May 16 Devotion

Losing a job can be humbling. It can rock you to your core. Losing two jobs can be life altering. It can change the course of your life. It did me. In 2005, I lost a job that I had held for over a decade. It made me feel expendable. And that’s a bad feeling. But, I didn’t dwell on it. I learned from it. I built on it. Our faith based basketball program came out of the whole situation. In 2020, due to budget cuts from the virus, my position with the state was cut. But by this point in my life, I knew there was a reason. God was closing one door as he was opening another. Actually, the floodgates opened. Charlie 22 Outdoors exploded after the state let me go.

We all experience loss at some point in our lives. Loss comes at us in many different forms. There’s death. There’s being let go from our jobs. There is the end of relationships. When we play sports, we will lose at some point. And there are so many other ways that we experience loss. It’s going to happen. Nothing that we can do to prevent it. Being human means we’re going to have to face it. Sometimes what we lose has very little meaning in the big scheme of things. At other times, loss can have long lasting affects on us. Sometimes they can’t be replaced.

Although, what we go through can be very painful, God can use those moments in big ways. In the Bible we read of Ruth. Losing her husband was not her end. She remained faithful. Followed her convictions. She didn’t stay focused on what happened. She didn’t stay focused on her circumstances. Instead, she moved forward as she was feeling sorrow. As she was feeling loss. And because so, God blessed her. And those around her saw it. They learned from it. We can all learn from it. We should all learn that God can restore us if we remain faithful. God can take what seems like the end and make it a beginning. God can take what seems like has been turned upside down and make it righteous. God can restore anything if we let him work. And if you let him work, others will see it. And they will grow as well. And that my friends…is glorious.

Daily Devotional

Sign up for the Daily Devotional email list.

June 23 Devotion

Our Monthly Men’s Bible Study is held the third week of each month. Usually on Thursday. Sometimes we switch days depending on what’s happening that

Read More »

June 22 Devotion

During 2020, we were stuck right in the middle of the pandemic. If I recall, Joplin was the hotbed for the country during one of

Read More »

June 20 Devotion

At one of our events, I spoke with a female veteran about how Charlie 22 Outdoors was founded. But more importantly, we talked about why

Read More »

June 19 Devotion

When my father was stationed at Fort Carson Colorado, we lived in Colorado Springs. I was in 6th grade. I went to Bricker Elementary School.

Read More »

June 18 Devotion

My nephew’s name is Jess Hettinger. He works for Carthage Missouri’s Public Works department. He is married. He and his wife are raising their family

Read More »