being perfectly frank with you……

That’s one of my favorite book titles. I have dear friend in New York state who did a self published book of his work, nice work too. His name is Frank Daniti and his book title, Being Perfectly Frank With You. Got to love it! I’m telling you because I have a wonderful opportunity this weekend and I want to ask for your prayers. I’m attending one of my favorite meetings of the year, Southwestern Photojournalism Conference, being held at Southwestern Theological Seminary. This meeting is in conjunction with Christians in Photojournalism. I’ve been a member of this organization for many, many years and it is one of the most wonderful groups of photographers out there. At this meeting some great things happen. The fellowship is great and many people have come to the Lord right at this meeting! This year’s speakers include, Scott Kelby, Louis Deluca, and Jeremy Cowart. Saturday night after Jeremy Cowart’s talk I end the evening with a special presentation called, Obedience is Better than Sacrifice. I will be sharing the story behind the Pilgrim’s Chronicles.

I will share that with you now, but I will ask that you pray that the audience at Southwestern be prepared to receive the message, and that God will be with me, and give me the right words to accomplish His mission. My sharing session is at 10:00 p.m. Central time.

The story behind the Pilgrim’s Chronicles.

When I was a young photographer I made a nearly, spiritually fatal mistake. I came to believe that my photography and my career was about me. I wanted to be admired, and worshipped as on of the greatest photographers in America, maybe even the world. I was actually a very insecure guy, who needed the approval and praise of others, just to feel o.k.

At 35 years of age I was diagnosed with terminal cancer. My doctor gave me a 3 to 5% chance of surviving. Even though I was a Christian, I was devastated. While in the hospital recovering from surgery all I could think about was not getting to spend all my life with my wife and children. On the the third night in the hospital, alone in my room I cried out to God. I asked Him to help me face what seemed inevitable. I knew I couldn’t face it alone. I asked God to spare my life just long enough for me to see my kids grown and on their own, I promised God that if I could live that long, I would not serve Him every day for the rest of my life, but every moment! When my doctor returned the next morning I was well rested, having had a sense of peace that passed any human understanding descend on me after my prayer the night before. My doctor said the tumor they had removed was cancer, but not the kind they had feared. The new prognosis was that I had a 95% chance of surviving.

After the initial joy of that news I came to realize that over those three days I had not thought once about being “famous”. All I had thought about was my family. It was a wake up call. It changed my life forever. I’ve kept that promise. For the last decade I have been begging God to give me a ministry. For a long time my only answer has been, do what your doing now, and wait on Me.

I don’t like waiting, but with God’s help I’ve tried to function in a way I think He wants from me.
A little over a year and a half ago I was at the Reno Pylon School in June with my dear friends
(and bosses), Bill Pekala and Scott Diussa. Scott was working on his blog and it was of great interest to me, I didn’t even know what a blog was! He encouraged me to start a blog, which I did the same day we talked about it with his able help. After a couple of days of publishing airplane images, what we were shooting that week, I realized I didn’t know what I was going to blog about after that!?

In my spirit, I clearly heard God’s voice and He said this is the ministry you asked Me for. From
that day I’ve published almost every day except the weekends I’m home with family. We’ve had well over 100,000 hits and God’s work is being done. I thought in the early months that I was doing this for you, the reader that drops by to see what is new here. I’ve come to realize that this was also for me. By getting before God everyday and in a quiet place listening for his still voice, He has opened up my spirit to see and understand so much more. I have drawn so much closer to Him. His word and spirit have become so much more alive to me. He has changed me, I’m not the man I was a year an half ago when I started something that even then I did not understand.

Today I’m blessed and thankful for this journey and intend to continue it as long as God wants me to continue. This is not about me, it happened when I came to that realization in my own life, that Obedience is better than Sacrifice. It continues as I reach out with His love and His grace.

I want to share that message with the group in Fort Worth, because I know God wants all of us to be missionaries wherever we are and what ever we are doing. He has a plan for you, tell Him you’re ready, and then wait. He won’t fail to give you a mission too.

In Christ,

the pilgrim

So it’s time to get in the game, it’s time to tee off!
Couldn’t help myself……….

*Photo Note: D7000, 200mm Micro Nikkor. More close-u examples. Top, Sidewalk chalk, just above, golf tees.