Mike and Stephanie's Digital Album

Lesson Notes Understanding the Purpose of Pain

Pain is God's instrument to expose who we are, explain how life really is, and brings us to a junction where we seek Him for answers.

God may be using your child to teach you something as well, conflict and pain is always a precursor to change.

As God never leaves us, we will never leave our kids.

Foolishness leads to more pain. Wisdom leads to more pleasure.

"Foolishness" is that determined conviction that happiness must be gained on my own terms without significant dependence on God.

"Wisdom" is knowledge of principles of right living that's gained through observation, reflection, and experience.

Pain comes...when there is confrontation for foolish thinking.

Pain comes...when they don't agree with you.

Pain comes...when discussions get heated.

Pain comes...when the authority of the goal-keeper is established or re-established.

Pain comes...when the wrong motives, demeanors or desires are exposed.

Overindulgence doesn't change the pain.

Ignoring or avoiding your child will not change the pain.

Walking away from a relationship with a rebellious child is not an option.

Compromising your standards is foolish parenting.

If we rescue our teen, or lessen consequences, the immaturity will continue.

Foolish behavior will always get worse when not confronted.

Facing the pain....brings significance.

Pain is essential in the life of your child to bring about maturity and responsibility.

When you throw yourself in the pit

I had to share all of this today as I sat reading my devotion today...

Unlike the pit we get thrown into, we put ourselves into this one. But here's the catch: we didn't mean to. We just weren't watching where we were going. We got distracted, taken in by new sights. The path didn't seem bad; it just seemed new. Exhilarating. We thought we were still okay, but the next thing we knew we were in a hold, our feet ankle deep in mud. The cell phone was dead, and suddenly we didn't have a clue what to do.

Yes, you got into this pit yourself, but it certainly wasn't planned. It wasn't what you wanted. In fact, the possiblity of falling into a pit may never have entered your mind. You certainly didn't mean for things to turn out the way they did. You didn't see it coming, but now you're in a hole.

You'd give anything if someone else had thrown you in, because you hate being the one to blame. In fact, at first you tried to think it was somebody else's fault. Anybody else's fault. But then you spent enough time in that pit for the noon sun to peak straight over your head, shedding the first direct light you'd seen form in there. That sick feeling in your stomach tells you that-no matter who else was involved-nobody pushed you into this pit. You got yourself into this one. And you're not even sure how.

Traps get set. Feet slip. And I hate how the enemy uses the guilt over how you got into a pit to trap you into never getting out! Hear me clearly; you cannot let him get away with that. No matter how guilty you feel for sliding your way in, GOD WANTS YOU OUT!

IT IS FOR FREEDOM THAT CHRIST HAS SET US FREE. STAND FIRM, THEN, AND DO NOT LET YOURSELVES BE BURDENED AGAIN BY A YOKE OF SLAVERY. GALATIONS 5:1

God still has a vision for you. No matter where you've been, God's full intent is for you to live effectively and abundantly. He loves you dearly, and the fact that you've been foolish doesn't diminish His love one single ounce. Talk to God.

If I should say, "My foot has slipped," Your lovingkindness, O Lord, will hold me up. When my anxious thoughs multiply within me, Your consolations delight my soul. Psalm 94:18-19

If you don't soak your brain in the truth that you are absolutely secure in the unchanging love of God, you will never feel worthy of getting out of the pit. Satan will keep your feet on slippery ground. When you want out of a pit, you've got a golden opportunity to seet he grace of God as you've never encountered it. Let God's loving-kindness hold you up and ask Him to make His consolations your delight.

For I am convinced that neither death no life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39

GOD LOVES US!

He proved it when He sent His Son to die for us. And He went to that extreme measure because He wants to have fellowship with us. And because God loves you so much He has many blessings He wants to give you. But you need to be walking with Him, obeying Him, trusting Him, in order for Him to be able to bless you.

So keep yourself in the love of God. Keep yourself in the place where God can do the things for you that He wants to do.

(Jude 21)

What about being thrown into the pit by someone?


How 'bout someone else's sin-a family member or a loved one?


Like Joseph- His brothers, stripped off his robe, threw him in a pit and then ate a meal...


