God Wants Us Back - And This Is His Plan

Photography has been a lifelong joy for me-a way to pause, reflect, and capture the beauty of this magnificent earth. With each photo, I've often found myself thinking not just about the scene before me, but about how it fits into something far greater: God's divine plan for us.

I've provided my impressions of each photograph - what's yours?

At the heart of that plan is this powerful truth: God wants us back. He desires every one of His children to return to Him and live with Him again. As He declares in scripture: "For behold, this is my work and my glory-to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." -Moses 1:39

As I've looked back on photos taken over the years, a thought came to me-one that shaped this book. Just like in the making of a movie, the filming happens first, and then music is added to give it meaning and emotion. In a similar way, these images represent the "filming," and the thoughts, scriptures, and impressions that accompany them are the "music"-together creating something deeper than either could alone.

Each image in these pages was captured with purpose. Some are quiet moments in nature; others are symbols that echo gospel truths. Together, they tell a story-not just of landscapes or light, but of a divine plan that invites us to remember who we are, why we're here, and where we're going.

I believe God speaks in stillness, in light, in patterns all around us. Through this book, I hope you'll feel something deeper than just the scenery. I hope you'll feel the Spirit.

Thank you for taking this visual journey with me. May it bring peace to your heart, light to your path, and a reminder that God truly wants us back-and this is His plan.

My name is Ken Stratton. I was born in Utah and have lived here for most of my life. I began taking black-and-white photographs around the age of ten. In my early twenties, I spent two years in Brazil as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. At that time, we taught the Plan of Salvation using a flannel board and cutout figures-a method that may seem outdated now, but the message remains timeless.Throughout my career, I've had a wide range of professional experiences-from eight years in blue-collar jobs to over 30 years in the IT industry, where I advanced from a programmer to the Director of IT. One highlight was serving as the project manager for the team that supported the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy. We worked closely with Weta, the visual effects team, to manage software upgrades during the finalization of the beta release. That project took me to New Zealand, where I lived for four months.Now retired, I've discovered a renewed passion for photography-this time paired with a new talent: writing.