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Praying With The Eyes

Connecting the beauty of God's Word with the beauty of his Creation

You Just Gotta Have Fun!

Portland, Oregon

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Our good friend, Deb, found these toy soldiers in her yard.  It was a rather painful time for her.  A large sequoia tree had to be removed.  This wasn't an easy task for her, but after a long battle, the tree was removed, the fence torn down and the ground ripped to shreds.  

Among the mess she found her son's toy soldiers long abandoned in the dirt.

With flashlight and camera, we decided to pose these soldiers throughout her garden and take pictures of them. It was a blast.

"When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, 'The LORD has done great things for them.'" Psalm 126:1-2 English Standard Version

The Lord has done great things for us. The Lord has done great things for you. As God's redeemed children we are set free to laugh and enjoy the life we have in him.

I hope you find your "toy soldiers" in the mud today and have some fun.

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You can listen to the Praying With the Eyes podcast on iTunes on the 1st and 15th of each month, as well as at SoundCloud.com by searching for "Praying With The Eyes."  

Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-2015 Douglas P. Brauner.  

Signs of Life

Fox Run Regional Park, Black Forest, Colorado

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I took this picture on May 6, 2013. Finally, there were signs of life in Colorado. The Rockies were still covered with snow, yet the days were getting warmer. Tree branches were finally displaying the movement of sap as leaves began to appear.

"You lead me in the path of life; I experience absolute joy in your presence; you always give me sheer delight." Psalm 16:11 New English Translation

Contrary to what we see on television or read in the newspaper, there are signs of life. The news isn't always good, in fact it is often bad, yet God's Word tells us the reality that covers our lives. God leads us "in the path of life." And on this path of life there is an abundance of joy.

You might feel that there is nothing joyful about life. Don't confuse joy with happiness.

Happiness comes and goes. At times we feel sorrow instead of being happy. Happiness depends on the circumstances of life...and that's okay. It's okay to be happy and it's okay to be sad.

Joy is God's gift to us when we are both happy and sad. As I have contemplated this gift of joy it appears to me that joy is not so much an emotion but a gift. And this gift of joy is rooted in God's gift of salvation in Jesus Christ.

In other words, we don't have to "feel" joy to experience joy. Joy comes with God's gift of life, a life that will never be taken from us.

So, today look for signs of life and thank God for the "absolute joy" that comes from his gift of life.

Great News! The Praying With The Eyes Website is now active. Come take a look at http://prayingwiththeeyes.com/

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

You can listen to the Praying With the Eyes podcast on iTunes on the 1st and 15th of each month, as well as at SoundCloud.com by searching for "Praying With The Eyes."  

(Click on picture to enlarge.)

Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-2015 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR. 

The Importance of Clouds

Bear Creek Park, Colorado Springs, Colorado

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It can be difficult to shoot landscapes without clouds. This picture, minus the clouds, is rather boring. It lacks drama. The contours of the mountains become flat. The sky is flat. The picture is flat, yet add these clouds and the picture takes on a majestic aura.

The Bible often speaks of clouds. It's a cloud that shrouds God's presence on Mt. Sinai. A cloud filled the Temple at its dedication. And of course, Jesus was taken to heaven in a cloud. Clouds remind us of the majesty of God.

Clouds also display the vastness of God's faithfulness. "Your unfailing love, O LORD, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds." Psalm 36:5 New Living Translation

The clouds in the picture force us to look upwards. The psalmist states that God's faithfulness reaches beyond these clouds. However, we struggle to trust God's faithfulness.

Christians often equate God's faithfulness with a life free from pain. If God were truly faithful he would make my life comfortable. If God were truly faithful he would cause my family to live in harmony. If God were truly faithful I'd always have a job. Yet Christians lose their jobs, have dysfunctional families and live in poverty. How can God's faithfulness be trusted?

The author of this psalm is David, a man who was pursued by King Saul, a man whose son wanted his throne. Yet he knew the faithfulness of God.

God's faithfulness is displayed for us on a cross. Here God was faithful to humanity, he was faithful to you. May the clouds that remind you of God's majesty also remind you of the vastness of his faithfulness no matter the circumstances of your life.

Great News! The Praying With The Eyes Website is now active. Come take a look at http://prayingwiththeeyes.com/

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

You can listen to the Praying With the Eyes podcast on iTunes on the 1st and 15th of each month, as well as at SoundCloud.com by searching for "Praying With The Eyes."  

(Click on picture to enlarge.)

Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-2015 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR. 

Standing Alone

Breckenridge, Colorado

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What in the world is this aspen doing standing among these pine trees? There is no reason for it to grow here.  As you might be aware, aspen do not reproduce through seeds. Instead they grow like weeds through their roots. So, how did this aspen get here?

Maybe this is how we feel as Christians, standing alone in a world that doesn't know the grace of God in Jesus Christ.

"Peter and the other apostles answered, "We must obey God rather than people." Act 5:29 God's Word to the Nations

Talk about standing alone. As a result of this position, each of the Apostles (except John) would die a martyr's death. Throughout the centuries, and even today, people die for their faith in Jesus Christ.

And I complain about my hangnail?

God, give strength to your church to stand tall even as we stand alone.  Amen.

Great News! The Praying With The Eyes Website is now active. Come take a look at http://prayingwiththeeyes.com/

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

You can listen to the Praying With the Eyes podcast on iTunes on the 1st and 15th of each month, as well as at SoundCloud.com by searching for "Praying With The Eyes."  

(Click on picture to enlarge.)

Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-2015 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR. 

"Oh, the Depth!"

Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Colorado

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When you first look at this picture the canyon might look pretty deep, but to get a proper perspective you need to enlarge this picture and see the tiny little man in the upper right corner of the pic. Once you spot him then look down into the canyon.

The Black Canyon of the Gunnison isn't just pretty deep, it is massively deep.

"Oh, how great are God's riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!" Romans 11:33 New Living Translation

The depth of God's person isn't pretty deep, it is massively deep. So why do we human creatures think that we can understand God? Shouldn't Jesus choosing of the cross convince us that God's is monstrously deep. (Okay enough of the adverbs.  I think you get the point about God.)

Maybe the problem is that we can't imagine anyone, let alone God, loving us. We want a God who makes sense to our human reasoning, but the love of God, his riches, wisdom and knowledge, transcend our understanding.

Yet it doesn't change the fact: God is God and we are not. Our call is to trust him even when we can't understand him. "Oh the depth!"

Great News! The Praying With The Eyes Website is now active. Come take a look at http://prayingwiththeeyes.com/

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

You can listen to the Praying With the Eyes podcast on iTunes on the 1st and 15th of each month, as well as at SoundCloud.com by searching for "Praying With The Eyes."  

(Click on picture to enlarge.)

Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-2015 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR. 

"My, Oh, My!"

Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Colorado

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Dave Niehaus (pronounced, Knee House), will be forever remembered for his game winning call in the 1995 Division Series game between the Mariners and the Yankees. Dave was the play-by-play announcer for the Seattle Mariners. When Ken Griffey, Jr. cross the plate with the game winning run he yelled, "my, oh, my."

King David might have felt the same way when he thought about his God.

"The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my Savior, my God, my rock in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the strength of my salvation, my stronghold." Psalm 18:2 God's Word to the Nations

Eight times David used the word "my." However, unlike Niehaus, King David used this pronoun to declare something amazing about his God instead of another person. David's God is his rock, fortress, Savior, shield and stronghold. Maybe David had something in mind like these rock formations at the Black Canyon of the Gunnison.

Verse one of this psalm tells us that David sang these words when God had rescued him. God has rescued you and as such he is your rock, fortress and Savior. You have been rescued from the jaws of hell, the pit of despair and brutality of your bad choices.

Can you say, "my, oh, my"?

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

You can listen to the Praying With the Eyes podcast on iTunes on the 1st and 15th of each month, as well as at SoundCloud.com by searching for "Praying With The Eyes."  

(Click on picture to enlarge.)

Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-2015 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR.