Photography: America's Most Photographed Barn

Sharing a favorite photo taken a few years ago at the "most photographed barn in America", the T.A. Moulton Barn in Moose, Wyoming near Jackson Hole.

God's Intricate Pattern; Trusting God During Cancer Treatment

Recently, my husband and I travelled to the West Coast for our 19th Wedding Anniversary. While we were there, we toured an aquarium and I was fascinated with one sea creature in particular. Are you familiar with the Chambered Nautilus? 

The Nautilus’ claim to fame is its beautiful shell. This shell is often referred to as a universal symbol of growth and transformation, and in our Christian tradition, it represents faith and renewal.

Another thing that makes the Nautilus unique is the way that as it grows within its shell. This creature starts out very small in the inner-most center chamber of its shell, and as it grows and needs more space, it moves forward and outward, closing the  door on the previous, smaller area that it once lived in. This forward growth creates the beautiful shape you see that spirals outward in this intricate pattern.

As I learned about the Nautilus, I connected to the idea that we are also moving through various stages of life, of growth and transformation, of faith and renewal. We also can grow and move forward!

Growth and renewal can come in so many ways, and the catalyst of change may be different for every single person, but for me, growth and renewal came recently during a season of struggle due to a medical crisis. You see, almost three years ago, in August 2021, I was diagnosed with a very aggressive form of Breast Cancer. 
Without going into too much detail, I woke up on the morning of my birthday with physical symptoms that I couldn’t ignore. I was visiting my family in Louisiana, but as soon as I could make it back to Utah, my Doctor began a series of tests and scans, which resulted in my diagnosis.

Within two weeks, I began a year long treatment plan which included chemotherapy, surgery, radiation, and other therapies.
This treatment would compromise my immune system, and required my husband and I to isolate ourselves at home. So we began several months of working remotely, watching church on Youtube, and having groceries delivered. It’s a good thing that we enjoy each others company because there was a lot of together time!

And during that time, our church family was there to support us in so many ways and we were so grateful for that support. Thank you for every text, phone call, visit, and Meal Train delivery - it was such a blessing to us. 

It was very difficult time, but during that year, God intervened for us in so many amazing ways. For instance, we had prayed that my treatment would be successful and that I would have a complete response therapy. Just one week into treatment, to my surprise, my tumor was completely gone! I’m embarrassed to admit it, but I was shocked; for me, it’s easy to believe for healing in someone else’s situation, but when God moves in my own life, it’s a surprising and humbling experience! And I give Him all the praise.

And again: During my baseline scans, it was discovered that in addition to my initial diagnosis, I also had spots on my lungs, a tumor in my liver, and we were told to prepare ourselves as it was highly likely that the cancer had already spread throughout my body. We continued with the tests, but our families, my husband and I began to reach out to everyone we knew and request that they pray. The next week, my oncologist told us the good news - that the tumor in my liver was non-cancerous, the cancer was localized, and it had not spread. Thank you Lord - another answer to prayer! 
But the biggest miracle of all was that although I should have been filled with fear and anxiety during this time, I felt calm, and even joyful. How was that possible? I can only say that it was through trust in God! I had a peace and lack of anxiety that I’d never known, even during my healthy days. 
Also, I felt that God was giving me a chance to grow in my understanding of Him as He renewed my faith every day. The ways that God describes Himself in the Bible became very real to me. For instance:

• He is the Comforter of Isaiah 61, giving us peace beyond anything we can understand. 

• He is the Gentle Shepherd of Psalms 23, who walks with us even through the Valley of the Shadow of Death. 

• He is our Friend when we are lonely. No circumstance can ever separate me from His love, Romans 8.

So you may not be dealing with a physical challenge. In fact, everything may be great in your life, but you might feel a desire for more that you can’t explain. Could it be that God is calling you to grow forward into something new? I encourage you to trust Him and ask what He wants to teach you about Himself. How does He want you to grow and transform? Is He moving you forward to a new level of faith?

Our friend the Nautilus never sees the beautiful pattern that its shell makes - and its the same for us, we may not see the pattern of our lives as we move through seasons of growth and transformation, of faith and renewal. But God, Who made us with so much love and care, knows our whole story. He sees the beautiful, intricate pattern of our lives. 
He knows you and He loves you. You can place your faith in Him, because He created you and He has a plan for your life. Will you trust Him today to grow and transform you, to renew your faith, so that you can leave the old things behind and move into what He has planned for you?

Happy Fall Ya'll!

