PASTOR LEO SCHREVEN OF GOALLPOWER.COM began his walk across America on the beach of the Atlantic Ocean in Jacksonville, FL on February 9, 2011. His goal is to splash into the Pacific Ocean at San Diego, CA 100 days later on May 19, 2011, his 50th birthday. To date, he is over three-fourths of the way there.
It’s been a remarkable adventure, one that I have experienced with him through his daily vlogs. He begins each one with a motivational thought, morning prayer, and then clips from his daily marathon. Each day he walks at least 26 miles, often more. He has been conducting All Power seminars on the weekends and makes up his missed miles from Sabbath morning by walking overnight. Sunday morning, after a few hours of sleep, he resumes the marathon.
On the narrow shoulders of Louisiana highways, Leo encountered incessant rain and subsequent blisters. He experienced freezing cold and intense heat within one walk session in Texas. The threat of Mexican drug cartels loomed as he walked along the lonely US/Mexico border that stretched on and on. Half this trip, Leo has battled intense wind, as if to push him back to the Atlantic. Through it all, Leo has pressed on, one foot in front of the other, and he has inspired me to daily face my own journey with confidence.
Leo has taken his viewers along a trip like no other. We experienced the amazing Southern hospitality, walked through many museums, read signs at historic sites, and met interesting (yet ordinary) people all along the way. From the vicar at an Anglican church to a group of tattooed friends, to a bicyclist who was making his own trek, to a peacock strutting down main street, each of these (except the peacock) were given a small card with info leading to Leo’s website and the charity he is walking to support. If they looked it up they would also see themselves on his vlog. Fun all around.
Walking with Purpose
This walk is not simply to complete Leo Schreven’s lifetime bucket list. No, Leo has teamed up with many who are sponsoring him on behalf of a variety of important causes, starting with Kids Charity Walk. He is also walking to promote the free Life Mastery seminars available on his website. His ministry has a big vision. He remarks that his website reached more people in the first month than in all the 27 years of live seminars he has conducted. Here is one Seventh-day Adventist pastor forging ahead using today’s technology to share “the Good News of the Gospel with the whole world.”
Courage for My Journey
My sons and I have traveled with Pastor Leo from our breakfast table. We have prayed with him to begin the day, and prayed for him and his blistered feet. We laughed with him as he scared away the cows. Andrew was still mimicking him a day later and laughing! I personally rejoiced at the goodness of God when Leo came across chocolate-smelling flowers out in the lonely desert. When he announced his foot pain was gone, Andrew rejoiced in prayer: “Thank you, Jesus, for healing Pastor Leo’s feet!”
Leo’s walk across America has mirrored my own arduous journey. God has used him to give me courage among some of the most difficult days of my life. Not only have I suffered greatly under postpartum depression but I also have a chronic disease known as fibromyalgia. Pain shifting in severity and location, crippling sleep difficulties, and the yo-yo effect of going gangbusters on good days and drooping on bad days are just a sampling of how I live my life. That’s my “normal” life while caring for two toddlers and a pre-teen (all boys!). However, life has a way of compiling hardship on hardship. A domino effect began to happen and suddenly life went from walking a marathon every day to walking it on frontage-road gravel with the wind trying to blow us over.
That’s my metaphor but that was Leo’s reality. As I watched Leo’s cheerful, but honest words reporting in those conditions (and many others!), I was able to take God’s hand for one more step and then the next. Each morning Leo shared mind-altering thoughts that kept me on the edge to try new ways of living. All the while he showed how truly JOYFUL one can be on ANY journey of life.
I’m counting the days till his finish line. It’s not far now! God will see him through! Us too!
Up Next
Next I will tell you about Leo’s team, including his dedicated family. Until then, log onto www.goallpower.com/walk to follow Walk Across America with Leo Schreven. Catch up on past videos, become a sponsor or donate. Regardless, may you gather courage for your own journey.
