Adventuresome Soul

Spencer Nicholl

Description

A self-professed adrenaline junky chronicles his inspiring experiences as he sought adventure, eventually accepted God into his heart, and changed his direction in life.

Spencer Nicholl, a self-professed adrenaline junky, was once unaware of the ultimate source of life and adventure. As a result, he continually welcomed risk and the unknown while seeking epic experiences and the subsequent rush the only way he knew how.



In a fascinating narrative, Nicholl chronicles his life experiences fueled by a thirst for adventure that placed him on a trajectory that only left him craving more. While detailing his journey through childhood and then from college to the Alaskan bush for a two-year hiatus, Nicholl candidly reveals how his youthful desire for excitement and to fill a great emptiness inside eventually led him on a dangerous brown bear hunt—and to a life-changing revelation that the source of true adventure was in building a relationship with God. While sharing how this revelation changed his direction and moved him beyond North America to embrace many diverse experiences, Nicholl encourages seekers to step into their own adventures, guided by God.



“… Story after story of raw adventure guaranteed to reawaken you to something God has hardwired into each one of our souls.”

—Doug Pollock, speaker and author of God Space

Sujets

• Religion
• Christianisme
• Spiritual Growth
• Christian Living
• Philosophie et théologie
• Adventure (Guyana)
• Outdoors
• Travel
• Adventure

Informations

• Publié par: WestBow Press
• Date de parution: 01 février 2022
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781664255371
• Langue: English

Extrait

ADVENTURESOME

Life Stories of an Adrenaline Junky
 
 
 
 
SPENCER NICHOLL

 
 
 

 
 
Copyright © 2022 Spencer Nicholl.
 
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
 
This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.
 
 
 
WestBow Press
A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan
1663 Liberty Drive
Bloomington, IN 47403
www.westbowpress.com
844-714-3454
 
Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.
 
Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.
 
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
 
Scripture quotations marked (NIV) taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973 1978 1984 2011 by Biblica, Inc. TM
Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
 
ISBN: 978-1-6642-5538-8 (sc)
ISBN: 978-1-6642-5539-5 (hc)
ISBN: 978-1-6642-5537-1 (e)
 
Library of Congress Control Number: 2022900544
 
 
 
