Jess & Van

Sigh, don’t you just love that God is faithful and keeps His promises? Here’s some friends of mine celebrating pregnancy! We’re so thrilled to meet this sweet baby! P.S. Maternity photos may be my absolute favorite.

Kendra

Her first time back in Houston since Kel and I got married. We haven’t missed a beat over the years, even as so much transition has happened in the both of our lives. It’s still really nice hug someone you love. I captured some photos of her in the kitchen and backyard. The lighting was amazing.

LB & Erika

The Browns! Some of our favorite people, solid, loving, giving, all around special folks. They came down from Atlanta for the weekend and every time we see them, its a breath of fresh air. I like being around people who have been married a long time. I like being around people who have been through things and come out on the other side, better. That’s them. Captured at our friends’ restaurant on a Friday night.

Upward, Onward

Truly enjoy capturing grad photos. My subjects are always giddy, a little nervous, but mostly excited. I tell them to hold on to that, to sit in the front of the class and make sure their professors know them by name. To prioritize studying and learn to self-govern. You have the rest of your life to party, make it a good one by learning to delay a little gratification. Go to parties, and football games, join clubs and find a good friend group. And hey, you may end up finding your soulmate, so keep your eyes open, but your heart open too.

@TheSherable

One of my best friends in the whole world, Sheri is a ball of sunshine. The funniest, coolest, sweetest person I know. We strolled around Montrose, grabbed Paulie’s, had some wine and just played around like we used to in middle school, like we always do! It was a blast and I love the way her photos turned out.

Caleb, Alex, & Ari

I love to see siblings interact. This session with these beautiful children, Caleb, 11 and twins Alex and Ari, 2, melted my heart. I tried to capture as many moments as I could. We had snack time, play time, meltdowns and everything in between in our time together and it was so sweet. Loved children are free. They laugh, they run, they giggle, they do their own thing. It is a marvel. Parents don’t even get frazzled or frustrated. “It is what it is,” we say. Our kids remind us of how much we are not in control, and when we surrender to that truth, we can appreciate them more, we can guide them better, we can love them harder. It was a pleasure to spend time with them and see them just be in their element and sneak candids along the way. What beautiful brown babies!

Odior Party of 4

We’ve known Kori & Bobby since college. My favorite thing about the both of them is how chill and unassuming they both are. I hear people say all the time how hard it is to find married couples they vibe with, Kel and I have been blessed to not have that problem. All our married friends are cool! It’s so nice to spend time with people who want nothing more from you than to just enjoy your company and good conversation. Marriage is hard, being a believer is hard, being black is hard, being Nigerian-American is hard. We enter into one another’s struggles and suffering together, it makes it bearable, it builds morale, it grants us perspective. And perspective, is everything. We so enjoyed our time in the park snapping photos, laughing, and dreaming about what the newest addition: a sweet babygirl, will be like.

What We've Been Up To

Well we had a baby girl, who is currently 10 months old. It’s kinda crazy. But she’s the light of our lives and our favorite subject! Lucy is our WHOLE WORLD.

We’re booking clients for consulting sessions now more than photography sessions. We’re passionate about both. It’s been such a refreshing experience to help couples experience breakthrough and build community. If you’ve been married for any amount of time, you know, having other married, like-minded couples in your corner is EVERYTHING. It’s greatly enriched our lives and we’re here for you! Not just for married couples, but singles, and engaged folk! We’d love to talk with you! We also offer one on one sessions.

Kiss the Waves is available on pretty much all the podcast platforms as well. So engage with us there as well!

We love you guys so much and are so thankful for your patronage!

Blessings,

Kel + Morgan

Josh + Keisha

NEGATIVE SPACE makes POSITIVE POPPIN PHOTOS.

They love the Lord AND they met on Tinder. God can use anything and anyone to accomplish His will. Remember that. The two are happily married and such a pleasure to spend time with.

Jennifer & Brody

We had the opportunity to shoot our very good friends for their engagement. It is truly beautiful to watch God bring two people together and it work almost effortlessly. They are beautiful, a true joy to do life with. Here’s to #Jebrody

Enjoy a few of their images, and if you’d like to book your session, visit here.

For Christians Considering Suicide

I’ve been trying to process Pastor Jarrid’s passing since I heard of it. I’m always searching for biblical context to navigate through these kind of things because sometimes you think you know the answer and other times, you simply cannot come up with anything. 

I immediately was drawn to Job. Its so layered and I cannot imagine experiencing all the Lord allowed him to. Possibly the most depressed, anxious, lonely season of his life followed him losing just about everything including his mind. This man was burdened to the point where he cursed the day he was born. And honestly, given all he lost, he had reason to. 

God lets him be tested by the enemy. He watches him experience the deepest anguish. He then lets him mourn. He lets him become weary and worn out. He lets him complain and groan and wonder. 

And He is silent. 

Then, He speaks. And boy, does He talk bad! Lol. He lets Job know who He is, His sovereignty. He speaks with authority and bass. Until Job gets it, until his pain is assuaged with reverence. 

Here’s what I want to say: 
Checking on your strong friend will not save them. 
Going to church will not save them.
Reading the Bible will not save them. 
Having accountability will not save them. 
A spouse or a connect group or kids or leading a ministry or therapy will not save them. These are tools but they mean nothing without real relationship. 
Jesus saves through a love relationship with Him, and when treasured, when reverenced, it changes you. The nuances of being deeply convicted with the task you’ve been given to glorify Him in your own way, THAT is what this life is about. Battling through, pushing through, finishing your course. Knowing that God is empathetic, that He’s ever-present, that He is enough. No one can know that for you. You have to know it for yourself. 

FEAR NOT. There is joy and fruit to be had. In this life, and in the one to come. Please don’t snuff your life out before you have the chance to truly savor it. Enjoy God. He is meant to be enjoyed. So it’s easier to obey, so it’s easier to serve, so it’s easier to love. 

I am grieved deeply for Jarrid, his family, his congregation. Grieved that the enemy convinces us to tear pages from the story that God has written for us. Grieved that as a church, we don’t talk enough about deliverance, about practically eradicating real demons. That we don’t talk enough about all of the little in-betweens in life, the things that don’t fit cutely in a 30 minute YouTube sermon. But I will speak. As a member of the body and say, your thoughts and emotions will never be greater than God. And a life surrendered, is hyper- aware of that fact. 

Let this be a wake up call to us all. To cover one another constantly, especially those in leadership. Let us pledge to take all that belongs to us by force. Our hearts, our sanity, our health, our spiritual acuity, our lives. 

Best, 
Mo

For Lucy

My prayers have been so intentional for my child. Ever since finding out we’re having a daughter, I’ve been even more prayerful. I’ve been thinking about her future, her childhood, her habits, her anointing. I feel her kicking and my heart almost wants to burst. The Lord has already spoken so much to me regarding her personality and disposition. I’m thrilled to meet her, and I want to cover all bases in prayer. My husband has completely changed my life. We’ve helped one another correct so many toxic behaviors. Our love for one another, our love for the Lord, has shaped such a beautiful relationship, such a beautiful life. I want her to experience that as well. Nothing missing, nothing broken.

I’ve been praying for my daughter’s husband. That God would shape his heart and his passions. I pray he is wise and strong and secure within himself. I pray in moments when he has so many questions and is filled with anxiety, he would learn to lean on His father and not his own understanding. I’m praying his family would know how to nurture his personality and his anointing and his gifting. I pray when he encounters my daughter, he regards her as royalty. That he takes great honor in holding her heart and her attention. That he never takes her for granted. That he never makes her just his roommate, or his side chick, or his space saver. But he thrusts all his energy into becoming a man worthy of her love and companionship and never allows his flesh to spur him into skipping steps. I pray he submits totally to God, that his allegiance is never questionable, that his fire always burns bright. I pray he pursues her, and washes her with the water of the word and fulfills her and empowers her and champions her. I pray he never makes her feel small, but takes all his perceived inadequacies to Christ. That he never competes with her, but cherishes being her teammate. I pray that he is a man of prayer and devotion, who is wise in all things and not a snob about it, but humbly submits when necessary. I pray he never raises his voice or his hand to her, never feels the need to prove his masculinity, but rests securely in his manhood. I pray their children further their legacy. That their home is one of Peace, where the Spirit of the Lord resides. I pray they both experience God’s very best for them both and that their marriage is a ministry. I pray they feel my prayers for years and years to come. 

A Quick Word on Discipleship

Perhaps part of the reason we have issues in seeking and pursuing relationship with God is because we barely know how to navigate them with one another. Everyone knows what it’s like to be taken advantage of but how many of us know what it’s really like to be in a loving, reciprocal relationship?

The key is discipleship. 

That word almost seems trite and boring. It feels formal, didactic, maybe even a tad too religious. It doesn’t feel like a fun buzzword! It feels depleting. 

I think we’ve assigned these connotations because we really don’t know how to broach the subject all together. How does one disciple in the first place? Especially if one has never been discipled themselves?

Well, let’s first look at the biblical context for the word given that the command to go and make disciples, known as the great commission, were Jesus’ last words as He ascended to be with the father after His resurrection (Matt 28:19-20). Paul lists 5 key principles for discipleship in Colossians 1:28-29 beautifully outlined in this concise, but powerful article here. It outlines the heart of discipleship which is proclaiming Jesus, the means, which is teaching and warning with wisdom, the temptations to fight, the overarching goal of discipleship, the cost, and the power of discipleship. 

This is a great start. One thing I know for certain, is when you seek God whole-heartedly, you can hear Him more clearly, when you read for an understanding, when you invite Holy Spirit to guide and teach you, when you remain child-like in your faith, God rewards you with wisdom and gives you a heart for people. 

1st and 2nd Timothy are also great guides for how we love and serve others well. We are living in the age of self-promotion. Even in our churches. Everyone is concerned with what God has for THEM. But perhaps what He has for you is complete submission to His plan, and not His stamp of approval on your ideas. This life is not about our glory, it’s about His. We must invest in the lives of others in a way that is authentic and pure. Without an agenda. 

People are God’s greatest treasure and most effective resource. Many of humanity’s issues stem from us not knowing how to love and care for one another. Those in the body, who are held to a higher standard must learn to value accountability and humble themselves before God and to one another. That’s how we impact the world, that’s how the gospel is heard and felt and unadulterated, that’s how we end violence and injustice and every false interpretation of God. That’s how we expose the enemy. 

Pray for the needs of those around you, create opportunities to pour into those in need. Ask God to show give you mentors with His heart, pray for mentees who you can relate to, who you can give meaningful advice to. It’s vital. 

The Best Part

When I became a bride, I remember thinking, “it’s finally our turn.” We watched so many of our friends have beautiful weddings. We celebrated them, we were filled with joy, and our anticipation grew. Despair crept in. We had waited so long, felt so prepared and suddenly so much was snatched from us. Everything was challenged days before our wedding. We didn’t think it would happen. All we knew to do was worship and rehearse what God had spoken. And in that, His glory was revealed. The journey is important. The strain, the darkness, the unknown. It is a divine set up for the most perfect plot twist. Don’t walk out on your movie yet, you’ll miss the best part.

There’s so much more to be discovered, to be experienced, if you let go now, you’ll never see it. The enemy wants us to become so weary, we forfeit the promise. But Jesus is such a beautiful picture of what waiting well looks like. For the JOY set before Him, He kept going, kept forgiving, kept carrying the cross, kept hanging, kept praying. We are made in His image. We have been given a commission. And that commission and call will cost you! But oh, how it will glorify you. I got to have a taste of what it is like to be the bride of Christ. He pours something so profound out on us as His beloved. It is everything we need for the journey ahead. Finish your course, friend. Your crown awaits.

Love + Light,

Morgan

A Talk in the Midst of Trial

We talked on the Kiss the Waves podcast about where we are right now, what we’re desiring of God and the gift in wilderness experiences. The in-between is an uncomfortable place. But the Holy Spirit is our comforter. Have a listen here . We pray you enjoy. Please subscribe, rate, and review the podcast. Available on iTunes, Google Play and Spotify!

Love + Light

Discernment

Merriam Webster defines discernment as the following:

Personally, the especially eye-catching part of the definition is “able to…comprehend what is obscure.” Someone who is discerning can catch what is not caught by many. They are a person who can decipher through mystery, someone who can decode what is cryptic, someone with eyes that see past the natural- eyes that see around corners.

When I was young, I truly believed teachers and moms had eyes in the back of their heads. They always knew when you were lying! They were, discerning. They had the intuition of an old sage, they knew what you were doing at all times no matter how sly you tried to be. As I got older, the more disillusioned I became. Their only superpower was their experience. You’ve heard the idiom before, albeit cliche, it is true: “Experience is the best teacher.”

The people closest to you, have experienced you. They’ve learned your habits, your quirks, your likes and dislikes, your facial expressions and what they mean. They’ve adapted to you, and you, them. Once you both reach a level of trust, you become sounding boards for one another. You share secrets, ideas, conflicts and the like. You give them permission to peer into your heart and point out the monsters. Because, friends are not only for going to brunch and sending memes. They are for the valleys and the peaks, the heart-wrenching, the exhilarating, the shocking and everything in between.

We’ve said it before, but we TRULY believe marrying your best friend is a very wise decision. One you will immediately see a return on. In moments when you may not know how to navigate being lovers, or co-parents, or financial partners, being a friend will be natural and effortless. Being a friend will ultimately lay the foundation for everything else. Marriage is nuanced, so is adulthood. You are two individuals, inevitably polar opposites because God is funny like that, who need one another. The need becomes more and more evident the longer you are married. In order for the partnership to work, you have to trust one another- trust that the other person will remain faithful, honest, responsible, engaged, alert, and resilient. And in the moments where either of you fall short of that, trusting you will find covering in one another is paramount.

All that being said, no one knows you like your husband or wife knows you. This can sometimes be a point of contention and resentment. You know so much about one another you become disenchanted and even dissatisfied. On the other hand, intimate knowledge of one another can draw you closer and deeper into the presence and power of God. If we both recognize our condition, if we both know how desperately we need Jesus in order for anything to make sense, we will seek Him, wholeheartedly, TOGETHER. We will trust the other’s discernment because we know the other has been on a quest for the truth in who Jesus is and what He desires for us.

Even when we can’t trust ourselves, we still know God is good. Even if we’re not hearing anything when we fall on our knees, we know our spouse has been interceding and possibly has heard something themselves. Thus, the seeking continues. A deep longing for God, will always result in a deep longing for one another. It’ll be easy to see past your insecurities and doubts when you’re in love. You’ll take your wife’s word when she doesn’t have peace about a business deal. You’ll hear your husband out when he discerns something off about a new girlfriend you’re spending time with. You know their intent is not malicious, because it is rooted in love, in partnership, in trust.

If you feel spiritually disconnected from your spouse, if you don’t think they trust or honor your discernment, read your word with a new tenacity. Contend for peace in your household, tell the enemy where to go, ingratiate your spouse with THEIR love language, cover them in prayer as they sleep, give God your marriage in word and in deed, and I PROMISE, you will begin to see a change. If you have been called to one another, you have been graced for one another. Your spouse is God’s responsibility, your role, is to love.

Know this, we are covering you too. God-centered marriage is one of the hardest undertakings EVER. We’re with you, we know. It is your duty as a spouse to REMAIN in prayer. No matter what.

Love and Light,

Kel + Morgan

Wise Choices in Relationships

Marry someone with a healthy heart. It will keep you from future heartache. 

Go into business with people who exhibit integrity even when it seems easier and more profitable for them not to. Partners who value honesty are the best kind of people to sign contracts with. 

Choose friends who are self-aware and not self-absorbed. They will be there when you need them and will be quick to admit fault when necessary. 

You always end up paying in pain when you are unequally yoked in relationships, always. For the record, being evenly yoked has less to do with a belief system and more to do with being of one mind. 

Ken + Brit

These two are high school sweethearts. They’ve been through storms together and outlasted them. You can always tell when a couple has a marriage forged by fire. You can tell that they are pure gold. You can tell if they are founded on the solid rock. They were such a pleasure to shoot. Watching Ken love on his wife and compliment her was amazing. You could see their flame still burning, still keeping them warm.

Lorenzo + Kandice

Our pastors celebrated 14 years of marriage recently. Here are some photos from their shoot. Visit the Contact tab to book your session today!

Hug it Out

It amazes me how much can be assuaged by physical touch. We believe intimacy begins with vulnerability. So here’s a tip for the next time you and someone you love have a disagreement. Have a nice warm hug. There is so much healing in embracing one another. Sometimes more can be said in a hug than words could ever articulate.

The enemy would love nothing more than to separate you from the people around you. Instead of withdrawing emotionally, physically and verbally after an argument or disagreement, take time to just hug. It doesn’t mean you have to come to a resolution or even an apology. Just hug, and come back to the discussion later if necessary. 

We all want love and acceptance, we all want to be heard and understood. When we meet one another where we are, when we seek to understand more than we seek to be understood, there’s room for true intimacy. The depth of a relationship is found in the moments that can’t be quantified, in the moments that are void of spoken word. With every touch we gain ground. We all know love is war. We all know marriage is work. It is a battle sometimes. When we hug, we remind one another of why we started this thing in the first place. 

So, don’t yell. Just hug. 

It’s an act of solidarity, a display of priority, a direct attack on the agenda of the enemy. 

Love + Light,

Kel and Morgan