Good luck Mark. Hope to talk with ya soon. Going to miss working with you at the Nebraska State Trappers convention.

Hopefully you'll still have time to trap 105 bobcats

Good luck to you young fella. It is never easy to change directions but you obviously have a calling.
Peace to you

Mac

Mark and Donna, Best of luck. I'm sure you will both make a difference in the lives of many along this new path. Your communication skills will be an asset to those who hear the message.

Best of luck

Paloduro, huntinhal, and Minkguy,

Humbling to get so many well-wishers from y'all... thank you from Donna and I both.

Donna and I just got back from Dallas seminary's campus visit day today and what a wonderful experience we both had. Chuck Swindoll, a DTS grad, was the chapel speaker and when I tell you he is an articulate, passionate, gifted pastor... well, it was a truly inspirational message from him along with many others today. Blessedly, humbly, rich.

DTS was started and is today noted as a seminary that teaches all 66 books of Scripture, along with the Hebrew and Greek languages so I'll have to prayerfully ask God for assistance at every step along the way FOR SURE.

And nope, no way I can trap as many critters these next 4 years. Focus will be more time with my wife (on and off the trap line), kids & grandkids, and of course God's calling.

Sure hope you don't use religion to promote your products.

Best of luck to you Mark. God Bless

Oh brother!

tbn... I'd like to hear you explain that one...

Sure,I accepted the Lord 30 some years ago,I see all kinds playing the Jesus card to benefit themselves. I just hope this is not the case. Nothing more,nothing less.

Wow! What a crass thing to say. Mark has been around a long time and his reputation and character speaks volumes. I can assure you he won't be "playing the Jesus card." I've been a believer for about 35 years and have a pretty good feel for people. Mark and Donna are stand-up people that don't deserve that kind of scrutiny. I remember Mark and Tom Miranda setting up at our MI State Convention MANY years ago and have nothing but respect for him. I'm done.

Best wishes on your new journey.

Dustytinner, my sincere thanks for the nice regards.

tbn in MI, our old stomping grounds. No harm, no foul friend. I had a couple PMs "warning me" about using religion to self-promote and I smiled as I read them. Kind of reminds me of church where I elder and shepherd a lot of good folk.

But if you really think about it, spending full time tuition & books & many other ancillary expenses over the course of a 4 year seminary study in no way would/could financially benefit a trapping supply (or any other biz). Not by a LONG shot!

Donna and I have simply decided to be obedient and trusting to a plan we believe God has placed in front of us. No more complex or complicated than that.
I will say that all of us in life are atuned to having a goal and working towards it. Some are better at it than others. Want to catch 50 coyotes, you probably know what you need to get done. Need more land. Need more traps. Have to get time off work to trap, etc. You plan the work and work the plan as they say.

In His kingdom, perhaps the most perplexing part of the equation is "what is the goal?" and what do we need to do to get there... when you don't actually know the entire plan.
God works on His time, not ours and He doesn't usually show us ALL THE PLAN, even when we wish it were so.
So we learn to trust and obey and as He cares for the sparrow, so shall He tend to us.

Mark

Good luck In your new endeavor.
Probably won't be long and Mark will have his own TV evangelist show. Someone has to replace Jim Baker and Tammy Faye. LOl

Good luck Mark

Beav,

Good one friend. It would take our Lord to get Ms. Donna in front of a camera!!
Truth be known many of us on this forum are big time introverts, myself included. I score "high" on testing of this sort every time I take it and most reading this would also. Typically, trappers are loners by nature. Tiss the nature of the beast as they say.
And quite a few public speakers are big, big introverts also. People errantly think public speakers are "people people" that love a good crowd but quite a few good ones are in fact quiet off stage. Many just like to travel life's journeys by themselves or maybe with a "crowd" of just a few others. Sound familiar to those reading this?

Best of Gods love to you and your family. It takes a lot of courage to do God's following. I wish you the best.

Yes that sounds pretty familiar- I can relate to what youve stated there. You prolly wont remember me,but I purchased the last 2 dozen sleepy creek 1.75’s you had for sale at the Wisconsin trappers convetion. Maybe 7or 8 years ago now ? And as much as I hate to admit it your old coyote and bobcat traps havent seen dry dirt Since then...lol. I ran out of muskrat traps that fall and somehow they ended up on my water line- gotta say they make a heck of mink and muskrat trap ! Lol Anyways just goes to show that not everthing gets used as originally intended...A trapper turned evangelist makes sense to me. No doubt youve got a unique audience and will be able to reach people who wouldn’t otherwise be reached thru other means... Hats off and good luck to you and Donna on the journey!

Mark I will be waiting to hear the rest of the story soon.

Mike, thank you very much.
Craig... I like the analogy and those traps were used in the field and that's what counts. I kinda miss the smell of a muskrat marsh to be honest. Been a while since I set a "rat" trap and my oldest kids remember when dad (me) would bring home a fresh muskrat and throw it in the pot on top of the wood stove as I skinned the day's catch. Boy-o-boy what good eating!
Jonesie... the story will take a while since I'm enrolled in a 4-year program at DTS brother. You and I have had some very good talks about theology and christianity and I always liked 'em. DTS's motto is "Preach the Word", something we would both agree to!

Mark