Terri Chapman Photography
Capturing the Splendor of Nature and Divine Light
The Light of Jesus
In celebration of the 2017 Easter holiday, I opened this gallery, which features some of my early, treasured moments with an aspect of the Divine spirit/energy ("The Light") of Jesus. My intention was to share these videos and images for one week only and then return the gallery to “private” status. But, a friend asked me why I was putting a time limit on sharing this gallery and the only answer I could come up with was fear. The fear of being judged and criticized. While I have had years to experience, interpret, and embrace my visits with The Light of Jesus, the same is not true for you. Most visitors to my website are drawn to my nature images and have no idea that when they search my website that I photograph more than birds, butterflies and flowers. So, I thought if I left this gallery open for too long, I ran the risk of alienating my visitors and, in turn, affecting my professional reputation. While my experiences with Archangels have been well received, people have very strong opinions/beliefs about Jesus and these differing values often divide people. For these reasons, I had convinced myself that seven days was just enough time to open this gallery, share my experiences, and then close the door. But on the 7th day, which was Easter Sunday, I had a change of heart. Fear was not only preventing me from sharing personal aspects of myself and my art, it was also causing me great anxiety. I was hiding who I AM. Now, the gallery remains open to anyone who wishes to explore it, and perhaps, wishes to expand their awareness.
So, here’s my truth. I, too, had very strong beliefs about Jesus, which were inherited from the religious schools I attended, the churches I attended, and the books I read. I also embraced “the popular image of Jesus” - an image that had been planted in my mind by artists and filmmakers. Consequently, when an aspect of the Spirit of Jesus appeared to me in my backyard, as a large Light that swirled in front of me, and morphed in color from blue and gold, blue and pink, and playfully began darting back and forth, I had absolutely no frame of reference to comprehend what was happening to me. No life experience, and no one, could have prepared me for such an encounter. I went into an emotional mini-meltdown for about a year, as my concept of reality crumbled. I could no longer see, or relate to, the world in the same manner. I went on a soul searching journey to understand the “who/what/why” of that first encounter and all the encounters that followed.
In the eight years I have been photographing The Light of Jesus, He has only appeared to me once in the silhouette of a human form. His recurring appearance is pure Light that is constantly changing in size, shape and color, although indigo blue is His signature color. Sometimes, He uses His shape and color to communicate a personal message. His Light radiates great Love, joy, humor, grace, fun, and profound compassion. I can feel Him through my heart when I am recording our time together and I have wept and laughed by His presence. At times, I have been chilled to my core, felt so hot I thought I had a fever, and felt sick to my stomach, because His Light is so powerful. I AM loved by Him….always.
By exploring this gallery, I hope you will look within at your own beliefs and consider that there is more going on around you than your perceptive reality. My role is not to convince you of anything, but instead, to share my extraordinary, personal journey with The Light. When spending time with these videos and images, pay close attention to how you feel emotionally and physically. Then, use your own inner compass and come to your own conclusions.
The root of the word "inspiration" is "Spirit," and the Spirit of Jesus...the Christ consciousness I experience in my heart... has literally changed MY Spirit.
THE LIGHT AS CAPTURED ON VIDEO THE EVENING OF APRIL 16, 2018
I did not say a word during the filming of this video. I was too sick, and too disappointed, to verbalize anything. In fact, I had no desire to do any filming on this evening, but I was nudged to just turn my camera on and let The Light do the talking.
So, here is the backstory to this video. On Thursday, April 12, 2018, I attended the bi-monthly meeting of my department. At the end of the meeting, my boss asked if we were done or if anyone had something to ask or say. Normally, everyone is so darn eager to escape the meeting, that no one says a word. But, on this day, I felt compelled to speak my truth. I expressed my disappointment that I had just learned about the death of our manager's father, not from upper management, but from a colleague seeing a post on Facebook. The father had died six days earlier. I quietly and respectfully asked why the death could not be communicated to staff so that collectively we could pull together to send the manager our best wishes as she grieves. She has been an employee for more than 20 years. I asked if we should make a donation to charity in the name of the father or send flowers to the family. Well, all that came from my question was defensiveness from my boss. She said it was not her job to communicate such news and she would speak with the VP on what he wanted to do. Then, the attorney that I work with, literally walked out of the meeting without excusing himself. It was awful. I privately felt that if we, as a department, could not show compassion and empathy for a colleague in grief, than we had lost our humanity. And, what was up with my attorney being so rude?
A few hours later, the executive assistant to the Vice President showed up at my desk with a sympathy card and asked me to sign it. She had gone out to the store to buy the card since she had heard from four different employees what had happened in the staff meeting. I said I would sign it, but I asked her why her boss could not send a department wide e-mail informing staff: (i) that our colleague would continue to be out of the office (she had already been out for weeks tending to her ailing father, which staff had just learned, and management had not communicated this) and in her absence someone (the VP to assign) would be covering her desk (work was totally backing up from her absence); and (ii) that as a department we would be doing (fill in the blank) for our colleague and including the signed sympathy card. The executive assistant had nothing to say to me. I signed the card. I then had three colleagues come to my desk and thank me for speaking up in the meeting for they, too, had heard about the death from other sources and they were just as baffled and upset that there was no communication from management. Yes, this is not the first time management has lacked any communication skills, but this situation morally troubled me.
For the next three days, I felt melancholy. I hand-made a condolence card and sent it to my colleague at her home. It made me feel a little better to extend my personal thoughts. But, by Monday, April 16th, I was feeling physically ill. I knew I was coming down with a respiratory infection, but I went to work and slogged through the day only to be approached by the executive assistant telling me that the VP had sent a floral arrangement to the colleague along with the card. I could not help myself. I asked if the VP could send an e-mail to inform everyone in the department, not just me, of that decision and she said; "no." So, she could tell me this information, but no one else could know? WTH? And, since the staff meeting, there had been radio silence from my boss. So, I know I created the illness from being emotionally stuck on the work situation and not letting it go.
So, I turned my camera on before I went to bed and Jesus came in first, and then He came back, and He came back, and He came back and He was seriously trying to encourage me. And, then, Ken came in at the end and shined his Light over his picture on my TV cabinet. The Light reminded me that I am loved, supported and understood even though I was not feeling this way by my work mates.
While there were many Light Beings in the room during filming, for the slow motion portion of this video, here is the order of appearance:
The Light of Jesus
Archangel Ariel
Archangel Uriel
The Light of Jesus
The Light of Jesus
The Light of Jesus
Archangel Raphael
The Light of Jesus
The Light of Jesus
The Light of my Fiance, Ken