Happy Fall Ya'll! It's been such a loooong, hot summer - I'm so ready for sweater weather and pumpkin spice everything! What are you looking forward to most this Autumn?

December Freebie: Buffalo Plaid Gift Tags

Happy Monday friends! 

Just a quick reminder, every month, I send out a fabulous freebie to all my newsletter subscribers! If you are interested in receiving a #freeprintable in your inbox, join up today at: http://www.stephaniejarry.com

This month's printable? Buffalo plaid gift tags - enjoy!

Printable Recipe Cards

Looking for a beautiful way to share your favorite recipes? Then you'll love this farmhouse modern style recipe card #printable! Visit my Etsy store to find out more: goo.gl/j6pffj

Life is a Beautiful Ride - August Freebie

Life is a beautiful ride, isn't it?  

Back in 2011, as a military spouse who has relocated overseas in support of my husband’s career, I has lonely, bored, and a little despondent.  I was volunteering for three different organizations while pursing my MBA, but I still felt that I had too much "free time"!  What could I do to fill the empty hours?

On a whim, I decided to take risk and start my own business.  At the time I focused on photography only and hoped that I might be able to find a few people that would be willing to let me take their portraits.  After a few months, I began to add in my graphic design services.  I was pleasantly surprised when I started to build a base of clients.  Building that business was such a blessing and my confidence as an artist and entrepreneur began to blossom and grow.

I learned so much in those first years of business!  I was graphic designer, photographer, marketing director, and accountant.  Yes, it was a busy time, but so much fun!  I began to rediscover the excitement of being creative.

In a few years we moved back to the United States and although my business was great fun and was still growing, I felt that I needed to find a job that utilized my education.  In retrospect, I felt guilty for not being full time employed and still thought of my business as a nice "hobby", not a career.  I went back to work as an administrative assistant but still took portraits and designed graphics on the weekends.

After about a year, I finally admitted to myself that I was in a dead-end in my career.  I had moved too many times and as a military spouse, employers saw me as short-term and were hesitant to invest resources in training me.  Underemployed and stuck in a rut, I began to realize it was time to take control of my future.  Could I become a full-time artist?  Shouldn’t I at least give it a try?  So I did!

I love new beginnings and soon another new beginning awaits for me as I once again start over in a new location. Happily, to me, each new starts brings a feeling of excitement!  How about you?  What new adventure awaits you?  Are you sending the kids to college?  Starting a new job?

Whatever your journey, sign up for my newsletter and receive a monthly freebie like this month's "Life is a beautiful ride" 8x10 printable and SVG cut file!  

Send me a message and let me know how you use your files, I'd love to see how creative you are!

Please note: While these are free for you to use however you like, I own the copyright to the artwork and you may not re-distribute the files in any way, shape, or form nor claim them as your own.

A New Season for New Beginnings

Don't you love springtime?

To me, spring mean new beginnings! Everything about this time of year inspires me to take on new projects. I'm motivated to search out new ways to update my personal and professional life. For motivation, I've collected a few quotes and I thought I would share them with you. Here goes:

The day the Lord created hope was probably the same day he created Spring. - Bernard Williams

The world’s favorite season is the spring. All things seem possible in May. - Edwin Way Teale

April hath put a spirit of youth in everything. - William Shakespeare

No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow. - Proverb from Guinea

I believe in process. I believe in four seasons. I believe that winter’s tough, but spring’s coming. I believe that there’s a growing season. And I think that you realize that in life, you grow. You get better. - Steve Southerland

Do you have a favorite quote about spring? Be sure to leave it in the comments!

Advent: A Season of Hope

Image Source: LoveGodGreatly.com

I have a confession to make - even though I've been a Christian for 30+ years, I've never observed Advent. Growing up in a non-traditional denomination, Advent always seemed too structured and rigid and maybe even a bit old fashioned.

It wasn't until last year when I overheard several of my Bible study friends talking about advent and how excited they were to set up their Joshua tree for their kids, that I began to be curious about this tradition.

“The Christmas message is that there is hope for a ruined humanity- hope of pardon, hope of peace with God, hope of glory- because at the Father’s will Jesus became poor, and was born in a stable so that thirty years later he might hang on a cross.” -  J.I. Packer

So shortly before Thanksgiving, I began looking for an online Advent study that I would be able to do on my own. Luckily, I found a great four week study titled "God With Us", being offered by LoveGodGreatly.com, an online community dedicated to providing resources for women who want to study God's Word.

If you are like me and want to start an Advent study, visit their website to download their free study journal or purchase your printed copy on amazon. The study's online format is incredibly flexible and perfect for this busy time of year.

