T-minus 48 hours

Tomorrow we leave for Georgia!!! My grandparents will be taking us down there in their tour bus sized RV, and we will be hitting the trail on Monday. This past week has flown by! We've moved out of our first apartment, packed all our belongings for six months of storage, payed final bills, shuffled around savings, and generally enjoyed each other's company. Lately (since the new year), I've come to view my wife as more of my partner. She's always been my best-friend, but our relationship is growing into a stage of partnership. Yes, I will always be her husband and she my wife, but it has become something so much greater :)

We are so appreciative of all the well wishes we have received. Monday night we had a goodbye party for my brother-in-law who is now a Marine and going onto another training school. Thursday night we got to have dinner with Ryan and Mindy Redfeairen--truly an extraordinary couple full of love and zeal for the Lord. Then tonight, we had dinner with my whole family. Tomorrow we'll have a nice farewell breakfast with the family and be on the road by 7 A.M. Our packs are packed and everything is set to go. My pack weighs in at 29lbs fully stocked with 4 days of food and my water bottle filled. I'd like it to be closer to 26lbs, but I think I'll manage. Dawn's pack tips the scales around 27lbs fully packed and with 34 ounces of waters as well.

God has been so good in providing for all aspects of this trip. At this point it's time to put our hands to the plow and not look back. I find myself lately focusing on the simplicity of Jesus ministry, and I can't help but gravitate to that in a world that makes life so complicated, life as a Christian, when cut down to its simplest form, is all about loving one another with the love God shows us and being doers of the will of God. You might say, "Jeremy, there's no way I can know the will of God!" But we absolutely can. Don't over complicate it. Jesus said it best in Matthew 22:39, to "Love God and to love your neighbor." If you have no other starting point at discerning the will of God for your life start with loving Him, and being a conduit to others of the same love he showed us.  

If anybody has any questions about our trip that we can answer please feel free to leave them in the comment section and we'll do our best to answer them. Or send me or Dawn an email to: jerqin@gmail.com or dkuehn0517@gmail.com

No Fear Here!!

This past weekend Dawn and I took our first multi-night backpacking trip.  We backpacked for 4-days and 37-miles over mostly ice and snow covered Ozark Mountains on the Buffalo River.  I must say that it went great!  We recently changed up most of our gear, and it netted us a combined pack weight reduction of almost 7 pounds.  This trip Dawn felt much more comfortable in her new Osprey pack (last time her old pack gave her bruises on both shoulders).  My new Granite Gear pack was awesome, and I've even managed to grow my fullest beard to date in my 23.9 years of being.

This trip for me was a jog down memory lane.  I've trekked the trail we did a good half-dozen times in years gone by.  It was even the sight of my first backpacking trip when my Dad first took me.  During this trip I kept singing a song I heard in the movie O' Brother Where Art Thou.  It goes "In the highways, and in the hedges I'll be working for my Lord."  I find myself praying a lot while I hike, just spending some quality time with The Lord.  Jesus wasn't lying when he said he would not leave us as orphans but that he would send us peace, and the Holy Spirit as a comforter.  On our car ride home Dawn and I were talking about our experience and we both remarked how vulnerable it feels when we go to sleep.  Everything from wild boars, black bears, bobcats, and coyotes run around at night.  I know that most of them are very skittish, but none the less going to sleep in the dark with only a thin peace of polyurethane between us and the outside isn't the most secure feeling.  That was when I found myself praying the most.  Am I afraid of the dark?  Not in the least, but the mind always tries to play tricks.  Do not be paralyzed by fear, take hold of the promise of peace in Gods' Word and do not let go.  God is faithful to watch over his children, and He is most definitely faithful to perform what he spoke in his word.

All that to say this.  I've come to the conclusion that no matter what we are doing, if it's worth doing there will be challenges.  Fear will come at you and anxiety will try and have its' way with your mind, but God did not give us these feelings.

I'm so excited to go hike the A.T. with my beautiful wife.  She has become the best camping partner, and has been very diligent to learn everything she can.  She was also very forgiving of how I smelled after 4 days of hiking and no shower; it is something she will have to get used to on the A.T.  Here are a couple pics from this weeks hiking adventure.

Awesome fire on the last night

Our very cozy Nemo tent

Ice covered steps

At the very end of our trip.

We Keep Walking

     It has been a while since we last posted, but so much has happened since. First, the Lord has fully funded our hiking budget 2 ½ months ahead of schedule; meaning, we will have that much extra on the hike.  Having more than enough is a good thing! Second, we received our Thru-Hikers Companion. It is a comprehensive guide to all things pertaining to the A.T., which will be useful when we need little things like food, water, and a place to rest our heads. Third, and greatest of all, the Lord has been growing us in his Word, daily.

