About

Amy Bretall

Finding overlooked, routine and often neglected objects and transforming them into images of interest, beauty, and inspiration. I help others find faith in the everyday and grow in their personal relationship with God. 

meet Amy

At the center of my work is photography. Inspiration often catches my eye on a walk or what comes across my path in the normal course of a day. I remember telling God I would obey and create the book, In Plain Sight: Faith Is In The Everyday and then I was done (you know, the hands brushing together/hands-up move). But, you guessed it, I wasn’t done. Another idea came together for which I knowingly accepted with the book, Sights of Faith: The Cross and Clouds. My photography, books, and speaking connects readers to the presence of God in ordinary, everyday surroundings.

I’m not a trained artist or photographer. I didn’t go to art school or take classes. I’m using the gifts God has given me. Leaning into faith when the Devil of Doubt speaks and when tests arise, my trifecta of faith is prayer, patience and perseverance.  Deepening my faith in my early 40s, and as I was taking steps of faith, I started seeing patterns appear in the form of finding “everyday” crosses. I received each of these sightings as my spiritual nudge, made for me, placed for me and timed for me–the message,”Keep going, Amy.”  I took photos of the everyday cross to remember it, with no intent to do anything with the images. That’s one of the cool things about faith–doing before the knowing.

Although I’m not a theologian nor a biblical scholar, I do I read my Bible every morning. I’m on my third time reading cover-to-cover; a different translation each time. Raised Methodist, I grew up going to church every weekend, but missed the internal aspect of faith. It wasn’t until my early 40s when I discovered my personal faith relationship. How? You guessed it, by seeing everyday crosses as I was taking steps of faith. Each everyday cross (over 70!) I received as a special gift, a spiritual nudge, timed and placed for me with the message, “Keep going Amy.”

A little bit more:

• My love of rural America and my artistic perspective of seeing nature’s extravagant beauty in simple objects comes from spending time on my grandparent’s farm in California, Missouri (the place where this whole journey started, The Rural Collection).
• I was born in Macon, Missouri, grew up in Springfield and have lived in Kansas City (MO) since 2000.
• Professional experience/career: Received a Bachelors’ degree in Business from Missouri State University, Masters in HR Management from Webster University and I’ve held senior-level strategic human resources leadership positions for 20+ years in the private, for-profit sector, (LinkedIn).
• Prior to starting my own consulting company, Arbor Grove, LLC in 2014, I was Senior Vice President, HR Director at Arvest Bank, for the Kansas City market.
• My motto: The little things in life are big.
• A favorite activity: Walking outdoors with no ear-buds, no noise in my ears so I can stay attuned to God’s surrounding beauty in sight, sense and sound. Time in nature is a form of worship.