Every once in a while, I hear a story that stops me in my tracks. It seems that this month has been full of moments and stories like this for our Blue Moon family. When it rains, it pours… that’s what they say right? However with a little inspiration from an unexpected place, we remain confident that we will weather these troubling times until the sun comes back around. The inspiration I speak of comes from a long time Blue Moon vendor, Pastor Sheraton Walls. I have walked by his shop at Blue Moon countless times without ever really appreciating the simplistic beauty of his photograph titled, “Walk by Faith.” It wasn’t until recently, when I heard Pastor Walls story for the first time, that I understood why this photograph has given so many people the will to carry on. Pastor Walls and his wife have been kind enough to share their story with me and generously given the okay to share it with our Blue Moon community.
Pastor Walls’ photograph depicts a twisted, weathered dock in Mississippi taken just weeks before Hurricane Katrina hit. Pastor Walls and his wife, Gail, lived in Mississippi in 2005 when Katrina hit. The weather channel predicted their area would make it out of the storm with just some wind and flooding, so the couple planned to hunker down and wait out the storm together. However at the last minute, Katrina turned right for Mississippi. They were mandated to leave their house, as it was only a few hundred yards from the shore, and seek shelter further inland. The two packed up some clothes, grabbed a CD with Pastor Walls artwork, and their bibles. They embarked on a 10 hour drive to stay with family. This was Sunday, August 28th, 2005.
Over the next few days, they all watched helplessly as they realized there would be little to nothing left of their home. They were not able to return to assess the damage until Sunday, September 11th, 2005. Debris piles 10 feet high lined the roads. When they reached the street where there house once stood, they couldn’t determine which pile of debris was theirs. Pastor Walls told his wife not too worry, God would lead them to their rightful place. Shortly there after, Pastor Walls heard a calling to journey to Wilmington, NC. He nor his wife had even heard of this place, but they embarked on another road trip with Wilmington in their hearts. They arrived on Thursday, September 22, 2005.
In less than a month, Pastor Walls and his wife went from calling the Mississippi shore their home to finding shelter by the grace of God in Wilmington, NC. After their experience, Pastor Walls wanted to share his faith with as many people as he possibly could. He found the image of the twisted dock on the CD he saved from the wrath of Katrina, and immediately knew this was the way to do it.
He titled the image “Walk by Faith” as a reminder that the storms we suffer through, mold us into the people God intended us to be. It is a beautiful reminder that we should not walk by sight, but by our faith. This has provided inspiration to people across the globe suffering through their own catastrophes. If you know someone who is struggling to see the light at the end of the tunnel, consider a card or print with this incredible message. Cards are blank inside to allow for a custom message as no struggle is the same. Come by Blue Moon and ask where the inspiration section is… we will guide you to Christian’s Photo Gallery, our constant source of encouragement.