Category: stories

I got a call from two young voices Friday: “Opa, can you come fishing with us?” So Saturday morning 7-year-old Wilkes and almost 5-year-old Macy rode in Taylor’s boat through the cool spring air to the shallows where the fish are on bed. Taylor likes ‘top water fishing’ best, but ‘sight fishing’ is a close second as the fisherman actually sees the fish in the water.

Our son caught a couple before we came to a place where he spotted a big bass. Thirty minutes later, we were in the same location as Taylor patiently tossed a plastic worm into the water. “Daddy, let’s go home,” cried Macy. “This is boring,” added Wilkes. “How long is he going to do this?” I thought. Taylor kept saying, “Be quiet guys, I’m going to catch this fish.” Suddenly, he shouted, “Macy, get the net!” Thirty seconds later, his pole bent, the water splashed, and Macy netted a good-sized bass.

I asked, “How did you know it was time to get the net?” Taylor explained he saw the fish flinch, which meant it was getting aggravated with the troublesome worm and would soon strike. “Does it always take that much time?” I asked. “Sometimes it is quicker, but bigger bass usually take longer… sometimes it can take a couple of hours.” “Whew,” I thought, “the kids and I would have never lasted that long.”

Once, after the resurrection, Simon Peter said, “I’m going fishing.” “We’ll come with you,” the other disciples said. They fished all night and didn’t catch a thing. Then Someone from the shore shouted, “Haven’t you caught anything?” “No!” they answered. “Cast your net on the other side of the boat!” When they did, the fishermen were unable to haul in the net because it was so full. “It’s the Lord!” said John, and Peter jumped in the water and swam to shore.

The disciples counted 153 fish, but interestingly, the net did net did not tear. They brought some of the fish to the fire where Jesus was cooking breakfast. This story from John 21 closes with: “This was now the third time Jesus appeared to His disciples after He was raised from the dead.” (John 21:14)

‘Time’ is used in our language in different ways. It is an important word, and though God is not bound by it, He comprehends every facet. He knows the times and seasons of our lives and our time is in His hands.

Jesus understands our struggles with ‘time’ because He lived on earth. He taught both patience and urgency while urging listeners not to miss what is most important. “A time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:23) “I assure you that the time is coming, indeed it’s here now, when the dead will hear My voice — the voice of the Son of God. And those who listen will live.” (John 5:25)

Jesus also once said, “I am with you for only a short time…” and we would be wise to use our time on earth as He did. Let’s pray for wisdom and grace. Let’s redeem the time rather than waste it. Treasure the time with loved ones and do not take your blessings for granted. Do not grow weary in taking the time to serve and love others. Praise God He has given us time!

“When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.” Romans 5:6

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9

“So, then, be careful how you live. Do not be unwise but wise, making the best use of your time because the times are evil.” Ephesians 5:15-16

“I don’t think I want to fly on buddy passes any more after this trip,” John stated as we waited in Des Moines to see if there would be open seats on the flight home to Atlanta. Buddy passes are non-revenue, standby tickets given as a benefit to airline employees, who can share them with family and friends. While there is a cost for taxes and fees, there is usually a significant savings flying on a buddy pass. The challenge is: one can only board the plane if there is an open seat.

Our friend Rob says, “Flying on a buddy pass requires faith,” so I replied to John Turner’s comment: “You gotta have faith, John.” “Oh, I believe in God, Dana, I just don’t believe we’re going to get on this plane.” I laughed, “I think God wants us to believe He is here with us in our everyday situations. He wants us to know He works things out for our good.”

I have to be careful what I say to this eighteen-year-old high school senior because I shared his same worries the day we departed Atlanta for Des Moines. Rob texted me after we arrived at the airport: “The flight is sold out. There must be three no-shows before you and John can fly. Don’t leave, though, until the door to the plane shuts. You just never know…” “Lord,” I prayed, “if we don’t get on this plane, we’ll have to cancel our trip. I thought You wanted us to go…”

We had first planned to visit and spend the night with the Bendicksons after we arrived on Tuesday. A GAC Middle School mission team was there in Iowa serving widows with Heart Shot. John knew the adults leading the trip so I was excited about another connection. Wednesday, we were scheduled to tour Indian Hills Community College where one of the wrestling coaches would continue to recruit John to wrestle. Thursday morning we planned to fly home. But if we couldn’t get to Iowa in the first place, our plans were for naught.

On Tuesday, after all had boarded and a last call was made over the loud speaker for missing passengers, our names were announced. The kind lady recognized the relief on our faces and said, “When I hand you these tickets, walk through that jetway door and don’t look back.” We got the last two seats on the plane. Such occasions bring forth automatic praise. Our God who is in Heaven cares about our seemingly insignificant situations here on earth. We know God is with us whether we board the plane or not, but He does require faith.

My own experiences include several times of NOT getting on the plane, so I can’t be critical of John’s opinion of buddy pass travel. It is much easier holding a real ticket in your hand without the suspense of the unknown. But it is also true that I don’t talk to God nearly as much when I’m not ‘in need’… and I surely don’t praise Him as much as when prayers are answered.

By the way, our connections with the Bendicksons, the GAC mission team, and the wrestling coach worked out beautifully, as did our flight home. We are still praising God for an incredible trip!

Here’s one more side story: A real concern we had about the trip to Iowa was my blood counts. Because of my battered bone marrow, the pattern over the last several months has been to receive platelets at Emory every Tuesday and Friday and to receive a unit of blood most Fridays. The red blood cells supply energy; the platelets clot the blood. For me, low platelets result in frequent bleeding. Even on infusion days, I usually bleed from the port where a needle was inserted or from my nose. I nearly always bleed on the second day. Since platelets have the shortest life span of any of our blood cells, I always bleed the day before and the day I am due to get infused.

Last week, I received platelets on Monday; we flew out Tuesday; we flew home Thursday; I went to Emory Friday morning and received a unit of platelets. From Monday to Friday I never bled. Susan had told John he would have to take care of me if I got into health trouble, so I imagine he was praying… as were many others. I don’t think I’ve gone that long without bleeding since starting this new chemo regimen last August.

After receiving the platelets Friday, I woke up Saturday morning with a blood-stained t-shirt and have bled every day since. I guess things are back to normal. Think I should have stayed in Iowa?

“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable His judgments,
and His paths beyond tracing out!
‘Who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been His counselor?’
‘Who has ever given to God,
that God should repay them?’
For from Him and through Him and for Him are all things.
To Him be the glory forever! Amen.” Romans 11:33-36

On our first day at L’Arcada in Northern Spain, all those preparing for a week of Sports Camp gathered in a small house to focus on the One who brought us together… the One we wanted all the campers to know. Going around the room, believers from several nations introduced themselves. One girl about Karlyn’s age said she was from Ecuador.

Tania had a good job in Quito where she grew up in a loving family. She told her parents she felt it would be good to take a few months to travel to another part of the world to figure out her purpose in life. The parents agreed to her request and arrangements were made to visit Spain, a country where Tania had no family or friends.

She ended up in Barcelona where all her money and important documents (except passport) were stolen. God’s mysterious ways began to unfold as a follower of Jesus met this distraught young lady and asked if she needed help. Tania was invited into the home of a Christian family where she discovered an uncommon love. The family’s small church took up a collection and all Tania’s lost funds were replaced. At the church she was also told of a camp she might like to visit a little further north.

The leaders of L’Arcada met Tania and asked if she’d like to volunteer to work a few weeks. Karlyn and I met Tania during her first week of camp. A couple of days later we all visited Besalu, a town built by the Romans in the 10th century. Drinking coffee outside a café, Tania showed us a picture of her family on vacation and something looked familiar. “Where was this picture taken?” I asked. “We were in a town called Riobamba,” she answered. Karlyn and I just laughed as we have spent many weeks in Riobamba working with Pastor Manuel and his family. Should I think: ‘What a small world?’ or should I say: ‘Our God is an awesome God!’?

Tania asked: “Mr. Dana, what is the will of God? I am experiencing things totally foreign to me and I want to better understand.” So how would you answer such a question? God’s will is that we all come to Him by putting our full trust in Jesus Christ, His Son who died for our sins and rose from the dead. God’s will is that His Holy Spirit live in our hearts and that we let Him mold us into the image of the Son. God’s will is that we find abundant life in Jesus. Tania soaked in every word with the sweetest smile on her face. We all prayed together and Karlyn paid for our coffees.

Karlyn also gave Tania Pastor Manuel’s son Marco’s contact information in Ecuador. In a video chat a few days ago, Marco told us he got an interesting text from someone in Spain saying they had a mutual friend. Marco plans to meet Tania in Quito when she returns to Ecuador and help her connect with a church. Of course Tania is concerned her family will not understand her experiences in Spain but I told her God gives us wisdom and grace as we depend on Him.

In a country where less than one percent know Christ, a young lady on a trip to a far country to ‘find herself’ instead found the One who created her and knows her better than Tania knows herself. Our Father in heaven longs for everyone to ask Tania’s simple question: ‘What is the will of God?’ May all find the answer in the Son of Man who was lifted up to draw all people to Himself.

“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope — the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good.” Titus 2:11-14

Waiting in the Costa Rican airport for our return flight to Atlanta, I received an email containing an invitation to help friends in Spain prepare for an upcoming sports camp. Susan approved but since she was scheduled to work, she could not join me. So I turned to our daughter: “Karlyn, are you free in about three weeks to go on another trip with your dad?” I’m so glad she agreed… or I might still be lost in Europe.

The Bintzes have lived in Spain seven years and lead the sports section of a Christian camp. L’Arcada, which means ‘The Archway.’ The camp is located two hours north of Barcelona and less than an hour’s drive from the French border in the Catalonia section of Spain. Susan and I visited Dave and Cindy in 2019 and were amazed at their incredible ministry in a nation where less than one per cent of the citizens claim to have a relationship with Jesus.

The Spanish are a beautiful people, and each is precious to our Father in heaven. It is estimated that 80% of all who come to Christ in a given year in Spain credit a Christian camp with the reason. Karlyn and I joined eight other Americans, fifteen Spanish young adults, and a half-dozen believers from other nations to get ready for the upcoming session.

I was reminded how God takes saved but imperfect people and prepares them to be His vessels of grace to bless those who don’t know Him. Like me, Dave Bintz is an old basketball coach who loved to compete and win. On more than one occasion, I’ve noticed tears in his eyes as he shares his present passion. “Dana, these kids who come to our camps don’t have hope unless they see Jesus for who He really is. We teach our sports well and we all love to compete, but our purpose is much higher. Most of these young adults who are now counselors began their relationship with Christ when they were campers at L’Arcada. Now they are pointing other kids to our Savior.’

During upcoming writings, I hope to share lessons Karlyn and I learned, people we met, and things we experienced that remind us of God’s sovereign power and of our enemy’s resistance. The ages of the counselors ranged from 17 to 29 and most were using their vacation time to serve. It is amazing how the love of the Holy Spirit can bind children of God together so quickly. In our short week, Karlyn and I felt like we gained life-long friends.

While we were preparing for the upcoming sports camp, another camp was winding down. One morning before breakfast, a Spanish leader named Peter and I talked about their week. He told me a story from the previous day.

“At our evening gathering, one of our young counselors shared about our Heavenly Father. Remember, in our country there is such a sad history of people using religion as a weapon that few people even want to hear God’s name. In fact, we know parents sometimes tell their children: ‘Have fun, learn a lot, but don’t listen to the talk about God.’ After the assembly concluded, the counselor who had spoken saw two young teenage girls off to the side crying. She went to them and asked: ‘Did I say something that offended you? If I did, I am so sorry.’ The girls replied: ‘No, what you shared was beautiful. We just never knew anyone loved us the way you say God does.’”

Is this not the desire of Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit… to let God’s love be known? May this also be our goal and may our lives reflect our Savior in a substantial way.

“I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge — that you may be filled to the measure of all the fulness of God.” Ephesians 3:17-19

Rather than hold my hand in the hospital, Karlyn decided to go to Hawaii Spring Break with a couple of fellow teachers and several friends. I don’t blame her since COVID rules would not have allowed her into the hospital… so as a good father I ‘volunteered’ to take her dog to a lodging place on my way to Emory early Monday morning.

Madden is a hundred-pound Belgian Malinois with the same playful demeanor as Mo, the Yellow Labrador we had when the kids were growing up. I followed Karlyn’s directions to the letter after parking my car in front of her house and raising the hatchback. Everything was going perfectly until I locked her front door and the dog saw a neighborhood cat run through the yard. Before I knew it, I was leaping off the porch with leash in hand, hoping I would not lose the dog… or break an ankle.

Twenty-five years ago, Mo used to drag me through our neighborhood in similar fashion after spotting a squirrel or other creature. Madden seemed just as strong, but I held on and finally pulled him to a stop in the neighbor’s yard as the sun was rising. Eventually I got the pet into my car and delivered him to the Doggie Care facility before heading to the hospital. The things we do for our kids…

One of Jesus’ goals on earth was to communicate the love of the Father. “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!” (Matthew 7:11)

Notice the exclamation point… ‘There are good parents in this crowd listening to Me. You would do anything for your children. You have to know… My Father, who is also your Father, loves like no parent ever has. He is the best… the perfect Father of lights!’

‘But, what about this…? And what about that…?’ we argue, because deep down we sometimes question the goodness of God. Here is where trust must overcome doubt… where faith must outweigh sight… and where spiritual reality must trump human logic.

“Though He slay me, still will I trust Him,” a suffering Job declared. Cases for unbelief are common, but Jesus says: ‘Listen to the truth… you will not understand everything you see or experience on earth, but count on this: My Father, who is your Father, is for you. He loves you more than you can comprehend.’

In all of history, no human being has ever experienced exactly what Jesus did: the pain, the rejection, the injustice, and the cruelest of deaths. Yet as His enemies taunted and tortured Him, the Son trusted His Father. He forgave His murderers. He took all our sin upon Himself. He defeated death. He made the way for us to know the Father… which is eternal life.

“Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.” James 1:17

“Now this is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” John 17:3