Thoughts From The Field...

Compassion in Action

2012-03-02T13:03:00.000-08:00

Here is a thought-provoking verse from the life of Jesus. He has been out walking the countryside of Galilee, seeing firsthand the financial, social, and spiritual poverty of the people. Jesus is arriving in a new area, and the people are once again rushing out to see Him.

“And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.” (Mark 6:34, KJV)

Here’s what I find interesting. Jesus sees the poverty of the people, and what does He offer them? Government agricultural subsidies? Miraculous cash from a small boy’s basket of five dollar bills and two small coins? A plan to Occupy Nazareth? No, the most powerful Being in the universe starts teaching the people. Jesus could have done lots of things the people might have seen as more substantial, yet He perceived their greatest need to be the truth He could bring them.

It makes you wonder what exactly He said that day, and if we might be more effective in reaching out to people if we focused more on spreading the same truth Jesus did. Certainly we see financial, social, and spiritual poverty much like Jesus did, yet He didn’t seek to change their circumstances so much as their values. He changed their pursuit from satisfying themselves to finding their role in building the Kingdom of God. A person’s greatest need is not financial, but one of direction and understanding their purpose in life. Jesus’ goal was to help people understand what life was meant to be about and help them grasp fulfillment at that level. It’s kind of fun to realize that Jesus had been part of creating these people, so He was uniquely qualified to come back and say, “This is what I really had in mind for you all along.”

This concept should direct our efforts to use our times in the outdoors to mentor young men and women, including fatherless boys who really are a modern example of “sheep without a shepherd.” Even our most intense efforts are probably not going to change their circumstances, but we can help them realize a purpose in life that encompasses more than their present circumstances. It challenges us, as mentors, to model that purpose that God has given us and to pursue a better knowledge of the truth so those being mentored can see how it works. It is that combination of example and teaching that will have a lifelong impact on a young person. Gifts of cool outdoor gear and exciting times in the field are never going to be life-changing by themselves, but they can be a vehicle that gets us to the place of sharing truth about our purpose in life.

That is why we are really looking forward to the Faith in the Field youth programs that will be starting here real soon! If you are interested in being a mentor or leading your own son through our program, please contact us. We would like to add you to our list of people to contact when the program materials are ready.

Email us at info@faithinthefield.com

Quinton

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2012-02-24T10:46:00.001-08:00

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2012-02-17T16:26:00.004-08:00

Saturday, February 25th...hunting, calling, prizes and pie!! It's going to be a fun night, just west of Corvallis!

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2012-01-31T22:24:00.000-08:00

Here's a sneak peak at Seeking the One 11...

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Mentoring

2012-01-25T20:01:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago I was surfing through the options on Netflix to find a movie to watch and I ran across an older movie called "Rivers End". I downloaded it to our laptop and began watching a pretty cool story. The story was about a young man, seventeen years old who a year before lost his father in an accident. In the movie the young man becomes lost and troubled. He starts dressing all gothic and by the worlds standards becomes quite a punk. He has no respect for authority and basically becomes an out of control teen with no direction in his life. At one point, in a fit of road rage he runs his truck up on the curb and drives down the sidewalk to pass some slow motorists in the small west Texas town he grows up in. He ends up knocking over a US Postal mailbox and with that the town Sheriff who is also the boys grandfather is forced to handle the situation. The boy has no respect for his grandfather and views him as an old washed up cowboy. But sternly the old sheriff gives the boy an option to show up in court and take the punishment that the law hands down or to take a 60 mile canoe trek down a wild and scenic river....by himself.

Choosing the latter the boy sets off on his wilderness trek with a canoe, a few supplies, a stack of cassette tapes and a walkman. The cassette tapes are recorded instructions from his grandfather. The tapes are full of information on how to make it down the river safely, how to catch fish and cook them over a fire for food. How to set up shelter, what to watch out for along the river, and a general guide to help mentor the boy through this journey. He also includes some life lessons about respect, common courtesy, how to live a reposible and powerful life, and how to take responsibility for his actions. He includes words of wisdom on becoming a man and affirms the boy of his love and admiration of him.

It is a beautiful story and really cool to watch as the boy transitions from a scared angry teen into a respectful and confident young man by the end of the story.

At the end, after the boy conquers the river and makes ammends with his grandfather and his mother the boy becomes the narrator of the story and makes this powerful statement.

"Freud said that the most poigniant loss any kid could experience is the loss of his father.........17 million kids know that this is true..........Well, I hope they know a cowboy."

I mentioned the movie was old. It was set sometime in the early 80's. Now days there are over 25 million kids under the age of 18 growing up in fatherless homes. That is nearly 40% of kids in this country. 72% of adolescent murders are committed by fatherless kids. 60% of rapists come from fatherless homes. 67% of prison inmates come from fatherless homes. 70% of juveniles in reform institutions are fatherless. Fatherless kids are 30% more likely to abuse alcohol and other drugs, they are twice as likely to drop out of school, 11 times more likely to exhibit violent behavior in school, dramatically more likely to commit suicide, and more likely to engage in early sexual activity.*

We have a problem in this country. And this country needs good men to step up and lead these lost kids. There are mentoring movements taking place all across this country to try and help. And we are trying to get on board and help make a small dent here at Faith in the Field. It is our heart to want to help as many of these kids as possible. But we need help!

Last week I wrote a blog about our youth program materials that will be coming out in the next month or two. I mentioned that the program is for fathers to lead their sons on a spiritual journey using our outdoor pursuits as a back drop for the kind of adventures that will really strengthen the bond between father and son. It will also create a platform for a father to speak spiritual truths into a boys life and validate him on becoming a man of God.

Well, the program can be used to lead and guide and a fatherless boy as well. To take an interest in a young man's life, and lead him into this kind of adventure is going to be such a powerful way to change the course of a young man's life.

But we need you. We need to get the word out. We need to raise up mentors. We need to raise up funds. We need help finding land access and opportunities for these mentors and young men to get out and have quality experiences fishing and hunting in God's great outdoors. We need gear donated to help them have a good time and take the financial burden off of single moms and the mentors who step up to lead. We need prayer....and lots of it. We are hoping to get churches and mens ministry groups together to start building this program in their churches or cities.

This is no small undertaking. We need your help. We need others who are passionate about defending the cause of the fatherless in their communities. This is not just our heart....this is God's heart to care for the widow and the orphans, to love the least of these.

Men- You are so powerful! You can make a difference. Helping reach one lost boy will change the face of entire family histories. You have so much to offer!

I pray we can find some cowboys!

If you have any interest in being a part of this revolution email us at info@faithinthefield.com

Faith in the Field is a 501c3 non-profit organization.

*Statistics sources from National Center for Fathering; US Department of Health and Human Services; US Justice Department; National Principals Association; US Census Bureau; Fathers in the Field website.

Fatherhood

2012-01-18T11:15:00.000-08:00

Some friends and I were sitting around talking about being fathers and about what our kids need from us recently. Fatherhood is a huge task that my friends and I do not want to screw up. It seems to be a pretty high stakes game. We started thinking about verses from Scripture that we could hold as a kind of motto for fathering. Here are the two that I came up with...

1 Corinthians 11:1- Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.

I want to lead by example and I want my kids to know I am doing my best to walk with God and follow His will for my life. I want to lead them to the perfect Father by trying to imitate the perfect Father.

1 Peter 4:8- Above all love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins.

I'm banking on this one because I often fall short on the first one! You see, it is a high stakes game and it feels so HUGE.....but when you break it down it is not really that difficult. I mean it is not rocket science. It is leading, and loving. That is what our kids need from us. And yes, it requires a great deal of time. You cannot lead or love effectively if there are not large doses of time spent together.

And so I started thinking about the programs for Faith in the Field that we will be rolling out in the next couple of months. We are really excited about this and feel like God's hand has been on this project from the beginning. The amount of warfare we have had to fight to get this going alone, is proof of how powerful it is going to be.

For now we have written a program for boys where their father, or for a fatherless boy a mentor, can take them through a 12 lesson, year long adventure. (Father daughter progam is still in the works) The lessons are based on scripture and aimed at teaching the qualities or traits of a man. Traits like bravery, wisdom, powerful, hardworking, confident, leadership, dangerous, determined, passionate, freedom, compassion, and integrity. The goal of the lessons is to provide a road map and a platform for the father or mentor to speak some truth into the lives of their boys.

I'm a dad. I know how difficult it is to sit down and have a frank and honest discussion with my son. We'd both rather make jokes and keep the conversation on the surface. Or just make it real brief. But having him do a short study on a character trait each month and then to spend some time going over that lesson with him and getting the opportunity to speak into his life on the subject and share my expertise, wisdom, and experiences with him....I think that would be really powerful. I don't think that would be awkward. It seems doable....exciting even!

That's our program.

Couple the above, with time spent together outdoors. Time for the boy and his father/mentor to bond by doing an activity together. A chance to pass on wisdom, knowledge, skills....all very manly stuff. This is a chance for the boy to learn that he has what it takes to conquer some tough trials that the wilderness can throw at you. Learning how to build a shelter in the wild and spend the night it, to be able to catch meal in a mountain stream and cook it over a camp fire, or to be skilled enough to take a deer, or a turkey and bring home food for the family are very empowering things for a boy to learn. Teaching these skills is also a great platform to heap a ton of praise and validation on your son/mentee and let them know that they are the real deal. That they have what it takes, that they are more than they thought they were.

That's our program.

It is about the passing on of Heritage. It is about the passing on of Masculinity. It is about Leading and it is about Loving.

Father hood is a high stakes game. Time together is essential. The goal of our programs is to help you take full advantage of the time spent outdoors with your son.

Next week I'd like to discuss in greater detail the mentoring aspect of the program.

-Scott

Fighting Famine

2011-12-31T09:36:00.000-08:00

Reading in the Old Testament can be unsettling sometimes. You can be reading along about sin, judgment, and destruction that happened 3,000 years ago and feeling glad you don’t live in those times, and then suddenly you feel a little uncomfortable because this 3,000-year-old story sounds a little too much like the United States of America today. We know we have issues with corporate greed or abortion or exploitation of children around us now, but it gets awkward when we start reading what God said about these kinds of sins back then. We’re pretty comfortable with the thought that God no longer punishes entire nations like He did in the Old Testament, but you sure don’t get that comforting thought from reading the old prophets.

The verse that did this for me during the past week comes from the prophet Amos:

“Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD:” (Amos 8:11, KJV)

We read stories in the Bible where God used a famine to get people’s attention when they weren’t following Him (remember Elijah and King Ahab?), but this sounds like something different. What is a famine of hearing the words of the Lord?

Historically, we could say this verse foretells the “Silent Years” between the Old and New Testaments—several centuries that sort of disappear because they aren’t mentioned in the Bible. There are some great stories in history that show God was still taking care of His people during that time, but there seems to have been very few times where God communicated directly with anyone. This view would be great for explaining that verse and still keeping us comfortably separated from those people back there.

I really think, though, that the famine Amos described was not in the speaking, but in the hearing. God would have been happy to speak to people (and perhaps was trying to), but the real famine was that they wouldn’t listen. A few verses earlier Amos tells how the people would celebrate the Sabbaths and worship at religious feasts, but all they could think about was when those days would be over so they could go back to their businesses and continue their practices of cheating people and taking advantage of the poor. They didn’t want to listen to God, because they knew they would have to change their ways.

Does that sound more like us? Almost everyone likes to celebrate Christmas, but most people sort of hurry past the part about the baby in the manger. And don’t even bother with the question of why He came; that’s too disruptive of our holiday spirit. What about when we go to church, but our minds are busy with Monday’s job assignment or home improvement projects or (dare I say it?) our next hunting trip? I’ll confess that it can be tough to pay attention to reading my Bible when I’d rather be reading the 2012 Oregon Big Game Regulations. Yep, that sounds like America today, and we’re going to have to work on finding the right priorities for our planning and dreaming and celebrating if we want to hear God speak. I suspect we’ll need to be willing to change our ways, too.

This trail of thought has led me around to the purpose of Faith in the Field. Straight from the main page of the website, the vision is “to introduce people to Christ through the glory of His creation!” In light of that verse in Amos, it’s an opportunity to fight the famine. To use the avenue of our shared love for the outdoors to remind people that God is real, God is relevant, and what He says matters. To provide an opportunity for hunting buddies to share what they’ve learned about God when the topic might seem a little awkward. To get kids together with mentors who can demonstrate that knowing God and hearing Him is an essential part of navigating life. To encourage fathers to deliberately invest in their children’s lives and encourage them to hear God as well. And perhaps to remind that solo guy somewhere on a ridge in the Eagle Caps to stop and bow his head, acknowledge his Creator, and listen for more than just the bugle of another bull.

Keep listening, my friends.

Quinton

Our year in Photos - DVD coming soon!

2011-12-23T13:31:00.000-08:00

Our last hunt of the year just wrapped up as my 13 year old niece took her first elk! And as I sit here at 1:00am, slightly overwhelmed with footage and editing yet to do, eyes burning from staring at a computer for far too long, and the periodic thoughts of burn out...I'm more consumed in realizing the blessings we've been a part of in 2011, and remain excited for our 3rd and best DVD yet! So before I hit the hay tonight, I wanted to reflect on the year and share it with you through photos. You can look forward to seeing each of these hunts on this year's film, coming out by February.

We started the year with our annual trek south after gobblers, and ended up taking 3 great birds on film...one pictured here...

And as you'll see as you scroll, we had a great bear season! The spring was tough...wet and late...and we only connected on one bear. John's little brother, Matt, was home from Afghanistan, and took this bear with Dad and brother alongside...

In August, fall bear fun began, and started off with John and John Sr finding this bear on a weekday evening jaunt...

The very next night, "Davey Boy", often times behind the camera, stepped into the screen to take his first bear!

In mid August, I headed out with John and Dave on a bear hunt we'll never forget. We connected on 3 bears in less than 24 hours! Mine was taken the first evening of our hunt...

John took this cinnamon tipped bear the next morning...

And that same afternoon, Dave passed on this bear with a rifle, but John fulfilled his long time dream of taking an Oregon Black Bear with a bow, spot and stalk style...

Later in August, Davey Boy and I were STOKED to once again tag along on one of Oregon's most coveted adventures, a bighorn sheep hunt in SE Oregon with our new friend, Scott. He took a beautiful ram in gorgeous country with family and friends there to enjoy it all...

Meanwhile, John was over east, readying his bow for another hunt, and connected on his largest archery elk to date...

Also part of our Faith in the Field crew, Andrew and friends filmed his brother taking a fine 4 point mule deer in the rolling sage...

A highlight of the year was our hunt with 18 year old Jessica from South Carolina, who'd battled 2 forms of cancer for 4 years of her life. Now in remission, she chose an Oregon Elk hunt as her "Dream Hunt," made possible by the Outdoor Dream Foundation, Stimson Lumber and RMEF...and her dream came true while our camera's were rolling...

In his third attempt with me as his guide, my cousin Jake FINALLY connected on his very first buck! Opening day of western Oregon rifle deer season...gotta love it!

And on our last hunt of the year, my dad, brother and niece headed out on her youth cow hunt here in the Northwest, where she took her very first elk!!!

It was a fun year...and I can't thank everyone who was involved enough! We enjoy notching tags, but the most satisfying part of what we do is spending time with friends, new and old, and enjoying everything the diversity of Oregon has to offer...from the beauty of a sunset to the meaningful conversations we share in the company of the wilderness.

Bed time for me now...barring any computer glitches, the DVD should be ready by the end of January! I'll make sure you all know when we begin taking pre-orders. HAVE A GREAT CHRISTMAS!!!

In closing, I'll leave you with a quote from Primal Dreams...if you haven't seen it, watch it...

"Hunting is much more than killing, it's about human beings being absorbed by God's Creation...share it with those who may never know the truth."

...and my favorite shots of the year...perhaps a dvd cover...

Send us your photos in the field!

2011-12-11T19:55:00.000-08:00

As hunting seasons wind down, memories will have to hold us over until next year...and for those of you who captured your success in a photo, we'd love to help you preserve, and display it! We'd like to include your field photos in a slideshow at the end our newest DVD coming out in February! Email your 2011 photos to info@faithinthefield.com by the end of the year to be a part of the adventure.

We're looking forward to seeing each one, and having you be a part of this year's film! Don't be shy...they don't have to be perfect...they just have to be yours. :) Lastly, in sending an email with photos attached, you will be giving permission for us to use your photos in our 2011 DVD, and agree all photos are your own. -Jeff

Courageous

2011-12-01T20:54:00.000-08:00

Last week I got a well timed email from one our team members here at FITF. The message was some encouragement to us to keep fighting hard to get the ministry portion of FITF going and also a reminder to continue fighting hard to be the kind of men God can use. In the email he talked about the song "Courageous" by Casting Crowns and he copied the lyrics to the email. I thought the song was really powerful so I checked it out on you-tube to get some more information. In the video linked below Mark Hall of Casting Crowns describes what was going on in his mind when wrote this awesome song. I think his message is a powerful one. Check it out!

Lord, grant us more courage!

-Scott

2011-11-17T22:18:00.001-08:00

Tag Soup

2011-11-10T19:53:00.000-08:00

Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later I guess. I've had quite a streak going that ended this year. I started deer hunting when I was 12 years old and I have punched my deer tag every year since. Until this year. I'm proud of my 23 year success streak, but really I'm kind of glad it is over. My kids are now old enough to hunt now and I really need to turn my focus towards helping them in the next several seasons. It will be kind of nice not to have to be sub-conciously thinking about keeping a streak alive.

It is kind of funny how this season went though. I hunted over on the east side again and put in five pretty long days chasing mule deer around the beautiful and diverse country. I had some opportunities. Four in fact, but I missed 3 shots at moving deer and the best shot I had was at 200 yards standing broadside as the last daylight was fading.....well, that opportunity still haunts me.

That haunting though, is what keeps me coming back. The challenge of the hunt and the fact that killing a buck is not an easy task is what makes hunting so satisfying.

During my hunt when things were not panning out so well, frustration crept in and I was kind of questioning God as to why things were going so poorly. My question to God was, "What is this all about, Lord. I'm a good hunter and a good shot, are you trying to teach me something here?" What I got was just a silence from God which served to confuse me more.

Fast forward a few weeks after and I'm out in the old coast range hills west of the town I grew up in hunting with my daughter. It suprised me how many times during her hunt I conjured up fond memories of the bucks that got away in those old familiar areas. The ones that got away still haunt me 20+ years later.

I think when success comes too easy we can miss out on a big part of what hunting is about. The gutwrench, heartache and deep dissapointment. The haunting, the sleepless nights, the visions of monsters getting away in our dreams as we try and sleep, the should haves, the shouldn't haves, the second guessing and the realization that maybe we are less powerful than we think we are in the outdoors. I wouldn't trade those lessons and those emotions for anything. It is what keeps me coming back!

This year my daughter almost had a chance at a buck. As she was setting up to shoot the fog rolled up the draw from below on a strong wind and for about five minutes we couldn't see the buck. When the fog blew out we could not find him anywhere.......haunting.

My son was hunting under the Oregon mentored youth program usingh my dad's tag. He had a really nice 3 point come into a clearing chasing a doe. I was by his side as his heart started racing and knees began to shake. He pulled up for a 50 yard shot and completely missed. The buck ran off into the trees and he looked like he might start to cry......haunting.