WestBow Press rev. date: 01/04/2023
 
 
“If I could choose one man for my sons to emulate, it would be Spencer Nicholl. He is a one-of-a-kind blend of deeply spiritual leader, missionary explorer, common sense philosopher, and rugged outdoorsman. In Adventuresome Soul , Spencer takes us along on his wild journey from reluctant enthusiast to true believer. He lives out what the wannabes can only dream of. I was deeply touched, thoroughly entertained, as well as moved to action by his writing. Adventuresome Soul merits shelf space in any outdoorsman’s library. On second thought, DO NOT relegate this book to the shelf; that would be a sin! Once finished reading this book, place it in the hands of an adventurous non-believer. Then you too will be emulating Spencer—by leading others to Christ.”
—Randy Ulmer
Member of Archery Hall of Fame, Bowhunter’s Hall of Fame and renowned big-game hunter
“ Warning : Reading this book could be hazardous to mundane living. If you’re looking for a shot of ‘adventure espresso,’ Spencer will quickly become your favorite barista as he serves up story after story of raw adventure guaranteed to reawaken you to something God has hardwired into each one of our souls.”
—Doug Pollock
Speaker and author of God Space and coauthor of Irresistible Evange lism
From the mountains of Colorado to the ice of Siberia, Spencer Nicholl and I have shared more adventures than I can count. Adventuresome Soul is one man’s soul journey from a worship of creation to a life saturated by the Creator’s heart and love for people and the beautiful artwork of His creation. We have hunted bears, moose, cougars, mountain goats, deer, elk and pronghorn together! Spencer’s skills in the outdoors sets him apart from most but his greatest skill is taking the pure milk of God’s wisdom and making it accessible to all. He is a pastor’s pastor and to call him friend is one of my greatest gifts in life. The true stories you are about to read will read you.
—John Mark Lamb
Professor at Colorado Christian University and CRU staff member for 45 years
Men like Ernest Shackleton and Teddy Roosevelt had the privilege of living in the golden age of exploration, uncovering geological secrets, and making first boot tracks on the South Pole and first voyage of the River of Doubt. In many ways, we are living in the final days of another golden age and have the honor of bringing the message of God and his Kingdom to far-flung communities who have never been offered Christ’s love in this way before. Spencer Nicholl is one of the rare men who for decades has given a sacrificial and heroic yes to traveling the globe as an ambassador of the fullness of Life to those in need. Gathering antics from Mongolia to Iraq, Sudan to Russia, and many geographies in between, Spencer has shared with us a one-of-a-kind memoir filled with God-fueled stories that will beckon even the timid in heart to take one more step into the kind of adventures that make the souls of men come alive. With humor, wit, and moments of faith that could move mountains, Adventuresome Soul invites us behind the curtain into Spencer’s global Kingdom adventures, leaving us to scratch our heads in wonder at the prevailing wildness and goodness of the heart of God. It’s been said that when a man walks with God from the heart, every day is an adventure. Spencer breaks the limits of what’s possible with God and invites us to do the same.
Morgan Snyder
Author, Becoming a King
Vice President, Wild at Heart
Founder, BecomeGoodSoil.com
CONTENTS
Acknowledgments
Preface
Introduction
Chapter 1 Adventure is Caught
Chapter 2 North to Alaska
Chapter 3 Bush or Bust
Chapter 4 Father Spencer?
Chapter 5 The Return of Two Prodigals
Chapter 6 Guided by God
Chapter 7 Goodbye and Sam Bino!
Chapter 8 The Price is Right
Chapter 9 Want to lose some weight?
Chapter 10 The world is round and has IVs
Chapter 11 My Second
Chapter 12 Siberia and a baby
Chapter 13 Always Another Way
Chapter 14 Joys and Pain
Chapter 15 Planes, Trains, and Taxis
Chapter 16 The Wild West
Chapter 17 Door or Barf Bag
Chapter 18 Missionary meets 007
Chapter 19 Fear can lead to faith
Chapter 20 Don’t Run. Hide!
Chapter 21 Wanna Go to Iraq?
Chapter 22 The Adventurer
Conclusion – The Adventure Continues
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
T o Annette, Andrew, and Kate:
You three inspire and encourage me. Where would I be without you? And to those—you know who you are—who have been such a part of my journey, both the adventurous souls and the faith-filled souls, thank you! Some of you have led me; others have infused me with the courage I lacked. Some of you have locked arms with me and been partners along the way. None of us walk alone, and the race we are running was never meant to be an individual event. Thank you, team!
PREFACE
T his book was written in part because I could no longer ignore the advice and encouragement from a handful of people to write it. They gave advice and encouragement to record the stories, to tell them in a way so they would last, and to tell them for my kids and their kids. This book is also written to reveal the power of God to draw a person to himself and extend an invitation into a faith journey packed with adventure. This journey, guided by the Father, has led me around the globe to places and people I had only dreamed of—from Alaska to Mongolia and Siberia, from Sudan to Iraq, to name a few. God has coaxed me to keep coming closer to him, and each step has revealed a grander and more purposeful adventure. Next to my computer, where I sit writing, is a collage of photos taken with Annette, my partner in this adventure and the love of my life. They include the two of us at Petra and Machu Pichu; in a boat on the canals of Brugge, Belgium; at a waterfall in Cameroon; and along the banks of the Jordan River.
As you read this, hopefully you will see not only adventure but also the power of God to change a person. Each step I have taken closer to him is a journey of going deeper into a relationship with the God of the universe and deeper into a life lived for his purpose. I sincerely hope that through these pages you will laugh, maybe learn, and listen more closely for God’s voice. My prayer, as you read, is that your desire for the author and the perfecter of your faith will increase and inspire a willingness to step closer and into his adventure for you.
INTRODUCTION
I t was only twelve miles on US Highway 50 from the tiny town of Parlin to Gunnison. But Annette, my wife, covered it in record time. I tried not to look over at the speedometer, since I didn’t really want to know how fast she was driving, and I didn’t want to distract her, which is also why I just turned and looked out the window. Tears puddled in the corners of my eyes and started to run down my cheeks, and I didn’t want those to be a distraction either. I knew they would if she saw them or my red face.
If you are driving upwards of ninety miles per hour, you really need to focus singularly on that task. My wife was doing a great job. I, on the other hand, wasn’t doing so well. We had left our house about fifteen minutes earlier with me behind the wheel. We were on our way to meet our daughter, Kate, for a bite of dinner before attending the “Night of Lights” on Main Street in Gunnison. Turning on all the Christmas lights that adorned the light poles for several blocks and lighting the huge Christmas tree were an annual event. Lots of people packed the streets, and it really was a great time to be with our community. It was a street party of sort