Father, please lead me today as You see best. Use the gifts You have given me to encourage others on their journey. Help me not to compare myself with others but to be content with who You have made me to be, Amen.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Texture
This week, share a texture found in an unexpected place. It could be made of natural materials, as in these images, or with man-made objects.

I thought this weeks theme was an ideal opportunity to post a photo of my Taylor K22ce acoustic guitar, which is made from the exotic tropical wood Hawaiian Koa. I just love the textures of this beautiful wood.
Photo taken today using my iPhone 5s and edited with FX Photo Studio Pro on my mac.
Description from the Taylor Guitars website:
Hawaiian Koa
Origin: The Big Island of Hawaii
As a tropical hardwood, a koa top will initially project a bright and focused tone, especially together with koa back and sides, but as it’s played, it matures into an increasingly warm, rich, sweet sound with healthy overtone “bloom,” especially in the midrange. resonant tone.
You’ll Never Believe This…. (Part 3)

Brief description: Photograph taken in a huge storm with my iPhone 4s camera. (I wouldn’t get my Nikon camera out of it’s bag as the weather was too bad). I’ve applied a grayscale effect to bring out how I felt on the day (very wet, cold and shivery). A great memory of the English southern coast on New Years Day.
Aim of the work: I felt the strength of the storm (with howling winds and lashing rain) and wanted an image that captured the moment. Using dramatic black and white I wanted to draw people into the strength and power of the elements so they could feel the strength of the storm for themselves.
Image 2: ‘The London Eye’

Brief description: Stood close the Eye looks big but through the wide angle lens of my Sony Alpha a100 camera it felt like a huge bike wheel in the sky ….very sureal.
Aim of the work. Looking at life from a different angle.
Image 3: ‘Arches’ – Hampton Court Palace

Brief description: One of my very first photos taken as blind photographer. Taken with a Fugi F10 camera. I was visiting Hampton Court Palace and was struck by the contrast between the heat in the sunny parts and the cool in the the shadows when walking down this corridor. I wanted to reflect this in the patterns made by sunlight playing though the arches. I used black and white in this image to capture this feeling.
Aim of the work. To demonstrate the amazing effects sunlight can have on it’s surroundings.
Image 4: ‘Life on the water’ (canal boat – Heartfordshire, England)

Brief description: Walking along a peaceful, tranquil path by the canal I was taking shots of different things around me with my Sony Alpha a100 camera. I heard the rumble of this boats engine and took photos as it passed. On returning home and zooming into the images with my computer this one stood out, as when seen in detail there was much more in it than I had first thought. It captures a story of the man with his dog living a laid back lifestyle on the boat … all the materials of his life surrounding him. The photo I felt encompassed this mans life and told his story whilst also conveying the peace of the day and tranquility of my surroundings.
Aim of the work. A single photo that tells the story of this mans life – the more you zoom in the more you see.
Image 5: ‘Portsmouth Cathedral’

Brief description A dramatic image of Portsmouth Cathedral on a hot but cloudy day.Taken with my iPhone 4 camera at a friends ordination ceremony.
Aim of the work. The ceremony was very grand and I wanted to capture the feeling of the spendour and grandeur of the ceremony and Cathedral in a photo. From experience I know that using black and white on architecture creates a dramatic feel, especially on a cloudy day.
God shows His Plan
I received this fantastic poem via email from my brother in Christ Ben, hope you enjoy!
When God wants to drill a man and thrill a man and skill a man…
When God wants to mould a man to play the noblest part;
When He yearns with all His heart to create so great and bold a man
That all the world shall praise,
Watch His methods, watch His ways!
How He ruthlessly perfects whom He royally elects; how He hammers and hurts him,
And with mighty blows coverts him into frail shapes of clay that only God understands.
How his tortured heart is crying and he lifts beseeching hands….
How He bends but never breaks when His good He undertakes.
How He uses whom He chooses…. with every purpose fuses him;
By every art induces him to try His splendour out
God knows what He’s about!
When God wants to take a man and shake a man and wake a man…
When God wants to make a man to do the Father’s will;
When He yearns with all His soul to create him large and whole…
With what cunning He prepares him… how He goads and never spares him!
How He whets him, He frets him and in poverty, begets him…
How often He disappoints whom He sacredly anoints!
With what wisdom He will hide him; never minding what betide him…
Makes him lonely so that only God’s high messages shall reach him…
So that He may surely teach him what His heavenly Father planned.
When God wants to name a man and tame a man to do His heavenly best….
When He tries the highest test that His reckoning may bring…
How He reins him and restrains him so his body scarce contains him…
When He fires him and inspires him, keeps him yearning,
Ever burning for the tantalizing goal.
Lures and lacerates his soul… sets a challenge for His spirit;
Draws it highest, then he is near it!
Then makes a jungle, then he clears it;
Makes a desert that he fears it, if he can…
So does God make a man!
Then to test His Spirit’s wrath, He throws a mountain in his path,
Puts a bitter choice before him and relentlessly stands o’er him…
Climb or perish, so He says…. But watch His purpose, watch His ways!
God’s plan is wondrously kind… could we understand His mind?
Fools are they who call God blind!
When his feet are torn and bleeding; yet His Spirit mounts unheeding…
Blazing newer paths and finds….
Lo, the crisis, lo, the shouts that would call the leader out…
When the people need salvation does he rise to lead the nation;
Then does God show His plan… and the world has found its man!
Our Friends “The Wigley Family” Part 2
Here are some more photos of Ella, Georgia & Abbie! They’re so lovely and fun to be around, i hope you enjoy! 🙂

