| Crosshairs for Christ | | | | heard God say... |
| VALLE VIDAL- If you find yourself fly-fishing near | | | | "Be still and know that I am God..." |
| a herd of monster bull elk, pristine grassy | | | | I responded, how could I be still in the midst of a |
| meadows, towering mountain peaks and | | | | cutthroat feeding frenzy? What did God mean be |
| meandering streams, you'll start to think you've | | | | still? |
| died and gone to heaven. If the place happens to | | | | No sooner had the rebellion and questions left my |
| be the Valle Vidal, you better believe you have. | | | | head it struck me. In preparation for this trip, I |
| People around here call this place New Mexico's | | | | had been studying Psalms 46:10, "Be still, and |
| Yellowstone and for good reason. It's the home | | | | know that I am God; I will be exalted among the |
| of the state's trophy elk herd and one of the last | | | | nations, I will be exalted in the earth," with the |
| places you can find indigenous Rio Grande | | | | intent to deliver a thoughtful devotional to the |
| Cutthroat trout. It's a place where one can easily | | | | small fishing group. In all the excitement I had |
| clear their mind and remember the important | | | | missed the opportunity and now the group was |
| things in life. | | | | scattered up and down the stream for miles. I |
| On Saturday, a small group of C4C members | | | | knew there was no longer any hope of reigning |
| headed north to experience a cleaning of the soul. | | | | them in to hear me yammer. So, I decided to |
| With the sound of a dry fly whipping through the | | | | reflect on the study myself. |
| air, beginners and experts picked up their rods | | | | I knew the literal meaning of the verse was |
| and hit the streams and creeks in hopes of | | | | intended as a power statement warning those |
| landing a cutthroat. What they found instead, was | | | | who persecuted the Church to immediately stop |
| that fishing for one of God's most beautiful | | | | their cruelty. This wasn't about persecution or |
| creations, was more about the quite and stillness | | | | cruelty. I knew God was saying more. |
| of the valley than the excitement and noise of a | | | | Below the shadow of an aspen rich mountain, in a |
| catch. | | | | creek winding through a green grassy meadow, I |
| "Be still and know that I am God..." | | | | began to let go and recognized his existence, |
| - Psalms 46:10 | | | | control and power. |
| The trip started early, about 4:30 a.m. to be | | | | I thought hard about the thought provoking |
| exact. I met up with Dan Lewis and Scott Fuller | | | | message I had written down, which was to drive |
| to race across New Mexico in hopes of hitting the | | | | home the point that as men we are always trying |
| stream before the fish quit biting. A quick stop at | | | | to control every situation ourselves, even at the |
| the golden arches for a handheld heart attack and | | | | expense of doing what's right. I was going to use |
| we were off to find our adventure. Another stop | | | | James 4:2 which describes the issue this way. |
| for gas and yet another for a couple extra flies | | | | "You want something but don't get it. You kill and |
| and we found ourselves rolling into the Valle Vidal. | | | | covet, but you cannot have what you want. You |
| I can't begin to tell you how thick the excitement | | | | quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you |
| was, except to say that we nearly missed seeing | | | | do not ask God." |
| the 300 lb. black bear staring at us buzz down the | | | | Instead of delivering the message to the group, |
| road from the hillside. Good thing I looked up in | | | | God began delivering it to me. Lately I had been |
| time to see him sitting there like a big teddy bear. | | | | obsessed with finances, the thought of selling my |
| We stopped to enjoy the moment and once he | | | | home, with work and the pressures of finishing a |
| had walked away it was back to the task at | | | | handful of tough tasks. The obsession continued |
| hand. | | | | with the family, my children headed back to |
| By 9:00 a.m. we had arrived at Comanche Point | | | | school and my son charging towards mid-school |
| and it was every thing we could do to keep from | | | | and adolescence. As a man, I was trying to |
| running down the hill and simply tossing in a | | | | control every situation myself. |
| fly-less line. We could see Jimmy Johnson, his dad | | | | It's funny how God will speak to you in the most |
| and brother fishing downstream and even though | | | | unexpected places. Despite the action in the |
| we should have slowed down to spend some | | | | water and the excitement of the catch, I had |
| time chatting with him, the fact that they were | | | | managed to not only hear God speak, but also |
| fishing only stirred us up more. We all stuffed our | | | | "be still." It wasn't about physical movement, |
| feet in our waders like fireman put on their gear | | | | rather spiritual movement. God knew what to say |
| for a 5-alarm fire. By the time Scott and I had | | | | when I needed it most. |
| our lines tied, Dan had already fished out the first | | | | The day continued as it started with the fish |
| two holes and was hiking up stream for more. | | | | biting hard and often and the sound of water |
| (For the record, he gears up at un-human | | | | dancing through my ears. I simply couldn't leave |
| speeds.) | | | | because God had given me peace. It was nearly |
| After trying my hand at the point, I determined | | | | pitch dark when we rolled out of the Valle Vidal |
| that under no circumstances, would I be skunked | | | | that night. |
| on this trip, especially after my two fish trip to | | | | For most the departure would be disappointing, |
| the Arkansas. I struck up a plan with Scott, and | | | | for me the same excitement from the morning |
| called for Jimmy, to jump back in the truck and | | | | returned. I knew I was going home to the same |
| rush the river upstream from Dan and do some | | | | issues, but comforted by the fact that I was not |
| "fishing out" of holes ourselves. It was a good plan | | | | alone. |
| as I experienced a once in a lifetime kind of day. | | | | I enjoyed the day's stories of the big ones that |
| You know, the kind where you actually start to | | | | got away. I loved hearing Dan talk about each of |
| believe you're a pro and even when you're doing | | | | the multitude he also caught and I wondered if |
| everything wrong, you're still catching fish. I must | | | | God had told him to be still. We all had the |
| have had better than 45 fish on the line at one | | | | opportunity to stare at the wild fish in still pools |
| time or another and actually brought in better | | | | and all had fully experienced God's great creation. I |
| than 25, to hold and release back into the wild. | | | | love the fact that you can't go to a place like the |
| Early in the day, when the action had heated up, I | | | | Valle Vidal without realizing just how real God is. |