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

BE PREPARED TO GIVE AN ANSWER

Dean Hulce — Thu, 20 Aug 2026 08:30:18 +0000

2 Timothy 4:2
Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.

Dave and I had paddled the river all day, he in the front and me in the back. We had whispered when we talked because we had our bows and arrows across our laps, hoping to drift up on a buck along the riverbank.   We stopped and cooked a little lunch at mid day and sat and soaked in the sounds and smells of fall. At the end of the day we arrived in a still backwater near the boat landing. I had been there many times, as a kid, with my dad, and knew that I could find the landing in the dark so we just sat in the canoe well after dark. The night sounds filled the air; coyotes, owls and many other birds, all mixed with the sounds of fish slurping bugs off the surface of the water.

We just sat back in the canoe seats for a long time just enjoying God's creation.   Finally, while looking up at the star filled night sky, I broke the silence. I remember exactly what I said, "its hard for me to imagine that someone can take all this in and not believe there is a Creator". There was a long pause and then Dave responded, "I guess that's the way I feel". I was blown away. He was a young man in his late 20s that loved the outdoors as much as anyone I knew. He could survive for many days in the woods off of what he found and he understood how it all worked... he knew the creation... yet he didn't know the creator, he didn't even believe there was one. Dave listened to my explanation of why I have to believe in a God that created everything good. In the end Dave wasn't swayed. I've prayed for Dave for years and to this day I'm not sure where he stands with God

This morning I've been considering how someone can look around at all of nature (God's creation)and honestly say, "there is no God". I've watched a hummingbird out my window and marveled at how the paper thin wings could hold together as they fly at blinding speed, at times even in a pouring rain. I've seen a bumblebee on Linda's flowers and thought that without a God this overweight, oversized creature could never fly. I considered the human being and how a baby is formed from the act of conception to birth, a single cell splitting and splitting over and over until a baby arrives, and in seconds begins breathing on his own. I contemplate our earth and solar system. We are currently 94.11 million miles from the sun, if we to drift even 1% of that distance closer or further away, we could not survive... What holds us there?     I've come to the conclusion that those that can't find a way to believe in the true God, after all the evidence, have been blinded.

C.S. Lewis explains it this way...
"We may ignore, but we can nowhere evade the presence of God. The world is crowded with Him. He walks everywhere incognito."

It seems that no matter how much we speak, how hard we try to convince someone of God's existence and the sacrifice of His son, some people just don't see. This however does not relieve us from the responsibility of sharing what Christ has given us to share. And our responsibility doesn't end at a belief in God... most already do. The arguments are as sound to the truth of Jesus Christ, who He was and is, and what He did and does. We must share Jesus Christ above all things. Be prepared from Genesis all the way through Revelations and the heart of what they teach.

John 20:31
but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name

The 2nd book of Timothy tells us to study and to work... and be prepared.
2 Timothy 2:15
Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

1 Peter 3:15
but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you...

Watch for any and every opportunity to share what God has done for you... Be prepared to give an answer...

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HOME SWEET HOME

Dean Hulce — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 08:30:50 +0000

Philippians 1:21-24
For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. 23 But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; 24 yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake.

I've always loved to travel. It's a good thing that I enjoy it, I do an awful lot of it. Making new friends, seeing new places, experiencing new things and sharing the good news of Jesus Christ is what makes travel enjoyable for me.

Several years ago my wife gave me a Christmas gift of an airline ticket to Alabama where I flew to hunt deer. While I love to hunt deer, the highlight of the trip was the wonderful friendships I made. I expected to get to know Bo and Tricia, which I did and fell in love with that family.... But the other handful of friends that I met made the trip worthwhile as well.

Now, at this time Linda and I are traveling more than staying home. We are blessed to continue to share Jesus with others and making countless friends as we go back and forth across the USA.

What I've noticed about my travel is, as much as I love the travel, I love heading home as much or even more. When it's time to head towards home, my heart just aches to get there. This is especially true when my family is not with me.

In his letter to the Philippians, Paul wrote that he was torn between wanting to stay and going home. He was talking about his eternal home. I think as we get older, we long more and more to be home with our Lord. What an awesome assurance we have to be with Him someday. We become hand pressed to choose which we want more... to remain here in this life or to pass on, into our eternal glory in heaven.

