I met today’s utterly-fascinating guest about a half decade ago. We were in the same auction marketing class. I don’t know how it works, but adventurers seem to find each other; and I was instantly drawn into Ruth’s captivating tales. In terms of adventure, Ruth is a polymath, boldly exploring in diverse and intriguing ways. She has worked as a broadcast journalist, a magazine editor, a real estate developer, and an auctioneer. She’s traveled to all seven continents, sailing to Antarctica the long way. She loves riding motorcycles, driving sports cars, and skijoring with her dogs in Maine. But for the most part today, we’ll be talking about her global adventures in air & gas-powered aircraft.

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You can read about how a wild auction marketing story with spiritual impllications at “How God Used Oprah to Prove His Sovereignty”

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You can see and read about my other adventures on my blog or through my Instagram feed.

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I expanded on that story of Oprah’s $29MM house in chapter 7 of my new book, Scared to Life, available in paperback, audiobook, or Kindle ebook here.

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All episodes of the Everyday Adventures podcast are sponsored by Biplane Productions.

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The ad at the start of today's show was read by Thomas Rodhe.

On the Everyday Adventures podcast, we talk about adventure as something that gives us a fear to face, a challenge to overcome, and then some sort of reward to enjoy like accomplishment, a rush of reward chemicals in the body, or a connection with something bigger than ourselves. For almost all of these guests, the interviews have come after all of that, as we look back on adventures they’ve experienced and then look forward to adventures on their wish lists. But today’s guest comes to us in the middle of a grand adventure. I have found that every one my big adventures requires a big surrender or a series of smaller ones, and I’ve watched John lean into a lifestyle of surrender. For those of you still in the middle of a challenge or the center of a surrender, I hope today’s conversation encourages you to keep climbing your mountain, to keep grinding through the challenge.

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You can read what I’ve learned from being married to a pastor at “6 Ways to Be a Better Pastor’s Husband”

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You can see and read about my other adventures on my blog or through my Instagram feed.

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I retold the story of a beautiful moment in my relationship with John in chapter 13 my new book, Scared to Life, available in paperback, audiobook, or Kindle ebook here.

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All episodes of the Everyday Adventures podcast are sponsored by Biplane Productions.

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The ad at the start of today's show was read by Bailey and Mabel Brown.

This episode was co-hosted by my good friend, Logan. We interviewed Dan in the dark while hanging 90 feet off the ground while clipped into the side of a mountain face. Dan is an alpine climber, a ski mountaineer, and an ultramarathon runner who guides for the Kent Mountain Adventure Center in Estes Park, CO. You can see his impressive list of outdoor certifications here.

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Stories and photos from our night on the face of a cliff with Dan can be found at “A Series of Serendipities”

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You can see and read about my other adventures on my blog or through my Instagram feed.

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You’ll find stories of grand adventure in my new book, Scared to Life, available in paperback, audiobook, or Kindle ebook here.

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All episodes of the Everyday Adventures podcast are sponsored by Biplane Productions.

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The ad at the start of today's show was read by Madison Tice.

Dave has adventure stories I’ve told and retold, including some we’ll probably get to in a few minutes.But instead of that introduction, I want to tell you what happened in my living room last night. As my wife and I were comparing notes about our schedules today, I mentioned this podcast conversation with Dave; and my daughter interjected, “Who’s Dave Kountz?” Before I could answer, my wife did. She said, “Dave’s been like a father to Ryan and me.” Dave has been a mentor, a big brother, and a guide for me over the past 15 years. He has invited me on physical and spiritual adventures and has asked me haunting questions. He has reframed how I look at the world in profound ways—as much as by his example as by his advice. He has helped me see my faith journey as an adventure and seems to always go first in the adrenaline rush of surrender.

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To read the story of how Dave and I connected through the death of our ultralight friend, John, in “The Flight & Challenge of My Life”

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You can see and read about my other adventures on my blog or through my Instagram feed.

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You’ll be touched by my story about Dave in chapter 16 my new book, Scared to Life, in paperback, audiobook, or Kindle ebook here.

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All episodes of the Everyday Adventures podcast are sponsored by Biplane Productions.

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The ad at the start of today's show was read by Raelyn Lukowski.

I met today’s guest on a former Russian research vessel, as we sailed into a hurricane on our way to Antarctica. Her journey to the frozen continent carried a different significance and accomplishment than mine, because that was the seventh continent she had visited—in that calendar year! Elle Burne is a professional midwife, a travel blogger with enviable destinations under her belt, and a photographer with gorgeous images on all her social platforms. You’ll find her fantastic travel photography on her website and on her Instagram feed.

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To read my travel blog on solo travel at “8 Reasons to Travel Without Your Spouse”

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You can see and read about my other adventures on my blog or through my Instagram feed.

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You’ll find a couple of chapters about my Antarctica adventure with Elle inside my new book, Scared to Life, in paperback, audiobook, or Kindle ebook here.

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All episodes of the Everyday Adventures podcast are sponsored by Biplane Productions.

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The ad at the start of today's show was read by Thomas Rodhe.

Today, I want to introduce you to the adventurer on my guest list that my sisters and my wife were most excited for me to interview. He’s a comedian whose work can be seen on Comedy Central, in his recent Amazon comedy special, “Overwhelmed,” and most importantly on Instagram almost every day. You can watch Dustin’s standup special, “Overwhelmed” now on YouTube here or download it in audio format here. He’s got a great Instagram feed that you’ll find here.

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To read the comedy listicle I wrote for RELEVANT Magazine at “12 Christian Reality Shows America Wants”

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You can see and read about my other adventures on my blog or through my Instagram feed.

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You’ll find my new book, Scared to Life, in paperback, audiobook, or Kindle ebook here.

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All episodes of the Everyday Adventures podcast are sponsored by Biplane Productions.

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The ad at the start of today's show was read by Bear Horsley.

Today, I want to introduce to you one of the most influential adventurers in my life. HB is somewhere between a crazy uncle and a cool older brother. He’s full of wisdom and also a bunch of crazy ideas. HB has been next to me during formative moments of my relationship with rivers and with Jesus. And he has helped me connect our shared heart for moving water with the heart of a moving God. HB introduced me to Psalm 104:10-11, which says, “You make springs pour into the ravines, so streams gush down from the mountains. They provide water for all animals, and the wild asses quench their thirst.” In this episode, you’ll hear the soft soul of a wild ass.

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To read about the time HB rescued me from huge regret in my blog post, “Bungee Jumping Into Community”

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You can see and read about my other adventures on my blog or through my Instagram feed.

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You can read about HB in chapters 20 & 25 of my new book, Scared to Life, in paperback, audiobook, or Kindle ebook here.

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All episodes of the Everyday Adventures podcast are sponsored by Biplane Productions.

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The ad at the start of today's show was read by Bailey and Nora Brown.

Today, I want to introduce you to the man who reframed the idea of adventure for me and made possible some of the most fulfilling moments of my life. That’s not hyperbole. I’ve got receipts to back up those claims. Bob is an undefeated attorney, a law professor, and the Honorable Consul to Uganda. He has authored children’s books, incredible New York Times bestselling books for adults, and probably the best devotional book I’ve ever read. He has founded both an airline and a network of schools in conflict zones across Asia and Africa. Several times over the past decade, he has pulled a vocational emergency brake and utterly changed careers. His wife, Maria, adores him. His three children love him, and he is finally what he always wanted to be when he grew up: a grandpa.

Today, I want you to meet a couple who is living a wild adventure that inspires me. Judson & Megan have opened their home to six non-biological children from two countries. They nurture a two-minivan family and manage it all with astounding grace. As you’re about to hear, they played a part in me becoming a blogger and author; and they’ve inspired me in my journey of adoptive fatherhood.