For all you shy guys and gals that still want to be obedient....

Last week I posted the above picture on facebook and got a lot of feedback so I thought I would elaborate...

As, Christians we know or should know that Jesus commanded us to share the gospel with EVERYONE.  How many Christians actually obey the Great Commission?  Studies show only about 2% of us do.  2%!!!!!!!!!!!!! That. Is. C.R.A.Z.Y!!!!!!!!!  Something Jesus actually commanded us to do and only 2 out of 100 people are doing it!  Let's start changing that percentage.  The above picture was taken at a gas pump.  The peice of paper that reads I.Q. Test is actually a tract that is just the right size to fit any place a credit card would.  You can find these and many similar ones at http://www.wayofthemaster.com/.  But think about it...you pull up to the gas pump you go to put your card in the slot and see one of these....you have to pull it out to put your card in, and the front question grabs ya...It's states I.Q. TEST "What is greater than God, worse than the devil, the dead eat it, and if the living eat it they die? (Check side 2 for the answer) So they flip the card and voila the gospel is spelled out...and at the bottom of the card the answer of the quiz: "NOTHING".

Now if you are a Negative-Nelly or Debbie-Downer like me you'll say to yourself "tracts don't work"...or "who would ever get saved by reading that?" but Joey Hancock of the American Tract Society says that. "Fifty-three percent of all who come to Christ worldwide come through the use of printed gospel literature." 53%???!!!!  That's over 1/2 of Christians today world-wide are saved not because of someone verbally shared their faith but because someone stepped out of their comfort zone and gave them a TRACT!!!  Who knew???? Not me. But...you do...now....and what do you have to lose?  Leaving tracts around is the 1st step in becoming bolder for Christ. 

Here are a few more ideas on where to leave tracts:

• In with your checks when you pay a bill...I always include a handwritten note written on a sticky pad with these.
• In public bathrooms....hey they got a few minutes to spare with nothing better to do :)
• In clothes pockets at stores....go ahead you sllllllyyyyyyy fox you can do this!
• On seats in restaurant lobbies or dr's waiting areas
• On ATMS (the credit card sized ones fit great where your ATM card should go and the million dollar bills fit great where the cash comes out)
• You can order the money ones at http://www.wayofthemaster.com/ and they fit great in the cash slot in vending machines...the coke machine will suck it in and spit it back out....but it stays (it won't fall out) step back and watch peoples eyes pop out as they run to the machine to grab it....and even though it's fake people get a good laugh out of finding a million dollar bill

I'll be posting more ideas along with personal stories, videos, and pictures over the next few weeks....so check back...and don't forget to "FOLLOW" this blog by clicking the "FOLLOW" button at the bottom of the page!

P.S. 100 tracts cost $5 that's less than a movie ticket...and if just one soul is SAVED...it's soooooo worth it!!!

There goes another minute.  Gone forever. Go share your faith while you still have time.

{{Kevin and Sarah's Valentine Shoot}}

I had a photoshoot with Kevin Dale and Sarah last Wednesday and we had so much fun!  They were such a hoot to shoot....wow, now that was lame, lol....but seriously they kept me crackin' up.  Kevin Dale has THE BEST fake laugh...he kept us rolling and kept the smiles natural!  When I was editing the pictures this is the song that was playing in my head....

"My Funny Valentine

Sweet Comic Valentine

You make me smile with my heart!"

You gotta love the classics....and Frank ROCKS!!!!  Thank you guys for allowing me to capture your memories, I enjoyed every minute of it!!!!!!!! 





Ok....help Kevin Dale and Sarah earn those 8 extra digital prints....we need at least 8 people to subscribe to the blog :)))))))))

Were the great leaders in the Bible any different than you??? Find out here.

As many of you know, my husband and I teach a course called Way of the Master (www.wayofthemaster.com)  each semester at The Freedom Church (www.thefreedomchurch.com).  Each time we follow along with the homework with the rest of the class to keep us on our toes so that we can be hands-on trainers, so to speak.  Our 1st weeks homework: Ask Christians in the church if they regularly go out of their way to share the gospel with strangers, and this semester I had answers that will hit home with just about all of us!!!

The majority of the I group asked, didn't REGULARLY share their faith, yet rather when and if the subject arose they would.  Sound familiar?  This is the answer I routinely get each semester from those that are considered "baby" Christians all the way to people considered "mature" Christians.  Others say that they show the gospel/Christ through their actions and how they love like Christ. When asked why they don't regulary share the gospel verbally the answers will once again hit home with 98% of you:  Fear, Anxiety, Shy, Don't know how to bring it up, Life get's in the way and you don't think of it, not wanting to seem "pushy", fear of what people will say about me or think of me. Have I left out your reason?  Why do YOU not regularly share your faith?  My reasons were just exactly like the reasons above, I didn't want to put anyone on the spot or inconvenience them, I didn't want to seem like a fanatic or to scare them away, and I had huge self esteem problems, I would have sweaty palms when speaking in front of people etc.

Watch this silly video.  You will find that most people have your same "REASONS":

"8 Reasons why I don't share my faith"

After asking these questions I went on to do my own personal homework assignments and it hit me!  All the huge leaders in the Bible had the EXACT SAME worries and fears that not only I have/had but that each of you face as well.  This is soooooo interesting so stay with me. 

Jeremiah told God he didn't know how to speak, because he was too young, God exposed His true motivation for not speaking to be fear. (Jeremiah 1:5-10).  Moses gave God excuses such as the fact that he wasn't eloquent he was slow in speech and tounge (Exodus 3:11 an 4:10). Gideon questioned God, how could he (Gideon) do such things because he was the least and the youngest (Judges 6:15) and he was afraid to do what God wanted him to do so he waited till at night  (Judges 6:25-27) because of his fear of what others would think of him. Paul says in I Corinthians 2:1-5 that he didn't have superiority of speech or of wisdom, he didn't have some great testimony (I've always thought my testimony wasn't that great).  He said he spoke with WEAKNESS, FEAR, and MUCH TREMBLING.  Now does that sound like you??? If the thought of sharing the gospel makes you tremble with fear and weak in the knees you are in the same boat as PAUL!!! He goes on to say that he didn't have persuasive words....but that it was a demonstraton of what the Spirit could do through him with God's power through Him, so that others faith would be in God and not Him.

Sooooo....how does it feel to have the EXACT SAME QUALIFICATIONS as Jeremiah, Moses, Gideon, and Paul???!!!!  Imagine what this world would be like if these HUGE men of God gave into their fears and refused to share God's Word....life as we know it would not be the same.  Are you ready to allow God to use YOU to make a difference in this world?  Somebody's eternity could be altered b/c you allowed God to use YOU as His vessel to share his Law and Grace and Mercy.

 

                                                  

There goes another minute.  Gone forever.  Go share your faith while you still have time.

Brooke's Personal Challenge to YOU!!!!

The dreaded Monday has arrived, BUT make the best of today following this super easy effective witnessing tip! 

First a little background info:  I was a server for a lonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnngggggg time!  Well over 10 years, and I received Christian tracts from time to time (less often then you would think considering I lived in the "Bible Belt"), but never once did anyone speak to me about the matter at hand or write a personal note to me, and that is what sticks out in someones memory, and what piques someones interest, enough to flip over the tract and read what it has to say. 

So todays challenge:  Write a note on the back of your receipt the next time you go out and eat....better yet, write a note on the back of your DEBIT/CREDIT CARD receipt b/c they HAVE to keep that copy and it goes through a ton of peoples hands!  For example the server has to keep it to give to the cashier/checker at he end of the night, who then gives it to the manager, who then sends it to the bank/ or home office who then may have to give it to the credit card company....that's a lot of hands and possibly a lot of souls that could be won for Christ.

Here is what I write EVERY time and if I have a tract I leave it as well, if not I use this website EVERYTIME regardless of if I have a tract or not b/c the server will keep the tract, but the website can be read about and viewed each time the credit card slip changes hands:

"Every 24 hours 150,000 people die.  If you died today on your way home from work, are you 100% positive you would go to heaven?  2 Corinthians 13:5 tells us to "examine ourselves and make SURE we are in the faith."  Take a second and read the back of this tract (If you left one) and/or go to http://www.needgod.com/ and "TEST" yourself.  Do so today, it'll only take a second, because remember: We aren't guranteed tomorrow.

It's that simple guys, and we NEVER know who that will reach!  If you get a chance go to www.livingwaters.com/listenwatch/georgestreet.m3u  to see just how many souls could be effected by you doing this one small task each time you dine out! You will be amazed at what you can do for Christ just by leaving a little something extra with your "GENEROUS TIP"...and let me emphasize generous...your message won't be accepted as well if you don't tip 15% or more (take it from a server). It's not our job to get decisions for Christ, but rather plant the seeds and let the Holy Spirit to the rest of the work!!!

Now....what are you waiting for....get out there and become a FISHERMAN OF MEN!!!!

This was a note written on the back of our debit card slip when we went out for our Anniversary dinner this past Friday night.  The "million" dollar bill in the back ground is a tract on the back it has the "MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION"....to view this tract and to see others go to http://www.wayofthemaster.com/ Click on STORE and then TRACTS.

Changing up the name...already, lol!

Today I was praying...in my "prayer closet", AKA the shower, asking God what His will was regarding photography and my job in general...and it came to me that this blog should not only be about photography...but about Christ b/c that is where the name Eternal Focus Photography came from.  I had been stumped about a name, I wanted a name that reflected Him...I came up with "Caputuring His Art"...but I didn't think people would get it...who's art? Besides that, it wasn't very catchy, anyway...I prayed about a name as well, and Eternal Focus Photography was the outcome. 

My dream was to use this career as a way to "get out of the office" express my love for art...and tell others about Christ.  Ultimately I thought if this got BIG enough Anthony and I could become a husband wife team, photographing weddings internationally.  WOW!!!  I know right?  But I was thinking if we could become international photographers we could travel world-wide photographing beautiful wedding ceremonies...and witness/share the gospel world wide at the same time....mannnnnnnnn!!!!!!!!! Talk about obeying the great commission!!!!!!!!! I still get excited thinking about it. 

My delimma: While this sounds like a fantabulous job and plan in theory....is it in fact God's will for my life?  I don't know and that is what this blog will be more about...my journey to find God's will.  I know I'm supposed to witness...and God has made it clear to me that I"m supposed to teach others how to witness as well, but that is the end of what I know to be a for "SURE" thing.

Please join me in prayer.  As often as you see my name or picture pop up in facebook, or if you happen to think of me in passing...say a prayer that I listen and am able to detect God's will for my life.  Check in from time to time and even "FOLLOW ME" through this blog if  you'd like.  Make comments from time to time just to let me know someone is out there :)  There's no telling exactly what the topic may be about....but in the end I hope it leads me as well as you to find our place in His Plan. 

By the way....I'm totally singing "My Place In this World" by Michael W. Smith, because of that last line in the above paragraph....talk about old school, lol!

Gotta love dat Cajun food!

So I'm from the mountains originally, or maybe I should say the valley....Tennessee Valley to be exact.  I grew up in Chattanooga, Tennessee and didn't move to swamp country till January 2006.  I cooked rice maybe twice my entire life...I can actually only remember cooking it once, lol.   My point is learning to cook for my husband (Native Louisianian) has been an adventure, to say the least.

A couple of years ago his mawmaw called and told us she wanted to cook us lunch.  Our response was....OF COURSE!!!!  Who passes up a home cooked meal from a Mawmaw especially HIS mawmaw...talk about YUMMY, yet when she told me what was on the menu I gotta admit I had 2nd thoughts.  Turnip Stew and home made hog head cheese.  Say what???  Are you serious?  I mean either of them sound gross enough alone but the combination sounds well to be nice, less than appetizing.  I remember calling my dad on the way over to her house saying, "Dad, you're never gonna believe what I'm about to eat..." To which he responded laughingly "Better you than me."  Anyway to make a long story longer.... the turnip stew was AMAZING...and the hog head cheese was....um....ok :) 

So a couple of days ago, when a friend of ours called and asked if we wanted to pick some turnips out of their family's garden we jumped at the chance.  I hadn't had turnip roots since his MawMaw's, and I was determined to make mine taste just as yummy.  This is the recipe I used:

Smothered Turnips

• 4 turnip Roots
• 1-1/2 cups water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 slices salt pork 

Slice turnips 1/4 inch thick.  Combine turnips, water, salt, pepper, sugar and salt pork in a heavy pot.  Cover and cook on high heat for 5 minutes.  Reduce heat to medium low and cook for 30 minutes or until tender.

Bon Appetit!

Day and a life as a photographer's child....

My poor baby was home from school again today.  School rule is you have to be temp-free for 24 hours before you can return, so although she is no longer sick, she got to spend another day home.  On the way home from running some errands, she started asking if we could go to Disney World, "Sure", I said..."Mommy just needs to take lots of pictures so we can go."  Her whole face lit up, "ok mommy...ok, you can take some pictures of me today."  (Although shes not a paying customer I jusmped at the opportunity b/c this little diva has been telling me no every time I've asked to take her picture this past week.  We arrive at the house, and I rush in to grab my camera before she changes her mind.  We get bundled up and head back out and the cold wind hits her.  "Mama it's too cold."  *Sighhhh* She's right.  The temperature gauge was reading 32 degrees in the jeep. Sadly I grasped her hand, heading back toward the door, as I said "Cora can mama just take one picture, you can stand in the doorway where the warm air from the house will keep you from being too cold."  Reluctantly she agrees...and this pitiful face was the result.

"For the LOVE of Disney World"