CURRENT CEO & FUTURE CEO JOURNEY TOGETHER TOWARDS OUR FIRST ADVENTURE TRIP OF 2026!!

 
I love this guy! My nephew Carson has been helping me run adventures almost since the day he was born. He knows what I need before I even ask him. He knows what has to be done before he is even instructed. He literally completes my sentences and thoughts. He's early or right on time every time. He makes improvements on the way we do things. He is respectful, professional, Godly, enthusiastic, incredibly capable, multi talented, brave, and a whole lot of fun. Traci & Dave raised him so well (understatement of the year!). At 23 years old there is no one in their young 20's more qualified than him to take the GTD torch into the next 30 years of ministry. He is 6 months into a 2 year process of becoming GTD's next CEO. This summer I officially pass on to him the title of GTD Adventure Trip Program Director. That has been my "pet" (favorite) Program to oversee since Day 1 of this ministry. I'm honored and blessed to pass the torch to him over the process of this summer. We meet weekly and the first thing I say to him each time is, "I want you to be wherever God has called you to be even if that is not in GTD. There is no pressure to take on any of these roles. It has to be a calling otherwise you will get burned out and become miserable doing something that you're not called to do. There is absolutely no pressure to do this and you can change your mind at anytime." To which he says, "This is where God has called me to be." To which I say, "I want you to be where God has called you to be so if at some point you believe God is directing you in a different direction there are no hard feelings and I will totally understand. Again, I just want you to be wherever God has called you to be." LOL, he has to be getting tired of me saying that haha! But it's important to affirm and reaffirm God's call on our lives. Soooooo we are journeying to our first Adventure Trip of 2026. This trip I will be the "pilot" and he will be the "co-pilot". Next trip he will be the "pilot" and I will be the "co-pilot". We will do this all summer till he progressively becomes the full-time Adventure Trip Director. My role will keep changing as we pass the torch to the next generation of GTDers, but I look forward to being involved in new & different capacities... that's God's call on my life right now >>> to pass the torch and develop other Programs in GTD! I'm actually excited to see all that God has in store!! GTD 2.0 is going to be mega God-awesome!!!

Going The Distance Adventure Ministry
God-awesome Adventures Since 1996!

CELEBRATING 30 YEARS OF MINISTRY!
(1996 - 2026)

 

 

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KIRSTEN IS REBUILDING GTD's VOLUNTEER DEPARTMENT!! ...CHECK IT OUT & SignUp TODAY!!

  
Throughout the year we get several people interested in volunteering for GTD. We had a system in place, but it was getting outdated and a little clunky. Enter Kirsten! She is building an exhaustive list of Volunteer Opportunities on SignUp.com ... it's free and easy to use for all ages, generations, & technological capabilities. Click on the link below to see our current list of Volunteer Opportunities:

https://signup.com/mobileweb/2.0/vspot.html?groupkey=7538229480103#group_page

After selecting something to volunteer for she will contact you with next steps.

(Hint: next steps for non-event volunteers is to complete a very quick New Volunteer Questionnaire while next steps for anyone interested in volunteering on actual GTD trips & events is to complete a longer application called the Event VOLUNTEER Application Form as well as complete a background check. The links are below.)

Thank you in advance for serving God & others through serving this ministry!!

New Volunteer Questionnaire:
https://gtdbullhorn.blogspot.com/p/new-volunteer-questionnaire.html?m=1

Event VOLUNTEER Application Form:
https://gtdbullhorn.blogspot.com/p/event-volunteer-application-form.html?m=1

Great job Kirsten!! You are already making a big impact in GTD!

 

 

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GA BOUND! ...30 YEARS OF GTD ADVENTURE TRIPS, HERE WE COME!!

  
Carson and I are on our way up to get one of the GTD trucks & trailers, and start setting up for our first Adventure Trip of the summer as we celebrate 30 years of ministry!! Wow, from 1996 to 2026 we have never missed a year of running summer camps - thank you Jesus! Lake Rabun in northeast Georgia, here we come =)

Going The Distance Adventure Ministry
God-awesome Adventures Since 1996!

