Speed Rewind -- Influential People and Memorable Places:

I had a great opportunity to spend 4 months training for work in Washington DC.  I made excellent use of my time visiting many influential people and memorable places.  Here is a speed-rewind of the hundreds of pictures I captured during my journeys.

I have been a "follower" of Dr. Mark Dever, Pastor at Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington DC for several years. During my time in DC, one of my must-do stops was CHBC.  I thoroughly enjoyed their worship, Mr. Brad Wheeler's sermon, and talking with Mark.  He saw that I was a visitor and actually approached me and sat beside me as we talked for several minutes.  Thank you, Mark and CHBC.

This is a monument to William Wallace (think "Braveheart").  During the early days of my short time in DC, I decided to tour Baltimore, the City of Monuments.  It was a great experience, and this picture represents all the many monuments I enjoyed seeing during my city "scavenger hunt", including Martin Luther, Generals Lee and Jackson, and General Pulaski, to name a few.

Visiting soldiers in Gettysburg, PA.  I appreciate what these re-enactors are doing to keep history alive.  It truly is a dedication of service to spend so many weekends away from their family in order to educate people like me.

The Flight 93 memorial in Stoystown, PA.  This was a memorable visit because of what it represented.  Although every passenger and crew member died that tragic 9/11 day, this spot marks the place where a group of courageous Sheepdogs fought and died to save their fellow countrymen from further tragedy.  Thank you to everyone on board.  We may never fully know what you prevented that day.

Darrin Patrick, Pastor at The Journey church in Missouri.  He is also the author of "The Dude's Guide to Manhood", one of my favorite (and highly recommended for men) reads of 2014.  He was the guest speaker at Covenant Life Church in Gaithersburg, MD in May and he was gracious to let me say hi and get a picture with him.

Mr. Joshua Harris, Pastor of Covenant Life Church in Gaithersburg, MD and author of several books, including "Dug Down Deep" and "Humble Orthodoxy".  What a truly good man.  Although the church hosts about a thousand people, Joshua was very gracious to greet me every time he saw me, and took time to talk with me about my stay.  I truly wish I could get to know him better.  He is just one of those genuinely great people we all like to know.  Joshua is a leader in the truest sense of the word.

One of my favorite hidden places in Bow, NH.  This picture represents the many angles of beauty I witnessed in God's artistic creation there.  Ice, snow, sunsets, rocks, raging waters.  True beauty.  

This is the fallen trooper memorial wall inside the Pennsylvania State Police Training Academy -- a truly classy memorial to the fallen heroes of PA.

And what would we do without chocolate in our world?  Need I say more about Hershey, PA?

Inside the Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia, PA.  If you ever get a chance to visit, the tour is worth the $14 admission price.  ESP is where Al Capone spent about 1 year of his incarceration.

Given my career path, it seemed fitting to visit the US Supreme Court.  This picture represents the grand structures all around DC, signifying the great strength and wealth of our great country.  I pray that we will, as a country, never forget how much God has blessed us.  I pray that we will one day return to face Him.

How could I NOT get a picture with my namesake?

My beautiful wife with me in DC.  Having little ones, this is one of a few pictures we have alone together.  The blossoms in the background smelled so good as the breeze blew through them.

Ummmmm...Super Orioles Fan?  Here's what I admired about him: he didn't care what people thought about his looks or the chilly temps.  He loves his Baltimore Orioles, and he loved interacting with the fans, even though he didn't get to watch much of the game against the Red Sox.

Hiking the Appalachian Trail, this mammoth rock sits in its place.  I wonder how it got there, and how it didn't roll down the steep hillside.

From Jefferson Rock on the Appalachian Trail overlooking the Shenandoah River near Harper's Ferry, WV.  The view was grand and glorious and my camera couldn't possibly capture it all.

I found this raging water fall hidden from traffic view off the Potomac River near Harper's Ferry.  The violence of the water was loud, of biblical proportions, in fact.  If 2 people stood next to each other, they would have to yell to hear each other over the crashing water.  I put my feet in the cold water, and it was truly invigorating.