The Story

–Letting Life In–

Does God exist?

Many people question this. Within the pages of this book I will present to you photographs, which I believe, are proof of God’s existence and a gift to us all. I have the negatives to back them up.

I will start in the year 2000 when my life changed and I began taking the photographs. At this time I knew I had been given a gift so I began praying about their meaning and what my mission was for them. I am not a photographer or a writer. I am just a regular person who has something to share.

I can tell you my story only as a Christian. I hope no matter what religion fills your heart, my story will inspire you to seek God and to grow spiritually. I have been asked by people who know me, “Do you really want to tell people your story and what you have done?” My answer is yes. If I can help one person wake up and become aware of God’s presence in their life, then it has all been worth it.

Have you ever come to a point in your life when you just had to stop what you were doing and take a different path? That is what I did. In June 2000 I had come as close to dying, a physical death, as a person could. I had hurt the ones who loved me. I know that only through time can I make amends to them, daily. I had become a slave of addiction, to drugs. In the beginning, the high was so great and fun because I was escaping myself. When it turns into an addiction, it becomes a living hell, one so bad that you could not imagine it in your worst nightmare. Fun no longer existed.

If you have not had this problem. you may think this does not apply to you. I believe everyone does something whether it is gossiping, gambling, the love of money, over and under eating, lying, cheating, shopping, promiscuity, laziness, drinking, or believing we are better than everyone else, just to name a few. We all have a cross to carry and if we are honest with ourselves, we will find a way to admit it, claim it, amend it and carry it.

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

2 Chronicles 7:14

When I got home from Rehab, it was a time of self-reflection in the real world. It took a couple of months for my husband and I to make amends. This only happened with rigorous honesty, many tears, the willingness to change and forgiveness. We decided to move to a sleepy bedroom community outside of New Orleans on Lake Pontchartrain for the slower pace and the panoramic views. It was a fresh start. It was so beautiful with sunrises on the front porch and sunsets on the back. All I kept saying was, “Thank You God for letting us live here.”

I had never before had a desire to take pictures. Now I suddenly developed a passion for capturing the ever-changing cloudscapes with my instamatic camera. Before long, there were stacks of photos. I would look at them in wonderment and awe and all I could say to myself was, “Oh, My God!” I wasn’t telling my husband I was off in never-never land photographing images and spirits in the clouds, considering I had just gotten out of rehab a few months earlier. I guess he was wondering what I was going to do with all these photos. At one point he said, “Maybe we could blow-up some sunset photos, frame them, and give them for Christmas presents.” I just giggled to myself.

I believe the photographs are a blessing, a gift, to prepare us for His coming. In order for us to purify ourselves, take an inventory of our life and claim the love, peace, and joy promised to each one of us. Remember, “…No One knows the time or day when God will return not even the Son…” I believe the photographs are a wake-up call to truly let us know there is so much more, to give us hope, strengthen our faith and raise our minds and hearts to know the love of God in our everyday life. They are to allow us to realize and believe He is truly with us, not in a far off land, but here now. If we open our hearts and let God in, we will become conscious and aware of His presence.

I asked God to use me, and He did. I only take credit for being an instrument and holding the camera.