whispers of
(Featured posts)
I have been counting down the days to get back to this beach for months. To be perfectly honest, if I am being truthful with myself, it has really been since the day I left last year. The moment that plane touched down and the door opened, I felt something
by Janet Gustin, Jul 26, 2026
I had wanted to see the Galápagos ever since I first heard about it, briefly, in a school classroom years earlier, always wondering what could possibly make a place so famous. Planning the trip itself was the easy part. Being a planner does not make you brave, and I felt
by Janet Gustin, Jul 01, 2026
I live across the street from a nature preserve. Once a year they bring in goats for weed abatement and I look forward to this week with real anticipation — the kind that has me watching out the window for the truck to arrive. There is something special about these goats.
by Janet Gustin, Jun 01, 2026
I was fourteen the first time I walked into a hall of mirrors at a carnival. I remember the noise outside — the lights, the smell of popcorn, the whole colorful spinning world of it. And then stepping through that entrance into something completely disorienting. Every direction I turned, there I
by Janet Gustin, May 01, 2026
My father told me repeatedly I would never amount to anything. But THE Father told me I am a winner. As I sit here in front of my computer I want you to know I am not writing this from a safe comfortable distance. I grew up with an alcoholic
by Janet Gustin, Apr 01, 2026
So here is an embarrassing confession: I used to scroll right past some of the greatest wildlife photographers in history. Not because their work was not incredible—but because they shot in black and white. I know. I KNOW. In my defense, I have only been doing photography for a
by Janet Gustin, Mar 01, 2026
They had just come back from a car trip around the block with my husband. I was sitting on the couch when Akuna came bounding toward me, tail wagging—a rare moment of pure joy from a dog who had known so little of it in recent months. My heart
by Janet Gustin, Feb 01, 2026
It's January 1st, and I'm doing what everyone does—looking back, taking stock, even thinking about resolutions I'll maybe keep for a week or two. But here's what I can't figure out: I remember last year's moments perfectly,
by Janet Gustin, Jan 01, 2026
This December, my Christmas gift to you isn't wrapped in winter. It's wrapped in Florida sunshine and cotton candy pink feathers. Because the best gifts often come in unexpected packages—and sometimes what we need most in the grey wintery season is a reminder that joy
by Janet Gustin, Dec 01, 2025
The dirt road crests the hill and there it is - Bodie, California's most famous ghost town, preserved in a state of arrested decay. From 1859 to the early 1900s, this gold rush boomtown swelled to nearly 10,000 souls chasing fortune in the Sierra Nevada hills. Sixty-five
by Janet Gustin, Nov 01, 2025
The dust cloud appeared first— like a white wall rising against the Eastern Sierra peaks. Then they came thundering over the ridge: fifty wild mustangs flowing down the hillside like liquid freedom made visible. I barely got my camera up in time to catch them streaming past—manes flying, hooves
by Janet Gustin, Oct 01, 2025
One photographer completely stuck in the mud. Then another. And another…Here we were, providing the morning's entertainment while the tide kept rising and we kept sinking. And our audience? A bear sitting on the beach, scratching behind his ear with what I can only describe as amused
by Janet Gustin, Sep 01, 2025
The invitation came wrapped in exhaustion and possibility—another chance to witness God's whispers in the wild. Lake Clark, Alaska called, promising coastal brown bears and the raw beauty that only comes from places where humans are visitors, not residents. I had no idea I was about to
by Janet Gustin, Aug 01, 2025
The invitation came unexpectedly—a chance to photograph kit foxes on an island. I had no idea what awaited me beyond the boat ride and the promise of "adorable babies." But isn't that how the most transformative experiences often begin? With a simple yes to something
by Janet Gustin, Jul 01, 2025
The boat rocked gently beneath me as we drifted through the pre-dawn stillness of Blue Cypress Lake. Can you picture it? That moment when the world holds its breath—not quite night, not yet day—when possibilities hang suspended in the air like the Spanish moss draping from ancient
by Janet Gustin, Jun 01, 2025
The morning mist hung low over the lake as I walked the empty path, my footsteps muffled by damp earth. That's when I spotted him—perched awkwardly on a weathered log extending from the shoreline, a solitary duck that instantly made me pause. I'm ashamed to
by Janet Gustin, May 01, 2025
It happened in a misty rainforest in Hawaii. Dawn was just breaking, and I stood still amid emerald vegetation dripping with dew. That's when I heard it—a pure, unwavering song cutting through the gentle rainfall. Following the sound, I spotted a tiny bird perched on a rain-
by Janet Gustin, Apr 01, 2025
"How many are Your works, LORD! In wisdom You made them all … There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number—living things both large and small.” Psalms104 In the depths of Maui's waters swims one of God's most magnificent creatures - the
by Janet Gustin, Mar 01, 2025
You will live in joy and peace. The mountains and hills will burst into song, and the trees of the field will clap their hands! Isaiah 55 It is easy to be swept away by the aesthetic beauty of God's creative imagination when viewing the colors of a
by Janet Gustin, Feb 01, 2025
What do bald eagles, black oystercatchers, harbor seals and me [a very amateur photographer] have in common? One might guess we were all at the same place in Canada — at the same time. That would be true, but we have more than that in common. Most importantly, we each have
by Janet Gustin, Jan 01, 2025
