My name is Jeff. Im a family man, baseball enthusiast, avid coffee drinker, lover and explorer of nature, world traveler…I’m living life to the fullest that I can. Weddings have become my passion and I love how God loves weddings even more than I do.
Family
I would not be the man I am today if it had not been for my wife, Tascha. We were married in August 2010. We are blessed with two girls, Lizzie Grace (right) and Maddie Kate (left). They are the highlight of my life and give me purpose for everything I do!
Baseball Enthusiast
I love baseball! Its America’s favorite pastime and when Im not behind the camera, you can probably find me at SunTrust Park in Atlanta (well Marietta) Georgia! I have been a Braves fan my entire life. I enjoy watching (and playing) the game and seeing the strategy that goes into every pitch, swing, throw, dive and run! It is very much like a game of chess (although Ive never been much for chess. lol!) in that there is a purpose behind everything – whether that purpose is immediate or later in the game. When Im not in Atlanta catching a Braves game, you can probably find me and the girls at Smokies Stadium in Kodak, TN catching the Tennessee Smokies play! They are the AA affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. When they are not playing the Mississippi Braves, I root for the Smokies. lol!
Coffee Drinker
Just hearing the word…Coffee…makes my heart happy! I do love me some Starbucks, but I do not discriminate against other coffee. Im good with some Dunkin, some JFG (a Knoxville staple), Gevalia (what I grew up on) or anything else. When my wife and I lived in Kenya, Java House Coffee was a needed necessity. My french press was too. lol! And of course, you cannot go wrong with some Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee! I do enjoy my coffee with cream and sugar and to some, that kills the coffee. My goal for 2018 is to cut down on the cream and sugar and to eventually get to where drinking coffee black is my preference.
Explorer and World Traveler
Before Tascha and I got married in 2010, I had already been quite a few places in the world of ours. In 2003, I went with my senior class to Jamaica on a mission trip. We were there for a week and a half and explored the entire island. We went places that you are kept from on your tours and honeymoons. It was an amazing and eye opening experience. My next overseas trip came in May 2007. China was the destination for this mission trip I took with a college group from East Tennessee State University. This trip stands out for a few reasons. The first was the timing. We were there during Mother’s Day. That might not seem all that significant, but it was the first Mother’s Day since my mother’s passing the September before. I was surrounded by cherished friends and that helped me during that trip. Another reason this trip stands out is because it was my first trip to another continent. Asia is absolutely beautiful! We stayed in China for two weeks and taught English to children amongst other things.
The next year I took two weeks and traveled to Kenya on a mission trip with a group from ETSU. This was the start of my love for Kenya and Africa. We traveled all over the country. A good portion of our time was spend in the Bush in tents. I really got the opportunity to build relationships with the Kenyans and start to understand their culture. Not to mention the vast array of climates represented (everything from desert to tropics)! In 2012, Tascha and I (married 2 years) took a mission trip with our church in Trussville, Alabama to Uganda. We stayed for almost two weeks and stayed at an orphanage. There we both felt the call to missions. In January 2014, we left the States and moved to Kenya where we were involved in orphan ministry. I also traveled the country doing videography, basic web design, photography and graphic design for missionaries. This enabled them to tell their stories to people across the globe!
“Lord, as we walk in Your ways, we eagerly wait for You. For it is Your name and Your renown, that is the desire of our soul!”
My Passion
I am a Christian. I was saved in 5th grade. I am nowhere near perfect, but I aim to glorify God in all that I do. That is my #1 Passion – to glorify my Father. My #2 passion is to tell stories. Im a story teller! Some do it with books or around a campfire. I do it from behind a camera lens. I aim to build relationships with others so I can effectively capture their love, passion, devotion and desire for one another so they can get busy living their lives and loving each other. Ive done it now for over 15 years and Ive watched, not only how others have grown, but how I have as well. Ive seen how Ive grown as an individual and as a photographer and story teller.
leave a comment