It’s been a minute, so let me catch you up.
In September I spent two weeks chasing elk in the high country of Arizona with my son Clay.
My Father in Law joined us the last week of the hunt and we all spent as much time talking about the Gospel as we did hunting. There’s really nothing like spending your days in the wild sharing with your son about the Lord and all the blessings He’s given you in your life and the lessons you’ve learned along the way. If you haven’t done that with your kids, I highly recommend you do so.
Point your kids to Jesus, and give them the practical tools from the Gospel that you didn't understand at their age. You’ll never regret investing more time into their lives, even if you feel inadequate at times.
After the hunt, my father-in-law sent me this:
"For I long to see you so that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be established; that is, that I may be encouraged together WITH YOU while among you, each of us BY THE OTHER'S FAITH, both yours and mine!"
Those two weeks put three generations in the same camp, building each other up in the faith. The more we look to Jesus, the more we can live, lead, and build on earth, all to His glory.
Now, about the hunt.
At the start of the hunt, Clay and I covered miles of country. We spent days learning the area, hunting, fishing, searching creek beds for quartz-turned diamonds, visiting Indian ruins, and camping under the stars.
He's learning to drive, so he got to test his skills on backroads, control roads, and supply runs into town. One night at camp he made his very first fire with flint.
He learned how to call in elk, and he was successful on his very first set. On day two, as the light was fading, his calling even gave me a chance. A beautiful shot opportunity turned into heartbreak when my arrow hit a branch and ricocheted off to the left. But that didn’t deter us, we kept after it.
When my father-in-law arrived, Clay became the main photographer. The rut kicked in and the elk came out like crazy. Bulls were bugling on every hill and we were hunting hard to find a good one. One day we pulled 7 and I had a chance but the herd bull was just out of my shooting distance so I waited.
One the last day of the hunt, my Father in Law called in one of the most beautiful elk that I had ever seen. He was the bull I’ve been dreaming to get a chance at for the past 7 years of waiting to get drawn. Everything worked out for the timing, the setup, the wind and a broadside opportunity. I drew back, aimed perfect, and shot…
Everything seemed so perfect, but 80 yards later the blood trail ran up.
After 10 miles of hiking up and down every single drainage and an entire day on our feet, I eventually came up short.
Replaying the video in 4K we think his elbow tip as he turned just nicked the arrow enough to slow the penetration, but we’ll never truly know.
The emotional high followed by a devastating loss like that was one for the ages for me personally. It just seemed to sum up my entire year of deflating moments.
It started with clients getting chippy at me when we told them we could no longer serve their requests without increasing their price. That led to some long-standing client relationships severed despite years of serving them faithfully. I scaled my 7-figure agency down drastically to get a handle on this new world of Super Intelligence and ever-changing culture for marketing a brand.
I did my best to stay the course, but our staff team was decimated when our whale clients were no longer on the roster. I pivoted everyone to Contractors and thought there would still be resiliency by everyone to help build back better, but they were largely burned out from all the changes happening in the marketplace.
I went from leading a thriving team to becoming a solopreneur again in a matter of just a few weeks. And felt like a complete failure trying to give all you wisdom while nothing was working out in my own sphere.
Have you ever had that season? Where nothing you try really seems to work out?
Job felt this deeply in the first chapter of his book when everything crumbled in his highly blessed life. He was living with integrity, fearing the Lord and leading his family well. But God still allowed everything to be taken away and his faith to be challenged beyond anything we could imagine!
When Job’s health was taken away from him, even his wife turned her back on him telling him to curse God and die. But his reply was something we need to remember and repeat:
Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?
If you are in a difficult season, my encouragement to you is accept it.
God is still Good and He is still on His Throne. He is still Loving. And His Purpose is still being carried out. Even when things aren’t working out exactly how you wanted or life has thrown a tremendous curveball in some way, there is Hope.
As the Navy Seals have always said, “Embrace the suck.”
You can mourn what you’ve lost, be frustrated with the moment you’re in, and petition the Lord for help and favor. But you must not lose Hope. Surround yourself with the right men to keep you on track, be vulnerable with your wife about what emotions you are feeling, and remember that your kids are looking to you to see how you react or respond in those situations.
Paul wrote it best: Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, ACT LIKE MEN, be strong.
That’s my prayer for you this week Gentlemen. And if you’re in the season of prosperity and favor, be that encouraging voice other men need in their lives. Together we are strong as Brothers in the Lord!
Seasoned by Grace,
Joshua Brown
P.S. I am launching a small community of men walking together through the challenge of life and business. If you’d like to be a part of this send me back a message and I’ll send you more details.
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