Month: September 2025

When I was playing basketball, I fully trusted Coach Armstrong. I know not everyone can say that about their coaches. And I’m sorry that is the case. But I did. I trusted he knew exactly what he was doing. When he taught me how to shoot. When he taught me how to play defense. To rebound. But more importantly, when he taught me how to apply lessons in basketball to lessons in life. I was really blessed to have him in my life. And I try to apply things that he taught me to what I do now. Actually, I know I do. Because I trusted him. Therefore, I learned from him.

Having faith means that we trust God. Even when his timing is different than ours. Even when his answers are not what we want to hear. Even when his plan does not fit into our plans. Having faith is part of serving him. Sometimes the plan does not end the way we want it to. Sometimes there is pain and suffering. What I mean is, sometimes the results are not what we were hoping. God will even take away something that we love. He will even remove us out of something that we love. Barbara and I experienced that in 2016. We were brokenhearted by it. But we sat back and prayed. Prayed for discernment and a clear answer on where we were going.

When you go through moments like this, don’t look at it like punishment. Look at it like preparation. That’s exactly what is happening. Just as Coach Armstrong was preparing me for what was ahead, God is preparing you for what is to come. During that time, pray for the strength to do God‘s work. Pray for an opportunity to do God’s work. Pray for him to show you how to do his work. And be prepared. Because when the time is right, God will put you back in the game. He will place you where he wants you. And oh how glorious that will be. Not glorious for you, but glorious for God. He will be able to show his grace. Using you while doing so. How awesome! So today, work on trusting and having faith in God. Knowing that he knows what is best for you. Knowing that he loves you. Knowing that he always has loved you and that he always will.

This morning we are going to be short and to the point. I hope as you read it, you understand what I’m trying to say. So please stay with me, as I stumble through my words.

This world is one where physical appearance can dictate how people are treated. We live in a world where social status also can dictate how people are treated. Financial status. And others. All dictating how people are treated. It’s a world where the number of followers you have on social media can dictate how much money you can make off of your posts. Your tweets. Etc. Think about this for a minute as well. Landscaping and other decorative items draw your eyes to peoples homes. Please don’t think that I am saying that physical appearance is not important. Don’t think that I am saying that landscaping and other ways of dressing up your home is bad. Not at all. What I am saying is that this world is so caught up in appearance, we can easily forget what is important.

What we want to do is to make sure that we worry more about what we are doing on the inside of ourselves and than we are doing on the outside. We want to make sure that we are working on our connection with our Lord and Savior. That our hearts are in the right place. If we do this, our focus will be in the right place. And then God will be able to use us in ways we will never be able to imagine. Social levels won’t matter. Physical appearance won’t matter. Financial status won’t matter. None of this will matter if we have God as our focus. Because then he can use whatever he has blessed us with to better serve him. Finances. Social status. Followers on Facebook. Etc. He can use it all. If we believe he is our Lord and Savior. He can use it all. That is what we’re trying to get to here. That’s the point. To build on the inside. To let God heal us on the inside.

Let’s talk about Jesus for a minute. Let’s talk about our Lord and Savior. It’s my prayer that all of you know just how faithful Jesus is. Our Lord and Savior is faithful, beyond anything that we can ever imagine. It’s beyond anything that we can imagine, because we are all sinners. We live in a world of sin. And he takes our sin away. That is hard to comprehend. But it is true. And taking our sin away makes us new. We are new with identities in Jesus. And that gives us a hope and a peace that can only come from him.

Just as we live in a world of sin, we live in a world full of pain. Suffering. Sorrow. We’ve said it before, but that all began after what took place in the Garden of Eden. And since we live in a world of all of these troubles, we are not going to be immune from any of it. As a matter of fact, we’re going to face some “thing” at one point in our lives. I don’t think there’s any way around that. We are all going to face difficulties. Some of those are gonna be things that we are going to struggle trying to understand how we can get through them. But once again, that’s where Jesus comes in. He will guide us. He will teach us. He will show us the way. All the while, he will comfort us because he loves us. 

If you need more proof about his love for us, just look at the sacrifice on the cross. The crucifixion. That’s proof enough right there. So, if you have not yet, I plead with you to take Jesus into your heart. I plead with you to begin to believe that he is our Lord and Savior. Because believing is the key. That is the path to eternity in heaven. I’m asking you to make him your focus. To start following him. And serve him while you’re doing so. If anything, learn to accept the fact that he loves you. That he always has loved you. He always will. That my friends…Is our Jesus.

I’ve been asked many times, “How can I be forgiven after what I’ve seen or what I’ve done?” And I’ve heard this over and over, “I don’t deserve to be forgiven.” 

These are both natural human thoughts. And they give us something to truly think about. Something to reflect on. Important topics. And the response to both is simple. We don’t deserve to be forgiven. We are all sinners. But our Lord and Savior paved the path for us. His love for us is beyond anything we can comprehend. So much so that he took all the pain and suffering of the cross so we can have eternal peace with him. 

Asking for the Holy Spirit to take control means admitting our “brokenness”. Admitting our mistakes. Admitting our flaws. That’s hard to do sometimes. But here’s what’s awesome: Our God wants to hear us cry for help. It’s a sign of our faith in Him. We’ll never be on the same level as him. But we can still serve him with our “brokenness” and flaws. Being broken is exactly why we need Jesus. Being broken is actually why Jesus went to the cross. Being broken is exactly why we need to take him into our hearts and then serve him. Being broken is exactly why we need to believe that he is our Lord and Savior. Think back to the disciples. They were all broken. They all had issues. And he chose them to serve right there with him. And to serve after he was gone. And that is us today. We are called to be disciples. We are called to go out and make disciples. Our “brokenness” qualifies us. We are qualified, because Jesus loved us so much that he went to the cross. So that means that every one of us is qualified.

On this morning in 2023, we were gearing up for a very big possible opportunity for the ministry. We asked for you to pray that God‘s will be done. That way we don’t put on personal desires in front of what God has planned for us. Whether or not the opportunity would go our way or not, that was not first and foremost. God‘s will was and is always the primary focus. As it played out that day, it was obvious that God’s will was for another opportunity to come our way. 

Basically, 20 acres of land went up for auction. It was straight north of, what at that time was, the Hettinger Farmhouse. Which was our homebase for local events. So it was appealing for Charlie 22 Outdoors to consider because of location. Another factor, is that it was primarily timber. A great place for us to build a larger facility for our needs. Because we are to the point now we need a facility where we can house everyone under the same roof. Currently, we are using our new farmhouse, sleeping, shacks, and travel trailers. And that is fine for what it serves. But we know we can serve our guests better with a larger building. 

We went into the auction with a plan in place. But it didn’t go our way. And that is fine. I told our president on the way there, I was at peace either way. And that’s because if God‘s will was for us to have the property, we would have it. If God‘s will was for us to not have the property, we would not have it. To say there wasn’t a minute of disappointment would be a lie. Because there was. That was the human part of me. The excitement of what was taking place ended with a let down. But that was short-lived. Because…I realized very quickly that God has other plans for us. We put the word out several months ago that we are looking for 5-20 acres for the ministry. We have grown to the point that we need that. God has provided everything that we have needed. And he will continue to. So we know that the right property is coming. That door closed, because something better is coming our way. And we fully believe that. So today, let’s remember this, God will do things for us in his own time. He will see things through for us if we put him first in what we are doing. And that’s exactly what happened. So please keep praying. Praying for God’s will. And let’s remember that God’s will was for us to stop and take a minute. Because he’s preparing us for something different. And it will be glorious.

Recently, I’ve been able to talk with one of our Veterans/supporters multiple times. His wisdom is something that I value tremendously. In one of our conversations, we talked about my paralysis. And how far I have come. It’s hard to believe how long it’s been. But November 1990 was a long time ago. Anyways, we were talking about being able to move forward with what happened to me. And I remembered a time that really hit home with me. A time where I felt like life was not going to be worth living. There’s only been a handful of times like that. And those all took place during the first few months. But that was one of those times. One that stands out. One I will never forget.

Since I was 20 years old when I was going through physical rehabilitation in Colorado, I had to sign paperwork for myself. Release paperwork. Paperwork that said the hospital would not be responsible if something happened to me during certain tests. Back then the MRI was a big deal. Because the magnet could pull metal. My neck had wires in it. Still does. This one particular time, my arms were just starting to come back. And I could not sign my name on a piece of paper. I did not have the strength to do so. And it rocked me. Literally shook me. That’s how bad my condition was. Not being able to sign something. How did I get to that point? What have I done to myself? But that was my reality. And I felt anger. I felt sorrow. I even felt shame. Ever feel that?

This world is broken. Whether we want to believe it or not, it is broken. And shame is part of that brokenness. And if we allow it to, we can let it become part of our identity. And that is unfortunate. Often times, shame will be the result of sin. And that is a natural thing to feel. But we can’t let it linger. We can’t let it define us. Because if we do, we can allow shame to dictate our actions. And that could include more sinful actions. And that will divide us from God. And we don’t want that. Something that is so powerful about our God is this, with Jesus in our lives, we can overcome anything. Including shame. With Jesus in our lives, the cross makes sense. And what I mean by that is this…His sacrifice for us will not be in vain. His sacrifice covers our sins. His sacrifice can cover shame. And then that will allow us to grow closer to God. Strengthen our relationship with God. And move forward in our lives with God.

At our events, it’s awesome to watch volunteers and veterans come together. Serving one another. Listening to each other. Helping. Praying. Counseling. Etc. Etc.  Etc. And then maybe, just maybe, they catch a fish. Take a deer or turkey. Or make a putt for a birdie. I love watching them come together. We’ve had veterans come that served as far back as World War II. We’ve had guests that are currently serving. We’ve been blessed to work with veterans from every branch of the military. It really is amazing. Volunteers serving veterans. Veterans serving veterans. And veterans serving volunteers. And one word comes to mind for today’s devotion: Grace!

God’s grace is bigger than anything we can imagine. It is all encompassing. No matter what we think, it is always present. It is a gift, not something that we can earn or purchase. It is love. It is sacrifice. It is serving. And it is so much more than all of those as well. Even when we don’t deserve it, God shows us grace. Even when we run from it, God shows us grace. Even when we rebel against it, God shows us grace. Because his grace is one way that he shows us his love for us.

And even more amazing about God’s grace is this: It’s available for all of us. Every single one of us. And that includes you. Even if you don’t think it does. It’s available. And he’s waiting to give it to us. He’s waiting for us to turn to him to receive it. God is waiting for us to believe in him. Accept him. And welcome him into our hearts. So, let’s remember this. Let’s remember his arms are wide open waiting for us. No matter our struggles. No matter our failures. No matter our trials. God will show us grace if we simply turn to him. And his grace is more than enough. His grace will see us through. His grace is a true sign how much he cares for us. God loves us. He always has. He always will.

Yesterday was a Day of Remembrance. Patriot Day. A day that will forever be remembered as life-changing. World changing. There were ceremonies commemorating what happened in 2001. Let’s come back to all of this in a minute. When my father was still alive, we lived in housing with other military families. I went to school with other military brats. It’s hard to explain to somebody that never lived that life. But I grew up in an atmosphere where we were united against a common enemy. We knew what our parents did for a living. We knew the enemy lived on the other side of the globe. Even though all of us neighborhood kids may not have been best friends, we still were bonded by the stripes that our parents wore. I miss those times.

This might sound odd to you, but I would like to go back to this date in 2001. Not because of what happened on 9/11. Not the destruction. Not the despair. Not the death. But because of what happened to the people of our country in the days following 9/11. There was a unity that I don’t remember ever feeling before in my adult life. There was a bond against a common enemy. There was an anger pointed at a common enemy. If I remember correctly, both sides of the aisle came together. Agendas didn’t seem to matter at that moment. Conservatives and Liberals united. We were Americans. And we were ready to protect ours. We were ready to fight for ours. That feeling is gone. So much so, it’s hard to remember what it felt like on September 12, 2001. 

It is sad that it takes something like what took place on 9/11 to bond the people of our country. It really is. But what is awesome about times like that, is how it shows that our country is still the greatest country in the world. Because of the people. And it’s during those times that you see Americans go to their knees to pray. Even the “non-believers” do so. That’s because we find ourselves not knowing what else to do. So we turn to God. Which, by the way, is the right thing to do. We turn to God, asking him to provide peace to those who have lost loved ones. We turn to God, asking him for wisdom on how to move forward. We ask him for strength. Point is, we turn to God. And God is there. He will provide all of what we ask for. It may not come in the form that we want it to. But…He will provide. So today, let’s try to remember what it was like to be united. Loving one another. Bonded like never before. Let’s try to remember what it was like when everyone turned to God. And then, I know this is a big ask, let’s try to incorporate that into our every day lives today. United. Bonded. All under…The One True God! Because that is exactly what we need. Because that is exactly what our country needs. Because that is exactly what our world needs.

Patriot Day! September 11, 2001 is a date I will never forget. It’s my prayer that none of us do. I’m sure all of you have been asked the question: Where were you when…? Each generation can fill in the blank to fit their lives. My mother has told me she remembers where she was when JFK was assassinated. When man first stepped on the moon. For me, there are two big ones as well. The space shuttle exploding after takeoff is the first one. I was a freshman in class watching it live. It was terrible to watch. And the second one is 9/11. I was also in school because I was teaching at that time. The disbelief is something I will never forget. The uncertainty. The sorrow and the anger. It was bone chilling. Looking back at it, the world has changed so much since that morning. Some are good changes. Others not so much.

60 Minutes on CBS featured a story on the New York Fire Department since 9/11. I’m sure you can find it online if you do a search. It will be worth your time. But there are over 60 children of NYFD fallen firefighters from 9/11, that now serve as firefighters in the NYFD. NYFD lost 343 that day. A number that we should all remember. I don’t know the statistics, but I’m guessing almost all of them lost their lives when the towers came down. Something that we all watched live on TV. One of the 60 Minutes interviews is with brothers who lost their father that day. The first tower had already fallen. Yet…he and others still decided to go into the tower still standing to try to rescue all they could. Knowing very well what was probably going to happen. Isn’t there some thing in the Bible talking about laying down one’s life for their friends?

One thing that caught my attention during the interview was how one of the new firefighters said it was not 9/11 that led them to follow in their father’s footsteps. He said it was the days that followed. Starting with September 12. He was talking about how everyone around them stepped up to help take care of his family. His mother was now a widow raising several children. And everyone around them came in to help try to fill the hole that was left with his father‘s death. He is forever grateful, and wanted to pass on to others what he was given. So now he’s trying to do that. Simply amazing! So today, let’s be thinking about what it is that we are grateful for? And I think as we ask that question, let’s look at what God’s grace has done for us. Let’s be grateful for that. We are undeserving of it. We don’t earn it. We never can. But God‘s grace is still there. Not to make life easy. Not to erase our pasts. But to cover us so we can then show grace to others. Even when they don’t deserve it. Let’s be grateful for the sacrifice Jesus made for us. So we can have eternity with him. So today, let’s remember September 11, 2001, and…Let’s simply be grateful!

Every now and then, it seems like there are moments where Satan is on full attack. Those attacks can come weekly. Maybe daily. Maybe hourly. And if you look, a lot of the times you will see that he compiles a series of attacks. Trying to put them all together into one large attack. Trying to keep us from doing what it is we’re supposed to be doing. Trying to keep the ministry from doing what it is supposed to be doing. He is such a snake and coward. Working behind the scenes. Examples include him trying to make us focus on security and maintenance issues at the office. Trying to ruin an event while it’s taking place by attacking the hearts of some guests. Trying to disrupt us and make us lose focus by using sickness and health issues of friends and volunteers. And trying to put other things in the way of us achieving our mission. But he has been…and will continue to be…Defeated! 

In the book of Acts, we learn about Steve. A man that was full of wisdom, faith, grace, power, and the Holy Spirit. All very important traits. Especially the Holy Spirit. If you know the story, you know that he was accused of blasphemy. Which was completely false. And even though the accusations were happening, it didn’t sway him from serving God. It didn’t stop him. He kept moving forward. He kept witnessing to people. Even when it wasn’t comfortable. Something we ALL can learn from.

Let’s think about ourselves for a minute. When times are uncomfortable, do we let that keep us from spreading the word? What about when we are anxious? What about when we are facing illness? Depression? Work issues? Do we let those keep us from spreading the word? What about accusations like Steve had? When you go through moments like that, do you still show grace? That’s what he did. I’m fully aware what I’m asking can be very challenging. Because I have been through it. And I have failed showing grace multiple times. I know it’s challenging. But we are called to do it. No matter what. Being a believer in Christ, means that we are called to do this. There are a couple of final points I wanna make about being a believer. Believing in Christ means that we are to worship Christ. Believing in Christ means that we should talk with him. Believing in Christ means that we must tell others about him. It’s not a decision. It’s not a choice. It’s not a suggestion. It’s something that we MUST do. And here’s why. I want you to think about the first time you felt the Holy Spirit. Was it when you first accepted Christ into your life? Did it motivate you? I bet it did. As you think about that, remember this, there are people everywhere that have never felt that. Have never heard about Jesus. And have never accepted him into their lives. Never believed that he is our Lord of the Savior. And that is why I believe that it is a MUST for us.