How to Be Excited About Knowing God

Over the past two years, I have made a lot of friends over the internet. Tim and Victory, in the above photos, are two of my earlier internet friends. Something I've noticed in common with every friendship is this: we get excited about meeting each other in person. When we realize there will be an opportunity to meet face to face, we often become a lot more involved and enthusiastic about getting to know each other. We'll talk more often, we'll call each other, and as a whole get much closer than we previously had been. 

I've come to realize that it can be similar in our relationship with God. Sometimes we feel far away from Him and we begin to lose sight of the fact that as Christians, we WILL indeed someday be with Him. When we forget about the reality of a future with Him, it is easy to put our relationship with Him on the back burner. 

Recently, I was struck by a deep realization, remembering the reality of the perfect worship and time with God that will happen in my future. Suddenly, something clicked in my mind and this truth feels so much more real than it once had. Since then, I've experienced a heightened interest in studying passages that reveal things about God's personality and work. 

If you're going to be with God forever someday, get to know Him! Put yourself in a place where you will live with excitement about this coming reality!

"I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me." - Proverbs 8:17


"... giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." - Colossians 1:12-14

Why I Hate Selfless Love.

I’m going to risk sounding like a bad Christian and start off this week’s devotional by saying this:

Selfless love sucks.

It takes your resources, your time, your energy. It can range from being mildly inconvenient to downright painful. It means we have to be aware of how our words and actions affect others instead of blurting out everything we feel in a moment. It means we should care for others when we’d rather focus on taking care of our own burdens.

It also means we need to be more like Christ - which sounds pretty ideal until we realize how much hardship and rejection He went through. Do we really want to go there? Nowadays, society won’t judge us for focusing our time and energy on ourselves or for simply chasing what makes us feel good. So why bother?

It is now December, and the answer is basically staring us in the face. The lights I keep driving past may just seem like fun and festive decor to most, but to those who believe in Christ, they should also be a reminder. A reminder that the Light of the World didn’t just sit up in Heaven enjoying Himself.

God’s creation had (and still has) turned against Him. If I were Him, I’d be inclined to say “Well, that was stupid. Screw humanity. I’ll just chill up here while they suffer for rebelling against my design.” But, God isn’t made in my image (thanks be to Him for that!). So, instead, Christ exercised selfless love. He confined Himself to a human body. He chose to help society’s hopeless and looked down upon sinners rather than taking on a glorious political position or snubbing everyone like the “good” people did. He was despised, rejected, and even betrayed by those who said they loved Him.

What does He do in return? He takes on the punishment of damnation so that our debt is paid and we can be adopted into His family and have the ability to love Him.

Selfless love sucks.

But, it was given to us by Christ. So let’s pay it forward. And backward. And everywhere in between. Let’s selflessly love Christ by following Him and His Word no matter what. Let’s selflessly love others because that is what Christ did and wants us to do, too. It won’t always be a warm fuzzy feeling, it may mean we’ll get dirty or uncomfortable or worse.

It won’t be like a Hallmark Christmas flick, but it is the best way we can celebrate Christmas both in December and throughout the year.

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other.” - John 15:9-17

The Book of Ruth: Not the Love Story You Thought it Was

I feel like the book of Ruth has been overly romanticized. I always see Ruth held up as a biblical love story to remind girls that "God has a Boaz for you" (which, I must point out, is definitely never promised in scripture). I've heard summaries that go along the lines of "Ruth waited and God provided the right guy for her". Now, yes, that is true, but also take note that Ruth's first husband died. The account of Ruth is far more than some cute little story about a young woman waiting for the right guy.

At the start, Ruth's mother-in-law, Naomi, becomes a widow. Shortly thereafter, Naomi's two sons die and that leaves Ruth and her sister-in-law, Orpah as widows also. Naomi plans to return to her people but urges the girls to stay and find new husbands while they're young. Orpah agrees, but Ruth does not want to leave her grieving mother-in-law on her own. Ruth's mind was not on finding a new man to be with, but on being there to support her mother-in-law in the worst time of her life.

When it comes to Ruth meeting Boaz, it was never presented that she fell in love with him, as we might like to think. She does intentionally put herself in his presence, but it is because the custom of the day was for a widowed woman to be "redeemed" by a close relative of her husband. The idea behind this act was not to find new love, but to perpetuate the family name of the deceased husband. Boaz praised Ruth for not going after the younger men, but rather choosing to honor her husband by seeking a redeemer with whom the family line could continue through.

The moral of this story is not that God will provide a man for every girl who waits. The real lesson here is that Ruth chose to make love an action in her life and God blessed her through it. Ruth chose to love and support Naomi in her hardest time rather than seeking a new man to marry. She also chose to love and honor her deceased husband by finding a relative with whom to continue the family line. Did she find a man to love in all of this? It appears so. Was that her primary goal? Not in the least.

Read the story for yourself in Ruth 1-4.

How to Fail at Empathy.

Several close friends have pointed out to me that empathy is not my strongest quality. It's true, and it's something I'm trying to work on. The hardest part is resisting the urge to offer advice when all the other person really needs is someone to listen and be on their team. It takes a shift in mindset from "I want to help" to "I am here with you".

Romans 12:15-16 offers some good insight on this:

"Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight."

The last part is the kicker. Never be wise in your own sight. That's where the downfall always happens: when I try to become the expert. It's so easy to shift into thinking about my similar experiences and my ways of fixing a problem. The thing is, often when someone is hurting, they don't want to be told how to fix stuff unless they're literally asking for that type of help. Usually, when someone is hurting, they just want their frustrations to be heard. They want someone who will acknowledge their hurt and accept how they are feeling. They need someone who will be part of the struggle with them rather than standing on the sidelines offering counsel.

When we are with hurting friends, we need to check our motives. Are we humbly striving to follow Romans and "rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep"? Or do we really just want to be the one with all the answers?

Showing Christ's Love When You're Not Present

Did you ever realize that you don’t necessarily have to be present to be influencing others and displaying God’s love? Now, don’t get me wrong, this isn’t permission to just avoid people because you can still represent Christ when you’re away. That’s not it at all. But it is to say that if a strong love of Christ exists in your life, the evidence will be there even when you leave.

Currently I am house-sitting for my neighbors. It is one of my favorite things ever. Not just because I get paid to enjoy three cats and a swimming pool, but my times at their house are always full of reminders of God’s love and power. It’s not like they are “in your face” about their faith, but you can just tell from being there that God has a special place in their lives, and it spills over into their home.

Sometimes I walk in the door and they happen to have left the radio on the Christian station and it is playing just the song I needed to hear at the moment. Sometimes I go into the kitchen and see encouraging notes (such as the one pictured above) written on the whiteboard. Sometimes it’s in the books that they have sitting around. These aren’t things they have gone out of their way to do or place- it is just my neighbors living their life.

What do you leave behind as you live your life? Will it remind others of God?

Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us. - Titus 2:7-8

Burning the Idols

"The carved images of their gods you shall burn with fire. You shall not covet the silver or the gold that is on them or take it for yourselves, lest you be ensnared by it, for it is an abomination to the Lord your God." - Deuteronomy 7:25

While we aren’t ancient Israel, the principal here is still an important one. It essentially breaks down to this: “Do not keep even little pieces of what is detestable to God in your life.” This can be easier said than done.

It is one thing to obliterate an idol made of wood or metal. Giving up an object like that can be done quickly, all at once. But what about the idols that we have in our lives? Our idols tend to reside in our hearts and minds- things such as obsessing over sports and celebrities, making money too high of a priority, or habitually lusting after someone or something. Anything that is either displeasing to God or elevated to a place in our life where we deep down want it more than we want Him is an idol.

False gods such as these are harder to rip from our lives. We can pray and confess to God the sins we’ve committed against Him, yet if we don't completely cease that action and destroy the idols, shards of them can remain in our lives and draw us away from the Lord and back to themselves.

Stop and think: are there parts of idols still tucked away in the corners of your heart?

Love Songs

Why are there so many love songs? Because musicians and songwriters often compose about what they know. It's only natural that the things and people we know and experience the most deeply will influence the ways we express ourselves. What influences your thoughts, writings, and what you sing of the most? Are those things worth your time and brainpower?

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!

Serve the Lord with gladness!
    Come into his presence with singing!

Know that the Lord, he is God!
    It is he who made us, and we are his;
    we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
    and his courts with praise!
    Give thanks to him; bless his name!

For the Lord is good;
    his steadfast love endures forever,
    and his faithfulness to all generations.

- Psalm 100

Great is Thy Faithfulness

Every time I look back at my trip to Yellowstone National Park, I get to this photograph and the hymn "Great Is Thy Faithfulness" starts to run through my head. Old Faithful is the park's most famous geyser, and it more or less lives up to it's name. It tends to go off around particular times each day and draws a notable crowd of watchers. Despite it's title, the park rangers told me that over the years it's timing has shifted and you can't quite rely on exact times for it to blow anymore. That's the world for you; reliability only goes so far. 

What is truly reliable? God. The lyrics below are deeply rooted in scripture. Take the time to ponder and appreciate the facts behind them.

“Great is Thy faithfulness,” O God my Father,

There is no shadow of turning with Thee;

Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not

As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.

 “Great is Thy faithfulness!” “Great is Thy faithfulness!”

  Morning by morning new mercies I see;

All I have needed Thy hand hath provided—

“Great is Thy faithfulness,” Lord, unto me!

Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,

Sun, moon and stars in their courses above,

Join with all nature in manifold witness

To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,

Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;

Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,

Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens,    your faithfulness to the clouds. - Psalm 36:5

Finding Beauty

It was a weird Christmas for me and my family. Grandma was (still is, actually- keep her in prayer, if you would) in the hospital, it was our first Christmas without Grandpa, our usual festivities involving extended family got cancelled due to weather, I was sick to my stomach half the weekend, and my parents, bro, and I ended up split between two apartments at Grandma's retirement community due to us being given a key for a smaller apartment than intended. It seemed a rather woebegone weekend.

As I was getting ready for bed, feeling a little down, I glanced out my window and saw fresh snow being lit by the gazebo below. There it was- a little spark of hope and beauty. The reminder I needed: that God puts good things into our lives, even when times aren't what we'd like them to be. We just have to be looking for them.

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. - James 1:17

A Friend Loves at All Times

At least three times this week I sat down to work on writing up my next blog post. Each time, I glanced over to my message notifications and found that a friend was wanting my attention. Sometimes it's tempting to think "Oh, whatever. These people can wait! I'm trying to keep my weekly posts going over here"; then that thought in the back of my mind hits me: "What if they really need you? What if they have nobody else who can help?"  And guess what? That was pretty much the case- with every one of those friends who spoke to me this week.

Looking back over the past several days, I could be kicking myself that I didn't accomplish more of my goals. But that's what they were: just goals. Just things that I wanted to do for myself. Sure, they have their place, but why should they be so much more important than the person who is struggling and needs someone to help them sort things out?

As Romans 12:10 states, "Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor." This doesn't mean to drop everything every time someone wants you to do something, but consider each situation. Are you showing that person brotherly affection and honor in the way you plan to respond? How important are their needs?

The Cup Bearer

"Then Joseph said to him, “This is its [the dream's] interpretation: the three branches are three days. In three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your office, and you shall place Pharaoh's cup in his hand as formerly, when you were his cup bearer. Only remember me, when it is well with you, and please do me the kindness to mention me to Pharaoh, and so get me out of this house... 

...On the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, he made a feast for all his servants and lifted up the head of the chief cup bearer and the head of the chief baker among his servants. He restored the chief cup bearer to his position, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand. But he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them. Yet the chief cup bearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him." 
- Genesis 40:12-23

How often are we like the cup bearer in this situation in regards to God's blessings in our lives? How many times in our lives has God provided for us, but ended up going without the proper thanks or even a second thought from us? So often it can feel like where we are is our own doing- we worked hard for this, we made the choices that brought us to this position; while yes, we have been making choices, it is God who directed our steps and provided the opportunities and the impactful people we've met along the way.

Even if we are not currently in a high point in life, it is worth remembering that things could always get worse, were it not for God and His mercy holding back some of life's trials from us. Whether you are at a high point or a low point in life, take a step back and consider the blessings He has given you, whether in the form of the amazing things that have happened or in the form of the terrible things that could have yet did not.

Give thanks to God today, and every day. To Him be all glory.

What is Love?

We always hear the word "love" at weddings and read about it in dating/marriage books. In our culture, it seems like anything with the word "love" has to have a romantic connotation. When those who are outside of our family tell us "I love you", they often feel the need to specify "but not like THAT".  If love does not always have to equal a romantic attraction, what IS it? In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul puts it like this:

"Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.  Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends." 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a.

If you have love, you display these attributes: 

• You're patient
• You're kind
• You rejoice in the truth
• You bear what's thrown at you
• You believe without doubting
• You have hope
• You endure all things
• Your love never ends or has conditions

Indicators that you may lack love:

• You're envious
• You're boastful
• You're arrogant
• You're rude
• Things MUST go your way
• You're irritable
• You're resentful
• Sinful things/thoughts give you sadistic joy

What side of these do you sway towards? Admittedly, my love needs some work. 

Taking The Better Land

Tip: Experiment with the panorama function for landscape photography. Hold your breath and turn your upper body rather than your arms or feet for a more steady shot.

In Genesis chapters 13 & 14, Abram and Lot come to the conclusion that there isn't enough space in the land for both them and all of their possessions and families. Abram steps up and gives his kinsman the first choice for land. When given the option to choose what he liked, Lot of course picked the nicer looking side to travel into. Who wouldn't, right?

As the story continues, it turns out that while Lot's choice may have been good as far as the quality of the land itself, it came with an unexpected downside: the inhabitants were incredibly vile people. At one point, the land even gets pillaged by opposing armies and Lot ends up taken captive (but Abram gathers an army himself and rescues Lot and defeats his captors). Later on, God ends up sending His messengers to tell Lot to flee the city he is in because He intends to destroy it due to the great sinfulness of it's inhabitants. 

How often are we inclined to jump at the first choice without thinking of what our friends or family may want or need? How often are we the ones who have the ability to take whatever option we desire, but instead kindly offer the first pick to others? We may not run into the bad results that Lot did when he decided to take what he thought to be the best for himself, but nevertheless, we are called to treat others as we would wish to be treated:

"So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets." (Matthew 7:12)

The Grey Zone

Tip: Get a long range lens and zoom in on an object to create a nicely blurred background.

This was done with a 200mm lens.

"Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats. It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble. The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves. But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin." (Romans 14:20-23)

There are certain things that are morally neutral; while the Bible commands us not to be gluttons or drunkards, there is nothing telling us specifically what to eat or drink. There are many Christians who are flat out against alcohol consumption or eating meat because those things are bothersome to their conscience - on the flip side, there are many who enjoy the same things with hearts of gratefulness toward God for them. 

To those who can confidently do these things before God, be conscientious about who is around when you are enjoying these liberties- don't do things that could lead those with a more fragile conscience to fall to sin.

To those who are against exercising these liberties, be careful that you do not begin feeling and acting self-righteous about your choice, looking down on those Christian brothers and sisters who choose to enjoy such things on occasion.

To everybody: be respectful of your fellow Christian's convictions, whatever they may be, as long as they are not in violation of scripture. Civil discussions on such matters of differing opinion are healthy and wonderful, but when you begin to try and force someone into adopting your stance on the "grey areas", you've gone too far.

The Unspoken Message of Creatives

Tip: Think about color; does your background complement your foreground?

