Men of the Outdoors

This Devotion was written by Sportsmen Devotional and posted with permission Bible Study Verse: Psalms 145:1-3 A psalm of praise. Of David. 1 I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever. 2 Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever. 3 Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. NIV  Thoughts: I love late afternoon whitetail hunts. I like to sit in a specific stunning hardwood area. Even if I do not get a deer, I am happy with everything that usually takes place. I watch the squirrels scurry about collecting acorns and prepping for approaching cold weather. I occasionally see hawks gliding high overhead and hear owls beckoning for nightfall. At dusk, there are always dozens of wood ducks darting in the timber to roost. As darkness falls when it’s clear and crisp, the Milky Way decorates the sparkly night sky, and if the moon is near full—wow, how awesome it is. I am genuinely thankful to the C...

Click Here for the Biblical Manhood Bible Study, Winter 2025—Week 3 Study Guide

This Devotion was written by Sportsmen Devotional and posted with permission Bible Study Verse: Ephesians 6:16-17  In every situation take the shield of faith, and with it you will be able to extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is God's word. (HCSB)   Thoughts: Each Spring I watch these elk--they bunch up during antler drop and stay together until early Fall. During that time, they progress from antlerless to soft new antlers; then finally, begin to spar with one another, sharpening the antlers and their skills. When they part ways for the rut, the sparring becomes battle, sometimes ending in death. We are like these elk--if we don't practice the Word each day, our defense is puny, and we are sparring Satan with a dull pocket knife.  Action Point: If you read and study the Word each day, you will be given a sharp two-edged sword with which to go into battle. Be ready with the sword of the Spirit, ...

  The Men of the Outdoors is hosting the following three trips during the summer of 2025. If you would like to join us on any of these trips or would like more information please use the contact information provided. Boundary Waters Canoe Area The Men of the Outdoors are gearing up for another unforgettable journey into the heart of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCA). This week-long adventure is  scheduled for July 28th to August 3rd and  promises a unique blend of fellowship, faith, fishing and the thrill of the wilderness.  This is more than just a canoe trip; it’s an opportunity to disconnect from the distractions of daily life and reconnect with nature and each other.  Contact Chris Doran at 920-538-2739 or  cjdoran54961@gmail.com  for more information.   Quetico Wilderness The Men of the Outdoors is embarking on a week-long canoe trip into the breathtaking Quetico Provincial Park in Canada, starting Saturday, June 14, 2025. This...

Click Here for the Biblical Manhood Bible Study, Winter 2025—Week 2 Study Guide

This Devotion was written by Sportsmen Devotional and posted with permission   Bible Study Verse: Colossians 3:23-24 Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ. NLT. Thoughts: My mentor in outdoor writing, Mark Strand, is a staunch turkey hunter—even more so than I am. In one of his books (Turkey Camp), he wrote a chapter called Victory Pancakes. It describes a unique reward for being successful in the turkey woods. Strand’s dad introduced him to the idea of a reward for harvesting a spring gobbler, which became a tradition. Strand passed on the tradition to his kids and every hunter he could infect. After reading this chapter, I’ve adopted the tradition myself. I take the time to reward myself with a large stack of pancakes and all the fixings that go along with them for every gobbler I am blessed with. Action Po...

Click Here for the Biblical Manhood Bible Study, Winter 2025—Week 1 Study Guide

This Devotion was written by Sportsmen Devotional and posted with permission Bible Study Verse: Psalm 40:2  “He lifted my feet out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.” - (NIV)  Thoughts: This morning, I got a notification that an Ice Fishing Derby on the lake where I live is canceled for this weekend. It’s Friday, and the derby was supposed to be tomorrow. We’ve had a super mild winter here in Michigan, and we only had about 4 good days to ice fish before the most recent warm up began. Normally the lake is littered with ice shanties, but right now, there’s not even one on the lake. The ice is punky, varying in thickness from hardly any ice up to about 8”. In order for it to be safe, there has to be about 4” of solid ice to walk on, and more than that to bring a quad, side-by-side, or truck out onto it. The officials of the derby made the right call. There truly is no place safe to stand or walk. Action Point: ...

This Devotion was written by Sportsmen Devotional and posted with permission Bible Study Verse: Philippians 411   Not that I speak from want; I have learned to be content in whatever circumstance I am in.   Thought: When is enough... enough? If you are like me with a passion for flyfishing, you may also have the challenge to know when to quit. Recently, since we are out in the dead of winter, and trout fishing has been very hit and miss. I’m getting skunked more than I’m not. But every now and then I hit the right spot at the right time. I mean to tell you it is really good the trout are loving the flies, and they are big! So, when do I say, this is a good time to go home and savor the joy of the experience? You know the answer, it’s always just after one more cast!  Action Point: The real answer is to find the secret Paul had when he said, my joy and fulfillment is not in how much I have, or in being a “minimalist”, having very little. True joy is found in having our Lor...