Trail Life Testimony
I signed my son up for Trail Life because I enjoyed my time in scouting and thought he would too. I had no idea what an amazing impact Trail Life would have on both of our lives.
I could barely get my five-year-old to say the blessing before family dinner before we joined Trail Life, but at our second meeting, the Trail Guide asked for a volunteer to say the prayer and my son raised his hand. I was surprised at his eagerness, but my heart melted when he thanked God for Trail Life. I knew we'd joined a great organization.
On the right, the night he advanced from Woodlands to Navigator.
Three years later, his third grade teacher sent home a small brown paper lunch sack and asked the students to take an item for show-and-tell on the first day of school. My son chose an old compass. That night I asked why he took a compass (that he didn't know how to use) instead of a new toy he'd gotten, and he said, "Because it reminds me that Jesus is the way, and I wanted to tell my friends about Jesus."
He'd remembered a lesson I'd taught five months earlier about Map Skills. That night I told the boys that in life, we need to know which way to turn. We need a map, the Bible is our map, and Jesus is our compass because He shows us the way. That made enough impact on my son to inspire him to share his love of Jesus with new classmates on the first day of school.
And not only has it helped him grow closer to God, but it's helped us bond as father and son. Some of our best memories are from Trail Life events, like camping, canoeing, and fishing, but also playing Battleship on an actual battleship and building pine cars together.
And Trail Life is great for dads, too. As Proverbs 27:17 says, "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." Trail Life allows us to surround ourselves with Godly men, all fathers of sons about the same age in the same community with similar interests. My Trail Life friends have been invaluable in the years I've known them.
Your results may vary, but I can tell you that you get more back from Trail Life than you put into it. If you and your son are serious about finding a Christian adventure program, you'll love Trail Life and the time and experiences you'll share with your son.
-BB
