Category Archives: Being What God Created

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What’s Wrong With My Potato

What’s Wrong with my potato? Well, there is nothing wrong with it. It’s just BEING a potato.

I decide to have a fun simple experiment with my potato that was growing roots and new shoots with tiny new leaves. Without explanations or any directions, I would just walk up to someone and show them the potato. Here are the top three responses:

“What’s wrong with it?”

“What happened to it?”

“Can you still use it?”

I guess people think that I can’t be DOING anything with this potato because, well, it’s too busy BEING a potato!

I mean, you got to do something with a potato. Make potato chips, potato salad, potato soup. FRENCH FRIES!!

It’s only a good potato if you do something with it. Mashed potatoes would be good. A baked potato with butter and sour cream would be great! Bake it, grill it, mash it, slice and dice it…… Do Something with it. That’s what makes a potato good. It’s good because you can do something with it. By doing something with it, it gets better.

But my potato is too busy BEING a potato to actually be “Doing” something. To most people, that’s not a good thing.They think the only way to get something good out of a potato is to “DO SOMETHING WITH IT”.

I took the time out of my busy life to take a four hour drive with my good friend Ralph. He also took time out of his busy schedule to allow me to ride shotgun on this trip. We didn’t “do” anything. We were just “Being”. We were being two friends, being two Christians together on a journey. We shared ,we discussed, we wondered, we laughed. We also did something that’s highly unusual in today’s highly social society. WE TALKED! Face to face. Not just superficial stuff. We talked about each others life and life in general. Since we are both on a Christian journey, the subject matter always seemed to come back to how God is working in our lives. God’s working even when we don’t know why. God’s working even when we kinda wish He would leave us alone for a while. God’s working even when we ourselves are not. God’s working even when we don’t even realize it. But really, God is just BEING! He’s Just BEING GOD!

Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Notice it didn’t say to be good and acceptable you have to “DO” something. “God is good, I’m not, I need to get better” My friends, where did this kind of thinking come from? It’s preached at us. Society tells us we must “DO” something with our life to amount to anything. I get it, but here’s the real question. Is what you “do” truly more important than what you are “being”?

By being what God has created me to be, any “doings” will fall into place. The first step is “BEing” in a personal relationship with Jesus. What happens after that will not affect how much He loves me. Can you let that sink into that “Mister Potato Head” of yours. What you DO will not make Him love you any more,……. or any less.

This is a tough lesson to explain. I’m guessing it’s gonna take me a lifetime to figure it out for myself. God’s wanting me to BE His loving child. Any “Doings” that I do will fall into place . When you are “BEING” with God, what you DO will be guided by God’s Will. I also have figured out that since God made me, He also will be better at showing me what to do than me, myself, and I!

There’s nothing wrong with my potato. There’s nothing wrong with me either. I’ve asked God to let me come alive spiritually like that ‘tater has physically. Something inside me has caused me to be transformed. I’m now growing roots into God’s Word. I’m now growing new shoots and tiny new leaves that reach for the SON (Jesus). To the world, (and even to other potatoes), there must be something wrong with me. What happened to ‘tater Dan?

Nothing’s wrong with me. I’ve just come alive! Being what God created me to BE!

“Lord, would you help us come alive. Help us to focus on your will in our lives. You are good! That’s true. We are not! That’s also true. But thankfully because of You it doesn’t end there. We get too busy trying to “Do something to make ourselves good”. I’m asking that You help us realize that Your Grace is what makes us good. Help us to follow You to BE what You would have us to BE. Then all the doing will come from You. Amen.

Pass the potatoes. See Ya! Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher

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Faced With Knowing You’re Not Good Enough

Oops, I crossed the line

There I go, making ANOTHER mistake! Seems that I can’t do anything right. I mean, try as hard as I might, I’m still not good enough. I don’t know if I could be considered clinically depressed, but I’m dealing with depression. Oh, ahh, not supposed to admit that am I. In our society it’s ok to have a stomach ache, a headache, even a heartache. But no one admits when they have a mental ache……… aka depression. Well, I’m admitting it cause………well, what else can go wrong. I’m frustrated, aggravated, and just down in the dumps. Hey, I know, I know, it could be worse, but today, in my mind it’s bad.

I’m struggling with, of all things, the pressure I’m putting on myself. Hey, I don’t intend to be perfect, but can I at least stay in line when I cut the boards. My project today is so simple. Build a bird house. Can’t find the nails, can’t cut a board straight. When I nailed the boards together, one of them split. I mean what’s the use right?

Whoa, I hear what you’re thinking. “Toughen up Danny boy,…… it can’t be that bad.” “Get it together, son”. “Hey, you just need to get better, bro”. Probably the best thinking I’m hearing is this one………….. “Why don’t ya just give it up, cause you’re no good.”

Hey, you guys out there think I’m always positive and things are going great with me right? Well, here’s a news flash………..you ready?………….. Dan, the wilderness preacher, sometimes gets depressed. Yep, I personally deal with the monster called “you’re not good enough”. Sorry to make you feel uncomfortable right now, but odds are, you yourself have to fight the “you’re not good enough” monster yourself. What can we do?

As disappointed as I am in my birdhouse, I go ahead and hang it on a pole.

See, a couple hours earlier, a pair of mountain bluebirds were sitting on the light line, chirping and singing away. They were “telling” me, that they were looking for a place to nest this year. That’s what made me want to build a bird house, and build it right now!

All I can see though are mistakes, mistakes, and more mistakes. That is the most pathetic, most “terribleist”, most worsest, whatever………… it’s the most depressing looking birdhouse I’ve ever ……. wait…………………………………………………………………………………

Then it happened. Within 5 minutes of me putting up my poor, pitiful creation of a bird house,….. guess what? Both the male and female bluebirds were going in and out of the house. They were singing and chirping and “telling” me that they LOVED IT!!

Galatians 2:16 NIV know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Christ Jesus. So we too have put our faith in Jesus Christ that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works…….

Look at it this way. I was depressed because of how my “works” had caused my birdhouse to look so bad. But, and this is important……… I had FAITH that the bluebirds would come and live in my house. Enough faith to actually hang the birdhouse up even with all the “not good enoughs” within the works and construction.

Funny how a bluebird “of happiness” can make the monster of “you’re not good enough” go away. It’s hard to focus on all my mistakes, when that chirpy, singing, happy little bluebird has decided to come into my birdhouse…….. and into my life.

I don’t mean to belittle the subject of depression. Some people have to fight it and have even had a doctor tell them they are clinically depressed. Others, like me, get a good dose of it from just living in this world, dealing with frustrations, and all those “you’re not good enough” thoughts.

But there is a peace beyond understanding that comes from the fact that Jesus wants to come into our lives…… even with all our mistakes. We just have to make the decision to put our FAITH in Jesus.

Funny thing too is this. When He decides to move into our birdhouse/heart, our focus isn’t so much on our mistakes as it is on HIM.

I find a joy in my heart that the bluebird has made his home in my birdhouse. An even more amazing joy I have found by having Jesus make His home in my heart!!

What’s this got to do with you? Why not put your own birdhouse in your yard. Enjoy! Why not offer your own life to Jesus, let Him come in, focus on Him and not yourself. Live in Joy!

“Lord, would you help us deal with the monster of “you’re not good enough”. Would You live in our lives and help us see as You see! To you we give the honor and glory.”

See Ya! Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher

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Living With No Fear

Staci has no fear, and it’s because of several reasons. She is truly a pioneer woman, she likes adventures, and she likes to have FUN!! (The song “Girls Just Want To Have Fun” can be heard playing in the background!) Honestly, from someone who knows her well, (that would be me) 😉 in her brain she is still a teenage girl livin’ on the edge.



What would it be like to live without fear? Living life abundantly, no self made limits because of the “what ifs” , the “yea, but I don’t know about this”, the “you might get hurts”, or whatever doubts, fears, and anticipations of “the next thing that’s going to go wrong” in my life.

Now, I’m not talking about common sense decisions that are made to prevent harm to our lives and our bodies. That old joke of, “Here, hold my drink while I try this!” Or “hey let’s eat a Tide pod!” I mean, c’mon man, any and everybody must use their common sense to avoid harm to themselves. (I guess not, just read where some girl fell into a tiger den trying to get a selfie. 😮

Even Staci has enough sense not to do that……………..well, except for that closeup with the Buffalo. 😉 Staci is not scared of anything. Ooops,……….. forgot she is scared of frogs! But that just shows she’s human.

Anyways, what I’m talking about is living life to the fullest. Getting the most out of life. There’s no way for us humans to do this when fear is in control.

“Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6

In the times you are afraid, filled with anxiety, full of worry, concerned about the unknown, are you truly living?

You are on a Christian journey right? Hmmm let’s see, is your day filled with worry, dread, trepidations, distress…….. fears? Whoa there pardner. You may need to “get off that horse”. The Christian journey should be filled with words like trust, follow, Be. Trust in Jesus, follow Him, and Be who He created you to Be! That’s “the horse” you need to be ridin’.

We may not be in control, but God is. We may not know the future, but you know the God that does. Choose for yourself not to let fear have control in your life. Let faith take the place of fear. Hmmm, that’s a scary thought in and of itself, huh? I can’t help you with that one, but I know someone who can. I pray to Him all the time.

“Lord, could you help me and my friend with our fears. The enemy uses our doubts and our worries to try to control us. Also God, when we are fearful it takes away from our relationship with You. Could You help us with that? Help us to follow you even into the “valley of the shadow of death”. Help our unbelief. We turn around and give You the Glory for who You are. You can make this ‘scaredy cat’ become a Lion! Help me and my friends grow from the frightened pathetic puppy into a howling Wolf!! It’s all because of You. God we love you! Amen.”

Live with Faith, not fear. It gives a better view for life!



See Ya! Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher