Louisiana in 35mm

Here are some 35mm shots that I took while in New Orleans with the WISE School for Marti Gras. I had some fun playing around with some older 35mm cameras while I was there. Sometimes digital just gets a bit sterile, and you just have to get your hands dirty with the old stuff. 

Graduation Day - WISE School

Well, today is graduation day from my WISE (Worship, Intercession, Spiritual Warfare, Evangelism) School. It has been a crazy three months. The school was fantastic. I learned a lot, and grew a lot. Our "family" is really close, and it's been a blessing to have every one of you in my life. This leads me to my next point, outreach...

We, the WISE students will be embarking on an eight week outreach over the summer to central Africa. I'll be leading the team. I am so excited. We're figuring out details over the next few weeks. During the spring, Matt and Annalise will be heading to Haiti with a DTS team from Denver. Erica will be heading home to work and be in her best friend's wedding. Melissa will head back home to work and see family. Soo Min is in Korea currently, but is hoping to go to Switzerland to staff with YWAM there. I'll be heading to Switzerland as well to do a Principles of Communication School in Geneva. It should be good. Once I'm done with that school, I'll have this outreach, and one final school to complete. After that, I'll officially have my Bachelor's Degree. Hallelujah!

When I get back in July, I have the honor of ministering my two dear friends Jamie and Jonathan's wedding in Portland, Oregon. I am very excited for that.

Shortly after that, we'll head to Africa. We're hoping to get to the Congo, or Somalia. The crazier the better, we figure. We'll see though. We've had it on our hearts from the beginning to really try to be somewhere that we can love on people who need it the most. Victims of human trafficking, war, extreme poverty, slavery, etc. These are the people that need hope, and authentic love. These are the people we want to be Christ to.

It's time to put on a tie, and head to graduation. More details will come as we know them.

Shalom.

Viewing life through glass...some thoughts.

I enjoy photography. But not because it's simply another hobby, or something super fun to do. It's really not even the most exciting or thrilling thing that I could think to do, to be honest. Why then? 

Every person has a unique story to tell, from the depths of their innermost being - a story that can be read in their eyes, reaching inward to their very soul. It is riddled with the image of our Creator...as well as the images that we've all tried to create for ourselves. Beautiful truths and revelations of goodness, grace and true love...simply waiting to be discovered. Intermixed though, are the pains of our own misguided striving to, in of ourselves be something big enough to set us free from all the things that keep us chained. In the midst of all of this, there is a brutally honest, and painfully beautiful picture that every person is painting. Joy and peace interwoven with sorrow...regret. A mix of despair and of hope. An outpouring of varied, often contradictory emotions. Authentic life. This is what I long to capture as I gaze patiently through the glass, waiting with baited breath for the next splatter of life to soak into my lens. 

This world is broken, and covered with the dirt of a thousand generations of lost wanderers, but everywhere you look beauty can be found. There is beauty in creation around us, splashing color and contrast into our eyes. It hums a song of precise tranquility and unplanned chaos into our ears. Nostalgic scents creep into our nostrils taking us to another time and place. Yes, there is this beauty, but there is another beauty that holds much more depth and power. At times, it is harder to find, and easier to overlook...it is the beauty of the human spirit, when on occasion it refuses to give in to despair and bitterness in the midst of many trials, but instead chooses love, even at the cost of great sacrifice.

The art, and language of photography gives us a concrete way to capture these beautiful moments, so we can share them with generations to come. How can we expect those after us to live by love, if we cannot offer them visual proof and explanation of our own love, and that which was given to us by others as a learning tool, and as an inspiration. It also allows us to capture powerful moments of selfishness, terror and pain. It encapsulates emotion that has the power to whisper, "please, no more." Let us use both these beautiful and haunting moments to inspire and direct our paths, and the paths of our children towards goodness, mercy and love.

"And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, love mercy and to walk humbly with your G-d?" - Micah 6:8