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Being Filled With Hope

Being filled with hope. That’s what I like about being a Christian. Being filled with hope. That’s what I like about fly fishing.

I’m excited, can’t wait, looking forward to this newest adventure,…… and I want you to come along with me. The next few months, I’ll be “guiding” several groups, families, and individuals into the wilderness to hike,explore, and best of all, do some flyfishing! The excitement of what we will experience gets the best of me sometimes. Knowing that someone may experience a hike to the mountaintop for the first time is a rush. Seeing a “just made new friend” catch a cutthroat trout for the first time is something I get a “kick out of”. Seeing a person change from just holding a fishing pole to actually getting into a rhythm and casting a fly makes me “come alive”. And there’s a Big, Big, part of me that wants to share these experiences with everyone, including you who read my wilderness preacher blog. So to everyone, you’re invited. Plan a trip, jump on a plane, Staci and I will pick you up at the airport if needed. Contrary to what “People” say, you don’t need a lot of money, time, patience, physical ability, or heck,…. you don’t need much of anything except a desire. Let’s change that to this,…… you just need the PASSION to want to get out to the mountains, rivers, streams, and lakes. I’ll be glad to go along side of ya!

Those of you who physically won’t be along for each trip, well, there’s good news!!!!!! I’m devoting the next few months of this blog to report on these fishing/hiking/ exploring trips. Each of you will get to experience these adventures as if you were there yourself!

What is it about exploring the wilderness? More specifically, what is it about flyfishing? Why am I so obsessed, so passionate, so “BEING ALIVE” when I’m flyfishing?

I came across this quote the other day. It sums it up better than I can.

The charm of fishing is that it is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable, a perpetual series of occasions for hope. John Buchan

Bam! That’s it for me!! That’s what causes my excitement! The never ending hope! Just one more cast. The next cast is going to be the one. Missed….. well, try again…… just one more. No luck? No problem cause the next fishing spot, the next day, the next lake. I’ve got an unlimited supply of hope. That’s what makes this so REAL for me. It’s not what you’ve caught. It’s not how many or how big the fish. It’s the pursuit of what is elusive (a mystery), and knowing that there is real hope in catching it.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. NIV Romans 15:13

See, that’s why I’m also obsessed, passionate, and living my life by “BEING ALIVE” as a Christian! God gives His children (me and you) an unlimited supply of hope. It’s not how you’ve lived in the past (whether good or bad). It’s not how big or how many fish ( your status, or wealth, or possessions.) (Or even how good you try to be) It’s the HOPE in Jesus Christ.

Once again read this quote: The charm of fishing (BEING a Christian) is that it is the pursuit of what is elusive(The Mystery of God) but attainable (By Jesus Christ), a perpetual series of occasions for hope (for blessings, joy, and peace).

God has given me a desire to seek after Him. I don’t understand many things here on this Earth. Since I don’t understand, I’ve learned to TRUST my Lord and Saviour. The Hope He’s given me (as well as you too), by the Holy Spirit, allows me to wake up each morning and say “God, what are You AND I gonna do today?”

SEEKING God’s Will and fish

So, join in with me the next few months by reading (and sharing) my blog. It’s your blog too you know.

I’ve made a bold statement and plan for these adventures. It’s this. They are not going to be just a good thing,…… but a GOD THING!!! I’m looking forward to these trips, and having you along with us.

See Ya! Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher

Don’t settle for fish sticks
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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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Hurt People Hurt People (Comforted people comfort others)

It’s my Birthday, let’s have knee surgery!


Yep, the ole knee needed some surgery. The Doctor said there were a couple of tears, he could go in and fix it, ………..and I would be good to go within a week! Thankfully this was not a bunch of repair or replacement work on the knee. So honestly, it hasn’t been as bad as it could have been. But,……… bad enough to cause a little pain and hurt. How do I celebrate my Birthday when I’m hurting? (Just like you, admit it right now), if you or me are hurting, it’s pretty much a given that others are going to have to hurt as well.

C’mon now. I’m admitting so you might as well admit it too. We are not the best patients. We don’t like to experience pain. If we HAVE to experience pain, then ALL of us want someone else to be right there experiencing their own pain as well. Ever notice that the people we are the closest to, and care for the most, are the ones that we jump on the quickest. Well yea,…….duh…….. they are the easiest targets. Plus, they don’t know to get out of the way. 😉

Pain , what pain!! Need to stick my arm and hook me to an IV! Bring it on lady! What now? Banged my left arm on the side rails of the bed. Who did that? Dunno, they’ve taken my glasses so I can’t see who did it. It might have been me myself. I can’t remember now cause the nite nite medicine is starting to take effect.

Whew, that was quick. I’m awake now. After I’m allowed to fully wake, in walks THAT nurse. You know, when you first go in for surgery, everybody is, “Hey, how ya doin’, oh it’s your birthday, aren’t you sweet!” But THAT nurse is like, “Hey, let’s get you out of here, NOW!!!” She’s bossing me around. Do this, do that. Oh she’s got a smile on her face because she knows the torture she’s fixing to give to me. PAIN??? When the nurse ripped off the heart monitor pads along with hair, skin, and what seemed like the very fiber of my being, what did I do? Nothing. I took it like a man! Pain?? Bring it on lady. Pain? No problem. I can handle it. Load me into the car like a sack of potatoes. Shut the car door. Smile and wave at THAT nurse as she’s headed for the next victim. I’m now headed home. What pain and hurt I will be experiencing, I will be able to handle it. How will I handle it you ask? By making sure others are hurting. Just like you remember, I’m a people. And,…. hurt people hurt people.

Staci is driving me home. That makes her the easy target. I honestly don’t mean to be short,testy, and a little on the grumpy side. The pain is not too bad, but there is enough hurt there for me to be,….. well,…..short, testy, and a little on the grumpy side.

Traffic is terrible. That’s her fault. I deserve a honey bun. We stop and it takes FOREVER for her to go get it. Since I took it “like a man” concerning all that THAT nurse did to me, I now made Staci relive the whole thing with me. “Like a man”, I’m expecting sympathy from my sweetheart. Instead I get “poor baby”. I might as well go back to sleep.


2 Corinthians 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

I’m back home now, the sleepy time medicine has gone away, and most of the skin injuries from THAT nurse have started healing, I’ve got to admit something.I realize that during my time of pain and hurting, Staci was by my side comforting me.

Our God and Heavenly Father provide us with comfort from all of our troubles. He does this out of love and compassion. He also does this so that we in turn can share His comfort to others just like He does to us. Totally makes sense, except when YOU are the one hurting.

Hurt people hurt people. We see it all around us. Comforted people comfort others. Do you see much of that? Hmmm…. you yourself can take a step in showing someone some comfort. Our Lord and Saviour stands there ready to comfort you during your times of hurt. Talk with Him and to Him about your needs. Then BE a Christian and share some comfort to this hurting world. One person at a time. Even to THAT nurse!!

See Ya! Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher.