HUMBLY OVERJOYED!! ... $7500 YEAR-END DONATION RECEIVED!!

HUMBLY OVERJOYED!!
   ... $7500 YEAR-END DONATION RECEIVED!!
     ... $75,000 RAISED IN 1 MONTH!!
       ... (Only $25k to go by Jan 31st!)

A VERY GENEROUS local charitable foundation has made a $7500 year-end donation to GTD!!!

WOW! I will say it again, WOW! I will say it backwards, WOW!

We are humbly overjoyed. We are in uncharted territory. This is $10k more than we've ever raised. It's not only an overwhelming show of support from our Ministry Family, but an indisputable display of strong support by the very hand of God. I can't quite describe how that fact alone profoundly impacts us. Deep humility. Overflowing joy. Quiet abounding confidence. Exuberant invigoration. The list goes on.

This has been an epic David & Goliath type of year. The first half of 2017 was a sucker punch to the gut followed by an upper-cut to the jaw from Goliath sized set-backs. We were knocked down, but not knocked out. This kind of fight only ends with a tap-out or death. We wouldn't tap-out. We wouldn't die. We kept rising back up and fighting back. I had been here before so I could draw from experience and a developed faith that was up for the fight. But I was physically worn out. Laurie was exhausted & burned out. But still we fought on. I sought God for His intervention and rescue. There's an old saying that goes like this, "Give a man a fish and he eats for a day. Teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime." I was seeking God for a fish. He was more interested in teaching me a life lesson. His lesson to me, "You are a winner, but you're not a champion. You have the discipline of a winner, but you don't have the discipline of a champion." That truth changed my life. That truth set me free. From that moment (at the beginning of last summer) I've wholeheartedly obeyed His instructions to me. I've been on an amazing journey of developing a champion's level of discipline. I'm not completely there yet, but I'm "approaching the green" (to use a golf metaphor). It's not an overbearing "military dad" type of discipline. It's a life-producing, life-preserving wise discipline. It's not boring at all. In fact, I can't stop talking about it. 

So what does that have to do with fundraising? Nothing. And EVERYTHING. When our hearts are completely God's, He strongly supports us.

The year is ending much differently than it began. Goliath has been slayed. Our mourning has been changed to dancing. Our exhaustion has been changed to exhilaration. Our heavy hearts now freely rejoice. This has been a comeback story that will forever change the trajectory of this ministry and our very lives. We have so many people to thank... people who never gave up on us... people who saw the need and took the initiative. God used you to strongly support this ministry and us. We praise God for Him. And we praise God for YOU!

THANK YOU SO MUCH!! GOD BLESS YOU!

"For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His." - 2 Chronicles 16:9


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THE KEY TO VICTORY IS TO "PUMMEL YOUR BODY"!

THE KEY TO VICTORY IS TO "PUMMEL YOUR BODY"!

(AKA: Self Discipline; Self Control)

Are you on pace to win the race? Are you going to take first place?

Second place? Third? Last?

Are you running in such a way as to win the prize?

Or, like so many people, are you running aimlessly in life? Are you wildly throwing punches at your opposition that are easily dodged? Are your upper-cuts ineffective whiffs... an energy wasting swing and a miss??

While your expensive entry fee into the race (salvation) is a free gift offered from God through faith in the finished work of Christ on the cross, the outcome of the race - how you compete, enjoy, and ultimately finish - is completely up to YOU!

That's not pride. That's God's design from the beginning to the end of the Bible. HE puts the emphasis squarely on YOU. In fact, He eventually judges YOU based on YOUR DECISIONS. We won't be able to point the finger at God at the end of the race and blame Him for our lifetime of choices.

Don't blame God if you're losing the race because you're not implementing the resources, tools, and strategies He has generously provided for your success.

Don't blame God if you let fear, pain, hurt, & disappointments keep you on the sidelines instead of getting out on the field.

Don't blame God if you spend your whole life chasing things that don't matter.

Don't blame God for shallow perspectives, cliches, and half truths that keep you stuck in life ("Whatever will be will be.", "Everything happens for a reason.", "If it's meant to be, it will be.") when He provides wisdom & truth that can set you free and usher in fullness of life.

Don't blame God for outcomes that He has delegated to you.

Don't blame God for messes that you made.

Don't blame God for things that you're reaping from what you've been sowing.

Too many Christians don't realize that so much of the victory that God makes available lies within our God given capacity to choose. To choose to pray. To choose to seek. To choose knock. To choose to ask. To choose to rely on the Holy Spirit. To choose to flee temptation. To choose to forgive. To choose to love. To choose to overcome. To choose to tear down idols. To choose to be thankful. To choose to eat unhealthy foods. To choose to work hard as unto the Lord. To choose to persevere. To choose to rest. To choose to learn. To choose to read. To choose to strive. To choose to workout. To choose to prioritize. To choose to stay stuck. To choose bad relationships. To choose bad influences as friends. To choose another 10 minutes in bed or to choose the discipline to get up. It's all a choice!

The very first gift God gave man was the freedom of choice... To pull from sources that bring life or sources that bring death.

God gave instructions, clarity, and discernment, but He delegated the actual freedom of choice to each person.

And He gave us a litmus test to distinguish good choices from bad choices - FRUIT. What does my decision produce? WHAT'S THE FRUIT? Decay? Withering? Confusion? Unnecessary suffering? Destruction? Premature Death? More fat? Less cardio endurance? More stress? Dehydration? STD's? Emptiness? Well then you may want to change your choices to bring about different results.

Good Godly choices bear life-giving, life-producing FRUIT. It's delicious! You get to eat of it and others do too.

That's part of the benefits of winning your race - FULLNESS OF LIFE!!

But, in order to win, you have to choose self control & self discipline. The literal Greek translation is that you have to PUMMEL YOUR BODY & MAKE IT YOUR SLAVE. God gives out race entries (salvation) for free, but He doesn't give out participation trophies. You've got to earn the gold medal. You get one lifetime to do it in. Discipline, discipline, discipline. It's not your enemy; it's one of your BEST FRIENDS!

The current catch phrase is, "adulting". You've got to grow up. Your parents may have let you down by trying to be your buddy instead of teaching you self control and self discipline, but that doesn't let you off the hook. There are many great ways to develop healthy life-producing self discipline. That's part of the fruit of the Spirit so God is already eager to develop it in you. You just need to lean into Him.

========================
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (ESV)

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control*, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

*1 Corinthians 9:27 (literal Greek translation): I pummel my body and make it a slave
========================
 
STRiVE to THRiVE!

We've got one of the BEST MINISTRY FAMILIES on the planet!!

Thank you so much Tina for these surprise custom made gifts we received in the mail - personalized GTD snowglobe Christmas tree ornaments!!! THEY'RE AWESOME!! WE LOVE THEM!!! This will only make setting up the Christmas tree each year more special! We love you! Merry CHRISTmas to you and your family!!

WHAT A WAY TO END THE YEAR!!

We have an anonymous generous donor that has issued a $2500 Donor Match Challenge from now thru Dec 31st!!

They will match your one time donation AND/OR monthly pledges up to $2500 (cumulative)!! That means that for every dollar you donate or pledge they will match it dollar for dollar up to $2500 cumulatively!! WOW!!!!

Your donation of $25 instantly becomes $50. Your monthly pledge of $25 per month (x 12 months = $300) instantly becomes $600!!

4 people donating $55/month would take care of the whole donor match challenge!! That's the power of a few generous people making a huge impact in a modest, but impactful ministry!