God has built a homing instinct into each of us.... We were made with a desire to be in heaven one day. Ecclesiastes 3:11 says, "He has planted eternity in the human heart.". God has even built a desire to be "home" into the wildlife that He created.... In San Juan Capistrano, year after year, the swallows return to their nests. I saw it on Kodiak Island Alaska as well, where millions upon millions of salmon return to where they were born.

If you don't now have a desire to be home with the Lord, please consider your relationship with Him. He has established a homing desire in all His children. As much as I long to be in heaven one day, God desires even more to have me there.

Are you longing to be home? God is waiting to meet you face to face. Are you ready? Until we go, we have just one job to do.... To tell others about Jesus and the gift He has to offer.... Do it well and your homecoming in heaven will even be sweeter.

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Choose Life

Dean Hulce — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 08:30:34 +0000

by Joel Raygor

Deuteronomy 30:19

"I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life."

Depending on the time of the year, the temperature, and rainfall, my wife will head to the woods to hunt mushrooms. She'll say, "Today could be the day they decide to pop out." Her favorites are Chicken Of The Woods, Golden Chanterelles, Hen Of The Woods, and of course Morels.

Actually, mushrooms don't just pop out, they grow to reproduce. They are the "fruit" of an underground network of fungus called mycelium. When the weather conditions are just right, this network sends up a mushroom to release tiny spores into the air, in the same way a plant grows a flower or fruit to produce seeds. The mycelium is underground and what we see and call the mushroom is actually the flower containing the fruiting part of the organism.

God's creation is an amazing thing to behold. God created all things full-grown and mature, but with the ability to reproduce, each one "according to its kind" (Gen. 1:11-12). The flower would bring forth flowers "according to its kind," the mushroom would bring forth mushrooms "according to its kind," and the human would bring forth humans "according to its kind." That's the way God designed it.

However, God gave humans something special... 'free will'. So even though I might look like my father or mother, I can choose to act differently and believe totally differently than they did.

Throughout the Bible we see examples of people making their own choices and then facing responsibility for their decisions. In Proverbs 16:9 King Solomon wrote, "In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps."

God tells the people in Deuteronomy 30:19, "I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life." Every day we all have choices to make.

Joshua 24:15 "Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve."

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A Fortunate Man

Dean Hulce — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 15:31:56 +0000

By Tim Jones

1 John 5:13

These things I have written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God

I heard a statement the other day that went something like this; “fortunate is the man that knows his destiny”. I immediately began thinking about how nobody knows the day, time, and manner that they will leave this world. Nobody knows the exact circumstance of their death. The Bible tells us that our life is but a vapor and then we are gone. Our days are actually numbered and only known to God. James 4:14 asks the question; “What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes”. This verse teaches us about the fleeting nature of life, urging us to make the most of our time here on earth.

The next question we should be asking about our destiny is where we will spend eternity after we die. We are not like the animals that do not have a soul and when they die, their physical bodies are returned to the dust and they are gone forever. Humans are created by God with an eternal soul that will leave the body at the time of physical death and spend eternity in one of two places. Those places will be one of peace in paradise and being in the presence of Jesus Christ or one of torment, separation, and eternal damnation. You don’t know when and how but you can know where. There is hope of things eternal for the Christian. In John 14: 2-3, Jesus told His disciples: “In my Fathers house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also”. The thief on the cross knew his destiny. He knew he was going to die a horrible death but he also knew where his soul would be after his death. Jesus told him “Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise”. That thief recognized that he was a sinner and was receiving what he deserved but Jesus was being unjustly crucified and asked Jesus to remember him when He came into His kingdom. We too can have that confidence in our eternal destiny. If we confess our sins and repent, and place our trust in Jesus Christ for our eternal salvation, we truly will be saved to eternal life.

I consider myself a fortunate man because I know whatever befalls me in this physical life, I know my eternal destiny.

Praise to the Lord and to Him be all the glory!

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Don't Settle For Good Enough

Dean Hulce — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 08:30:08 +0000

Isaiah 64:6
For all of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy rags; and all of us wither like a leaf, and our wrongdoings, like the wind, take us away.

It was a great day of hunting in 1986 in Illinois. Sam Townsend had been in the stand for a while and it was the best day of hunting in his life. There were bucks all around him and he was trying to get a shot on one of the biggest. He was just about ready to shoot a good buck when suddenly a buck of many lifetimes stepped out into the area. Same lost all interest in the bucks that had held his attention and immediately turned his attention to the bigger buck. In a just a matter of second Sam had a buck that is one of the biggest bucks ever taken in Illinois.

The first group of bucks were good bucks, maybe very good... but if Sam had taken one of those bucks, whole he might have been satisfied, no one in the whitetail hunting world would never have known his name. A friend if mine that speaks at a lot of churches has used a quote often, "Good is the enemy of great".

This saying is true in our lives as well. We can go along in life and settle for good... doing what seems right and even moral, we might look good to others, but in God's eyes, if we've not accepted the gift He's given, we are filthy. You see, God gave His Son, Jesus Christ so we can become perfectly clean in His eyes. Without Jesus, we are what they verse above says we are.

Are you settling for good in your life? Or are you striving for greatness through a relationship with Jesus Christ? Where is your heart. It doesn't matter how good we can be, we're never good enough on our own.

Don't settle for good, we'll never be good enough, allow God to make you great!

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THE BLESSINGS OF SERVING

Dean Hulce — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 08:30:10 +0000

Philippians 2:5-7
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

I don't Remember a time when I wasn't guiding someone, somewhere, for something. I guess it probably started when I brought school friends to our hunting camp and showed them some places to hunt. Or maybe it was when I brought a few others trout fishing on some streams I loved to fish. Without knowing it, taking a couple people with me, here and there, turned into a lifelong passion and a career. It might not have made much money... but it was worth every cent I never made.

Over the last nearly 40 years the span of places I've guided has taken me from our southern border, just north of the Rio Grande River, to the mountains, rivers and lakes of Alaska. I've loved nearly every minute of it.

One of the things that I have enjoyed the most about guiding, whether for money or for free is the serving part. To see the excitement on the face of a young boy or girl or old man that just took their first buck, gobbler, elk or bear makes all of the hard work worthwhile. There's something about serving and seeing results that lifts the person doing the service work.

A couple of years ago we volunteered to host a deer hunt for a couple of kids from other parts of the country. One young lady in particular came from down south and she and her family had very little in possessions. She was so excited about everything she experienced here. When she took her buck, (a big 7 point) to see the tears in her eyes and her dad's eyes was more valuable than me shooting a record book buck myself. That's what serving others is all about...

God calls us to serve. He's give you and I skills or knowledge that someone else doesn't have, God put us together as a family and prepared us with different abilities for a reason, to serve one another. Mark 10:45 tells us, "For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

When Jesus speaks about serving, we should listen to Him. Here is the very God of the universe Who came as a Man to serve. The word He uses for servant is the Greek word "diakoneō" which is where we get the name "deacon". Diakoneō means; "to be a servant of, to serve, wait upon, or minister to." That is what every one of us is called to do. Not to be a deacon but to be a servant of the members of Christ's Body, the church and to the world beyond. He served to the uttermost, giving His very "life as a ransom for many."

How do we not serve others in simple ways, when Jesus did what He did for us? I've found that the serving others is a true blessing to me as well... We see these blessing in different ways, but they are always there. There is true reward for serving others. As we serve others we are serving God Himself.

"Serve the Lord with gladness." — Psalm 100:2

What a great thought for the one that loves the Lord. Serving is a sweet aroma to the one that is focused on others and the Lord. But to the one that is living for himself, "serving" is a bitter thought. The very thought of serving is drudgery, work, even painful. There is no joy in the effort to those that don't love the Lord.

If we look around and listen to the needs of others, we will see and hear of needs and opportunities to serve. There is little that is more gratifying than filling the needs of a friend or a stranger.

Share the blessings.

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SEEING CLEARLY

Dean Hulce — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 08:30:33 +0000

John 12:46
I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.

I had to squint hard but I knew that it was a deer out in front of me. I just couldn't tell if it was a buck or a doe. As the light was growing I could see it was a buck and looked like a good one. Just as I was getting ready to shoot, the deer stepped into the woods never to be seen again. It was Nov 15th and opening morning of deer season and I had just let a trophy buck slip through my fingers.

I've found that as I older it is getting harder and harder to see in low light conditions. As dusk approaches my vision diminishes. I need the light of the day to see clearly. And so it is with my spiritual walk. The longer I walk with Christ, the less I am able to function in the dark. My need for the light of Christ in my daily life grows greater and greater each year. This isn't an acknowledgement of a weakness on my part, but an understanding of my need for His strength. During the parts of my life when I didn't walk with Christ, I was much more comfortable in the dark. It was easy to hide there. The light of day exposed my spiritual shortcomings and sin nature. The light of Christ revealed my darkness, and when He exposed my sinful to the light of His gospel, my sin could not survive. So, we must walk in the light as He is in the light.

1 Corinthians 1:1
Now we see things imperfectly as in a cloudy mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity.

Allow God to remove the darkness from around you. He will brighten your view if you choose to live away from the sin of this world.

John 8:12
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

Don't walk in darkness. Allow Christ to light your life

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Who’s Your Guide?

Dean Hulce — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 08:30:03 +0000

By Tim Jones

Isaiah 30:21 “Whether you turn to the right or the left, your ears
will hear a voice behind you, saying, This is the way, walk in it.”

I think most of us know what a hunting or fishing guide does. The
dictionary states that a guide is one who shows the way by leading,
directing, or advising. A good guide is someone who can advance the
overall experience for their clients, leading to successful and
memorable outings. To do this, a guide must possess critical skills to
be effective. These skills include, knowledge and expertise, very
effective communication skills, planning and organization skills,
instructional skills, as well as physical fitness. Without these skills, the
guide may be ineffective and unable to add productive value to the
hunting or fishing experience. I heard someone the other day say that
“you can’t teach what you don’t know, and you can’t lead others if you
don’t live it yourself.” This statement definitely applies to guides.

For Christians, we have the ultimate guide. Psalm 37:5 tells us, Let
the LORD be your guide into the future. Trust in Him and he will help
you.” It is impossible for God to fail as your guide. If we submit to His
leadership and wisdom he will lead us in the right paths. Psalm 32:8
states, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I
will counsel you with my loving eye on you.” These verses all highlight
the importance of having God as your guide in life and seeking His
wisdom in all aspects of life. Are you listening to your guide?

John 16:13 “When the Spirit of Truth comes, he will guide you into
all truth.”

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DON'T LOSE HEART

Dean Hulce — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 12:54:04 +0000

Galatians 6:9
And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart

One archery elk season in southern Colorado I was guiding with a group of other guides. My first hunter had tagged out on a great bull elk and I was blessed to guide Harris for the last couple of days. On the last morning of his hunt we started low on the mountain, at about 8,000 feet of elevation, where we had been seeing some good bulls. We got on the bulls right away but they were headed uphill quickly, chasing a heard of cow elk.

We followed them all morning going straight uphill through the aspens and spruce. Three or four times I was able to call bulls out of the herd and into only feet of us, but each time they were younger bulls and not what Harris was after. There were times we felt like giving up as we felt like we would never catch the herd, but we kept going. At about 1:00 we, had climbed to about 10,000 ft and decided to stop for a snack. I radioed the camp and told them we would be staying out for the day.

After relaxing for only 4-5 minutes a bull bugled just below us. We jumped up and off we went. Suddenly there were several bulls calling and as we got close one big bull came running in from above us and stopped at 20 yards. Harris made a good shot and the hunt was over. After 6 hours of pushing hard, straight up the mountain, it happened so easily. I couldn't help but think if we had gotten a bull early down low on the mountain, we would have missed out on an awesome day of elk hunting.

It is so easy to "lose heart" when we work and work at a project and don't see progress. Or, we pray for something or someone and it seems as though nothing is happening. We need to not grow weary and remember that God's timing is not our timing. Our entire lifetime cannot be more than a dot on the "line" of eternity and what we view as a "long time", is nothing in God's view of eternity. That thing you have worried about or worked on for a week, a month, a year or more is just waiting for God's timing to be perfect.

Isaiah 40:31 tells us... "but they who wait for 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."

When we wait on the Lord's timing things are working into His will and not our own. When we are impatient and try to do things in our own timing or get discouraged and quit we miss out on God's blessings. Be patient, stay the course, when we allow God to work in and through us, in His timing, whatever it is that we are called to will work just as He's planned

Wait on the Lord's timing and don't lose heart. He knows what your waiting on and has a perfect plan.

