#Testament ‘22

[thepastisalreadywritten]

—

In Byron Smith’s new photography book, Ukrainians are pictured fleeing by any means possible — crammed into cars with pet dogs, waiting to board trains to Poland, or simply taking to suburban streets with infants and backpacks in hand.

As a photojournalist whose work often focuses on the plight of migrants (a mission that has taken him from Greek refugee camps to the battle for ISIS-controlled Mosul, Iraq, in 2016 and 2017), his instinct was quite the opposite: to run toward the danger.

“I feel like if you see these masses of people fleeing, it would be fake for me to really sympathize with them if I didn't go and see what they were fleeing from,” Smith told CNN in a video interview from Istanbul, Turkey.

Documenting Smith’s travels through Ukraine in the year following Russia’s unprovoked invasion in February 2022, “Testament ‘22 – A Visual Road Diary Through a War Zone” is a contemplative portrait of a nation at war.

The 192-page tome juxtaposes color with monochrome, defiance with despair, hope with fear.

—

The title references “My Testament,” an 1845 poem by Taras Shevchenko in which the author asks to be buried among the fields, rivers and steppes of his “beloved Ukraine.”

The photographer recalled reading it as he first ventured to Kyiv.

“It's pretty much (Shevchenko’s) last will and testament... And I'm riding into this war zone, the Russians are invading and I’m like, ‘Wow, I actually don't have a will and testament for myself, for my parents or family, or even anything to really leave behind for anybody.’

That played on me a bit, and it became the backbone for the story.”

The book serves, too, as a testament to the people of Ukraine, whose stories Smith felt compelled to share with the world.

Its publisher, Verlag Kettler, believes the photographer’s body of work can contribute to the “overwhelming evidence” of Russian crimes.

xxx

[blueskittlesart]

putting them in the torment nexus (college) with me

[beauty-funny-trippy]

This is an image of Jesus celebrating Hanukkah, but I think the AI may have got a few things wrong.

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

Balaam, the Donkey, and the Angel

21 So in the morning Balaam got up, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.

22 Then God’s anger was kindled because Balaam was going along, and the angelb of the LORD stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding his donkey, and his two servants were with him.

23 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, she turned off the path and went into a field. So Balaam beat her to return her to the path.

24 Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow passage between two vineyards, with walls on either side. 25 And the donkey saw the angel of the LORD and pressed herself against the wall, crushing Balaam’s foot against it. So he beat her once again.

26 And the angel of the LORD moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn to the right or left. 27 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam, and he became furious and beat her with his staff.

28 Then the LORD opened the donkey’s mouth, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you that you have beaten me these three times?”

29 Balaam answered the donkey, “You have made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now!”

30 But the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not the donkey you have ridden all your life until today? Have I ever treated you this way before?”

“No,” he replied.

31 Then the LORD opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand. And Balaam bowed low and fell facedown.

32 The angel of the LORD asked him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to oppose you, because your way is perversec before me. 33 The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away, then by now I would surely have killed you and let her live.”

34 “I have sinned,” Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, “for I did not realize that you were standing in the road to confront me. And now, if this is displeasing in your sight, I will go back home.”

35 But the angel of the LORD said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but you are to speak only what I tell you.” So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.

36 When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the Moabite city on the Arnon border, at the edge of his territory. 37 And he said to Balaam, “Did I not send you an urgent summons? Why did you not come to me? Am I really not able to richly reward you?”

38 “See, I have come to you,” Balaam replied, “but can I say just anything? I must speak only the word that God puts in my mouth.”

39 So Balaam accompanied Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth. — Numbers 22:21-39 | Majority Standard Bible (MSB) The Holy Bible, Majority Standard Bible is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee. This text of God’s Word has been dedicated to the public domain. Cross References: Genesis 21:19; Exodus 4:24; Exodus 23:20; Numbers 14:40; Numbers 21:13; Numbers 22:40; Joshua 5:13; 1 Samuel 15:24; 2 Chronicles 18:13; Proverbs 12:10; Isaiah 16:12; Matthew 15:19; James 1:19; 2 Peter 2:15-16

Read full chapter

Story of Balaam - Prophet and Talking Donkey in the Bible?

[sheltiechicago]

November, 2022

A journey through Ukraine: living in a war zone – in pictures

Byron Smith spent six months travelling across the battle-torn nation, meeting injured civilians, amateur bomb-makers and daredevil swimmers

Testament ’22: A Year of War in Ukraine is available via Smitty Books All photographs: Byron Smith

July, 2022

April, 2022

June, 2022

[magdelena2021]

Exodus 22 - God continues giving Moses the law; to day He reminds Israel that they must not mistreat foreigners living among them because they themselves were foreigners in Egypt. That seems to be a very timely phrase for us to ponder during the current administration.

