God's Great Outdoors

The topic on this week’s Trail To Adventure! is on Lyme Disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Gerry visits with Billy (Catfish) Parker and his wife Laura at the C’Meer Deer booth during the annual Archery Trade Assn. Show that was held in Indianapolis, Indiana in February of 2015. Both of these outdoor recreationalists share stories of the adventures and the battle that is encountered by a tiny insect at least eight months of the year. Ticks! Laura has been infected with both Lyme Disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, but early detection helped in her treatment being a quick ordeal. Billy however, went a number of years before his Lyme Disease was discovered causing extended and daily treatments that lasted many months. Their hope is as they tell this story; is it will help keep others from having to go through the same mess they experienced!

On this week’s Trail To Adventure! Gerry joins up with Joni Eareckson Tada in Xenia, Ohio as the two relive the memory of Joni’s close encounter with a large black bear on a camping trip. Marshmallows as it turns out was all the bear was after at this hair raising encounter. Also discussed is how Ken, Joni’s husband, is using fishing as a way of reaching out to men who need Jesus, or need their relationship with the Creator God brought to a deeper level. Additionally, Joni tells about the special summer camps they have across the nation for physically and mentally disabled young people and adults. Her call is for men who might be willing to come along side these people and be volunteers at these summer events. Since the day years ago when a diving accident while swimming put Joni Eareckson Tada in a wheelchair, God has used her to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She is an inspiration to all of us to do the same!can’t mention Jesus, no Ten Commandments or guns in schools and there are school shootings. Why?

This week’s Trail To Adventure! the interview is with Dan Ryks, a charter boat captain on the Mississippi River, in Minnesota. Dan tells the story of how he came to Christ in prison. He went in an angry man who was always fighting and came out totally opposite of how he went in. Gerry and Dan talk about how Dan, born in 1965, used to, along with about 12 other boys, carry their shotguns to school to shoot ducks on the way. These young men all left their guns in the principal’s office, took them out at lunch to hunt ducks, then again as they traveled home. The point Gerry reflects on is how they were allowed guns in school, had The Ten Commandments, and there were no school shootings back then. Today – can’t mention Jesus, no Ten Commandments or guns in schools and there are school shootings. Why?

Now this week’s Trail To Adventure! radio program has us at one of the Trail To Adventure! conferences that GGO conducts across the USA. The location is Stanley, Wisconsin at Maple Grove Bible Church. The guest Chris Smith was one of the speakers from the conference’s lineup of pro’s and ministry leaders who joined Gerry. Chris is from Victory Deer Recovery (www.facebook.com/VictoryDeerRecovery) and he shares how he and his wife Meghan founded the ministry. It started with their love of training dogs as the two went to a seminar on using dogs to hunt and find the shed antlers of deer. The methods of teaching canines to use their noses even in snow covered country sounded simple enough. From there they moved to using their pets to helping others find deer lost while hunting. This lets them build relationships and share Jesus Christ too!

On this week's Trail To Adventure! Gerry’s interview is with Dennis and Peggy Robinson who relate an experience that happened when they were dairy farmers in Wisconsin. Dennis placed himself before God and everything in his life was about him and what he wanted in life. His wife Peggy had turned him over to the Lord and said, "You need to deal with him, Lord, he is yours." Two days later Dennis was pulled half way through a hay wagon mechanical apparatus and was not expected to live from the massive injuries he received. Yet, God had a plan, and it included transforming a man to be what God wanted him to be. Clearly this is an interview we can all benefit from and a direction to move to also!

On this Trail To Adventure! Jim Mustoe, the founder of The World Wide Christian Scuba Divers Organization, and Gerry visit together in Elkton, Maryland discussing outdoor ministries that have come about over the years. The idea is to provide Christians looking to reach people who enjoy time in God's creation with the way and the tools to provide the ability to help win others to receive Jesus Christ as their Creator God and Savior. Jim Mustoe shares with Gerry about his early years in life, love of the outdoors, and walk with the Lord. Jim also tells how the Lord impressed on him the idea to write a pamphlet called "Jesus is the Regulator of Our Life." A regulator is the important part of one’s air tanks, providing the air to live under water! Also, God led him to start this worldwide ministry to scuba divers.

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 program, Gerry visits with Russ Miller who is the founder of the Creation, Evolution & Science Ministries. The two talk about the battle that rages over this topic and the scientific facts that point to our Creator God speaking our world and the universe into existence as stated in the Bible. Russ guides tours in Arizona’s Grand Canyon and shows from the rock and fossil records evidence that backs up what his ministry presents. These adventures are not only great fun for the family, but certainly groups travel from across the country every year to join Russ and be a part of these fact-finding trips. Besides this interview’s discussion on Creation and how God has everything in control, the two talk about the struggles that come to all ministries that stand on the Word of God and refute what world science and opinion has to say. It was during one of these incredibly low times that Russ Miller asked God to make Himself clear in his mind that he was really doing God’s will in educating and equipping others. This interview shares a time through Russ’s outdoor adventures when God clearly showed His love and support for him and his life’s calling.

On this week’s Trail To Adventure! Gerry is visiting with Jim Butler in Pennsylvania’s scenic Appalachian Mountains. Jim & his wife Barbra own & operate Strath an De Farm, which in Celtic means “God’s Valley.” The beautiful forest setting is the location for annual summer father & son retreats. Also, a father & daughter event camp, that both are designed to make lasting memories in the lives of those who attend each year, plus draw them to the Creator God. Jim shares about the numerous activities these men & their children join in together with the goal of deepening the family bond & one’s personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. The farm sees over 500 total attend each year & is a “no-cost” event, with a free-will offering taken!

On this week’s Trail To Adventure! program Gerry is the Archery Trade Association Convention in Nashville, Tennessee. He’s visiting with multi-winner of the National Wildlife Turkey Federation’s Turkey Calling Championship, Chris Parrish, who’s this week’s guest. Chris shares how he got involved in the outdoors and realized early that if you could make the thirty-two different sounds that a turkey produces, there is a good chance you could get them to come and invite them to your dinner table. He also goes into some of the details that are required to qualify for this annual competition and what happens when you are involved in the contest. Additionally, Chris shares how God got a hold of his life and dropped him to his knees when his little boy was born prematurely.