My dad and our favorite horse, Phooey riding through the mountains.

Riding horses through a heavily timbered area is difficult enough. When the trail has not been cleared in over twenty years, it is work. The fallen trees across the trail cause the horses to step over them, slowing their pace. When they are too high you have to find ways around them. After many hours of clearing the trail where we were able and making new trails where we couldn’t, we finally reached a good spot to camp.

The three of us unsaddled the horses and staked them out in a small meadow to eat a few bites of grass. Then we turned our attention to setting up camp. We started a fire in a ring of rocks we gathered. We put up a cover and laid down a tarp for sleeping. We rolled out our sleeping bags hoping we had chosen a spot with soft rocks. The thin layer of canvas provided some padding from the cold and hardness of the ground.

We pulled food from the canvas bags the horses had carried and cooked it over the open fire. A little ash from the popping of the fire gets into our pan but we eat it anyway. It contains different vitamins most people don’t get. Making everything as comfortable as possible we finally eat. The food tastes extra good in the high country of Wyoming and the air is fresh and clean.

We can now sit back and enjoy the beauty. We hear the soft noise of the small stream nearby. Once in a while a horse will stamp his foot or let out a little whinny. The tall mountains and rocky ridges reflect the color of the setting sun. This is what we came to experience.

Then someone spoiled the moment by saying that we could be home sitting in our nice chairs. We could have been eating in a fine restaurant. We could be sleeping in a comfortable bed. But no, we worked hard to get to this spot. We drink out of a little stream. We cook over an open fire. We sleep on the hard ground out in the open. And we call this “really living.” Then it was said, “What fools we mortals be.” The interesting thing is that as soon as we were home, we can’t wait to do it again.

The experience of being in the mountains and doing such things is a cherished memory. Most people never had the opportunity. The same could be said for being a Christian. The joy of an intimate personal relationship with God is something many people will never know. They might even say we are foolish to believe in God. They just don’t know what we have in Christ. I do not think it is foolish to trust the eternal God. It is a great life! I cherish the experience!

Liz and Brock were asked to lead the small group Bible study. They found themselves in panic mode. Karrie was asked to lead the women’s Bible study. She immediate gave an excuse why she couldn’t. Many Christians are reluctant to lead.

As a young man, Moses wanted to help his people. He failed miserably. Then he ran away when confronted with what he had done. Forty years later, God wants him to lead. Now he is reluctant. His earlier failure had taken away the desire. God brought him to the point of willingness and enabled him to be a great leader. Some people had bad experiences in their past and have determined never to be in that position again. If God wants you to lead, put the past behind you and move forward. There is a reason for you to be in leadership when God calls.

For some, their reluctance may be their feelings of inadequacy. “I don’t know enough to teach.” “I don’t have the ability.” “What would I do?” These people often get the usual answer. “We will give you material that will guide you in the study and you will just lead the group. It will not be hard.” Good training of faithful people is necessary to build leaders. What God calls you to do, He will enable. Learn all you can and lead.

Many are reluctant to accept positions of leadership. It is God who raises people up or lowers them. If He is working in your heart to have you lead, do not resist. If He wants you to step down so others can take your place, go willingly. God will work in you and through you to accomplish His will. What does He want you to do?

A man will get to a project around the house. He does not need to be reminded every six months. We have heard stories and jokes of someone being asked multiple times to do a project at home. Whether the stories are justified or not, projects are difficult. Some people do them easily and quickly. Others put them off till they are “ready.” I am one of those.

Getting ready to do a project, I need to have the proper tools. I study the particulars of what is required to fix or replace parts. Then I will look up a video on Youtube of someone demonstrating what I am going to do. Once I am ready, then I get to it.

As Christians, we must be ready to give an answer when asked of the hope we have. Some believe they need to be totally prepared before doing any kind of service. They need to be able to answer any question before they share Christ.

Whatever God calls us to do; he will enable us to do it. His grace is sufficient. He will supply the ability and provide the tools for the doing of it. There is no excuse for not walking with the Lord. There is no excuse for not going where and doing what He leads. You can do and be what He desires. He will provide all the necessary parts. We just need to let Him work in and through us at His will. Just get to it.

Now, I need to do a couple of projects around the house before I leave Friday. I have what I need and am ready to do it. Yes Jeneen, I’ll get to it. I love doing projects when I’m prepared. “You and me, God – Let’s go.”

Have you ever refused someone’s help only to find out later, you needed it? I went ice fishing with a group from our church a few years ago. It was good fun as we waited for the fish to bite. Suddenly I had a fish on my line. It was a good fight. As I started getting the fish toward the surface, I could see it was a big one. One of the men came over to look. He offered to help me get the fish through the hole in the ice. I refused saying that I do it. He politely asked again. Again I said no.

About a minute or two later, while lifting the fish through the hole, the line broke. Of course, it slide down and swam away. The man saw how big the fish was. At least I had a witness to “the big one that got away.”

But why did the fish get away? Was it my pride thinking that I could do it myself? I know part of the reason I refused his help was that I hate to inconvenience anyone. I didn’t want to put him out. But he offered not once but a few times as I was fighting the fish. How foolish I was. He would have been able to reach into the hole and grab the fish, pulling it safely through.  I had tried to muscle it.

I learned a valuable lesson that day. Pride gets in our way so often. Whatever excuse we give, it basically comes down to pride. “I can do it myself.” There are times in our lives we could use help. I know I have offered to help and been refused. But then, I wonder how many times have I refused someone’s assistance? How often my pride gets in the way of real help.

There are people around each of us who would love to help. Do we let them? Does our pride keep us from showing we have a need? It’s pride. People want to help. There is joy in helping others and we are robbing them of that joy. Let them help.

Is God confronting you with your pride? I remember hearing about our son Chris confessing his pride before the Lord. He said that after he finished praying he thought that he had done a good job of confessing his pride. He immediately was convicted again. He was proud of how well he had confessed being proud. He said he went back on his knees humbly before the Lord.

Pride stops us from much good. God wants to help. People want to help. Let them. Be humble and accept the help God sends your way. I sure wish I had caught that fish. It was a big one!

In John 15 Jesus gives the importance of abiding in Him. Verse 7 then gives the first fruit of abiding. We will see answers to prayer. In the passage, there is no command to pray. It is an implied concept. In verse 5, Jesus said that without Him we can do nothing. Understanding that truth, we are dependent upon Him. Dependence is expressed by prayer. If we need God, we pray. It is not stated but is implied in the passage that we would be people of prayer. This is why the first fruit listed is answered prayer.

Another place where an implication is made is Hebrews 11:6. The verse says that it is impossible to please God without faith. It is not stated but a desire to please God is assumed. How many people have a desire to please the Lord? Even among Christians, it is not always evident. How does the desire come into a life?

The desire to please comes from a relationship. The rest of verse 6 gives two reasons for the importance and basis of a relationship with God. The first is that He is who He is. The second is that He rewards those who are sincere and earnest in seeking Him. There is great reward to those who walk with the Lord. Faith is required in this walk. It is not unfounded faith. God is who He says He is and His rewards are evident in the life of a believer.

As we study the Bible, there are many implications. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians a concept he repeated many times. “Don’t you already know this?” We are to think as we study the Word. The Holy Spirit guides us in the study. We will see how things so easily fit together and we will know. Don’t overlook what is implied. But don’t put in implications that are not there either. It is important to study correctly and come to right decisions and views.

Would you like an “old” ten dollar bill or a “new” one? This question is answered by most people saying a new one. But wouldn’t you rather have an old “ten” than a new “one?” This demonstrates that we are intrigued with new. Once we hear the word new, we tend to want it more than something old. We get excited about a new restaurant or new clothes, or a new car.

We make New Year’s resolutions accomplish or do something special. A new year is a point of beginnings. One person said they decided to lose twenty pounds in the New Year. Three weeks later, they only had twenty five pounds to go. It doesn’t always turn out the way we would like.

For the believer, we walk in newness of life every day. We have grace for the day. As we walk with God, each day is a clean slate to written upon with experiences. We are new creations at the moment of salvation. We have a new destiny. We have a new relationship with God.

One great blessing we look forward to is a new heavens and a new earth. There will be no more sin, pain, or grief. It will be a new experience and it will be good.

In Psalm 34:8 it says that we should taste and see that the Lord is good. Two of our five senses are listed in the verse. We are to experience God’s goodness. Taste and see. Experiencing it for one’s self brings a new level of understanding. No matter how much you learn about God being good, you need the experience. The more you see it, the more confidence you have. You recognize and live the truth; God is good.

When I look at the suffering in my life, I do not question God’s goodness but I look for His good. We lost two friends to heaven this week. Even though their families are hurting and the losses will be felt deeply, there is good. Both people knew the Lord. To be absent from the body is to be present with Him. The two of them are not in pain. They have no more suffering. It is good for them. There is comfort in that fact and comfort is good. God’s grace is seen as we go through the grief that accompanies death. God is good.

When we lost our son Chris to melanoma cancer, it was the deepest pain we ever felt. But our God wrapped us up in His arms and comforted us. He continues to do so. Much good has come but it doesn’t take away the pain and loneliness of loss. It does make it more bearable. I love the Psalm that shares when we stumble, fall, or suffer, we will not be destroyed. The hand of God holds us secure. To experience this is to see God is good.

We all suffer in this life. Some deal with hard things daily or even moment by moment. God is there to hold you and keep you. There are seasons of weeping and laughter, loss and gain. I pray you will taste and see the goodness of God even in the difficult days. May you be able to say, “I have seen and tasted the goodness of God in my life. God is good.”

Hiking in the mountains is one of the most satisfying activities I do. Some places there are no trails because the mountain side is covered with a boulder field. To get through you jump from one rock to another. This is called boulder hopping.

Thoughts run through my mind. To move from one to another is very similar to boulder hopping. Just as the rocks are various sizes and shapes, my thoughts vary. Some are of beautiful places or events while others take the form of fear or concern. My wife has said that I process things very quickly. Well, I guess this is the way God made me. Isn’t it a stark realization that other people do not think the way we do. It was for me anyway.

My mind jumps from one thought to another with boulder hopping precision. I multitask. I have found the way I think to be both a blessing and a curse. It is a blessing because it makes learning new things easy. It is a curse because when talking with people, sometimes I can be two hundred feet ahead jumping through new territory. It can give the impression that I am not listening or don’t care what people are saying. But I am listening and I do care.

Part of my desire to write is because it forces me to be on subject and focus rather than move quickly through my thoughts. I can write short little pieces of a boulder before I move to the next. I like this format. It fits my mind and thought process. I can address an issue and then jump to a completely new subject. It is boulder hopping through my thoughts. Some may say it is easy for me to boulder hop because there are rocks in my head. And please, no comments about adult attention disorder. Anyway, back to the subject on hand. We are all made differently and have various learning aptitudes. The key is to be what and who God has made you. Find out how you think and learn. It will help you in life disciplines.

Enough about this, I’m jumping to another boulder.

If life is an adventure, then I am an adventurer. There is so much to explore and experience. If I have the opportunity to climb the next mountain or explore the valley over the ridge, I will go for it. That spirit has led to many unique sights and sounds. Heightened senses are needed when walking through the wilderness. A person never knows what will be around the next corner or over the next rise. You listen, watch, and smell. The hair on the back of your neck starts to rise. What is that?

A deer, a fox, an elk, or a bear could be ahead. No, this is manmade. Sun bleached logs of an old cabin protect a fallen roof. The window frames the scenery but has no glass. The door faced the morning sun. No longer does it keep the wind out because it’s lying on what used to be the floor.

People lived here years ago. I wonder what their story was. A abandoned mine was on the hillside about a mile away. The cabin was home for someone. Was it a family? Or maybe a prospector lived here while working his claim. It could have been a couple of men, partners in a mining company. History stands before me in the ruins of the cabin. I will probably never know the details but it makes me wonder and dream of what used to be.

I move to the trees nearby. Shadows loom as I enter the dense forest. Suddenly a deer jumps from some brush. I don’t know who is more startled, him or me. It takes a moment to regain my composure. Those heightened senses sure do react in amazing ways. I watch the deer bound away. He’s gone. I look ahead. What’s over that next rise? Is that a stream I hear? I press on… Yes, I would say I am an adventurer… I feel the urge to find out what’s over the next hill.

The same feeling is true in our walk with God. This is a new day He has given. What is ahead? It could be great joy. It could be something we will suffer. There are many things we experience in every day. What is ahead? I don’t know but I’m going to find out. “You and me, God – Let’s go.

 

My wife, Jeneen says she wants to put on my tombstone these words: “You and me, God – Let’s go.” I say them often. I share them in churches I visit. There is great comfort and strength in them. Here are a few reasons why I love the sentence: “You and me, God – Let’s go.”

 

First, I find God to be the only one who I can truly count on in life. I have a wonderful wife, great family, and terrific friends but compared to God, they fall short. God is there even when I am alone. No one knows me like God. He understands my thought patterns. He knows my heart’s desires and my intentions behind my actions. My wife is a great companion but she is limited. I am limited in my ability to be her all in all. I can never be to her who God is. Nor do I try to take His place in her life. All human relationships, no matter how great they are, pale when compared to a personal intimate love-based relationship with God. He is always there and cares. He meets my needs in a right way every time.

 

Second, God is not only with me but He is for me too. He wants me to experience everything He has for me in this life. His will is good. If I will walk with Him then I will experience that good. Everything good has come from Him. He has so much for me in this life. That alone is great motivation. What boggles my mind is that this is just the beginning. The good I experience now is just a taste of what I will have forever. I need to know the Lord, walk with Him, talk with Him, and seek Him in every step. God is good. He has good for me.

 

Third, I want to experience everything God would have for me. It is a drive and desire coming from deep within me. I don’t want to miss anything good God intends for my life. It means going the extra mile for family and friends. It means seeing what is over the next hill when everyone else has stopped. It means working hard even though it’s not required. So, it begins with God. Then it comes to me. “You and me, God.”

 

Fourth, I must move. Life starts with God but I must embrace it and move forward. How else can I know the joys of living? I must step out in faith, believing He is with me as He said He would be. It is not an isolated existence. We move together. God did not create and save me to simply exist. He has purpose for each day. I want to do and experience all He the good He has for me. It means stepping out of my comfort zone to new adventures. I want those adventures. “Let’s go.”

 

These are some of the thoughts behind, “You and me, God – let’s go.” I say it so much that it has become a motto for my life. After all these years, I must admit, it is a great life. I can’t wait to see what is next. Every day I live, God has more for me to experience. What’s next? “You and me, God – Let’s Go!”