O Lord, what a variety of things You have made! In wisdom You have made them all. The earth is full of Your creatures. Psalms 104 My heart's desire this past year, was to share with you the heart of God as revealed through His creation. I never
by Janet Gustin, Dec 01, 2024
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to come face to face with a lion? What comes to your mind when you think of a lion? You might think something simple like, it is a big cat, or you may think of the endearing image in the “Lion
by Janet Gustin, Nov 01, 2024
I would fly far away to the quiet of the wilderness. Psalms 55 Have you ever wished you could get away from all the stress? I believe we all have those seasons of life when we feel like the world around us is spiraling out of control and we just
by Janet Gustin, Oct 01, 2024
Something that appeals to all of us are the escapades of fictional adventures like “Raiders of the lost Ark”… but even better are those stories about real life adventures. I have often found myself in awe of the courage that it takes to venture out to distant places. I was
by Janet Gustin, Sep 01, 2024
In my longing to learn photography, I have come to recognize that I am not just snapping images, rather, I have been given a chance to capture a visual story. Although I have never been a writer, I have a deep desire to become a skillful story teller. In this
by Janet Gustin, Aug 01, 2024
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Declaration of Independence Each year the 4th of July celebration stands as a reminder
by Janet Gustin, Jul 01, 2024
The troubles in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the troubles to be more than you can stand. When you are troubled, He[God] will show you a way out so that you can endure. 1 Corinthians 10 This
by Janet Gustin, Jun 01, 2024
The handiwork in God’s nature garden is in full swing. Similar to a gift being unwrapped, this activity of spring has awakened a stirring within my own heart, a yearning for my life to blossom once more. Therefore, I ask the question, what is necessary for this growth to
by Janet Gustin, May 01, 2024
As the last droplets of ice sparkle in the light, I find myself delighting in the sun as it has begun to melt away the winter season. Soon all of creation will erupt with the hope that this new life brings. I am not the only one who has perceived
by Janet Gustin, Apr 01, 2024
As I sit in the warmth of my home listening to the patter of the rain, I thought of the words from a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow; “Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall”. This quotation illustrates a truth we have all experienced at one time or another. Listening
by Janet Gustin, Mar 01, 2024
Have you ever had the “after holiday blues” or possibly the “winter blues”? Are the grey days getting you down? Could it be, that I’m not the only one just laying around? Now that the social gatherings with friends and families have subsided, along with the many demands of
by Janet Gustin, Feb 01, 2024
HAPPY NEW YEAR! It is crazy to imagine that in the span of 24 hours, one year has ended and another year has officially begun. This new year is sure to be filled with the “unknowns” of tomorrow but also the wonderment of the many “possibilities” life has yet to
by Janet Gustin, Jan 01, 2024
Who else has held the oceans in His hand? Who has measured off the heavens with His fingers? Who else knows the weight of the earth or has weighed the mountains and hills on a scale?…To whom can you compare God? Isaiah 40 The Christmas story is not only
by Janet Gustin, Dec 10, 2023
I will give thanks to You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, And will glorify Your name forever. Psalm 86 Writing this months blog has proven to be more difficult than I imagined. How hard can it be to write about thankfulness? Have you watched the news lately?
by Janet Gustin, Nov 01, 2023
And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it… 1 Corinthians 12 Catastrophe, apocalypse, calamity, tragedy … these are just a few of the words used to describe what happened on August 8, 2023 in the beautiful town of Lahaina, Maui. In reality there are no words that can
by Janet Gustin, Oct 01, 2023
A joyful heart makes a cheerful face, But when the heart is sad, the spirit is broken. Proverbs 15 Have you noticed, even with all the marvelous advances in technology, not only is the world racing by with intensified speed but it remains challenging for most of us to find
by Janet Gustin, Sep 02, 2023
At long last, I am sitting in front of my laptop reflecting upon my recent trip with the bald eagles. I am reminded that God speaks to us every day by means of His incredible creation, giving Him a voice that we can hear with our eyes, directing us to
by Janet Gustin, Aug 04, 2023
The Bald Eagle is recognized as the national symbol of the United States. It represents strength, courage, longevity, and most of all, freedom. There are several types of eagles throughout the world, but the bald eagle is indigenous to North America. Unlike their name, the bald eagle is not actually
by Janet Gustin, Jul 09, 2023
I would like to introduce you to the Galapagos Duck, also known as the White-Cheeked Pintail Duck, an endemic sub species that is found in the Galapagos Islands. They are shy and fearful birds who usually build their nests on the ground near water, often concealed under the vegetation
by Janet Gustin, Jun 16, 2023
For ever since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through His workmanship [all His creation, the wonderful things that He has made],… Romans 1:20 Day in and day out, all year long, God is speaking
by Janet Gustin, May 30, 2023
I’m excited for the opportunity to share my photos. Even though I am still a beginner in this craft and have so much to learn, none of this would be possible without the help of some very special people in my life. Having become a part of the whale
by Janet Gustin, May 29, 2023