Finding JOY again in 2025 as a Southern Missouri Photographer
You know how you can start to feel like your life is in a rut, or like you are a part of "The Truman Show"? (Remember that movie??) You have your schedules and routines, and very little changes day to day. You get bored, or if you are like me, you start to feel overwhelmed. But who wants any of that? Don't we all want to live a full life and show that to our kids?
Towards the end of September into October, I kept having this thought play in my head over and over. I just felt joy. I kept thinking about what could have caused me to feel this way, but also questioned why it seemed to be such a big focus in my thoughts lately too. Was it because I was working outside more, tending to all the farm things? I figured that was a big part of it since sunshine and fresh air are amazing medicines. Could it be because I felt like my husband and I were having a great year? That man is my best friend, and I felt like we had grown so much throughout the year. We laughed so much more together and our communication felt so good. It could also have something to do with the kids. They are getting older (which means I get full nights of sleep lol), they are hilarious, they are a blast to watch, and the conversations are starting to get really good. We stopped work some weekends to do little fun things with them, and you can't convince me that didn't help with all our joy! Or could it be that I am accepting my roles in the church? I will admit, I spent a few years a bit bitter that I was always in the classroom with the kids and never got to go to class myself. But this is the stage of life I am in. I have little kids and before I know it, they will be grown. So I'm going to enjoy being in class with them.
While all of those things did lead to me feeling joy last year. I know the real reason. God did it. He has given me so much. Even in the hard times, I have never been alone through any of it. There is so much peace that comes knowing He is always seeing you through it. Putting that trust in Him takes a lot of the worries of the world and puts them into perspective. What matters is my families salvation and showing others the love of Jesus. And all those things I wondered about being the cause of increased joy, He gave me those too! He put me on this path in life, He sent my husband to me, He gave us our babies and He called me to work in children's ministry.
I know sometimes it is so hard to see the joy. Trust me, I have been there. When the kids are little, when the household is sick, when the bills of everything breaking down at the same time are adding up, when unimaginable loss of loved ones happens... it feels impossible to see the joy. But don't forget to pause. Look around. You will find it.
I have taken time to pause when editing your galleries last year. I see the joy from your images, and I remember the laughs. There is so much beauty that can be seen in photographs, and I hope the joy can also be remembered!
I truly hope 2026 is a year you can all feel and see joy all around you!
