March 2003
  |
  |
In This Issue
From The Editor________________Page 2
Friends Along The Trail__________Page 3
Trail Tales_____________________Page 4
Encouraging Gods Children______Page 5
Newsletters__________________Archives
Home Page_________________Trailheads
Page 2
 |
....From The Editor |  |
Hello and Welcome to the March Newsletter! I hope this day you have allowed the Spirit of God to be active within your heart, and that you are able to perhaps get out for a hike and consider many of the wonders He has made.
It's raining tonight as I sit under an umbrella, among the pines in a local park... So many thoughts come out under the influence of rain! Rain is indeed a comfort to the spirit, as it is one of God's many ways of speaking to us. Last month we talked about your search for contentment and I wanted to conclude those thoughts for you this month. So, while I am sitting here listening to the rain it is a great time to do just that. But, for more insight on rain and its particular inspiration, please visit the January Letter from the Editor or hike the Lake Trail, Day Hike #1, at the website... www.hikingthetrailoftruth.com.
How do we react to the knowledge that God has known us in our individuality from the beginning, that He planned for us to acknowledge Him, to come to Him and that He has guaranteed to deliver us to eternal life? The apostle Paul sums it up like this;
What can we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since God did not spare even His own Son but gave Him up for us all, won't God who gave us Christ also give us everything else? Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for His own? Will God? No! He is the one who has given us right standing with Himself. Who then will condemn us? Will Christ Jesus? No, for He is the one who died for us and was raised to life for us and is sitting at the place of highest honor next to God, pleading for us. Can anything ever separate us form Christ's love? Does it mean He no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or are hungry or cold or in danger or threatened with death? (Even the Scriptures say, "For Your sake we are killed every day; we are being counted as sheep for the slaughter.")— No, despite all these things, overcoming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from His love. Death can't and life can't. The angels can't and the demons can't. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can't keep God's love away. Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:31-39 NLT)
Taking hold of this powerful teaching can mold us into unwavering contentment. Such precious promises as these are so far above any material or physical position or condition we could ever attain or have on this earth. These promises contain the incentive for us to endure any hardship or trial, any physical ailment or restriction. If we are prosperous, these promises give us the incentive to gladly share our prosperity with others less fortunate. If we lose everything we own, we are indeed rich because we are God's children through our obedience of faith to Him. If death takes our loved ones who are in Christ, we are assured that we will see them again in heaven. If death should take us personally we are blessed, for it is far better to be with Christ than to remain here in this world.
Paul teaches us that Godliness with contentment is great gain (1st Timothy 6:6,7). For we brought nothing into this world and it is certain we can carry nothing out.— Personally, I strive to be Godly. I yearn for a kind spirit and a forgiving heart. I try to teach others the value of knowing God and I push on toward the heavenly goal, but, I have not as yet attained the contentment Paul speaks of. I have not experienced the "great gain" that absolute contentment adds to Godliness. I can see it and I can comprehend it, but because of so much failure in my life I cannot seem to attain it. I am ashamed of wasted years that I did not have God in first place in my life. It is difficult to grab hold of contentment amidst these particular failures, but I am indeed farther along toward it! Again, I can actually see it up ahead. It is therefore only a mater of looking ahead, moving without fear and doubt toward contentment and not looking back.
If you are still wrestling with yourself as I have described above, it is time to learn to believe in God's promises to except you in spite of your past, present and future failures, in spite of who you were, who you are or who you will be. God knew from the very beginning that we would fail, hundreds of times if not more... The problem is that we didn't know it! We look back and say, "Oh my God, what have I done?!" — As I look back on who I was I cannot believe some of the things I did; the ways I acted, reacted and the consequentially bad decisions I made through the years. However, through God's grace and time I have been allowed to understand why I did certain things and made certain decisions the way I did;
I have believed in God all of my life, but, He was not the absolute center of my focus. He was not the absolute center of my attention. He was not the absolute center of my decision making. Bottom line, I did not acknowledge the presence of His Spirit within my being. It is because of our lack of focus and attention and impulsive decision making and lack of acknowledging His presence within that we can quench His Spirit, fail, and not be truly aware of the extent or depth of our failures. It becomes utterly heartbreaking when we are finally convicted of this overwhelming extent and depth and we begin to see ourselves as we really are. With this type of guilt and remorse hanging over us, finding contentment is then impossible without learning to hope and believe and trust absolutely and wholeheartedly in God's promises.— There are of course two other choices; Live without acknowledging God amidst the consequences, anguish and tears of your failures and eventually die in brokenness, or, commit suicide as Judas did (sadly, a road that many take). Non-Christians of course, as well as people of all other world philosophies and beliefs, have no choices; They ignore their personal depravity, live life to what they call the fullest, reject God's plan of salvation, die in their sins and forfeit eternal life.
