Getting back to work…….
I’m going to have to ask you to forgive me. Please let me explain; Last night I was recounting my day for Sherelene. It had been a great day, filled with wonderful surprises. Ever since the blog entry “Why Bother” my blog comments and emails have gone off the scale! My partner in His Light Workshops, Jim Begley, who gets an average of 300 to 400 hits a day to see his wonderful work, has been averaging over 2,000!!! The emails and blog comments I’ve been getting have been both warm, supportive and deeply appreciated. Last week Jim and I announced our 2013 season of workshop events with only 80 spots available for all of next year, in one week, we’ve sold out all but 14 spots! I had great conversations with both of my bosses and friends at Nikon yesterday and I’m excited about the upcoming events I’m covering for NPS! On top of all that I’m getting ready to go down to Atlanta to help celebrate Dr. Charles Stanley’s 80th birthday and the release of his new book which contains some of the best photography of his life, and I was honored to write the foreword for it!! To be completely honest my chest has been expanding! I was allowing myself to feel pretty good about myself! WARNING BELLS – WARNING BELLS!!!!!!!
Fortunatley, as God always does, He sent a message to bring me back down to earth. The following line was in this morning’s daily devotional from Charles Stanley at In Touch! It is about the relationship of Abraham and God, when God told him he would lead His people out of Egypt.
Who am I? When Moses questioned whether he was the right man for the job, the Lord gave him a promise: “Certainly, I will be with you” (v. 12). The man was able to fulfill the assignment only because God chose to enter into a relationship with him. The Christian’s source of adequacy is his or her relationship with Christ and the presence of His indwelling Holy Spirit.
We all want to feel good about ourselves and it is normal to feel a sense of exhilaration when great things are happening in our lives and especially when wonderful people fawn over you, but it is vital to remember who is really providing the power in your life. Without Him I am nothing. No, that is not false modesty, trust me on this one, I know myself, and I know how wholly inadequate I am to fulfill His mission for my life! I have but one hope for my life, that of being a faithful servant of the Jesus Christ. I don’t do it to receive praise from man, as good as that feels, and I don’t do it to try to win God’s acceptance, that was settled over 2,000 years ago at Calvary. No I do it because I owe Him more than I could ever even hope to repay, and love Him with all my heart and soul! I’ve had a wonderful career as a photographer and have received many prestigious awards, none of which means as much to me as a simple email from someone saying their life has been changed for the better. My most pressing issue is to constantly remind myself that those changed lives are not because of me, or anything I have said, written or done, but because of Him!
I said yesterday I love the “Life is Good” t-shirts, that’s becasue my life is good, but God is Great!
Blessings,
the pilgrim
*Photo Note: Image of wrenches was made at Reno Air Races last September with a Nikon P7100. I’m flying to Reno Monday morning for this years race, expect some airplane images over the next week! My self assignment for next week will be COLOR for COLOR sake and I hope to find some killer color shots to share with you!
Maybe like this original shot from which the Black and White above was processed in Silver Efex Pro 2!
This entry was posted on Friday, September 7th, 2012 at 12:25 pm
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OK, OK, I have been sitting back and watching for several weeks to just watch how God has been working and I have to chime in for just a quick comment. I can’t thank Bill enough and everyone for all the comments and support for His Light. Bill always wanted a ministry and now because of His Light all of us are better off for it. I have often said that God puts people in our lives for all sorts of reasons and at certain times, all we have to do is just trust HIM and embrace those He shares with us. I just know that I can speak for everyone, that each of us have been blessed one way or another by knowing Bill. Thanks
…and I’ve been very blessed to have you as a partner in this effort!
Amen brother!
Love you man!
Right on Jim!
Bill – you are in a groove – enjoy it! God has opened an window of heaven over you –
Malachi 3:10 “I will open for you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” This is God’s favor (un-merited grace) on you at this moment of life – it is for your good and not your bad! When good is God’s intent, we rest in it, enjoy it, we let it minister to us, and we allow ourselves to be thrilled in it! As the Summer Olympic Gold Medal gymnast said – “I send the praise up and God sends the blessings down!”
I (and I speak for all of your friends) rejoice – WITH GREAT REJOICING – with you! YOU ARE BLESSED!
Love you man, the blessings have certainly been raining down!
I absolutely agree with Mr. Begley.
Bill, thanks… for letting God touch us through you.
David it cuts both ways, you’ve been a tremendous blessing to me too!
Bill, I totally get what you are sharing here. Four of my favorite words that David, the man after God’s own heart, said in the presence of the Lord were “But who am I” (1 Chron. 29:14). Those four words ring in my ears after I write a book, give a message, speak at a retreat – wherever God calls me to serve. Those words remind me Whose I am and really what our lives are about – we serve the Lord and live ultimately in the audience of One. Every photograph I take and post on my blog, every article I write, every idea is ultimately for Him. And all the results are His, not mine. He is the One who works in and through us touching lives. And it is the most exciting life of all – what I call the great adventure of knowing God. I’m so thankful to have found you here online only recently. Thank you for loving the Lord and serving Him. To God be the glory. Blessings, Catherine
We’re soldiers in the same war! Bless you!
Catherine,
I just figured out who you are, well of course, I know you are His, but I had not connected you to your ministry, visited you website, I’m very impressed! Fight on for Him!
Thank you for that encouragement about the good fight of faith, as Paul told Timothy. So thankful for you and your Photography & Faith website here. I’ve got my Nikon D7000 (which I love by the way) and I am passionate about capturing beautiful photos of God’s creation and using them for His glory. Blessings to you Bill!
In His Service, Catherine
Is it not a sheer delight to be in His service!?
Yes and amen to that!
God has blessed us with wonderful brothers ans sisters, I’m thrilled to be able to call you one of those great blessings!
Hi Bill,
I have to admit, while I’ve heard of you and occasionally visited your blog/website, never really was motivated to contribute or comment until now. Your “Why Bother” post getting the attention it did from Scott’s site brought me back. With the comments from that day being what they are, figured there wasn’t much to contribute there with everything that had already been said.
This post I think is more meaningful though, because it reminds us all that we are all here by the will of God, and the reminder very much keeps us grounded where we belong. It’s not fame and fortune we should be after, rather sharing our voice and vision with the world because it’s what we love to do and gives us purpose.
Thanks for helping to remind me to stay grounded as well.
My best,
Jason Anderson
Staying grounded Jason is a vital factor of our walk with Him, pride is a stone wall we cannot overcome without Him!!!