Tag Archives: hearing from God

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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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Finding God In The Small Things

Even in the smallest of things, God’s presence can be felt!

I’m outside on the deck taking in the view here in Colorado.  A majestic view at that!!  Mountains as far as I can see.  Then, this little fellow shows up.  Stunned I am, because now my view has gone from BIG, BIG, BIG,…….. to the smallest of small!  I was seeing God in a vast mountain scene, now he’s showing Himself in one of His smallest creatures.

I even got a picture of this hummingbird blinking his little eyes.

How cool is that!  You have to be quick in order to catch a hummingbird blinking. (For the record, I’m known for taking shots of people right as they blink, so it may just be my picture taking skills 😉   )

And then I sense it.  God’s presence.  His Holy All Powerful, All knowing, Magnificent Presence, is right there with me.

 The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. 1 Kings 19:11-13

A gentle whisper, a cooling breeze,……… a small hummingbird.  Just like you, I catch myself looking and hearing from God.  Just like you I want to hear from God in some kind of BIG WAY!!  A miracle, a life changing event, even God speaking words directly to me.  OK God!!  I’m ready!!  Show up with Your Power, Your Glory, Your all seeing, all knowing presence.  I’m ready for a grand entrance, fireworks, cue the movie theme with surround sound!!!!  Show what You got!!!!!!………………..

And then,……… the hummingbird shows up in my hand.  Or a gentle whisper from someone, or a dog’s tail wagging, or one of many “small” things that happen everyday.  Suddenly I realize God is in the smallest of small everyday things.  I’m humbled.  I also realize I’m putting my Lord, my God in a box. I say that because I’m limiting my presence with Him when seeing and hearing from Him in only those BIG life changing moments.  I need (and want) to see and hear from Him in each and everyday of my life.

Looking for God by looking at a most majestic mountain scene,………. and then the hummingbird shows up.  So does God.  He’s always been there, I just need to focus and refocus continually to see Him.

Doubts creep in, fears seep through, and that’s when you feel you can’t hear from God yourself right?  Keep looking and listening.  Not with just your eyes and ears, but with your heart as well.  Ask God to speak directly to you.  He may come at you with fire, lightening and thunder.  Or He may speak to you with a gentle whisper.

You just don’t think that a Most Holy All Powerful God would take the time to be with you?  Just You?  Good question.  I guess you just don’t think I would ever have a hummingbird sitting in my hand either did ya?

Look and listen for God.  Pray to Jesus. Ask Him to be in every part of your life.  Then look and listen for God.  He will show Himself …….. in a BIG way, or in that gentle whisper.  I know!!  How do I know?  A little birdy told me!

See Ya!  Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher

 

 

 

 

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What God Gives Me For Christmas

For Unto You (that's me and YOU!)

For Christmas, God gave me a gift!  A one time, yes you can have it gift!  I accepted my gift from God, and this has led to daily gifts.

Not just a present to open one day a year, but gifts given daily.  Gifts from a God to a little ole me.  Now that’s what I call a Christmas experience!!

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord  Luke 2:11

First things first.  One step at a time.  The first Gift from God that I accepted was His Son Jesus.  You see, along with choosing this gift, I chose to make Jesus my Saviour, my King.  I willingly decided that I will follow His teachings, read the Bible and follow His directions.  I accepted God’s Gift of Love into my life when I was about 10 years old.  I eventually accepted His desire to lead and guide me when  I was in my teens.  I FINALLY accepted His gift of wanting a TRUE LOVING RELATIONSHIP with me when I reached my 50’s.   (I’m a slow learner with a stubborn streak. aka a human being)

After receiving and accepting God’s Gift of Love, (Jesus), into my heart, I was given another gift.  I didn’t ask for it.  I really didn’t know about it, much less how it worked, or how to use it.  Didn’t matter.  There the gift was right there in front of me…..  With my name on it……. I opened it……. It said “Forgiveness”!   I realized I had been forgiven for what I had done wrong….. and I learned to forgive others.

There were other gifts that began to appear…….. peace, comfort, joy.  I realized that this Christian way of life was truly filled not with just words, but with a daily walk with an omnipotent, all powerful God.  And……each day there was another gift.

UHOH!  Confession time!!  I have a confession to make.  There were many days that the gifts given to me from God weren’t opened.  Some small gifts, some large……. and for whatever reason, I chose not to open them.  Seems strange that I would choose NOT to open a gift.  Honestly it appears that I was either selfish, doubting, stubborn, “in a bad frame of mind”, lazy, or just plain human stupid.  Somehow, some way, I decided not to open that day’s gifts.

But the gifts would keep coming.  No matter how bad, disrespectful, selfish, or I’ll say it like this……….no matter how bad a sinner I was being, there would still be another gift waiting for me to open.

So,……. if I can make my decision making, my thought process, my everyday walk in life line up with what Jesus wants and has in store for me, then these presents and gifts are mine on a daily basis.  Wheww, that’s a mouthful.  What I’m saying is this.  Follow Jesus.  His gifts to you are there every day.  You are the one making the decision to OPEN them.

Every day, there is a new gift from God.  Not because of you, but because of Him.  Each day another gift of abundant life, a closer walk with Him, a prayer (that goes both ways).  Each day a new beginning.  Each day is a gift from above.

What about you?  Are there too many gifts from God that you haven’t opened?Are there too many gifts from God just waiting for you to accept?  Yet, you won’t open them.  Why is that??

Look in the mirror in your home and you’ll honestly see why you don’t open God’s gifts to you.  Hey, go right now.  When you look in the mirror you’ll see the problem.  Nothing to be ashamed of.  You are just plain human stupid. (I should know.  I’ve got a mirror too…….in my house, in my car, mirrors everywhere).  We see our own human stupid weaknesses.  Other people are sometimes quick to point them out as well.  We aren’t good enough, we don’t understand, we don’t deserve, we can’t, we can’t, we can’t.  See, plain human stupid thinking going on right there.

Do you want to get rid of the “stinkin’ thinkin’ ” that keeps us from opening God’s gifts to us each and everyday?

First things first.  One step at a time.

For unto     _____your name_____    is born this day a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.  There, that’s the first gift opened.  Now be watching for all the other daily gifts given to you.  And tear into ’em.  Now that’s Christmas!!!  Wishing you a DAILY Merry Christmas!

See Ya!  Dan Ainsworth  wilderness preacher