I AM SPIRITED! Karen's story When I was seven or eight years old, I was molested by my adopted brother\blood cousin. Because of this I was very timid in setting boundaries for healthy relationships when I started dating around eighteen years old. My world turned upside down when I was date raped. Now with even more feelings of being unworthy and having new baggage of being an unwed single mom, I married into an unhealthy, abusive relationship because I didn't feel I could be loved or accepted by anyone. So the first person to accept me with all my baggage, I clung onto dearly. I quickly found out, within the first three weeks of our marriage, that the relationship was toxic. I came to an all time low in my life with a deep depression and not loving who I had become or how I had gotten there. I prayed a lot and continued to go to church, but didn't know how to change my situation... But the Lord provided a way for me to grow and learn more about myself in a step by step way, by giving me a chance to go to school for a subject that would help me understand myself, my situation, and challenges to overcome. Psychology. Being in school gave me the chance to gain confidence in myself and to see myself as a smart and capable person. Even though I had four young children, I was able to keep good grades and keep the house under control and organized! However, the abuse in my marriage continued to get worse... but thankfully the Lord gave my husband a job out of state. This gave us distance, and gave me a chance to learn about my true self and capabilities without having negative talk thrown at me daily. I pursued personal counseling thru LDS services, set up by my bishop, to better my life further. I needed help to train myself to quit the bad self-talk I had done for such a long time and learn to finally forgive myself for things that were not my fault, and to love myself despite my faults. I started to lose weight for myself, and knew that I was worth loving. It took me almost a year of the Lord guiding me step by step and with self love training, and help from my counselors to get out of the relationship safely. The divorce was brutal but, the Lord blessed me with a strong support system through my friends, my family, and moving me back to my home-town where I was able to start over fresh. We only had one bag of clothes and a box of toys, nothing more. But in all this the Lord did not leave me and my kids stranded. I found a basement apartment and we moved in within just a few days. People I didn't know in my new ward and in the community donated supplies, furniture, kitchen items, food, etc. Everything needed for a home was given within a few days time. I hadn’t even gotten a new job yet, but we were taken care of completely! I was in awe! These angels that were guided by the Lord touched me so much with all their love they showed us! This was another Testament that I knew I had done the right thing, even though it was so hard to leave and separate my family again. Slowly I started going to church again with loving friends and neighbors. I changed my schedule at my job so that I could have more opportunities to go to church instead of working all weekend. I also went to the single’s ward activities with these friends and to dances. I eventually turned to the Atonement again, and to find out who I was through God’s eyes. Once I saw that, I was able to love myself again. I read the scriptures, which helped a ton for me to get in touch with the spirit. I had to start all over to let the love of Christ into my heart and to let him heal it COMPLETELY! I was going to school again. This time for Paralegal. Eventually I started seeing myself thru different eyes. I wanted to be the person the Lord had in mind for me. I followed his promptings for me easier. I was no longer angry at the church, nor with God. I was finally at peace and full of love. I was not truly happy until I went back to church regularly and I started living the commandments the right way. The only way to true happiness and freedom is to live a guiltless life. To reach for success and eternal life. To reach higher! And not to be satisfied with just mediocre. I wasn't happy until I realized that! When I finally let go, the man that had been my friend for one and a half years, was now able to have my heart. He was there all along. My husband now. He had a goal, and he kept his eye on it! I feel like he waited for me, the Lord molded him for me! My husband is my rock! He is so patient with me. He is a wonderful Dad and example to my children! I was blessed with a miracle baby with this wonderful man and we have an amazing life! I LOVE our family! I am active in the gospel and love God in all I do. I know I have much more to improve, but I'm at a better place today than I was three years ago! And that is a huge success! I have goals, and I know I can achieve them with Heavenly Father’s help and with my husband by my side. The Word I picked is SPIRITED. I picked this word because I have always been very close to my Father in Heaven. I have always wanted to please the Lord in every way and that’s a strong quality of mine! Being close to Heavenly Father makes me strong. It helps me see others the way that He would see them and love them. Being SPIRITED is where my positive energy comes from and what gives me my determination to get through such hard things in my life. The Lord gives me these trials to shape me and I am stronger for it! I can be enthusiastic and happy even in hard times, and that is why he gives them to me. Because we, me and the Lord together, can handle whatever comes my way! Karen's here to kick us off!! She is our very first BEAUTY we are celebrating and what a way to start!! How incredibly BEAUTIFUL is Karen?!?! Karen has SUCH a tender heart!! She is kind, loving, FUN, bright, a light to all those around her and has the CUTEST laugh ever!! I am soooo thankful the Lord put her and her friendship in my path. She is a GREAT friend and is soooo much fun to be around!! She has an amazing family and a hubby who is just head over heels for her <3 <3 This girl is going places and it was an HONOR to photograph her beauty and every little amazing thing that makes Karen a BEAUTIFUL daughter of God!! THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH KAREN FOR BEING APART OF THIS!!!! You are brave, strong and BEAUTIFUL!!!! What an honor it was to photograph you, listen to your story, become closer friends with you and truly see and feel of the natural light you are!! I just think the world of you and KAREN, YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!!!! <3 Alexa Taylor-Jay Ogilvie Taylor Jay Photography It is CRAZY SCARY to put your story out there for the world to see, to talk about such hard things/times. But THIS woman is so strong, so courageous and is sharing HER story with the intent to help other women see themselves as God does. To help YOU on your journey to self-LOVING!! If her story, her courage and her heart touches you please let her know by commenting below!! WE LOVE YOU KAREN!!!! This photo shoot was a dual effort!! The other master photographer behind this photo shoot and idea is Kelsey Bailey Photography!! Please go 'like' her Facebook page >> https://www.facebook.com/KelseyBaileyPhoto/ and click here to view HER STUNNING PHOTOS of Karen Fullmer and all her Celebration of beauty photos as well from our shoot!! >> https://kelseybaileyphotography.weebly.com/…/i-am-spirited-… We had a master videographer documenting every little amazing, tender and BEAUTIFUL moment!! Please click here to see Shaun Schofield from DOZE Videos AMAZING BTS video and get excited to see allllllll the beautiful pictures, stories and the grand finale of throwing color COMING YOUR WAY!!!! Please go 'like' his Facebook page >> https://www.facebook.com/dozevideos/ View Shaun's AWESOME BTS video of our Celebration of Beauty project on his youtube.com channel Please click here to see: >> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8xniy6r68A Taylor Jay Photography - my Facebook page >> https://www.facebook.com/taylorjayphotography/ Here's ALLLL the details below to the why we are posting these women, their personal stories and their journey to no longer self-hating but SELF-LOVING!!!! This is an incredible and inspiring project and we can't wait to take y'all on this journey with us!! <3 <3 >> https://taylorjayphoto.weebly.com/celebration-of-…/the-intro https://taylorjayphoto.weebly.com/celebration-of-beauty/the-intro LIKE.COMMENT.SHARE.ENJOY!! Please Like. Comment. Share. Tag. any woman you feel could benefit from Karen's amazing, real and raw story!!!!
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