What Kind of Peer Pressure Are You Experiencing?

Peer pressure can be used both for good and for ill. In one instance last summer, I was thankful for peer pressure. My friends and I discovered this abandoned house. I've always had a fascination with abandoned places, but never had the opportunity to go into one before. This time, the chance had finally presented itself. The thing is, I almost didn't have the nerve. Lucky for me, my friend did. He went in first and gave me just the push I needed. As a result, I got a collection of neat photos, fun memories, and a story to tell!

On the flip side, peer pressure can be a terrible evil, as it was in the life of Samson. At the start, in Judges 14, it merely involved him giving away the answer to a riddle that would cause him to lose a bet and some belongings. The second time, things took a far worse turn:

After this, he loved a woman in the Valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah. And the lords of the Philistines came up to her and said to her,“Seduce him, and see where his great strength lies, and by what means we may overpower him, that we may bind him to humble him. And we will each give you 1,100 pieces of silver.” So Delilah said to Samson, “Please tell me where your great strength lies, and how you might be bound, that one could subdue you.” (Judges 15:4-6)

After a lot of pushing from Delilah, Samson gave in to her pressure and told his secret. Promptly, the information was used against him. "The Philistines seized him and gouged out his eyes and brought him down to Gaza and bound him with bronze shackles. And he ground at the mill in the prison." (Judges 16:21)

Next time you are being pushed to do something, stop and think. Is it good? Is it helpful? What is your motive in your choice to follow or disregard the pressure? Is it something that will be pleasing to God?

Doing What Feels Good

"You can't eat donut holes for breakfast, Sarah," my friend Matthew said, staring down at me. We have a running joke that he is my dad, and occasionally he lives up to the title. This was one of those times. "Yeah, yeah," I rolled my eyes, shoving another TimBit into my mouth, "And what would you suggest?" "Eggs! You should start your day with protein," he informed me. "Okay, sure," I grinned, and continued to devour the donut holes. He was right, though. Later that day I found myself hungry, low-energy, and somewhat irritable. 

Isn't that such a perfect picture of the human state? We are told what would be good for us, we know deep down what would be good for us. Yet we charge forward doing what feels good in the moment rather than slowing down and living by the knowledge we are given. It has been happening for all of history.

Romans 1:28 says, "And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done." -- This is the result of letting our desires rule us. God will let us do what we want, but will it truly benefit us? Will it end well? Sometimes God sees our strong wills and decides it would be best to let us learn the hard way. 

What about you? Do you read of God's desires for us and do them, or do you charge onward to pursue your own way of life because it's what feels good to you right now? Be careful, my friend. 

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

Where Does The Time Go?

We've had a rather extended autumn where I live this year! Just the other day, I walked outside and still saw trees with orange leaves all over them- yeah, in December! It's crazy. Usually the trees are bare early in November. We've been blessed with many t-shirt and light jacket sort of days, and I've thoroughly enjoyed every single one of them. 

Along the way, I began to really grow accustomed to our 50-60 degree days, almost forgetting that winter weather was a possibility. This morning, I was reminded that though it had been so warm, winter was drawing near all along- and suddenly, here it was. Our first snow day of the season! According to the forecast, we are to be in the 20's-30's for an entire week. What on earth happened? Where did my October go?

It felt like I had no warning for winter; it felt like it would never arrive, and I could keep living in this temperate bliss forever. This, of course, is entirely wrong: I'd seen the forecast (and admittedly, kind of laughed it off). People often do the same thing in regards to the coming of Christ- even His followers. We hear about it, we are aware that it will come, but it just always feels like something for later. Plus, really, why even think about it? We're so comfortable where we are at, so there's no sense thinking about future changes just yet. 

We ought not to treat our Lord's coming in such a fashion. Unlike our sudden snow day, there will not be an option to haphazardly prepare ourselves the moment we discover He has come. What would you be doing differently if you knew you would be facing God in 24 hours?

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. - 2 Peter 3:10

Those Trying Times

"Welcome to solitary confinement,"  are words which undoubtedly once echoed through this room as a prisoner would get shoved through the open door into the small dark room. While none of us have likely been imprisoned in a solitary cell, we may have gone through times where we mentally felt like it. Even King David went through a period like that, and in the process he penned this Psalm:

How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?

