Blog - Doug Buron

Cliff Side Faith

Some years ago I had a group of leadership kids in my youth ministry that needed a challenge to move to the next level. They were involved in a bunch of stuff, school, family and ministry, but they were becoming……I don’t know….stale. Sometimes we need to change our thinking to affect our behavior. But, sometimes we need to change our behavior to affect our thinking and perceptions. We needed a change. Not too long before, an old acquaintance spoke at a men’s retreat I was at. His name was Tim Hansel, author, speaker and founder of Summit Adventures. Summit was founded by Tim to get Christians back to the outdoors and in touch with God and His creation. Mountaineering, camping, hiking, climbing, survival skills and more were included in the various adventures and each challenge was chock full of life lessons.

I signed my group up for a 5 day trip into the Ansel Adams Wilderness, just east of Yosemite National Park. We hiked, packed, swam, sweat, blistered, climbed, laughed, cried, ate, pooped, slept, talked, and read out in the wilderness. The full moon was so bright I read my Bible without a flashlight at night. We rock climbed, belayed for our safety. We swam in lower Jackass Lake, jumping from 25 ft. into the cool, refreshing water. We took a solo one night, separated from all human contact. We learned to use a compass in a hide-and-seek sort of game. But the thing I looked forward to the most was rappelling.

Rappelling is a technique used to go down, in our case a cliff side, on a rope. I’d always wanted to do it and this was my first chance! They tied off the ropes and had us gear up with a harness around our hips and waist. Then we added our helmets and we were ready……..for the rules and techniques lecture and practicum which took….forever! For some reason they thought we should have some instruction before launching ourselves off of a 180 foot cliff! At any rate, my turn came and they hooked me up like they we’re lowering a Jeep! Then the moment of truth came. I stepped out, turned around and leaned backward over a very tall cliff, my life depending on a rope, a harness, and the expertise of my guides. What a rush! I bounced down that sheer rock wall having the time of my life. My face was cramping due to excess smiling.

It was a test of faith. Yet I was so confident in my guides and equipment that I didn’t even hesitate. My faith was bolstered by the reputation of my outfitters and by the fact that they hadn’t suffered a death or maiming for…..weeks! Joking! I’m joking! Everything I knew and had experienced up to the moment of my leaning into that rope, rear end out over nothing, built my faith that this wouldn’t end in tragedy. Was my trip down uneventful? No! I banged into the sharp stone a few times. I let my legs go too fast and face planted a couple of times. I got a rope burn. But, never once did I question whether I would survive the trek. I had faith in what was holding on to me. Faith built by my experience, the reputation of the outfitter and guides, and testimonies of others.
As we head in to uncertain times, could I encourage you to bolster your faith by revisiting the times over the years when God met you in various circumstances. Read His Word. Remember the testimonies of others and draw on their experiences. The Lord never promised us unending ease, He promised us we’d never walk alone. His rope is strong. His knots are secure. His anchor is solid.

Pastor Doug, out.

Life on Purpose

Not long ago I was standing on a corner in Winslow, Arizona. Really! There was also a flat bed Ford parked there. No girl. So, for those of you to whom that means nothing, there was a very well known hit song from 1972 Called “Take It Easy.” It was written mostly by Jackson Browne, finished by Glenn Frey of the Eagles, and was released on the Eagles’ first album. The lyrics in question are from the second verse: “Well, I’m a standing on a corner in Winslow, Arizona, it’s such a fine sight to see. It’s a girl, my Lord, in a flatbed Ford slowin’ down to take a look at me…” Needless to say those words hold no special significance but are well known to a generation. My generation.

Over the years in our cross country travels, back and forth between California and Florida, and Oklahoma, and Tennessee, a camp here, a visit there, I’ve been through Winslow, AZ at least a couple of dozen times. In 1999, along Route 66 in Winslow, the town built a monument park, of sorts, dedicated to Jackson Browne and the song. I knew it was there. I wanted to check it out. I never visited. I was always tired, or in a hurry, or distracted. Or it was late at night. I was busy getting to where I needed to go. I was always on the way to, or from, somewhere else. This particular trip was to bring my youngest daughter’s car back to California from Nashville, where she spent the last year in school. Driving alone, I didn’t want to do our usual 12-13 hour days on the road. Falling asleep at the wheel is, well, dangerous! So I was able to set up a series of shorter days and reacquaint with many old friends. Some of them were kind enough to supply lodging, food and GREAT conversation! It was a fruitful, wonderful time, to say the least.

So, back to Winslow. I had the time. I TOOK the time! I’d planned on this since before I left for Nashville. I stopped for gas then asked the attendant where to go. Off I went. A mile off the freeway. Maybe two. It probably took me less than five minutes to get there. Another minute to park. I had a blast and took some stellar photographs. I picked up a birthday gift for my brother at the souvenir shop, enjoyed checking out an historic hotel and had a relaxing walk. I had someone take a picture of me with a bronze Jackson Browne!

Here’s the thing….though the circumstances described here are relatively unimportant, how many times have we missed out because we were too distracted? How many times have we wanted to do something but made no plan to see it done? How many times have we had access to something marvelous (on whatever level) and just never took advantage of the opportunity, maybe assuming since we had easy access, it would just somehow happen? How many times have we let relationships drift thinking we can get to it “tomorrow?” Our lives, and our relationship with God, can grow stale as we slip, bit by agonizing bit, into numbness, routine, and mediocrity. Time alone with God breeds creativity. Time alone with ourselves can help us focus and plan. SOLITUDE. Matt 14:23 “After he (Jesus) had dismissed them (the disciples), he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone…” Jesus would periodically get up early or stay up late, but often it was just part of His day.

Can I encourage you to schedule out some time alone every day? We need to truly have a visit with God and with ourselves every day. Do we really do this or would we be visiting somewhere we just THINK we’ve already been? Even a few minutes of solitude, four or five, if that’s all you have. Use it to think. To plan. To breathe. To pray. To recharge. To reengage with life! Don’t miss out! Pastor Doug, out!