Finding Providence in The Heart of Your Vision.

This week i'm excited to introduce a beautiful friend of mine whom i have had the pleasure to work with. Together we have worked on a number of videos and photography projects and I can say she is one of the most professional, thoughtful and kind hearted people i have worked with.

Sharna Park is the founder and owner of the Sydney's Video Creatives Carbon Lily. Using her gifts and talents to bless and serve people around her as she walks her God-given calling, she's making her mark and brightly shining in her chosen industry.

Responding to the call that God has put in her life and following her love for videography hasn't been all that easy, as she tells her story, you'll see the struggles she's gone through.... But the beautiful thing of it all, is that we can be sure that where there is a VISION, there is PROVISION! God always provides and will give you exactly what you need to make that vision happen! Putting in you in the right place, at the right time, with the right people!

Read on and be inspired as Sharna shares her faith journey!

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Hi, My name’s Sharna! I am a 21 year old female with a passion for storytelling, love and education.

It never occurred to me that the next few years after high school, became a pivotal point in my life where God directed me in his path and called me to pursue a life in education and media.

However, it wouldn't be true of me if I told you that it was easy from the beginning. In fact, it was the hardest decision I had to make to stay grounded in my faith and actively turn towards my heavenly father (there were a lot of hiccups) when everyday was like a battlefield being pushed around with physical and verbal assaults, in a stereotypically male dominated industry working your way up from the bottom. But against all odds, I endured. And most importantly I lived and learned.

For over 4 years, it’s been such a privilege to work alongside some of the most respected leaders and organisations. Most notably, worked on titles with the Hon. Michael Kirby, Sydney Peace Foundation, The A21 Campaign, Christ College and co-directing a television commercial airing on Foxtel in Australia and New Zealand.

(Carbon Lily Founder and Creatives Sharna & Dom)

It was through Him, that one day a train ride from work became an unexpected blessing :)

2016 was a year that crafted and shaped Carbon Lily as it is today, where my direction shifted out of cinematography and creating films became a distant memory.

Instead I was guided to focus on ‘educating and crafting stories’; to study a new career path in teaching primary school students to be the next storytellers of our generation and created a video production business (Carbon Lily) that allowed me to hear, tell and with our help share your stories.

We want to showcase the beauty in every story (that’s our motto!). Knowing there are so many stories untold there including the unglamorous ones, which is why I’m starting with mine.

A little background about my current status:

My family (mum, dad) and I moved to Australia back in 2000 and ever since then we haven't looked back. That’s 17 years. There were many challenges along the way, both financially and emotionally. Many years we’ve struggled on our feet, trying to pay for school fees/visas for my parents to provide me a new life in Australia. It took us days what turned into months then years where we weren’t able to provide food on the table, and at nights we slept in our loaned car next to local parks. But we persisted. And somehow God always provided. But the fight isn’t over yet.

You can read more about it here:

https://www.gofundme.com/help-sharna-continue-her-stay

Carbon Lily is a project born out of our desire to create. From the very beginning, we were brought together by our love of film and storytelling.

It was only since March last year, that Dom and I met on the train as strangers (he asked “Are you a photographer? Oh! I create videos too!

We should make videos together!”).

I love how God leads you to the right people in the right kind of places. And for us, this was where our creativity ensparked a new journey.

These past few years has been an incredible journey, where God has opened up many doors in my life and taught me about learning to love with open arms, both in and out of the workplace that led me to cherish lifelong memories.

(Sharna and Fideliz working together on a project)

I am truly grateful to have friends and visionaries along for the journey. Allowing us to use our gifts to serve others, and work alongside such an amazing community of like-minded individuals who strive to put God in the centre of our relationships, and show it through our actions of what it means to be loved by him.

Because we truly are.

When you ask yourself.. Why is it so hard to be strong? Why is it so hard to keep faith?

Just remember this verse from 2 Corinthians 4:17-18

‘For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal’.

I hope this encourages everyone to keep fighting, and keep loving life, just as it has been given to us.

I’m really excited to see what God has planned for us, and want to thank everyone for allowing us to unfold the pages one by one with you to our story.

Let us know how we can help capture your story!

Sharna

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