Small Beginnings

Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin…”

Zechariah 4:10

I think the most common theme we hear from photographers (or anyone who is pursuing a dream) is how hard it is to get started. Oh listen folks, I hear ya on that one!

In this day and age everyone (and I mean everyone) lives and does life in the age of instant. This demand for instant gratification is just as prevalent in businesses as it is in the personal lives of individuals. It’s something I battle with everyday in advertising.

Long gone are the days where we understood that great things came from consistency and time.

Frequently throughout the Bible and likely one of the most repeated metaphors used comes from farming.

Farmers know what it means to till, sow a seed, water/tend, and watch it grow. Never in the history of forever has a farmer said “I planted a seed this morning, so tonight I’ll go out and grab some corn for dinner”. It doesn’t happen.

This is a battle I face daily with weight loss. For some reason, in my mind I think that if I eat a healthy diet for a day or two, that I should be at my goal weight instantly. Think again, Tiffany.

It’s the same with dream chasing.

A sweet online friend sent me a message today asking to hear the story of how Keith and I have come to this place in our lives (by the way friend, if you’re reading this, that post will be coming soon but will very likely be in video format for ya). I also had another friend who I spoke with this past week tell me how hard it was to get started with the photography workshop business. My response: “You’re right. It’s really really hard”.

Whether it’s building your social media platform, learning a new skill, or sitting and waiting/watching for the dream of your life to come true, it all comes down to being prepared for the work.

Consistency over time produces results. I really wish I could add emphasis to that period I just placed. Consistency. Over time. Produces Results. Period.

It just does. It’s the law of life and the beautiful plan that the Lord had in mind for us. Sow a seed, tend to it, and in time it will come to fruition.

So what’s the word here? If you believe in it, if it’s etched so deeply into your heart that you know it’s a God thing, then define your target, sow your seed, tend it by doing the work daily, and you wait.

Consistency. Dedication. Commitment. Work. Patience.

I want to leave you with a quote that I have on the inside of my Life Planner: