My trip to Honduras
Monday, June 29, 2009 at 09:29AM 
I don’t even know where to begin. This photo mission trip was the perfect trip for me at this time in my life. I’m tired of trying to live a life for myself, a life stuffed full of seeking fame and fortune and better earthly things than my neighbor. The children in Honduras showed me that happiness comes from relying on God everyday for just their basic needs. They have nothing. Their houses are built from bed sheets and plywood, gas cans and cinderblock and they have more happiness that I have seen in the super power of America. Their joy comes from being freed from the baggage of this world and the lusts that we all crave when we want more and more “things” and less of the Lord.
I had lost my vision until last week. I have craved money, things and fame from my photography and it has never been enough. It has become a beast inside of me that just wants more and more. I want to be better than the next photographer, better spoken of, skinnier, prettier, dressed cuter, better personality, drive a fancier car, have a nicer house, a bigger editing monitor, more prime lenses than anyone... and for what? Emptiness. I have been heaving worldly things into a huge vacuum hole that just wants more. It has stressed my heart out to the max. I live to make more money, live to look better for fame, live to seem cooler on the internet, and you know what? I’m finally done. I am done trying and I’m ready to let Christ back into my life and take over. I will reign in my worldly lusts and hand them over. I will embrace letting my worldly mind be embarrassed when I don’t have the worldly things that I used to until I am freed from my lust of the world.
We had the best team come to Honduras. Lesa, Memoree and Cody, Lauren and Peter, Ginny, Shari and Amy were the perfect blend of personalities, strengths and character to almost be one huge well rounded person in Christ. It was incredible. I want to move Honduras with all of them! They all blessed me so much. I stayed up way too late with Ginny and Shari the first night and we talked for hours about photography and the reason why we are doing it. It was like looking into a mirror for the first time and seeing that the real reasons that I was doing everything that I am was all wrong. Shari was such a bold person for me. She just spoke the Lord’s words to me about my awful spending habits. The Lord sent her to me to speak to me about not handling the things that He provides for me well. I am now going to aggressively save and use the money for exactly what the Lord tells me to. Thanks, Shari.
There were a few weird things I can tell you about from being in a foreign country. Here is a list...
- Horses grazing freely in the median of a highway.
- Trash everywhere (literally)
- Having a bodyguard walk with us everywhere we went
- Not being able to drink my 8 glasses of water a day. Water is so precious there that the children all have major teeth issues because they have to drink sodas instead of water.
- We would get sick if we opened our mouth in the shower or brushed our teeth with the tap water.
- Not being able to eat at certain places because we would get ecoli. (all the boys did get it!)
- Not knowing the language, but being able to communicate with all of these people with love and laughter.
- Seeing everyone walk up hills of trash, feces, and sharp rocks without shoes.
- Not being able to touch the dogs in the villages.
I guess the main parts of what we did you can see through my pictures, but I wanted to share my heart about what the Lord is telling me. Have I been drawn in to become a missionary in Honduras? I will go if the Lord sends me. I am tired of being lukewarm, and want to chase after God, and throw off all of my hindrances.
me
Reader Comments (44)
WOW!!! That post was amazing! I have been on a few missions trips and always come home feeling the same way. Isn't it just great!!! Good luck with this journey God is laying out for you! I can't wait to see what he has in store! Good things ahead!!! :)
Praying you will finish strong! Love you.
Lauren, I am going to hit my knees now and pray that God will guide this fire that has consumed your soul. You have done amazing things with photography and I know that same person can do more amazing things for the kingdom of God! You are a blessing to so many....
I loved this last post!! You are one of my favorite photographers and i feel like i could/do learn a lot from you. Here is where i can encourage you - BE IN THE WORD!!! That is the biggest fuel to that flame. A book that might speak to you as well "don't waste your life" by John Piper (and it is a little book so doesn't take too long to read) God intends for us to glorify him... I have been asking Him this whole time...how can use this business i am starting to glorify YOU and share the good news with the nations. I know he has a plan and purpose for your gifts as well as mine... excited to see what he will do when we are obedient and submitted to his will. Looking forward to hearing more of your journey.
Thank you for sharing your heart with us. It touched my heart tremendously.
It's always a gift when others speak truth into our lives. Keep lifting Him up and he'll direct your steps.
www.jacobandgeorgia.blogspot.com
Lauren, this is so well said....all I can say is AMEN! I will pray for your dreams to keep opening wide....knowing that dreaming big is the result of knowing the limitless God that we serve. (http://tiny.cc/8RT6L) <---blog post about my trip a few weeks ago!
holy cow i am crying! seriously. not even just a few tears, but balling my eyes out for you! and for me! and for all of us photographers in this world that struggle with that. i talked with ginny this morning just about how much we love you. i WANT you to be a missionary. the kids just flocked to you. this sounds so cheesy, but your heart is gold. i wish i could love as freely as you do.
thank you for being so bold and honest about what you struggle with. it is so breathtakingly refreshing. i'm not even sure if people will really know what to do with it, but i hope they are encouraged.
oh yeah, and your pictures are pretty high quality, too! love that one of lauren...so precious with marla.
I cried reading this! It is evident the Lord has allowed you to touch many lives in Honduras!! HE will continue to do a good work in you!
Oh, and you have encouraged and humbled ME! I too seek too many earthly riches...instead of the ones that truly matter! Thanks Lauren!
Lauren,
Wow! God sure does amazing things and his timing is amazing. It is easy getting caught up in worldly treasures and He reminds us when we need Him to, to step back sometimes. You are an amazing young lady and an amazing photographer. You touch more people than you even know and that can probably be at times overwhelming when you don't realize it. He has given you an incredible gift of touching peoples lives through your photography and with that comes pressure and responsibility. For myself you have given me the gift of capturing my precious daughters engagement and wedding day! For that I will forever be so thankful God sent you to our family. I am stilI on an emotional high because you captured Megan and Mark so beautifully and its been over a year! I have become one of your stalkers haha! Just seeing the joy you capture in peoples lives and the creative ways you find to capture that amazes me. Lauren, thankyou for sharing yourself with the world, letting us in your life, showing your emotions and your love for Christ!
THANK YOU! i needed that :)
Lauren - You have spoken my thoughts. I too have been so consumed with our earthly possessions and worrying about not having all that I want yet at the same time feeling guilty about all that I have. I can't wait to see what the Lord has in store for each of us. Not only in our personal lives but in our phototgraphy as well. You have been such an inspiration to me - and I know that God has an amazing plan already set in to motion for you and Josh. - Memoree
Lauren, this my favorite blog post EVER of yours. And I think some of your best photos because they capture something so intensely personal and real. Thank you for sharing your experience!
Your words touched my heart and brought me down a notch. I believe the work you do shows the lords beauty and creativity through your talent. Your blog stalkers are good Christian people - you can tell this from your comments received. You are truely a woman of the lord, even though you seem to feel you aren't as Godly as you think you should be. Everyone needs daily growth in the lord!
Thanks again for the beautiful pictures! What type of lens did you use for those first shots?
Never doubt yourself and the goodness that is inside you and the people that you surround yourself with.
Lauren,
We got to talk to Shari yesterday at church and hear all about last week and it was awesome because those same convictions were being made in our hearts throughout the last week and even through the sermon that morning. You story is encouraging, and I just want to thank you for sharing it! I hope that we can continue to be missional here in Lubbock. And wherever else the Lord sends us!
Lauren, this post was amazing. God has a way of showing us things that he wants us to see when he wants us to see them. I always thought there was something different about you not just throught your photography but mainly because of your love for Christ. I ran into your myspace page about a year or two ago and the thing that stood out the most to me was that you were a christian and so young. I've been eyeing your website and keeping up with your blog ever since and you truly are blessed. Always remember as christians we are going to stand out among the rest just because of who our father is. It doesn't matter if we have fancy cars big houses the latest fashions etc. We are going to stand out because God's love shines through brighter and better than anything in this world. You obviously have that love and I pray that God continue to use you in a mighty, mighty way....
I agree with everyone that is..was..an amazing post. You poured your heart and soul out to all who follow your blog. I do not think anything we have in our lives is because of us it is because of God and God only. Our homily in church this past Sunday was just of this same topic. God has blessed you with a special gift and that gift is capturing moments in time for all those you seek your service. He has blessed you with your husband, your home, your money. It is just what you do with those blessings. I have been following you for about a year now and even though I have never met you I was drawn to your pictures and your writings. You have a beautiful soul and don't for a moment get down on yourself for having the life you have. May God Bless you and help you sort out your feelings. Always Connye
Girl you have encouraged ME as I too seek too many earthly riches instead of what really matters most! WOW...this is really really amazing! Thanks for sharing with us girlie. You are the best!
Lauren - what a great post and what a great opportunity for you. Finding that kind of clarity and motivation is really an awesome thing He gave you! And thank you for making me take a step back and think about all these things I've been worrying about lately. God bless!