What better way could there be to celebrate the greatest Gift ever given?

Destin, Florida Sunsets

What is it about Destin, Florida sunsets that makes them so amazing? The colors along 30A last night were breathtaking! I couldn't ask for a more amazing backdrop for portrait photography!

Constant In A Changing World

Isn’t it true that we live a world that is defined by seasons? Its fall and during this time of year I’m filled with a childish anticipation of all things autumn. Pumpkin spice everything, apple cider, cozy sweaters, scarves and crisp cool evenings spent around a crackling bonfire. Sure as the seasons change and the colorful leaves turn green then gold before falling to the ground, life has a way of moving us through seasons of metamorphosis and change.

Reflected in the physical world around me, I see the changing seasons of life. Child, daughter, wife, and mother. The face looking back at me from my mirror seems similar but different with wrinkles that seem to appear without warning.

So in this changing world, what is constant? 


God does not change

One of my favorite scriptures is Psalms (102:25-27). Here David speaks of the changing physical world versus the unchanging nature of God… “In earlier times You established the earth; the skies are Your Handiwork. They will perish, but You will endure. They will wear out like a garment; like clothes You will remove them and they will disappear. But You remain; Your Years do not come to an end.” What an incredible thought! 

I find comfort in two things more things that will never change: 1). God’s Word and 2). God’s plan.

God’s Word is forever
Psalm 119:89 “Your word, Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.”

Isaiah 40:8 The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.”

God’s plans do not change
Psalm 33:11 “But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.”

So enjoy the changing season, but take comfort in knowing that you can trust in One who never changes!

5 Ways To Stay Positive As A Creative Business Owner

As a small business owner since 2011, I can say from personal experience that owning your small creative business is a lifestyle that requires a lot of faith and perseverance. So why do it? It’s incredibly rewarding and freeing – the secret is to stay positive! With that in mind, here are 5 ways to stay positive and motivated as a small business owner.

1). Remember why you began

Why did you make the change from officer worker to work from home entrepreneur? Was it to spend more time with your children? Did you have a great idea that you knew would be your key to entrepreneurial success? 

Sometimes I have rough days when the grass seems greener on the other side of the fence. I may even look backwards and feel a pang of regret that I left my steady office job to work from home. When I feel this way, I take a moment and remember why I chose to leave the corporate work environment. For me, it was the need to create a career that would be portable as I move every few years in support of my spouses’ career. Sometimes it’s good to remember what motived us to make the change!

2). Be good to yourself

Working for yourself is the hardest work you will ever do. Period. 

If I’m not at my computer creating new designs or authoring blog post, I feel like I should be! As my own boss it’s really difficult to remind myself that I need a break (and a vacation) from time to time. In fact, after a few months of working for myself, my health took a major nose dive. I wasn’t exercising because I felt guilty taking time for myself and I neglected the healthy eating habits I had maintained most of my life. 

The moral of this story is, don’t be me! Take care of yourself! Invest in your health – physical, mental and spiritual.

3). Create structure

Work/life balance – we all crave it. In fact, it’s one of the number one reasons that smart, motivated individuals like us strike out to make our own way in the world. The irony is it’s easier said than done to maintain balance for entrepreneurs. 

For me personally I’ve found that I need to separate my work life and my personal life in some way. Since my home is also my office I’ve found the best way to do this is to create an office area dedicated solely to that purpose. Ok, you’re saying, I don’t have the space. An office nook may be a corner of the sofa or closet in the guest room, but it really helps to be able to establish a work and non-work zone for work/life balance. Another think that really helps create structure in my work from home life is to have office hours – and to keep them, seriously!

4). Nurture your connections

I’m not going to lie, I’m horrible at this! However, it’s such an important part of owning your own business that I have to include it. Having a strong support network is key to staying positive and motivated through the ups and downs of being a small business owner. 

We all needs friends - whether it’s a weekly Bible study or a play date at the park don’t forget to enjoy time with others.

5). Remember it’s a marathon, not a sprint

I started my small business in 2011 and had I known how my business would grow and evolve, I probably would have been overwhelmed! Being an entrepreneur has forced me to push outside of my comfort zone personally and professionally. It has been a lot of work and I’ve experienced quite a few growing pains, but I’ve also gained many rewards, although not always the monetary kind! So hang in there and remember owning your small business is a lifestyle that requires a lot of faith and perseverance.

Owning your business can be a dream come true - incredibly rewarding and freeing – the secret is to stay positive! So how do you stay positive and motivated as a small business owner?