God's Great Outdoors

This program is an interview with Dan Ryks, who is a fishing guide on the St. Croix River and lives in South St. Paul, Minnesota. He tells the story of how growing up an hour west of Minneapolis, Minnesota in Wilmer, he and other boys would duck hunt their way to school, leave their shotguns in the principal's office, go hunting during recess and then shoot ducks on the way home from school. Then he shares the story of how growing up he became an angry young man and got tied in with the wrong crowd. Losing his best friend to a drunk driving accident and then getting into a fight with his girlfriend, where she was accidentally killed, he winds up in jail. But persistent prayers by his mom and grandmother, and watching Billy Graham transformed this violent and angry inmate into a model citizen because of Jesus Christ.

This program begins with a description of what the retreats are like at Rushing Wind in Ontario, Canada an hour drive above International Falls, MN. At the flight service, you park your car and take a short float plane ride to Rushing Wind and through this ministry many lives have been changed for eternity. The guest this week is Vince Garcia who is a Navajo Indian and got the Hispanic last name when his grandfather was adopted by a family from Mexico. Vince shares the difficulties of growing up in an alcoholic environment and a physically abusive father who eventually threw him out of the home. His story goes on to share how he came to Christ and also a physical difficulty that developed after he had a stroke. Vince tells of the miracle over recovery in his life and how he uses what has happened to him to share the love of Christ Jesus with others, as he speaks across the country and ministers to his native people as well. 

This week’s program is a visit with Brian Blair who is the station manager at KIAM in Nenana, Alaska. Brian tells how he was born blind and describes events that took place as he was growing up. One of those things was listening to Christian radio because the dramatizations were easier to understand with the detailed descriptions that went into the production versus just listening to the TV. However, when his friends came over he was turning off the radio because he didn’t want them to know he was listening to Christian broadcasts. After coming to Christ, the radio playing a major part, he wound up deciding to go to Cedarville University so that he could know more of God’s Word. Eventually, getting a job at WCDR the station at the university which led to discovering the need for radio broadcasters around the world, which led to he and the family moving to Nenana where they live today and do ministry.

This week’s interview is with two of the best known game calling outdoorsmen in the industry. Harold Knight and David Hale share how they had their beginnings back when turkey hunting was just starting to take-off, in fact, they had to travel some distance in their home state of Kentucky just to be in an area where there were birds. Harold’s invention of a tube turkey call used by an outdoor writer got the whole thing started and the business of Knight & Hale Game Calls took off from there. Harold relates the story of how he shot a goose that had a Jack Miner band on it and printed on it was the verse from the book of Mark 11:22, “Have faith in God.” As a twelve year old boy Harold and his grandfather went to the Bible, found the verse and this was the start of his relationship with Jesus Christ. 

Co-founder of the ministry titled Polestar Outdoors, Ron Vining is this week’s guest. Ron and Gerry get together on a visit to the ministry’s headquarters in Wyoming where Ron has set-up a number of speaking engagements in churches for Gerry to share. This is a ministry that takes young people out fishing, hunting, camping, and boating, whose parents don’t know how to do these activities. Additionally, they use the time afield or stream to mentor the youngsters in God’s Word. Ron shares a number of testimonies of how there has been life-changing decisions, and how these young people are benefiting with the relationships from the adult men and women who mentor them. 

Dave Lemaire of Copper River Float Ministry an adventures that takes rafting trips on the Gulkana River tells the story of how his young daughter was kidnapped, raped and murdered. Dave had the chance to kill the suspect and yet, God gave him the strength to do what was right and allow the Lord’s justice to be carried out through the legal system. Dave also shares about the ministry that he and his wife are doing that is having an impact in Alaska with both men’s groups and ladies as well. These trips are changing lives as folks raft through the wilderness and come into contact with God’s word, sometimes as a first ever event for them.

Fishing legend and co-founder of Lindner’s Angling Edge, Al Lindner, shares with Gerry about how he came to Christ. Al relates the story that is found in the tract “A Fishing Legend Makes His Biggest Catch.” He reflects back on how his brother Ron and his wife Dolores, and his own wife Mary all came to Christ and watched the changes in their lives. At the same time, people from around the country were sending him tracts and other evangelistic materials which he started to wonder about. Then one day his young son Troy asked him to pray so he could hear him and this hit a nerve as Al didn’t know how to pray.

Archery product designer, and co-owner of Axion Archery Dave Potts, is what many people call the “miracle man”. Through the course of 2013 Dave going into the hospital to have a simple surgery, a deviated septum, wound up spending most of the year hospitalized and having died on the operating table twice. Dave relates how extensive the numerous medical issues that developed over the course of the year, but how timely many of the issues were in relationship to those who cared for him. Looking back, this event changed his life and has drawn him to a much closer relationship with the Lord.

Outdoor writer, Dwight Schuh, is the guest on this week’s Trail to Adventure. Dwight shares the story of an elk hunt in the mountains where because of darkness he had to spend the night in the wilderness away from his base camp. Because of the situation and being in grizzly country he felt particularly alone, but after building a fire he began to think about the fact that no matter where you are, if you are a Christian, you are never alone. Dwight also shares his testimony and how he went from a person who wanted nothing to do with God, to a man who depends on his relationship with Jesus Christ.

Phil Driver is the guest on this week's Trail to Adventure! Phil helps head up a ministry called Northwestern Iowa Special Youth Challenge. This is a youth hunt that takes disabled and terminally ill girls and boys afield for turkey in the spring and deer in the fall. Gerry and Phil talk about how the conference that is taking place during this interview was something that Phil only came to in order to meet more speakers for their ministry. He didn't think he would learn anything new at this Trail to Adventure! conference, but as you will hear he was sorely mistaken as he learned a number of things that helped their ministry carry on their mission.