Overcomer Series with Shannon Heick
What do you do?
I am a bunch of things. Being a mom is my heartbeat. 3 boys- ha- that keeps the old heart beating, for sure. Really though, motherhood has me awake and alive in the very best of ways. After that….as if there could be anything else after that, there are a few things I love to do. I take photos of other people’s people. I love to capture those moments. You know the ones. The heart-stoppers. The memory-makers. Editing photos with my GoldenDoodle curled under my desk and listening to my latest spotify mix is my jam. Totally.
A few mornings a week I put on my dressy clothes and I sit in an office and listen to the bravest, most broken people tell me their stories. I am a therapist. I help people remember who they are and that they already have everything they will ever need. And I point them to Jesus, too.
Someday, I want to be a full-time blogger of really great things. Happy stuff. Funny stuff. Inspirational stuff. All woven all together by Faith.
Growing up, did you always dream that you would be doing what you’re doing now?
I knew I would be a mom. I knew I loved helping people and being the person people always came to with their problems. I had no clue I would become a photographer. That was a fun surprise! I wrote a lot of poems when I was young and I even read one at our high school graduation and had the entire gymnasium of people sobbing. I guess that was my tip off that I wanted to be a writer. Whatever being a writer means.
What made you decide to “go for it” in terms of your career goals/ambitions?
Which one? Ha ha! Counseling was an easy decision. Get the degrees. Help the people. No brainer.
Photography just came out of my love for my first born and wanting to learn how to capture him. Learning that new skill as a first time mom was some sort of an outlet I guess. Writing has been a late-night release for me. I haven’t really “gone for it” in terms of my writing. I have just written on my personal/photography blog and had fun with it. I don’t know what “going for it” means in terms of writing. I wish I knew. I will someday. I know that.
Did you face adversity? How did you overcome that?
Of course. I faced adversity with my health. In 2009, after my 2nd son was born, I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, which is now healed. Praise the Lord! I had the cousin of Rheumatoid Arthritis (AS) and it really derailed my life for a while. I was told by 4 specialists that I would not get better and that my spine would fuse together, causing me to not walk. I knew that I could find a way to heal. God gave me some amazing confirmations of healing but the most profound one was when He thrust Psalm 18 on my lap one sad Friday morning when I was in so much pain. That chapter is wild! Goosebumps marched up my arms as I read the verses that called out my specific body parts that were being afflicted by inflammation. A promise of healing was given. Through a lot of prayer and faith and a wonderful natural doctor, we accomplished full healing. Ultimately, the journey lasted from Oct all the way through the next July. It’s quite a God-story!
A lot of women have these big goals & big ideas that they’d like to bring to life, what advice would you give them in terms of how they can make that happen?
Pray like it depends on God. Work like it depends on you. -Mark Batterson said that.
What’s the biggest regret you have when it comes to your blog/shop/business?
I don’t dedicate any time to blogging at this point. I just do it randomly. That isn’t really making it happen.
What’s been your proudest moment so far?
Motherhood.
And, just because we like our coffee around here, how do you take yours? 🙂
Dark and thick. Heavy whipping cream. Coconut sugar.
I believe in the story of the overcomer. That has been my story and I believe that is your story too. We want your journey here on the blog to help encourage others just like you and me. If you’d like to share that with us, please come over and share your story with us!
Was this story an encouragement to you? Share it with others!
Wow! Thanks for sharing my story! How fun!
You’re so cute, love you, Shannon!