less than the dust of the earth and UNworthy

Annie (or Kate) took each of these pictures. Portra 400. Indie Film Lab. On a Diana F+.

“Just give it a rest,” I told myself today. “Read your scriptures like a normal person.”

Kate and I. Bunratty Castle from the nursery. Dublin.

This last year’s fascination with faith and repentance has been life changing, completely life changing. I have never felt so much of Christ’s power, hope, or joy flow into my life since learning for myself what faith and repentance are, without excess culture, stigma, or common taglines attached. 

But today I thought, “Maybe there is something more important out there I need to learn.” I began my study catching up on Come Follow Me. No more than two lines in I followed a footnote which sent me to John the Baptist, “Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Annie’s picture of a college in Dublin on her Diana F+

“Oh dear,” I thought, laughing out loud. Like Jacqueline in Ever After, “I knew it! I just knew it!” Nothing more important. And every verse and footnote that followed taught the exact same principle. I followed where I was led and worlds opened up - my brain filled with light, my head doing that weird thing it does where I feel like it’s expanding - as the Holy Ghost opened my eyes and ears to what these incredible prophets have been teaching for centuries: Christ is coming; we prepare by repenting. 

Repentance. “You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.” Inigo Montoya. And it is my new favorite word!

What is repentance? Turning my heart back to Jesus. I wonder if it is the answer to every ailment: something I’ve done wrong, something I’m sad about, angry about, hurt about, something my body is freaking out about...

Repentance to me has become, “Not my will, but thine, be done.”

The Amazing Christ Church Cathedral. Dublin.

And it’s hard. And uncomfortable. And sometimes I don’t know if I can say the same words for the 792th time this morning (We’ve all only been awake for one hour and I‘m losing it!) But if I have faith in Christ there is no other way! Like the Brother of Jared when asking for his miracle, “...O Lord, and do not be angry with thy servant because of his[my] weakness before thee; for [I] know that thou art holy and dwellest in the heavens, and that we are unworthy before thee...thou hast been merciful unto us. O Lord, look upon me in pity...O Lord, thou hast all power…”

The Brother of Jared saying, “we are unworthy” and “ look upon me in pity?!” My prayers could maybe use a reality check…

The brother of Jared understood faith and repentance: Christ’s greatness and his own unworthiness, his less than the dust of the earth-ness, his unworthy creature-ness. Maybe culture has me focus on all the stuff I am supposed to do: obedience, worthiness, as-much-as-perfect-as-possible-ness…

But what about King Benjamin calling me an “unworthy creature” and “less than the dust of the earth”? What about the Brother of Jared worrying God was going to “take him out” when he saw His finger? What about Isaiah’s words when he saw Christ? What about our Mother Eve?

Yep, they’re all blurry. But aren’t they beautiful! Dublin. Kate and Grandma.

REPENTANCE. Is it a scary “R” word we are embarrassed to talk about? Let alone do...

Every scripture I read today either said, “Repent, I come quickly” or “Sanctify yourself, I come to you.” He wants to visit us! Talk to us! Lift us, help us, change us!

How do I sanctify myself? I don’t. Jesus does, when I repent. My heart becomes one with His and His promise is clear, “...sanctify yourselves that your minds become single to God, and the days will come that you shall see him; for he will unveil his face unto you, and it shall be in his own way, and according to his own will.” That is my favorite verse in scripture.

Just as Jesus said to Enos, “Because of thy faith in Christ.”

That is what faith in Christ is! Believing that Jesus has all power, all strength to change, save and rescue me — if I will give up my will to His. And I do it like He did: in prayer.

I am convinced there is nothing more important in my life than Faith in Christ and Repentance — learning, doing, teaching the people I love.

Bunratty Castle from the Nursery. I took this one and do love it…

This verse from Moroni hit home today, “And what is it that ye shall hope for? Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal, and this because of your faith in him according to the promise.”

It’s not a question of if we are going to the celestial kingdom. If I have faith I am going because faith means I am repenting. Jesus takes everyone in who recognizes His goodness and their complete dependence on Him, their unworthiness.

