Trail Thoughts - A Daily Companion for the Journey of Faith

In his Inaugural Address, President Obama said this: "The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit, to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea passed from generation to generation: the God-given promise that we are all equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness."

In the Declaration of Independence, the founding fathers wrote this: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness%u2026."

Thirteen years after the Declaration of Independence was published, the French people rose up in revolt against an unjust government under the banner of "Equality, Liberty, Brotherhood." The French Revolution was a direct offspring of the Enlightenment and had strong atheistic roots. Hence the proclamation of Equality, Liberty and Fraternity had to be the product of an idea separate from God and not the truths declared by the American founders because many of the intellectuals behind the French Revolution rejected the very idea of God.

Built on a set of noble human ideals, the French Revolution bred reaction which led to the struggle over who would wield the power to enforce the "noble" ideas. And that struggle was the father of the guillotine, the Gulag and the Nazi extermination camps.

America was built on the solid foundation of several "self-evident truths" all of which had their origin with God and not with man. So when the new president speaks about the precious gift of a noble idea of equality, freedom and happiness, where does he stand: In Paris or in Philadelphia? Ideas are from the mind of man; according to the Bible, Truth is a revelation from God. If the foundation of the United States had been built on a set of ideas invented by men, then other men with other ideas could wrench those ideas away with the power of the sword and enforce those ideas through the power of the state. The history of man, and particularly the history of the twentieth century, has been an ongoing battle between the truths of 1776 and the ideas of 1789.

Yes, the president does mention God in his Inaugural, but he structures his sentence to suggest that the "God-given promise that we are all equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness" is a generations old idea, albeit, a "noble idea."

Many argue today that God is a necessary invention of man; man needs the idea of God in order to pursue "noble ideas." However, this notion turns the biblical narrative on its head: In the Bible, God is the creator and man is the creature created in God's own image. "God" created by man is the atheist's conceit. To the atheist the claim for the existence of God is an insult to the nobility of man's rational nature and needs to be put to rest once and for all.

"God is everywhere.
There is no spot in heaven or in earth where he is not present.
From the first moment of my existence to the present moment, I have been in God's presence. Everywhere. At all times.
Often I forget this truth.
Often I go on in the actions of life without a thought of God.
But here today I will remember that I am in the presence of God."
From St Augustine's Prayer Book

O Lord my God, I cried out to you, and you restored me to health. Psalm 30:2
And call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me. Psalm 50:15

In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me. From the depths of the grave I called for help, and you listened to my cry. Jonah 2:2

To those who might be experiencing severe distress, I strongly recommend that you consider, if you already haven't, calling upon the Lord for help. I did and it made all the difference.

I would imagine that to most people the word bankruptcy would summon up images of disaster and ruin, but for me, the experience of financial distress unexpectedly opened up window after window, so that like a captive bird in a cage I was able to fly through the tiny opening and out into a new world and a new life.

As I look back to that traumatic day when I had to file a chapter 11 petition, I still cannot provide an explanation to my survival that many would find reasonable. I should have gone down in flames, but that is not what happened. Instead, I walked away from the smoking ruins unscathed.

I do know this, however. When all seemed lost and hopeless, and when every avenue of escape had closed down, I did call upon the Lord in my day of trouble. I also know that in time I was delivered from my distress even though I did not deserve to survive, nor did I expect to. The only explanation that makes sense to me today is that I experienced the same amazing Grace that John Newton writes about in his song: "I once was lost and now am found was blind but now I see."
Would my fate have been different if I had not called upon the Lord in my hour of extreme need? I don't know for sure, but I now believe God's hand was there to guide me through. And so I believe the psalmist's words are true: "If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast."

Most Saturdays, I choose to unwind at home, but not this week. On Friday I will be driving down to Washington DC to participate in the 912 march up Pennsylvania Avenue to the United States Capitol. I have no idea what I will accomplish by being a part of this rag tag crowd, but I have come to the conclusion that it is time to stand up and be counted. So what is behind this journey to the nation's capitol? I have several reasons and I will list them in no particular order.

1. I have been inspired and encouraged by the ordinary Americans who believed it was important enough to show up at town hall meetings and be heard. If our congressmen and women lived in a bubble before August, they certainly have experienced a sharp injection of reality since then. So, my participation this week is in honor of all those who have already stood up against the powerful forces that control the politics of Washington.

2. I believe both political parties have been on a reckless financial joyride which will, in the end, destroy America. I can choose to do nothing, or I can raise my single voice in protest against the outrage that is present day Washington.

3. I am a businessman. I own three companies, all small by Washington's standards because I cannot send lobbyists to walk the halls of congress to plea for my interests. I am one of tens of thousands who employee people, who provide services to other companies and who through diligence and hard work, have created opportunity for many people.

4. I have believed for some time that our political culture has devolved into something approximating a crime syndicate with only members of the immediate family benefiting from the corruption.

5. I believe that this disaster can be stopped, but we are pretty near the invisible line of no return.

6. If this event were organized by either of the major political parties, I would not go. Both have discredited themselves by their endless profligacy, and they will have to earn back our trust which will take years if not decades.

7. Twenty years ago, my company went through a chapter 11 bankruptcy. Before the bankruptcy occurred I behaved no differently than our political leaders in Washington are behaving today. They are bankrupting this great country, but believe that it will all work out in the end. It won't. There are many more losers in bankruptcy than winners, and in the case of the United States, the taxpayers will be the giant losers.

8. I am the father of four children; they are starting out in life, but given the current crisis, will they inherit the land of Washington, Jefferson and Lincoln or the land of Castro and Chavez?

9. I go to Washington in hope that the outcome will change because of the commitment of tens of thousands of citizens. This will not be a celebrity party; it will be a people of America party and I will be proud to be one of them.

10. An earthquake is about to shake America to the core. Many of the experts have turned off their political seismographs so they are not experiencing the tremors. But the tremors are there, warning of something catastrophic to come. I am going to Washington with the hope that the warnings will be heeded and America, awakening from its long unnatural slumber, will return to the values and principles that made it such a great source of good throughout the world.

11. I go to Washington with a great sense of humility. It is not really about what I want. It is about recognizing what is profoundly right about the United States.

12. Finally, I am going to Washington because of what Lincoln said on the battlefield of Gettysburg: "%u2026that this nation, under God, shall have a new burst of freedom-and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth."

by Jennifer Barker
If you've walked into a Christian bookstore lately, you've probably noticed the myriad number of devotionals to choose from. If you want a devotional book that will be thought-provoking and challenging, but is easy to read, then Eric Kampmann's Trail Thoughts will help you in this endeavor. He gives you a good piece of meat to chew on for the day and rarely leaves you with the feeling that you haven't learned anything.

When Eric Kampmann was a young man, he embarked on his journey in the professional world. In this journey he worked toward one goal: reaching the top of the ladder. Then one day his life completely changed in what he defines as his "Jonah moment." A moment when the bottom fell out of his plans, his dreams, his life. The moment when he turned his life over to God instead of chasing his own ideas and dreams. He has authored three books (Trail Thoughts being the third one) and is also a teacher, speaker, hiker, entrepreneur, husband, and a father of four.

Eric Kampmann is an avid hiker and has section hiked 1500 miles of The Appalachian Trail. It is through these experiences that he brings to the readers the beauty of nature and what can be learned from his hikes in those breathtaking mountains. Like someone leading us down a winding trail, the author, in Trail Thoughts, takes us on January first to the very beginning of time. He then leads us every day through Scripture to the last day of the year with Jesus describing Himself as the Alpha and Omega; the beginning and the end of time as we know it. Mr. Kampmann has a way of not only describing different passages of Scripture, but he also links those passages with different ones. For instance, he connects the Psalms to other stories or passages in the Bible (i.e. Joseph, Job, John the Baptist, etc.) It's a beautiful way of weaving together verses that share a common interest.

Take the time to enjoy this wonderful book and you will discover that it was time well spent.

Reviewer is Jennifer Barker from North Carolina.
Read review at: www.bestbooksreviewed.com/content/view/68/1/

There is a lot of talk today about the war in Iraq and how the presidential candidates are going to deal with it. There are important questions that need to be answered. As important as these war debates are, there is a more important war going on---it's the war for the human soul.

Eric shares from the January 11 "Trail Thoughts" the importance of this "soul war" and the sad results for those who don't train for it:

Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. And he still maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason." -Job 2:3

ARMED FOR BATTLE

The conflict in heaven over the integrity of Job may seem to be a battle over the soul of one man, but as we will see later, this represents the struggle faced by all men and women. For the struggle of Job foreshadows the epic battle that will be engaged with the advent of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. When Satan tempts Jesus in the wilderness, he attacks his integrity. Satan offers Jesus the easy way out with promises of kingdoms, sustenance and earthly salvation.

