Week 31/52 - Love Alone is Worth the Fight

I'm trying to find where my place is 
I'm looking for my own oasis 
so close I can taste this 
the fear that love alone erases 

so I'm back to the basics 
I figure it's time I face this 
time to take my own advice 

love alone is worth the fight 
love alone is worth the fight 

and I never thought it'd come to this 
but it seems like I'm finally feeling numb to this 
the funny thing about a name is 
you forget what the reason you were playing the game is 

love alone is worth the fight 

love alone is worth the fight

I came upon this song through an interesting set of circumstances and it fit perfectly not only with the picture, but with something I'm learning right now.  There's so much chaos that I could focus on and pros and cons and fear and trust and pain and joy; it can be such a game of politics, popularity, insecurity and pride.  But honestly, the bottom line is - love alone IS worth the fight.  And I have access to a kind of love that is bigger, stronger, and more constant than anything the rest of the world could offer me: Christ.  He didn't have to save me, but He did.  He doesn't have to love me, but He does.  Not only is that kind of love worth fighting the world's despair for, but it's also the kind of love that will keep me fighting for others too.  

God is love.  I never want to forget that. 

Week 30/52 - From the Inside Out

a thousand times I've failed
still your mercy remains
and should I stumble again
still I'm caught in your grace

everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades
never ending, Your glory goes beyond all fame

my heart and my soul, I give You control
consume me from the inside out Lord
let justice and praise, become my embrace
to love You from the inside out

The phrase "Your light will shine in all else fades" played in my head immediately when I was editing this photo.  There's such truth in it.  I remember so many times when everywhere I turned there was darkness...BUT.  There was a light at the end of the tunnel, and when I turned to face God in His glory I was blinded by the reminder that He was my only escape from the darkness.  He was enough.  And the kind of love that resulted from that realization consumed me from the inside out.  Even in listening to this song again weeks later and writing up this post, chills ran through me as I listened to the words and was overcome again with a desire to just give Him control.  

Challenge-wise, I have much to catch up on.  I have some photos that I've shot and been waiting to post so those will probably be used up in the next week or so, and then I'll hopefully be caught up - and start shooting some new stuff again.  So many things stewing around in my head!

Week 29/52 - Broken Hallelujah

I can barely stand right now

everything is crashing down

and I wonder where You are 

I try to find the words to pray 

I don't always know what to say

but You're the one that can hear my heart

even though I don't know what your plan is
I know You're making beauty from these ashes

I've seen joy and I've seen pain 

on my knees I call Your name

here's my broken hallelujah

with nothing left to hold onto

I raise my empty hands to You

here's my broken hallelujah

 Amidst the craziness of this past couple weeks of traveling, I haven't taken many photos.  This one is from my last night at home in Alaska and the snow showed up just in time for me to take some quick photos of my dear friend Anna.  So here you go (: Much more creativity and effort to be coming in the near future, although I am going to be on the road again with scanty access to internet.  Such an adventure! 

Week 28/52 - Oceans

you call me out upon the waters
the great unknown where feet may fail

and there I find You in the mystery
in oceans deep
my faith will stand

Your grace abounds in deepest waters
Your sovereign hand
will be my guide
where feet may fail and fear surrounds me
You've never failed and You won't start now

so I will call upon Your name
and keep my eyes above the waves
when oceans rise
my soul will rest in Your embrace
for I am Yours and You are mine

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders
let me walk upon the waters
wherever You would call me
take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
and my faith will be made stronger
in the presence of my Savior

What an adventure.  Yes, I know I'm behind.  While in Atlanta, Georgia with my college group attending the 2014 Passion Conference (where this song was breathtakingly performed live), our school vans were broken into and among the things stolen was my laptop.  

You know that verse in Ephesians where God will do exceedingly abundantly above anything that we could ask or think?  Well, as far as I knew it was going to be months before I could afford a new laptop and I was honestly at a loss for even what to pray for - besides asking God to take control in the situation.  He did.  Through a series of events and people that He used, I along with others in my group were given Mac laptops.  So I sit here in awe of His goodness on a schnazzy Macbook Pro in a coffee shop in Greenville, South Carolina.  The photos above were taken almost a year ago in San Fransisco during my senior trip with my high school choir.  Phenomenal memories - and I've been so photo starved I was looking through my hard drive for old unedited photos and found them and they were PERFECT.  The five words that would best describe me right now are:

Content, Blessed, Grateful, Waiting and in Love.  God is Good. 

Week 27/52 - Now More Than Ever

dig my hands into the earth
sometimes I need You so bad, it hurts
I want You now more than ever

I've been living in a foreign land
confession of a broken man
I want You now more than ever

the more I see, the more I want
the more I know, it doesn't stop
your beauty speaks to call me home
now more than ever

the more I feel that You are here
the more the world disappears
and all I want is to be home
now more than ever

Awesome song.  Awesome (reluctant) brother.  Awesome fog.  Awesome trees. 
Whole lot of awesome, don't you think? Me too.
I would prefer being much less far away from said awesomeness.
I miss it.
That's all.

Lyrics: Now More Than Ever, by Brandon Heath

Lochner Sisters

I've been wanting to share these photos with you for quite a while now!
Got together this past fall with Regina to take some senior photos for her and then have some fun with a sister shoot, and let me tell you it was a blast!  We decided that instead of letting the rainy weather beat us, we would take advantage of it and turn it into a themed shoot (as you will see later).
The colors, the light, those gorgeous blue eyes - Regina, simply lovely!

 And here began the fun with TWO lovely Lochners in rain boots (;

They got some serious AIR!

Week 26/52 - Life is Beautiful

These are things that make us feel alive
These are the times that make us realize
Life is beautiful

It is.  Self explanatory.  I love snow, I love this song and I love life.  I really do.  
God is so good.
You really need to hear the rest of this song. Here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxlLAdXypCY