Wild Rescue
As a professional Wilderness Survival Instructor, I’ve been called upon by countless news outlets, podcasts, morning shows, and blogs—all asking me the same question: “What should someone do if they’re lost in the wilderness?”
My answer is always simple, yet it's something most people struggle to follow:
Admit You’re Lost
Stop Moving (Don’t Try to Self-Rescue)
Put Up a Rescue Signal
Wait for the Rescue Crew
Human nature pushes us to keep moving, thinking that we can walk our way out if we just try harder. But from my experience on SOS: HOW TO SURVIVE, where I’ve studied dozens of real-life survival stories, this approach often leads to exhaustion, panic, and even worse decisions. Self-rescue when you're lost can become a vicious cycle of making things worse.
I’ve seen it time and time again on my show: people trapped in survival situations, believing that their effort alone will save them, only to find themselves more lost, more exhausted, and more desperate. But what if I told you that I found myself in a similar situation—lost, not in the wilderness, but in life?
If only I listened to my own advice…
Several years ago, at the height of my career, I had everything I thought would fulfill me: multiple books, several television shows, and recognition as a survival expert. But none of it satisfied me. Behind the scenes, my life was falling apart. My marriage was on the brink of collapse, I wasn’t living at home, and there were divorce papers on the table. I was lost, not in the woods, but in the wilderness of life.
I was chasing all the things the world told me would bring fulfillment—success, achievement, and material gain—but none of it brought me the clarity or peace I desperately needed. I was just like those people on my show, trying to self-rescue, only to find myself more broken and more isolated.
It took rock bottom for me to finally admit that I couldn’t save myself, no matter how many things I chased.
I’ll never forget that moment: holding my infant son, River, while he cried in my arms. I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror, and all I felt was shame.
It was then that I heard God speak clearly, “I made you to be a better man, a better father, and a better husband.” I fell to my knees and finally sent up a rescue signal to the only one who could truly save me: Jesus. I prayed:
“If You want this marriage to work, You’re going to have to fix it. I’ve tried everything. I can’t do this on my own anymore. I surrender my marriage to you.”
Although I had grown up in church and was “saved” at 14, this was different. It was the first time I truly surrendered to God’s will.
And just like that, Jesus met me in my wilderness. As 2 Corinthians 4:18 (NIV) reminds us:
“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
I stopped focusing on the temporary achievements of this world and sought God’s perfect will.
It wasn’t easy, and it didn’t happen overnight, but Jesus saved my marriage. It’s hard to explain with the limited words of this world. He healed wounds, released bitterness, and helped my wife, Sarah, and me fall in love again in ways we never thought possible, but always wanted. God’s rescue was real, and His restoration was complete.
Just like those lost people on my television show, it took hitting rock bottom for me to finally admit I couldn’t self-rescue. And I know I’m not alone—many people are wandering in the wilderness of life, flailing in their own strength, unaware that rescue is just around the corner if they surrender to someone who knows exactly how to rescue.
Rescue requires courage:
Admit the path you’re on isn’t working.
Surrender to a Rescuer with a proven track record—Jesus.
Put up your rescue signal through prayer.
Trust the Rescuer to do the work.
There is nothing that Jesus can’t redeem. As Romans 8:28 (NIV) says:
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
No circumstance is too dire, no valley too deep, and no mountain too high for Him to climb.
As Psalm 139:7-8 reminds us, the Hound of Heaven will not stop until he finds us right where we’re at:
“Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.”
It sounds simple, and you’d think after Jesus saved my marriage, I would’ve surrendered every part of my life. But I didn’t. I held onto control of my business, my career, and my finances. I let God rescue my marriage, but I thought I could handle the rest.
Looking back, I see how foolish I was. You can’t be part lost and part found. You’re either fully rescued or still lost. Just as no rescue crew would partially save someone, Jesus doesn’t work halfway—He seeks to fully redeem every part of our lives.
But that’s a story for another devotional…
For now, I want to leave you with this: the wilderness of life is hard and confusing. It’s easy to get turned around and think we can figure it out on our own. But self-rescue in life is impossible. The world’s promises will never satisfy—they will always leave us empty and in need of real sustenance.
If you feel lost right now, you’re not alone—and you’re not beyond rescue. Jesus isn’t asking you to figure it all out or to fix everything yourself. He’s simply asking you to stop, admit you’re lost, and trust Him to lead you out. The same God who met me in the wilderness of my life is ready to meet you in yours. But you have to be willing to pause, put up a signal, and let Him do what only He can.
To help you take that first step, here are a few ways to reflect, pray, and listen for His voice in the wild this week:
INTO THE WILD
Verse to Contemplate:
“Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.”
— Psalm 139:7–8 (NIV)
Questions for the Wilderness Journal:
Where in your life do you feel lost right now?
What are you trying to "self-rescue" instead of surrendering to God?
What would it look like for you to admit you're lost and stop striving in that area?
Have you ever experienced God's rescue in the past? What happened?
What “rescue signal” can you put up today (a prayer, a confession, an act of surrender)?
Prayer of the Day:
Father, I admit I’m lost in some areas of my life. I’ve tried to rescue myself, but I’ve only gotten more turned around. I need You. I surrender ________________ to You today. I trust that You are the only one who knows the way out of this wilderness. Come and rescue me. I’m done trying to fix it all on my own. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Wilderness Application:
Take a walk in the woods, even if just a short one. As you walk, practice “stopping” instead of striving—pause, breathe, and reflect on where you are emotionally and spiritually.
Sketch a rescue signal—a flare, a fire, a flag, or even an SOS in the dirt. Use it as a symbol in your journal of calling out to God.
Build a small campfire or light a candle as a symbol of God’s presence finding you, even in dark places.
Marvel at something in Creation—a leaf, a bird, the stars—and ask God to remind you that He sees you, even when you feel invisible.
Mark your own spiritual map—draw where you feel you are in your journey. Label the “lost” zones, the “rescued” zones, and the “still wandering” ones. Be honest.