Thoughts for May

May 10, 2026

Hello Friends,

It has been a very long time since I've written a blog. Just a quick update in case you notice some changes to this website: Through a series of events, my website is under some pretty heavy construction. The company I go through increased their costs to a larger sum than was reasonable for my business to sustain in order to continue with the plan I was using. So I am currently exploring my options moving forward. You may notice fewer photos and a new domain etc. A positive to this is that I can focus on showing a more curated gallery at this time.

Something I have been asking my friends this week, and want to pose to you, is how are you building desire for the Lord?

You see, the Lord has been stripping away, bit by bit, many things I took comfort in that previously fed my heart. And until recently, I just observed Him do it. I know His goal is for me to rely on Him, to let Him fill and heal and delight my heart. But that hasn't exactly been the result so far... I've just sat and watched and wondered what He will do with my life.

I noticed I wasn't enjoying Scripture. (This gets more positive soon haha! Bear with me.) I asked God about that. I noticed I didn't care about things I wanted to care about, so I asked God about that. Then I noticed my community had dispersed and I had not actively replaced it. I was busy with "important" things, but was not delighting - able to really fully delight - in Him. So I asked Him about it.

It's not that God got boring. But maybe I had.

I heard a Pastor down at Harris Creek Church say that Scripture says we are the bride of Christ; how many girls do you know who hide their engagement ring? None! They flash it every chance they can to show off that they are claimed, that they belong to him! That same day I received a text of Revelation 4:11 where we are told all things were created by God and for His pleasure. And I simultaneous was reminded that when a bride prepares for her wedding day, she does all she can far in advance to make herself as beautiful as possible for her husband.

Is there any part of us that is hiding? Does the whole world see His banner, His claim on you? Do they see the love in your eyes of one who understands the kind of love they have received? Do you understand that you were created with the purpose of glorifying God and also bringing Him pleasure? You, Christian, bring Him pleasure. You are saved by grace, through faith (faith comes first by hearing the Word, so if you feel like you don't know where to build faith, start there and respond to it). I think that it is critical to the Believer's joy to grasp the love of Christ and His fullness (Ephesians 3).

But perhaps you see your constant struggle and think, surely he doesn't take pleasure in me. Just look at me.

If this were simple, Paul would not have written Romans 7, where he writes of the struggle between not wanting to sin but doing it anyway. He concludes that it is no longer he who sins but sin that dwells in him, a decidedly wretched state. His final cry is not for deliverance, do you catch that? It is gratitude that he already has deliverance that is found in Christ. We can rejoice because we were saved before we were made worthy so none could boast; none of us have anything to put us forward. But now we have Christ's covering for attending the coming wedding feast.

So how do you delight in Him? What if the answers were not boring? I pray a fresh wind for all of us. One may answer, "I delight in Him by reading Scripture." That is wonderful, I pray you do, but to those of us who have fallen into poor Scriptural habits, is that answer true for you? "Worship, prayer, fasting, Scripture, obedience... what else is there?" God wants these things but without love they are nothing. Ask God to woo you. I know it's unfair because it's us who fail, not Him, but go ahead and ask Him. Then think of ways to delight in Him with as much intention as you would plan a special date with your lover. Intentionality is the key. Go pour into someone as the hands and feet of Christ with so much intention. Or on a personal route, you want to build pleasure in His presence? If it helps your heart to create the mood physically, try lighting some candles and putting on some worship music, read Him a poem you prepared, dance, bake something yummy for your time, dress up or whatever - the goal is to prepare your heart for something special to give. If you're a man, do your man equivalent. Break the norm. If it sounds sacrilegious, know that in the Old Testament people regularly made music, danced, brought God food and wrote Him poetry. But if your norm is to journal or go on a prayer walk or serve on worship team and you are feeling... drained... please allow yourself to shake it up. God wants you.

Do you expect to meet Him? When you worship, do you expect that that is what you are participating in and that He responds? I think we all hope we will meet Him there. Dare we presume to expect anything from God? What are your expectations of God, exactly? I think we have some subconsciously, some theoretically, perhaps some in need of guidance, and some securely. Maybe examine those. I think I expected that I would always have what I had been given. But I think I can see where He's going with things that He's stripping away: this is not my home. He is gracious and good, He provides, and yet comfort is to be found in Him alone. We are to live for Heaven where we will be the bride of Christ.

In closing, I am recently recovering from a cold and back to back pink eye haha. As a result, several photo shoots had to be rescheduled, so this month is full of families and engagement sessions! I am grateful for my clientele, you are rock stars. I recently returned from California where I attended my cousins wedding. It was nice to have a little get away.

I am praying for everyone who reads this,

Be blessed by the Spirit!

Sarah