There are many types of creative people in the world: builders, writers, inventors, artists, cooks, and so many more! What do they all have in common? All creative people, whether they realize it or not, are creative because there is something that they or the world around them lacks. They could see a need for an invention to make life easier, a need for good food, a need for shelter, a need to share information or tell a story, a need for beauty, or perhaps just a need to show off what they are capable of and be appreciated. That is the difference between our creativity and God's creativity.

The Bible begins with Genesis 1:1 stating that "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." This short line speaks volumes. Nobody commanded God to create something. He doesn't have any feelings of need or lack because He is fully self-sufficient; He created something from nothing and continues to uphold His creation simply because He is God and it pleases Him to do so.

When you see the creativity in others and yourself, remember that it points to our great Creator. Let us join the psalmist below in praise to God for the wonderful gifts He continually gives us day after day:

Oh come, let us sing to the Lord! 
Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving;
Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.
For the Lord is the great God,
And the great King above all gods.
In His hand are the deep places of the earth;
The heights of the hills are His also.
The sea is His, for He made it;
And His hands formed the dry land.
Oh come, let us worship and bow down;
Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.
For He is our God,
And we are the people of His pasture,
And the sheep of His hand.

-Psalm 95:1-7

How to Survive being a Manager

Tip: Get angles that allow the viewer to see the true depth of the landscape. Notice how you can see four separate ridges in this photo?

Recently I was cast into the position of being a department head at the county fair. Without any real training as to what exactly a manager does, it proved to be quite an adjustment for me, being someone who is used to living on the bottom rung of the working world. Very few instances before had I been the one in charge of scoping out the path ahead of time and deciding and directing people how to proceed.

For how managers are often cast in movies and comics, it appears that it would be a position that instills great pride in the one holding it. For me, it proved the opposite. I'm the sort of person who has always lived with the attitude of "if you want it done right, do it yourself" - but when you're manager of a large project, you cannot continue on that way. Part of being a manager is being humble enough to admit that you need the help of a team to get the task done. 

Another big part of being a manager is well summed up in the Golden Rule:  “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them." (Matthew 7:12a) 

Be the person that you wish you had to guide and instruct you. Take note of how Jesus treated his disciples and taught people; ask yourself if this is how you are acting toward those who you are in charge of. 

Cultivating Community

Tip: For an interesting challenge, come up with a thing or concept that is not commonly photographed. For me, this was "online friends". Expand your creative thinking!

Over the past several months I've had the pleasure of being part of an online chat group of Christian young adults. As anyone could expect, we've had a lot of crazy times, but we also have shared a ton of very beneficial and meaningful times. One of the most striking things about these people is how well I see the meaning of Christian unity reflected among them.

We're all from different backgrounds, different churches, and have varying beliefs on certain issues. As a result, debates spring up among us from time to time - sometimes, rather heated ones. Yet, somehow, at the end of it all, everyone is still friends. With Christ as the common ground and everyone striving to act in love and obedience to Him, respect and forgiveness toward each other becomes a reflex. 

Could this type of community fellowship become more widespread? It's your call. You can choose to make the first move; be a careful judge of what things are worth fighting over, and always be ready to be the quickest one to forgive.

"Hatred stirs up strife,

but love covers all offenses." 

- Proverbs 10:12

False Alarm.

Tip: Set up object shots on a plain, neutral color background to make your subject pop.

Do you believe that God is in control? I know anyone who considers themselves a Christian would jump to say yes, but stop for a moment. Think about it. Are you part of the masses that are freaking out about this upcoming election?

Not only that, but do you, like many others, complain about and badmouth our current leadership? Do you make snide remarks and call them bad names? Sure, they don't uphold your ideals, but that does not justify blatant disrespect- whether they are in the room to hear it or not.

Luke 6:45 says, "The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks."

So, the question now is, what does your speech indicate about what's going on in your heart these days? We must continually stop and consider this question. Alongside that, take heart and know that those in office are not a mistake. God has said so Himself:

"Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God." (Romans 13:1-2)