Outdoor Truths

Gary Miller

Description

Gary Miller shares more heralded articles that have appeared in newspapers and magazines throughout the nation in this fourth volume of Outdoor Truths.
Gary Miller shares more heralded articles that have appeared in newspapers and magazines throughout the nation in this fourth volume of Outdoor Truths.
Each entry is brief and stands alone from the other articles. It is the perfect deer-stand or coffee table book that can be enjoyed at different times.
While some people may think of these articles as devotionals for hunters and fishers, the author has never viewed them that way. The reason is because he’s never envisioned his audience as only faithful Christians but instead as people who may be unsure about Christianity or the church.
The only thing he’s always been sure about his readers is that by and large, hunters and fishers are not atheists. They see the handiwork of someone bigger whenever they spend time in the woods or on the water.
These articles will help you navigate what you already know. If you love the outdoors, aren’t sure about faith, but believe in God—or if you’re a dedicated Christian—then you’ll treasure these writings.

Sujets

• Religion
• Christianisme
• Christian Living
• Inspirational
• Philosophie et théologie
• Deer
• Fishing
• Faith
• Hunting
• Hameçonnage

Informations

• Publié par: WestBow Press
• Date de parution: 28 novembre 2022
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781664282896
• Langue: English

Extrait

OUTDOOR TRUTHS
HUNTING AND FISHING FOR ANSWERS


VOLUME IV



GARY MILLER







Copyright © 2022 Gary Miller.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.



WestBow Press
A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan
1663 Liberty Drive
Bloomington, IN 47403
www.westbowpress.com
844-714-3454

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

ISBN: 978-1-6642-8287-2 (sc)
ISBN: 978-1-6642-8288-9 (hc)
ISBN: 978-1-6642-8289-6 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2022920417



WestBow Press rev. date: 11/03/2022











Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked ESV taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked TLB are taken from The Living Bible, copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. The Living Bible, TLB, and the The Living Bible logo are registered trademarks of Tyndale House Publishers.



CONTENTS
Acknowledgment
Introduction

Nature Speaks
Where The Value Comes From
Light
The Low Fruit
Maturity
Headwinds
Accidents
The Presentation
Sheds
Nothing Just Happens
Good For Better
A Bigger Farm
The Constants
Doubt
“How To”
Just Ugly
The Security Of Dirt
It Takes Time
He Hears All
Wonder
The Sweetest Calls
He Said I Could Come
Two Gobblers
Oblivious
The Flex
Me, My, Mine
While You’re Waiting
Balance
Watching The Clouds
Old Man River
My Trees
Neglect
Contingency Plans
Louis And Zack
Simple Love
Looks
The Good “New” Religion
Ridding The Worthless
Better Folks
Asking And Adapting
Thoughts And Prayers
Just Move
I’m Sorry; Forgive Me
Edna’s Market
Fallen Fruit
The Journey
Diet And Exercise
The Mayfield Stand
Pressure
The Real Jesus
Ginseng
Running With The Big Dogs
Encouragement
A Better Way
Not Being Good Is Great
Winning Worthless Battles
Waiting On The Best
My Blanket
Keep Changing
Excitement
More Good Than Bad
Communication
Common Suffering
It Rains In My Barn
Moving Winds
The Same
Fog
Leaky Blinds
Blessed?
When To Praise
Unpredictable
Performance
Experiences
Hugs



ACKNOWLEDGMENT
I met Jimmy nearly two years ago. Now it seems like we have known each other forever. We just hit it off. We had so much in common. Not only important stuff but things that let us just relax around each other. He also loved the unique ministry I did to hunters and fishermen and wanted to be involved. Since that time, he and his company have supported various Outdoor Truths events and projects. This book is one. Most people don’t know how much work and money goes into a project like this. When you have friends who partner with you, not only do they relieve a great burden, but they become ministers with you in the lives of those who normally would be outside of their influence. Jimmy and his company JRay’s Rentals in Midland, Texas, have made this book possible. And for years to come, their influence will remain with all those who read Outdoor Truths Volume IV.
Thanks, J Ray!



INTRODUCTION
I never thought there would be another Outdoor Truths book. After three volumes, I believed it was time to hang up these compilation books. I’m glad I didn’t. If I may say so, this is the best one yet. I say that for a few reasons. First, I’m just a better writer. As I type this introduction, I am celebrating twenty years of writing the weekly Outdoor Truths article for newspapers and regional publications. One publication that was the first to carry my article still does today. After twenty years of doing something, you just get better. And even though I’m not the best, I can tell my writing has improved. Also, I’m just a better human. Not that I was a bad one in the past; I have just matured in these years, and it shows in the words I choose and the gentleness and respect I try to remember when I write.
My failures and pain have hijacked my keyboard and will not let me judge too harshly those who also might be in the middle of their own failure and pain. Finally, this book is better because I have highlighted even more my desire to not cripple those who struggle with faith but only to put a small pebble in their shoe—one that will simply cause a little discomfort for them to remind them to contemplate the grace of God through Jesus Christ.
If you are not familiar with the Outdoor Truths articles, let me tell why I believe they are a little different. While many people call them devotionals for hunters and fishermen, I never have. I have never looked at them that way. The reason is because I never envisioned my audience (mostly) as faithful Christians but instead men who were unsure about Christianity and “church” but were sure about the existence of God. It has always been my thesis that by far, hunters and fishermen are not atheists. We see the handiwork of Someone bigger than us each time we go into the woods or onto the water.
My articles are simply written to help people navigate what they already know. That’s why they are not in-your-face, and many times I never even mention God. I am trying to build a relationship with men to have the opportunity to reveal who Jesus really is. I hope you will appreciate the way I believe God has led me to write if you are a follower of Jesus.
If you are one of those outdoorsmen who may be unsure about the whole faith thing but believe in God, I think you will find my writing comfortable for you as you ponder the ways of God, His involvement in your life, and your possible response. Let me tell you. He is good and wants the best for you.
Yes, to me this is the best of the Outdoor Truths series. I hope it will be to you as well.
Gary



NATURE SPEAKS
I’m convinced most hunters and fishermen never contemplate the outdoor world they take pleasure in. I know in my own life, without a concerted effort, I only enjoy creation without ever giving it much deep thought. I’ve especially noticed this truth when I speak to hunters and fishermen. It seems their eyes light up when they realize how nature speaks very loudly about some things that really matter, and how sometimes we do not see the forest for the trees. We would be very shallow people if we only saw nature as another avenue for our personal pleasure. The immensity of creation demands we question it. It demands we understand how our sport only touches the hem of its real value.
Let’s face it; we only play on the fringes of all that is out there. It is enormous. And the more we look, the more we discover. We have learned in recent years our own galaxy is only one of about three thousand visible galaxies. It is estimated there are billions that are yet unseen. To put this in perspective, our Milky Way is estimated to be about one hundred thousand light-years from one end to the other. And light travels at 186,000 miles per second. Now multiply that by billions of galaxies.
And then there’s you and me.
In the scope of the vastness of the universe, we are less than insignificant. In import, we have no bearing on anything. We are not even specks on the map. We do not deserve mention. If we are only an evolutionary blip, then what matters? Or who matters? Or are we all just insignificant cosmic matter? But what happens when we add God to matter? It’s like adding yeast to flour. It makes it rise. It gives it fullness, texture, and taste.
The universe, without God, is meaningless and thus so are the actions of its inhabitants. All that we see and enjoy in nature is also meaningless without God. That is why it is so important for those of us who believe in God and who love to hunt and fish to loo