We were producing a new Hi-Definition video for Health and Healing TV; Dave and I got up early and stayed out late in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National parks. As is common in September, it froze on Thursday, snowed on Friday, and stayed cold through Sunday, even though the sky showed blue.

Three times we photographed the Old Faithful Geyser.

The Third Time: Arrived at the geyser viewing area ten minutes before a “blow.” All by chance. Great eruption. Blue and white sky. Good light. Photo would be great in a calendar. Video will improve the attitudes of many emergency room patients.

The Second Time: Planned carefully. Arrived early. Set up perfectly to match the prevailing breeze and waited for 90 minutes. Should have been photographing mud pots rather than standing in the cold. Nice sky and good light. But when Old Faithful finally erupted, he blew right at our cameras. We would have been better off photographing steam in the hotel shower.

The First Time: Snow clouds were looming like windjammers and Dark Grey was the color of the day. But, Old Faithful was scheduled for 9:16 a.m., and we had tripods on the ground. Ready for nothing. Or for everything! So we stomped around watching our breath become ice crystals.

Two tall tourists joined us, bundled against the wind like Eskimos hoping to sight a whale.

“Kinda dark,” one said.

“Yep. But it’ll be bright when the geyser blows,” Dave responded.

“How do you know that?” they both asked.

“We asked God for some special consideration!”

They laughed at our certainty and wondered aloud, “Do you have special connections or something?”

“If He cracks the clouds and lights this eruption,” I commented at 9:18 a.m., “I will praise the name of the Lord forever!”

That’s when God lived up to His billing. First, He turned Old Faithful on with a bright white spurt, then a couple spasmodic belches, then a rumbling explosion spewing 20, 30, 100, 150 feet into the sky. As Dave and I collected digital images, the sky cracked, and God shined an atomic torch directly onto the geyser. Not on the surrounding trees. Not on the grey clouds. Just on the geyser, sparkling its scalding spray with Divine Diamonds until the eruption was over. Then the light blinked off and all was grey again.

“I didn’t believe in Him,” the watcher muttered, “till now.”

“The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy” (Psalm 126:3 NIV).

Dick Duerksen is the "storyteller" for Maranatha Volunteers International. Readers may contact the author by e-mail at dduerksen@maranatha.org.