Audra Edwards
Audra’s a photographer, director, and producer getting after all her dreams from Charlotte, NC.
Audra’s story is written with faith, creativity, and how God can use one “yes” after the next. Rather than trying to figure it all out, Audra leans into who God is and all He said she could be. It’s not always easy, but she knows the good that comes from following where He leads.
Whatever the project, no matter the depth or scale, Audra’s creative approach brings it all to life in ways that truly connect. With wild faith and epic dreams, Audra continues to do what she does to keep moving forward. Not simply to reach an end goal, but to reach people for Jesus as she does.
What dream are you currently turning into reality?
I’ve always had the desire to create dope art that moves hearts and impacts lives. It’s been quite a journey, but it’s crazy to think that I've already started to achieve that dream at the age of 23. I currently get the chance to serve & create at an incredible church that I dearly love. At the end of it all, I have just always wanted to draw people closer to Jesus. And, to be able to do that in such a major way, I’m extremely blessed.
When did you first realize you discovered your dream?
It’s hard to say! I remember when Youtube started to pop off big time when I was in middle school/high school. I would stay up for hours watching music videos. Everything from Michael Jackson to Chris Brown, to literally anything that popped up on my feed. I remember just being obsessed with how they would create these beautiful narratives that moved you in one way or another. Some made you wanna cry or to dance your heart out…others made you wanna fall in love or take on the world.
I was obsessed with the cinematography, the style, the emotion - Everything. I think that time specifically birthed the desire to create beautiful visual stories that moved you, whether it be through photography, film, live performance, etc.
How does your faith go hand in hand with pursuing your dream?
They are deeply intertwined. When I officially gave my life to Christ, I essentially told God - “Here’s my life. Do what you want with it and use it for Your glory”. There have definitely been times when I’ve asked myself, “Why the heck did you pray that?” haha. But, all in all - That was the best decision I’ve ever made, and continue to make.
I think people assume when you become a Christian, God wants to take away all your desires and dreams. But, I think it’s actually the beginning. That’s when you really start recognizing the source of those desires and dreams. It’s then where you begin building a life in which you get to operate in ways you couldn’t have dreamed or imagined.
Of course, there are times when I question if I’m doing it right, or if I’m crazy for having the audacity to chase dreams that don’t make sense at first. It’s such a big risk, to lay it all out at the feet of Jesus. To say, “This life is Yours, not mine”. But, I ultimately find peace in knowing that as long as I'm faithful to the moment in front of me, God never fails to return that faithfulness by fulfilling my deepest desires. It happens every time.
What’s one or two practical steps you take to keep moving forward?
One thing I do is little “passion check-ins”. I can lose interest in certain things so quickly while also finding passion in the most random things. At first, I used to freak out because I felt like I could only have one dream and I had to stick to it. But, I remind myself that it’s okay to be passionate about a lot of things. We’re all figuring it out day by day. So, I regularly ask myself, “What have I been passionate about lately? Have I lost passion in a certain area? Why? Are there any pivots I need to make accordingly to move forward?”
Obviously, there are times when you have to do things you don't prefer, or you find yourself in situations you didn’t account for. But, I try to regularly ask God to align my desires with His will, then I allow those passions to guide my steps moving forward.
Another thing I’ve found myself doing quite recently is making a habit of saying “yes”, when I really want to say “no” out of fear. Let’s be real. Leaning into discomfort that stretches our growth and capacity can be difficult. So, whenever I’m tempted to turn down an opportunity solely based on fear of incapability or being unqualified, I tell myself that I now actually HAVE to do it. I basically force myself to, because I know moving in faith is the only way you’ll see God show up in the ways you’ve prayed for.
It always sucks at first, because it can be so freaking hard to believe in yourself and just go for it, but that’s how you’ll see God move in the craziest ways. God always honors a “yes”, whether it's out of complete faith or a little fear.
What encouragement would you share with someone who’s going after their dream?
A lot of the time, dreams evolve and sometimes completely change and that’s totally okay. Other times, you may have so many dreams all at once that seem so vastly different from one another. It can all honestly be a little overwhelming, but it’s all a part of the process.
Allow God to guide you, and He’ll reveal things you didn’t even know about yourself. Dreams you didn’t even know were inside of you and gifts that just needed some time to develop. God’s gonna connect the dots - So, don’t stress yourself out trying to make everything make sense all the time.