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True Joy

See that smile? The young child just caught her first fish. What was just an ordinary day at camp suddenly turned into a lifelong memory filled day at camp when the young girl suddenly shouted out one of those most famous of fishing quotes,…… “I got one, I got one!”

This past summer I got to witness a moment of true joy, joy that had to come from Heaven. You see that smile? The young lady on the right is one of the church camp’s fellows/interns. Their “job” is to provide the guests with, well, any and everything. The “fellows/interns” are an amazing group of young people. They commit to giving of themselves for one year here at camp. One full year of serving God by serving man in this most beautiful of mountain camps. One full year of Bible studies, serving meals, cleaning, preparing for the next family group, praise and worship, making lifelong friends, enjoying God’s majestic creations, and picking up straw and pine cones (an inside joke 😉 ) Today her “job” was to help this family go fishing. It’s pretty obvious that she too was filled with “Joy from Above”.

You see that smile? The young lady on the left is the Mother of the young child who just caught her first fish. Now, get this. She caught her first fish when her Mother took her fishing at this very same pond at this very same church camp 27 years ago. A tradition continues!!

You see that smile? Well, it’s the one I’m wearing behind the scenes. This past summer I got to take lots of folks fishing. I know, I know, it’s such a terrible suffering that I must endure having to take folks into the mountains here to fish. But what I’m fixing to say is so true. Yes, I take people fishing here in the mountains, but honestly I take them to experience God! Ask any or all of the families, or dads, or children, or grandpas,…….. or the Mother of this child. Ask them did You feel God’s presence today? Was the joy that you experienced something that had to be supernatural. A joy that could only be described as a “taste of what heaven is like”.

That’s my “job” here at the church camp. Well, my job description on paper is that I’m the groundskeeper. You know, chainsaw work, weed eating, landscaping, (and picking up straw and pine cones).

But here’s a little secret. I’m here to help people experience God. To truly see Jesus and His Love, to feel His presence in these mountains and streams and pond here at church camp……that’s my mission. Here’s how it works.

This particular day, I’m cleaning up the property of fallen limbs from the storm. (I call it dancing with the chainsaw,…… I dance a lot!) I notice several people at the pond fishing. This particular family is fishing, but they are using the wrong bait. Oh, the bait would be great for 5 pound bass, but not for the small brook trout in this pond. I go back to the truck and get a few flies that I know these fish will bite. Something about fishing over the years, I enjoy seeing others catch a fish as much or more than me catching one myself. I tell the young child to try one of these baits. I share one of another of those famous fishing quotes,…… “The fish will bite this!” The young Mother helps her daughter put the bait on the line and casts it into the pond. Now we wait.

The wait is not long. Fish grabs hook. Child shouts “I got one, I got one!” Everybody goes from half asleep to “Battle stations”! “Get the net”, another famous fishing quote is heard in all the business of landing her first fish. While all this hectic activity is going on, I run over with my phone and begin taking pictures. My daughter has taught me a lot about photography. It’s all about the angle. It’s all about the lighting. But today, …..today,…… it’s all about the moment!

Look at the picture. The moment was captured on that image. Oh sure it’s a picture of someone fishing. But, it’s more. It’s a picture of true joy. Joy like that can only come from one source…….. God.

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

Joy is a state of being. Happiness comes from circumstances. That’s why fishing brings joy to so many people. Even those days when the fish aren’t biting there is this sense of joy. But man when they do bite. Woohoo!!!!!

Now let’s talk about you. What’s your “job”? What’s your mission? This story shares some of the “behind the scenes” things that happened to make this fishing adventure come alive. (Example: Getting the right bait) You guys that are reading this have so many opportunities to help others see and experience God’s Love and Joy! (Examples: a kind word, a helping hand, sharing with another person’s burden, on and on) If you can spread a little joy, especially with all that’s going on in this world, there will be someone who has that smile of “Joy from Above”. And that someone, may even be YOU!

“I’ve got that Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy down in my heart…..” See Ya Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher, fishing guide

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Bend Don’t Break


The picture is of my 3 year old young, fragile quaking aspen trees, but it’s also a picture of the approaching storm headed straight for us in the background. Pretty little tree is about to be hit with hail, 50plus mile an hour winds, pelting rains, and more hail. Yet it will bend…….. and not break.

Not so with some of the other trees and limbs on our Higher Ground property. This Colorado storm packed a pretty good punch. A couple trees uprooted, several limbs broken, needles and pine cones everywhere,……. and I’m still looking for my bird feeder!

But the small young fragile looking quaking aspen tree has no damage. I watched it sway back and forth. I felt that at any moment it would snap. It wouldn’t surprise me if the leaves would go from “quaking” to torn to pieces and gone!

The leaves are designed to “quake”. That is, to shake back and forth as the wind blows. This movement gives aspen trees their name (Quaking Aspen). It’s also what gives them such an attractive appearance. It’s very soothing to be under an Aspen tree and hear the movements of the leaves. ( Time out for a nap 😉 )

So, my fellow Christian believers, we need to be more like that bending not breaking Aspen tree. When the storms of life are upon us we also should bend, not break.

How can we bend in our Christian witness? Isn’t that a sign of weakness? Well, let me compare your walk as a Christian to the way of my little Quaking Aspen tree.

This Aspen tree has a strong root structure. This provides nourishment,…… and stability. Strong roots allow the tree to make a stand. You have spiritual roots planted in the reading of the Bible, roots growing from praying to God, and roots being established from BEING who God has created you to be. Each and every day they grow further to provide even more spiritual nourishment,….. and stability. You have a rock solid foundation being built by your faith and trust. A tree that is all show but with no foundation is one that, ……. well, that’s the one that’s uprooted in my yard.

But your saying, “Yea, I get it, but in today’s world you can’t let people push you around. You can’t let them get away with their way of thinking when it goes against my beliefs. Take a stand! Fight back! Give them a dose of their own medicine!” Careful, Careful! That’s what happened to those other trees in my yard. Slowly over time these trees had become hardened, brittle, twisted, and hollow. They then were damaged when the storms came. Their weaknesses were shown when the storm attacked.

So how is my little Aspen tree able to withstand the storms. It stays flexible! This is not a sign of weakness, but of strength, …… Super Strength. The only way it can be flexible (above ground where everyone can see) is by having a strong immovable foundation. The roots are strong, very strong.

Those fragile branches and delicate leaves are focused on one thing……. Growing constantly towards the Sun! There’s the secret to being “flexible”. In our spiritual growth we must constantly be reaching and growing to the Son Jesus!

Sure, I myself get it. We must be rock solid in our beliefs. But understand what I’m saying. Someone who may not believe as I do will not see my rock solid trust and belief. They will only see my “fragile branches and delicate leaves”. They will see my (and your) reactions to the storms of life. If my focus is on following the Son/Sun, then my focus is not on the storms of life ( differences of opinion, hardships, insults, injuries,) Think about this…… when someone or something makes you mad, what happens? Yep, admit it. You snap! You break! You lose sight of the Son Jesus and focus on the hail/ hell that’s being thrown at you. That little fragile quaking Aspen just keeps on being God’s creation. It doesn’t try to run away from the storm, outdo the storm, or even beat the storm. It just remains “flexible”. Bending but not breaking as it grows towards the Son/Sun!

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Peter 3:18

I was feeling sorry for my little tree during the storm. Then I realized how it was showing a mighty strength and power in the middle of its storm by bending not breaking. I suddenly felt a little sorry for me (and you).

We have a challenge before us. Most people can’t see our “roots”. They can’t see or understand our faith, our trust, our beliefs. But they do see our “fragile limbs and delicate leaves”. They do see how we respond to the storms of life. My prayer is that we do show them that we are growing each and every day towards our Savior.

“Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You for my little Aspen Tree. It helps me to see how I should grow towards you. This will help me to withstand the storms that come my way. Help me to grow a rock solid root structure in you. Help me and my friends with our unbelief. Help us to remain flexible and not “snap” at whatever is being thrown at us. I ask that our witness to others will reflect a growing closer to you. There are times I may look like I’m weak and fragile, but may my fragile and delicate witness be for You and Your Glory! You’ve not promised to keep us away from the storms, but you’ve promised to be with us IN these storms. I thank You for that. I sure do love you God!Amen”

See Ya! Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher

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They That Wait On The Lord,…… Are Called Crazy??

The is the rainbow trail, very rocky and definitely not smooth and flat. Also it’s in the edge of the wilderness and is at 9000 ft altitude. Question…… Would you run, hike, trot, jog 100 yards on this path? How about one mile? How about, get this,…… 100 miles! You are reading this correctly! In the middle of our 10 day backcountry elk hunt/ fishing trip, we witnessed a most unbelievable site! People were running, hiking, trotting, this trail for a total of 100 miles. These people are crazy! Teenagers, young women and men, even a handful of 70+ year olds were determined to make the distance of 100 miles. I know, I agree, it’s just a crazy thing for someone to do. I’ve got it figured out now though. They do this because they are waiting……….

One elderly lady passed through our camp late at night as she was continuing her quest for 100 miles. (She looked 75 – 80ish) We asked her how she was doing. Her words were this…..”I’ve done 84 miles so far, looks like I’m gonna make my 100″. Those people are CRAZY!!

My job on this journey into the wilderness was to get my guys close to some elk. We were archery hunting. We definitely got into elk, but not close enough to bring meat home. These guys from West Virginia that I had the opportunity to “guide” were amazing! They were fun to be around, enjoyed God’s beauty in the mountains, and weren’t afraid to walk. They actually clocked in over 60 miles while on this trip. Unlike the runners, their walking was up and down the mountains, (9,000 to 12,000). Many days while hunting, they would hear an elk bugle and they would take off to its location. Didn’t matter how far or how hard! These guys were CRAZY!

Don’t let the picture fool you. It would take most folks 2- 3 hours of heavy breathing to climb this mountain. Would you do it? Most of you are saying no, cause that’s just crazy to climb that for a shot at an elk. But I’ve got this figured out. They do it because they are waiting…… and I guess that makes them crazy!

What about this picture? Would you hike a grand total of 11 miles to be able to fish this lake?

I made it to the top Macy Lake in the middle of this wilderness. A most beautiful place at 12,000 feet altitude. Caught two of the biggest cutthroat trout I’ve ever caught. Would I do this steep, 11 mile long trip again? Yep, why? Because I’m crazy and besides that, I’m waiting…………

Isaiah 40: 29-31 [The everlasting God, the Creator] gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall,…….

But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength: They shall mount up with wings like eagles. They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.

Do you see a common thread in all these “crazy” people? They are definitely crazy (me included), but they are all also waiting……… Allow me to explain.

Here’s another example of waiting. I’m in the middle of WAITING on my daughter. She’s getting married in three weeks. It’s an outdoor wedding, which means that I’ve been truly busy landscaping, weed eating, graveling roads, and “yes ma’m”ing any and everything she needs.

See, waiting is not necessarily sitting on the couch eating ‘tater chips. It can actually be actively involved with whatever process is happening. The runners are waiting for that “runners high” to kick in as they are on the 35th mile. The elk hunters are waiting for a close up shot as they stalk up the mountain. I’m waiting on that big fish to hit my hand tied fly. Hope is eternal!

I’m now waiting on my daughter to enjoy her special day…… even as we enjoy this busy time preparing for what’s to come. Each day is about to wear me out as I wait on her “hand and foot”. Ha! But each day is a joy because my waiting on her is giving me the opportunity to wait for something even more joyful!

Waiting…….. look at it a little differently. Actively involved with current activities while expectantly looking forward to MORE. Bigger and better things. That’s my take on me waiting upon the Lord. I’m not in a state of “doing nothing”. I’m in a state of “being”. My focus is on the Lord and His Will for me. If in my spiritual journey that means I “run for miles”, or “stalk straight up a mountain”, or try “eight different flies before I find the right one”, then it means that I am “waiting on the Lord”. I’m following Him, BEING with Him, and fully expecting more to this life as time goes on.

I totally agree that there are times when we wait on God by slowing down, by just praying, by just having a quiet time by the creek. But what I came to realize while in the backcountry for ten days is this. They that wait upon the Lord,……… are crazy! They are not after a goal, but rather the journey. They are crazy! They don’t think like most people of the world…….. they are focusing on having the Mind of Christ. They are crazy!

They are waiting! Not by idly passing their time, idly flipping through the channels, or going through the motions. They are actively in pursuit of God and His activities. Actively chasing where He is leading them. Actively waiting! They are CRAZY!

God, please give me and my friends the strength to follow You. Amen

I’m waiting on God. Actively waiting that is. Call me crazy! What about you?

Crazy wilderness preacher Dan Ainsworth