Daily Devotional - God's Great Outdoors - Trail To Adventure

THE RIGHT GUIDE

Dean Hulce — Tue, 26 May 2026 08:30:11 +0000

1 Corinthians 8:6
yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.

Several years ago my brother and a friend booked a hunt in NW Colorado for elk and mule deer. It was a new lodge and the guys were excited to experience a new opportunity. The hunt ended up being a bust.

As the hunt went on the hunters got to know their guides. What they leaned was that the guides that were supposedly big game guides ended up being fishing guides. Neither of the hunters had an opportunity to harvest a quality animal and it was mostly because they had the wrong guide.

Matthew 7:15-16 tells us to be careful of those that want to guide us in the wrong direction.
15 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits." (Matthew 7:15-16)

It is similar to using a compass. A good and true compass will always point you to magnetic north. However I have had compasses that would vary and swing in different directions. The compasses had been sitting in a drawer (probably on top of a piece of steel or another magnetic object) and had lost their ability to point to what is true. A bad compass, like a guide that is not true will bring us to the wrong places all the time, and like the case in Oregon, get us into trouble.

The true Guide can be counted on 100% of the time. There is never a reason not to follow Him and trust Him in anything. The false guides/prophets can never be trusted. They will never be looking out for your best interest, don't trust them. Our Lord will never lead you down the wrong path or into a place where you are not supposed to be. You can trust Him!

Jesus Christ is the guide we need to follow through life as we venture into new areas and grow in our familiar ones as well. He will never lead us where we shouldn't go, where we don't belong. We can always trust Him.

Our walk through life is far more important than a hunt... but we take the same steps. Find the best guide and follow where He leads. That guide for all of us is Jesus Christ.

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He is my Rock - Tim Jones

Dean Hulce — Fri, 22 May 2026 08:30:55 +0000

1 Samuel 2:2 “ There is none holy as the Lord; for there is none beside thee; neither is

there any rock like our God.”

The above rock formation is located on Populus Lake in Ontario, Canada. There are

many rock cliffs like this around the lake but each one is unique to itself. Each has its

own size and appearance. Some are smooth, some are jagged. Some are very high

and others not so tall. These rock formations have not changed in the 15 years that I

have been going to this area to fish.

1 Samuel 2:2 clearly describes God as our Rock. God is often referred to as a rock in

scripture, symbolizing strength, stability, and protection. These descriptions highlight

several key attributes of God. First is His unchangeable nature. Just as a rock remains

steadfast, God is constant and reliable. Second is a source of safety. A rock provides

shelter and refuge, representing God’s role as a protector in times of trouble. Thirdly,

He is a solid foundation. Rocks serve as a solid base for building, which illustrates how

God supports and strengthens those who trust in Him. Psalm 18:2 states “The LORD is

my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my rock in whom I take refuge.”

Our God is truly our Rock. He is steadfast. He is unmovable. He is our refuge and safe

place. No matter what we encounter in life, we have a firm foundation, a place of refuge,

and constant stability in our Lord and Savior. Are you resting in the Rock?

Psalm 62:6-7 “He only is my rock and my salvation: He is my defense; I shall not be

moved. In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge is

in God.

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My God Will Supply Every Need

Dean Hulce — Thu, 21 May 2026 08:30:12 +0000

Luke 12:24
Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn and yet God feeds them. Oh how much more value are you than the birds!

Whitetail deer, just like other wild animals, adjust their diets to what is seasonally available and accessible, changing their feeding habits to survive every season. In just a few days we will once again plant our soybean and our brassicas food plots. During the summer months the new plants will provide high-protein foods to support healthy growth for the deer, especially for the lactating doe. During the fall the plots will also provide needed food to aid in putting on fat for the approaching winter. These food plots also act as a magnet, keeping the deer close by during the hunting season. During the sub-zero winter days when food has become scarce and only twigs, bark and dry leaves are available, the beets, turnips, and radishes of the brassicas food plot will give the herd extra energy to survive another bitter winter here in the northland.

Creation is a wonderful thing to behold. Our God has provided everything the deer needs to survive and flourish. In fact the Creator has a plan in place to meet the needs of every land animal, every bird of the air and every fish of the sea.

