June!!! Summer. Peach stands. Halfway point. Weddings. Anniversary. Pool time. Watermelon. Sprinklers. Thunderstorms. Books. Naps. Podcasting. Running. Working. Resting. Playing.

We’re 6 days in, and I’m already so hot 😂.

I love the month of June. I love reaching this halfway point in the year, looking back and looking ahead and seeing where I am. So far, so good. This year has been full of a lot of change and good things. I’m happy to say we are giving it our all, and I’m enjoying every moment.

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June Goals

Read The Sacred Enneagram
Catch up on the Life Giving Home
Read 3 Chapters of Crucial Conversations with my Team
Beaufort’s Baby Book: Order Prints
Lyndon’s Baby Book: Tape Prints I have and fill out blanks
Schedule Q3 Planning Meeting w/Team
Fearrington Getaway with Will
1st Counseling Appointment

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If you made it to that last one, you’re probably like, “Hold up. Counseling?”

Yes, counseling!

When I typed this blopgost up the first time, I deleted that line. Yes, there are sometimes goals I write down in my Powersheets that I don’t include on my blog because it’s just for me. While this “goal” definitely is personal, I wanted to share that I am going to start counseling in hopes that it might make someone else reading this brave too.

Will and I have been to pre-marriage counseling and counseling since we’ve been married, and it has been SO helpful and wonderful. But I’ve never been by myself. Just for me. Just for the stuff going on in my own heart and head. And as I’ve navigated this big change in my business this year, I’ve wrestled with a LOT of emotions. Emotions about this massive change of letting go of Nancy Ray Photography, my identity being wrapped up in work, my identity as a mom, and what I’m doing moving forward.

All in all, I need some help navigating all of those emotions, the grief of losing the business I’ve identified with for so long, and how to navigate what’s to come. I’m taking the time, money, and emotional energy to invest in my emotional health. Something that I feel is a little stupid, something that I feel is selfish, something that I feel is very important and definitely the best thing for me and my family. (Isn’t weird how I can feel all of that at once?)

I’m the kind of person that if I don’t write it down as a goal, I won’t do it. So I am. I may or may not let you know how it goes, but if nothing else, I want to encourage you - if you need to set up a counseling appointment, do it. I am trusting this will be the best decision. I know it will.

Today is the day! My brand new podcast, Work and Play with Nancy Ray, is LIVE and ready for you to give it a listen ;).

I really debated about the name of this podcast for a long, long time, but I settled on Work and Play with Nancy Ray and feel so great about it!

Why? Well, if we boil daily life down to two simple categories: we work, and we play! And I believe that is where our life and our legacy take place: in the every day rhythms we embrace. 

The first 3 episodes are already LIVE and ready for you to listen in:

1. Work and Play : 8 simple observations I’ve made about both work and play in our lives.

2. Rule of Life : What that means, and how I live it out in my own life.

3. Contentment Challenge : The story of how it came to be, and how you can take the Contentment Challenge as well.

Here’s the deal: I don’t really want you to give it a review until you actually listen to it!  And once you do, I would love for you to comment here to let me know any other topics YOU would like for me to cover eventually, and give me any feedback you have! I really want to share a mix of topics close to my heart and topics that YOU want to hear.

And here’s something fun:

The first 100 people to leave a review will get a surprise print in the mail! When you leave a review, be sure to email a screenshot of it to hello@nancyray.com, along with your mailing address.

So go listen!

Leave a review! (& send us an email!)

Leave a comment here!

I would be so delighted to build a podcast that you want to keep in your life!

Happy listening :)

Gosh I can’t believe I’m really typing this.

After 12 months of prayer, seeking God’s voice, and coming to experience abundant peace,

I’ve decided that it’s time to close the doors of Nancy Ray Photography.
2019 will be our last year serving weddings and families as a team.
Cue the tears! 😭

I know this news might be surprising to you – it’s honestly still a bit surprising to me too! It’s HARD to close something that is good and profitable. It’s hard to close the doors of work that I really do love.

So WHY is this happening?

In short: God has gently made it clear that the season for Nancy Ray Photography has come to an end.

It has been a long season of me praying, crying, seeking, and realizing over the course of a year: God wants me to keep working, but He wants me to do a different kind of work.

It’s time for me to allow Nancy Ray Photography to come to an end, so I can step into something new, and allow others to continue in this beautiful work of wedding and family photography.

The Lord is giving me a new assignment as I step into this new season of motherhood (raising 3 tiny wonderful people!) and teaching (via podcast and online education) that I’ve been feeling a nudge towards for a long time.

I plan to share the whole story soon, but there are a few important things to note, especially if you are or have been one of our clients, that I have explained further on the NRP blog!

You KNOW how much I love photography, love this business, love this team, and love what we’ve built together over the last almost 12 years. And even though I’ve spent a better part of the past few months crying as I’ve come to grips with letting this good work go, I’m becoming more excited for the time and space it will create in the future for my family, and hopefully a platform to teach lessons I’ve learned from 12 years of business.

A friend recently told me that it hurts when you prune a branch that is fruitful and alive, but that’s the only way to let more fruit grow. I’m taking that message to heart. Today I’m full of tears because of this announcement.

Yep, I’m scared.

No, I don’t really know how to be a grown up without Nancy Ray Photography.

But I believe wholeheartedly that God’s voice is worth following.

And I don’t mind sharing my story as I go, even though I don’t have it all figured out yet.

YOU are a huge reason why we’ve had the success that we have. I don’t say that lightly AT ALL. I am so incredibly grateful for you. We have determined to make this the BEST year of Nancy Ray Photography we’ve ever had, and I simply wanted to let you know what was going on and invite you to celebrate with us as we end this work on a strong note.

The GOOD news is that the education / teaching side of this business isn’t going anywhere! I’ll be here continuing to teach about business and motherhood and faith and a number of other topics. I’m just weeks away from launching my podcast, and I can’t wait to continue to share more of what God has put on my heart.​

I am also OVERJOYED to announce that our very own Olivia Suriano will be starting her own wedding photography business beginning 1/1/2020! You can check out her new site here. What a blessing to be able to recommend someone who has the exact same style, quality, and care that I do. (I did train her after all 😉!)

So with a heavy and hopeful and sad and happy heart, I’m excited to let God continue to write my story. The story has always been His anyway, so we’ll see what He does together. Grateful for your prayers and support as I turn a new page and start a new chapter!