January Fearless Female

I think we can all relate to Gena to some extent. 

"My name is Gena Rhodes and here is my story. I hope this can be inspiring to someone out there struggling with Anxiety and Depression. As a young girl growing up on a farm I was raised on the value that family and friends were more important than anything. We were not rich at all, but life was good. We grew our own food, raised catfish, and wore hand-me-down clothes, but we had a tomato business as my Daddy was one of the first tomato farmers on Chandler Mountain. I was a Daddy’s girl so I learned at an early age to drive tractors and then a truck at age 11. Then a little later Daddy decided it was time for me to learn how to drive a stick shift. I will always cherish those times and remember them with extreme love in my heart because Daddy is no longer here. He became sick with heart disease in 1984, which, in turn, caused me to drop out of school. He passed the following year. My best friend was no longer here to see me graduate, to walk me down the isle, or to see his grandchildren. This was a dark time for me. I started having anxiety and then deep depression. I even contemplated suicide. Then it hit me; Daddy wouldn’t want me to be this way. So I decided to step up and start working toward making him proud of me. I started back to school the following year, graduated, and then later went to college. Then came marriage, a son, good jobs, and furthering my education. I became a part-time instructor at our local community college while also working a great full-time job. I have had situations over the past years that have caused the depression to show it’s ugly self and I still struggle with anxiety of some type on almost a daily basis. Although I was fortunate enough to never have to commit to psychiatric help, I have occasionally had to talk to someone. Whether it was a pastor, a friend, my general doctor, my mother, my husband, my son, and most importantly God; I shared and they cared. You see, no matter how hard things become in life, there is always a caring soul out there to help in time of need...to lift a troubled heart. Yes, there is clinical help available, but sometimes you just need a shoulder to lean on. So, if you ever find yourself down and out and needing that shoulder, please just ask for it. I did". - Gena Rhodes

December Fearless Female

Cindy is my December Fearless Female and very well deserved. She is a strong woman and so positive. I can't even imagine how she feels and hope I never have to.

I did Alexis, her daughter's, senior pictures in 2010 along with some family shots. 

It was cold, windy, and rainy. We would have to sit in the car to get warm and dry. And wait for a chance to shoot. I was determined since they drove from Hazel Green to Guntersville. She just sat in the car with me and talked like she had known me for years. 

Below is Cindy's beautiful words.

"Happy December!  I have been asked to participate in “Fearless Females”, to tell my story and to represent strong, fearless, empowered women.  I’m afraid I lack all of these qualities BUT I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.  This is my story.

My name is Cindy League and I lost my daughter Alexis to a drug overdose July 22, 2015.  She was 23 years old. Words cannot begin to describe the sorrow that followed after she passed.  How my heart continued to beat in my chest is something I will never understand.  I didn’t talk publicly about what happened to her for fear of being judged as a bad parent or her as a bad person. About a year after her death, Alexis’ close friends told me about the End Heroin Walk sponsored by Not One More Alabama.  The walk was to inform the public about the severe problem of heroin in our state, educate families on how to get help for addicts, and to support the grieving families who had lost a loved one to this horrific disease.

Before my daughter’s death, I remember praying to God to take the burden of addiction off of Alexis, pleading with Him to give it to me instead because she just wasn’t strong enough to fight the demon.  Begging the Lord to let her be happy, and healthy, and loved. He did answer ALL of these prayers, just not the way I had expected!  God released Alexis from her prison of addiction, and she is now happy, and healthy, and loved more than my heart can comprehend!   Now it was time for me to help others.  I decided it was time to step out of my “grief bubble” and share my most heart wrenching story in hopes of keeping my daughter’s memory alive, taking away the stigma of who people think drug addicts are, and letting other families know that they are not alone in their grief and pain.   

When I notified friends and family about my decision to participate in the End Heroin Walk, the response was overwhelming!  Focusing on my own grief blinded me to the grief that was being experienced by ALL that love her.  As an army, we attended the walk with 60+ people wearing hot pink          t-shirts in her honor and thus #TeamAlexis was born!  With love and support, I started talking to the local news media, and with encouragement from Not One More Alabama, I was honored to participate in the FaceBook live talk on Drug Overdose Awareness Day. I have befriended many, many families that are experiencing a living nightmare and do my best to offer love and support with their struggles. 

I don’t feel like a “Fearless Female”.  I feel like a mom that made a promise to God to do everything within my power to fight the epidemic of addiction.   My hope in telling Alexis’ story is to save a life!"

October Fearless Female

October Fearless Female. Thank you!!!! Brandy Tipton-Daniel You ROCK!!!
The side you will never see!
These eyes have a story behind them. The smile someone smiles towards you can be a fake and on the inside that person is broken.
She is broken from the past. She is broken from no one being there for her. She is broken from losing someone that she needs the most. She is lost!!!
She has days where her bed is her safe haven and her tears stain her pillow. She is hollow inside. She has been ready to give up.
The story of what life I have lived has had a lot of hurt, abused whether it be verbal, mental, physical, physiological, emotional, or even sexual. I have felt ever single one of them.
A lot of MY story is why I am the person I am today! I forgive easily but I will NEVER forget.
"It took quite a long time to develop a voice, and now that I have it, I am not going to be silent."
Madeleine Albright

November Fearless Female

This session was cold, rainy, and windy. But we got it done.

I believe that God uses people to help others. I believe God allowed me to go through the pain of all that I have been through, the loneliness, the fearfulness, and broken spirit to learn to trust him, to have faith, forgiveness, grace, and worthiness and to help others. I longed for a particular job in photography and when I was turned down and disappointed twice, I decided I will do my own thing, so I created a project called Fearless Females.

Between my love and interest of people and my photography skills I combined both and here I am, telling people’s stories, struggle, and journeys.

I’ve known Brandy for 7 years or more. I met her through a modeling agency I work with when her daughter (Ariel) modeled. We instantly connected. I fell in love with her and her family. I consider her as not only a client but a very good friend. She’s helped me in my personal life with my struggles just by listening and giving loving advice. Brandy is a nurse and her husband Jon is  a Firefighter and paramedic. They are real true-life heroes.

On 12/4/16 their lives changed forever. Their family was put through the hardest battle imaginable when Hunter was called home. Her Story is below. 

“My name is Brandy Hamlin and I am a grieving mother. It’s part of my story. It is my story.

23 months ago I lost my son to a MVA. On this day my child died, I became somebody new. A totally different person, someone I never knew. I feel empty and broken. It is by far the worst pain ever imaginable. I am ok one minute and then not ok the next.

I have learned it is OK to not be ok. I look at life so differently now. Life is a precious thing.

Every day I wake up I thank God to be alive another day. As none of us are promised tomorrow.

We all have a battle we are fighting. But it’s not meant for us to fight alone.

-Do not be afraid – For the battle is not yours, but Gods. – 2 Chronicles 20:15

By me sharing my story it helps with healing and hopefully encourages others to follow Jesus.

It is my passion to share how good God is and how much he loves us. It’s by his grace that I keep going. He gives me strength when I want to give up. I turn to his word daily for encouragement.

-Be still and know that I am God – Psalm 46:10

I have learned to let go and let God. Life was never meant to be easy. And through this God is faithful and he will never leave me.

-For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling, he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock – Psalm 27:5

My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. -2 Corinthians 12:9

Seek the Lord in all that you do and he will direct your path.

Live today like it’s your last.

Have no regrets.

Forgive often.

Love BIG and laugh a lot.

Don’t sweat the little things.

Spend time with your family as time is one thing you can’t get back. And one day it may be a memory you will Forever cherish. God bless you all

Forever in our heart’s son. You are my hero! As long as there is air in my lungs you will be remembered.” #hunterbughamlin

Brandy, Jon, and Ariel are some of the strongest people I’ve ever known. Y’all are always in my prayers. I love yall. Thank you for sharing your story.

Are you fearless or know someone that is? Bad&%@ business woman, side hustling, hardworking single momma, survivor…….

Send me your story either on Facebook, via text 256-706-2929, or sassysnapshots@yahoo.com you will receive a free mini shoot with your story shared to inspire others.