Author: Scott

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.

There are times in this life that we are going to be rejoicing because we are on the top of the mountain. Times where things are going very well. Life is “good” during those moments. But we must realize that when we are on top of the mountain there’s only one direction you can go. And that is down. Into the valley. And sometimes the valley is very deep. Very dark. The valley can be very difficult to navigate. God does not promise that we will always be on top of the mountain. I don’t remember ever reading in the Bible that life would be easy. But God does promise to help us while we are in the valley. 

There’s an amazing example for us to learn from in the Bible. Joseph. We read how his own brothers sold him into slavery. Their father favored Joseph. And they despised him for that. Joseph made the mistake of telling his brothers about a dream that he had. In the dream he would rule over his brothers one day. So they took matters into their own hands and sold him. Talking about being in a valley! Joseph was there. I couldn’t imagine. 

Now, here is something that is amazing. Joseph remained faithful and steadfast while he was in slavery. And God saw him through. Joseph was ultimately released and became Pharaoh’s right hand man. Which is exactly what his brothers tried to prevent from happening. They learned of his ascension to power after they found themselves in Egypt. The famine had ravaged the land. And they were trying to collect food when he revealed himself to them. They were terrified! Which they should’ve been. But instead of using his power to crush them, he forgave them. Talk about showing grace! Truly an example demonstrating how God can turn your trial into your testimony. God can turn your valley into a triumph. Amazing! Know that God loves you. He always has. He always will.

Those of you in the area know that Eureka Springs, Arkansas, is home to The Passion Play. One thing that you will find on the property is an art museum. It actually has several items that Jack Dawson has done. So that was pretty cool. When Barbara and I went there, 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 constant. 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. We can find ourselves in emotional roller coasters at times. Some of you 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. But! But…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. Always reliable. All we have to do is accept him. Believing him as our Lord and Savior. Keep him in our focus. It’s up to us. If you haven’t done so, make today the day that you accept Jesus. Make today the you believe in him. And rest easy, knowing that he will always be here for you. Because he loves you. He always has. And he always will.

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 recently, ESPN shared a story that was different. It is one that should inspire us all. Because it is one of truly serving somebody else. Giving up something for the good of somebody else.

Chris Creighton is the head coach for Eastern Michigan University‘s football team. One of his players was Zack Conti. When Zack was a senior offensive lineman on the football team, he had been a walk-on his entire career at the school. During which he had played 23 games in the last two seasons. At the beginning of his final year, he was 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 was playing without a scholarship. He was working different jobs to raise the money to go to school. Because he loved football that much. Brian Dooley was also a senior on the football team. He is from Bowling Green, Ohio. Which means he is out of state. And as you will see in a minute, this is an important part of the story. Prior to a 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 had to take out a $25,000 student loan to go to school last year. Because, that is what out-of-state tuition cost. 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.

If you asked me what my most prized possession would be, I’d have a difficult time with the answer. Would it be my home? Or maybe my truck? Or something else? I’m not sure. Obviously, I put my family above everything. But I don’t consider them my possessions. So it really is an interesting question. Let’s think about that. What is your most prized possession? A gift someone gave you? Or a piece of jewelry? Or maybe your money? The things we spend our money on are significant to us. I don’t think we would spend our own money on something that wasn’t important to us. 

In the Bible, we read of the woman who poured perfume on Jesus‘s feet. Not just any perfume. It was an expensive bottle of perfume. The woman was known as a sinner. And the people criticized Jesus, for allowing her to approach him. It was easy for everyone to point fingers. Just as it is today. I think it’s easy, because it makes us feel better about ourselves. Pretty selfish. Anyways, Jesus responded by telling them a story. Demonstrating why the woman did what she did. Then he forgave her. Witnessing that must’ve been a very powerful moment for everyone there.

Now here’s the point of this devotion. No matter what it is that we value as our most treasured possession, nothing can compare to encountering Jesus. Nothing! Just as the woman in the Bible. She was willing to sacrifice one of her most important and valuable possessions. We should be willing to do the same thing. I’m not saying we need to discard or throw away what it is that we own. I’m not saying we must give everything away. What I’m saying is this: Being humble with what we have is the key. Humility is the point. And there’s one more very important point here. We should acknowledge that Jesus is far more important than anything that we possess. Yesterday. Today. Tomorrow. He’s always more important. So let’s try to encounter Jesus in all we do.

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. The world is full of it. The world welcomes it. 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.

In 2024, we held our annual dinner banquet on August 10. If you follow us at all, you saw where we had to relocate it going into the last week of preparation because of air-conditioning issues. Talking about scrambling! It was our sixth 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.

After the banquet each year, I look back at what took place that night. And there are a couple of things that always stand out to me. First, the interaction between the guests and the volunteers. You just see it and feel it. Handshakes. Hugs. Laughter. Tears. The interactions are 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? Here’s what I think. 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 takes place each year on, and off stage, is 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.

Yesterday was the anniversary of when we lost 13 soldiers at an explosion near the Kabul airport. These were soldiers younger than my children. They knew very well when they signed that line there was a possibility that they may be put into harms way. And for that, I am forever grateful. Because, when they signed that line, they signed it to serve our country. And that means that they signed that line to serve me. They signed that line to serve my family. My friends. Without even knowing me. They did so. And for that, I am forever grateful. Signing that line was the beginning of their military careers. And those careers ended with their deaths. I am not grateful that they died. But I am thankful for their service. And I will forever be thankful.

At our banquet that year, we took time out to honor of them. To show their faces on the screen. To remember them by name. And I believe that’s something that we should all do. To honor them. And to remember them by name. Their deaths are the ultimate example of serving others. We hear words like paying the ultimate price. We hear words like the ultimate sacrifice. And those words should not be taken lightly. Because saying those words also honors them. But, I would like to suggest that we do something else. That we find ways to serve others. Not necessarily to our deaths. But, we should serve others without hesitation. 

This final point that I want to make I have made several times. And I continue coming back to it because it is the “ultimate” reminder of serving others for us. And that is the example that Jesus left for us all on that final night. So it’s worthy to read over, and over, and over. It’s worthy for us to learn from. It’s worthy for us to teach others. That last night, Jesus washed feet. He did so to show the disciples how to serve others. He did so knowing what was coming ahead. He did so knowing he was fulfilling his purpose here on earth. He lowered himself. He lifted up others. And then he washed their feet. Let’s think about ourselves for a moment. And be honest with ourselves. Would we have done the same thing? That is a challenging question. But no matter how we answer it, we should all look for opportunities now to serve others.

Sometimes, you don’t know what you need, until you get what you need. Read that again. Sometimes, you don’t know what you need, until you get what you need. Quite possibly no truer words have ever been spoken. And I know this from experience. Stay with me for a moment as I try to explain. I’ll be going around doing my daily routine, or routines, and get caught up in what I’m doing. Get caught up in the acts I’m doing. And lose sight of the “why” I am doing them. Sometimes that leads to frustration. Disappointment. I try to not let it get to me. But every now and then it does. Then along comes a blessing that changes everything in that moment.

Often times, I find myself juggling my responsibilities for Charlie 22 Outdoors, with my responsibilities for my family. Some days the load is pretty heavy. Meaning that there are a lot of responsibilities that require my attention. Nothing bad necessarily has to happen for me to lose focus. But I can catch myself going from one thing to the next.  Here’s an example for you. In July 2024, we were blessed by Anna’s marriage. As we were preparing for that, we were able to purchase the new property that we call The Farmhouse. And then at the same time, we had an amazing banquet. All of these required me to focus on priorities for each one. I’m not complaining. But it took a lot of my time and attention. With that, it was easy to lose sight on the blessings. 

It was during that time frame, I was blessed by an act by one of our veterans. He had been helping me with different jobs at the new property. Trying to get everything ready for the upcoming fall/winter. We had veterans coming as guests very soon. But the place needed modifications to make it accessible. Not only for them, but also for my personal needs. He had been working very hard. Then one day he showed up, and as we were working, he presented me with a gift. He had taken the time to grind a cross out of a piece of granite that he had. Not an easy task. But he did it. He did it for me. Wow! I was humbled. I did not know I needed it, until I received it. And that is how God works sometimes. He knows our wants. He knows our desires. And he knows our needs. And believe me, he will provide our needs long before he will provide our desires. But isn’t that how it is supposed to be.

It never stops to amaze me how after an event is over, Satan does all that he can to prevent us from preparing for the next. It never stops to amaze me how when we’re preparing for an event, Satan does all he can to keep it from happening. Sometimes he uses the tactic of things not going just as you plan. Sometimes he uses other people against you. Using their discouragement or frustration with you…against you. Other times he uses illnesses of those you are close to. He even stoops so low that he tries to even hurt those you care about. 

Now, what is even MORE amazing to me, is how God completely destroys Satan‘s tactics. Because no matter what it is he’s doing, God steps up even bigger. Here’s an example. I made a simple mistake. I advertised an opportunity to raise money for the ministry. I had won some tickets on the radio to a local rock event. One of my favorite bands is playing. Skillet. They are a Christian rock band. Anyways, after realizing that they are taking the stage later than I wanted to go watch, I decided to sell them. But, I didn’t realize how I put it out there was going to look. Like the ministry is supporting something that it shouldn’t. My fault. But unintentional. 

Then one of our supporters contacted me. He’s a Veteran. Someone I have grown close to. Letting me know the concern that others were expressing to him. God intervened. Which is awesome. It was a simple fix. Easy to do. And helped us avoid facing scrutiny. So nothing really terrible happened. But the optics could have been hard to deal with. I’m so thankful to be surrounded by those that care about what we are doing. They believe in the cause. Talk about a blessing. Incredible. Keeping the mission the focus. And helping me keep focused on the mission. So let’s remember that. Let’s remember that no matter what it is that Satan tries to do, he fails. He fails when we believe that Jesus is our Lord and Savior.