THE CHRISTIAN
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Team Adventures for Your Ultimate Quest
Edition 38e
LOREN LEMAN’S
GREATLAND
ADVENTURE
Alaska’s lieutenant governor embraces the challenges of a Christian sportsman in elective office Faith and Fire: Foundation for Men’s Friendship by Gary McKean - PAGE 22 Check Out Our Quick Links - PAGE 38
DALLAS PRAYER BREAKFAST 1
TABLE OF
The Christian Sportsman
CONTENTS Letter from the Publisher Richard Jordan
Mission: The Christian Sportsman magazine encourages and empowers sportsmen to discover and develop a deep passion for Jesus Christ in the context of outdoor adventure.
Page 6
Cover Article - Loren Leman’s Greatland Adventure TSC Staff Page 10 Faith & Fire: Gary McKean Page 22
Business Address: P.O. Box 566547, Atlanta, GA 31156 telephone 770.335.1814
The Centeredge Brings Hope Derryck McLuhan Page 28
Speculative manuscripts and queries may also be sent via e-mail to: rjordan@thechristiansportsman.com.
The Crunching of Leaves By Steve Scott
International Advisory Board Pastor Johnny Hunt Dr. Bob Reccord Dr. John Morgan Dr. Paige Patterson Evg. James Robison
Page 33
Going Wild - Alaska Salmon Healthy Living Column Page 34 Equipping Sportsmen June Hunt Page 36 Quick Links - CSF Resources TCS Staff Page 38
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CSF CONNECT CSF
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SW Baptist Theological Seminary
Cavner & Julian - Stonewood Lodge & Peninsula Bear Camps
Blog Talk
Unico Safaris
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Pursuing Fresh Tracks Amazon Outreach Hank’s Kingdom Dogs
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Staff Publisher — Richard Jordan Managing Editor — Jim Smith Editor — Amber Smith Social Media Director — Emily Jordan Marketing Director — Chris Marley IT Director — Darin Sakas Data Management — Terry Sams
TCS magazine is not responsible for unsolicited materials that are lost, stolen or damaged.
Team Advenures Pro Staff Alaska Subsistence - Brian Heaphy Alaska Adventure - Dave Lemaire Bass Fishing - Hank Parker Big Game Hunting - Bob Reccord Bow Hunting - Larry Baker Dog Obedience - Hank Hough Duck Hunting - Darin Sakas Family Traditions - Candise Farmer Father & Son - Paige Patterson Fly Fishing - Jim Young Leadership Training — Bruce Witt Men’s Ministry - Edgar Pierce Michigan Whitetails - Jerry Lambert Montana Outfitting — Bruce Smetana National Spokesman — Steve Bartkowski Outdoor Truths - Gary Miller Pheasant Hunting - Bob Pearle Stories from the Field - Jamie Murphy Veterinarian Care - Justin Payne Whitetail Trophy Hunting — Skipper Bettis The Christian Sportsman magazine endorses the Christian Sportsmen’s Foundation, a tax-exempt charitable corporation under IRS Code 501(c)3. The Christian Sportsmen’s Foundation promotes the Christian message to the outdoors community by securing and maintaining land and facilities made available to assist ministries in effective outreach. Copyright 2014 by The Christian Sportsman, Inc. All rights reserved. The use of whole or part of any material in this magazine without advance written permission is prohibited. TCS magazine is published quarterly by The Christian Sportsman, Inc., P.O. Box 566547, Atlanta, GA 31156; telephone 770.335.1814. Periodical postage paid at Atlanta, GA and additional mailing offices. The staff and management of TCS and the Christian Sportsmen’s Foundation assume no responsibility for errors, omissions, representations, or any other content or information presented in the magazine, whether provided by advertisers, magazine staff or contributing consultants. Except as expressly noted, neither TCS, Inc., nor the Christian Sportsmen’s Foundation endorses any product advertised or described in the magazine. The views expressed in the magazine are those of the individual writers, and are not necessarily the views of the staff or management of TCS magazine, TCS, Inc., or the Christian Sportsmen’s Foundation.
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PUBLISHER’S LETTER
TROPHIES OF
ALASKA On a recent trip to Alaska I was privileged to spend some quality time again with Lt. Governor Loren Leman and his family. The epitome of a real Alaskan, Loren has traveled to his family’s commercial fish camp each summer now for 55 years. He routinely brings in a bountiful catch of Sockeye and Coho Salmon from his coastal hometown community of Ninilchik located on the Kenai Peninsula just three hours south of Anchorage. The passion that emanates from this man is contagious! Loren Leman is a true Trophy of Grace! In this edition of The Christian Sportsman we feature in the cover article insights into the life of a man who lives the dream of
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Lt. Governor Loren Leman is a true Trophy of Grace! a true Christian sportsman while letting his light shine for Jesus Christ in so many ways. He is a dedicated family man who loves his wife, two daughters and a son.
As a consulting/environmental engineer for over forty years he has literally helped design the infrastructure of much of the state as a professional among
Sun Set on Cook Inlet, AK his peers. He has given sixteen years as an elected official and championed many causes central to good government and a prosperous economy. In his tenure as a public servant he most recently was privileged to hold the office of Lt. Governor of the state making an indelible impression on the lives of many across the vast terrain of the 49th state. A member of Anchorage Grace Church for over 33 years he plays the accordion in the orchestra and often dates the wife of his youth, Carolyn Leman. You do not want to miss out on reading insights from his personal life. Many thanks to our loyal readers and certainly a special thanks goes out to our National Sponsors who advertise in each edition of the all new digital publication.
Such industry leaders afford our subscribers The Christian Sportsmen as a complimentary Gift Subscription for developing their own MAGAZINE MINISTRY in the lives of family members, friends and neighbors. Check out this resource to help you impact the lives of those who may desire to know more about God’s plan of salvation. Or you may want to utilize the magazine to disciple others around reading every exciting edition which is chalked full of stories about outdoors adventures along with opportunities to participate in hunting and fishing trips hosted by Christian Sportsmen’s Fellowship members.
the Alaska Native community and the non-Alaska Native residents who struggle with life challenging circumstances.
GREETINGS FROM ALASKA Do not miss the article of The CenterEdge as part of CSF Alaska missions. Over 175 fathers and sons have traveled with TEAM CSF to Alaska for the annual mission/construction trips each summer where we have at least ten construction sites on the Kenai Peninsula, The goal is to bring hope to Alaska’s youth by partnering with existing youth organizations to impact both
Richard Jordan
MORE INFORMATION Thank you for your comments and suggestions registered through FEEDBACK on our website and in follow up to the many adventure opportunities hosted across the nation to engage your passions as a Christian sportsmen.
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2015 CSF SPORTSMEN’S
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Friday, January 23rd, 2015, at 7:00 am Join sportsmen from around the U.S. for CSF’s 18th annual event for a Season of Prayer for our nation and the outdoors industry leaders who provide products and services to the sportsman and his family.
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Loren Leman’s Great Land Adventure
Alaska’s lieutenant governor embraces the challenges of a Christian sportsman in elective office
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Alaska’s Native sons are still a minority, and this Leman is a fifth-generation native of Ninilchik, a settlement founded in the 1840s as a retirement community for the Russian-American colony that had been established on Kodiak.
From his earliest days growing up in Ninilchik, Alaska, as the son of a commercial fisherman father and missionary mother, Loren Leman knew he lived in a great land. In fact, Alaska is an Aleut word that means “great land.” Today, the lieutenant governor of our 49th state expresses the passion he holds for his homeland as the first person of Alaska Native descent to be elected to statewide office, and as a man dedicated to Jesus Christ.
Raised in Ninilchik, a small fishing community along the western Kenai Peninsula, Leman has been privileged to see his homeland develop from a fledgling territory (purchased from the Russians 91 years before it attained statehood) into a resource-producing state and a world-class destination for sportsmen who are drawn to its wild
and abundant fishing and wildlife resources. Alaska’s economy has grown from the Gold Rush days to depend on other natural resources, including fish, minerals, oil and timber, and now tourism also plays a vital role, employing thousands of Alaskans. “On January 3, 1959, President Eisenhower welcomed Alaska to the Union as the 49th state,” recalls Leman. “I remember well, as an 8-year-old boy listening to the radio broadcast on that Saturday, feeling a sense of pride as the territory of my youth became a fullfledged state.” As he told the group Pioneers of Alaska: “My parents, Nick and Marian Leman, and many other friends and relatives have lived in Alaska 50, 60 or in some cases now 90 years or more. They have seen the enormous changes that have taken place here, from territory to statehood — from slow mail and Sears catalogs to shopping malls, even on the Kenai Peninsula! Pioneers have progressed from dogsled travel to single engine airplanes to jet airliners, and have witnessed the growth of instant communication around the world. There’s
a saying I often repeat, and have chosen to place on my website: ‘Even though our natural treasures are the envy of the nation, they pale in comparison to our richest resource, the people of Alaska.’”
Alaska’s Native sons are still a minority, and this Leman is a fifth-generation native of Ninilchik, a settlement founded in the 1840s as a retirement community for the Russian-American colony that had been established on Kodiak. “When the workers approached completion of their contracts and retirement age, the Russian-American Company would offer to send them back to Russia,” Leman explained. “If the workers did not want to return, they had to do something with them. In many cases, single men had come from Russia to work their contract, married local Alaska Native
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women, then started families. So Ninilchik was established as a good setting for families to settle to fish, raise cattle and foxes and farm produce.” Leman’s father was born there, as was his father’s mother and her mother. “Just after Alaska was transferred from Russian control to United States ownership, my great grandmother was born to the Kvasnikoff family, 12
one of the original families that settled Ninilchik. The lieutenant governor’s family in Alaska traces back more than 200 years to a marriage in Kodiak in 1798 between a Russian shipbuilder and an Alutiiq woman from Afognak. Gold miners, Alaska Natives, fishermen and missionaries have figured prominently in his family. Following the “Gold Rush”, many people began to arrive, including
my mother who came as a missionary to the community in 1946 from Southern California. Alaska’s population boomed following statehood, and by 1980 had mushroomed to 402,000, or 0.7 people for each square mile of land. Today’s approximate 650,000 residents, though another third bigger than just 34 years ago, still
Leman began his own commercial fishing career as a boy observing fish trap catches until the practice was outlawed by a statewide ballot measure in 1958.
have a lot of elbowroom amongst Alaska’s 591,000 square miles. The early influence of Christianity in Alaska originated with the Russian Orthodox Church in the late 1700s. American missionaries began arriving in the late 19th and early 20th centuries to help spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ and witness its impact on Indian, Eskimo and Aleut peoples as well as Alaska’s many other nationalities. “We have come a long way in 55 years of statehood, including tripling in
population, providing for our nation’s energy and defense needs and growing a Permanent Fund now worth over $50 billion,” Leman said. “Most of our relationship with the federal government has been cordial, but Alaska continues to fight for our full rights under our Statehood Compact. That will likely be the case for several
more decades. History shows that the purchase of Russia’s interests in Alaska for $7.2 million in 1867 and the granting of statehood to Alaska in 1959 were visionary, strategic and wise. Giving Alaska more control of its own resources will also be wise.”
It went out 800 feet into the water. When he would take me out on the water in his skiff, he would tie a line around me and to the boat — and tell me not to fall out of the skiff. He also would warn me, ‘Watch out! These large king salmon can really hurt you. They are bigger than you!’”
Growing Up In Ninilchik “We had no electricity or running water in our home in my earliest years,” Leman remembers, “except when my brother (Wayne Leman) and I would go to the spring in the woods to fill up buckets then run back to our house. What we did not spill was our running water. We had an outhouse out behind the house and our Sears Roebuck catalog served double duty.” Evening meals were also memorable for the Lemans, who ate dinners by candlelight and lanterns until 1956. “Some of my earliest memories are when I was 3 years old. I remember my dad’s fish trap — a huge thing for me as a little boy.
Loren Leman’s introduction to sport fishing also came during his youth in Ninilchik. “We made fishing poles from alder branches then used salmon eggs to catch trout. We were excited when we caught a bucket full.” Today Leman’s sport fishing is more refined. “I like trolling for king salmon in salt water and fishing for halibut. “Although sport fishing is fun, other harvest methods were more sure in putting food on the Leman table,” notes Leman. “One summer, my dad, brother 13
and I caught three large halibut in a row, each over 100 pounds, on a small ground line that we had set out.” He added, “I later fished commercially with my younger brother, Mark. We used ground lines with hooks on ganging lines every dozen feet or so, and sometimes would bring in halibut over 200 pounds. Sometimes we would run line up to 1,800 feet in length —a full skate. We then would anchor and buoy the line on each end. We had to run the line fairly often, because sand fleas and junk fish would eat our bait.” Leman began his own commercial fishing career as a boy observing fish trap catches until the practice was outlawed by a statewide ballot measure in 1958. “Fish traps were made of chicken wire used as a fence to form a barrier that would feed into the pot of the trap, a holding area where the salmon and other species could not escape. Dad would ‘close’ the trap, wait for the tide to go out, and then take the skiff into this area of the trap. The fish were then dipped out with huge dip nets. He delivered the fish to what was called a scow, an interim holding place on the water, until a tender from Seldovia would come to pick up our fish.” 14
Nick Leman used fish traps from 1935 until 1958. Other fishermen began using set gill nets in the 1940s, and this is what Nick
Leman and family switched to when they could no longer fish the trap. These stationary nets are anchored with steel stakes driven into the ground in areas where the ground goes dry with the receding tides. Some of their nets are located up to a mile offshore and are anchored with sand bags. The flood and ebb of Cook Inlet’s tides, some of the largest in the world, bring fish into the nets. “We catch fish in both directions of the tide,” Leman says, “but in my area we catch a lot more on the flood than on the ebb. The fish are usually headed up Cook Inlet toward the Kasilof River. Later in the season, some of the fish near the Leman fishing sites will be bound for the Kenai River, and perhaps a few are headed for the Susitna River in the northernmost part of Cook Inlet.”
Introduced to firearms as a 10-year-old, Leman recalls his father’s pragmatism for putting meat on the table. “My dad would take me out moose hunting. He said shooting birds took too long. When he was a boy, he would even use nets to capture ptarmigan. Of course, we can’t do that anymore! When walking home from school when I was in the eighth grade, I would often spot spruce hen (grouse) along our driveway then go home to get my .22 caliber rifle and return to shoot the birds. We then had them for supper.”
Alaska’s Future “All my children have been raised in the fishing business,” reports Leman of his 32-year-old son Joseph and daughters Rachel, 29, and Nicole, 23. ”When my son was 2 years old, he begged me to take him out in my skiff. I have a picture of him lying in on top of my oars, sound asleep!” On June 1, 2005 Joseph graduated from the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, as Leman and his wife, Carolyn, watched proudly from the stage as then Vice President Dick Cheney spoke to the graduating cadets and greeted each one personally.
Leman has been proactive in preparing his family and other Alaskans for the challenges the 21st century is sure to bring them. As an civil/environmental engineer who received a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Oregon State University in 1972, a master’s in civil/ environmental engineering from Stanford University in 1973, and studied arctic engineering at the University of Alaska in 1976, Leman has spent more than 39 years as a consulting engineer-and 18 years in public service working to establish conservation management philosophies and practices that will help ensure that renewable natural resources are around for generations to come. His first term in the Alaska Legislature came as a representative from west Anchorage in 1989. He was then elected as a state senator for a seat in Anchorage, representing the northwest Anchorage neighborhoods of Turnagain, Spenard and Bootleggers Cove as well as Elmendorf Air Force Base, Government Hill and a portion of east Anchorage near Russian Jack Park. Leman rose in the ranks of the Alaska
State Senate to become its majority leader before winning election as lieutenant governor in 2002. He and Governor Frank Murkowski were inaugurated Dec. 2, 2002, Leman’s 52nd birthday.
of Game that took a proactive approach to helping people secure needed game to survive. No one wants to deplete any of the wildlife species, even the wolves and other predatory animals.
“There is a lot more pressure on all natural resources in Alaska. Fishing pressure is intense in certain areas, like near my hometown of Ninilchik. With regard to hunting, I can remember walking home from school and passing through the Ninilchik River valley and counting more than 30 moose munching on foliage. Now the concentration of moose in the area is sparse.” On a trip in May to Fort Yukon, Leman says locals told him that it is hard to find moose because of predators, such as bears and wolves. “The adverse effects of wellintentioned but errant game management policies over the past few years have resulted in not enough moose in some areas for human consumption. Intensive Game Management is now the goal,” he said. “For a long time Alaska has not had a coherent policy on predator control for managing game. Governor Murkowski appointed a new Board
“I joined Christian Sportsmen’s Fellowship in 2005 after attending
their annual Great Alaska Sportsmen’s Prayer Breakfast held in Anchorage. We are inviting church lay leaders and other Christian sportsmen to join with us every year to pray for the state of Alaska and its elected officials, churches and families, especially sportsmen.
Tough Talk, Effective Politician During his service in the Legislature, Leman advocated a straightforward, common sense legislative
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agenda that he calls prodevelopment, pro-family, and taxpayer-friendly. “The key to creating and keeping jobs for Alaskans is to manage and develop Alaska’s resources responsibly,” he said in support of Alaska’s development. He won passage of legislation to help businesses comply with environmental laws and to ensure that those laws are based on sound science, not on the political agendas of groups from outside Alaska.
strong pro-life proponent. “Abortion on demand has been legal nationwide for 41 years,” he told supporters. “Many in the medical, legal, entertainment and educational industries are strongly pro-abortion. Yet it still has not won public approval. Most people know in their hearts that abortion is wrong. That is why we who are pro-life need to take our message of hope to a hurting world. People need the truth and we need to offer them a positive alternative.”
“Each year state and local governments in Alaska spend hundreds of millions of dollars attempting to deal with the problems caused by family breakdown and a general decline in society’s values: domestic violence, neglected children, drug and alcohol abuse, teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases,” he said. “Promoting strong families and renewing an individual sense of responsibility are key to reversing this erosion of our social fabric.” While in the Senate, Leman led in the adoption of an amendment to Alaska’s constitution defining marriage as a union between one man and one woman. The amendment appeared on the 1998 General Election ballot and passed overwhelmingly with 68 percent of the vote. And he has been a
He also has been very instrumental in the State of Alaska’s initiative to encourage faith-based and community volunteer efforts to assist in meeting needs. Leman wrote: “Faith has always moved mountains. In Alaska, faith-based and community groups are moving barriers. When we were first inaugurated, Governor Murkowski asked me to lead an effort to strengthen the relationships among state and federal governments and faith and community organizations. Called the Faith-Based & Community Initiatives (FBCI), this effort was modeled after work by President (George W.) Bush. Primary outreaches have been to churches, other faith groups, community service and tribal organizations and individuals.” In some
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cases, the initiative gives faith-based organizations an ability to compete on an equal footing for government grants with other charities. The effort is intended to maintain the integrity of faith-based missions, strengthen private support and reduce bureaucratic barriers. Leman opposed proposals by Alaska’s previous administration to reinstate a personal income tax and to increase state spending by $300 million, instead voting to protect Alaska’s Permanent Fund by making special deposits of more than $3 billion in the fund. Another issue that garners the lieutenant governor’s unabashed support is exploring for oil and gas in the Coastal Plain of the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), which has drawn fire from some environmentalists in the Lower 48. “I would like to take a few U.S. Senators to ANWR so they can see what it is really like,” Leman said. “We need the authorization from Congress now. The very crux of the controversy
has been a misinformation campaign by a small number of environmental extremists who really do not understand America’s need for fossil fuel and Alaska’s ability to deliver it safely. The development footprint is only 2,000 acres out of a total refuge of 19 million acres — this is like two large pizzas on a football field,” says Leman. “The Alaska pipeline has been operating for 37 years and the other safe transportation infrastructure
is in place. The U.S. Department of the Interior estimates that 10 billion barrels of recoverable oil is likely in this area. Alaska would certainly benefit from ANWR, but so will our nation for decades.” Leman, pointing to Alaska’s rich bounty of natural resources, says he wants to share those resources with other Americans. “I would like them to see our state so that they could better understand the issues facing the people of Alaska and the environmental policies in place to properly manage our wildlife and landscapes,” he said. “So many people in Alaska depend on the harvest of game and fish to sustain their families. That is why conservation management is very high on our agenda. God has blessed this land with a plentiful supply of game, fish and fowl. Proper management is the key to conservation and replenishment.”
Where is Loren now? Since leaving office eight years ago, Loren has returned to his roots as a consulting engineer. He continues to run his family’s fishing business near Ninilchik, mentoring several young men each season in the art of hard work. Leman is also active on several boards and commissions, including LeTourneau University, the University of Alaska Anchorage, Salvation Army, InterAct Ministries, and the Public Safety Advisory Commission for Anchorage. While wild Alaska salmon are managed well and are still abundant, the last three years have been challenging for the Lemans and other commercial fishermen like them. Their area of Cook Inlet is seeing plenty of red salmon (sockeye), but for reasons that baffle biologists, the population of kings bound for the Kenai River has been disastrously reduced. This has led to closures for both sport and commercial fishermen, which is very costly for the local Alaska economy. “We saw 200,000 reds over-escape the Kasilof River this summer—so those fish are lost opportunity for all of us, and likely will not result in increased returns 4 to 6 years from now. The river and lake systems have only so much carrying capacity.” Family remains important to Leman, but he also remains passionate about making a difference as a leader, particularly with combating social dysfunctions that match the size of his State. “In a world that is desperately off-track, we know what the real answer is—it’s Jesus, he says.” What’s in his political future? Leman acknowledges he still has a passion for serving and leading. The woman he beat to become Alaska’s Lieutenant Governor has gone on to become a national household name. While that notoriety is not necessarily his goal, Leman knows that Sarah Palin raised the awareness of Alaska and he continues to believe Alaska has resources the rest of the world needs. “We just need leaders with better vision.”
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Vintage Korean work truck used at the fish camp for launching skiffs into the costal water edge for each summer season
Taking On The Responsibility “Carolyn and I have been members of Anchorage Grace Church for over 33 years and rely on fellowship with a strong community of believers. Our church has a Men’s Night Out as a place to build Christian friendships around a table full of caribou, moose, salmon and halibut prepared by some expert chefs. The outreach is designed to invite neighbors. “We have sent our children to its associated Grace Christian School, which represents more than 80 different churches 18
in Anchorage. My wife teaches Sunday school and I play the accordion in the orchestra.” Desiring to serve as an example to others, Leman adds, “I believe God wants us involved in governing our nation, state and communities to establish order in society. We read in the Bible about other men and women of faith who were active in government, such as Joseph, Daniel and Esther. In meeting their goals of serving God, they also helped their people live better lives. We need to recognize that government and human response is not the total answer, however.”
Before he became a Ninilchik High School student in the 1960s, Leman met Alaska politicians, including territorial legislators and
Alaska’s first Governor, Bill Egan, and dabbled in politics himself. “A former 5th- and 6th-grade teacher
of mine, Bob Palmer, who I knew as just a regular guy, ran for the State Senate and was elected when I was a junior in high school. I watched him excel. Also, during my senior year in high school, when I was Ninilchik’s student body president, I was encouraged to apply for the U.S. Senate Youth Program by one of my teachers, Emma McCune. I did not think it was likely that I, a student from a very small school, would be one of the two young Alaskans selected to represent the state with this great honor. But one day, several weeks after taking a test and writing an essay on the overreach of the U.S. Supreme Court, I was summoned to the office to receive a telegram from Senator Ernest Gruening who announced to me that I had been selected and would be traveling to Washington, D.C. to meet President Johnson, Vice President Hubert Humphrey, Congressmen and Supreme Court justices.” Not bad for a kid coming from a graduating class of just 16 students. Today the 63-year-old Leman travels throughout Alaska carrying a message of hope and opportunity to citizens of all ages. “As an elected official I would probably want
to be remembered as a thoughtful, compassionate and honest public official,” he said. “Many call me a straight shooter. Many opponents say that they do not always agree with me but they acknowledge that I am forthright in my discussions with them.” Being able to spend more time at home came at a critical juncture for Leman. Their youngest child, Nicole, graduated from high school in 2009. Loren and Carolyn were able to support Nicole and her considerable athletic accomplishments in volleyball and track. Loren also was able to spend quality time with his aging parents in their last years. “Mom graduated to Glory in January 2010 and Dad followed just over 10 months later. I was glad for the time I was able to spend with them. They left a tremendous legacy because of their investment in people.” Despite losing his parents, his family has grown. They added daughter-in-law Erica in 2009 when their son Joseph, a C-17 pilot in the Air Force, married a young woman who was raised in Anchorage, has tremendous musical talents, and plays hockey. Son-in-law Joel and daughter Rachel married a year later and are
enjoying their daughter. The Lemans are reminded of the joys of children by being able to spend time with their three grandchildren. What’s next for the lieutenant governor? He acknowledges his interest in serving someday as Alaska’s governor. The woman he beat to become Alaska’s Lieutenant Governor has gone on to become a national household name. While that notoriety is not necessarily his goal, Leman knows that Sarah Palin raised the awareness of Alaska and he continues to believe Alaska has resources the rest of the world needs. Leaders cast vision for impacting the future. In the meanwhile — there’s more faith-based action on Leman’s agenda, expressed with a spirit and passion few men ever exhibit. His message to fellow Christians: “Churches must become more relevant to reach Alaska’s people, especially men. Like elsewhere, Alaska is mostly unchurched. Probably up to 90 percent of the population seldom attends church,” he said. “I was very excited to discover The Christian Sportsman magazine and believe that it appeals to many 19
sportsmen who need Jesus Christ in their lives. We need to be engaged in fellowship and spiritual growth along with others of like faith and passion. “I am committed to the mission of CSF because God has placed us in this world to glorify him and to share our Christian faith within our families, recreationally, and in the marketplace to reach other men. CSF can inspire men to become godly leaders. Too many have relinquished their role as Christian leaders, even in their own families.” ________________________________ The staff of The Christian Sportsman commends Loren Leman as one of our nation’s true heroes in the faith for his courageous leadership in the 49th State known as the Last Frontier. More information can be obtained in scheduling Loren to speak at your church Sportsmen’s Banquet by contacting CSF Headquarters at 770.772.6749
Is Your Name in God’s Record Book of Life?
“I tell you the truth, no one can see the Kingdom of God unless he is born again.” (John 3:3) Did you know that you can have your name permanently recorded in God’s book of life today?
HERE’S HOW: A) Admit that you need him - Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 6:23a: “For the wages of sin is death...”, B) Believe that Jesus died to save you - Romans 6:23b “...but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” C) Confess Jesus as your Savior and Lord by turning from your sin and calling on his name - Romans 10:9-10: “That if you confess with your mouth ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:13: “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Acts 3:19: “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out...” Our response is to receive Jesus Christ.
Does this prayer say what you want to say to God? Dear God, I believe that your son died for my sins and ask your forgiveness. I receive Jesus Christ now as my personal Savior and invite him to be the Lord of my life from this day forward. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. Please contact us about your eternal decision: csf@christiansportsman.com CSF, P.O. Box 566547, Atlanta, GA 31156
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FRIEND a close friend (descriptive words): companion, soul mate, confidante, familiar, alter ego, second self, workmate; ally, associate; brother; best friend, kindred spirit, bosom buddy, informal pal, chum, sidekick, crony, main man, mate, buddy, bud, amigo, compadre.
Faith and Fire: Foundation for Men’s Friendship By Gary McKean 22
And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died. And Seth lived an hundred and five years, and begat Enos: And Seth lived after he begat Enos eight hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters (Genesis 5:5-7 KJV). A man needs friends; hunters need good huntin’ buddies. Sure, we have acquaintances, people we even call friends, but not all my friends are men I would want to hunt with and not all are really deep friends. To me friendship between men, real friendship, true friendship – the kind of friendship that counts – comes from two things. The first is a common faith, being spiritually of the same heart and mind. The second is having gone through the fire, being in the crucible, together. Let me share a story that paints the picture. Well, it had been a good day of elk hunting in the Three Corners area of Utah where Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah all come together, about 40 miles from the nearest town. We were in the high country with the sun shining and I had a limited entry bull elk permit. Yep, it was a great day. We had done a lot of walking but it was worth it because we were seeing elk. My son-inlaw, James Smith, had just bugled in a 6 x 6 bull that had the impression that he was in danger of losing his harem. I was being coached by our huntin’ buddy, Rob Lee.
Normally a bow hunter, I had switched to a rifle on this day because it was the first day of the any weapon hunt. We were in a steep canyon filled with trees and rocks. Answering the bugle, a clearly hot and bothered bull came out of the brush at the bottom and stood broadside to me at 30 yards! I shot…and told Rob told me to shoot again. So I did. The bull walked maybe 10 yards and went down. Well, there we were near the bottom of a canyon, steep enough that we had to tie the bull’s leg to a tree so we could field dress it without it rolling down. You know how it is – the hard work comes after the kill. It took quite a while but finally the meat was bagged and we were ready to pack it out…or rather up to the rim. “Sure, I can do it. Let’s go!” Part way up on the first load late in the afternoon, my head started to spin and the next thing I knew I was laying face down in the rocks! Looking back, I reckon that the day’s hike, the excitement of the kill, dehydration, and altitude all combined and knocked me flat! James hiked back to camp to get the Blazer but it would
take him several hours to circle around and get to the rim above me to transport me out. Rob stayed with me, treated me for shock, covered me with an emergency blanket, started a fire, and waited. The rocks never got softer but Rob never left me. We had no idea how serious my condition was but we knew I needed help. Hours later, James appeared and together he and Rob helped me up to the rim and into the vehicle. James had been unable to contact anyone and so we went back to camp and by the next day I was rested, had taken in more water, and although still weak, we made it out (with the meat and rack) and back home. I tell you this story because it demonstrates friendship being lived out in a critical time by men of common faith. James and Rob are my co-walkers in the faith; we all love the Lord and know and respect each other’s faith. As Micah tells us in 6:8, “what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God?” We walk together in the Lord. Collapsing in a canyon in the wilderness, I figuratively landed in a fire, a crucible, a critical moment and both
James and Rob stayed the course with me and got me out safely. Faith and fire! There are many ways people have described friendship, any of which can be very true. I recently read one that says “the best kind of friend is the one you could sit on the porch with, never saying a word, and walk away feeling like that was the best conversation you’ve had.” As men we can relate to that. After all, a man is supposed to be strong and silent. Hunters know that silence can be a real important part of hunting. When you are still-hunting, climbing a ridge, glassing for deer or elk, or hidden near an animal trail waiting for game, often you don’t (and sometimes can’t) say anything, communicating instead by gestures or looks. A
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good huntin’ buddy is one that you can trust to be silent and communicate with you when necessary.. But that isn’t enough for real friendship. You also both need to see that the outdoor world around you is God’s handiwork and that your buddy is a child of God. You can see more clearly and share with greater joy the outdoors, especially our western spectacular views, with someone who, like you, knows the Creator. That is good, too, but there must be more. There is also going through the fire. we’ve all experienced the long walks in the rain or snow, the lack of any animal sign or sightings, We have all experienced missed shots, an elk or other game getting a whiff of you and running over a ridge,
the dropped arrow, and the disappointments of a hunt without a shot. Those can be discouraging times but the really hard times of life come out when we sit around the campfire and talk into the night and we’ll spend time around a campfire sharing and telling stories about these things, even put up with the jokes and the laughter. Men need that talking time certainly, it’s part of the hunt and can be fun, but men also need to share about the fires they are experiencing. A man needs a friend, a man of faith, to be with his times of fire, and he needs to be that kind of friend for other men. Lest we think that is just a modern thing, let’s consider some faith and fire friendships in the Bible. Two biblical friendships that are worthy of
note are those of David and Jonathan and then Joshua and Caleb. David’s friendship with Jonathan is a familiar story. Through faith, David had killed the giant Goliath. He became a national hero and proved himself again and again in battle. He was loyal to his king but King Saul sought to kill David and chadsed him all over the place. Yet, in that fire, Jonathan, the king’s son, befriended David and stood with him at great personal risk. Then there were Joshua and Caleb, the only 2 spies returning from Canaan who had faith in God to deliver the promised land. Years later, after Joshua became the leader of the Hebrews and after the entry into the promised land with all of its fighting and sacrifice, Joshua and Caleb remained friends
such that in Joshua 14, we read that Caleb at 85 years of age asked Joshua for a mountain and Joshua gave it to him. Caleb went on to conquer the inhabitants of that mountain, Mt. Hebron, which became a significant strongpoint for the people. Two friendships based on faith and fire. Yet, what can compare with the greatest friendship a man can have, that with the Lord Jesus Christ himself? Picture with me, Jesus walking with His disciples, the men He called His friends in John 15:12-17. Think about them on a trail, walking from one village to another, fishing together, sitting around a campfire together. Laughing and having a good time together. Great times for
building friendships. But then there were the hard times. The times of confrontation with the Pharisees, the time of followers turning away, the times of arrest, denial, and crucifixion Yet remember, there also came the time of celebration and a final campfire after the resurrection, a time of friendship followed by a lifetime of loyalty and faithfulness and fire for the disciples. Their friendship was born in faith and fire and they remained the friends of Christ and He remained their Friend, just as He is, if we seek him, our true friend. Jesus told His disciples in John 15:13 that “greater love has no man than this that one lay down his life for his friends” and “I have called you my friends.” What a revelation!
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Imagine that, Jesus, the Son of the Living God, who entered into our world and called these men His friends! The Son of God is our Friend! He stated His mission and purpose in John 3:16 and it was reaffirmed in Romans 5:8. Jesus our friend in faith and through the fires! Oswald Chambers shares a perspective about John 15:13 and friendship in My Utmost For His Highest where he says: “Jesus does not ask me to die for Him, but to lay down my life for Him…If I am a friend of Jesus, I have deliberately and carefully to lay down my life for Him.” In other words, as His friend, I am to give Him my life, live my life in faith and through the fires alongside and for Him. Someone once said “A friend is one of the nicest things you can have, and one of the best things you can be.” Jesus wants that; you will like it, The words of one popular Christian chorus say: Thank You for the Cross. Thank You for the Cross. Thank You for the Cross. My friend. Thank God, Jesus is our friend. He went through the faith and fire for us. the fire of the Cross and our sin. Doing that, He also showed us as men how to be friends with other men. There is a further side to a man’s friendships, a critical side. That is our friendship
with our sons and daughters. We are biblically admonished to train up our children in the ways of the Lord so that they will not depart from Him. We are to be the spiritual leaders of our families and home. We need to live out our faith with our children, and for those of us on the “other” side of the mountain, our grandchildren. We go through the fire with them and how wonderful it is for a man to be a friend to his children. Recently, James and I along with his 12 year old son, Cody, were back in the Three Corners accompanying a Christian friend on his elk archery hunt. One day, Cody and I climbed a mountain side to look for elk and elk sign. It was steep and part of it was in the rain and wind then the clouds rolled in but once at the top, the sun came out and we had tremendous views. The best part, though, was sharing it with my grandson. As we snacked and explored, Cody kept saying how beautiful it was and finally his eyes lit up and he turned to me and said “Grandpa, I have a name for this mountain. Cody and Grandpa Gary Mountain”. At that moment, we were real buddies. James has raised his two sons. Cody and Colton, to love the Lord and to love His world and I got to enjoy that moment with a grandson who is also my friend. Climbing a mountain was hard but wasn’t the real fire for Cody. The real fire in Cody’s day to day life is coping with being ADHD, allergies, and school. Yes, as
a grandfather, I can be Cody’s friend but I take greater joy in seeing James and his sons in their daily walk together in faith and through the fire, being their friend. But why go through fire to be a true friend? Let me put it this way, that is when it counts and proves itself, sets it for life. It tests you, your friend, and the friendship. Like the space shuttle needs to be tested to take to space, so does our friendship with a man for that friendship to endure. Going through a fire is faith, and friendship at work, it is an arena for true friendship. Faith and Fire. Ingredients of friendship for a man. Is such a friendship worth it? Of yes, it is! I cherish those few true friendships I do have, they are a blessing from God. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow said it well and I leave you with his words: “Ah, how good it feels! The hand of an old friend. Gary McKean is a retired attorney, He was appointed as a Mission Service Corps Missionary by the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention and serves as the Mission Service Corps Coordinator for the Utah-Idaho Southern Baptist Convention, He and his wife, Naomi, a retired teacher, live in Layton, Utah.
THE CENTEREDGE BRINGS HOPE TO THE NEXT GENERATION OF ALASKA’S YOUTH by Derryck McLuhan
Homer Spit Marina where Team CSF exploratory crew set out to the Alaska Native village of Port Graham
It must have been very exciting to live during the first century church age just after the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the grave. New followers who were considered disciples of Jesus were from a diverse background of vocations and cultures. Entire families were being changed for eternity after
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sitting under the teaching of seasoned commercial fishermen named Peter, James, and John who had themselves been discipled by the One sometimes referred to as The Master Fisherman. Even a tax collector named Matthew provided a first hand account of the teachings of Jesus.
The Lord continues to bring a variety of teams together to advance His Kingdom. Even so today in the Third Millennium, specifically the year 2014, God is bringing together diverse groups and ministries to accomplish His plans and purposes in His on unique ways. God’s empower-
The CenterEdge is an outreach to serve as an online gathering place and resource center for Millennials who have disengaged from local church, but still desire a genuine relationship with God, through Jesus Christ.
CSF Exploratory Team travels to Port Graham with a population of around 130 Alaska Natives to evaluate a parsonage construction project
ing presence of grace brought two long-time friends together around the desire to bring hope to the next generation of youth in America. The CenterEdge is an outreach to serve as an online gathering place and resource center for Millennials who have disengaged from local church, but still desire a genuine relationship with God, through Jesus Christ. The journey began when I shared the concept and potential impact of launching a ministry to the millennial culture with the team at Christian Sportsmen’s Fellowship. TEAM CSF had already begun to reach out
Construction team completes vital construction project for Alaska Bible Institute in Homer
to the youth of Alaska since 1997 by partnering with student ministries across the State by hosting groups of men and their family members on short-term construction projects in the South Central part of Greatland Alaska. Richard Jordan and I began to dream of God’s plan to invite teams of young millennials to travel together with CSF each summer through Alaska Wilderness Missions by tailoring the construction projects to include fun adventure and teaching for the purpose of raising up young leaders who themselves will impact other millennials within their own sphere of influence.
Millennials are 14-34 year olds, also referred to Generation Y, and Digital Natives. Their mass exodus from local church is unprecedented in American history, and the solutions offered by most community churches are not working. Thus, The CenterEdge seeks to supplement the few community churches who are reaching young people by providing a viable alternative to the traditional brick and mortar Christian community. Our desire is to provide relevant responses to the primary spiritual desires and questions of Millennials. The Barna Group, a leading researcher of church trends,
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estimates that by the time Americans turn 29, 80% of Millennials will disengage from their local church. These young people are thirsty for substantive Biblical content, and they want to belong to a “tribe” of individuals who share their spiritual interests. To satisfy these desires they immerse themselves in an environment of podcasts, blogs, online videos, texting, social media sites, and more.
who themselves struggle with passing the Christian heritage down to their family members. Since CSF’s primary communication tool is the new online digital publication called The Christian Sportsman magazine, now geared to include the millennial generation, the strategic alliance was a perfect fit. God confirmed the strategic alliance through our recent late summer mission trip across Alaska to complete a building project with
the new friends I had made in such a short time. The intrigue of Alaska’s landscape and adventure opportunities makes our partnership with CSF very promising well into the future as the short-term mission trips are very economical and impactful, ideally suited for those seeking outdoors adventure, new friends and opportunity to grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ’s Lordship. Did I mention that the logistical plans for your
To build a high-impact internet presence that appeals to Millennials, The CenterEdge team is composed of highly qualified individuals with considerable experience and expertise in Biblical studies, spiritual dialogue, cross-cultural communication, digital content development, internet marketing, video/audio production, and branding. The ultimate purpose of the organization is to foster the development of localized groups of Millennials that serve as creative expressions of Christian community on every Continent. The CenterEdge (TCE) will facilitate the groups through substantive and relevant content built from Biblical truth, highly relational mentoring based on sacred companionship rather than top-down leadership, and global networking with like-minded organizations and individuals.
the Alaska Bible Institute along with an exploratory visit to the Alaska Native village of Port Graham.
The staff of CSF was presented the strategic alliance opportunity with The CenterEdge in more effectively connecting with not only Alaska ‘s youth but with the sons and daughters of Christian sportsman
Two weeks later I returned from my first trip to Greatland Alaska full of hope and vision for our strategic alliance, profoundly impacted by the magnetic attraction of that indescribable place, and deeply grateful for
Construction team completes vital construction project for Alaska Bible Institute in Homer
true Alaskan experience are replete with the opportunity to view brown bear, climb peaks to discover hidden glaciers and even visit the Halibut Capital of the World! Our visit was marked with a pastor’s networking group in Anchorage, a building project for the Alaska Bible Institute in Homer, visiting the local pastor
A few TEAM CSF members at the Alaska State Fair with Randy and Jennifer Comer (R), who provide the Anchorage Lofts Hotel for staging CSF Alaska Wilderness Missions when teams arrive then depart Greatland Alaska.
in Port Graham (an Alaskan Native village of 80 people), and two pastor’s seminars on reaching Millennials. The unusual beauty and majestic expanse of Alaska is impossible to describe. Everyone I met was warm and inviting, and true to CSF’s president Richard Jordan’s prediction . . . I fell in love with Alaska and her people. The year 2015, may be just the perfect time for you to invite Millennials to join you in traveling to the Last Frontier for a time of adventure, spiritual
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growth, community service, all with the ultimate ambition to ... Bring Hope to the Next Generation of Alaska’s Youth!
CHECK OUT OUR NEW 3 MINUTE ALASKA WILDERNESS MISSION VIDEO
Check out Alaska Wilderness Missions Today!
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Click Here for more information Derryck McLuhan Founder/Director The CenterEdge www.centeredge.org
The Crunching of Leaves by Steve Scott There is nothing that accelerates the heart rate of a deer hunter more than hearing the unmistakable sound of hoof steps in the autumn leaves - particularly after sitting in a stand for several hours. It is a
the sound is coming and to catch the first glimpse of movement. Buck or doe? Is it alone, or are there more trailing? Is this the one I have been waiting for? Adrenaline begins to raise as the sound gets closer. The
The Lord detests those whose hearts are perverse but he delights in those whose ways are blameless. Proverbs 11:20 different sound than the scurry of a fox squirrel or the clumsiness of another hunter. Deer do not step loudly, but there is a sense of heaviness. They are deliberate steps, often with a steady cadence, coming into audible range so subtly that the
anticipation is great. This is it ... game time! Hearing steps in nature goes back to the beginning of time. When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man and his wife heard the Lord God walk-
Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!
mandment that God had given them, charting a course that would plague every person of every generation after them. So they hid among the trees. The next time you hear the crunching of leaves in the woods, ask yourself this --How would you respond if you heard God approaching? Would you be embarrassed about your behavior and lifestyle and cower in fear and embarrassment? Or would you be excited to meet the Maker of heaven and earth, knowing that as a follower of Christ your sins have been forgiven and that your relationship with the Lord is on solid ground.
Check out Steve’s blog at www.OnTargetOutfitters.org
Psalm 32:11 mind doesn’t process that it is a deer until it is close. When your ears finally register with your brain, you immediately make mental inventory, making sure that your equipment is ready and that you are fully concealed. Your eyes strain to identify the direction from which
ing about the garden. So they hid from the Lord God among the trees (Genesis 3:8 NLT). I am sure that for Adam and Eve, adrenaline was flowing strongly too. Unfortunately, it was not because of excited expectancy, but rather because of embarrassment and shame. They had just disobeyed the one com-
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GOING WILD Alaska Salmon - The Choice of Champions Why is America going wild over Alaska Salmon? Could it be the fact that this high protein food source is the purest, best-tasting fish in the world - with no additives like antibiotics, pesticides, artificial coloring or growth hormones? Not to mention that sportsmen from around the world are passionate about traveling to the Last Frontier state during the peak seasons of the salmon run to collect a cache of the product to bring home for the dinner table. Let’s first focus on the quality of the product before we make plans to travel to Alaska for the peak salmon run! Alaska’s breed of salmon, unlike its farm raised cousin which is cheaper and more abundant, has now become the choice of champions who want to sustain a healthy lifestyle beginning with the food selection that goes into our bodies. An excellent source of minerals and vitamins,
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Alaska Salmon is known for its highly acclaimed Omega 3 fats acids very helpful in maintaining healthy blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels while also keeping heart arrhythmia and cardiovascular disease in check. Alaskan salmon contains 1.5 total grams of omega-3 fatty acids in every 3-ounce serving, an amount high enough for the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch to place it on its Super Green List of fish that provide the most omega-3 fatty acids with the least contaminants. The American Heart Association recommends eating 3.5 ounces of fish like Alaskan salmon at least twice a week. To maximize the benefit you receive, choose a low-fat preparation method like roasting, broiling or grilling and avoid using seasonings high in sodium. According to the Monterey Bay Aquarian Seafood Watch, wild-caught Alaskan salmon contains low
levels of contaminants like mercury and polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs. It is safe for young children, pregnant and nursing women, and those with known heart disease to eat up to 12 ounces weekly. CSF is now offering Wild Gourmet Alaska Smoked Salmon sampler gift packages as part of the annual Alaska Wilderness missions for those who would like to sponsor the mission outreach project. The funds can be earmarked to send a friend on an eight day short term summer mission project or otherwise support the goals and ideals of CSF’s quest to bring hope to the next generation of Alaska’s youth. More information: Click here: Alaska Salmon Sampler Packages
Alaska Salmon Alaska’s breed of salmon, unlike its farm raised cousin which is cheaper and more abundant, has now become the choice of champions who want to sustain a healthy lifestyle beginning with the food selection that goes into our bodies.
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Equipping Sportsmen with Truth for Today By June Hunt
WORRY, WORRY, WORRY CAUTION! WORRY IS A SUBTLE THIEF . . . One of the most destructive habits ensnaring human beings is also so common that many consider it as natural as breathing and as harmless as blinking. That habit is called worry. It is such a skilled and deceptive thief that its victims don’t even know they’ve been robbed . . . of peace, of time, of mental energy, and of emotional well-being.
Worry is like a thick braided headband that puts pressure on the mind—a confining cord interwoven with three strands—the distresses of yesterday, the trials of today, and the fearful ‘what if’s’ of tomorrow. This vice-like grip of worry tragically compresses your joy, cramps your peace, and confines your freedom. But this constriction can be conquered! —June Hunt
GOD’S WORD FOR WORRIED HEARTS Do You Need . . . ?
Comfort “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.” (Psalm 23:1–3)
Confidence “God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” (2 Timothy 1:7)
Grace
You may know and love God, but when you trust in anything other than God’s promises and provision for your life, then worry will turn your heart away from the Lord and turn your trust into distrust.
Distorted thinking—Trusting God to save you but not trusting Him to meet your everyday needs (Matthew 7:9–11)
Illusory control—Thinking that by mentally arranging future events you can control the outcome (Proverbs 29:25)
“Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16)
Super responsibility—Having a
Hope
Transferred guilt—Allowing false
“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV)
Restoration “After you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” (1 Peter 5:10)
Courage to stand alone
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WHY DO YOU WORRY?
“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31)
burdened sense of duty to make every area of your life perfect (Philippians 4:11–12) guilt to surface as worry (Psalm 32:3–5)
Runaway emotions—Letting anxiety or fear have full control (Psalm 34:4) Unhealthy need—Feeling a desperate need to have the approval of others (Galatians 1:10)
Spiritual starvation—Trying to live on past spiritual nourishment (Psalm 34:8, 10)
Trampled self-image—Lacking a sense of God-given self-worth (Psalm 34:18)
SIX OCCASIONS OF WORRY
HOW TO RID YOUR LIFE OF WORRY
1. If you say: “I’m afraid that my situation is impossible.”
1. Desire to be free of all that chokes out the will of God. (Mark 4:19)
The Lord says: I can make all things possible. (Luke 18:27)
3. Give Christ control over your life, allowing Him to be your Lord. (Mark 8:34–36)
2. If you say: “I’m overwhelmed with fear.” The Lord says: I will give you My strength when you’re afraid. (Isaiah 41:10)
2. Admit you have sinned and chosen to go your own way. (Psalm 51:4) 4. Recognize God’s presence in your life. (Psalm 18:2) •
The Lord is your Life. (Colossians 3:4)
•
The Lord is your Security. (Romans 8:38–39)
•
The Lord is your Provider. (Philippians 4:19)
•
The Lord is your Protector. (Isaiah 41:10)
3. If you say: “I’m so worried—I can’t forgive myself.” The Lord says: I can forgive you. (1 John 1:9)
5. Eliminate the worry producing cant’s, should’s, must’s, and have to’s. (Psalm 13:2)
4. If you say: “I’m worried that my loved ones might leave me.”
7. Have confidence that the Lord is directing your life even if circumstances don’t work out the way you had hoped. Expect the Lord to make positive changes in you even when you fail.
The Lord says: Once you’ve come to Me, I will never leave you. (Deuteronomy 31:8) 5. If you say: “I’m worried that I might die.” The Lord says: I will give you eternal life. (John 3:16) 6. If you say: “I’m so worried that I can’t rest.” The Lord says: I will give you My rest. (Matthew 11:28–30) “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28–30)
If you would like more information, call 1-800-488-HOPE (4673) or visit www.HopeForTheHeart.org. For prayer encouragement and biblical counsel, call 1-866-570-HOPE (4673).
6. See your worry producing situations as opportunities for character building (Philippians 1:6)
Nourish your body with the right physical activities. (Psalm 127:2) If you don’t get enough sleep, small problems become insurmountable. If you don’t eat healthy foods, you can feel fatigued and frazzled. If you don’t make time to exercise, you can feel “down” and depressed. 8. Nurture your mind with spiritual music. (Psalm 28:7) Meditate on the words of the songs. 9. Cultivate contentment with prayer. (Luke 18:1) 10. Commit to doing the following every day for the next four weeks: Focus on living in the present—not in the past or future. (James 4:13–15) Ask God to direct you in performing at least one unexpected act of kindness. (Matthew 7:12)
Key Verse to Memorize “[Cast] all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7)
Key Passage to Read Luke 12:22–34
Scripture taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The material of this section is based on G. Brian Jones and Linda Phillips-Jones, A Fight to the Better End (Wheaton, IL: Victor, 1989), 16–17; also Don Baker, Restoring Broken Relationships (Eugene, OR: Harvest House, 1989), 131. For this section, see New Oxford Dictionary of English (electronic ed.) (Oxford University Press, 1998); Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary. On the differences between resolution and reconciliation see also L. Randolph Lowry and Richard W. Meyers, Conflict Management and Counseling, Resources for Christian Counseling, ed. Gary R. Collins, vol. 29 (Waco, TX: Word, 1991), 26–29. For this section, see Will Cunningham, How to Enjoy a Family Fight (Phoenix, AR: Questar, 1988), 151–80; Robert M. Bramson, Coping with Difficult People (Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1981), 13, 26–29, 44–-52, 70–73, 85–90. For this section, see Bramson, Coping, 14–25, 29–34, 52–64, 74–84, 90–97; H. Norman Wright, How to Get Along with Almost Anyone: A Complete Guide to Building Positive Relationships with Family, Friends, Co-workers (Dallas: Word, 1989), 140–43, 136–37. See Jones and Phillips-Jones, A Fight to the Better End, 50–54, 60–61; Josh McDowell, Resolving Conflict (Pomona, CA: Focus on the Family, 1989), 8, 11; Cunningham, How to Enjoy a Family Fight, 123–25, 127–31, 191.
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CSF QUICK LINKS Resources for the Seasoned Christian Sportsman
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