2018 Recap

Normally, I’d do an end of year recap with just the weddings & engagements we shot in 2018. It’s always a great way to revisit some incredible couples. However, 2018 was a huge growing year for Mabyn Ludke Photography AND the Hendersons (aka Daniel and me) that a basic photo post just isn’t enough. So even tho it’s February and most people did this back in December, I’m still going to celebrate our year.

2018 was a breath of fresh air after what felt like ages of being suffocated. I plan on sharing the full story in another blog post soon, but just know that MLP and myself have had its share of rough times over the past few years. 2018 was a year of growth and beauty that lifted my soul.

God’s Word

At the beginning of the year, God gave me a word, inheritance. What it meant, I wasn’t exactly sure, but I was ready to take it on. As I dug into the word, I was brought to the stories of the Israelites receiving the promised land. Which they only inherited after 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. I also was lead into stories of Christ and that because of his sacrifice, we can inherit the kingdom of God. Again, I didn’t know what that looked like all together, but I wanted to know. The more I poured into the word, the more I found the circumstances around Daniel and I changing. Work started to come in more steadily, new opportunities came our way, and our desire for more of God increased.

Now I’m not saying that God fixed everything in our lives, but he did give us direction onto a path that is proving to be peaceful and fulfilling while at the same time creating more of a desire for him. If I can take anything away from 2018 it’s that my faith was increased. Though we received a lot of beautiful blessing last year, I don’t want you to think it’s just because we did the right thing or we were good enough. A lesson I learned this year is that God’s love and mercy are given not for anything I did or will do. It’s only because he loves me that he gives the blessing. He loves obedience and sacrifice, but it doesn’t change his mind or his character. It just fills up his heart more. So what is my inheritance do you ask? It’s Gods love. More and more of it every day.

Due to Gods love, I was able to shed a lot of fear and anxiety that had been weighing me down. I stepped into roles that I would have normally run away from. I watched our business grow into something new and budding with possibility. The list goes on and on, but here are a few more tangible examples for Y’all.

2018 at a Glance

I stepped into the leadership of The Rising Tide’s local Hickory chapter of Tuesdays Together with my good friend Sarah. Who also asked me to mentor her in her business. Both of these were really scary steps for me. But stepping into them was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made! Not only did Sarah’s work improve, but her confidence, her brand, all of it fell into place. The most amazing part, she went full time by the end of 2018! I have never been so proud!

If it weren’t for our Tuesdays Together group, I never would have met my friend Caitlin. She asked me this year to help her with photos for her Lularoe Instagram. Little did we know that by simply being consistent with her photos so many amazing opportunities would arise. She increased her Instagram following, she was featured multiple times on the Lularoe Instagram, and they asked her to model! the best part tho was the friendship we solidified. I love this girl and know she can do anything she sets her mind to!

Helping Sarah & Caitlin with their businesses ignited a new passion for helping others create their brand stories. It’s opening up new avenue’s for me too which I’m super excited about. Plus I’m kinda falling in love with brand photography so we’ll see where that goes in 2019!

On top of the new fun opportunities that opened up for me this year, we also had some pretty incredible wedding, engagement, maternity and anniversary clients. I will never tire of talking about how our clients fill me up with joy. I love each of their unique stories and sessions!

On a personal note, Daniel and I had a lot of fun together too! I made Daniel take photos with me, much to his dismay, but he was a champ through it all!

We also made intentional time to go on trips together to Gatlinburg, Knocksville, Virginia, and West Jefferson.

But I had to save the best for last. Because after we got back from our last trip we quickly discovered we were PREGNANT! The last 1/4 of 2018 has been filled with a whole new kind of anticipation. I would say this, more than any other part of 2018, is the epitome of inheritance. This will start a whole new chapter, refocus our priorities, and grow us in all sorts of ways we can’t even comprehend. I can’t wait to meet our little Baby Bean this June!

P.S. It’s a boy!!!

So 2018 was beautiful and full of new opportunities. 2019 is looking very similar at the moment and I still feel God’s prompt to press into the world inheritance. I don’t think I’m done learning, nor will I ever be. So instead I will be thankful for this year, thankful for you our readers, thankful for the everyday joys that come our way, but especially for a new chapter in our story.

XOXOXO,
Mabyn