Happy Friday, Friends! This is one of our favorite places we’ve ever visited. Glacier National Park, it was breathtaking. But on another note… You guys, someone tried to scam me today! Has anyone tried to scam you? What did they do? Photographer friends beware… The person seemed super legit at first. They said they wanted coverage for a family reunion. They asked a lot of specific legitimate photography questions about the day, all very normal to ask. Then they asked for a favor, they asked if they could pay me for my portion I was asking for and the event planners, and if I would pay the event planner $4,500 in cash! Um. I knew as soon as they asked for the favor it was probably a scam. And when I heard the next part it was even more obvious. It made me so sad for people who have been taken advantage of in any way and for those who take advantage of others. If you couldn't tell already (but you probably could), I'm a total evangelist and am not afraid to talk about my faith… so this is what I told the person… “I pray you would never scam anyone like this again. It's very sad and you will have to answer for your wrongdoings one day. In the powerful name of Jesus I say no to your scam and that you would be radically changed by His amazing love. He loves scam artist and forgives them if they truly repent and call on His name. I pray that this would be the last time you ever do this evil and deceitful thing in the name of Jesus. Everyone has hard lives. Money is never worth mistreating, cheating, or using people. People's lives are precious. God made each of us. We should treat God and the ones He made with the utmost respect. God made you and loves you. You can live a different life. When you call on His name he will wash away your sins. And make you new. “Better the poor whose walk is blameless than the rich whose ways are perverse.” Proverbs 28:6 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God." John 3: 16-21" They didn’t say anything in return.
Ok. I know it's intense. I'm laughing a little at my intenseness. But who knows what God can do with His powerful words and prayer.
It all has me thinking a lot. I know I’m so lost without God’s grace, in so much need of it, and want to extend it to others as well.
It also has me thinking about something that was talked about at the Heaven Come conference last weekend. They talked about how everyone is in so much need of the good news of Jesus.
One day every knee will bow before Jesus,
It is written: "'As surely as I live,' says the Lord, 'every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.'"Romans 14:11
It also got me thinking of all the ways I’ve not measured up in my own life, and How much I need God’s grace everyday. It made me think of this verse: 35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.” Matthew 18: 32-35 That we need to be quick to forgive. To not hold onto anger. To recognize and store up our treasures in Heaven and not here on earth. I pray for that man and others like him who try to deceive people. I pray for myself and you that we would continue growing in love, kindness, truth and mercy.
I was so excited about having a great new client, it was disappointing and hurtful. But I know God can use anything for good. Have you had an experience like this? Love to hear from you!