ECCLESIASTES 3:1
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven

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Problems and Solutions

Dean Hulce — Thu, 06 Aug 2026 08:30:36 +0000

by Tim Jones

Romans 5:10

While we were yet enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son.

Everyone has problems. Our government has problems. Our
families have problems. Our churches have problems. Our
businesses have problems. Sometimes it feels like our whole lives
are nothing but problems. These problems could be insignificant
or enormous. You may not have enough money to cover the rent
this month and you are facing eviction. The car needs tires and
the money just isn't there. A family member is sick and you're not
sure you are going to be able to get them the care they need. You
spilled coffee on your pants on your way to work for an important
meeting with the Boss. All of these problems need some type of
solution, and sometimes the solution is not clear. If you are like
me, you try to "fix" every problem that you encounter. I don't like
to leave things undone and needing attention. Often, some
problems are beyond my control to provide a solution.

All humankind has a really big problem that they cannot fix. This
problem started a long time ago in a place called the Garden of
Eden. That problem has been passed to all humans and
continues today. This problem is sin and separation from God
because of it. Romans 3:23 states; "All have sinned and fall short
of the glory of God." We are incapable of fixing this problem on
our own. God cannot entertain sin so therefore we cannot
approach an all Holy God in our natural condition. Our sin
problem requires a miraculous solution. Praise God there is a
solution. God himself provided that solution in His Son, Jesus
Christ. The Bible tells us that "God so loved the world that He
gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes on Him shall
not perish, but have everlasting life." The precious blood of Jesus that He shed on the cross for your and my sins is the only
solution. Faith and trust in Jesus for our salvation is the only
answer to our problem. We can't fix our problem. Only Jesus is
qualified and able to fix our problem. Jesus himself stated "I am
the Way, the Truth, and the Life."

All we are required to do is place our faith and trust in Jesus as our personal Savior, and he is "faithful and just to forgive us our sins." Are you willing to simply receive what God has already
done through his Son Jesus?

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THE PERFECT HABITAT

Dean Hulce — Wed, 05 Aug 2026 08:30:31 +0000

John 13:34-35
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

One of the biggest words in deer hunting and management over the last couple of decades is HABITAT. Habitat is a general term for, what does a property have to offer. You can hunt a piece of property that has very poor habitat and it will produces very poor results in hunting. You can change the way you hunt and throw out lots and lots of bait on that property to try to attract the deer on your property, it might attract more deer, it won't hold them there and they won't grow strong there.

This same concept is true of our churches today. If you look back over the 80 years in America you will see that regular church attendance is nearly ½ of what it used to be. What has happened? The habitat has changed.

It is so similar to deer habitat that it amazes me. Deer need to have quality food and protection to survive and thrive. The same is true for people. We need to be fed, but not just any food, but nutritious spiritual food to grow into what God wants and we need security.

I'm not talking about the days when church pot lucks were popular and everyone had plenty to eat. No, I'm talking about being fed quality spiritual nutrition. True Bible teaching that speaks the truth of sin, God's love and even His wrath. There is so much great quality information in the Bible and fewer and fewer churches are honestly teaching it anymore. So many are getting "baited in" to churches that tell you how great we are and how much you deserve and if you just follow a few steps you will be healthy, wealthy and wise. But that's not what the Bible teaches.

The other thing that good habitat supplies is a safe and protective place for it's occupants. Churches have been known as the only place that shoot their wounded. How sad is that? Gossip has killed more good churches in our country than arsonists ever will. People need a safe place and if they can't find it in a church, they will find safety somewhere else, although it will most likely be false safety.

The job of the church to "go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit," (Matthew 28:19)

A disciple is one that follows Jesus and works alongside Him. Are our churches doing that? Are we preparing those that come, helping them in turn make more disciples through their lives? Are we giving them the right nutrition and security that good habitat provides?

If you are not in a church like that I challenge you to find one, they are still out there.

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A Full Measure

Dean Hulce — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 08:30:33 +0000

By Tim Jones

Colossians 3:23-24 "Whatever you do, work at it with all your
heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters."

