Chris Wells doesn’t have to be out here. He could just as easily stay home and pastor a church full-time in South Carolina.
Instead, he combines a passion for our Savior and bass fishing to serve as our Chaplain, traveling the country ministering to a bunch of us hairy-legged sinners with silly raccoon tan lines on our faces from the Costa glasses we wear constantly.
Not long ago, with little or no funding for travel and groceries, he’d sleep in his truck – just to be here – for us.
You know, Us — the traveling circus of all things pro bass fishing, that includes dudes like me that probably say too many cuss words and drink too many beers sometimes, while wondering what crankbait to tie on for the first cast of the morning.
When I think about his dedication and commitment, it brings extreme humility – and jumpy tear ducts.
Two days ago, here at Lake Champlain, Chris Wells hunted me down on the boat dock while I was interviewing Team Toyota’s Matt Arey at 6:30 a.m. and said, “I don’t mean to interrupt, but I’ve got something special for Guck.”
He had seen my post two weeks ago about wanting more decals for my Yeti water jug and brought me his own “The Bass Chaplain Chris Wells” decal, complete with a smallmouth bass on it.
It Made My Day.
Cool decals make a Yeti jug look better, but far more importantly, souls like Chris Wells make humans better.
I often watch the short sermons he posts from his home on the facebooks, and I Love to hear him pray on the loudspeaker before we play the National Anthem at sunrise minutes prior to tournament blast-off.
I remember at Lake Fork, Texas he prayed, “Lord, our world is filled with uncertainty, but we can find peace knowing there is absolutely nothing uncertain about You.”
Bam!
Simple. Profound. Goosebumps.
Thank goodness, he no longer sleeps in his truck, but he dang sure ain’t getting rich out here delivering the word in boat ramp parking lots.
A raffle he conducts to win a Free bass boat goes far in providing funding – check it out at www.ChrisWells.org, and follow his page here on facebook too, please.
And please know, his own life is not without strife. His wife Pam is battling cancer. Put her in your prayers.
Still, he is out here, riding along with pro anglers as a Bassmaster Marshall, sharing the Word, and handing out cool decals to hairy legged flippin and pitchin fools like me.
We may have raccoon eye tan lines on our faces, but thanks to “The Bass Chaplain” I believe we’ve got better perspective in our minds and increased accountability in our hearts.
Thanks so much for all you do, “Preach.”