⇧ Ella enjoying chilling in the tree ⇧

⇧ It looks like Georgia is pushing the tree down! 🙂 ⇧

⇧ Georgia and her amazing hair! 🙂 ⇧

⇧ Ella ⇧

⇧ Thought i’d add this shot of Abbie, as she looks so peaceful ⇧

⇧ Almost sat still long enough to get a shot of them together! lol ⇧

⇧ Ella picking Daisy’s ⇧

⇧ Georgia picking daisy’s ⇧
More of my photos:
Weekly Photo Challenge: Zigzag
For this weeks photo challenge “Zigzag“, i thought i would use this shot i’d taken of the Heacham breaker whilst on holiday in Norfolk. With my small and blurry amount of sight i still think this looks like a snake! 🙂

Weekly Photo Challenge: Summer Lovin’
This weeks challenge reminds me of the 6 years (starting with our honeymoon) that we stayed in the lovely Old Hunstanton Lighthouse. It was a fantastic chapter in our sumer holidays that we’ll never forget! 🙂
If you’d like to join the challenge, click here.

⇧ My Sunflower Sarah ⇧

⇧ Sarah enjoying her yearly doughnut! ⇧

⇧ The Old Hunstanton Lighthouse ⇧

⇧ Sunset taken 100m away from the lighthouse, on top of the cliffs ⇧
We Aren’t Trying To Please Everybody, But God
1 Thessalonians 2:4 The Voice
but as we have been approved by God and entrusted with the good news, that’s how we are telling the world. We aren’t trying to please everybody, but God, the only One who can truly examine our motives.
✞ Music “Here For A Reason” by Ashes Remain
Here For A Reason Lyrics
You’re not forgotten
You’re not alone
You think you’re worthless, but you’re worth it
And He calls you His own
Made in His image
You were made for more
You think there is no plan, that it’s all by chance
But don’t believe that anymore
Every time that you wake up breathing
Every night when you close your eyes
Every day that your heart keeps beating
There’s purpose for your life
So don’t give up
Don’t lay down
Just hold on
Don’t quit now
Every breath that you take has meaning
You are here for a reason
If you spent your days just getting by
When you feel useless, He can use you
And show you what it means to be alive
Every day is a gift from above
Don’t throw it away
When it feels like to much
He’ll be there
Immersed in Love
“Other people’s opinion of us is finite and often fickle.”
In life we can try so hard to impress people. We change what we wear, what we do, what we say all in hopes that people will approve of us but the truth is no other person on the planet can validate us. Other people’s opinion of us is finite and often fickle. Other people’s opinions, good or bad, never change who we are on the inside.
As we come to the one being in the universe whose opinion of us is infinite, unchangeable and constantly good, we get a glimpse of who we really are. God created us special for a loving relationship with Him. He made us unique and for a purpose greater than we can conceive.
Now as we receive Jesus Christ into our life, we can stop striving to attain people’s idea of perfect. We can now easily receive Jesus’s perfection and righteousness by simply believing…
View original post 145 more words
Weekly Photo Challenge: Containers