Our God has also provided each of us with more than we can ask or think. Often we get consumed by storing up provisions and worrying about tomorrow. We read in Matthew 6:31-33 "...do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?'... your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."

Philippians 4:19 "And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus."

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RUN AWAY

Dean Hulce — Wed, 20 May 2026 08:30:52 +0000

1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

One morning, several years ago, a friend texted me and told me he was turkey hunting and someone near him shot a turkey from the window of their vehicle. Not only is this illegal, it's extremely unsportsmanlike... It's called "road hunting", but it has nothing to do with hunting... It's poaching.

Two hours later, as I was walking back from a hunt, I watched four gobblers walk into the woods near my vehicle. I had been calling to these birds for two hours, with little success. I saw right where they went into the woods and a thought popped into my head, "I bet I could just drive past them and shoot one.". Now, I've never done that and don'tbelieve I ever would. But the temptation was there. What did I do? I got to my truck, unloaded my gun and put it totally out of reach. And sure enough, there was a really big gobbler right there where I thought they would be as I drove out.

Have you ever felt unworthy or undeserving because you have been tempted? I'm not talking about giving in to temptation, just because you were temped? Don't allow yourself to accept the lie that you are something less because you were temped. Even Christ had temptation come to Him (Matthew 4:1).

If we don't feel like we're ever being tempted one of two things is happening, either we have gotten so far from Christ that we no longer recognize sin as sin and we give in to temptation without thinking. Or, we don't have a relationship with Christ in the first place and we don't care. But make no mistake, if you are a child of God, you will be tempted.

The Bible says we need to flee temptation. In 1 Corinthians 16:13 Paul writes, "Be alert. Continue strong in the faith. Have courage, and be strong". To "be alert" means to know what tempts you so that you can stay away from it.

In order to make it easier to avoid temptation there two things you need to stay away from... tempting situations and tempting associations, meaning certain people.

Pastor, John Baker, says, "If you hang around the barber shop long enough, you're going to get a haircut." so avoid the places and people where you are being tempted.

If you are continually being tempted in a situation or by a person, flee. Don't stand there and fight it, RUN.

Remember in 1 Corinthians 10:13 included this, "And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it."

It promises a "way out"... He will provide a door to escape. Find the door, don't walk through it, run through it!

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A God Of Second Chances - Joel Raygor

Dean Hulce — Tue, 19 May 2026 08:30:47 +0000

Nahum 1:7
The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and He knows those who take refuge in Him.

The morning of May 6th was clear and calm. A little before first light, my back was up against a big maple tree about forty yards into the timber.

Four days earlier, at this very spot, I had called a big tom into sixty yards. He saw my hen decoy, and decided he would just stay in the field and strut, looking big and handsome. In his mind, she would simply come to him. After thirty minutes of this hen playing hard to get, the big bird lost interest, tucked his wings, and walked away, never looking back.

This morning there would be no decoy, and my calling strategy would not be the same. A half hour before sunrise, I gave a few soft tree yelps followed by a flydown cackle. The tom gobbled from the same spot as he had a few days earlier. Instantly I responded with some aggressive cutting. The next time he gobbled I could tell he was much closer. Once again I gave an excited short series of cuts and yelps and then... I went silent. He was coming, but this time he would have to find the hen.

After a few minutes of silence, he gobbled, but all he got was more silence. About ten minutes went by, when he gobbled again. You could almost hear the panic in his gobble. The gun was on my knee when he crested the ridge at sixty yards. He thought he would see the hen and expected her to run to him. Instead he got nothing. After just minutes, that seemed like an hour, he finally decided he would come find this 'hot hen'. At thirty seven yards the jig was up.

Life doesn't always give us a second chance, but the good news is that our God is a God of second chances. Most of us mess up again and again, but, our God is patient. The bible shows God as a restorer who offers second chances, new beginnings, and abundant mercy to all of us when we repent and turn back to Him.

In Psalm 86:15 we read... "But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness."

Just as God is patient and forgiving, He wants His children to be patient with and forgiving of others. Our God is the God of second chances.

