tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56788422174186102962024-03-05T18:51:41.741-08:00Tree of Life Christian Wilderness ExpeditionsTree of Life Christian Wilderness Expeditionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04894709975773502199noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5678842217418610296.post-80770299920549262372013-08-19T12:02:00.000-07:002013-08-19T12:02:03.410-07:00Jesus as our Guide - Our recent 17 year old celebrates 90 days cleans!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT0WJvk81rJmzVfxJhfhcBVSJpn_jKgy-Xt_hK2mmN0NZjlqTJJkibBZJ0XFPG8dNReU52tGV826-3Zmhm_rWWINaVQthBUle_9h5XC1zUR2cESPguDN2YJswyPXlzbBkhy3mFCxtbWy7K/s1600/FirstTrek2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT0WJvk81rJmzVfxJhfhcBVSJpn_jKgy-Xt_hK2mmN0NZjlqTJJkibBZJ0XFPG8dNReU52tGV826-3Zmhm_rWWINaVQthBUle_9h5XC1zUR2cESPguDN2YJswyPXlzbBkhy3mFCxtbWy7K/s200/FirstTrek2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
The young man packed up his tent after spending two days and two nights alone in a tent in the woods. He walked away from his solo site with a brilliant smile on his face, journal in hand complete with a list of goals he wants to accomplish in the near future. Two weeks earlier it seemed impossible to list a goal, or to even want to pursue a life detached from the double life he had been living for several years: the church-going athlete/student and the drug addict bent on seeking a criminal lifestyle. <br />
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He knew he needed to change his lifestyle but didn't know how. He had started researching treatment programs to help him move in a positive direction, but no one really knew how crucial a program would be for his physical and mental safety, and the safety of those around him, until a series of increasingly bad choices landed him in a juvenile detention center facing a felony conviction; a conviction that could have him tried as an adult. Mercifully, his judge approved his release to Tree of Life on the condition that upon his release he would be involved in a long-term program that could potentially free him of a conviction on his record with good behavior.<br />
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Initially, he was compliant with Tree of Life staff; his addict still fighting for a future of freedom to partake in the double-life that had been created. Staff continued to work with him through education, counseling, and assignments that would help him to get honest with himself and others and help him to realize what his future would look like if he continued down the path he had been going down.<br />
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While with Tree of Life, exercises like taking responsibility for his own tent and gear, helping to prepare meals and clean up, participation in work crew activities, and completing assignments, would help to build a foundation that would teach him responsibility, accountability, and self-worth - skills that he could take with him back home. In addition, through educational groups, he learned more about addiction, support groups, his worth in God's eyes, and being part of a community.<br />
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With successful completion of programming during the first week, he was allowed to join with Peak 7, a partner of Tree of Life, to participate in their Junior Guide-In-Training program. The week-long adventure consisted of rock climbing and rafting; but most importantly, Junior Guides were taught how to guide as well as be guided. The theme for the week was "Jesus as our Guide". We were all challenged to share on how that looks in our lives, and to remember that the best guides also have guides that they rely on. In addition, he participated in a climb up Mt. Thielsen during rainy and cold weather, successfully making it all the way to the top, including the last 80 feet of the peak which is a treacherous scramble. He proved to have heart and courage, attributes that would serve him well if he chose the right path.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs-10JMg4Ox5-4K_QdM7XbydG3nPBfbVYH3KBbs45Sr4wpEpC8K1KxZ9h1wmirRAJydUK9v-z8qlfoZGI2GbEbo_I0qGqVb8C6DdBN-4N8_23-ypk92KG-wgPOF03yYLW7W5w4Brlo2XAN/s1600/FirstTrek1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs-10JMg4Ox5-4K_QdM7XbydG3nPBfbVYH3KBbs45Sr4wpEpC8K1KxZ9h1wmirRAJydUK9v-z8qlfoZGI2GbEbo_I0qGqVb8C6DdBN-4N8_23-ypk92KG-wgPOF03yYLW7W5w4Brlo2XAN/s200/FirstTrek1.jpg" width="150" /></a><br />
During his first week, he reminisced about his time locked up. Some of his statements changed from glorifying that time, to hoping that one day he could go back, but go back to serve and help those who did not have the freedom to leave. Since he's gone home to be a part of his community once more, his parents are pleased with his behavior; his father stated that "he is easily at the best point of his life in the past six months". He is plugging into recovery communities, having just collected his 90 day coin to recognize ongoing sobriety. He is successfully involved in the court-appointed program that will offer him additional accountability. And he has been giving back by serving as a camp counselor at his church and connecting with more friends through fellowship there. We hope that one day he goes back to jail - through the front door with a volunteer badge. Tree of Life Christian Wilderness Expeditionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04894709975773502199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5678842217418610296.post-41253364574677181932013-08-07T16:13:00.003-07:002013-08-07T16:13:29.995-07:00Testimonial from a parent: <div id="yui_3_7_2_1_1375743242414_12096">
When
my son was 17, I had come to realize that he was lost spiritually,
addicted to drugs, and bent on self-destruction. I began to research
Christian wilderness experiences in hopes that God could reach him where
I had been unable to. I first made contact with Jim several months
before I actually sent my son down. Over those months, Jim counseled me,
supported me, and encouraged me. We prayed together and individually
that God would provide the funds for my son to go. I can't imagine how
many hours Jim spent on the phone with me, helping me respond to
whatever crisis came along in my son's life. At this point, Jim wasn't
even certain that my son would ever come to Tree of Life, because I had
yet to secure the funds, but he never stopped reminding me that God
would provide. Jim continued to remind me that God heals, that He
restores, and that He loved Clay beyond what I could imagine. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA6_R635Ed5kGfrbDc7e51i47Y_8Ee3ezwR8jy-A2sabyy1XuRQZXpop5W5icAye1eyJb267-OAPAITw2uuYhlXxCXITMolIvmapk_dxLgzcyRtrXiR7a3hrC1SdrUftL6EO8MtUGJrPaj/s1600/Ocean.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA6_R635Ed5kGfrbDc7e51i47Y_8Ee3ezwR8jy-A2sabyy1XuRQZXpop5W5icAye1eyJb267-OAPAITw2uuYhlXxCXITMolIvmapk_dxLgzcyRtrXiR7a3hrC1SdrUftL6EO8MtUGJrPaj/s200/Ocean.jpg" width="200" /></a>I
ultimately sent my son to Tree of Life that summer. After being told by
the person who transported my son (against his will) to Jim that he was
the "worst he had seen in about 2500 transports of at-risk teens", I
received a phone call from Jim about three days into the trek. He and my son were sitting around the campfire reading scripture. Where no one
else seemed to be able to reach my son, Jim had opened his heart within
the first hours of the trek. It was truly incredible. For the
remainder of the trip, Jim and his staff discipled, equipped, and
mentored him. <span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1375743242414_12105" style="font-size: 12pt;">Clay
chose to have Jim baptize him at the conclusion of the trip. I was
blessed to be able to witness Jim and my son walking out together into the
waves on the Oregon coast so that he could be "washed." </span></div>
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It
would not be honest to say that my son's life was perfect from that point
on. He had slips after returning home and seeing old faces. Jim
continued to counsel me through those difficult times, and has
maintained contact to the present. Jim shared with me during those
times, that my son's heart had been change in ways that made the old
behaviors and thinking less acceptable to him, and to wait patiently,
doing just enough and no more, until he decided to walk away from the
past. God had revealed to him, through Jim, that there was another,
better way. </div>
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Clay just completed his first year of college with a 3.85 GPA. Praise God!</div>
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Tree of Life Christian Wilderness Expeditionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04894709975773502199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5678842217418610296.post-52828576126393266052013-02-28T16:52:00.002-08:002013-08-07T15:45:35.252-07:00YOU can help make 2013 successful for many! <br />
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Tree of Life Christian Wilderness Expeditionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04894709975773502199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5678842217418610296.post-74863606110881121482013-02-08T11:11:00.001-08:002013-02-08T11:11:58.929-08:00Jim's Testimony<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_pC0AlUBMu4G4G6cD8XDjZ8JnD7GaOOFM3a-nuCcZHtg4if7qxLjxZuMR1CBKGz_XtIrXhEqbXCQ9aF_9YWD1-5nMO-V9C2ArvptYB5xycpIQ9crZ5BKuRKVI6_s8NYa2teXD_S8LRkZ0/s1600/BioPicJim.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_pC0AlUBMu4G4G6cD8XDjZ8JnD7GaOOFM3a-nuCcZHtg4if7qxLjxZuMR1CBKGz_XtIrXhEqbXCQ9aF_9YWD1-5nMO-V9C2ArvptYB5xycpIQ9crZ5BKuRKVI6_s8NYa2teXD_S8LRkZ0/s320/BioPicJim.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Tree of Life was born in 1996 while Jim Yahne was crossing the Link River bridge in Klamath Falls, OR. He thought that he would like to once again work in the woods, cutting another load of firewood and was praying to God about this desire. Having spent many years delivering firewood for homes, Jim enjoys his credentials as ‘an old woodcutter saved by grace.’ Upon the bridge, Jim was impressed with a vision from the Lord calling him to stop dropping off dead wood that goes up in smoke. He was called to begin delivering the eternal ‘fuel’ from the Tree of Life.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">"My story begins at a boy’s ranch in Oregon when I was 15
years old; I was selected out of 200+ youth to be one of 16 to go to climb Mt
Hood with a Youth for Christ team.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
were outfitted with crampons and ropes and all the gear needed to successfully
climb to the top of the highest mountain in Oregon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What happened with the guidance and
experience of our leaders was that we were able to complete this life changing
experience safely, “one step at a time”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I came to believe that God touched my life through this
experience and it was an opportunity to share this with others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have since been involved with outdoor
ministry and work for 40 years and God continues to teach me and allow me to
share his love and wonder in the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">G</b>
reat <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">O</b> ut<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">D</b>
oors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Through others reaching out into my life and sharing Gods
love I have been able to overcome great obstacles and to give back through
education , counseling,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and discipleship
what was shared with me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not long ago I
believe God led me in his word to continue this work in the scripture of, </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“ Come unto me all
you who are weary and heavy<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>laden and I
will give you rest” Mathew 11:28. As a salmon returns to its source, God has
called and invited us to return.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>James
L. Yahne"</span></div>
Tree of Life Christian Wilderness Expeditionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04894709975773502199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5678842217418610296.post-77585301472621724012013-01-14T10:58:00.001-08:002013-01-27T21:07:43.979-08:00Winter 2012/2013 Newsletter<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheUjm6gkjOofIHJH11xn_iOKu0XLbzkTFKcR29QXQjcMUk-NnFA0ILFj-EHlG3tYNbvrj-WFb3Mz0KPZ3_VfIlyrBvyvh3gsbdQzdqAk20EEio1bAZwX6XRwHVJWP78g8fg9eulPASba51/s1600/TLCWEWinterNewsletter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheUjm6gkjOofIHJH11xn_iOKu0XLbzkTFKcR29QXQjcMUk-NnFA0ILFj-EHlG3tYNbvrj-WFb3Mz0KPZ3_VfIlyrBvyvh3gsbdQzdqAk20EEio1bAZwX6XRwHVJWP78g8fg9eulPASba51/s1600/TLCWEWinterNewsletter.jpg" /></a></div>
Tree of Life Christian Wilderness Expeditionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04894709975773502199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5678842217418610296.post-44491704325519004902012-11-26T14:39:00.000-08:002012-11-26T14:39:34.569-08:00Christian Journal Article<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Tree of Life
Experiences Renewed Growth<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Tree of Life Christian
Wilderness Expeditions, based out of Klamath Falls, Oregon, is growing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The young ministry underwent some serious
changes involving staff, areas of operation, and publicity recently. Founded by
Jim Yahne in 1996, Tree of Life delivers the eternal hope of Christ to anyone
strugging through life. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Tree of Life is
a discipleship program that offers conventional therapy mixed with outdoor
adventure blanketed by the core teachings of Christianity. The program is directed
at adolescents ages 13 - 17, but also welcomes anyone who needs help being lead
out of bondage. Likened to the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt, a typical trek
entails a 21-day hike through high desert forest. Participants are exposed to
God’s promises and healing powers of reconciliation. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Thank you for being a part of my life and
helping me understand who I can be. I’m going to miss you guys…” says one
participant. Jesus tells us in Matthew 11:28: “<span class="text">Come to me, all
you who labor and are heavy-laden <i>and</i> overburdened, and I will cause you
to rest.” </span>Tree of Life hopes to be a pathway there. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt;">There is a fresh
generation of young faces working at Tree of Life to bring their God-given
talents to the Tree of Life family. Guide Brett Hansen says, “We’re excited to
see this thing grow! It seems as if God is setting us up for huge success.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt;">One of the
challenges Tree of Life faces is gaining land use permits in this modern age of
ever-shrinking wilderness. Tree of Life has worked closely with the Forest
Service and BLM to line out permit areas in the surrounding Klamath Falls area.
