Ryan Seaton (previously with Signature Sound) recently launched his solo career with an intimate debut concert. It was an incredible night full of love and support. The remarkable and palatable sense of energy still has me excited three weeks later. He sang, he talked, and he stood, overwhelmed with emotion, before an erupting crowd of family, friends and fans. We loved every moment along with him.

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After all the excitement and necessary mushing and gushing, Ry and I recorded a random interview of sorts that says more about our goofiness than anything.

The Chicago conference has taken place since we recorded this…but there’s still three more stops to go. Spread the word, take a friend, and doooooo it!

www.therebelution.com/conference

The Rebelution conference tour kicked off last month in Louisville, KY with 1300 young people and parents in attendance. This event is a special favorite of mine, so I was thrilled to be there as a photographer. I had a blast capturing the happenings, meeting people, and seeing the team at work behind the scenes. It was a wonderful and heart-moving day. Lives were changed and God was glorified!

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Segway Olympics: www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsnpzwK0kL4

The National Youth Ministry Conference (hosted by Group) took place in Columbus this weekend. Alex & Brett Harris were keynote speakers on Friday to the over 2,000 youth pastors and workers in attendance, sharing stories of the big, hard things young people – even the most unlikely of them – can accomplish for God. Everyone was really encouraged by their testimony and excited to take that mindset back to their uniquely challenging places of ministry.

I had the privilege of managing the Rebelution booth and it was neat to talk with people, answer questions, hear stories, and introduce this message that has personally impacted my life. The world of youth workers is unlike anything I’ve experienced before! Three days of great people and interesting conversations, with interludes for friends, photos, and flying leaps into sack chairs. It was an altogether exciting, exhausting, and stretching (of course it would be…) experience that I was blessed to be part of.

Photos:

NYMC 09 : Day 1

NYMC 09 : Day 2 & 3

video coming soon…

Special thanks to Matthew – my lifeline!! Also to Joseph P. for saving the day, and to the fab people at Group Publishing for being so welcoming and supportive. To Susan and Greg for being my buddies. And finally, to my bodyguards. You rock. =)

A couple weeks ago I had the chance to shoot my favorite bunch of guys in concert, for the first time since using an SLR. It was so fun to capture the Signature Sound concert experience that I love! Major props to my brother Christopher for catching all the details off stage.

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Video: What Ohioans Do At Campaign Rallies

That’s Freedom Hall, not “Freedo”…

[concert photos on flickr]

Gloria Gaither…many are the songs we know by her!

The “gentle giant”, Ben Isaacs

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My mom and I are here in Louisville taking in a couple days of the National Quartet Convention, a large Southern Gospel music event. Which basically means LOTS of people, lots of singing, and lots o’ pictures. It’s quite overwhelming, but we’re having fun! Here’s a look at yesterday.

Waiting for an afternoon concert showcase with my friend Lexia…

[concert photos on flickr]

Mum and I with three members of the Gaither Vocal Band – Wes Hampton, Guy Penrod, and Marsh Hall

Pianist Stan Whitmire – I love his style…

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My second 5k race went to the dogs…literally. Last Saturday was the Dog Jog downtown, where two and four-legged runners turned out to pound the pavement and support the local animal shelter. For the dog-less among us (guess who) , you could “rent-a-dog” from the shelter, and I was handed the lease to a friendly pooch named Libby. She dragged me around to sniff everything possible before the race and jogged along quite happily once we got going, before tuckering out halfway through.

This was the first time my dad and I have ever run together….and he totally showed me up! (So not fair when I’m the one making all those trips to the gym.) We finished in 39:24 (3 min. under my last race – woot!) and he could’ve easily outrun me. Which he won’t let me forget, either. As it was he got second place in his age group while I was still gasping for breath!

I see a rematch in our future…

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Gaithersburg, MD was the final stop of the Rebelution ’08 conference this past Saturday. 3200 people filled the sanctuary and spilled into the aisles of Covenant Life Church. And I was so blessed to be one of them!

It was a special day of challenge, conviction, and inspiration. You can’t listen to these messages – to Alex, Brett, & Mr. Harris sharing passionately from their hearts – without feeling the truthful impact anew in your own.

“We think we’re getting away with something, but we’re actually being robbed.”

“God is not glorified when people limit themselves to what comes easy.”

“Every command of God is a delivery system for something good He wants you to have. It’s also a protection from something bad.”

“To actually change something requires that you actually change something.”

There was also the happiness of being reunited with friends and familiar faces, and conversations with new ones, along with plenty of laughter, flying foam rockets, and mad twin skills. *smile*

Most importantly, it was a day woven with moments, and tears, of humble gratefulness to God for His truly Amazing Grace.

And I wouldn’t trade that for anything.

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[photos by me unless noted]

Day one of our whirlwind brother-sister weekend road trip…so many sights, so little time! It’s been GREAT. Here’s a peek at what we saw today…

Mount Vernon, George Washington’s home…

I was a little awe-struck to be walking around where this incredible man once lived!

George & Martha Washington’s tomb

Arlington National Cemetery – Tomb of The Unknown Soldier. Standing there really brought out the reality of how much so many have sacrificed…people I never knew, but who made all the difference…it was humbling and touching. I am so thankful!!

After 8 hours in the car and 4 more on foot…yeah, you could say I was tired…

:: Complete Photo Album Here ::