To make a one time donation or adopt this ministry for 1 year then now would be a great time as you watch your donation instantly get doubled!!

We are $33,000 away from hitting our goal of raising $100k by Jan 31, 2018. Hitting this donor match challenge would instantly knock out 15% of that remaining amount!! That's HUGE!

CLICK HERE to donate, become a monthly partner, or simply track the total funds raised.

Thank you so much for believing in and investing in this ministry!! God bless you!

Going The Distance Adventure Ministry
Glorify God. Love Man. Have Fun!

IT'S BAAAAAAACK! .... SWAMP THING 2018!

Hey Weekend Warriors, Thrill Seekers, Bucket-Listers, & Outdoor Adventurers...

The official date for GTD's annual Swamp Thing Everglades Backpacking Trip is Jan 27-28, 2018 (just over 1 month away!)

This is the hike your Mama warned you about!

Click here for Details & Registration.

RADICAL SABBATICAL... 3 WEEKS OF STRATEGIC ACTIVE REST & RECOVERY

I'm in the midst of several transformational "upgrades" in my approach to life that I'm ABSOLUTELY THRILLED about.

God has been guiding me away from overstriding and on towards abundant striding. It's all Spirit led and focuses on implementing healthy wise biblically based daily disciplines in order to become more fruitful and live at full potential for God's glory.

I've been striving after these life changing principles for 4 1/2 months and the breakthroughs and fruitfulness have been profound.

I'm taking a comprehensive approach to abundant living, but the gist of it is that I'm approaching life like I'm an athlete striving to become a championship caliber player in a team sport called LIFE. My year is comprised of 2 "six month seasons" (Jan-June & July-Dec). Each day I'm striving to have a winning day (It's a biblical definition of what a "win" looks like to God... I'll explain more in the future). I try to string daily wins together day after day to have a winning week. If I stay consistent those winning streaks translate into winning weeks and winning months. Since my "season" lasts 6 months I'm striving to have a "championship season" each season (hopefully 2 championship seasons each year) and put together repeats, three-peats, four-peats, and so on to build a dynasty (aka legacy) that glorifies God while inspiring & impacting others.

(This may all sound very cheesy to some people, but I find it very motivational and it helps me translate eternal priorities into daily objectives in an athletic, competitive, and fun approach which is how I tick... sometimes you have to construct an approach to life that is custom made for how God designed you. That's what I'm doing and it highly motivates me. There's a strategy to winning and defeating an opponent and this approach helps me adapt daily to my oppositions attempt to defeat me.)

So, like with any highly competitive sport, there has to be an off season to prevent burnout, injuries, boredom, etc, etc. So I've been praying about an off season and asking God what that looks like for me. My prayer time has been so sweet with God as He has been teaching me so much and leading me to solution after solution to each challenge.

I know I have to have an "off season", but my concern is that I don't want to take steps backwards from all the gains and victories God has been blessing me with. I'm aware that rest can easily become retirement if we're not vigilant to fight off complacency, apathy, and the lure of ease & comfort.

God immediately answered my prayers. He impressed on my heart and mind that He already invented an "off season" that infuses rest & recovery while protecting against backsliding. It's called a sabbatical. And it's designed to be a type of rest that continues to propel you forward.

In my terms, it will be the 6th month of each "season" (the months of June & Dec). During that time I will take a break from the daily grind of heavy disciplines and transition to a month of less striving.

For example, instead of lifting weights 3x per week I may go bike riding or kayaking while I give my muscles a few weeks off from heavy lifting.

Obviously I still have priorities and a ministry to run so I'm not saying that I'm not taking care of my responsibilities during this time frame, but more that the mental approach to the striving is more relaxed as well as the actual workload is less heavy.

I'm not sure if that makes sense, but as long as I understand it and implement it into my season is all that counts.

I've always known I was going to have to tackle the "off season" since I started this new life strategy so I've been thinking about it and praying about it for several months.

Now I'm at the point of starting my "off season" for the next 3 weeks and I'm excited about how God continues to guide me each step of the way.

Today I kicked off my 3 weeks of RADICAL SABBATICAL and I don't have it all figured out yet, but I've got the main structure in place. Part of the fun is learning and adjusting each day.

So my goal is propel forward while backing off of the daily grind for 3 weeks. It's a different kind of striving... but it still leads to thriving!

STRiVE to THRiVE!

THANK YOU LETTERS MAILED OUT =) .... UPDATE: $67,000 RAISED SO FAR!!

Wow! Words fall short of accurately capturing the gratitude in our hearts for our generous donors. A small, but mighty army of 60 big hearted donors teamed up to contribute over $67,000 so far to Going The Distance Adventure Ministry!! That's a new GTD fundraising record that will launch us into 2018!! Praise God! And it puts us within 33k of hitting our 100k goal by Jan 31st!

With full hearts and revived strength for what lies ahead we say THANK YOU SO MUCH to our magnanimous donors! You guys rock! God bless you!!

"I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you." - Romans 1:8

DAILY DISCIPLINES LEAD TO THRIVING LIVES!

DO YOU HAVE A MORNING ROUTINE THAT PRODUCES GREAT RESULTS???

I know this will sound boring,  but for the past 4 1/2 months I've been experimenting with morning (and nightly) routines. The goal is to custom build a morning and nightly gameplan that launches great, healthy, & thriving results that glorify God and produce life-giving fruit.

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED! God has led me on a really cool journey to discover simple wise consistent daily disciplines that produce great results.

As the New Year quickly approaches I'm reminded that this is the time when many people (myself included) set new year's goals and resolutions in an effort to establish a healthier direction for their lives. Oftentimes these goals are launched from emotions and tend to fade away within 2 or 3 weeks. Emotions can be great starters, but they can't sustain any long-term pursuits. When the excitement and emotions fade there has to be something of substance in place to sustain the daily grind & consistency needed to achieve your goals. That's where discipline comes in! It's this amazing free character quality that is available to most everyone, but has not been cultivated in high concentration over the past 3 generations. Entertainment, self gratification, mediocrity, low pain & low discomfort tolerance, emotional immaturity, and a whole lot of poor parenting has gutted 3 generations of healthy self discipline. And the results are painfully obvious. That's why healthy & wise self discipline is becoming one of the main emphasis of our ministry. It's the one character quality that impacts almost all other character qualities, goals, dreams, calling, and accomplishments. Without it, generations settle for low standards and mediocrity. Without it, people embrace the path of least resistance which leads to the path of greatest misery. Without it, no-one ever reaches their potential in life. Discipline is a word that elicits very little fan fare, but for those who embrace wise discipline it becomes one of the most thrilling words in the dictionary.

Starting in 2018, GTD will start focusing on helping others value, embrace, and implement wise healthy self discipline so they can live out their calling and full potential in Christ.

And I look forward to sharing my own custom built morning routine of daily disciplines that is producing so many great results.

Here's a hint. My first "10 plays" of each day (M-F) are already set in stone. They're built on the wisdom of God's Word, scientific research, wise advice from good examples, and personal priorities. I custom built my 10-play morning routine game plan to form an acronym (A.R.I.S.E. &. G.R.O.W.). Each letter is the first letter of an individual discipline that starts my day. Although discipline usually conjures up thoughts of oppression and boredom, when used wisely, discipline actually leads to greater freedom and accomplishment while reducing stress and decluttering the mind of nagging "have to's". My morning routine is customized around my personal needs, lifestyle, and situations so it wouldn't work for everyone, but it's working great for me. In fact, I'm thrilled about it! I'll share the details of each discipline in future posts.