Shooting black powder muzzle loaders require that the powder
charge for each shot be measured out individually. An inaccurate
measure of powder could and most likely will affect the accuracy
of the shot. For accurate and repeatable shot placement, the
powder charge is one thing that must remain consistent. Too little
powder could result in a weak load that will drastically change the
trajectory of the bullet. Too much powder could cause an extreme
spike in pressure and cause the firearm to fail and explode. This
is a safety hazard that could injure the shooter or other
bystanders. Attention to detail and accuracy in execution are
critical.

The Bible emphasizes the importance of giving your best efforts in
all aspects of life. Key verses that highlight this principle are:
Proverbs 16:3 states; "Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and
He will establish your plans." By dedicating our efforts to God, we
align our goals with his will, enabling success in our endeavors.
Ecclesiastes 9:10 tells us; "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it
with all your might." This verse stresses that whatever we do, we
should do it with maximum effort. This reflects a life lived with
purpose and a willingness to please God. 1 Corinthians 10:31
tells us that whatever we do, no matter how small, should be
performed with the intention of honoring God.

All these verses encourage believers to approach their work and
daily tasks with dedication, viewing their efforts as acts of worship
and service to God. Just as the powder must be measured with
care and attention to detail to make an effective shot, we must
also give a "full measure" in our service to God and others.

Galatians 6:9 "Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due
season we will reap, if we do not give up."

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What Good Can Come From Bad?

Dean Hulce — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 08:30:00 +0000

James 1: 2-3
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.

Not all my hunting stories have a big buck ending. Some do have success right out of the gate, while others include a long ride on the 'struggle bus' before there is meat to pack out, and then there are those hunts that end in total frustration and tag soup. Hunting just like the rest of life is made up of successes and failures.

The Bible is full of success and failure examples. But rather than viewing success by worldly standards, the scriptures present success as being obedient and putting trust in God. The scriptures also don't view failures as final, but as character-building stepping stones.

In the book of Exodus we read about the failures and successes of Moses. Moses started his life by committing murder and running into the wilderness as a failure and a fugitive. Yet, later in his life, God uses him to confront Pharaoh and lead the entire Israelite nation out of captivity.

The Bible is filled with many other stories that show hardship producing spiritual growth. The Scriptures teach us that trials and difficulties are not just obstacles to endure, but active tools God uses to build endurance, character and faith.

Romans 5:3–4
We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.

Today's prayer: "Dear God, Thank you for all the good times, the moments of joy, abundance, and laughter. Help me to always remember that every good and perfect gift comes from You. And in times of uncertainty and struggles, help me to put my trust in You. Remind me that You will never leave me and You are faithful. Thank You for your endless mercy and grace. In Jesus' name, Amen."

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Enjoy Life

Dean Hulce — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 08:30:22 +0000

By Joel Raygor

Ecclesiastes 8:15
So I commend the enjoyment of life, because there is nothing better for a person under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad.

Back when I was just a seventeen years old kid, my employer invited me on a mule deer hunt near Keeline, Wyoming. Warren knew a local rancher and told me that he would pick up the cost of the trip. All I had to do was, get out of school, buy a tag and join him. Warren knew how much I loved to hunt and he knew I would eat up this western hunting adventure. I thought about the offer for a second, but it was not a hard decision to make.

For three days I hunted drainages, washes, buttes and grasslands. I'd like to say I remember it so well, but looking back, I realize my obsession with killing my first mule deer probably robbed me of much of the rest of the enjoyment of that hunt. On the afternoon of the third day I did shoot a nice four by four buck and felt the thrill of success.

I'm sorry to say, there have been other hunts where I focused only on filling my tag. Probably because of that focus and determination, many of those tags were filled, but in the process I robbed myself of enjoying the entire experience.

There are so many areas of life where our focus is just on the end goal, or the finish line. The goal shouldn't only be getting to our destination but to enjoy every bit of the experience along the way. Our God wants us to enjoy His creation every day and to treasure each new day as a special gift from Him.

Psalm 118:24
This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

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SHINING INTO DARKNESS

Dean Hulce — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 08:30:40 +0000

By Tim Jones

Gods Great Outdoors Chairman of the Board

Colossians 1:13
He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son

Have you ever experienced total darkness? I'm not talking about the kind of darkness you experience on a moonless night in a remote wilderness. I'm talking about the type of darkness where there is a total absence of light. I think the closest that I have been to total darkness is being in a deep cavern underground and the tour guide turns the lights off. There is a cavern close to where I live that has tours in the cavern and turning the lights out while you are over 100ft. deep underground is part of the tour. It gets really black when the lights go out. There is a total absence of light.

The Bible speaks to another type of darkness. It describes our sinful condition before a Holy God as total darkness and devoid of any light. In our natural spiritual state, we are in total darkness. Our sin blots out any light that we could possess.
1 John 1:6 tells us; "If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth."

The Bible frequently depicts sin as darkness, representing moral and spiritual corruption. This imagery is in contrast to the purity and truth of God.
Ephesians 6:12 tells us that we wrestle against "the rulers of the darkness of this world..."

The association of sin with darkness emphasizes several key concepts: Separation from God, Moral corruption, and Spiritual blindness.

The good news is that we do not have to live in darkness. There is hope when we turn to God's light. Jesus is that light. The light of Jesus overcomes all sin and darkness. John 1:5 states; "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." Darkness has no power over the light. Where light exists, there is no darkness. Don't live in the darkness. Trust in Jesus for salvation from your sin and darkness. He is the only way to defeat the darkness.

John 8:12; "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of light."

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Remember The Wonders

Dean Hulce — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 08:30:03 +0000

Psalm 105:5: "Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced."

The other day as I looked at the old Stevens single shot .410 hanging on the wall, my mind traveled back in time. Many would just see a piece of wood and steel hanging there, while others might just an old gun, but I see memories of Jake my beagle busting a cottontail out of the brush pile. I see the late afternoon walks along the railroad tracks, hoping a ringneck pheasant will flush. I see the squirrel jumping from limb to limb. I see the start of a passion that has remained with me for over a half century. Things come and go, but my love for hunting has not.

Psalm 143:5 "I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done."

In Psalms chapter 143, King David took time to remember days from long ago. He thought about his past and how God had helped him and others. He remembered God's goodness and faithfulness instead of just focusing on his current troubles.

From time to time, it is good for us to stop and take a moment to remember the past, and as Christians, to stop and consider what God has done in our lives. When we pull back from the busyness of the day, we can see how the Lord has blessed us and think of His goodness to us.

Psalm 77:11-12: "I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds."

What good deeds and miracles from the past can you thank Him for today?

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A TIME FOR CHANGE

Dean Hulce — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 08:30:10 +0000

Malachi 3:6: "For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed."

I love to hunt early mornings… To see the sunrise, hear the world come alive with birds singing and watch the sun rise. Now morning hunts will be easier for me to enjoy.

The House just passed to keep Daylight Savings Time all year! If the Senate also passes it, I can sleep an extra hour each day and the deer won't know the difference, but here are some potential impacts on deer hunters.

*With an extra hour of evening daylight there will be more time to hunt after work.

*There likely will be fewer morning hunts for most because shooting time will start an hour later.

*This will potentially increase hunting pressure in the evenings, since more people can hunt after work.

*The reverse is also likely, resulting in less pressure during the morning, as fewer hunters will be able to make it out before work or school.

In Genesis 8:22 we read, "As long as the earth remains, there will be planting and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night."

The scripture addresses change and warns that life is constantly shifting, but reassures us that God's character and plans remain steadfast. While seasons change, you can find stability in God's promises and unchanging character, rather than life's shifting circumstances. Trust God who remains steadfast and is a constant refuge when the unexpected happens.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 "For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven."

The outdoors reminds us that every season has a purpose. Enjoy the warm weather and what it brings and take time to appreciate God's Great Outdoors and His creation.

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New Every Morning

Dean Hulce — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 08:30:51 +0000

Lamentations 3:22-23:

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

There have been many mornings I've sat with my back against a tree and watched the woods come alive. There's something healing about watching the sun's rays find their way through the woods. Maybe you've never seen this. Well, the good news is, it will happen again tomorrow morning.

Today’s sunrise is different than most… The smoke from the Canadian wildfires is so thick that the sun looking like a burnt orange ball in the sky. Some morning that sun is clear and bright and some mornings we can’t see the sun as it is hidden behind a thick blanket of clouds. But not matter what the sky looking like in the morning, the sunrise will appear every day, no matter what.

Just like the sunrise, God's love and faithfulness are new every morning. The scriptures tell us His mercy is not a one-time event but a never-ending gift.

The next time you feel like giving up and everything seems hopeless, just remember God is not done with your story, He will be there with you and shaping your life every morning, like the sunrise… I might look different, But God is still in it.

Philippians 1:6

He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Yes, your plans might be derailed and your hopes dashed but remember... "God's plan is always better than your plan."

Isaiah 55:9 – "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways."

Enjoy tomorrow's sunrise. No matter what, it's gonna be spectacular!

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Good and Not-So-Good Decisions

Dean Hulce — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 08:30:34 +0000

Galatians 6:7
Whatever one sows, that will he also reap.

It was just minutes before sunset when the doe stepped out of the brush and started coming my way. Behind her there was movement and then I saw the large rack. My heart started to pound out of my chest as I carefully lifted the bow. Suddenly the doe stopped, lifted her head to the cool evening air and just like dust in the wind, she was gone with the big whitetail buck in tow.

On another hunt, in the Missouri breaks of Montana, a big bull was with a small herd of cows just out of bow range and one of those cows either winded or spotted me. In a matter of seconds the whole herd vanished along with my dreams.

There have been bear hunts, elk hunts, and countless deer and turkey hunts that for one reason or another left me with an unfilled tag. Usually it came down to one of two poor decisions on my part. The game either caught my movement or my scent.

We've all made good and not-so-good decisions in life. I can personally recall several poor decisions I've made. Some only temporarily affected my life. Others impacted my life for a much longer period of time. However, not all of my bad decisions had only negative results. Maybe you can relate.

Have you ever made a decision that changed the outcome in your life and left you empty handed? Maybe you took a new job, moved to a different city or state, and that decision brought you nothing but heartache and pain. Looking in the rearview mirror, you see it was the wrong decision and you see how it impacted your health, your finances, your relationships with others, and maybe even your relationship with God.

Galatians 6:7-8 Warns that "whatever one sows, that will he also reap." Sowing into poor decisions leads to negative outcomes, while sowing into good ones leads us down a much better path."

Thanks to a God of mercy and grace who watches over us, our bad decisions can lead us to repent, to repair relationships with others, and to become more aligned with God. Our bad decisions can lead us to change, grow and mature. Maybe a bad decision can even make us realize our need for God and his amazing grace.

Romans 8:28 Promises that "in all things God works for good with those who love him, those whom he has called according to his purpose." God can redeem our mistakes and use them for our growth

By Joel Raygor and Dean Hulce

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A First and A Last

Dean Hulce — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 08:30:04 +0000

James 4:14
What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes

Over a half century ago I got my very first job pumping gas at a Standard Oil Gas Station. That same year I also shot my very first deer. I can clearly remember squeezing the trigger of the wincheat model 94, and watching the big buck hit the ground. He was at best just an average 7 point, but in my mind he was a monster! I remember asking my dad if I could get it mounted and he responded with, "why would you want to mount that buck?" My response was, "because I may never shoot a bigger one." He laughed and just said, "You will."

Since then I've had many more and different jobs and killed many more deer and far bigger bucks, but he will always be my first trophy buck and his antlers still hang on the wall!

Life is full of firsts and lasts. I'm not sure when my last day of work will be, I often say that I will retire 3 or 4 days before my funeral (and I hope that's true). Hopefully my last day of deer hunting won't come for many more Novembers. However, if I'm being honest with myself, I know that someday I will shoulder the gun for the last time. Until then I'll enjoy and treasure each and every hunt.

Psalm 39:4 "Show me, Lord, my life's end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is."

In life there are lots of first days and last days. Whether it's marriage, work, hunting, or even life itself, everything has a first and a last. The Bible frequently addresses the brevity of human life and the reality of death. It compares our time on earth to fleeting things like a, wisp of vapor, a shadow, dying grass or a fading flower. The scriptures emphasize the importance of putting our faith in the assurance of God's promises and not in earthly things. In Hebrews 11:6 we read, "And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him."

Psalm 103:15-16 "As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; for the wind passes over it, and it is gone".

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