Kids, like adults, naturally talk more when they are on the water…catching fish is the bonus to a good conversation.
Waypoints: How are you doing?
by Geremy Olson
Learning to fish and live life
WayPoint: Learning to accept a gift is harder than giving a gift. Learn to accept gifts is the starting point of learning how create relationships.
If you’ve been bored enough to read the bio at the end of any of my articles, you’ll have seen that I was a volunteer with FCA Outdoors. If you look at the bio in this article you will see that I got upgraded or maybe it’s a disciplinary promotion…we’ll have to see.
I’m now the ND Fellowship of Christian Athletes Outdoors Director. The fact that I have a new title isn’t the exciting part. The exciting part is that I get to help facilitate mentoring for coaches and athletes participating in the shooting and fishing sports, all while talking about what God has done for me in my life. It wasn’t a hard decision to make when I was asked.
I’m excited for sure, and even more excited about how this magazine has helped make this possible. There are many people in the fishing world whose actions are the building blocks for the title of this article and the first opportunity for North Dakota FCA Outdoors.
When I look back on life, almost all of the major decisions I have made were on the water. I chose my college, got engaged, and most recently, started learning how to live with PTSD, all on the water. Looking back at it all of these parts of the stories in my life condense down to one question someone took the time to ask, “How are you doing?”
This is a deceptively simple question, but when it’s asked without underlying motivation, it is life changing.
I don’t need to make the case that we live in a nation of hurting people. So, this challenge won’t be hard to take on, not to mention it only involves ice holes, not ice buckets.
Are you willing to take the “Day on the Water Challenge?”
Here’s the challenge, invite someone who God has put in your heart to spend a day with you on the water: hunting, fishing, boating, kayaking, canoeing, skiing or whatever else you like to do on the water.
Next, go with only one question and purpose. Here’s the question, “How are you doing?” Don’t try to have the answers or fix anything, take the day to listen… listen… listen. Again, after you’ve asked it, take the time to listen and understand; that’s it. If you have any questions or need ANY help with what God’s doing through you, drop me an email at NDFCAOutdoors@gmail.com
When it boils down to it, most of us want to help people in need, but don’t know how. It’s easy to fix something or throw some money at the need and hope that it gets better. The reality is the great need out there right now is that people need a friend to talk to, just like I did the day the guide took me out on the water. You don’t have to have any answers to meet this need, you only have to be available.
Don’t worry about having all the answers to the questions someone might have. What you’ll find is when you take someone out on the water, life seems to work itself out, because you took the time to care. It’s not about having all the answers, it’s about the fact that we all need someone who we can work out life with together. So, with everything going on, will you take the Day on the Water Challenge?
(Geremy Olson grew up in the outdoors. After being burned as a volunteer firefighter, he had to figure out how to teach outdoor skills to his children from a wheelchair while learning to walk. Today he is an inspirational speaker, FCA Outdoors volunteer, tournament director, video producer, wildfire consultant and proud father of the owners of Missouri Secrets Tackle. GOspeaks.live)
