The Sailors Family

Would you be willing to support:

• The discipleship and mentoring of young men and women?

• The counseling and guiding of men going through sexual addictions and then the restoration of their lives and families?

• The training of pastors in Nicaragua as well as the training of men as Christian guides to lead others to Christ, disciple them and help them find their place in God’s Kingdom?

IF YOU WOULD THEN READ ON!

YES LINK

Greg is currently working for and employed by a ministry called New Wilderness Adventures as a missionary.

Through NWA Greg and Kryssy have had the opportunity to go on the international and home mission field to disciple, train pastors, mentor young men and women, and lead families of all ages into serving God through missions. Greg has also had the opportunity to go into 2 Texas Prisons where NWA gets to lead services for over 400 men and women. Two units; Beto Unit in Tennessee Colony and Hobby Women’s Unit in Marlin. Barry Strickland, our missionary in Dallas TX has the privilege of going weekly. Greg also leads NWA’s Guide Network initiative where we are training Guides. Through this, Greg daily walks with men who want to disciple and mentor other men. In essence, Greg gets to mentor the mentors. Moreover, Greg daily walks with men going through sexual addictions. Daily counseling and leading them in the restoration through Christ’s work of healing. Lastly, Greg and Kryssy walks with men, women and their families; simply being their for them in the “fox holes of life,” day by day!

NWA exists to build the family by introducing men to Christ, the ultimate man, and to introduce them to a life of adventure as His followers. NWA believes that God intends men to be strong and noble. We seek to reach men in all walks of life through adventure, marketplace ministry, discipleship, and counseling.

Here’s what Mark Folk, founder and director of NWA says: “I am passionate about inspiring men toward a lifestyle of ongoing transformational intimacy with Christ, so that they might fulfill- both in life and personal ministry- all that God intends for them as His image bearers.”

We have already sponsored ourselves and are participating as Golfers in this event. All we need you to do is to sponsor (Greg or Kryssy) with either a pledge to be paid after the event, or you can sponsor one of us with a secure on-line gift by clicking on the “yes” link below.

We will be golfing 18 holes and need sponsors for each hole at the level of your choosing. We are hoping for $100.00 per hole but please feel free to give whatever you feel God telling you to. We have sponsored ourselves for hole #1 at that level, and are asking you to sponsor one of us for one of the remaining 17 holes. All gifts are appreciated! Last year, some folks gave a few dollars a hole and we had a few that were able to give $500 or more on pledges. Once again, all gifts are so appreciated.

We really are thankful for your willingness to stand with us in our passionate support and investment in the ministry of New Wilderness Adventures.

Please respond by clicking on the YES link below. Your gift is tax deductible. You will receive a receipt for that purpose as well as a “Thank-You” note and report from me on how the day went.

So, can you help us with the rescue and discipleship of men and their families by sponsoring one of us in this golf tournament?

It is NWA’s ONLY MAJOR FUNDRAISER FOR 2009!

Thank you so much, this really means a lot to US!
WITH LOVE, Greg & Kryssy Sailors

PS.. corporate sponsorships are also available. A corporate sponsor will have their name on a hole, in the paper and on the T-Shirt! For more information on that, email me.

Click here to learn more about New Wilderness Adventures

YES LINK

Put in Greg or Kryssy’s name on who you are sponsoring or you can email us and we will manually log you in at:

Greg: greg@newwildernessadventures.com

or

Kryssy: kryssy@newwildernessadventures.com

and lastly, you can give directly by making a check out to:

New Wilderness Adventures (memo Greg or Kryssy) and send to:

1050 Sam Lattimore Road

Shelby, NC 28152

Tags: Fundraiser, Love, New Wilderness Adventures

Tags: Big Brother, New Baby

God is in the business of restoring relationships. I have been so blessed to have many relationships restored most of all the restoration God has done in my own life. I am so thankful for how God has brought restoration to my heart. He can bringing healing to you too!

Everyone that reads this blog also knows about the restoration that God has done with my birthmother Mary. A few days ago we received a comment on the website about meeting my birth mother and it was from Annie Hemmer Ataria. Greg said, “Who’s Annie Hemmer Ataria?” I said “What?” I was shocked. I was excited. I couldn’t believe it. Annie was a foreign exchange student from the Solomon Islands my senior year of high school. We became very close friends. After she went back to the islands we tried to write but mail just wasn’t predictable, and e-mail was not really an option there then. Well, she had been searching for me on the Internet and finally found me. Praise God! I couldn’t have been more surprised. I thought about her many times over the years and wondered if she were in the states, since this is where her dad is from. Well, she is still in the islands, but nonetheless, God is still restoring this relationship through the Internet. I’m very excited about this relationship being restored. I am excited about what God is going to do.

Annie is a true friend.

We all know people we have lost contact with, and didn’t mean to. People walk in and out of our lives. Some stay for a long time, others it is short. I will hold onto Annie for sure. Have you found anyone lately on the Internet? We would love for you to share your story.

Tags: Friendship, Restored Relationships, Solomon Islands

Kryssy’s story of meeting her birth mother was featured in the Shelby Star. Go to: http://www.shelbystar.com/news/kryssy_37568___article.html/birth_ann.html

Big thanks to Allison Flynn and her work on the story!

Here it is below:

“Thirty years after being given up for adoption, woman and birth mother are reunited”

by Allison Flynn

When Kryssy Sailors was in fourth or fifth grade, she took piano lessons. One song she practiced over and over again was called “Mary Ann.” Kryssy remembers thinking to herself, “I love Mary Ann,” even though she had no idea who Mary Ann was.

Twenty years later, Kryssy of Shelby knows her love of the song was no coincidence. The woman who gave birth to her is named Mary Ann Olsen.

When she was just a baby, Kryssy was adopted by Wayne and Kathy Bakken of Wisconsin. At the time of her adoption, all that was known about Kryssy’s birth parents was that her mother was 15, her father 18 and that they were too young for a child.

The Bakkens never kept the fact that Kryssy was adopted secret and even told her they’d help her find her birth mother if she ever decided to do so.

That decision came in August 2007.

KRYSSY’S STORY

“I kind of always knew I would, but then I saw the movie ‘August Rush,’” Kryssy said.

She contacted the adoption agency in Wisconsin and began the process.

“I got the paperwork back and sat on it for almost a year,” she said. “I had to say why I wanted to meet her and I finally said God kept prompting me.”

Once she sent in the paperwork, it took about six weeks to receive word that her case had been assigned to a case worker.

“I got a phone call a week later saying she’d been found and she was thrilled to get in contact with me,” Kryssy said.

Both Kryssy and Mary Ann had to sign release forms. Once the legalities were taken care of, the agency sent Kryssy her mother’s name, address and phone number.

After building up courage, Kryssy finally decided just to call her mother.

“There was a lot of crying. We talked about my history and I told her I wasn’t mad at her,” she said.

Kryssy was anxious to meet Mary Ann, but both decided to save up and try to meet somewhere halfway.

“My heart missed her. I wanted to be close to her,” she said.

In January, Kryssy and her husband, Greg, traveled to Nashville, Tenn., to meet Mary Ann. Mary Ann came alone and Kryssy and Greg left their 2-year-old son, Jackson, with family.

“I didn’t want to have to be a mother and a daughter or her to be a mother and a grandmother,” Kryssy said.

Although they had never met before, both new each other instantly.

“It was just a strange connection. It made me realize how much of a bond there is between a mother and a child,” Kryssy said.
“Now that we’ve met my heart feels more complete,” she said. “Now it misses my birth dad.”

Kryssy’s talked to her birth father, Rodney Udelhoven, on the phone. She, Greg and Jackson plan to travel to Wisconsin in May to meet her father and other family.

THE BAKKEN’S STORY

Wayne and Kathy Bakken adopted Kryssy when she was around 6 weeks old. They also have an adopted son.

“We were destined to adopt,” Kathy said.

When they adopted Kryssy, they were given a pink dress and a pink and blue shawl Mary Ann had made for her. Kathy kept it for Kryssy.

“I wrote a poem at the time for Mary Ann,” Kathy said.

The Bakkens have always been supportive of helping Kryssy find her mother.

“We knew there would come a day. Kids who are adopted need closure … when she became a parent, we knew she’d ask why,” Kathy said.

The birth of Kryssy’s son, Jackson, did play a part, Kryssy said.

Kathy is grateful of Mary Ann’s decision every day, she said.

“Without her sacrifice we wouldn’t have become parents,” she said. “We were blessed to get Kryssy and we’re more than happy to share her with Mary Ann now.

“I don’t have any question marks. My heart aches for the decision she made.”

MARY ANN’S STORY

When Mary Ann Olsen was 15, she became pregnant with her daughter, Kryssy.

“I was too young to give her the life I wanted her to have,” Mary Ann said.

Although it was the hardest thing she’s ever done, Mary Ann made the decision to give up her baby girl.

“I also was adopted,” Mary Ann said. “I grew up in a very good, loving home. I didn’t want to grow up on welfare with her.”

Mary Ann said she always hoped that someday Kryssy, who she called Tabitha, would find her, but she wanted that choice to ultimately be her daughter’s.

“My friends have asked me what I would do if she showed up on my doorstep and I said I would greet her with open arms,” she said.

When she received the phone call saying Kryssy was looking for her, she was thrilled.

“I’ve carried her baby picture in my wallet for 30 years,” Mary Ann said. “Not a day in my life haven’t I thought about her and prayed for her.

“The love I have for that girl is something I’ve never had for anyone else. You can just see the smile on my face in that picture.”

Meeting in person, although they’d talked numerous times on the phone and had shared pictures with each other, made Mary Ann nervous. Any trepidation she felt, though, dissolved as soon as she embraced her baby.

“The minute I held her any fears I had were subsided,” she said.

Mary Ann is amazed at how much Kryssy looks like her and the two have found they are very similar in many ways.

“She and I have a lot of the same thoughts and beliefs,” Mary Ann said. “She said she’s never wanted to get a tattoo because she doesn’t like pain and would never pay anyone to put her through pain. That’s exactly what I’ve always said.
“There are other just little things … You can tell we are definitely related,” she added.

Mary Ann has always been frank about giving Kryssy up for adoption and even spoke to other teen mothers about her decision. As difficult as the decision was, Mary Ann would do it all over again.

“Seeing Kryssy confirmed I did the right thing,” she said. “Adoption is a beautiful thing… to know there are so many people out there who want to be parents and can’t. I can’t thank the Bakkens enough.”

Tags: Adoptee, Family, Shelby Star

    My son is now 2 years old and on his way to 3 years old.  WOW… it is so hard for me to believe.  I still think of him as a little baby but he is growing up.

He really is an amazing little fellar.  Such a blessing to his mother and father.  It really has been interesting to watch him grow.  Anyone that is around Jackson long will know he is analytical (right Hennie?).  He likes to study things especially his books.  He loves to curl up in his mommy’s lap and read.  I would imagine it’s his favorite place to be and rightfully so.

Jackson really has a great personality as a young child.  He is for sure his mom and dad’s beloved son.  He is an adventurer and explorer.  Jackson laughs a lot and enjoys life.  He loves to talk and gab… he is always saying something, and of course it comes out in the cutest ways possible.

We are very proud of Jack West…we have been praying with and over him since he was conceived.   It’s really cool when he will come to us and say “pra pra” and grabs our hands to pray.  You should see him when we pray before meals… you can tell he’s hungry.

I could go on and on of course.. he’s for sure the proverbially “apple of my eye.”  But I will leave room for other’s comments on this precious baby. 

Big thank you to all that are so awesome with him and such a blessing to us.  I cannot name you all but for a few in no certain order…lol… Hi J, Derl, B and B, Maw Maw, Derk, Pa Pa Curt, Syd, Madson, Ms Ah, Sheri and so many more… It really is a community of love that is bringing this warrior son up.

Thank you so much!

Tags: Birthday, Jackson

Do you know those type of people that really love others, but are so misunderstood? Well my buddy Darrell is one of those guys. If you will remember, I blogged about him looking like Grover from Sesame Street. Darrell is a divinity student at GWU, he is in our house church, and in my Band of Brothers, as well as a dear friend. Darrell’s blog is worth reading. He always has something fresh an raw to blog about. Sometimes it is school other times it might be relationships or just his sense of humor. God is working in his life and he is not afraid of talking about it. Reading his blog will be a blessing and a challenge for your life.

I am really proud of Darrell and as I alluded to, he is often misunderstood. Darrell wants to be loved and he loves others well. He is a friend… but as we all have at times in our lives, we have made mistakes or rubbed people the wrong way…some would call them judgements that people have made…well, Darrell has had a ton of judgements set against him throughout his life mostly in the area of his eagerness to be a friend or love someone. Yes, he has made some mistakes at school or with friends, he has been misunderstood for sure and, as his friend, I say to get to know the real Darrell… you are going to like what you see. Give Big D a call by looking at his website. Go to http://clearvisionministry.com/blog

Got something good to say about DH? Leave your shout out here! (<-I’m so down with that!)

Tags: Band of Brothers, College, Gardner-Webb

The night was really beautiful and clear. The stars were twinkling and the Atlanta sky line was in brilliant colors. I was looking for the Peachtree Plaza the famed Westin hotel that is round. It is a symbol of Atlanta much like the Empire State Building is a symbol in New York.

As we were coming into town on I-20, from our trip with Barry at NWA Texas, Mark and I were astounded at all the traffic. It was 1 am and everyone was flying by. As we were getting off I-20 onto I-85, we noticed some police cars about. This was not too intriguing because they were paving 3 lanes downtown.

As I got directly across from The Grady Hospital, I noticed another police vehicle on the right shoulder. We were in the second to last outside lane near that shoulder. I came close to the police car and had to abruptly stop. There was a rollback with a car on it with a car also on the tow dolly. It did not have it’s flashers on. I stopped just 15 foot or so short of the rollback and immediately put my 4 way flashers on. I was trying to get around the rollback but could not move because of all the traffic.

I was astounded because I noticed the police person looking down in her car and also befuddled because the rollback and an ambulance, that I did not notice until we stopped, did not have any lights on. And they were in the road and not on the shoulder.

There was absolutely no warning that there was a wreck on the road. No flares, no one directing traffic. Nothing.

I remember praying quickly, and I looked in the rear view mirror and saw a SUV barreling down on us and braced…it barely missed us, maybe just scrapping us a little. The tail gate car behind it didn’t have a chance though and plowed into us. It bounced off and went through all the lanes of traffic and got hit several times by other cars… that lady was in critical condition.

It was a miracle for sure. The police later told me that the Lexus that hit us was going between 60 and 70mph. What do you think would happen if you are hit by a speeding car that fast and you are stopped?

Be pushed forward? That’s what I thought. The police were amazed that that did not happen and actually amazed that the Lexus did not lift us up and push us onto the rollback or flip us.

God protected us for sure. I have no doubt of that. Our life could have ended but God did an amazing work to keep us safe because when the Lexus hit us, we did not move at all. The people on the shoulder that watched it happen were dumbstruck by it. They kept saying to me… “I can’t believe your car just stayed there…”

Please be praying for the other people involved and for us as well…we are a little sore but otherwise ok. Our Honda was totaled. I have some pictures below. They do not really do justice to all of the damage but take a look. Please be praying that God would provide correctly through insurance or other means and please also ask God how He’d want you to pray for us.

Your support is vital! Please join us and praising God for this true miracle of protection.

Tags: Accident, Atlanta Police, Car Wreck, God's Protection

Who knew you could find free hearts and kindred spirits in a maximum security prison. Barry Strickland, NWA Missionary Leader of our Texas branch, has been a part of prison ministry with Kairos for over 3 years. Kairos is a valuable ministry in and of itself, but Barry’s desire was to bring what we do through NWA and the message of the heart as well as the new covenant into the prison. Through Kairos, Barry met Father Casey, an Anglican Priest, who is the director of Christian Prison Ministry. Papa Casey is a volunteer chaplain at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, George Beto Unit in Tennessee Colony, Texas. Barry and Casey became fast friends and through that friendship, Barry was able to assemble a team and bring Wild at Heart into the prison.

It was August of 2007. There were 190 men in white prison clothes. Some with Bibles and others with smirks. They had no idea what they were getting themselves into and neither did I when I visited the Beto unit a year after Barry’s work began.

Last night Mark and I, along with my new friends, Buck Rodgers and Papa Casey, with Barry went to Wednesday night chapel. I had been to a prison before, but never to a maximum security unit. I was surprised, but I did not feel any reservations. I felt very free.

We got there early and got a chance to hang out with some of the inmates. Guys like Wilcox, a long timer who is a major encourager and works in the library. Other guys like Pablo and Eli who work in Chaplain’s office and minister to many of the inmates before they get to the Chaps. There were men like Yates, a long timer who is always smiling and has a servants heart. These men are freehearters!

After being there for about an hour, we went down the prison halls. Some wings felt very dark and ominous whereas others you could feel the joy of the Lord. We passed through one of the darker sections on the way to the Craft Shop, a place of major light on the darker north side. These guys are major talents. They surely are not cutting out construction paper hats and airplanes but rather making some of the most beautiful pieces of art I have ever scene. Picture elaborate leather work, hand tooled and precise. Think of amazing jewelry makers and carpenters; craftsman of every sort.

After our visit in the craft shop, we headed back to the chapel where the praise band was practicing for Sunday worship. These guys are amazing. One of which, the guitar player, is a studio player. They rocked and were really worshiping the Lord.

I don’t know about you, but when I think of a chapel, I generally think of a nice little white building, with a few pews, a bench to kneel at and a stained glass window. The Beto chapel is more like a gymnasium. It will seat over 600. It has some amazing artistry. From murals all over the walls depicting beautifully many different scenes from the Bible to stained glass and baptistry laden with beauty. All of this art done by inmates.

This trip made a major impact on me. Many of these men, although locked up with many of them serving life sentences, are free of heart. Barry and Casey’s work as well as the team has and is making such a major impact. I am really look forward to reconnecting with these men again sometime in the future and am excited to hear stories from Barry about the healing and rehabilitation that is taking place there. Please be praying for the ministry NWA is doing in the prison in Texas and for further opportunities to impact men wherever they are!

Tags: Beto, Prison, Texas, Wild at Heart