Hey again! I'm flattered that you're interested to know more about me :) As you already know my name is Kaelyn Haley. I am 21 years old and have grown up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
My journey in photography started in 2018 when I got my first camera as a gift from my parents. To be completely honest, I only started photography so I could take "aesthetic" pictures like other girls on Pinterest. Super cringey I know, but something about capturing artistic scenes and moments have always intrigued me. As a kid, I often found myself going through boxes of old pictures my family had tucked away in our office. It felt like I was able to relive the memories that were attached to those images. I think this is where my love for freezing moments in time came from. To me, having a physical form of a memory made it feel like it could never disappear from my grasp. Capturing personal, sentimental moments through my lens is what drives my passion for photography. This art form allows me to express my love for reminiscing on the past, and I never dreamed I would be able to do this full time!
On May 22, 2022 I got to marry my middle school sweetheart!!!! I very proudly took on the name Mrs. Adam Paul Haley and I wouldn't have it any other way. When I'm not behind the lens, you'll most likely find me on my couch cuddled up right next to my husband. He is my favorite person and my absolute best friend. We love to go on spontaneous road trips, eat out at our favorite ramen restaurant, and watch Survivor on TV. Basically we're already an old married couple.
My Testimony
Growing up, I was always surrounded by people who loved the Lord. My parents always did a great job about encouraging me to go to church and to follow God myself without being forced. To be completely honest, I don't remember much about first accepting Christ into my heart. I remember being at a kids camp my parents worked at and that my heart was moved by the Holy Spirit, but I don't remember the conversations that led up to my confession of faith and my baptism. I was only 7 years old when I first made the decision to follow Christ. According to my mom, my parents had me sit down with them and a trusted mentor. They asked me a series of questions to see if I fully understood everything and to make sure I actually understood the Gospel. She said that based off of my answers they felt confident that I knew what type of commitment I was making and that I was very aware of what it meant to get baptized. So, they allowed me to go through with my decision, and on June 28, 2008 I was baptized in my home church. Whether or not I actually understood what I was doing, I am unsure.
For years after being baptized, I heavily doubted my faith. I constantly questioned that my decision to be a Christ follower was sincere, especially since I couldn't remember my profession of faith. This anxiety followed me throughout middle school and I was miserable. Now middle school on its own is the WORST! Your body is changing, your hormones are all out of whack, and you don't really know who you are yet. I so badly wanted to be accepted by my peers and honestly had some real self confidence issues. My 7th grade year, I was hit pretty hard with depression. I didn't recognize it as depression at the time, but I remember feeling so hopeless and my heart was so heavy. I tried so hard to feel close to God. I thought knowing God meant "feeling" His presence constantly, so I would chase that feeling of closeness instead of chasing after God. When worship music or random bible verses that I didn't understand weren't filling the empty hole in my heart, I became so angry with God. I remember so many nights staying up late in my bedroom crying heavily into my bible, begging God to give me answers. Why did He feel so far out of my reach? Why was I so depressed that I didn't want to be alive anymore? What was I supposed to do to feel loved? I came to the conclusion that I was just going to give up on God. I mean my faith never felt real anyway. If God wanted me to be confident in my faith, why did He allow me to forget my own story? Why wouldn't the bible that He speaks to us through give me any clarity?
Though I gave up on being a christian, I became very good at hiding my true feelings at church. I lived a double life sort of. I would still go to all of the student ministry events with my friends and pretend everything was fine. That summer, my youth group spent a week out at a camp called Camp Fuego, it was a trip we took every year. I met some of my best friends there, including my now husband! Wild. While the trip was fun, I still had a lot of unanswered questions, but Jesus was working on my heart that week. A lot of the sermons I heard during the trip really spoke to me and caused my heart to wrestle. One event that Camp Fuego does every year is called the Campfire. It where everyone sits in a big auditorium and we sing acoustic worship songs. Seems harmless right? Nope. Jesus absolutely WRECKS me with his presence. Funnily enough, I don't remember much because it was such an overwhelming experience for me. I finally felt the love of Jesus Christ weighing on my heart calling me to Him. I left camp with a changed heart and a clear mindset of who my Savior was.
As time went on, Jesus opened up my eyes to begin to understand scripture. He introduced me to apologetics which allowed me to bring all of my unanswered questions to Him and give me proof of His existence. My testimony isn't one that shows immediate change from sinner to saved, though that clearly happened when I initially accepted Christ at 7 years old. As I look back, I do believe as a kid I knew I was a sinner in need of a saviour and accepted Jesus Christ into my heart. Even with my doubts and my unfaithfulness, Jesus chose to meet me where I needed Him to remind me I am His. If you made it this far into reading, thank you!! I want nothing more than for you to know who Jesus is!! He is waiting on you to accept Him into your heart with open arms. You are so loved by the creator of the universe. The same God that created the heavens created you and wants to know you so deeply (Psalm 139:13-16). Because of our sin we are not worthy of His love, yet God made a way that we can freely know Him. He sent his son Jesus to earth to die on a cross to pay the debt of our sin (Romans 6:23, Romans 5:8). Jesus willingly died for you, so that you could have a relationship with the Heavenly Father and there is nothing that you could do separate you from the love of Christ (Romans 8:35, John 3:16). My hope and prayer is that my personal testimony would move you in a way that leads you towards Christ. Please reach out to me if you ever need anything or have any questions!!
And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.