Mark 10 - When a young man asks how to follow the Lord, Jesus suggests that he sell all he has and follow Jesus. The man, who is rich, goes away sadly, and Jesus observes how hard it is for rich people to move their eyes away from earthly profit to seek out riches in spirit from the Lord.

Psalm 72 - David sings a prayer for the King, and then blesses the Lord.

[lesbiangiratina]

Okay waking up to watch this auction end kind of fucked me over i did not sleep well after that but like it was so worth it

[404-found]

It Was Never a Test

You’ve heard the story preached a hundred times, “God tested Abraham’s faith by commanding him to sacrifice Isaac.” But there’s something deeper here, a truth we often miss. Because, let’s always remember something very crucial about God. He is sovereign. He already knew Abraham’s heart. He already saw Abraham’s obedience. He already knew exactly how this would end. This wasn’t God nervously…

[pastorhogg]

When Kings Clash

Lessons from Three Thrones Thru the Bible in a Year In today’s journey through 2 Chronicles 19–22, we meet three kings of Judah. One walked closely with God. The others? Not so much. This isn’t just a historical narrative—it’s a mirror. The decisions, alignments, and legacies of these men give us insight into what happens when leadership is guided by conviction—or corrupted by…

[dumas1969]

Brought Near

Ephesians 2:11-22 Although we, like the Ephesians, were separated from God, we have now been brought near through the sacrificial death of Jesus and so are, along with believing Israel, a part of the Church built on the Apostles and Prophets aka the Scriptures and indwelt by the Spirit. That is good news. We who were without access now have access. We were excluded but now are included. We were…

[robynsassenmyview]

"Gut punches and belly laughs", a review of 'Exit Wounds: A Story of Love, Loss and Occasional Wars' by Peter Godwin, published in 2024 by Picador Africa, an imprint of Pan Macmillan.

[take-note-of-this]

Where God Dwells: Understanding Temple (Part 4)

Photograph by K. Mitch Hodge. From unsplash.com This is the fourth part in an ongoing series exploring the significance of temple in the Bible and in our own modern culture. Thus far, we’ve covered the significance of temples, the form and function of ancient Near Eastern temples, the distinctive aspects of the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem, and the historical development of the theme of…

[granonine]

The Offensive Altar

Joshua 22: 10-12. And when they came unto the borders of Jordan, that are in the land of Canaan, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh built there an altar by Jordan, a great altar to see to.And the children of Israel heard say, Behold, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh have built an altar over against the land…

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

I and the Father are One

22 And the dedication in Jerusalem came, and it was winter,

23 and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the porch of Solomon,

24 the Jews, therefore, came round about him, and said to him, `Till when our soul dost thou hold in suspense? if thou art the Christ, tell us freely.’

25 Jesus answered them, `I told you, and ye do not believe; the works that I do in the name of my Father, these testify concerning me;

26 but ye do not believe, for ye are not of my sheep,

27 according as I said to you: My sheep my voice do hear, and I know them, and they follow me,

28 and life age-during I give to them, and they shall not perish – to the age, and no one shall pluck them out of my hand;

29 my Father, who hath given to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to pluck out of the hand of my Father;

30 I and the Father are one.’ — John 10:22-30 | Young’s Literal Translation (YLT) Young’s Literal Translation of the Holy Bible is in the public domain. Cross References: Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 27:3; Isaiah 66:22; Jeremiah 23:4; Mark 8:32; Luke 22:67; John 1:19; John 5:36; John 8:47; John 10:4; John 10:14; John 10:21; John 10:37; John 14:28; John 17:21; Acts 3:11; Acts 5:12

Read full chapter

What did Jesus mean when He said, “I and the Father are one in”?

[sheltiechicago]

March, 2022

Testament ’22 is Byron Smith’s debut monograph documenting his journey across battle-torn Ukraine during the first year after Russia’s invasion. Smith documents Ukrainians forced to leave their homes and worldly possessions and confront an uncertain future. Here we see a group who fled Irpin, a suburb of Kyiv that has seen heavy fighting and shelling. 

A journey through Ukraine: living in a war zone – in pictures

Byron Smith spent six months travelling across the battle-torn nation, meeting injured civilians, amateur bomb-makers and daredevil swimmers

Testament ’22: A Year of War in Ukraine is available via Smitty Books All photographs: Byron Smith

February, 2022

March, 2022

July, 2022

[shamballalin]

The Truth About The Life of Mary Magdalene and Jesus ~ Your True Nature ~ Repost

The diseases of the Soul are born from ignorance and false belief, thefoundation of popular indoctrinations in most all religions of our time.Everyone has free will to remain in Soul-sapping beliefs, or to begin theSoul-healing process of discovering what both Jesus and Mary Magdalene taught. Remember, it was only in the year 591 CE that Pope Gergory I erroneouslysuggested that Mary Magdalene…