Daily Photo Parable

Photo and Commentary ©2025 by Russell Jurgensen
Thursday, April 24, 2025

The Skagit tulip growing area offers amazing expressions of God’s handiwork. It takes planning and hard work to grow fields of flowers like this. So, it is God’s gifts along with action by people that makes it possible.

In looking for a verse about flowers, this one seemed intriguing.

The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.
Isaiah 40:8

Things are temporary but important when judged against God’s word. That is why we need to continually adjust and keep finding ways to apply good principles to the way we interact with others. In doing so we can find expressions of beauty around us.

Photo and Commentary ©2025 by Darren Milam
Wednesday, April 23, 2025

When you witness breathtaking sights like this, what goes through your mind? Perhaps your attention is drawn to the vibrant hues of the rainbow or the mesmerizing turquoise of the waters. Maybe you take in the entirety of the scene—the vastness of the ocean paired with the brilliance of the setting sun lighting up the sky. As a photographer, I focus on framing the shot, visualizing the final image while savoring the moment and ensuring to capture the light. Truthfully, no photograph will ever capture the scene exactly as it appears in person—but it comes close.

In these awe-inspiring moments, my heart is reminded to say, “Thank you, God!” The creativity displayed is simply extraordinary, crafted for our wonder and enjoyment. Look again: the ocean’s striking shades and contrasts, the sunlit clouds, and the raindrops transforming light into a radiant rainbow. These elements didn’t simply materialize; they were intentionally designed by God, carefully arranged as though on His own divine canvas.

Reflecting on our Creator in this way—as an artist painting a masterpiece for us—makes me long for His return all the more. Imagine sitting at the feet of the ultimate Master Artist, asking about His process and vision. It’s humbling to think we are gifted such beauty, even though we don’t deserve it. Yet, He gives it to us freely, out of love. What a marvelous God we serve—our Protector, Keeper, Rock, and Creator!

Photo and Commentary ©2025 by Robert Howson
Tuesday, April 22, 2025

If you’re anything like me, you love recalling stories which bear out the fact that you were right. The following is such a story. My friend and I were out looking for birds to photograph in the eastern part of Washington. Somehow or other our conversation got around to a common bird we had photographed once before on a nest. My memory placed the bird on the small backroad we were then traversing while my friend was sure it was further east in the state. We enjoyed exploring the area where the road came to an end, enjoying the sound of the nearby creek.

Returning along the road we had earlier traversed, I became more confident that this was indeed the proper location where we had earlier found the nest. Rounding a corner my conviction became solidified as the pine I remembered came into view. My pièce de résistance was assured when upon getting out of the car we spied a Western Wood-Pewee building a nest on the exact same limb as the afore mentioned species had done a couple years earlier. Voila!

Oh, that it were always that easy. But our memory has proven to be far less than dependable, and even when we know what is right, we often find ourselves wandering. David had the right idea and penned these words found in Psalm 25:4 “Show me the path where I should go, O Lord; point out the right road for me to walk.” (Living Bible) This same idea is repeated in Psalm 119:35 “Make me walk along the right paths, for I know how delightful they really are.”

Delightful — that’s a good word to describe a walk with the Lord.

Photo and Commentary ©2025 by Rev Riter
Sunday and Monday, April 20 and 21, 2025

For today’s Daily Photo Parable we welcome guest blogger Bev Riter, who has supplied both the photo and text to mark this special day:

Early Sunday morning Mary of Magdala, Joanna and Mary the mother of James went to the tomb where the body of Jesus had been placed. Bewildered, they didn’t know why the stone had been rolled away and Jesus’ body was no longer inside. Suddenly, two men in dazzling garments appeared. One of the men asked why they were looking for the living among the dead and said that He had risen. Now they were really confused. After thinking, they remembered that Jesus, while in Galilee, spoke about being crucified and would rise on the third day. Wow! He wasn’t dead after all, but alive! They must tell the others. And so they did.

The others would not believe the women! While two of the followers of Jesus walked toward the village of Emmaus and talked between themselves, another man joined them on their journey. Not looking at the man, they talked about their friend, Jesus who had been crucified. They didn’t realize this man was Jesus! When they sat down to eat, their eyes were opened. Finally, they recognized this was Jesus! He had risen as the women had said. Then He disappeared.

Astonished, the men quickly returned to Jerusalem to tell the others that Jesus was alive. They had seen Him! As they were talking, Jesus suddenly appeared among them. And the others saw Him, too! (Luke 24)

The above picture, showing the risen Jesus, is above His empty tomb in Jerusalem. Today, we celebrate Easter Sunday, thinking of the sacrifice Jesus made for each of us.

Photo and Commentary ©2025 by Maylan Schurch
Sabbath, April 19, 2025

A little over a year ago, a red light at an intersection near where we live caused me to pull to a stop near this truck. Evidently those white wooden constructions are carried to the yards of homes that are for sale, and will be hung with square metal or plastic signs bearing the house agent’s name and contact information.

But at first glance, my thought was, These are crosses, and the driver is a cross-bearer!

As you know, the cross is a beloved Christian symbol, and a popular jewelry item as well. Crosses are made in gold, silver, and other metals. They’re sometimes encrusted with diamonds or other gems. They’re worn proudly, on necklaces and lapel pins and even dangling from pierced ears.

And as such, they would have been utterly revolting to Jesus’ disciples and other Christians at that time. Imagine a tiny gold-plated lethal-injection gurney, or a little electric chair made of silver, or a miniature bolt-action firing squad rifle, worn as daily accessories.

To give their most powerful meaning, I believe, today’s adornment crosses should be carved from rough wood or something that resembles it, with authentic-looking bloodstains painted at their three ends.

Here’s what Jesus had to say about cross-bearing:

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? Matthew 16:24 – 26 NKJV

On an online Bible reference site, I found an explanation of what Jesus’ Matthew 16 comment about cross-bearing means.

“Self-denial was a common enough idea in both Jewish and Greek teaching of the day. Jesus, though, pictured a self-denial that included willing participation in the death of self. In short, nobody who follows Jesus can hold on to even the smallest bit of their own agenda, their own dreams, their own way of living in the world. They must sacrifice every ounce of self if they would choose to walk after Him.”
https://www.bibleref.com/Matthew/16/Matthew-16-24.html

Photo and Commentary ©2025 by Maylan Schurch
Friday, April 18, 2025

Thursday morning of this week, the sun was perfectly angled to produce the shadow of a stern masculine profile on a neighborhood garage door I noticed on a walk. Can you spot him? If I were to meet this person as a real human being, I can picture him as being absolutely sure of himself, perfectly brave and resolute, seemingly unafraid of the black jagged “something” approaching from the left to smite him.

One of the Bible’s clearest end-time teachings is that events will get worse before they get better. Jesus often insisted that only those with the kind of resolve supplied by a close connection with the Holy Spirit will make it triumphantly through.

To read some deeply encouraging verses about this, click the link just below:

https://www.bibleinfo.com/en/topics/signs-times

Photo and Commentary ©2025 by Darren Milam
Wednesday and Thursday, April 16 and 17, 2025

Have you ever found yourself uncertain about something? Of course—you’re not alone. That hesitation often comes from past experiences or simply a lack of knowledge. But uncertainty isn’t always a negative thing. Sometimes, like when standing at the edge of a cliff, doubt serves as wisdom, urging caution.

However, there are moments when doubt stems from a lack of faith. While skepticism has its place, there are certain things—and certain people—we should trust completely. At the top of that list is God. In Hosea 6 (NIV), we’re given a powerful reminder of where our certainty should be placed and who we can always rely on.

Verse 3 says:

“Let us acknowledge the Lord:
let us press on to acknowledge Him.
As surely as the sun rises, he will appear:
He will come to us like the winter rains,
like the spring rains that water the earth.”

The verse speaks to the uncertainty the Israelites faced—unsure of how God would provide for and protect them. Hosea reassured them of God’s unwavering presence, using the rhythm of the seasons as an illustration. Just as winter gives way to spring in a reliable order, so too can they trust in God’s faithfulness.

The image from my front yard beautifully reflects this truth. The winter rain nourished the earth, bringing forth the vibrant beauty of spring, seen in the delicate cherry blossoms. The light that dances across the petals and leaves is morning sunshine—a reminder that just as the sun rises each day, God is ever-present with us.