hello old friend...

As you can tell the blog has been a little neglected these last few weeks. Janurary is a surprisingly busy month for us. We’ve had exciting developments at Pearl St. Photography, we’ve actually merged our studio with Jeremy Hess Photographers. This means wonderful things for everyone. Clients will gain the access to the amazing equipment and staff that Jeremy has invested in as a part of his studio, Jeremy will hopefully be better for having Pearl and I on his team, and my personal skills will be refined and tuned under the investment of one of the best wedding photographers in the Central Pa area. We’re super excited about this. Jeremy and I did a quick into video yesterday at the studio to introduce Pearl and I. Here’s the link. Also here’s his blog and website.

But that’s not all that has made January a busy month. Pearl and I started our next round of Grad school classes. We’re both working on a Masters of Divinity degree at Biblical Seminary. It’s an amazing degree that I feel like is pushing us to really wrestle with what faith looks like in today’s culture as well as what we really believe. It’s a stressful delight that highlights our week. This class marks the half way point, only another year and a half. Seriously this is one of the best programs I’ve ever heard of if you’re interested in exploring faith and leadership in a postmodern 21^st century context.

But even that’s not all that’s keeping us busy. As some of you know Pearl and I once worked at LCBC and at the start of January I returned to their staff to help in an interium part time position they needed filled. The winter months are my slower months and with LCBC having a need and me being able to step back in it has been a delight to do so. Being back at the church really does stir something in my soul. I love being a part of the creative teams and wrestling through how you influcnce middle schoolers towards a better way of life, a life that is rooted in more then ipods, Hannah Montana, and some weird vampire movie series.

This weekend I have the extreme honor of teaching at Avalanche, which is LCBC’s Middle school winter retreat. This is truly a highlight of my year and although everyone leaves physically exhausted, their heart leaves to a delightful happy beat.

So as you think of it, please pray for this up coming weekend. As we take about 150 seventh and eighth graders plus some adventureous adults away to discover a little emore about ourselves and a God that intensely loves us.

This morning I was reflecting on the first session.

On how we’re telling kids that “our God is close”

It’s a comforting saying, yet a hard saying. A saying that the Bible says is true yet that our world often says is not.

I think of Haiti, I see God beling close yet at the same time far. I think my ears may start to bleed from the gears turning before this weekend’s up.