *hehe*).

I urge you to evaluate your habits. Invite the Lord into this time with you and see where He would have you obey. Then pray that the obedience would lead to desire and desire to joy!

~*~
Author bio: 

Emilie is a freelance writer and photographer living in the heart of Washington, D.C. She’s a member of ACFW and currently working on a romantic suspense series while dreaming up YA Sci-Fi dystopian worlds on the side. 

She’s got a soft spot in her heart for animals and a love for the mountains of the Pacific Northwest. 

In her spare time you can find her playing guitar or reading a book all while drinking too much coffee. 

~*~
Connect with Emilie on her blog, www.eahendryx.blogspot.com, or on her Facebook author page, www.facebook.com/emiliehendryx.

Worth 1,000 Words: Emilie Anne Hendryx of E.A. Creative Photography

The featured photo: 

Bride: Angela Blount, Groom: Paul Blount
Wedding Photographer: Emilie Anne Hendryx

What true loves meant to Angela on her wedding day and what it means now:

"The day I got married I was focused on how much I loved my soon to be husband and how much that love had changed me and him into better people. I was devoting myself to building a life with this person, and was looking forward to how much our love would continue to change us for the better."

"I've only been married for eight months now but it's amazing how much my view of that love has changed. I still love my husband very much and even more so than the day we were married but I've also learned a lot about the kind of love that's required if it's going to last a lifetime. Grace is a chief requirement for a marriage to have a chance. Not that I wasn't aware of this before, but now am uniquely attuned to just how imperfect my husband and I both are."

"I'm still devoted to building a life with my husband but more importantly I'm devoted to my husband. To loving him and supporting him as he strives to improve himself and become the man I know God created him to be, as he has graciously done the same for me."

*The groom was not available for comment. 

~*~
What Love Means as a Wedding Photographer
By Emilie Hendryx | Owner/Photographer at E.A. Creative Photography

The music changes. Everyone stands. All eyes are on her.

She steps into his line of sight and I immediately turn my camera on to his face. The look of joy, astonishment at her beauty, and pure love that’s reflected there often makes me tear up. Then I turn back to her, capturing her journey down the isle to exchange one name for another, commit her life to his, and seal it all with a kiss. 

I love weddings and, working as a wedding photographer, I’ve gotten to see all sides of them. The good, the bad, and the beautiful. The one thing that has been consistent through all of the weddings that I’ve captured is the reality of love between the groom and his bride. Yes, it looks different outwardly, but I’d hazard a guess to say it is very similar inwardly. A type of love that bypasses conventional wisdom in some cases, that over-looks flaws, and that preservers to the uniting of two hearts.

I get the behind-the-scenes look. It’s actually one of the tenants that I build my business on—the reality that I’m not just the couples photographer, I’m their friend capturing images that will act as tangible memories for the rest of their lives. With that, I get to see everything. I hate to break it to you ladies who may not be married yet, but your wedding likely won’t go off “without a hitch”. That doesn’t have to be a bad thing though! I once did a wedding where a caterer didn’t show up…they ordered pizza and it was a chance for everyone to do dessert first!

The fact is, the wedding day—though a joyous occasion and celebration—is just that, one day. A marriage is forever. And for that forever to work, the foundation has to be love. Not the kind of love you feel one day and it’s gone the next. Not the kind of love that burns passionate and fizzles out. Not even the kind of love that is based on who the person is right then and there. No, it’s a different kind of love.

This kind of love is durable. It can be stretched. It will be tested. It sees with clear eyes to the heart of who the person really is and delves deeper than what can be seen on the surface or acknowledged in a few conversations. This love says that it will take everything—good days and bad, sickness and health, poverty and wealth—because it’s a commitment.

This type of love is a choice.

I’m idealistic and a true romantic at heart, but I have come to realize that I can’t believe love rests on a feeling. If it did, I think I’d be anxious all the time because with one wrong move, that love would be gone because feelings change so often. But realizing that love is a choice means that there is hope. Hope of a sustaining, lasting love.

When a bride says, “I do” to her groom, she knows that those words cover the ups and the downs. They cover her in the morning without makeup on or him forgetting to take out the trash. They cover experiencing the death of loved ones, loss of finances, or natural disasters. They also cover the beautiful times like candlelit dinners, faraway vacations, and the birth of a child.

That is what I see love as. Sustaining, enduring, and ultimately based on Christ’s love for us. We have the perfect example in Him and, through his perfect grace, we can exhibit the type of love that lasts forever.

"Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends."~1 Corinthians 13:4-8a

~*~
Photographer bio:

Emilie lives in Washington, D.C. and fills her time with creative pursuits. She writes, runs a wedding & portrait photography business, reads, plays guitar, and drinks too much coffee. 

She’s a member of ACFW and is currently working on a romantic suspense series while dreaming up a YA dystopian world on the side. 

You can also check out her writing blog, Thinking Thoughts.

True Love Stories: A Better Love Story

Is it possible to be single in this modern world and content? 

My guest today says "yes" to that question! Welcome Emilie Anne Hendryx, a professional photographer who captures true love stories of real-life people with her Nikon DSLR camera, a writer who's working on her first romantic suspense series and a musician with a heart for the Lord. 

Today, she has a special message for all the single ladies (and men) who are searching for true love or not content because they have not met "The One" person who makes their heart skip a beat, the one person they cannot imagine life without, the one person they want to marry and be with forever. 

I hope you are reminded as you read Emilie's story, that before meeting "The One," you need to be content in all God has given you. Pursing romantic love is a natural and needed aspect of the human experience. But falling in love with Jesus Christ and being secure in your relationship with Him as your Lord, Savior, Redeemer and Truest Friend is key to establishing a romantic relationship with "The One" on a steady and firm foundation that can only be found in Christ.

But don't just take my word for it, read Emilie's story and enjoy her refreshing view on singleness, waiting on the Lord and finding true love.  

~*~
A Better Love Story 

Emilie Anne Hendryx's true love story

How do you write a love story without an ending?

I guess that’s assuming a love story must have an ending. As a writer of romantic suspense, I think of love stories that way. Sure, my characters may be running for their lives but there’s still the beginning of romance, the admission of true love, and an ending that leaves no doubt the couple will be living happily ever after in some way or another.

I can’t say my personal story is as neat and tidy as that, but I can testify to the fact that God has created a beautiful romance in my life and in my heart.

I was four years old when I accepted Jesus into my heart, as the saying goes. Growing up in a Christian home created a lot of opportunity for my faith to develop and be fleshed out, though I still saw lots of insecurity in my appearance and a desire to “hide” from the perceived judgments of others.

Entering into Jr. College, the pull from the Lord became stronger. Like the point in a story where the heroine must risk embarrassment by admitting her feelings for the hero. 

Thankfully, there is no embarrassment when admitting you desire to go deeper with the Lord. There is only grace and truth. 

I remember those years very vividly. I made a renewed commitment to know God. It wasn’t about the faith of my parents or even the faith of my friends, but my faith and desire to obey and follow Jesus—no matter what.

Fast forward to today. I sometimes feel like Rapunzel in the tower, waiting for her Flynn Rider to flash the “smolder” look my way. 

(Flynn Rider and his "smolder" look)

He hasn’t found me yet, but I feel no less loved because of it. Part of that contentment comes from understanding that knowing God is enough. More than enough, actually. 

But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. - 1 Timothy 6:6

I want my life to be focused on practicing godliness and actively loving God, not on what I don’t have (insert what’s true for you: a husband, a child, a better job, a house). When my eyes are focused on Him, I find the ability to love others. My trials fade in the face of His love, developing into something even more beautiful than what I could create on my own. And the cycle continues daily through His renewed strength.

That, to me, is more beautiful than any happy ending.

~*~

Author bio: 

Emilie lives in Washington, D.C. and fills her time with creative pursuits. She writes, takes pictures, reads, plays guitar, and drinks too much coffee. She’s a member of ACFW and My Book Therapy. 

Emilie is currently working on a romantic suspense series while dreaming up a YA dystopian world on the side. She’s got a soft spot in her heart for animals and a love for the mountains of the Pacific Northwest. 

Connect with Emilie on her blog, Facebook author page, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.

Sisterhood of the World Bloggers

Today, I've been invited to participate in the Sisterhood of the World Bloggers adventure! 

Thank you for the nomination, Emilie Anne Hendryx! 

Here are the rules:

1. Thank the one who nominated you.
2. Put up the award.
3. Answer the questions you have been sent.
4. Make up ten new questions for nominees to answer.

Here are my answers to Emilie's questions: 

1. Share a favorite memory from 2014.

God blessed me with my first radio interview in Spring 2014! I was interviewed on WGTS 91.9 FM, a family-friendly radio station based in Takoma Park, Md. Listen to it here. 

Claude Jennings, a DJ for WGTS, interviewed me about my first book, Hope in My Heart: A Collection of Heartwarming Stories, which was released in Sept. 2013. 

It was a special experience for me not only because it was my first radio interview but because I used to work for WGTS as an intern when I was a college student. I worked with Becky and Brennan on the Morning Show as their programming assistant. The job required me to awake super early to be there every morning because that show always airs live, but it was worth it! A very fun and delightful experience for which to this day I am grateful. 

So to have my career path go full-circle with God sending me back to where I used to work not to book an interview for the radio show like I used to do as an intern, but to be interviewed on the Breakaway program show was something special.

