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<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\u201cI find immense fulfillment in photographing children, particularly those with special needs,\u201d Snell explained. \u201cCountless clients have expressed their appreciation for the manner in which I engage with their children, telling me that I bring out the best in them and produce truly cherished portraits,\u201d she explained. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
For Snell, photography is what she was made to do. She uses her talents to document weddings, family milestones, and\u00a0community events, always with the intention of telling a story through her images. But her most profound work is often found in the faces of those who have faced adversity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Snell\u2019s journey with adoption has impacted her photography even further. In 2000, while working as the foreign program director for an international adoption agency, Snell found herself unexpectedly drawn to two young girls whose photos appeared on her screen. Tears streamed down her face as she stared at their pictures \u2014 two beautiful sisters from Colombia who would soon become her daughters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere was nothing about the picture that would make you feel sorry for them. They were beautiful little girls and looked like they were well taken care of. Nonetheless, I started crying and ended up crying for two days,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFinally, after two days, I began to pray. I told the Lord that I didn’t know what he wanted me to do about these two little girls. I didn’t know if I was supposed to pray for them or if he wanted me to adopt them. I remember praying on a Wednesday morning around 10:00, and that evening, a friend I hadn’t heard from in months called me. To my surprise, she told me that she had stock options in her company, and the options had jumped in value, resulting in a substantial amount of money for her. She told the Lord the money was His and asked what she should do with it, and He told her to call me. She responded by sending a check for $16,000 a week later.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n In just four months, Snell went from seeing their photo to bringing her daughters home. It was an extensive journey that tested her faith and filled her cup with moments of awe and confirmation that this was the path she was meant to take. <\/p>\n\n\n\n That first adoption experience shaped Snell\u2019s understanding of what it means to be a mother and how the bonds of family transcended biology. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI was concerned that they wouldn\u2019t be okay with a single mom. The girls were 8 and 11 at the time, and I was really uneasy about how they would accept me. When I finally got to meet them on Feb. 12, the girls came running to me, crying and throwing themselves around me, calling out \u2018Mommy, mommy, mommy.\u2019 My whole life changed at that moment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Over the years, Snell\u2019s family grew again. In 2013, after fostering for several years, she adopted two more children, Isaac and Kaydence, who, Snell believes, were also part of a vision God had shown her years before. Snell said she received a vivid, prophetic vision of a little boy \u2014 her future son \u2014 and the connection was instant when Isaac was placed into her arms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhen Isaac and the caseworker were walking up to my front porch, Isaac jumped out of their arms and into mine, smiling. The social workers told me that was the first time they had seen him smile all day, and there was an instant connection between Isaac and me,\u201d she said. \u201cI knew immediately that he was the little boy I had seen in my vision.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Through the lens of adoption, Snell saw both the depth of her children\u2019s pain and the immense healing the adoption brought them. Her two oldest daughters experienced a great deal of hardship and loss, but they began to thrive under Snell and her family\u2019s love and security. Watching this transformation further reaffirmed Snell\u2019s desire to help others heal from their pasts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBeing an adoptive mother has changed the way I think about a lot of things,\u201d Snell reflected. \u201cMy two oldest daughters’ abuse story is one of the most horrific that I have ever heard, and I have heard a lot working with the adoption agency. Having gone through everything that they went through, I honestly do not know how they could overcome that. I have learned that people, more specifically children, are incredibly resilient. Knowing what people go through and how they are not only able to survive but also thrive and maintain the capacity to give and receive love is truly inspiring.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Inspired by her children\u2019s story and her faith, Snell plans to spearhead Goldfinch Ministries, an initiative that serves women and children in need. Through this ministry, she hopes to provide a safe space for them to heal, combining counseling, practical life skills training, and discipleship to help women transition to independent living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The name “Goldfinch” came from a vision Snell had of birds seeking refuge in the middle of a storm. In this vision, the goldfinches found peace and safety in a tree, representing the kind of sanctuary Snell wants to offer women and children who have been through trauma. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Snell\u2019s life is all about faith, family, and the art of seeing beyond what\u2019s on the surface. Through photography and adoption, she has captured moments of beauty, joy, and transformation and witnessed immense healing in the process. Through her ministry, she offers that same healing to others who need it most.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As she continues her work behind the camera, Snell remains committed to helping people see the world \u2014 and themselves \u2014 through the lens of hope, healing, and boundless love. GN<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u201cCHEESE!\u201d The photographer\u2019s voice resounded in the studio, but the young boy standing in front of the camera didn\u2019t move. His eyes were wide and apprehensive. He darted around the room, avoiding the lens that seemed too intrusive for his comfort. His parents shared anxious glances, hoping for a breakthrough. The photographer noticed and gently […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":23616,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23613","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stories"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/goodnewsmags.com\/franklin-county\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/01\/1-1024x683.png\")
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