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"Jimmy,
I was working hard on Friday to get out of town so we could make it to the
Holifield Ranch before dark. I began to figure that if I drove straight through
and made only one stop for gas and bathroom, I just might make it. I set a route
to avoid Katy traffic and found myself passing by one of Sam's (my 13 y/o son)
favorite BBQ restaurants - Meyer's in Elgin. I knew that stopping would mean no
hunt on Friday and a late arrival at the ranch. It was in that same stream of
thought that I asked myself "What would be the best investment of my time right
now?" As I looked over at Sam I realized that the best thing I could do with my
time today was to slow down, stop at Meyer's and chow down on some BBQ with my
one and only son. So I got a 3 meat plate, bought some extra sausage wraps,
banana pudding, and an ice box cold Big Red.
We sat down in Meyer's and ate ribs, chicken, brisket, sausage, beans, big red,
and banana pudding and we ate it all! I love Big Red. As I showered my taste
buds with Big Red I had a "de ja vous" and I remembered the times I would spend
in the woods with my dad. He would buy me Big Red and sink it in the bottom of
our aluminum sided coleman ice box that sat in the back of the station wagon as
we drove to some land he had access to in the Piney Woods of east Texas. We
would camp, fish, build fires, shoot BB guns and just love being outdoors. I can
close my eyes now some 30+ years later and remember the lay of that land, of
that lake, of where we set-up the tent, where we made the fire, and the aluminum
jon boat we used to get around the lake. I also remember the stars and my dad
pointing out a constellation or identifying a planet. Those weekends brought a
sense of security and stability to my childhood development. I knew that I
mattered, I knew that I was loved, and I felt significant in the life of my
family.
The decision I made that day to slow down, stop and reflect brought me face to
face with what the GHCOF hunting trips are all about. It's about honoring our
family with our time and making deposits of attention that create equity in our
relationship and that equity gains interest over time and is inherited as a
fortune of love from generation to generation. That's what GHCOF hunts are all
about.
I have heard that in the hustle and bustle of city life parents may only spend
about 5 minutes a day of 1:1 undivided attention with each one of their
children. When we do a 3 day GHCOF hunt we spend about 50-60 hours with our son
/ daughter in undivided attention. We spend time with them preparing for the
hunt, we spend time with them in travel to the hunt, we sleep next to them, we
eat all our meals with them, we spend hours and hours in the field with them. I
worked out the math on this; If the typical parent spends about 35 minutes a
week in 1:1 undivided attention with each one of their children then that adds
up to about 30 hours a year. What I have concluded is that taking a child on a
GHCOF hunt effectively doubles or triples the amount of time we sow in 1:1
undivided attention with them for the entire year.
Anyone who understands about investing knows that there is an exponentially
greater return when you double or triple the amount of your investment. The 3
day GHCOF hunt is like spending an extra year or two with your son / daughter in
one weekend. I just wanted to encourage every GHCOF member and affirm them for
taking the time to sow that extra investment of attention in the life of their
child and to know that you are a good man who is leaving an inheritance for his
children's children.
Proverbs 13:22
A good man leaves an inheritance for his children's children, but a sinner's
wealth is stored up for the righteous."
May God's Peace Rule in Your Hearts!
Vaughn M. Bryant III |
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"Jimmy,
I want to thank you for the great time I had with Larry and my son Jesse jr and
my brother Jordan and the rest of the men and boys we had the pleasure to meet.
There are few things I'd rather do than Fishing and learning the Word of God
.What a difference your events are compared to the beer and chewing tobacco
groups I've been to. Not that they are bad people. It's rare that I meet bad
people at any fishing or hunting events. You all have just elevated the
experience to a higher plane. I pray that our Heavenly Father blesses you and
yours abundantly for the good works that you do. Thank you for the photos."
Sincerely
Jesse Taylor |
"Jimmy,
Thank you so much for the wonderful time we
had in the Bass Tournament. Greg and I had such a good time, and it seems to
be the one time each year we can just spend some quality time together making
memories! Well we made one this year, as he out fished me and caught more
fish for the first time in our 3 years attending. He really has gotten into
fishing and I gave him a new rod and reel for Christmas that was his first
bait casting real. He loved it and got really good with it. I liked the knew
format with the break for lunch, and the longer fishing time. Thank you for
all the good food and drinks, and for your encouragement to each of us men,
and women, as well as the kids. It is obvious that God uses you in many ways
to grow His Kingdom.
Please give our thanks to Clay for all he did to
make this weekend so special. The time you both spent was greatly
appreciated!"God Bless
you both, Dave Snyder
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"Jimmy,
I just wanted
to let you know that we had such a wonderful time at the Bass Tournament over
the weekend. The message from Scott was very powerful and very relevant to my
life, it really opened my eyes to the importance of the plumb line in my life
and the importance of modeling my faith as an example to my children. Being a
lady that enjoys the outdoors, I am usually the only or one of a few women, and
it can be intimidating at times; this was not the case at your event. I felt
very welcomed, and very comfortable at the tournament. The group that you had
this weekend was really a neat bunch of people and I really enjoyed getting to
know them. Clay was an awesome host; please pass along my appreciation for all
the work that he put into making the weekend a success. I also want to thank you
for making us all feel so comfortable, I can't believe this was my first GHCOF
outdoor event and I have been involved with the organization for several years
helping with your communications and website. I can tell you it won't be my
last! I also want to take the time to thank you and the guys in COA. This year
has been a very trying year with the loss of my mother, and the scare with my
father's health. My faith got me through the tough times, and I really
appreciate the support and prayers that I received from you and the members of
both GHCOF and COA. Your prayers always seemed to come at the right time, just
when I was starting to doubt the power of the Lord you were on the other end of
the phone offering me encouragement or to pray with me. Your organization has
really meant a lot to me and my family, it has certainly brought my boys closer
to their father, and my husband closer to the Lord, and this year it has touched
the life of my father. Keep up the great work Jimmy!"
God Bless, Tracy Pyle |
"Hey Jimmy,
Just wanted to drop a note thanking you again for a great experience at the
Spring Turkey Hunt. Cody and I had a once in a life time opportunity. I dont
know if I told you by this week is Cody's 7th birthday and he has been asking to
go hunting for the past year. Cody's father (my younger brother) has been
deployed with the Air Force as a Fire Fighter for 4 years then went back with
Halliburton for 2 years. So needless to say I have missed him all his young
life. This weekend could not have been more perfect and a way to show my Nephew
how much I love and missed him, and how greatful I am to my brother for his
service to our Country. Just wanted to say thanks for making this possible for
my family. As a side note I was so impressed with the level and heart of our
Outfitters. First rate in my opinion as Mike Eaton and I made real connection."
God Bless Geoffrey Smith |
"Jimmy:
I had a great time at the Spring Turkey Hunt. In fact it was one of the best COF
( I think that stands for "Christians Out for Food") outings I've been on. It
was a great setup. The ranch was beautiful and it looked so good for turkey. On
the first evening hunt we ended up calling in one gobbler but passed on him for
size reasons and before we knew it, the sun was down and we headed back to the
ranch house. We had a great cookout and "hit the rack" to get ready for the
morning hunt. The next morning we set out and I got a great location which was
in eyesight of "the roost". I got pumped as I got setup in my blind and started
to hear these birds going nuts as the sun came up. It was then that I realized
what a terrible turkey caller I was when I heard the real thing. It was the
first time I had ever seen a real live turkey roost and how these birds left the
roost. It was amazing and so much better than watching "The Outdoor Channel". I
immediately got excited and started calling with my cedar box call. No
kidding...in under 5 minutes, I glanced away from my view of my decoys and
looked back to catch a gobbler attacking my hen decoy. Then, two more gobblers
appeared and as I clicked off the safety, I started looking for beard lengths.
As I looked over the birds I could see that none of the three were macho-mature
10-12 inch long bearded boys with 1.5 inch spurs to match, so I ended up
shooting the one which had attacked my decoy. It turned out to be a nice sized
bird and I thanked God for another incredible COF hunt experience. As always,
the guys I met were great men, young and old and we had a great COF time."
Mark Sullivan |
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"Jimmy,
Thanks again for a great hunt and all you do
at GHCOF. 700 Springs Ranch is one of the most beautiful camps I have ever been
to. God’s vast work in the outdoors comes to life there. I would highly
recommend to all, that just for the beauty alone, this hunt is well worth your
time. Everyone at the camp, hunters and guides, were all very professional,
courteous and polite. I have been on many hunts with co-workers were the norm
is drinking, cussing and telling dirty jokes at the camp fire. This always made
me fell awkward and out of place. Your hunts are just the thing I needed to
show me how a REAL HUNT should be. I will be going on more of your hunts in the
future.
My son, Reid, came away from this camp
saying he needs to get more involved at church. I likewise agree. It is now up
to me to carry this through and see to it that our involvement is more than just
casual. Keep up with GHCOF and I will see you again on a hunt next year."
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"COF Testimony
A Mother’s Perspective
Growing up in
South Texas hunting was a way of life. Once I
moved away, “got educated”, and started a family, hunting never crossed my mind
again. God blessed my husband and I with two wonderful sons and a daughter. We
have been involved in many activities with the kids, including church, sports,
Boys Scouts, dance, gymnastics, etc. As our middle son, Michael, got older we
noticed that he was not very interested in organized sports. He always played
outside and loved to observe animals and their habitats. He always wished he had
lived in the “old days” when people hunted for their food and “worked the
land”. He would read books on how the first settlers and Native Americans
lived.
He started asking about hunting when he was
eight years old. Questions were answered, but this was never encouraged. By
ten, he asked, “when can I start hunting?” We put him off as long as we could
since neither my husband nor I are hunters. Then he decided that for his 12th
birthday all he wanted was a rifle and to go on a deer hunt. I started
researching this with great apprehension. I decided we would go to the Hunting
and Fishing Show in
Houston and felt quite intimidated.
There we came across the Greater Houston Christian Outdoor Fellowship booth. I
immediately felt comfortable talking to them and was invited to join. This was
a real blessing for our family. A few weeks later I signed Michael up for a doe
hunt in October.
We arrived with a new rifle (.243) which had
never been shot and a very excited 12 year old. We were warmly taken in and
“showed” the ropes. Michael killed his first doe and a young man who was there
with his Dad helped us dress it. With the help of everyone involved with COF,
Michael’s dream came true. Sharing this weekend with other Christian hunters
and listening to the devotionals by the campfire at the end of the day made for
a special family outdoor experience which will be cherished forever.
Jimmy, thank you so much for the time and
effort that you put into COF. It is greatly appreciated."
Lucy Ryan |
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"Jimmy,
What a joy it is to share in the tremendous
work you do. I always look forward to everything you put together. The doe
hunt back in October was just excellent. As you know, our church has been
involved in a number of outdoor ministries. As a matter of fact, you have
personally helped our ministries to grow. How you do all you do for your
hunters at the price you charge is beyond me. Whether it is hunting or fishing,
if anyone is looking for a safe, wholesome experience in God’s great outdoors,
they need to call you.
Thanks again and looking forward our next
trip together."
Danny Biddy |
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"Jimmy, I thank you for everything you do
at COF. The Lord is definitely working through COF. I just returned from the
Father/Son Doe Hunt and witnessed this first hand. Not only did Connor have the
opportunity to shoot his 1st deer, but the memories that were made will be
cherished by both of us forever. The opportunities to teach life lessons
through aspects of hunting and enjoying the outdoors were numerous (as Jim
Darnell told us in our campfire devotionals).
COF is definitely making an impact on my family and others.
Thank you for allowing yourself to be used by God in this special ministry.
I will be e-mailing you some photos from the hunt."
Thank you,
Adrian |
"Jimmy,
I wanted to send you a quick email and let
you know about what happened with my son Riley. Saturday around noon, Riley
and I were watching some other kids/dads clean their deer at the cleaning
station. Suddenly, Riley dropped to the ground and went into what appeared to
be seizure of some sort. After a few seconds (that seemed like forever),
Riley came around and was able to get up. We got him back to the tent and he
was able to calm down and get some rest. Around 2:00pm we decided it was best
to leave and get Riley back home in case he had any more problems. On the way
home Riley threw up 3 times but did not have any more seizures. After a full
nights sleep on Saturday, Riley is back to his original self and is feeling
fine. We spoke to the doctor on Saturday about what happened and he said they
have seen several kids with the same symptoms as Riley lately. The seizures
are possibly related to being dehydrated and some type of stomach virus going
around. To be safe, we are taking Riley to the doctor on Wednesday to have
some tests performed to make sure there is nothing more serious going on.
Needless to say, with all this going on we did not get a deer on this trip.
I want to also let you know how much I
appreciate the way everyone helped out when Riley had his seizure. Everyone
gathered around and assisted in getting him revived and back on his feet. Jim
Darnell immediately began praying for Riley when he fell. I was truly touched
by how concerned everyone was. As we prepared to leave, Jim and Mike prayed
over Riley. This really made Riley feel comfortable on the way home. Please
let everyone know that Riley is doing fine now and that we will go in for more
testing on Wednesday. Thank them again for all their help and prayers.
Please also pass this information on to
Shawn, the guy who is managing the ranch. Shawn, his family, and the other
hunters from his group went out of their way to accommodate everyone and make
sure we were happy.
Please keep Riley in your prayers and
hopefully there is no serious issue causing the seizure. "
Regards,
Trey Saunders
"P.S. the boys had a GREAT time sleeping
in the tent even though it was 18 degrees outside. "
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"Jimmy,
Just wanted to drop you a quick line, on that new fancy
computer of yours, and thank you for having me in this weekend. With everything
going on it was a real blessing for me. Like I shared with you, even if I
hadn't have gotten anything, it would have been well worth the trip.
It was great meeting the new group of people coming
out. Looked like everyone had a wonderful time. Thank you again for allowing
me to be apart."
In Him with You,
Scott
Crenshaw
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"Dear Jimmy, It was a very memorable
weekend (Oct. 5-7 hunt). Though we had been duck hunting a few times together,
Joshua and I had never been deer hunting before. I was just hoping that he would
get an opportunity to take something, which he did, so he and I were happy. The
food and fellowship were good, and we really liked the speaker, Danny Biddy. All
in all, nothing negative to say - just a positive experience! Thank you for you
hard work."
Tracy and Joshua Johnston |
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"Thanks Jimmy, Terrell, Clay
and Mike for a great job and making the tournament a memorable
experience! My son Greg and I loved getting to spend some quality
time together. We had some good laughs, good talk time and fun
competition. The prayer and sharing time was real and you just knew
God was a part of doing some changes in all our lives. It was
wonderful being with all the great guys and meeting some new friends,
(one that lives right down the street from me)!. The setting is
perfect and the sunrises and sunsets were spectacular. The prizes
were unexpected and fun to compete for. The food was very good and
lots of it.
The only problem is that it
had to end! The drive home gave me time to reflect on some special
memories. May God use that time to encourage and grow us to be more
like Jesus."
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"Hi Jimmy,
I just want you to know that I
enjoyed so much being with you guys last week at the Bass Tournament. I
feel you are doing a great job and we will be praying for the work to
grow. You are touching men in a way that no one else can do. Thank you
for answering the call. Thank you for the fish and love offering."
David D. Smith
Missionary to Mombassa, Kenya |
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"Dear Jimmy,
My son, Tripp, and I had a fantastically
wonderful time. This was an event that we both shared with equal
excitement. We experienced pain from the cold and long walks,
frustration from the long periods of waiting quietly and elation from
stalking the deer and bringing one home.
This trip was a great blessing and bonding
experience for us. We thank and praise God for the opportunity and
your ministry. In particular, are great experience was magnified by
the super guides that we were assigned. Shannon Cox and Billy
Sutherland were phenomenal. They definitely went the extra mile to
help Tripp shoot a doe. They rode us around on Shannon's high-stand
and stayed late to get the extras shot. They showed us how to skin a
deer and what meat was good for eating and how to prepare it.
Billy's son was there to pal around with Tripp and that made a
tremendous difference. I can say that the trip would not have been
as good if it weren't for the efforts and generosity of Shannon and
Billy and his son.
Thank you, Jimmy, for putting this together
and your friendship and hard work.
We have told many of our friends what a great
time we had and we will bring more folks with us as you all have a
wonderful ministry."
Yours in HIM,
Donnie Dishaw |
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I always feel closer to God when I get away
from the hustle and bustle of the city, and experience His beautiful
outdoors. We had an awe inspiring sky full of stars to attest to His
glory, and the fellowship with fellow believers was energizing. I
enjoyed the devotional ... the subject ("Worry") was spot on for me.
Finally, the time spent in God's country with my son was the icing on
the cake. I'm thankful the Lord granted me the opportunity to go."
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"Dear Jimmy,
I had recommended you to my friend Michael
Diaz for the Father/Child Doe Hunt and he took his son Cody in
December and had the best time at the Father/Son Hunt - they were
telling me all about it at the boy scout meeting the other night. It
was the first time Cody had gone hunting with a rifle and he got 2
does and they went on and on about the campfire devotionals - they
said they would be going back this year again. It was great to hear
how thrilled they were about the weekend and you took care of them
wonderfully."
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"Jimmy,There was a very peaceful and
relaxing spirit all weekend at the Father/Child Exotic Doe Hunt. People
were kind and cooperative. It was wonderful! I really enjoyed the
discussion we had Saturday night. Those were some very impact words you
spoke and the other men shared as well. It really gives the children
the chance to see their father reach into that spiritual place and
share their heart."
Vaughn Bryant
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"Jimmy,
Me and my boys had a BLAST!! There were a
couple of frustration times with those bow blinds but we were blessed
with a shot in the end. I have never seen so many deer in my life!!!
What a great place to take new hunters. I want to revisit this place
next year for sure. I would only ask that if this event is advertised
as a bow hunt, that the guides know you have bow hunters coming and be
ready for us with a few good stands ready to rock and roll. On a better
note, the company was simply great! Those guys were pure gentlemen and
my boys enjoyed playing with some good kids. I couldn’t ask for a
better group of guys to hunt with and bring my boys around."
God bless you and all you do for
others,
Trey Kistler
Kistler Helium Rods
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"Jimmy,
For the first time doe hunter, GHCOF has made
this a very memorable year. We enjoyed the time as a family, the
fellowship with other believers and the excellent (and easy?)
hunting. All my friends come back from their trips disappointed. I
have so much deer meat that we had to throw out all the ice cream!
It's a wonderful, family ministry and I look forward to next year."
Your brother in Christ,
Mike Mulcahy
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"Jimmy,I really enjoyed the beautiful
scenery of the hill country which makes me know that only GOD can
create such wonderful places. I enjoyed meeting everyone at camp. I'm
not the most out-spoken person in the world but, I felt I knew
everybody there. This was my first time I was involved in Christian
based hunt. I wish I would of done this a long time ago. Listening to
the word of GOD after a hunt was really a nice change. I enjoyed having
the fellowship with you and listening to Louis's message. When I told
my wife about COF she thought it was great that I belonged to group of
fellow Christian hunters that also love GOD as much as the
outdoors. So when I told her I was going on a hunting trip with COF
members it just made her feel at ease about who I was going to hunt
with on the up and coming weekend. Sid and I were looking forward to
the weekend hunt for weeks. I didn't deer hunt during the season, so I
was kind of disappointed that I had gone the entire deer season without
pulling rifle out of the gun case. Needless to say, I was ready. The
first evening hunt was a blast, literally. I was hunting with Rodney
and Sid. We approached a herd of axis on a neighboring hill, feeding. I
told Sid he should take the first shot, but he let me go ahead. My
first shot missed, but because we were over 300 yds. away, they didn't
spook. I took my second at 280 yrds. and the shot was true. I was
pumped. Sid and Rodney took some great pictures of my hunt. The beauty
of the these magnificent animals up close for the first time was truly
awesome. The three of us sat on the side of a steep gorge over looking
a small valley with the sun starting to set. It was a sight to see. Sid
was like a child in a candy store. He could get enough of this place.
He hunted all day Saturday and still was ready for more. He enjoyed
going on a spot and stock hunt Louis and his boys. Watching Louis's
oldest boy "bag" his first deer while shooting 7mm. was a exciting for
everyone involved. That's what it's all about. Sid harvested a nice
deer that morning over by the dry lake area. We tried our luck with a
bow but didn't have much luck. I really enjoyed having about 20 animals
of different species all around me. It's difficult trying to take a
shot with so many eyes looking around and all within 20 yds. The
feeling of adrenaline running through my body, heart pumping and trying
to control my excitement is enough to keep me coming back for more. On
the last morning, Sid and I harvested our second deer. I had a great
time and hope to do it again. Next time I hope to bring my son Ryan so
we can share some time in GOD'S great outdoors.
GENESIS 27:3
Now there fore take, I pray thee ,thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow,
and go out to the field and take me some venison. "
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"Hi Jimmy and all my COF Brothers and Sisters in Christ. Just
wanted to say thank you all for being used by our Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ to bless my family the way you did for Christmas. It
touched all of our hearts. I get to read how the COF group blesses
others all the time and now I know how all those families feel. God
bless each and every one of you. For the first time we all have new
beds to sleep on. The girls have mp3 players, clothes, skates, and
shoes. We got a new vacuum cleaner. I was able to replace one of the
rod and reels I had lost in pawn and we got to get the Grand Kids
something too. Thank you all again from the bottom of our hearts. May
God continue to use you all to bless others through this ministry."
Your Brother in Christ,
Perry Goodwin
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David U. took his son Aiden to East Airstrip yesterday and was
matched up with a few other guys. After the hunt his son (age 10) said
"Dad this was a hunt of a lifetime". They got 16 Teal, 3 Pintail & 6
Geese.
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"Jimmy,
We had a great time hunting and my 12 year old
son Josh shot his first duck. We hunted with Dennis Hendon’s son and
his friend also shot his first duck (see attached pictures). Thanks
for all you do!"
-bg
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"Dear Jimmy,
My husband, Chris, and our 4-yr
old son, Jacob, went Teal hunting this past weekend. It was Jacob's
first time hunting and
he absolutely loved it. He asked if we could keep 2 of the ones that my
husband brought home and have them mounted. Of course we agreed and he
already tells everyone that they are "his" ducks. Jacob can't wait to
go back. Thank you for giving him the opportunity to participate
with his Daddy."
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"Jimmy,"Brady
and I very much enjoyed our 1st COF event and appreciate the
opportunity to spend time in our Lord's great outdoors in a family
friendly environment. It will be a memory that we will always cherish.
Thanks to all who made it happen (Larry, Rosemary, Vic, Jimmy, Max,
Mike, etc)"
Mike Latimer
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"Jimmy,Thanks for all
of the work you and Max did this weekend to put everything together.
Will and I had a great time fellowshipping with the group and of
course, fishing! I particularly enjoyed the speakers that shared with
us. Scott Young's message really challenged me to continue to grow with
Christ and not put boundaries on the relationship that Christ desires
with each of us. It's easy to stay in your comfort zone and limit areas
of your life that you are willing to devote to God. Scott's message of
how we need to continue to turn areas of our life over to Christ and
not become complacent in our relationship with Him really spoke to me.
Thanks to all the hard work to help make this a great weekend."
Bill Hunter
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"Jimmy,
I just wanted to drop you a note
to say thanks for all you and the others do. This organization has
truly been a blessing to me and my family. The hunts are world class
and the scheduling/availability is superb. Perhaps the best part for
me, is the opening that God has provided in allowing me to bring up the
club to others. This opening has allowed me to share the gospel with
others when I might have not had another opening. I pray that the Lord
would continue blessing you, the others and increase the impact that
COF has on our community."
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"Jimmy,
I want you to know how much i enjoyed the
fellowship on our dove hunt weekend. I’ve been telling Brett how much
fun dove hunting is when the birds are really flying. Our second
evening hunt over the pond is one I’ll always remember. Brett and I
spent some quality time together as we scouted the ranch with him
driving. That was a big deal to him. We talked about god's creation
and all the different animals we encountered. The neatest of which was
the doe drinking water out of the pond we were hunting over. I look
forward to futures hunts."
Sincerely, Jim Aulbaugh
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"Jimmy, Thanks for putting together the hunt this weekend.
Jacob and I had a really good time. You are a really good host. He told
me on the way home that he really enjoyed the weekend, and even though we
did not get a turkey or hog, he really enjoyed the hunting experience. We
are interested in next years spring turkey hunt. Thanks and God Bless."
David and Jacob Agnew |
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"Jimmy,
As you know, we have used outdoor ministries here at Old River Baptist
for some time. Last year 10 of our men went on the COF Bass Tournament at
Quantum Lakes. The results were just great. We now have our own
tournament because the interest is so great. It has become a great time
of outreach, fellowship. Thank you so much for your ministry being such a
catalyst for ours.
Blessings your way,"Danny R. Biddy, Pastor
Old River Baptist Church
April, 2006 |
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"This past weekend at the 2005 COF Bass Fishing Tournament 18
anglers battled very rough weather conditions. During the 11 hours of
fishing the anglers battled a passing storm with 20-25mph cold winds,
rain and lightning. I was very impressed with the determination the
anglers had to finish the tournament. There were prizes to win, but not
valuable enough to endure the conditions as they were. The average
angler would have picked up and gone home. At the end of the day as we
were giving out the prizes the storm had passed, the skies were clear
blue and there was a beautiful sunset over the slick calm waters. As I
observed this I am reminded that when we go through storms in our life
endurance is the key factor to seeing the light at the other end. God
has promised us that he would be with us through the storm if we
persevere. He promises us that he will never leave us nor forsake us no
matter the circumstances. He does not reveal to us how long the storm
will be, but that he will go through it with us. He does not reveal to
us what the prize will be at the end of the storm, but that there will
be one. He promises us that at the end of the storm there will be
calmness and peace in our spirit."
Jimmy Hassell
- Executive Director - GHCOF
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"Jimmy,
This is Pastor Ron Chamberlin , and I would like to say thank you .
I was able to take Jason who is one of my associate minister, this
January 2006 to the Ranch in Whitsett, Tx. We had an awesome time.
Jason said it was the best hunt he had ever been on. The deer were huge
and plentiful. We have really enjoyed the meat we harvested, again
thank you and God bless."
Pastor Ron Chamberlin
April, 2006 |
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"Jimmy,
just wanted to thank you again for having Kelly and I join COF this weekend.
We had a great time and fellowship. After we dropped off the deer at Dozier’s,
we had lunch there and talked about our blessings. Looking forward to
seeing the group pictures. I took
this one Saturday morning. We have pictures you took of
the group with Kelly’s camera. If you want us to send them, let me know.
Take care "
Wayne and Kelly Kehr
December, 2005 |
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"Jimmy:
I wanted to thank you for the great Father/Child hunt you put on
over the weekend. I enjoyed this one just as much as the one last year. I want to
especially thank you for taking the time to make sure we brought some meat home.
If you ever need someone to help out with cooking or anything else, just let me know.
Thanks again. "
Dave & Cory Matney
December, 2005 |
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"Hey Jimmy,
Just wanted to say thanks for the great time I had last weekend at the
Bow Hunt.You were a servant of hospitality in every way. The accommodations
were great, ranch was great, they always seem to be. Thanks again for
including me in the hunt.You are the best.
God bless" Matt Barnhill
October, 2005 |
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