It is a honor to introduce you to an inspiring woman, Lynda Kennedy.
She applied for SOAR! last year, and she didn’t win. Nine months later, she sent me this video. There are no words for this video. May it lift your spirits and inspire you to keep moving forward!
Thank you Lynda for sharing your beautiful story. You are beautiful inside and out. We are so blessed to have you as a part of this community. This video means so much.
Color for the year? We’ve got our word for the year. Next week we are going to work on our beginning 2011 Self Portraits. But this week…what’s your color for 2011?
xoxo,
m
WOW Lynda!! YAY, you are such an inspiring beautiful woman. I am so glad to know you and be one of the workshop women you keep in contact with.
As I keep up with your photography and business I continue to be inspired by you!
You are colorful in such a beautiful way. Thank you for opening up your heart and spirit with everyone. May numerous women be inspired and touched by your willingness to SOAR and share.
Go Girl and I can’t wait to see the many more blessing God has in store for your family & your business……
What a fantastic video, Lynda! Yay! I hope everyone reading this post and seeing this video finds their wings and soars in 2011.
Lynda – I’m so impressed and inspired by you and your story. Your website is incredible and your images are breathtaking. Thank you for sharing! Way to go!
Lynda,
You are an amazingly beautiful woman, inside and out. By remaining active in the community you have provided me with courage and inspiration. Keep doin’ what your doin’. It’s stunning!
A very inspirational and uplifting video Lynda. You have shown us where determination and hard work get us. Now to find my word and color for the year.
2011 is our year to soar!
Congratulations, Lynda! I think I shall blame my mom for not being chosen this year. I think Lynda is the magic name! 😉 No seriously. You are beautiful inside and out, I look forward to following you on this journey!
Have fun!!
That was great! …and touching…thanks!!!
Lynda, that was amazing and beautiful! I agree with these ladies…you are inspiring and will continue to be a blessing to many! Be blessed 🙂
Lynda,
Thanks for sharing your story! May this next year be represented by another beautifully vibrant color.
-Christen
Lynda,
Thanks for sharing your heart so openly. Wishing you many blessings.
I’m so SO glad you shared this video, Me Ra. After allowing myself to feel disappointment for a few days, I’m ready to look forward into the new year and figure out what I can believe in. Lynda, you are truly inspirational. I am continually impressed by the women that have followed the SOAR process on their own and found success. I can’t wait to do that for myself and support others. Thank you!
Thank you for sharing this video, it is inspiring!
Lynda,
You are a gem like no other! Yes, we met when you hadn’t even started your journal, and now I see a confident “YOU”, completely SOARING! Your images are breathtaking, you look way beyond the bodies in front of your camera and seem to capture their souls every time! I am so proud of you! Thank you for sharing, it was like I was seeing you in person. We should SKYPE.
Wendy
Lynda,
Beautiful! The whole thing – Beautiful! Lynda, you are a gorgeous, gracious lady. I love your story, your pretty smile, your voice, your journal, your color, and your quote, “I pick up my camera and I think, How can this little thing bring me so much joy?” I’m with ya, Sista. My camera is my happy little companion.
Thanks for sharing your testimony of faith, courage & determination to have a YELLOW 2010! May that big golden YELLOW sun shine on you and your family in 2011 and your joy increase!
I had not thought about my color, but right now I am so attracted to a certain deep turquoise blue. I think I want to color my year blue. Not the ‘blues’…but my favorite shade of blue.
Lynda – it was so nice to meet you even though it was brief at Jeff’s workshop in the East Bay! What a wonderful video and story. So glad you shared it! I have no doubt you will continue to SOAR!
When I learned for the second year in a row that I was not one of the winners, it was hard to imagine that anyone else wanted this scholarship as much as I do. Lynda’s video reminds me that there are so many deserving and amazing women out there. I am approaching this year with the same energy and determination as Lynda, and I know that this year can be my “yellow” year too! Thank you Me Ra and Lynda!
Your authenticity shines so brightly!
Lisa
Lynda, thanks for making this video, it made me feel really good. <333
lynda! this is so wonderful! such a wonderful example of hope and inspiration all bottled into one person. so happy for you and your yellow year. good stuff! 🙂
Wow that was great! How ironic that my word for the year is color!! I want to add color in my photography and in my life in general. If I had to be more specific… I would chose turquoise! 🙂
Lynda,
Like spring rain…you wash away all of the doubt and disbelief that many carry. You are a sweet reminder that the ability to SOAR is available to all who have the courage and tenacity to spread their wings…even when it seems impossible.
and I love your color… 🙂
Love Lynda’s inspirational encouragement to those of us who were not chosen!
