October 2013 Archive

WOD for Water 2012 {Troy, Al}

Everyone who drinks of the water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water I give them, will never thirst. John 4:13-14

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It’s almost time for the 2nd annual WOD for Water {Troy, Al}!  Last year, was a big success and this year’s event is well on its way to being even bigger!  What is WOD for Water?  It is an event to raise money and awareness for NeverThirst and their efforts to build clean water wells in third world countries and also providing opportunities to spread the gospel.  Neverthirst partnera with local churches in Central African Republic, Indi and Sudan.  The villages in these countries are among the poorest in the world, leaving millions of God’s children living in poverty, with disease, hunger and thirst. Clean water is necessary to live a healthy life and while supplying clean water to these poverty stricken villages across the world, it allows the local churches and missionaries to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the true living water!IMG_9820 108

I’m sure you would agree that it is easy to take clean water for granted!  It’s not something we have to even think about.  Last year I went on my first mission trip to Nicaragua and was able to see, first hand, people living their lives among unclean water.  While there, we were advised not to drink the water…we should keep our mouth closed while showering and would use bottled water when bruising our teeth. While we live our lives among clean, purified, distilled water in our homes, schools, restaurants, and elsewhere; I feel it is an awesome opportunity for us to have a heart like Jesus, showing we care and giving sacrificially and then being able to see families receive clean water and most importantly receiving the word of Jesus Christ!

Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed. Proverbs 19:1767Why the jerry can?  These are used daily in third world countries to get water, often walking miles to just get dirty water. Women and children are usually responsible for this, as the men are working.  While in Nicaragua, I remember one of the first “real moments” that touched my heart was seeing these little girls walking by the rancho swinging their empty buckets, then an hour or so later they would come back by with full buckets, carrying them on their head or sharing the weight of a bigger bucket by two girls holding it.  If those girls can do it, with a smile on their face, I know you can too and I’ll be there to take a picture of you doing it!115 4 2 1

You don’t have to be a fitness maniac to participate in this event! WOD for Water is available for anyone who can do the lighteset amount of physical movement to the strongest person in town. And if that’s not your thing, new this year is a Walk for Water, anyone can participate!!  And if you can’t participate, you can still give!!! Please consider being a part of this event in some shape form or fashion…help make a difference, it will leave your heart happy!  The event takes place this Saturday, November 2, at 9:00am Bibb Graves Quad on the campus of Troy University (registration starts at 8:00).  Feel free to email me for more information or Jason Jones at jasonj@jonesmed.com.  I want to leave with you these verses and I hope they tug at your heart to give…..

Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. Hebrews 13:16

Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7

Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered. Proverbs 11:25

Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of LIVING WATER.’” John 7:38

Ana & Matt {Engaged}

ana1Ana is a sweet, sweet girl that I came to adore when she was my “finance girl” for Alpha Gam while she was in college at Troy!  She always had a smile on her face and something sweet to say! Very smart girl, with big goals and an even bigger heart! I knew she was going to make a guy very lucky one day!  When she started pharmacy school at Auburn, God lead her down a path to have lunch with a friend from high school, Matt…. keep reading and you can hear more of their sweet love story straight from her!

IMG_0023-2IMG_0019How did ya’ll meet?  We actually met in high school! We were in a different circle of friends and just acquaintances at that time. After graduation, he went to Troy-Dothan and later Auburn and I went to Troy for my undergrad and then to Auburn for  pharmacy school.  Soon after I moved to Auburn, we ended up going to lunch with mutual friends. He asked me if I had anyone to go to the first football game with, I told him no….he asked if I wanted to go with him, I said sure, and the rest is history!!!

ana2IMG_0194Tell us about the proposal:  We had been talking about marriage for a while,  so I sort-of knew it was coming. We were going to Destin for my spring break and he had been telling me he had me a surprise. I had a hunch that it was an engagement ring, but little did I know that he had an even bigger surprise for me. We went to the beach around sunset, and it was pretty chilly, so Matt had this big jacket to take with him to the beach. I asked him about it and he said it was for when I got cold or we sat down (but in reality, he had the ring in it!!). We started walking to the shoreline and when he found his “spot”, he  took my hand and he asked me if I was sure about the plans we had been talking about. I said, of course, so he said, well then I have a question to ask you.  He then got down on one knee and asked me to marry him! I said yes and he picked me up in a big hug! After he put me down, he asked me if I remembered about the other surprise. I said yes and he turned around and pointed back up the beach. After a second, I realized it was my friend, Maggie, and her husband, Jim Bob. She had taken pictures of the proposal!!! That had been one of the requests that I had always mentioned to Matt about if there were ever a possible proposal. So, not only did he ask me to marry him, he made it even better by having one of my best friends there to celebrate with us!

ana3IMG_2647IMG_0129-2Ana’s description of Matt: Comforting, supportive, funny/goofy (as in, always making me laugh! He says he has succeeded for the day when he makes me smile!)

ana2IMG_0275IMG_0290Matt’s description of Ana: Fun, sweet and beautiful

ana5IMG_0341-2Ana and Matt’s favorite thing to do as a couple is enjoying Auburn football games together, whether it be in the stadium or on the couch!  I think they have many, many happy days ahead as they live out their happily ever after starting April 26, 2014!  Click here to view more images from their engagement session!!