“And this is the means whereby salvation cometh. And there is none other salvation save this which hath been spoken of; neither are there any conditions whereby man can be saved except the conditions which I have told you.” King Benjamin’s perfect dying testimony.

Annie and I. By Kate. “Kate, can you see us and the cathedral in the back?” “Ya, I can!”

Favor de disculparme hoy. Casi es la 1 de la mañana y no tuve tiempo para traducirlo bien. Los quiero mucho mucho! Espero que el espíritu los de todo el sentido que traigo en mi corazon para con estas palabras. xo. Christina

"Solo dale un descanso", me dije hoy. "Lee tus escrituras como una persona normal".

La fascinación de este año pasado por la fe y el arrepentimiento ha cambiado la vida, completamente cambió la vida. Nunca sentí que el poder, la esperanza o la alegría de Cristo fluyeran en mi vida desde que aprendí por mí mismo lo que son la fe y el arrepentimiento, sin un exceso de cultura, estigma o lemas comunes.

Pero hoy pensé: "Tal vez hay algo más importante que necesito aprender". Comencé mi estudio poniéndome al día con Come Follow Me. No más de dos líneas seguí una nota al pie que me envió a Juan el Bautista: “Arrepiéntete; porque el reino de los cielos está cerca ".

“Mom, can I take a picture of [insert every single thing she saw]?”

"Caramba!", pensé, riéndome a carcajadas. Como Jacqueline en la pelicula Ever After, “¡Lo sabía! ¡Lo sabía! Nada más importante. Y cada verso y nota al pie que siguió enseñó exactamente el mismo principio. Seguí a donde me condujeron y se abrieron mundos: mi cerebro se llenó de luz, mi cabeza hizo esa cosa extraña que hace donde siento que se está expandiendo, cuando el Espíritu Santo abrió mis ojos y oídos a lo que estos increíbles profetas han estado enseñando siglos: Cristo viene; nos preparamos arrepintiéndonos.

Arrepentimiento, “Sigues usando esa palabra. No creo que signifique lo que tú piensas que significa.

Iñigo Montoya tenía razón: podría no significar lo que crees que significa. ¡Y es mi nueva palabra favorita!

¿Qué es el arrepentimiento? Volviendo mi corazón a Jesús. Y hasta ahora me pregunto si es la respuesta a cada dolencia: algo que he hecho mal, algo por lo que estoy triste, enojado, herido, algo por lo que mi cuerpo está volviendo loco ...

El arrepentimiento para mí se ha convertido en "No se haga mi voluntad, sino la tuya".

Y es dificil. E incomodo. No se siente muy bien! Y a veces no sé si puedo decir las mismas palabras por la 792ª vez esta mañana (¡Solo hemos estado despiertos durante una hora y lo estoy perdiendo!) Pero si tengo fe en Cristo no hay otra ¡camino! Al igual que el Hermano de Jared cuando pregunta por su milagro, “... Señor, y no te enojes con tu siervo por su [mi] debilidad ante ti; porque [yo] sé que eres santo y mora en los cielos, y que somos indignos ante ti ... has sido misericordioso con nosotros. Oh Señor, mírame con lástima ... Oh Señor, tienes todo el poder ..

El Hermano de Jared diciendo: "no somos dignos" y "¿me miras con pena?" ¡Mis oraciones necesitan una revisión de la realidad!

El hermano de Jared entendió la fe y el arrepentimiento: la grandeza de Cristo y su propia indignidad, menos que el polvo de la tierra, su criatura indigna. Tal vez la cultura quiere que me concentre en todas las cosas que se supone que debo hacer. Ya sabes, mi obediencia, dignidad, lo más perfecto posible ...

Pero, ¿qué pasa con el rey Benjamín que me llama una "criatura indigna" y "menos que el polvo de la tierra"? ¿Qué pasa con el hermano de Jared preocupado de que Dios lo "saque" cuando vio su dedo? ¿Qué pasa con las palabras de Isaías cuando vio a Cristo y a la Madre Eva?

ARREPENTIMIENTO. ¿Es una palabra aterradora "R" de la que nos da vergüenza hablar? Y mucho menos hacer ...

