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Being Restored

See the water? All this was just rocks, dry gravel, and dry dust. Dry,dry,dry. Now there is water running from out of the ground. Green grass is growing from out of nowhere. Flowers have popped up. The deer, (and probably the bear 😉 ) drink from this restored spring. What happened? It went from dry, dry, dry,…… to my, my, my!

I heard an educated weatherman say that the part of Colorado where we live is always either just coming out of a drought, or just going into one. Well, duh………. Water is scarce around here…….. But not this year. The tops of the mountains in our view every morning had upwards of 18 feet of snow this year. It has snowed and rain lots at our house and on the property itself. But here’s the question. Where did the water that is running from this restored spring come from?

Logically thinking, the snow has melted on my property, seeped down through the cracks and crevices of the rocks and boulders, and is now flowing above ground from this restored spring. All this water activity from a couple hundred acres.

Scientifically speaking, the snow from those mountaintops fifteen miles away is melting. The water from that snow trickles down through rocks and boulders, forms an underground river that flows for miles. Part of that water could be seeping and draining from that underground channel of water to the restored spring at my place. That’s hard to picture, but that’s how it could be happening.

Wrap your brain around this one. The property I have in Mississippi has a free flowing spring of water on it. It’s estimated that 700 gallons of water flows from this one spring every MINUTE! This property is located at the highest elevation in the county. So, where is all this water coming from? I’ve been told it’s connected to the same aquifer (underground river) that goes to Florida and all those famous springs down there. The water? It’s coming from rain that landed in Tennessee and surrounding areas. Go figure…………

Psalms 51:12 RESTORE unto me the joy of thy salvation: and uphold me with thy free spirit.

I freely admit I don’t know how all this restoring of these springs of water takes place. I’m just excited and glad to see it. An amazing thing to see how something so dry has now come to life again. All because it’s been restored.

Spiritually speaking, there are many times when we need to be restored. Just by us living in this everyday world, our spiritual journey may begin to feel dry, dry, dry. Seeking to have our inner joy restored may come from praying, a song, a quiet time, so many ways. But it simply involves you asking God for a time of restoration. Then spiritually speaking, you can go from a time of dry, dry, dry to MY, MY, My! Thank You Lord!

Lord, could you be with each of us in such a way that we feel Your presence. In times of dry, dry, dry,……. like sickness, or hard times, or life’s pressures. I’m asking that you provide us with a restored heart, to feel that inner peace and joy. Restore to us so that out of all the “dry” happening in our lives, your living water will bring new life and closer relationships to you. We give you the Glory. Thanks for all that water! Love You! Amen

See Ya! Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher and being restored

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I’ve Got To Follow To See

Rabbit tracks…… Let’s follow because I want to see where he is now.

Taking a hike in my snowshoes the other day, I came across this set of tracks. Definitely fresh, and easy to see because of the fresh snow. The story was being told right there in front of me. Little bunny stopped and ate some grass sticking above the snow. Just a few feet further he made a quick right turn and was off to who knows where. I guess I’m the “who” that wants to know “where” so I follow. Rabbit Foo Foo was hopping through the forest. (Now you’re singing that old nursery rhyme too aren’t you?) This rabbit wasn’t picking anything up, he was just traveling through the snow. Occasionally, you could see where he stopped and ate. Uh oh, if you look right there you can see that he …….. ah,… well,…… when you got to go , you got to go! Right there in the pretty white snow. He went. Silly Rabbit…… (don’t say it 😉 ) ………… Trix are for kids. (I knew most of ya would say it!)

I bet I trailed the rabbit over a quarter of a mile. I saw where he came from, saw where he went (literally), and now I see where he has gone into a hole under some logs in a brush pile.

Following this rabbit was not my plan when I started on my snowshoeing hike this morning. But such an interesting story was before me in the snow, that I had to follow. I wasn’t interested in anything else going on around me. I was dead to the world because I am now totally consumed with following this story. That got me to thinkin’.

Luke 9:23 Then Jesus said to them, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.

The cross back in Jesus day meant death. So when scripture says to “take up your cross”, I see it as meaning we must die to ourselves. You and I can easily turn our lives into an “all about me” plan. You know, everything we do is about me, myself, and I.

And along comes this Rabbit (I mean Jesus) and His story. We can’t keep making our own trail in the snow. We must follow Him if we want to see and hear Him. When we get so caught up in Jesus and His story for me and you, we truly become “dead” to the world.

I lost all track of time following the rabbit’s trail. There was no thoughts going through my head about me, myself, and I. It was all about the rabbit. Since I was “dead to the world” because of my focus on the trail, I must have been “carrying my cross”. And I thought it was because I was in snowshoes walking in heavy snow. ha……. Wasn’t really that heavy either.

Pray this prayer: Lord Jesus, help me to be so focused on following you, that I take up my cross “become dead to the world”, and follow wherever You go. Give me direction and spiritual “eyes” to see where Your story for my life is taking me. I want to see and hear from you. I love you Lord.

Focus more on where God is leading you and less on making your own trail.


See Ya! Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher!

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Magnify Your Lord

actually feeling like you're right there with God

Pretty picture, that’s for sure!  Now let’s zoom in and magnify what’s seen.

Wow!  When I looked through Jamie’s (my daughter’s) camera, she had the zoom lens on.  The camera magnified the image so that I felt like I was actually there!  So,………if I magnify what I’m focused on, it will become even more clear to me.  Vivid even!  Bam!! There’s a spiritual lesson in this photography lesson if ever I’ve seen one!

What’s so special to me is that I have been on the tops of these mountains.  Now with the help of a zoom lens, I can get (even closer) to these special places.  By magnifying what I’m focusing on, I now see a clearer more meaningful picture.

 O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.Psalm 34:3

God is already bigger than any mountain.  Magnifying Him doesn’t make Him any bigger.  It just makes me see MORE of Him. (Also makes me see LESS of me.  Also makes me see less of my whiny problems, my shortcomings, my insecurities, and most of all my own doubts)

By magnifying and focusing more on my Lord, I’m not hiding my head in the sand.  Instead I’m lifting my head for guidance, seeking His love to share with others.

Once more……….O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.Psalm 34:3

He’s My All, My Everything     song by Jack Woodson and Dan A

There’s trouble in this world today, it comes from all around.

We’ve got so many questions, the answers can’t be found.

Well maybe we should turn to God, He’ll help us find our way.

He’ll give us love, He’ll share His joy, and we can proudly say- ay-aaay

He’s my Saviour, Lord and King. He’s my all my everything.  I just want to let the whole world know.  He’s my Saviour Lord and King, He’s my all my everything. Just let Him in your heart.  Give Him control.

Now I got to tell you this one thing, and you better believe it’s true.

If you don’t know my Jesus, then you’re singing with the Blues.

Cause if you don’t have Him my friend, You’re goin’ the wrong way.

But if you know Christ as your Lord, then you can proudly say-ay-aaay!

He’s my Saviour, Lord and King. He’s my all my everything.  I just want to let the whole world know.  He’s my Saviour Lord and King, He’s my all my everything. Just let Him in your heart.  Give Him control.

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound. It saved a wretch like me.

I once was lost, but now I’m found, was blind but now I see.

Those words were written long ago, in an age that’s past away.

But the message that those words contain, grows stronger ever day-ay-aaay!

He’s my Saviour, Lord and King. He’s my all my everything.  I just want to let the whole world know.  He’s my Saviour Lord and King, He’s my all my everything. Just let Him in your heart.  Give Him control.

(If you want a copy of this song recorded with the music, send me an e-mail or message)  See Ya!!  Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher