The sky was heavy with rain clouds as I sat by the fire at camp, listening to the treetops groan in the wind. That sound carried me back to a night on the river when I built a simple lean to shelter from natural materials, never expecting to face a storm. A survival instructor later scoffed online, saying my shelter would never hold water. What he did not see was the storm that raged all night while I stayed warm and dry beneath the leaves.
This episode digs into what that night taught me. Real skill comes from doing, not from sitting on the sidelines criticizing. We talk about what makes a lean to work, including roof pitch, coverage, wind block, and heat reflection. You only learn these lessons in the field, not from a comment thread.
Then we turn to Matthew chapter 7 verses 24 through 25, where Jesus says the wise man builds his house on the rock. Just as I had to prepare my shelter before the rain came, our faith needs a strong foundation long before life’s storms arrive.
You will walk away with practical shelter building advice, encouragement to practice your skills for real, and a reminder that criticism will always come but the real test is whether you are ready when the rain falls.
Action of the Week:
Build a natural shelter. It can be in your backyard, at a campsite, or even as a practice exercise with a tarp. Test it with a garden hose, a bucket of water, or wait for the next storm. Learn where it leaks, patch it, and build it better next time. Then reflect on your faith. Are you preparing now, or waiting for the storm to hit?
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