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A GOOD FATHER - Tim Jones GGO

Dean Hulce — Mon, 18 May 2026 08:30:01 +0000

1 John 3:1

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God

I recently had a short text conversation with a fellow Board member who was requesting prayer for his elderly father and himself. He had scheduled a turkey hunt for them and he was really looking forward to spending quality time with his Dad. Anyone who has had the opportunity to spend time in the woods or the blind with their Dad knows what a blessing it can be. I recounted how I had taken my Dad turkey hunting and called in his first gobbler. That is a memory that will be forever etched in my mind. My Dad has since gone to his heavenly home with Jesus but I know someday I will see him again and maybe we will talk about the good time we had on that hunt.

Time spent with our earthly father can be awesome, but how much more awesome is our relationship with our Heavenly Father. We have a short time here on earth with our Dads but we have an eternal relationship with God, our heavenly Father. God is a loving God who desires a close relationship with His children. John 3:16 tells us "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son."

We are also told in 1 John 3:1 "See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God."

God desires a personal and intimate relationship with us. God provides guidance and care for his children just like an earthly father cares for his children.

Psalm 32:8 states: "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go."

These passages highlight the loving, guiding, and caring nature of our Heavenly Father. Just as those good times we have with our Dads, we need those quality times with our Heavenly Father. Spend time with Him. Be faithful in our prayer life and always set time aside to draw near to Him through His word.

James 4:8 "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you."

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A BEAUTIFUL NEW BEGINNING Tim Jones – God's Great Outdoors

Dean Hulce — Fri, 15 May 2026 08:30:09 +0000

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

The attached photo was taken on a duck hunt in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan a couple years ago. The sun was just rising in the distance and was burning its way through the morning fog. This time of the morning is one of my favorite views of the new day while duck hunting. The sunrise is a testament of God's perfect creation and His promise of a new beginning.

When we place our trust and faith in Jesus Christ, we too become a new creation. Our lives are profoundly transformed. Just as each sunrise represents a new start to each day, this transformation represents a fresh start and a new life in Jesus.
2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."

We are spiritually renewed. Acceptance of Christ leads to a rebirth, where we are transformed and renewed. We receive a new identity. Believers are no longer defined by their past but by their new relationship with Christ. Being a new creature in Christ is central to Christian faith, which symbolizes hope, redemption, and the promise of a new beginning. Just as the sunrise is sure and is the start of a new day, a life that is rooted in trust and faith in Jesus Christ is a life that has a new purpose and identity.

The relationship with God that was broken due to sin, is restored to new life and that relationship is restored. Have you been renewed? Have you asked the Lord for forgiveness and placed your faith and trust in Him? He can save you from your sins and make you a renewed creature. There is new life available in Christ!
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

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CAPTURED

Dean Hulce — Thu, 14 May 2026 08:30:59 +0000

Ephesians 4:32
Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

I've told the story before about the elk calf that had gotten a leg caught in a wire fence. Rob and I were able to cut the wires and set the little elk free. It was a strange and joyous experience. That young elk stood next to us while we fixed that fence. We had freed him from the thing that kept him in bondage and he seemed thankful.

Many of us get ourselves entangled like that little calf and we struggle to get free and sometimes the struggle makes us feel like a prisoner... and other times we aren't even aware that we are caught in a situation.

I have several people close to me that hold grudges against someone that has passed away. To me this is a snare that holds us back from a full free life in Christ.

It reminds me of something that Cory Ten Boom wrote in her book, "THE HISING PLACE". She, her sister, and her father were Dutch Christians sent to a Nazi concentration camp for hiding Jews in their house. Here Ten Boom describes an encounter with one of her former guards (who did not remember her), after a talk she had given in 1946 in Germany, on God's forgiveness, only a couple years after she had been released from the concentration camp because of a "clerical error":

The guard came to Cory telling her how happy he was that Jesus had forgiven him. Then he stuck his hand out for hers... she could not bring herself to even lift her arm up. She prayed over and over, asking God to give her the strength to forgive as He forgives. Finally, God gave her not only the strength, but also the joy to forgive him and shack his hand.

In the book she wrote a very wise and insightful thought:
"Forgiveness is setting the prisoner free, only to find out that the prisoner was me" Corry Ten Boom.

How are you doing with letting hurt and pain go from others in your past. If you've not forgiven and let things go you are a trapped prisoner and you will never be fully free until you've given it up to God and follow you are holding things against

LET IT GO

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THE REAL THING

Dean Hulce — Wed, 13 May 2026 08:30:39 +0000

2 Corinthians 2:14-16
But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ's triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. 15 For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. 16 To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task?

There are true and real things and then there are false, poor imitations...

A while back, I was turkey calling and I had a hen answer my calls. You could tell by the way she was responding that she was very anxious for companionship. She came from behind me and walked out within 15-20 yards. She stayed that close for 3 hours. She would lay down in the field and then stand up again to call and look for another turkey, she was fooled by my calling, however, what she really wanted was the "real thing". She never knew I was there and eventually she lost interest when she never saw the real thing... and she walked off.

Some of us remember back in 1971 when Coke-a-cola had the slogan, "The Real Thing". Their selling point was that they were the true cola, all others were poor imitations.

In today's world there are so many people looking for the truth, looking for something that can only be found in one place, in God. There are many false Christianities out there... Built off of a person's own ideas, not God's word. These false Christians are leading people away with fancy slogans and hollow promises... All empty in the end.

In contrast to this is the true Christian faith built on the life, death and resurrection of God's own son, Jesus. Authentic Christianity never needs advertisement or publicity. It gives off a fragrance and a fascination that attracts people like flies are attracted to honey. Is everyone attracted to authentic Christianity? Absolutely not! Many people are outraged when they discover what Christianity is truly about. They run from the truth. But in general, the initial character of authentic Christianity is one which attracts crowds and compels admiration.

If you are searching for something today, If your life is not fulfilled... The only, "Real Thing" is a relationship with the one that gave His life for yours. You can count on Him.

John 14:6
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

He's the "Real Thing"!

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FINDING REST - TRUE REST

Dean Hulce — Tue, 12 May 2026 08:30:40 +0000

Matthew 11:28-30

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 for my yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

It’s turkey season and I am anxious to hear my first gobbler of the season. I’ve always been one to get up early and stay up late when hunting. I love the sound of birds waking up at the first crack of dawn. Opening day I used to be up very early and each day began to get later and later. After the first week it became later and later until I can’t function during the day. Even when I was in my prime I needed some days of rest

There are times in life when we just don't know if we can get up one more morning. Or we look ahead on our calendar and tell ourselves, "there's no possible way I can get through this". Quite often of our own strength we can't.

I generally find that it is in these times of questioning, " how am I going to do this" that I realize that I've been trying to do it on my own. I've not included God in my day and my planning.

But these verses were originally written to those that were under religious laws being enforced by the "spiritual" leaders of the day. The burden of trying to live up to the expectations of being seen as "good" was too heavy to bear. When Christ came He lifted that burden off of us and hung it on the cross. We just need to totally give ourselves to Him.

So today, whether you are burdened with trying to be good enough by man's standards to get to heaven or are overloaded with daily burdens... Give them all to God... Allow Him to carry those for you and the ones that He sees as unnecessary, He will get rid of for you. Trust Him with all of it.

Through Christ we will find the rest we need.

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WALKING WITH JESUS

Dean Hulce — Mon, 11 May 2026 14:40:44 +0000

Colossians 2:6
Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him,

We need to know the no matter how far we've run away from Jesus, we can never outrun His love for us? We will never be loved by anyone else how we are loved by Jesus. The world will draw us in but then it doesn't really care about us. The priests didn't care about Judas, they threw him away as soon as he kissed Jesus to identify Him. Jesus loves us unconditionally. Even as He was dying on the cross... in His last breaths He prayed "Father forgive them, they know not what they do" (Luke 23:32). The world, and our friends there, will never do that for us.

Have you run from a close relationship with God? He's still right there waiting for you? Do you know someone else that has run? Remind them that they are loved and it's never too late.

As we look back on the celebration of what Jesus did on the cross and from the grave, remember that Jesus died and rose again so we have a hope and assurance that we can never outrun His love. He is longing for all of us to stay close to him or if we've run... to come back to Him.

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THE COMING GLORY

Dean Hulce — Fri, 08 May 2026 08:22:31 +0000

James 1:12
Blessed is the one who perseveres under trials because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

Many years ago on my first trip to South Dakota, to hunt turkeys on the Cheyenne River Reservation I got myself into a disastrous situation. After meeting up with two friends for a quick midday lunch, they left for another area6 miles away. I thought I had been plenty of ammunition and headed off.

A few minutes later I missed a turkey and realized I was out of ammo... I had set the remaining shells in the truck at lunch.