As I watched him groan I knew the exact emotions that he was feeling. Emotions so familiar, and I think I began to understand what God might have been trying to remind me of during my hunt.

I patted Grant on the back and said, "Grant, the opportunities don't get much better than that. But you know I missed a lot of easy shots at nice bucks when I first started hunting. It is part of learning and part of what makes this such a challenge. The memory of what happened tonight will always be with you, but it will make the accomplishment of getting your first buck that much sweeter."

A couple of seconds later he says, "Dad, didn't you miss a lot of nice bucks this year?" :)

-Scott

The watering hole...

2011-10-21T10:29:00.000-07:00

If you’ve spent any time in the southeast corner of Oregon, you know that water is the defining characteristic of the landscape. Survival for plants and animals depends on access to enough moisture to meet their daily needs. Without water, plants turn brown, and animals look for new areas to forage. You really notice this when you're out hiking and come across a dried-up stock pond or water hole. There’s no reason for animals to visit the bare, sun-baked earth anymore, and the only sign of their past visits is the deep footprints left as the pond turned to muck before the water dried up completely. There may be some water when the snow melts in spring, but otherwise these dry beds seem to mock the intelligence of their builder as they lie there, dry and forsaken, with no water or animals in sight.

On the other hand, when you find a source of water, the change is remarkable. Driving south from Burns toward Frenchglen, you can’t help but notice the contrast between the sage and rimrock on the dry slopes to the right, and the thick, green grasses, willows, and sprawling marshes along the Blitzen River on the left. This oasis holds far more nesting waterfowl, marsh birds, and mosquitoes than most places here in western Oregon where water is abundant, and more than a few deer, including some enormous bucks found in that valley. Even in a desert (or especially in a desert), adding a little water multiplies the abundance of life in amazing ways.

With this contrast in mind, I was impressed the other day with the words I read in Jeremiah 2:13.

“For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.”

God was warning His people that straying from His ways was really two mistakes in one. First, they were abandoning the Source of their life, walking away from the cool water, lush green, and teeming life of a fountain in the middle of the desert. On top of that, they were trying to fashion their own way through life, something that would prove to be as frustrating and ineffective as hoping for water from a dry cistern or stock pond.

It’s easy to think that we wouldn’t make the same mistakes as those people long ago, but human nature really hasn’t changed much. We don’t bow down in front of idols, but we often put our plans and pursuits in first place and hope God will fit in somewhere along the way. We would do well to remember that what God said applies to us just as well as to those people back there. God’s way is a way of life, but we are asking for a double dose of frustration and failure if we think we can find a better way on our own. Don’t trade the abundant life around the water for the hardened clay of a dried-up stock pond.

God’s life and blessings to you,

Quinton

A Rant...Kind Of...

2011-10-15T10:41:00.000-07:00

It strikes me how some people can think they know it all. There are a lot of people that just sort of think that they are the end all, know all, discussion closed.

I wonder what Jesus thinks of these kind of people? I mean, it is good to know where you stand. It is good to know what is right and what is wrong and where the line is. There are non-negotiables. But some people are just unreal in their arrogance.

Maybe I should let you in on what I'm upset about. Three days ago a book came out called "Beautiful Outlaw". It is a book and a ministry that I have been praying specifically about for a long time now. The aim of the book is to cut through the "religious" fog surrounding Jesus and to begin to experience Him as He really is. To discover His personality, for to know Jesus is to love Him.

Already, there is a host of blogs and facebook messages shooting down this book and calling the author a heretic. The book is only three days old! To me this is evidence that satan is trying to discredit this work of God right from the get go. And it is sad that there are many "christians" standing in line willing to be satan's voice on this.

And they think they know everything. They think that if, in their "superior" experience, they have never personally understood or met Jesus in the same way the author of the book has, well then their must be something wrong with the author. He must be a heretic. This doesn't line up with my theology so it must be blasphemy.

Friends, theology is man made. I used to get a kick out of my theology professors in college. You couldn't get three of them to totally agree on any of the doctrines they were teaching. And they just loved to throw other denominations of christianity under the bus and say that we are better because we believe in such and such. I never understood how that lined up to Jesus' prayer in John 17 where over and over he prays for the unity of his people.

Here is the couple of points I want to make.
1. None of us are the know all end all when it comes to Jesus. There is so much more that Jesus has in store for us. You cannot master Jesus or the christian life. You never arrive until you are home. What I am trying to say is that THERE IS ALWAYS MORE. Jesus will reveal himself differently to me as I continue to grow in Him and walk with Him. That should be exciting! It is an adventure. Just as I discover more about my wife as our relationship continues. How boring it would be if we just knew Jesus and that was it. There is so much more!

2. Matthew 7:15-17 Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheeps clothing but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.

You will know them by their fruit. I can't see how a book aimed at turning people on to the playful, disruptive, extravagant, and very real personality of Jesus is producing bad fruit. I'm reading the book and discovering that Jesus was even better than I had originally thought. I am falling in love Him more and more. The fruit of my reading has been a closer walk with Jesus.

A bad tree cannot produce good fruit, right?

However, discrediting such a work and turning people away from it based on your staunch, religious ideals and arrogance could be seen as producing bad fruit...couldn't it?

The biggest enemy of Jesus has always been religion by the way. This is not new news.

Here is what we need whether you read the book or not. We all need Jesus. Jesus, we ask for you. For the real you. Lead us to discover you as you really are.

Amen!

-Scott

It's Supernautical

2011-09-30T14:23:00.000-07:00

I’ve always been drawn to water and everything nautical. Growing up on the lower Columbia River, near the Pacific Ocean, I was surrounded by it. Averaging nearly eighty inches of rain annually, I was immersed in it. We were joyful when a new pair of knee boots replaced ones that made our wet socks track across Mother’s clean floor. I’ve also always had a boat of some kind. At the earliest moment I could play in the creek on our property, everything that floated became a boat.

At the age of eight, I got my first actual watercraft; a traditional Columbia River double ender lay out boat used for duck hunting. The boat was rotten when my Dad got it for $10 at a garage sale, but it made the perfect pattern and a summer project as I carefully took pieces out, copied them onto good wood, and then replaced it transforming the old boat into my new boat. It served me for many years before it was finally stolen. That boat gave way to another boat, one that I kept for twenty years. Today I have nearly every way to get to water covered from float tube to canoe, raft and drift boat, and even a jet sled. When that isn’t big enough, my friends have me covered with their commercial charter boat.

When I was growing up, I played in the water, while later on I worked on it and sometimes in it. I commercial fished for a spell, deck handed for a time, and even guided a bit. I even debated attending California Maritime Academy or joining the Coastguard during various stages of my life all for the love and lure of all things nautical.

I’m also drawn to stories of the sea and I recently stumbled across a story that I found a parallel to this past week. I want to share what was revealed to me through this story. The story is simply called, At Sea. It speaks of maritime law and describes a ship as a detached fragment of society under whose flag it sails. A wandering chunk of Spain, Britain or Panama. How ever far it travels overseas, it continues to be a fragment carrying the laws, customs, and culture of its home land. On a cruise ship, one sees this very clearly as you can portage around the outskirts of vile countries, bloody from civil or political unrest while you look at it from the distance and sip some fruity drink. This life at sea aboard a chunk of your country might seem lawless or free from laws but it is still governed by the code and laws of the flag it bears.

Take for instance the last case of cannibalism to be tried in Britain. In 1884, the yacht Mignonette was on passage from the place of its building, Essex, to its new owner in Sidney Australia. The yacht took a breaking wave and floundered in the South Atlantic. The four man crew took to a dinghy. On the 24^th day adrift in the open ocean, the four mariners, cast lots and the seventeen year old cabin boy drew the short straw. The boy was killed and the captain and remaining crew dined on his remains as a means to survive. Within days, a German ship picked the survivors up and returned them to England. England decided to put these men on trial for the murder of the cabin boy. The defense argued that the Mignonette was a registered Britain vessel on its way to be Australian. When the crimes were committed, they were on a flagless, open boat dinghy on the high seas and in a place of lawless territory. There was no jurisdiction they said. The British court ruled that the officers and law extended whether they were on or off their ship, with flag or no flag and they were sentenced to death. In a turn of events, they were then granted a royal pardon as the population was sympathetic to the ordeal.

My friends and brothers in Christ, do you see the parallel that I see?

Philippians 3:20 (NIV)

²⁰ But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.

As sons and daughters of the Most High, we are citizens of the heavenly realm. We are adopted sons and daughters and members of a Royal priesthood and a holy nation. Earth is not our home land but just a sea where we will float until we are picked up and carried home by Christ Jesus at the day of His coming. We are all fragments of that heavenly realm here on earth, complete with the laws, customs, and culture of the Holy One that indwells us. It may seem like a lawless place where we are free to make our own code of right and wrong but we are bound to the code and law of God our Father and that known to us as His truth. One day we will answer for our actions of lawlessness and sin with a sentence of death. Those under the blood and grace of Jesus will receive a Royal pardon and live in the freedom and joy of our home once and for all. It is time to quit hiding the flags of our true origin and run up the banner of the Holy One so that everyone knows from whence we came and to Whom we belong.

In the love of Christ,

Eric

7x7 Roosey!!! Outdoor Dream Foundation Hunt

2011-09-15T10:28:00.000-07:00

Hi all,

This week's blog is a special update on a hunt I mentioned weeks ago...one that we were really looking forward to! The link below is to an ifish thread about a bull that 18 year old Jessica, from South Carolina, killed on film last week...a cancer survivor who chose an Oregon elk hunt as her "dream hunt" sponsored by the Outdoor Dream Foundation. I can't begin to express the trials this girl's endured and persevered through, and how amazing this experience was for her and her dad...and everyone who took part in this adventure and made it possible. God is good!

Click HERE to view the story and photos from the hunt...

.

Lasagna

2011-09-09T14:55:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago my wife and I tried a new italian restaurant in town. It was nice. It was nice to be out together without the kids and just enjoy a good meal and conversation with eachother. That in and of itself probably made the food taste better but the food we had was spectacular. We started with fresh bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Then we ordered a tomato caprese' salad. Fresh mozzarella, garden fresh tomatos, pesto sauce, fresh basil and a balsamic reduction sauce drizzeled over top. Wow! For the main course I had linguine with shrimp and scallops, in a lemon,butter and white wine sauce and speckeled with capers. It was delicious! Charlene ordered the lasagna. This is not the kind of lasagna you get in the frozen isle of the store. It was fresh. Ground beef, sweet italian sausage, ricotta cheese, mozzarella, perfectly cooked pasta and a roma tomato sauce with chunks of fresh tomato and basil. I stole a bite and it was best lasagna I've ever tasted!

The meal left us happy. We were satisfied.... content but at the same time longing for more. We were wishing our stomachs could hold more. Most of the way home in fact, we talked about what a perfect a meal it was. I made a statement that I wished dinner could be like that all of time.

Dinner. It's kind of a funny thing. It can be so good at times and then other times just be so ordinary, so blah. A few nights ago I got home late and there was nothing much to eat. My family had already eaten and they just assumed I would grab something out. I settled for a few stale potato chips and a bowl of cereal with blueberries on top!

Okay, allow me to make my point. Our relationship with Jesus is meant to be extravagant. It is meant to be like the fine italian dinner that leaves you satisfied and craving for more. But I think most of us experience that kind of relationship about as often as I go out for a fine dining experience. Fairly seldom. Instead we keep settling for Top Ramen, cereal with blueberries, or lasagna from a box, and we wonder why our souls are longing and our hunger never satisfied.

We need to discover Jesus on a new level. We need to discover Him as He really is. He is the thing we are searching for, the very breath we need for our survival. I fear we have grown numb to the affect of Jesus. We need to know Him. To know Him is to Love Him.

I'm really excited for a new book coming out this October. You know by now that Jeff and I have learned a lot through the ministry of John Eldredge. I have been around John enough to know that this man walks with God. He is a wise sage and when he has something to write about, I try and read it. His new book coming out in October is called "Beautiful Outlaw." This book is going to reveal a lot about Jesus, and it is going to take your breath away. If you are like me and you've slowly grown numb to Jesus, to his personality, his love, his devotion, his strength and courage then I think this book is going to get you fired up again!

May you come and reveal your true self, Jesus. It is your true self that we so desperately need.

The link below should take you to a trailer for "Beautiful Outlaw".

http://updates.ransomedheart.com/beautifuloutlaw/

We Can't Fathom

2011-09-03T15:25:00.000-07:00

Exodus 15:11 (NIV)

11 Who among the gods
is like you, LORD?
Who is like you—
majestic in holiness,
awesome in glory,
working wonders?

I have a room that I’ve been building for five years now and I’m finally getting close to completing it. We’ve called it the “man room” as it is a very rugged room with various animal skins, mounts, photos, antler chandeliers, rustic wood and various creations that I have built from scratch or with the help of a friend or two. It has served many purposes for me as I’ve relived stories of adventure with those looking at the photos. I have quiet time with God as I sit at a fly tying bench, rig fishing rods, or reload some shells. The soothing therapy to my soul that it has provided as I’ve sanded and shaped on something I’ve created for the room, while recovering from a surgery. Sometimes I’ve had less than fifteen minutes here or there over months of recovery to work a bit before my pain is too much and have to stop. It has been very satisfying to think about something neat to create then go through the process of sometimes years, to see it come to be.

I’ve had a number of reactions when people see the room. Sometimes just a simple “hey that’s nice” while others inspect every inch. Their eyes move about the room studying everything and asking questions. The compliments from those that understand the amount of work involved and that also understand the time period of physical trial that has gone on in my life during the time of the room’s creation. These compliments are always so much more meaningful to me than the token compliments of someone that can’t fathom the workmanship of my hand and the time and patience it took.

I wonder if God has similar feelings when we degrade the awesomeness of who He is with token worship. I know that we can not possibly fathom how magnificent He is; wonderful, powerful, loving, and majestic. There are so many huge words that try to describe Him to us. It is something our puny brains can’t even come close to computing, but as we do set our hearts, minds and eyes on Jesus, the Holy Spirit will continue to reveal that need for reverence and awe that He is so deserving of in our worship. Marvel at His wonder and His covering grace, proclaim His goodness in song, bend your knees before Him in awe as He is deserving of nothing less.

Psalm 99:3 (NIV)

3 Let them praise your great and awesome name—
he is holy.

In Christ Jesus,

Eric

what hunting is really all about...

2011-08-25T22:06:00.000-07:00

What does this passion we have stem from? Every year, the anticipation mounts until opening day breaks, when one’s mental and physical preparation meets the test. These times are flooded with memories recalled, lessons learned, adrenaline found, successes earned, experiences shared, and a closeness felt with all of creation. For every hunter, the approach to opening day is different and the outlook brings diverse thought, but we all hold a feeling in our heart of what it’s really all about…to each of us.

For me, growing up in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, the quest for the elusive Blacktail deer took precedence over many other trophies. Raised in the sticks with an older brother and father to show me the ropes, my learning curve was blessed. From the time I could walk, I was out in the field with them in pursuit of Blacktail deer. Walking slowly behind, I stopped when they stopped, looked where they looked, listening, learning the landscape, feeling my heart pound in my chest and sensing the insecurity of the wild.

As I’ve gotten older, my experiences have become memories to reflect upon often, and to pass on to friends, family, and the next generation. Whether it be chasing after Roosevelt elk inhabiting the thickest forest, Rocky Mountain elk occupying the high country, Mule deer roaming the sage desert, turkeys wandering the rolling hills, ducks flying over a stagnant slough, geese in search of a corn field, salmon gliding up a calm river, or steelhead slicing through rough waters, there is a reason we find ourselves there…in every moment. As I reflect on my outdoor experiences, others can capture and define their own meaning to this adventure we all have a longing for and hope to pass on.

There is often a distorted stereotypical view of hunting from those outside the hunting world, claiming we have wrong motivations behind the enjoyment of our sport. From the dramatic folks who are against any form of gun use, to those who feel many hunt only for the record books (which may be a legitimate concern considering modern day focuses), many are against what we greatly appreciate. Obviously they do not entirely understand why we do what we do, perhaps because no one has taken the time to explain the truth to them in the right way. For the true outdoorsmen, it is not just about the size, the kill, or the use of a weapon, but about so much more. It’s about the time spent in what many call “God’s Country” and the abundance of its experiences.

There are various names for what many enjoy…the wilderness, the great outdoors, the woods…but no matter the title, it is a special part of God’s creation which we may reflect upon…

This magnificent earth,

the countless stars,

the feeling of true darkness in the shelter of the wilderness,

the satisfaction found in a breath of the freshest air,

the brittle crispness of a cold high country morning as you wait for the sun to peak out

into the brightening horizon,

the infinite view toward the heavens just before daybreak…as the shades of black and

dark blue in the west fade at the rising colors of oranges and white,

the marvel felt as visible stars faint away into the illuminating sky,

the sight of breath and feeling of warmth as you breathe into your hands,

the relief of a brilliant sunrise which, with each, comes a new challenge,

the insecurity of being in the wild and the stirring anticipation of the uncertain,

the quiet calm peering down on a fog filled valley,

the resounding sound of a bugle echoing throughout a canyon,

the intense shiver which runs up your spine as your ear senses something,

the unstoppable pounding in your chest at first sight,

the slow midmorning rise as fog lets go ascending to the sky,

the smallness felt in view of a mountain vista or towering snowcapped peak,

the beauty of a blooming hillside,

the comfort of a soft meadow waving in a slight breeze,

the display of a glossy stream flowing softly,

the power imagined as a loose boulder has paused for a season in a dry riverbed with high

cut banks,

the burn of the climb and the relief of conquest,

the unexplainable quench from a mountain spring,

the breathtaking view as you tilt your neck back in awe of the towering trees allowing

only narrow rays of daylight to pierce through,

the curious wonder that each step may be unexplored territory…where no one but God

has been before,

the splendor in the shifting colors of fall,

the eeriness of walking through a thick fog,

the crunch of a deer approaching in the wintry leaves,

the dance of a falling snowflake and stark white of a snow,

the glimpse of a salmon gliding up stream,

the revival of liveliness as your bobber goes under,

the calm excitement as you realize it is indeed the real thing,

the spectacle of that first jump out of the water,

the ghostly sound of a flock of ducks flying overhead before light,

the awakening sound of a field full of geese,

the anxious wait for a chance,

the uncertain sensation of speaking to God’s creatures,

the respect of the terrain and its inhabitants,

the appreciation of just being there,

the silence of evening and grandeur of a sunset,

the overwhelming happiness felt from experiences shared with others,

gourmet tastes shared after success and stories told around a fire,

time spent silently reflecting on life,

snapshots only remembered in our mind,

an immeasurable heavenly hope,

and a great thanks to our God and Creator.

You can likely relate to one or all. It could be all about the memories or glimpses of future hope…the satisfaction or sense of achievement…maybe just for relaxation and to get away from the norm. Perhaps there is an innate sense of splendor in feeling close to God and seeing His creation more fully. Whatever your reflection, capture it…and share it with those you care about. That is what hunting is really all about.

running

2011-08-19T09:20:00.000-07:00

A couple weeks ago, I experienced a MOM moment- one I will remember forever, probably just because I am a mom. All 3 guys were outside putzin' around, so I decided to take advantage of the time, and hit the road for a run. I came out in my runnin' garb (which Boone always notices), said 'goodbye' and Boone quickly told me that he wanted to go with me. I told him that he couldn't come with, but that he could watch me run up our driveway- which is somewhat lengthy. I made sure to turn about halfway up and wave at them both- just two little still bodies at the edge of the yard, staring after me. I hit the pavement up at the top and set a nice pace (well, who am I kidding, it's all uphill so it wasn't the best pace). About halfway up THAT road (which is 1/4 mile long), I hear the most piercing, wailing scream "MOMMY!" I turned to look and see Boone standing resigned, 3 houses down from me. My heart caught in my throat as I uttered, "Boone!" and I started running back towards him. He instantly dashed forward, tears streaming down his dirty, smeared face as he cried "Mommy, don't go! Mommy! Mommy, don't go!" We met almost in the middle and I knelt down and hugged him tight as he clung to me. He told me, "I's chasin' you but you were runnin' too fast..." I whispered to him that I loved him very much, that he makes me so proud, and that someday he could run with me, but right now Finn needs someone to play with. I took his hand and told him that we could run back home together, and he liked that idea. Back past a few houses we went, turning onto our driveway, and I see Finn crying... about 3/4's of the way up the driveway, coming after us too. Kisses went to everyone, and then Jeff came and scooped 'em both up. As I set out again, I couldn't help but remember this scene from The Patriot:

To me, it was almost exactly the same, and it melted my heart. Boone, the boy. The boy who is all about his daddy. The boy who is all about his daddy. The boy who is all about his daddy. But this time, that little boy wanted me... his mommy. He wanted me bad enough to chase after me at a pace only cheetahs can beat. The boy loves me... I must be doing something right. I still can't decide on the saddest part: where he realized he couldn't catch up and stopped running, only to be discovered when he screamed in surrender; or when we sprinted towards each other in earnest, unable to bear the separation.

My boys always have a special way of teaching me about God. We can chase all we want, but it's only when we resign ourselves and cry out to Him that He answers us. And what does our loving Father do? He runs right to us, scoops us up, dries our tears, holds our hand, and guides us safely back home.

-Mindi

The Trap

2011-08-13T09:00:00.000-07:00

I love adventure. I love hunting and fishing. You could tell by looking on my nightstand. Currently I have a copy of the latest Salmon and Steelhead Journal, an OHA magazine, a latest Field and Stream and a copy of Outdoor Life. Of course I have my Bible, an NIV and a copy of "The Message" which I enjoy reading as well.

I also have 3 or 4 DVD's on my nightstand that I've been plugging in and watching bits and pieces of before bed. I have No Canyon for Old Men, Tagged Out, Hot Bulls 4 and Addicted 3. Addicted. That's what I want to talk about. Not the video, but the addiction itself.

When does doing what we love cross the line and become an addiction? Is it okay to be 'addicted' to wholesome things such as hunting and fishing. I mean to be good at it, to be successful there needs to be some kind of attachment or love or desire to continue pursuing it, right? It's not hurting anyone is it? Or is it?

This has been a struggle for me in the past, and I don't claim to have a cut and dry answer for these questions. I don't think there is cut and dry answers for everyone, but by walking with God and tuning in to His Spirit, I think I've discovered a place where I can be at peace with my love for these activities. Here is what I've come to learn;

Satan basically has two ploys to try and get us from becoming all that God has intended for us. His first ploy is to get us to lose heart and become seperated from our true desires that God has placed within us. We all know people who have lost heart, given up, have no adventure, or their biggest adventure in life is keeping a nice lawn or something along those lines, but the desire gets buried under layers of junk until they reach a point of being ineffective.

If satan can't get us to totally bury desire, then he will throw us a counterfit that has some resemblence of our deep desires and true nature but it is designed to get us off track. To send us down an exciting road that will eventually lead us to a position of losing heart. In Addiction and Grace, Gerald May writes, "Our addictions are our own worst enemies. They enslave us with chains that are of our own making and yet that, paradoxically, are virtually beyond our control. Addiction also makes idolaters out of us all, because it forces us to worship these objects of attachment, thereby preventing us from truly, freely loving God and one another."

So that could be a sort of test. Has this object become more important to me than truly and freely loving God, or others? And my sad answer to that question used to be, yes. I would be so tuned in to trying to catch a fish that I couldn't enjoy the beauty of my surroundings, the company I was with, and take a moment to reflect, or to thank God, or to listen to what he is trying to speak to me through my time outdoors. I knew I suppossed to be getting my kids outdoors and sharing the adventure with them, but they kind of got in the way of me being hard core. Sharing my passion with another was an afterthought because of my selfish desire to "get one for me." Never mind how I left my wife every weekend so I could get out there.

But thank God, I've changed. Sure, I can still roll back into some of those old habits but for the most part I'm cured. And I'm cured by the great high that I feel by sharing my passion with others. Hunting and fishing with my wife and kids is more fun than I ever thought possible. Seeing them enjoy it and watching them have success has been a real high. Teaching my friend Brian to hunt deer 4 years ago and watching him have fun and have success for 4 straight years gives me a real sense of accomplishment. I shared my passion with him and it lit a fire and now he is sharing it with others. I took my nephew Luke out and guided him to his first deer and it is a memory he and I will share forever.

Our passion, our strength, our love, our talets, our gifts....they are not for us. If they are just for us we become selfish, we become addicted and we end up losing interest at some point. Our passion, strength, love, talents, gifts, our very lives are for others. And we are to glorify God with what he has given us. When we do, He seems to be all over blessing that.

A few days ago my daughter, Morgan was out in the front yard working with her goat (she shows goats in 4-H). While she was out there a young woman of maybe 20 years old came riding by on her horse. I watched as the young women stopped and took an interest in my 12 year old daughter and her goat. They talked for a while and then the young women cantered off on her horse.

Morgan came up to me and I asked who that was that she met. She said, "That was Krissy, she is boarding her horses over accross the field and she said maybe I could ride with her some time." Now you have to understand that my daughter has been enamored with horses since birth. She absolutely loves them. She has taken some riding lessons and she loves it but we just haven't been in a situation where we've felt comfortable owning a horse and owning the expense of horse, even though Morgan's found one on Craigslist everyday for the past 3 years! I said, "Oh that's nice." However, I didn't really think the young women would ever follow through.

Well just last night this young women, Krissy, calls our home phone. Morgan answered. I heard some talking, then Morgan comes running over, "Dad, it's Krissy! She has two horses saddled up and she's in our driveway. Can I go riding with her!!!???"

Morgan had a blast! They rode for two hours and when Morgan got back she had this grin that she couldn't wipe off her face. Now I'm sure Krissy could have ignored Morgan that day when she was in the yard. I'm sure she likes riding solo and she enjoys being alone with her thoughts while riding along the country side. Taking a 12 year old that she barely knew on a ride was sort of a risk on her part. She didn't know if Morgan could handle a horse. But she stepped out of her own little world, took an interest in a younger girl, and asked her to come along. She shared her passion with someone else. And Morgan will never forget it.

So I guess, maybe I'm asking you to think about your time outdoors....your passions. Don't let them become addictions. Don't let them be only self serving. Steer clear of that trap. Your excitement and passion for the outdoors is contagious! Others need it. There are so many people who need adventure, beauty, and to meet God in real ways out in creation. I think God wants us to share that, and to infect others. Not just with the activities that we enjoy, but by offering ourselves and our time and dare I say it, our love.

I hope your fall season is a powerful one!

-Scott

A New View of this Big ol' World

2011-08-05T11:14:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago we introduced you to Eric Schoenborn. Eric writes some devotional material for his church and this blog is a devotion he wrote and sent from Alaska while on a trip there last month. Eric was hosting some trips at a fishing lodge helping out with the family business, "Fishing with Larry". At the bottom of his writing you can click on the You Tube link to see about a 4 minute video of some cool Alaskan fishing and a staring contest with some of the local brown bears.

A New View of this Big ol’ World

As you read this, I am in the wilds of Alaska trying to learn how to cast a fly left handed. I’ll tell you right now that it is totally like patting my head and rubbing my belly at the same time after more than forty years of being right handed.

I love the view from the bush planes in Alaska as you cruise above the tree tops, tundra and up the sides of glaciers and over rims and mountains; gathering it all in. One trip I hope to take next summer as I again spend several weeks in Alaska is with a truly exceptional pilot who is rumored to be able to turn the plane on edge while he flies the rivers and actually spot pods of trout from the air before he lands the plane to fish on them. I’ve often imagined how impressive the earth must look from the cockpit of the space shuttle. Our place in the universe seems at times both important or massive and yet so minuscule.

The end of June, I spent time in a booth at a sportsman show for a ministry we’ve developed to reach kids through outdoor experiences. As we began to answer questions about the ministry, the reaction was nearly the same. “That is going to be powerful”, “How exciting”, “How intimidating and big that is going to be”. “Wow, good for you”. The Christian counselor that I work with from time to time even said, “It’s like you are trying to stop the world on its axis and start it turning the other direction because it is a complete one hundred and eighty degrees from the way the family is heading in our current Western culture.”

Well, I’ve never thought of it that way and I don’t think I’m going to let those statements change the way I’ve been thinking about it. I have been seeing it as simply being obedient to what God has called me to do. It doesn’t matter to me if the ministry is big or small as the affect of the ministry is in God’s hands. I am starting to see that the ministry we are helping build is simply as big as one mentor and one kid at a time. That’s it.

I think many people become paralyzed and fearful of the direction the world is going. Let me assure you that the “world” has always been going in that direction. Christians use the statement that they will “pray about it” or “seek God’s will” and those are always good things but those words have become a cop out statement to do nothing. God’s will is evident in the Word and He has written it on your heart. You only need to seek Him and turn the page to what He has written. It is time to be obedient by loving one person at a time.

I know I have used this before but Jesus answered the question about the greatest command by saying that we are to love the Lord our God with everything we have and love our neighbors as ourselves. The world will feel a whole lot smaller and less intimidating it we take this view.

In Christ Jesus,

Eric Schoenborn

http://www.youtube.com/user/FishingWithLarry#p/a/u/0/kLb758dzuZ0

Fisher's of Men

2011-07-29T09:45:00.000-07:00

The Lord's blessed us with some great hunts again this year! We've been invited to film another once-in-a-lifetime bighorn sheep hunt in SE Oregon! We'll also be after bears in August, we have some promising archery elk hunts coming in September, and will of course have some down home western Oregon rifle deer season footage...along with several other hunts still in the works.

As exciting as the hunts will be, we most look forward to the time spent in fellowship with new friends, old friends, family, and time spent with God. Not every trip out ends with meat on the table, but every time out we experience our Creator...maybe not in conversation or prayer, but certainly in the beauty of the sunrise or gradeur of a sunset, the chilling sound of a bugle and oneness felt with creation, the eery calm of a crisp morning in the fresh mountain air, the solitude of the backcountry or the comfort of your own turf...God is there. We're excited to experience Him this year, and can't wait to share it with you!

Our vision statement for Faith in the Field is, "Introducing people to Christ through the glory of God's creation." And that's what it's about for us...for me...and there's no greater feeling than beginning the journey with my almost 3 year old son. May he see God in all he experiences...

Enjoy this quick clip of his first outing on the lake this year...

-Jeff

A Lesson in Suffering

2011-07-15T07:02:00.000-07:00

Suzi has always said that I was born with nine lives, given the close calls and near death experiences I have had over the years. Some of them, well, all of them are rather incredible really. I started out this fall having already exhausted at least six that I am aware of, and returning home from a hunting trip in Montana, I was pretty sure I used up the remaining three.

A group of us were hunting in a remote location where we had to travel by boat to get there. As we left in the morning for a day of hunting, the drizzle of the 38 degree rain was uncomfortable but tolerable. Warm clothes and rain gear kept the wet and cold at bay for a while but as the day wore on, the drizzle gained momentum and the temperature dropped. By noon, the group of us was soaked by the big wet snowflakes.

I always get mad when I watch the TV show Survivor, and they can’t make fire given a large pile of perfect tinder and a fire starter. It took me only minutes to make a roaring fire for lunch time, from the tools in my fanny pack. We huddled around the glow as our bodies absorbed the heat. I’m not sure how long we huddled around the fire but when two of us turned so our backsides could enjoy the heat, we both noticed the dark clouds and the heavy weather front in the distant sky bearing down on us. After a short discussion to give up the hunt for the day and head back to camp, we climbed in the boat and started the journey back to the boat ramp.

We hadn’t gone far before we found ourselves in the middle of a blizzard. The temperature plummeted and the wind increased. The journey went from a short run to a three hour tour, yes a “three hour tour” (Gilligan’s Island reference). As the boat crept along, under full power, pushing directly into the full force of the storm, the waves would crash over the boat drenching us with spray. As time went on and the temperature dropped, the spray and heavy snow mixed to encase our soaked bodies and boat in a layer of solid ice. By the time we reached the boat ramp, everyone was approaching severe hypothermia and very much at risk. It took me six times to reach into my pocket and pull out the keys to my truck. The temperature gauge on the truck read 11 degrees.

At one point on the boat ride, my cousin turned to me and yelled above the roar of the storm, “How much longer must we suffer?” I just smiled. When we were all out of our wet clothes and warming ourselves next to the woodstove in our tent, my cousin asked me why in that dire situation, I was smiling. I said, “You asked the question, how much longer must we suffer, and I smiled because that didn’t entail suffering to me. That was pain, and I knew shortly that it would be over one way or the other. Either we would make it or we wouldn’t but it was something that was easily endured over a short period of time.”

Suffering is something I have felt several times in my life as I have been forced to endure great pain for long periods of time. Perhaps, the biggest obstacle for a non-believer coming to faith in God is the question of how a loving God could allow so much pain and suffering to exist in this world. While asking this question, people ignore the fact that an estimated 95% of all suffering is mortal or caused as a direct result of the actions of people or sin and not what is equated to an “act of God” such as the recent earthquake in Japan.

Paul suffered from what was referred to as “a thorn in his flesh.” We read in 2 Corinthians where he prayed for relief.

2 Corinthians 12:8-10 (NIV)

8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

I find it interesting that right next to the word “suffering” in my dictionary is the word “suffice”, which is the root word of sufficient. God asks us to focus on Him and His grace will always trump our suffering. A lesson from a dear friend has taught me that when I find myself suffering and in unbearable pain, I should go to my praise chair, crank the praise music and sing with all I have while I focus on Him. My suffering seems so small in the shadow of His grace.

In the love of Christ,

Eric Schoenborn

A "propositional" Christianity

2011-07-08T14:01:00.000-07:00

This week we want to share an email devotional we received from Ransomed Heart this week. The bible isn't just history, it transcends time, and offers hope for the future. It should be awe inspiring, and take our breath away......

We have lived for so long with a "propositional" approach to Christianity, we have nearly lost its true meaning. As Mary Stewart Van Leeuwen says,

Much of it hinges on your view of scripture. Are you playing proof-text poker with Genesis plus the Gospels and Paul's epistles, with everything else just sort of a big mystery in between-except maybe Psalms and Proverbs, which you use devotionally? Or do you see scripture as being a cosmic drama-creation, fall, redemption, future hope-dramatic narratives that you can apply to all areas of life?

For centuries prior to our Modern Era, the church viewed the gospel as a Romance, a cosmic drama whose themes permeated our own stories and drew together all the random scenes in a redemptive wholeness. But our rationalistic approach to life, which has dominated Western culture for hundreds of years, has stripped us of that, leaving a faith that is barely more than mere fact-telling. Modern evangelicalism reads like an IRS 1040 form: It's true, all the data is there, but it doesn't take your breath away. As British theologian Alister McGrath warns, the Bible is not primarily a doctrinal sourcebook: "To reduce revelation to principles or concepts is to suppress the element of mystery, holiness and wonder to God's self-disclosure. 'First principles' may enlighten and inform; they do not force us to our knees in reverence and awe, as with Moses at the burning bush, or the disciples in the presence of the risen Christ."

(The Sacred Romance , 45)

Let the planning begin!!!

2011-07-01T14:42:00.000-07:00

Congrats to all who successfully drew a tag this year! I've become more anxious each year as the unveiling of the results nears...adding OWFW's site to my "favorites" list on the computer, re-memorizing my license number, and checking more frequently each day. I didn't have high hopes this year, so I wasn't too surprised to read "unsuccessful" all the way down the page. Loving the west side of our state takes the pressure off the draw for me, because no matter what, I count my blessings that I can hunt blacktails and roosevelts annually over the counter. We're lucky in that regard here in Oregon. We're blessed with an extremely diverse state and abundant opportunities each and every year! And so, let the planning begin!!!

It's like Christmas morning in June...the phone calls, tags drawn, the immediate talk of when to scout, where to camp, and which ridge you'll find yourself on come opening morning. Memories and dreams collide, causing sleepless nights and anticipation for weeks ahead. Goals are set and the motivation kicks in...losing weight, strengthening those lungs, drinking more water, less pop and junk food, begin growing the beard out ;) ...our mode changes. For some, it's a once in a lifetime opportunity, for others, a last in a lifetime opportunity...for many, a first time opportunity. A first trip with dad or a last trip with dad...an unknown adventure, a familiar campfire, relaxation and adrenaline, highs and lows, hits and maybe misses, challenges and success...there's nothing quite like it. It's a measuring stick of sorts, with many different approaches and mindsets. And to each of us, there's an innate desire to experience one or all aspects of the outdoors.

Our desire to spend quality time in nature is our desire to spend quality time with the One who created it. The beauty of the outdoors speaks of an Eden we've never know, but know we were created for. It draws us closer to God, renews our heart, mind and our soul. Life is different out there. It's.........good.

So as you plan for fall and begin to work out, eat healthier, shoot your bow, sight in your rifle, make your lists and study your maps, know that God is just as excited for the hunt as you are! I can't wait to meet Him in camp...

Seeking the One!
Jeff

Shoot Out!

2011-06-24T10:28:00.000-07:00

Picture for a moment a bunch of grown men standing around telling stories, shooting shotguns, fellowshipping with one another and praising God in the process. Picture seeing some of the rough and tumble type of men from your church in their element...on their turf, where they feel the most comfortable. They are doing what they love and sharing what they love with others.

The joking, the camraderie, the smell of chicken smoking on Traegers, and the constant barrage of shotgun blasts followed by laughter, cheering, and "dog-gone-its." It is a good time. Way different than Sunday school. And in many ways more powerful. Let me explain.

Now picture that you are a young man being invited to join in the fun with these men who you respect. They want you to join them because they value you. They offer you a place in the adventure they are having as men. Then, they turn their focus to helping you have a good time. They are engaged and willing to help you learn. Their desire is to pass on skills and knowledge in hopes that you will enjoy yourself. They accept you as a man, in the company of men. They laugh at your jokes. They have a genuine interest in your life and they ask you questions to try and get to know you. They encourage you. They cheer for you. They are in your corner.

This is what happened last weekend at the Schoenborn Ranch in Yamhill county. I want to thank the Coast Hills Community Church mens ministry for allowing Faith in the Field to be a part of their annual shotgun shoot and BBQ. We serve a God that is such a genious. Really! To use a bunch of men, a bunch of shotguns,several cases of ammunition and about 2,000 clay targets to minister to and affect the lives of several men and boys who were present. Well, it is awesome! You have to love the way God uses people and the things we are passionate about for his purposes.

Enjoy some of the photo's from last weekend.

My Favorite Hunting Story

2011-06-17T09:15:00.000-07:00

I love hunting with my dad, probably because I followed him around the woods before I was old enough to hunt myself. When I turned 12, Dad was the one who took me out on the morning I got my first deer. I spent lots of mornings nearly freezing to death while we glassed for elk in the shadows of Trask Mountain. Once I was old enough to head out on my own, I started exploring the far corners of the state, but in the last few years I’ve been back in the woods with Dad several times. I find that I hunt with my eyes on the hillside in front of me and my ears tuned in his direction for the sound of his rifle. More than once I’ve realized while hunting that I’m hoping for Dad to get a deer just as much as I’m hoping to get one myself.

Hunting with Dad is also special because about 9 years ago he was diagnosed with lymphoma. It took surgery, chemo, and radiation, along with the prayers of lots of friends and family, and he made it through. Without a doubt, it made us appreciate our opportunities a lot more.

This story happened on one of the last days of the general rifle season about 5 years ago. I stopped in at Dad’s office in the afternoon and talked him into heading out for an evening hunt. Our main problem was that I had a rifle with me and Dad didn’t. When we reached our parking spot, we decided to do the logical thing and have Dad carry the rifle since he had a buck tag and a doe tag, while I had only a buck tag. We had barely left the truck when we caught a brief glimpse of a deer running up the logging road ahead of us. Neither of us saw it well, but both of us sensed that it was a buck. In our whispered conversation, Dad offered to give me the rifle so I could shoot it, but I told him to go ahead. So we slipped ahead with Dad in the lead. We saw the deer a couple more times moving in the Scotch broom, but it never stopped, and we still weren’t sure it was a buck.

Finally it figured out that we were there and headed for the edge of the clearing at a trot. Once in the open, we could see it was a buck, and Dad got one shot and missed before it accelerated into the brush. We hurried after it because it was headed toward the bottom of the clearcut we were planning to hunt that evening. When we got to the clearcut, there was no deer to be seen, so we concluded that it had gone on around the hill. Just as we turned to hurry ahead in that direction, I caught a movement on the hillside and realized that the buck was still in the clearcut after all. Dad stepped behind me and rested the rifle over my left shoulder while I stood as still as possible. The buck stopped squarely behind a tree and stood there for several agonizing seconds. Then it took two steps, and Dad pulled the trigger. This time he connected, and the deer rolled down the hill and expired. With the dead deer in sight, we waited an hour or so to see if anything else would show itself, but the buck had apparently been alone.

He turned out to be a 3x2. Not as big as he had grown in our imaginations over that last hour, but still a fine buck. We shared a feeling of satisfaction as we dragged him back to the pickup.

This story was a great memory in itself, but the true significance came about later. The next April Dad’s cancer returned. The doctor had told him that if it ever back, chemo would not work a second time. The only thing left was a stem cell transplant. Dad spent about a month in the hospital in Portland while we waited and prayed. There were scary moments at the point where he had essentially no immune system and he was delirious with a fever of 106 degrees, but we thank God for bringing him through. Doctors tend to avoid the word “cured” after you have cancer, but Dad is pretty much as busy today as he ever was.

I was slow to recognize it, but now I realize that through this story God gave me a special gift. If Dad had not survived the cancer treatment, I could look back on a successful hunt as the last time I had been in the field with Dad. I would remember that when Dad offered me the rifle, I told him to keep it, and he shot his last buck. And while Dad did survive the treatment, I suspect that when that inevitable time comes, whether from cancer or something else, this story will mean even more to me than it does now. We often talk in a vague sort of way about finding God in our times in the outdoors, but I have no doubt that God’s hand was deliberately on this hunting trip to give me the gift of this memory of hunting with my dad.

Last fall, when my wife and I went deer hunting in northeast Oregon, my parents came along for the first few days. We took one day off from hunting to drive over to Imnaha and up to Hat Point to see Hell’s Canyon. We stopped off at the point looking down over Freezeout Saddle to get a snack and look around. In between sandwiches and candy bars and Capri-Suns, Dad was more interested in glassing the canyons, and before long he spotted a herd of elk. We got to do the age-old ritual of, “See where the timber ends on the ridge…down below there’s a log lying at an angle on the hillside…to the left there’s a yellow bush…the elk are in the draw about 50 yards below the bush.” It was fun to take my parents to see one of my favorite places, but I got a special feeling of joy and contentment to be able once again to watch my dad glass the hillsides and canyons until he found a herd of elk. I hope it happens again soon.

Happy Father’s Day, Dad. I love you!

-Quinton Nice

Kids and Trout!

2011-06-09T22:54:00.000-07:00

Morning Limits for Grant and Joel!!!

Well, we had a blast at Diamond Lake last weekend and I wish I could share all all of the photo's with you but with 3 different camera's, a snow storm, and my apparent inability to get pictures of my daughters, and my sisters kids to upload I guess we'll just have to settle for the ones off of Jeff's camera!

His kids are pretty cute anyway. Finn, (above) got the same handsomeness gene as his uncle Scott. And Boone (below) must have gotten his cuteness from his mom. Neither one of these kids will have to be behind the camera like their father. They look good enough to be on film. :)

Below is a shot of my son Grant and my nephew Joel discussing who caught the biggest trout. It was hard convincing them that it was a tie. That is Joel in the background doing girth to length calculations in his head and then using his water displacement theory and figuring how much the lake level dropped when we pulled all of these fish out of the water. (He's smart like that)

Spring at Diamond Lake is a tradition in my family that dates back to when my dad was a kid. My grandpa used to take him and his brothers up there for trout fishing and then I remember my grandpa and my dad taking my sister, Jeff and I fishing in grandpa's boat when we were kids. Now my dad is 'grandpa' and he is still taking his three kids plus all of our kids fishing in his boat. I think it is called leaving a legacy. Or a heritage. It is putting a stamp in all of our memories that will never fade away. Family, fun, fish, being outdoors in a beautiful setting, sharing those moments with loved ones...that is what it is all about.

Us adults didn't catch many fish. These trips are all about the kids and letting them reel in as many fish as possible. It was fun to watch each of them reel in the first few fish frantically and with such concentration. So excited, but so scared that they were going to lose them. Then after 3-4 fish they settle down and things become 'old hat'. It no longer requires deep concentration and they even continue talking about whatever they were talking about while bringing in the fish. Like they were pros or something! It was really fun to watch. But one thing that never went away was the smiles when the rod bent, or when the fish finally hit the net. Our family has been cracking smiles at Diamond Lake for 4 generations now and I feel like we've been really blessed.

But then my thoughts turn to kids who don't get these same opportunities. There are so many kids out there who don't have a dad to take them fishing. The legacy or heritage that they are left with is abandonement. Who will lead these kids into the kinds of adventures that touch the deep longing in their souls for beauty, adventure, risk, being outdoors in the wild? Will they get a chance to be smack dab in the middle of creation and enjoy all of the beauty of the world God created for them? Without a loving and engaged earthly father, how will they come to understand that there is a loving and engaged heavenly father? If they don't know what a relationship with an earthly father looks like how will they understand that they have a heavenly father who wants a relationship with them?

Friends, that is why we are developing an outdoor ministry aimed at mentoring fatherless boys. We want to reach out to these kids. Lead them into these kinds of adventures to discover the generous God who created all that we enjoy. And we want to help lead these boys to a relationship with their heavenly father who will never abandon them. We are well on our way to getting this crucial ministry started but we still need help. There are many things we are seeking from land access, to guys who want to mentor, to financial help, to gear and equipment, expertise, prayer support, legal help, etc. If you want to help partner with us in this ministry and help us make a difference in the lives of the fatherless please contact us at info@faithinthefield.com

God Bless,

Scott

Quotes...

2011-06-03T14:18:00.000-07:00

I keep a notepad in my desk drawer, and from time to time I write down quotes that strike me. This week I wanted to share some with you. -Jeff

"It isn't what you look at that matters, it's what you see." -Henry David Thoreau

"Without the anticipation of better things ahead, we will have no heart for the journey."

"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain."

"He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end." -Ecclesiastes 3:11

"You don't have to be a scientist to learn from God's marvelous creation, you only need to stop long enough to observe and let God reveal His wonders to you."

"Beauty speaks of an Eden we've never known, but somehow know our hearts were created for." -Captivating

"He made the heavens and the earth in all their glory, the desert and the open sea, the meadow and the Milky Way, and said, "It is good," but it was only after He made YOU that He said, "It is VERY good" (Genesis 1:31). Think of it: your original glory was greater than anything that's ever taken your breath away in nature!" -Captivating

Men and Women are 3-part beings. We all consist of body, mind and spirit. When we refuse to acknowledge the 3rd part of our makeup, we create a void that allows evil, prejudice and hatred to rush in and wreak havoc. -Darrell Scott, father of Rachel Scott, who was a victim of the Columbine School shooting

"Fairy tales don't tell kids that dragons exist, they already know that. Fairy tales tell kids that dragons can be killed!"

Living Revived!

2011-05-27T18:42:00.000-07:00

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old is gone, the new has come!
2 Corinthians 5:17

Yesterday I was out with the lads, doing a few laps around the property. Life was everywhere. Each step seemed to lead me into another patch of wildflowers that covered the ground in a carpet of beauty. The slight breeze occasionally sent a ripple through the blossoms; reminding me of a tattered blanket being fluffed. Only these flowers weren't tattered- they were fresh. Vibrant. Rested. Invigorated.

I got to thinking about how we as humans are so tattered... so worn out, lacking energy and fullness of life. We are so quick to forget that Christ alone is the source for restoration. He provides the refreshment that comes from living in the raw. Over and over again, my attention was drawn to these fuzzy weeds...

So comparable are we to them: blowing away with the slightest gust that comes our way.

I think I prefer to be comparable to ground cover. It might get trampled time and again, but it always finds a way to spring up again and regain it's perkiness (even at the tramplings of little feet playing "hunting the elk and deer").

Even an old pump house can display beauty. Beauty is transcendent. It grows amongst the scars that occur along the way; and somehow, with God, the scars aren't so ugly anymore.

It takes time to bloom. Plants need lots of water, sun and time.

I suggest you drink up lots of Living Water, soak up the Son, and watch the beauty that will take place.

Living revived,

Turkey Tales

2011-05-20T12:24:00.000-07:00

Last weekend my dad, Jeff, my son Grant and I headed south for a little turkey hunting weekend. We had a blast! Dad booked a guided turkey hunt with Jody Smith Guide Service and Jody's right hand man, and pro turkey guide, Dave Powell took us around and showed us some fabulous hunting.

This was a special weekend for me because my 9 year old son would get his first chance at hunting something larger than squirrels and tweety birds. I was set to let him use my tag under the mentored youth hunting program here in Oregon. A couple of weeks before the hunt we got out and started practicing with a youth model 20 gauge and after overcoming the realization that the recoil was not going to hurt him he started shooting good enough that I was confident, given the right set of circumstances he could get a bird. And so that became my goal.

You know how it is when you set your mind to something and you're not really satisfied until you accomplish that task. That is the wrong attitude to have while hunting but that is the exact attitude I had last weekend. I was so focused on the goal that I forgot to enjoy the process. We had some incredible things happen. It was fun. It was intense. I wish I could go back and do it again with a different attitude. With less stress. I would enjoy it more.

Grant never got a bird. He missed one tom at 40 yards. Actually the pellets hit him in the tail feathers and sent him on quite a turkey trot. Then he just missed a tom at 25 yards. Shot a little behind the neck and head. He had another chance or two but the birds caught his movement as he was getting set up to shoot and spooked.
Here is what I learned. My first goal should have been to introduce Grant to hunting and make sure he had a great time. Really, that was the goal until I saw how well he could shoot and then things changed. I wanted more! Not that it is bad to want your kid to be successful, but in making that the overiding goal I missed out on all the other great things that were happening.

Grant stepped up on this hunt. He was belly crawling across grass fields. He was crossing creeks and climbing steep hills. He was fighting his way through blackberry bushes....and he was loving every minute of it. He hunted from sun up to sun down (16 hrs) with wet feet and never complained. He asked a lot of questions, and we talked about many different things. We saw deer, elk, turkeys, and bears...sunrises, sunsets and awesome country over the weekend. I know he felt special being out there and being accepted by his dad, uncle, and grandpa. I will forever be grateful for the way they accepted him and made him feel on this trip. Dave Powell was awesome. He was encouraging to Grant and very helpful. And he got us on some birds that I'm sure Grant wouldn't miss again.

My son is a tough little dude. I really enjoyed spending time with him out away from the manufactured world. I loved talking with him and laughing with him. I loved seeing him step up the toughness. He surprised me. I learned something about Grant this weekend and I think he's gonna be a great man someday. And a force to be reckoned with in the woods!

And next time, I am going to enjoy the process first and remember that hunting is about way more than the kill.

-Scott

It's worth THIS just to know Jesus...

2011-05-13T22:09:00.000-07:00

Jeff, Scott, Dad and Grant (Scott's son, my nephew) took off this weekend in search of a few gobbling Toms- I won't spoil the surprise and tell you that they tagged out- but I will tell you that honey is headed home tomorrow! They asked me to fill in once again on the blog- hope you don't mind!

This excerpt is from a phenomenal writer, who I admire a lot. I have recently been dealing with a difficult situation that is close to my heart. The pain is strong, the hurt is real. When I read this it just fit- it was such a great reminder. I really don't have much more of an explanation than that. My hope is that it touches you, or someone close to you in their time of trial.
-Mindi

"...It's worth THIS just to know Jesus..."

That was the spoken words of a woman who was in an accident and has lived the rest of her life in a wheelchair.

My mind went back on the things in my own life - those things that have seemed too hard to live through - those things that hurt the most, emotionally often times...

My mind tried to wrap around the undeniable truth that God is the God of my yesterdays and He orchestrated them yes! No, He didn't fall off His throne during those times and give a blind eye to my circumstances, but rather was the God of them.

I have had moments of struggle, still do, where my mind fights the naggings of wanting to re-do, re-live, re-write, OH, to have those years the "locust seem to have eaten!" along the way. The fleshly nagging of "WHY?" The self-pity of hurting, saddened fleshly heart.

Sometimes, the pain of the past is too great to even contemplate. It just brings too much emotional pain. Feels like too much loss, too much regret, or maybe just too much imperfection?

AND YET, for me it has been the pain of yesterdays that has brought me to know my Savior much, much more than I did. And I will, I do say, though weak in heart at times, but Jesus knows I believe, "It's worth THIS/that just to know Jesus."

OH, worth it just TO KNOW JESUS!!!

-----------~ ~ ~

Which brought me to another day, another moment with Him this week where I was absolutely blown away by HIS knowledge of me. Reading in John 2, verses about in the twenties I think...

It says Jesus knows ALL about all people. No person is excluded from his knowledge, and no part of our life is excluded from his knowledge.

He knows everybody—and everything about everybody.

Here’s what Jesus says later on in John 6:64: “There are some of you who do not believe.” And John adds, “For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.”

It's a striking thing to realize even the heart of Judas was open before Jesus. Jesus was not surprised when his betrayal came. Judas was not a surprise to Jesus.

There is nothing in us that is a surprise - He knows all about us.

I had to just let this truth about Jesus sink into my heart. Not that I haven't known and believed this, but there are times where a truth known before becomes more to me... it moves to a deeper level in me.

"If you have ever been impressed with any man’s knowledge about people or wisdom in discerning motives and explaining actions and predicting behaviors—if any character in fiction or person in history or living counselor or scholar has ever impressed you, the knowledge of Jesus should be infinitely more impressive." J. Piper

Discernment is a very important quality to me, and something I admire greatly when I see it in others. It is something I admire more than a lot of qualities. And in my flesh, the lack of discernment - well, there is little that turns me off more.

And to think, God is beyond discernment. He is ALL KNOWING.

I really don't think I, humans, get any sort of grasp of that unless it's supernatural revelation.

The person who matters most in the universe knows most about me! Wait a second. I need to reread that.

And what really does this mean?
It means that there are no complete secrets in my life.
One may have succeeded in hiding something all their life from everyone on this earth.
But it is not hidden from Jesus.
The person who matters most knows most.
The person whose judgment about me and that which is all important, knows all.

I sit here and want that to sink in all over again. I am totally known. Totally.
There is not the slightest part of my heart unknown to Jesus, at this hour, and every hour.

This means that there is always at least one person I must relate to who knows everything about me. This should shape my relationship with the Lord. There is One, who when I look Him in the face - He sees totally through me into the heart of me.

When I relate to Jesus do I relate to Him as one completely laid bare before Him? Totally known?

If so, what an amazing relationship!

So often I feel I want others to understand me, to know me for who I am, to BE understood and not misunderstood, to be seen not through their eyes of judgment, but of love and understanding.

There is One, and only One, who totally knows me. Nobody else even comes close. Nobody.

I like how one preacher put it: "Your spouse’s knowledge of you, or your best friend’s knowledge of you, compares to Jesus’ knowledge of you like first-grade math to quantum mechanics..."

I am fully known by one person, Jesus Christ.

Therefore, I always have someone to go to for help in knowing who I am. Jesus Christ.
There is always one person who knows my heart perfectly. Knows it better than I do. Jesus Christ.
Therefore, I always have a person who is willing to love me, knowing absolutely everything about me.

Jesus Christ.

“To all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12).

If you have received Him - you are His child, there will always be one person who will love you knowing everything, absolutely everything about you. You can say with the disciples in John 16:30, “We know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that you came from God.”

I have felt a passion this week to pray, to want, this glimpse of the glory of the All-knowingness of Jesus Christ... and that it would move me to admire HIM more than anyone, and love and trust Him and follow Him with all my heart, soul and mind.

-A. Ann

That's it?

2011-05-06T22:06:00.000-07:00

I find this excerpt from Desire fitting as we enjoyed our first 70 degree day of the year this week! We're turning the corner!

Forever and ever? That's it? That's the "good news"? And then we sigh and feel guilty that we are not more "spiritual." We lose heart, and we turn once more to the present to find what life we can. Eternity ends up having no bearing on our search for life whatsoever. It feels like the end of the search. And since we're not all that sure about what comes after, we search hard now. Remember, we can only hope for what we desire. How can the church service that never ends be more desirable than the richest experiences of life here? It would make a HUGE difference if you knew in your heart that the life you prize is just around the corner, that your deepest desires have been whispering to you all along about what's coming. You see, Scripture tells us that God has "set eternity" in our hearts (Eccl. 3:11). Where in our hearts? In the desires of our hearts.

The return of spring brings such relief and joy and anticipation. Life has returned, and with it sunshine, warmth, color, and the long summer days of adventure together. We break out the lawn chairs and the barbecue grill. We tend the garden and drink in all the beauty. We head off for vacations. Isn't this what we most deeply long for? To leave the winter of the world behind, what Shakespeare called "the winter of our discontent," and find ourselves suddenly in the open meadows of summer?

( Desire , 111)

a wife's perspective

2011-04-29T08:00:00.000-07:00

What does faith in the field look like for a woman? A wife? A mom?

Sometimes faith is just that. Having the faith in my man that he is making the right decisions for our family. The right decision when it comes to being outdoors for the right reasons. To seek God. To look inside himself, search out the good and take hold; find the bad and let it go. To be able to come home rejuvenated with the Spirit; ready to scoop us all up in his arms. Ready to tackle the tasks that accompany the titles "husband" and "dad" with more enthusiasm than he left with.

Faith for me is understanding that this is a ministry and that sacrifice is needed on my part to ensure that God is glorified and Satan is defeated at his attempts to destroy.

To be honest, being a stay at home mom is tough! I love my little chances to get away. So whenever an opportunity arises that I can take, I jump on it. And then, when something pops up to threaten it, I don't respond too well. I've gotten better... a LOT better (hopefully if you asked Jeff, he would agree) :) But it's through times like these, when I don't get my way, that I realize God has a better way. God's way is always better. He is continually teaching me that my "field" is right where I am: being wife and mom to three handsome men. Raising up little boys to become men of faith, men of honor, warriors- what a phenomenal calling. God has placed me in a position to nurture their hearts, flame their spirits, and let them soar. To assist my husband in these responsibilities is a blessing. God thinks I am able, now it's my job to have faith- that I have what it takes. Underneath all the toys, food, stains, toothpaste, diapers, and disasters is God at work in my life. Dying to self is a beautiful thing... it means that God is glorified through those who I am serving.

Finding purpose,
Mindi

I will never back down.

2011-04-22T22:13:00.000-07:00

Many of you are basketball fans, and some of you may have seen this video on during the NBA all-star weekend, but as I watched this again the other day it hit me...this is how I want to be, how we ought to be as Christians. Don't back down, don't apologize, don't be shy or timid, don't be ashamed...be bold, be fierce, and let Christ EXCITE your life. I need this reminder...we all do. BE BOLD.

If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31

For all you Blake Griffin fans...enjoy....

Update From the Field

2011-04-15T13:47:00.000-07:00

Well, it has been a little over a year since Jeff and I got this Faith in the Field thing going and we wanted to give you an update on what is going on. But first we really want to thank you for your support. It is pretty amazing really, that a little over a year ago we put this blog and our email list in motion with just some family members and friends on the list and it has grown to over 300 people in a years time. The responses we've gotten from several of you through email and the conversations with many of you that we've been fortunate to meet have been really inspiring and has helped keep this dream alive. So thank you for your support and for your prayers.

When we got started Jeff and I both said that we wanted to create the vessel and then let God captain the ship. We knew we wanted to make hunting videos that would not only show hunting from an everyday outdoorsman's perspective but also share from a Christian perspective all of the things we enjoy about about spending time in God's country. God has blessed our efforts and "Seeking the One 10" is selling faster than we anticipated. Thank you again for your support!

But there is more we felt God wanted to do and our hearts were stirring with ways that we felt He might be leading us into more of a ministry focus. Specifically God was going after some buried desires that I had deep in my heart that I walked away from years ago. I went to college and recieved a degree in "Youth and Family Studies/Psychology". I had dreams of becoming a school resource police officer, a gang intervention officer or something along those lines working with troubled youth. But the demands of life and the pursuit of a management career with better and quicker earning potential lead me away. Abandoning that desire has caused me a lot of frustration over the years. It is really just in the last 4-5 years that I've realized what this discontent with my life was over and I as I began to take it to God and walk with Him closer than I had in the previous 10 or so years He really started leading me back to what He created me for.

And the doors are now opening! Through putting Faith in the Field out there we have met some great guys out in the McMinnville area who God had been leading in ways that were just as unique to them. He brought us together through email and we started discussing ways we felt God was leading us to use our outdoor passions and pursuits as a ministry. Long story short we've been meeting with these guys and we feel like God is asking us to step up the ministry side of Faith in the Field. Here is what is happening....

-We have established a board of directors.
-We are completing the work I started a year ago to submit forms to become a 501c3 non-profit organization.
-We have a group of guys working on starting a ministry for fatherless and troubled boys where we will get them outdoors to enjoy fishing and hunting as well as be mentored by Godly men who can point them to the true Father who will never abandone them.
-We have a team working on a program and developing materials for fathers to get their sons and daughters outdoors and lead them into adventures but also lead them into a deeper relationship with Christ and help them to discover the desires that God has placed in them.
-We will continue to make great outdoor videos that fit our vision of "Introducing people to Christ through the glory of creation."

We are really excited as we move forward with where God is leading us. Support has already been pretty amazing from peple saying that they have land that a kid could come hunt on, guys saying they have LOP tags that they would donate to kids in our program, a few people have said they would support us with money, and we've had a few people say that they would like to be a part of the ministry. Lots of evidence that God is at work here. EXCITING!

Things will be changing a little over the next few months. We will be introducing our board of directors to you and we may be able to get them to write a blog from time to time so you don't have to keep hearing from me and Jeff every week. Our website will be changing soon. We are talking about changing the logo a bit to include a young person standing with a man or men by the cross. And we are hoping to bring you some stories very soon of young people whose lives will never be the same as a result of meeting Christ in very real ways while involved in one of our programs.

Now more than ever, please keep us in your prayers.

Seeking the One,

Scott

The End Of The West?

2011-04-08T11:27:00.000-07:00

I just finished a fascinating book on the life and tragic death of Pat Tillman. If you remember he was the defensive back for the Phoenix Cardinals who in the aftermath of 9/11 put his career in the NFL on hold to join the military. I finished the book last night and in the postscript I was struck by some truth in the midst of some of the propaganda.

In 1992 Francis Fukayama wrote an artical that stirred some major political contraversy called The End of History and The Last Man. He basically wrote that modern democracies, education, the desire for more material possessions and meeting our own personal needs has become the new way of life. And he states that the higher educated among us will not risk our lives for a cause because history has taught us that it is pointless. In the modern age men will be content to sit at home and congratulate themselves on their open mindedness and lack of fanaticism.

Lee Harris, in his book "The Suicide of Reason" argues,

The Problem is not that Fukayama is dead wrong; the problem is that he is half right. Unfortunately for us, the wrong half.

In the West we are perilously getting down to our last man. Liberal democracy, among us, is achieving the goal that Fukayama predicted for it: It is eliminating the alpha males from our midst, at a dizzyingly accelerating rate. But in the Muslim societies, the alpha male is still alive and well. While we in America are drugging our alpha boys with Ritalin, the Muslims are doing everything in their power to encourage their alpha boys to be tough, aggressive, and ruthless....We are proud if our sons get into a good college; they are proud if their sons die as martyrs.

To rid your society of high-testosterone alpha males may bring peace and quiet; but if you have an enemy that is building up an army of alpha boys to hate you fanatically and who have vowed to destroy you, you will be commiting suicide...

The end of testosterone in the West alone will not culminate the end of history, but it may well culminate in the end of the West.

Pretty Strong words! And scary even if only partly true. And I think we may even be closer to the "Last Christian Man" than the "Last Man".

We have an enemy that hates us more than the Muslims do. And he and his army are taking out masculine christianinty in wholesale droves. We've sort of been left with this 'religion' of do's and don'ts and being nice and polite and wearing a big smile. But when the trials come we fall apart. Or when things are going well we get distracted and start following the world. We start seeking selfish desires. Our sons need engaged fathers who will model for them and lead them into an authentic masculine relationship with Christ. But instead we leave it up to their Sunday school teacher or their mother to do this.

You look around at christian men held up in your church as examples to follow. Are they men who draw their sword and go into to battle to rescue someone who needs it? Are the fierce? Or are they just nice men?

We need a cause to live for. We need to be sold out...to be a fanatic. And we need to rescue our boys before it's too late.

-Scott

The power of your actions

2011-04-02T08:26:00.000-07:00

The law of unintended consequences is as applicable to human nature as it is to science. We recently received this story of a young man and the results of his simple act of friendship:

One day when I was a freshman in high school, I saw a kid from my class walking home from school. His name was Kyle. It looked like he was carrying all of his books. I thought to myself, “Why would anyone bring home all of his books on a Friday? He must really be a nerd.”

I had quite a weekend planned—parties and a football game with my friends on Saturday afternoon—so I shrugged my shoulders and went on.

As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running towards him. They knocked all of his books out of his arms and tripped him so he landed in the dirt. His glasses went flying, and I saw them land in the grass about ten feet from him. As he looked up, I saw terrible sadness in his eyes. My heart went out to him. I jogged over to him as he crawled around looking for his glasses, and I saw a tear in his eye. As I handed him his glasses, I said, “Those guys are jerks. They should really get lives.”

He looked at me and said, “Hey, thanks!” There was a big smile on his face. It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude.

I helped him pick up his books and asked him where he lived. As it turned out, he lived near me, so I asked him why I hadn’t seen him before. He said he had gone to private school before now.

We talked all the way home, and I carried some of his books. He turned out to be a pretty cool kid, and we hung out all weekend. The more I got to know Kyle, the more I liked him, and my friends all felt the same. Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best friends.

Since Kyle was the valedictorian of our class, he had to prepare a speech for graduation. I was so glad it wasn’t me having to get up there and speak! Kyle was one of those guys who had really found himself during high school. He’d filled out and actually looked good in glasses. He’d also had more dates than I had, and all of the girls loved him.

I could tell he was nervous about the speech, so I smacked him on the back and said, “Hey, big guy, you’ll be great!”

“Thanks,” he replied.

A few minutes later, he cleared his throat and began his speech.

“Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through the tough years—your parents, your siblings, maybe a coach . . . but mostly your friends. I am here to tell you that being a friend to someone is the best gift you can give. I’d like to tell you a story.”

I listened in disbelief as my best friend told the story of the day we met. He had planned to kill himself over that weekend. He spoke about how he had cleaned out his locker so his mom wouldn’t have to do it later . . . that was why he was carrying so much stuff home.

Kyle added, “Thankfully, I was saved. My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable.”

I heard a gasp go through the crowd as this handsome, popular boy told us all about his weakest moment. I saw his mom and dad looking at me and smiling the same grateful smile Kyle often displayed. It was only then that I realized its depth.

Never underestimate the power of your actions. With one small gesture, you can truly change a person’s life—for better or for worse.

Time in Nature = Time with God

2011-03-24T14:44:00.000-07:00

This last weekend, Scott and I spoke at the 14th Annual Sportsman's Breakfast in Blodgett, OR. Thank you to all who were a part of the event; it was great spending time with everyone there, enjoying some great grub, stories and trophies! In this week's blog I thought I'd write out some of what we spoke about last Saturday...

Romans 1:19-20 says, "The truth about God is known to us instinctively. God has put this knowledge in our hears. From the time the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky and all that God made. We can clearly see His invisible qualities, eternal power and divine nature, so we have no excuse whatsoever for not knowing God."

Every person you’ve ever met, and ever will meet, knows God. They might not acknowledge Him, but they know Him. God's placed a knowledge of Himself in EVERYONE.

The earth and sky and all that God made are among the most undeniable revelations of Him that we find in this life. Of course God is found in church and through people, and the fullest reflection of God in this life is a Christ centered marriage, where the Godly attributes of a man and woman are rightly united as one (this is also why Satan tries his hardest to devour Christian marriages). BUT, I don’t know any perfect people, perfect marriages or perfect churches…yet creation is perfection each and every time we experience it. And because of that, as the verse says, we are without excuse. God’s placed, within us, the desire to enjoy His creation because it’s one of the only settings where He is perceived as flawless and untarnished. Ultimately, the desire to spend quality time in nature is the desire to spend quality time with God.

Again, whether we recognize it or not, whether we admit it or not, our desire to be in nature comes from our desire to be with God... he’s placed that desire in us! Realizing this has been profound!

Take this scenario as just one example... how many of your wives are a little uneasy when you leave to go hunting? And why is that? They have to take care of the kids, they’re alone at night, they never get to leave for a week... lots of reasons… ultimately though, wouldn’t you say that their complaints stem from the thought that your hunting is a selfish thing that won’t produce anything but your being gone?

How many of them would be uneasy if you made it known that your trip was about spending quality time with God? And not making known by just saying it, but by actually taking the approach and realizing that your desire is to kill a big buck, yes, but every ounce of enjoyment you get from your outdoor experiences comes from time spent with God. How different would your wife's reaction be if your voice (and attitude) said, “Honey, I’ll miss you, kids, I’ll miss you, but daddy’s going to spend a week with God... killin’ creatures in His name, amen!" Okay, you can leave that last part out, but don't miss the point. ;)

Our desire to be outdoors is the God given, instinctive desire to spend time with Him… let’s recognize that.

-Jeff

2011-03-18T14:59:00.000-07:00

From Reverend S.M. Lockridge's famous sermon...
take 3 uninterupted minutes to watch this video fully,
and let the goosebumps, excitement and increased heart rate
reveal the POWER OF CHRIST!

A Nice Guy...

2011-03-11T11:23:00.000-08:00

And then, alas, there is the church. Christianity, as it currently exists, has done some terrible things to men. When all is said and done, I think most men in the church believe that God put them on the earth to be a good boy. The problem with men, we are told, is that they don't know how to keep their promises, be spiritual leaders, talk to their wives, or raise their children. But, if they will try real hard they can reach the lofty summit of becoming . . . a nice guy. That's what we hold up as models of Christian maturity: Really Nice Guys. We don't smoke, drink, or swear; that's what makes us men. Now let me ask my male readers: In all your boyhood dreams growing up, did you ever dream of becoming a Nice Guy? (Ladies, was the Prince of your dreams dashing . . . or merely nice?)

Really now-do I overstate my case? Walk into most churches in America, have a look around, and ask yourself this question: What is a Christian man? Don't listen to what is said, look at what you find there. There is no doubt about it. You'd have to admit a Christian man is . . . bored. At a recent church retreat I was talking with a guy in his fifties, listening really, about his own journey as a man. "I've pretty much tried for the last twenty years to be a good man as the church defines it." Intrigued, I asked him to say what he thought that was. He paused for a long moment. "Dutiful," he said. "And separated from his heart." A perfect description, I thought. Sadly right on the mark. (Wild at Heart , 7)

This excerpt is not an excuse to avoid church, but an awakening to bring revival to your own church!!! And to the lives of men, women and children! The heart is central; hence, why Satan is attacking the hearts of Christians everywhere... our relationship with Christ is often reduced to a list of do's and don'ts, duty and obligation, and a passionless life that Satan has left us to believe is as good as it gets. It's a LIE.

Christ came to seek and save that which was lost (Luke 19:10)... and that which was lost was our heart, taken by the enemy who tempted Adam and Eve in the beginning, and who's brought sin, destruction and an end to the world as we know it now.

Christ came to heal the brokenhearted, and to set the captive free (Luke 4:8)... the blind will see, the lame will walk, the deaf will hear... addicts will break addictions, the stressed will find relief, the depressed will find joy, the angry will find happiness, the lonely will find love, the bored will find EXCITEMENT IN LIFE... it's the story of the Gospel... healing, freedom, life as it was meant to be... from our healed heart, our good heart. Christ wants to come into your life in a real way, and set you free to LIVE.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2

If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31 -WOW!!!

-Jeff

A Band of Brothers

2011-03-03T21:33:00.000-08:00

I had some good topics in the back of my mind and I was planning to bust out a pretty good blog this week. God has really been showing me a lot in the last few weeks and I wanted to share some of it with you.

BUT....

I'm really on spiritual high right now and so I thought I might share why rather than touching on the other subjects I had in mind. It is Thursday night and I just left a little bible study group with some men who I who consider to be my closest friends. Tonight was an awesome time of fellowship. Think of some of the greatest fireside chats you have had with close friends at hunting camp and that would be pretty close to what went on tonight....minus the smoke in your eyes.

Tonight we didn't really bring an agenda. We started by joking around and catching up a bit as it had been a few weeks since our schedules have allowed us to be together. Then after we got some laughter out of the way and few good digs at eachother for comraderie sake the conversation sort of changed. I posed the question, "What has God been up to in your lives lately?" It was really cool to hear and to share the things that we all felt God was up to. We came into the meeting with different backgrounds and feelings from the week. For some the week had been great and some really felt God at work in their lives. For others the week had been struggle. Tough times and tough things that some were dealing with. Then... just honesty. None of us felt like we had to impress the others, no one talked like they had all the answers. That is really rare. If you have ever spent time with a group of guys you probably understand what I mean.

We read some scripture that pertained to the topics we were discussing. I think God's word challenged us all in specific areas of our lives. We encouraged eachother. We discussed leading our families better. We talked about walking in the Spirit and wondered how that might look in our lives if we did a better job of that! The conversation flowed easily. The honesty, the boldness, the conviction,....it was all really cool. God was there with us and His presence was recognized in the room. We ended with an awesome time of prayer that was interupted by a cell phone ring tone that was hilarious. After a few laughs and some more jokes we jumped right back into prayer and finished the meeting strong.

Here is why I share this. As men we cannot walk alone. Not if we truly want to live as Christ. For heavens sake Jesus did not walk alone. The disciples did not walk alone. We need eachother. Iron sharpens iron. If we are going to live for God and bring the kind of impact that He desires to our families, our friends and our world, well then we need encouragement. We need help. We need other men in our lives who know our stories, know our struggles, but also know and recognize the glory and the passions that God has uniquely placed in us. Not just to hold us accountable but to affirm who we are in Christ and cheer us on to chase hard after that.

God wants this for every man. He has a plan to bring a band of brothers around each of us. So if you don't have one, seek one out. Pray for it. Sure it is awkward at first and you can bet that satan is against all of it. You will have to fight for it. I spent most of my life trying to walk with God by myself and I can tell you it is a heck of a lot better now with a few guys I respect who are in my fox hole.

-Scott

Something for all ages...

2011-02-25T16:23:00.000-08:00

Out of the 48 hours spent at the Sportsman's show, these were my favorite two...

-Jeff

Death

2011-02-18T21:18:00.000-08:00

Not the subject or title you necessarily want to see or write about, but I was struck with it recently through several conversations and the events of recent weeks. I spent five days at the Northwest Sportsman's show in Portland, Wednesday through Sunday, talking to several new and old friends...and of all the things I could blog about this week, Christ is stirring this in me.

A few hours into the first day of the show, I began talking with a friend two booths down, a fishing guide out of Tillamook. In fact, the day before, he was supposed to be on the river with my dad and brother, after winter steelhead, but the fishing was poor and they opted to wait for another day. As he and I were talking, I learned of a fatal car accident Tuesday afternoon, less than 24 hours earlier, that took the life of a mother and daughter, close friends of his family...leaving a husband and son behind. Just two weeks prior their families were together, celebrating a birthday for one of their children, a celebration that will never be the same again. None of us can fathom the devastation of such an event, outside of experiencing it ourselves. Just writing this chokes me...tears fill my eyes and it hurts. I don't know the family, never met the father, son, mother or daughter, but as I imagine even a fraction of what might be felt by those closest to them, it's numbing...the pain of being a close friend to them...or being that father or son who no longer have a wife or mommy. Physical and literal heart-ache. Please pray for the family, friends, and the entire community of Tillamook...it's still so fresh, and tragic.

The very next day of the show a lady approached our booth, seeing that the archery shop (who's booth I was in) was in Rainier, OR, where the police chief was shot and killed just weeks ago...a small town hero, known by all. The shooting took place next door to the archery shop...bullet holes scarred surrounding buildings and windows were shattered in every business around them. The shop was closed that midday hour during the week, for the first time since they can remember, because of an appointment conflict and no one was available to cover the shift. A messed up, likely drugged up, young man took the life a very influential man, who's left family and friends behind. Pray for this community as well, as they try to fill a void that may be impossible to fill.

