Father-Daughter Duo Share Their Creative Gift
God’s creativity and power are visible everywhere you look. From the delicate detail of a monarch butterfly’s wings to the soaring snowcapped peaks of mountains, nature reveals our awesome Creator.
“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.”
For father and daughter, Terry and Sarah Bidgood, the experience of immersing themselves in nature and seizing those meaningful moments through the camera lens is their passion.
Sarah is thankful for the opportunity to share her photographic gifts at Our Daily Bread Ministries (ODBM), something her father has been doing for decades. Now retired, Terry worked at ODBM for 35 years as a photographer, designer, and manager. Many of his scenic photos have appeared on the covers of the Our Daily Bread devotional and the inspirational calendars. Now another Bidgood will receive photo credits as Sarah has two photos featured in the 2024 calendar and will have five photos featured in the 2025 calendar.
Some of these photos came from a trip the duo took together in May/June 2023. Sarah was on a 10-day assignment from ODBM, but they extended the trip at their own expense for an additional three weeks. They toured 9 countries and 19 different cities throughout Europe, making it a trip to remember. Sarah donated some of her photos to ODBM from the extra leg of that trip.
Although there were many special moments they experienced together, one highlight was near a gorgeous lake in Hintersee, Germany.
“It was a quiet morning, with a perfect reflection of that golden hour sunrise,” Sarah said. “We walked around the whole lake looking for this view, and I was filled with pure excitement of how beautiful it was.”
Another memorable time was in Appenzell, Switzerland, as they anticipated those few precious moments of sunset as they hiked up a mountain.
“I remember going around that corner and instantly being hit with an overwhelming feeling,” Sarah expressed. “My eyes started tearing up, and I was so at peace and happy and amazed. It was too much to hold inside.”
The huge, jagged rocks with the pink and orange glow of the setting sun bouncing off the textured landscape were awe-inspiring. They were able to sit on a ledge and soak it all in as they captured God’s beauty through their cameras.
One of Terry’s cherished memories came after an 8-plus-mile hike in the Dolomites, a mountain range in northern Italy. It was a rugged hike carrying heavy camera equipment, but they were rewarded.
“After hiking for hours we came over this crest and saw this incredible aqua blue lake with snow peaks behind it,” Terry said. “It was so worth it.”
This father-daughter team has a mutual appreciation for each other.
Sarah said, “Seeing how he could capture moments and beautiful images was always incredible to me. When I started becoming interested in photography, his enthusiasm and support and encouragement was extremely influential in the development of my own photography.”
Terry reciprocated the admiration. “I really liked seeing her passion for nature and beauty that God created.” He added with a smile, “And to spend that one-on-one time with your daughter—I would recommend it for anybody.”
Every moment is a unique opportunity that the Bidgoods love to share through the creative eyes that God gave them. And it’s extra special that Sarah can carry on the work at ODBM that her dad began so many years ago.
“This place will be here tomorrow, but this picture won’t be. It will never be here again exactly the same way. Every one is like a snowflake,” Terry said. “I’d like to leave a legacy of work that still inspires people about the beauty of God’s creation.”
