Author: Scott

This morning I had something in mind I wanted to write about. But that has changed to due to what happened yesterday. As Barbara and I were wrapping up her surgery visit yesterday, we stopped for dinner on the way home. While we were there, I received a text in a group message that was sent out by Chris Calliotte. For those of you that read these daily, you will recall his name from two days ago, Monday, September 4. Chris was part of what I thought might be my last hunt ever with Anna in 2017. Also part of that hunt was Josh Barron. He was the dog handler that day. He is the veteran that ended up having ALS and passed away a few months after the deer hunt we put on for him and his son. As I stated, what I planned on writing changed after a message I received from Chris. 

Amy Barron was Josh‘s widow. We got to meet her when we put on the deer hunt. And after Josh’s passing, we stayed in contact a little bit. She actually invited us to come to the graduation party she put on for her twin boys. One of which was part of the hunt with Josh. The text yesterday from Chris was not one anyone would want to receive. Amy had unexpectedly died the night before. I was shocked. Couldn’t believe it as I read it to Barbara. Our hearts broke for the boys. Seems like there’s been a string of bad news lately. Ranging from Covid hitting loved ones. To a dear friend of ours being diagnosed with cancer. To hearing about Amy‘s passing. It comes in waves sometimes. And it seems to be that way right now.

On Saturday, when we went to watch The Passion Play, we had dinner while we were there. We met a married couple from Kansas. The husband, Paul, sat next to me. We had a great conversation while we enjoyed our meals. Talking about where we live. Our families. Our friends. And our faith. Part of the discussion about our faith was having hope in Jesus. And how it’s hard to understand living life without hope. Because we question what it is, those that live with that Jesus, have hope in. That’s the life that I lived at one point. No Jesus. No hope. And the good news is everyone we mentioned earlier…either knew Jesus, or they know him now. And that’s what it takes for us to have eternity with him. Knowing him now. That’s the same for all of us. We need to know him in order to have that hope in him. And if we have that, then no matter what it is we face or go through, we can get through it because of his love. His strength. His hope. 

Today is September 5, 2023. September 5, 2017, is a day that I will always remember. It was the day that we went to Tulsa, Oklahoma. The day I went there for surgery. The day that I lost my right kidney. The day that I lost my gallbladder. The day that I learned to just how sick my body was. I look at it as being an important date that is part of the journey that led to Charlie 22 Outdoors. 

We knew going into the surgery that my gallbladder and kidney were going to be removed. What we didn’t know was just how bad things were. The gallbladder was distended four times the size it was supposed to be. The kidney was so dead that it was like a piece of stone. They couldn’t even cut into it. But what was even more concerning was the aorta and vena cava. They were both calcifying. They had to chip away at the calcium, because they were going to eventually constrict. That would be the end of circulation. And we know what that means. So, leaving it alone was not an option. The concern during the surgery was chipping too far. Too deep. Because that would lead to penetrating one of them. And that results in bleeding out within seconds. This is all information that I learned after I recovered. The 2 1/2 hour surgery ended up being for five hours.

Yesterday, we mentioned not knowing who we are going to meet at certain times. That is exactly what happened here. We first learned how sick I was in July 2017. While we were in the hospital then, we met Dr. Brookover. We didn’t realize the blessing of that meeting until later. He convinced us that we needed to go to Tulsa for the surgery so his teammate could use robotics. Looking back now, God brought us together because of what they found when they were in the middle of surgery. Because it took robotics to chip away at the calcification. And I believe that is what ended up saving my life. Going back weeks earlier to meet Dr. Brookover…lead to going to Tulsa. Which led to surgery with robotics. Amazing how that happens. How God orchestrates things in our lives. Just as he did for me. Knowing that would lead to people serving God, by serving others, through Charlie 22 Outdoors. Ultimately, bringing more people into his glory. And that is awesome.

September 4 six years ago was also Labor Day Monday. And I remember it very distinctly. That’s because that was the hunt that I took Anna on which I wasn’t sure if it was going to be the last one I would ever do with her. It was a dove hunt. AJ Stock set it up for me. He contacted Chris Calliotte. And Chris contacted Josh Barron. It was an amazing morning. The reason why it was so significant is because the very next day was when I had my surgery. It is also significant because of the people involved. Let me explain.  

A few weeks after my surgery is when we founded Charlie 22 Outdoors. AJ was a founding Board Member. Today, he serves as the president of the ministry. Chris Calliotte is a veteran. We met him when he was part of the shooting range north of Webb City. Josh Barron was also a veteran. He was a United States Navy rescue diver. He was the dog handler on that hunt for Anna. 

Here’s how it all ties together. Charlie 22 Outdoors was founded in October 2017. As I stated, a few weeks after my surgery. A short time late, Josh found out that he had ALS. And he wanted to try to get his son out for one more hunt before he couldn’t. Much like I was doing for Anna. We contacted the owners of Little Flat Creek Ranch. Explained what was going on. The graciously opened up the property for us. Therefore, Josh and his family were part of our very first deer hunt. It was an amazing blessing. Because it was a few months later that Josh was gone. The point here is pretty obvious. You never know who you are going to meet. You never know when. You never know where. You never know how or why. And you never know what it is you are going to say at a certain point to someone that’s going to resonate with them. You never know! But we know this, Jesus does this all the time. He puts people in our paths at certain times in our lives. And it’s our job to witness to them. Because there’s going to be a day that we are all going to meet him. And we better have “things in order” with him before that happens. So today, let’s work on that. Let’s make sure that we have our “eternities” set up for when that time comes. Let’s make sure we have Jesus in our lives. And today, let’s make sure that we don’t hesitate to let others know about him. Because there’s a chance, we might be the only people to ever tell them about Jesus.

For those of you that follow us on Facebook, you saw where Barbara and I had went down to Eureka Springs yesterday. We spent the afternoon and evening together. By ourselves! Unfortunately, we don’t get to do that as much as we want to. We still go on dates. But to have that much time together by ourselves is a very rare thing. So we took full advantage of it. And it was great. We went to Eureka Springs to see The Passion Play. I’ve been to the property before. But never to see the play. She went there as a kid to watch it. One thing that you will find on the property is an art museum. Actually has several items that Jack Dawson has done. So that was pretty cool. But, what caught my attention the most were the paintings and items from the 1500s and 1600s. Really amazing stuff. And then there was a sculpture of Jesus‘s silhouette. Dating back to 800 A.D. Holy cow! 1200 years old.

As I was looking at it, something struck me. His silhouette from that point of history is basically the same thing that we portray today. And that is very fitting. Because Jesus is the constant. He is the one thing that has never wavered. Ever! He is the one thing that will always remain the same. Humans fail at this. I know I do. We are constantly changing. For some of us, it’s day to day. Because we find ourselves selfishly doing things. Maybe unknowingly. But we do it. If we can find ourselves in emotional roller coasters at times. Some of you can really understand what I’m talking about. The point we’re trying to make here is…no matter where we are in our lives. No matter what we are doing in our lives. Jesus will be steadfast. he will be the constant. He will always be here for us. We just keep our eyes on him, and he will see us through.

I have used this Bible story before. Actually, several times. Because it’s very fitting for what we are talking about. On that stormy night, everyone in the boat found theirselves fearful. Found theirselves scared of the possibility of sinking. They even thought they saw a ghost. It was Jesus in the water. Standing there. On the water! And Peter got the courage to go out to him. And he was successful, because he kept his eyes on Jesus. He had faith in our Lord and Savior. And Jesus blessed him by making it possible for him to walk on water. So awesome. But as the story goes, Peter loses site of Jesus, gets anxious, and begins to sink. He was going to drown. Jesus never wavered. Remained constant. Reached down and pulled Peter back up out of the water. That’s the kind of Lord and Savior that we have. Never wavering. And always reliable. All we have to do is accept him and keep him in our focus. It’s up to us. If you haven’t done so, make today the day that you accept Jesus. And rest easy, knowing that he will always be here for you. Because he loves you. He always has. And he always will.

This morning as I was getting up, there was a great story on ESPN. I’m so glad that the reporters take time to share stories like this. Especially in this day and age where, whenever you turn on the news, it seems like we are just being force-fed negativity. We are being force-fed division. We are being force-fed things that are evil and ugly. I know that is what grabs attentions. But I’m tired of seeing it. So much to the point that I don’t watch the national news much anymore. But the story today is different. This is one that should inspire us all. Because it is one of truly serving somebody else. Giving some thing up for the good of somebody else.

Chris Creighton is the head coach for Eastern Michigan University‘s football team. On August 3, he was talking to his team. Talking about Zack Conti. Zack is a senior offensive lineman on the football team. He has been a walk on his entire career at the school. During which he has played 23 games in the last two seasons. But this year he is going to be starting. Going into the camp, he was still considered a walk on. For those of you that don’t know what that means, he’s been playing without a scholarship. He’s been working a different jobs to raise the money to go to school. Because he loves football that much. Brian Dooley is also a senior on the football team. He is from Bowling Green, Ohio. Which means he is out of state. Prior to this team meeting, he went to the head coach and told him he was going to give up his scholarship in order for Zack to have one. Yes, you read that correctly. He gave his scholarship up so his teammate could have one. Now…that might not seem like a big deal. But it is. Especially for this reason: Brian is taking out a $25,000 student loan to go to school this year. Would you have done that?

We’ve been talking a lot about serving others. We’ve been talking a lot about the Holy Spirit taking control. We’ve been talking about our Lord and Savior loving us so much that he sacrificed himself for us. So today, let’s all learn from Brian. Let’s all learn about truly giving what you have to serve others. I’m not saying you must go out and give up your scholarship. I’m not saying you must go out and give out money you don’t have. What I’m saying is, let’s find ways to give of ourselves, to serve others. Just as Brian did. Just as Jesus did. Just as Jesus still does today.

Here is an interesting question. One that might really cause you to think. This is a question that we should all really consider. Because I think it reveals what it is that we are prioritizing. The question that I am asking today is, “What is your most prized possession?“ There’s probably several ways to look at this. Is it something that is of monetary value? Like a home. Maybe a vehicle. Is it something that we rely on daily? Like my wheelchair. Or is it something that we cherish with all of our hearts? Maybe like a family heirloom. Whatever it may be, I definitely believe it reveals our priorities.

In the Bible, there’s a story that is a great example on what we are talking about here. You probably know which one I’m referring to. In Luke, there is a woman who had a bottle of perfume. Probably one of her most valuable possessions. This woman was known for her sins. And she took her perfume and poured it on Jesus’s feet. A very kind gesture. One of the great symbolism if you ask me. And there’s an amazing lesson that comes out of it because of what Jesus did. He was being criticized for allowing this sinner to approach him the way she did. But in typical Jesus fashion, he welcomed her, and he forgave her of her sins. How awesome is that?

We are talking about this story, because that is what encountering Jesus should be. It should be worth more than any possession we have. Anything we could ever value. And we should be willing to turn whatever it is, that we consider valuable, over to serving Jesus. Our time. Our resources. Our money. Placing him above anything we consider valuable shows our Lord and Savior just how much he means to us. So let’s think about that for a moment. The think about ways that we can prioritize our lives around Jesus. Let’s think of ways that we can serve others by putting Jesus first. And let’s be thankful at the same time. Let’s be thankful that we have a Lord and Savior willing to allow sinners to approach him. I know I am thankful. Because I would be lost if he would turned sinners away. I would be lost if he had not forgiven me of my sins.

Last day of August. Hard to believe that September starts tomorrow. But here we are. It’s been almost a week since the banquet. And I’ve heard from several people about how much the night meant to them. How much it moved them. How much more they want to be involved. And that is awesome. Because that’s the Holy Spirit. What we told everybody Saturday night is that all the things that we have accomplished have nothing to do with us. Yes…I understand we are the hands and feet. I get that. But the Holy Spirit is what makes all this possible. Because the Holy Spirit is moving in people’s lives.

People might question how powerful the Holy Spirit is. They might question just what is it that the Holy Spirit can do. Here’s the answer: It just takes one encounter with the Holy Spirit for your life to change forever. Read that again. It takes just one encounter with the Holy Spirit for your life to change forever. Pretty powerful if you ask me. How many other things, how many other experiences, how many other encounters, do you know of that could change your life forever? Not many that I can think of. And that’s why the ministry is doing what it’s doing. Because the Holy Spirit is guiding people. 

Yesterday I was talking with one of our supporters. We communicate a lot through email and texting. But every now and then we get a moment where we get to talk on the phone. And we were discussing this very topic. The Holy Spirit moving in people. It may seem like we repeat this point to death. But why not. We talk about it all the time because it’s the truth. It’s the plain truth. And people need to hear it. We need to hear it in order to serve like we are supposed to. If you go into one of our events with a servants heart, serving others, as the Holy Spirit leads us, you come out of the event more blessed than you gave to others. And that my friends is the Holy Spirit. And remember this. Jesus can change your life. He loves you. Always has. Always will. 

Yesterday I mentioned that the memory on my Facebook page was of our daughter, Anna, in ICU. Then today, the memory is of her still in ICU, but getting to eat food. And then being sent home. I remember that being so confusing. How does somebody go straight from ICU to home. Well, we found out that later on that she should not have been sent home. Because, she ended up back at the doctor getting treatment that she should have received by the hospital. Either way, doesn’t matter now. Because she has moved forward.

As we stated, that was a tough time. A very difficult few days to say the least. But that comes from being part of this world. Because in this life, we are going to face hardships. We are going to face trouble. And there are a couple of reasons for this. The first one may be hard for us to accept. But it’s true. We have a sinful nature. Something that we must battle daily. Something that’s not going to go away. It’s through God’s grace that we can overcome it. But it’s there. Second, the snake. The enemy. The evil one. Always scheming against us. Doing what he can to hold us down. And to keep us down. Because that’s how he operates.

