Author Archives: Stephen Hufman

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About Stephen Hufman

A physician in Family Medicine for the last 35 years, now concentrating on writing and photography. My intention is to encourage and strengthen people in the Lord. In all things I hope to be pleasing to Jesus who has given me so much. The photography is all taken by me. I use a Canon 5D mark 3, and Canon G10.

Light of Life

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morning light
The right light makes this photograph beautiful. It is the same for our life.

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12

Later in the chapter Jesus explains what He means by, “I am the light of the world.”

“Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going. John 8:14

I struggle with that fact all the time. When traveling I hate to ask for directions, because then I have to admit I do not know what way is right. It is the same for the right way to go in life.

With all the debate about how to stop the mass killings, how to deal with immigration, what to do with millions of refugees, we need to admit we don’t know where we are going, and follow the light of the world.

He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8

Reflecting the Light

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mountain reflection

I can either obstruct the light and become part of the shadows, or reflect the light and be part of the kingdom of light.

“He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me, scatters.” -Jesus, Luke 11:23

Tangled

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cedar tree roots entangled in rocks

Tree roots in a tangled knot


Every man’s way is right in his own eyes,
But the Lord weighs the hearts. Proverbs 21:2

Trying to sort things out (choices, direction, motives, etc.), can be very difficult, because as the verse says all my ways seem Godly to me. So how do I know when I am pleasing to God, or just pleasing myself?

I can’t. All I can do is ask for help.

Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24

When I think I know the way, that is when I start to wander.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight.
Do not be wise in your own eyes;
Fear the Lord and turn away from evil. Proverbs 3:5-7

New Creation

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Sun light through mountain clouds highlighting cascading ridges

When light and clouds turn the ordinary into extraordinary.


Amazing how sunlight and clouds can take what a minute ago appeared ordinary and hardly worth looking at, into something breathtaking. Often we have a similar lack of understanding when looking at our own lives, or at the lives of people we meet. Even our appreciation of Jesus is flat and unremarkable. This happens when we look with worldly eyes, very little is perceived, and we move on. But if we let the glory of the Son of God shine upon us, then everything is cast in a new light. We see far beyond the ordinary and behold the eternal. Next time you get down on yourself, or on someone else, remember — in Christ that which looks dry and worthless can become a glorious new creation.

“So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:16-17)

Dawn Speaks

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The morning sun breaking through swirling clouds

Sunrise breaking through the morning mist

The difference in elevation between gray flat sunrise and this picture is no more than 100 feet (35 meters). You can see the tops of the pine trees below, they were in a thick fog. A few moments later the fog floated up and swallowed me. What a marvelous morning.
This can be applied to life in so many ways. Rather than make some lengthy discussion I will just quote a few verses and let you the reader ponder.

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him.” (Lamentations 3:22-24)

The stone the builders rejected
has become the capstone;
the Lord has done this,
and it is marvelous in our eyes.
This is the day the Lord has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:22-24)

So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:16-17)

If this picture speaks to you in some way please add to the comments.

Life is —

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Rainbow coming from aspen grove

Rainbow, a promise of life. Genesis 9:13-15

Life is a gift, given on my birthday.
The moments start rolling each one a tick of the clock.
Life is each now, yet I overlook it waiting for something else.
Life is more delicate than how I treat it.
Life is beautiful, yet often my mind rummages in darkness.
Life is in family, yet I ignore those around me for my smart phone.
Life is loving others, yet my own desires are preeminent.
Life is to enjoy, yet I’m never satisfied with what I have.
Life is laughing at yourself, yet I never get what’s so funny.
Life is listening to the birds sing, yet I only hear the sound of money.
Life is a gentle breeze, yet I push against it.
Life is a gift, yet I am too distracted to receive it.
Lord give me the gift of life, then help me to live it.

Just What I Need

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Sunrise announces a great day.

Sunrise announces a great day.


Turn, O Lord, and deliver me;
save me because of your unfailing love. (Psalm 6:4)

A prayer of King David given to us by God to pray for ourselves and our families. The wonder of this prayer is the deliverance comes not because David was such a man of God, but because of God’s unfailing love. That is what I need, for no matter what I have done, or others are doing to me, I can fall upon the unfailing love of God and pray for deliverance.

Background Music

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The sun is the background music for the pines

The sun is the background music for the pines

My granddaughter is constantly singing while she plays. It is wonderful and brings me great joy just listening to her voice. This eavesdropping on my granddaughter reminds me that we all have songs playing in the background. Oh to have a good song rolling through us, just like my granddaughter, for it gives joy to all who hear it. Unfortunately, some of us have distressing clamor playing in the background instead of wonderful music, fitful cries of hurt, pain, or anxiety. This dissonance subtracts from life, instead joy we spread clamor. This is not the way life is supposed to be, but we are trapped unable to change what plays in our life. This is where Psalm 118 is so wonderful. A prayer given to us over two thousand years ago and is still filled with power and meaning. Listen to the Psalmist…

“I was pushed back and about to fall,
but the Lord helped me.
The LORD is my strength and my song;
he has become my salvation.” (Psalm 118:13-14)

The psalmist teetered about to fall, when the salvation of the LORD came in, becoming his strength and song. But what does the “salvation of the LORD” mean? Further into the psalm it gives the answer.

“The LORD’s’s right hand has done mighty things!
The LORD’s right hand is lifted high;
the LORD’s right hand has done mighty things!” (Psalm 118:15-16)

The reference here is to the Messiah, Jesus. He is the LORD’s right hand.

“Open for me the gates of righteousness;
I will enter and give thanks to the Lord.
This is the gate of the LORD
through which the righteous may enter.
I will give you thanks, for you answered me;
you have become my salvation.
The stone the builders rejected
has become the capstone;
the LORD has done this,
and it is marvelous in our eyes.” (Psalm 118:19-23)

God tells us through the Messiah we can enter the gates of righteousness, and He becomes our strength and song. Then, when thoughts of hurt, pain or anxiety try to take over I can say: “In the name of the LORD I cut you off” (verses 10-12). Replacing the noise with the song of my God, “Oh, Immanuel.”