Gravity Works

Ute Park, Colorado Springs, Colorado

The effects of gravity are at work in this picture. At some point these rocks, leaves and other debris were on higher ground but gravity continues to move them lower and lower.

You and I know the effect gravity has on our lives. As we age our bodies compress a little. We might have been six feet tall at one point but now measure out at 5' 11 1/2". We might have always weighed in at around at 180 pounds but the weight is positioned a little differently because of gravity.

Yet gravity also keeps us grounded.

"I pray that according to the wealth of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner person, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, so that, because you have been rooted and grounded in love, you may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and thus to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God." Ephesians 3:16 New English Translation

It is God's love is the gravity that grounds you. And it is because of his love that you believe in the vastness of Jesus' affection for you even though you cannot fully comprehend this love.

It may appear in your life that many things are dragging you down, yet in the midst of the struggles of life, it is this love of Christ that grounds you.

Gravity works.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2013 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR

A Canopy of Grace

Horsethief Falls Trail, Pikes Peak, Colorado

Thousands of people make it to the top of Pikes Peak every year. They climb the peak, drive to the top, take the cog railroad and now even bicycle to the summit. And there are so many trails on the east side of the mountain that it is easy to get lost in the network of these trails.

However, there are not as many trails on the west side of Pikes Peak. Though many cars make the journey from Colorado Springs to Cripple Creek on highway 67, there are few trails that allow you to explore the back side of the mountain  One of these trails leads to Horsethief Falls. The falls are more like a trickle than a waterfall but the hike is beautiful, covered with a canopy of trees.

What a picture of God's grace.

"And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.  For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." John 1:16-17 English Standard Version

To know Jesus is to know grace. To know grace is to be covered with God's protection, affirmation and love.

The world is constantly pointing a finger at us telling us that we'll never amount to anything. Yet greater than this accusing finger is the canopy of grace that covers every moment of every day.

I encourage you to enlarge this picture and see yourself walking its path. No matter the struggles of today, God enfolds you in his love as his canopy of grace covers you.

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You can listen to the Praying With the Eyes broadcast at the ib network on Sundays at 8:00 am, 11:30 am, 1:00 pm and 8:30 pm MST (www.ibnetwork.us). You can also listen to the show on the ib network on Tunin Radio.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-2014 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR. 

Another Place of Grace

Oregon Coast

The older I get the more I enjoy solitude. After fifty-eight years of life experiences, there is much that swirls in my brain. I need more time to stop over-thinking life.

I need more time to remove the layers of life and sit open before God.

"Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts." Psalm 139:23 New Living Translation

I've expended a great deal of time covering up my anxious thoughts or making excuses for them. I've busied my life with clutter in a feeble attempt to hide myself from God (and others).

The beauty of solitude, of removing the layers, is the acceptance of grace. Far too often I've lived as though God wanted to punish me, so I covered up my sin. Hidden sin clings like pet hair. Grace releases sin.

There is nothing more freeing than being vulnerable before God. It's my prayer that you find that place of solitude with God for that is the place of grace.

Join the conversation on our Facebook group: Praying With the Eyes

You can listen to the Praying With the Eyes broadcast at the ib network on Sundays at 8:00 am, 11:30 am, 1:00 pm and 8:30 pm MST (www.ibnetwork.us). You can also listen to the show on the ib network on Tunin Radio.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-2014 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR. 

The Gates of Thanksgivng

Garden of the Gods

"Know that the LORD, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!" Psalm 100:3-4 English Standard Version

The orange rock to the right in this picture is known as the North Gate Rock, and, you guessed it, the rock on the extreme left is the South Gate Rock. These two sandstone formations have framed many photographers' pictures of Pikes Peak. They form a gap that draws us further into Garden.  

Though this opening is not the gate into the temple in Jerusalem, many of us feel that these rocks are his gates. And with such an entrance we are called to lift our hands in thanksgiving to the God of heaven and earth; the God who sent his Son to a cross for his wounded sheep.

And so it's Thanksgiving Day. Today, God's Spirit draws us into his presence to give thanks. Many of us will sit around our Thanksgiving tables giving thanks for our blessings. We'll share these blessings with our family and friends as we lift our hands to God.

To God, our thanks are better than the smell of turkey, the taste of pumpkin pie, or the clarity of wine. As we enjoy fellowship and laughter with each other, may we fall on our knees in thanksgiving to our gracious and loving God.

Today, I especially thank God for you, the readers of this blog. I am humbled and encouraged by your faithfulness. May God bless all of you on this special day as you give thanks to our Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier.

Join the conversation on our Facebook group: Praying With the Eyes

You can listen to the Praying With the Eyes broadcast at the ib network on Sundays at 8:00 am, 11:30 am, 1:00 pm and 8:30 pm MST (www.ibnetwork.us). You can also listen to the ibnetwork on Tunin Radio.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-2014 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR. 

What's the Use?

Victor, Colorado

Nobody sits at this picnic table. It lays far removed from any public access as it occupies space on land that was for sale and had been for quite sometime.

There were probably family gatherings shared around this table. Laughter, stories and card games might have encircled this table, but do so no longer. At that time there was no rust.  There were no rotting boards. It could hold the weight of many people. But now it sits, slowly deteriorating over time.

Some of us reading this blog today feel like the picnic table in its hay day. We can run a marathon, climb a 14er and pull and all-nighter. There are others who feel our physical health slowly slipping away and others who know exactly what this table is experiencing.

Paul reminded the Corinthians, "That is why we are not discouraged. Though outwardly we are wearing out, inwardly we are being renewed day by day."  2 Corinthians 4:16 God's Word to the Nations

It's true that life changes. Our bodies wear out. We frequent the chiropractor more often, the doctor more often, the optometrist more often.

However, we're being renewed daily by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Outwardly our lives might resemble this picnic table, but for those who are in Christ, God is daily at work renewing us.

By the way, this piece of land was purchased shortly after this picture was taken. There's still hope for this picnic table.

There's still hope for you.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-2014 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR.  

It's Pronounced Klinkit

Hoonah, Alaska

Don't ask me how you get Klinkit out of Tlingit, but that is the case for these native people of Alaska. This Tlingit man was more than willing to let me take his picture. You could tell that he was proud of his heritage.

The Tlingit of Hoonah originally lived in what is now Glacier Bay, Alaska. But a little over two hundred years ago the Grand Pacific Glacier forced them to move and settle in the land "where the north wind doesn't blow" (The meaning behind Hoonah).

"Now the Lord said to Abram, 'Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.'" Genesis 12:1-3 English Standard Version

God may not have called us out of Ur of the Chaldeans to live in Palestine or out of Glacier Bay to reside in Hoonah, but he has called us out of the territory of sin into the light of his love. He has called us to boast not in what we have done but in what he has done for us.

You see, the name we wear is "little christs" (Christian) and no matter where we are this is our clothing.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-2014 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR.  

God's Promise

Fish Creek Falls, Steamboat Springs, Colorado

"For all of God's promises have been fulfilled in him. 

 That is why we say 

'Amen' 

when we give glory to God through Christ."  

1 Corinthians 1:20 New Living Translation

Rainbows appear in some of the most interesting places as is obvious from this picture.

The sun shone on this waterfall even though it wasn't raining on this mid-June day. This rainbow appeared because of heavy snow in the Mt. Zirkel wilderness area and the higher than normal melt off.

Fish Creek Falls was a flood of water.

In in the midst of the turbulence was this reminder of God's promises. Even though there is a scientific explanation for rainbows, they remind us of God's promises.

We might want to shout "Amen" to the glory of God when we take in the majesty of Fish Creek Falls, yet this rainbow produced by the abundance of water doesn't appear unless there's violence.

Even when you and I struggle with the tumult of life, God allows us to see his promises and to know that all of his promises find their "Amen" in Jesus Christ.

May you see God's rainbow today as you look to Christ in the midst of the turbulence of your life.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-2014 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR.  

Reflecting Light

Divide, Colorado

I got lucky with this picture. It snowed a couple of inches during the night at a retreat I attended. While everyone else was hoofing it to the dining hall for breakfast, I slipped behind the chapel where we had worshiped that morning.

We had just finished a joy-filled morning worship with lots of singing (and even some dancing), but every time I looked out the windows I wanted to step outside and absorb the beauty of the freshly fall snow.

So, while the others sang their way to breakfast, I took a moment to capture a few pictures. However, something unexpected happened.  

As you can tell by the shadows, I was pointing my camera into the sun, blocking it with one of the aspen, yet I was surprised to see light on the on the dark side of the trees. How did this light get there? Then it dawned on me. The large window of the chapel through which I had first viewed the trees was now acting as a reflector of the light.

Isn't that we we do. We reflect the light of Christ. When we reflect the light it shines in the darkness. The light from the window was a reflection of the sun. Our light reflects the Son, Jesus Christ.

"In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." Matthew 5:16 English Standard Version

The window did what came naturally. May we do the same.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-2014 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR.

Finding Our Purpose

Ansbach, Germany

These little plastic guys were everywhere in Ansbach. They were around four feet tall and each one had a music stand in front of it. On this music stand was picture of some plant.

I have no clue what they were doing in Ansbach. I've tried researching them on the internet and have come up empty.

Many of us empathize with these little guys. We don't see a purpose for our lives other than to use up oxygen and take up space.

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11 English Standard Version

Jeremiah speaks to the people of Israel, not individuals. He uses the Texas, "all you all." Too often we look for our purpose in the solitude of life, separated from others. Jeremiah reminds us that our purpose is found in God's community, being connected to other Christians.

It's more difficult to live in community than to hole up in our homes. C.S. Lewis wrote a book called, The Great Divorce, which pictures hell as people separating from each other. The healing power of the cross draws us into community.

It is in this community that we understand God's plans for us. In the community of Christians God has plans for our welfare and to give us hope for the future.

Here's what we often miss: I need you and you need me in this struggle to discover God's purpose for our lives.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-2014 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR.

WOW!

Colorado Springs, Colorado

"For though I am far away from you, my heart is with you. And I rejoice that you are living as you should and that your faith in Christ is strong." Colossians 2:5 New Living Translation

It's almost 10:30 pm. I started work at six this morning and ended (sort of) at six tonight. It's been a long week of long days, yet I feel blessed tonight. Through Facebook, I connected with a friend and former coworker at Holy Cross who lives in Germany.  

This picture of the two finches paints a picture of this Facebook conversation.

These two female house finches probably were not aware of each other's presence. They might as well have been separated as far as America is from Germany. They are busy doing what they must do everyday; similar to how we go about our lives, yet the angle of the camera brings them both into view.

Though we might be separated from people we love by a great distance (and I'm not only talking about physical distance), God sees us all. And in God's vision he unites us even when we are separated. That's why Paul says to the Colossians, "for though I am far away from you, my heart is with you."

Paul had the heart of Christ, and so do you and I. It is this heart of Christ that can make even a Facebook conversation feel like a family reunion.

Tonight, all I can say is WOW.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-2014 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR.

Really!!!

Colorado Springs, Colorado

This female house finch looked a little perturbed that a camera was pointing at her. She is giving the camera a look like she's being photographer by a paparazzo. I half expected her to fly at the camera (though I was safely hidden in my house as I snapped this pic remotely).

We want our privacy. We don't want people prying into our lives, sticking their noses where they don't belong, but is isolating ourselves from others best for our lives?

"The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River." Mark 1:5 New International Version

The people that joined John at the Jordan did so in the context of community. Friends, relatives and neighbors joined each other at the river bank, and at the river bank they confessed their sins to one another. The word used for confess has the force of declaring something out loud. The people heard each other confess their failings and their sin.

They also heard the word of forgiveness, and received that forgiveness in the water. As John baptized, he proclaimed that his baptism was baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, not the condemnation of the sinner. Those who came to water, walked away forgiven.

There is something powerful when Christians confess sin to each other and speak the word of forgiveness to each other.

In that moment, Satan loses.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-2014 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR.  

Skittish as a Bird

Colorado Springs, Colorado

It's not easy taking pictures of birds. They're naturally skittish. Even sneaking up on them doesn't usually work. When they eat at this feeder it's a quick one second head poke to pluck a seed then going on alert in case there is someone or something there that might be a threat.

How do we handle people who would attempt to lead us away from Christ?

"Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world." 1 John 4:1 New Living Translation

I'm not trying to cause any kind of paranoia. Yet, you and I ought to be aware of our surroundings like this house finch. Satan, the enemy of the cross, wants to lead us astray from our faith in Jesus Christ.

How do you test whether someone is speaking from the Spirit of God? It's not that difficult yet it can be one of the hardest tasks we face.

It isn't that difficult if we know the Word of God. God will never contradict himself. If what we hear is contrary to Scripture, and especially the message of the cross, it isn't the Spirit of God speaking.

What makes the task of discernment difficult is the depth of our knowledge of God's Word. To know if something is contrary to God's will we must know that Word.

Why is this so important? You see, the stakes are high. What's at stake is our redemption in Christ. As Jesus stated, he is the only way to the Father. May nothing get in the way of this truth.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-2014 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR.  

The Music of Faith

Ansbach, Germany

As I traveled through Germany a couple of summers ago it appeared to me that the second most revered person next to Martin Luther was Johann Sebastian Bach. Of course, I did see things through my Lutheran lens.

Every other year a Bach festival is held at four different locations in Ansbach, one of those places is the church of St. Gumbertus in the background of this picture. Ansbach was an early convert to the Reformation under the leadership of George, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach.  He was an original signer of the Augsburg Confession in 1530.

Faith uses music to communicate the wonder of God's activity in human history. What would Christmas be without Christmas Carols? What would Easter be without the songs of Christ's victory over death?

We love to sing the faith.

"Sing to God, sing praises to his name; lift up a song to him who rides through the deserts; his name is the LORD; exult before him!" Psalm 68:4 English Standard Version

The desert could be a fearful place. Wild beasts roamed the wilderness. Highway robbers preyed upon travelers, yet King David could sing that it was the Lord who road through the desert.

Our lives can be as dry and dangerous as the desert, yet it is the Lord who rides in victory through our wilderness.

We sing about God's victory, and we'll continue to sing throughout eternity. New songs will join with the old to form a constant symphony of praise to the Lord.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-2014 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR.

An Invitation to the Journey

Fountain Creek Regional Park, Fountain, Colorado

There are a number of benches that grace this path, but I seldom see people sitting on them. There is something inviting about walking a path that makes it difficult to stop except for a few moments to catch our breath or to take in a beautiful scene.

After resting for a short period of time it's back to hiking.

God invites us to walk on his path.

You make the path of life known to me. Complete joy is in your presence. Pleasures are by your side forever. Psalm 16:11 God's Word to the Nations

God makes know to us the path of life. That path is found in his Son, Jesus Christ. He has cut the trail for us through his suffering, death and resurrection. We are not trailblazers, we are followers. We are his disciples as he leads us on his path.

What blows us away is that on this path there are pleasures, not worldly pleasures which come and go, but eternal pleasures because our Savior is at our side. Even now Jesus walks beside us on this journey and our pleasure is in him. This pleasure lasts for an eternity.

The path pictured above leads into the great unknown. There is something compelling about this picture. There is something that says the journey into that unknown will be worth the effort. In an even greater way, the journey into God's great unknown for our lives is worth the effort.

On this journey God will surprise us. On this journey God will fill us with his joy. On this journey we will experience pleasures with him at our side.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-2014 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR.

Grandfather Cottonwood

Fountain Creek Regional Park, Fountain, Colorado

Okay, so this would have been a good Halloween pic.  Unfortunately I already had my Halloween blog ready when I took this picture.  One of the followers of this blog suggested that these ghost like characters reminded her of the many people who, through the years, have walked underneath Grandfather Cottonwood.

There are many who have walked the path of life before us.

"After these things I saw a large crowd from every nation, tribe, people, and language. No one was able to count how many people there were. They were standing in front of the throne and the lamb. They were wearing white robes, holding palm branches in their hands, and crying out in a loud voice, 'Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the lamb!'"  Revelation 7:9-10 God's Word to the Nations

I picture my father walking underneath Grandfather Cottonwood.  His memory walks with me.  I can see him trying to have family devotions, working a month in advance to make the decorations for our Christmas celebration at Grace Lutheran Church and his uber excitement about learning the concepts from the Bethel Bible Series.

Who, for you, is the shadowy figure walking under Grandfather Cottonwood?  Who is that person who taught you the faith and lived that faith?

As you recall who that person, also remember that others look to you as one who walks under Grandfather Cottonwood.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-2014 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR.

The Gift of Stillness

Fountain Creek Regional Park, Fountain, Colorado

I was nervous when I took this picture. I was concerned that the fog would lift too quickly for me to get the shot. Fog can last all day in Oregon, my home state, but not in Colorado. In Colorado Springs fog is a rarity. The atmosphere is too dry.

What causes you to panic?

Will there be enough food on the table?
     Will your spouse come home drunk?
          Will the house sell?

"Be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for him to act. Don't worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes." Psalm 37:7 New Living Translation

It might not be "evil people" who cause you to fret, but "evil" situations that might seriously disrupt your life.

The ability to "be still in the presence of the LORD" is a spiritual gift. Stillness does not come naturally to us. Panicking,overreacting and becoming hysterical are default modes for many of us when we face difficult times.

Too often we turn to the wrong things to bring stillness into our lives and forget that the chaos of the cross has brought tranquility. God has acted in the violence of the cross. It is in the cross that we experience peace: peace with God and peace with each other.

Though your house might not sell, your spouse might come home drunk and there might not be much on your table, God has acted on your behalf. The gift of his presence brings peace.

Join the conversation at Praying With the Eyes on Facebook. http://www.facebook.com/groups/173881749421231/

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-2014 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR.

The Unchanging Word

Colorado Springs, Colorado

"All the leaves are gone and the sky is grey" so sang the Mamas &  The Papas. The leaves of this tree were brilliant but only for a short period of time.

"The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever." Isaiah 40:8 English Standard Version

Our lives are filled with things that are transient. Things come and go as quickly as the Fall leaves. Life itself is only a breath.

One day our children are born the next they're off to college.

One day we start our dream job the next we're retired.

One day we buy our first home the next we're selling it and moving into a retirement home.

As life changes from day to day and season to season, the "word of our God stands forever." For that reason many of our churches celebrate a cycle of seasons throughout the year. We move from Christmas to Easter and back to Christmas again. We hear the story because the story never changes.

God's story that never changes includes you. It was for you that Jesus was born. It was for you that Jesus lives. All the leaves may disappear, but God's word never will.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-2014 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR.

How to Take Pictures in the Snow

As I write this bonus blog it's -5 degrees in Colorado Springs.  Depending on where you live in our community you've received between an inch or more of snow in the past few days.  We might not like the cold but we love the fresh covering of white snow that is spread like a carpet over the landscape.  We want others to share in the beauty, so we find our camera, step outside and snap a few pics, but when we upload them to our computer they seem dark and grey.

Here is a simple trick to brighten your snow pics so that they look more like what you see.

The following picture was shot with my point and shoot Canon SX700 HS.  I left my camera on program mode, a mode that most of us use.  This is what the camera captured.

Notice how dark and grey the picture appears.  This is not what I saw when I looked out my back door. So, what can you do to brighten the picture in camera so that it's more appealing?  There is one simple trick, though it will probably mean digging into your owner manual to discover how to change this setting on your camera.

Most cameras have the ability to adjust the exposure.  It's called exposure compensation and it's not hard to adjust.  After you discover how to adjust your exposure compensation set the exposure for plus 1. The picture below is the result of making this adjustment in my camera. (Both pictures are straight out of my camera with no post production).

Taking a couple of minutes to figure out how to set your camera's exposure compensation will give you a winter of better pictures. 

Out of Place

Fountain Creek Regional Park, Fountain, Colorado

Though I like this picture, you have to admit that this pumpkin doesn't belong here. It is not in its natural setting. This isn't a pumpkin patch, it's a regional park. This pumpkin was intentionally set here by someone who carved it. There were many such pumpkins along this trail.

So it is that we might feel out of place where we are at this time.

We don't feel like we fit in at work. We might be self-conscience at the gym. We're not included in family conversations.

So we compare ourselves to people with leprosy in Jesus' day.

"In one of the villages, Jesus met a man with an advanced case of leprosy. When the man saw Jesus, he bowed with his face to the ground, begging to be healed. 'Lord,' he said, 'if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean.' Jesus reached out and touched him. 'I am willing,' he said. 'Be healed!' And instantly the leprosy disappeared." Luke 5:12 New Living Translation 

What might only be a feeling for us was a reality for a leper in the Bible. They were literally untouchable, yet this didn't prevent Jesus from risking ritual uncleanness and touch the man.

The church exists to be the visible touch of Jesus.

The church is filled with people who have been wounded by their sin, yet touched by the mercy of Christ. In turn these wounded people touch others with that same healing love of Christ. As Henri Nouwen said, we are Wounded Healers.

Because of this human touch that reflects Christ, none of us our out of place.