Now, if you remember, Jesus warned us about troubles coming and going. He did so to prepare us. Because he loves us. And sometimes the truth hurts. Another reason why he warned us of troubles, is so there is no doubt on who to turn to when those times come. We might become fearful. And that is human nature. But he can help us overcome our fear. And let’s also remember the example he set for us in times of trouble. Let’s remember how humble and obedient he was. He remained steadfast. Never wavered. Even staring death in the face. So, as we face difficult times, or our family faces difficult times, let’s remember this. We can get through those. Because we have a Lord and Savior who cares. Who cares enough to tell us that these times would come. But also, who cares enough to be here for us when they do. 

This morning when I woke up, my phone sent me a memory on Facebook from last year. For those of you that remember, Anna was in ICU. Pneumonia and Type-1 diabetes were attacking her. That was a very helpless feeling for me. As much as I hated to watch her go through that, I actually felt sorry for myself somewhat. I know that’s selfish. But as a father, the helpless feeling was terrible. Yes, I definitely prayed. And I am aware of just how powerful that is. But when a moment like that comes, you never know how you’re going to react. Not being able to help her physically rocked me. As a father, we are supposed to protect our children. Keep them safe. Keep them out of harms way. And I felt like I had failed her.

Now, let’s fast forward. A year later Anna is thriving. She is living back at home. She’s a junior in college. Dating a solid Christian man. Pursuing a social work degree. She wants to do something in the medical world with it. She had a social worker when she was diagnosed five years ago. I had a social worker 33 years ago when I was at Craig Hospital in Colorado. We both were blessed to have them in our lives. Because they did all they could to make our transitions back to life out of the hospital as smooth as possible. Now, Anna is considering doing something very similar. That is awesome. She’s always had the heart capable of serving others. Sometimes as a teenager, that wasn’t her first priority. But now you can see it coming back. And as much as I hated being helpless last year, I am more than that humbled, watching her, become the woman that she is. Watching her let the Holy Spirit guide her. Nothing better as a father.

Now, let’s think about this for a minute. Let’s think about God in heaven. Our father in heaven. Our Lord and Savior. What is it you think that he wants for us? What is it you think that he wants for our lives? Do you think he wants it to be easy for us? If you do, I’m going to tell you that I believe you’re wrong. And I may be wrong in this thought, but I believe God wants to guide us in all that we do. He wants the Holy Spirit to take hold. He wants us to “allow” the Holy Spirit to take hold. Sending Jesus to die for our sins wasn’t just because. That purpose was for us to not be slaves to our sins. Which intern allows us to seek the Holy Spirit. And then, if we let him take control, what we do will be blessed. Plain and simple. As Anna is finding out now. Letting the Holy Spirit guide her will bless her efforts. Something that we all should do.

Saturday night was our annual dinner banquet. This is our fifth time hosting this event. And it just simply keeps getting better, and better, and better. And that is because of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is making an impact on people’s lives. And they want to contribute somehow. They want to be a part of something. They want to be a part of the Charlie 22 Outdoors family. Because they believe in the mission and they want to support the cause. Everyone has a role in making the events that we do successful. Including the banquet. Nobody has any more important role than another. Because it takes all of us to make it work. From contributing items. To working in the kitchen. To taking out trash. To being on stage. Doesn’t matter. We all have our roles.

As I look back on what took place two evenings ago, there are a couple of things that stand out to me. First, the interaction took place between the guests and the volunteers. You could just see it and feel it. Handshakes. Hugs. Laughter. Tears. The interactions were all over the place. Something else that stands out to me is watching the audience. I often hear how much things sell for above their true value. It really is amazing. Here’s what I think is happening. And it goes back to what I was saying a minute ago. I think the Holy Spirit is moving and people want to contribute. So they are spending money towards something that they want. And then above the value of the item they are contributing to the ministry.

What does any of this have to do with the devotion? What does any of this have to do with God’s grace? I waited two days to write this, because I wanted to give a clear answer to these questions. When the Holy Spirit moves in peoples lives, great things happen. And I don’t mean just the banquet. I’m talking about every day. When someone experiences the Holy Spirit, it’s very moving. And what took place on Saturday, on, and off stage, was very moving. When we are talking about veteran suicide, we’re talking about a very dark topic. It’s a hard topic to talk about. But, when we are talking about the Holy Spirit moving and lives changing, we’re talking about a very bright topic. Nothing dark about it. When I hear a veteran say that an event they came to changed their life, I let them know that was the Holy Spirit moving in them. Not me. Not us. Not the event. It was the Holy Spirit. And that’s the point of the devotion. When the Holy Spirit moves, lives are blessed. Because God loves us. He always has. He always will.