Hello friends,
Today, I want to invite you on yet another adventure of wild wonder. This is an invitation not just to behold the beauty of Creation itself but to walk alongside the Creator behind it all. But this time, I’m not going to be your guide. Rather, this adventure is going to be led by one of my favorite humans on the planet: Beth Moore!
Of all the incredible people I’ve had the privilege of collaborating with over the 2+ decades of my career, Beth is my absolute favorite! She is the queen of all my collaborators, becoming one of the closest creative co-conspirators in my life. This is typically within the context of her Living Proof Live events, of which I have worked on for 20 years. But last year, she invited me to transcend mediums & to conspire with her in print for her latest Bible study “Walking With God”, which releases today!
Creating the Visuals
The main invitation from Beth was to find one of my nature photos to serve as the cover for the book, as well as five more photos that would be included in the interior as Section Headers. The original idea was to use drone/aerial photos, since that’s my main thing, but as we got deeper into the project, we kept leaning towards images of paths through various landscapes shot closer to the ground, inviting the traveller on an intimate journey with God where the destination may be unseen.
Beth ended up choosing this photo from Oswald West State Park out on the Oregon Coast—the exact same place where some of the nurse logs, old growth forests, & dramatic sea cliffs seen in WILD WONDER exist! It’s one of my favorite places on the planet.
For the five interior photos, Beth selected these various pathways in nature. Three of them were taken from the ground, & two were taken from my drone. Each photo marks a new week in the 5-week journey.
Filming the Promo Video
Getting to do the book cover was one thing, but the real dream came true when Beth & her team collectively said, “I think we should come out your way to film the promo video!”
“ARE YOU SERIOUS?!”, I not-so-calmy replied. =)
To which they replied back, “I mean, it makes sense to film it where the book cover was shot!”
“Oh yeah. I know just the right spots! There’s only one problem: the bridge from the cover photo was destroyed during a big storm in 2023! But don’t worry, I still think we can make it work!”
So in July of last year, Beth & a small team flew out to Portland & placed their lives in my hands as I led them down windy forest roads out to the coast—cameras, drone & walking sticks in hand! The team was made of up Dana Haddad (our amazing event/product producer), Kimberly McMahon (aka “K-Mac”, Beth’s fearless executive assistant), & Ryan Hernandez-Benson (the LPL lighting genius who’s also an incredible filmmaker & storyteller).
I did the location scouting, scheduling & drone flying while Ryan directed & filmed the bulk of the video. Dana & K-Mac covered all sorts of logistics, gave creative suggestions, carried equipment, & made sure Beth was taken care of, especially as she just had double-knee replacement TWO MONTHS BEFORE. And Beth… as always, mustered up her super-human strength & followed my lead with a huge smile on her face & kept us laughing the entire way! It was an incredibly fun, exhausting, & thrilling 48 hours, to say the least. (And her new knees did such a great job! 😅)
You can check out the promo video above if you haven’t already. And here are a few behind-the-scenes photos from our filming adventure!
Walking With Beth
This is the part where I might choke up while typing. Like, I don’t even know where to begin or how to put into words what this woman means to me & how much she’s impacted my life, my faith, & my art. I don’t want to say too much… or too little, either.
We have been through thick & thin. Our whole team has. We have experienced the deaths of friends & family together. We have laughed harder together about the stupidest stuff. We have seen God work through us, in us, & despite us in so many unexpected ways—it’s hard to think of them all at once.
Beth was one of the first people I called when I knew I was going to lose my mom. I cried my eyes out on the phone with her & her daughter Melissa (who is like a sister to me) when my world fell to pieces. She has encouraged me & spoken words over me that have lifted my spirit out of the pit, words that I will never share with anyone else. Except maybe these two, which have resonated above all others: “Me, too.”
For the past decade, I have watched as she has taken undeserved heat from so many fellow Christians for speaking out against hypocrisy, for shining a light on the shadows of the Church, & for publicly sharing her convictions. Convictions that she has taken to heart herself, but sadly many pastors & other leaders have not. She has been cruelly attacked, demeaned, & slandered for simply being a woman & daring to teach the words of God to others. She has been raked over the coals of the Church over & over again. To be gut honest with you, this has been one of the greatest sources of anger & sadness I’ve had towards the Church, especially towards the denomination that raised us both.
And yet…
Beth has shown me time & time again what it means to stay humble & to take the High Road. She consistently refuses to respond with the same ugliness that has been thrown her way. I know she has inspired countless many during this turbulent season; she sure has inspired me. She may not be perfect, but I sure can’t come up with any complaints or critiques myself, tbh. The trials she has gone through have only made her stronger, though I know they have come with a cost.
Beth has shown me better than most what it means to live like Christ, especially in a world that is ready to crucify. She has illuminated the widening chasm in the landscape of the Church: the difference between what is culturally accepted as “Christian” & that which is truly Christ-like. She has shown me JESUS… over & over again… not only through her incredibly rich teachings but also through her life & actions—both on & off stage.
After 20 years of working closely with Beth, I can testify to you all beyond a shadow of a doubt: SHE IS THE REAL DEAL. Not only is she a great teacher & leader, but she is a faithful friend & mother. And I’m eternally grateful that she has become all of these things to me.
Beth, if you’re reading this, I LOVE YOU. So very much. Thank you—for everything. For choosing to endure all the suffering & doing so with a smile on your face. Thank you for the wild ride of collaborating with you all of these years & for making every single occasion an absolute JOY! And thank you for the insane privilege of letting me join you on this beautiful walk with God! Here’s to many more adventures (with drone & machete in hand!) =)
You can order Beth’s new study here. I highly recommend it, though I’m a bit biased. LOL
By the way, it includes some really great video interviews (filmed by Ryan!) including artists & writers, Makoto Fujimura & Malcolm Guite!
Thank you all for indulging me & letting me share about this project. While it’s fun to share about what I’ve been up to, I always want these newsletters to be an invitation for you to deepen your wonder at God’s Creation… & for those who are still clinging onto your faith, to strengthen that grip, as well.
I know Beth has encouraged many of you in your own walks with God. And we both hope that this new Bible study will add yet another spiritual landscape for you to explore in the days ahead. Come join us on the adventure!
Peace be with you,
Stephen Proctor
P.S. I want to leave you with one of my favorite images of my mama. I’m so glad that I got to take her (not once but twice) to the same location where I photographed this bridge & Beth’s video. This bridge was destroyed around the same time that she walked with God off of this Earth. Every time I visit, the missing bridge is a reminder that all things fade away & that this life is but a vapor. Let’s not waste one step on this beautiful adventure.
