Beautiful Bloody Lane

Today, my middle schoolers and I went to Antietam, MD, the historic battlefield where 23,000 soilders died within 12 hours, during the Civil War. This is still known as the bloodiest day in American history.

Here are some of my favorite shots: 

Were you expecting gory pictures? Ironically, everything about this land was beautiful. There were even cows and deers roaming freely through the crisp and clean air. 

So what does this have to do with you? Well, if you think about what this land is supposed to symbolize (death, chaos, and tragedy) and then you look at what it actually looks like, you can visualize and discover the greatness of God. 

Take a moment to reflect on things in your own life that may have developed a negative stigma/connotation, have caused a tremendous upheaval, or unyielding pain. Do not dwell on the ill-feelings that they have caused you, instead ponder on how many blessings have/may come out of those things.. In the same way that there is an undeniably immense beauty at a place like Anteitam, there is also beauty within your very calamities and afflictions. Find that beauty and allow it to supersede the cataclysms of your world. 

All photos were taken by Valencia C. No filters or edits.