Category Archives: People I’ve met along the way

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Detour Ahead

But God asks to go along? What's up with that?

Hey! You and I are a lot alike.  We plan our trip, make plans for today, even make a plan for the rest of our life,……..and then there it is.  Detour ahead!!

Detours????? That usually means wasted time.  Why am I having to take a detour anyway?  Is the bridge out ahead? (well,  I won’t be so upset if I find that out.)  Is it because of road construction? (and all those orange barrels that go along)  Is it for no reason at all? (meaning there is no reasonable explanation.)

But, this detour is a little different.  It’s a lot different.  It’s concerning a path that my life must take.  A detour that many of you are on.  The detour of a financial difficulty, a health problem, a season of waiting, a detour that you didn’t plan on taking but you HAVE TO GO in order to keep traveling on your journey.  Problems, problems…….yet someone is asking you can they come along.  Who wants to go with you on this detour from your plans and journey?  God.

It never dawned on me until the other night.  I was listening to The Noble Heart campfire conversation online.  John (shout out to John) was talking about his father passing away a few days ago. I can so relate to that.  He expressed that he felt like his life was being taken on a detour.  But,…….. then he said this.  He sincerely felt that God was asking him if he would allow him (God) to go with John while on this detour.  I was sensing the same thing in my detour of life.  I never truly thought on this, but God asks to be invited into our everyday lives.  You ever thought about it that way?   Have you ever sensed that God wants to be in your (each and every day) life?

Think about this with me.  We are traveling with our loved ones down the road and there is a detour.  But what if when you hit the detour you suddenly stopped, made everyone get out, then when you finish the detour, you load everyone back in.  Doesn’t make sense does it.

But think about this.  When we are on a detour because of finances, health, bad situations at school or work, we tend to TRY to handle it by ourselves.  We literally make everyone get out (including God) as we charge into the detour and all its expected frustrations and wasted times.  Detours give us unexpected problems, unexpected time delays, and well, they just get us out of our plans and routines.  Bummer, now I’ve also gotten rid of all my passengers on this detoured trip.  Double Bummer!!

In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.  Proverbs 16:9

Back to that God asking me…… and you.  Do you ever sense our God asking you if He can be with you everyday?? (even in and especially during detours in your life?)  Do you ever wonder why an all powerful, all knowing God wants to be involved with a human like you?  Difficult to explain, I know. But I sense that it’s because of His Love.  At the most difficult times, we humans tend to focus on the detour and all it’s problems on our plans.  We then make everyone “get out of the car”.  Silly humans!

I’m going to let my Lord and Saviour go with me on this detour.  He will no doubt show me some things as we travel together.  Hmmm,… maybe even see and experience some things on this detour that wouldn’t be seen on the normal usual road.

Good luck on your journey (and those detours that will come).  Remind yourself there is an all knowing,all powerful, omnipotent Being that wants to tag along.  This detour may be just the thing needed for the two of you to truly get to know one another.

See Ya!  Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher (On a major detour in life, with God right there with me!!!!)

 

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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

 

 

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Too Full of Joy to Die

How to LIVE! When You Are Dying

Meet Jim!  He should have been dead 3 times by now.  He has been battling Pancreatic Cancer for 2 plus years.  Yep, He’s been given the death sentence from doctors and lab tests.  But,…..an even more powerful event is going on with Jim.  He’s been given a life sentence by God,……. a life sentence filled with JOY and PEACE.

Jim truly lives each minute of every day by seeking joy while here on this Earth.  I’ve honestly come to realize that Jim is seeking joy, but joy is seeking Jim wherever he goes.

Several years ago,I asked him what changed in his life when he was given the “dreaded news” of Cancer.  My particular question was, “Did you start praying”?  Did you start praying HARDER???”  He told me that since he was already a praying man, that nothing really changed, he just planned on keeping on praying as he has always done.  Wow, a man walking with God through thick and thin.

Something else from Jim.  “When you lose your future you no longer dwell on the past, that leaves only the present. ” (That’s deep thinking for me and you, but it’s deep living for Jim.

He’s explained to me that since his life “is over” he devotes his time and energy to restore, to renew, to rebuild others.  He gets such a deep sense of joy from living like this. What a way of truly living your life.  I’d of never thought of living that way.  Living your life helping others,……. just like Jesus would do.  Oh, wait, that’s called living like a Christian.

And this subject of DEATH.  I deal with it like every body else in the good ole USA.  I never think about it, …..act as if it will never happen to me.

Jim explained it to me this way.  Dan, (insert your name here _______), dying for me will be like this.  I’ll cross a bridge on my journey that I’ve not crossed before.  YOU CAN’T CROSS IT WITH ME!  Not just yet anyways.  Crossing this bridge will seem like a big step for you.  But for me it’s just a  continuing of my journey.

Jim is a strong believer in Christ.  He tells me he doesn’t intend to live like he is dying.  That’s so obvious Jim, my friend.  You inspire others more than you will ever know.

Hey!  You folks out there reading this.  Do you want to talk with Jim yourself?  Are you dying from a dreaded disease?  Are you running out of time because of something this world has thrown at you and into your life?  I’ll give you Jim’s phone number.  He can restore the joy into your life just by talking and sharing with you.  He seriously doesn’t have the time.  But what time God gives him, he turns around and gives to others.

I’m glad God placed Jim in my path on my Christian journey.  I’m fighting things of this world that try to steal my joy.  Big things like a flat tire, delays, spilling my coffee, a deer hitting my truck.  These things are stealing my joy.   I feel like such a pansy.  Instead of whining about losing my joy, maybe, like Jim, I should be growing it more!!

Jim is fighting, no battling, no Jim is LIVING his life in a way that his JOY is increased each day.  LIVE ON JIM!!!   You inspire me as well as all around you.

You have not only have you brought joy into my life.  God Himself has been pleased by you.  Your Heavenly Father is pleased with His child named Jim.  You give Him joy by how you live.  Well done!!

John 11:25  Jesus said…… he that believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live…

We will meet you again on the other side.  The journey will continue…….

 

See Ya!  Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher (filled with joy)