    How long will you hide your face from me?

How long must I take counsel in my soul

    and have sorrow in my heart all the day?

How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

Consider and answer me, O Lord my God;

    light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,

lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,”

    lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.

But I have trusted in your steadfast love;

    my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.

I will sing to the Lord,

    because he has dealt bountifully with me.

(Psalm 13)

There are several things that can be noticed about David's stance in this psalm:

1.) His sorrow coexisted with his joy.

2.) He was considered a "man after God's own heart", yet he still experienced very difficult times and felt distant from God.

3.) He was praying to God, despite feeling distant and abandoned.

4.) He recognized that counseling himself during times of hardship leads to more sorrow- he needs God's counsel.

5.) He trusts, rejoices in, and praises God amidst the hard times.

How can you be more like David as you tackle life's challenges?

Slipping to the Spiderwebs.

Tip: If your hands are shaky or you are in a place of precarious balance, shoot using low aperture numbers (f/4 or below) and a high shutter speed to help compensate for camera shake.

Earlier this week I was taking a walk through the park and noticed the gorgeous fall colors beginning to show up a tad early along the river. My lens could zoom a little, but not quite as far as I wanted for the shot I was trying to get, so I strayed from the walking path and began to venture down toward the water. The entire time, I was shifting my gaze between my camera's view finder and the island I was trying to photograph. As would happen in such a circumstance, I started to lose my footing on the incline- fortunately, I caught myself. Looking up, it came to my attention that I would have ended up in the web of this massive spider, and on top of that, fallen into a blackberry bush, had I kept going!

Just as it is important to keep an eye on our physical footing, we ought to remember to be constantly aware of our spiritual footing as well. Stray too far in that regard and you will be far worse off than being covered in berries, scrapes, and having a large spider on your head! As 1 Corinthians says, "examine yourself!" Where are you headed? My high school youth group leader had this saying: "If it isn't bringing you closer to God, it is leading you away from Him." It may be nearly impossible to see  at the start, but every move you make (or even don't make!) takes you somewhere. Consider where you are heading.


"Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? - Unless indeed you fail to meet the test!" - 1 Corinthians 13:5


"Does not he see my ways and number all my steps? If I have walked with falsehood and my foot has hastened to deceit, let me be weighed in a just balance, and let God know my integrity!" - Job 31:4-6

Walking Without Light

It had been a hot day with temperatures soaring into the 100's, but I'd been dying to go for a hike, if even just a small one. Come evening, I grabbed my brother and headed out to meet up with some friends at the nearby state park. We enjoyed the cool of the late portion of the day and a lovely orange and blue sunset over the river. Eventually it became too dark to see much of the trail, so we flipped on our flashlight. All was great, until we reached the paved trail in the lower portion of the state park. Our light suddenly grew dim, then died completely. There were no street lights, and we were left in total darkness, except for the last bit of blueish sunset glinting up from the river. We would need to rely on the feel of the pavement beneath our feet to lead us to our goal... Wherever it was.

We can have moments like that in our spiritual lives too; things can be fine, then gradually your relationship with God starts to fade, then seemingly vanishes completely, leaving you in the dark. But just like you can revitalize a flashlight by throwing in some new batteries, your relationship with God can grow back into a spotlight in the foreground of your life when you begin to get back into His word regularly. It's not always easy, and often it starts off slow, but little by little, if you make time with Him habitual, you'll eventually find that God is the light you can't do without.

 "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." (Psalm 119:105)

Navigating the Path of Life

Tip: Pay attention to your light spots, especially if you are shooting near or under trees. You may need to move your subject into a light patch (or alternately, a shade patch, if you so choose) to keep the colors even.

Many of us are familiar with Proverbs 3:5-6, where we are told to acknowledge the Lord in all our ways and He will make our paths straight. As I was scrolling through some photos I've taken over the past 12 months, I saw the one above and it reminded me of that passage. Upon looking it up, I noticed there is so much more to it that is important to take to heart. All of Proverbs 3 is full of wonderful truths, but verses 3-8 especially struck me:

"Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you;
    bind them around your neck;
    write them on the tablet of your heart.

