So opening morning I'm sitting out in the woods before it gets light. It starts to get light alittle before 7am. Around 7:15 I see a small doe a long ways away. I don't shoot because it would have been a pot shot and our house was in the distance. So I'm sitting out there watching nature. As I do I start having a deep conversation with God. About how awesome He is and where He wants me in life etc. Also telling Him that He is the Potter and I am the clay. I will go and do whatever He asks of me. As I'm talking to Him I tell Him that I know that He is aware of the thoughts and the intents of my heart so I don't have to prove anything to Him. But I tell Him that if a deer comes through within the next 10 minutes I won't shoot at it. So I looked at my watch and it was 8:16a. Then 3 minutes later I hear something crashing through the woods behind me. There comes 2 bucks and a doe running into the woods. I was like "Whoa, cool God!" So they get to the point where I would have shot them... but I just keep watching. Then 10 feet past that point they stopped. Then the two 4-point bucks turn around and start to fight each other!! That was so completely awesome. This was all happening 30 yards away from me. The doe was standing broadside with her head behind a tree so she couldn't see me. The bucks got down on their knees and everything. Later in the week I was talking to a guy that has been an avid hunter for longer than I have been alive and he said he had never seen two buck fight before! So then I'm sitting there and watching them and I begin to question... now was it just within that 10 minute time frame that I wouldn't shoot or was it anything that I saw within that 10 minutes even if they were around me after that, I wouldn't shoot?? Hmmmmm.... Well I didn't have to worry about it because 9 minutes later at 8:25a they left. Then they ran to the other end of the woods and dad shot at them... AND MISSED. He had just got a new scope on his gun and he wasn't supposed to miss with it. So later he called me on my cell phone and told me that he had seen "Two doe and a 4-point buck." He asked if I saw them and I said "Yes, and they were actually two 4-point bucks and a doe". Then he asked why I didn't shoot... did the gun jam? Were they running? Were they too far away??? I had to answer no to each of those. So I told him that I would explain it to him later. So I did when we were walking to the house later in the morning. He accepted it.... but later in the day and later in the season it really torqued him. We didn't get ANY deer this year. That was the first time in many many many years. So the next day my mentor asked me why did God send the 3 deer that He did??? 2 dominate forces fighting over a weak force??? Hmmmmm... I have had some good contemplation and prayer about this. Especially after 2 people around me out of the blue that they had a dream with me in. I was not active in the dream.... just in the background. But in each situation there were 2 dominate forces fighting over a weaker force. I have been filling my journal with this. Things just don't happen by chance. So that is my deer story and I wouldn't trade it for anything. I had an awesome time of worship with God after they left the woods that morning.
When I saw the picture of you on FB yesterday, I prayed that you would have a worshipful time with God as you were waiting in the woods. God's creation displays His majesty and greatness. Isn't it so like God to give you this memory as you prepare to go? Remember the battle you observed when you are in the depth of spiritual battles. He will watch over you. He will provide, protect, defend and sustain you. Doing gospel advancing mission is not glamorous and there will be times when the results are not what you intended (like not getting a deer.) Sometimes, you don't see people putting their faith in Christ and you will wonder, "Does all this sacrifice (the separation from family and friends, the loneliness, the culture shock, the illness, the cost) make any difference?" Then, remember your experience in the woods and your impressions, "I had an awesome time of worship with God." It's all worth it because Jesus is worth it. Blessings.
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