A -
R -
I -
S -
E -
 
& -
 
G -
R -
O -
W -

More to come!

STRiVE to THRiVE!

SLEEP IS ROCKET FUEL! MY BED IS MY LAUNCHING PAD!

I've been focusing on the value of proper amounts of sleep and rest for the past 18 weeks and I keep being astonished by the powerful effects of this free readily available resource.

Until recently I looked at sleep and rest as these "necessary evils" that interrupt momentum and progress.

My body didn't require a lot of sleep in order to function with high energy and amble enthusiasm. I love the mornings and I hate calling an end to the day. I love chasing after dreams and my calling.

But earlier this year I painted myself into a corner. My main solution for solving problems and overcoming unnecessary struggles was to pray harder, work harder, and work more hours until the issue was resolved.

But this year I ran into the inevitable bigger problem... I didn't have anymore hours available to work. I didn't have anymore minutes of sleep time that I could donate to the work hours. I was all used up.

I could no longer draw from my greatest strength of grinding out more work over more time. I was maxed out. My greatest strength could no longer sustain the endless needs of running an organization. In fact, all the extra work and extra hours had become counterproductive.

Not only was it not sustainable, it had crossed over to becoming self destructive. I'm a hardheaded stubborn driven persevering person, and most of the time that is an asset... but my greatest ambition in life is to bear much fruit for God's glory so if I begin to see that my persevering efforts are resulting in diminished returns I eventually relent from driving on in that same direction.

But because God designed me to be naturally persevering I usually will exhaust every ounce of effort until I'm convinced it is a lost cause.

At that point I abandon the approach that proved to be counterproductive and begin seeking God for a new wiser approach.

So in July, after 10+ years of an extremely heavy workload (that often bore good amounts of fruit via more events run and more participants impacted), I abandoned the approach of resolving all challenges by working longer and harder.

I will keep that approach in my back pocket for occasional situations that require that approach, but I've moved on to a more disciplined approach of "LESS IS MORE".

This approach requires a "smarter not harder" approach which means I utilize more wisdom and more discipline in conjunction with staying in tune with the Holy Spirit in order to accomplish more results with less effort in less time.

So sleep has gone from my arch nemesis to  one of my best friends.

In fact, I plain got it wrong when it came to assessing the value of sleep and rest. I know the main characteristics of a sluggard and an unproductive person are laziness and too much sleep. So sleep, in my mind, was synonymous with being a couch potato. I didn't want anything to do with that type of fruitless lifestyle. As someone once said, "I'd rather wear out than rust out."

But, to my own demise,  I devalued the immense importance of the proper amount of sleep and rest.

I've thrillingly found that the wise amount of sleep literally fuels a highly productive day.

Sleep is rocket fuel which makes my bed a launching pad to highly productive and highly fruitful days.

I still let myself have 2 nights each week that I stay up as late as I want, but those 2 nights often remind me of just how valuable the other 5 nights of getting to bed by midnight really are.

It may not sound exciting to you, but disciplining myself to get the wise amount of sleep and rest is earth shattering to me.

Too little sleep doesn't fully refuel the rocket and too much sleep pours excess fuel on the ground.

But the wise amount of sleep and rest fuels the rocket to travel to the moon and back each day.

And I'm excited about that breakthrough in my life!

Thank YOU Jesus!!

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." - Mt 11:28-30

STRiVE to THRiVE!

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STILL SAVORING OUR BANQUET NIGHT!! .... AND RECORD BREAKING NEWS!!! (66k RAISED!)

STILL SAVORING OUR BANQUET NIGHT!!

 .... AND RECORD BREAKING NEWS!!! (66k RAISED!)

   .... ALSO, PICS UPLOADED =)

We are still savoring the special night God blessed us with a few days ago at our Annual Banquet. We are so blessed to have so many incredible people in the GTD family!! It was a time to recognize and thank our supporters, encouragers, participants, and volunteers.

It was also a night to celebrate a year of epic comebacks. We got knocked down over and over again this year, but we kept rising back up and fighting back in faith. 2017 started as a heart-breaker, but ended as record-breaker!! It's so amazing how God turns set-backs into set-ups for victory.

I'm thrilled to announce that our wonderful GTD family continues to donate towards our 100k goal even after the banquet ended. Since Tuesday night we've received an additional 13k in support to bring our total funds raised to $66,000! That's a new record!! It eclipses last year's record total of 65k. And we still have 7 weeks remaining before our Jan 31st fundraising deadline. I feel a miracle in the making!

Thank you again to all of our supporters and prayer warriors! We feel the love!! And we look forward to all that God has in store for 2018 (& beyond).

You can check out all of the banquet pictures in this photo album. Special thanks to Housh, Carson, Laurie, & Matt for all of the great shots =)

God bless! And stay tuned!!

FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEARTS: THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!

FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEARTS:
THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!

(Fundraising results below)

It was a wonderful and packed day that ended around 4am this morning. I look forward to sharing more details, but at this moment we simply want express our deep and profound gratitude to everyone who helped make last night's banquet such a special and successful night!

The year started with tribulation, but ended with triumph!

We were honored to recognize so many people last night that played a vital role this year of snatching victory from the jaws of defeat.

2017 became an epic comeback story that culminated with last night's victory! It's all about people. Just like the heart of God, it's all about people.

Thank you so much to so many people who care, who love, who sacrifice, who selflessly give so that a humble small ministry can make a big impact!

We are profoundly & deeply touched!

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you so much!!

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PRELIMINARY FUNDRAISING RESULTS: Even though we had 80-100 less people able to attend this year's banquet we are tied with last year's record setting result of $53,000 raised through one time donations and monthly pledges!!! Praise God!!! That's enormous!! Our goal is to raise 100k by Jan 31st and this is an incredible leap towards that mark!! Thank you so much to all of our generous donors that lovingly gave!! Our hearts are full of gratitude and thanksgiving!!

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More updates to come!

THE 47 YEAR OLD VIRGIN

THE 47 YEAR OLD VIRGIN

Not a prude. Not a judger. Not embarrassed. Not ashamed. Not perfect. Not prideful. Simply a happy joyful confident fulfilled man striving after a standard I believe in - saving sex for marriage. Not simply because it's the standard God sets, but also because it makes so much sense to me.

It's not easy, but it's worth it. No STD's. No regrets. No attachment dramas. No misplaced affections. No addictions. No idols. No sexual baggage to take into marriage (if I ever get married - LOL). No low self esteem. No downsides except weathering periods of strong urges... but even that produces greater depth of character, greater self control, greater discipline, and greater self respect.

The world laughs and says I'm missing out. This virgin laughs back... laughs last... laughs best =)


===================
PROVERBS 7: 6-23
===================
At the window of my house
    I looked down through the lattice.
I saw among the simple,
    I noticed among the young men,
    a youth who had no sense.
He was going down the street near her corner,
    walking along in the direction of her house
at twilight, as the day was fading,
    as the dark of night set in.
Then out came a woman to meet him,
    dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent.
(She is unruly and defiant,
    her feet never stay at home;
now in the street, now in the squares,
    at every corner she lurks.)
She took hold of him and kissed him
    and with a brazen face she said:
“Today I fulfilled my vows,
    and I have food from my fellowship offering at home.
So I came out to meet you;
    I looked for you and have found you!
I have covered my bed
    with colored linens from Egypt.
I have perfumed my bed
    with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon.
Come, let’s drink deeply of love till morning;
    let’s enjoy ourselves with love!
My husband is not at home;
    he has gone on a long journey.
He took his purse filled with money
    and will not be home till full moon.”
With persuasive words she led him astray;
    she seduced him with her smooth talk.
All at once he followed her
    like an ox going to the slaughter,
like a deer stepping into a noose
    till an arrow pierces his liver,
like a bird darting into a snare,
    little knowing it will cost him his life.
---------------------------


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3 MONTHS STRONG!