So you will find favor and good success
    in the sight of God and man.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
    and do not lean on your own understanding.

In all your ways acknowledge him,
    and he will make straight your paths.

Be not wise in your own eyes;
    fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.

It will be healing to your flesh
    and refreshment to your bones."

Not that I am some health & wealth gospel sort of person, but I believe the verses that state the healthful benefits of following the Lord's ways can absolutely be taken in the literal sense. I must confess that as of late, I've had a very difficult time displaying steadfast love to those around me, my faithfulness in constant Bible study has been failing, I've had doubts of God's direction for my life, and in many areas I've not acknowledged Him and consequently leaned upon my own understanding. 

Guess what? I had the most miserable month of my life as a result. Stress levels increased, I slept less, energy and appetite decreased, my general attitude wasn't great and over all I just felt sick and unhappy. Have you been struggling? Know you aren't alone, but also know this: it's time to redirect. It's time to be faithful again, it's time to be loving again, it's time to put your trust back in God instead of yourself, and it's time to turn away from evil. Not simply for your sake, but for the glory of your Creator. It won't be easy. We might even fail a number of times, but let's do this.

Be Filled

Tip: It can be tricky sometimes, but strive to use natural light as often as possible. It can yield enchanting results.

We hear people talk about being full or filled quite often. Whether it's in regards to food, feeling loved or accepted, or even that age-old phrase "he's full of the devil", there is always something in us or that we desire to have in us or our lives. Conversely, there are also people who speak of feeling empty inside. Like that coke bottle above, we were made to be full- but of what? Here is what the Bible says on the topic:

In regards to God, we are to be filled with: 

*Awe/amazement (Matt 27:54)
*Fear (Mark 4:41)
*Knowledge of Him (Romans 15:14)
*Gladness for His presence (Acts 4:32)
*Knowledge of His will (Colossians 1:9)
*Comfort in Him (2 Corinthians 7:4)

However, those who disagree with him are apt to be filled with fury (like the Pharisees - Luke 6:11).

As believers, our lives should be filled with:

*Goodness (Romans 15:14)
*The Holy Spirit (who gives boldness to speak God's word - Acts 4:31, Eph 5:18)
*Joy (Acts 13:52)
*The fullness of God (Ephesians 3:19)
*Wisdom and understanding (Colossians 1:9)
*Grace and power (Acts 6:8)
*Good works and acts of charity (Acts 9:36)
*Faith (Acts 11:24)
*Peace, gentleness, reasonableness, mercy, good fruits, impartiality, sincerity (James 3:17)


There are also many things we should NOT be full of:

*Unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice, envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness (Romans 1:29)
*Greed and self-indulgence (Matt 23:25)
*Uncleanness, hypocrisy and lawlessness (Matt 23:27-28)
*Curses and bitterness (Romans 3:14)
*Jealousy (as the Jews toward Paul- Acts 13:45)


Which of these traits do you see displayed in your life? Are they traits that should be in your life?

Spiritual DIY'ers

Tip: Carefully position your subjects, especially in silhouettes. In retrospect, I should have paid closer attention to her hands, having her pull them closer to herself so that they didn't get lost in the trees.

"Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob's hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him." (Genesis 32:24-25)

Whether we are consciously aware of it or not, the majority of the time we tend to go through life relying upon our own power and ability to carry us through. We think about all the things that we have to do; the money we must earn to make our livelihood, the daily tasks we must accomplish, the people we have to put up with, etc. If you go through Genesis and read prior accounts in the life of Jacob, you can see that there have been many occasions where he has done the same. Even here, where he wrestles with this mysterious man all night through, demanding a blessing, it appears to be him relying on brute force to get what he is after.

We can see all throughout the life of Jacob that he is a man of God, but there are so often times when he lapses and begins to rely on his own strength or cunning to get him by. In a way, we can be encouraged by this- the Bible paints a realistic picture of God's people, we don't have to live up to super-humans; they have strengths and weaknesses just like we do. It is the same back then as it is now: God enables His people and is the source of their strength, yet when we feel strong, we tend to forget that we aren't getting by with our own power. 

