God's Great Outdoors

Most men woman and children on earth goes through something that seems to stop the world from turning and changes our direction forever.  It might be an illness, a near death experience, the loss of a loved one or something else…   Whatever it is, it will be a crossroad in life.  At that point we will decide what direction our life will take from that day forward. Today’s guest, had that moment as a young man.  Something that brought him to the very edge of death, at the very moment the doctor was going to pull the plug, things changed.  Most of us couldn’t imagine what this young man was going through or how we could get through it. God has a way of getting our attention and our guest was brought from the edge of death and came to Christ to be used in an amazing way for his glory.

The sounds of Solitude… in today’s world we rarely get to experience true solitude, as there are few places that offer it.  In NW Ontario, on a secluded fly in only lake there is still such a place.  A place where the only sounds are the sounds of water lapping against the side of the fishing boat or the shoreline, the lonesome call of the loons, the rushing wind as it blows through the tall spruce and the still small voice of God as He speaks to you. Part of today’s program is a re-airing of a program from last year.  We’ll visit with a board member of God’s Great Outdoors and his wife, about an amazing place and all that it offers.  Rushing Wind camp in NW Ontario is the place that we will hear about.  This camp has been in operation for God’s glory for several decades and is a hidden jewel where, men and women, boys and girls can experience God’s glory in God’s Great Outdoors and renew a close relationship with Him… or you or your guest might find find Jesus Christ for the first time.

Each and everyone of us has a special need in our lives.  Some of our needs are more visible than others and for all of us there is a special need that is only known by us and God Himself.  Our host, Dean, has been so blessed to spend 20 years of hunting camps with those with special needs, both physical and spiritual special needs. On this weeks show we’ll hear from a friend that was born with physical special needs that would have limited many people, but not this gentleman.  He has been supporting and participating in hunts with Quest Ministries in Michigan for 20 years.  2 years ago was a very special time for him, his hunters and their families.  The experience was life changing and is something that will live past the hunt for all eternity. So please spend the next ½ hour with us as we hear about a very special man, a special hunt and how God works even heartbreaking circumstances for His children and for His glory. Let’s Join Dean and His guest as they travel into God’s Great Outdoors, down the Trail to Adventure.

In every life there is a point of sudden change.  For some it’s the loss of a loved one, a medical emergency, a financial disaster or even the loss of a body part through military situations, an accident or foolish choices. On today’s show we will visit with a Dusty Ruiter, young man that has been living out the dream of many young outdoors men and women.  Then in one somewhat foolish choice, his life changed forever.  Now he’s faced with a search for why and now what. God never leaves His children with no answers to the questions of life, He wants us to come to Him and ask and look to His word to get the answers.  He never allows something life changing to go to waste.  If We will allow Him he will grow us and glorify Himself and His glory through it. Let’s head down this week’s Trail To Adventure into God’s Great Outdoors and hear about a life, changed in an instant

Happy New Year.  We wish you a godly and blessed 2024.  With our first year behind us, we want to share a story of new hope and new beginnings. All of us are in battles in our lives, some our spiritual battles, some are physical and some are military.  Then there are some battles that are a combination of all three.  When this happens lives are changed, sometime for the best and sometimes not so good. On today's show we have a chance to hear a Christmas story far different than that which brings us hope.  We hear of struggles and new beginnings. All of life is a TRAIL TO ADVENTURE.

Happy New Year.  It’s hard for us to believe that a full 52 weeks have passed since I was blessed to take over the reigns for the founder and original host, Gerry Caillouet.   The year has flown by and now we are heading into another year. This being our last week of 2023, we found It fitting to visit with an old friend of God’s Great Outdoors and Gerry himself.  He has assisted on some of the TRAIL TO ADVENTURE conferences in Michigan and has been a guest on God’s Great Outdoors radio twice in the past. Let’s get on to the final show of 2023.  We appreciate all that have joined us over this past year…  It has certainly been an amazing adventure.  So let’s join Dean and his guest as we travel down the TRAIL TO ADVENTURE

In all of God’s creation, in His Great Outdoors, we see trees all around us.  When we aren’t seeing trees, if we look around we can see many things made from the wood that came from trees.  When we think of it Jesus was laid in a manger at His birth, most likely made of wood.  At His death He died on a cross of wood.  From beginning to the end of the life of Christ, we see trees. There are many lessons from the trees and forests of this world.  On today program, we will visit with a gentleman that has spent most all of his life in the woods working with trees.  He has learned how to create opportunities for trees to grow fast, stronger, taller and straighter.  We’ll hear how the forest closely correlates with our lives and how God grows us.  We’ll also hear about the ministries that our guest works in and how God is using him more and more as he quickly closes in on retirement.

Every one of us will face struggles, big and small throughout our lives.  Some of the struggles will be easily overcome and others will drag us down if we attempt to take them on all on our own. On today’s show a good friend of our host will share some exciting hunting stories and then he will share some of the struggles he has faced in his life and how he got through them.  It was because of the men around him that he was able to defeat the attacks and live a victorious life. Come along now and join our host in camp as we visit about the struggles we have both in the woods and in life.  The Trail To Adventure might be covered in speedbumps and obstacles, but when we travel with God, through His Great Outdoors, There is hope for victory.

One of the first things that Jesus told His disciples was recorded in Matthew 4:19 When He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of people."  This week's guest left a life of drugs, alcohol and a multitude of other sins and when he did, he looked for ways to serve the Lord.   Being a serious fisherman and hunter, he was excited to find a way to use his passion to serve the Lord.   One day he came across an organization that allowed him to use those passions to win others for Christ.  Since that time he has turned his life over to work in many ways to evangelize others through God's Great Outdoors.   As you listen to today's show, please consider how you might become a fisher of men.  God has a plan in all of our lives and has given us passions for things that can be used for his purposes.  We all need to ready to go out and reach others with the Good News of Jesus.   Let's join our host as we travel together down the TRAIL TO ADVENTURE in GOD'S GREAT OUTDOORS.

Teaching our youth to love and appreciate the outdoors is something that we need to do to maintain our hunting and fishing heritage.  It is the same with our love for Jesus Christ.  We need to pass the gospel message on to all those that are coming behind us. Our world is reaping the fruit of not teaching our children what God expects of them.  Many children are pointed towards Jesus Christ and then left to fend for themselves.  We have a responsibility to disciple others into a mature relationship with their Savior. If we fail to do this, they will become like a fish on the edge of the water. They will flounder and eventually fall back into the life we had before Christ.