Through Christ: Your Grief Will Be Turned into Joy

John 16 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Jesus’ Warning

16 “These things I have spoken to you so that you may be kept from stumbling. ^2 [a]They will make you outcasts from the synagogue, but an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering service to God. ³ These things they will do because they have not known the Father or Me. ⁴ But these things I have spoken to you, so that when their hour comes, you ^[b]may remember that I told you of them. These things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you.

The Holy Spirit Promised

⁵ “But now I am going to Him who sent Me; and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’ ⁶ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. ⁷ But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the ^[c]Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. ⁸ And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; ⁹ concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; ¹⁰ and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me; ¹¹ and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.
¹² “I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. ¹³ But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. ¹⁴ He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. ¹⁵ All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you.

Jesus’ Death and Resurrection Foretold

¹⁶ “A little while, and you will no longer see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me.” ¹⁷ Some of His disciples then said to one another, “What is this thing He is telling us, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’; and, ‘because I go to the Father’?” ¹⁸ So they were saying, “What is this that He says, ‘A little while’? We do not know what He is talking about.” ¹⁹ Jesus knew that they wished to question Him, and He said to them, “Are you deliberating together about this, that I said, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me, and again a little while, and you will see Me’? ²⁰ Truly, truly, I say to you, that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will grieve, but your grief will be turned into joy. ²¹ Whenever a woman is in labor she has ^[d]pain, because her hour has come; but when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy that a ^[e]child has been born into the world. ²² Therefore you too have grief now; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you.

Beauty Beyond the Birds

The Almighty uses some of the simplest things of His Creation to help teach us deep and very important truths. Using the weak to show His strength.

 

 (photos taken at Lazy 5 Ranch in Mooresville, NC)

You are more valuable than the birds!

For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap; they have no storeroom nor barn, and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds! And which of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life’s span? ~Luke 12:23-25

So if you struggle with worry, I invite you to listen carefully to this revealing series by Andy Stanley

Why Worry (part 1)

Why Worry (part 2)

Why Worry (part 3) 

Purposeful Photography:

Proclaiming God's Glory in Pictures

"The entire creation has been crafted to help us gain a better understanding of God and His revelation. He has done this in order to display His glories to us. Everything in creation leads to God. Every opportunity to talk infuses life with an understanding that the ways and words of God are everything." ~Tedd & Margy Tripp; Instructing a Child's Heart

 



 

 

 

The Cross of Christ:
on which Mankind's sin-debt was paid in full.
Precious Lamb!

 

Special Event Poster - "Have a Wonderful Life"

Example: Special Event Poster to Mimic Original
Customer had bought "It's a Wonderful Life" Poster for the theme of her son's rehearsal dinner. She requested a poster to mimic it as "Have a Wonderful Life" using the wedding party as cast.
(She provided all photos.)

 



















Oh, and did I mention I had 24hrs to do this project :) I love when a plan comes together!

Examples: Special Effects (select parts enhanced, rest desaturated)

"blending two pictures into one"

Customer Comment from Recent Photo Shoot:
I just wanted to take a minute to tell you how absolutely pleased I and my family are with the photos you recently did for us. The whole experience was an absolute pleasure. From the time you arrived at our home, our whole family, including the dog:), was completely at ease. We wanted casual “at home” pictures to share with our family at Christmas and you did an excellent job spotting areas in the yard for a perfect setting. Even when some of the shots were not their very best, your expertise in “blending two pictures into one” created wonderful pictures. The hardest part of the whole experience was choosing which proofs were the best! You truly captured our home, our individual personalities and the comfortable, casual home and family we wanted to convey. I just wanted to thank you so much for making this such a pleasant experience and we will definitely call on you again when it is time for senior pictures, wedding pictures; any important event we want captured in our memories forever. Thank you again so very much. You did an excellent job and we could not possibly be more pleased. ~K. King of Albemarle, NC 12/13

Thank you and I'm delighted to have had the opportunity!

Example: "blending two pictures into one"

The customer requested above shot to be vertical to match below shot.

Sections from both shots were combined to create the finished image below.