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September 29, 2026 • 2 Minute Read
Blast Invite
Monday Field Notes
A weekly encouragement for the men of Cast & Blast. There’s a difference between telling someone about a good place to fish and saying, “Come on. I’ll take you.” The second invitation asks something of us. We make room in the truck. We share our time. We show them the way. Jesus often drew people in through a simple invitation: “Come and see” (John 1:39). They didn’t have to understand everything before spending time with him. They came along, and the relationship grew from there. This Saturday is The Blast. Maybe there’s a guy you’ve been meaning to invite. He might come because he enjoys the outdoors. He might be going through a hard season you know nothing about. Either way, an invitation tells him he’s welcome and that you’d like to spend the day with him. Think of one person. Send the text. Offer to ride together. Then, when he gets there, stay with him and introduce him around. A day outdoors can be a good day on its own. It can also be the beginning of making an that lasts well beyond Saturday.... Keep following Jesus.
Keep leading well.
Keep enjoying God's creation. We'll see you out there. Need to learn more about the Blast this Saturday? Go to www.castandblastks.com.
July 25, 2026 • 1 Minute Read
Tulsa Service Trip
We are extremely grateful for Codell Community Church’s support as we traveled to Tulsa and served Wesley Chapel. Wesley Chapel is located in North Tulsa, where you do not have to look far to see poverty and its consequences. Wesley Chapel runs a summer camp and an after-school program for kids in the area that helps them focus on reading skills and cooking/nutrition classes, houses the homeless, provides a food bank for the area, and much, much more. Here are a few pictures that were taken while we were there working! We were able to accomplish a lot of work during the short time that we were there! We are also planning another trip to go back and finish what we started! Thank you for everyone’s financial support! We could not have done this without you!
July 20, 2026 • 2 Minute Read
Stay Sharp
Monday Field Notes A weekly encouragement for the men of Cast & Blast. Stay Sharp A dull edge makes every job harder. Every outdoorsman knows the value of a sharp blade. Whether you're field dressing a deer, cleaning a fish, cutting rope around the farm, or simply opening a feed sack, a sharp knife makes the work easier, safer, and more effective. A dull blade, on the other hand, requires more force, creates more frustration, and often leads to mistakes. The funny thing is, a knife rarely becomes dull all at once. It happens little by little. One use after another. One day, you realize the edge isn't what it used to be. The same can happen to us. None of us wake up one morning and decide to become spiritually dull. It usually happens gradually. A missed day in God's Word becomes a missed week. Prayer becomes rushed. Church becomes optional. We stop learning. We stop growing. We stop paying attention to the condition of our own hearts. Life gets busy, and before long we're trying to navigate it with a dull edge. The writer of Proverbs reminds us: "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another."
— Proverbs 27:17 God never intended for us to sharpen ourselves alone. He gave us His Word to shape us. He gave us His Spirit to guide us. He gave us other believers to encourage us, challenge us, and remind us of what matters most. Just like a knife needs regular attention, our hearts do too. Staying sharp doesn't require something dramatic. It often looks like opening your Bible before work. Praying with your wife. Calling a friend who follows Jesus. Confessing sin instead of hiding it. Showing up when you'd rather stay home. Small, consistent habits keep a man spiritually sharp. This Week's Challenge Ask yourself one question this week: "What is one habit that will help me stay sharp in my walk with Jesus?" Then do it. Not because you're trying to earn God's approval, but because you're becoming the man He is shaping you to be. A sharp edge doesn't happen by accident. Neither does a faithful life. Until next Monday... Keep following Jesus. Keep leading well. Keep enjoying God's creation. We'll see you out there. Field Verse Proverbs 27:17 "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another."
June 28, 2026 • 3 Minute Read
Pack Light
Field Notes: Pack Light You don't have to carry everything into this week. Every hunter knows the feeling. You're standing at the truck before daylight, looking at your pack. Every piece of gear seems important. An extra jacket. Another flashlight. More ammunition. A few more "just in case" items. Before long, your pack weighs far more than it needs to. The funny thing is, the farther you hike, the more you begin to question what you're carrying. Every unnecessary pound makes the climb harder. Experienced outdoorsmen learn that packing light doesn't mean being unprepared—it means carrying only what you truly need. Many of us walk into Monday carrying a heavy pack. Not on our backs, but in our hearts. We carry yesterday's failures. We carry worry about this week's responsibilities. We carry guilt over things we can't change. We carry resentment toward someone who hurt us. We carry the pressure to provide, to lead, to fix every problem, and to have all the answers. It's exhausting. Jesus never promised that life would be free from responsibility, but He did invite us to stop carrying burdens that were never ours to bear. "Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."
— Matthew 11:28 Notice what Jesus doesn't say. He doesn't say, "Figure it out first." He doesn't say, "Get stronger." He doesn't say, "Carry it a little longer." He simply says, "Come to Me." There is a difference between carrying responsibility and carrying burdens that belong to God. You are responsible for being faithful. You are not responsible for controlling every outcome. You are responsible for loving your family. You are not responsible for changing every heart. You are responsible for taking the next step of obedience. You are not responsible for knowing how everything will work out. As you begin this week, take a moment to look inside your pack. What have you been carrying that Jesus is inviting you to hand over? Fear? Bitterness? Regret? The weight of trying to control everything? Lay it down. Walk lighter. Trust Him with what only He can carry. This Week's Challenge Before your week gets moving, spend a few quiet minutes with God and ask yourself one simple question: "Lord, what am I carrying that You never asked me to carry?" Then, one burden at a time, place it in His hands. You'll find that the trail is much easier to walk when you're carrying what God intended—and leaving the rest with Him.
June 22, 2026 • 2 Minute Read
Don’t Leave Your Gear in the Truck
Don’t Leave Your Gear in the Truck God has already given you what you need. Don’t leave it unused. Every outdoorsman knows the feeling. You get out to the field, walk all the way in, settle into position, and then realize you left something important back in the truck. The right call.
The extra shells.
The good knife.
The rain gear.
The tackle box.
The one thing you actually needed. It is frustrating because the gear was there. You owned it. You packed it. You had access to it. But when the moment came, it was not with you. A lot of men live that way spiritually. God has given us what we need, but we leave it unused. We have Bibles, but we do not open them.
We believe in prayer, but we try to carry everything ourselves.
We know we need other men, but we isolate.
We have the Holy Spirit, but we rely on our own strength.
We know the truth, but we forget to bring it into the fight. The problem is not always that we are unequipped. Sometimes the problem is that we left the gear God gave us sitting in the truck. Ephesians 6 tells us to “put on the full armor of God.” That means God has not left His people helpless. He gives us truth, righteousness, faith, salvation, His Word, and prayer. But armor does not help much if you never put it on. A Bible on the shelf will not steady your heart.
A prayer you never pray will not shape your attitude.
A brother you never call cannot encourage you.
A truth you never remember will not help you stand firm. This week, do not just know what God has given you. Use it. Open the Bible before you open the noise.
Pray before you react.
Call the friend before you drift too far.
Speak the truth before the lie gets comfortable.
Ask God for strength before you try to prove your own. You do not have to walk into this week empty-handed. God has already given you what you need. Don’t leave it unused. Field Challenge:
Before the day gets away from you, take five minutes and “check your gear.” Open Scripture. Pray honestly. Reach out to one godly man. Put on what God has already provided.
June 14, 2026 • 3 Minute Read
The First Cast...
Field Notes: The First Cast of the Week Most fishermen know that the first cast rarely catches the fish. But it still matters. That first cast sets the tone. It gets you moving. It reminds you why you're there. It begins the process. And before long, one cast becomes ten, ten become fifty, and eventually the day produces something worthwhile. The same is true for our weeks. Every Monday morning presents us with a choice. Before the emails start rolling in. Before the phone begins buzzing. Before the meetings, projects, chores, and responsibilities start demanding our attention, we get to decide where we'll make our first cast. Too often, we cast toward everything else first. We check social media. We scan the headlines. We dive into work. We start solving problems before we've spent a single moment with the One who gives wisdom for the day. Yet Jesus modeled a different way. "Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, He got up, went out, and made His way to a deserted place; and there He was praying." — Mark 1:35 Before the crowds. Before the demands. Before the ministry. Jesus met with His Father. Maybe your time with God this morning won't be an hour. Maybe it's ten minutes with a cup of coffee and an open Bible. Maybe it's reading a Psalm, taking a moment to pray, and sitting quietly before the Lord. Don't underestimate the power of a small, faithful first cast. A few minutes in Scripture may seem insignificant, but week after week, year after year, those moments shape a man's character. They steady his heart, sharpen his focus, and remind him what matters most. The first cast of the week doesn't have to be perfect. It just needs to be pointed in the right direction. This Week's Challenge Before you check your email, scroll social media, or dive into work tomorrow morning, make your first cast toward God. Open His Word. Read a chapter from the Gospel of John or the Gospel of Mark or the book of James. And read one chapter every day. Keep on showing up... Spend a few minutes in prayer. Pray for the Lord to work in your life and help you grow closer to Him. Invite Him into your week. Pray for friends and family who need prayer or whoever else comes to mind. You may be surprised what happens when the first thing you reach for is Him.