I decided to walk cross country to where my buddies were and hunt with them. I headed NW, knowing I would eventually find them. It was a tough walk over high buttes, where prairie dogs barked at me and where I watched every step for rattle snakes. After 3 hours I crossed a river and I knew I had to be close. Along the way I picked up the skull and antlers of a huge whitetail buck and tied it to my pack... adding one more burden.

I had been without water all day and I was cramping and stumbling. I was beginning to get worried that I would shutdown and be stuck there. But as I came out of the river and climbed the bank, I was shocked to see one buddy walking. He had juice and water in his pack and shared it with me.

A few minutes later we heard a gobbler close by. I let out a few calls and a whole bunch of birds answered. I called a few times more and a flock of gobblers rushed in. The two of us filled our tags quickly. What looked like a disaster ended in celebration.

I had pushed forward that day. It wasn't easy. I added extra burdens to the struggle as I tied the weight of antlers to my back. I persevered through sometimes big climbs and steep descents. I kept going when my legs, my lungs and my desire to rest tried to get me to stop... and in the end I was rewarded.
In everyday life it Is hard to go through trials and hardships; death in the family, financial disaster, major health issues abandonment etc... And at the time we rarely feel blessed by the trial. However if and when we endure these trials and not lose our focus on Christ, one blessing we can have is peace in our lives. Linda and I always question how it is possible for people to go through major painful issues and struggles without God... It doesn't seem possible. The promise is the ultimate sharing of glory with Christ. That's the only way I can understand the possibility of joy in the midst of terrible trials.

The last part of the verse above starts with, "that person will receive the crown of life". A few books later, in Revelation 2:9-10, the Lord would affirm to the church in Smyrna, "I know you're afflictions and your poverty," but this would not be his entire message to them. He also encourages that persecuted church by adding, "Yet you are rich!" In what way could they possibly be called "rich" while knowing poverty, slander, imprisonment and other persecution "even to the point of death"? The Lord's answer would be his promise, "I will give you the crown of life." That promise of the Lord is the kind of encouragement James gives the suffering Christian in verse 12 promising with the same phrase that God "will give the crown of life."

Today, as I prayed for the persecuted church around the world I thought of the believers in Israel, Iran and throughout the Middle East. I thought of what they've been facing recently. There may be more coming their way.

We will all face turbulence in our lives, we'll see the "trials and tests" that James wrote about. But... today, this week, this month, this year... As you face these struggles and pain... Take heart! God knows your trial, endure it with His help and look forward to the Glory that He has promised. This life is short and there is a promise of an eternity of perfection with Him when we've endured it all... with our faith and trust in Him.

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Two Are Better Than One

Dean Hulce — Thu, 07 May 2026 08:30:39 +0000

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor:
10 If either of them falls down,one can help the other up, but pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.
11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?
12 Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Last week my 'spring turkey tour' started out on the prairies of central South Dakota with a new hunting companion named Tom. Over a year ago we had met on Facebook and soon discovered that both of us shared the love of hunting, of God's awesome creation, and of faith in Jesus Christ. Tom was familiar with the unit where I had just drawn a spring turkey tag, and he had hunted that area in the past. He said he would gladly meet me out there and show me some of the spots he had hunted and harvested birds. After a six hour drive by both of us, we met and for the next day Tom showed me some great spots where he had taken birds in the past. With Tom's intel, I was able to tag a nice prairie gobbler by mid- afternoon of the first day.

There was something about Tom's unselfishness, his willingness to help, and his excitement to see another brother's success that reminded me we are instructed in the scripture to love one another, forgive one another, and to bear one another's burdens. Brothers in Christ share a common interest, a common goal, and a common love because we share a bond in Him. Tom was acting out Hebrews 13:16 that says, "Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God."

I think of the phrase "Two are better than one" that comes from the Bible verses in Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 which highlights the value of companionship and teamwork. This passage emphasizes that two people together can help each other succeed. If one falls the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in trouble.

Probably nobody in history grasped the value of friendship more than King David did. Throughout David's life, he sometimes found himself as the hunter and other times as the hunted. David wrote in Psalm 133:1 "Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!"

Remember "Two Are Better Than One"

Thank you Joel Raygor

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WHERE IS YOUR CITIZENSHIP?

