Unlock spiritual history through photos
“Lord, this is the people what longs to see your face.” Psalm 24
Whose face do you long to see? What happens when you look at family pictures? What kind of faces do you see? Is your trip down memory lane a happy one or a bumpy one? Experience new peace and joy through family photo prayers.
Pray with a photo Therese scanned her dad’s collection of family photos and discovered the face of God smiling back at her, even through the tears. Here is something you can do to find the face of God.
Step one: Enter God’s presence with your photo and with a hymn or an “Our Father.”
Step two: Pray: “Jesus, when I look at this photo I feel…….
Step three: Thank God for something about this person or about your relationship.
Step four: Father in heaven, you made each of us in the likeness of your Son and you send your Spirit to restore us in that image. Touch the hearts of our loved ones with your love. Use us as a source of blessing. Send us as witnesses of your joy and peace. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Give Your Family Photos God’s Voice
1. Try story webbing to get in touch with the meaning of your photo. Start with a word that comes to mind when you look at it. Draw a circle around the word and generate more words, until one word or phrase strikes you as a good beginning for a description of the photo.
Example: This is one of Harry’s good bye photos taken with his grandfather in 1943, just before he left for war in the South Pacific. It was Grandpa Barton who had taught him carpentry. It was Grandpa who told him not to take a second drink until the ice cubes in the first one melted. And it was Grandpa who sang so many songs during family gatherings. That day in 1943, Grandpa had one more thing to share. He gave Harry a Soldier’s Prayer to use every day, in Saipan, in Okinawa and in a dozen horrible places. And by God’s grace Harry would return in 1945 and have two more years to enjoy his grandfather.
2. How was God present in the events behind your picture? What place does this photo have in the story of your family’s faith journey? How could you share this piece of family heritage with loved ones?
3. With whom would you want to share your photo and the story behind it? Write a brief note to this person about this photo. Share what is says to you about God’s love in your family.
4. Consider combining 5 to 10 photos with a few mini-stories about your life or a parent’s life. Include one or two faith sharing stories in the mix. Don’t go overboard with “spiritualizing” every photo. Let God work through a few well-placed faith stories. Start a diary or blog about your experience of viewing photos and preparing them for sharing with your family.
Tips for preserving photos and the faith stories behind them
- Handle photos by the edges or with gloves. Pray with them often.
- Keep photos out of attics, basements and direct sunlight.
- Label photos with a soft pencil. Collect longer captions for an album insert.
- Copy important photos with a scanner (setting of at least 300 dpi or 600 dpi).
- Store photos with your captions, notes, faith stories and plans for the collection.
- Copy black and white photos IN COLOR. Use archival paper, pages and albums.
- Ask a family member to help you sort photos for sharing with everyone.