With new land use areas Tree of Life is faced with the task of scouting and
creating new routes, yet it gives them the opportunity of calling a place their
own. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt;">This fall Tree
of Life has branched out by updating its public image. It began with a simple
Facebook profile. Then came Twitter, a blog, and remodeling the website to gain
more attention. There is also a nation-wide radio advertisement offering
therapy services. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt;">All of these
changes are proof that Tree of Life is continuing to put its roots down and
solidify a sturdy base. Guide David Key summarizes by saying, “In this economy
it’s important to put faith in something. The Lord certainly delivers and the
choice to support this ministry was obvious. We have grown and will continue to
grow.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt;">For further
information call Jim Yahne at 541-281-2956 or visit tlcwe.org.</span></div>
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From the October 2012 Love & Respect edition: <a href="http://www.thechristianjournal.org/">www.thechristianjournal.org</a>Tree of Life Christian Wilderness Expeditionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04894709975773502199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5678842217418610296.post-57455953569936891172012-11-09T09:56:00.003-08:002012-11-12T18:47:00.745-08:00Getting Ready for Winter<img alt="" class="rg_hi uh_hi" data-height="68" data-width="121" height="179" id="rg_hi" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQtn_ZeaY2Y4mPt3CNOI_WdI8Coa3XudnVSjoSTae3PsLS3_qk5" style="height: 68px; width: 121px;" width="320" /><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The process of raising awareness and funds for a nonprofit
is no simple task. It can take weeks, months, and years to build relationships in
the community, let alone throughout the nation. And so it is that the few
members of Tree of Life staff find ourselves as we enter into the winter
months. One can also think that it may only be those who are in dire straits
that would send their child, or be willing, to go on a trek in these chilly and
freezing fall and winter nights. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So we press on as a team; feeling the calling of the Lord on
our lives to serve in this ministry. Equally, we feel the pinch of the elusive
paycheck, the discouragement from the lack of potential clients, and the
overwhelming breadth of work to be done for this mission to succeed. There is
no way we can do this… not alone at least. And there lies the true test of
faith; unable to see the outcome of the current circumstances. The resounding
answer: “<span class="woj">With man this is impossible, but with God all things
are possible.” (Matt 19:26) So, we press on, we fight the good fight. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<a href="http://www.snowshoemag.com/wp-content/uploads/winter-backpacking-600x337.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" id="il_fi" src="http://www.snowshoemag.com/wp-content/uploads/winter-backpacking-600x337.jpg" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="200" /></a><span class="woj"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It may be common sense for us who believe in
the Power of God that we must trust Him completely in this process. And most of
the time, in our day and age, Christ works through His body to accomplish His
plan. So, we need your help, and here’s how: </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1)</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Please partner with us in prayer: </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 1in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">a.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">That God provides the means for this
organization to continue, grow, and thrive</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 1in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">b.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">That the clients that will benefit from our
program have a way to come; both by being aware of our program and having the
means to afford it</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 1in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">c.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">That we continue to build partnerships that will
refer potential clients to us</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 1in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">d.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">That we form relationships with partners that
can fund scholarships for clients</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2)</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Spread the word about our program! We are here
to help anyone that wants to grow closer to the Lord, clear any obstacles that
are blocking them from living a God-abundant life, and walk with them through
their wilderness to help them be restored to their community.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3)</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Donate! We are in need of funds for the
following: </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 1in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">a.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A mandatory behavior intervention training -
$2,000</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 1in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">b.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Snowshoes for clients and staff<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>– $800 (can be donated items)</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 1in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">c.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A wall tent for winter trekking - $2,000 (can be
a donated item)</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 1in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">d.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Donations to build a scholarship fund for
clients</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 1in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">e.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Living expenses for staff who are currently not
being paid</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">For more information on how to support us or make a donation, please visit: <a href="http://tlcwe.org/support.php">http://tlcwe.org/support.php</a> Thank you so much for your support, encouragement, and
prayers. This would not be possible without all the help from family, friends,
and community like you. To God be the glory! </span></div>
Tree of Life Christian Wilderness Expeditionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04894709975773502199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5678842217418610296.post-40786257092556162012-10-30T11:12:00.000-07:002012-11-07T23:10:49.977-08:0017 year old finds God on a Tree of Life trek<span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">We were running whitewater on the mighty Deschutes for five days.
Awake at 6:30 and in bed at 11:00. It was tough work, but of course somebody
had to do it. Tree of Life had five guides going through training along with a
17 year old participant on a trek who agreed to experience an intensified
version of the young adult guide-in-training. The young man was raised by a very
religious family and had wandered from the faith so to speak. He was at a
tender point in his adolescence when identity comes into question. He had been
challenged at home to share his true self. He replied, ‘pothead.’ Thus he came
to visit us in Oregon.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">Day one, day two, and day three had passed without getting anything
serious out of him. He almost seemed in denial of why he was here. He enjoyed
the rafting and he was good at it. Also a funny addition to the boat. We were
there to disciple, though, and he didn’t seem to want any of it. He listened
quietly to lessons and then wrote in his journal regarding personal matters.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.christian-myspace-layouts.com/backgrounds/previews/open_bible_in_sepia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" id="il_fi" src="http://www.christian-myspace-layouts.com/backgrounds/previews/open_bible_in_sepia.jpg" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="200" /></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">One night during our training we were having a serious worship
time outside. The guitarist played ‘Here I Am to Worship’ and everyone sang
along. Our new friend was thinking about other things. Parents, school, friends, drugs,
girls. He wondered, ‘Why can’t I just live how I want and still believe in God
and have Him in my life?’ Finally, he was inspired to pray, ‘God if you really
want me to change then show yourself.’ As his attention wandered from our
worship he found himself looking up at the partly cloudy sky. Immediately, the
clouds began to blow away and expose the nearly full moon. He couldn’t believe
it. He looked around, but nobody else noticed. They were focused on worship. He
told us about this later, of course, and our reaction was to begin a lesson of
Holy Spirit power directly from Acts. His response was very typical of the rest
of the trip. Back to square one it seemed.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQfTKr114mr4-4efPUp2MqgCshw8EOQP-P5d3K35YeCpC-5mD2m" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="rg_hi uh_hi" data-height="213" data-width="160" height="200" id="rg_hi" src="https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQfTKr114mr4-4efPUp2MqgCshw8EOQP-P5d3K35YeCpC-5mD2m" style="height: 213px; width: 160px;" width="150" /></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">We finished our time on the river and began traveling toward the
Pacific. Before parting ways, two of our staff prayed together for our current
participant. Their desire was for God to be directly present in his life;
for Him, His glory, and His power to be revealed to him. Day six of our trek
proposed to run only 12 days. Everyone had gone to bed around the campfire,
snuggled into sleeping bags protecting against spring chill. The teen awoke during
the night and couldn’t seem to pass out again. The fire had died out leaving
only faint embers. Adding a log to the coals, he found a Bible sitting
nearby. This wasn’t something that had interested him in the past, but
something was stirring him to do this. After reading for a few minutes, the
fire burst back to life. No flames immediately turned into large flames
engulfing the recently added log. He was stunned. Recalling this later he
said, ‘I couldn’t do anything except stare at the fire and pray.’ We again
referred to Acts and continued our study of the Holy Spirit. The newly willing student took notes
and completed a journal assignment.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">The rest of the trip was a great experience for all of us. Often,
the downside is the degree to which young people are willing to submit to God.
It’s hard to give up control when the world appears to satisfy so well. In the
near future, the young man found himself in trouble a few more times. He remembered his
experiences with Tree of Life and referred back to them. Our hope is that he can always look back and remember his initial encounter with God on a trek when he was 17. As always, God and God alone, deserves the praise for a
life turned around.<o:p></o:p></span>Tree of Life Christian Wilderness Expeditionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04894709975773502199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5678842217418610296.post-4833652886804683422012-10-09T15:33:00.000-07:002012-10-09T15:33:23.704-07:00Christian Adventure Association Conference<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The weekend came to a close on Sunday morning as the group
that had attended 2012’s Christian Adventure Association’s Conference reflected
on the weekend. Many shared from their heart about their joys and their struggles,
only in the way that one can share after sharing a weekend of workshops,
intense discussions and stories, and exciting skills and thrills. With full
hearts, spirits, and bellies, we parted ways to continue to carry out the work
needed to be done in our respective organizations.</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRy0nAeNHRdZe6FBxMwbru6MIHtcV3wdNcxICAHEXCh6D_Jd9l4dwwfJuKHwElhm9FipuMh220RiXJfvuJKkC5bKWFGpFgtSfEQd03PJkmbkpDqqc4whYEkdtzZyR-B9gfhzY4B7DXHibL/s1600/CAAWeekendPic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="129" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRy0nAeNHRdZe6FBxMwbru6MIHtcV3wdNcxICAHEXCh6D_Jd9l4dwwfJuKHwElhm9FipuMh220RiXJfvuJKkC5bKWFGpFgtSfEQd03PJkmbkpDqqc4whYEkdtzZyR-B9gfhzY4B7DXHibL/s200/CAAWeekendPic.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mount Shasta</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Our team made a decision over two months ago to invest the
time and funds (mostly from our own personal finances) into this conference,
even though any income looked grim during the time. I don’t think a minute of
the weekend was wasted – as it works in the spiritual realm. The drive to and
from Santa Cruz ensured beautiful sites, including an up close view of the ever
looming Mount Shasta, and the overwhelming vastness of the city of San
Francisco. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">One of the primary purposes of the weekend is to gather
together people throughout the United States that are working to bring God into
individual’s adventure experiences. It was great to meet other people working
in common circumstances and toward the same goal. Tree of Life differentiated
from many of the other organizations in that our service’s focal point is to
provide Biblical counseling to our participants and help them to remove any
obstacles blocking them from the abundant life Christ wants to give them. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In addition to networking and fellowship, the weekend
consisted of a structured schedule of workshops. There were always two
different topics available at the same time which made decisions for attendance
difficult. Topics ranged from backpacking food menus to communicating with the
public to theory on the future of outdoor ministry. In addition, we got to
experience “skills and thrills” courses where we got to experience the ocean
and Redwoods while developing skills. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
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</v:imagedata></span></v:shape><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We all walked away grateful for the
weekend and the opportunity to meet people in the same industry, learn more
about new topics, and experience some exciting adventures. Thank you Christian
Adventure Association for organizing this annual conference to bring us
together and equip us to better bring Christ into our outdoor expeditions. The
most important question we will continue to ask ourselves is “are we doing the
best we can to really change lives and grown character while we guide people in
an outdoor adventure?” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">For more info on the Christian Adventure Association visit
caainfo.org</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix3pdL4stKyNjLX_nl5Jh9PW-F4u1NZsX-6wJgAXxNlDgm2SSYH8xeGst7QzeCknWBRpvyBKOLNSsXDJ6CrFQGGTa2BZKQSZHTeTIdfKf-hFzvV7xf4CvYXu0zCfiRaZxFcIh7KB7Jmzbm/s1600/CAAWeekendPic1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix3pdL4stKyNjLX_nl5Jh9PW-F4u1NZsX-6wJgAXxNlDgm2SSYH8xeGst7QzeCknWBRpvyBKOLNSsXDJ6CrFQGGTa2BZKQSZHTeTIdfKf-hFzvV7xf4CvYXu0zCfiRaZxFcIh7KB7Jmzbm/s200/CAAWeekendPic1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Tree of Life Christian Wilderness Expeditionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04894709975773502199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5678842217418610296.post-1339839394289522622012-10-03T16:23:00.003-07:002012-10-03T16:23:48.322-07:00David's Testimony
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhADozrbNIRRIqld7sxERM62zCnMEeXZq1gwsdP5afynfSo6GZlZwz51_H9pIg4cC3u_DObzhTTIm4A2gDbWwHbATjZ4g2q-omYXpARGvs_gxh8w-9mvD864ERXqrQjp8DV3-BvuXHZD4Y-/s1600/DavidBlogPic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhADozrbNIRRIqld7sxERM62zCnMEeXZq1gwsdP5afynfSo6GZlZwz51_H9pIg4cC3u_DObzhTTIm4A2gDbWwHbATjZ4g2q-omYXpARGvs_gxh8w-9mvD864ERXqrQjp8DV3-BvuXHZD4Y-/s200/DavidBlogPic.jpg" width="150" /></a>I grew up the youngest of seven children in a
small town in Point Clear, AL. I was an adventurous kid that spent most of his
time climbing trees, building forts and weapons, roaming the beaches of Mobile
Bay, and battling one of my four older brothers. We all went to church on
Sundays and then Sunday school, but I can’t say I ever had the slightest care
for what the preacher was talking about.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
It wasn’t
until middle school that someone first sat down with me and wanted to talk to
me about Jesus. I had won a short story contest and went up to a Young Writers
conference with my English teacher. During the trip he asked me about my faith,
told me about Christ, and asked me if he could pray for me, which I was open
to. He prayed and I said “Yea God, if you’re real, show me. Just reach out to
me at some time.” I was serious. Nothing happened for a couple of years. I kept
on being a wild child and getting into whatever mischief I could find. <br />
Here I will edit out the meat of the story, but
suffice it to say that in addition to being a stuntman, I also had a strange
introverted, highly imaginative, mystic streak to me from childhood. Looking
back I had a fairly murky grasp on reality, all of which led me into some
dabbling in the occult. After one experience in particular, I was cast into a
realm of very disturbing spiritual warfare which seemed to have no end. At this
point the powers of darkness were very real to me but I still had no notion of
the benevolent God of the universe. I look back on this period as a turning
point that I’m very great full for. The curtains were drawn back and I got to
see that the spiritual world is every bit as real as the one I daily walk in.
God has put many people in my path that have had similar spiritual battles and
needed someone to talk to that didn’t think they were crazy; so, God can
certainly use all things for his purposes.<br />
<div class="yiv783416288msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;">
Saved by grace! I was about to enter High school
and the Young Life leader there invited me to a Christian retreat. I made fun
of him, but my Mom saw to it that I went. Over a few days I listened to a man
speak from the word on the basic gospel message. It wasn't a message that God
was going to fix all of my problems or make my life wonderful or easy, but that
I was a separated from the one true living God by my sin. This couldn't be made
right by my own works, but only by accepting Christ who paid the price of my
sins on the cross. The Holy Spirit moved in me and revealed to me that this was
truth. I can only see it as a supernatural experience that allowed me to break
outside of my own limited reason and humbly receive grace from the Creator of
all things. I've always looked back on this moment with great wonder as to how
this transformation could happen to me of all people. The only answer that I
can come up with is that way back when I first prayed for God to reveal himself
to me, I meant it. “Knock and the door shall be opened.” I believe that this is
the most powerful thing that we can do on this brief earthly journey, just
reach out to God. He knew that I needed this experience to open my eyes. No one
could have explained it to me and no amount of studying world religions and
philosophy could be sufficient to what was freely given. It’s fair to say that
God has been at the center of my life ever since.</div>
<div class="yiv783416288msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;">
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be
transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what [is] that
good and acceptable and perfect will of God." Romans 12:2</div>
Tree of Life Christian Wilderness Expeditionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04894709975773502199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5678842217418610296.post-28143710956837162552012-09-28T15:02:00.000-07:002012-09-28T15:03:55.510-07:00Kristine's Testimony<em>And we know that in all things God works for the good<sup class="crossreference" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-28145BD" title="See cross-reference BD">BD</a>)"></sup> of those who love him, who<sup class="footnote" value="[<a href="#fen-NIV-28145i" title="See footnote i">i</a>]"><strong><span style="font-size: x-small;">[</span></strong><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=romans%208;28&version=NIV#fen-NIV-28145i" title="See footnote i"><span style="color: #651300; font-size: x-small;"><strong>i</strong></span></a><strong><span style="font-size: x-small;">]</span></strong></sup> have been called<sup class="crossreference" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-28145BE" title="See cross-reference BE">BE</a>)"></sup> according to his purpose." Romans 8:28</em><br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ZQs7DmtWlds1H-Xjp38T-wmAflQmp_S-tTeGyR8gQSOMWsKK0sxDa1GiBfSgddidTKHeqpAPKjsxeTTouUa1MHcC9OU-Ef1muYmFuRfslCk0tAlrZHk9Ap-8SHcyysaC5MRtF6ntbdN-/s1600/BioPicKristine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ZQs7DmtWlds1H-Xjp38T-wmAflQmp_S-tTeGyR8gQSOMWsKK0sxDa1GiBfSgddidTKHeqpAPKjsxeTTouUa1MHcC9OU-Ef1muYmFuRfslCk0tAlrZHk9Ap-8SHcyysaC5MRtF6ntbdN-/s200/BioPicKristine.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In the summer of 2005, while in a program that exposed me to
the wilderness and played a key role in changing my life, I was exposed to a
youth program that challenged and helped to build character in youth by
teaching them wilderness skills and taking them out on treks. It occurred to me
that I would love to operate an organization that did something similar, but
interwove faith as a key component to growth and recovery. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In the years that followed, I grew in my career as a team
leader for a large financial institution as well as a part-time waitress at a
family restaurant while attending college to complete my undergrad degree in
Business Management. The dream seemed to get further away, though it was still
tucked in the back of my heart. I left the bank and joined a non-profit that
funded a Christian adult rehabilitation center. This position brought me closer
to recovery, client-oriented work; but also taught me a lot about the essentials
and difficulties in operating a non-profit. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Even though my career and educational path were always
progressing and I was continually successful in my roles and responsibilities,
I was not satisfied – my heart cried out for more. Through all this time I
continued to build on my recovery, strengthen my relationship with Christ, and
serve others. My life continued to improve and my circle continued to widen.
But even though I loved my life, besides its temporary difficulties, I still
longed for something different. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">After months of praying about my future path, talking with
others, and continually taking action, I found Tree of Life through Google
search. I called to find out if they needed any female guides – and they did!
