Inspiring

Once in awhile you run across an individual who has discovered his or her gift.  They know what they are made of and what they are made for.

They transform the impossible.

What they feel...is natural, fluid, alive.

What we feel... is inspiration.

Be Still

This is a picture of Lynn, a missionary in Haiti. 

It's one of my favorite images this year. 

One of the most important questions I ask as a photographer is, "Where is God's signature?"

I look for moments that define the story I want to tell, and moments that are so genuine and powerful that they will tell their own story and interpret the feeling long after I'm gone.

She has a world-class heart.  Every time I talk to her she is smiling.  While Haiti is probably one of the least friendly places on the planet for a wheelchair, you would never know it talking with Lynn.  Her eyes are always dancing and she's always encouraging.  

Once when it was everyone's misfortune and my turn to cook, I cracked open some tuna soaked in oil.  I poured in a ton of warm mayo and began to stir.  The smell was horrendous.  The texture already looked as similar as it gets to vomit, and the oil wasn't breaking down.  My stomach as turning just looking at it.

I'd wasted about 7 cans of tuna, and I didn't know what to do.  

When I showed it to Lynn, she just looked at me and smiled.   

"Well, instead of Tuna salad sandwiches we'll just dunk the bread like a dip.  It'll be great!"  

When I realized she wasn't kidding, I took the sorriest meal I'd ever made and dumped it out, far away from the house, where we wouldn't have to smell it.  I wasn't going to be the cause of food poisoning for the whole orphanage.   

That girl would have ate it.  And she would have smiled!  That's how sweet her heart is.

God's Blessed Assurance

I'm reminded of this man who scooted up a tree last month to get coconuts for us.   We were at the top of the mountain, exhausted and thirsty.  He even carved out little spoons with his machete, so we could dig out the meat of the fruit.  It was the perfect pick-me-up, drinking that sweet milk and refreshing our bodies.  'Natural Gatorade' they say.  It was a perfect example to me...

God doesn't call the equipped, he equips the called.

This morning on my way into the city, I began to worship as I was pulling out.  My window rolled down I heard the birds singing so sweetly and even remarked to Lord that I may as well shut up, because they are doing a much better job of it. 

Today was a vital reassurance from the Lord. Sometimes when we've been in the mire of battle, we come out of the skirmishes a little heavier than when we went in.  If we could but see the spiritual, we might be surprised to look down and see the many gashes, the wounds, the arrows cleaved and buried, a hairs-breadth from the major arteries.

Today, many men layed their hands on me and prayed over my family, and I could feel the Lord. He renewed me, refreshed me, he set me back upon my feet and gave me His charge to carry on.

On the way home, this song came flooding to my mind, filling my lungs and in turn the air, and my soul gave thanks to it's Maker. I thought of Haiti and the splendor of my King.  I remembered looking down from the mountain in Haiti, toward the sea. Feeling a tie to this foreign place.  Being thankful for the breeze, for the little cloud He placed in between me and the hot sun.  I remembered walking through the forests, the sharp leaves of the palms and the cactus slicing into me at every misguided turn.  No paths, no roads or guidance, just the feeling of how small I felt in such a place, how even though Haiti was small, how very small was I, and yet how Grand, How Great, How Beautiful, my God!  I knew He could see me. Because God is on the throne. Not that He was, or that He would be, but that He IS.  The Great I AM.

His Hands....Oh His Hands!  My only desire is to be found in them.  To be wrapped in them, to be under them, to be lifted by them, protected by them, guided by them, molded, caught by them, pointed, driven, and charged by them!

The prayers of these warriors, these faithful men, committed to the same King, minister to me, and the arrows are plucked and have fallen to the ground as refuse, where they belong. Their hands cover my wounds and the Living Word sears over the gashes.

In these moments I look down and imagine my sword.  My enemy sees it too, blindingly squinting as it glimmers in the reflection of the Light of my Commander. It will swing out upon the breadth, and the name of the Lord will be glorified.

How Great Thou Art

Lyrics ~ Carl Boberg, 1859 - 1940

English Translation ~ Stuart K. Hine, 1899 -

Stanza 1:

O Lord my God,

When I in awesome wonder

Consider all

The works Thy Hand hath made,

I see the stars,

I hear the mighty thunder,

Thy pow'r throughout

The universe displayed;

Stanza 2:

When through the woods

And forest glades I wander

I hear the birds

Sing sweetly in the trees;

When I look down

From lofty mountain grandeur

And hear the brook

And feel the gentle breeze;

Refrain:

Then sings my soul,

My Saviour God, to Thee,a

How great Thou art!

How great Thou art!

Then sings my soul,

My Saviour God, to Thee,

How great Thou art!

How great Thou art!

Stanza 3:

When Christ shall come,

With shouts of acclamation,

And take me home,

What joy shall fill my heart!

Then I shall bow

In humble adoration

And there proclaim,

"My God, how great Thou art!"

Refrain:

Then sings my soul,

My Saviour God, to Thee,

How great Thou art!

How great Thou art!

Then sings my soul,

My Saviour God, to Thee,

How great Thou art!

How great Thou art!

On The Market

We've been praying about this for awhile, and we think it's time.  Tomorrow morning our studio and home will be going on the market.  

$362,500.

(The properties are mortgaged with the option to assume the loan)

Our photography business has really evolved over the years.  Most of our work is now on-location, with weddings or missions, the kids are older and don't need babysitters, and ever since Haiti, we've just felt like God is moving us.

This place has been a tremendous blessing to our family, and we're thankful that God gave us such a wonderfully unique and beautiful space.  

We've never felt like it was ours.  Since day one we knew that it would be temporary. It's our hope that somehow this building can be used for continued ministry in the community.

Reflections

I kept noticing her, staring.  

Then she'd open her mouth like she was going to eat my backpack.  

She'd smile big as she could, then in a flash she'd be sticking out her tongue.  

Her eyes were wide as saucers.

"What is she doing??!"  I said.  

Then I realized, she was looking at her 'funny faces' 

in the reflection of my sunglasses, 

hooked onto my pack. 

 Maybe she'd never seen a mirror?  I don't know.  

She was, to say the least, intrigued.

Let Go. Let God

I remember this girl in the village, so simple and content with her cup.  Some days, we need to just let go of the world and do exactly what we see in this image.  We just need to be still, to hold out our cup and wait for the Lord.  The blessings will come and the cup will overflow. Amen?

Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.

1 Peter 3:8-9