I have enjoyed some fun time with my family and friends on the lakes this year. Recently, I have gone spear fishing and as I looked into the water, memories of fishing in 2012 came flooding back.
I’m pulling this from my archives of writing.
While in the States, I was able to spend many moments with different members of my family, one being my Grandpa Marlin. He called one day to see if I would go spear fishing with him. I decided to go fishing with him, not because I was extremely excited to spear fish, since I hadn’t been spearing in many years, but rather I was looking forward to spending time with my grandpa. So, one February afternoon, we set off on our little adventure onto the frozen lake.
For those of you who don’t know what spear fishing in North Dakota is, I will try my best to explain. Once the ice has reached the proper thickness, cold-loving hunters make their way across frozen bodies of water and settle into a spearing house to begin the fishing excursion. A rectangle is cut out of the ice, and decoys are then lowered into the chilly waters below. The main goal of spearing is to attract Northern Pike fish by the shiny colorful decoys or whatever way possible. After luring a fish near a good spearing location, a heavy multi-pronged spear is lowered into the water and then thrust at the fish in order to capture the goal. The spear is then pulled back up to the open air with, hopefully, a fish on the end.
I hope this explains the main premise of spear fishing in North Dakota. If you still have questions, just use your imagination.
But I digress….
After arriving to the spearing house, we lowered our decoys into the water below and proceeded to wait patiently for any bit of movement near our decoys. The first curious fish came, stopped, and looked at the decoy, all the while my grandpa was carefully advancing the spear into the water, waiting to strike. With a graceful throw, the fish was his and we pulled the spear and his first trophy out of the water. This ancient style of hunting created such an excitement that it knocked the dust from my memory and I was soon very intrigued by the anticipation of spotting the next fish. As we waiting for fish No. 2 to come around, the water continued to get cloudier and cloudier. Another fish darted by the decoy, alerting both of us as my grandpa gingerly placed the spear in the water. He couldn’t see the fish pass by time after time, as the water was too foggy at the time, but my excitement whenever I would catch a glimpse of the fish kept my grandpa waiting eagerly for the opportune moment. When the fish finally stopped swimming around the murky bottom, the time was right. As he could not see the fish at the moment, I placed my hand over his and moved the spear into a prime location. I then directed him to throw it straight down to the lakes bottom. With a quick thrust, the fish was his as we pulled the spear and fish to the surface.
I thought about our adventure after we got back from fishing and it reminded me of how God leads me, leads us to do things even when we can’t see exactly what we are going into. Whether it is into action, or into prayer, or just into being still. He leads us by our right hand and quiets the nagging sound of our minds as we follow him, regardless of how murky the water looks in front of us. There have been times while in Uganda where He is leading me to pray for one of our kids, and I don’t know why I am, or even what to be praying for. Sometimes I have been able to see the fruit of prayer, or action, but many times I don’t. But I’ll let Him do the leading and directing of my spear and throw it where He wants me to.
Many of you reading this letter will never meet many of the kids and staff who are a part of New Hope Uganda. But as the Lord leads you to pray, or to act, my prayer is that you would let Him direct your hand as you throw that spear in faith.
notesofanomad 
