Almost exactly one year ago, I was in the midst of a crisis. I didn’t blog about it then for a couple of reasons: because I didn’t want to look weak, and because at the time? I didn’t feel like there was anything good that could come of writing about how miserable I was. There was no success story or happy little takeaway that I could send my readers off with. But that was a year ago. And this is today, and I’m ready to share about it now!

One year ago, I thought my business was dying. My bookings had stopped, I was still pretty far from my goal for 2015 weddings, my workshop seat sales had almost completely dried up, and I thought it was the end of Abby Grace Photography. Like “you had a good run, kid, but now it’s time to face reality: this was never going to work anyways.” Those horrible, ugly lies that laid dormant in my subconscious for the last couple of years reared their ugly heads, more terrifying and convincing than ever before.

A lesson in business hardship | post by Abby Grace | photo by Just & Mary

I was distraught- my entire self was wrapped up in my business. So much of my worth and self-esteem came from the success I’d found as a wedding photographer, educator, and leader. And at the first sign of it being taken away, like a petulant child being told “no,” I crumbled.

There were so many ugly tears, so many times I was literally on my knees in prayer- I just didn’t understand. Why, oh WHY would God have given me this passion for people and a gift for business if he was just going to turn around and rip it away? I had worked so hard for so long, and now it’s all just STOPPED? It wasn’t fair!

But then I realized what the problem was: since 2010, the first year of Abby Grace Photography, I had never once relied on God to provide for my business. I took pride in my accomplishments because I did them- all those wedding, all those bookings? I thought they happened because I was worthy, I was talented, I was business savvy.

I never once stopped to think about the fact that those clients, those weddings, those all happened because God provided them for us. He gave me a passion for people and a gift for business, and then HE provided the opportunities to use those passions and gifts. Every client, every engagement session, every wedding was a gift, and I’d only ever thought of them as opportunities I was due. Because “I was worthy, I was talented, I was business savvy.”

So when it looked like all of that might be falling apart, I fell apart too. Because it felt like my PURPOSE was being taken away too. Like somehow, if I was no longer a successful photographer, my worth was gone, my value was nil, and I had nothing left to contribute.

That season of life taught me two painful but incredibly valuable lessons:

  1. My worth comes NOT from what I do, but from who I am- a daughter of the King, created to be exactly as I am. THAT is my highest calling, my most valuable title. And if one day I’m no longer a photographer, I am not any less worthy, and my life still has purpose!
  2. Every opportunity I’ve been afforded has been because HE provided it for me, and not because I’m especially deserving. Pretty humbling, right?

And now comes the happy takeaway- that season was just a season! After a few months of panic and distress, things not only picked up again, but we actually began booking at a higher level than ever before. And here we are, one year later, and things are going well enough that Matt was able to leave his corporate job to come on as my business partner! Our desperation drove us to be resourceful and creative, and 2015 ended up as our most profitable year yet.

So if this blog post feels like I’m writing about you, if you’re stuck in that terrifying place of anxiety and stress and fear, take heart. I can’t promise your story will end like mine, but I CAN promise you that you were created for a purpose greater than just photography, greater than just business, greater than just _____.

You’ve got this. We’re rooting for you.

A lesson in business hardship | post by Abby Grace | photo by Just & Mary

photo by Justin & Mary from our vow renewal in January!

That time I thought my business was dying

May 5, 2016

  1. Urška Majer says:

    Abby, it’s so nice to read that everyone struggles at some point! We were in a similar position this January and we thought that nobody would book us anymore. After a few weeks of stress bookings started to pour in and all of the couples that we have booked this year are our ideal clients! We never thought that would happen 🙂

  2. Tilley says:

    This is hitting home for me so hard. Thank you for sharing! Your work is amazing!

  3. I love to read your blog it is so encouraging. I’m still in the “worry” stage and try every day to remember to have faith! Nothing in life comes easy and hard work pays off. THANK YOU.

  4. Rosie says:

    This is so perfect in so many ways. I’m not even relating this to business but to life in general and it fills my heart up.

    Thank you.

  5. Love love love your heart Abby!

  6. Thanks for sharing, Abby! This gives me hope!! xo

  7. Becky says:

    Thanks so much for sharing this post! I can’t tell you how many times lately i’ve thought that my business is dying, i’m irrelevant, etc. etc. etc. This post is a great reminder that God provides.

  8. Kat says:

    Abby! You spoke to my heart; thank you!!

  9. Love you, friend.

  10. Breanna says:

    Love this sweet Abby. What a great reminder. It is so easy to get caught up in the number of instagram likes, and blog comments, but you are exactly right! We would not be blessed with businesses if it wasn’t for God’s work in our lives. So many couples are blessed by the work God does through you!

  11. Jean says:

    You are so amazing, both you and Matt! Love the photo, love you two!

  12. Love your heart, Abby! Thank you for sharing.

  13. Rebekah Hoyt says:

    I love this, Abby! And I love your vulnerability in sharing your heart. I felt like I lost a lot of who I was when I stopped being a photographer, but God used that transition to show me my true and only identity is found in Him! And what a great JOY to know that no matter what happens in our circumstances, we will never lose our identity in Christ. God is good and I have been overjoyed to see your business flourish as you continue to glorify Him! xoxo

  14. Anna says:

    So beautiful and encouraging. God’s blessings to you!

  15. ashley says:

    Girl, this is wonderful! I’m currently in this season. I know it’s God’s business, but trusting Him has always been hard and trusting He’ll provide and take care of me is so scary (control freak here). I feel like this year has been a major trusting year and very scary. I know that no matter where my business ends up, He’s got me, but it’s so hard to trust when you’re like, “ummm what’s going on?! How is this going to work out?” But He’s God and He knows all, but still, my tiny brain can never seem to grasp that. Definitely in a season of trusting Him to provide. So happy your season turned out so well! <3

  16. Kristen Duffy says:

    This is a beautiful thing to share, Abby. Love it. And thank you 🙂

  17. […] Remember this blog post from a while back about that time I thought my business was dying? Today’s post is about an event that transpired just a few short months after that. I was still in that place of doubting whether or not we’d make it through in one piece, knowing that I couldn’t keep going as a solo small business owner, but having NO idea how we’d ever manage to make Matt my business partner. […]

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Leave A Note

Browse the Conversation ...

Snag the Gear Guide

Heck yes! Gimme!

Curious about my gear list?

Follow along

@abbygracephoto

info@abbygracephotography.com

WASHINGTON, DC & WORLDWIDE

DESIGN BY TONIC SITE SHOP 

© ABBY GRACE PHOTOGRAPHY 2024 

Back to top

JOin the abby grace newsletter community

Get on the list

for exclusive, once-weekly business & photo tips, early access to new courses and resources, and occasional Mean Girls quotes. 

%d bloggers like this: