We have four months until our family of five leaves the country to spend three weeks in Cambodia. Marla and I spent seven days in Phnom Penh last year with Asia’s Hope (see photos here). We currently have $8,010 saved up, and it looks like we’ll need around $13,000. The girls have sold crafts and stuff in our house, Marla has sold books and had a few speaking engagements, and I have worked on a few websites on the side. We’re thrilled to see how God has allowed us to get this close without directly “asking for money from people.”

And this is where you come in. I am starting to transition to doing more photography (now that I have adequate gear), and I’d like to use those talents to help us reach the goal. I am inviting 10 families, over the course of the next four months, to book a one-hour photo session for $100. You will get to keep all of the digital images, and I will also advise on some printing options if you would like help with that.

Half of the money raised from these sessions ($500) will go toward our goal, and the other half ($500) will go directly toward the work that God is doing through Asia’s Hopeis in Cambodia, Thailand, and soon-to-be India. If interested, message me on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or using the contact form here on my site. I guess you could also leave a comment below – wow.

Let your friends know that they also have the chance to Get Shot and Stop Traffick!

My parents have the girls for two days, so I took the day off of work and Marla and I headed down to Old Man’s Cave for some hiking (after a nice lunch at Genji Japanese Steakhouse, LOL). Enjoy the photos. God sure is amazing, isn’t He!

I’ve challenged myself to start blogging unfiltered. Enough of the worrying about offending people, even friends. Welcome to the first attempt.

I believe we’re past the point of trying to make the cross “presentable to our culture”. My talented friends that also happen to have a faith in Jesus Christ need to start saying that they’re trying to catch up with Hollywood or the elite creatives in culture. I can’t recall a time (even when the church deserved it) when any friends or family of mine that live outside of the walls of Christianity blasted the church for sucking at creating media and creativity. Are ideas like Church Marketing Sucks really just an attempt for people to complain for not getting recognized? What’s the point of saying “we suck” if “you don’t” suck?

Where I think the problem resides is when the artists that have accepted what Christ did for them on the cross sell out and JUST create media. Sort of like some bands crossing over and removing Christ out of their songs in order to sell albums, right? I know, I know…….I hear the “God didn’t command us to just create churchy things” arguments all of the time. I would disagree with that and, believe it or not, the Bible would side with me there.

This is where I am in life, and have had some honest discussion with artists I respect about this recently. I see myself (and of course others) shooting photos of pointless things. Creating websites sometimes that just feel shallow. Why? Obviously that’s where the money’s at. Isn’t that why all people crossover from living and breathing their faith to the cross being their life support……there’s no life in you, but someone else is keeping you around for some reason.

I’m sick of it. I’m making it a point (started recently) to be on a journey of purposely connecting with clients where it’s almost certain I won’t get a penny for my work, but more importantly, the finished products are guaranteed to point people to the cross. Asking myself if it’s really possible to sacrifice and suffer a bit (or a lot) through the work I do.

Have you found yourself taking on work just to bring in money? Is it safe to do some high quality work to pay the bills and let God get only 10% of our work like He often gets from our wallet? I’d also love to hear how some of you might have overcome this and sacrificed your time as well. Or maybe you hate my God? I’d love to hear from you as well.

The song is REALLY stuck in my head (will likely be in yours), so I’m curious to hear which version of Wonderwall you think is better? The first is the new 2011 cover by Alex Goot, and the second is the 1995 original by Oasis. My vote is for Alex, not that that matters!