Dean Hulce — Wed, 06 May 2026 08:30:02 +0000

Philippians 3:20-21
But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

My first time hunting Texas was very special. My flight was very late getting in and by the time we got to the hunting camp it was about 2:00am.   We slept a few hours and got out to the deer stands in the dark. We daylight broke it was like being in a different world.   I shot a nice buck that morning and I fell in love with Texas right then and there.

I've been to Texas many times since then. Several times to hunt and many times to do ministry work.   I've also been in many other states and provinces and I've enjoyed all of them. As much as I love hunting other locations and traveling for ministry, I love going back to Michigan and our home.

The thought, from the verses above, that "our citizenship is in heaven" is great to think on. When you are a citizen of a country you belong there, and it is an honor or benefit to the citizenhip. To be a citizen of heaven is something very special as normally as we change citizenship we have to change life drastically... With being a citizen of heaven we don't change at death... The only change is really going from an imperfect world... to a perfect eternity.

So with this promise of continued citizenship we know that there should be no fear. Here in our world, living where we do, there aren't a lot to fear.   And in Heaven there is nothing but joy and excitement for what lies ahead.

Henry Van Dyke once said,
"Some People are so afraid to die that they never begin to live"

Begin to live today... Don't fear what lies ahead, there is a promise that what is to come is much better than what we have here now. Our citizenship doesn't change when we cross over to Heaven. The day you accept the gift that Jesus gave us has paid the price for entry. And our citizenship began that day. Eternal life begins then

My question to you is, "where is your citizenship?"

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False Peaks

Dean Hulce — Tue, 05 May 2026 08:16:12 +0000

Isaiah 55:8-9
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,' declares the Lord. 'As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts

As elk season open in the Colorado mountains we were excited to see 4 legal bull elk high above us at about timberline. It was a 2,000 foot climb but from far away it looked like a straight shot to the summit. As we began our ascent we realized there were a few false peaks that obstruct your view of the actual summit on the last part of the ascent. What we thought would take 90 minutes ended up taking twice that long. When we got to the place where the elk had been the sun was shining brightly and the heat had driven them into the dark timber.

Elk hunting is often like that. Life has so many twists and turns that are often unseen and it's the same way.

When we persevere towards an objective, through hardship and obstacles it can be difficult to not get discouraged when we think we are close to the end, but realize we still have quite a ways to go.

This can happen in life, too!
You think you are close to a goal or close to the end of a stressful or a painful time of life, only to turn a corner and realize there is still some time left before you can consider this journey completed.

Maybe it's something you chose that is still challenging, llike marriage or business. Maybe it's something grief-filled like illness or loss.

God wants to be with you in those seasons, and wants to carry the burden of that disappointment with you. If we rely on Him, He will set our path and do all we need to reach a successful end.

Joel Raygor and Dean Hulce

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THREE LITTLE THINGS

Dean Hulce — Mon, 04 May 2026 08:10:28 +0000

James 1:19
"Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry"

It was the first morning of the elk hunt and Jim and I had climbed straight up the mountain to try together into the herd of elk we had watched the night before. Soon after daylight we were close to a bull. We had the thermals right and he didn't know we were within 50 yards. He was feeding up the mountain away from us, offering no shot. I made one soft call to him and he looked toward us and then walked out of our lives forever. He didn't like something about what was said and we never heard or saw him again. The wrong thing said at the wrong time ruined a perfectly good hunt.

How often in life have we said something that we regret later? It may have been something that was perfectly innocent, but someone heard it and took it wrong and they turned and walked away, upset or hurt. This happens all too often and many relationships are destroyed by the wrong words and not listening carefully.

There are three instructions in James 1:19; be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry... seems simple enough. But how many of us live this out? How many of us really want to listen carefully to someone else's opinion before we give our own? If we watch the news and see when they have two guests with differing opinions, rarely does one get done with a sentence before the other jumps in over them in the conversation. Before long tempers are high and they are both angry. Why? Because both are talking, neither are listening and both have become angry.

The three instructions that James gave show up all too often when we do the opposite of what he suggests. When we're quick to speak, Small issues turn into BIG problems. When we're slow to listen we don't truly hear the other person and miscommunication turns into an argument. When we're quick to become angry, because of the miscommunication, we become bitter and our relationships are often destroyed.

