Tag Archives: a step onward and upward

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The Spiritual Secret on my Buckskin Coat

Why do I wear my buckskin coat when I speak or have wildernesspreacher events?  It’s to remind me of a very important scripture given to us.

I personally made my buckskin coat from deer skins the way the Native Americans did.  It’s called braintanning.  The brains of the animal are used to tan the hide, turning it into clothing.  Lots of time,labor, and stretching, pulling softening to turn a skin into clothing that will last for years.  I’ll share more in a future blog.

Here is the important step for today.  You have to “smoke” the buckskin to make it waterproof.  You take the skin and actually place it over a fire away from the flame but in the smoke.  The longer you leave it in the smoke the darker it becomes.   Why smoke?  The smoke particles cling to every fiber of the buckskin.  This “clinging to every fiber” allows the buckskin to remain soft, even when it gets wet.  If the smoke is not in every fiber, then when the coat gets wet, it will become hard as rawhide( you know, like your dog’s chewbones).

Is God in every fiber of your being?  If not, then when you “get wet” by what this world throws at you, you will become HARD/have a hardened Heart.

I don’t want to have a hardened heart.  How can this be prevented?

Mark 12:30    Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.

In other words, Jesus must be in every “fiber of our being” for us to keep from turning hard hearted.

Let your desire for Him to be in every part of your life become the most important step in this journey.  You will need His help to do this.  Ask Him, see what happens!!

See Ya!   Dan    wilderenesspreacher.com

What does the world “throw” at you to try to make you hard hearted?  Leave a comment

 

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Take a Break. Have a drink

Life is not a race……. but indeed a journey.  When you hear “take a break, take a drink”, it’s time to get refreshed.  Constantly hiking without stopping can cause fatigue.  That “water break” we take every so often gives us time to renew and  refresh.  The rest of the journey will then be more enjoyable.

When hiking in the mountains,  I use to carry all the water in my pack that I would be needing on the trip.  But, man that stuff is heavy!  I now take a water filter and take “water breaks” along the way.  It’s less of a load  than with bottled water.  Plus, this mountain stream water tastes cold and good!  The filter is used as a precaution to protect from unwanted bacteria, etc.  You can’t get any better water than this.

A benefit that comes about when taking a “water break”.  I tend to look around, see the beauty, sense God’s presence, just be more aware of what is going on around me.  After a refreshing drink, the hardships are not as hard.  The mountain trail is still steep, but I’ve been refreshed.  So, I’m ready to continue.  Need to be refreshed yourself so that you can continue on your hardships/mountain trail?  Click on the verse of the week.

How does God refresh you on your own spiritual journey?  Leave a comment.

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Take a break. Have a drink. with Verse

Let’s Take a Break!  Have a drink!

A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.  Proverbs 11: 25 NIV

When traveling on our journeys, it’s refreshing to take a break.  Stop hiking to rest.  There’s nothing as refreshing as a cup of cool clear mountain creek water.  Still, I filter this water to prevent any unwanted bugs or bacteria.  I’m betting though, that this water (even unfiltered) is probably cleaner than what comes from your faucet!

Back to taking a break……….. mmmmm……mmmm…mm.  That’s some good water!  Hiking can really give you a thirst.

This spiritual journey can really give you a thirst.  Take the time to sloooooow down as you travel.  Let God refresh you with His Word, His Love, and His Presence in your life.  If you journey wide open, never stopping, constantly going and going, you’ll get fatigued.  Those “water breaks” are meant to refresh, restore, renew.  Drink up!

If God has suddenly told you “take a break, have a drink” as you travel WITH Him, then STOP.  Take a break.  Life is not a race …. but indeed a journey.  And while you’re at it, share what God refreshes you with.  If it’s a cold drink of water, let others know you got some to give.  Maybe on this step on your Christian path, He gave an extra cup of love, or patience, or understanding.  While you have stopped, look around.  I bet you see someone who needs that extra cup you were given.  Well, refresh others.  There you go.  Another step in being a Christian.  Ready, Let’s go.