There is

a scripture in the Bible that is one of my absolute favorites. It’s found in the book of 1st Peter, chapter 3, verse 3 and it says:

“Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.”

It’s a scripture that speaks to my heart because as women, it’s so easy for us to get caught up in our outward appearance and how people perceive us. But that’s not what God is concerned with. He’s concerned with our spirit, our hearts…the parts of our beauty that will never fade.  I first met Kendall a few months ago and immediately, this was the verse that popped into my head. Sure she was crowned Miss Alaska 2014 and is drop dead gorgeous from head to toe, but believe me, that is NOT what makes this woman beautiful. What makes her beautiful…what made her stand out to me and made me just WANT to get to know her was that gentle and quiet spirit of hers…her unfading beauty that can’t help but glow from inside of her.

Originally from Fort Walton Beach, Kendall, like majority of the people I have met here, ended up in Alaska because of the military. Even though her dad has long been retired from the service, their family decided to stay here because…well, Alaska is just THAT beautiful. Heck, even I wouldn’t mind retiring here!!

 The oldest of three, Kendall is such a bright light of positivity. Her passion for life is just one of the many reasons I had to get her in front of my camera. Another reason? We both LOVE Dr. Maya Angelou!!

“I love her writing style and the way her writing evokes such intense feelings,” Kendall says. “Still I Rise will ALWAYS be one of my favorite poems.”

I mean seriously?? How could you NOT love a woman who loves “Still I Rise?!!?!”

Though she says being crowned Miss Alaska after her third try was her proudest moment in life so far, she doesn’t want that to be her legacy. Instead, through our many conversations, I have learned that Kendall hopes to leave a legacy of integrity and compassion in all she does with whomever she encounters and you know what? I really admire her for that. We talked about the hopes and dreams we have for younger girls today and how we much we really believe in them and the change they can bring to the world. I later asked her what she would tell her younger self if she could go back in time. What she said really resonated with me.

Why did it resonate with me so much? When I was younger, I was shy. Like..SUPER SHY. Some may even say I’m still that way. But what Kendall said really touched me because of the power behind it. As young girls, we’re afraid of rejection from our peers, so a lot of the time, we keep our feelings to ourselves in order to “blend in.” But when you’re born to stand out, blending in isn’t an option. Speaking up when it counts can change the world and I hope that’s something every woman, young or old, never ever forgets that.

Kendall is so much more than her crown. She is a woman of substance. A lady of quality and love, filled with adventure, empowerment, beauty and grace. I’m so humbled to call her my friend and to capture her here in Alaska.

We went to various places for her session, ending at one of my favorite mountaintops in Anchorage. The light was absolutely GLORIOUS and we even saw a bear on our way up! Nothing like that Alaska living right? 🙂

Kendall my dear…YOU. ARE. FLAWLESS.

Kendall, I can’t thank you enough for spending the day with me!! You are absolute perfection!! You’re definitely going to inspire the world and I can’t wait to see you RISE!!