The WEST Institute,was formed in 2010 to provide Biblical Training and life changing community to students in a one-year program. Shepherds Theological Seminary has a teaching site for the students in Laramie and offers a fully accredited Master of Arts in Church Ministry. Students participate in community activities and outdoor adventures designed to help them apply what they learn to their lives. The academic year runs from August – August each year.

Do you feel called to set aside a season of your life to study the Word of God?  Their Master’s program is designed to make this a reality for many who maybe never even considered seminary an option.  No matter what occupation the Lord may call you into your first responsibility will always be the work of His Kingdom.  Why not take a year to better equip yourself as a minister of the Gospel?  Want to find out more information? Check out their website: http://www.thewestinstitute.com.

Here are some behind the scenes of the program:

People don’t talk about this.

People don’t talk about their failures. (Or if they do there is usually a happy ending with success or insight.)

People don’t talk about how they are unhappy. That their hearts are aching for something more.

People don’t talk about fighting the fight of faith and how hard it can be.

People don’t talk about how they walk through life looking for something. How they don’t feel. How the wish they were something else.

People don’t talk about needing to surrender control.

People don’t talk about how their whole self worth is wrapped up in a computer screen or what they look like in a swimsuit.

People don’t talk about how they deal with the same distractions, temptations, failures over and over. They don’t talk about the ways, they cope with food, excessive t.v. or internet time. Day in and day out they feel completely helpless and frustrated and disappointed with themselves.

Yet these thoughts and feelings are eating each of us alive from inside. Because we think we are alone. We think that we are the only ones that struggle with that specific thing. We question ourselves “Why do I struggle with this? No-one else does.” “Why can’t I just get it together like everyone else”

I am here to talk about the things people don’t talk about.

I am here to put out truth that I am a failure. I deal with these things daily. I have a hard time. I get overwhelmed. I feel useless. I make mistakes. I make the same mistakes over and over.  I can be weak. I get mad at myself because I expect more out of me. I look for my worth on a screen. I often expect perfection. I am prideful. I sometimes choose mindless activities to avoid.

Why I am saying/admitting these faults about me? Why am I being vulnerable (which freaks me out by the way) by sharing my struggles?

Because I want you to know you are not alone.

I want us to stop hiding behind and stuffing this part of us away. I want you to quit beating yourself up thinking that you don’t have it together and that you are a nobody.  To quit thinking that you are too weak, because Suzy Successful pants is doing this better than you or this better than you. I want you to stop going through the motions and being numb.

So today I am going to share how I felt like a failure. I struggled all day with not having a clear focus and I turned to distractions. My biggest distractions. Food and Hulu. I also added stare-at-your-email-and-panic as a distraction today. Instead of choosing to turn to the LORD and asking for help to use the tools that I have. I chose to check-out. I chose to avoid. I chose to remedy the situation with my own will power. Welp, that didn’t work and I just kept getting more and more frustrated. I kept hearing “Gina, you went through this a week ago and now you are dealing with it again, you failure. You are ridiculous” “Gina you just got off an amazing 10 days on the MTH Tour and came home all fired up and look at you falling down already.” “Who is going to listen to you now? You are a disappointment, a joke” I was holding onto guilt and believing these thoughts. Just trying to remedy through with a new piece of jelly gf toast or another episode of Hart of Dixie.

None of these filled me up. NONE. They never will. I was trying to fill a God shaped hole in my heart with things that will never fill that space.

Today wasn’t pretty. Now typically I would want to create a plan to fix this. To make sure it doesn’t happen again. To make sure that I won’t fail. While I will prepare for a successful day tomorrow, I am keeping in hind sight that circumstances WILL come. I will fail. I will fall on my face. I will give in. That is just part of this world.

Yet If it’s for HIS glory? If it brings me to my knees? I want more of it. If it gets my heart in the right place? I will suffer through it. God is sovereign, he has put these circumstances in my path and he can use any of my failure for good. I just need to let go of my pride and surrender.

