God's Great Outdoors

On this Trail To Adventure! interview, a visit to Dr. John Whitmore’s office at Cedarville University in Ohio, Gerry got to meet Dr. Steve Austin. As an undergrad geology student at Washington State, Dr. Austin was able to explore probably the most significant geological event in the 20th century, the eruption of Mt. Saint Helen’s. This was a turning point for him as he was able to watch and discover firsthand how this catastrophe affected the landscape, including a creation of a one-fortieth scale of the Grand Canyon, in only one day. During this time Dr. Austin switched from a Christian “old earth” geologist, to a “young earth” geologist, believing the biblical account of 6000 years of earth’s age. All from seeing layer upon layer of earth that was laid down by volcanic eruptions in minutes, not hundreds of thousands of years as he had been taught.

Now on this week’s Trail To Adventure! Gerry is at Cedarville University located in Cedarville Ohio. His guest on this program is Dr. John Whitmore, who teaches geology and paleontology at Cedarville University. Dr. John shares with the listeners how he got involved as a young man running around the woods of Ohio, collecting rocks, arrowheads and fossils. John is considered to be the world’s leading authority on fossilized fish, and he discusses how he did his research in this area of expertise. Gerry & John talk about the annual fossil hunt done every year near the Creation Museum that sees families attend from many different states. The fossils are everywhere, and the attendees get to keep what they find. This is a wonderful outdoor outreach event the listener can do with God’s Great Outdoors and invite their friends and relatives to join them to hear about the Bible’s Flood and see proof!

On this week’s Trail To Adventure! Gerry is at Game Dinner in Pennsylvania with an old friend, Dick Hribar. Through the years as a fishing and hunting guide, Dick Hribar has put a lot of miles on his body. At the time of this interview he was about to undergo his fourth knee transplant on both legs; he is quite an outdoorsmen, always on the go. Dick shares how as a Special Education teacher in Pennsylvania for 30 years he was able to connect with his students by way of the bow and arrow, connecting with them using archery and hunting, turning many of their lives around as they lacked fathers at home. Dick also talks of his guiding elk hunters who draw the limited and coveted tags in Pennsylvania each fall to pursue the monsters that roam the mountains near his home.

Gerry visits with one of the legends in the outdoor world, Harold Knight of Knight & Hale Game calls on this Trail To Adventure! Listeners will discover that David Hale who was a farmer, and Harold Knight a barber, got together to design, develop and market turkey calls. Giving one of these calls to an outdoor writer way back when there weren’t many turkeys to start with, created quite a stir. His article in an outdoor magazine drove in hundreds of phone calls to get one of their “turkey tubes” and it just went on from there. Both these men give all the glory to God for what has happened in their lives and they continue to praise Him as the years roll by. Harold also relates as a youngster he had a desire to shoot a goose. When that did happened, he found it had a Jack Miner band with a scripture verse on it!

On this week’s Trail To Adventure! Program, Gerry is with professional outdoors writer, photographer and “Big Whitetail” legend, R.G. Bernier. Gerry met R.G. at his home in Standish, Maine. Known for his ability in tracking down big bucks in the snow, Dick Bernier has authored a tract called “A Deer Tracker’s Journey!” In this radio interview, the story of R.G.’s twice coming close to death is laid out for the listeners. In 1968 at the age of 9, he had open heart surgery to repair a defect there from birth. Also, in his college years, Dick worked with a touring evangelistic ministry team from Liberty University in Virginia. One March night the van hit ice and was t-boned by an 18 wheeler, causing Dick some very serious and life threatening injuries. But, God’s plan was to use these two close calls and R.G. Bernier’s deer hunt success over the years as a speaker at Game Dinner and outdoorsmen’s outreaches. So, in his printed tract and in front of groups of sportsmen Dick is sharing about the love of Jesus, the cross of Christ and blood that was shed to cover and forgive our sins, for an eternity with our Creator God!

On this week’s Trail To Adventure! treestand safety is the topic as Jay Everett from Hunter Safety Systems is this week’s guest. Gerry and Jay spend part of this interview talking treestand safety to help the listeners understand the importance of the topic and seriously consider their need to wear safety harnesses while hunting from an elevated platform. Statistics show that one out of three people that hunt out of a treestand will have an accident at some time in their life, with a number of these incidents being fatal. Jay relates facts on the safety harness and how their research reveals that most falls take place going up, getting into, coming out of and then descending to the earth. The goal of this program is to be sure that none of the listeners will become a part of the tragic statistic, on the negative side.

On this week’s Trail To Adventure broadcast Gerry is Joined at his home office/studio by an old friend, Arnie Wolf, with his grandson Aidan. Visiting Ohio from their home in Wisconsin he’s looking to tell the listening audience about a new outreach minister. Arnie is helping a couple turn there 240 acres of woods in to a location to share Christ through outdoor recreation. This old homestead in Philips, Wisconsin is being readied by Bob and Tammy Brandt and Arnie has come along side of them. There hoping is to bring in and mentor youngsters to a saving knowledge of Jesus. Launching this endeavor with a big educating event and open house is the topic to this week’s program. There is an invitation for others to join them with an outlay of the things the kids can do in God’s Great Outdoors.

Gerry is in Anchorage Alaska on this week’s Trail To Adventure! discussing his early years in life and growing up in the mountains of North Carolina and following his dad through the woods is how Dave Battle begins this interview. Remembering the other men who also were instrumental in his life and how one individual on a gravel mountain road impressed him to be more active in his relationship with Jesus Christ, because he had his Bible with him on the seat of his work truck. These days Dave is a wildlife biologist in Alaska and as he shares he is still learning about God’s creation every day. His reflection back to this time in his life can cause us to examine our own personal daily walk.

On this Trail To Adventure! a family tragedy is part of the story as the guest will give the listeners some real recreational water safety thoughts to consider. Kenny Ratliff begins this interview by describing great times in the outdoors with his dad and reflects on how he introduced him to spending time afield and stream. This later in his life became where he directed his vocation and passed up opportunities to wear a suit and tie to work. Kenny then goes into the story of how on Father’s Day some years back, and at the same time, the family was celebrating his dad’s and his youngest brother’s birthdays, something terrible happened. Kayaking on an area river, both of these two loved ones were taken home to be with the Lord because of a boating accident. A sad event to be sure, but one we can all learn from to be safe in our future recreation on the water.

This week’s Trail To Adventure! interview has Gerry at the Ark Encounter with Ken Ham, Founder of Answers In Genesis and the Creation Museum. Located in Williamstown, Kentucky, Gerry’s guest shares about being a school teacher in Australia and liked how he was challenged on creation vs. evolution and what the Bible said on the issue. This led to Ken’s passion to present the truth of the book of Genesis and the real facts of what science reveals about God’s universe and our earth. Ken unveils how studies done by Answers In Genesis discovered why people doubt God’s Word, because of evolution and “the millions of years” yet there are many items people can learn to use to defend God’s Word. A trip to see the Ark that is the size as described in God’s Word can make the Bible become real and possible in a visitor's eyes!