The LORD'S Lens

“You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing
granted us through the prayers of many.” – 2 Corinthians 1:11

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

Today’s blog post comes from Sheradee Hurst whose photography has touched the life of a family with a very special little girl named Reese. Her story follows below, but we ask for your prayers for Reese and her family and for wisdom for her doctors to know how to proceed.

This is Reese Walker about a year ago. Reese needs prayer right now. Please pray for her, her doctors, and her parents. She has been sick since birth with Chronic Intestinal Psuedo Obstruction, and she has been in and out of the hospital and surgery. She recently had surgery and is still in the hospital, and today doctors aren’t sure what to do for her. Her parents were on my heart as I sang, “Jesus Loves the Little Children” to my two year old at nap time.

Below is what I wrote about Reese almost a year ago when I met her and photographed her family. It was commentary on several of the shots from her session, but mostly on how Reese touched me. Reese, you are an inspiration.

“One mystery of life for me is sick kids. It’s so hard to understand, and I don’t know that we’re meant to understand it. Little Miss R sure doesn’t understand it, but she lives it. My favorite shot from this session is the one where her little bandage is poking out of the top of her shirt. Some people might have edited that out, but I think it tells her story. I like that you can see what she’s been through to get to where she is. I kept readjusting her shirt during the shoot to cover it, and in the end I liked the shot with it showing because it is a clear reminder of how precious her life is. This baby girl is 18 months old and has never had a portrait session, because she hasn’t been well since she was born. What I love about her is that if you hadn’t seen that bandage, you wouldn’t know what a hard fight it’s been. She is a happy baby, and by all appearances, healthy. I included the shot of her chubby little hands, because they look so healthy. She has been in and out of the hospital, and let’s not forget how tough that is on her giving parents, either. So, this session is for all those sick kids and their exhausted parents. Hospitals all over are packed with them. And while I’m at home reading Pinkalicious to my child in bed every night, they are going to sleep to the sound of beeping monitors, and praying that someday their child will open their eyes to see a book. Thank you Miss R for one of many reasons to be grateful today.” – February 11, 2011

“He saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy.
He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.” – Titus 3:5

It started with a feeling…more than a feeling really, a need. The need to help, the need to serve, the need to be obedient, the need to shout from mountaintops all of the wonderful things that the Lord has done for us in our life. The willingness to follow wherever He would lead me, to do anything He would ask, to use my whole life to bring glory to His name. Opening my heart to listen was the easy part. Knowing what or how or when was the problem. So I did the only thing I knew how, I prayed. I asked God to show me the way. Our pastor often tells us that we don’t need to come up with big ideas for God, He can do that all on His own. This past Sunday, during a particularly interesting sermon, He did just that.

I sat there in the pews listening to a message about each one of us being blessed with a spiritual gift. The question of the morning was: what would happen if we chose to share that gift with the world? I caught myself thinking about last May… My husband Rick is an amazing man. He is a dedicated Christian, a loving father and a big thinker with a heart to match. Last year we started to see that through our photography we could help glorify God by capturing where He is at work. God put it on Rick’s heart to go to Pearl, MS to document the work our congregation was doing for a local church camp. Being there, seeing the work that was being done for His glory and getting to capture that through photos is honestly one of the most life changing things we have ever been a part of. The impact of these photos on us and the world has been monumental. I remember a week after we arrived home I got on Google looking for more opportunities to help. The bible tells us in Matthew 7:8 ‘he who seeks, finds.’ Months later, sitting here where I have sat countless other Sunday’s, God put this crazy idea on my heart. What if every church, ever missionary board, every family in need knew that there were photographers out there willing to donate their time, their services, their hearts just for the good of God? Maybe we could make some kind of a website letting people know…

I am a little bit of a worrier, which my husband Rick can totally attest to. I sat there thinking, ‘What if this gets BIG?’ What if people from other states, or even other countries contact us about photos. The answer is that would be AMAZING right? ‘How are Rick and I possibly going to take of these photos?’ The answer I soon realized is that we don’t have to. The same way that we were desperately searching for a way to serve God with our photographic gifts, so were countless others.

Thus The LORD’S Lens was born… we are an ever growing directory of Christian photographers from across the world who are dedicated to serving the Lord. We have all partnered together to donate our time, abilities and photography as a means to glorify God and all of the amazing things He is doing around the world. No need is too big or two small, if the Lord is at work then it would be our honor to be able to document it for you. Please feel free to look through our directory and contact a photographer in your area. Or if you would rather, tell us more about what you are looking for through our ‘contact us’ section. We would love to find someone who is willing to help.

The Lord is at work all around us... all we have to do is open our eyes. Here is an image from earlier today. A beautiful newborn who was born just days ago. Welcome to the world little Keilyn, may God bless you and keep you!