Hey, guys.

I love maps.  As I write this, I’m sitting at a Caribou Coffee.  The wall to my left is covered in topographic map wallpaper.  I can see Bensen Lake, Something-er Creek (the map ends at the ceiling) and a dotted trail that climbs from the creek up a ravine, across a saddle, and down into a homestead on the far side of the ridge.   Far to the east is Manitou Lake.  

I can “see” a lot of this landscape because I’ve learned to interpret the lines, squiggles, and symbols used on United States Geological Survey (USGS) topo maps.  Now I look at the map and I can imagine the game trails, where the water runs when it rains, the pitch of a slope or the view from the top of that hill.

I remember, though, staring at a USGS map when I was a kid, trying desperately to understand all the different shapes.  It was so frustrating!  I couldn’t make my brain work out what a “contour line” was.  I didn’t know the difference between a hill and a hole in the ground, at least on the map.  

Little by little, bit by bit, I learned to pick out what was what.  My understanding maps grew by leaps and bounds when I took on (believe it or not) a 4-H project that dealt with “Minnesota Landforms” -- and part of the course was instruction on how to read USGS maps.

Does this sound like anything in your spiritual life?  Have you ever thought about reading the Bible but just gave up because all those characters, numbers, weird names and bizarre histories didn’t make sense to you?  So often as guys, we shy away from trying new things because we’re afraid we’ll look foolish.  What happens is, we learn a few skills, and then we stop.  We figure that’s enough.  In my “zone” I’ve got it together, I’m competent, I have what it takes to get by.  But we don’t keep learning and growing.  

As a result, lots of men have about a fourth grade understanding of the Bible and the basics of Christianity.  We shy away from Bible studies or classes at church, leaving that “spiritual” stuff to our wives or our kids.  Secretly we’re afraid we’ll look foolish.  How sad is this?!

A few years ago my brothers and I went elk hunting in central Colorado, to an area we’d never visited.  We spent weeks poring over topo maps, learning the ins and outs of the landscape.  By the time we arrived, I felt like I knew the basics of that area.  Each evening when we came back to camp, we spent an hour or more looking at the map, comparing what we had seen that day to the contours on the map.  Four days into that hunt when the weather changed, we knew where to go look for the elk, and the three of us were all together when my little brother (he’s 6’2”) made a 15-yard shot on a nice bull.  Studying the maps paid off!

In a similar — but even more important — way, it pays off to invest the time and get to know the Bible.  It’s not exactly like a map, but it certainly provides a guide to help you understand your life.  It’s worth your time to come back at the end of a long day and compare what you’ve seen to what is in the book.  It may not seem very rewarding at first — it might just seem frustrating.  But keep at it and it will pay off.  And look for opportunities that will help you learn the basics.

A few opportunities for you to consider.  First, Sonja Dixon and I are co-leading The Marriage Course on Wednesday evenings after Easter at the YMCA.  Lots of us feel pretty far out of our depth when it comes to talking about relationships, but this course is a great way to get started.  If you’re curious about this course, you can find out more on Friday April 15th at Central.  This preview event includes supper!  Call the church office for more info or register on Central’s website (www.clcelkriver.org).

Another opportunity — this summer, I’ll be teaching a class called “Christianity 201”.  As the title implies, this is a little beyond the intro level, but not so deep you’ll drown.  We’ll be talking about some of the basics of Christianity from a distinctly Lutheran perspective.  This class is still in the planning stages, but I think it will start on Tuesday, May 17th and meet roughly every 2 weeks through the summer.

Third, I’m leading a retreat August 7-10 at Mount Carmel Bible Camp near Alexandria, MN.  The retreat is open to any adult.  If you have kids, Mt. Carmel is a great family camp.  It’s not cheap, but for what you get it’s a real bargain.  The camp staff provides activities and childcare during the mornings so you can study and talk with other adults.  Afternoons and evenings are filled with canoeing, ball games, naps, fishing, easy-going worship, and all that a Minnesota summer should include.  (There are also some excellent golf courses within easy reach of Mt. Carmel!)  During the mornings, we’ll be focusing on the theme “From Slavery to Freedom” using the book I wrote a couple years ago about the Exodus story.  Let me know if you’d like more info about this retreat.

There are lots more opportunities out there.  Keep your eyes open and see where God leads you!  Take the time to dig in and learn something new, and you’ll find that a whole world of new experiences and understanding will pan out in front of you!

Jeff