 

 

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JOIN GTD FOR THE SUMMER OF FUN!! ...2 TRIPS DOWN & 4 TO GOOOOO!!!

  
Looking for something fun to do this summer?! GTD has got you covered! Join us on one of our upcoming God-awesome adventures:

> FRENZY Shark Fishing $30 (June 14)

> SLAMMED 5-Day Adventure Trip in NC $30 (July 11-15)

> GLOW Bioluminescent Nite Paddle FREE (Aug 14)

> GO VERTICAL Rock Climbing Trip in GA $30 (Sept 5-9)

"It's cheaper to go on a GTD trip than it is to stay at home!"

Check out our Upcoming Public Events on the left side menu!

Going The Distance Adventure Ministry
God-awesome Adventures Since 1996!

CELEBRATING 30 YEARS (1996-2026) !!!

 

 

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IT'S TIME TO GET IN A FRENZY! ...GTD'S NEXT PUBLIC EVENT IS NOW OPEN FOR REGISTRATION!!

  
GTD is partnering with Carson Vescovi / Run For The Reels for our next public event >>> Land Based Shark Fishing on the evening of June 14, 2026 in the St Pete Beach area!! Cost is $30 and there is a limit of 12 spots! We can't wait for this God-awesome man-eater event LOL!

For Details & Registration click on this link.

 

 

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LIQUID WAS SOOOOOO GOOD!!! EVERYTHING THAT COULD GO RIGHT DID GO RIGHT!!

   

With so many variables and moving parts it's rare to have a perfect trip, but that's how I would grade our LIQUID Kayaking Day Trip this past Saturday - absolutely perfect!! The perfect group, the perfect staff & volunteers, the perfect weather, the perfect activity, the perfect location, the perfect day, the perfect time of the day, the perfect plan, the perfect execution, honoring & serving The Perfect God!! I even hit every green light on my way to the trip lol! I don't think any of us wanted the event to end! In sports they call it being "in the zone"... that rare time when you hit 4 home runs in one game. We had several new participants along with several regulars... all ages, races, and backgrounds. Carson did a fantastic job welcoming everyone, Taylor did a fantastic job signing everyone in, Kirsten did a fantastic job inviting people to volunteer & get more involved in GTD, Stacy did a fantastic job delivering our devotions and altar call, Katie did a fantastic job helping everyone out, Traci did a fantastic job shuttling people back to the start, and we all worked together like a well oiled machine prepping gear, preparing lunch, launching kayaks, navigating the route, water blasting each other (haha!), encouraging & having fun together, rinsing off the gear, loading everything back up, & getting everybody back safely!! Wow, it was such a blessed day!! I'm still savoring every minute of it! Thank You Jesus for blessing us with such a perfect day!! And thank you to all of our supporters, encouragers, & prayer warriors for making days like this possible! You share in the fruit of this event because you helped plant, water, & pray!! I'm forever grateful ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ 

 

You can see all the pictures & videos from the trip on this link...

2026 LIQUID Online Photo Album

 

 

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MOM & DAD ARE STILL MAKING AN IMPACT FROM HEAVEN!

  
We are prepping for our kayaking trek tomorrow and one of our trucks sprung a fuel leak (we have fixed it a couple of times, but the repair isn't holding and no time to address it again before the trip) so we are using Dad's van as our back-up vehicle. And we are using Mom's car as one of our "taxis" at the take-out location. I kept our parent's vehicles and use them regularly (I guess it's a way that I keep their memory constantly alive). Something feels so right about using their vehicles for tomorrow's event. Mom & Dad were our number 1 supporters, and they are continuing to support the ministry even after they got 2 tickets to paradise ❤️ ❤️ 

 

 

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GOD IS UP TO SOMETHING SPECIAL!

  
Each week there are a few new positive developments in GTD. All I keep saying is that God is up to something special. We can see His fingerprints on so many things. I meet weekly with different staff, volunteers, pastors, & people just generally interested in being a part of what God is doing. And I meet regularly with Carson, Laurie, Stacy, Andrew, Kirsten, Wendy, & others as God prepares us as He launches this ministry into the next 30 years. Our focus is on "abiding in the Vine" (John 15) knowing that ministry isn't powered through "MANpower", but rather through Holy Spirit power (‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty. - Zechariah 4:6) and unless God does it then we are just wasting our time ("Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain." - Psalms 127:1). So we aren't being presumptuous acting like we know exactly what God is up to, but in faith we see that He is at work building something and giving us little indications, reminders, and "clues" that He is definitely up to something special! We are also experiencing significant amounts of spiritual warfare along the way which seems to suggest that our advisory is trying to stop something Godly & special from happening. So we are doing our part simply abiding in the Vine and taking steps of faith & obedience as He instructs us or opens doors of opportunities 😀. Pray with us that God is greatly glorified, that GTD bears much fruit for His glory, and the devil takes another loss 🙏 

 

 

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MY ALL-TIME FAVORITE SONG YOU'VE NEVER HEARD OF ...LULLABY BY GHOTI HOOK!

  
Like everyone I have countless favorite songs, but if you asked me to pick just one all-time favorite song then without hesitation or a blink of an eye I would wholeheartedly say that "Lullaby" by Ghoti Hook from their 2000 album "Two Years To Never" is my favorite song of all-time... it makes me want to workout, run 10 miles, never wear a mask of fake-ness, have the courage to confess the failings I'm ashamed of, acknowledge the constant ongoing spiritual battle between the flesh & spirit, rise from the canvas when I've been knocked down, strive for a life that glorifies God, and become a better man... all in one song!

I feel like this song is my personal anthem as if someone wrote this song exactly for me and about me. It starts out very unassuming with a piano entry and crescendos into a garage band grunge / rock song that inspires every fiber of my soul. You'll probably hate it, but that will only make me love it even more =)

A line in the song says:
"Always a fight for me to change
Into the man you want me to be"

This is my spiritual fight song! It reminds me of when Jesus said, "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak" (Matthew 26:41). Life doesn't become easier when you start following Jesus; it becomes a spiritual street fight against an advisory that hates your guts and schemes 24/7 on how to kill, steal, & destroy you. But praise God, we have the Holy Spirit, the armor of God, the Word of God, the promises of God, and a Savior that has given us a pathway to victory: "But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 15:57)... and even with all those assets for victory I can still be defeated if I don't use them and fight back in the power of the Holy Spirit. I know many Christians who are daily defeated just driving in rush hour traffic. I digress lol

Anyways, in case you're interested haha, here's the song you've never heard of and may wish you never heard if you choose to listen:

Lullaby by Ghoti Hook
https://youtu.be/wlZGOcxoiZo?si=JlqI5KcB3jZaZGDR

 

 

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1 WEEK TILL GTD'S NEXT FREE EVENT!!

  

LIQUID KAYAKING DAY TRIP (May 16, 2026)

Join us for a fun day in God's amazing playground for our annual LIQUID Kayaking Day Trip on May 16, 2026 (that's on a Saturday) 9:00am - 1:00pm.

GTD supplies all the kayaks and equipment!

Location: Boca Ciega Bay & Long Bayou (St Petersburg / Seminole, FL) launching from War Veterans Memorial Park =)

Cost: FREE (includes lunch!!)

Click here for all the details & to register.
 
Going The Distance Adventure Ministry
God-awesome Adventures Since 1996!

 

 

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2 WEEKS TILL GTD'S NEXT FREE EVENT!!

  
Join us for a fun day in God's amazing playground for our annual LIQUID Kayaking Day Trip on May 16, 2026 (that's on a Saturday) 9:00am - 1:00pm.

GTD supplies all the kayaks and equipment!

Location: Boca Ciega Bay & Long Bayou (St Petersburg / Seminole, FL) launching from War Veterans Memorial Park =)

Cost: FREE (includes lunch!!)

Click here for all the details & to register.
 
Going The Distance Adventure Ministry
God-awesome Adventures Since 1996!

 

 

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