“Ethereal Nomads” – Episode 2: The Passage

The Voice of the last storm resonated in my head all day, it was all I could think about. I woke up with the sense that today another messenger was going to come into the desert with force. I looked with anxiety online as to where I would confront him. The forecast told me that he wasn’t coming, but I didn’t give up hope. He had a message for me already packaged and on it’s way. I waited patiently with little response until finally, like a warrior emerging from under his blind to make his charge, he appeared out of thin air. He was big, much larger than his sibling from the night before. He approached with such animosity and anger from the Northwest. I had to go and receive him.

He was so large and demanded respect. Where would I go to meet him? Fountain Hills? No too many low points and he could wash me away. North Scottsdale? No, his presence was already felt as a dust storm was choking the desert, and flooding there was imminent. I needed to find a place with altitude, some place to receive him without compromising his purpose.

I grabbed Trigger, my beloved camera and drove with great anticipation to hear his message. I know he is dangerous and can hurt many people. The radio told me to hunker down and stay off the roads, but I respect him and I found my way to the point higher than the barren desert floor. I arrived there just after him. He was in full force. I sat there and listened as he blew my car around and dumped what seemed like gallons of rain on me. What was he saying to me? What was his message sent by the Commander? He was angered, thrusting gales of wind trying to blow my car off the road. The wind was so unrelenting! A crack of lightning struck as the sun ceased to penetrate his dense canopy. His girth had already spread well South of me creating more dust storms in Phoenix. Night came early.

After enduring his assault, silence came. The wind stopped, the rain subsided. He granted me access to him; I escaped from my car, and looked to the West to see the sun’s last gasp before it took its plunge into darkness. It’s radiation splashed onto his underbelly warming his appearance, intimately attracting my gaze. I sat on a rock, with Trigger between my legs wrapped in plastic. The wind began to pick up again. I endured the pain of sand and debris slashing my side as I protected Trigger. I captured his last radiant moment before he continued on his tyrant into the valley under the cover of darkness. He gave me 5 minutes to sit in awe of his hidden beauty. At this moment, his message was delivered.

I sat and listened. Words came to me, like a feeder tube into my brain. The message was received.

“Listen to this passage carefully, these are my Commander’s words.”

James 4:1-3 “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don’t get it. You cannot have what you want. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive; because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

James 4:17 “Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.”

“Go now, leave this place and report your findings, we will be waiting for your return to us.”

I turned my gaze to the South as he left me and he continued his path down into the valley where he drenched the arid, sand slashed desert city, I sat and watched him as he wreaked havoc on Phoenix. A few transformers blew and let out orbs of blue light visible for miles.

With this, the Western skies parted and the most amazing array of colors radiated as the sun fell behind the horizon. A few stray bolts of lightning highlighted his finest features. I stood there, numb to all senses but one; vision. He came, he made me endure his wrath, he spoke, then he showed me his beauty in the end leaving me with wisdom and peace.

This ends episode 2 of Ethereal Nomads, during this journey across the state I look forward to seeing amazing scenic views, and the majesty that is God through these storms. Despite the apparent danger that comes with chasing storms, I find peace in them and safety around them. By respecting their every move and knowing when it’s time to leave them alone, I feel confident in the safety of my pursuit.

Please pray for me during this time of discovery.

"The Ethereal Nomads" - Episode 1: The Voice

A disturbance is felt in the air, something is not right. Somewhere off in the distance, he has awakened, He is coming to me. I look out my window and the sky is stained with red, the setting sun calls out a warning. I part my gaze from the West to the South, my eyes see the start of an eventful night – I can’t see him behind the blinding haboob, but his mass is building and billowing up to the heavens, standing tall above all else, showing his size and stature to all of those in his way, his every move picks up more dust off the desert floor and spreads it to distant lands far from it’s home.

The dust blinds the city, choking it’s every breath and creates anxiety to the masses not knowing where his first step is going to fall. As the day concedes to the night, the air thickens with the taste of dirt and moisture. His first step sends a crash through the valley. He has announced his presence - He has arrived.

My first encounter of the summer with one of the Ethereal Nomads that travel thousands of miles from unknown lands to call the Southwest their home for two and a half months has started his journey.

His celestial chemistry is very unstable and unpredictable. His footsteps set off car alarms and brighten even the darkest of night. The abandoned apartment’s closet door to my left swings wide open with his first gust of wind and knocks my gaze away from him. I turn back and look up in awe as he notices my interest in him. He takes another step, very close to me. He knows I’m here. I close my eyes and take in a deep breath that is saturated with his aroma, the shock of his footstep shakes the very ground beneath me. I welcome him to me. His presence is soothing.

He came to me with such authority, moved from the South to the North in the matter of an hour. He approached me, I stared at him, not shying away. He showed me his power, I showed him respect and admiration. He tried to scare me, but I did not falter – I stood my ground. I passed his test. With a sign of mutual respect he turned from me and walked away stampeding off to the East.

As he left, a gust of wind from his change in direction whispered to me. “Follow my brother’s this summer, they are bigger, more dangerous, and demand respect.” “Do not be afraid, pursue them, for we want you to tell the world our story.”

I stood there with my eyes closed, camera in hand. Another footstep shakes the ground. I acknowledged his voice, a started photographing his magnificence as he dissipated off to the East. He had completed the mission from his Commander. His journey was over.

This starts my mission, my freelance goal for the rest of the summer. Chase down these nomads and be a messenger for them to the world to photograph their journey and write their story. As I come to them, you will know their message.