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North Central Wisconsin Senior & Portrait Photographers James & Katie Stokes Located in Medford, Wisconsin // Life Revered    

Tag Archives: Life Revered

Engagment Photos

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February 10, 2017

/ James Stokes

From Minneapolis to Chicago & just about every region in between, we have captured couples this past year. One common thread that ties them all together is their mutual love for each other and thrill of a great adventure. Many of them have a great passion for the outdoors and enjoy taking in every moment of it together whether it be fishing, hunting, jogging, hiking, or camping. While some live in the big city, they often have roots here in the Northwoods or Central Wisconsin and it is their down-to-earth personalities that make them all so easy to get to know.

Katie and I are an open book. We may share with you much more than you ever hoped to know when it comes to life, marriage, and raising a family during one of our meetings; our story stretches back over nearly 20 years. Many of our couples met online or through mutual friends while in college or grad school. In our initial hangout dates with our couples, I like to ask how our couple met and more often than not, one will look at the other and hesitantly say, “Online!.” I then reassure them that they are not alone and it isn’t weird. We think online dating or long distance relationships are great! They’re often driven by strong communication and algorithms designed to match people based on their personalities and interests. Gotta love psychology!

Dating can be rough. I know that Katie and I wouldn’t know where to start. We’re so very thankful that God matched us when we were pre-teens to become best friends and it wasn’t until nearly a decade later that we would say, “I do.” It is so neat getting to have conversations with couples from around the country who are willing to open up and share a part of their story with us. Even more so, it is is an honor when couples entrust us to capture one of the most important days of their lives. We feel privileged to be able to spend our weekends with such extraordinary people who place a premium on their wedding experience and their marriages as a whole. They know this [marriage] is a once in a lifetime event and they want to embrace it for all it has to offer and hold dear to every passing moment; because they know it will fly by so very quickly.

You do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.

Hold on to one another and invest as much time in your marriage as you will on planning your wedding day! Life is truly made up of all the little moments and you will remember the times that you slowed down and intentionally reflected. Make time, better yet, schedule time to be alone without your phones, screens and the like and simply be present with one another. Listen. Be quite. Just exist in one another’s presence. That feeling of complete comfortability combined with butterflies is what we all wish for in a soulmate. Take a walk, ride a bike, go on the trip you always wanted. Sometimes life gets a hold of us and once it does it is hard to step off the merry-go-round. If you’re the journaling type, which we hope you are, take a few moments out of your week to put pen to paper. Write it all down, the good with the bad. When you look back and reflect, you will want to be as true to yourself as possible – and to your future generations who read your words you will want to provide wisdom. Share your mistakes, your frustrations, your passions and your regrets. Life is short, but also precious – so cherish and revere it. #liferevered. Make memories and dream big!

“If your dreams do not scare you, they are not big enough.”
― Ellen Johnson Sirleaf

Couples, Engagement, For Brides / Adventure, Chicago, Couples, Dogs, Engagement, Engagement Photos, Fall, Lake, Life Revered, Madison, Minneapolis, Personal, Rib Mountain, Stevens Point, UW Madison, Wausua, Winter / Comment

LIFE REVERED

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August 15, 2016

/ James Stokes

www.james-stokes.com | James Stokes Photography, LLC

Today I am moved by just how awesome God is. I know we hear that word often, sometimes to describe pizza or the latest lipstick but the truth is NOTHING compares to the wonders of our creator. The more time I spend away from the things that distract me from His word the more at peace I feel.

I am a person who almost always feels like they are being pulled in a million different directions, pleasing, serving, perfecting. Much of this has robbed me of joy due to a lack of prioritizing God first. I still and always need His Grace in this, but he has been so patient with me, always reminding me of how much he loves me through the stories and promises he is weaving into my life. As I approach 30, I can see God’s plan, discipline, trials, and blessings in my life much more clearly.

He moves when we are still and works when are  patiently waiting on him. This is the Christian walk; trusting in the Lord. For some, it is years, decades, but always he is faithful and just. I find myself complaining when the smallest of things don’t go the way I had planned and I am reminded of Joseph and his time in prison. My molehills are put rightly into perspective in this moment when I take time to ponder on what is eternal, what is most important!

As I begin to prepare for my brother’s wedding 1 year from today, I think about what I will say to a captive audience as I deliver the message. What words will be remembered years from now? How can I make Christ the center? That is always the goal; making less of ourselves and much of Christ. There is so much freedom in this.

The comparison game ends at the feet of Jesus. None of us are worthy or can claim our own greatness. We are clay, made of earth and poured into by the Holy Spirit.

But now, O LORD, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand. Isaiah 64:8

But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 2 Corinthians 4:7

While we may be easily broken, God has entrusted the Good News to us as a vessel reminding me again that I am not my own. The gospel is not merely a message of truth that confronts our hearts, but an explosive power that turns a person’s life upside down. How has your life been turned upside down by Jesus?

Maybe you’re in the midst of planning your wedding or simply a person looking for inspiration. I challenge you to make a choice to live a life in total reverence to your creator and Heavenly Father. The whole world comes into focus through the lens of God at the center and  as the author and artist of our life. Through trial and blessing, he remains steadfast, drawing us closer to him.

Look for ways to be a vessel; ask to be molded in the likeness of his son Jesus and search for beauty beyond the screens that permeate our daily routines. God broke the mold with you, with all of us. We’re fearfully and wonderfully made for his purpose. How will you live a LIFE REVERED?

Personal / Bible, Christ, Faith, God, Jesus, Life Revered, Personal / Comment

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