I will admit it. As much as I enjoy backpacking solo there have been a few times when I found myself wishing I wasn’t alone as the sun went down. You may know what I’m talking about: when the long, friendly shadows cast by a glowing sun suddenly morph into sinister-looking shapes that scurry behind trees or stop moving […]
The Allure of Backpacking
Years ago I was telling a lady that I was going to spend a week’s vacation backpacking. She was intrigued as we talked about my plans. Then, it suddenly dawned on her that I was going to spend a week in the woods without taking a shower. She stopped me at that point. She explained that her idea […]
Was Jesus a Coward?
This question was sincerely asked by a friend who was not trying to by funny or sacrilegious. He had made an observation from scripture and had an earnest question. I am drawn to earnest questions, regardless of how outlandish or edgy they may sound. In fact, I relish those inquiries. Here is how my friend’s question […]
Hiking Solo
My hiking career didn’t begin as a solo venture, and I’m very glad that it didn’t. I didn’t have the skills, know-how, or courage to go alone. Instead, I tagged along with a couple of guys who had a little more knowledge than I did. Yet, it wasn’t their woodcraft that kept me in their company. Rather, I […]
Is Masturbation a Sin?
This question was recently posed, and because it is a sensitive subject I thought this blog might be a good place to discuss a response. It’s a question that a lot of people have probably wondered about, but didn’t know who to ask. Although I’m not an authority on what God wants, I do have […]
So You’re Holding a Grudge?
Every Christian knows about forgiveness. Forgiveness is what we come to Jesus for. It is through forgiveness that we find freedom, peace, and ultimately, God. We celebrate forgiveness because of what it has done for us. Yet, there is a side of forgiveness that we sometimes don’t talk a lot about. Jesus said, “… if […]
Evolution vs Creation
Among my many interests is the ongoing debate between Evolution and Creation. As a matter of fact, a few years ago I had the opportunity to participate in a televised discussion on this topic. I represented the Creation point of view, while the Evolution position was represented by a local biology teacher. (Click here to […]
Burn Test of Element Wood Stove and Pine Fire Sandy Cookie
For some time I had been interested in getting a backpacking wood stove. There are a number of different styles available on the marketplace and so I took my time deciding. I wanted something small, efficient, and reliable. Eventually, I decided on the Element by Tato Gear. I choose the titanium model, which weighs in […]
What About Jesus’ Truth Claims?
In my previous article, I discussed briefly how not all religions can be true when making competing truth claims. For example, if Islam claims that Jesus cannot forgive sins on his own, but Christians claim he can, then either the Muslim is correct and the Christian is wrong, or the Christian is correct and the Muslim […]
Why Don’t All Religions Just Get Along?
An inmate at the jail recently asked this question while we were in a Bible study. He wanted to know why there was so much conflict between religions that claim to teach love and patience. “Why can’t they get along?” he asked. “After all,” he added, “don’t they all teach the same thing?” On one […]