So if I take her advise and move on, I will take Me Ra’s challenges… a color. I’m choosing purple. If “believe” is my word, than *purple* will be my color. Purple is usually represented as a royal color. When I think royalty, I think of being worthy of something great. My business, my family, and myself are worthy enough (by the grace of God) to expect greatness. And I’ll work hard this year to give us just that. (and believe me, I’m not saying this flippantly… its a big leap for me to actually say this)
So, so, so inspiring!! Thank you, Lynda, for sharing something so personal that has such a powerful impact.
Lynda, this is truly inspirational… and I love me some inspiration. 🙂 Your video is awesome and it’s making me want to go out and push myself, with nothing holding me back. I’m not sure what my color is, or what I want it to be, but I would love to lean towards a happy color. 🙂
Also, I see that you’re located in Vacaville. So am I! I would love to meet you and hopefully have some of your success rub off on me. 🙂 Cheers to a great year!
Veronica
Lynda I am so proud of you. Everything I know about photography is from you. You are the best teacher and friend anyone could ever ask for. As a “photographer to be” I am so grateful for you!
Love this Lynda.
Such an encouragement.
We can dwell in what we are disappointed with and let that have its negative effects (they’re always negative) or we can choose to find the yellow and soar.
I too am glad I got to meet you if only briefly at Jeff’s workshop.
By the way – I checked out your website – your work is lovely.
MeRa, you’re right. Lynda does lift the spirit and is an inspiration to keep pushing forward. Thank you for a great weekend and tell Brian thank you again for getting my flash settings back to the default – woo-hoo! I rocked that flash last night when I got home!
And Lynda, thank you for sharing your tenacious spirit. You are an incredible, beautiful woman.
Okay, I’ll think about a color for the year! and a word (or three to define me). I think the word (and maybe the color) may be buried in the scripture that has stayed with me since January 1. Lamentations 3:20-23
Oh, and Lynda, you made me all willy-eyed – in a good way. 🙂 thanks again for being willing to be so transparent.
Lynda, All I can say is … Amazing!! You are an inspiration to me! I was so lucky to room with you at the workshop, especially since I wasn’t planning to room with anyone! (I know it was a blessing from the Lord) I love watching as God is blessing your photography and using it to bless so many!!! Thank you for sharing! Your year is off to a bright beginning … can’t wait to see what happens next 🙂 Love ya!!!
This is just great. Really great! This is exactly the kind of attitude I love. You can’t always “win,” so dust yourself off and get to it! Great things will happen. Probably even better things than might have happened otherwise because determination is born from “failure.” Good for you Lynda! Your site is beautiful, your work inspiring, and on a completely superficial note, that is one of the best headshots I’ve ever seen. You are gorgeous, and obviously not just on the outside!
How awesome Lynda that you took the ball an ran with it! I agree that belief is the biggest part of the journey. I BELIEVE that 2011 will be my year. I dabbled in belief last year, but still waivered in my confidence but this year I have decided it will be different. Funny, I have my word..still need to blog it…but I never thought about a color. I will choose that also! God Bless you and your business!
Linda, that was wonderful!! Thank you for sharing your heart with us. Your inner and outer beauty was stunning… and every photograph I saw that you’d created swept me off my feet. Blessings to you for an even BRIGHTER yellow year!
Very humbling to see how you took all your yellow and soared! Thank you for such a inspirational video.
i love you, Lynda! you have such an amazingly beautiful soul and i’m so glad that i was able to meet you at the workshop =) you totally soared last year, and i have LOVED following you and your work! i can’t wait to see what 2011 has in store for you girl =)
oh lynda! that was just awesome–what an inspiration!! i LOVE that you chose to make that video–you are an amazing example. Thank you!!!
Lynda, so inspiring! Thank you for sharing your soul to us. 🙂
Lynda…you are an amazing lady and because you recommended Me Ra’s workshop I also was able to soar in 2010! Thank you so much for inspiring me!
Lynda, I love what you’ve done here. You’re an inspiration and encouragement for all the women who have submitted SOAR apps and videos. Most will not receive the scholarship, but it should uplift them to know that it’s not the end of their journey. It’s only the beginning…just down a different path.
I’m blessed to call you friend.
Hugs,
Cathy
Fantastic video, fantastic message. 🙂
I’m so excited for this year… 12 days till Seattle’s Confidence Workshop!!! 🙂
This was great! Congratulations, Lynda, for having such a great year! I think your message resonates with many of us who did not receive the scholarship last year. After the initial disappointment there was a determination to pick ourselves back up and soar, regardless… I’m positive that your words are an encouragement to the many women who are feeling that disappointment today and I hope that they know that they CAN still soar! To all of you who are doubting that right now, you haven’t been given SOAR! as a gift but dedication, heart and hard work will take you where you want to be!
Wow Lynda!!! Thanks for sharing your video. You are such an inspiration to me, and I love looking at your photography. You are so creative and talented, and I have loved watching your work blossom since the workshop.
I recognize that photo from the head shot lesson. Wasn’t that the one taken in the garage?? I loved that!
The video was a great reminder that disappointment can lead to a lot of positive things. Thanks for sharing.
Beautiful and inspiring… thank you for sharing so much.
Yup, I recognized the awesome garage photo too! Great video, Lynda, thank you for sharing this Me ra! My word was transformation. So my color is SILVER! I have had two very gloomy, gray years(and new gray hairs) so I”d like to hope that the gray will turn to silver this year. There’s got to be a silver lining to things that have held us down in the past…
I wish all of you a colorful year! Love this site-so much inspiration and so many great gals(and a couple cool guys too).
I love this community. So many here to encourage others through this journey. My color for this year is green. Green for growth; growth in every area of my life: spiritual, family, photography, etc. Can my “word” be SOAR?!?! Because that’s what I want to do this year. I want to prove to myself and others that I CAN do this!! <3 Thank you for all the inspiration! I look forward to participating in the challenges and assignments with the SOAR! recipients this year!
Good morning,
I tried to view the video today and I got this message:
Oops!
The video you’ve requested was not found.
Please help! Thank you.
Lynda!! Thank you so much for making this. I am so inspired and touched. I have LOVED staying in touch with you this year. Your photography is amazing and oh so beautiful. I’m SO happy we met. Lynda, keep rockin’ it, girlfriend!
Now I have to go unearth my journal and pick a color!
It is a very interesting video. Also, it is a pleasure for me to see that there are so many people, who have commected this post. It means that all these guys like this video as well. High level of users’ activity.
The video finally worked! I’m so glad I was able to see it. Linda is truly inspiring and it’s just this type of inspiration that we all need today, not only for the people new to the business but for us veterans still trying to keep it together! Thanks!
INSPIRED!
What a powerful testimony that is Lynda! May God continue to be praised and others be blessed through your art! Blessings to you! Sarah, Sarah Lane Studios
Absolutely beautiful inside and out! 100% Inspired to BELIEVE! Today… I’ll be tearing all those favorite things out of magazines to find my color for the year and style for the future! Lynda ~ Bless you and all you put your hands too! Thank you for sharing your heart and your LifeSong!
Very inspiring, Lynda! Thank you for sharing! I’m starting to think about my color now! Love the idea about looking at the different pictures to find a style! Great idea, Me Rah!
Wow! Lynda, your realness is stunning!
What a beautiful example of being courageous. I’m so inspired!
Thank you!!!
Thank you Lynda.
Lynda, thank you for sharing yourself and your personal story so that we all may be inspired by your strength and courage. this is why I keep coming back to Me Ra’s blog…the messages are always so real and from the heart. Many blessings to you in the coming year! Your photos are beautiful.
Lynda, So encouraging to hear your story and see hope becoming a reality for you! I loved seeing your galleries and can’t wait to see what continues to bloom and grow as you Soar! Hope it’s an amazingly “Yellow” year for you!!
Wow Lydia this is so inspiring and encouraging. Thank you for sharing your story with us.
My color is “Red” and my word is “Refresh”.
It’s going to be a great 2011. It already is!
[…] “In Between” Moment I’m so glad that Lynda’s video inspired so many of you. Isn’t she amazing?! She is a wonderful representation of one of […]
I’m so sorry I forgot to post this sooner! But thank you to everybody for all the kind words … hoping that it spread sunshine & hope into your hearts!
Man those were some inspiring words.
Lynda,
Thank you SO much for sharing!! I am in a slump in my life, but your words have truly inspired me to try something new. I am hopeful that this year will turn around. Thanks again!!
[…] When I feel foolish for pouring my heart into something that doesn’t pan out, Lynda’s story reminds me that our honest efforts are never wasted, not one second of our time has been in vain. If you haven’t, you must watch Lynda’s video, an amazing story of determination! […]
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[…] ever happen for me. By following her blog, I applied the first time she did the Soar! contest and although I wasn’t one of the ladies chosen … I still found my wings to Soar! I was able to attend a workshop (again by believing!) and […]