Despite the hurricane evacuation, our trip to Colorado, a month long cold, Thanksgiving holiday, and now the full days of preparing for our biggest event of the year (our Annual Banquet) I haven't missed a single workout in 3 months! And it feels so good!!

I've always had a good discipline, but now God is developing in me GREAT DISCIPLINE. And each day I'm eating the fruit of yesterday's wise choices. It's like I wake up to a delicious fruit basket each morning =).

I'm looking forward to a month of unknown obstacles as I strive for unwavering consistency. I do, however, get 2 weeks off for Christmas as part of my yearlong game plan, and then blast off again on Jan 1st as I launch into 2018!

So far I love my overall strategy and game plan. I've factored in short breaks throughout the year to prevent burnout, include variety, and to give my body little breaks for recovery as well as to rebuild the fire to get back to striving!

"The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied." - Proverbs 13:4

STRiVE to THRiVE!

FUNDRAISING UPDATE!

With 5 days to go until our Annual Banquet our AWESOME and AMAZING donors have gotten us off to a GREAT START!!

$26,950 has been raised so far!

Help us hit our 100k goal by making a one-time donation or signing up to be a monthly partner for the next 12 months.

And, if you're in the Tampa Bay area, please come and be a part of our special night on Dec 5th (Tuesday night).

Banquet & Donation DETAILS

HUGE BANQUET UPDATES!!!

In case you missed our recent Facebook Live videos we've got some GREAT NEWS to share with you!

Last night we received a huge $7000 donation from an amazing and generous couple!!! WOW! We are blown away!!

In addition, this week we've received the following amazing donations...
 • $3141.59 that was a corporate matching gift from one of our most generous suppprters
 • $2000 matching gift challenge (these generous donors will match all donations dollar for dollar up to $2000!)
 • $100 per month ($1200/year) matching gift challenge (this generous donor will match all monthly supporters dollar for dollar up to $100 per month cumulatively)
 • $500 one time donation from another generous donor!
 • $200 & $100 contributions for 2 more generous donors
 • $10/mth, $25/mth, & $30/mth monthly pledges from 3 more generous donors
• Table Sponsorships from these generous donors: People Helping People (2 tables), Jerry & Ann Garner (2 tables), and Kiwanis (1 table)

PRAISE GOD, WE ARE OFF TO A GREAT START AS WE STRIVE TO RAISE 100K DURING OUR END OF THE YEAR FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN!!

To donate to the cause and support Going The Distance Adventure Ministry as we head into our 22nd year of ministry click on the link below!

We still have a $1000 Donor Match Challenge available and $35/month remaining on the  $100/mth Donor Match Challenge!! Click below to donate!!

We also have about 20 FREE BANQUET TICKETS available for our Annual Banquet this Tuesday night on Dec 5th at Largo Cultural Center in Largo, FL (Catered by Carrabba's)!! Email us at info@goingthedistance.org to reserve your seat(s).

BANQUET INFO & DONATION LINK

HUGE NEWS!!!

TODAY AT 9:30am ON Facebook Live.

See you soon at "Studio GTD"!!

TUESDAY NIGHT LIVE FROM "Studio GTD"!!

TUESDAY NIGHT LIVE FROM "Studio GTD"!!
     .... W/ SPECIAL CHRISTMAS AMBIANCE ;)

7:30pm (EST) on Facebook Live

Tune-in and hear our latest updates, our current funds raised, our favorite Christmas movie, our new event planned for next summer, and more as we prepare for the most important event of the year for GTD!

PLUS: A special visit from the GTD Dogz!! Hear the story of how Faith & Courage became our lovable ministry dogs =)

See you soon!!

CHECK OUT THIS MORNING'S UPDATES!!

CHECK OUT THIS MORNING'S UPDATES!!

...WE HAVE A BIG DONATION!!

LIVE FROM "Studio GTD"!!

THIS MORNING AT 9:30am (EST) ON Facebook Live.

Tune-in and check out our latest updates, today's challenge, our overall goals, and more as we prepare for the most important event of the year for GTD!

PLUS: Check out our NEW GIFT to donors of $100 or more!!

See you soon!!

LIVE FROM "Studio GTD"!!

TONIGHT AT 7:30pm (EST) ON Facebook Live.

Tune-in and check out what's going on in the ministry as well as our lives as we prepare for the most important event of the year for GTD!

PLUS: Prize opportunities for live viewers!!

See you tonight!!

THE "REST" OF THE STORY!

One of the biggest, best, and most powerful changes I've made over the past 4 months is letting God transform my thinking and attitude about sleep and rest.

I've always hated to go to sleep. I love thinking and day-dreaming and striving after those dreams. I love following God's calling on my life and working as much as I can on the nuts and bolts of that quest. I simply hate calling an end to the day.

I also hate to sleep in. Everyday feels like Christmas in the sense that I can't wait to wake up and pick up where I left off the night before. In the great words of Michael Scott from The Office, "I'm a night owl and an early bird so I'm wise and I like to eat worms." Hahaha, I love that!

But I way over-worked myself over the past 10 years and especially for the first 7 months of this year. I was not only running on empty. I was running on the last remaining gas vapors in the tank.

One of the great things about life is that it doesn't conform to your demands; you have to conform to its structure. And I found out the hard way that REST & SLEEP are an absolute requirement in life and for the body. There is no escaping it. I can neglect, but I can't escape it. At some point sleep deprivation catches up to everyone.

I always knew the importance of sleep, but since I rarely noticed the negative effects of not getting enough sleep then I thought I was the exception to the rule... Until the wheels fell off in July. I was so worn down and worn out that I knew my body was trashed. I could feel my body literally dying. I estimated that if nothing changed I had about 2 months left before I would have to be admitted to a hospital for exhaustion.

Thankfully I had enough horse sense to make immediate and drastic changes. I stopped over-relying on my strength to grind it out day after day after day and started transitioning to applying wisdom to my mindset about rest.

I conceded that my approach was partially right. Hard work is important and a gift from God. Nothing of value comes into creation without applied effort. God proved that during the first 6 days of creation. But I had to embrace that the PROPER AMOUNT of rest and sleep (not to the point of being a sluggard) is JUST AS IMPORTANT. God proved that on the 7th day of creation when, as some have said, God created rest.

So in August, after our summer camps were done, I took 3 weeks off from physically striving. I rested. I got caught up on sleep. And I studied about the importance of sleep and rest. God says that if we want to be transformed it happens by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2) so I began to seek Him for a renewed mind about rest and sleep... and immediately began applying everything I learned.

To my astonishment, proper sleep and rest immediately fixed a lot of things. My body now had time to repair itself, refresh itself, and recharge itself. A majority of my minor aches and pains were healed. My mind was crisp. My attitude was even more positive than usual. My drive to strive was refueled, but I had to stop running the gas tank down to empty! I had to make a lasting change.

I used to go to bed around 2am and get up by 7am. Now I've disciplined myself to go to bed by midnight and get up around 7am. Actually my body wakes up ready to go around 5am, but since I'm still recovering from over-working I try to go back to sleep until 7am. Believe it or not, it takes discipline to hold yourself back.