Shelby {Senior 2014}

shleby1I had the sweetest time with my cousin and her daughter, Shelby, while shooting her Senior session!  Shelby is genuine, caring, smart, humble, courageous, a leader, and beautiful, inside and out!! She has had such a sweet, rewarding life thus far and that is the result of a lot of commitment and hard work towards things she holds dear to her heart!  She is a Senior at Ariton High School where she is SGA President, an awesome softball player and the school mascot, the Purple Cat!! She has an amazing resume and a beautiful heart… continue reading and you will agree with me!IMG_0024shleby2Shelby is a country girl at heart and has a love for agriculture!  The state of Alabama is blessed to have Shelby on board with their FFA Association! This year she was selected as Alabama’s FFA Treasurer and she was elected Alabama Junior Cattlemen’s President by her peers. She writes an article each month for Alabama Cattlemen’s magazine and she recently won 2013 Alabama FFA Star Farmer! Needless to say she is a busy girl!IMG_0197

shleby3 IMG_0231_1IMG_0364IMG_0335IMG_0379The next few images below are some of my favorites!  This is Shelby with her show cow, Savannah!  I have photographed dogs, just recently a cat and now I can say cows have made it in front of my camera!  Believe it or not, I even had a 4-H cow when I was younger!! His name was Peanut! When show time came my cow wasn’t very calm, so my dad didn’t let me “show” him in the ring…. he found a high school guy to show him for me and this guy was on the ground, holding on to the rope attached to Peanut, being drug into the arena! Peanut didn’t win any awards and was not worthy of having his picture taken with me like Savannah, below.IMG_0440-2IMG_0416IMG_0419-2 IMG_0400The image below captured the past 9 years of Shelby’s life, all in a snapshot! Her mom wanted a way to get all of the memories and awards in one picture and I must say she did an amazing job!  As her mom said… this image captured “Shelby’s 9 years of hard work, commitment and success in the show ring”!
IMG_0506 shleby4IMG_0512Shelby has applied to Auburn and plans to pursue Ag Education as her major.  She wants to teach and continue working with Alabama’s FFA promoting agriculture and building future youth leaders. I’d say she is the perfect candidate for this role!  To add to Shelby’s amazingness, she also owns over 100 Charolais cattle through her operation, Hillside Charolais!! She wants to continue raising cattle and increase her operation!  I feel confident there is more in store for this girl and I look forward to seeing where God leads her!  “For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11.   I am thankful I was able to capture the sweetness of Shelby’s heart, I know these are images her family will cherish forever!  Click here to view more images from Shelby’s Senior session.

Anna & Dean {Engaged}

I had the best morning with Anna and Dean!  Seriously, if we lived in the same city we would have to hang out a lot because they kept me laughing and smiling the whole time!  I’ve known Dean for several years and from the moment I got to know his family I fell in love with them! Dean has such a fun personality, keeping you laughing and smiling often and he’s one of those guys who would do anything for anyone!  My youngest son, Carter, actually reminds me of Dean!!  It wasn’t long after Anna & Dean started dating that Dean brought Anna to Troy and I met her….my first thoughts… she’s beautiful, of course!  And now that I’ve had the chance to get to know her – she’s beautiful inside and out and is the perfect bride for Dean! Dean followed in his granddad’s footsteps and is now a veterinarian, and guess what… Anna is a veterinarian too! She and Dean are so sweet together…Anna is going to be the perfect addition to the Anderson family!  I can’t wait for David and I to photograph their wedding in Hickory, NC next May – we are even going to get to stay in a little cabin while we are there!  I hope you enjoy these images and see just how awesome and loving this couple is!

anna2IMG_0173 (1) anna1 IMG_0030Anna & Dean met at veterinary school at Auburn University. On the first day of clinical rotations Dean yelled down the hall “Tell that Anna Rector I’m after her.” To Dean’s surprise, Anna was in the hall and turned to stare at him. It took only one two week rotation for them to get to know each other and they have been together ever since!

IMG_0113 (1) IMG_0040 anna3anna5Anna’s description of Dean::Loving, charismatic & kind

IMG_0268 (1) IMG_0274 IMG_0280Here is Anna’s memories of Dean’s proposal to her…. “I graduated vet school in New York, NY. The first night in NY Dean told me he found a place exploring the hotel that he wanted me to see, we could sneak up there. We went to the roof of the building and had a gorgeous view of the city. When I turned back around he was on one knee. I said “really?!” and then of course hugged him and squealed. Both our parents were waiting to celebrate with us downstairs. Dean did an amazing job with the proposal and I was completely surprised!”

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anna8Dean’s description of Anna: Beautiful, loving & caringanna6anna7IMG_0447IMG_0461IMG_0477 IMG_0473

Can you guess what their favorite thing to do as a couple is?? Probably so…. spending time at the beach with their dogs!  Anna and Dean, I am looking forward to your wedding day; thanks for sharing this special time with me!

If you want to see a few more images from their engagement session and enjoy some music, click here: http://candacenelsonphotography.myshowit.com/annaanddeanengaged