On this week’s Trail to Adventure, Gerry is in Northwest Ohio for a multi-species fishing tournament that can even be won by a kid competing against adults, just by catching a green sunfish. He visits with bass fishing pro and outdoor tv show host, Jimmy Houston. Jimmy shares with Gerry about the old days of pro bass fishing as he was one of the first when this outdoor recreation turned to competitive fishing. The two talk about the many changes that have happened in the pro fishing world and how a number of large businesses have gotten behind the sport to make it an event where fishermen can win millions of dollars. Jimmy also tells of the changes that we have in our world as a whole and reflects on the fact that Jesus’ return could be imminent. Yet, regardless, the people listening to the program or who come to hear him speak, have no guarantee they even have a tomorrow. “Today is the day of salvation.”
April 6, 2015
The author of the tract "Up in Smoke," Bob Hodgdon, tells the story of how his dad's business, Hodgdon Powder, had its beginnings after World War II. Bob shares a funny story "now," of how as a 10 year old boy he almost blew up their house; his parents didn't find out about this until a family reunion 35 years later. Bob relates what a reader would see in the tract of how an explosion at one of their factories and four funerals for Christians who were killed at that tragedy, brought him to receive Jesus Christ. It was during these funeral services and seeing how the men being buried, their family and friends, though sorrowful, rejoiced and celebrated their homecomings in Heaven.Bob didn't know what they had or what was different about them, but he just knew he had to have it too.
March 30, 2015
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.
March 23, 2015
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.
March 16, 2015
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.
March 9, 2015
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.
March 2, 2015
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.
February 23, 2015
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.
February 16, 2015
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.
February 9, 2015
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.
February 2, 2015