It was a great weekend. We ended up having about 24 I think that included kids and mentors. The group were all pretty grounded and most of the messages were geared more towards discipleship and living the life we claim.
The deer didn’t seem to move at all, pretty sure we all saw does and yearlings, but the bucks were definitely not in the food plots. We had a miss from one of our campers with a bow and arrow on Saturday, but a few of us stayed over until Monday and we finally got a buck down. And that is really where this post begins.
Monday morning a young man was hunting a single ladder stand when two bucks stepped out he took the opportunity. The young man wanted everyone to come see the deer, because he thought it was a giant. He wouldn’t even drag the deer out or let someone help him recover because he wanted to show it off. So about 7 of us went to recover when we got back from the morning hunt. When we got there the young man was so disappointed. He looked across that creek from ground level and said “Well, he had me fooled.” Sitting in that stand 150 yards from the deer, he looked big… but across that creek he disappointed the young man.
I guess that’s what the whole weekend was about. From far away we seem to be doing amazing in our spiritual walk but when we look closer we realize that we are no where near the mark. You see every now and then we need to do a personal inventory on where we are and what is going on around us. So many times we are focused solely on ourself, or focused on everything we have to do. We get wrapped up in ourself, and forget our bigger purpose.
During this Christmas season, I urge you to take a few minutes if nothing more and look at yourself. Not in a mirror, but through the eyes of God. How is He seeing you? You know, I remember an old pastor’s wife saying that it was one of the hardest prayers to pray, to ask God to show you how He sees you. But I also believe it is a prayer of humility.
1 Peter Chapter 5 Verses 5-7 tells us, ‘Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.’ Humble yourself before Him, ask Him to show you his view of your heart. It’s a hard prayer, but one that you will be thankful you pray.
I pray you have a blessed Christmas, and take the time to see yourself as He sees you. Lamentations tells us that ‘He loves us with a steadfast love.’ No matter where we are He loves us and longs to gather us to himself. If you need prayer or know someone who needs our ministry please contact us.
Love in Christ,
Briar Ridge Children’s Ministries, Inc.
Briar Ridge Children’s Ministries, Inc.