Scripture:
1 Kings 19:11-13 And he said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper. And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” About This Image: I took this image this summer while on our road trip to Glacier National Park. This is one of the iconic images of Glacier, "Wild Goose Island on St. Mary's Lake." But if you google this image you will not see an image like this. In all the iconic images you will see many big blue mountains surrounding the lake and clear blue skies. If you enlarge the image and look closely you will see those big mountains but only faintly. What you see in front of the mountains is smoke from the Sprague Wildfire. Some people who looked at this image thought it was a sunset and they don't even notice what is usually the focus of the image, the island. I was so disappointed after we had driven the whole Going to the Sun Road and got here. I just shot the image because it was a famous place to shoot the image - one shot from the parking lot. I didn't even try to find a good composition. I just thought it was useless since there was so much smoke. It was not until I put the image in my computer that I saw the sky. The scripture today is a familiar story of God appearing to Elijah. God was not in the wind, earthquake, or fire, but in a low whisper. Just like I almost missed this image (and it is one of my favorite images from the trip) because it wasn't what I expected to see, God speaks to us in unexpected ways. We need to listen to the question God asks - "What are you doing here?" Then follow the tasks God gives us just like he gave a task to Elijah.
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Scripture:
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone. Isaiah 9:2 About This Image: I took this picture of sunrise in Cades Cove last summer. The light at dawn is very special. If you haven't ever gotten up before sunrise and waited with anticipation for the first light of the dawn, you should really do this. You begin when it is dark, this can be kind of scary if you are alone - not too many people make the effort to get out this early. The horizon slowly brightens in anticipation of the coming light of the son. Then there is the moment the sun breaks through and it takes your breath way. When I am out for a sunrise and I see the sun come up over the horizon, my heart fills with delight. For me the sunrise is a promise that we no longer have to walk in darkness for we have the light of Jesus Christ. About this Image
I took this image at the rhododendron gardens in the Pisgah National Forest while we were camping at Roan Mountain state park this summer. We were there early in the morning and were trying to get to the overlook where you can see the mountain side filled with rhododendrons. We somehow took a wrong turn on the path - there are several intertwining paths - and I came upon this place where the sun was shining through the thicket. Yesterday I found this verse from Psalm 119 that I don’t remember reading before. Psalm 119 is the longest of the Psalms and it is actually divided into sections with each section beginning with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The theme that ties all the sections together is the importance of knowing God’s Law. The reason this verse struck me was because it talked about how unfolding God’s word gives light. At its essence a photograph is a capture of light on a sensor - and the more you know about how a camera works, the more you unfold it, the better your images. It is like God's word. We do need to unfold God’s word - to study it, to memorize it, and to be excited about all the light it brings to us. I liked it so much that I added it to the header for the website. It perfectly describes what I want this website to be - an unfolding of God's word through the light captured in his world. Scripture The unfolding of your words gives light; It imparts understanding to the simple. Psalm 119:130 About This Image:
This is what the Great Smoky Mountains National Park calls the Ogle cabin, but my family always called it Junglebrook. It is on the Cherokee Orchard Road. My mother grew up in this area of the park and my grandmother told me about going here as a child to visit family who lived here. This place will always be special to me since it reminds me of home and family. At this time of the year set aside to give thanks I am grateful for the gift of family, but more I am grateful for a God who promises to always be our dwelling place . Scripture: Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. Psalm 90:1-2 About This Image:
This is one of my favorite images and I don't even know why. It was not my plan to take macro images that day. I was at Fall Creek Falls (you can tell from the number of images I have from there that it is a favorite place of mine) and just wanted to sit quietly by the creek. i always take my camera with me and as I sat down on the cool rocks, there was this little sprig of ivy growing through the rocks. It was all alone between the rocks and enduring. I thought about God's promises and how many times I see those kept. This is the time of the year when many families get together. That is not always easy, but time and again I have seen families that follow the Lord have the strength to endure the hard times and tragedies they face. I know in my own family that my children have an inheritance greater than any material wealth I could leave them. Scripture: Psalm 37:18-19 The blameless spend their days under the LORD's care, and their inheritance will endure forever. In times of disaster they will not wither; in days of famine they will enjoy plenty. About This Image:
I took this image one morning at Fall Creek Falls. I had gotten up early, again to catch a sunrise, but there was only fog, no pretty sunrise. So I walked along the lake in the fog. The image is actually in color but it looks almost like a black and white image. It isn't a particularly beautiful or scenic image, but in the fog it was peaceful and beautiful in its own way. There are several places in the Gospels where we read about Jesus going to be alone to pray. Sometimes he went to the mountain to pray but sometimes he went to desolate places. I thought why would Jesus go to a desolate place. But this image taught me that there is a a calmness and a peacefulness in desolate places if you are open to seeing their beauty. Scripture: But now even more the report about him went abroad, and great crowds gathered to hear him and to be healed of their infirmities. But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray. Luke 5: 15-16 And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. Mark 1:35 About the Image:
I took this image one summer morning on the lake at Fall Creek Falls. Taking sunrise pictures has a lot to do with luck. You get up very early and you have to put some effort into getting to a good position. This day I rode my bike with my tripod attached to the rack to get to the place on the lake trail where I wanted to be. I have gotten up many a day and driven or walked a long way only to see clouds that cover the sun or no clouds and the sun is just a blazing circle of light. This day it came out just right. Unlike the unpredictable-ness of a beautiful sunrise, God's love is steadfast and never ceases. Scripture: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. "The Lord is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in him." Lamentations 3: 22-24 About This Image:
This image was taken at the Smokemont church in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Smokemont is close to Cherokee. I loved the inside of this church and when I was there I thought about all the people that had sat on those pews for worship, weddings, and funerals. It was a hard picture to take. If you set the camera so that the walls and pews can be seen, then the light of the windows will be blown out. If you set the camera to see the light and trees outside the window the inside will be to dark. So to create this image - which is the way it looks to the human eye - I took 3 images at different exposures and use my computer software to put them together in a process called HDR - high dynamic range. What I like about this image is that you see the light shining into the church as well as the inside of the church. Paul told the Thessalonians that they were children of light, not just in the church but in the outside world as well. Scripture: I Thessalonians 5: 5, 8 For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. But then since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. About the Image:
I took this image one morning at Fall Creek Falls. I had been to the big falls to get a sunrise picture - but there were no clouds so there was not a really colorful sunrise. On my way back to the campground I happened to look in my rear view mirror and saw the sun's rays on the road. I stopped the car in the middle of the road, got out my tripod, and took this image. (It was very early and there was no one else at the falls that morning and no one one the road). I choose this image today because I am searching for the best way to serve God, now that I don't have students to serve everyday. It is an image of one of my favorite places to be and I know that God has a road for me to take. I am on the journey to find it. Scripture: Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul. Psalm 143: 8 About the Image:
I took this image last July when we camped in Townsend and went to Cades Cove several mornings. On Wednesdays and Saturdays during the summer the loop road doesn't open to cars until 10am. On this Wednesday we walked the loop road in the fog. This tree is close to the beginning of the loop in the horse pasture. I had seen this tree many times but this morning it was different. It stands alone - one solitary tree in the middle of the pasture. You can see all the feature of the tree. It is set apart - one of the meanings of the word holy. We are told to worship God in the beauty of holiness. This tree and the day I saw the tree in a different light is an earthly example of the beauty of the holiness of God. Scripture 1 Chronicles 16: 29 Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. About the Image:
I am drawn to waterfalls. Many of my hikes are to waterfalls and I love to photograph them. One of the reasons that I am drawn to them is because of their power. Whether big or small they gradually change the landscape. This summer we went to Yellowstone and saw the many waterfalls there. This image is of Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River in the Canyon Region of the park. It is 308 feet tall and as much as 63,500 gallons per second flow over the falls. This image was taken from Artist's Point on the South Rim. Our God, the maker of waterfalls, is all powerful. Waterfalls remind me of that power. Scripture: Psalm 147:5 Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; His understanding is beyond measure. About the Image:
I took this picture on a very recent trip to Cataloochee, Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Getting to the Cataloochee valley requires a drive over very narrow and sometimes unpaved roads. This valley was at one time the home to many people. There are several buildings that remain. One is the Caldwell house, built by Hiriam Caldwell. It was one of the last houses to be vacated after the park took over the land. It is not like the many other houses you see in the park - it is a white frame house and not a log cabin. Inside the woodwork is beautiful. I took this image looking out the back door. Scripture: The scripture that came to be was one that I memorized as a child. When I saw this image on my computer, I thought about what it will be like for Jesus to open the door - to see brilliant light first. Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come to him and eat with him, and he with me. About the Image:
I took this in the Pisgah National Forest at the Rhododendron Gardens at Carver's Gap. We found an overlook that was perfect for sunset. We got there about an hour before sunset - the time photographers call the golden hour. And the light was truly golden. It reminds me of the many times in scripture where we read that God is Light Scripture: Luke 1:78-79 By the tender mercy of God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadows of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. About the Image:
I took this image at Roan Mountain State Park this summer. This bench was just along the road by the creek. It had rained the day before and everything was so green and peaceful. It just looked like a place to rest. Scripture: Psalm 116: 7-8 Return, O my soul, to your rest, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you. For you have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling. |
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Soli Deo Gloria,
1 Corinthians 10:31
© 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 Karen Milligan
1 Corinthians 10:31
© 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 Karen Milligan