It’s not every day you hear about someone going from handing out water bottles at a 5K to trekking across the U.S., spearheading outdoor discipleship moments. But that’s exactly what happened. This story is a testimony to what God can do when someone says “YES” — again and again.
From the early days of volunteering at the Running Water 5K, to participating in the 2022 White Mountains Backpacking Trek (WMBT), to affiliating with New International, and now directing Ends Hiking under the Ends Adventures umbrella — it has been a journey marked by obedience, surrender, and faith.
This is more than a personal story. It is the unfolding of a movement — a boots-on-the-ground mission to awaken the hearts of this nation and reach the ends of the Earth with the Gospel, one step at a time.
It started with a “YES” that didn’t feel particularly revolutionary at the time. Volunteering at the Running Water 5K was just a way to serve — to give back and support a cause that resonated. I passed out water bottles, cheered on runners, helped set up and tear down. It was humble, behind-the-scenes work — unnoticed by most, but fully seen by God.
But something deeper was stirring.
The presence of God at those Running Water 5K events was unmistakable. From the pre-race prayers to the joy on runners’ faces to the community that gathered — it was clear this wasn’t just a charity run. It was sacred ground. A spiritual battleground.
Over the six years I volunteered with the Running Water 5K, I got to know Justin Hanneken and began learning about what Ends Cycling was up to. I watched the way their team lived on mission, using adventure as a vehicle for impact, and it stirred something in me. I did not know it at the time, but God was preparing me for something much bigger.
Do you remember when you first began following Jesus? Fervent, zealous, and bold — those are a few words I think many of us can relate to. A few years back, around 2019, I prayed a bold prayer: “God, I don’t want to live just an average, boring life with you. I want to live an adventurous, faith-filled, Kingdom-expanding life with you.”
That prayer sat in my heart like a fire. I didn’t know exactly what it meant or where it would lead — but I meant every word.
Fast forward to 2022. I came across an opportunity to join the White Mountains Backpacking Trek (WMBT). I am not much of a cyclist, so when I saw a hiking-based mission experience, I was all in. Around that same time, the word “missions” began echoing in my spirit.
Missions? I asked God. Doing what? I did not have clarity, but I knew the next step was obedience — and that meant signing up for the WMBT.
So, with a bit of hesitation but a greater dose of courage, I registered, and began preparing for the trek.
The 2022 White Mountains Backpacking Trek was not a walk in the park. It was hard. It was rigorous. It stretched me physically, mentally, and spiritually. But it was also stunningly beautiful — everything I hoped it would be.
I was looking for something that would challenge me. Something that would shake me out of my comfort. Something that would deepen my faith. And that is exactly what I got.
It was in those moments of exhaustion, silence, and awe that I sensed the presence of God the most. We weren not just hiking — we were worshiping in the wilderness. We were interceding with our footsteps. We were encountering God in the elevation.
Some of the most powerful moments were spontaneous — prayers over new friends, conversations with strangers, and handing out poems to the High Mountain Hut workers, as they served us hot meals and bunk beds each evening in the beautiful AMC huts. And then, there was one specific moment that changed everything.
Dave Wherle, who was directing the WMBT at the time, had been walking with us throughout the trek. One day, as we were descending from the alpine zone, carefully stepping over massive stones, Dave turned to me and casually said:
“You should be a part of our team.”
It might sound simple. But for me, it was everything. That sentence connected every dot — from the prayer I’d prayed in 2019, to the stirrings about missions, to the steps I was taking in the mountains. I knew right then:
God was inviting me into missions through adventure.
That was my “YES.” Again.
After the trek, there was a natural transition — not into rest, but into deeper formation. That’s when I began the process of affiliating with New International. New International isn’t just about logistics — it’s about transformation.
Their mission is to disciple people deeply, to help them discover what God is calling them to, and to walk with them in it. One of their cornerstone questions is:
“What is God calling you to?”
That question shaped me. This season of preparation stripped away my striving, worry, and fear — and replaced those emotions with intimacy, trust, and faith. The teachings, the mentorship, and the community at New International became a firm foundation for everything that followed.
Being part of New International is special. Being part of the Ends Adventures team is life-giving.
While discerning what my role within Ends Adventures could be, a simple, yet powerful, question dropped into my heart:
What if we walked with intentionality?
What if hiking wasn’t just for fun or fitness (although I love both), but became a way to carry the Gospel? What if trails became our mission field?
I thought about dirt paths, rugged mountain passes, small towns, quiet valleys, and summit moments — and I realized:
This was my answered prayer.
God had shown me a way to live out that 2019 prayer — a life of adventure, faith, and Kingdom expansion.
So I stepped into it. As Jesus said, “Walk by faith and not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7)
Ends Hiking ( EndsHiking.com ) is an active hiking community impacting youth globally. We give people, who want to change the world, opportunities to use hiking as a tool to bring the hope of the Gospel to global youth through multi-day, Christ-centered hiking events.
Our hikes are more than physical — they are spiritual. They are discipleship in motion.
We gather people from all backgrounds and ages — students, young adults, mentors, missionaries — and take them into the wilderness to disconnect from the everyday world and reconnect with the Creator. To worship. To pray. To walk in step with Jesus. And to invite others to do the same. Check out our 2025 events below.
Ends Cycling is now a part of a bigger family – Ends Adventures! CLICK HERE and take a peek at how this entire ministry is growing and expanding!
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We are an active bicycling community impacting youth globally. We give people who want to change the world opportunities to use cycling to bring the hope of the Gospel to global youth through multi-day, Christ-centered bicycling tours.
New International
Attn: Ends of the Earth Cycling
2701 Cleveland Ave. #200
Fort Myers, FL 33901