But not only did they need a female guide, they needed someone that could help
with the business portion of the organization and their marketing. I felt that
my skills, experience, and education would be used for good to further God’s
kingdom at Tree of Life. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In the months between that initial conversation and arriving
at Tree of Life, I had so many experiences that I felt the Holy Spirit
convicting me to contribute my time and talents here, as well as several
“Godincidences”. I felt like if I did not come out here and turn my life over
for this mission, I would be disobedient to God’s will in my life. I am so
grateful for all the friends and family that have supported me, encouraged me,
prayed for me, and loved me into being the person I am today. And, I am so
excited to see how God will show up in our team work with Tree of Life
Christian Wilderness Expeditions.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid;<sup class="crossreference" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-5861A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></sup> do not be discouraged,<sup class="crossreference" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-5861B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></sup> for the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9</em></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
Tree of Life Christian Wilderness Expeditionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04894709975773502199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5678842217418610296.post-38766953965913274912012-09-26T18:09:00.002-07:002012-09-26T18:13:34.124-07:00Brett's Testimony<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTFu0pVzJxHHVFebDUSfeFU096WddSvBRlSsb_EO2IXrgoNUkni343GAXQGQDZSofnT72wY8nQJWts1Vmzu0FoQKrWRVGhEam7sQtMNxVIQlqHbe_u5lDBUeoXOf2MthQLV01kNoNJ9e2z/s1600/BrettBlogPic1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTFu0pVzJxHHVFebDUSfeFU096WddSvBRlSsb_EO2IXrgoNUkni343GAXQGQDZSofnT72wY8nQJWts1Vmzu0FoQKrWRVGhEam7sQtMNxVIQlqHbe_u5lDBUeoXOf2MthQLV01kNoNJ9e2z/s200/BrettBlogPic1.jpg" width="98" /></a><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">I
was raised Lutheran in northern Michigan. Dad was a drug using trucker/biker.
My brothers dreamed of being rock stars and lived accordingly. Mom always took
us to church. One of my earliest memories is of my mother sobbing after a
family fight. Even at that age I could recognize the source of her distress. I
promised that I would never hurt her the way the rest of my family did.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">I
performed for everyone in order to separate myself from my brothers. Being the
best kid in Sunday school became unfulfilling around age 13. My heart wasn’t in
it. I was more interested in freedom and thought that I had found it in another
lifestyle. Keeping my childhood promise, I always stayed sober. What I didn’t
realize at the time was that women could inadvertently become my drug. It began
innocently. I didn’t think my mother had ever been hurt by my brother’s
girlfriends, just their substance abuse. It didn’t matter if my mother wasn’t
hurt because I ended up being the one who was hurt. Years later I realized that
I was revolving through cycles of heartbreak. The problem was that none of my
relationships were ever centered on anything. They were just a way for two lost
and blind people to improve an empty definition of love.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">When
I was 19 I was going through a tough break up. Late one night I found myself
thinking back to the foundation my mother had built for me. Out of desperation,
I prayed. I agreed to remain single for the rest of my life if that were the
price I had to pay to be free of these heartbreaks. Soon after making my one-ended
business deal with God I was driving at night and saw a brilliant meteor
directly above the road. I instinctually started to make a wish and realized
that in the past I had always made very selfish wishes in regards to a
girlfriend. When this thought dawned on me it all became clear. God loved me
more than any woman ever could and He was trying to tell me! When I got home I
dusted off my Bible and began to read. It was the first time I had ever read it
straight through. It changed my life. But, for some reason, I wasn’t yet
convinced to change my lifestyle. I had read the whole Bible so I just figured
I had earned the title ‘Christian’. For a few years I was living the same
lifestyle as before, but I had this mentality of, ‘I’m a Christian now.’
Besides, living in a work town in Wyoming is a hard place for a new Christian.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Thankfully,
when I was 22, I was invited back to my home church to chaperone a youth group
mission trip. It was at that mission’s gathering that I first witnessed the
Holy Spirit move. A second mission trip spurred me to pursue a career in
ministry. I was living in Colorado and had worked many odd jobs which had
seriously frustrated me. I was ready to put my faith into action and work for something
real. Soon after making that decision I visited home and there was a magazine
with a summer camp article. That gave direction, so I started searching online
and sending applications. I was offered a camp job in Idaho. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">I
loved the job and they loved me. I lived and worked with believers who were
close to my age. Fulfilling the book of Acts. Iron sharpening iron. Most
importantly, I was exposed to real Biblical truths that had never been revealed
to me in my traditional, old church. I realized that Jesus had paid the price
for me in order to cleanse me of my sins. This revelation set me on fire for
God and I was in the prime location for growth. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNQIdtXU9K8_IOQOGek5McV-devwgw-_0A4bpPsLbEWNP4-Gw5FjPCmIEZN2ApnTVqFENzgEL6Vbp03ddhI0zPI0X_jA0o-4bcja5i9BDOgb1zFdgtU2b3s5iojhkPYCL2-66pP1ERHCGq/s1600/BrettBlogPic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNQIdtXU9K8_IOQOGek5McV-devwgw-_0A4bpPsLbEWNP4-Gw5FjPCmIEZN2ApnTVqFENzgEL6Vbp03ddhI0zPI0X_jA0o-4bcja5i9BDOgb1zFdgtU2b3s5iojhkPYCL2-66pP1ERHCGq/s200/BrettBlogPic.jpg" width="150" /></a><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">After
three seasons of ministering to youth, I was offered by a co-worker to join her
in a new ministry called Tree of Life. I didn’t believe that I qualified for
the job position, but I asked God about it and He revealed an answer in
Revelation 22:2. The passage exactly matched the description of this new
ministry. So at age 24 I moved to Oregon to further fulfill God’s call for me.
That brings us to today. Throughout my life the circumstances were often times
not in my favor. I can’t help but feel like God has had a literal sway on
situations big and small. And in case anyone is curious, God is evidently holding
true to His end of the deal I proposed at age 19.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 5.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">The
most important thing I have learned in my closer walk with Thee is that God
desires to be in union with us. How can you die to your current self in order
to fully live in union with God?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<br />
<strong>"On each side of the river stood the tree of life,<sup class="crossreference" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-31083A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></sup> bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations." Revelation 22:2<sup class="crossreference" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-31083B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></sup></strong><br />
<div class="crossrefs" style="display: none;">
<strong>Cross references:</strong><br />
<ol type="A">
<li id="cen-NIV-31083A"><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=revelation%2022:2&version=NIV#en-NIV-31083" title="Go to Revelation 22:2">Revelation 22:2</a> : <a data-bibleref="Rev.2.7" href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Rev 2:7&version=NIV">S Rev 2:7</a></li>
<li id="cen-NIV-31083B"><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=revelation%2022:2&version=NIV#en-NIV-31083" title="Go to Revelation 22:2">Revelation 22:2</a> : <a data-bibleref="Ezek.47.12" href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ezek 47:12&version=NIV">Eze 47:12</a></li>
</ol>
</div>
<br />Tree of Life Christian Wilderness Expeditionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04894709975773502199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5678842217418610296.post-82736881411117177992012-09-24T10:47:00.001-07:002012-09-24T10:47:08.283-07:00Kelsey's Testimony
<br />
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitwX4gJMXjd5jv6VRY3j99FaGZUJbzkwhobI0q1ZODcOo2HgVLnU9CwwtlT53XSPCtevKlvhP-mr0MjCu5y-OWabAEmNY_ascbCoaEALcHVpA10_MJRIwGm0xbgqCWgWj0dMBw6fKGd791/s1600/KelseyPic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitwX4gJMXjd5jv6VRY3j99FaGZUJbzkwhobI0q1ZODcOo2HgVLnU9CwwtlT53XSPCtevKlvhP-mr0MjCu5y-OWabAEmNY_ascbCoaEALcHVpA10_MJRIwGm0xbgqCWgWj0dMBw6fKGd791/s200/KelseyPic.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">I have been extremely blessed to grow up in a Christian home. I
grew up going to church and Sunday school. The first time I remember asking
Jesus into my heart was during nap time in kindergarten. Knowing Christ loves
the innocent faith of a child, I am thankful for his incredible protection that
allowed me to grow up as an innocent child of God. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, or the
kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” </i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Matthew 19:14</span></i>. At some point
there is a transition though from being a child to taking ownership over your
relationship with Christ. This is where the connection was lost for while.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I knew the
stories, believed that Jesus was the Son of God, went to church, and followed
the “rules.” I may have looked the part, but my life did not reflect that I was
living it for Christ. I followed the rules because I was a people pleaser and I
feared getting in trouble. That may be a lot of parents dreams, but He created
us for so much more than that. I believed Satan’s lies of working for people’s
affection. I lived my life for them instead of for the one who created me. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Entering high
school I was open to drinking and drugs, but only by the grace and protection
of God was I not exposed to that scene. Unfortunately though, I placed my value
in guys. I allowed them to treat me poorly and speak to me however they
pleased. I developed this attitude of doing whatever I could to be “good
enough” for them. And guess what? I never was. When I was 16 I went on a
retreat with my youth group. It was there that I experienced this unconditional
love from people that didn’t even know me! I wanted whatever they had.
Discovering that their love for me didn’t even compare to the love Christ had
for me made me dive into the stories I “knew,” but never experienced. “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">In this the love of God was made manifest
among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live
through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us
and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved
us, we also ought to love one another.” </i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">John 4:9-11</span> </i>This is when my faith really
became my own and not just what my parents believed. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Throughout the
rest of high school and college I was very much immersed in the secular world,
but my relationship with Jesus continued to grow. I was learning more about who
God was and the characteristics of Jesus and what it looks like to surrender my
life to Him. He allowed me to see how He sees people and gave me a heart for loving
people and showing them that Jesus is not a judgmental and condemning God. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“For God did not send His son into the world
to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.” </i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">John 3:17</span>.</i>
I was blessed with working at a Christian wilderness camp where people invested
in me and gave me examples of what heaven on earth and what Godly relationships
look like, along with how to serve others.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>This past season
of my life has been the hardest, but the most rewarding. I was trying to find
my value in other things like education and success when ultimately my value is
found completely in Christ. God used someone else to show me that I need
intimacy and how He wants to fulfill that need. I have become a woman after
God’s own heart.</span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue","serif"; font-size: 9pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">He
has been teaching me that the Holy Spirit is alive and working, what my true
authentic identity is, how He is pursuing me, the power of being a woman, and
that His plans for me are greater than I can imagine. My desire is to be
joyfully obedient to God’s command to go and make disciples of all nations and
to love Jesus and others. He has led me out here and I’m excited to continue
this journey with Him while he transforms me into a greater likeness of
Himself. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">"But whenever a man turns
to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit; and
where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with
unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being
transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the
Spirit." </i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">2 Corinthians 3:16-18</span></i><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: #0400; mso-bidi-language: X-NONE; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: #0400;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Tree of Life Christian Wilderness Expeditionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04894709975773502199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5678842217418610296.post-91354613515391147372012-09-21T18:18:00.002-07:002012-09-21T18:57:00.508-07:00Week 2 in Recap<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> "The best preparation
for good work tomorrow is to do good work today” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> El<i>bert Hubbard</i><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">As we started our second week together as a new team, we were gifted a
scholarship to Klamath County’s Chamber of Commerce’s 3 day Academy for
Business Excellence. It’s this author’s assumption that we would all much
rather have clients out in the field which would help fulfill our mission: to
help people remove barriers to spiritual progress in their life, to help free
them from destructive and captive ways of thinking, and to help them be
restored to an abundant and God honoring life. Clients would also help pay the
bills. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But, the Academy couldn’t have happened at a more appropriate time as
our team is sitting down and figuring out the details of what exactly our
mission and vision is and where we see ourselves going as an organization in
the future. In one of the courses on business planning, the instructor said
that without goals our ship could sail in any direction and get lost in the
winds. We believe that God will guide our ship, but we are responsible for manning
the sails and being good stewards of the boat He’s given us. </span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIBQyGjckL_ueRo6a_tprHgPA7fiLte55C3QZH5Lkd7STJcg9krfx1mZ1C0pkPMqHovbJ3wH-VW1yU5eBEDEIWi4sdabTesDOxrznzb537hacKH9DhcRz7c33-2t_4BIB2iEP3EoNhlm_-/s1600/Blog3Pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="56" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIBQyGjckL_ueRo6a_tprHgPA7fiLte55C3QZH5Lkd7STJcg9krfx1mZ1C0pkPMqHovbJ3wH-VW1yU5eBEDEIWi4sdabTesDOxrznzb537hacKH9DhcRz7c33-2t_4BIB2iEP3EoNhlm_-/s320/Blog3Pic.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Classes included training on proposal writing, marketing plans,
creating contingency and succession plans, discussions on social media, in
depth training on using Facebook, a panel on the Affordable Healthcare Act, and
much more. In addition, politicians from the state and county were present for
lunch-time presentations on how legislation affects local and state-wide
business, as well as how the community can get involved in the political
process. Needless to say, not all of these forums were necessary or enticing
for all of our team…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In addition to time spent in seminars through the week, we also spent
time together outside of classes hammering out our own vision, mission, and
marketing strategies. We discussed what our different skills and gifts are and
what we think we can contribute to this organization to get Tree of Life
operating to a capacity where we can help up to 100 clients a year and
hopefully more in the future! We’ve also learned that in addition to the unique
gifts and skills that we can contribute, we will all be called outside of our
comfort zone to be grown, stretched, and eventually be able to help this
ministry grow in the way that God desires. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Please continue to keep our team and ministry in your prayers – they
are the foundation of any success we may accomplish. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.” Proverbs
16:3</span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Tree of Life Christian Wilderness Expeditionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04894709975773502199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5678842217418610296.post-53660022283562593282012-09-15T10:02:00.002-07:002012-09-15T10:02:36.159-07:00<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Andalus","serif";">Nothing worth
achieving comes easy… This was definitely a challenging, but rewarding week for
the new team. The first couple of days were spent sitting in a circle
discussing where we envision Tree of Life going, some ideas on how to achieve
those goals, and going over the policy and procedure manual. Though these
discussions are crucial to the business end of any organization, you could
imagine the challenge for a group of people whose hearts on fire for the Lord
and crave the outdoor wilderness…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Andalus","serif";">The second two
days found the four guides in the Chemult Ranger’s District. Only David and
Brett had been exposed to the beauty and the challenges of the territory.
Currently, this is the only land that Tree of Life has a permit to run
wilderness treks. It is a goal to get permits in at least two other wilderness
areas; however, the process can be long, tedious, and expensive. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5hIUuy7YJSTD_PBBGih2IKUP_QQlyZ0nkqfqcNaj5FUGJM4ME49ZXKaEiV7ivImV5yHJgDOV6BhBZI0AQNSgjyHtSmROCG_W4D9D7JgV-NSpF86z6LSOu7Ktn2TtB4aNpf0rF8K3VGdY8/s1600/Blog2Pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5hIUuy7YJSTD_PBBGih2IKUP_QQlyZ0nkqfqcNaj5FUGJM4ME49ZXKaEiV7ivImV5yHJgDOV6BhBZI0AQNSgjyHtSmROCG_W4D9D7JgV-NSpF86z6LSOu7Ktn2TtB4aNpf0rF8K3VGdY8/s320/Blog2Pic.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Andalus","serif";">This region of
the Winema National Forest contains mostly Lodge Pole Pine and Ponderosa trees.
Because of the high desert location, the ground consists of mostly pumice,
which basically becomes a dust that sneaks into every crevice of clothing and existing
cracks. This was only one of the challenges… Another challenge of the Chemult
is the lack of water supply in the area, as well as the winding roads that can exist
and not be on the map, be mislabeled, or be overgrown and difficult to
navigate. Also, temperature can vary 40 to 60 degrees from day to night. It’s
important to be prepared for all of this – spiritually, mentally, and
physically.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Andalus","serif";">Scouting is
something that needs to take place in order to plan the 21 day trek so that
when clients arrive, the route is set ahead of time. Brett spent the days driving
the terrain and marking camps with the GPS while David, Kelsey and Kristine
hiked out the day treks to gauge their navigability for difficulty, timeliness,
and water sources. The group would gather for lunch and set up camp at night
while discussing the day’s challenges and victories. One thing was for sure,
they were grateful to have gotten a taste of the Chemult before the clients
arrived. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Andalus","serif";">Though it’s
Saturday, the work does not stop – even if no one is getting paid during this
pioneering time. Our team is setting out to help another local wilderness
program to take down their camp for the summer. This opportunity will provide
some great networking, help to establish solid partnerships with other organizations,
and provide more sources for the questions that are sure to arise as we
continue to build the organization. Please be in prayer for us as we continue
to build the mission we believe that God is guiding us be a part of. Many
blessings to you</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">! </span></div>
Tree of Life Christian Wilderness Expeditionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04894709975773502199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5678842217418610296.post-32958927252986855602012-09-12T11:47:00.000-07:002012-09-12T11:47:15.294-07:00First day with the new team! <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">September 11<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> was a sad day that reminds our nation how terrorism can come and kill, steal, and destroy an unsuspecting people who value liberty and justice. Ironically, the newest team of Tree of Life met for the first time on this 12<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> anniversary talking about how they can work together to help others break their own bondage that is killing, stealing and destroying, and be set free through a life with Christ. </span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZORVeW2RtosYTkEtCDgN6BNGRsJgCXjUi36JGxqD8lgO70I8egbd_hLmlJN-sGaCiKQ4ZsP3bFsa2SQKqbS0fjnYK8De1VrCzkUnVjP8qOCwR47D-R44G19Fn8Duv2UWYV7WevBnccTYh/s1600/1stDayBlogPic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZORVeW2RtosYTkEtCDgN6BNGRsJgCXjUi36JGxqD8lgO70I8egbd_hLmlJN-sGaCiKQ4ZsP3bFsa2SQKqbS0fjnYK8De1VrCzkUnVjP8qOCwR47D-R44G19Fn8Duv2UWYV7WevBnccTYh/s320/1stDayBlogPic.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">How exactly is this team to fulfill such a great duty? They won’t… but God will through them. They opened with prayer asking God to guide the mission and direct their work to fulfill His purpose. They thanked God for the opportunity to be part of such an organization. And they asked God to bring clients that would be helped, saved, and healed through their work… but that would also help keep them afloat in the times to come at the start of a dry season. </span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So, they set to work on covering important topics that can seem minor in the grand scheme of things, but are important to talk about nonetheless. Things like mission, vision, objectives, websites, pamphlets, scouting territory, YouTube, FaceBook, spiritual gifts, and individual goals. The meeting felt productive, though it was a lot of information and discussion. This team of three men and two women have high hopes for what will become of Tree of Life Christian Wilderness Expeditions and the people that will be served through their work. </span></div>Tree of Life Christian Wilderness Expeditionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04894709975773502199noreply@blogger.com0