I do allow myself 2 nights each week to stay up till 2am (usually on the weekend) and I take Sundays off completely as my Sabbath as God instructs us. In addition, I've been very consistent to take Saturdays off as well.

All the proper sleep and healthy amounts of rest have revived my body. It's only 4 months later and I feel so healthy, strong, and capable. And it doesn't cost a dime. That along with proper nutrition and exercise are a trifecta of natural potency!

So below is my new mindset about sleep and rest. It was a hard road to get here, but I'm so glad I'm finally here! Thank You Jesus! Praise God!

The "REST" Of The Story: Sleep is one of the best things we can do for our body, mind, and emotions. Sleep is when our body heals itself. It's when we recharge our batteries. It's when we prepare for the next 16-18 hours of full living. It's not the end of a long day; it's the start of a new great day! It's not the caboose at the end of a long train; it's the engine. Sleep is the foundation that productive, effective, successful, powerful, abundant, fruitful days are built on. Adequate sound sleep is one of the BEST things you can do for your body, mind, and emotions. Sleep is not your enemy, it's one of your best friends! God designated 1/3 of life, 1/3 of each day, for sleep... that alone should clue me in to the colossal importance of good sound sleep.

STRiVE to THRiVE!

Gobble, Gobble

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!! Have a scrumptious day!

HAPPY NewValMoFaMemInLaThanksMas!!

When you have a thankful mindset, everyday is Thanksgiving!

When you see each day as a gift, everyday is Christmas!

When you continually learn from yesterday and eagerly anticipate today, everyday is New Years Day!

When you overflow with the love of God, everyday is Valentine's Day!

When you continually honor your parents, everyday is Mother's Day & Father's Day!

When you revere those who have sacrificed for your benefit, everyday is Memorial Day!

When you joyfully celebrate your freedom each day, everyday is Independence Day!

When you realize that purposeful work is a gift from God, everyday is Labor Day!

When you strive to put this all together each day, everyday is HAPPY NewValMoFaMemInLaThanksMas!!

"The faithful love of the LORD never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning." - Lamentations 3:22-23

Carpe Diem! Seize The Day!!

STRiVE to THRiVE!

TODAY'S CONDITION IS A RESULT OF YESTERDAY'S DECISION!

Good or bad, today's reaping is a continuation of yesterday's sowing. Is your momentum carrying you to a summit or to a plummet??

God has delegated to you much of the management and outcomes of your life.

Our health, our financial condition, our relationships, our perspective, our occupations, etc... almost all of it is the result of this awesome thing God created called freedom of choice.

He gives us directions, instructions, principles, commandments, access to immeasurable wisdom, a conscience, warnings, pain receptors, grace to fall & learn & get back up again, and is even eager to plant His Holy Spirit within us, and so many more ways to discern SO THAT we make life giving decisions and turn away from death producing decisions ... and ultimately He gives us the dignity of choice.

That truth is liberating! If you caused the mess you're in then you've been given the capacity to also un-cause it (or learn from it and not be a repeat offender which literally changes the trajectory of your future!).

If you don't like where tomorrow is headed change your todays. And if you love where tomorrow is headed maintain your todays. It is very simple. It's not rocket science.

Sow - reap - assess - change or continue - repeat.

"This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live." - GOD (Deuteronomy 30:19)

STRiVE to THRiVE!

Bad decisions K.I.L.L. you!

Bad decisions K.I.L.L. you!

K.I.L.L. = K (Keep) I (Impeding) L (Life... including Liberty) & L (Legacy)

They kill your calling, pace, identity, & dreams.

D = Destroy your Design (identity & calling)
          (Who you are  & what you were made for)
O = Obstruct your Orienteering
           (direction & pace)
A = Assault your Aspirations
          (hopes, dreams, and God given desires)

===========

Good decisions add L.I.F.E. onto your life!

L = Liberty
I = Identity
F = Fulfillment
E = Enjoyment

"Good sense is a fountain of life..." - Proverbs 16:22

Strive for wisdom. Apply that wisdom. Enjoy the fruit from that applied wisdom.

STRiVE to THRiVE!

.

LEARN FROM ME... DON'T BE A MORE-ON!

Don't be a MORE-ON! (MORON)... someone who keeps adding "more on" to their schedule than they can manage!!

I love work! I love Mondays! I love challenges! I love striving! I've always had the discipline to work hard and long hours day after day after day. When you're chasing your dreams and your calling you just don't want to stop striving.

But there is something in the running world called overstriding. It's when you constantly extend your legs to nearly full stride while you're running. It sound like it's a smart way to run... maximizing each stride to its full potential. But the prolonged impact actually destroys your cartridge, joints, sockets, heels, and more. Overstriding, ironically enough, can eventually rob you of the ability to ever ruin again.

Overworking, as I found out 5 months ago, actually has similar results. Over a prolonged time the impact destroys health, withers friendships, depletes strength, overlooks opportunities, crushes potential, and so much more.

So God has been teaching me a new discipline for the past 3 months... the discipline to stop overworking. To stop devaluing rest. To take time off. To stop adding MORE-ON to the open portions of my schedule. To create healthy boundaries. To preserve free time. To prioritise family and friend time. And, in many ways, to return back to the type of schedule I had before I started overstriding about 10 years ago.

God is teaching an old do(u)g new tricks and I'm ecstatic as I watch the nutrients of fullness of life flood back into my body. I can't hold it in.  What the enemy tried to use to break me, God used for my breakthrough!

I've dropped the 24/7/365 mentality.  It looks great on a t-shirt, but God has been showing me that it's not His way... It's not Biblical. 24/6/313 is more accurate, but when you subtract sleep, free time, vacations, another day for a complete weekend, etc, etc then it's actually more like 12/5/233. I'm creating a sustainable lifestyle that includes hard work, but not overstriding. And I'm actually finding that with increased wisdom and increased discipline, LESS IS MORE! I'm actually getting more done in less time.

That's not to say that I in any way agree with the couch potato 0/0/0 approach to life. In many ways, the couch is just a cushioned casket filled with laziness and absent of purpose. Prolonged comfort is actually a thousand times more dangerous than overworking. At least with overworking you have motion that can be steered and have something to show for your life. With ease, comfort, & an over abundance of entertainment you build a much worse type of regret.

So I'm THRILLED with all the course collections, adjustments, and life alterations... and I can't stop talking about it.

Each day I'm becoming less of a MORE-ON and more of THRIVER!

"There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death." - Proverbs 14:12

STRiVE to THRiVE!

.

3 WEEKS TO GO!!!

3 WEEKS TO GO!!!

We have so many people to hug and thank!!

It has been a year of overcoming... of getting knocked back, but pressing on... of getting knocked down, but rising back up.

Sometimes the sweetest victories are produced from the hardest fights.

And along the way you have a family of supporters that never stops backing you.

Life & ministry are the ultimate team sports.

Make plans to join us Dec 5th (Tues night) at 6:30pm at the Central Park Performing Arts Center (formerly known as Largo Cultural Center) for our Annual Banquet as GTD celebrates 21 years of ministry!!

It's always a fun night! And this year will be even "funner" =)

Catered by Carrabba's
Theme: RISE

Click here for details


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GOD'S LOVE LANGUAGE IS OBEDIENCE!

Our greatest calling in life... the very fiber of our DNA is designed and created with one chief ambition: to ACCEPT God's love and to REFLECT God's love.

You can't reflect what you don't accept.

In other words, we can't generate love in our own power. The theory of evolution is too impotent and too self absorbed to create selfless love. We need a source. GOD IS LOVE. He is the source.

The first part is to ACCEPT God's love. It was fully displayed by Christ's selfless sacrifice on the cross.

The second part is to REFLECT God's love. As God's love overflows in your life you can't resist wanting to pour out what you've received back to God and on to others.

We REFLECT love back to God through the act of obedience. Just like in the movie "The Princess Bride" when we say, "As you wish", we are really saying, "I love you."

So in order to fulfill the Greatest Commandment of loving God with all of our heart, all of our mind, all of our body, and all of our soul we simply OBEY God with all of our heart, all of our mind, all of our body, and all of our soul.

With each act of obedience (especially at times when we are tempted to be disobedient) we are saying to God: I LOVE YOU!

And that is the essence of life itself.

"If you love me, you will keep my commandments." - JESUS (John 14:15)

"Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him." - JESUS (John 14:21)

STRiVE to THRiVE!

LIFE IS THE ULTIMATE OBSTACLE COURSE! ... CRUSH IT!

Every week is a new obstacle course broken down into 7 stages called Mon, Tues, Wed, Thur, Fri, Sat, & Sun.

Your goal is to navigate all the obstacles within each day to successfully complete each of the 7 stages and put together a winning week.

But you don't want to settle for just one winning week; you want a WINNING STREAK!

Your season is made up of 52 weeks. You're striving for winning streaks (consistent wins each week) in order to put together a Championship Season.

And you're not satisfied with just one Championship Season... you want a repeat, a three-peat, a four-peat, and on and on.

You're quest is to build a Dynasty!

You're striving for thriving! A legacy of winning that inspires and impacts multitudes, but most importantly honors and glorifies the Head Coach that poured His life into you... literally His blood, sweat, and tears... and His very breath that breathed life into your lifeless nostrils. To hear Him utter the words, "Well done my good and faithful servant!"

And it all starts at the strike of midnight every week as Sunday gives birth to Monday.

No one can run your race for you. Only you can do that.

Each day presents new obstacles along with the other obstacles you've faced before. But that's part of what makes it so fun! It's a challenge!

It isn't easy. You'll lose many times on your way to your wins. That's why learning to walk as babies is the very first illustration God displays to us on how to achieve. You will fall your way to success. That drive to walk regardless of all the falls is what makes winning each stage, winning each course, and winning each season such a thrill. Winning isn't a gimme. You have to leave the bleachers and enter the course. You have to fall many times in front of the people who cheer you on as well as the do nothing critics that never leave the comfort of the stands to attempt anything worthwhile.

Each obstacle will take strategic navigation along with developing skill sets and an unconquerable attitude. But that's what you were designed for. To contend. Not for early retirement. You'll get knocked down. Gravity will always be there to assist your fall. But gravity can't keep you down. Only you can keep you down. Your very first achievement in life will remind you that all you must do is rise again. Walking lies on the other side of falling. Summon that inner relentless child in you that regardless of scrapes, bruises,  and blood drops you get back up again and take another step. Your Father believes in you, but it's you that must rise again and again until you walk and then run and then strive.

Welcome to Monday. The first stage of this week's obstacle course. CRUSH IT on your way to a WINNING WEEK!

"I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God's holy people." - Jude 1:3

STRiVE to THRiVE!

CANOEING WITH OUR FAVORITE DEAF GROUP!

It's a perfect day on the Gulf Coast of Florida for a canoe trip! Having a blast with our deaf friends from the Family Center on Deafness of Pinellas Park.

Thanks to our generous donors we were able to provide this event for FREE!!

The afternoon was full of fun, first time experiences, water wars, leaping mullet, diving Ospreys, splash wars, and even a few capsizes!

Good times!! And we really enjoyed trying out the new Seminole Waterfront Park =)

Check out all the pics here

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NEW GTD AWARDS! WE CAN'T WAIT TO HONOR & THANK OUR SUPPORTERS!!!

We're excited to announce that this year GTD will be introducing 3 NEW Awards & 1 NEW Recognition Gift.

Two of the new awards will be our first ever LEGACY AWARDS.

I'm humbled to say that as we approach 22 years of ministry we have reached a point at which we now have to talk in terms of "lifetime" of impact. We are blessed to have supporters who have left such an indelible mark over such a long period of time that they have literally left an unending legacy in our ministry. We are honored and thrilled to recognize these people with these 2 new awards: "The STALWART LEGACY AWARD" and "The CONTINUUM LEGACY AWARD".

Our 3rd new award is the "7 PILLARS AWARD" (taken from Prov 9:1). This award is designed to recognize our top 7 donors for the amount they yearly invest in GTD. Without these 7 Pillars supporting GTD in conjunction with all of our other generous supporters (pillars), this ministry would not continue on each year.

We also have a new Ministry Partner Recognition Gift to present to all of our donors who contribute $100 or more annually to GTD. It's our small way of saying THANK YOU to our generous and outstanding family of loving supporters.

And we are also chomping at the bits to present our annual Jearld & Ann Garner JAG AWARDS and Traci Vescovi EXTRA MILE AWARDS to the people who have made the largest impact in GTD over the past 12 months.

And there are more awards and recognition planned for our special night... so don't miss it!!

Plan to join us for delectable dinner and unforgettable night as GTD celebrates 21 years of ministry!

=====================

Going The Distance Adventure Ministry, Inc
Celebrating 21 Years of Ministry

Annual Banquet
<> DEC 5, 2017 (Tues night) / 6:30p-9:00p
<> CENTRAL PARK PERFORMING ARTS CENTER (formerly Largo Cultural Center)
<> Catered by CARRABBA'S

==============

Click here for Banquet Details


.

LOVIN' MY NEW WORKOUT PACE... UPPER BODY IN 25 MINUTES!

Just over 2 months ago I started experimenting with a 25 minute weight lifting workout. My goal was simple: CONSISTENCY! It had to be something I could do anywhere, anytime, anyhow. I had to create a workout strategy that was doable even while traveling, camping, and working up to 16 hour days. I had to remove any hurdles that tend to lead to inconsistency.

The main hurdle was time. The college days of 2 hour workouts and 350 lbs bench presses are no longer an option. In the words of Sweet Brown, "Ain't nobody got time for that!" My workouts would have to be long enough to be effective, but short enough to be accomplished 6 days per week year-round FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE (with a periodic week off... usually scheduled around major holidays). And it had to be just the right amount of time that, psychologically speaking, my mind and my other daily responsibilities would never object.

TWENTY-FIVE minutes was the solution! If you're familiar with the Pomodoro Technique (focused uninterrupted work for 25 minutes followed by a 5 minute break) then you'll appreciate this amount of time. Research has proven that 25 minutes of cardio 3x per week is effective, but could I complete an effective wt lifting workout in only 25 minutes? The answer is a resounding YES!

Over the past 15 years I had been doing (inconsistently) a fast wt lifting workout in 45 minutes... so now I had to try to carve off another 20 minutes to get it down to 25 minutes. This was a big challenge. In order to do it I had to make some big changes. I reduced almost all of my exercises from 6 sets down to 3 sets, but compensated by increasing my reps per set in order to wear the muscles down to failure (that's what creates muscle growth). In addition, I had to take minimal rest breaks between each set (about 30 seconds instead of my usual 90+ seconds) as well as use my rest breaks to set-up the weights for my next exercise. In essence, they are active rest breaks. I also would have to set a countdown timer to be intentional and stay focused. (And obviously I workout at home so no time is wasted driving or waiting for equipment.) To my overwhelmingly excited surprise the faster workout time actually increased the intensity of the workout which brings about the goal of muscle failure (which produces muscle growth). In the great words of Michael Scott, "WIN, WIN!"

So now I've created an effective 25 minute wt lifting routine 3 days per week that I'm ABSOLUTELY THRILLED about. I alternate between lower body and upper body every other day with a cardio workout in between and I take Sundays off completely. Then I pick up where I left off on Monday.

Psychologically, the 25 minutes isn't a hurdle at all. In fact, my mindset is just the opposite. I think, "Who can't workout for 25 minutes per day?!?!" Honestly, if I don't have an open 25 minutes somewhere in my day then there are much bigger problems to solve! (Oh yeah, I've been solving that one too - haha!)

I captured my entire 25 minute upper body workout in this 1 minute time lapse video. My upper body workout consists of:

- INCLINE PRESS (3-4 sets)
- CABLE CROSSOVER FLIES (3 sets)
- UPRIGHT ROWS (3 sets)
- SEATED ROWS (3 sets)
- TRICEP PUSHDOWNS (3 sets)
- CABLE / DUMBBELL CURLS (3 sets)

- 100 CRUNCHES (after every workout)

- 30 gram PROTEIN DRINK

Side Note: 15 years ago I tore my left pectoral tendon (the tendon that holds your chest muscle in place) while bench pressing 315 lbs. It has been surgically repaired. I've also separated both shoulders at different times playing sports. So I've intentionally laid off of striving after heavy weight lifting goals like I used to. My goals now revolve around overall strength and fitness.

The spiritual component in working out is multifaceted. Obviously, we are the managers of our body. God gave us one body for this life. Our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Many of the physical diseases and damages experienced in this country are self inflicted and a result of our own choices. God created a specific menu for our body and designed us for physical exertion. We literally grow through resistance. In a sedentary environment we need to workout in order to maintain health. In addition, wt lifting (also known as "resistance training") teaches us the value of trials and difficulties and failure, increases our mental - emotional - physical endurance which teaches us spiritual perseverance (going the distance!), teaches us self discipline with endless benefits, displays a good example and representation as a follower of Christ, prepares us to physically help others in need here and on the mission field, and countless other things.

"For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come." - 1 Timothy 4:8

STRiVE to THRiVE!

NO ALARM CLOCK NEEDED!

I've never needed an alarm clock to wake me up early. Zeal for life wakes me up each morning.

My passions, my dreams, my mission, my calling launches me out of bed each morning! God breathed enthusiasm drives me from slumber to striving.

Every. Day. Is. Christmas. When. You. Realize. Every. Day. Is. A. Gift. From. God.

Life is too long to live divorced from your God given dreams, passion, and calling.

You rob the world, your community, the body of Christ, and even yourself when you ignore the gifts, talents, abilities, passions, dreams, and calling that God has planted inside of you.

Chasing the dreams God planted deep within you will lead you on one of the greatest faith journeys of your life. In the process you will grow amazingly close to God as He navigates you through your greatest fears, hurdles, limitations, and barriers. In Christ, you will confront and slay all the giants that attempt to occupy your Promise Land. In fact, you will come to find the actual journey to your destination is as great and thrilling as the final destination itself. And all of it done step by step with your Creator!

When that type of fulfillment is what you wake up to each day, you won't need an alarm clock.... and forget a snooze button! Your daily Christmas will catapult you out of bed =)

STRiVE to THRiVE!

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upDATE: GTD BANQUET DATE SWITCHED TO DEC 5th

Sorry for the latest change!! But we could not pass up the NEW OPPORTUNITY to switch back to our regular Tuesday night schedule. So our FINALIZED banquet date is back on Tuesday night... Dec 5th to be exact!!

Basically, Dec 5th was our first choice, but Carrabba's was not available so we selected Dec 4th as our second choice. Carrabba's contacted us today to let us know that they had a cancellation and could now accommodate our Dec 5th date. We are thrilled to switch back to Tuesday night, but sorry to have to re-announce a new date. We do however believe Tuesday night is the best choice for this event. From past experience, feedback, and attendance we hope that this finalized date will continue to be more accommodating to our supporters, participants, and attendees.

Thank you for your understanding =)

=====================

Going The Distance Adventure Ministry, Inc
Celebrating 21 Years of Ministry

Annual Banquet
<> DEC 5, 2017 (Tues night) / 6:30p-9:00p
<> CENTRAL PARK PERFORMING ARTS CENTER (formerly Largo Cultural Center)
<> Catered by CARRABBA'S


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MOTIVATION IS AN IGNITION, NOT A MOTOR!

Motivation is an ignition, not a motor. At best, it's a highly combustible blast of energy to get your motor started, but it can't sustain your journey.

Discipline is the motor that propels you.

Wisdom is the GPS that directs your path towards fullness of life & God's will while routing you away from dead end streets and fatal embankments.

And your God-given freedom of choice is the main variable of where your life will end up.

It's all in the Driver's Manual (the Bible) and it can turn an under used parked car into a road trip adventure of a lifetime!!

STRiVE to THRiVE!

The 5 P's: PROPER PLANNING PREVENTS POOR PERFORMANCE

Food is the fuel God created to propel our bodies. Most of the food I crave and is the most easily accessible is the type of food that hurts the body's performance and crushes its potential. That's where wise planning, simple preparation, and blue collar discipline become my best friends.

I get 1 cheat day per week (usually Sunday for me). I eat 5-6 quick smaller meals throughout the day. That means I need to plan out and prepare for 30-36 meals and then execute the plan. (I also give myself 1 floater cheat meal throughout the week if I "need" it or if I'm at a restaurant and can't completely avoid all the junk).

I try to eat organic as much as possible and most of my meat proteins come from fish, turkey, and chicken. Honestly, I hate the taste of vegetables, but I strive to eat 2 servings per day in addition to fruits. 6 days per week I only drink water (I'd rather drink Mountain Dew!).

I try to avoid 3 things each day (except my cheat day): bad fats, fried foods, and sugar which are the very things I actually crave most of the time (that's why discipline is my welcome companion throughout the week). It's just like avoiding any other temptation or sin. You realize that it tastes good in the moment, but robs and destroys your future. To be successful you can't allow the pleasures of the moment to destroy the tomorrow's of your life. Tomorrow will literally reward you for the discipline of today.

So it took me less than 15 minutes to create my WEEKLY MEAL PLAN. It's simply and easy to accomplish. Here it is:

MEAL PLAN (30-36 meals per week)
DAILY MEAL STRATEGY (MON - SAT):
  - Protein Drink (quick meal right after workout)
  - Shakeology for breakfast (this isn't a sells pitch!)
  - PREPARED MEAL w/ veggies (lunch at work)
  - Snack (something like cereal with blueberries... this is during my workday)
  - Dinner w/ veggies (something I make each night ~6.30p)
  - Final quick snack like a protein bar or whole grain bread with peanut butter (~9.00p)

With my meal plan I try to eat 1 part lean protein and 1 part good carbs with each meal. I add veggies with 2 of the meals throughout the day. 4 of my meals/snacks take less than 15 minutes to make and consume for each one. My other 2 meals are enjoyed in about 30-45 minutes each. So it doesn't take a lot of time throughout the day.

I love this approach and my body and my conscience thanks me everyday! And since our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, God affirms my actions each day with a small inner whisper that says, "Well done!". No amount of junk food compares with that.

So my meals and plan are prepared for the week. Now it's time to crush it! Have a great week friends =)

STRiVE to THRiVE!

RISE.

IT'S NOT ALWAYS ABOUT HOW HARD YOU CAN HIT...
   ...IT'S ALSO ABOUT HOW HARD YOU CAN GET HIT & GET BACK UP AGAIN...
       ...RISE.

===========================
2017 was full of HARD HITS:
===========================
<> One of our best private groups which had reserved 6 GTD events for 2017 went bankrupt.
    > Estimated loss to GTD = $40,000+
    > Our summer calendar vacant & unfillable
<> One of our major events under performed which resulted in a loss of $20,000 potential income.
<> What was projected to be our first ever break-out year financially with a large enough surplus to pay off all debts became a year of survival.
<> We had our lowest numbers of volunteers ever. Many events run by only 1 or 2 people (we need 5).
<> Laurie experienced 12 months of health issues, burnout, & personal exhaustion. This led to 7 months of 60+ hour work weeks for me and my own personal exhaustion.
<> Laurie & I broke off their wedding plans and focused on recovery & renewed strength.

===========================
BUT that's not the end of the story...
God REDEEMED the year!
===========================
<> Our record breaking banquet at the end of 2016 prepared us for the hard hits... $65k raised!!
<> We had $10,000 built up in our "rough year" savings account for a year like this.
<> We had one of our best spring retreat seasons ever!
<> We ran our 1st PERFECT mission trip in Jan!
<> We ran our 1st Spanish Immersion Trip & 1st Colorado Trip.
<> We had GREAT spiritual impact on each event!
<> The openings in our calendar allowed us to conquer a lot of admin work that piles up during travels.
<> We hired my 14 year old nephew Carson as our summer ministry assistant.
<> We already have a very frugal budget, but I was been able to shave off more monthly savings such as reducing our office phone bill to $5/mth, our internet bill to $45/mth, and more!
<> Laurie & I are actively recovering well and making all types of small & big wise adjustments to prevent future exhaustion and burnout.


It's hard to beat someone who doesn't give up. We don't give up. We don't give in. We press on like our Savior. We're not done yet. We've got so much more still to achieve!

IT'S NOT HOW YOU START THAT COUNTS; IT'S HOW YOU FINISH! WE'RE FINISHING 2017 STRONG!

CELEBRATING 21 YEARS OF MINISTRY!

----------------------
OUR THEME FOR THIS YEAR'S BANQUET IS: RISE
Come enjoy a delectable dinner and unforgettable night as GTD celebrates 21 years of ministry!
<> DEC 4, 2017 (Mon night) / 6:30p-9:00p
<> CENTRAL PARK PERFORMING ARTS CENTER (formerly Largo Cultural Center)
<> CATERED BY CARRABBA'S
<> Banquet Link: http://gtdbullhorn.blogspot.com/p/annual-banquet.html
----------------------


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SWEAT IS MY MORNING SHOWER!

One of the best ways to start the day is with a sweat producing workout!

It's one of the natural ways God designed the body to cleanse itself and recharge... increased endorphins, released endorphins, eases pain, controls mood swings, relieves stress, detoxifies the body, prevents salt accumulation in the kidneys, fights colds -viruses - bacteria - fungi, and can even cleanse the pores.

And it's FREE! Available 24/7! Takes very little time! Huge lifelong benefits! Only requires effort!

“A wise man is full of strength, and a man of knowledge enhances his might.” - Proverbs 24:5

STRiVE to THRiVE!

SAVE THE (NEW) DATE - GTD'S ANNUAL BANQUET!!

SAVE THE (NEW) DATE - GTD'S ANNUAL BANQUET!!

<> DEC 4, 2017 (Mon night) / 6:30p-9:00p
<> CENTRAL PARK PERFORMING ARTS CENTER (formerly Largo Cultural Center)
<> Catered by CARRABBA'S

Like we did last year (and a few other years in the past), we are pushing the date of our Annual Banquet back a few weeks (from Nov 14th to Dec 4). We have so many people to honor and thank. This has been a hallmark year of overcoming. The tougher the battle, the greater the victory.

We have so much to celebrate!

Celebrating 21 Years of Ministry!! Glory to God!


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Banquet Link


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EACH DAY FEELS LIKE I JUST HIT A GAME WINNING HOMERUN!

I know it sounds a little cheesy and maybe even a little obnoxious (where's the barf bag!), but I'm experiencing some of the deepest inner satisfaction and best performance results I've ever experienced in life... almost every. single. day.

I'm 3 months into making some small and large adjustments in life. And each day I wake up to the fruit that is the result of the good decisions I made yesterday, and the good decision I made the day before that, and the day before that, and so on, and so on for the past 12 weeks. I'm literally experiencing the compound interest of consistent good and great decisions. It's actually more than compound interest, it's compound blessing. I'm reaping what I've been sowing.

It's all based on God's Word and a result of my prayer time with God. And it's an awesome experience. Especially since I was physically worn down and beyond exhausted just 4 months ago. I was so overworked and under rested that I believed I was only a couple of months from being hospitalized for exhaustion. I could feel my body withering. So I drew a line in the sand and started fighting back for every piece of fullness of life Jesus provides, but we have to intentionally and purposefully strive after.

We live in a sowing & reaping environment. So if I'm reaping exhaustion and fruitfulness then I'm sowing overwork and neglect. When that's the result, that's not God's fault - it's mine. The great thing about sowing and reaping is that if you drive yourself down a dead end street then you can put the car in reverse and drive back to the wrong turn and change your heading. And that's what I did.

I entered new coordinates into my daily GPS and focused on increased discipline and increased application of wisdom to every area of my life. I sought wisdom and then applied wisdom. Day in and day out. Whether I felt like it or not. It wasn't emotion-led. It was founded on discipline. So it isn't affected by the emotion of each day. Emotions are fair weather friends. There one day and gone the next day. Motivation is the result of emotions so you can't count on motivation to get you up out of bed on days you don't "feel" like doing whatever you need to be doing.

But discipline is different. It's an all weather friend that most consider boring. But it can be the best friend you ever have. Discipline takes you from inconsistency to consistency. And when you consistently start making good choices day after day after day then you quickly begin to reap the rewards of those good choices.

I had to discipline myself to stop overworking so much. I had to discipline myself to go to bed by midnight each night. I had to discipline myself to workout as soon as I wake up each day. I had to discipline myself to choose to eat healthy 6 days per week. I had to discipline myself to not check my emails, social media, or watch the news until I've taken care of my top priorities each day. I had to discipline myself to set my first ten actions for each day regardless of circumstances and situations. I committed myself to wisdom. But it was discipline that put wisdom into action.

Don't get me wrong. My life isn't a list of rigid disciplines. I've also included plenty of space for freedom, recreation, relationships, interruptions, etc. But it's discipline through the power of the Holy Spirit that keeps it all going and growing.

So I'm 3 months into this transformation and it isn't fleeting because it's not built on emotion. It's built on something way stronger and way more dependable - DISCIPLINE. I've always had it, but not to this degree. And now, each day I wake up (and even all throughout the day), there is an inner reward that happens that's almost indescribable... my conscience, my self talk, and the Holy Spirit each constantly whisper, "Well done!" That's priceless. Plus, the actual performance benefits that result from wise decisions consistently implemented is extraordinary.

It's like hitting a game winning homerun everyday. =)

STRiVE to THRiVE!