WAY PAST DUE. LITERALLY.

at the beginning of this month, i was asked to photograph my friend's belly. wait that sounded strange... no fear, it was a maternity shoot. she wanted to remember the day's that she carried her baby girl. i was extremely honored and excited to take these photos for her! after all, we're talking about amanda here. i say that because she is such a humble, God-centered, sincere person. the entirety of amanda herself, reminds me of the quote by a.w. tozer, "those rare Christians whose very presence incites others to be better Christians. I want to be that rare Christian." the first sentence of this quote is amanda in a nutshell. my response is the second sentence. always. 
adding motherhood to her inspiring life, well, it's like adding whipped cream and a dash of cinnamon to a white chocolate mocha. you know when an expecting lady makes you anticipate motherhood that she will be fantastic at it herself. when her daily life -- eating healthy to have a healthy baby, working hard at home, investing in the lives of others, flying to england for a mission trip, etc etc -- makes you want to be a good mom in the future, that's what it means to be a biblical mother. 
i am so grateful for the impact she's had in my life. she is intentional with words (and seeks forgiveness when sin gives way), encouraging in my Walk with the Lord, and fixed on Christ. thank you, amanda, for every single bit of spiritual growth you have sowed into my heart. 

and now, all of those awesome attributes are being lavished and shown in her new life as a mom! so exciting, SO exciting that baby has entered into this world. not because it offers anything good, because frankly, this world is Darker than any hidden cave, and is becoming more and more of a race to hell, rather than to eternity in Jesus' embrace. what is exciting though, is that both chris and amanda are so in tune with the Gospel and so deeply rooted in God, that i am confident their baby girl will surrender her life to Christ. and that, friends, is beautiful; and worth living life in this sin-filled earth. 

so, here's to lucy love holland, and the hope and joy and life in Christ i see in her coming days. you are loved, little one.