Stepping out in faith...

We love read aloud missionary stories. We truly do.  It's always amazing to us when these young men and women step out in faith and watch God provide for their needs to spread the gospel to the world!

This time, our beloved 14 year old son Edward is stepping out in faith. God has prompted him to attend the Quest, a program for 14 year old boys and up held on the Alert campus in Big Sandy Texas.  This is such an amazing honor and blessing to Glenn and I!
"I could have no greater joy than to hear that my children are following the truth." 3rd John 1:4

Here is some info on the program!

A Vision for Manhood

God calls young men to be mature, following Him. Quest helps young men reject the myth of adolescence and choose to pursue Christ-like manliness.

Practical Life Skills

Many parents struggle to find ways to teach their young men the basic skills needed to meet the challenges of life. Quest provides basic training in areas such as home and auto maintenance, first aid & CPR, financial planning, and time management.

Disciplines for Success

The most important aspect of maturity is a young man’s walk with God, and Quest focuses on developing habits for spiritual growth.


Quest exists to help young men as they strive for responsible, Biblical manliness. We seek to cast a vision for manhood and answer the questions guys have about the transition from child to man. Through one-on-one discipleship and group classes, we help young men overcome the struggles holding them back from maturity and teach the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in life. Our goal is to be a useful tool for parents seeking to encourage their sons to strive after manly maturity.

Our Mission

God has blessed us with a wonderful training facility here at the International ALERT Academy, giving us a broader vision for reaching the hearts of families. Our mission is three-fold:

1. Challenging young men to God-glorifying manliness.
2. Assisting parents by presenting practical life skills from a Biblical worldview.
3. Encouraging young men to develop healthy relationships with Godly role models.

Combining hands-on skill training with live classroom workshops, Quest seeks to instill the sense of responsibility and focus necessary to be a man. An emphasis on spiritual disciplines and a dedicated leadership team creates an environment conducive to spiritual growth. Scripture memorization, journaling, regular times of Bible study, and prayer are required.

Our History

The first summer Quest took place in July 2006. Since then, over 350 participants from the US and other countries have attended this summer program, growing in their love for the Lord, forging strong friendships, and learning principles and skills necessary to be a mature man.

Quest 2014

When: June 30 – July 25, 2014
Where: International ALERT Academy, Big Sandy, TX. Transportation is available to and from the                         Dallas/Fort Worth and Love Field airports.
Who: Young men ages 14 and older.
Cost: The cost for the 4-week program is $1,395.

Training

Spiritual Disciplines

• Journaling
• Scripture Memory
• Personal Responsibility
• Service to others
• Character training in:
  • punctuality
  • orderliness
  • attentiveness and more

Life Skills Training

Outdoor

• Physical fitness (hiking, daily group physical exercise)
• Flatwater canoeing
• Basic First Aid and CPR
• Sports Activities

Home

• Basic Electrical
• Basic Plumbing
• Basic Auto Maintenance
• Handling Automotive Emergencies
• Financial Planning

Life

• Life Purpose Planning
• Counseling
• Time Management
• Leadership   

Isn't this exciting?? We think so! This is such an answer to our prayers for our son! Such an incredible blessing! Edward has always known that he would like to attend the Alert Academy once he is 17, but what a wonderful thing to do in the meantime! Wow!  Here is a letter that Edward has written about his stepping out in faith!!      






Dear Friends and Family,
I would like to tell you  all about something very exciting!
I am stepping out in faith to attend a program called quest. It's a program designed to develop habits of spiritual growth.
The program is takes place from June 30th through July 25th , 2014 on the Alert campus in  Big Sandy, Texas.

Would you please pray for me? Thank you! Please pray that:
1. I would fully trust God and His leading.
2. For God's will to be done.
3. For God to provide the money needed to go.

Quest is designed for young men to grow a stronger relationship with God and their parents.There will be many skills that Iwill be learning while there too:
1. Basic electrical.
2. Basic plumbing.
3. Auto maintenance.
4. Auto emergencies.
5. Financial planning.
I will be doing lots of activities with other young men too like: Canoeing,hiking,sports,first aid, and CPR and others.

The tuition for the program is $1,395.00 plus airfare. So far the Lord has provided a little over
$200.00  Yay!!!!  I am excited to trust Him to provide the rest. I am praying this trip helps me grow closer to God, to filter out bad things in my life, and to strengthen my relationship with my parents.
I grow more excited every day it gets closer and to see how the Lord will work.
Thank you in advance for your prayers and encouragement:)         
                    
                                                                                                                
IN CHRIST,
                                                                                                    
Edward Joseph Winslow:)