What we must do: forgive


"Now, please, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of your father." And Joseph wept when they spoke to him. Genesis 50:17





See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. Hebrews 12:15

You can know you're in a pit when...

YOU FEEL STUCK.
There is no living at maintenance level in a pit.

YOU CAN'T STAND UP.
You feel powerless against attack.

A pit is an early grave that Satan digs for you in hopes he can bury you alive. Should you fall in he cannot make you stay! But on the same God will not make you leave. Some things are simply up to us.

YOU'VE LOST VISION.
We can no longer see things that may have once been obvious to us. That is one reason we often stay in the pit. We can always look up but we're often too focused on our sinking feet.

Danielle's Book

Ok Danielle I am ready to print your book...How do you like the last page? Any changes to the book before I order?

Ok so I think I have Danielle's book done!

I only have the last page to do and I need one more picture from her

or maybe their class moto or favorite quote...

Looking Up When Life is Looking Down by Beth Moore

I picked up a book today from the church store and so far I have really enjoyed and been touched by her words! Here is just the introduction to it

"Life can be excruciating. Crushing, in fact. The sheer magnitude of our worries can press down on our heads and, one inch at a time, we unknowingly descend into a pit of despair. Something so horrible can happen that we conclude we'll never be okay again. We can be delivered to a place where the air is crisp, the enemy is whipped, and the view is magnificent.

The Bible teaches that there are no lost causes; no permanent pit-dwellers except those who refuse to leave. Every person can know complete redemption in Christ, purpose for life, and fullness of joy. No, life won't ever be easy but the trade-off is a spin around Planet Earth that actually means something. I am convinced that when the last chapter of each life story is recorded in the annals of heaven, people would rather have lived out their fullness of days with purpose than without pain.

I want you to know the power of His Word can defy every addiction, heal any affliction, and plug up every pit. I believe God has scheduled a time and a way for you to get out of your pit. You're going to need to show up for the appointment, though."

other Christmas card options...

5x5 trifold Christmas Card

Tired of the same old same old Christmas card?

Why not try the 5x5 trifold!

Custom made to go with your photos

Available in stock, linen, or pearl (the pearl is my favorite!)

any photographer looking to purchase this template

contact me at donna@dgphotodesigns.com

$10 for this template

Logo

Well I have been wanting a logo and I am by no means a logo designer....lol...

so in my feeble attempt here are 3 that I messed around with over the last couple of days...

I think my favorite is #2

Vote for you favorite

or if you want to give you hand at it by all means help a gal out! (:

Abbey-WTS Senior

I had an amazing time shooting Abbey around her home in Washington Township.

Abbey graduates from Washington Township school in 2010 and is involved in basketball.

We first did outside pictures and then a few days later did her studio shots.

She is so photogenic...

man it seems that all my senior girls lately have been that way.

11 Birth Announcements

Set of 11 birth announcements 10- 5x7 PSD files

1- 4x6 PSD file

$30.00

All proceeds go to the Scott Carpenter Family

I graduated highschool with Scott and

he recently past away unexpectedly this week.

My First Set of PhotoShop Brushes...

23 BABY QUOTES photoshop brushes.

If anyone is interested in my first set of brushes

I am selling them for $8.00

they would be great for collages and birth announcements

Riley (:

Just had an adorable shoot with a little butterfly named Riley (:

I met her parents, what has it been now 3 yrs ago, when I shot their engagment pictures.

Riley was all smiles and I can't wait to post some of her pictures when I get them done.

A big thanks to the Ginger Family (:

Christmas Card Set 1

Due to the recent death of a classmate of mine, Scott Carpenter,

I am donating all sales of this Christmas Card set to his family...

you will also get one more card that isn't listed here

set of 4 Christmas Cards

1- 5x5

3- 5x7

on sale for 2 weeks $20

after that $30.00

send to paypal @ dgphotodesigns@aol.com as christmas set 1

Birth Announcement

Well it has been along time since I offered a free template (: sorry for that.

I recently had to design a birth announcement

and this is one of the designs that I came up with...

the template will not have a photo in it

enjoy...

this link will be availabe for 7 days

Expired

Answered Prayers

Well we got an answer to prayer..not what we would have wanted but nonetheless an answer. Brittany was found in Florida and was ok. Her father had reported the car stolen so that we had a chance of finding her and she was found and arrested. All the charges were dropped against her because it was her car and she is back home, willingly, with us for now. Keep praying for a change of heart and that she will start heading in the right direction. Thank you all for your prayers and your continued prayers for our daughter. I know God loves her more than we do and he will see her through this time in her life.

