Live A Full Life
This was my first and only attempt to get a Dall sheep with my bow. As a young man I was an avid bow hunter, and had already taken elk, antelope, whitetail deer, black bear, moose and caribou with a bow. I knew what I was doing... but you can't plan the weather. It was August 10th, I was in the Brooks Range above the Arctic Circle, and it was snowing sideways. Everything was perfect except for the weather. The snow made my long climb even more difficult. The strong wind was pelting me with snow so that it felt like little bb's were hitting my face and right ear.
One thing I've learned in my decades in the mountains is that the weather can change instantly. This is what I was hoping for as I climbed. I got within forty yards of a beautiful ram, but it might as well have been four miles. The gale force winds ruined my chances. There are so many things in life that are utterly beyond our control. The weather is typically a small thing, but everyone knows that we also face big things. A faithful, loving spouse is abandoned. An accident or illness takes the life of a loved one. An exceptional employee gets laid off because of the economy.
When we face difficult circumstances that are beyond our control, the way that we respond makes a world of difference for our present and our future. Grieve, yes. We should grieve. But we shouldn't wallow. Satan wants you to stamp the label 'Victim' on your forehead and then live in a quagmire of self-pity and resentment. The Lord wants you to take a deep breath, trust Him, and move forward- remembering that Jesus said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."
I remember as a very young child, my mother reading a book to me in which a little chick went around shouting, "The sky is falling!" Don't live that way. Jesus said, "I have come that they may have life- and have it to the full!" Yes, hard things will come your way that are utterly beyond your control. Live a FULL LIFE anyway, and you will be blessed! -Pastor Brad
-Back at camp with the wind still roaring.
Written on July 15, 2026
Posted in Daily Devotions