Skip to content ↓

The Beauty of Banff

The Beauty of Banff

In the aftermath of all the trials and traumas of the past month, my family decided it would be wise to take a brief vacation, an opportunity to regroup, to consider the way forward. With most destinations completely or functionally closed to us, we set out for the province of Alberta, one of only four places in the world we could visit without quarantining on the way in or out. We spent most of our time exploring Banff National Park, though we also made some forays to a couple of other nearby national and provincial parks. As always, I had my camera with me and thought I’d share just some of the wintery beauty of Banff.

We all found the time helpful. Though in a sense it was a kind of procrastination before getting back to real life, it was also a time to appreciate beauty, to appreciate God’s handiwork in creation, to remind ourselves of his power and majesty. With most tourists locked in their own countries, it was also hauntingly empty most of the time, which I admit, somewhat selfishly, was like a dream come true to me. (We had a morning at Lake Louise, one of Canada’s top tourist spots, where we were literally the only people there.) Sometimes I would go to a spot in the morning and sit there for two hours by myself with not a single person to be seen or heard. That solitude was a blessing all its own.

Anyway, if you are interested, you can watch the slideshow below, or view the photo gallery here. (I expect those who receive the email will need to click through.)


  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (March 3)

    Edgelords won’t inherit the earth / Why smart people reject God / Repentance without compromise / Not enough faith / Is it time for complementarians to change their mind? / Kindle deals / and more.

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (March 2)

    Paul Tripp’s definition of parenting / Caring for divorced people in your church / Why Catholicism needs relics / Iran after the Ayatollah / The crescent moon / Kindle deals / and more.

  • Water Glass

    The Deepest Thirst of All

    The God who created us formed us in such a way that we are not meant to exist apart from him. To live apart from God is the spiritual equivalent of trying to live without food and water. It will lead only to weakness, pain, and death.

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    Weekend A La Carte (February 28)

    A La Carte: How marriage actually refers to Christ and the church / Does it matter if stories are true? / To cover or overlook? / Should Christians feel guilty for being patriotic / Sinful desires / and more.

  • New and Notable Christian Books for February 2026

    New and Notable Christian Books for February 2026

    Not a single month goes by without Christian publishers providing us with great new resources. Thankfully, most of those new books end up in my mailbox. That allows me to sort through them and distil them down to a list like this one: A list of new and notables.