There is so much beauty, pain, and understanding that led to this moment right here. A journey that I am thankful our clients are allowing us to share. I think that during this crazy year, it is a lesson of love and forgiveness that we all need to embrace.
We love getting contacted to photograph surprises and proposals. What made this one different was the dad excitedly arranged this for his son. During the consult, I asked my favorite question “How did they meet” The tone of the conversation changed at that point. By the end, I was holding back tears.
He said “Well, it’s a bit of a story. We love our son very much. But, the day that he came forward as gay, our world was turned upside down. We are very involved in our church and this doesn’t exactly go with our beliefs. It took many years to come to understand and accept the news. But here we are now, more excited than ever to see that our son found the love of his life.” He then began to tell me about how they now work with the organization that has helped them through the past several years. It is an organization called, Center Peace.
From their website…
“Since 2006, CenterPeace has been helping churches, schools, and families all over the world have conversations about faith and sexuality in a more Christ-like way. We provide a place to belong for LGBTQ+ people, and we welcome grace-filled dialogue and respectful disagreement with all who come to the table, acknowledging Jesus as the CenterPeace of our existence.”
Being apart of documenting their story was a true honor. In a world full of judgment and hate, this family rose above together and found peace. God fully blessed this moment with some of the most beautiful weather we could ask for. Cotton candy skies, calm waters, and the love of a family.