A day or two later, a man wearing a Dallas Dragons wrestling hat walked through the show. Being born and raised in Dallas, OR, and being a former Dragon myself, I flagged him down to say hello, and also offer condolences for the recent event that has shaken the small town, as well as every athlete in Oregon and beyond. Only two weeks ago, my sister-in-law was picking up my niece from basketball practice at Silverton High School, while a wrestling match between Silverton and Dallas was underway. As she entered the school, the usual volume level of a high school wrestling match was reduced to complete silence. Then she noticed people quietly filing out of the main gym...crying...hugging...praying...in shock...tears...something was horribly wrong. As many of you know, a young wrestler from Dallas lost his life after winning his match that night. After shaking hands with the opposing wrestler and coaches, he collapsed to the mat. Paramedics rushed in and began CPR on his lifeless body in front of a frantic crowd of family and friends, young and old, athletes and students...something no one shoud have to witness. He died from an uncommon and unknown heart condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a rhythmic disturbance that results in the thickening of the heart muscle. The man walking the show with his Dallas Wrestling hat on that day had a son who was a friend and teammate of the wrestler who had collapsed. There are undoubtedly many questions and much confusion from everyone who knew this young man, especially impressionable High School students, friends and teammates...keep them in your prayers as well.

Granted, these stories have all touched me from somewhat of a distance, but are close enough to be more real than the typical everyday news. There are no words to ease the pain, nothing to rewind time, no answers that bring full clarity this side of heaven, and the emotions are indescribable. Blame, pain, tears and fears are natural...and many times neccesary. People turn to God...others blame God...often a roller coaster of both. And while nothing will ever replace what we've lost this side of heaven, there is hope in the midst of chaos.

Death is not part of God's plan...we are eternal beings, who were created in and for the perfect world of Eden, from the beginning. Death does not end our life, it ends our time in this finite world. And when we compare 1 or 100 years on this earth to eternity, our time here is but the BLINK OF AN EYE in comparison!!! We can't fathom this thought right now, but through faith in Christ and God's Word, we know it to be true.

The reality of scripture is that we will all live forever. The Bible speaks of a very real and eternal Heaven, but also a very real and eternal Hell. Heaven being eternal life with God, with all that is righteous and good...Hell being eternal seperation from God, full of darkness, guilt, shame and regret.

God is good, God is just, He knows our hearts, and He knows we cannot live a righteous life on our own...which is why he sent Christ to die in our place. Being a Christian isn't about being perfect, but about realizing we're imperfect, and in need of Christ's death on that cross to inherit eternal life in Heaven, with God. That's it! Believe in Christ and what he's done for each of us and you will live in Heaven forever, with all who've gone before you.

"God so loved the world, he gave his only son, that whosoever believes in Him, shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). If we believe in those words, there will come a day when we will thank God for delivering us from this life...when we will recognize the worthlessness of all we hold on to. When we will realize that Heaven is better by far! We will understand the ways Satan had blinded and binded us, that it was his deceit that brought disease, deformity, destruction and death to our earthly lives. We will appreciate that, out of LOVE, God did not allow those who love Him to live in turmoil any longer. We'll learn why he's designed everything JUST the way it is. I trust, through faith, that God IS IN CONTROL, and that He will work all things together for the good of those who love Him!

Revelation 21:4 says, "He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever."

Find hope in these two songs and videos, "There will be a day", and the symphony version of "I can only imagine"

Pursuit

2011-02-11T10:58:00.000-08:00

I was at the sportsman show last night and I was reminded of just how big of a business hunting and fishing have become. I looked around at the advertising and the pricing and began wondering about our pursuits. Outdoorsman are passionate in their pursuit of fish and game. Some guys will lay everything on the line in order to bag that trophy. The amount of time it takes, the high cost involved....it has become an obsession for so many.

I understand that to a degree. Fishing for salmon and steelhead used to be my first love. Honestly there was a time when I was so enamored with the thrill of catching fish and helping others catch fish that I literally pursued that more than I pursued any other thing in my life. My relationship with Christ, my relationship with my wife and my two young kids at the time. If I wasn't fishing I was planning my next trip. Reading magazines, books, fishing websites, tying up gear, watching fishing shows on TV. It was rather pathetic looking back.

We really need to keep our outdoor pursuits in check. When do they cross the line and become addictions, or fuel that feeds the ego rather than solice in the wild and time to reflect and catch up on time with God? It can be a two edged sword because it is so easy to get drawn into the things we love....good wholsome things even....that can end up wreaking havoc in our lives.

How about pursuing our relationships with the same passion that we pursue hunting and fishing? Or maybe with even more gusto.

You know what I have discovered since breaking free of my addiction to fishing? I really love spending time with God out there and enjoying my time whether I'm catching fish or not. I've discovered that spending time with my wife and pursuing her heart is fun. I actually am finding joy in just sitting and talking with her about the day, about the kids, whatever. I've fallen in love with her in a way I never even thought possible when I was in 'fish mode.' In fact fishing used to be a way for me to get away from her because of all the conflict. Actually, the truth is that fishing made me feel like a man and I felt way less than that around her because of my lack of pursuit. I know....sad. She is an amazing women and I'm glad I finally got around to discovering that on a deeper level.

Spending time with my kids is priceless and helping them to pursue their dreams and the adventures that God has for them is really rewarding. To think what I could be missing with them if I hadn't changed almost breaks my heart.

As Valentines Day nears (It is Monday if you forgot. Thank me later) I think it would be good for all of us to reflect what we are spending our time and energy and money pursuing. Because what we pursue says a lot about our heart. Our wives, our children and our Savior must come first.

-Scott

Hunting for God, Fishing for the Lord

2011-02-03T21:02:00.000-08:00

It's not necessarily the quantity of time that produces success in the ways of fishing and hunting. It's the well-planned, skillfully prepared, and carefully executed quality of time that counts... By means of mass-media advertising, we're told what to wear, what to eat, what to drive, where to live, how to be "politically correct," what moral beliefs to adhere to, and what new gadgets we must have to make our busy lives more manageable. Our possessions come to possess us. Our culture thinks for us, and manipulates us in ways we hardly give much thought... Thus, the vital importance of constructive activities emerges. We have to give ourselves a chance to think. When we engage in activities that gently occupy the body and the senses, the soul is free to be refreshed and nourished. Our intellect is free to think on its own. And what better place to do that than the great outdoors!? Having a fishing rod, a walking stick, or a gun/bow in hand is simply a doorway to the true refreshment that comes from being immersed in the beauty of God's creation.

I'm reading the book from which the expert above came..."Hunting for God, Fishing for the Lord" by Rev. Joseph F. Classen. I'm not all the way through it, and I'm not known to be much of a reader, but so far it's really drawn me in, and is a book every outdoorsmen should read and will enjoy. Think of what was described above...how busy, distracting, consuming our lives are...as Scott touched on last week. Why does a women enjoy a day at the spa or man enjoy a day in the woods or on the golf course? Refreshment...when our minds are subtly subdued there is room for our soul to be penetrated by the refreshment that comes from Christ.

Just last night a group of us were having a discussion about Romans 12:2..."Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." How common is the question, "How do I know God's will for my life?" This verse spells it out, and Rev. Classen points it out quite clearly above...do not conform to the patterns of the world, those things which take your focus off of God, but make time for those moments that gently and subtly occupy your senses, and be transformed and renewed...it is then that you are able to see, and know, you are in God's will. And that not only brings pure joy, but relief and empowerment. Think of it.

Satan has created an unbelievable web of life to keep us entangled in entertainment...and as a result we lack the rejuvenation that comes from time spent with Christ more often than not. We are in a battle...we just don't recognize it very often...and when we do, we don't take it seriously enough.

-Jeff

Out of the mouths of babes....

2011-01-27T21:28:00.000-08:00

We are all familiar with how frantic life can get. Crazy busy is the American way. Don't we feel a little guilty if we are not busy all of the time? It is a way of life that I try to fight but I find myself getting sucked in over and over. The trouble with living life at such a fast pace is that we don't find the time or space to let God in and to let Him lead us.  We scurry around in an aimless furry like a bunch of fire ants after someone just kicked our ant hill.

Recently that is how life has been feeling for me.  We closed the end of the year at work and things haven't worked out as well as we planned. Now we are reacting to try and make next year more profitable. Cost saving studies, closer management of what happens, try to control cost increases, cutting back where we can, exploring new ways to grow the business and on and on. The days go by so quickly and the to-do lists never get any shorter.

I've got two kids playing youth basketball right now and most nights we have practices or games and tournaments on the weekend.

Chores around the house need to get done as well. The dishwasher is on it's last legs. Last week the microwave quit working out of the blue. Our Golden Retriever had puppies that are making a mess out of my barn! (Hoping to get them sold off soon)

So all this has been going down and then to top it off, my wife went in to get her wisdom teeth pulled a couple of weeks ago. Now you probably will understand that when a mother of three kids goes out of comission for a few days, things can get pretty out of hand. My wife, bless her, cannot handle pain medication. She took one of those pills they gave her and she slept for like 2 days! I was missing her help. You know, laundry, cooking, cleaning, getting the kids where they need to go...stuff like that.

And that brings me to the moment. It was a Thursday morning and I was taking my two year old daughter to my in-laws house to drop her off for the day. As my mother-in-law opened the door Reese turned to me to say her good byes. She blew me a kiss and said, "Bye daddy, God misses you." Now what she meant to say was "God bless you." She has said it before. But for whatever reason on this morning, she got her words mixed up and it came out "God misses you." And her words could not have been more accurate!

In all of the hustle and bustle somehow I lost track of my relationship with God. Just totally forgot about Him really. It is embarrassing to say that. But I think it happens to all of us far too often.

As I walked back to my truck and started off to work I knew I had been busted and I had to confess to God....again....for losing sight of what is most important in my life.  Then I thanked him for my little girl and for her words of wisdom.

-Scott

Seeking the One 10 - DVD and song!

2011-01-21T14:38:00.000-08:00

Here's a sneak peak at our new DVD coming out soon...with our new hit single, "Seeking the One" :) Let us know what you think!

Photo Contest Winners

2011-01-07T13:27:00.000-08:00

Well we recieved some great photos in this years contest. Thank you to all of you who entered! Without further ado here are your winners:

1st Place-

Jared and his son Chance from Independence, OR won first place for this terrific photo of Chance's first deer. What made this picture and story so cool (aside from the beaver hat Chance is displaying) is that Jared, a cancer patient who had been battling serious fatigue fought through all of that to take his son hunting this season. Finally on the last day of the season they spotted this nice buck but he was 300 yards away and down in a steep canyon. Jared knew it would be the ultimate challenge for him to get down there and help Chance field dress and pack out his first deer but he wasn't about to let that prevent Chance from taking an opportunity he had worked for all season. Chance made a fantastic 300 yard shot and the father and son team made their way down to the buck. During the pack out Jared pushed himself as far as he possibly could but he was physically unable to proceed. They left the deer and slowly made their way out to get some help. When they hit the road they ran into 3 men who were out just looking around in the woods. After hearing the story they volunteered to march down the hill and they helped get that buck out in record time. Praise God for his provision! That is a father and son and Heavenly Father moment that should never be forgotten! And that is why we felt it was such a cool photo!

2nd Place-

Second place honors go to Eric from McMinnville, OR for this great photo of his friend and next door neighbor, Noah. This was Noah's first hunt and Eric gave up his tag to allow Noah an early hunting opportunity through the mentored youth hunting program here in Oregon. On the second day of the hunt, while sitting on the edge of deer travel lanes, this doe came drifting along. With some coaching from Eric and Noah's dad Tom, Noah was able to bag his first deer with one shot. I think the smile says it all! Congratulations to Noah! And Eric, we think it is so cool that you gave up your tag and helped show a boy the wonders of God's creation and introduce him to the adventure. Way to go!

3rd Place-

Third Place goes to Joel from Soldotna, AK for this photo of his beastly moose. Joel was hunting with a good friend, Matt, in a place they call "moose marsh." After 14 days of hunting hard, Joel and Matt had to push through the discouragement and kept hunting. On day 15 Joel caught a glimpse of this monster as he snuck away into the timber. Joel put a stalk on to catch up to this bull, and from 50 yards, he sent 180 grains right into the boiler room. Nice work Joel and way to stay after it!

Memories of 2010

2010-12-31T14:06:00.000-08:00

As 2010 comes to a close, we wanted to share a friend's "Memories of 2010" with you all...in hopes that you will take the time to reflect on your own year as well...time with friends and family, with God...we all have much to be thankful for...and much to look forward to!

Memories of 2010

This year was definitely about the quality of the memories, not the size of the horns. We went fishing, camping, exploring, and hunting, and God blessed every outing. Nothing from this year will be noted in the record books, but these are the memories that last a lifetime.

Boat ride at the pond--Good thing this isn’t the Nestucca...

Spring Bear--A small one, but the sausage sure is good!

Successful outing--Limits of trout from South Lake with Brant and A.J.

A mouthful of teeth--My brother’s lingcod from the Newport jetty

Road trip to SE Oregon--No worries about lines at Disneyland

Hope for the future--Mama and babies near Steens Mountain

Hawk Valley--Camping the way it's meant to be

Fishing at Ana Reservoir--Do you really think a two-year-old can sit still long enough to catch a fish?

Muzzleloader antelope--A successful spot-and-stalk hunt

Imnaha River canyon--You can't get this backdrop fo a family picture at Sears!

Favorite wild places--A visit to the Hat Point lookout

On the steps at Hat Point--What happens when you give a two-year-old too much attention

Sled Springs mule deer--My first muley (the lucky shirt came through again)

Amanda’s first deer--One shot with the .308

Minam River canyon--I hunt for the sight of more than just elk.

My new hunting rig--Complete with a Faith in the Field decal!

Wishing you all a great 2011 with more wonderful memories!
-Quinton and family

The Greatest Gift

2010-12-24T11:03:00.000-08:00

Last night I finished up my Christmas shopping. That's right December 23rd at about 8:30pm. Actually that is about 13 or 14 hours earlier than I finished my Christmas shopping last year so I'm getting better. But out looking around last night I found myself thinking about gifts and the tradition of giving gifts at Christmas. You know, you hear it all started by some guy named St. Nick who took some toys down to an orphanage or by the wise men who brought gifts to baby Jesus. But I'm convinced that the reason gift giving began is because we received the greatest gift ever imaginable that first Christmas.

We got Jesus. We got rescue.

His life was a demonstration of how to walk with God. He was loving, fierce, compassionate, devoted to his Father, passionate about his mission. He was the greatest man to ever walk the earth. He came to heal, to restore, to encourage, to bless and to fight for our freedom!

His death on the cross and ressurection 3 days later paid the price for our sin and paved the way for us to be saved. Romans 6:11 says we are now dead to sin and alive in Christ.

By his ascension into heaven we were given the Holy Spirit as our counsel. We were given authority over satan and we are now seated with Christ. (Eph 2:6, Eph 1:20-22)

Indeed, we were given the greatest gift ever conceived. Have you accepted it?

I know that for most of us who enjoy spending time in the outdoors we don't really need to question whether or not God exists. I think most of us deep down have that understanding. The sunrise and sunsets, the moon phases, the tides, the wind and thunderstorms. The beauty and ruggedness of the mountains, the changing seasons.......The life cycle of a salmon, hatched in a tiny creek high in the mountains of Idaho. How does this creature make its way out to the ocean, spend its life 50-60 miles off the shore of Alaska and then find its way back to the very same creek high in the mountains of Idaho 4 years later? There is a design, and that design points to The Designer. We know that down deep if we are honest with ourselves.

And if we are honest with ouselves we will also know that we have a deep longing for life as it should be. As it was meant to be. We were created for more than this life. God has put eternity in our hearts. (Eccl 3:11) Nothing that we grasp for will fill that void short of a relationship with God and the promise that it is all coming.....soon. And it is unfathonable. (I'll talk more about heaven next time.)

We need to accept the gift.

I don't need to tell you that there is an ending. For all of us. Have you faced this? Even if we do manage to find a little of heaven on earth, if we are some of the few find love and happiness and moments of fulfillment.... I hope you do experience that, but you cannot hang on to it. Your health will not last forever. You will get old and frail. Your friends and loved ones will slip from your grasp one by one. Your work will never be finished and just like everyone who has gone before you, you will die.

Then what? Is that the end? Isn't that hopeless! "Life is a tale, told by and idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing". It is tragic how many people satan has led to believe that.

So do you want to accept the greatest gift ever given?

It's not difficult to do and there is no magic to it. God is real and He hears the cries of an honest heart. So pray something like this:

Dear God, I know you are real and I know I need you. There is an emptiness inside of me that I need you to come and fill. Please forgive me for the ways that I've tried to fill the void with other things. I know now that I need you and you a lone. I admit that I am a sinner and that I am in need of your forgiveness. Please send your Holy Spirit to counsel me and to lead me into a deeper relationship with you. I don't really know all that I am suppossed to do but I do know that I need to turn my life over to you and let you lead me. And so I accept your free gift of salvation and I claim that you are now king of my life.
Thank you Father. Amen.

If you said this prayer or your version of it. Congratulations! Eternal life begins today and let me welcome you to the family! All of heaven is throwing a party in your honor right now. You are saved, your future is secure! But you will want to keep moving forward in your new life in Christ. Satan will come for you now and try to get you to believe all of kinds of lies to keep you from becoming fully alive and to prevent you from becoming big time trouble for him. Send us an email at info@faithinthefield.com We would like to get you access to some more information, be praying for you and try and suppoprt you in anyway we can as you begin an exciting new life in Christ!

Likewise, if you read this and you have more questions, contact us. We would love to be a resource and explain things in greater detail. Don't hesitate, please!

Merry Christmas!

-Scott

Christmas Act of War...

2010-12-17T15:48:00.000-08:00

There's no better time than now to reflect on the true nature of Christ's birth...the following is an excerpt from "Waking the Dead" by John Eldredge...

Many people think the theme of war ends with the Old Testament. Not at all. Jesus says, "I did not come to bring peace, but a sword" (Matt. 10:34). In fact, his birth involved another battle in heaven (Rev. 12:1-5, 7-8, 17).

The birth of Christ was an act of war, an invasion. The Enemy knew it and tried to kill him as a babe (Matt. 2:13). The whole life of Christ is marked by battle and confrontation. He kicks out demons with a stern command. He rebukes a fever and it leaves Peter's mother-in-law. He rebukes a storm and it subsides. He confronts the Pharisees time and again to set God's people free from legalism. In a loud voice he wakes Lazarus from the dead. He descends to hell, wrestles the keys of hell and death from Satan, and leads a train of captives free (Eph. 4:8-9; Rev. 1:18). And when he returns, I might point out, Jesus will come mounted on a steed of war, with his robe dipped in blood, armed for battle (Rev. 19:11-15).

War is not just one among many themes in the Bible. It is the backdrop for the whole Story, the context for everything else. God is at war. He is trampling out the vineyards where the grapes of wrath are stored. And what is he fighting for? Our freedom and restoration. The glory of God is man fully alive. In the meantime, Paul says, arm yourselves, and the first piece of equipment he urges us to don is the belt of truth (Eph. 6:10-18). We arm ourselves by getting a good, solid grip on our situation, by getting some clarity on the battle over our lives. God's intentions toward us are life; those intentions are opposed. (Waking the Dead , 15-16)

A Case for Discontent

2010-12-10T09:14:00.000-08:00

"He has made everything beautiful in it's time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end." - Ecclesiastes 3:11

The footnote for this verse in my NIV Bible says the following-
"God's tantalizing world is too big for us, yet its satisfactions are too small. Since we were made for eternity, the things of time cannot fully and permanently satisfy."

Pascal said, "We are never living, but hoping to live."

And George Eliot said, "It seems to me we can never give up longing and wishing while we are alive. There are certain things we feel to be beautiful and good, and we must hunger for them."

In the last year one of the things I have been trying to is to pay attention to the movements of my heart (I am aware that sounds really feminine, but hang with me). Seriously though, when something stirs me I've been trying to pay attention to it. The beauty of creation and the things I've seen and experienced in the wild this year has moved me. Certain movies have brought me to tears. Situations have come up in my life and I have experienced all sorts of emotions like anger, frustration, dissapointment. And on the other end of the spectrum I've experienced laughter, joy, love and connecting with close friends on a deep level.

But there has also been this underlying discontentment with my life and I have been really confused by it. I mean I love my life, I'm not depressed for heavens sake. But I'm well aware that I'm not fully content. And I've been feeling a little guilty about it to be honest. Really, haven't we been told that we should learn to be content? We should just be happy and love everybody and be a light for all to see, right?

But what I'm learning is that life as usual is not the life I want. It is not the life I need. And get this, It is not the life I was made for! God set eternity in our hearts. That is, in our desire. I don't need to apologize for wanting for, I was created for it! Ecclesiastes tells us fairly plainly I think that contentment is not even possible. We are all longing for something more.

And most of us have tried to fill the void with just about everything except what we truly long for. A new job, a new car, a new girlfriend, a new wife, go to more parties, drink a little more, live a little higher lifestyle, take an exotic vacation, etc.

But, the deepest thirst, that holy longing that we feel down deep can only be quenched by walking with God into the desires that he has placed in our hearts.

Isn't that kind of amazing to think about. What I long for, the life I desire, is the very life God intended for me. His will and my longing are one in the same.

"If you knew the generosity of God and who I am, you would ask me for a drink and I would give you fresh living water" John 4:10 The Message

"The water I give will be an artesian spring within, gushing fountains of endless life" John 4:18 The Message

We were not created for this world. We were created for a perfect paradise. We were created for deep soul communion with God. We don't get to have it all right now. And what we do get we have to fight pretty hard for. I think a little holy discontent is appropriate if we let those longings drive our hearts closer to God and his purposes.

-Scott

2010 Photo Review

2010-12-03T13:21:00.000-08:00

Jeff and Boone, anxious to get outside in early spring...

Don't worry, mom wasn't far away...

First hunt of the year...

John Sr and Jr after a successful spring bear hunt...

Spring Turkey's in SW OR

Setting up the 3D range...

Or are they decoys???

Wildlife are abundant at "Dirt Greens" golf links...

Bowfishing to fill the downtime of summer...

Summer scouting...

Torrey's once in a lifetime Oregon bighorn...

David's first buck!

Mike's rain-soaked blacktail...

Winter kill...

Scott on the camera...

Proud dad...Morgan's first deer!

Landscape of anticipation...

Scott's first Rocky Mountain experience...

Muley's in the field...

Dad with his boys...click HERE for more on this, our latest hunt...

Thanksgiving reflections...

2010-11-26T21:32:00.000-08:00

As Turkey Day neared this year, I had a rather lazy approach to the reason for the season. It has no obvious spiritual tie like Christmas or Easter, and it's easy to simply look forward to a tasty meal and time with family. But as the fam and I made the eight hour drive to Boise for my cousin's wedding today, I had time to reflect on Thanksgiving...in between feeding time for Finn, stopping to look at deer and "cantalope" with the "minawcoolers" as Boone would say, and swinging through the occasional drive through for mom and dad as the boys slept.

I found myself reflecting on the usuals to be thankful for...my wife and kids, our home, a job, life in America...but I was also diagnosing my lack of a deeper interest in the all too common celebration of Thanksgiving Day...turkey, stuffing and everyone mentioning something they're thankful for...simply another family get together with food!

Somewhere along our journey today, as everyone else was fast asleep, God reminded me that every holiday is an opportunity to glorify Christ...and Thanksgiving is a chance to be thankful for the selfless gift God's given us...eternal life for all who believe in Christ. We are so often sidetracked by things of this world, and focused on the surface of our life. Of course I want to reflect on and thank my wife for the home she's made and the way she cares for all three of her boys, but don't want to overlook the way God's sought after me, fought for me and saved me...and you. I hope you all found the time to thank the Lord as you reflected this week. May we run the race with out eyes fixed on Heaven to come! We have more to be thankful for and look forward to than we know!

Happy Thanksgiving!
Jeff

Window decals now available!!!

2010-11-19T21:12:00.001-08:00

This week's blog is a little informal, but we wanted to send out an announcement and reminder...

After several of you requested window decals, WE NOW HAVE THEM!!! They are available on our website or by clicking HERE. They're high quality vinyl decals, and we have 3 sizes to choose from. If you have any questions, email us!

Also, thank you to all who've submitted a photo for the photo contest! We have some great entries! However, because we've got several new folks on our email list and there are hunting seasons going through the end of the year, we've decided to extend the contest to include photos from the entire year! We're offering the same great prizes...winners will be picked the first week of the new year! Also, for those who submit appropriate pictures and give us the okay, we'll add your photo to the slide show at the end of our 2010 hunting DVD, due out by February!

To revisit the photo contest rules and prizes, CLICK HERE

Hanging in...

2010-11-11T21:42:00.000-08:00

Last Thursday night at this time (9:30 pm) Jeff and I had just gotten our last load of meat out of the canyon and were back at the truck. What a hunt it was!

So many emotions. So many highs and lows. So much anticipation and so much dissapointment. So much hard work. So much pain. Many hours spent talking with God. Many hours experiencing the silence of God. Doubt that God would come through. Doubt that my knees would hold up. Discouragement. Fear that it wouldn't happen. Hope that it would happen. Realization that I had no control of the outcome. Helplessness. No control over the weather. No control over the elk. Trying to maintain a positive attitude. Really sucking at trying to remain positive! I was in a place of utter dependence on God and I wasn't enjoying it very much.

Then there was beauty. There was solitude. There was room for my heart to take a sigh of relief from the normal day to day. Time for my mind to rest. God did speak in moments. Like a wise and loving Father he gave me some advice on how to live. He used situations from the hunt and spoke into those moments to convict me on issues in my life I need to deal with. He encouraged me to keep pushing myself.

By day six I was really beginning to doubt that an elk was going to happen. And I reached a place in my mind that was okay with not filling my tag. Resignation. I really was, I think, at my limit both physically and emotionally. I was missing my family. I was tired. I was frustrated. I was thankful for the good hunt and the good experience but I was a little tweaked that my prayers had gone unanswered.

And then, walking over the 153rd ridge top in 6 days it happened. And it was all worth it.

I think maybe....maybe that is what life is like. Frustration, blessing, defeat, beauty, resignation, hassle. And then you find it. That which is truly life. And then all of the hassles and the exhausting journey to get there become worth it. You end up with set of antlers for the wall and a good story to tell.

Enjoy the video below,
Scott

A Great Season...

2010-10-27T21:40:00.000-07:00

I started hunting deer when I was about 6 years old with my dad. He would let me carry around my toy gun and follow him through the woods while hunting. When I got a little older he let me carry a .22 rifle and a little later on I got to tote around a break action, single shot 16 gauge shotgun. Finally, when I was eleven years old I got to carry a lever action .30-.30, and in my pocket hold my very first deer tag.

I can't remember all of the emotions of my first experience truly hunting big game, but I can remember some of them. I remember the feeling of power being able to carry a loaded lethal weapon through the woods with the intent to shoot, kill and bag meat for the table. I remember the excitement every time I would hear a noise or see movement in the forest. I remember sitting over clear cuts on a stump and waiting, hoping and praying that something would step out. I remember getting the shakes, jellied knees and heart pounding through the chest rush when one finally did appear out of seemingly nowhere. And I remember the dissapointment after emptying my gun at several deer that first year before I finally got one. But I set out to get a deer and on Halloween night of my first deer season I finally punched my tag.

I was hooked. I've been hunting deer every year since, and I've had some amazing times in the woods. I missed big ones. I've gotten a few big ones. I've been with friends and relatives when they have gotten some nice deer, or maybe their first deer. I've been really blessed to enjoy this "sport" for most of my life. And then there is the streak I've had going. Every year since I was eleven years old I've gotten my deer. The streak is still alive and I'm kind of proud of it.

But things are changing for me. This year I had my most successful hunt, and my most memorable hunt ever. This year I took my daughter, Morgan, on her first hunting trip. She has never really been hunting with me before though she has been to deer camp a couple of times and stayed back and played in camp when she was younger. So she was green, and I had lots to teach her. And it was fun to be able to pass my hunting knowledge on to her. It was fun to watch her walk through the woods with a rifle and an orange vest and probably feel some of the same emotions I felt on my first hunt. It was a down right amazing feeling when she squeezed the trigger and dropped a deer dead in it's tracks on her very first shot. It was fun to celebrate with her. I was amazed at how she hung in there and helped field dress and skin it.

I was more proud that evening than any evening of insuring my streak was still alive. And the message I got felt so true...."It is more blessed to give than to recieve." Passing on the heritage, the knowledge, the excitement and the fun of the outdoors is way more rewarding than drinking it in for your own enjoyment. I'm glad my dad learned that, and I'm glad I'm learning that as well.

Morgan- I am so proud of you. Not just because you are a good hunter and a great shot. I'm proud of how well rounded you are. How you are always up for trying something new. How you are not afraid to be yourself. I'm proud of how you are doing in school. I'm proud of you for being a leader. I'm proud of how well you are doing in your sports. I'm proud of how pretty you are. I'm proud of what a good sister and daughter and friend you are. I love your heart for horses, goats, dogs, cats and any other animal you could find to care for. Most of all I'm proud that you love God and that you want to find His will for your life. And I am honored that I get to be a part of helping you find that.

Thank you for the wonderful memory this fall. I had a blast hunting with you.

-Dad

We were able to capture Morgan's hunt on video and it will be on our DVD coming out this winter.

Why do you hunt?

2010-10-21T12:17:00.001-07:00

Have you ever stumbled through an awkward conversation with an "outsider" about why you hunt? Have you ever been unable to put words to the unexplainable feeling, emotion, desire and longing you feel?

As many of you know, we frequent www.ifish.net for many reasons...to learn, share, encourage, make friends, promote Faith in the Field, etc...and occasionally there are topics brought up that should be shared with the world! The link below is one such thread we'd love for you all to take the time to read...and share...with other outdoorsmen, and especially those who don't understand why we do what we do or why we love what we love...even those closest to you...spouses, children, parents and friends.

We would never encourage skipping church, or replacing time spent with God's people, but there are those who resonate with God at a much purer level, in a more genuine way, while in the wilderness...and there are ways in which God is experienced outdoors that can't happen indoors. It's biblical. "Wilderness" is defined biblically as "a place or state of withdrawal from the world to face the reality of God." As we've mentioned before, outdoor recreation isn't required to find God, but certainly all those who do venture into raw creation will find God there. Many men would not know God and have a relationship with Christ were it not for time spent in the field.

Click the link below, and as you sift through the jokes, humor and horrible spelling, you'll read some very telling views that reveal the untamed heart God's given each of us...after all, Adam was created in the wilderness.

Why do you hunt? Click here for Ifish.net discussion...

Some lines that stick out to me:

"To get out of the fake world, and back in the real world once in a while."

"It's so pure."

"Being out in the woods helps to keep me centered and gets my kids away from all the crap in the world that is trying to drag them down the wrong path. It's not about filling the tag, it's about the spark and fire I see in my boy's eyes."

"To Enjoy the World the way it was intended to be enjoyed. Concrete Free."

"I hunt to feed my family."

"Because being in the woods, on a river, or on the ocean makes me feel closer to God than being in a church ever has, or will."

"Its that primal instinct. Stalking and killing an animal involves all your senses. It brings us closer to who we are than anything else."

"Solitude..."

"Adventure..."

"To get out into the wilderness."

"Why do I hunt. . . . . . . how can I not? "

"To confirm that I am a participant and not just an observer."

"It is the one time of year to get to spend alot more time with my dad and brother."

"In this crazy modern world, its the only thing that feels natural and right."

"No matter how wore out I get, it is still the most relaxing feeling. I don't know exactly why I hunt, but I do have to."

"...and mostly, because golf seems really stupid to me."

The Greatest Teacher (video below)

2010-10-13T14:42:00.000-07:00

We men have goals. They’re usually big, as we are dreamers. Lately, mine have included some changes in my walk. I have had some goals not come to fruition as I would have liked.

Enjoy the following recap of my latest adventure with God...as well as video of my biggest buck to date.

The Greatest Teacher

It’s funny isn’t it? The many creative and inventive ways God speaks to us are incredible. Sometimes he does so through a sermon; sometimes a song; sometimes through our children and their many questions. Often times, it’s through a mistake.

I had been praying about our hunting trip for a couple of weeks. I wanted to be safe and successful, to be sure. But, the biggest thing on my radar was for God to bind the enemy and keep him from stealing my joy.

I don’t know why, but that was my focus.

I wanted to spend time getting to know God better. I wanted to spend time with him, to know what areas of my life I could improve in and in which areas he was proud of me. It had been a while since I was really intentional about my own spiritual growth. I had left that up to my pastor. It’s his job isn’t it?

Obviously, the answer is no. It is up to me to become more Christ-like. It is not the job of my pastor, my worship leader, my wife or anyone else. It is my job and this trip was to be a kickoff to that adventure.

As my close friend and I settled into our spots on the side of the mountain the morning of opening day, I could sense God’s presence in a way that I had not for some time. The sun had not yet made its appearance above the mountains to my left, but the orange glow of that sunrise and the sweet smell of sage made for a quiet moment of solace. “Thank you, God. This is beautiful.”

“It gets better,” was the reply.

I was excited. A smile crossed my lips as I sat and waited for the hunters below me to push the animals up the mountain and right into my sights.

As I sat, the sun began to peak over the horizon and warm us with its soft morning rays. I began to thank God for all he has done in my life - my family, my friends and the many ways he has blessed me. My mind began to wander. On occasion, I would scan the hillside across from us or the draw below us for movement. But, most of my time was spent communing with God. It was great!

The occasional gunshot from afar would pull me back to the task at hand. They would also push more and more animals over our ridge to the draw below us. I would scan for bones and then drift off with my thoughts.

Another gunshot, another casual scan and then, back to my thoughts.

A small herd of 12 or 13 animals approached from the left while 5 or 6 came over the ridge in front of our position. While the deer milled about, a call on the radio got the adrenaline pumping. “There’s a nice fork in that group of 6!”

As time passed, my friend and I spotted the group. They had made their way to some trees about 500 yards away and seemed to be bedding down for the day. No rush here. These guys aren’t going anywhere. I leaned back, basking in the glow of not only of the warm morning sun, but the even brighter glow of success!

Then, bang…bang.

“I got two good shots at that buck,” buzzed the radio. “They’re running up your way.”
Scott grasped the urgency of the situation. “This is gonna happen quick, Brian. Get ready.”

For some reason, my preparation was lackadaisical, at best. Slowly, I rose to my knee and lazily pulled the rifle into my shoulder. The deer bounded up the mountain. Leaping over the tall sage brush and zigzagging their way ever closer, I tried to locate them in my sights.

“Here they come, Brian.”

My shooting stick was too tall, so I rose to a squat.

The deer were within 200 yards. From this squatting position, the low-hanging branches of the tree were in the way and my barrel was unsteady. I had to get situated.

The deer were bounding fast now. They were just a few more steps from the cover of trees. I had to take my shot. The group paused to look behind them. They had no idea I was there.

“Shoot!”

I couldn’t find them. Up and down I fidgeted.

“Shoot!”

From a half-squat, I placed my cross-hairs on the fork’s shoulders. The sage was too tall for a vitals shot. The low-hanging branches eliminated the option of standing for a better view. They were on the move again. I had to shoot. The silence of the crisp morning was shattered as my rifle exploded and echoed down the mountainside.
I missed.

I wasn’t prepared. I had overlooked the little things that ensure a kill shot. As a result, I had to rush and my goal went unrealized.

The beautiful thing, though, was I didn’t feel bad or question God’s promise - It gets better.

I felt him speak immediately. “You weren’t prepared. You didn’t take care of those little things. Your big goal did not come to fruition like you planned.” He wasn’t talking about my missed shot. He was talking about my walk – my spiritual growth. He simply used my situation on that mountain to show me what he wanted me to work on…the little things.

The hunt was over for the day. We meandered down the mountain in hopes of scaring something up, and my conversation with God was unreal. I thanked him for his clear communication. I know what I need to be doing on a daily basis on my journey to being more like Christ.

It was crystal clear, just like that fine morning. Seek him daily. Search for areas of weakness. Be intentional with my communication with God. Encourage others. Have eyes to see where I can minister – every minute of every day. How can I bring others to the kingdom? Being conscious about that is really important. Doing these things will help me achieve my goal of being more Christ-like.

That’s it? I can hear you asking. “I could have told you that,” you say. I know, but for me, those things weren’t on my radar. I had left those things up to others to do for me. Praise God for the way he speaks!

The constant ribbing I received at camp was a tough pill to swallow. I had never missed before (I’ve only been hunting for four years now). It had me thinking perhaps I couldn’t get it done. I began to doubt.

But, God spoke again. “You can do it. Just watch the little things.”

The next morning, I was pumped. I was gonna watch those little things. I would be successful.

We arose before light the next morning to head out for the mountain. I would get a little lower down the mountain. I would set myself up real nice and bag a big one.
Due to some others in our camp, we got a late start. Doubt crept in.

Our party got up the mountain, made plans and split up. Four of us would find different spots and wait for the fifth member to push deer our direction. I finally found a great spot and set up for the kill. It was light already and I worried. The Lord assured me I would be successful if I watch the little things, so I did.

An hour passed - nothing. I scanned religiously. I made sure things were ready. All of a sudden, the hill I was watching came alive with movement, but not with that of the four-legged kind. A couple dudes from our camp didn’t stay where we planned and had wandered right into our area, scaring any game that may have been lurking. The hunt was done by 8:30am. I wasn’t happy.

I tried to stay positive as I hiked down to the meeting point. I couldn’t make heads or tails of my conversation with God. Had I misunderstood? I paid attention to the little things…but, nothing happened.

As I arrived at the truck after an hour and a half of walking and talking, I heard God…”Be persistent.”

We all arrived back at camp in a sour mood. Three of us had been affected by our nomadic friends. It wasn’t even noon and we didn’t know our next plan of attack.
“Be persistent.”

I told the others I was going out behind camp to hunt. I found some tracks and followed them out into the middle of a pumice flat. There was a highway of activity crossing the area. I found a nice little spot and got all the little stuff prepared. After 45 minutes of quiet solitude and no activity, I looked for a different area. Following tracks which showed the heaviest activity, I settled down about 300 yards from my original spot. The time with God was great, but didn’t yield anything I could shoot.
I thanked God for the conversation and headed back to camp. After a walk of about 40 yards, I heard the sound of leather squeaking against leather. I turned to check my pack. I continued to hear the sound, but it was out my other ear.

