God's Great Outdoors

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 week’s Trail To Adventure! Gerry is visiting with Jim Butler in the 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! Gerry is at Lake Ellen Camp in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan with the camp’s program director, Nick Hucle. Gerry had been invited to come as the speaker for one of the week long summer children’s camps. Lake Ellen Camp in Crystal Falls has events going on all year, with the summertime being the most active. Nick Hucle tells the listeners about hunting adventures with his parents as a kid and more. Nick relates his and his wife, Cory Ann’s history in the area of being campers and then their moving to camping ministry itself. He relates what the campers, counselors and staff experience at the camp and how he’s seen attendees work up through the different stations over the years, by the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives. This would be an excellent place not only to sent children as campers, but also for those wanting to learn to do work in outdoor ministry, as a life career.

On this week’s Trail To Adventure! we’ll discover how freelance writer, Tracy Breen, got started in outdoor writing. Visiting Tracy at his home in Michigan, he shares how he and his wife juggle his work at writing with his families need, as he plays “Mr. Mom”, watching the kids at home while he compiles his articles. Tracy also relates how he has trained a dog to hunt turkeys, which is legal in some states adding a fun way to hunt in the fall. He also describes how he accidentally shot himself one spring on one of his many turkey hunting adventures. This blunder with his shotgun could have cost him his life. He gives the Lord the credit for who he is and how Jesus has given him all he has, including the writing skills that are helping him fulfill his dream of being an outdoor writer.

This week’s Trail To Adventure! interview is with Pastor Dan Williams from Manitoba, Canada as he visits with Gerry at Rushing Wind Retreat Center in Ontario, Canada. A remote location to the point, those who attend are brought in by float plane. A fishing trip many folks dream of, and so opens the door for bringing along unsaved friends and relatives who need Jesus. Dan tells the story of his desire to catch a big lake trout and despite the bad weather conditions decided to go way up the lake and try for one. On heading back, the storm had really blown in and the wind wouldn’t allow the boat through a narrow, shallow area. Dan tried gunning the motor and broke the shear pin, which was only the beginning of the adventure!

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! Keith Jennings is the guest on this week’s interview as he and Gerry were together Birmingham, Alabama to do a God’s Great Outdoor’s The Trail to Adventure! Conference. Keith shares how he got started in archery long before there were compound bows and how he hand-crafted arrows in high school, starting a mail order business that led him to into a career in archery. He tells the journey in the industry and the many experiences he’s had from the businesses he’s worked for. One he’s worked with was Mathews Bows and helped this business as they sponsor over 100 ministries, mission fields around the world. Keith also tells about his book Bows and Arrows of the Bible and looks at archery terms in God’s Word. This is an great Bible study book for groups or personal use.

On this week’s Trail To Adventure! we’ll discover how you can have your family and area kids hooked for life. That’s hooked, with their own personal relationship with the Creator God, Jesus Christ. Gerry’s guest is Trevor Ruble, the President and Founder of a ministry to children and families molded on teaching them how to fish called "Hooked for Life." This is an interest or activity based outdoor outreach and evangelistic fishing themed program that is being adopted by many churches across North America. Trevor shares how he had struggled as a kid without a dad and how fishing was his escape from that loss. As an adult the ministry idea was something God laid on his heart, as a way to help kids to learn to fish and also could be used to help youth come to know Jesus Christ as their Savior.

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 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.