2. Are you doing a reading challenge for 2015? If so, what's the first book you're reading this year? 

No, I'm not doing a reading challenge for 2015 but I do have a stack of books I received from my favorite authors for free in exchange for an honest review. So I've got my work cut out for me this year, but I'm looking forward to it! The first book that I've decided to read this year is When Dawn Breaks by Jennifer Slattery. 

3. What are three things you are looking forward to in 2015?

Three things I am looking forward to in 2015 are: meeting my fitness goals, completing the manuscript for my next book and hopefully being able to purchase my dream camera, the Canon 5D Mark III DSLR (but if I get it as a gift, that would be even more wonderful)! 

I'd love to launch my own wedding and portrait photography business after I get the proper equipment such as the main tool, my DSLR.

4. If you could take a dream vacation where cost is not a problem, where would you go and why?

London because my aunt lives there, it's a beautiful place and I want to check out The Goring Hotel. Since my last name (Goring) is spelled the exact same way with the same country of origin, I'm wondering if we're related.

5. What is one piece of advice (or realization) you received in 2014 that you'll carry with you?

Trust God's heart even when you cannot trace His hand.

I realized that no matter what unspeakable things I have to endure and go through, things that cause me to wonder if God's forgotten about me or I wonder where He is in dark times, I must remember to as the song by Babbie Mason says, "Trust His Heart." When I do not understand and I cannot trace God's hand, I can trust His heart. Relief is found in the fact that no matter what happens in this life, God is and always will be in control and He is always working things together for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28).

6. Share two of your favorite books from 2014 and a little bit about why you loved them.

Kept which is the debut novel released in Autumn 2014 by Sally Bradley who happens to be the lady who edited my first book. I loved Kept because it was a real look at struggles women who have been brokenhearted by the hard knocks of life face. The main character Miska, was memorable and watching her transform from a "kept" woman who was having an affair with a famous baseball player to a Christian woman whose faith in God directed her life, led her to turn away from worldly ways and brought a true man of God into her life, was wonderful to watch. The characters were captivating and the story line was smooth and filled with scenes that made you identify with the characters and want what's best for Miska and the single pastor who fell in love with her unexpectedly. It was a sweet love story centered around themes of redemption and God's grace. I'd recommend it for every man and woman to read.

Love Finds You on Christmas Morning, written by Debby Mayne and Trish Perry was a delightful holiday story which I simply adored. I especially loved the way Debby told her story, "Deck the Halls,"which was featured first in the book. It was very memorable and I loved the way Debby brought two main characters from two different backgrounds and economic statuses and merged their stories with the power of love. A very good way to show that love conquers all. It helps that I'm a hopeful romantic and stories like these play right into my heart.

7. Do you have a goal or resolution for 2015 you'd be willing to share? 

I'd love to get a literary agent, a true God-send who is the perfect match to represent my work and take me to the next level in my creative writing career. 

8. Share a verse or word that you will be carrying with you into this new year.

Trust. I know I need to trust God's plan for my life and take a step of faith even when I cannot see the whole staircase (as the great Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said).

9. What is one activity or place you hope to experience in 2015?

I'd love to visit California and experience the beauty of San Francisco, Napa Valley along with visiting the heart of the film industry in Los Angeles. I want to dine at the best vegan and vegetarian restaurants, enjoy the perfect weather and inhale the ocean scented air. 

10. Share with us something you are passionate about and how God has used that in your life thus far.

I am passionate about people. I love showing God's love, compassionate character and heart of gold through my writings and findings which I share here on my blog "God is Love." 

I want every soul to come to know the freedom that comes in knowing Jesus Christ and accepting His gift of salvation. The best thing about it is you can't earn your salvation, it's a gift and it's free! All Jesus wants you to do is to accept Him into your life and accept the gift. When you accept Jesus into your heart, He will change you from the inside out. I know this to be true because it happened to me when I was 16. But that's another story for another day! 

However, I will say that since I accepted Jesus Christ into my heart, He saved me from what could have been a tragic end, transformed me from from the inside out and since then, I've been passionate about sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with every person I meet.

~*~
My nominees are: Diane Samson, Deidra Riggs, Katie Ganshert, Melissa Tagg and Stacy Hawkins Adams

Here are the 10 questions for the nominees:

1.  What was your favorite memory from 2014?
2. What is your greatest dream for 2015?
3. What is your favorite color? Explain why.
4. Who are your favorite bloggers? Name at least five and share a link to each blog.
5. Who inspires you the most in life? Why?
6. Do you have a Starbucks habit? If yes, share details of your fix, including how often you buy it.
7. As a writer, what is your favorite bookstore? Describe what makes it special to you.
8. What is your favorite mall? Why?
9. What is one verse found in The Holy Bible that you've claimed as your "life verse"?
10. What is your one "word" for 2015? Explain why and tell how it will help you this year. 

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Thanks so much my dear nominees for participating in this blog hop and thank you my wonderful readers for taking time to enjoy this entire blog post! :) Happy New Year!