     For me, backpacking has been a life-long enjoyment. My father began taking me to the Buffalo National River when I was seven years old. We would go religiously at least two times every winter from then until my mid-teens. I learned a lot of lessons on these trips, but none rings more relevant than the time our stove broke. It was our first night out of what was supposed to be a three-day adventure along a 12-mile trail. We had already finished cooking and boiling water for the night when my dad noticed white gas (stove fuel) seeping out of the fuel line. At that point, I didn’t grasp the gravity of the situation. I figured we could just patch it up with some duck tape and keep on keeping on. Little did I know, I was to learn another lesson the next morning.

     As I mentioned earlier, we always went backpacking in the winter. We did that because there are less people, bugs, ticks, and snakes this time of year; therefore, making it perfect for a father and son get away. When we woke it was probably hovering in the mid-20’s, and I was ready for my hot oatmeal to warm me up and get me going for the day. I was greeted with cold oatmeal, a pop tart, and no coffee. Being at the ripe age of 12, I became unhappy with the situation to say the least. I asked my dad, “What do we do now?”  His response has always been my “go to” when things get tough.  “We keep walking,” he replied. What a simple idea; what a valuable concept of life. Countless times I have witnessed people at work, school, and church confront a tough time and become overwhelmed by it. Now, if I was confronted with that same situation I had when I was 12, walking the remaining eight miles to the end wouldn’t be that much of a challenge. However, my perspectives have changed, and I have grown from my experiences. Without that “get it done” attitude I would venture to say, I wouldn’t have matured into who I am today—the person who is planning to walk from Georgia to Maine.

     Jesus never promised us an easy life. In fact, He told us we would encounter many of the same problems as everyone else and often persecution for our beliefs, but He never said to take it lying down. Jesus said in Mark 4:35, “Let us cross to the other side.” I like to focus on Him stating it would be “us” crossing—as in Jesus and I crossing together. He will never leave me nor forsake me. So, whether it is a 12-mile trail on the Buffalo River, the 2,175-mile Appalachian Trail, or living life from beginning to end, Jesus is always right there with us. He knows what it’s like to carry a heavy burden through blood, sweat, and tears. Dawn and I will follow Him close, and we will always “keep walking.”

Preparation

    As I write this post, my mind scampers to and fro all the miscellaneous things we have left to do before the trail. With the New Year rolling in, the days are getting shorter and we are getting closer to the initiation of our hike. It's hard for me to sit still without squealing in giddy. No more 8-5, no more alarm clocks, no more "to-do" lists, no more staring at a computer all day instead of being outside, and no more having to plan a month in advance to go backpacking for a weekend. The ultimate point is what we have been saving, slaving, braving, and praying for the last 6-7 months is FINALLY around the bend. It is surreal to say the least.

    Are we ready for the trail? Yes and No. Some days more than others. We have been preparing though--Mind, Body, Spirit, and Savings.

    We're building our mind by researching past thru-hiker's experience. We're finding what worked and didn't work, and using discernment for own decisions. We've been scouting out the best and lightest gear. We've purchased items and returned them numerous times due to better findings. It's been trial and error thus far, and we have yet to begin.

    Our body preparation isn't the foremost focus because we are both well fit and enjoy a healthy lifestyle. We run an average of 5.5 miles 2-3 times a week. Jeremy does some addition workouts, but I just stick to the running....and eating.

    Our Spirit preparation is our number one priority, and it will continue to be. We our building our Spirit in the Word. We are seeking new revelation day in and day out. We want this hike to serve as a purpose. Not only for the ultra, amazing endeavor we plan to accomplish, but for the main purpose of showing others how good The Lord is and His unconditional love. We are here for His glory not our own.

    The last preparation is our savings. We have been WORKING. By that, I mean we have been doing almost anything that pays that is legal. Okay, maybe not to that extent but we have been working A LOT. Jeremy has been at his main job and got a part-time job at a clothing/outdoor store to help fund our trip. He also does the billing and some deliveries for his grandmother's business, and he does all sorts of odd jobs from working for his parents around the house to mowing lawns, cleaning windows, etc. His work ethnic is over and above average. I've been working my main job, and babysit and housesit on the side every chance I get. We've also received some generous gifts from friends and loved ones. Every 2 dollars counts for 1 mile paid for per person.  The total miles walked between the both of us will be 4,400 (aprox. 2,200 miles from GA to ME), making the trip $8,800 total. Also to note, that does not include bills covered while we are gone or gear replacement. Needless-to-say, every bit of income helps.

    Not only have we been working all we can, but we have been living off of the bare necessities. No monthly shopping sprees, no pedicures/manicures, no eating out every week, no frivolous spending, etc. We've limited our spending to food, shelter, transportation, tithe & offerings, gifts, and gear. The rest goes towards our trip. It has been nothing but rewarding so far. The Lord has blessed us with every good thing and we lack for nothing. We truly value the simplicity of life. I sure am glad we enjoy it now because life is about to get a whole lot simpler in the next couple months...