Category Archives: Steps Along This Journey

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To Be Successful In Life, Fish Like A Girl!

“You’ve got to fish like a girl!” Those words still ring in my head. I was fishing with a professional guide on the Arkansas River. He gets paid to fish, and he gets paid to give advice. He makes a living by helping others be successful. Quite honestly, his success as a professional fishing guide depends on the success he gives others as they fish.

So, I hired this guy to help me learn more about fishing for trout in the river. Good guy, fun to be around, full of knowledge, and ready and willing to help me have a successful fishing trip.

We met at the local fly shop. He picked out various flies and lures that the fish had been biting lately. We had some small talk. (I think he just wanted to hear me talk, with that Southern drawl thang I got goin’ on ya’know!)

He asked me what goals I had as far as fishing the river today. I pondered the question. Should I say, “I want to catch twenty fish, or I want to improve my casting abilities, or I want to catch the largest trophy trout ever caught from these waters.?”

I think my answer was pretty clever. “I want to be successful today!” My answer to his question should cover any and all desires, goals, plans, …… whatevers that are out there. Make me SUCCESSFUL! Brilliant! He should be impressed, cause I am! Teach me O wise guide. Er, Ah,…… I know how to fish, just tell me your secrets, techniques, hidden skills so that I can catch more………… and be successful.

He looks right through me with that “this guy is full of it” look. Sizes me up as if he’s got x-ray vision with those sunglasses of his. Then he says this. “I don’t know if you can do it. But to be successful in life, in love, and in fishing, you’ve got to fish like a girl!”

Well, alrighty then! Didn’t know I was talking to a psychologist or some kind of life’s guru. I want to catch fish and he’s telling me that if I want to be successful in life I’ve got to “fish like a girl”?

This could be a most interesting day is what I’m now thinking. Is this guy going to guide me fishing, or is he going to tell me how to live my life? Come to find out,…… he did both.

As we wade into the water to begin our fishing adventure, my guide begins to explain. “Here’s what I mean when I say you need to “fish like a girl”. Every man I guide fishing does the same thing. They wade out into the middle of the river as deep as their waders will take them. Then they cast their lines out forty, fifty yards, or even more!!! Looks like they are trying out for one of those Hollywood movies. Trying to impress everyone, (mainly themselves). Listen, basically it’s all about themselves. How far they can cast, how deep they can wade. They think their technique is better than anyone else’s. When the fish don’t bite, it’s never their fault. A man fishes and it’s all about “me, myself, and I”.

“But when a girl fishes……” he continues. As he’s talking, a smile big as Colorado itself shines on his face. “When a girl fishes, she’s all about the experience of fishing. She will wade out into the water maybe ankle deep. She throws her line maybe 20 feet ahead of her. And by George, she catches fish. Here’s why. “

“She’s not all about herself first of all. She’s into the fishing. She doesn’t wade but ankle deep into the water. Don’t know exactly why this is, but….. this gives her an advantage to see the waters (and fish) ahead of her. She doesn’t have to impress herself and others by throwing the fly way, way out there. She throws it closer to her. This gives her more control. She can naturally present the lure better. Also, she can set the hook quicker.

This guy is good! He is definitely giving me lessons on flyfishing, (and life in general). What I’m realizing is to “fish like a girl” means to quit letting everything be about me, myself, and I. Focus on the fish, watch the waters ahead of you. The next cast. That’s all that matters.

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

When us guys (and some ladies) go fishing, isn’t it about I, I, I? That’s why we get frustrated when we don’t catch anything. That’s why we get discouraged after fishing for a time. That’s why we want to “give up” and call it a day way too quick. It’s because we feel that we are not successful. You and I think that there is something about us that is “not good enough” that is causing us to not catch anything.

Whoever speaks on their own does so to gain personal glory, but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him. John 7:18

That scripture is telling us to “fish like a girl ” as well. See, if it’s all about you, whether in life, love, or fishing……. there is only so much to gain. It only takes you so far when it’s about me, myself, and I. Then it’s back to frustrations. But to see the whole truth. To BE REAL, in life, love, and fishing,…… then live your life and “fish like a girl”! Focus on what’s ahead. Focus on the experience not on yourself. In my way of believing AND living, that means focus on what God is doing in and around me. Live life each day talking (and listening) to God. How do you do that? Best way I’ve found to explain living like that is to …….. you guessed it…….. “fish like a girl”.

This week starts my ten day backcountry elk hunt/fly fishing trip with seven other guys. I’ll give you highlights to our adventure in a few days. Basically I’ll be guiding them into the Sangre de Cristo mountain range and teaching them to live and “fish like a girl”. Just don’t expect to hear any little giggling going on.

Ladies, girls,……. let’s go fishing. Allow me to tag along and fish with you. I’m pretty sure I can learn a lot from you. About fishing….. and life in general.

See Ya! Dan Ainsworth, wilderness preacher and now living life “fishing like a girl”

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I See Where To Go….. I Just Can’t Get There.