Join the conversation at Praying With the Eyes on Facebook. http://www.facebook.com/groups/173881749421231/

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-2014 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR.

The Night Watchman

Oberammergau, Germany

The night watchman had a difficult job. It was his job to make sure that the city was safe during the most difficult time of the day. I don't know the official name of the ax held in his right hand, but it was the only tool he had to protect the city.

Nights are difficult for many of us.

When everything is turned off in the house, our minds seem to speed up. It is in the night that we feel the negative effects of the day. It is then that we question our relationships. It is then that we debate our abilities.

"He will not let you fall. Your guardian will not fall asleep. Indeed, the Guardian of Israel never rests or sleeps." Psalm 121:3 God's Word to the Nations

God is present with us in the depth of the night. The darkness is never too dark for God. His presence might not remove the struggle, yet God will not abandon us...ever.

Our God understands the struggle of the night when, alone in the darkness, Jesus cried out to his Father to remove the cup of suffering from him. Instead of escaping the darkness, Jesus embraced it on the cross knowing the he would triumph over the darkness in his resurrection.

It is this God of light who is awake with us in the darkness.

Join the conversation at Praying With the Eyes on Facebook. http://www.facebook.com/groups/173881749421231/

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-2014 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR. 

Carrying the Load

Oberammergau, Germany

Oberammergau is known for its wood carvings, many of which are religious. This man is known as a Kraxentrager, a traveling salesman. He carried his heavy wooden backpack (Kraxe) with wood trinkets from house-to-house in the hope of making a sale. (I encourage you to enlarge this picture and see what wears this Kraxentrager carries).

He looks sullen. Carrying his Kraxe was hard work with no guarantee of making a sale.

I see this same look on the faces of others. It is the look of people who carry around their sins, brokenness and struggles

This is also the look of Christ as he bore his cross. "He carried his own cross and went out of the city to a location called The Skull. (In Hebrew this place is called Golgotha.)" John 19:17 God's Word to the Nations

He was carrying more than a cross. He carried our sins, brokenness and struggles. He has freed us from our load.

Only a few steps away from this Kraxentrager was a Crucifix. I can't help but see in both pictures the work of God on our behalf. What we've peddled has been placed upon Christ and since it has been placed on Christ we're free.

With this freedom God gives us a gift. It is the gift of peace.  No longer do we carry the sins, brokenness and struggles of life. We carry the peace that passes all understanding. It is God's gift to us today.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-2014 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR. 

At the Foot of the Giant

Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs, Colorado

Thousands of people visit the Garden of the Gods every year. There are miles of trails upon which hikers travel.  However, there are trails that for some reason people are not as inclined to hike.

Some of these more obscure trials offer spectacular views. This is one of my favorite out-of-the-way places in the Garden. I affectionately call it, "The Foot of the Giant." The large rock formation that stands between the foreground and Pike's Peak is known as the Sleeping Giant. If you look closely, you can see the Giant's foot.

Sometimes you need to travel off the beaten trail to get a new perspective on life.

"Who, then, is the person that fears the Lord?  He is the one whom the Lord will teach which path to choose." Psalm 25:12 God's Word to the Nations

There are many voices that tell us which path to walk in life. As well meaning as these voices might be, God calls us to a different path, and from this path we are reward with an amazing perspective of life.

The key according to the psalmist is the fear of the Lord. This absolute amazement that God would empty heaven in his Son, send him to crucifixion then raise him from the dead directs us on a new path on which we can view life.

Not many people travel this path, but for those guided by the Spirit, the journey is worth the view.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-2014 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR.  

See the Tiny Dots?

South Silver Falls, Oregon

You might need to enlarge this picture to see the people standing behind this waterfall. Though I love this picture, where they're standing is the best place to feel the mist, hear the sound and enjoy the full majesty of this waterfall.

Silver Falls State Park is only  few miles away from my father-in-law. Needless to say, I've made a few trips with my camera to this park. The nationally recognized Canyon Trail will take you to ten different waterfalls. The highest (pictured here) is South Falls that descends 177 feet.  The smallest, Drake Falls cascades a mere 27 feet. You can even walk behind four of these waterfalls.

There is something humbling about getting underneath a waterfall. You cannot control it. You accept it for what it is, and feel the refreshment like nowhere else. Even on a hot day, standing behind a waterfall of this magnitude is refreshing.

"So place yourself under God's authority."  James 4:7 God's Word to the Nations

What will your life be different you see submission to God like standing behind a waterfall, feeling his refreshment and knowing his protection?

Believe me, the experience from behind the waterfall is much better than seeing it only at a distance. So it is with God. Being under his authority is much better than viewing him only from a distance.

Under God's authority is where life is truly known.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-2014 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR. 

Nonsense

Ketchikan, Alaska

This picture doesn't do justice to the difficult task these salmon face in propagating. There are more cascading waterfalls for them to navigate than what I could capture with my camera and still identify the salmon.

Do they ever want to turn around and head back to the ocean?  I never seen a salmon flowing with the current back to sea.  They are on a mission and nothing is going to stop them.

"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations..." Matthew 28:19 English Standard Version

And we think the salmon have it hard.

By the grace of God we continue to disciple our families, friends and associates, but there are times we feel the temptation to head back to sea.

This journey of making disciples is worth the effort. It's God who gives us the strength to navigate the difficulties of human relationship and continue on this road of making disciples.  It's the Holy Spirit to whom we give credit for any progress we make.

Making disciples isn't merely a task to be checked off our list, it's our mission.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-2014 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR.  

   

Head on a Rail

Hubbard Glacier, Alaska

Can you see her? The woman with her head on the rail? When I look at this picture I wonder, "what was she doing?" It doesn't look comfortable. The view wasn't any better. It might have been warmer (catch all the heavy coats and the glacier?). But I really can't figure her out.

But then again, I can't figure out why I do the things that I do, and believe me, I've done some pretty boneheaded things in my life. (For those of you who read this blog and have experienced my boneheaded activities, now is NOT the time to share with the rest of us what they were.)

"For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out."  Romans 7:18 English Standard Version

I'm glad that Paul didn't finish his letter with these words, but a few verses later writes, "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Romans 8:1 English Standard Version

This is not an excuse to continue to do boneheaded things, but it's the power to not let them haunt us all our lives.

Not only does forgiveness give us the power to let go of the past, it allows to enjoy the present, and maybe that's what this woman was doing; enjoy the spectacle of Hubbard Glacier.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-2014 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR.  

Home: The Place of Grace

Brauner Stairs

Like many homes, a trip to our bedrooms upstairs is a trip down memory lane.  Family pictures remind us that time is the ever pounding wave on the shore of our lives.  I still think of myself with hair, weighing 190 pounds and ready for a pickup game of softball (without stretching).  Then I look in the mirror.

When I look in the mirror I see regret.  My deepest regrets deal with my family.

I should'a, could'a but didn't. 

Like the shadows that cross this picture, family life has its dark places.

And family life has its grace moments, those times of light.  Just as I have experienced some of the darkest times in my life in the context of my family, I have never received the grace of God like I have from my family.

"As holy people God has chosen and loved, be sympathetic, kind, humble, gentle, and patient.  Put up with each other, and forgive each other if anyone has a complaint.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you." Colossians 3:12-13 God's Word to the Nations  

The miracle of God's forgiveness in Christ is that his grace is lived in the place where the darkness can sometime seem the deepest. 

You see, forgiven people forgive.  Husbands forgive wives.  Wives forgive husbands.  Parents forgive children.  Children forgive parents. 

Home is God's place of grace.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-2014 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR.  

Gathered as One

Chalk Lake, Colorado

What intrigues me about this picture is the fact that these leaves, presumably from many of the trees nourished by this lake, are gathered into one spot. As a result of the wind and other factors, these leaves washed up here. I wish the leaves in my yard would do the same thing. 

As the wind pushed these leaves together, so the Holy Spirit blows in the lives of Christians so that we gather as a community of those who stand under the cross of Jesus.

The Holy Spirit gathers the church. He gathers the church together in worship, at coffee shops, in homes and other places. Wherever Christians gather, it is the work of the Holy Spirit bringing us together.

The fact remains: The Holy Spirit gathers the church.

"For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all." Ephesians 4:4 New Living Translation

One...one...one... The Spirit of God works unity in the body of Christ not division. This unity is rooted in the one, sacrificial death of Christ. As a result we need each other. We need to gather in worship, at coffee shops and in homes.

We need to gather because that is what Christians do through the power of the Holy Spirit.

I would not have snap this picture had not these leaves gathered into one place.  The gathering of these leaves creates the picture. The gathering of Christians creates a picture of God's beauty at work in the world.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-2014 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR.  

A Place of Tranquility

Chalk Lake, Colorado

We desire tranquility. That is why we're attracted to pictures like this of Chalk Lake. We can imagine ourselves somewhere in this scene. We might visualize ourselves sitting in a camping chair or with a fishing pole in hand or strolling around the shore. 

All of us desire peace.

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid." John 14:27 New Revised Standard Version

Fear robs us of peace. Jesus had spoken to his disciples about his death. As he gathered with his closest friends in the upper room hours before his arrest, trial, crucifixion and death he assures them of his gift of peace.

We carry with us a bag full of fear: fear about the future of our children, fear about the future of our job, fear about the future of our health.

We are reminded of the peace that Christ offers when we visit places like Chalk Lake. As great as these momentary escapes are, they are nothing compared to the peace we have in Christ. His victory over sin and death has bought us peace with the Father, and this peace lasts for eternity.

With our future secured in Christ, we cast our fears on him.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-2014 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR.  

The Ups and Downs of Life

Chalk Creek Canyon, Colorado

This picture of the mountains surrounding Chalk Creek Canyon captures both the feeling of ascending and descending. The mountains ascend to the sky while the rocks descend to the valley.

You can probably place yourself somewhere in this picture. Life has its ups and downs. Your life is either ascending or descending. 

You might be experiencing a time of grief as if you were descending into the depths of the valley. You might be experiencing a period of joy as if you're traversing the mountain ridges to some new vista.

"If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!" Psalm 139:8 English Standard Version

The point of life is not the ups and downs but the reality of God's presence in the ups and downs. There is no valley that is so deep that God isn't there. There is no mountain so high that it out reaches God. There is no time in your life when you will not need God.

In the ups and downs of life, Christ is there. His cross is our guarantee.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-2014 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR.  

First Snow

Chalk Creek Canyon, Colorado

For me there is something wonderful about the first snow of the year. I know that isn't true for all of you.  In fact for some of you the first snow of the year is depressing.  

The first snow can cause our spirits to sink. It's not the snow itself that depresses us, but what it represents. The first snow can symbolize the short days of winter, colder temperatures and the endless shoveling of deep snow.

For others the first snow brings with it the anticipation of days spent gliding down well groomed ski slopes or floating through waist deep powder. The first snow sends us to our basement to dig out our skis and snowboards and take them to the local shop for a tuneup.  

No matter whether we see the first snow as depressing or exciting it is a picture of our relationship with God.

"'Come on now, let's discuss this!' says the LORD. 'Though your sins are bright red, they will become as white as snow. Though they are dark red, they will become as white as wool.'" Isaiah 1:18 God's Word to the Nations

When we carry our sins around with us they stink. We add sin upon sin and it festers like a boil that never heals.

The power of the cross heals the wounds of sin and remove the stink. Our lives change. God sees us as pure as snow; fresh snow not the old stuff that hangs around until the Spring thaw.

Through Jesus, God sees you as the first snow of the year. It is your reality. Your sin, failures and brokenness do not define you. God does in the gift of forgiveness.

My prayer for you today is that you see yourself like the first snow of winter; pure and holy in Christ. I pray that you can believe this fact even if you don't feel pure and holy. It is your reality.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-2014 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR.  

Going Low

Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs, Colorado

Sometimes you have to go low to get the shot.  

I really don't like going low, but sometimes you have to get on your knees, even lay on your belly, to get the shot as I did in this picture from the Garden of the Gods.  

What intrigues me in this picture are the leading lines into the fuzzy distance.

"And now, in my old age, don't set me aside. Don't abandon me when my strength is failing." Psalm 71:9 New Living Translation

Growing older can be scary. Our future can appear fuzzy, yet we see the lines that lead to that future. The lines that guide us into the great unknown are recorded in the Word of God.

We have a sure and certain future guaranteed through the merits of Christ. It doesn't depend on what we bring to the table but what God brings. He guides us to the future of his promises in Christ.  This guidance comes in the lines of Scripture.

Maybe it is no coincidence that I had to get on my knees to see these lines. Maybe, just maybe, it is on our knees where we best see God's direction into our future.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-2014 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR.