Reboot leader Mike Presley at Yosemite National Park
Hi. My name is Mike Presley, and I love Jesus. I also love the outdoors.
Ever since I was little and my dad would take me day hiking at state parks all across Alabama, I’ve loved spending time in wild spaces. In college, I was fortunate to travel with my now wife Amy to work in Yellowstone National Park in summer 2003. More than 2,000 miles away from our friends and family with one car and little money, that was quite an adventure. But it was nothing compared to the greatest adventure of my life which began in 2005 when Amy led me to Christ.
A few years ago, a friend was looking for someone to accompany him on a backpacking trip in Alabama’s Cheaha Wilderness. I took him up on the offer and haven’t looked back since. Out in nature away from the distractions of modern society, I felt an intense connection with God. A day or two away to rest and recharge and reflect on God and study His word while enjoying His creation was an amazing experience. A dozen or so backpacking trips later, I felt God urging me to share this intense and awesome experience at Cheaha with others. That led me to start Reboot.
When I first had the idea of a Reboot website, I figured it would be a place to share general information about our ministry and trips and maybe some backpacking/camping tips, but God revealed that it could be so much more. I realized this could be a place to share the stories of our adventure as a ministry and the stories of others reached and impacted by God through adventures in the outdoors.
The greatest adventure of all
Studying God’s word from the top of Mount Cheaha, Alabama’s highest point.
To me, an adventure is full of fun and excitement but it requires you to be flexible, stretch your limits and even step out on faith. Also, I think it changes you. You learn a few things about yourself that stick with you after returning home.
I think God uses the wilderness as His premier teaching tool. During a Reboot adventure at Cheaha, a 50 percent chance of scattered showers turned into a deluge of 7 inches of rain and flash floods. I certainly didn’t plan for that. It was unpredictable, even a bit scary, but God used the trip illustrate to us what it is like when we seek to follow Christ with all our hearts. It is a true adventure. There are times that are uncertain, unpredictable and our plans go out the window. But when we step out on faith, God truly knows our needs and will provide exactly what we need when we need it every step of the way.
In fact, He has used the wilderness throughout the centuries to reveal Himself to us. A few examples: Jesus taught outdoors and used many illustrations from nature, God used a burning bush in the wilderness to call Moses to return and lead the Israelites out of captivity in Egypt, God called Abraham to leave the comfort and security of his homeland and enter into a great adventure which we are part of today.
Our stories
Early morning mist along the Pinhoti Trail in Alabama.
These are stories and revelations from the outdoors that continue today. I don’t want this blog to be just my story. This is my family’s story, this ministry’s story and our story as men and women taking our next steps on the grandest adventure we could ever be a part of: following Jesus. I hope you will enjoy and even hear God speaking to you through the stories and posts featured here.
If you or someone you know has a story of how God has used the outdoors to reach them for the first time, impact them or strengthen their faith, please contact me. I’d love to share it here. Thanks for reading.
In Christ,
Mike Presley – Reboot leader
Reboot Wilderness Adventures 