Cada escritura que leí hoy decía: "Arrepiéntete, vengo rápido" o "Santifícate, vengo a ti". El quiere visitarnos! ¡Háblanos! ¡Levántanos, ayúdanos, cámbianos! ¿Cómo me santifico? Yo no. Jesús lo hace, cuando me arrepiento. Mi corazón se vuelve uno con el suyo y su promesa es clara: “... santifíquense que sus mentes se vuelven solteras con Dios, y llegarán los días en que lo verán; porque él te revelará su rostro, y será a su manera, y según su propia voluntad. Ese es mi verso favorito en las Escrituras.

Tal como Jesús le dijo a Enós: "Por tu fe en Cristo".

Eso es lo que es la fe en Cristo, creer que Jesús tiene todo el poder, toda la fuerza para cambiarme, salvarme y rescatarme, si simplemente renuncio a mi voluntad. Y lo hago como lo hizo: en oración.

Estoy convencido de que no hay nada más importante en mi vida que la fe en Cristo y el arrepentimiento: aprender, hacer y enseñar a las personas que amo.

Este verso de Moroni llegó a casa hoy, “¿Y qué es lo que esperarán? He aquí, te digo que tendrás esperanza a través de la expiación de Cristo y el poder de su resurrección, para resucitar a la vida eterna, y esto debido a tu fe en él de acuerdo con la promesa ".

No se trata de si vamos al reino celestial, no se trata de una cuestión. Si tengo fe, voy porque la fe significa que me estoy arrepintiendo. Jesús acepta a todos los que reconocen su bondad y su completa dependencia de él, su indignidad. En otras palabras, todos los que se arrepienten.

“Y este es el medio por el cual viene la salvación. Y no hay otra salvación excepto esta de la que se ha hablado; tampoco hay condiciones por las cuales el hombre pueda salvarse, excepto las condiciones que te he dicho. El perfecto testimonio moribundo del rey Benjamín.

brother-of-jared-like faith

Another new year, that I peacefully entered without any New Year’s resolution(s)…

…until reading some verses about the Brother of Jared, who with anomalous faith, decided he could gather stones, walk them up a mountain, and ask God to touch them to make them glow — thus providing light for their journey across the ocean.

Christ says to the Brother of Jared (after the Brother of Jared requests that the Savior show Himself to him and the Savior acquiesces), “And the Lord said unto Him: ...never has man come before me with such exceeding faith as thou hast; for were it not so ye could not have seen [me]...Because thou knowest these things ye are redeemed from the fall; therefore ye are brought back into my presence; therefore I show myself unto you. 

“Behold, I am He who was prepared from the foundation of the world to redeem my people.

“Behold I am Jesus Christ.

“I am the Father and the Son.

“In me shall all mankind have life, and that eternally, even they who shall believe on my name;

“and they shall become my sons and my daughters (1).”

Whatever oceans I am asked to cross this year I hope to remember these lines, “...and all this that this [woman] might know that he was God because of the many great works which the Lord had shown unto [her].”

“...[she] had faith no longer, for she knew, doubting nothing.”

“Wherefore, having this perfect knowledge of God, [she] could not be kept from within the veil; therefore [she] saw Jesus; and he did minister unto [her].”

Sometimes great things happen to good people, sometimes good (but hard) things happen to good people, and sometimes miserable things happen to good people. But Jesus Christ, who did everything right - so right that He could not have done anything any more right - was the willing, submissive recipient of the hardest and worst things.

So this year, whatever best (or worst) things come, I hope to plow through with Brother-of-Jared-Like faith.

I hope to keep seeking the mysteries of God because I know the Savior shows them to all who ask, knock, and seek. 

I hope to stay in the ordinances where the power of Godliness is manifest (and given to us!) (2)

The Holy Ghost has seared Jesus’ words into my mind and heart, “For behold, I am the Father, I am the light, and the life, and the truth [of Christina, of Tyler, of Kate, of Annie…] (3).”