There's a saying that says that we too often listen to respond instead of listening to understand. We start preparing our response when the other person is only half way through what they are saying. When we give our response the other person in the conversation is offended because you didn't listen to what they really said... and so it goes downhill quickly.

I've heard it said that, "God gave us two ears and only one mouth, so we should listen twice as much as we speak". I would change that, I believe we should listen three times as much. If we just first listen with our ears (we just hear the words), then listen with our minds (think about what was said), then listen with our heart (allow God to give you the understanding of what was said). It's after this that we can give a godly response. If we stop that process at the ears or mind our response will be from our own thoughts and not those of God.

Learning to follow the three steps in James 1:19 is a tough thing to do. It means giving up our own selfish desires and allowing others to win sometimes. But as life goes on the blessings that come from those three short thoughts will change our lives.

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YOUR HAND OF BLESSING

Dean Hulce — Fri, 01 May 2026 08:30:20 +0000

YOUR HAND OF BLESSING
Joel Gaygor

Psalm 139:5
You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head.

A few days ago, after a successful morning in the timber, I took a few photos and then sat next to the big old longbeard Gobbler and thought about all the people who were instrumental in getting me to that very spot. There was my dad, but there were also a number of other men who years past had taken me on hunting adventures and encouraged my love of the hunt. I got thinking about other areas of my life and how God had brought the right people into my life at just the right time to bring me to where I am today.

God is famous for caring and preparing us for great things. He walks ahead of us to fight the battles we fear. He knows the road we will travel and He promises to lead us.

I can't help but think about Samuel who stopped and took time to remember how God had brought him through the battle and to that very spot. He proclaimed, "Thus far the LORD has helped us," establishing a permanent, tangible reminder of God's protection and faithfulness by placing a stone on that spot and naming it Ebenezer.

1 Samuel 7:12 "Thus far the LORD has helped us,"

Regardless of what you are dealing with, stop and take a moment to thank God for where you are and what He has brought you through.

Prayer: "Heavenly Father, Thank You for the people you have placed in my life for encouragement. Thank You for daily provisions and for bringing me to this very spot. Help me to be grateful for where I am and forgive me for the times I have doubted You. Thank You for Your amazing grace that cleanses me. Amen"

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Running Without The Light

Dean Hulce — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 08:00:17 +0000

Psalm 119:105

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."

When I was younger, I would load up my family and head back to visit my kinfolk in eastern Kentucky on a very regular basis. Often, it was about every other weekend.

These weekend trips were common for people who were from Kentucky who now lived in the southeast Ohio region. I have a cousin there in Kentucky who was an avid coon hunter and always had some fine coon hounds. I always looked forward to potentially going hunting with him on these trips. Since I didn't do much coon hunting on my own, I really didn't have the proper equipment. This often meant I went into the woods at night without the proper clothes, boots, and most importantly a good coon light.

If you have ever been in the deep, dark woods at night without a light, you know exactly where I'm going with this. Whenever the dogs treed, we would often take out running through the woods to get to the treed coon. Believe me, running through the woods at night without any light can be very treacherous. I often stumbled, tripped, and fell many times and came out scratched, bumped, and bruised. All because I had no light to illuminate the snares and dangers.

Aren't you glad that we as Christians have a light to guide us through the dark times. Those times when we try to navigate on our own and we just wind up stumbling in the darkness and running right into danger and getting hurt. Psalms 119:105 emphasizes the importance of God's teachings in providing guidance and direction in our life. This verse tells us that God's word helps illuminate the right choices and paths in life. It also implies that following His word can protect us from dangers and missteps as well as provide clarity, helping believers navigate through life's challenges.

Don't charge into the darkness without a light! Get into God's word and use the "light" to lead you daily. Be steady in your prayer life and seek His guidance in all things. He will lead you and guide you on the lit path.

Psalm 19:8 "the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing in the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes;"

Thank you Tim Jones

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MOVING FORWARD, TRUSTING GOD

Dean Hulce — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 08:00:16 +0000

Exodus 14:15-16
Tell the children of Israel to go forward. 16 But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.

Its been a beautiful afternoon, sunny and warm. Then suddenly a cold wet wind blew up from the northwest. The bull elk were bugling in the basin just below us, but they were going to have to wait. It was about 10 miles back to camp and we got in the truck just as the downpour began.