Are you still searching for contentment? Have you been able to see it up ahead? Can you comprehend the contentment amidst trial which Paul speaks of? Believing in the promises of God is the only way in which He can mold you into a vessel of contentment. Study His promises. Accept His promises. Learn to hope and believe wholeheartedly in them by acting through faith and in faith upon them. Do not quench His Spirit within you.— It is indeed a difficult road, but we can learn to do all things through Christ, who gives us strength (Philippians 4:13).
I am currently working on The Mountain of Believing, the final article to be featured on the New Birth Trail at the Hiking the Trail of Truth website. It will be, Lord willing, completed this month and shipped to the site. If you do not have computer Internet access, just drop me a request by mail and I will send you the article. In the meantime, you get out there and hike some trails, giving honor to God and His creation, and I'll see you again next month in A Letter From the Editor. Our April topic will be walking by faith and not by sight. See you then!
Back to top
Page 3
| Friends Along The Trail |  |
We began this new series in June of 2002 and, thanks to positive subscriber responses, we've been able to continue it, thank the Lord, in subsequent issues. Within this particular series I have been reflecting on how certain friends, relatives and strangers have influenced me over the years of my own life and times. As Christians we are instructed to encourage one another daily. Lord knows that I have been encouraged many times over the years through the words, actions, and associations of others. It is indeed then time to honor them. I have honored some of them before, yet, honoring others is something we really can't overdo for those truly deserving of it. I sincerely hope that my reflections on these "special characters" of my lifetime will cause you yourself to consider the God given blessings that special characters have had on your own life.
Today we're riding along the trail to Springville, California, western Sierra country, to talk about a fella named, Phil Henry. I met Phil during the days of high adventure (1986-1994) with the Arcadia Police Department in California. Phil, like me, loves to go camping. Those remote desert and mountain places motivate his spirit. Phil is a great family man. He camps often with his children and instills in them the many unique values in life, appreciated only by those who are outdoor (God's country) enthusiasts.— In the early '90's, Phil and I were able to take our sons to a place called the Black Eagle Mine, a remote desert area just outside Joshua Tree National Monument in southeastern California. We were able to do some telltale exploring among the old ruins of that mine, ate well (barbecue dinner and pancake breakfast), watched the sunset, sat around a campfire under an incredible host of stars, and arose to a magnificent and unforgettable desert sunrise. This was indeed a wonderful experience for our sons, Mitch and Phil Jr., and one they still talk about to this day. You can find this journey of high and meaningful adventure, in writing, in the seventh chapter of the booklet Hiking the Trail of Truth, or, on the 7th Day Hike of the Desert Trail at the HTTOT website. I would like you all to take the time to read this story once again. Things always tend to deepen a little more spiritually with a second reading. If you do not have the booklet or have no Internet access, just write to me and request the story of the Black Eagle Discovery and I will gladly send you a copy.
Thank you Phil, Phil Junior and Mitch, for that inspiring, sacred, and memorable time in my life. The Lord was indeed kind to us in allowing us such an incredible journey together. I'm sure glad we got the whole thing on video!... I especially love that shot where we are standing like shadow images against a pre-twilight sky, our arms around one another, honoring the sunset.
Thank you, Lord, for these renowned friends. Please protect them and continue to bless them in this life. Next month we'll ride once again with some Friends Along the Trail. Any subscribers or viewers who wish to speak about and to honor their friends, you're welcome to write in to Hiking the Trail of Truth, PO Box 492, Windsor, CA. 95492-0492. (E-mail mstaylor@sonic.net)
Back to top
Page 4
 |
Trail Tales |  |
Continuing stories of life on the trail
A WINTER'S TALE
Episode 4
Previous episodes of Trail Tales can be located in Newsletter Archives
There were a lot of people in town when Ron, Ed, and Hannah rode in on Main Street. An unusual thing for that time of midweek day. They could see a group gathered in front of the bank as they neared the center of town. Among the trio Ed Ostashay was the first to speak.
"Looks like there may have been a robbery. I'm going to ride on up there... be back in a minute or two."— Once a lawman always a lawman. Ed had it in his blood. We all reach for something to hold onto in life. Something that has meaning that may continue to sustain us when we actually no longer have it. Ed had that for sure. He was a fine lawman in his day, no doubt about that. And being a lawman was indeed an honor to look back on. It takes a special breed. The ability to be tough at times and tender at times. The ability to deal honestly, fairly and justly while in a position of power.— Ed spurred his horse and trotted over to the crowd. As he approached the nearby buildings he saw a heavy set man with a black mustache come out of the bank. Some people were talking to him, pushing up real close to him. Ed recognized him right away. The man saw Ed out of the corner of his eye and turned from the crowd to speak to him.
"Ed Ostashay!"
Ed nodded in return. "Howdy, Ken. What's going on?"
The man was Ken Petty, Sheriff of Big Pine. A tough old boy who had worked in Los Angeles with Ed several years back. He got tired of that crazy town, moved north and was eventually elected Sheriff in Big Pine. He liked to fish and was known to mix business with pleasure quite often. He was in the right part of the country for it, that's for sure.
"There's been a robbery, Ed... You still wearin' a badge?"
"No sir, retired now... Any idea who it was?"
"The Mexican was one of 'em."
"What?!" Ed exclaimed. "You talking about Armando Valencia, from down my way?"
"That's him."
"We ran him out of town, Ken. Never figured he'd come north. He was always a desert man. Chased him all over Mojave a time or two, you remember those days for sure."
"Well, he's on the move now. Got near ten thousand out of the bank here. He was ridin' with a few other scumbags you might know... Phil Henry and White Eyes Chapman."
"That half-breed?... and Phil Henry... Never figured Phil for banks. What's he doing running with Valencia?... Can't figure that one!"
"Yep", Ken agreed. — Phil Henry had worked with he and Ed in Los Angeles. Henry had left town under a heavy cloud of false accusations.— "Had a man up the street as a lookout too... I think it was the Wop."
"Doc Mucci?"
"I think so", Ken replied in a firm manner.
"Naw", Ed blurted. "Mucci's a Nevada man. He never leaves Nevada, you know that."
"Well, it was him, sure as shootin'. I know it sounds crazy", Ken continued, while Ed gave him a look that signaled some doubt. "I know, it don't seem natural for a gunman of his fancy to be ridin' with the likes of Valencia...He must be broke again, that's all I can figure."
"Well, I haven't heard anything about Phil Henry", Ed replied. "I still think he got a raw deal... I had a run in with Chapman up in June Lake last year. He stole my horse, my good saddle. Never did find him. You know how slick he is at covering his tracks."
"Well, he's a lot slicker now. He's hit near all the banks in northern California and vanishes each time without a trace... Now that I know Phil Henry is running with them I can understand why. You know how educated Phil is. You know he use to work for Wells Fargo... Put those facts together and he's probably the brains of the outfit. Valencia's not afraid of nuthin', that's why they hired him... As for Doc Mucci, he's been driftin' up here now and again. He gets tired of Vegas and comes to Bishop...Lots of big card games in Bishop."
"Well, there's quite a mixture of talent in that bunch, that's for sure", Ed replied. "Who's the US Marshal in this county?"
"Little Dave Swearengin."
"Little Dave? Those boys are in for real trouble... He's the best lawman west of the Rockies, next to me. But, like I said, I'm retired."
"Somebody comin' up behind Ya", Ken motioned, as Hannah and Railroad Ron rode up.
"Just some friends", Ed responded. "The girl is Jeremiah Johnson's granddaughter."
"Holy...", Ken gasped. "I saw him a few weeks ago. Spoke to him, I did. He said she was comin' out. All the way from Ohio he said...She's sure a pretty one!"
Ed introduced Hannah and Ron to the sheriff. He then told him their reason for being in town was to pick up some supplies for their upcoming journey. Ken Petty seemed a little concerned when they mentioned they would be heading for Mineral King via the old Cottonwood Pass.
"Mineral King, eh? I heard there was trouble over there... Claim jumpers, murders and such. You boys ought not to go. Leave that young girl at Jeremiah's place and come join my posse. Bring Johnson with ya."
"You won't need a posse with Swearengin on their trail", Ed laughed. "...and too much help can sometimes create problems."
"I wouldn't be too sure", Ken warned. " If ol' Henry and that bunch are goin' where I think they're goin', it'll take a hundred marshals to smoke 'em out. They'll be headed up to Horseshoe Meadow to hide out. You better tell Jeremiah to take the Onion Valley pass and not go through Cottonwood area. You got to go through Horseshoe Meadow if you're goin' that way and you could run smack into those boys. That way's trouble for sure."
"We'll let Jeremiah know, Ken. We might just bag those scoundrels for ya", Ed laughed. "You know Johnson. He could sneak right up on those boys and capture them single handed. I know he's old, but one look into his eyes and a man can see and feel that he ain't lost his touch."
Ken just shook his head and waived good-bye at Ron, Ed and Carrie as they rode off in the direction of the Big Pine General Store. "You watch over them young ones up there!" he yelled. "I'll let little Dave know you're gonna be up that way."
It didn't take long to find a few necessities at the general store. Hannah got some candy and bought a little hand mirror for Riley. She bought a unique handwritten book on mountain survival, and a leather bracelet made by the local Indians. Ed and Ron picked up a few items as well and the trio got started back toward the ranch a little before noon. Once they arrived they passed on the news from Big Pine to Jeremiah and Windwalker... They all went out and sat on the porch with a bite to eat and talked about it...
TO BE CONTINUED
Back to top
Page 5
 |
Encouraging God's Children |  |
Here is this month's list of those who need your encouragement through your prayers and letters. I hope you will take the time to encourage them... Some of their problems are personal and we will respect their privacy, leaving it up to those individuals to share at their discretion. Please pray for them and write to them (I can provide addresses for you. Please call, E-mail or write to me for that information). Encouragement is a noble thing and a profound way to honor God through lifting up His children...
Exciting News! The following dear folks have let me know that God has answered our prayers;
Belinda Basler, Windsor, California; "Bell" is recovering from difficult times, is now back to full time work, and is studying to learn more about the One who has answered her tearful prayers. She is indeed thankful to all of you for thinking of her.— Our prayers will not cease for you, Bell!
Suzi Kopanski, Boulder City, Nevada, has informed me that the relationship between she and her son Ryan has greatly improved over the last few months, thanks to your prayers.— We will continue always to pray for you and yours, Suzi!
Please continue to pray for and to write to...
John M. Brandt, Tucson, Arizona; John's son is being mobilized to southwest Asia with the military and it looks like John's wife, Vikki, may be activated as well. Let us pray for this family as well as for the many military families experiencing hardships due to the world's tense situation.
Karen Keifer, Akron, Ohio; Karen is recovering from a home accident and needs your prayers for strength and renewed courage. Life has been diffficult for her in other areas as well. She is a fine Christian lady and needs to hear from you.
Charlie Mayer, Marietta, Ohio; Charlie, like all of us, is in need of encouragement that will help him through some of life's difficulties. We've all been there so we should know how to pray and what to write to him.
Raymond Laird, Bullhead City, Arizona; Ray has recently undergone surgery for cancer. He had to have a lung removed, but is recovering well and is even now back to work! I admire your great courage and strength, Ray. You are always in my thoughts and prayers.
Jack and Marge Myers, Crestline, California; These are active subscribers who need your prayers or letters of encouragement that good health may remain theirs to enjoy during the remainder of their stay on earth. Jack is scheduled for major surgery soon. I will update you on this later.
Brian Hadley, Mt. Sterling, Ohio; Brian is in need of your prayers due to problems with his legs. It has been difficult for him to work the long hours necessary to help his family.
Storm Yetter, Hungry Horse, Montana; Storm needs your encouragement in dealing with some of the many difficulties life can bring. We've all been there and still are there, so lets pray for Storm and get some letters of encouragement out to her.
*******
Please remember the homeless again this month. Locate a homeless person and help them in any way that you can. Pray for all of those in need, and please pray for the leaders of our country and the world at large, that men and women will desire to find wisdom, that they will turn and seek God's face in this world full of fear and doubt..
Please remember Hiking the Trail of Truth in your prayers, that we can reach out together to help and encourage others along life's difficult trail...
Lord, grant us the humility to seek your face for the well being of others. Help us to reach out to them in word and in deed. We are each one of us in need of your guidance in the use of our tongues and our talents. Though we are unworthy we ask you to bless our efforts... In the name of your glorious Son, Jesus, we pray.
*******
Thank you so much for hiking with us through the March 2003 issue of the Hiking the Trail of Truth Newsletter. Until April then, may the grace of our Lord Jesus be upon you. Sincerely, Mark S Taylor
Back to top
HIKING THE TRAIL OF TRUTH
Mark S. Taylor
(707) 477-2460