Now while I know I need to do this. Doing it is harder than it would seem. Here is where I fight. I fight my flesh. This is where for years I thought that these were my true feelings, the part of me that wanted to defy. The part of me that wanted to check out. The part that wanted the quick and easy fill. Now I am aware that this is the very flesh that can ruin me. This part of me I need to give up. That I am a sinner. I need the Lord Everyday. Every moment.

People don’t talk about sin being strong.

People don’t talk about fighting your own flesh.

But I am talking about it. Because it’s truth and a lot of us are in the thick of it. Struggling and feeling extreme guilt that you are choosing Facebook over your kids. Food over intimacy. T.V. over quiet time with the Lord. Money or possessions over peace.

Truth is powerful my friends. Truth can heal wounds, clear the clutter and bring out joy. We are all struggling in someway or another. So, let’s be REAL and share the good, the bad and the ugly. Because someone has been in your shoes. They might just be in your shoes right now. Your truth will encourage another to be more themselves. More like the beautiful person God made them to be.

I want more of this in my life. More of what that really matters.

Let’s talk about what people don’t talk about.

Would you love to have someone come to YOUR church and help capture all that God is doing? Be sure to check out our worldwide list of photographers, who are available to document God’s grace free of charge…

If you have signed up to be a part of our growing directory, that is a great first step and we appreciate you more than you know. With word spreading about The Lord’s Lens, hopefully we will hear that you’ve been contacted to donate your time and services to the most amazing cause. When this happens we would love to hear all about it and of course share your images and God’s glory with the world. I am here to ask you however, what are you going to do UNTIL then? There is where the real power lies. Seek out God at work, find those that are in despair or need help, find a need and be the Lord’s solution. Pray to our mighty God to use you, then wait to see what unfolds…

I think as photographers we always like to the think about the story. The GRAND, once in a lifetime miracle, happening in that exotic place. Wouldn’t  we would all love to be there to document that?  Many of us WILL be contacted for missions, for miracles and to document amazing stories. You should know though that you have an amazing opportunity to begin serving right here and now, in your own neighborhood, in your own church. Let me ask you this: Does your Pastor know you are a professional photographer? Does your church staff know that you can help them with their photographic needs? More importantly does your church FAMILY know that when in need they can call on you at no cost? If the answer to any of these questions is no, then I think we just found your next step…

We challenge you to get involved on your local level ASAP. Think about big picture ideas, brainstorm things your church may need done everyday, anything that will bring God glory! Need some ideas? Here are just a small sampling of things Lord’s Lens photographers around the world are shooting:

Baby Dedications - Get in touch with whoever is in charge of scheduling baby dedications for your congregation. This is an awesome way to document such an important part of each child’s life. Through your photos you can really highlight the parent’s passion for Jesus Christ, along with their dedication to raise their child to be a wonderful Christian!

Baptisms – What a personal, important and GLORIOUS thing to photograph. Such a monumental time in the life of every believer. There is glory to be shown in these photos for sure!

Events – Vacation Bible School, Easter Programs, Shoebox Ministries… so many amazing events for people to show their love for God (and one another). Photos from these events can be powerful, inspiring, convicting and are SO important when sharing what the Lord is doing on a local level.

Head Shots – Seeing a photo of someone helps us to learn who they are and be able to recognize and relate to them. Does your pastor have a professional head shot to use for your church’s website? How about your youth pastor, elders, deacons etc… This can be a really impacting project that can be done in a day!

Family Photo Day – Everyone would like a great portrait of their family. The reality is however that very few families have the means to be able to have professional family portraits taken. Each one of us has the ability to be able to GIVE this special gift to them free of charge. This is a wonderful way to thank them for their dedication to serving the Lord. Consider holding a Church Family Portrait day, it is a lot of fun and you really will touch so many lives!

Church Families in Need – When we are in need we lean on our brothers and sisters in Christ. So often our church family knows so much more about our trials and tribulations than we might share with the outside world. Photos have the power to document a time in a persons life, to bring happiness to someone who might need it or to tell a story that the world needs to hear. What a beautiful gift we can give to those that we love, all for the glory of God!

End Of The Year Slide Shows – What’s going on in your church this year? Baptisms, baby dedications, small groups, picnics, get togethers, mission trips… A photo is worth a thousand words and what better way to show your congregation what everyone has been up to than an end of the year slide show!

