Spend enough time in the wilderness and it becomes less about survival and more about discovery. Survival tactics are now second nature; we have self confidence knowing we can start a fire, build a shelter, and catch our own meal. This confidence propels us to venture out and explore places unknown. We hear the call in the distance and go searching to get a closer look at what… or who, is calling; just a glimpse is all we seek.

And yet, without a clear means of direction, we can wander off course easily, can’t we?

We have all heard the stories of those who were lost in the wilderness, walking for hours to only find themselves back in the place they started; disheartened, they question how this could have happened?

It’s important to understand that we all tend to favour a side, usually the side of our dominant hand; and we will walk with a slight favour in that direction. Meaning that over time we can complete huge circles without realizing it, finding ourselves back in the place we started. This is why we must orient or ground ourselves and follow a true bearing.
A compass is one of the most basic navigation tools any hiker can own; a vital piece of survival gear. It needs no batteries, works with any map, or no map at all. One of the most basic concepts to understand about a compass is that the floating needle is magnetized and always points towards north. Meaning that no matter which way you turn, the needle will stay fixed on north.
However did you know that the magnetized north on a compass is quite a distance off from the True North; being the fixed most northern part of our globe. Why is this? It’s because the magnetic needle in a compass is constantly pulled by the magnetism of the Earth; and so points to the shifting magnetic north pole. On the other hand, the True North is located at a higher static point… never changing; hence the name True North.
I don’t know about you, but my walk in life usually feels like a mix between following my dominant hand… walking in circles; Or, following a “north” that is continually swayed by our shifting culture. If there is a True North that remains fixed and unchanging, it is surely not easy to find amongst the multitude of counterfeit norths we encounter on a daily basis. 
So how do we find this True North then? Only through true Navigation.
Let’s start by imagining ourselves on a hike through the woods. Along the path we encounter three different hikers, all with their own method and approach to navigation.
The first is found sitting on a stump and tells us that the true north can be found within us; we just need to be patient and wait. Upon further discussion we learn this hiker has been in the same place for a long time… no progress made.
The second hiker we encounter is running towards us; when asked about the true north, the response is that we must try to cover as many different paths as possible to find the right direction. We go on to learn this hiker is exhausted and has gone down many dead ends with also very little progress made.
The third and last hiker is walking a straight path and looks confident. This hiker shares that the key is to set the True North on a compass ring so that while the needle may sway, we keep our eyes set on the marker; to not be led astray. We then hear of the great distance this hiker has covered and the incredible sights he has experienced.
Fellow wanderers, the Truth will never be found within ourselves, nor will we find it by running down every path that we come across. No, to travel towards the True North, we must understand Him, set Him in our Heart and keep our eyes fixed on Him. Walking the straight and narrow path, not being led off course even when there are those who claim they have found a better way.
There is no better way; there is only One way

‘The Way, the Truth, and the Life’

This being our only true means of…

Core Survival