If you visit this space often you know that, primarily, I am a writer. Writing is – along with speaking and teaching – my profession.

But this space is also somewhat of a photo-blog. I often use the images I capture to help tell the story. Photography is – for me – more about “story” than it is about “pretty.”

Always, though, this blog comes back to the words. Words of life; words pointing toward life; living words from Jesus, the source of light and life. Or, as Peter put it during a conversation with Jesus, “Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life.”

Sing them over again to me, 
	wonderful words of life; 
	let me more of their beauty see, 
	wonderful words of life; 
	words of life and beauty 
	teach me faith and duty. 
Refrain: 
	Beautiful words, wonderful words, 
	wonderful words of life. 
	Beautiful words, wonderful words, 
	wonderful words of life.

(Philip Bliss, 1874)

EPIC SUMMER ADVENTURES: The other part of my thinking today concerns the vast scope of the Great Adventures Rebekah and I engaged during the “Epic Summer of 2013.” In a couple of days, according to the calendar, it’s going to be Fall, and it occurs to me that I haven’t shared more than a handful of photographs.

So here goes. I’m going to limit myself to twenty-two images, along with a short caption to go with each one (click on any thumbnail to view full size). This is what the photo-essay will cover:

• June 16 Rebekah received the call to lead Wake Forest Presbyterian Church;
• July 1 we headed out toward Michigan for Andrew and Alicia’s July 6 wedding;
• then we spent the next week traveling through Canada, New York, and Vermont before arriving in Connecticut for…
• our granddaughter’s July 14 baptism;
• after that it was ROAD TRIP adventures back to Florida down the eastern seaboard;
• we arrived home in Brandon just in time to prepare the house for the closing on July 25;
• next up was unloading in North Carolina and two-and-half weeks in a Brandon apartment before…
• “goodbye Florida,” Aug 11;
• “hello Wake Forest,” Aug 14;
• a couple of days in Washington and then…
• finally, first Sunday at WFPC Aug 25.

Rebekah and I are, in a few short words: grateful, exhausted, blessed, thrilled, stretched, spent, loved, and full with anticipation for exactly how these wonderful words of life will unfold now that – at long last – “The Epic Summer of 2013” is finally over.

Enjoy the pictures. The “Epic Summer of 2013” is most definitely one that we will never forget!

In love, and because of love – DEREK