Small Group/Ministries – Finding a small group can be an intimidating process. Wouldn’t it be easier if you knew a few smiling faces and had a glimpse into what you might expect when you join?

Services Offered – Our church has a fantastic daycare program, a seminary school and even a separate service for Spanish speaking members. What better way to let people know about all the special things your church has to offer than through pictures

Mission Trips - There is so much that goes into a mission trip. The camaraderie of those that are serving, the work done for the Lord, the reaction from those who receive God’s grace… Documenting a mission and capturing the story behind it is one of the most rewarding things we can do as photographers.

What are you shooting? Have more suggestions on how people can use their photography to help on a local level? We would LOVE to hear about them and share them here on The Lord’s Lens. Please send your suggestions along with photos if possible to info@thelordslens.com.

Isaiah 58:7 says “…to share your bread with the hungry, And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out.  When you see the naked, that you cover him, And not hide yourself from your own flesh.”  To Brooke and I, the starters of Kingdom of the Poor, that means exactly what it says.  Our goal with Kingdom of the Poor is everything that Isaiah 58:7 says.  To feed the hungry, to give people our house to stay at, to give clothes to the naked, and really just to restore dignity to those whom society have taken it away.  In doing this, our main goal is to please the heart of God.

So many people just create ministries and take time out of their days to serve people and help someone, and though that is a good thing, we are trying to do even more than that.  We don’t want to just create a ministry, our heart is to live a lifestyle of Jesus Christ and in that we do serve the homeless and help the needy.  If Kingdom of the Poor serves as an outlet to help others get involved every once and a while that is okay, but we want to be something that shows people how Jesus wants us to live our lives on a daily, 24/7 basis.

One of the main things we do is serve our friends in Tent City. This is a place in the woods where about 30 homeless folks live and have camps in which they live in tents made up of tarps and umbrellas and string.  We have been starting a church down there in the woods and really just trying to become best friends with these guys and being Jesus to them. So far we have seen 5 people get out of the woods and into homes and get jobs.  We are super excited to see what God is going to continue doing through us and others that believe in living like Jesus, no matter what that means.  – -John Martin Davis, starter of Kingdom of the Poor.

This is a picture of our friend Detroit. He has been living out in Tent City for about 4 years, been to jail 3 times during his stay out there, and has been hospitalized 2 times. This is our main picture that we use for Kingdom of the Poor. In this picture Detroit is laying on his bed made of two shopping carts that are on their sides pushed together with blankets on top of them. He was pretty knocked out here because his had just gotten back from the hospital for a cut on his side that got infected. Detroit is 35.

This is another picture of Detroit standing up. If you notice the massive scares on his side, that is the cut I was talking about on the previous picture. He had 30 or more staples in his side after he was cut with a box opener while breaking up a fight in Tent City between his best friend or “street brother” and Otis, husband of Ms. Fea, a couple who also live in Tent City. This was the second time Detroit had been cut with a box opener, the first stretched from his chest to his back.

This is Curly. They call him curly because of his curly hair. The first time I met curly he had a beard that went down to his stomach, it was super legit, but then he was arrested for walking the streets at night, which is a new ordinance in Mobile for the homeless, and they cut it off in jail. Curly is the best friend of Detroit, and wherever you find Detroit, you will find Curly. Curly is 34.

In Tent City dogs are everything to everyone. What I mean by that is that since they have no material items they take care of their dogs like they are their children. In this picture you see Bruiser standing by those boots and legs, which is Mike, his owner. Bruiser is probably the most loyal dog I have ever met, he follows Mike around everywhere and is very protective of their camp. Mike will feed Bruiser before he feeds himself.

This is Mike; he is 41 and is literally always joking. Most likely he will not be wearing a shirt just because of the heat and is always looking out for everyone in Tent City. Mike is the first person I met in Tent City and whenever we go out there he never lets us leave with him praying for us and thanking God for “angels” to come help them.