⇧ The human tank ⇧

⇧ London Eye ⇧
This weeks photo challenge is Containers: “Boxes, tanks, wrappers: for this week’s Photo Challenge, show us something that contains something else.”.
Nourishes The Bones
Proverbs 15:30 Amplified Bible
The light in the eyes [of him whose heart is joyful] rejoices the hearts of others, and good news nourishes the bones.
Love At First Sight Village! (10 Years On!!!)
Today i’m celebrating 10 years since i met my lovely wife Sarah at “Sight Village, Birmingham”
This is a major Sight Village show in Birmingham which is held in July each year. Exhibitors from throughout the world take part and they welcome many thousands of visitors, including people who are blind or partially sighted, professionals, business people and family members.
I was there (from Derby) working for a charity called LOOK and Sarah was there (from Surrey) working for RNIB. She came to my table as she had a magazine which she had just published an article about LOOK and wanted to show me. Sarah opened the magazine and said here are the pictures and the article, i said “Wow, fantastic, it all looks great” which made Sarah quite proud of her work. I then said while laughing “you know i didn’t see any of what you’ve just shown me, as i’m blind!”. Then as always, a brief pause as Sarah checks out my eyes to see if i’m joking, then Sarah laughed and said “No way, me too!”. We both approach blindness in a similar way and love blossomed from that point. 🙂

⇧ 2005 ⇧


⇧ 2006 ⇧

⇧ 2007 ⇧

⇧ 2008 ⇧

⇧ 2009 ⇧

⇧ 2010 ⇧

⇧ 2011 ⇧


⇧ 2012 ⇧

⇧ 2013 ⇧

⇧ Last Week ⇧
Ephesians 5:25 Easy-to-Read Version
Husbands, love your wives the same as Christ loved the church and gave his life for it.
My Thoughts 💭
This is one of my favourite Bible verses that i try desperately each day to live up to. As soon as i first read this verse it convicted me straight away and i knew i wanted to be a husband like that!
🙏 Prayer
Spirit, thanks for being a constant guiding presence in my life. Give me the faith to take practical and radical action to keep in step with You, so that You can love my spouse through me in a way that will sustain a fun, loving & trusting relationship. Amen.
Thank You Encouraging Brothers, Sisters & Friends!!

1000 Follows
I would like to say a huge thank you to all of you who have given me love, encouragement & inspiration every day to keep going with this blog. When i started i just wanted 1 person to be touched by how God is working in my life and i still keep that mindset, but i had no idea it was going to grow and that my life really could be an inspiration to others.
To be part of this WordPress family really has transformed my life and you all give me focus and inspiration to continue taking photos & posting quotes, verses, music etc, and also to keep fighting along this narrow path!
With my sight impairment i can’t look at all of the stats telling me which posts are popular, etc, so when this one entered my notifications i was stunned, i didn’t even know there were that many people out there! lol. 😀
Weekly Photo Challenge: Relic
“Relic” is this weeks, Weekly Photo Challenge and i just had to post a photo of my original 1960 Gibson J45 sunburst! I love playing chords to the Lord in my private time with this guitar, and thinking of all the memories and lives it could have touched over 54 years. 🙂

The Heights Of Abraham
After travelling up to Derby and spending the day with “Our Friends The Wigley Family” Sunday came and we woke up to a lovely view over Derby.

⇧ View from our hotel room ⇧
We then headed to the train station to travel to Doncaster to see Sarah’s family.

⇧ Sarah sat in the train station café ⇧
Little did we know that the Tour de France was in Yorkshire on this day, but to our surprise the reservations were overloaded and the train was full so we got upgraded to first class (for free) which was empty! 🙂

⇧ SARAH’S FIRST CLASS!! ⇧
We arrived in Doncaster for Marshall’s birthday dinner at Cosmo’s where we met all of the family. We had a lovely meal and it was great to catch up with them all! 🙂

⇧ Marshall (left), Sarah & Alfie ⇧
After arriving back in Derby that evening, Sarah & i went to our fave italian Zizzi’s for a lovely meal. I also got to have the lovely chocolate, banana & ice cream calzone, which Sarah stole most of! 🙂

Then it was Monday 7th July our 7th wedding anniversary where we would enjoy “The Heights Of Abraham” at Matlock Bath.


We we arrived at the top we found a tower (which was too dark for us to climb) but it looked nice! 🙂

And i met a new friend…….

⇧ My new friend (i love donkeys in case you didn’t know!) 😀 ⇧
And after my amazing driving in the bumper cars (see here) i found another vehicle i had to drive……..

⇧ Getting the chance to drive yet again! ⇧

⇧ Descending back down to ground level ⇧



⇧ Views overlooking the villages from the cable cars ⇧
After a fantastic (and exhausting) weekend we finally checked out and headed home!

⇧ Sarah outside Jury’s Inn, Derby ⇧
All photos taken using my iPhone (i left my heavy DSLR’s in the hotel)
Our Friends “The Wigley Family”
On Saturday (day #1 on our 3 day trip) Sarah & i met up with our friends Rob, Shelley, Abbie, Ella & Georgia, and we went to Darley Park in Derby to take some photos! It was a lovely sunny day and we all had lots of fun!! 🙂

⇧ Ella playing in a tree ⇧

⇧ Georgia fascinated with a stick ⇧

⇧ Ella found the flowers! ⇧

⇧ I love Georgia’s hair! ⇧

Ella & Georgia picking flowers and making chains ⇧

⇧ Georgia with Rob ⇧

⇧ Shelley ⇧

⇧ Shelley & Abbie ⇧
Happy 7th Wedding Anniversary!!
Today is me & Sarah’s 7th Wedding anniversary!!
We have spent the weekend back up in Derby (my home town), Doncaster (Sarah’s home town) & we are spending today in Matlock Bath for our anniversary.
I‘ve been married to Sarah for 7 years now and my heart overflows with love for her. She has encouraged, inspired and loved me and is the sunshine that warms me along my journey. I really don’t have the words to fully express how blessed i am to have my best friend as my wife to cherish and share every moment of this amazing life! 😊


Church Family
Sarah & i had another lovely weekend with our brothers & sisters (church family). It’s fantastic as we live on the other side of the country to both our families which we miss! We had Vini on our 3rd Saturday sleep over in a row. We watched the Brazil match, played playStation & ate burgers!! 🙂 Also Phil, Sara & Hope came round and we played & sang music!
God has given us another blessed weekend! 🙂



Romans 12:10 Amplified Bible
Love one another with brotherly affection [as members of one family], giving precedence and showing honor to one another.
Calm Like A Bomb!

My lovely wife Sarah has just cooked and tried out the “Chick Pea, Potato & Spinach salad” (with Chilli Turbo) for RNIB’s magazine diabetic recipe section. They wanted me to take the photos for the magazine. They didn’t use this particular photo (my fave) as they didn’t like my sick wooden guitar spoon! It tasted great and i’d definitely have it again, but was almost too spicy as it nearly blew my head off! I would rename it “Calm like a bomb”!!! 😀
Work, Rest & Play! :)
Chessington World Of Adventures
This week i finally got to drive again after 14 years!! (see image of the custom car below)

Ben & i took Vini and 5 of his friends to Chessington world of adventures for his early birthday present. We all had a fantastic time going on rides, eating doughnuts and meeting the animals at the zoo.

⇧ Me & Vini ⇧

⇧ Me with a new friend ⇧

⇧ Me at the top of the log flume ready for the big drop! ⇧

⇧ Vini & Bruno on the log flume ⇧

⇧ A baby Gorilla ⇧

⇧ Tiger ⇧

⇧ Sea Lion ⇧

⇧ Goat ⇧
Cisswood House, Horsham RNIB Supporter Reception

⇧ Cisswood House ⇧
I once again pretended to be a photographer and went with Sarah to Cisswood House in Horsham to a supporter reception to interview some inspiring people. The day was fantastic and we met some truly amazing people who are simply inspiring, and also heard about some of the great services provided by RNIB
Relaxing At Sicily Restaurant

⇧ Me relaxing with a summertime special drink ⇧

⇧ Sarah also relaxing with my drink! lol. Only noticed it was my drink after zooming in on this photo! 🙂 ⇧
✞ Music “Bury The Workmen” by Unspoken
“Bury The Workmen”
Steven was a deacon in Jerusalem
They dragged him out those city gates to try and quiet him
When Steven preached those Pharisees started throwing stones
Before he died he raised his eyes and saw Jesus on the throne
(Chorus)
He said, You can bury the workmen but the work will go on
And you can silence the voices but you can’t stop the song
When the Spirit’s moving, His will will be done
You can bury the workmen but the work will go on
James was sent to Heaven at the edge of Herod’s sword
And Peter he was crucified like his beloved Lord
The Roman Colosseum, the lions and the fires
The gates of hell did not prevail, they fanned those flames higher
(Chorus)
Cause you can bury the workmen but the work will go on
And you can silence the voices but you can’t stop the song
When the Spirit’s moving, His will will be done
And you can bury the workmen but the work will go on
And then they lowered Jesus, they laid Him in a grave
They thought that it was over, that His name would fade away
But Jesus wasn’t listening, no, He rose to life again
Cause God is not persuaded by the arrogance of men
(Chorus) x2
So you can bury the workmen but the work will go on
And you can silence the voices but you can’t stop the song
When the Spirit’s moving, His will will be done
And you can bury the workmen but the work will go on
The Greatest Wonder That I Ever Heard
The greatest wonder that I ever heard of is that God should ever justify me. I feel myself to be a lumpy of unworthiness, a mass of corruption, and a heap of sin apart from His almighty love. I know and am fully assured that I am justified by faith which is in Christ Jesus, and I am treated as if I had been perfectly just and made an heir of God and a joint-heir with Christ. And yet, by nature I must take my place among the most sinful. I, who am altogether undeserving, am treated as if I had been deserving. I am loved with as much love as if I had always been Godly, whereas before I was ungodly. Who can help being astonished at this? Gratitude for such favor stands dressed in robes of wonder.
Charles H. Spurgeon
✞ Music “Stones Under Rushing Water” by NEEDTOBREATHE
“Stones Under Rushing Water”
Why don’t we dance anymore
I’m not ok with that
Why don’t we laugh anymore
I’m not ok with that
The years go by like stones under rushing water
We only know when it’s gone
Why don’t we smile anymore
I’m not ok with that
Why don’t we dance slowly
I’m not ok with that
The years go by like stones under rushing water
We only know when it’s gone
Why don’t we dance anymore
I’m not ok with that
The Beautiful Blessing Of Music

⇧ Photo of my fave owned guitar: Taylor GA Custom Macassar Ebony ⇧
I’ve been blessed so much this weekend by loving brothers & sisters and the beautiful blessing of music. This morning i was asked to play alongside a beautiful voice and sister in Christ Robyn for her friends (Emma) baptism this morning. As we were finishing the song “Love Came Down” and i was gently ending the song, i just had enough time to wipe the tears from my eeys (she sang it beautifully) It was a great honour for me to be asked to do this and i still can’t quite believe it now.
And….
Tonight during our evening service dear friend and loving sister Sara (the Voice) said she would sing for us tonight in our acoustic service with me and Sarah (her haunting woodwind moves my very bones), and if that isn’t enough….brother and great friend Phil (the immense guitar talent) also came along to play with us. I’ve never had so much fun, love or praise during a service before so just had to let you guys know how thankful, blessed & deeply moved i feel right now!
When i was learning guitar after being registered blind, i simply had no idea what Jesus had in store for me, and all i can say is…..
Thank you Jesus!
The best, most beautiful, and most perfect way that we have of expressing a sweet concord of mind to each other is by music.
Jonathan Edwards
Macro Message: The Flower Fades
Thought i would try another attempt at the ColorStrokes app!

Isaiah 40:8 English Standard Version Anglicised
The grass withers, the flower fades,
but the word of our God will stand for ever.
More 🌻Flowers & Objects
✞ Promise: Christ Has Welcomed & Received You
Romans 15:7 Amplified Bible
Welcome and receive [to your hearts] one another, then, even as Christ has welcomed and received you, for the glory of God.
A Wedding Sandwich
Well it’s been an emotional (but rewarding) couple of weeks with a wedding sandwiched between 2 funerals. 1st was Sarah’s Grans funeral (see 🌹Beautiful Rosa🌹) then my sisters wedding (see My Sisters Wedding) and today we celebrated Sarah’s Spiritual guide & support Audrey Broderick’s life at a beautiful and moving memorial service. During the service Audrey had requested a poem to be read and i thought i’d share it with you….
You can shed tears that she is gone
or you can smile because she has lived.You can close your eyes and pray that she’ll come back
or you can open your eyes and see all she’s left.Your heart can be empty because you can’t see her
or you can be full of the love you shared.You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday
or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.You can remember her and only that she’s gone
or you can cherish her memory and let it live on.You can cry and close your mind,
be empty and turn your back
or you can do what she’d want:
smile, open your eyes, love and go on.David Harkins, © 1981

August 11, 2014 

































Recent Comments