FINDING A NEW FREEDOM WITH JESUS

Indonesia 2014. I was on a tiny island on a mind-blowing surfing trip, and there I felt God awaken my heart to something new. No cell service or wi-fi was accessible for miles. All safety nets were gone, but I felt free, completely free. This trip was like nothing I had ever experienced. A few months later, I injured my back, and couldn’t do anything physical. I was in chronic nerve pain for three months, which felt like a prison. This was one of the most difficult seasons of my life, yet I experienced a new sense of freedom in this unlikely place. I drew into Jesus. His presence was palpable, and it was there that he birthed a new dream in my heart. I discovered a connection between Adventure and Freedom. I realized that adventure can unlock something in a man. It seemed to me that if a man feels fear, but steps through it knowing the risk, he will find freedom! With this new idea, I set out to provide opportunities for risk and adventure, inviting men to question their fears. My first Adventure Freedom journey began January 2017, the stormiest day of the year. Ten guys crammed into a 41′ sailboat, and set sail in the rain, sailing 13 hours through the night. Our destination was a deserted island off the coast of California. At the beginning of our trip, I quoted Yvon Chouinard, the Founder of Patagonia, who said, “The adventure doesn’t begin until something goes wrong.”  Well, it turned out I unknowingly led these guys 90 miles out to sea on a sinking ship! We also ran out of water and fuel due to broken gauges, and we lost our main anchor. It was intense and scary. But the most liberating part of the journey, despite the trauma and set-backs, was realizing we are not in control. We were at the mercy of God, and He met our every need. He sustained us, and we survived. The experience taught us all what it is like to rely on God. When He is our only option, life gets a lot more exciting. Life with Jesus is the ultimate adventure, and He unlocks greater freedoms than we can possibly dream.