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Photo Play: Surrounded by Strength

Janis Van Keuren

“As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
so the Lord surrounds his people
both now and forevermore.”
Psalm 125: 2 NIV

     Strong.  Majestic.  Protecting.  The mountains enfold me.  They encircle me with peace and comfort.  I look up in awe beholding this creation that speaks God’s glory to me.  Sturdy. Unmovable.  Like a sentinel they guard the city.  A reflection of their Creator.

     This psalm, engraved in concrete, above the doors of the church I attended as a young girl.  I never noticed them until I noticed Him.  Now they speak volumes to me.  From my homeland in the San Fernando Valley to my present dwelling in the Arizona Son.

     This post is being submitted as part of the Photo Play feature at High Calling Blogs.  The feature is entitled, “When Details Don’t Matter.”   
     To capture this picture, I had to drive from home to a space near the base of the mountains. Too close and I would lose the essence of the encircling quality of the mountains.
     No desert hiking for me at this time of year.  Several snaps, then I finished my errands.  I reemerged to find a different quality of the mountains as the sun sank in the horizon.
     The action to capture this picture mirrors a relationship with Jesus. I need to move from my comfort zone.  To move closer and remove the distractions.  Then I need to wait, and return.  The quality of the relationship will deepen, enriched over time.

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Comments

Photo Play: Surrounded by Strength — 6 Comments

  1. How I would’ve loved to have gone driving through the desert with you to get this shot.

    The shadows accentuate the light on the mountain, which is how I experience God: the darkness makes His light so much fuller.

  2. Wow!!! Janis this is good….I always wondered why I would feel so serene while looking at my mountain surroundings….!!
    Love your blog…thanks for sharing it with us!
    Love you!
    B

  5. Wow! Beautiful shot! And as you described it, I could totally relate and feel what you captured in the photo. Thanks for sharing this and participating in the HighCallingBlogs.com Photo Play!

  6. From: Karen
    Sent: Tue 5/11/10 8:23 PM
    To: Open My Ears, Lord
    Wow Janis! You are getting better and better!!!! As I was starting to view the mountain picture I immediately thought of the verse Psalm 125:2 and then there was the verse as I scrolled down. That has been my mountain verse since California days. I love it and it especially stood out to me upon moving to the desert and going through my desert experience with cancer–I looked to the “hills” (mountains) from whence cometh my help and truly felt the love, warmth, and protection of the Lord surrounding my soul. In regards to your thankful heart, I heard a teaching today from R.C. Sproul about being thankful in relation to ” being anxious” from the verse Phil 4:6.7–Be anxious for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication WITH THANKSGIVING let your requests be made known to God and the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. He was saying how having a thankful heart is critical for not getting anxious and is very important!!

    I am chuckling in my heart at my dear friend who has desperately wanted to move back to California and who is gloating in the beauty of the desert, exalting the great God of the universe who is so creative in his painting of the earth. This is whetting my whistle at writing my thoughts down because of your venture! Thanks so much for motivating me to sort of do what you do but not half as beautiful as your verbage!! Is verbage a word? I may have just made it up–It sounds good, though! Thank you for your friendship, dear Janis—Did you get the In and Out job advertisement in the mail today?

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