This is our friend Daniel who lives in Hattiesburg, MS who comes down often to help us out, in this picture we are all walking into Tent City through the trail that comes out at the road. Everyone has on a back pack because we were giving away backpacks full of stuff that day.

This is a site you see all over Tent City. Random chairs that people sit in to chill or even call their beds. This chair was sitting at an abandoned camp probably because the person was arrested and hasn’t been let out yet.

This is Mr. Robert and I. I am giving him a new backpack with a lot of stuff that he will need on the day that we did our Mobile Backpack Drive. Mr. Robert is around 50 but he won’t tell us his real age he just says “I’m over the hill”. Mr. Robert is a loaner, and is always just riding around on his bike, but goes to church every Sunday and is always talking about how God is blessing him, even in the mist of poverty.

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth” – Psalm 46:10

“yesterday I held her hand.  there was nothing else I could do.

one of my precious couples had their worlds turned upside down.

they were in a car accident.

precious Kalyn has a broken collar bone and lots of bruises.

Ryan was ejected from the car and is currently in the ICU with serious head injuries.

please pray for them, they were married only 3 months ago.

pray for a miracle for Ryan.  God isn’t bound by any medical issues and oh how we pray that He shows that vividly in Ryan.

pray for my sweet Kalyn’s heart.  for her strength.  for her to feel God’s arms wrapped around her, steadying her, holding her, crying with her and comforting her…

and that God would write a story so beautiful from all this pain.”

For the longest time, I thought helping others meant I had to solve their problems. I even went as far as to get a Master’s Degree in counseling so I could learn how to “fix” problems for people. As always, the Lord had bigger plans for me. He lead me to photography. Photography is such an incredible way to minister to people’s souls, by helping them to see the Lord’s hand working in their lives. I am so incredibly excited God lead me to be a part of The Lord’s Lens, an amazing community of Christian photographers. Whether it’s documenting a mission trip or taking head shots of a local church’s staff, I am humbled and honored to allow God’s hand help me sow seeds for His Kingdom.

“The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field.” Matthew 13:24

In May of this year I was substituted aka. baptized. Now going backwards. I grew up in a wonderful Christian home. Went to private school till high school and attended an amazing on fire for God, Catholic church. My grandma spoke of Jesus like her dear friend and often told my sister and I to yell at the devil in the Lords name if we felt him near. I knew God. I knew who he was and what he did for me. I remember in 2nd grade I had my first communion and at that age I understood what Jesus did to wipe my heart clean and make it white as snow.

I went on my schooling years going to chapel every morning and youth group on Wednesday nights. I remember all the retreats and the worship. I love worship. Music speaks to my soul like no other medium. I remember singing in youth group and being so on fire for God especially during 9th and 10th grade. Yet, at that time it was pretty constricted to my church friends and my Wednesday nights. When I was at school I had different agendas. I tried SO hard to fit in, which in reality never happened. I didn’t understand why I didn’t. Then I got to college thinking it might change now,  yet  it was still a world of trying to fit in. Parties, dancing and just the typical college experience. While there are great memories there, yet there are also lots of years of drama, hurt and mistakes searching for something to fill that void in my heart.  I guess I thought that this was next  chapter in life and God would be something I would do every once in awhile on a Sunday, for now. I would just put him on the back burner and went on accomplish “the list ” in life. Go to college, play your sport, do good in school, marry a great guy and start a job with your degree.

So, I started a job with that degree and then about 8 months after we got married I started my photography business.  Again, while I prayed to God and knew he was there. I still put him in a box to only open on Sunday-ish. Matt and I continued on our quest for a church and through a connection or two we stumbled on the church we attend now. We went on and off , and (by on and off means whenever I didn’t want to sleep in) for 2 years before we felt we needed to surround ourselves with other Christian couples and we joined a bible study there to get connected. We loved the people we met through it (still do),which sent us headed to pursuing membership.