As I turned to look, the biggest horns I had ever seen began to rise above the ridge about 25 yards away. What followed was too good to be true – the biggest buck I had ever seen. I froze – stunned. It didn’t slow one step. It looked straight at me and continued his hurried gate. I expected him to turn or start or stop…something. When he didn’t, I dropped to my knee and slammed my rifle to my shoulder. The beast was 20 yards away and moving fast. I scoped him quickly, and as he made his way down a shallow gulch I set my crosshairs on the back of his shoulders. As he came up the near side of the dip, his head came back into view and he continued to come closer, his neck exposed itself to my crosshairs.

The rifle bucked against my shoulder.

The animal reared back, pawing at the air as if trying to climb right into heaven. As his pawing slowed, gravity took over and he slammed forward into the ground not 13 yards away from me.

He was truly a gift. He never saw me. He trundled right into my sights. How can I explain it any other way?

It gets better. Be Persistent.

When you actively seek, God speaks.

When his children listen and obey, they are blessed.

Do you have goals you have not seen fulfilled? Are you paying attention to the little things?

What does God want you to focus on? Ask him.

It does get better!

I hope God speaks to you through this adventure of mine.

-Brian

FACEBOOK!!!

2010-10-08T11:22:00.000-07:00

We're now on Facebook! Please "like" us and help us grow by spreading the word and suggesting our page to all your friends!

We want to unite those who love the outdoors and Christ...who enjoy time spent in creation, and with our Creator. There's no better classroom than the outdoors, where "God's invisible qualities, eternal power and divine nature are clearly seen" (Romans 1:20)

Find us on Facebook here!

Unexplainable Backcountry

2010-10-01T12:39:00.000-07:00

This week we want to share a piece written by Andrew Johnson, one of our Faith in the Field team members, who had a dream season with his stick and string. Click the link below to enjoy some incredible photos and story of what Andrew refers to as the "unexplainable backcountry."

"Unexplainable Backcountry" click here

Recurve Rooseys...video below

2010-09-22T13:41:00.000-07:00

Thanks for all your prayers as I chased elk with my own stick and string last weekend...but pray harder...I'm still after one! :) I may give it a day or two this last weekend of the season. As we all know, hunting is about far more than the kill...it's about the company, where it takes you, the memories created and what you learn about yourself, the world, life and our creator. At times I feel the pressure of notching tags for this year's DVD, but I'm relieved each an every time knowing that God is in control...of everything...from each and every blog that gets posted, to what goes on our DVD and into the programs and activities we will put together...and the adventures you all are having as well! He is in control...and this last weekend I was reminded that I need to have "faith in the field," whenever and wherever that may be.

Over Labor Day weekend I headed out with a good friend, David Brinker, from Sitka Gear, and his dad after some Northwest OR roosevelt elk. We found some screamers, but getting within the magical 30 yard range with traditional gear was a challenge. I wanted to share a short video with you that encompasses so much...from the beauty of the coastal mountains and it's inhabitants, to a father and son's epic journey together...as well as the reality of the hunt and a traditional bowhunting theme. It's a quick recap I hope you'll enjoy watching while taking a break from the grind.

Fall Photo Contest!

2010-09-16T20:36:00.000-07:00

Before I get to the details of our first photo contest I just thought I would ask for your prayers this weekend for my brother, Jeff. After spending all of his time this archery elk season filming other hunters, he is finally getting out this weekend with a chance to be shooter! He really wants to get one....which I'm sure is why I didn't get invited along. Would you please pray that God sends the perfect elk along. Since we should pray specifically, here is what the perfect elk will be like. A bull, or a cow. Deaf, blind and have no sense of smell. Three legged would be good, two is better yet! This elk will need to come within 3 yards and stand still. If it came with a bulls eye painted over the vitals, that would be good too! Please join me:)

Now, on to the business at hand. We've been enjoying a few of the photo's that friends have been sending our way of the trophies you have bagged already this season. It got us thinking that it would be cool if all of you would send us a photo or two of the animals, birds, or fish you bag this fall. We'll get a panel together and judge the photo's and declare some winners.

Here are some rules....honor system.

-Photo must be taken of an animal, fish, or bird(s) legally taken this year, 2010.
-If you shoot an animal from your hot tub (Dad) please put a shirt on before photo is taken.

Photo's will be judged on picture quality, backdrop scenery, the presentation of the game or fish and we will probably give a little preference to kids with big smiles and trophy size beasts, or maybe we might be swayed by anything that grabs at our heart strings in your photo summary paragraph.

Please include with your photo, a short paragraph summing up the trip, GPS coordinates, your name, email address and a phone number. (We will keep this private) Kidding about the GPS stuff;)

We can't promise anything because we haven't started putting together the video for this year, but we may want to add your still shot photo's at the end of our video while the credits are rolling. Please indicate if that is okay with you when send in your entries.

Winners will be contacted the first week of January. 1st place will get first choice of prizes, 2nd will get........2nd choice and 3rd place will get what's left. 4th place will get whatever Cliff Bars and Capri Suns are left at the bottom of my pack at the end of the season.

The Prizes will be:

-A Winter Steelhead Driftboat trip for two on the Siletz or Trask river with me. I am not a guide and have only sunk 1 driftboat. We usually catch some fish though.

-$50.00 gift card to Cabellas

-A Faith in the Field T-shirt and free 2010 video.

To Enter: Send photo in email form to info@faithinthefield.com Please title the email "Photo Contest"

Good luck to everyone this fall season. May God bless you and keep you safe as you adventure in the outdoors this fall. And our prayer for you is that you will be struck by creation and the Creator in new and deeper ways this fall as you Seek The One!

The Role of Nature

2010-09-08T13:20:00.000-07:00

We often allude to the beauty and revelation of the outdoors…that they speak of a Eden we’ve never known, but somehow know we were created for. Romans 1:20 says God’s divine attributes, invisible qualities and eternal power are clearly seen and understood through all that has been made. Creation reveals the heart of God. Through my ever-growing knowledge and understanding of the ways in which God is revealed in my outdoor excursions, I find myself meeting Him there more often…and there is more than meets the eye to what can be taken away from our time in the field. Enjoy the following excerpt from The Way of The Wild Heart, by John Eldredge.

There is a humility and a seasoned wisdom to be learned in the natural world, as they are learned no other place.

One of the great lessons nature has for us…there is a way things work. You cannot simply walk through this world any old way you want. Turn a canoe sideways and it will tip. Approach an elk upwind and it will spook. Run your hand along the grain of wood and you'll get a splinter. There is a way things work. Oh, what a crucial lesson this is for a man. In the realm of nature, you can't just order room service, or change the channel, or write a new program to solve your problems. You can't ignore the way things work. You must be taught by it. Humility and wisdom come to a man when he learns those ways, and learns to live his life accordingly.

So, yes, I am saying that an encounter with the natural world-the world God set us in-is essential for masculine initiation. I'm not saying that every man needs to love to fish and hunt. But yes-there are things to learn through nature, lessons that simply cannot be learned anywhere else. It might be out on the open sea. It might take place bicycling through farmlands. Does this mean that a man who loves the city cannot enter into masculine initiation and maturity? Not at all. C. S. Lewis was not an outdoorsman. He spent his days with books, in the academies of England. But I find it important that he felt his day was never complete without a walk outside. Not a fifty-mile backpacking trip. A walk in the woods. Time spent in the field.

It's worth a try, and I'll guarantee God will meet you there, if you'll let him.

Astoria 2010

2010-09-02T21:12:00.000-07:00

Well, we had another good trip to Astoria for salmon camp again this year. The fishing wasn't as hot as in years past but we managed to get our share. We were able to avoid any skunk outings by at least getting one keeper each trip out and our best day was 5 salmon to the net. Most importantly we were able to grill up some fresh salmon for dinner almost every night back in camp. Here are a few pictures of the fish and the expert anglers....

Lot's of memories from this year like me falling off of the dock before heading out one morning, playing on the beach, riding bikes and of course catching fish. Morgan and Grant are turning into quite the fishermen. My favorite memory though was one night while sitting at the campfire a tired and weary 2 year old climbed up onto my lap, put her head on my shoulder with her cold little nose next to my neck and breathed a big sigh. It had been a long day, she was a little dirty, she missed her nap, had just gotten some camp fire smoke in her eyes and she turned to me for comfort. I was thrilled! She could have gone to grandma or mommy or big sister but she came to daddy which honestly is getting more rare as she grows. It made my day.

And it caused me to wonder. If I enjoyed being able to comfort my child so much, how much more does God love to be there to comfort us? We have long days, we get tired and weary and dirty and hurt....where do we turn? The refrigerator, the TV, sleep, a hot shower...or maybe darker things....addictions perhaps. But God is there, we just need to climb up in his lap and rest. We ought to be looking for comfort in the only real place there is to find it. I just bet it would make God's day as well.

-Scott

Bighorn teaser video...

2010-08-27T09:02:00.000-07:00

For those who missed the ifish story, CLICK HERE

This bighorn hunt was everything we'd dreamed of and more! Seriously, surreal. We followed our friend, Torrey Link, in SE Oregon taking one of the nicest California Bighorn's you'll ever see. Here's a short video to get you pumped for the full version on this year's DVD! Enjoy...

Lead Them...

2010-08-20T12:16:00.000-07:00

Often times God sends us little messages and reminders about the things closest to his heart, things that should be closest to our hearts as well but we too often overlook them. I was sent a link to this song earlier this week and after a couple of days I finally clicked on the You Tube link to check it out. Two lines into the song I was already busted. Busted because I haven't been giving my wife and kids the best of me lately. I'm tired. I've been working every day for 2 months at the berry plant. I'm trying to get some more stuff started on the ministry side of Faith in the Field and I'm helping coach my son's football team. In my spare time I've been planning and dreaming for a little fishing vacation and making hunting plans because after all I deserve it.....right?

And then God sends me this message, and the reminder is...."You are the leader in your home, the one I have placed in authority and your first mission is lead them." A great reminder and one I really needed to hear this week before heading out on our much anticipated family vacation. Now, instead of heading out thinking about myself and how I can get some much needed rest and fun this week, with God's help I feel the goal changing to, "How can I offer myself to my family this week and give them what they need from me on this trip." Thank God for his intervention? I think the upcoming week would have been a disaster without it.

Here is the link to the amazing message of "Lead Me" by Sanctus Real.

-Scott

Seeking the One 2010

2010-08-13T10:08:00.000-07:00

As the days go by, the excitement of what we might capture on video this year is causing a lot of sleepless nights. It's been really exciting to see the ways in which God's bringing it all together, from hunts and video, to friends and fellowship! We have a small group of guys with cameras in tow, headed to every corner of the state in search of nearly everything Oregon has to offer. If the Lord blesses us with great footage of even half of what's on our plate, it'll be the most diverse Oregon hunting video ever made.

The plate: Spring bear, turkey and fall bear in SW Oregon, antelope in central OR, a once in a lifetime bighorn sheep hunt in SE Oregon, archery and rifle elk both east and west and a trophy archery elk hunt in WA state, perhaps some archery mule deer, of course blacktails in NW Oregon, as well as a unique bear hunt in Northern CA with a local houndsmen from here in our backyard...we'll have youth and adults, men and women, boys and girls, old friends and new, and trophy's of every form! Our biggest concern is fitting it all on one DVD! :)

We're already anticipating phone calls from the team with stories of success and adventure, close calls and disappointments (the "highs and lows" as our friends at Born and Raised Outdoors would say). And as the anxiety builds, there is relief knowing for whom, and why we're filming this year. As an ifish friend said, as long as you remember why you're filming, it'll always work out. God has blessed us with an AMAZING playground that satisfies a longing in our heart...a longing to see Him, seek Him, meet Him, feel close to Him, hear Him, talk to Him, to fellowship with others and create a Christ-centered accountability with those who enjoy the same passion. It's going to be an amazing year.

As I sat down to write this blog, I found a word document I wrote several months ago that I wanted to share...it's not too detailed, but I listed a few goals for our video...

hunting video goals
-share what OR and the NW has to offer…the most rugged terrain, thickest habitat, toughest conditions and most beautiful scenery
-share the variety of hunting experiences, from turkeys and bears, to deer and elk, bighorn, goats, antelope, east side, west side, and a few out of state experiences along the way
-tips for those less experienced…those who spend limited time in the woods or are new to outdoor activities
-provide the opportunity for those less fortunate, or those who are unable to do what we do, to experience the adventure through our videos
-share God’s general revelations, Romans 1:20
-and testify to the reason we all find ourselves there…a Eden we’ve never know, but somehow know our hearts were created for

Be Dangerous for Good

2010-08-05T11:30:00.000-07:00

Many of you know I get "daily readings" from Ransomed Heart Ministries, started by John Eldredge, the author of Wild At Heart...a book that deeply impacted Scott and I's life, and many many other men, and women for that matter. If you want a deeper understanding of the God-given heart of a man, and of a boy, you need to read this book. Likewise, if you want a deeper understanding of a woman's heart, of your daughters heart, you need to read Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge. While it's great to come up with original thoughts for our blogs each week, there are many times I just can't ignore certain ways in which God reveals things to me, and this week I have a "daily reading" to share with you. It's an exerpt from Wild At Heart.

Emasculation happens in marriage as well. Women are often attracted to the wilder side of a man, but once having caught him they settle down to the task of domesticating him. Ironically, if he gives in he'll resent her for it, and she in turn will wonder where the passion has gone. Most marriages wind up there.

A weary and lonely woman asked me the other day, "How do I get my husband to come alive?" "Invite him to be dangerous," I said. "You mean, I should let him get the motorcycle, right?" "Yep." She shrank back, disappointment on her face. "I know you're right, but I hate the idea. I've made him tame for years."

Think back to that great big lion in that tiny cage. Why would we put a man in a cage? For the same reason we put a lion there. For the same reason we put God there: he's dangerous. To paraphrase Dorothy Sayers, we've also pared the claws of the Lion Cub of Judah. A man is a dangerous thing. Women don't start wars. Violent crimes aren't for the most part committed by women. Our prisons aren't filled with women. Columbine wasn't the work of two young girls. Obviously, something has gone wrong in the masculine soul, and the way we've decided to handle it is to take that dangerous nature away . . . entirely.

This isn't to pick on wives either...we all have to be aware of the ways in which we are being fooled...dads and moms with their sons and daughters, spouses, grandparents, teachers, employers, significant others, pastors, elders, mentors, etc etc etc...do you see how the enemy is at work here? Putting men, and boys, in a shell, locked in a worldly comfort zone, robots in a life of duty and obligation, where they are secretly trying to break free, usually in ways that aren't of God...why? Because they are taught and shown that God's will is not adventurous, that there is no battle...yet it is SO clear in scripture that God designed us for such a life...because we live in that life!

We can't take away the "dangerous" God has designed us to have and expect to be all God created us to be, nor to live in His will...it doesn't work. We need to be dangerous for good. A scalpal is a very dangerous tool, but when used correctly, it saves lives. Without it, many lives would be lost. Without men who will fight for their wives, children and for Christ, lives will be lost. It's not a game, it IS life or death.

It's easy to take advantage of the freedom God's given us, just as it's easy to take advantage of the freedom our spouse or parents may give us, but without it, life can spiral into a wierd combination of resentment, privacy and silence...exactly what Satan would want. The story of our life is the long and brutal assault on our heart by the one who knows what we can become and fears it.

An Outdoor Sabbath

2010-07-29T15:14:00.000-07:00

This time of year is filled with sleepless nights as hunting season approaches, and dreams of what could be fill our minds. Most of us know where we're headed, plans are being made, calendars are being marked. We'll be after bears in only a couple of days! August through December in Oregon is full of opportunity if you love the excitement of the hunt and a freezer full of the best meat one can find.

I want to invite you all to take a new approach with us this year as we begin our journey into the wilds of Oregon and beyond...to not merely hunt our quarry, but experience the freedom and beauty of creation, seek restoration, and pay closer attention to the things God's telling you through his artistry. "Beauty speaks of and Eden we've never known, but somehow know our hearts were created for...beauty speaks of Heaven to come." Romans 1:19-20 talks of God's invisible qualities, eternal power and divine nature being clearly seen in all of creation. It's no wonder the enemy has casually evolved our lives into a hurried devotion of busyness, surrounded by metal and cement.

This excerpt from our website sums it up...

The time I spend in the outdoors, the reason I find myself there, the reason we all find ourselves there is because it speaks to the heart God’s given each of us. It’s not hunting, or even the outdoors for all, but certainly all who enjoy time in the wilderness will find God there.

Think of what it’s like to behold a gorgeous sunset, to gaze upon a high mountain vista, to sense the serenity of the wild…playing a round of golf on that perfect day, watching the ending of a great movie, singing along with a moving song in the car…those moments in life in which we yearn to linger, to experience all our days. Our heart begins to quiet and peace enters our soul…it expands…we can breathe again…we can rest…it is good…all is well. These are all moments of beauty where we taste life as it’s meant to be. We so often overlook and don’t recognize this…but when we do, we see that beauty draws us to God. Beauty speaks of Heaven to come, when all shall be beautiful. There is an innate sense of splendor in feeling close to God and seeing His creation more fully while in the outdoors for me. Every piece of artwork reveals something of the artist if you look for it. My goal this year is to look for what God’s artwork reveals…and that’s also the goal of Faith in the Field.

So let's look for it, SHARE it, and realize how blessed we are to spend time with family, friends, new friends...with ourselves...with God...and follow Him into the wilderness...

Thoughts From The Field...

Compassion in Action

Hoodies available for a LIMITED time! Orange and PINK logo!

Mark your calendar!!!

Oregon's Most Diverse Hunting Film - ORDER TODAY!

Mentoring

Fatherhood

Fighting Famine

Our year in Photos - DVD coming soon!

Send us your photos in the field!

Courageous

Tag Soup

The watering hole...

A Rant...Kind Of...

It's Supernautical

Philippians 3:20 (NIV)

20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.

7x7 Roosey!!! Outdoor Dream Foundation Hunt

Lasagna

We Can't Fathom

what hunting is really all about...

running

The Trap

A New View of this Big ol' World

Fisher's of Men

A Lesson in Suffering

A "propositional" Christianity

Let the planning begin!!!

Shoot Out!

My Favorite Hunting Story

Kids and Trout!

Quotes...

Living Revived!

Turkey Tales

It's worth THIS just to know Jesus...

That's it?

a wife's perspective

I will never back down.

Update From the Field

The End Of The West?

The power of your actions

Time in Nature = Time with God

A Nice Guy...

A Band of Brothers

Something for all ages...

Death

Pursuit

Hunting for God, Fishing for the Lord

Out of the mouths of babes....

Seeking the One 10 - DVD and song!

Photo Contest Winners

Memories of 2010

The Greatest Gift

Christmas Act of War...

A Case for Discontent

2010 Photo Review

Thanksgiving reflections...

Window decals now available!!!

Hanging in...

A Great Season...

Why do you hunt?

The Greatest Teacher (video below)

FACEBOOK!!!

Unexplainable Backcountry

Recurve Rooseys...video below

Fall Photo Contest!

The Role of Nature

Astoria 2010

Bighorn teaser video...

Lead Them...

Seeking the One 2010

Be Dangerous for Good

An Outdoor Sabbath

²⁰ But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.