This butterfly knows where to go. He can actually see where he needs to go. He can see through this problem stopping his journey. But in no way can he himself actually “go” through his problem and be rid of it. He’s going to have to have help. This butterfly is “trapped”, “confined”, “stuck”. There’s no way out! Ever been there?

I’m putting up new screening on the porch at the log cabin in Mississippi. I’m halfway completed with the project, when this butterfly flies in. He comes in where there is no screening yet and flies to the inside of the section of screening that I’ve just installed. You can see that the situation has made him totally confused.

Now, I don’t know how big a brain a butterfly has, but it’s running on overload at this moment in his journey. He can see the flowers in the yard. He can see where he needs to go. But he can’t “see” how to get out of where he’s trapped. That poor little butterfly brain is thinking, “all I gotta do is fly from this side to the other side”. It’s not going to work little butterfly. You can’t fly through the screen. You can see through it all day long. But, you need help.

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18

I’ll save you little butterfly. He is so fragile,…… but so beautiful. What I do is this. I gently cup my hands around this delicate creature. He’s now inside my grasp. I’ve got him. I feel like I’m saving this butterfly from his own torture. He now won’t have to constantly fly into the screen over and over and over,……. thinking that somehow he’s going to fly free.

Carrying him outside for his release into freedom, I’m thinking. We need orchestra music playing in the background. This is a tremendous moment in this butterfly’s life. He will be ceremoniously lifted into the skies. I’ll open my hands and raise them into the blue sky and he will victoriously fly into the open air. “Freedom !” I yell. Wow! This has really become theatrical and there will probably be a whole movie made from this one scene of freeing the butterfly. 😉 Emotions are running high as I open my hands, the butterfly sees he can leave, and now it’s up to him.

He flaps those beautiful wings of his and he’s up and away. I’m yelling like it’s a football game and he’s breaking away for the touchdown. “Go butterfly Go!” (Hey, nobody’s around to see or hear me.) And he does! He flies away making a big circle (making a victory lap I suppose). He continues flying and flies…………well, flies right back inside the porch to the inside of the screening where he was in the very beginning. Once again he’s stuck.

Sometime you are the butterfly. You get “stuck” in life. Oh, you can see where you should be. Just like that screening, you can even see through your problem. But your problem is hiding an even bigger problem. You are not able to do it on your own. That’s, yep, that’s your real problem. It’s tough for a butterfly to admit that they need help. Your problem is not just a “screen”, but in realizing that you need help along the way.

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18

God will help you and wants to help you. Focus on God’s will, not on the screen. He’ll free you time and time again if that’s what you need. God will wrap His loving hands gently around you. How? There are so many ways God works in our lives. It may be from a song you are hearing. A sunset, a scripture, an interaction with another person. Or maybe a story about a butterfly.

See Ya! Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher 601-832-8567

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In God’s Timing

The path suddenly became so covered with snow that there would be no way to take the group I’m guiding any higher on the mountain.

It went from this:

The path quickly turned to now this!

Good thing that I’m doing a scouting run on the trail. In a few days, I’ll be guiding a group of high school Seniors from Mississippi into the wilderness of Colorado. But,…… on this trail,……. it ain’t happening!

It would have been two more miles on this trail to reach our goal for this hike. Pretty obvious now, that we are going to have to change our plans. But now what?

I’ve promised these students a great time in the outdoors. We are going to hike, camp, explore, fish, and just enjoy nature at its best. But with the snow pack deep on the trail (two to four feet deep still) , our plans must be changed. I promised a great fun filled time. Not a time of torture. Not too many students from Mississippi would consider a two mile hike IN SNOWSHOES to be fun! Whew! We must change our plans.

I couldn’t help but think of a saying I have been hearing a lot of lately. If you want to know if God has a sense of humor, just make a plan. 😉

Doesn’t it seem like too many times, we make a plan for our life, but it doesn’t go as planned.

Oh sure, it might even be with “good intentions”, and dog gone it, it doesn’t happen as you and I have planned. Maybe a big life decision, a plan for a new chapter in your life, just a day trip, or in my case……… a hike up Music Pass Trail ,….. all planned out, but not happening.

Now what? Well, as a guide to others, I now have to rely on my Guide.

The Lord is good to those who wait for him,
    to the soul who seeks him.
 It is good that one should wait quietly
   for the salvation of the Lord. Lamentations 3:25-26

Most of the times our plans don’t go as planned is because things are not happening as quickly as I planned. 😉 I’m beginning to see more and more that by me focusing on my plans instead of focusing on God’s Plan for my life,…..well, I have to slow down and wait for God and his good plans for me.

He gave me a good life’s lesson by having this snow pack block my trip further up the mountain. I now have to wait on God and His direction.

In this particular journey, God showed me a beautiful waterfall. I took a different path, scouted it, and this is what I found:

Wow! Pretty! I would not have seen this if I had been able to follow my plan! Now, I’ll get to share this view with the high school Seniors! My plans took a detour because of heavy snow. God’s plans for me led me to another journey to another place to another interaction with Him and His glory. I’m learning to wait. Learning to wait on God. It’s made all the difference!!!!

My plan…… is to follow God’s plan!

See Ya! Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher