The Fear of Traveling

Does anyone else feel like you are making up silly fears? I do! I'll be the first to admit it! It took me a while to realize that my fears were very silly!

My fears consisted of:

-Being bold enough to dance and laugh with my models/costumers

-Saying funny stuff to make my models laugh (what if I'm not funny and just super awkward?)

-Being bold enough to talk to strangers so that I can do what I've been dying to do, street photography!

-Sharing my photographs with others

Did you catch the last two? HOW SILLY!

How can I build my business if I'm afraid to share my photographs? I've been so afraid of everyone else's opinions that I let them control me. Boy was that the devils doing. To quote one of my favorites bands, Crowder, I told him "RUN DEVIL, RUN DEVIL, RUN DEVIL RUN"!

ALSO, how can I share the gospel with people and work in the mission field if I'm afraid to talk to strangers? I've always been so afraid to be turned down by someone. Why? I've photographed strangers before! The worst that they can do, I hope, is to say no!

I created such silly fears and I let them control me. I can't create my signature style and get better at photography if I don't practice! I started to learn that the hard way. My insecurities grew as I took pictures less.

Guess how I'm going to conquer these fears?

This spring break I am going to take multiple day trips to different cities across the state. My goal is to just enjoy some quality Jesus time and also get to know his people a little bit better. I'm going to start right here in good ole' Chucktown and then make my way around the state! Some of you are like "woah. Lydia. This isn't safe. Your Jeep is old!" Well I won't go too far! Everything is about 2 hours away from Columbia so I'll travel from there! I need to get my oiled changed and I drive a gas guzzler so I may not travel everywhere I want, due to lack of funds, BUT I can still travel across my two cities, Charleston and Columbia. This trip is going to help me put all my faith in God. I will need to have faith that God will give me the people to photograph and to chat with. I will also need to have faith that God will provide the money for these little trips. I don't just want to stop people on the street, but also in coffee shops or local shops! My dad is probably thinking, why don't you just do this in your two cities? I love to travel and I can't sit still anymore, which is probably why I haven't had a problem moving every year since I've been in college!

I want to do this not to just find my style, but to embrace my mission field that God has placed me in at the moment. I have to be able to share the Gospel here before I can take it globally! One of my dreams is to build my photography business across the east coast so that I can travel to clients. Whats a better way for a newbie like me to do that?

Why am I posting this?

Because when I post this the world knows that this is my plan and I can't back out of it!

Y'all are holding my accountable! Don't let me back out of this. If you don't see pictures of strangers between March 5th and the 11th someone better contact me.

Send prayers for me to have confidence and faith!