Every man engages in an epic struggle within the heart over what that heart will believe and how the individual will act upon it. "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of darkness in the heavenly realms." (Ephesians 6:12) When Job says, "---till I die, I will not deny my integrity. I will maintain my righteousness and never let it go," (Job 27:5-6) he is laying down the marker for each one of us. For the external battle has an internal antecedent within the heart of every man and woman.

We live on a battlefield. Have we armed ourselves for the inevitable conflict?

by Pastor Charlie Albertell
I desperately want to see people who don't know God connect with Him and people that do know God, re-connect with Him.

Have you ever tried to build something from IKEA without instructions? Sometimes the directions in Swedish make just as much sense! God has given us a manual for life. A blueprint, if you will.
Connecting with God starts with a sincere desire to know God. It's a longing for internal freedom and peace for your soul.

Let me ask you a few personal questions: Do you have a longing for intimacy with the One who created you and is familiar with every cell in your body and with every need you have in your soul and spirit? Do you have a deep desire to fulfill the purposes of God for our generation? Do you have a desire to know the enemy and how he works so as to counteract his manipulations?

As a pastor and a father and a husband, it grieves me that I can't give this passion away. It's hard to transfer passion from one person to another. Passion is more caught than taught.

Passion comes from deep within the soul and spirit of our humanity. My hope and prayer is that this passion for God's Word will be stirred in your soul as you read this.

The question I pose is, "Do you really want to know God?" Not just know about Him, really know Him---His passions, His desires, His attributes, His love, His very essence---His being.
In order to connect with God, two components must work together with passion: discipline and obedience. Joshua 1:8 says; "Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful."

Discipline is needed to connect. As in any relationship, in order to connect, certain things have to be done. Sacrifices have to be made and priorities have to be shifted. There needs to be two-way communication... one on one, emails, letters, phone calls, text messages, faxes, etc.

Hey I understand that we all face the pressures of time. We are all under a lot of stress and have very busy schedules. Unfortunately one of the first things we often squeeze out is our spending time with God. We say we have the desire to be with God, but do we really? If we are too busy to spend time with God then we are busier than God intends for us to be. Spending time alone with God is a privilege. Our attitude should not be "I have---" as if we were having root canal; but rather, "I get to---." as if we are excited about the possibility of meeting a star athlete or actor.

It is only as we seek God with our whole being that we can enjoy a connection with Him that will truly feed our souls. Jesus said in Matthew 4:4 that 'People need more than bread for their life; they must feed on every word of God.'

Do we hunger for Him? (He said He was the Bread of Life) If we really hunger for truth...we will find God. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life...." Do we really want to be nourished? (He said come to him and drink.)

The discipline I speak of is the discipline of daily spending time apart for Bible study and prayer.

Here are some excuses I've heard from people over the years as to why don't we spend time alone with God: we really don't have the desire; we're too busy; we're too scared; I'm doing OK, nothing earth-shattering in my life; I can't can't get alone, roommates are always around, etc; or feeling overwhelmed by the Bible.

Without the discipline to communicate and connect, we start to lose sight of the enemy. We become complacent. And that is when we are most vulnerable to weaken and give in to our own design.

If we are not nourishing our inner beings on a regular basis we become spiritually dry, empty, impotent---Our souls must be nourished on the word of God.

There is nothing more fulfilling, beautiful, and challenging than communicating with Jesus. As we study and meditate, our hearts could be comforted, counseled, encouraged, warned, reproved, and instructed. As we go through dark times, we see Him as the Light to our path. When we go through the good times, He is there encouraging us to continue to press on!

This is what is so good about reading Trail Thoughts---It's a bite-size portion that will challenge and entice you for more. It's sort of a spiritual appetizer that really doesn't take much of a time commitment. All it takes is a commitment of the heart.

No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength. A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save. But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine. -Psalm 33:16-19

It is difficult not to be impressed by the stature of a prince or king or president. He is surrounded by his armies and protected by his guards. When he speaks, the nation listens; when he is angered, people tremble.

And yet the strongest leader in the greatest nation is nothing compared to the strength of God: "For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength." (1 Corinthians 1:25) David says, "It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect." (2 Samuel 22:33)

We easily confuse the strength God confers on men with a man's strength. Stalin, at the height of his power in the Soviet Union, reportedly asked with great sarcasm, "Where are the Pope's armies?" We might ask the same question today, but only in reverse: "Where is Stalin? Where is the Soviet Union and where are his armies?"

David gives us another perspective. "It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes." (Psalm 118:8-9) David, even at the height of his power, attributed his worldly strength to God: "I was pushed back and about to fall, but the Lord helped me. The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation." (Psalm 118:13-14)

The hand of God in creation should be obvious to all, but since the 19th century, many leaders, under the influence of the philosophy of scientific progress, proclaimed God dead and therefore not a factor in the creation of the world.

Matthew Arnold, the poet, captures the desolate spirit of this "enlightened" new age in his poem "Dover Beach": The Sea of Faith was once, too, at the full, and round earth's shore lay like the folds of a bright girdle furled. But now I only hear its melancholy, long, withdrawing roar, retreating, to the breath of the night-wind, down the vast edges drear and naked shingles of the world. But as we now know, the god of that age became the shipwreck of the next century with its sinister technologies resulting in world wars, mass murders and atomic weapons.

When we no longer see God's hand in the stars and the seas and splendors of the earth itself, we consign ourselves to the desolate and dark places of this world without the possibility of rescue. As Moses approaches the end of his long journey, he tells the people of Israel (and us) that we have a choice and that we should choose wisely: "See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction---Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice and hold fast to him." (Deuteronomy 30:15, 19-20)

Review by Sabrina Sumsion on August 15, 2008: www.sabrinareviews.com
Many people can pinpoint an experience in their lives that changed them forever. Some call them "defining moments." Others refer to significant "turning points." But Eric Kampmann calls it his "Jonah Moment." For Kampmann, it was after emerging from a personal crisis with a new perspective that he committed himself to encountering the words of the Bible on a daily basis in order to gain an understanding of God's Word. In part, Trail Thoughts was inspired by Kampmann's love of hiking the 2,185 miles of arduous, beautiful paths that comprise the Appalachian Trail. His time on the trail has taught him that we need to step out of our normal routines in order to experience firsthand the mystery and majesty of God's universe. He wrote this reader-friendly devotional to help others who are on their own journeys, whether they have just begun the trip or they are seasoned travelers.

It is designed as an accessible entryway into the beauty and profound truth of the biblical narrative and its relevance to everyday experience. Each day includes a wisdom passage from the Old Testament along with a short reflection to help readers in their own explorations of faith. Sure to become an oft-read, dog-eared favorite, Trail Thoughts is aptly dedicated to stargazers and trail-thinkers everywhere.

Do you get caught up in life? Do you forget there is more to life than the day-to-day grind? I do. I am so worried about paying the next bill, what the next raise will look like, who hit whom first and many other distracting details I forget to step back and look at the big picture. I am also one of those Christians who really means to read the scriptures every day but only remembers when my head hits the pillow.

I think I have found a solution to my problem. Trail Thoughts is a beautiful compilation of scriptures and companion explanation to be read one at a time. There is a scripture for everyday of the year. If you're curious like me, yes, February 29th is included with a heading "Leap Year". I will keep this book on my night stand and get my daily scripture everyday from now on!

Trail Thoughts is elegant in its simplicity. It isn't long lectures telling you how things should be but rather an open door waiting for you to walk through and discover God's desires for you. Trail Thoughts is the perfect gift for yourself or anyone who needs five minutes to re-center everyday. (In other words, practically everyone on this earth!)

Music has enormous power over our souls because it is able to open our hearts to intimations of the original state of harmony of God's universe. When we sing songs of praise to God, our hearts are lifted up into the company of angels choiring in heaven. Holy music speaks to us about the presence of God in all dimensions of creation, both at the beginning and even now.

Music is God's universal language that speaks even to wild animals that intuit the natural harmony of the universe: "For do but note a wild and wanton herd, or race of youthful and unhandled colts, fetching mad bounds, bellowing and neighing loud, which is the hot condition of their blood; if they but hear perchance a trumpet sound, or any air of music touch their ears, you shall perceive them make a mutual stand, their savage eyes turn'd to modest gaze by the sweet power of music."

Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn out its seven pillars. She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine; she has also set her table. She has sent out her maids, and she calls from the highest point of the city. "Let all who are simple come in here!" she says to those who lack judgment. "Come, eat my food and drink the wine I have mixed. Leave your simple ways and you will live; walk in the way of understanding." -Proverbs 9:1-6

From Trail Thoughts by Eric Kampmann (7/28)

Wisdom is a house built with stone and on stone and supported by seven pillars. This is the house that Jesus describes at the end of his Sermon on the Mount. It is a house that can withstand the worst storm: "The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blow and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock." (Matthew 7:24-25)

But there is another kind of house built to entrap the simple and the foolish. It is the kind of house that leads to destruction. "At the window of my house I looked out through the lattice. I saw among the simple, I noticed among the young men, a youth who lacked judgment. He was going down the street near her corner, walking along in the direction of her house%u2026(Proverbs 7:6-8) All at once he followed her%u2026little knowing it will cost him his life." (Proverbs 7:22-23)

God invites each of us to enter His house of seven pillars. Other houses, and there are many, are prisons filled with sorrow and regret. Beware of entering such places.

Do you get caught up in life? Do you forget there is more to life than the day-to-day grind? I do. I am so worried about paying the next bill, what the next raise will look like, who hit whom first and many other distracting details I forget to step back and look at the big picture. I am also one of those Christians who really means to read the scriptures every day but only remembers when my head hits the pillow.

I think I have found a solution to my problem. Trail Thoughts is a beautiful compilation of scriptures and companion explanation to be read one at a time. There is a scripture for everyday of the year. If you're curious like me, yes, February 29th is included with a heading "Leap Year". I will keep this book on my night stand and get my daily scripture everyday from now on!

Trail Thoughts is elegant in its simplicity. It isn't long lectures telling you how things should be but rather an open door waiting for you to walk through and discover God's desires for you. Trail Thoughts is the perfect gift for yourself or anyone who needs five minutes to recenter everyday. (In other words, practically everyone on this earth!)
POSTED BY SABRINA'S THOUGHTS at
http://sabrinareviews.blogspot.com/

With the new Batman movie, "The Dark Knight" being so popular, we thought it appropriate to speak some truth of darkness of night and "The Light Knight."

In the prologue to his gospel, John explains that being a child of God is very different than being a child of the world: "Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision, or a husband's will, but born of God."(John 1:12-13)

According to John, this is the testimony of God: "God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life."(1 John 5:11-12) He who does not have the Son of God lives in darkness; Jesus, the Son of God, says: "This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed."(John 3:19-20)

As a child of God, born again of the Spirit, your greatest desire will be to love and serve the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength. Your next greatest desire will be to love and serve your neighbor. It is when your heart is transformed by the Holy Spirit that the inclination of the heart shifts from a desire to live in darkness to a passion for the light.

To be human is to know trouble.

Many years ago, I found myself facing bankruptcy, threats of lawsuits and financial devastation. With blinding speed, my self-confidence was blown away and I was rendered defenseless. Fear filled every corner of my life. But when the chips were down and there was absolutely nowhere to turn, I cried out to God in my distress...and He answered.

Trouble is the common denominator in everyone's life. Sometimes it is subtle and sometimes dramatic, but it always seems to be lurking on the fringe ready to pounce. In my case, when I found that I could not save myself, I called out to God, not knowing what to expect. What I received was undeserved beyond measure, and ultimately, the experience drew me back to Jesus Christ.

It was truly a life saving event; I was saved through my failure. I now look upon that period in my life as the time when I experienced God's amazing grace.
Excerpt from Trail Thoughts - April 27 - By Eric Kampmann

Even though we hear the warning, we often feel strangely compelled to ignore the danger in defiance of the obvious consequence. It happens all the time. When we hear someone say, "Don't touch the hot plate!" we touch the plate anyway.

Why does a warning cause us to want to defy the rules? Why do we irrationally embrace risk when we know better? Edgar Allen Poe called this dark impulse "the imp of the perverse." Dostoyevsky says that we have within our makeup an "underground man' who acts as a double, nudging us away from the good and beneficial life to ruin and despair. The Bible calls this subterranean tendency sin which is a corrosive desire to do the wrong thing when we know it is wrong.

The ancient boundary stone is the signpost that keeps us out of harm's way. Jesus invites us to follow him on this path, but we often demure by inventing excuses for wandering off into the thorns and brambles because we have allowed that other voice within to control our every step.

From 4/23 Trail Thoughts Devotional by Eric Kampmann

I was hiking in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness in Montana several years ago when I took a wrong turn. I thought I was on the right track and I was comforted by the fact that the map showed a small body of water up ahead so I continued on.

But as I climbed higher, the land grew dryer; trees and vegetation gave way to dust and unrelenting heat and my supply of water quickly dwindled to a few drops. I thought of turning back, but I foolishly decided to forge ahead to what became even dryer and more isolated ground.

Within an hour, the water on the map became a longing, then an obsession, then an urgent necessity. I was becoming desperate when I finally stumbled upon a shallow pool of still water. Without hesitation, I drank it as if it was the sweetest water I had ever tasted. I experienced great relief and great joy at something as common as water because my body desperately needed replenishment.

