I was in the best shape of my life, but even so, it was the worst climb I've ever done. It was far from the highest mountain I've ever climbed and the hike in to the base was easy. We were climbing with our full packs, intending to set our camp up high. But on this particular mountain, the only one I've ever been on like this, the vertical incline didn't stop even for a moment. The steep pitch was...  Read More

Beginning 'winter' mountain climbers find out very quickly the difficulty going up. What surprises them most is discovering the unexpected difficulty coming down. It's so easy for us to aim for a certain 'high' only to discover that we ended up in a bad place. In all of my years of sheep hunting, I've never gotten into trouble going UP a mountain, but have been in incredibly dangerous positions th...  Read More

I've hunted caribou over 1,000 miles south of Anchorage and nearly 1,000 miles north... all in Alaska. Unlike the Adak hunt, the northern hunt was with a bow and arrow. In order to take a caribou with an arrow, you need to get close. Some things can be done successfully from a distance. For example, praying for or sending money to a missionary in a foreign land. Other things require close proximit...  Read More

Years ago, hunting caribou on Adak Island was 'walk-in' only. A friend of mine who works for Alaska Airlines 'buddy passed' (free flight) me to go hunt caribou with he and his brother. We had no idea what we were getting into, but fortunately met a man from Adak on the flight out who let us sleep out of the incessant wind and rain in his apartment. The hunting was extremely tough. I shot two bulls...  Read More

My dad used to say, "I've never been lost, but once I was bewildered for 4 days." I was born with an amazing internal compass. I somehow intuitively know what direction I'm walking, and no matter how much I wander I can turn around and point toward my starting place. But last year, in the middle of the forest, my destination was not where I thought it would be. I expected to come out in a clearing...  Read More

I've never been passionate about ice fishing. This is because I froze my toes to the point of tears every time I ever went as a child and never once to my memory did we catch a fish. I might enjoy it more nowadays, because I see these beautiful shelters with satellite dishes out on the ice. In fact, some are actual campers. I could see myself watching a football game and cheering for my favorite t...  Read More

The temperature was −32° and getting warmer. I called my buddies and said, "Let's go." We had agreed upon −30° as our 'cut off' for whether or not to go ptarmigan hunting on our snowshoes. As crazy as it sounds, we had learned through trial-and-error in the severe cold that we were able to hold our shotguns with bare hands at that temperature. Not right out of the truck, of course, but after pilin...  Read More

Yesterday in Alaska and around the world, thousands of men, women and children had their first true taste of the resurrection of Christ. What I mean is, for the first time in their lives they heard and responded to a clear presentation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul, formerly an enemy and persecutor of Christians, said, "I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the POWER of God u...  Read More

He is risen! The man who told us he was with God before our world began. The man who told us that he and God the Father are 'one.' The Miracle Worker who taught like no one ever taught before and loved us like no one ever loved us before. The one they crucified and sealed in a tomb. The one who said he came to SAVE us. HE is risen! This earth-shaking news spread quickly throughout the Middle East ...  Read More

For those who had been WITH Jesus, the Saturday that he lay in the tomb was the darkest day of their lives. By 'with' I mean that their HEARTS were with him, their LIVES were SURRENDERED to him, their FAITH was RESTING in him. For THOSE people this was a dark day. Why were they confused? Why, after Jesus had told them that he must die and rise on the 3rd day, did they not see what you and I can se...  Read More

GOOD Friday. A day of weeping as the Savior was taken from us.Matthew 9:14-16 says, "Then John's disciples came and asked him, "How is it that we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?" Jesus answered, "How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them- then they will fast."One of the beautiful, w...  Read More

To RESOLVE- to have fierce determination- this is what is needed in the Christian life. You must RESOLVE to get up early enough in the morning to have quality time with the Lord. You must RESOLVE to keep a prayer journal with all of your friends, loved ones, leaders and their needs. You must RESOLVE to be kind, generous and encouraging. You must RESOLVE to maintain a healthy diet and exercise. Fro...  Read More