God gave Jacob a new weakness, and sometimes He does the same to us. It's difficult not to grow bitter as we face our difficulties and weaknesses, but we must pray God helps us cope and remember that He has put us in whatever circumstance in order to remind us that we are to rely on HIS power, not our own. 

Christian Service: Are You Doing it Right?

Tip: If you don't have the right lens for blurring out the background, try to find a backdrop that will complement and/or go with your food photography! Don't show off a messy kitchen :)

There are so many ways that we can serve our Creator; more likely than not, at some point in your life, you have (or will!) be asking yourself what your "calling" is. You might be completely blank and just know you want to do something, or you might have a head full of bright ideas that you are trying with all your might to pursue. Having a strong desire to serve God is wonderful, but it was recently pointed out to me that even with good intentions, we must stop and make sure we have our priorities straight.

A person can go through their life running like crazy trying to keep up with their "dream goal" of service to God, and in the process, find themselves lacking time for Bible study and starting to neglect the practice of those great traits mentioned in Galatians 5:22-23 (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control). When you start really stressing about trying to serve God, a question must be asked: are you really doing this activity for Him, or are you doing it because it gives you a sense of accomplishment and a feeling of worth?

Matthew 6:21 says "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Where is your heart at? If something happens and your ability to do your project for God gets taken from you, will you be absolutely torn up about it, or will you be able to move on, knowing that your worth and identity are in Him? Doing projects for the benefit of God's kingdom is a wonderful use of time- just don't let those projects become idols that you prioritize above God Himself.

Captain America: Almost a Murderer

Tip: Give your subject something to look at that adds interest and dimension to the image.

“One sin almost always leads to another”, I recall my pastor once saying. This statement really sums up the movie Captain America 3: Civil War. The film begins with one of the superheroes making a huge slip that cost quite a few civilians their lives. The government then ends up deciding that the superheroes need to sign an agreement that will put tighter rules and parameters upon them and their conduct. If they do not agree to live under this new set of rules, they must retire from crime fighting, because it is illegal to act as a vigilante. The new rules limit their freedom, but there is nothing immoral about what they are being asked to do - by the standards of Romans 13, it would be right of them to comply - and most of them do agree to the new standard. Captain America, however, refused to comply, choosing instead to act illegally as a vigilante.

This act caused everything to go downhill. His act of rebellion caused enough contention to ruin the unity of the team. From there, the team went from verbally attacking each other to using brute force. In the process, they drug many of their other friends into the fight, injuring and endangering them and unnecessarily destroying part of an airport; after that, Captain America and Iron Man came very close to literally killing each other as well as Bucky (the man who the Captain had been trying to protect the entire time).

Let us think carefully about the actions we choose to take; is your move going to be one which God would condone and bless?

“Direct my footsteps according to your word;

let no sin rule over me.” - Psalm 119:133

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” - Romans 6:23

Traveling Aimlessly

Tip: Be on the lookout for storm clouds; they create the best lighting for dramatic landscapes and portraits.

For a long time, I had difficulty getting into studying the Bible; it's not that I didn't want to, but I had a hard time focusing. What was the deal? I had the whole Bible at my fingertips but no idea what to read. When I simply read a chapter a day straight through it felt like it went in one ear and out the other, and while randomly opening a passage of choosing a book did turn up good lessons sometimes, I still didn't always feel that "into" what I was reading. Turns out what I really needed was some purpose and direction to get me going.

Matthew 7:7-8 states, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened" The question I present to you today is this: how do you ask for something or seek it if you do not know what you are looking for?

Think of a biblical topic. You know it, you know that it is in the Bible, you might even know where in the Bible... But have you ever really stopped to research it for yourself? Or do you only know it secondhand? I challenge you to try this in your study: research the truths that you hold dear. Make notes of the passages that talk about them, even write out summaries alongside the verses if it helps you focus. Know that which you seek, and seek it diligently. Good vacations don't often happen by wandering aimlessly; nor do good Bible studies.

Leaving Luxuries

Tip: Always keep an eye out for unusual and humorous subjects.

I was incredibly amused at the irony that sat before me at work a few days ago. Luxury Magazine, bookmarked with a used napkin. 

The more I think about it, the more appropriate it feels. We have so many luxuries nowadays (the internet you are using to read this is even one!), yet where are these luxuries going? What good will they do us in the long run? Someday, you will reach a point where none of it matters anymore. Those lovely things you enjoy will have as much significance in your life as the napkin tucked inside that magazine - or even less. 

In Luke 12:15-21, Jesus has something to say about the way we regard our material possessions; "...“Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be? So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.' "

Let us be people who are always striving to collect eternal treasures from God's word over the fleeting treasures of this world, which hold so little lasting value.

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. 

Change of Plan!

Tip: play with low angles to make large things appear as grand as they feel in person.

This photo excites me quite a lot. Many of you might think "oh, big deal. It's just a library." - and in that you are correct. For me, however, this particular photo in the Seattle Public Library symbolizes more than that.

In my previous post, I told the story of how my friend and I lost her car in downtown Seattle; this is part of that tale. Halfway through our two hours of desperate searching for the car, we ended up on the sidewalk in front of this building. Being the book nerd that I am, the local librarians have always told me how much I would enjoy this place, but I'd never before had the time or opportunity to go inside. But, here it was, right in front of me. My travel mate and I were exhausted and ready to be off of our feet, so I suggested that we go inside for a break. In the end, exploring this massive 11-story library ended up being one of the highlights of the trip for me. To think, it happened solely because things didn't go according to our plan!

Sometimes that is just how God chooses to work. We may have our plans all laid out, but He has other things in mind for us. It might seem frustrating for a good long while, but in the end, His people will gladly find themselves glorifying Him.

"Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand." - Proverbs 19:21

Lesson From A House Painter

Tip: Pay attention to textures; when you find a particularly interesting one, 

play with angles for close-up images. 

I was talking to an acquaintance who makes his living from house painting. He loved his job, but said that in some respects it could have just the slightest hint of discouragement; he knows that every eight years or so the houses will need to be repainted. "We either have to keep up a steady repair," he said, "or things will deteriorate." Right he is - and in more areas than just our homes!

Have you ever experienced spiritual deterioration? It begins with the feeling that you don't have enough time to study the Bible. Over time, you put it off a little here and there, and before long, you find yourself completely out of touch with God's word. When this goes on, over time what good intentions you had of eventually getting back into it will fade and you'll be left without a desire to study and know what God has said at all. It is truly a tragedy.

Are you in a slump right now? Don't wait in hopes of the problem fixing itself! Just like a house or anything else, your spiritual life needs constant attention or it will fall into decay. As God said to Joshua, "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success." (Joshua 1:8). A successful spiritual life is one that knows God and his revealed word as best as possible. May your desire for him ever increase.

Oh, where do we begin? The rubble or our sins?

Tip: When photographing abandoned buildings, try to position yourself near a window to take advantage of ambient lighting; it is much more enchanting than harsh bulb light.

This abandoned room reminds me of the lyrics of one of my favorite popular songs:

I was left to my own devices
Many days fell away with nothing to show

And the walls kept tumbling down
In the city that we love
Great clouds roll over the hills
Bringing darkness from above

But if you close your eyes,
Does it almost feel like
Nothing changed at all?
And if you close your eyes,
Does it almost feel like
You've been here before?
How am I gonna be an optimist about this?

The bridge of the song states this:

Oh where do we begin?
The rubble or our sins?
Oh oh where do we begin?
The rubble or our sins?

The song is titled Pompeii, and it depicts a vibrant culture that was bent on vanity and living large. Enamored with their entertainment, beauty, and success, these ancient people never would have imagined that their gorgeous city would be ground to a halt within a few hours. I imagine whoever once lived in the room pictured above never would have imagined it standing there the way it is today, either.

What about us? Do we, in our fast paced societies, ever stop to contemplate the fact that our lives and accomplishments are not everlasting? Do we take time out from our day to day lives to seek out the knowledge of the One who is everlasting and apply His counsel to our lives?

Because they hated knowledge

and did not choose the fear of the Lord,

would have none of my counsel

and despised all my reproof,

therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way,

and have their fill of their own devices.

For the simple are killed by their turning away,

and the complacency of fools destroys them;

but whoever listens to me will dwell secure

and will be at ease, without dread of disaster.

-Proverbs 1:29-33