“Come unto me (3),” “the Lamb of God…the love of God…the most desirable above all things…yea, and the most joyous to the soul (4)”

I love Him. I love each of you. Thank you for being here. Happy 2020! xo, Christina

1. Ether 3:9-14

2. Doctrine and Covenants 84:20

3. Ether 4:14-the end (one of my favorite verses, and chapters!)

4. 1 Nephi 11:21-23

Otro año nuevo: entré pacíficamente sin ninguna resolución de Año Nuevo.

Hasta que leí este versículo (sobre el Hermano de Jared, quien con una fe anómala, decidió que nada más podía juntar piedras, subirse a una montaña y pedirle a Dios que las tocara para que brillasen, lo que proporcionaría luz para su viaje a través del océano.)

Esto es lo que Cristo le dice al Hermano de Jared, después de que el Hermano de Jared le pide al Salvador que se muestre a el, y Cristo acepta: "Y el Señor le dijo: ... nunca ha venido el hombre delante de mí con tanta fe como tú tienes; porque si no fuera así, no podrías haberme visto ... a cause de que sepas estas cosas, eres redimido de la caída; por eso sois devuelto a mi presencia; por eso me presento a ti.

“He aquí, yo soy el que estaba preparado desde la fundación del mundo para redimir a mi pueblo.

“He aquí, yo soy Jesucristo.

“Yo soy el Padre y el Hijo.

“En mí toda la humanidad tendrá vida, y eso eternamente, incluso los que creen en mi nombre;

"Y se convertirán en mis hijos y mis hijas (1)".

Independientemente de los océanos que se me pida que cruce este año, espero recordar estas líneas, “... y todo esto para que esta [mujer] sepa que él era Dios debido a las muchas grandes obras que el Señor le había mostrado [a ella]. "

"... [ella] ya no tenía fe, porque lo sabía, sin dudar nada".

“Por lo tanto, teniendo este perfecto conocimiento de Dios, [ella] no podía mantenerse fuera del velo; por eso [ella] vio a Jesús; y él ministró a [ella] ".

A veces le pasan cosas buenas a las personas buenas, a veces las cosas buenas (pero difíciles) le pasan a las personas buenas, y a otras personas buenas les pasan cosas miserables. Pero Jesucristo, que hizo todo el bien, tan bien que no podría haberle hecho nada más bien, fue el receptor dispuesto y sumiso de todas las cosas peores.

Así que este año, independientemente de lo mejor (o lo peor) que suceda, espero seguir adelante con una fe como el Hermano de Jared.

Espero seguir buscando los misterios de Dios porque sé que el Salvador los muestra a todos los que preguntan, tocan, y buscan.

Espero quedarme en las ordenanzas donde el poder de la Divinidad se manifiesta (¡y nos es dado!) (2)

El Espíritu Santo ha grabado las palabras de Jesucristo en mi mente y corazón: "He aquí, yo soy el Padre, soy la luz y la vida y la verdad [de Christina, de Tyler, de Annie, de Kate ...]

Feliz Navidad a todos! Que disfruten de las palabras y promesas de Jesucristo que se van a encontrar en el Libro de Mormon, por el poder del espíritu santo, este año. Que maravilloso estudio vamos a desplegar!

xo,

Christina

"you were the healer"

There are not many words to describe the way things are transpiring around here - we are mostly trying hard to follow our feelings.

I believe in that practice fiercely: following tender impressions.

But it can be scary because it means I take a step into the dark, or begin at zero, or…who knows what else?! Sometimes it feels like I’ll fall into a dark pit and a monster will eat me! On the other side of softening and submitting, of listening, is an elaborate pile of unknowns!

Sometimes what we cannot see feels like darkness. But that’s only because we haven’t given time the opportunity to shed light on it yet! Who knows but all your favorite colors are up ahead on high beams, shining blinding light you cannot see only because you haven’t stepped into it yet?!!

A month or so ago Annie was bouncing all over “Pa” (my dad) and I asked, “Dad, was I like that when I was little? Was I exactly like her?” (Because in my mind she and I are (mostly) exactly the same…)

My dad responded, “You were always taking care of people; you were the healer.”

