I’m giving a 3 hour workshop May 4th at Pine Lake Covenant Church entitled “Divine Seeing: Photography and the Spiritual Life.”

C.S. Lewis wrote, “The world is crowded with God. He walks everywhere incognito.” Sometimes life clouds our vision and we lose our way, our sense of God’s presence in the midst of our chaos. Other times we lose the reality of God’s love in the busyness of our responsibilities and distractions, the burdens of our own sin, or the words of our own abstractions about God.”

Come explore with us how to recover our senses, and realign our hearts with God, with the aid of a camera in hand. Photography has become for me, a spiritual discipline in this journey.

When: May 4th, Pine Lake Covenant Church. 9:00 – 12:00
Sign up here.

Sold Out! Keep Posted for Next Year’s Calendar.

This year’s calendar features award winning photography, professional graphic design, inspirational thoughts, and insight into the work of visual peacemaking. Price breaks are included for multiple orders. Your order will be shipped the 2nd week of December. Below is a sample of some of the featured photographs.

Friend from Hebron

It has been a rough news cycle recently when considering the Muslim world. But way too often we allow this kind of news to color our image of a large swath of humanity that number close to 1.6 billion, or 23% of the world’s population. We extrapolate, generalize, draw faulty conclusions, over imagine and hype up our fear. It doesn’t help that there are people, and “news” agencies that prey on our innate, human fears and seek to stir things up, or make money with headline grabbing stories. After all, who wants to read about peacemakers, or the majority of peace loving Muslims [the type I regularly encounter], or constant efforts by Muslims in our midst to demonstrate that violence is not the Muslim way. “Wait, did you say what I thought you said Andy?” Are you naive? Are you reading the news?

Well YES to reading the news. And I have many stories that keep pointing to what I’m trying to say. But more importantly I want to challenge anyone reading this blog on an important value that should help us in our journey today, in this world where ugly things DO happen. And, if you’re reading this blog and describe yourself as a follower of Christ, you need to listen to this challenge even more. Andy Braner, who blogs on this stuff, supports my idea. WE CANNOT, demonize a people we don’t know. We can’t allow our opinions of others to be shaped only by taking stories from the news or our inbox, sitting in the comfort of our homes and churches, in our little bubble! We are called to engage and build bridges. Even if someone, or some group is our enemy, what does Jesus call us to do? Matthew 5: 43-48 puts it clearly:

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Check out my new photo blog for awarding winning photography and stories of my visual journey.

I have enjoyed photography for years as a form of creative expression but also as a way to connect with God, his creation, and to become grounded as well as uplifted in my spiritual journey. Photography has served as my pen for the journal of that journey. Photography helps me capture and contemplate daily life, both the good and bad. Quietly taking pictures, at dawn or dusk, or when the sun has long left the sky, I gain perspective in difficult times. Much like the constant rising of the sun everyday, I’m re-established and strengthened in the rhythms of God’s faithful and abiding presence. Similarly, my camera is my constant companion on the summit experiences. These are times when my spirit soars with gratitude and awe, almost overwhelmed with the beauty and sense of wonder unfolding before my very eyes. Words sometimes fail to capture what photography has helped me access.

What others have said about my photography:

“I got totally lost (in a good way!) in perusing this visual feast. The thing about Andy’s photographs is that they pull me into their world. Reverence, delight, laughter, anticipation, exultation. Nice to take a vacation without leaving my computer screen.”

“I SO get the connection between the visual and spiritual, they are not separate things. The other one that surprised me with it’s strong sense of anticipation was the snowy forest path with the figure in the distance. Maybe it was also strong nostalgia I was feeling, as being in that kind of setting is one of my favorite and indelible visual memories of many stages of my life. I will definitely peruse the photos when I need a break.”