Gary Fallesen / Wednesday, May 16, 2012 / Categories: Mission: Nepal 2012, Mission: Nepal 2014, Bios Dave Stoessel Nationality: American. Occupation: Sales Arborist. Missions with C4C: Mission: Nepal 2012 (January-February) and 2014 (September). How long have you climbed? Unless you count ladders or trees, I have never been a climber. Mission: Nepal 2012 was my first true trekking experience. Highlight of climbing career: Yet to be announced. How long have you been a Christian? I grew up going to church and believing in God, however, my true realization of what Jesus Christ did for me came with a small group study of Rick Warren’s The Purpose Driven Life eight years ago, and I have been growing in His word ever since. Type of ministry you are blessed to serve in: I am blessed to work with the high school youth of my home church — Hope Lutheran Church in Greece, N.Y., USA. These teens constantly amaze me, and I am certain that I learn more from them than they learn from me. I also serve as an usher at Hope and periodically use the horticultural talents God has given me to tend to the trees on our church campus. Favorite Scripture verse and why: 2 Corinthians 4:16-18. “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” This verse has popped up over and over in difficult times of my life. For me, it speaks to faith — we will have troubles on this earth, but these are temporary. The glory of heaven far outweighs them all! I am reminded to keep my eyes on Christ and his never changing promise, not on the world. Have faith in Him!!! Special “God moment” you’d like to share: In April of 2008 my precious wife was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent surgery in May. This was a time that our entire family could do nothing ourselves and could only rely on our faith and fall back into the arms of our Lord. During the surgery I continually prayed and read scripture regarding fear and faith over and over. Despite knowing and believing that God was with me, and despite the fact that my mother in law and a close family friend were physically with me, I was feeling very alone as the time with no news from the operating room grew longer. At the moment that I should have been hearing something from the doctors, my hospital pager went off, and when I looked to the nurses’ station, there stood Haidi Jones, our dear sweet 80-plus-year-old friend and “faith mentor.” She said that she had been praying at home for us and suddenly knew that she should come to the hospital despite the fact that she did not drive much anymore. She sat with me and prayed just the right words to re-focus my faith at that moment, and within minutes of her arrival, the first of the doctors came out with the news that all had gone as well as any of us could have hoped. I truly believe that the Lord sent an angel in the form of Haidi that day at exactly the time I needed. What does Climbing For Christ mean to you? I am blessed to be involved in C4C, it is a unique ministry, both in where and who it serves. About a year ago, Pastor Larry Stojkovic encouraged his congregation to “get out of the stands and into the game.” To me, C4C is the response to Acts 1:8 — “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses to all of Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” So put me in Coach! To the ends of the earth we go! Marissa Gardiner Thursday, May 17 Print 3876 Gary FallesenGary Fallesen Other posts by Gary Fallesen Contact author