Author: Scott

Doing what we do, we get to work with veterans and their families from all across the country. It really is a blessing to us. Unfortunately, many of them are dealing with anxiety, depression, PTSD, and other emotional trials. Each day presents new challenges. Just knowing what they have to deal with can also cause a mixture of emotions. Can you just imagine? I can’t. I don’t want to. I don’t pretend to. What they saw while they served is beyond my comprehension. There’s nothing wrong with them. They just have stuff that they’re dealing with. But don’t we all.

Here is a quote from something that I read before: “Sometimes we feel like there’s something waiting to sabotage us. Waiting for that one moment to ruin our days. That one moment to ruin our lives. The feelings can actually lead us to believe that there’s something wrong with us.” I’d like to suggest that this is one of the tools that Satan uses. Makes us think that God has forsaken us. Makes us think that we are failures. And sometimes, makes us turn to solutions that are not going to work. Temporary solutions. Band-Aids. For example, substance abuse. Or other self-destructive activities. 

It’s easy to believe that there’s no hope. There’s no future. There’s no purpose. There’s no reason to live. Once again, tools used by Satan. Sometimes even believers can think this. But truth is, no matter how bad it gets, Jesus is always there. And he provides us hope. He provides a future. He provides a purpose. He provides a reason to live. He provides peace that only can come from him. And here’s something that I love about our Lord and Savior. Jesus provides strength and solutions to what we are facing. Read that again! Strength and solutions. The problems of the world are not going to go away. We’re gonna face them. But with him in our hearts, we can handle them. Trust God‘s word and keep your eyes on his love. Do these things, and you will feel a calm. You will feel a peace. Because God loves you. Always has. Always will.

This is a quote from something I read: “The next step in battling against your toxic thoughts is to replace those thoughts with God’s truth. The best place to find God’s truth is in His Word.“ Pretty straightforward. The truth is easy to find. It’s in the Bible.

Just as easy as it is to find the truth, it is easy to find the lies of the world. All you have to do is turn on the TV. We are being flooded with information that really is simply false. This is allowed now. If you don’t believe this, or follow this, then you are wrong. If you disagree with us, you are wrong. If you criticize or try to correct someone, you are wrong. Evil is now good. Good is now evil. Etc., etc., etc. I don’t recall a time in my life when a person was right and wrong at the same time. Not to this extent. No matter what you say or do, you are right and wrong at the same time. No matter what you believe, you are right and wrong at the same time. How did that happen? Why did it happen so quickly? I don’t know the answers. But I do know this, Satan is on the prowl.

And I know this too. There really is only one truth and one constant in this world. Jesus. He is the truth. He has remained steadfast. And he’s going to continue being the truth. He will never waver. He will always be here for us, no matter what the world says. Christ is our foundation. Christ is THE foundation. And as Christians, we can stand firm in this truth as well…The pain and suffering that we endure on this earth pales in comparison to the glory we’re going to receive for eternity in heaven. Simply awesome! So none of the lies that the world tells us will be able to sway us from the glory that God has for us. None of them. God has us. God loves us. Always has. Always will.

A dear friend of mine shared this with me. I find it very fitting since it is deer season. Even for those who are not deer hunters, this devotion should hit home. Because the blood of Jesus is for us all. What took place on the cross 2000 years ago is for us all. All of us! That includes you. A hunter’s bloodtrail is awesome because at times it is the only thing that connects us to to the animal that gave their life for us. If we lose the bloodtrail, we can lose the animal. If you get off the bloodtrail, it can take you through briars and thickets that just waste time. At times it is hard to follow and requires work, other times it is easy to see. Sometimes the bloodtrail takes you right through the briars, but it still leads you to the prize. Do you see where I’m going with this? Does any of this sound familiar?

In our faith, Jesus left a bloodtrail. When we lose sight of it, we can get lost. When we stay on the bloodtrail, even though the briars of life tear at us and tangle us up, we are making progress toward the prize. The bloodtrail leads to the lamb that gave his life for us. This bloodtrail leads right to the foot of the cross.

Jesus has paved the way. He shed his blood for us. He gave his life for us. We will see him if we stay on the trail. He’s waiting. Maybe today is the day for you to get back on the trail. Maybe today is the day for you too step onto the trail for the first time. Or maybe today is the day for you to accept Jesus into your heart and follow him. He’s waiting. He will always be there. His bloodtrail will never disappear. All you have to do is get on it and follow it.

Charlie 22 Outdoors has had quite the last couple weeks. We were in Branson all week at Veterans Village. Setting up there on November 4. Tearing down on November 10. Several veterans/volunteers helped set up and man the booth. They did such an amazing job. Hundreds of Veterans came by to visit. Veterans Day was Monday. We were involved with a school assembly, a parade, and a lunch. Our Operation Whitetail events begin this weekend. All told, we will host eight veterans/active duty personnel. They are coming from all over the Midwest. And we have one flying in from California. We are so blessed to be able to do what we do.

What does all of us have to do with the devotion? It’s really pretty simple. We can come up with one word. Serving! The ministry was built on the motto: “Serving those who have already served.” We have spent the last few weeks tirelessly preparing the farmhouse for the weekend. Many, many, many late nights. I told Barbara that I was beginning to despise the farmhouse because that’s all we are doing. Is working on it. I wasn’t serious. Just ready for it to be done. Because, we know that what is going to take place out there is going to be awesome. We’re going to be able to serve God by serving others. And that’s exactly what the last few weeks have been about. Serving. That’s it. Serving other people. Isn’t that what we are called to do? Didn’t Jesus say that we are to go and make disciples? I believe so. We are called to go out into the world and tell others about Jesus. To show his grace. To show his love. We are called to lift others up and serve them. Put them above ourselves. 

So today’s challenge is one that we have put out there several times. We do so, because it’s important. We do so, because Jesus wants us to do what the challenge calls for us to do. Today’s challenge is for us to find ways to serve others. So today, look for opportunities. Find ways to serve others. Keep an open mind, because it might take some creativity on your part. As you do so, remember this very important component to the whole process. Make sure you are serving to serve others through Christ. Keep that in your heart first. Don’t look to benefit personally. Don’t get caught in the trap of serving just to be serving. Make sure to keep your eyes on why you are serving. Keep Jesus the focus in what you do. And I promise you this, he will bless your efforts. And that means people will see his grace. They will see his love. And that is awesome.

This coming Saturday is the beginning of firearms deer season in Missouri. This is also the beginning weekend of our Operation Whitetail Events. I, along with many of my friends and family, will take to the hunting blinds or tree stands all throughout the state. Our volunteers and guides will be serving veterans coming in to each of our events. Hunting game that we anticipate and prepare for each year, just as soon as the previous season ends. This is a really important time for many, many, many people. There are school districts that actually shut down during these next few days to allow students help provide for their families.

We talk about being called to be fishers of men. We’re “fishing” for men that are lost. Men who need to know Jesus. What this means is that we’re called to go find those people (men and women) who don’t have a relationship with Jesus. And then to serve them in a manner that reflects God’s grace. The show them the hope that comes from Jesus.

With it being deer season, I’d like to say that we’re called to be hunters of souls. Just as we fish for men, we should be “hunting” for those with lost souls. Hunting for those that need to know the hope that comes from Jesus. Just as we prepare for the upcoming deer season, we should prepare for that one moment. Prepare for when that moment comes that we can witness to someone searching. We should anticipate it just like we do each opening weekend. Anticipate that God will send us someone who needs us to show who he is. And that’s really the “harvest” that matters. So let’s challenge ourselves to prepare for and anticipate so we can be ready when the time comes.

Over the years, members of the military have served our country. That means they have served us. Many of them have willingly laid down their lives to protect and defend, in wartime and peace, the Constitution of the United States of America and its freedoms. We can attend a church of our choosing. We can own a Bible. We have the freedom of speech. The freedom of assembly. The freedom of the press. We have the Second Amendment. We have these freedoms, rights, and more, all defended and protected by the members of the military.

Today, November 11, is Veterans Day. Today we celebrate all who have served. Today we honor and celebrate them. Today let’s take time to pause, reflect, and pray for our veterans and their families. Let’s thank God for all of them. Let’s ask God to put his cloak around them and protect them. 

Yesterday, I was blessed and humbled to get to speak to the congregation at our church. I emphasized three points that I want to share with you. First, because of Jesus, our hearts are made clean. His sacrifice did that for us. Second, thank you is not enough. Saying thank you is awesome. Don’t get me wrong. But we need to do more than that. Third, our responsibilities have increased. We are called to serve. The Bible tells us that. And I believe that the sacrifice on the cross for us, makes it a requirement for us to serve. So today, find a way to serve. Look for them. God will show you. And then when you find it, do it. Let me close with this on this most very important day: If you are a veteran, know that we love you. We thank you. We honor you and value you. Today we want you to know how much we appreciate you. And we are here for you. We love you. And God loves you.

Recently, I was talking to one of our veterans about what they saw during combat. Believe me, it wasn’t pretty. I cannot imagine having gone through something like that. Hearing stories like this really emphasizes that what we do is so very important. Many of us, if not all of us, have seen or done things that beat us down emotionally and spiritually. Things that we can’t seem to let go of. Things that can take us to dark places. Things that lead us to points of anger. Even to points of rage. Or maybe to points of extreme anxiety or depression. We get caught in the downward spiral and we find ourselves in places we cannot handle, and then we react or respond in ways that are not rational. 

Satan is good at using this tactic against us. But as good at this as he may be, our Lord and Savior is even better at what he does. He has this covered. He has already defeated our enemy. He has already taken our times of emotional turmoil and cast them aside. He has beaten Satan back. He did that for us. He is beating him back now. And he will continue to do so. 

But why? Why does God allow these times in our lives? I believe he allows these moments so we can turn to him. We can pray to him. We can ask for his help. And when we do, we get to witness the awesome power and glory that only his grace provides. His love for us is beyond all reasoning. And these are moments we can learn from and build our faith stronger on. Then just think of the testimonies we will have to share with others. We will be able to witness to them because we’ve been through it. Oh isn’t that incredible! God’s plans are beautiful. And going through tough times are part of his plans. And the reward of eternity is awaiting us who trust in Jesus. Because God loves us. Always has. Always will.

This past Tuesday was the Presidential election. Those of you that follow what we write, saw where we said that we were glad it’s over. That is because of the bickering back-and-forth between people. I’m sure most of you saw where people were bashing celebrities/entertainers for taking a stand. Making comments along the lines of: “Shut up and just play.” I get the logic behind that. I just am tired of the ugliness. But, I do realize that there are people in this country who allow their thoughts to be dictated by what their idols are saying or doing. They believe this or that because…such and such person believes this or that. So that leads me to this set of questions. What are you reading? What are you watching on tv? Or listening to on the radio? Is there a blog or a podcast you’re following? The reason I’m asking is because these forms of information can have direct impacts on our lives. How is that? 

Here is what I think about this. What we are thinking impacts our lives. Our thoughts do. If they are healthy, they can positively affect our lives. If they are toxic, they can negatively affect our lives. Our relationships. Our everything‘s. I’m not saying that what you are reading, watching, listening to, etc., are bad. What I’m saying is that “how” you take all that in can be. How you let them impact how you think can be. It’s no secret that I am a 1980s hair band fan. Def Leppard. Motley Crue. Metallica. But they are simply entertaining to me. I don’t let them control how I view things. How I see things. How I think things. How I do things.

I’m not trying to tell you what to listen to or watch. I’m not trying to tell you who it is you should let yourself be entertained by. It’s not my place to do so. But I am saying this…If you find yourself allowing what you read, watch, or listen to impact your thoughts, maybe you need to be careful. If you find yourself allowing the results of Tuesday impact you enough that you are celebrating in the anxiety of those around you, maybe you need to be careful. What I am trying to tell you is that our thoughts do matter. They matter more than we realize. They matter because they are important in determining who we are. Who we become. How we act. What we believe. They matter because they can keep us from God‘s truth. And that’s where the danger lies. Toxic thoughts can destroy us. Without us even realizing it. They can tear our lives apart. They can ruin our relationships. So, maybe it’s time to analyze our thoughts and see how they are directing us. Maybe it’s time to take inventory on what we allow ourselves to be impacted by. Or even more importantly, maybe it’s time to let God‘s word take over and let God take control of our thoughts. If we do that, he will take control of our lives. And how awesome will that be!

This past week or so, our yard was covered in leaves. Especially out at the new farmhouse. A month ago, it was still dirt and grass. Then the acorns began dropping. And the leaves. Now, you cannot see the ground. Temperatures have changed as well. We went from 90° to 50° in what seemed like overnight. Clearly a sign that Fall is at hand. Winter is just around the corner. And the seasons are changing. And just as there are seasons that we live through on earth, there are different seasons that we go through in our lives spiritually. Let me explain.

For 15 years of my life, I was an educator in the high school system. I worked daily with kids trying to figure out and navigate through their teenage years. During a time of development in their lives. Not only was I teaching them the curriculum put in front of us, I worked on trying to show them how God could use them. Not only after high school, but while they were in high school. That season came to an end for me in for me in 2011. In 2006, I began a private basketball program for junior high and high school age. We used basketball to teach morals and values of being young Christians. Basketball was the tool to bring us together. But the purpose was to show God’s glory. That season ended in 2021. It ended because the season that I’m in now is Charlie 22 Outdoors. It requires my attention. And the purpose with is not much different than the seasons before. Just where and who I work with is the difference. 

Each one of us has a purpose. Ultimately, it is to pursue and serve God. But how we do so is probably different for each of us. And chances are, how we do so, probably changes as we go through our lives. Thus, the different seasons. And chances are also that while some of us may know our purpose, others are still trying to figure theirs out. I believe it’s because you are where you are supposed to be right now. Being prepared. God is preparing you for what is to come. Sometimes preparation is short. Other times it takes a few years. And that is fine. Don’t fret. Don’t worry. Just keep striving. Just keep asking for him to show you how to he will use you for his kingdom. And he will. God will show you when the time is right. He will guide you through the different seasons of your life. But you must ask him to do so. 

Sometimes we find ourselves holding on to things that we can’t seem to let go of. Sometimes we have a guilt of some thing that we have done. Other times we have hatred or despise others for what they have done. These are easy for us to do because we are human. Holding on can be detrimental. Holding on can hold us back. Our minds and our feelings can be dangerous places for us to go. Because they can keep us from being close to God.

Now, I am not saying that we should forget all of these type of things. Not at all. We just need to be aware of the snake lurking around. And that is that Satan will use our minds against us. He will use our thoughts and our feelings. That’s how he does things. He sneaks around behind the scenes attacking us without us even knowing it. Sometimes he uses our guilt. Sometimes he uses others against us. All in his plan to keep us from God‘s grace.

But there is good news. God has you. God has me. God has all of us. He is in our corners. Helping us fight these battles daily against the attacks that come from Satan. The attacks that come from inside our own heads as well as from others around us. Even better, victory has already been declared for us. The cross did that. The sacrifice was for us. As terrible as it must’ve been for Jesus, he did it for us. So we can grow closer to God. God will renew our hearts and our minds. He will take away all of the outside noise that’s keeping us from growing closer to him. All we have to do is let him in and help us fight this battle. I know these battles may not be easy. I have been through them. I still am. But God will see us through. And as we said earlier, the victory has already been declared. Remember that.