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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 Almost Died!

That’s the most common phrase from these youth (and adult chaperones) that was said on this adventure. What started out as a high school Senior camping trip turned into a journey where it was possible to see and hear from God Himself. And we like to have died. 😉

One instance of “I almost died” being said was when one of the adults got thrown out of the raft going down the Arkansas River in the Royal Gorge. (Huge rapids for sure!!) As cold as the water was, I’m sure his breath was taken away. I’m positive that he thought he was dying because Staci and I have been in the same position. (thrown out of the boat). The river guides were right there though. If and when things REALLY got serious, they would have taken action. (Hmmmm you know, God sees us when we think we are dying, having the worst day, thinking it’s never gonna get better? AND ……. we have to trust Him to know that if/when things really get serious He will (pull up beside us in that kayak) and protect us from harm. It’s just that when we no longer have control, we tend to start thinking the worst, right?

Another time that the phrase “I almost died” was said was when another adult leader (another adult…… I’m seeing a trend here) became “mesmerized” with the Amish horse buggy ahead of us. As he passed the horse buggy, well he kept looking back at the buggy instead of the oncoming car…… and well, this caused another adult leader to holler “We’re gonna die” as he grabbed the steering wheel to swerve back into the proper lane.

And then there was another adult leader who was concerned about actually making the 7 1/5 mile hike to Venable Falls and back. (I didn’t tell them exactly how far it was going to be cause, well, it’s a long way.) Best to just take the hike one step at a time. And woohoos to her cause she made it! She actually enjoyed it! She’s planning on coming back for a two day campout and wants to go to the summit of the mountains. But honestly those first few steps up the steep slope, she was thinking…… yep, “I’m gonna die.” But she didn’t. She actually “came Alive!”

Then the other adult lady chaperone became ill. (I’ve run out of adults now) In my opinion, the altitude was having it’s effect on her. Being in the back of the van that was dodging Amish buggies, rocks in the road, and wild animals wasn’t helping either. We stopped and got something simple to eat to ease her dizziness. It also helped that we got on a straighter road and she then sat up front. In just a short matter of time, she went from “I feel like I’m dying” to “Hey I feel SO much better. Let’s take a bunch of pictures.” She “came Alive!”

I want to thank the youth on this trip for taking care of these adults. 😉 (I’m not giving names for privacy sake on the internet) These youth………. they are great…….. they are fun to be around……. and they are my new friends! What was crystal clear from this trip is this. They belong to the family of God.

Many people were praying for this trip and it showed. I actually felt all those prayers! From the get go, this was to be a “God Thing”. Sure, we were going to have a fun time in the mountains and river. Lots to sight see. Lots of laughs and good times. But there was also this……….

I felt led to show them an experience with God. Not to just talk about Him, but to actually let everyone experience him. So, it had to be nothing about me. I am just to be the guide remember?

My goal (and my most sincerest of prayers) was to give them an opportunity to see and hear God in everything we did. Not just at devotion time, but in any and every situation. That’s when I noticed it. They were “coming Alive”.

Not sure if they ever said “I’m dying”, but they showed it. Their focus wasn’t on themselves. It was on seeing and hearing from God.

Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.Matthew 16:24

I saw it! It was a blessing for me to experience. It wasn’t anything super extraordinary. That’s what was so neat about the experience. Just an ordinary time for each person on the hike to have the chance to physically experience what so many of us feel we don’t get to have. I’m talking about experiencing God. Just Him. Just you.

I’ll let the youth share with you what happened. It’s not my place to share. It was spiritual, it was moving, and it was personal. Each one may have seen or heard something entirely different. I’ll give this much away. We had the Lord’s Supper on a mountain top. There was also a “foot washing” in the 38 degree rocky mountain creek of melting snow.

My new friends (and a few older ones), thanks for coming. Stay in touch. Like that wolf and mountain lion we talked about, I’ll be watching and keeping up with you guys.

This is you, and this is God!

One finger is you. One finger is God. What’s important is that the two stay close, stay tight, and stay together. How? Not anything that you can do my friend. It’s by having a living loving relationship with Jesus Christ. He gives His grace, His love, His forgiveness………His abundant Life!, Look and listen for Him in everything around you.





See Ya! Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher, so proud of my new friends!

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In God’s Timing

The path suddenly became so covered with snow that there would be no way to take the group I’m guiding any higher on the mountain.

It went from this:

The path quickly turned to now this!

Good thing that I’m doing a scouting run on the trail. In a few days, I’ll be guiding a group of high school Seniors from Mississippi into the wilderness of Colorado. But,…… on this trail,……. it ain’t happening!

It would have been two more miles on this trail to reach our goal for this hike. Pretty obvious now, that we are going to have to change our plans. But now what?

I’ve promised these students a great time in the outdoors. We are going to hike, camp, explore, fish, and just enjoy nature at its best. But with the snow pack deep on the trail (two to four feet deep still) , our plans must be changed. I promised a great fun filled time. Not a time of torture. Not too many students from Mississippi would consider a two mile hike IN SNOWSHOES to be fun! Whew! We must change our plans.

I couldn’t help but think of a saying I have been hearing a lot of lately. If you want to know if God has a sense of humor, just make a plan. 😉

Doesn’t it seem like too many times, we make a plan for our life, but it doesn’t go as planned.

Oh sure, it might even be with “good intentions”, and dog gone it, it doesn’t happen as you and I have planned. Maybe a big life decision, a plan for a new chapter in your life, just a day trip, or in my case……… a hike up Music Pass Trail ,….. all planned out, but not happening.

Now what? Well, as a guide to others, I now have to rely on my Guide.

The Lord is good to those who wait for him,
    to the soul who seeks him.
 It is good that one should wait quietly
   for the salvation of the Lord. Lamentations 3:25-26

Most of the times our plans don’t go as planned is because things are not happening as quickly as I planned. 😉 I’m beginning to see more and more that by me focusing on my plans instead of focusing on God’s Plan for my life,…..well, I have to slow down and wait for God and his good plans for me.

He gave me a good life’s lesson by having this snow pack block my trip further up the mountain. I now have to wait on God and His direction.

In this particular journey, God showed me a beautiful waterfall. I took a different path, scouted it, and this is what I found:

Wow! Pretty! I would not have seen this if I had been able to follow my plan! Now, I’ll get to share this view with the high school Seniors! My plans took a detour because of heavy snow. God’s plans for me led me to another journey to another place to another interaction with Him and His glory. I’m learning to wait. Learning to wait on God. It’s made all the difference!!!!

My plan…… is to follow God’s plan!

See Ya! Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher