Second Chances by Efton Green Having been an exclusive bow-only hunter for many years, I know firsthand when you get a chance to take a mature animal you better do it. Second chances are rare, but that’s what happened to me one November in the hunting woods. I had set up in a small flat of water-oak acorn trees where deer were feeding regularly and the bucks were coming to check on the does. One morning just as it was breaking daylight I could see a deer feeding, and I could tell it was a buck. It was foggy that morning, and I had forgotten my binoculars; I could not decide if the buck I was seeing was a mature buck until he walked out of my shooting range. Then I realized that he was definitely a shooter. I flipped out; I had just let a mature buck walk by me at 20 yards and did not let an arrow fly. I was nocked, cocked, and ready to rock the following morning in that same spot just like the day before. Right at daybreak I saw a deer feeding in the flat. Believe it or not, it was the buck I had passed up the day before. It was clear that morning, and I needed no help seeing that he was a shooter. In bow hunting, it may be rare to get a second chance at a mature animal, but not with Christ. According to Lamentations 3:22 “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end;” God’s love never stops and His mercy toward us is always available. What that means for us is God is always ready to give us a second chance. His goal for each of us is to be forgiven. In John 3:16 it says “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” God loves us and wants us to come to Him. If you’re unsure that you are forgiven check out what Romans 10:13 says “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’” Being saved means you are forgiven and also that God will come and live inside you through the Holy Spirit to lead and guide you until the day He takes us to heaven. My second chance at that buck turned out great. The arrow found its mark and passed through. I waited a while before climbing down from the tree and went and picked up my youngest son, Tommy. We went back with our family dog, Freckles, and she carried Tommy right to the deer.
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Against the Flow by Brodie Swisher One of the many things I like about cruisin’ across the water in a kayak is the mobility of such a vessel. Whether on a lake or river, the kayak is a slick little means of travel. You can go in and out of places in a kayak that are simply not possible with any other boat. With a kayak, you can turn around and switch directions on a dime, shoot in and out of tight spots, or simply just go with the flow and let the river take you downstream. But what about when you decide to go against the flow? I’ll never forget one particular scouting run I made down the Bitterroot River in western Montana. I was checking access for potential deer hunting stands. Rather than pulling out of the river and hiking back to the truck with the kayak over my shoulder, I opted to paddle back up-river…going against the flow. I will admit I got the greatest upper body workout of my life on that day! Going against the flow is not easy. It never has been…and never will be. It takes a goal in mind and commitment in heart to go against the flow of life. Much of the world’s population is traveling in one wreckless direction. It’s the easy path. It’s the one that looks attractive, feels good, and allows us to simply sit back and go with the flow. But God never called us to such a life. In fact, our directions are to take a different path altogether. He’s called us to go against the flow. We are told not to be swept away by the desire to conform to the corrupt lifestyle of today’s society. As hard as it may seem, we are to walk a different trail. We must go against the flow! “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” Romans 12:2 Scars by Brodie Swisher As I made my way in to check a black bear bait site in Idaho, I approached with spooky caution. There’s an eerie feeling about walking onto the scene where obvious aggravation and aggression from such a large beast has destroyed everything at a stand sight. The bait barrel had been ripped from the wire that once held it securely in place. Grease covered logs and stumps were shredded. Bait that had been chained to a tree had been torn away by sharp bear claws. Nothing was left but the chains and scars. A hungry bear will do some crazy things! The drive to satisfy that hunger can be deadly…either for the bear…other bears in the areas…or for the hunter. We too allow ourselves to do some crazy things when we find ourselves hungry. Our hunger to satisfy our obsession, please self, find intimacy, respect, love, admiration, etc. can easily lead each one of us to walk a path that often leads to destruction. The destruction typically leaves lives in shambles, families broken, and seemingly endless pain and shame….and the scars. The scars seem to remain long after forgiveness has been granted. The scars of regret are painful reminders of the consequences of choices made. My prayer is that we hunger for Him, Jesus Christ. He is the one that satisfies like nothing else can. He is the one that meets the need when all others fail. He alone can heal the pain and scars of regret. Do you hunger for Him today? Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” John 6:35 For more great content from Brodie Swisher you can visit his website at http://realitybowhunting.com/ Shining Above by Brodie Swisher On a recent hunting trip, I found myself climbing aboard an airplane in the midst of a storm. The wind and rain were blowing sideways. One would think that with enough time in the air you’d become accustom to about anything the elements can throw your way. Not me. It seems the more and more I fly the more I see “what could happen.” I still get sweaty hands and say extra prayers when the winds are whippin’ and my plane is being bounced around like tumbleweed on the open prairie. But on this trip, like many of the ones before it, I saw the simple reminder that always puts my mind at ease. It was that moment when after being pounded by the turbulence of tough winds and dark, heavy clouds that our plane broke through the storm and began to fly above the clouds where the sun was shining. In a matter of minutes we broke free from darkness into beautiful light. It still fascinates me every time! The transition from a dark and ugly day, to one where the sun shines brilliant is nothing more than a change in perspective. A simple change in elevation brings a dramatic change in our outlook. It was a reminder that even on the darkest days the sun is still shining. We must simply get back to where we can see it. Listen, it’s not a matter of if, but when, the dark and ugly days of life will come our way. We’ll experience moments when we feel as if the pain and problems of life pound us beyond what we can bare. I want to encourage you to look up. The Son is shining. Regardless of the crisis, you will not stay there. You will once again rise above…back to a place where you will once again experience the brilliance of the Son’s presence in your life. If you’re in the midst of a mess today, I want to encourage you to hang in there. You can have hope in the Son, Jesus, who over and over again calms the storms of life and reminds us that He’s always shining above. “May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you his favor and give you peace.” Numbers 6:24-26 For more great content from Brodie Swisher you may visit his website http://www.realitybowhunting.com Deadly Glance by Brodie Swisher On a recent turkey hunting trip in Nebraska, I had the opportunity to sit in a ground blind high atop a hill overlooking miles and miles of prime turkey country. My hunting buddy, Don Miller, and I saw a number of birds both near and far. But the one that I’ll never forget is the one that walked right up in our lap. There were two gobblers that we’d been calling back and forth with all morning. And up until about 10:00am, the birds had managed to keep their wits about them and stood their ground. Despite our best calling efforts, they just wouldn’t leave the safety of the timber and the hens that seemed to lead them away from trouble. But around 10:30am things changed. One particular longbeard got lonely. When I peeked out the back of the blind, I could see this turkey quickly making his approach toward our decoy. As the bird began to close the distance to within bow-range of our ground blind he became cautious and a bit hesitant in his commitment to come to the decoy. The bird skirted around our setup just outside of shooting range, as if he knew better than to walk into the trap. My heart sunk as we watched yet another bird walk over the hill and out of sight. But that wouldn’t be the end of this bird. As quickly as he disappeared, his red head again popped back over the hill for another glance at the sights and sounds of the seductive hen that was tuggin’ at his attention. He liked what he saw, and he could no longer handle what he heard. He went back into strut and never came out of it. The gobbler looped around in front of our blind and made his approach to within four yards of our ground blind before I turned an arrow loose. He played the game…he paid the price. That second glance was a deadly look that cost him his life. It’s painful to think of the countless men and women that have been deceived much like this lonely longbeard. We know what’s right and what’s wrong…but that second look is a deadly glance that can lead us to destruction. I often think about King David from the Bible and how he fell into this very trap when he found himself lonely and in a place he should have never been. In 2 Samuel chapter 11 we find the sad story of David’s deception. It was spring time, the time when kings normally go out to war. But David sent others in his place. He stayed home. He got lazy, and he got lonely. While walking around on the roof of his palace he noticed a beautiful a woman. If David would have just walked away things would have been much different. But he didn’t. He took a second glance. He began to inquire as to who this fine specimen of a woman was. He was warned to stay away. He was reminded of the dangers. But he blew right past all the red flags and caution lights. The deadly glance led him down a path of destruction that led to adultery, murder, and destroyed lives. I want to encourage you to guard your eyes, your hearts and your minds today. Don’t be deceived by the deadly decoys that satan puts in your path. Don’t be a victim of that second deadly glance. Keep your eyes fixed on Christ! Carried and Cancelled by Brodie Swisher I recall a hunt from a few years back when, shortly up the trail, a “friend” of mine began to realize that he was unable to carry the load he had crammed into his backpack. We’ve all been there before. With fear and uncertainty of the trail ahead, we pack ungodly loads that we sooner or later realize we can’t handle on our backs. My buddy quickly acknowledged that he couldn’t do it on his own. I flashed a bitter smile knowing what this meant. Either he would have to shuck the gear from his pack and leave it along the trail, or I would have to carry the weight for him. The uncompassionate side of me wanted to tell him to suck it up and get to climbing the mountain. However, the other side of me knew that he needed me now more than ever. So I took his water bottle, his binoculars, and other weighty items, and added them to the load in my pack. I’ll never forget when we finally reached the top and began to setup camp, he said, “I could never repay you for carrying my stuff.” Weary and worn I remember saying, “Man, you don’t owe me a thing!” I can’t help but think about this hunt every time the Easter season rolls around again. I think about the contrast of Christ carrying the weight of all mankind on his shoulders when he died on the cross compared to the simple burden I carried for one man. I grudgingly carried the load for that fella that had more than he could handle on his back. I didn’t want to do it, and I probably mumbled ugly things most of the way up the mountain. I bad-mouthed this guy for being unprepared and inadequate for the journey. Christ said, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Isaiah 53:4-6 says, “Yet it was our weakness He carried; it was our sorrows that weighed Him down. And we thought His troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for His own sins. But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on Him the sins of us all.” Did you catch that? The Lord laid on Him (Jesus) the sins of us all. There’s no words to even begin to describe how huge that is! The sins of every person that ever stepped foot on this earth was upon Jesus. He carried the load for us on that cross. But not only did He carry it, He also canceled it. “You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for He forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.” Colossians 2:13-14 Jesus carried the load for us on the cross. He paid a debt we could never pay. He paid the price with His life. Just Like Dad by Brodie Swisher I was out behind the house recently, slingin’ arrows across the pasture with my little boy, Aidan. Such times have become my favorite part of the day. We both enjoy sneakin’ out of the house after dinner when the days get longer, and we can shoot our bows ‘til nearly bedtime. We’ve discovered it to be a great way to avoid chores and taking a bath. On this particular evening I noticed Aidan squirming around in circles as he tried to shove his handful of arrows into the back pocket of his jeans. When I asked him what he was up to he simply said, “I wanna put my arrows in my back pocket, just like you dad!” It was a simple reminder of how closely my son watches every move I make. I am humbled by the fact that he wants to do what I do, be who I am, and act like me…even as a six-year-old boy. The reality of the fact that my little boy follows my lead is a tremendous blessing. But more than that, it’s a gut-check to the fact that I’ve gotta man up as I lead that little dude. The question is: What am I leading him to? What am I leading him through? And what am I leading him away from? Do we as dads lead our children to uncompromising faith in Christ? Do we help lead them through the tough days of life and encourage them to keep longing for the better days that are sure to come? Do we lead them away from the danger of a life of sin that wants to seize and capture their soul? As a dad, we are either leading our children to a life of great and godly things, or a life of death and destruction. That’s it! There’s only two trails to take. Which path are you and your child on today? “And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children…” Deuteronomy 6:5-7 Rough Road by Brodie Swisher Several years back, while on an elk hunt in the high country, I found myself and a couple of buddies in a pickup truck slippin’ and sliding our way up a muddy mountain road in the early hours before daylight. We were in a race against the clock to arrive at the trailhead with ample time to hoof it in to our location to listen for bugling bulls as the day began to break. The road was nasty and rough…and my buddy was driving way too fast. With windshield wipers working overtime to keep the rain and mud from the windshield, visibility was questionable at times. And one of those questionable times is when it happened. In our mad scramble up the mountain, our driver failed to recall the rough spot in the road. It was a washed out spot in the road that needed careful attention to traverse. We hit it at what seemed like 45 mph! The truck went flying! I was in the back of the cab and my face quickly met the back of the front seat resulting in an early morning bloody nose. I was lucky. The passenger in the front seat met the windshield. Somehow he didn’t crack the glass, but he sure managed to blacken his eye and make his already-ugly face even less attractive. The unharmed driver simply said, “Man! This road is getting a little rough!” Hey, if you haven’t figured it out already, tough times in life are sure to come. They are part of the journey we all must face. Sometimes we adhere to the warning signs. Other times we blow right past in our mad dash to other things that hold our attention. I love the hope and encouragement found in John 16:33 where Jesus says, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” There will be no shortage of rough roads to come in our lives as we take this short ride toward our eternal destination. When those times come, I pray you find the peace that passes all understanding as you draw close to the One that has overcome and conquered even our greatest crisis. Hog Days by Efton Green When I stepped out of my truck I could feel a cool breeze hit me in the face and I thought to myself, “It’s going to be a good afternoon.” I grabbed my Z7 and made a quick inspection of my arrows and Land Shark broadheads. It was my goal for the afternoon to let those Land Sharks feed on some swine that I had had on my mind. As I slowly began my still hunting adventure, I said a little prayer and started walking. Returning back to the area that I had noticed a lot of pig sign, I began to hear some squirrels going crazy so I headed in that direction. When I got closer to where I believed the squirrels were, I stood motionless; scanning for any movement when a small group of pigs caught my eye. I was nocked, cocked, and ready to rock! All I needed was to get a little bit closer. As I stalked closer, the wind direction was right and my heart rate began to elevate; I breathed another small prayer, “Lord help me make a good shot.” You know, the Bible says in Psalm 118:24 “This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Even if those pigs had winded me or heard me, it would not have taken away from the fact that God is good! Regardless of what is going on in the world; as a follower of Christ, my focus should not be on what I perceive a situation to be but on what the Bible says. God is GOOD! Mark 11:22 tells us to “have faith in God.” True faith believes the Bible over any circumstance that takes place in life. We’ve got to choose to believe the Word. Back to the hunt – I moved into position, my sights were set on a big, red and black spotted hog; but there was too much brush. A smaller (aka good eating size) hog was clear for the shot so I drew back, put my pin on her and turned my Land Shark loose to feed… And feed it did. When my arrow struck its mark, the gilt ran about 40 yards and gave up the ghost. As I stood over her, I rejoiced in the day God had made! Make the choice to rejoice today! Man on the Run by Brodie Swisher This has been a special week for my bowhunting brother, Zeke Pipher, as his debut book, Man on the Run, was released on Tuesday. Zeke’s passion for chasin’ critters with a bow is contagious. Zeke’s the real deal. He’s a good dude. But he’s more than a good guy…he’s a godly man. A man that God has blessed with a wealth of wisdom to encourage and equip others for the journey of life. Be blessed as you discover the timeless truths within the pages of Zeke’s exciting new book, Man on the Run: Helping Hyper-Hobbied Men Recognize The Best Things In Life. Do you have a hyper-hobbied man in your life? Maybe you are a hyper-hobbied man. Hobbies and adventurous pursuits are good for the soul, says author Zeke Pipher. In fact, the human spirit was designed for challenge, stimulation, even risk. So why a book about hyper-hobbied men? Because too much of a good thing can pull men away from the even more important things—like family, friends, and church. But there is another way. Men are capable of living with passion and zeal while at the same time remaining balanced and faithful to their most important relationships and priorities. They can learn to run hard and run well, while running after the right things. To do this, men need the help and support of their wives, children, friends, and greater community. If these basics are in place, watch out. Everyone wins when hyper-hobbied men live energetic lives of balance and integrity. Man on the Run seeks to provide ideas and strategies that will help us live and finish well. |
Brodie SwisherBrodie Swisher is a World Champion game caller, accomplished speaker, a notable writer, a skilled hunter, and all around down to earth guy! His travels take him across the country as a well known public speaker in the arena of outdoor events such as wildgame dinners, banquests, archery classes, and filming. Above all Brodie Swisher loves Jesus and he can't wait to share his passion for Christ with those he meets. Archives
September 2013
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