In that instant he vocalized (and I learned!) my heart’s greatest desire! All I want is to be an instrument that is used to fill people with light and confidence.

When I die, I want to know I followed every impression, left nothing on the table, left no one behind, reached everyone I was sent to reach, on this, my personal journey through mortality.

I want to be an instrument in the hands of Light.

Here is where our recent changes come into play:

First, we do not have more answers than we do! We ride on faith daily for guidance and assistance. We practice asking, waiting, thinking, working through scenarios, praying, and waiting some more. We listen to the tiny impressions, thoughts, and feelings that come. And we receive answers.

****If you have questions, find a quiet place to pray, to talk, to converse and commune with heaven. Be open about all of your worries, your plans, your thoughts, your goalsdreamshopesfearswishes everything!!!

Then write down your impressions and thoughts and feelings.

Your answers will come, I promise! We are living it and it’s true.

Second, we had a plan, but then something unexpected (a miracle!) occurred so I need to wait for that to work itself out before I start blabbing anymore about plan details ;)

Third, we are moving eventually, so my blog and brand will change, but the idea has become sweet to me! I am ecstatic to evolve with everything this business and I become together.

Next, photography has been a spiritual journey and I want to be true to that.

So,

I feel “brightness” in announcing that my blog will mostly be composed of my spiritual thoughts, stories, experiences, and prayers, including specific things I learn from study. I will be sharing openly my thoughts about my life and what comes of the impressions I follow.

Ultimately, I want to share light - in all its forms. I get to do that through pictures and (very lacking) words (encompassed in big feelings.)

I want you to know you can find answers and help and guidance from Heaven!

I want you to be filled with light and confidence.

If you are aching, I want you to feel love, compassion, mercy, grace, and healing.

I hope you find those things here.

All my love, forever,

Christina

TRAVEL SHOOTS are about to begin around the bend of the new year! Contact me to book your DREAM shoot (I’m serious. Even your husband will say, “that was fun!!”

Bay Area! Nor Cal. Everywhere in CA. Everywhere period :) also SEATTLE, I’ll be back in March! East coast, NYC, North Carolina!! “Dream big and after you’ve done that, dream bigger” 🥰Howard Schultz -Starbucks CEO

Little Things

While our family was in town last week we spent an evening watching “The Office.” Pam said, “No big reason. Just a lot of little reasons.” That’s how I feel about life currently - in love with it for the little reasons. I secretly hope I have acquired the peaceful, mindful attitude of a 60 year old woman: life is good and beautiful and happy and peaceful and don’t fill it up with too much extra stuff and family is the most important thing and hug and kiss and tickle and squeeze your people a million times every day.

Also,

One afternoon I was randomly reading a section of John Gottman’s book, “The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work.” The part I read talked about how marriages have the greatest success when the couples focus on what they are doing well - what brought us together? That stuck with me because I have been thinking about people - I am trying to train my brain to focus on what is going right - what I do well. I believe when we spend too much time focusing on what we need to improve we get sucked into a hole that doesn’t feed our mind, body, or spirit. I just wonder what would happen if I paid more attention to recognizing and celebrating my strengths, I’m practicing it anyway! And then maybe I’ll use them to help my partner, family, neighbors, etc. That’s a big deal to me.

I’m in the process of writing all of the strengths of each member of my family and posting it somewhere. I want the constant reminder of our gifts - our talents - front and center. I wonder if it will help me be more “other focused” instead of “self focused.” I just am interested in seeing where it leads us…

Lastly,

I want to blog once a week. This is the start of it. I take gazillions of pictures. Everything on film always. I want to share my pictures, creations, art, thoughts without much reservation. I’m going to worry less, think less, and send more stuff out into the universe solely because it brings me joy.

Seattle, Bay Area, Utah, My mind is reeling! I’m starting to not be able to sleep at night ‘cause your pictures keep me up. The flutter in my stomach tells me it’s going to be oh, so good. I’m thinking about you, planning for you, and am so, so proud of you for laying down your fears and doubts and insecurities to say YES to preserving these unmatchable and completely irreplaceable days.

Muy buenas noches,

Christina