My Home

“My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.” Isaiah 32:18

Now about two-point-five years later, when I have surprisingly had to turn down a few photographers that have asked to photograph me in my home, I managed to stick to my guns, and in my loyalty still only had Wingtips Photography in mind for the first complete look into my space.

The photographs that she took are nothing but personal insights of beauty. They are each unique and captivating. Her work inspires me in colour and in emotion. The photographer herself, Rachel Senneker, is this tiny, bold, witty, sweet-willed woman. I was pretty enraptured myself by her when I first moved here. She was so comfortable with herself and what she wanted that I’ve always wanted to do with her life in any capacity. She has such depth in her struggles, and is always fighting for the better in her life through the Lord. I wanted her presence to breathe a little of that onto my own life. Her faith and dedication to finding the gold in life has always attracted me to want more of what she finds through her relationship with God in my own life. I pray in the future that I get to work and grow alongside her more often.

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My favourite thing about my home is the light and interest it’s brought unto those who have come to visit. I always forget how different and eclectic it must be to everyone, so I never really think about how overwhelming it could be to take in the colours, textures and character of the apartment all at once. My style dictates a space that will not dull my senses, but inspires me in my creative work with how I’ve placed things in the compositional space that was available to me. Most of it has function. Maybe not for one person, because in the end, it’s really not possible for my butt to take up like 6 seating places…but it was meant for community.  It’s such a funny lay-out, that I’ve had to play around a lot lot in order to get it to a suitable position for guests. A lot of my friends have poked fun at the amount of time I spend just rearranging furniture. In a way though, I’ve managed to do it unto the Lord and it’s become a new way to worship Him.  I’ve always wanted a space that people felt welcome to come and visit. 

My home is a place of sanctuary for me. Lately, it’s where I’ve been able to come to spend time away with the Lord, to hear what he has to say about what’s going on in my life. But, it hasn’t always been that way. Even shortly after these photos were taken about two months ago, Satan wanted to try and distort the goodness that came out of my home. He would correlate being at home with negative emotions and awfully vivid illustrations that made me want to spend every minute away from my apartment that I could. That’s when I had to go straight up battle mode on what was taking place.

I am not a depressed person. I am extremely motivated to live in the joy of the Lord and know that my inheritance allows me to expect this out of my relationship with Him. So when things are off in my soul, I start to question it. I start to practice the gift of self-awareness and ask Him what’s happening. I also invite wise counsel into my life. Satan wants you to question your identity, so he’s going to try and cut you off from those around you who want to help speak the Lord’s living waters into your heart. In my case, I call my mother and explain the thoughts and feelings that have surrounded my day. I’ve been blessed enough to have a mother who is very knowledgeable in this area specifically, so if you don’t have that available to you, I urge you to search some out. It may seem scary and irrational to bring to the people of faith in your life, but at the end of the day, if they care about your life, truly, t

hey will fight against this with you. And if they think you’re insane, you should find new people. That sounds harsh.. I’m not telling you to drop them completely out of your life, but I’m asking you if it even makes sense to be around people who don’t understand you and what you’re going through, and who aren’t pushing you to live in the Christ-like identity you’ve been given. Community in these days also has to look like comradery: the willingness to fight alongside your brother and sister in Christ, even when things look bleak. That said, do NOT isolate yourself. The gift of the Lord is in the balance between personal solitude and being able to do life along side others. I’m giving you a lot of do’s and don’ts, but that’s because I want you to live through this. Because I care about you and that destiny that God has laid out in front of you.

Home spiritual warfare is a thing, and it’s something you have to fight against in order to get your nurturing space back. This life is a battle and we were called to fight for our lives so that we may shine like victors to those around us. When things like this are happening in your life, it’s probably an indication that Satan sees you as a threat. You are winning with the Lord, and he wants to take you out. His goal is to kill us, after all. It isn’t just a dramatic statement. It’s wildly true.