What is true for the body depleted of life-giving water is just as true for the soul of any person wandering in a spiritual wasteland. David says, "As a deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God." (Psalm 42:1-2) And elsewhere, he says, "O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water." (Psalm 63:1)

Our physical thirst mirrors a thirst deep within the human heart. Will we turn and find drink to quench this thirst or will we continue farther into the dry land where there is little water to be found?
From Trail Thoughts 6/22

The modern thinker likes to think of evil as something beyond oneself or one's immediate circle of friends. Instead of looking inward, we are more likely to identify some distant group or nation as embodying everything that is evil in this world. And we are just as likely to ascribe naturalistic causes or reasons for the existence of evil.

It is uncomfortable to think of evil as so close that it could be inside rather than outside of oneself. Who wants to think of themselves as being capable of being evil or doing wrong? Even the symbol of all evil in the modern world, Adolph Hitler, undoubtedly believed that he himself was right in his quest to conquer his enemies. He would never have admitted that he was the instrument of unthinkable evil. After all, who willingly recognizes that they are susceptible to inclinations of the heart that can lead them to terrible places?

In Proverbs 30:11-14, Solomon says that people can curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers and still they remain pure in their own eyes; yet he also says they are "not cleansed of their filth." (v11) When it comes to determining our own purity, are we to be trusted? Or are we blind to the nature of what might lurk within our own hearts? And how do we think God is judging us? Would God agree that we are "really good people"?

We need to be wise in our humility when it comes to pointing our fingers at others.

Fathers, do not be discouraged. Though it often seems that our children are heading off to a distant country equipped only with a wild and unrestrained heart, they have heard your "sayings of counsel and knowledge" which have made an impression and which they will carry with them wherever they go.

As fathers, we are called to be teachers and all important teaching begins at home. And here are the words of wisdom that transcend time and place: "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." (Deuteronomy 6:4-7)

"But when you teach, teach with your life, not with mere words that are undermined by contradictory behavior: "Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord." (Ephesians 6:4)

In the preface to Trail Thoughts, I describe my early life of career building as a pursuit of the youthful dreams common in those times: "%u2026I was drawn to Manhattan because of its magnetic energy, its endless promise and its aura of mystery." But while the initial trajectory of my life there seemed to be rising to the upper reaches of success, the reality was just the reverse. For nineteen years after beginning my climb to the top, I found myself bankrupt in Bridgeport.

There would not be much more to say if the story had ended in that place, but in the midst of the turmoil of my failure, I experienced very real miracles. For as my prospects dropped from poor to nil, one door after another opened up, freeing me time and again from danger and destruction.

Because I lived under the assumptions of the performance based culture, I despaired of anything good coming from my disaster. To me failure was to be avoided at all costs because from my earliest days I had the ideal of success drilled into me. Failure was a black hole and anything associated with it was considered synonymous with weakness. As long as I stayed on that one way road, there was no alternative to the hopelessness of being pulled inevitably to my own destruction. It was in this state of despair that doors began to open and ways out came into focus.

Freedom from despair and ruin is a good thing, but rebuilding a new life on the same old tattered assumptions is quite another. Since I now believe that the hand of God was behind the miracles in Bridgeport, I have also come to see that God graciously steered me away from the destructive principles that landed me in trouble in the first place. Soon enough, I began attending church after years of absence. And even more significantly, I began reading the Bible on a daily basis.

At first, I understood very little of what I read, but over time, I came to see that the story of rebellion and exile found throughout the Bible was my story too. I came to see that God wants all of His children to find their way back to Him. He is a God of restoration and the parable of the lost son returning home to a forgiving and loving father is a story anyone in touch with reality can identify with. Certainly I did. And as time passed and my biblical knowledge became deeper, I began to understand how essential the Bridgeport experience was to the formation of character that conformed to what God wanted for me from the beginning. My descent into darkness turned out to be a fortunate fall.

Today my life is lived within the larger framework of the biblical narrative. I still "trace a solitary path between the walls of the narrow glass and concrete canyons" of the city, but the mainspring of my journey is entirely new. Trail Thoughts is one aspect of that difference. It was not written to tell an indifferent world about my story; it was written to share with people near and far the original story that the world so desperately needs to hear. So thank God for Bridgeport. It was there that I experienced the transforming power of the grace of a loving and forgiving God.

We live in a time of unusual plenty and many Americans have forgotten what it means to pray for your daily bread. Abundance can be a good thing, but when we forget the source, we are tempted to satisfy our appetites by wanting more and more of whatever it is we desire. Here the prayer recognizes the temptation to attribute our abundance to our own success, which inevitably causes us to begin to drift away from God. Our appetite for things begins to drive out our appetite for God.
To be human is to have appetites; the question is: will we fill our hearts, minds and bodies with an unquenchable appetite for God? "But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs."
(1 Timothy 6:8-10)

There is great danger in indulging our appetites with material objects or money, for then we cannot help but fall away from the only genuine appetite-for the health of our souls.
From Trail Thoughts Feb.15

It's SO easy to get caught up in the details of every day life.

You may be feeling wonderful one moment and the next you feel like the rug has been pulled out from under you. That's why it's so important to give yourself spiritual nourishment every day of your life - not just a day or two a week.

Eric Kampmann offers daily wisdom and spiritual guidance in his daily devotional book Trail Thoughts. He knows that it can take time to understand how to walk with God on a daily basis. Trail Thoughts offers passages to help you navigate through life every day.

No matter where you are in your life, you can increase your faith by nourishing your spirit and allowing the hand of God to guide you through the maze of life. Once you're willing to walk with God, you'll find that you can have blessings beyond your greatest imagination.

Not only can you feel inspired by Kampmann's story, you'll be able to go back to the original source of God's word - the Bible. Every day you'll be treated to a spiritual passage that includes Bible verses. This is a great way for busy people to go back to the habit of studying the Bible daily.

If you're already in the habit of studying the Bible, these devotionals can give you a jumping off point for your daily study and a different perspective with which to meditate. Trail Thoughts will help you to understand your own spiritual journey as you walk through life.

From Trail Thoughts...
On February 13 of 1991, I received "a gift from God" that has given me "gladness of heart" ever since. It was on this day on the remote island of Vieques, off the east coast of Puerto Rico, that I discovered a daily Bible reading program that I have since followed every day.

The occasion was Ash Wednesday; it was also my son Alex's birthday, and I was looking for a way to have a small family service at home in recognition of the first day of Lent. I decided to look through the Book of Common Prayer and there I found the two-year daily reading guide more or less hidden at the very end of the book. It was on that day that I received the inspiration to follow the lectionary every day; and I have.

It took several years before I began to see that the Scriptures were more real than reality itself and slowly I began to see all experience from a biblical perspective. God blessed me unexpectedly that day and that blessing has been renewed every morning when I open my Bible as each new day begins to break.

The Prize

In the spring of every year, hundreds, if not thousands, of enthusiastic hikers take their first steps on a 2,185 mile journey on the Appalachian Trail. Months of preparation have led to this moment. They have read books, bought equipment, packed food and talked to others who have come before them. They have diligently studied every aspect of the journey to come, and now they stand under the stone portal as they prepare to ascend Springer Mountain, the true starting point of the trail.

Yet no amount of study can prepare them for what lies ahead. Nature is beautiful and alluring and very hard. There will be sore knees, turned ankles, persistent thirst, lonely nights and lingering doubt. They will become exhausted from the searing summer heat in Pennsylvania, sudden lightning strikes in Virginia, downpours in New Hampshire, snow in the Smokey Mountains, or mud in Maine, and from unexpected obstacles of all kinds everywhere.

But, as they walk the trail and become hardened by its challenges, hikers will experience a change of heart and mind. With time and miles, a veteran slowly emerges; the novice at Springer becomes the confident and knowledgeable Thru-Hiker who will keep on striving to achieve victory over every large and small adversity. The postcard landscape of the armchair hiker has given way to a more profound understanding. What began as toil and trouble has become something akin to joy.

The seasoned hiker overcomes through endurance and perseverance. In this respect, he is like the faithful pilgrim. Both are on a long journey; both must endure hardships; both are tested at every turn. And both keep pushing on to the goal, knowing that there is a prize to be won: "Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:13-14)

...I want you to know that I read it every day, and have for many months. It hasn't been a full year because it sat on my bedside table until one day I was upset about a lawsuit in which I am involved, and I just opened it up.

Interestingly enough, I was feeling frustrated because I kept praying to God for guidance and I kept getting dragged down more and more by this competitor who sued me. The page I opened it up to said something to the effect of when we pray to God for help and need answers; we don't get the answers in our time, but in God's. I was hooked on your book after that.

I also read the Bible every a.m. and participate in two Bible study groups at my church. I am really enjoying understanding the Bible - some days more clearly than others.

Well, with tomorrow being one year from the day I met you and received your book, I just wanted to let you know that you have impacted my life in a very positive way.

God bless your family and you!

...From L.K.--I sat with you on a flight to Kansas City a few months ago. I have subscribed to your daily page of "Trail Thoughts" and just recently, have shared with others. I appreciate the opportunity to "focus" my thoughts before I start each day and hope it will give me the strength to face whatever the day may bring.

...From M.M.--I have to thank you again for your book, which has been remarkable in its relevance to my life.

On April 17th the day after you gave it to me the 'How shall we educate our children' was particularly useful as I pondered the artistic travelling life of mine, that is not as financially rewarding as my banker, lawyer, doctor friends, it gave me a good angle on the living of life rather then just earning a buck.

Then on April 22nd I returned to Peru, to see my farm and contemplate building my house between two vast boulders and filling it with my books, paintings and furniture and your page 'like living stones' made me laugh out loud on the plane it was SO accurate.

Thank you again for the inspirational book - I have two more long treks in the next month and it is good to be out under the stars again.

If you're like most people, you have an internal struggle as you're walking down the path of life. You may feel that God is pulling you one way, but that the world is pulling you another.

It's hard sometimes to have perspective. We can't always look down the road and see where our path will lead. Going down the road that we think God wants us to travel often seems harder and less entertaining than the path we would naturally want to choose.

One thing it's important to remember is that while we can't see where the road ends, God can. And God always advises us to do what's really best for us. Not just for the next 15 minutes, week, or year - but what's best for us in the eternal scheme of things.

In Trail Thoughts, by Eric Kampmann, you can experience daily devotionals that help you to understand and increase your faith in God. You'll read scripture passages and testimonials from Kampmann about how God has truly led his life in a direction that he could not have foreseen by himself.

Having faith is hard. It requires you to act on something that you can't see concretely. Sometimes going the way that God has planned for you isn't very apparent at first. It's only after you've completed the journey that you can look back and see why you had to make the choices you made.

These experiences can help you to increase your faith so that the next time God pulls you in one direction, it's easier to make the choice that's best for you. Visit www.trailthoughts.com today for information that will transform your life.

FREE Screen Saver Includes inspirational photos taken by Eric Kampmann complemented by devotional passages

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Many years ago, during my first long hike on the Appalachian Trail in New Hampshire, I experienced a fleeting reflection of God's presence in this world.

Late one day, after an easy ten miles, I began to search for a place for the night. About a mile or so beyond a small town, I found an open cabin slightly off the trail. It was dark and empty inside; reluctantly, I resigned myself to another night in the woods alone. After a light dinner, I felt a strong desire to get out of the cold gloom of the shelter, so I left that place to take a walk toward an open field on a hillside surrounded by thick woods. The colors had turned to the deep contrasts and long shadows of a late summer day; stillness permeated the scene.

It was as if I had walked into a beautifully painted landscape. In the middle of this picture stood three deer grazing on the hillside. They didn't notice me, and so I gazed in wonder on this scene of magical beauty and perfection-no noise, no breeze, just an intuited sense that God was there and that I was witnessing the magnificent splendor of his creation. Then a sound intruded and the deer lifted their heads, sensing danger. Without further warning, they vanished and once again, I was alone.

Now, years later, I remember that momentary scene as if it were an image painted by God himself. I felt the warmth of God's presence that day, but I had to turn back to the shelter of the solitary cabin. I did not know then that the journey ahead would be hard and long. Yet wherever life took me, I carried with me that image as sustenance for those times when I would experience hunger and thirst.

Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea or walked in the recesses of the deep? Have the gates of death been shown to you? Have you seen the gates of the shadow of death? Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth? Tell me, if you know all this.

I'd love to hear your comments here at my lens directly below this module...

"At its most fulfilling, work is creative; inspiration precedes perspiration and process is the child of vision."

Companies, like individuals, should have goals that are built upon a set of well defined principles that help chart a clear path for successful action. Action always involves risk, but risk can be mitigated if the principles are right.

Furthermore, companies are often designed around groups or teams of people who must learn to work together for a common purpose. If you have played on a successful sports team, you know that the whole is far greater than the sum of its parts. Positive results are not just a product of chance, and successful work is so much more than meeting deadlines and accomplishing tasks. Despite what you might have heard, success is a team sport. Sure there are stars; our entertainment culture depends on them, but in the everyday world of work, interdependence is the prevailing reality.

Thus process cannot be a goal; it must be subordinated to vision. Working hard may be admirable, but working smart must come first. And a job can be reduced to something dreary and routine, but creativity is often the trademark of best and the brightest workers. The miracle behind sustained success is, in fact, vision, inspiration and creativity working together towards achieving well defined and sustainable goals.