Here is where we  HAULT. In order to be a member at Bethlehem you have to be baptized. Now Matt had done this when he was 11 or so at his home church, but I had an infant baptism which didn’t qualify as I understood. At first this made me so frustrated, uncomfortable and just unsure. Also, to make matters worse you had to give your testimony publicly at your baptism. WHAT I thought? Heck, no. People are going to think I’m not good enough or that my story won’t be “right”. It made me question everything. Did I really know Jesus? Am I saved? Is he really my Lord and savior? I spent so many hours trying to put together my testimony, but it just seemed so lame to me. I didn’t have a “I was on the corner and a Jesus pamphlet hit me in the faith and I was saved” story. Mine is plain jane almost text book. Good kid, crazy college years and back on track. I felt like if I didn’t have a “good” story then maybe I wasn’t being called, I was just making it up or that maybe I had done something wrong the first time. But after a couple hard months of God working on me (even having to postpone my baptism because I didn’t feel ready) God slowly revealed that my story is just my story …….just the way he planned it. Gina Iolanda’s path. His exact path for me, not anyone else’s. and that it was OK. More than ok.

The testimony that I actually ended up sharing on video (that was played during church service) went something like this….. I did grow up in a home with all the right surroundings, the right schooling and the right path. I accepted Jesus when I was very young but it was more a head knowledge. A surface knowledge. Through the years of high school, college and beyond I lost track of Jesus. I put him behind what I believed was important. Over the past year God has been calling me to learn and understand what a heart knowledge of him looks and feels like and what it truly means. What a personal relationship with him was the only way to be truly saved. To talk to God daily and not just in passing or the same prayers, to really let Jesus at my heart. To give myself to him and live.  Give him my security, my plans, my thoughts, my troubles, my pride and my desires. Baptism was the outward symbol of what God has done for me and is always doing.  Just like when they dunk you in the water, Jesus’ death takes away my sins (under the water )and when I arise (out of the water) I am saved with him.

It wasn’t as scary as I thought. In fact it was beautifully overwhelming. I thought I would be so intimated about being in a baptismal tub (more like a decked out hot tub) in front of the busy service and how dorky I was on video. Yet once I stepped in and hit the water. IMMENSE peace filled my soul. It was like no one else was there. I got out of the tub and got wrapped with a towel, as the others were being baptized, and tears just continued to drip from my face. Happy tears, yet still the heyiwanttosingthissongsostopblubbering already tears. I was overwhelmed with deep in my soul joy.

Now honestly I thought after this day, life would become easier. Like hand me my halo and white robe, well not really but sort of. While my circumstances haven’t changed and everyday isn’t rainbows & unicorns. It is my choice to wake up (fighting my heart out) each day to lay my plans, my decisions and my every moment at his feet. Where he is waiting for me, to give me his JOY and peace. I just have to slow down and let him lead. Which is hard for this go-getter girl to do, but completely and utterly worth it.

Enough about me. I want you know that your story is your story, and if I have learned anything in 2011 is that God loves us each individually, personally. Don’t compare your walk to anyone else’s. ANYONE Else. Sin is sin to God, and we all have it, since we took our first breath. It plagues us everyday whether you tell a lie or burn down someones house down or worse. Yet, he can take all of that away by being a substitute for you. His death on the cross can substitute the wrath of your sins. He will take your place, if you let him and get to know him.

John Piper put it perfectly in this sermon….

If you could sum up what you believe in or what your religion is all about  in one word that word is SUBSTITUTION. So, that is why I started this post by saying I was substituted.

Questions? or if you feel doubt about your walk? I GET YOU. I totally get you and am here for you if you want to chat. I would love to give you the real skinny, not a pretty perfect picture. Just authenticity.

Thanks for listening to this long post. And Thank you to Melissa O for taking these beautiful film images of this day.

Thank you so much for your continued prayer for Reese. We are excited to share the following update from her family:

“I really, truly, sincerely appreciate the blog about my cousin and her daughter, Reese. I just know that your idea has touched many other lives and additional prayers were provided for our sweet Reese. The following day, Reese’s doctor had an idea to get some of the fluid removed from her body. It worked and she was much more comfortable. And, mom and dad got a good night’s sleep (which is desperately important too). The day before, they had no answers. Small miracles amount to big change! There is a long road ahead, but the doctors are working to figure out resolution and help. One step and prayer at a time. ” – Jodi

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