We slid down the mountain from 11,000 to 8,000. The rain got more intense all the way down. As the storm intensified the clouds brought on darkness, an hour earlier than normal, we got in trouble when we couldn't make it up a small hill as liquid mud ran in our tracks. We slid backwards into the valley and when we stopped I look out my window and was staring over the edge of a 25 ft cliff. I was in a bad place there seemed to be no way out. We we're 7 miles from camp and it looked like we were spending a wet night under a tree.

I radioed to camp and let them know the situation. One of the other guides cut in and said that he could drive to the top of the hill about us and meet us there. What seemed like there was no way out of the dangerous situation, someone stepped in a did the seemingly impossible.

As the Israelites were traveling from Egypt they came against the Red Sea things seemed impossible. It looked like the Egyptian soldiers would either kill them or capture and return them back to Egypt to continue their slavery.

When all seemed hopeless the loving God stepped in and pulled them out of the situation. God did the same thing for the same people 40 years later when they came up against the Jordan.

What is it that you have come against today? What is it that seems impossible in your life? God has a plan that can bring you out of your situation and put you on the track that He has set before you. You have to be willing to move forward in order to be successful.

Exodus 14:13
And Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today for the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever.
The Israelites had a choice; stay where they were or trust the Lord and move forward. We have the same choice; stay in our same hopeless situations or we can trust God and move forward.

The choice is ours.

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SURE COULD USE A LITTLE GOOD NEWS TODAY

Dean Hulce — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 08:30:29 +0000

John 3:16
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life."

My cell phone "dinged" and a message from my wife popped up with just "BBD". I knew that Linda was pickier than most everyone else out there and if she would send a message of "BBD" (meaning BIG BUCK DOWN) It was going to truly be a big buck... and it was and it was Good News

As a guide I work hard to get my hunters into a position to harvest the best animals they can. I do all that I can to make it happen. There are hunts where everything goes right and it is one joyful day after another.   But there are some hunts where nothing seems to go right. No matter how hard I try I can't produce the kind of results that I want. So a text of "BBD" is welcome and is good news. In life we all could use a little good news today.

Our news media makes their money by printing or televising sensational news. The headlines are meant to grab us and draw us in.   There was a time when we could trust the news that showed up on out TV or radio.

Today with AI we can't trust anything we see. We have to test and confirm everything we see. There is misleading and lies in print and AI has gone from almost cartoon like images to images that are so good we sometimes can't tell the truth from a lie. Bad news floods our media and we don't know if its true of not.

Each day we get news of new wars and ongoing wars that tell of deaths by the 100's... it's quite depressing. Can everything be as bad as it seems? Even what is supposed to be good news is not good. We are told some mornings that the war is about over and by after we're told that it might get worse before it gets better.

Ann Murray sang a song back in 1983 that sums up our world today. She sings of watching the news and reading the paper and getting nothing but bad news. She begs for something different and says, "We sure could use a little good news today". We're in that same boat now.

Amongst all the bad news, the fake news and the lies we need to realize that there truly is good news. John 3:16 tells us that God loves us through it all. He loves us enough that He was willing to send His own Son to die a miserable death to give us life. This is eternal good news.

This verse and hundreds more come from the writers John, Luke, Mark and Matthew. The four book of the Bible that they wrote are called the Gospel. Many don't know and others forget that these "Gospels" are literally the "Good News" of Jesus Christ. The word "Gospel" does literally mean "Good News".

There's an old saying that goes, "there's only two things for certain in life, death and taxes". We are all going to some day die. Our bodies will cease to life, there's no doubt. But because of the Good News of Jesus Christ in the Gospel, especially in John 3:16. We can go on living forever in heaven. How's that for Good News?

The bad news that is coming at us, day in and day out shouldn't get us down. We can have Good News... we have a Savior that can lift us above the depressing news. John 16:33 shows us that we need not worry about what is happening around us today.
"These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation (bad news), but take courage; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)

There is great news amongst this world's mess. Trust Jesus, believe that Easter, that we just celebrated a couple weeks ago was what He did just for you. Make Him the Lord of your life. He has overcome this world and so will we, when we believe. That's the GOOD NEWS we need to hear today.

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