God's Great Outdoors

The listeners may remember the famous escape artist, Harry Houdini. (1874–1926) He was an American illusionist, stunt performer and it was said he could get out of anything! This week’s guest on the radio broadcast is from Realtree Outdoors TV Show, David Blanton. While hunting whitetails in Kansas he was told of a monster buck that had been seen for several summers, but disappeared in the fall when buck’s antlers harden, reappearing again the next summer. Where was he going? Thus “Houdini” became the whitetail’s moniker. David became obsessed with hunting this incredible animal to a point where the Holy Spirit revealed his heart wasn’t right with God, needing turned 180 degrees; it’s quite a true story!

This week, the Trail To Adventure radio broadcast will have you riding high in the saddle! Gerry visits with Toni Mattson of the Trinity Equestrian Center located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Toni shares how the Trinity Equestrian Center use horses with people that are disabled, mentally challenged, criminally incarcerated, wounded veterans and all others, to make a difference in their lives and help them find the creator God, Jesus Christ. Gerry and Toni visit together in Green Bay, Wisconsin at a Trail To Adventure! Pastor and laymen teaching conference that helps people learn how to do evangelistic outdoor out reaches.

As he was traveling to speak at a Game Dinner in western Wisconsin, Gerry rendezvoused with Arnie Wolf, who is the owner of Rushing Wind Retreat Center in Ontario, Canada. The two men are joined by Larry Drossart who shares about his personal struggle with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and many of his fellow veterans as well. Arnie mentioned to Larry of his desire to do some type of wounded warrior (style) event at his fishing camp located a little over an hour above International Falls, Minnesota. That struck Larry hard as that day he’d heard of 4 Wisconsin veterans who’d committed suicide and felt something had to be done to stop this trend. Speaking that summer not only impacted Larry and his relationship with Jesus Christ, but helped another man in camp too! Since then the special week has grown in attendance and in the scope of how it’s helping other Vets with their struggles also.

Gerry is joined on the Trail To Adventure! by the Heislers, at the tail end of the Family Fun Fossil Hunt that God’s Great Outdoors does near the Creation Museum each year. Jon & Deb reflect on the couple’s retreats that takes place in Canada each summer at the Rushing Wind Retreat Center in Ontario, an hour above International Falls, Minnesota. The two share how they are ministered to at the event, even with the special attention required because of Jon’s health issues. This includes full access to time out on the water in God’s beautiful Creation as Jon’s heath has him using a wheeled walker. The couple tell how the owners of Rushing Wind, Arnie and Dee Wolf have even helicopter-ed in a fleet of pontoon boats to this remote fly-in fishing camp, so everyone can be out on the water. Jon also tells of a wounded warrior (style) event there that is helping Vets find Jesus and heal from their past emotional damages!

This week’s Trail To Adventure radio program is a time with a man who has made his living related to God’s great outdoors and it’s natural wonders for many years. Dave Battle lives in Anchorage, Alaska and tells of the way that he was raised to believe in Jesus, the Bible, and creation, as he was immersed in experiencing it with his father. However, in his college years everything he was being taught as he studied to become a wildlife biologist was telling him, not only was evolution a fact but there wasn’t even a God necessary for life to exist. Yet, one day in class, an eye-opening look at how each skull he was required to examine and study from the different animal species revealed that they had to have been both intricately and intelligently designed for that animal to exist at all as the precise location of these many openings was proof positive.

On a trip to the Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky to speak to this ministry’s staff during their morning devotions, Gerry connected with this week’s guest. Robert Smith’s story was about being blessed by God on an all-day whitetail deer hunt where only a half hour before dark he shot a monster buck. No ordinary deer, this typical ten pointer harvested on November 11th of 2000 with his rifle in northern Kentucky became a new state record buck. Robert, realizing that the Creator is truly the “Lord of the harvest” was thankful for this animal. Being what he calls “a meat hunter” he certainly had plenty of meals, but said when it came to the antlers value, it wasn’t a big deal. When an antler collector offered to buy the set, Robert knew the money could be used for an upcoming mission’s trip his church youth group was taking to Jamaica. Selling them was giving back to God, resulting in salvations abroad!

Gerry is at the Archery Trade Associations, 2016 Outdoor Trade Show held in Louisville, Kentucky on this week’s Trail To Adventure! In this interview he is visiting the Nature Blind booth connecting with the business founder and owner, Tim Thomason. These ground blinds and animal game feeders are well camouflaged as they look like tree stumps. Tim shares how on his first Texas deer hunt; the outfitter put him in an elevated shooting house and gave him a can of wasp spray. Not liking heights or those flying pests, he did his morning devotions and then, he asked God for a good idea. God answered and the tree stump shaped blind was the result. The biggest surprise is lives are being changed for eternity as the company products have scripture verses incorporated in their bark design and it’s doing a work for God!

This week's Trail To Adventure! program guest is the well known New Yorker, wildlife photographer and outdoor writer Charlie Alsheimer. Gerry drops in on Charlie at his studio/office on his farm in the Empire State and the two discuss how Charlie got involved in the outdoors. Charlie also shares that it was during his tour in Vietnam, and because of his boss there, an avid photographer, he decided to purchase photography equipment while in the Army and got started learning this craft. Interestingly enough, he cannot remember even taking one photo before this time. Charlie reflects on how he started doing wildlife photography and then later began writing an article for a local paper. With time he became a speaker at church outreach events and now has seen many come to Christ at game dinners and such.

This interview about a once in a life time adventure you can take someone on where they’ll have the Creator God speak to them by way of the outdoors, speakers and the fellowship of others! The owners and operators of Rushing Wind Retreat Center share with Gerry and the listeners how God worked it out in their lives to own this facility. This couple also talks about all the amenities of the facility, how they work in setting the stage for sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. This fly-in adventure fishing camp is a place where men can invite friends and relatives to join them for the five days. Also, there are couples retreats that have helped restore marriages and seen changed lives for eternity.

Looking toward the coming months and getting outside more, this week’s guest will give all real safety thoughts to consider first. 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 tragic 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.