God is in Control

I keep telling myself over and over again that God is in control of the situation.

I mean we have been praying since she moved out of our house that she would

hit rock bottom if that is what she needed to straighten her life out...

is this the answer to our prayers or the process that has to happen?

Now I don't know if I want it to happen. I mean I want

her to come back to God and her family but I don't want her to have to suffer.

We as parents never want our kids to suffer and we only want the best for them.

How do you as a parent just let go and give your child over to God.

All these thoughts just keep running through my head

what if this

what if that

what if

what if

what if

I am making myself just sick. I sent another text message this morning

asking them to let Brittany contact me and that I love her and am worried about her.

I pray that I at least hear something. I just wish I new she was ok.

Frantic Mother

Brittany has been missing for 3 days now and

no one has heard from her since early Friday morning.

We have exhausted every avenue at this point and are at a loss of what to do next.

Her dad has reported the car she is driving stolen so at least the cops are looking for the car which will hopefully lead to her.

I am scared to death with worry about how she is handling her medical condition, how is she eating, where they are sleeping and the list goes on!!

I am praying that God is protecting her and that he keeps her

safe from harm. And that she doesn't do anything that can't be undone.

Operation Smiles presents Family Portrait Month

Dear Client and future clients,

I thought you would want to know about a very special family portrait promotion (does not have to be family it can be individual portraits as well) we will be
participating in with an elite group of photographers around the country. This October, we will
celebrate “Family Portrait Month,” a wonderful opportunity for you to update your family
portrait (or portraits of your children), and support Operation Smile, which treats children around
the world who suffer with cleft lips, cleft palates and other facial deformities.
Along with other studio members of Professional Photographers of America (PPA), we have
pledged to contribute $25 to PPA Charities, which has chosen Operation
Smile as its charitable partner.
Recording the faces of children and their families is our greatest pleasure. That’s why we believe
so strongly in the work of Operation Smile. Each year this incredible organization of more than
6,000 volunteer doctors, nurses, dentists, and special ized health care professionals, perform free
reconstructive surgeries for children suffering with cleft lips, cleft palates and other facial
deformities. More than 100,000 children are born with a facial deformity each year in Operation
Smile’s 26 partner countries.
We hope you will join with us in helping to make this vital work possible. Don’t forget that the
holiday season is right around the corner, so there’s no better time for a family portrait, which is
always appreciated as gifts for family and friends and to send along with holiday greeting cards.
As always . . . we look forward to creating some truly wonderful portraits of your family.

With warm wishes,
Donna
DGPhotoDesigns

Angie and Todd's Engagement

I am finally finished with Angie and Todd's wedding guest book! I am just waiting for approval on the front cover and then it is off to the printers (:


Page 1


page 2-3


page 4-5


page 6-7


page 8-9


page 10-11


page 12-13


page 14-15


page 16-17


page 18-19


page 20-21


page 22-23


page 24

Grandpa and Grandma's 60th Wedding Vow Renewal

Adam's Grandpa and Grandma celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary by renewing the wedding vows. It was so sweet watching them celebrate this precious milestone!

After the ceremony we headed out to a luncheon at Broadway Cafe...yum.

Meyer Family

I had the pleasure of meeting the Meyer family while I was out

shooting the Broughton family out at the boardwalk

and they asked me to come and shoot
a family session for them on Wednesday.

Well the weather on Wednesday was not nearly as nice

as it was the night I shot the Broughton family.

The sun was in full force and the wind was blowing.

After the shoot we decided to try again on

Thursday night after I got of work at the YMCA and well

mother nature didn't work with us again..it was raining!

It was quite funny, not really, but I was under

and umbrella holding it with my armpit and

they were under another umbrella. We counted to three

and then they would throw the umbrella down and I would take

the shot and then they would pick up the umbrella and we

would do it again. I also wasn't thinking and

sat down on the bench and you guessed it a wet bottom! lol

Ok after all that here are the shots from their two day session (: