In the old days, rafts were not self-bailing. An essential piece of gear for whitewater was 'scoops' (generally, coffee cans, buckets or a milk jug with the bottom cut out). A group of friends invited me to 'paddle raft' Lion's Head- a stretch of serious rapids on the upper Matanuska River. My job was 'bailer.' That seemed like a waste of time to me. I thought perhaps I should have an oar and simp...  Read More

Cold outside- snow on the mountains- yellow leaves falling like rain. Everything in Alaska is getting ready for winter. People are cutting and splitting wood while the bears pack on their last pounds along the salmon streams and the berry covered mountains. In life there are often 'seasons of preparation.' It may be studying or training for a career, it may be getting a house ready for a new baby,...  Read More

I detest hunting from a treestand. I still do it- willingly- when I have the opportunity, it's just hard for me to sit patiently for hours hoping that something will walk by. I'm a wanderer at heart. I love the experience of silently hiking up and down hills and through valleys- always listening- always looking. Yet even though I prefer walking, I have seen a great deal more wildlife and been far ...  Read More

Abraham Lincoln once said, "Any man can endure suffering. If you want to test a man's character, give him power." We endure suffering because we don't have a choice in the matter. The only question becomes, "HOW will you endure?" Yesterday Erica Kirk gave every man, woman and child a beautiful picture of what it is for a follower of Christ to endure suffering. In the midst of a desperately broken ...  Read More

While he is most commonly referred to by the secular world as a 'political activist,' Charlie Kirk was first and foremost an ambassador for Christ. His goal was never simply to change politics, his goal was to use truth and reason to counter all of the lies that Satan has breathed into our culture. Ultimately Charlie wanted to see transformed hearts and lives that would then transform our nation a...  Read More

I don't know where the saying comes from, but we've all had times in life when we've had to 'hit the ground running.' Whether it's a crisis or simply unexpected work, some of life's interruptions are both urgent AND important. But everything urgent crossing your path is not necessarily important. It's not high on your priority list. Often these come from other people who are having their own perso...  Read More

"Those who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength." It is not an unlimited supply of strength that we receive, but rather strength for the day- strength for the morning- strength for the moment. The result of God's strength is made clear: "I can do all things through Him who gives me strength." Here's the promise: every single thing that God desires for you to do, He will give you the streng...  Read More

Some things in life are utterly beyond our control. You've worked hard, done everything that you know to do. You've been striving and figuring and worrying and giving everything you have... but the problem remains. Perhaps it's time to wait. When we counsel one another to 'trust in God,' it's not a religious platitude, it's an act of faith. God himself tells us in Psalm 46:10- "Be still, and know ...  Read More

5 AM, partly cloudy, dark... but off in the distance two lights are shining- not in the sky, from the earth. You could go 100 miles in that direction without hitting a road. I see the light, but I'm in the dark and I don't understand it. This is how much of the world 'sees' Christians and the gospel of Jesus Christ. Speaking of Jesus, the Bible says, "In Him was life, and that life was the light o...  Read More

Cold last night. Condensation is frozen like raindrops on my tent. The horizon in one direction shows signs of blue sky while the other direction looks ominous with black clouds. The trail coming in brought back memories. It seems like only yesterday (but it was more than a decade ago) that I struggled out with 5 fractured vertebrae, a crushed foot and broken ribs. I was all alone, 44 miles into t...  Read More

Proverbs 9:10- The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Proverbs 1:7- The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.Knowledge requires understanding.To 'know what to do with what you know' requires wisdom. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of both. What is the root problem of the criminally corrupt leadership of one political party and the criminally corrupt judges who make their ...  Read More

I've had a chill in my bones recently. This is largely due to the fact that I have refused to break out any of my warm clothing. Add to this that I was working outdoors in continuous rain for several days. I go through this every year in September. Believe me, I am properly equipped when it comes to warm gear. But what good does 'being equipped' do me if I refuse to use what I have? This is the st...  Read More