I’d like you to meet Brandon. He was one of my classmates during the semester I spent in Colorado Springs. Brandon is one of those people that have an infectious smile and a very uplifting attitude about life. He wouldn’t get in your face about it and if you didn’t pay attention you might miss him in a crowd. But Brandon was always there with encouragement when you needed someone to listen to your troubles. People would describe him as quiet but dependable and steady.

About halfway through the semester Brandon’s world was rocked. While at a movie with some of his fellow students he had a severe seizure. As if that wasn’t enough, it appeared that the seizure had been triggered by a lump on the front of his brain that was about the size of a golf ball.

Suddenly life looked different for Brandon. He began to brace himself for what appeared to be a difficult battle with cancer. Separated by distance from his family and close friends I’m sure there were times when he was intensely lonely. Nevertheless, we all realized very quickly that Brandon was still the same solid person.

He was determined to live every moment to the fullest while he was still healthy enough to do so, which is how I found myself on a climbing trip with him. Most of us were just excited to be away from books, assignments and classes. Brandon was excited to add one more experience to his life. You could see a certain steel in his gaze, see his jaw clench at the base of each climb and realize that for him this was more than just a contest between man and mountain. As Brandon descended from another successful ascent, I captured this moment which illustrates the courage and determination with which he faced life. I think that day of climbing meant more to him then we could imagine.

At the end of the semester, Brandon returned to North Carolina where he immediately prepared for brain surgery. Then something miraculous happened. The doctors couldn’t find the tumor! Another MRI was made and by the time it was all said and done four different doctors had confirmed that the tumor was gone. Even the neurosurgeon in Colorado Springs, who had found the tumor in the first place, confirmed that it no longer existed.

If you talk to Brandon today you will find that he believes in miracles and that for some purpose God reached down and removed that mass from his brain. He experienced the miracle of healing, an experience that changed his life forever.

There is a story behind just about every image we make. From time to time Emily and I would like to share a few of those stories with you. To kick things off I can’t think of a better subject than the one in this photo.

For those of you who know me and my family you probably think I’m getting ready to talk about my brother. And I will. But I’m talking about the other subject in this photo. The one right next to him. That’s right, this photo is about the snow.

My brother, sister and I have had a love affair with snow for as long as I can remember. We have my dad to thank for that. He shared his love of snow and winter with us from our earliest ages. As we’ve grown up that love for all things white has deepened. So much so that we anticipate snow fall as much as a child longs for Christmas morning.

This particular day was the Friday one week before Christmas in 2009. All the weather outlets had been calling for snow the previous two days. According to them it was a sure thing this time, but knowing North Carolina weather as I do I was pretty skeptical. However, as the warnings mounted, the grocery store parking lots filled, and the clouds started to move in I could not help but wonder, “Could this be it?”

Friday morning, as God Himself looked with favor on our weather forecasters, it began to snow right when they said it would. By 11:00 am the roads were covered and it wasn’t showing any signs of stopping. My wife and I gathered our ski gear and headed to my parents home trying to get as close to the ski slopes as possible.

My brother had already arrived and was putting the finishing touches on his ski edges. After the hugs, back slaps, and noisy I-told-you-so’s, there came a moment when we all stood there in the silence just looking at the beautiful snowflakes tumbling to the ground. Right after our moment of wonder this photo was made. Derrick’s face says it all. The look of joy mixed with the anticipation of skiing was mirrored in all our faces.

For some of you the memories surrounding that snow are of fear and desperation as roads became impassible and homes were left without heat. Even if you don’t like snow I hope you experienced similar joys as you gathered around a candle lit meal with your family or played in the snow the next day. Regardless, a white Christmas was enjoyed by all one week later and for those who traveled deep into the mountains there was still natural snow to be found one month later to the day.